Trade Unions Essays - Labour Relations, Labor, Trade Union

Trade Unions "A trade union is an independant self-regulating organization of workers created to protect and advance the interests of its members through collective action." Over recent years, it has become fashionable in many quarters to write off Britain's trade unions, to label them as obsolete institutions out of touch with new realities and incapable of change. In today's world of individual employment contracts, performance-related pay schemes, Human Resource and Total Quality Management and all the other ingredients of the so-called ?new' workplace, trade unions are often regarded as anachronistic obstacles preventing success of the market economy. As collective voluntary organizations that represent employees in the workplace, it is argued, trade unions no longer serve a useful purpose. The main priority of this essay is to represent the arguments for and against the relevance of trade unions in todays working society. Furthermore, I shall comment on the future of the trade union movement, based upon the facts and findings that helped construct this text. Trade unions exist because an individual worker has very little power to influence decisions that are made about his or her job. The greatest advantage in joining a trade union is because, by doing so, individuals possess more chance of having a voice and influence in their place of work. By joining forces with other workers, an individual's opinions and beliefs regarding their job will also be voiced by other union members, thus creating a stronger stance against management, if needed. Therefore, the main purpose of a trade union is to protect and improve people's pay and conditions of employment. This objective is usually achieved through negotiation and representation. Negotiation is where union representatives discuss with management, issues which affect people working in an organization. The union finds out the members' views and relays these views to management. Pay, working hours, holidays and changes to working practices are the sort of issues that are negotiated. However, not all views will be taken on board by management; there may be a difference of opinion between them and union members. Negotiation, therefore, is about finding a solution to these differences. This process is also known as collective bargaining. "In many workplaces there is a formal agreement between the union and the company, which states that the union has the right to negotiate with the employer. In these organizations, unions are said to be recognised for collective bargaining purposes." People who work in organizations where unions are recognised are better paid, and are less likely to be made redundant than people who work in organizations where unions are not recognised. Most collective bargaining takes place quietly and agreements are quickly reached by the union and the employer. Occasionally disagreements do occur, and in these cases the union may decide to take industrial action. "If the problem cannot be resolved amicably, the matter may go to an industrial tribunal." The purpose of industrial tribunals is to make sure that employees and employers conform to employment laws. They are made up of people outside the workplace who make a judgement about the case, based on the employee's and employer's point of view. Cases that go to industrial tribunals are usually about pay, unfair dismissal, redundancy or discrimination at work. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is often used to help find a solution to a dispute, which is acceptable to both sides. "Its duty under the Employment Protection Act is to promote the improvement of industrial relations and in particular to encourage the extension of collective bargaining. Also to develop (and where necessary to reform) collective bargaining machinery. Its main functions are: advisory work, collective conciliation, individual conciliation, arbitration, and extended investigation into industrial relations problems." Individuals can be represented by trade unions when they encounter problems at work. If an employee feels that they are being unfairly treated, he or she can ask the union representative to help sort out the difficulty with the manager or employer. Apart from negotiation and representation, many other benefits can be gained by joining a trade union. One of these benefits is the fact that unions can offer their members legal representation. Usually this is to help people to get financial compensation for work-related injuries, or to assist people in taking their employer to court. Members can also take full advantage of the wealth of information which can be obtained from unions, of which can prove invaluable. The kind of information available covers a range of issues i.e. the length of holiday that an employee is entitled to each year, the amount of pay an employee would be

York, the Slave Who Traveled With Lewis and Clark

York, the Slave Who Traveled With Lewis and Clark One member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was not a volunteer, and according to the law at the time, he was the property of another member of the expedition. He was York, an African-American slave who belonged to William Clark, the expeditions co-leader. York was born in Virginia in about 1770, apparently to slaves who were owned by the family of William Clark. York and Clark were roughly the same age, and it seems likely they had known each other since childhood. In the Virginia society in which Clark grew up, it would not have been uncommon for a Caucasian boy to have a slave boy as a personal servant. And it appears that York fulfilled that role, and remained Clarks servant into adulthood. Another example of this situation would be that of Thomas Jefferson, who had a lifelong slave and body servant named Jupiter. While York was owned by Clarks family, and later Clark himself, it seems that he married and had a family before 1804, when he was compelled to leave Virginia with the Lewis and Clark Expedition. A Skilled Man on the Expedition On the expedition, York fulfilled a number of roles, and its apparent that he must have possessed considerable skills as a backwoodsman. He nursed Charles Floyd, the only member of the Corps of Discovery to have died on the expedition. So it seems York may have been knowledgeable in frontier herbal medicine. Some men on the expedition were designated as hunters, killing animals for the others to eat, and at times York functioned as a hunter, shooting game such as buffalo. So its obvious that he was entrusted with a musket, though back in Virginia a slave would not have been allowed to carry a weapon. In the expedition journals, there are mentions of York being a fascinating sight to the Native Americans, who had apparently never seen an African American before. Some Indians would paint themselves black before going into battle, and they were amazed by someone who was black by birth. Clark, in his journal, recorded instances of Indians inspecting York, and trying to scrub his skin to see if his blackness was natural. There are other instances in the journals of York performing for the Indians, at one point growling like a bear. The Arikara people were impressed by York and referred to him as the great medicine. Freedom for York? When the expedition reached the west coast, Lewis and Clark held a vote to decide where the men would stay for the winter. York was allowed to vote along with all the others, though the concept of a slave voting would have been preposterous back in Virginia. The incident of the vote has often been cited by admirers of Lewis and Clark, as well as some historians, as proof of the enlightened attitudes on the expedition. Yet when the expedition ended, York was still a slave. A tradition developed that Clark had freed York at the end of the expedition, but that is not accurate. Letters written by Clark to his brother after the expedition still refer to York being a slave, and it seems that he was not freed for many years. Clarks grandson, in a memoir, mentioned that York was Clarks servant as late as 1819, some 13 years after the expedition returned. William Clark, in his letters, complained about Yorks behavior, and it appears that he may have punished him by hiring him out to perform menial labor. At one point he was even considering selling York into slavery in the deep south, a much harsher form of slavery than that practiced in Kentucky or Virginia. Historians have noted that there are no documents establishing that York had ever been freed. Clark, however, in a conversation with the writer Washington Irving in 1832, did claim to have freed York. There is no clear record of what happened to York. Some accounts have him dead before 1830, but there are also stories of a black man, said to be York, living among Indians in the early 1830s. Portrayals of York When Meriwether Lewis listed the expedition participants, he wrote that York was, A black man by the name of York, servant to Capt. Clark. To Virginians at that time, servant would have been a common euphemism for slave. While Yorks status as a slave was taken for granted by the other participants in the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the view of York has changed over the course of future generations. In the early 20th century, at the time of the centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, writers referred to York as a slave, but often incorporated the inaccurate narrative that he had been freed as a reward for his hard work during the expedition. Later in the 20th century, York was portrayed as a symbol of black pride. Statues of York have been erected, and he is perhaps one of the better known members of the Corps of Discovery, after Lewis, Clark, and Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who accompanied the expedition.

Migrants from Asia and the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Migrants from Asia and the Middle East - Essay Example The book reads like a story of a society determined to rise out of the dredges of the disadvantages of diversity so as to achieve unity in all its quarters as it strives to retain its right to be different. The material contains the all important implication that understanding different lifestyles and ways of living gives people a broader perspective in their own lives - this thought can be called a summation of all the ideas in this book. Strangers to these Shores goes on to give an insight into various communities and so called minorities who have the potential to deliver us to unknown lands and their unknown cultures. The United States of America has a salad bowl for its cultural and social structure, owing to the fact that it is basically made up of immigrants pursuing the "Great American Dream". These immigrants fall into a variety of groups and minorities struggling to keep their basic identity intact and yet, contribute to the American mosaic of cultures and minorities. When on the discussion of minorities, it would be incomplete without a mention of Asian and Middle Eastern Immigrants. This group has emerged as on of the largest and most sizable immigrants to the United States of America. According to national figures and statistics, every fourth person in New York alone belongs to India or some country around it. Therefore, it comes as no surprise to find an entire chapter dedicated to this group. Chapter nine of Strangers to these Shores is called "Other Asian and Middle Eastern Americans". The paper in your hand is a summary of this chapter. Firstly, let us deal with the word "other". The use of this word in the chapter's title silently underscores the fact that this group has been relegated to the minority status. Moving on, it would be imperative to define "Asia" and the "Middle East", out of a need to distinguish between the two. While Asia widely refers to Middle Eastern states as well as countries like India, Pakistan, China, Japan and other South East Asian states, it is quite clear that the cultures are poles apart. A notable factor of this chapter that has to do with the broad definitions of these areas is the fact that it takes the Middle East and the rest of Asia i.e. when it says "other Asian immigrants", separately. That should suffice as a clear demarcation for the rest of the paper. In the course of this paper, the author seeks to educate the readers by starting out with facts that have to do with understanding the topical and current nature of the experiences of these people as compared to their black and other European counterparts. Since most of these peoples found themselves migrating to the United States since the 1965 Immigration Act, their basic trait is that they are comparatively unusual and still very "non - Western". Further, while many have been able to achieve a respectable social status, a majority of them have minimal participation with native-born U.S. residents owing to their cultural differences. These differences, like those of the groups who have come to settle down in America way before them, will be resolved only over time - i.e., when

Modern Mums International Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Modern Mums International Marketing Plan - Essay Example Established in 2000 by Mary Polion, Modern Mums is a small company situated in Dublin, specializing in maternity wear. The company has established sales in Ireland through establishment of outlets in department stores and other independent outlets. It hastily won recognition and sales for its modern clothes, which proved particularly popular with working-class women. It has established a good sales base in Ireland and is selling in the UK to such prestigious retailers such as Harrods, John Lewis and Selfridges. Today the company employs 80 people manufacturing and selling maternity wear for the Irish and the export markets. Until now, export activities have been concentrated in the UK market (primarily department stores like Harrods). The firm depends heavily on a personal approach to secure orders. Potential buyers receive a presentation on the range from Mary herself or from Celine Murphy, the firm’s Chief Designer. In recent years, Modern Mums has come under increasing inte rnational competitive pressure in both the domestic and UK markets. Chain stores from the UK and mainland Europe have made significant inroads in the Irish market. Several of the European chains use global sourcing and large volumes to keep prices down. Mary has decided to fight back by expanding her business to mainland Europe and has identified three countries including Germany, France and Italy. The most effective market among the three options the company has identified is Germany. This paper discusses the international marketing plan that Modern Mums can adopt to establish competitive advantage in Germany. Current Business Situation in Germany The prominent drivers of the maternity wear markets in Germany include fashion, consumer confidence and the increased income levels. According to Rama Rao, (2008), the maternity wear market grew over 1% in European countries within two years to 2009 to reach 140 million dollars. Germany is the largest clothing and maternity wear market in the European Union with an estimated purchase of 51 billion pounds. The German clothing industry forms the second largest consumer industry being excelled by food and beverage industry. Germany is the largest importer of maternity clothing in the European Union with the imports accounting for 90% of the maternity wear sold in Europe (Hauser, 2010:2). The market has not grown as strongly as the regular women’s wear maternity wear is relatively expensive. Statistics indicate that trousers are the most popular maternity wear item that is purchased in the market followed by tops and jeans. The difference in the popularity of these items is caused by the variation in age. Pregnant women under the age of 25 years would buy more jeans and tops compared to their elder counterparts. The increasing number of mature first time mothers i.e. between 25-35 years of age has widened the market for maternity wears targeting older women in Germany. Most of them are career people who would req uire an outfit that would enable them carry out their official duties without clothing stress. The increased preference of small families implies that people have more resources for spending during pregnancy than when handling larger families. Additionally, most German women are choosing to

Country Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Country Paper 2 - Essay Example The species in the island have to adapt to the climate for survival. There are a number of endangered species in the present island with different causes for their threat of extension. The most outstanding species that faces extinction in Taiwan is white dolphin. The habitat of the white dolphin is the sea, which is bordering the island. The island has been on the frontline in ensuring the species is protected from extinction. In the recent statistics, white dolphins brought an estimate of 100 (Reeve, 195). Their population has been steadily decreasing sue to the current situations in the sea. The white dolphins are closely associated with the dominant biome in the island as it is their vital survival habitat (Wijnstekers, 123). The white dolphins entirely depend in sea life for survival. In addition to this, the white dolphins do not have any other habitat for their survival, making it a vital structure for their survival. There are a number of conservation techniques used to ensure white dolphins are not extinct. First, the country has initiated a drive, which reduces the pollution of the sea. It has been discovered that the white dolphins are reducing due to the high pollution injected into the habitat (Chen, 18). A reduction of these pollutants will result into a better environment conducive for their survival. Secondly, fines have been imposed to any activity that poses a threat to the habitat. This has reduced the threats that pose a danger to the adored specie. Protecting endangered species is an appropriate activity that guarantees continuity in life of some species (McBeath and Leng, 49). For instance, protection of white dolphins is a plausible activity that guarantees continuity of the species (Reeve, 23). Aversion of such measures would lead to diminishing of such species, as they would be extinct like

Self Evaluation of Teaching Style in Nursing Education

Self Evaluation of Teaching Style in Nursing Education As a Lecturer in acute and critical care I am responsible for the education of adults with a formal registered, recordable qualification within a medical discipline, predominantly nursing and allied professions. I have a varied role, that of my own practice, education in practice and as a Lecturer within a University. I am a registered Nurse and Paramedic with experience of teaching and mentoring others. This critical self evaluation aims to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the theoretical educational frameworks and their application to my teaching, mentoring and how this may influence my colleagues and students. My intention is to show my appreciation of pertinent concepts and their application to my teaching style through a range of research into relevant topics. The term â€Å"Education† is derived from the Latin root ‘e out and ‘ducare to lead, so ‘educare has been translated for English interpretation â€Å"To Lead, to bring Forth from that which is within†. Epistemology, a branch of philosophy that investigates the origin, nature, methods and limits of human knowledge has been considered by key thinkers for centuries. Pedagogy is the study of teaching. As an example, Paulo Freire , referred to his teaching of Adults as â€Å"critical pedagogy†. Andragogy, a term initially used by a German Educator in 1883 and developed into a theory by Knowles, is the process of engaging adult learners within a structure of learning. Knowles asserts Andragogy should be considered separately to Pedagogy. Knowles assertion lies in the belief that a Greek translation of pedagogy is â€Å"Child-leading† and Andragogy is â€Å"man leading†. Like all adult learners Nurses, Paramedics and Health Visitors differ widely from one another in their personal characteristics. These differences come from alterations in intelligence, motivation, personality types and our individual learning styles. Human physical development completes at adulthood therefore we could be forgiven for believing that this is the same for psychological development. The main theories underpinning adult learning are from the humanistic approaches of Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, Malcolm Knowles and his work on the experiential learning approach within Androgogy, and David Kolbs extension of Knowles work with the Learning Cycle. Pedagogy is the study of teaching. Paulo Freire referred to his teaching of Adults as â€Å"critical pedagogy†. Androgogy is an educational approach characterised by student centred, self directed learning. (Merriam, 2001). Carr (2002) identifies we [humans], are all different and in particular our values, personalities and character are resistant to explanation and understanding. We do not lend ourselves to easy explanation and understanding in terms of the chemical, physical or biological construction. Carr (ibid), considers attempts to categorise education and our learners. He cites the doctrine of Rene Descartes known as Cartesian Dualism, the idea that minds and souls are separate to that of our physical bodies. Curzon (2004) states the most influential taxonomy of learning objectives is that of Bloom, an American psychologist from the University of Chicago, â€Å"Blooms Taxonomy†. Taxonomy is a formal way to classify a subject based on a belief of relationship within. (Curzon, 2004) suggests caution with the semantics surrounding Taxonomy in education. The study of science for example refers to taxonomy as a strictly ordered classification of objects and phenomena. Bloom however classifies areas such as â€Å"Knowledge† and â€Å"synthesis†. These classifications are unlike that of specimens of human anatomy such as a muscle fibre or mitochondria; these may be seen, discussed and placed within a hierarchical order based on size. Placement of ‘analyses or ‘appraisal within a category used by Blooms Taxonomy will lend itself to a degree of subjectivity and appears to support Cartesian Dualism. The great classifiers, Li Shih-Chen (1518-93) and Linnaeus (1707-78) when creating taxonomy reacted subjectively whilst following an ordered fashion (Curzon, 2004). There have been three clear models of learning offered that have been of particular influence in education. Cognivist, Behaviourist, and Humanist. Cognitive, assimilation and accommodation of the world. Behaviourist, a scientific positivist approach to learning. Humanist, wishing to empowered the learner. Piagets theory of cognitive development discusses an intellectuals adaption to an environment while intellect develops. (Piaget and Inhelder, 1969). According to Piaget (ibid) for this adaption to occur there must be a form of organisation within the individual. Schemas (organisational or conceptual patterns of the mind) are ways the individual makes sense of an environment. Schemas are like small inner theories that develop during infancy and become more complex as development continues. When a child is involved in a new situation they will have already formed schemas. They will assimilate the new situation and if the original schema appears inadequate they will modify it in order to make sense of the new situation. For example an apple is green therefore all fruit is green until they are given a banana. Piaget explains this as â€Å"assimilation and accommodation†. Piaget theorises that assimilation and accommodation are in balance and a dynamic process allowing for an individuals learning to develop. Levinson (1986) has further developed a model of adult development. This identifies four major periods and attempts to place adulthood into specific times of change. Levinsons theory, although sound, has yet to be widely accepted. I have taught across Levinsons methodology and unknown to me at the time created schemas (Piaget) of my own in order to engage with the range of adult learners within my groups. An example of this is a day teaching a class of Qualified Nursing Students studying towards a higher degree, the youngest in her early twenties and the oldest in her fifties. I requested feedback on the various teaching styles employed and asked for an anonymous score for each element taught. The day consisted of a variety of Presentations, Quiz style papers, group work and student presentations. I will revisit these results later in this paper while exploring the different ways in which people learn but I am attempting to theorise if older students may be better acquainted with more didactic approaches to education because of internal schemas made in earlier styles of teaching encountered in contrast to the more diverse nature of current teaching processs encountered by younger students? The feedback shows that although the group enjoyed the learning process, the employed seemed to please some more than others. A further consideration of this feedback shows that the older members of the class preferred to sit and listen to a constructed more didactic approach liking the group work and personal research less than the younger students. Rogers seeks to explain different ways adults engage in Education and places them into three categories. (Rogers, A 2002) These categories are listed with examples of my own educational involvement. Formal I deliver formal education for Post Registration students working toward higher academic standard within a university setting. Extra-formal I have taught on Courses run by other learning providers. Students working in mostly unrelated areas but obtaining a certificate. Informal I have taught my hobby to others for their own personal growth. Contributions from Kolb (1984) and Knowles (1984) led to Kolbs Androgogy. Kolbs Androgogy allows for a style of education that includes the experiences of its learners. Students are actively encouraged to consider their experiences and reflect upon them in order to improve learning outcomes and understanding. Reflecting on these experiences will allow for modification of cognitive structures (schemas) and this will enable preparation for the next cycle of experiential learning. Motivation of the student. This is a personal reflective list of my motivation to study the theory of Education and how it relates to practice as an example to be considered as we moved through some of the theory of motivation. My work requires me to achieve a Qualification in Education I want to be an excellent teacher I would like my students to enjoy learning with me I need my students to be able to learn with my guidance. Adult motivation is considered an important factor in the learning process. Theories of motivation assume that adult learning is with purpose and leading toward a goal. To explain motivation we reflect the views of different schools of psychology. The behaviourist views motivation as environmental rather than coming from within an individual. This approach is determined by how well things went before. If attending a course was considered dull and uninteresting they will not return and therefore their course attendance behaviour has been reinforced. Maslow (Maslow, A 1971) published the ‘Theory of Human Motivation. Maslow identifies motivation in an individual as them trying to grow. He believes that at any particular time an individuals behaviour is dominated by the stronger of his/her needs. Maslow arranges these into a hierarchy of needs. Each class of need is stronger than the one above in the hierarchy. The higher up the hierarchy the weaker the need becomes. Progression up is dependent on the individuals needs being met at a particular level. Maslows hierarchy of needs ranges from the very basic needs of food and warmth to the self actualising, the fulfilment of ones potential. If I stop to consider my motivation expressed above against Maslow I can see that I am aiming for self actualising, wanting to be an excellent teacher. I am looking to fulfil my full potential. However at the same time I am fulfilling some more basic needs by requiring a qualification in order to feed my family and pay my mortgage. This seems to disagree with Maslow and his theory that one basic need must be fulfilled before moving on to the weaker higher need? (although, of course I am not without food or shelter, yet!) According to Quinn I am not alone with my critique of Maslows theory. There are many documented incidents of people becoming highly creative despite a lack of basic needs; for example, in concentration camps in World War Two. So this theory suggests that my students will most likely be able to reach their own potential if they are at the top of Maslows hierarchy. If this is true then student accommodation will truly have improved also! The opponent-process theory, (Solomon, 1980); focuses on the emotional state. When an emotional reaction is generated within an individual an opposing reaction is also generated. The opponent- process theory For example a student Paramedic is finding the nervous system difficult to understand but has a Eureka moment; this triggers emotion A and B. Emotion A) pleasure, a student is pleased she now grasps the concept of neuro- transmitters and believes she can understand pain control and maybe pass her course, this also generates an opposite emotional state, B) displeasure but in lesser amounts, she may forget. Emotion B) remains the same at all times but each time emotion A) is triggered it increases in size. I like this theory, in essence it comments that emotions are an act of balance, homeostatic if you will and we can choose to increase the positive aspect of learning experiences creating happy students. Continuity with positive reactions within our students will continue to add to emotion A) allowing it growth and the student to retain a positive outlook with her education and the way it is delivered. This theory also explains why although a student is doing well with their studies they may also feel negative emotions. It has been criticised for being over general but I believe it is useful to understand that both positive and negative emotions are within our students continually but can be offset. I therefore must be mindful that I can also reverse the process leading to unhappy students. Psychologists have attempted to categorise motivation. They are presented under four headings. (Biggs, 1991) Instrumental motivation This type is described by Biggs as extrinsic, students are performing purely to receive a reward, such as a qualification or to avoid a reprimand such as loss of promotion. In order to educate an individual with this type of motivation Biggs suggests that teaching should be seen as constructive. This type of motivation is in complete contrast to intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation These students want to learn for the pleasure of learning. I would link this to Maslows hierarchy and believe a student with purely intrinsic motivation must be, according to Maslow, looking to fulfil their personal potential, (self actualising). Social motivation A drive to please others and receive approval or praise lies behind this form of motivation. The student is generally unconcerned by the qualification but requires the reinforcement activity of the person they consider to be important. This is often someone they respect or admire. Achievement motivation. These students want to achieve success. Achievement motivation is further sub divided by (Ausubel, 1963) Cognitive drive- satisfaction of a believed need to know. Self enhancement- satisfying a need for self esteem Affiliation- seeking approval from others. How we Learn Kaminsky, James S, A New History of Educational Philosophy, Westport, CN: Greenwood Press. Carr, David 2002, Making Sense of Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy and Theory of Education and Teaching, Taylor Francis, Available from: http://lib.myilibrary.com/Browse/open.asp?ID=11208loc=iii8 December 20 Curzon, L.B 2004, Teaching in Further education: An Outline of Principles and Practice, 6th Edition. Continuum London. New York Merriam, S.B. (2001) Androgogy and self directed learning: Pillars of adult learning theory. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, Vol98. Kaufman DM, Mann KV, Jennett PA. 2000. Teaching and learning in medical education: How theory can inform practice. Edinburgh UK: Association for Studies in Medical Education, Rogers, A 1996, Teaching Adults, 3rd Edition, Open University Press Levinson, D.J (1978) Seasons of a Mans Life. New York: Knopf. Solomon, R.L. and Corbit, J.D (1974) An opponent process theory of acquired motivation, American Psychologist, 35, 119-41 Solomon, R.L. (1980) The opponent process theory of acquired motivation: the costs of pleasure and the benefits of pain, American Psychologist, 35, 691-712 Maslow, A. (1971), The farther reaches of Human Nature, penguin,Harmondesworth. Biggs, J.B. (1991), Teaching for Learning, Hawthorn, Victoria, Acer Ausubel (1963), The Psychology of Meaningful Verbal Learning. New York: Grune and Stratton Light, G and Cox,R (2001), Learning and Teaching in Higher Education-The Reflective Professional, London, Sage Publications

Stephen William Hawking :: essays research papers

Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Stephen wanted to do Mathematics, although his father would have preferred medicine. Mathematics was not available at University College, so he did Physics instead. After three years and not very much work he was awarded a first class honours degree in Natural Science. Stephen then went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology, there being no-one working in that area in Oxford at the time. His supervisor was Denis Sciama, although he had hoped to get Fred Hoyle who was working in Cambridge. After gaining his Ph.D. he became first a Research Fellow, and later on a Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. After leaving the Institute of Astronomy in 1973 Stephen came to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and since 1979 has held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. The chair was founded in 1663 with money left in the will of the Reverend Henry Lucas, who had been the Member of Parliament for the University. It was first held by Isaac Barrow, and then in 1669 by Isaac Newton. Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great Scientific development of the first half of the 20th Century. One consequence of such a unification that he discovered was that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science. His many publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G F R Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W Israel, and 300 Years of Gravity, with W Israel. Stephen William Hawking :: essays research papers Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Stephen wanted to do Mathematics, although his father would have preferred medicine. Mathematics was not available at University College, so he did Physics instead. After three years and not very much work he was awarded a first class honours degree in Natural Science. Stephen then went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology, there being no-one working in that area in Oxford at the time. His supervisor was Denis Sciama, although he had hoped to get Fred Hoyle who was working in Cambridge. After gaining his Ph.D. he became first a Research Fellow, and later on a Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. After leaving the Institute of Astronomy in 1973 Stephen came to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and since 1979 has held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. The chair was founded in 1663 with money left in the will of the Reverend Henry Lucas, who had been the Member of Parliament for the University. It was first held by Isaac Barrow, and then in 1669 by Isaac Newton. Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great Scientific development of the first half of the 20th Century. One consequence of such a unification that he discovered was that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science. His many publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G F R Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W Israel, and 300 Years of Gravity, with W Israel.

Causes and Effects of Homework Essay

Homework is a thing that has been around for many years. While some assignments are big, and some are small, they both have one thing in common: they add a large amount of stress to the student’s life. Many things bring on homework: upcoming tests, grades, main ideas that must be learned. These are fair reasons to assign assignments, because they teach you new abilities and let you practice certain skills. With good reasons, there are unfair reasons as well. Teachers who have nothing better to do, students misbehaving, and students not reaching the desired stopping point in the teacher’s schedule. These causes put an abnormal amount of stress on the students. Read more:  How to write a good cause and effect essay. First, let’s focus on the good reasons. Homework can be a valuable tool in the teacher’s hands, but only if they know how to wield that tool properly. Giving students 2 hours of boring homework will not encourage the student to learn. They will just skim through, filling in the answers. On the other hand, if a teacher gives a one hour assignment that interesting and fun, then the student will be more enthusiastic about it, therefore absorbing the assignment instead of skimming over it. Homework allows the teacher additional time to teach the student. If certain skills are needed later on in life (or at least on the SAT exam), the homework would allow more time for the student to remember the skill. If there is an upcoming test (finals, SAT, etc.), assigning homework is a great way for the teacher make sure the student studies. With all of these benefits, there have to be some drawbacks. Teachers who assign a lot of homework, especially when it is due the next day, are feared. Students are stressed and can’t go into that teacher’s room without feeling dread at how long tonight’s assignment is going to take. One hour, two, or more? They wait in fear for the announcement of the homework assignment. After a grueling night of studying and writing, the students barely have enough time to sleep. They sleep in through their alarm, missing breakfast and their bus. Their parents have to drive their kids to school, which makes their parents mad at them, adding even more stress to the  students’ life. The student gets to school late, interrupting the class and receiving another tardy, and/or a detention. This puts them into a bad mood, and they can’t think about school because they are thinking about the detention. This leads to bad grades, more of their parents’ nagging, an d more stress on that individual’s life. See how one teacher’s long assignment can affect a student’s day. Terrible, isn’t it? While all of this stuff might not happen in a single day, some of it happens every day to a select few individuals. All of this can be avoided if plenty of time is given for each homework assignment, and if they are never due on Monday’s. If the teacher assigns the due date on Tuesday and reminds the class of it on Monday, the â€Å"I forgot it at home† excuse will no longer be valid. Overall, homework is a necessary evil; it teaches and gives you a headache at the same time. Some teachers should lighten up on the workload, especially math teachers. To sum everything up, a good analogy for homework is like taking prescription medication. A little is good for you, while an overdose can be a serious health risk.

Operating Systems Essays

Operating Systems Essays Operating Systems Essay Operating Systems Essay Now how many people know the importance of having an operating system for their computers? Well to put it briefly, without one you would be switching on your computer to communicate with a blank screen. The operating system acts like a translator between the user and the hardware and vice versa. It converts computer binary code into information we would understand, and every time we input data like pressing keys the data we see as letters is entered as codes the computer will understand. There is 2 types of software, the O/S(operating system) and application software. The application software is designed to perform multiple or specific tasks for the user. It comes in all sorts of forms from games too Microsoft office. In order to run the application software you need an O/S. like mentioned above its the translator between the user and hardware. So if you want to instruct the hardware to do something from the application software, it will go through the O/S which will then make te hardware perform the task. Here is 4 of some the most popular O/Ss in use:- 1.Windows: this is most used O/S world wide, it has a graphical user interface hence very user friendly. The O/S has its own help it offers new users which is very useful. This O/S is quite expensive compared to others. But one of the main reasons is because of its popularity, use worldwide, and demand. 2.Macintosh: this O/S also has a GUI (graphical user interface) but is faraway from being as popular as windows. Therefore you would expect this O/S to be cheaper. Although it may as good as Windows it lacks popularity hence it would take a long time before people decided to switch to it over Windows. 3.UNIX: this O/S is designed or more technical users and programmers. It is gaining popularity but it is not very user friendly for new users. That might hamper its popularity growing. Another problem with this O/S is that there are 3 different versions which are not compatible with each other. Hence when software is written for one of the types, it wont work with the other 2 unless the code is rewritten for each. Unix is also popular for large networks in business among other organisations. 4.Linux: this program is gaining popularity for several reasons. First of all its probably one of the very few free O/Ss. It also can have its code altered by the user to suit his/her desires. But thats Linux downfall, it is designed by programmers for programmers, hence not very user friendly. As you can see all the programs have points in different areas. Now it up to you to choose which one is right for you. Here is a table comparing the 4 O/Ss.

Biography of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau

Biography of Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau Pierre Trudeau had a commanding intellect and was attractive, aloof and arrogant. He had a vision of a united Canada that included both English and French as equals, with a strong federal government, based on a just society. Prime Minister of Canada 1968-79, 1980-84 Highlights as Prime Minister Repatriation of the Constitution (video from CBC Digital Archives)Charter of Rights and FreedomsOfficial Languages Act and bilingualism in CanadaSocial welfare programs expandedIntroduction of multiculturalism policyCanadian content programsAppointed Jeanne Sauvà © the first woman Speaker of the House of Commons in 1980, and then the first woman Governor General of Canada in 1984 Birth: October 18, 1918, in Montreal, Quebec Death: September 28, 2000, in Montreal, Quebec Education: BA - Jean de Brà ©beuf College, LL.L - Università © de Montrà ©al, MA, Political Economy - Harvard University, École des sciences politiques, Paris, London School of Economics Professional Career: Lawyer, university professor, author Political Affiliation: Liberal Party of Canada Riding (Electoral Districts): Mount Royal Early Days of Pierre Trudeau Pierre Trudeau was from a well-to-do family in Montreal. His father was a French-Canadian businessman, His mother was of Scottish ancestry, and although bilingual, spoke English at home. After his formal education, Pierre Trudeau traveled extensively. He returned to Quebec, where he provided support to the unions in the Asbestos Strike. In 1950-51, he worked for a short time in the Privy Council Office in Ottawa. Returning to Montreal, he became co-editor and a dominant influence in the journal Cità © Libre. He used the journal as a platform for his political and economic views on Quebec. In 1961, Trudeau worked as a law professor at the Università © de Montrà ©al. With nationalism and separatism growing in Quebec, Pierre Trudeau argued for a renewed federalism, and he began to consider turning to federal politics. Trudeaus Beginnings in Politics In 1965, Pierre Trudeau, with Quebec labor leader Jean Marchand and newspaper editor Gà ©rard Pelletier, became candidates in the federal election called by Prime Minister Lester Pearson. The Three Wise Men all won seats. Pierre Trudeau became the Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and later Justice Minister. As Justice Minister, his reform of divorce laws, and liberalization of laws on abortion, homosexuality and public lotteries, brought him national attention. His strong defense of federalism against nationalist demands in Quebec also attracted interest. Trudeaumania In 1968 Lester Pearson announced he would resign as soon as a new leader could be found, and Pierre Trudeau was persuaded to run. Pearson gave Trudeau the principal seat at the federal-provincial constitutional conference and he got nightly news coverage. The leadership convention was close, but Trudeau won and became prime minister. He immediately called an election. It was the 60s. Canada was just coming out of a year of centennial celebrations and Canadians were upbeat. Trudeau was attractive, athletic and witty and the new Conservative leader Robert Stanfield seemed slow and dull. Trudeau led the Liberals to a majority government. Trudeau Government in the 70s In government, Pierre Trudeau made it clear early on that he would be increasing the francophone presence in Ottawa. Major positions in cabinet and in the Privy Council Office were given to francophones. He also put an emphasis on regional economic development and streamlining the Ottawa bureaucracy. An important new piece of legislation passed in 1969 was the Official Languages Act, which is designed to ensure that the federal government is able to provide services to English- and French-speaking Canadians in the language of their choice. There was a good deal of backlash to the threat of bilingualism in English Canada, some of which remains today, but the Act seems to be doing its job. The biggest challenge was the October Crisis in 1970. British diplomat James Cross and Quebec Labour Minister Pierre Laporte were kidnapped by the Front de Libà ©ration du Quà ©bec (FLQ) terrorist organization. Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act, which cut civil liberties temporarily. Pierre Laporte was killed shortly afterward, but James Cross was freed. Trudeaus government also made attempts to centralize decision-making in Ottawa, which was not very popular. Canada was facing inflation and unemployment pressures, and the government was reduced to a minority in the 1972 election. It continued to govern with the help of the NDP. In 1974 the Liberals were back with a majority. The economy, especially inflation, was still a big problem, and Trudeau introduced mandatory Wage and Price Controls in 1975. In Quebec, Premier Robert Bourassa and the Liberal provincial government had introduced its own Official Language Act, backing off of bilingualism and making the province of Quebec officially unilingual French. In 1976 Renà © Là ©vesque led the Parti Quà ©becois (PQ) to victory. They introduced Bill 101, much stronger French legislation than Bourassas. The federal Liberals narrowly lost the 1979 election to Joe Clark and the Progressive Conservatives. A few months later Pierre Trudeau announced he was resigning as Liberal Party leader. However, just three weeks later, the Progressive Conservatives lost a confidence vote in the House of Commons and an election was called. The Liberals persuaded Pierre Trudeau to stay on as Liberal leader. In early 1980, Pierre Trudeau was back as Prime Minister, with a majority government. Pierre Trudeau and the Constitution Shortly after the 1980 election, Pierre Trudeau was leading the federal Liberals in the campaign to defeat the PQ proposal in the 1980 Quebec Referendum on Sovereignty-Association. When the NO side won, Trudeau felt he owed Quebeckers constitutional change. When the provinces disagreed among themselves about the patriation of the constitution, Trudeau got the backing of the Liberal caucus and told the country that he would act unilaterally. Two years of federal-provincial constitutional wrangling later, he had a compromise and the Constitution Act, 1982 was proclaimed by Queen Elizabeth in Ottawa on April 17, 1982. It guaranteed minority language and education rights and entrenched a charter of rights and freedoms that satisfied nine provinces, with the exception of Quebec. It also included an amending formula and a notwithstanding clause which allowed parliament or a provincial legislature to opt out of specific sections of the charter.

Manager should adapt their leadership style according to the context Essay

Manager should adapt their leadership style according to the context - Essay Example Going by the disparate nature and temperament of different people, a manager could come across a variety of situations that may demand much ingenuity and creativity. The primary objective of any manager is to coordinate the activities and aspirations of people with disparate nature and temperaments in a way that they work together as a team towards the achievement of important organizational goals. Hence, it is important for the managers to adapt their leadership style according to the context, as a rigid and stiff leadership approach may fail to yield results under diverse circumstances. In fact, a context driven approach towards leadership brings in the possibility of incorporating new dimensions in the area of leadership and tends to come down on the belief that leaders are born and not made. It is a fact that managers working in private or public organizations do comes across a range of issues and problems on a daily basis. Many a times it gets really challenging to make decisions in situations that are open to diverse influences and interests (Kong 2014). Making the right decision under such circumstances requires much balance and patience. Actually, it is such situations that defy the regular leadership approaches that tend to test the actual worth and effectiveness of a manager. Under such circumstances the really effective managers are those that have the ability to grasp the actual context of a situation and are able to make a decision as to which leadership style will be appropriate in a specific situation. Leadership is about the capacity for variation and adaptability and those managers that believe that one leadership style or approach fits all simply could not be expected to perform well and successfully (Kong 2014). Hence an effective manager does need to have the skill and the capacity to adapt one’s leadership style to the context under consideration and the

The industrial revolution and economic opportunities for women in the Essay

The industrial revolution and economic opportunities for women in the 1830s - Essay Example Concerning what effects the revolution had on the lives of women, Lerner points out that professionalization â€Å"worked to the detriment of women† (152). She stated that when the need to train individuals in medicine arose, women were locked out of the recruitment process. This happened with total disregard to the fact that prior to that some aspects of medicine as if women dominated the one midwifery. It was the case with law, business, and retail trade where the role of women diminished. Lerner further asserts that â€Å"the only reason women continued to thrive† (153) in two particular fields, nursing and education was actual because these areas were considered womanly and were in essence low paying. Aside from professionalization, Lerner argues that industrialization sharpened the divide in the lifestyle of women of different classes. According to her, while the lower-class women essentially became ‘mill girls’ owing to their nature of work in factori es, the middle and upper classes of women transformed to become ‘ladies’. This is because they invested their newfound free time in pursuing leisure. What comes out clearly from Lerner’s arguments is that the opportunities that arose from the industrial â€Å"revolution marginalized women† (155) and those that did not, were long-hour jobs that did not present women with a better economic opportunity. On the other hand, the supporting essay by Cott states that in â€Å"the 1830 is a primarily female labor force† was recruited by new textile industries.