Expository Paper - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1147 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2018/12/18 Category Literature Essay Type Critical essay Level High school Topics: Learning Essay Did you like this example? Introduction The expository paper is a category of the essay that requires the student to develop an argument concerning the idea in that paper whether its clear and concise manner. A written good essay allows the reader to understand the information in the essay. To develop a good essay there are the guidelines that need to be followed. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Expository Paper" essay for you Create order Examples the writer has to decide what he wants to write, preparing the outlines of the topics. The writer has to write a thesis statement which introduces the essay which explains the discussed topics. Proper use of grammar and punctuation have to be used, the writer is also required to develop clear and understandable paragraph in the body. Moreover, conclusions at the end are important because of the recommendation of the discussed topic. When this all guidelines are applied in the essay the students will able to pass the information and hence get the good grade. Sonny blues is an essay written by James Baldwin, the essay is not clear and concise manner because of the following reason. Introduction format Firstly, the introduction in the essay is not in a concise manner, a good introduction prepares the person reading the information. The introduction should inform and give the facts of the topic straight up. Also gives the reader the interest in reading the story, it attracts the minds due to proper arrangement of the flow of the story. After reading the introduction the reader is able to tell what the topic is about and the expectation. In the sonny blues essay, the introduction is not clear and its hard to explain the information conveyed by the writer. They are also poor grammar and punctuation in the introduction which contributes to a poor grade (Irmscher, p, 30). The writer has repeated word many times in the introduction ?I read this makes the introduction to be boring and difficult to understand. The writer has also used poor grammar in the introduction example ?spelling out the story this makes the reader become bored and may not get the information the writer is conveying . Transition In addition, the writer of Sonny blues has not used transition in the essay. Transition words are used to link words, sentence and the phrases in the essay. They attract the mind of the reader and give him the deeper understanding of the story. Transition words assist the reader to progress from the one information to the next information in the paragraph. They also improve the information conveyed by giving the sentence weight, especially where they are important information that the writer wants to convey. Moreover, the transition words build up coherent relationship inside the text. The Sonny blues essay lack transition words in the paragraph, this make it difficult to understand the information that the writer is conveying. The writer could have used the transition word so that he can be able to attract the reader attention. Lack of transition word in the essay makes it more boring and the reader may ignore some part of it hence missing the information conveyed. Topic sentence Furthermore, the Sonny blues essay lack the topic sentence which is very important when writing an essay. The topic sentence helps the reader to identify the main idea in the paragraph; it always appears first before starting the paragraph. The topic sentence introduces the point the writer wants to talk about, it usually guides the reader when reading. It also shows the flow of the story the writer is narrating, this helps the reader to capture the message in an easier war. The writer of the Sonny blues did not use the topic sentence in the essay; this makes reading difficult to understand what the writer is talking about. It hard to understand some sentence in the paragraph this result to different ideas in the same paragraph; these ideas tend to confuse the reader. Topic sentence mostly attracts the reader attention and gives him the moral of reading the story, in the Sonny blues the writer have to ignore the topic sentence hence boring the reader. Short paragraph containing different ideas Additionally, the writer of Sonny blues has used short paragraph which has no meaning. He has also used the wrong paragraph which the sentence has been repeated several. The paragraph in an essay should discuss ideas in the sentence topic, this attract the mind of the reader and get the information easily. The effective paragraph contains the following topic sentence which contains the ideas to be discussed in the paragraph. Coherence is another factor to be considered, which refer to how the flow of ideas has been discussed in the paragraph. Moreover, the paragraph should be adequately developed this describes and explain the topic sentence. And also they should be unity of sentence; this explains how the ideas of the paragraph have been connected together. Through the paragraph will able to convey the message the writer is trying to, this will attract the reader attention and also been able to understand the story. The Sonny blues story paragraph have not been constructed well, s ome paragraph contains more than one idea which results in different ideas in one paragraph. This tends to confuse the reader and may get tired of reading the story. Wrong punctuation Additionally, the writer in the Sonny blues has punctuated the sentence wrong resulting in different information from which he wants to narrate. Punctuation is the application of conventional signs and spacing. Punctuation allows correct reading of the paragraph and also helps the reader to understand the information or the story narrated by the writer. English punctuation is a must because the reader cannot understand the information communicated without punctuation marks. In the Sonny blues, the writer has used punctuation wrong making difficult to understand the story he is narrating. He has used wrong punctuation in the conversation example, sure, I said. You do that. So long this is wrong conversation statements it confuses the reader and he may lack to get the information the writer is conveying. Conclusions In conclusions, to develop a good essay they are some important factor should be considered. These are proper punctuation, topic sentence, use of grammar and vocabulary. These factors help the reader to get the information conveyed by the writer. When they have ignored especially the punctuation they tend to change the information of the writer. Proper punctuation, good grammar, and use of topic sentence they attract the attention of the reader. This helps him to understand and have the moral of reading the story. The writer in Sonny blues has ignored this factor resulting in poor essay format and different ideology in the same paragraph. Works Cited Hidi, Suzanne, and Valerie Anderson. Situational interest and its impact on reading and expository writing. The role of interest in learning and development 11 (1992): 213-214. Irmscher, William F. Teaching expository writing. Harcourt School, 1979.

A Midsummer Nights Dream Research Paper (with Cited)

The play, A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare, is about four lovers and their dreamlike adventure through a fairy ruled forest. There are many different characters in this play and they each play their own individual role in how the play is performed and read. Three main characters that showed great characteristics are: Puck, Tom Bottom, and Helena. The play, A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare, uses characters and their conflicts to give meaning to this piece of literature. A Midsummer Nights Dream was written in the early part of William Shakespeares life in 1596. It was written to be played at artistic carnivals and tried to please all parts of society; the carpenters to please all the galleries,†¦show more content†¦Give me your hands, if we be friends, And Robin shall restore amends. Nick Bottom is another comical character that makes the audience laughs from his overconfidence in him. He is one of the central figures in the subplot of the production of the Pyamus and Thisbe story. He brings his comedy from his extraordinary belief in his own abilities. Bottom thinks he is perfect at everything he does, yet he is a horrible actor and frequently makes rhetorical and grammatical mistakes in his speech. His humor stems from the fact that hes not aware of how ridiculous he is. Titania falls madly in love with Bottom after she was anointed with a love potion and Bottoms head has been turned into that of an ass. He thinks nothing out of the ordinary about a fairy queen that has fallen in deeply in love with him. His inability to perceive the fact that his head had been transformed and a fairy queen has fallen in love with him parallels how absurd he is. Although Puck and Bottom may stand out as two of the main characters they arent involved in the main conflict. Helena, who is desperately in love with Demetrius, may be the most drawn out character. Helena is he one lover who thinks more about the nature of love than the actual thing. She is extremely unsure about herself and thinks about her appearance a lot andShow MoreRelated Renaissance Family Values and Their Significance to As You Like It1920 Words   |  8 PagesRenaissance Family Values and Their Significance to As You Like It      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When I began my research for this paper, I did not have a good understanding of the term Renaissance.   Therefore, I thought that it was a good idea to clarify on this before I tried to learn about what family life was like at that time, and I also thought it might be interesting to look at Shakespeares family.    The word Renaissance means rebirth and refers to the 15th Century, between the years 1350 andRead MoreAnalyzing Mr. Keating’s Teaching Concept in Dead Poets Society from Progressivism4764 Words   |  20 Pagesshadow and becomes confident and gregarious. Under the edification of the Poetry Society, Neil listens to inner voice and found his real ideal. In spite of his father’s opposition, he successfully starred in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream. 1.2 Overseas and Domestic Research Status According to the document literature, there are not many domestic scholars study on education through Dead Poets Society. The articles one-sidedly analyze the teaching methods, teaching concept or teacher-studentRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 PagesManager: Kelly Warsak Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Ilene Kahn Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Interior Design: Suzanne Duda and Michael Fruhbeis Permissions Project Manager: Shannon Barbe Manager, Cover Visual Research Permissions: Karen Sanatar Manager Central Design: Jayne Conte Cover Art: Getty Images, Inc. Cover Design: Suzanne Duda Lead Media Project Manager: Denise Vaughn Full-Service Project Management: Sharon Anderson/BookMasters, Inc. Composition: Integra

Communication Skill free essay sample

International Conference Conferences, Symposia and Campus Events 2006 The Integration of Professional Communication Skills into Engineering Education Dorthy Missingham University of Adelaide Originally published in the Proceedings of the EDU-COM 2006 International Conference. Engagement and Empowerment: New Opportunities for Growth in Higher Education, Edith Cowan University, Perth Western Australia, 22-24 November 2006. This Conference Proceeding is posted at Research Online. http://ro. ecu. edu. au/ceducom/91 Missingham, D. The Universtiy of Adelaide, Australia. The Integration of Professional Communication Skills into Engineering Education Dr Dorthy Missingham School of Mechanical Engineering The University of Adelaide. Australia dorothy. [emailprotected] edu. au ABSTRACT Conventional Engineering curriculum is strongly focused on the development in students of technical knowledge and skills. However, in recent years, employers have increasingly acknowledged that this traditional preparation of Engineering students‘ is inadequate, as graduates lack the wide range of written and spoken communication skills required to engage with members of other professional groups and with the broader community. Recognition of the important role that communicative competence plays in professional success within the engineering industry has, as a result, led to a number of tertiary institutions developing curricula to address these needs. This paper presents a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in an Australian university, which aims to develop both communicative ability and community engagement. The courses that form the Engineering Communication Program provide for critical awareness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustainability and gender, English for academic and professional Engineering purposes for both English as an Additional Language (EAL) and English background students and advanced research communication for postgraduate students. All courses are strongly informed by scaffolded learning techniques, systemic functional linguistics and genre theory, and most are run collaboratively by Engineering, Education and Applied Linguistics lecturers. The aims of the Program are to raise awareness in Engineering students about, and to equip them with skills for, their future roles and responsibilities, and to provide the community with engineers whose strong technical knowledge is balanced by an appreciation of the broader social contexts with which they will engage in their professional lives. INTRODUCTION The need for engineering students to acquire professional skills, in addition to technical skills, in order to enhance both community engagement and career success has been increasingly articulated by educators and industry professionals alike. Professional skills mentioned variously include teamwork, conflict resolution, and an awareness of social justice, sustainability and ethics. However, as highlighted by Adams and Missingham (2006) the need for improved communicative competence in engineering graduates has been the professional skills area most widely discussed in research and the engineering profession. Increasingly, engineers work in knowledge-intensive fields that require both high level communication and problem-solving skills (Alvesson 2004). In the Australian setting this need is recognised in the National Generic Competence Standards formulated by Engineers Australia, which extensively refers to communicative abilities throughout its descriptors of competencies required by engineers (IE Aust 1999). However, research on employer satisfaction with engineering graduates‘ communication skills indicates they are below desired requirements, both in Australia (DEETYA 2000) and abroad (Lee 2003). This paper discusses a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in The University of Adelaide, which aims to develop both communicative ability, and an understanding of the need and ability for community engagement. The paper begins with a brief comparative examination of engineering communication education in other universities, both in Australia and overseas. 346 COMPARATIVE APPROACHES The critical role that communicative competence plays in both academic and professional success has, over the past decade, been recognised nationally and internationally in a number of tertiary institutions involved in engineering education (Najar 2001, Riemer 2002, Einstein 2002). A review of literature, relating to engineering communication education, reveals several significant trends common both within Australia and overseas. These trends identify three major areas of academic and professional engineering communication recognised by educators as important skills needed by graduating engineers. The teaching of oral communication, written communication and teamwork skills have been introduced as part of the undergraduate engineering curricula in various Universities world wide (Einstein 2002, Schowm Hirsch 1999). Whilst the combination of communication skills taught and the methodologies used may vary between institutions one particular theme or approach frequently emerges. An interdisciplinary approach to the teaching and learning of engineering communication (Artemeva, Logie St-Martin 1999, Jennings Ferguson 1995) is being practiced by a small but increasing number of engineering faculties and colleges. Examination of interdisciplinary approaches is important in relation to the integrative approach used by engineering and communication educators within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide. In this respect, learning and teaching of oral and written communication skills in engineering communication curricula have been examined whereas team work skills have not been specifically examined for this particular discussion, as it is considered as worthy of separate dedicated research . Studies undertaken within Australian universities attest the need for high level communication skills. According to Najar (2001) communicative competence, including teamwork and professional writing skills for example, the ability to ? research, write and format basic research reports‘ as well as developing formal oral presentation skills is important to prepare students for both ?academic success and the workplace‘. Similarly Riemer (2002) claims that whilst engineering knowledge and technical expertise are important attributes the graduate engineer must be able to present this knowledge ? ith an excellent standard of communication skills‘. However, where Najar emphasises written and teamwork communication skills, Riemer (2002) claims that emphasis on oral communication skills is highly valued by employers. Riemer further elabourates that oral communication and presentation skills are ? career enhancers‘ which may be considered as ? the biggest single factor in determining a student‘s career success or failure‘ (Beder 2000 cited in Riemer 2002). Despite the apparent emphasis that Riemer places on oral communication skills he also acknowledges that there are a number of areas of communication skills which are necessary for engineers, including written communication skills, technical terminology and professional jargon. The later two areas are probably best described in linguistic terms such as genre and discourse, which are indicative that for each specific discipline there is an accompanying language culture. Internationally, universities are also engaged in the teaching and learning of engineering communication skills. Einstein in his 2002 overview of changes in engineering education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) describes a new approach implemented in the School of Civil Engineering which was developed in response to the view that what was being taught in universities was increasingly divorced from practice. As a result twelve courses were either created or developed in most of which ? regular oral, written and illustrated presentations‘ were required. Similarly Carlton University in Canada also recognised that the engineering discipline had specific needs in the teaching and learning of communication skills (Artemeva et al 1999). These needs related directly to the transition of engineering students from an ? academic to a workplace environment‘. In the case of Carlton University engineering communication studies emphasise written communication skills. The Carlton University approach described by Artemeva et al (1999) is in contrast to Riemers (2002) theoretical proposition on the prominence required in developing oral communication skills for the workplace. One other key difference in Riemers (2002) paper to the approaches suggested by Artemeva et al (1999) as well as Najar (2001) and Einstein (2002), is that Artemeva et al, Najar and Einstein are all overviewing programs of engineering communication already in existence. A common theme emergent in the literature is that many institutions recommend an interdisciplinary approach to the teaching and learning of engineering communication. Various researchers and educators claim that linking acquisition of academic communication skills to authentic engineering tasks 347 both challenges students negative attitudes, towards what they term ? earning English‘, as well as promotes student motivation. Shwom and Hirsch (1999) claim that shared agenda between disciplines recognises the equal status of engineering and communication, or the ? equal place at centre stage of the course‘. This view is also reinforced by Jennnings and Ferguson in their 2002 study, of communication engineering skills in Queen‘s University, Belfast, which states that through linking the study of communication skills to the exploration of engineering issues that communication skills become a key element in the educational process. Furthermore, ? here is a greater likelihood that students will develop a better overall perspective on their (engineering) subject‘. Significantly, many courses which have implemented an interdisciplinary approach have combined the teaching of communication skills with engineering design subjects. In an approach similar to that of the School of Mechanical Engineering, at The University of Adelaide, engineering schools at Northwestern University, USA, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard and Flinders University, South Australia advocate an interdisciplinary approach that combines engineering communication with engineering design. In reference to the program at Northwestern University, Shwom Hirsch (1999), claim that design and communication are ? ideal partners‘ and that students ? combined knowledge of both fields will make them both better designers and better communicators‘. Additionally students are convinced of the importance of communication in engineering. Of the interdisciplinary approach taken at MIT, Einstein (2002) describes design as a synthesising process which requires various visual, written and problem solving skills inferring therefore that it is the natural setting for teaching and learning communication skills. He goes on to state that ? design (synthesis), coordination and communication‘ are regarded as the major features of the MIT , Civil and Environmental approach to engineering education. Najar (2001) discusses the Language in Use (LIU) modules linked directly to engineering design project work at Flinders University. A notable similarity with the approach of Adelaide University‘s School of Mechanical Engineering approach is that the development of students engineering knowledge is supported in an integrated way by the acquisition of professional and academic communication skills. Skills common to both universities include; how to communicate orally, how to research, and how to write and format research reports. Similarly the interdisciplinary approach employed in the Civil Engineering Department at Queens University, Belfast covers related communication issues in use of the library (how to research), English composition and technical report writing (written communication) and Public speaking (oral communication). Additionally Queens University covers poster presentation (visual communication) an area that the Adelaide University program covers in fourth year but which is not mentioned in the Flinders University program. It is apparent from the literature therefore, that the need for communicative competence in engineering education has been recognised in a number of places worldwide. In particular, an interdisciplinary education approach in engineering communication has been introduced in a range of Universities which offer engineering studies. Despite some differences in the methodologies, curricula and elements of communication addressed by different universities, including the University of Adelaide, these studies indicate that the synthesis of engineering design, which is inherently practical in nature, with the need to communicate the design process and outcomes is both an ideal setting and an important factor for positively influencing student motivation and skills in the study of professional communication. By promoting a shared agenda between disciplines the literature also suggests that this may also promote student recognition of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by the programs discussed here the literature agrees that increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry. THE ADELAIDE APPROACH Background The teaching of professional communication skills within the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide has evolved over a number of years since the mid 1990s. This evolution has experienced different iterations with the current approach developing more directly from a combination of initiatives taken both within the Faculty of Engineering and the School of Mechanical Engineering, and by the then Advisory Centre for University Education (ACUE), now the Centre for Learning and 348 Professional Development (CLPD). These initiatives led to the creation of various courses in Engineering Communication including courses for International Students. The Faculty wide Engineering Communication (EAL) course was traditionally managed by the School of Mechanical Engineering. In Semester 2, 2006 this course was transferred to management by the Faculty Academic Registrar in order to reflect the Faculty wide nature of the need for dedicated engineering communication course for international undergraduates. Within the School other initiatives led to the teaching of Engineering Communication to 3rd year students. Initially taught as a separate subject this course was combined with the Level III Design in 2004. In the same year the School of Mechanical Engineering also created a new course, Engineering Planning Design and Communication (EPDC), for entry level students. The Mechanical Engineering Communication approach consists of a fully integrated, nested curriculum of courses, designed to; explicitly link communication learning to learning in engineering at all year levels, ? develop students‘ ability to construct and present logical argument discursively, ? oster language development from sentence level skills to large document written and oral communication, ? encourage active participation through class discussion and response to formative feedback, ? foster the ability to communicate problem identification, formulation and solution to diverse audiences and ? use development in communicative ability as a vehicle for fostering students‘ insight into and perspective on engineeri ng practice in the community, including the social, cultural, political, international and environmental context of professional engineering practice. Each course in the program, illustrated below in Figure 1, addresses these aims while embedded within either broader Engineering course curricula or, in the case of Engineering Communication EAL, within a curriculum that employs specific strategies that address the needs of EAL Engineering students (Adams Missingham 2006). 349 EPDC Level I 2 Engineer Communication EAL 1 Design Practice Level I I 2 Engineering and the Environment Level III 2 Design Commun. Level III 2 Research Communication Program 1 Design Project Level IV 2 (Postgraduate) Figure 1: Mechanical Engineering Communication courses showing their relationships to each other and the broader Engineering curriculum. 1 for students enrolled in all Engineering disciplines 2 for students enrolled in Mechanical Engineering Theory The theoretical underpinning of the first year Engineering Planning Design and Communication course and the third year Design and Communication course is based on the notion of ? ocial constuctivism‘ as advanced by Vygotsky. In particular, Bruners‘ concept of ? scaffolded‘ learning (Wood, Bruner Rose 1975) informs the student based approach that is centred on active participatory curricula which aims at assisting students to develop increasingly skilled levels of academic and professional communication. Social constructivism grew from a view that educational methods needed to be base concepts of learning beyond rote memorisation, ? egurgitationâ₠¬Ëœ of facts and the division of knowledge into different subjects. Early approaches sought to provide appropriate learning situations where teachers allowed students to develop their own knowledge, meaning and truth in a context which would enable them to use the learning throughout their life. Vygotsky developed this philosophy, noting that ? the central fact about our psychology is the fact of mediation‘ (Vygotsky 1978 p. 166). Social constructivists consider that the dynamic interaction between instructors, learners and tasks provides the opportunity for learners to create their own understanding through the interaction with others and is the most optimal learning environment. The constructivist approach, guiding the Mechanical Engineering communication courses is further reinforced in the application of Brunerian notions of the ? spiral curriculum‘. Bruner postulated that ? A curriculum as it develops should revisit the basic ideas repeatedly, building on them until the student has grasped the full formal apparatus that goes with them‘ (Bruner 1960) p. 3). 350 In the School of Mechanical Engineering these theories guide the designing of courses which are aimed at developing generic language skills which can be used as the basis for current and future application within the engineering industry, rather than a language course focussed solely on communicating engineering terms. The learning and t eaching of communication skills across all levels of the undergraduate program enables scaffolding of knowledge to be integrated rather than focussing on a short d of student teacher interaction. Through this approach skills acquired in first year communication are reinforced in second year Design Practice, extended and elaborated on in the level III course and then reinforced again through workshops and practice in the fourth year Design Project. Borrowing from neuroscience research into learning. the 2006 Level III and semester 2 EAL students have informed the idea of a concept of developing an habitual intellectual framework. Whilst relying on heavily on scaffolded learning, this concept also aims to redress some of the negative perceptions that engineering student have about ? earning English‘ by encouraging students to acquire higher cognition learning in communication skills which they can then apply as habit. PRACTICE AND PERCEPTION Three dedicated communication courses are provided at undergraduate level, Engineering Communication EAL (English as an Additional Language), Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III). The overall aim of the three courses is to provide students with an nderstanding of the importance of communication to the professional engineer and to equip them with the necessary knowledge, skills, flexibility and confidence to be good engineering communicators. Through the application of Student Experience of Teaching and Learning (SELT) surveys students are able to comment on and assess the effectiveness of the courses to their needs. At the same time instructors are able to monitor student needs and make appropriate changes to the curriculum and methodology if required. Engineering Communication EAL Engineering Communication EAL was designed specifically to meet the particular needs of international students and to be complementary to the technical engineering courses students undertake to complete their degrees. Through a variety of formal and informal learning strategies students are introduced to and practice basic research techniques. These techniques include ? locating, critically reading and interpreting academically acceptable sources ? presenting their analysis in the form of evidenced based propositions with sources integrated appropriately ? resenting the argument in both a written and an oral form suitable for an academic audience. The strategies used emphasise participation and practice as key elements to becoming effective communicators. Therefore, classes are very active, sometimes rowdy and frequently fun with group discussions and impromptu presentations of issues, group and individual exercises integrated with peer teaching/learning through guided presentation of answers to the class, and open class discussion inviting students to academically critique their own and others responses. Student Experience of Teaching and Learning (SELT) surveys consistently indicate that learning outcomes for students are enhanced by ? full participation on (sic) the aims of the course‘, ? giving feedback to students about their participation‘, adjusting the teaching ? of various topics accordingly (sic) to the class – enabling faster, more effective learning‘, ? very dynamic lessons‘ and being ? able to stimulate my learning‘. Formal assessment strategies involve a series of formative assessments which involve students applying feedback provided to a subsequent assignment. Student comments indicate that this approach is highly effective. Design and Communication courses The Engineering Design Planning and Communication (Level I) and Design and Communication (Level III) courses are provided for all students undertaking degree programs in the School of Mechanical Engineering. The integration of communication and engineering design was devised specifically to emphasise the importance of professional engineering communication and to ensure that communication is not seen by students as a stand alone subject that can be completed and then forgotten about. The effectiveness of this approach in highlighting the importance of communication has been recognised by students who report that the course(s) ? improves your speaking and writing skills‘, 351 ?helps with the written work in other subjects‘, they have ? learnt how to write for university assignments‘, and ? learning academic writing (is) useful to further years of study‘. A number of students have explicitly stated that the course taught them ? to communicate effectively and should be compulsory for all engineer‘?. These comments are also consistent with graduate attributes specified as important not only by the Faculty but also by the engineering industry, including ? the ? ability to communicate effectively‘, ? the ? ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution‘ ? the acquisition of skills to enable the ? pursuit of life long learning‘. Course material is also designed to be complementary to the Engineering Communication EAL course by providing reinforcement of and extension to the skills learnt. For example, the Level I course provides students with the additional educational framework and the opportunity to apply skills learnt in ESL to the needs of report writing and the oral presentation of progress reports on a Planning and Design project. Student feedback through SELT surveys consistently evidence the importance of these skills, for example, ? It was great knowing how to structure a report properly‘ and the ? introduction to engineering report writing is very comprehensive‘. A further integrative approach that has been taken in the Level I and Level III courses is reflected in the establishment of the relationships with prior learning and future learning. For example, Level III examines structure, cohesion, critical thinking and analysis, the use of evidence, presenting arguments both in written and oral form and report writing at a more advanced level than the Level I course. The Level III communication course is also an important prerequisite to level the IV Design Project, where all students must write an extensive design report and present a professional seminar on their project. Challenges and Outcomes Empirical and anecdotal evidence indicates that engineers are poor communicators and that one of the factors which influences student choice in undertaking engineering studies is the belief they will not need ? English?. Therefore, discussions and exercises are designed to encourage students to participate and practice skills, to be flexible in their approach to language and its uses, to contribute their ideas, to build on their strengths and to develop confidence. The value placed on practical evidencing of communication is reflected in a participation mark, worth 20% of the total assessment. As a result classes are noisy and dynamic. Students also find that effective communication can be both useful and enjoyable. For example, SELT comments show ? I like the idea of students presenting ideas on overheads (transparencies) in class activities‘, the course ? keeps people interested in tasks that could be very boring‘, ? A good environment for learning is provided‘ and ? interactivity of the class in tasks helps us to gain a better understanding of the subject‘. Similar strategies of regular class and group discussions as well as workshop exercises are used throughout the courses to ensure students regularly practice the skills of communication. Student response indicates that group learning and discussion ? stimulates learning without placing student under pressure‘ and that all students‘are able to learn something regardless of language ability‘. Individual students and groups are invited to present analyses and answers to the whole class and then to call for comments from their peers. The importance to student learning of this approach is exemplified in the following SELT comment ? Doing exercises and presentations in class forced me to do the work which I otherwise would not have touched if it had been set as homework. I appreciate that. Students are encouraged to form cross cultural groups during classes, so that a greater understanding of diversity and its value in engineering is promoted. At the same time students must undertake practical work in developing effective team work skills in order to be able to complete tasks and class based exercises. Students frequently comment that the group work is th e best aspect of the course as it provides opportunity to improve interpersonal communication skills and to gain a real sense of diversity through their interaction with students of different socio-cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. Student comments indicate that working in cross cultural groups encourages ? acceptance of all ideas‘. Students discuss and at times challenge the characteristics of English for academic and professional purposes as presented in these courses. In doing so, students become increasingly aware of how purpose and socio-cultural factors shape the kind of language used in different contexts rather than 352 viewing language as simply correct or incorrect, or based predominantly on the rules of grammar. Issues of ethics and social responsibility arise naturally in relation to topics and lecturers encourage students to discuss these in class. Similarly communication and management themes highlight the nontechnical role aspects of engineering. Students have reflected that ? This (allows you to) practice skills you actually need‘ and there is a ? good balance for a broad variety of skills‘ development. Links to industry expectations are also reinforced through guest presentations from graduate engineers, Engineers Australia and industry leaders. In these way students are encouraged to broaden their perception of the engineering industry as a technical culture to include the understanding that engineering is also a communicative culture. Formal Assessment of Student Work A series of formal assessments, both oral and written are also undertaken to ensure that students can also apply research and analytical skills in a ? planned and timely manner‘ as highlighted by engineering graduate attributes. Formative feedback is given on all assignments in order that students may take full advantage of self directed learning. Students who apply the feedback to subsequent assignments are rewarded for both the attempt and the quality of the improvements made. Students report that this approach provides ? constructive criticism‘ which ? helps each student‘ to ? check their drafts carefully‘. Assessment criteria and their relationship to graduate attributes are fully discussed in both the course notes and in conjunction with exercises, and students have expressed this helps them to place learning in the context of professional and industry expectations, ? hen it‘s explained, it makes sense that engineers spend so much time writing reports, talking to clients and presenting project ideas to meetings‘. RESEARCH TOPICS AND TOPICAL RESEARCH To broaden student awareness of their professional responsibilities as engineers within society, in addition to operating within a company framework, research topics are carefully chosen to reflect community and industry concerns. In particular th e topics chosen provide for critical awareness-raising of community issues such as ethics, sustainability and social justice. For example, the research topic for the current semesters Engineering Communication EAL course is the Role of Engineers, through which students are exploring issues such as personal and interpersonal skills, engineering education and life long learning, ethical responsibilities, social and environmental factors, holistic thinking, entrepreneurship as well as technical skills. Previous topics have included an examination of gender issues in engineering education and the profession, forensic engineering, and the effects of teamwork on the outcomes of engineering projects. The imbedded nature of the Engineering Communications courses within the engineering curriculum ensures that the research topics are relevant to engineering practice, topical and frequently devised in collaboration with engineering lecturers. Level III Design and Communication research topics, for example, are devised together with the design lecturer and sometimes also with reference to other departmental members. The current semesters‘ research topic was directly linked to the Design Project topics. These topics and the communication research topic specifically designed to be co-related. Through this collaborative approach aspect of sustainability in engineering practice are reinforced and student skills in critical thinking, analysis and evaluation of research information are further developed. In Design the projects are to design a Formula SAE Car, Bio-Oil Trike, Biodiesel Bike, 1. 0 litre Biodiesel Taxi Tuk-Tuk, Hybrid Solar Electric Vehicle, Biodiesel Boat, Formula SAE Aircraft, Alternative Energy 2-Seater Aircraft, Hybrid Solar/Biofuel Generator, Fossil-Fuel-Free irrigation system or a Nano-satellite. The topic for the Communication assignments is ? ustainability‘, applied to the chosen design project. , as outlined below. Topic The broad objective of sustainable development is ? to achieve social justice, sustainable economies, and environmental sustainability? ( European Conference on Sustainable Cities Towns, 1994). Australia has a National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development which aims to ? meet the needs of Australians today, while con serving our ecosystems for the benefit of future generations? (Office of Sustainability, Department of Environment and Heritage, 2006). 53 Task Environmental sustainability is a fundamental aspect of sustainability. For your Communication assignments you should identify how environmentally sustainable features can be incorporated in the design of your project, for example a bio-diesel boat, or alternative energy 2-seater aircraft. In addition, you should compare the effects of these features to a traditionally designed version of your project. You are not expected to justify sustainability. Your research must focus on the specific features of sustainable transport. Yong Missingham, 2006) Previous research topics have included the following: Investigate an ethical dilemma in an engineering project, and critically evaluate the response of the engineering company or companies involved, in terms of relevant tenets of the IEAust Code of Ethics. (Yong Missingham, 2005) Select an example of technological development that is prominent in industrialised society and analyse the benefits as well as the adverse effects of this technology to individuals, society and the environment. Yong Missingham, 2004) A high level of both professional communication skills and an appreciation of community concerns required to be developed by the Level III Mechanical Engineering students. The topic descriptions have also been carefully devised to illustrate to students the inter-relationship of effective communication and an understanding of the social, cultural, political, international and environmental impacts implicit in the professional practice of engineering. These expectations are detailed in the Research Topic paper given below. ?Your research is to be based on a topic which has social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications. Engineers work in every sphere of life. As a professional engineer you will be working in an array of industries, in various contexts, and making contact with many people about professional organisations, government departments and agencies, allied industries and organisations, academics, and others. As an effective communicator and decision maker, you will need to be able to present your interpretation and findings on a range of issues, as will occur in the negotiation and management of projects, the submission of tenders, and the advising of clients. The topic for your research in this subject aims to provide you will strategies to both write and talk about your interpretation and findings about diverse issues. Your writing and your presentations will be an attempt to convince a nonspecialist audience of your point of view. You may choose one of the following areas of research for your project. Topic A – the impact of engineering projects on local communities The projects you may work on as an engineer could have significant social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications for people and communities who are not directly involved in the implementation of the project. Your research task is to: Discuss an engineering project which has, or has had, a significant impact/s on local communities Your research is to examine the impacts and outcomes of a specific engineering project on a community or communities. Examples of engineering projects could be dams or hydro-electric projects, weapons testing, mining, the building and operation of chemical or other industrial plants, building roads and railways, and others. The size of the project is unimportant, rather it is its impact on the local community which will be the focus of your research. The impacts could be one of the following scenarios, or a combination of scenarios: ? Well recognised and integrated into the planning of the engineering project, yet have provided, or are providing, difficulties in the implementation and outcomes of the project ? Recognised by the local communities or interest groups, but rejected or ignored by project planners and workers ? Unrealised in past projects, with the long-term consequences now the subject of community and/or legal dispute. 354 Your discussion needs to be an examination, that is, an analysis of the impacts arising from the project. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history of the project, the engineering technicalities, or merely describing the impacts. You need to read as widely as possible about the project you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) impact/s of the project. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, analyse only two or three impacts of the project. The word limit set for your assignments means you will not be able to cover all aspects of the project. Your focus needs to be an in-depth examination rather than a broad sweep of issues. Topic B – the impact of seemingly simple technology on the existence of communities. This topic also aims to examine the impact of (seemingly simple) technology on the existence and quality of life for those who use or used the technology. Your task is to: Discuss the impact of a seemingly simple technology on the existence of a community This research topic involves examining the design logic underpinning the technology and importantly the effectiveness of its use. Examples of apparently simple technology could be the boomerang, other hunting implements, for example, harpoons and poison arrows, a specific type of irrigation system, terracing for the cultivation of crops, and others. Your research needs to take account of: ? The design logic underpinning the technology ? The quality of life and survival provided for those who used the technology ? Any evidence which debates the effectiveness of technology, particularly its long term use. The technology you are examining may have been beneficial for a community in the short term, but in the longer term, further developments, modifications, abandonment of the technology, may have ensured a better quality of life, even survival, of a community. Long term environmental impacts could be important in your study. Your discussion needs to be an analysis of the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology. Avoid lengthy descriptions of the history or the form of the technology. This information needs to be only brief background information. You need to read as widely as possible about the technology you have chosen, and from your interpretation of the source information provide a discussion of the (perhaps disputed) effects of its use. Limit your scope so that you have a specialised focus, that is, on the analysis of two or three aspects of effectiveness of the technology. The technology could be from any era, past or even present day. If you are examining past technology, your focus needs to be on the effectiveness, or otherwise, of the technology itself for its intended purpose regardless of other influencing factors such as the introduction of other technology as a result of invasion, colonisation, or economic factors. Alternatively, the technology could be in current use or development, such as reversions to more environmentally sustainable technologies, for example, wind power. (Wake, 2002) CONCLUSION By promoting a shared agenda between language and engineering disciplines it is suggested that this may also promote student recognition of the importance of communication in engineering. Regardless of the similarities and differences of engineering communication education taken by various programs discussed here, increased levels of communicative competence relate directly to employability and success in the engineering industry. The program developed by School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide represents a successful integrative Engineering Communication curriculum, developed for both local and international Engineering students in an Australian university, which aims to develop communicative ability, community engagement and an awareness of the social, cultural, political, international, environmental and ethical contexts in which professional engineers practice. 55 ACKNOWLEDEMENTS Thanks go to many colleagues and friends, and to staff and students of the School of Mechanical Engineering who provided input (often unwittingly) to this research proposal. Thank you to Karen Adams for the stimulating and frequent discussions on many things educational and philosophical and Colin Kestell engineering lecturer extraordinaire who can always be relied on to stimulate teaching enthusiasm and creativity. Many thanks go to wonderful colleagues Elizabeth Yong and Kristin Munday whose considerable work is also represented here, and to Catherine Irving and Patricia Zoltan whose support, intellectual contributions and hard work have also contributed to this program. Thank you also to Barbara Wake whose commitment to and knowledge of academic communication which, together with the vision of Colin Hansen, Head of the School of Mechanical Engineering have enabled the development of such a successful program of professional and academic engineering communication. Special thanks to Roxanne Missingham for the editing and encouragement. REFERENCE Adams, K D Missingham (2006) Contributions to Student Learning: An overview of Engineering Communication courses in Mechanical Engineering education, School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Adelaide, unpublished (internal) report. Alvesson, M (2004) Knowledge Work and Knowledge-intensive Firms, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Artemeva, Natasha, Logie, Susan St-Martin, Jennie (1999) ? From Page to Stage: How Theories of Genre and Situated Learning Help Introduce Engineering Students to Discipline-Specific Communication? Technical Communication Quarterly, Summer, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 301-316. Bruner, J (1960) The Process of Education, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (2000) Employer satisfaction with graduate skills: research report, by AC Nielsen, DEETYA, Canberra. Einstein, H Herbert 2002, ? Engineering Change at MIT†˜, Civil Engineering, October, vol. 72, i. 10, pp. 62-69. European Conference on Sustainable Cities Towns, Aalborg, Denmark, 1994, Charter of European Cities and Towns Towards Sustainability, p. http://ec. europa. eu/environment/urban/pdf/aalborg_charter. pdfgt; viewed 21 July, 2006 Institution of Engineers Australia (1999) National Generic Competence Standards, IEAust, Canberra. Jennings, Alan Ferguson JD (1995) ? Focussing on Communication Skills in Engineering Education‘, Studies in Higher Education, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 305-314. Lee, Tong Fui (2003) ? Identifying essential learning skills in students‘ Engineering education‘, paper presented at the Annual HERDSA Conference, 6-9 July, Christchurch, New Zealand. Najar, Robyn L (2001) ? Facilitating the development of disciplinary knowledge and communication skills: Integrating Curriculum‘, paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Freemantle, 2-6 December. Newell, James A, Marchese, Anthony J, Ramachandran, Ravi P, Sukumaran, Beena Harvey, Roberta (1999) ? Multidisciplinary Design and Communication‘, International Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 1-7. Office of Sustainability, Department of Environment and Heritage, Government of South Australia, (2006) What is sustainability? viewed 21 July, 2006 356 Riemer, Marc J (2002) ? English and Communication Skills for the Global Engineer‘, Global Journal of Engineering Education, vol. 6, no. 1. Shwom, Barbara Hirsch, Penny (1999) ? Re-envisioning the writing requirement: an interdisciplinary approach‘, Business Communication Quarterly, March, vol. 62, i. 1, pp. 104-108. Vygotsky, L S (1978) Mind in Society, MIT Press, Cambr idge, Mass. Wake, B (2002) Engineering Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Wood, D, Bruner, J, Rose, S (1975) ? The Role of Tutoring in Problem Solving‘, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 17, pp. 89-100. Yong, E Missingham, (2006) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Yong, E Missingham, (2005) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. Yong, E Missingham, (2004) Design Communication Course Notes, School of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide. 357

Renewable Energy Essay free essay sample

Renewable Energy Is Only Part of the Best Way to Prevent Climate Change In our present life we are going through two of the main hazardous changes on the Earth, global warming and greenhouse affects. We want mankind to survive for a very long time, but if we keep using non-renewable energies the way we do, do you think we will be able to survive for a long time? I strongly believe that renewable energy is only part of the best way to prevent climate change. In this essay I intend to present a sound argument with a clear line of thought and relevant evidence. Of course there are times when renewable energy is not the best concept to prevent climate change. It has its own flaws. One of the few disadvantages it has is that it is difficult to generate the quantities of electricity that are as those produced by traditional fuel generators. We will write a custom essay sample on Renewable Energy Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This would mean that we would have to reduce the amount of energy we use or built more energy which can be very expensive. Another drawback of renewable energy sources is the reliability of supply. Renewable energy often relies on the weather of its source of power. Hydro generators need rain to fill dams to supply flowing water. Wind turbines need wind to turn the blades, solar collectors need clear skies and sunshine to collect heat and make electricity. When these sources are unavailable so is the capacity to make energy from them. This can be unpredictable and inconsistent. Furthermore, the wildlife habitats are destroyed because of the wind farms. Many people think that it is a very cruel behaviour to the wildlife. They have lives like us, so how would we feel if some kind of new powerful creatures came and killed thousands of us, in a flash of a second? Even though there are negative points to renewable energy, there are lots more positive points that suggest renewable energy is only part of the best way to prevent global warming. However, humankind has no choice but to take renewable energy very seriously. It is gaining more respect daily and there are numerous reasons as to why this is the case. Renewable energy is as green as it gets as it is by today’s technical standards and it’s a marvellous method for fighting back against global warming. Fossil fuels are damaging the planet and this can be our way of doing something about that. The most important part is that renewable energy is commitment free and sustainable. It can be replenished so we can use as much of this power as we need and we can restock it or it will restock itself. The sun and wind are with us for the long haul. As sources of power they are just waiting to be tapped for our future energy requirements all over the world. Even more importantly, renewable energy produces little or no waste products such as carbon dioxide or other chemical pollutants, so has minimal impact on the environment. Similarly, wind energy is friendly to surrounding environment, as no fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity. Moreover, wind turbines take up less space than the average power stations. Wind mills only have to occupy a few metres for the base; this allows the land around the turbine to be used for many purposes, for example agriculture. As well as recorded in 2010, just in the Golf of the Mexico, more than 7000 birds, sea turtles and dolphins died because of the oil spills in the region. So, if we don’t use non-renewable energy then there wouldn’t be any spills and there wouldn’t be any danger. Liming Zhou, research associate, professor at the University of New York conducted a study that claims ‘’Wind energy is among the fastest growing sources of energy. The US wind industry has experienced a remarkably rapid expansion of capacity in recent years’’ Zhou said. This suggests that wind energy can be really advantageous to us in the future. In conclusion, renewable energy is only part of the best way to prevent climate change. â€Å"This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning† Sir Winston Churchill. This is a perfect example to our renewable energy situation. It is not too late for us; we can start using renewable energy to prevent climate change in future. There are three kinds of people: those who make it happen; those who watch it happen; and those who wonder what happened. So why not be one of the ones who make it happen and protect our future generations. In my opinion we should use a lot more of renewable energy than we already do and use less of non-renewable energy so it can last for long and prevent the thermal blanket getting thicker.

Martin Buber’s †I and Thou Essay Sample free essay sample

Martin Buber’s I and Thou ( Ich und Du. 1923 ) presents a doctrine of personal duologue. in that it describes how personal duologue can specify the nature of world. Buber’s major subject is that human being may be defined by the manner in which we engage in duologue with each other. with the universe. and with God. Harmonizing to Buber. human existences may follow two attitudes toward the universe: I-Thou or I-It. I-Thou is a relation of subject-to-subject. while I-It is a relation of subject-to-object. In the I-Thou relationship. human existences are cognizant of each oher as holding a integrity of being. In the I-Thou relationship. human existences do non comprehend each other as dwelling of specific. stray qualities. but engage in a duologue affecting each other’s whole being. In the I-It relationship. on the other manus. human existences perceive each other as dwelling of specific. stray qualities. and view themselves as portion of a universe which consists o f things. We will write a custom essay sample on Martin Buber’s – I and Thou Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I-Thou is a relationship of mutualness and reciprocality. while I-It is a relationship of discreteness and withdrawal. Buber explains that human existences may seek to change over the subject-to-subject relation to a subject-to-object relation. or frailty versa. However. the being of a topic is a integrity which can non be analyzed as an object. When a topic is analyzed as an object. the topic is no longer a topic. but becomes an object. When a topic is analyzed as an object. the topic is no longer a Thou. but becomes an It. The being which is analyzed as an object is the It in an I-It relation. The subject-to-subject relation affirms each topic as holding a integrity of being. When a topic chooses. or is chosen by. the I-Thou relation. this act involves the subject’s whole being. Therefore. the I-Thou relation is an act of taking. or being chosen. to go the topic of a subject-to-subject relation. The topic becomes a topic through the I-Thou relation. and the act of taking this relation affirms the subject’s whole being. Buber says that the I-Thou relation is a direct interpersonal relation which is non mediated by any step ining system of thoughts. No objects of thought intervene between I and Thou. 1 I-Thou is a direct relati on of subject-to-subject. which is non mediated by any other relation. Therefore. I-Thou is non a agency to some object or end. but is an ultimate relation affecting the whole being of each topic. Love. as a relation between I and Thou. is a subject-to-subject relation. Buber claims that love is non a relation of subject-to-object. In the I-Thou relation. topics do non comprehend each other as objects. but perceive each other’s integrity of being. Love is an I-Thou relation in which subjects portion this integrity of being. Love is besides a relation in which I and Thou portion a sense of caring. regard. committedness. and duty. Buber argues that. although the I-Thou relation is an ideal relation. the I-It relation is an ineluctable relation by which the universe is viewed as consisting of cognizable objects or things. The I-It relation is the agencies by which the universe is analyzed and described. However. the I-It relation may go an I-Thou relation. and in the I-Thou relation we can interact with the universe in its whole being. In the I-Thou relation. the I is unified with the Thou. but in the I-It relation. the I is detached or separated from the It. In the I-Thou relation. the being of the I belongs both to I and to Thou. In the I-It relation. the being of the I belongs to I. but non to It. I-Thou is a relation in which I and Thou have a shared world. Buber contends that the I which has no Thou has a world which is less complete than that of the I in the I-and-Thou. The more that I-and-Thou portion their world. the more complete is their world. Harmonizing to Buber. God is the ageless Thou. God is the Thou who sustains the I-Thou relation everlastingly. In the I-Thou relation between the person and God. there is a integrity of being in which the person can ever happen God. In the I-Thou relation. there is no barrier of other dealingss which separate the person from God. and therefore the person can talk straight to God. The ageless Thou is non an object of experience. and is non an object of idea. The ageless Thou is non something which can be investigated or examined. The ageless Thou is non a cognizable object. However. the ag eless Thou can be known as the absolute Person who gives integrity to all being. Buber besides explains that the I-Thou relation may hold either possible being or existent being. When the I-It relation becomes an I-Thou relation. the possible being of the I-Thou relation becomes the existent being of the I-Thou relation. However. the I-Thou relation between the person and God does non go. or germinate from. an I-It relation. because God. as the ageless Thou. is everlastingly present as existent Being. Buber contends that the I-Thou relation between the person and God is a cosmopolitan relation which is the foundation for all other dealingss. If the person has a existent I-Thou relation with God. so the person must hold a existent I-Thou relation with the universe. If the person has a existent I-Thou relation with God. so the individual’s actions in the universe must be guided by that I-Thou relation. Therefore. the doctrine of personal duologue may be an informative method of ethical enquiry and of specifying the nature of personal duty.

How to Spot the Scorpius Constellation

How to Spot the Scorpius Constellation The Scorpius constellation glitters against the backdrop of the Milky Way. It has a curvy S-shaped body ending in a set of claws at the head and a pair of stinger stars at the tail. Both northern and southern hemisphere stargazers can see it, although it will look upside down when observed from below the equator. Finding Scorpius Constellation Northern hemisphere summer skies, looking south. Carolyn Collins Petersen In the northern hemisphere, Scorpius is most visible by looking to the south during July and August around 10:00 PM. The constellation remains visible until mid-September. In the southern hemisphere, Scorpio appears very high in the northern part of the sky until close to the end of September. Scorpius has a distinctive shape and thus is fairly easy to spot. Simply look for an S-shaped pattern of stars between the constellations Libra (the scales) and Sagittarius, and below another constellation called Ophiuchus.   History of Scorpius Scorpius has long been recognized as a constellation. Its roots in mythology stretch back to the ancient Babylonians and Chinese, as well as Hindu astrologers and Polynesian navigators. The Greeks associated it with the constellation Orion, and today we often hear the tale of how both constellations are never seen together in the sky. Thats because, in the ancient legends, the scorpion stung Orion, killing him. Keen observers will notice that Orion sets in the east as the scorpion rises, and the two will never  meet.  Ã‚   The Stars of the Scorpius Constellation The official IAU constellation of Scorpius shows the boundaries of the entire region that contains the S-shaped pattern of the scorpion. IAU/Sky Publishing At least 18 bright stars make up the curving body of the starry scorpion. The larger region of Scorpius is defined by the I boundaries set by the International Astronomical Union. These were made by international agreement and allow astronomers to use common references for stars and other objects in all areas of the sky. Within that region, Scorpius has dozens of stars that can be seen with the naked eye, and part of it lies against the backdrop of the Milky Way with its countless stars and clusters.   Each star in Scorpius has a Greek letter next to it in the official star chart. The alpha (ÃŽ ±) denotes the brightest star, beta (ÃŽ ²) the second-brightest star, and so on. The brightest star in Scorpius is ÃŽ ± Scorpii, with the common name of Antares (meaning the rival of Ares (Mars). Its a red supergiant star and is one of the largest stars we can see in the sky. It lies about 550 light-years away from us. If Antares were part of our solar system, it would encompass the inner solar system out beyond the orbit of Mars. Antares is traditionally thought of as the heart of the scorpion and is easy to spot with the naked eye.   Scorpius (upper right) along with Sagittarius (lower left). Notice how the Milky Way makes a backdrop for the two star patterns. The object marked Sag A* is the location of the black hole at the heart of our galaxy. Carolyn Collins Petersen The second-brightest star in Scorpius is actually a triple-star system. The brightest member is called Graffias (alternatively its also called Acrab) and its official designation is ÃŽ ²1 Scorpii. Its two companions are much fainter but can be seen in telescopes. Down at the tail end of Scorpius lies a pair of stars colloquially known as the stingers. The brighter of the two is called gamma Scorpii, or Shaula. The other stinger is called Lesath.   Deep Sky Objects in Constellation Scorpius A selection of deep-sky objects awaits stargazers who search the skies in Scorpius and Sagittarius. Its a great area of the sky to study with binoculars or small telescopes. Carolyn Collins Petersen   Scorpius is on the plane of the Milky Way. Its stinger stars point roughly toward the center of our galaxy, which means that observers can spot many star clusters and nebulae in the region. Some are visible to the naked eye, while others are best observed with binoculars or telescopes. Due to its location near the heart of the galaxy, Scorpius has a fine collection of globular clusters, marked here by yellow circles with symbols inside them. The easiest cluster to spot is called M4. There are also many open clusters in Scorpius, such as NGC 6281, that can be seen with binoculars or small telescopes. Closeup of M4 Globular clusters are satellites of the Milky Way galaxy. They often contain hundreds, thousands, or sometimes millions of stars, all tightly bound together by gravity. M4 orbits the core of the Milky Way and lies about 7,200 light-years away from the Sun. It has around 100,000 ancient stars more than 12 billion years old. This means they were born when the universe was quite young and existed before the Milky Galaxy was formed. Astronomers study these clusters, and in particular, the metal content of their stars to understand more about them.   The globular cluster Messier 4 (M4) lies not too far from the bright star Antares in Scorpius. Carolyn Collins Petersen   For amateur observers, M4 is easy to spot, not far from Antares. From a good dark-sky sight, its just bright enough to be picked out with the naked eye. However, its much easier to observe through binoculars. A good backyard-type telescope will show a very nice view of the cluster.

Critically discuss why the teachings of the Quality Gurus are Essay

Critically discuss why the teachings of the Quality Gurus are important - Essay Example Quality gurus have played a considerable role in setting the dimensions of success for all companies and organizations. It is due to the teachings of quality gurus that the companies pay special attention towards improving and maintaining quality of the products and services. The mutual belief of all quality gurus was that quality management is a continuous process, which helps the companies build and maintain profitable relationships with the customers. Some of most famous quality gurus include Armand Feigenbaum, Edwards Deming, Philip Crosby, Kaoru Ishikawa, Genichi Taguchi, and Masaaki Imai. All of these gurus brought different concepts of quality which not only helped the companies achieve competitive advantage in the past but also provide appropriate directions towards success to the companies belonging to the present world. We can take example of Masaaki Imai who came up with the concept of Kaizen in 1986, which led Japan’s way to huge success in the field of technologic al development. Kaizen is an umbrella, which includes all Japanese practices related to quality management. Imai focused on continuous improvement in all departments of a company. One of the main teachings of all quality gurus was quality control, which means to ensure quality in all stages of a product development.

Looking for Lincoln Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Looking for Lincoln - Essay Example He was considered as the presidential god and democratic ideal who sacrificed his life for the nation. Also, as his assassination occurred on a Good Friday, he was considered by the mourning nationals as a Jesus parallel, and this added his reverential heights. Several events that followed Lincoln’s death and immense grief and memory of Lincoln in public minds have definitely added to the cohesion, nationalism, and unity of the Americans during a period of serious degeneration. However, Lincoln has been considered as both a true and false friend of African Americans, and as one who supports or opposes incursions on civil liberties. Philip B. Kunhardt’s article Lincolns Contested Legacy throws light on some of the major arguments in this regard. As Kunhardt’s article reveals, interpretation of Lincoln’s legacy varied from group to group. Interpretation by â€Å"northerners and southerners, prairie westerners and east coast elites, blacks and white, secular and religious, liberals and conservatives, scholars and popularizers† varied (para. 1). For instance, the prevailing mood after Lincoln’s death, as told by Evening Post editor Parke Godwin is â€Å"No loss has been comparable to his. Never in human history has there been so universal, so spontaneous, so profound an expression of a nations bereavement† (para 2). Lincoln was considered as a wise and good man and a supreme leader by many though everyone does not agree with this. Northern democrats opposed Lincoln’s wartime suspension of habeas corpus which has led to imprisonment without trial of suspected traitors and protestors, and they criticized Lincoln’s tyrannical rule. Much of the southerners also hated Lincoln, although some have expressed regret over his death, many considered John wilkes booth, the murderer of Lincoln, as â€Å"bold slayer of an American tyrant† (Kunhardt, para 4). African Americans like Frederick Douglas passionately promoted Lincolns

Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation - google Assignment

Knowledge Management, Social Networks and Innovation - google (google+) - Assignment Example Two years later, the company formalized and adopted the name Google (Reichental). Since then, the company has presented various services and products to the market, including web applications of all kinds and various forms of advertisement, all in various languages. The company’s website and its more than 180 domains contain vast information, including local news, international news, sports news, and even local stores and post offices addresses. It also contains images, patents, maps, and many more (Young). The new advertising paradigms services and products of the company have stirred the imagination of entrepreneurs and business. Google has since tripled its profits and operating margins. In summary, Google has presented a variety of services and products over the past years, but there is one area of application that seem hard to crack, social networking. The recent unveiling of Google Plus is among the recent developments of social networking application (Serrat). Google has in the past tried to develop other social network services, but with a degree of failure. Starting from the acquisition of Pyra Labs, Blogger creator, the company has had other major involvement with the social media. Some of the important acquisition by Google includes Picasa, You Tube, DodgeBall , Postini, Zingku, Feedbanner, Jaiku, and Aardvark. Other social media applications developed by the company include Orkut, Google Talk beta, Google Reader, Google friends Connect, Google Voice, Google Buzz, and Google Plus. Google Plus is a social network that integrates various platforms of other Google products like Profiles and Buzz. The social network was launched in June 2011. The key element of Google Plus is the focus it places on targeted sharing among members of a given subset, or circles, within the social group. The subsets or circles are simply a small group of people with whom one can share with, with names likes classmates, co-workers, friends, and family. The

Can Infrasonic Waves Kill You?

Can Infrasonic Waves Kill You? Introduction Have you ever experienced nausea, paranoia, and the feeling of being watched? If so, you might be under the effects of infrasound. Infrasound is any sound lower than 20 Hz (Hertz). Infrasound can be created by man-made objects or nature. It can be created by nature from things like severe weather, surf, lee waves, avalanches, earthquakes, volcanoes, bolides, waterfalls, lightning, calving of icebergs, upper-atmospheric lightning, and auroras and it can be created by human made objects like sonic booms, explosions, machinery, wind turbines, and subwoofers. Infrasound can be used as many things like a weapon, an early warning of natural disasters, or it can be used to locate things. Elephants, whales, giraffes, rhinoceros, alligators, and okapis also use infrasonic waves to communicate. (Wikipedia, 2012), (Trueghost, n.d.) An example of infrasound as a weapon is that in World War I it was used to locate things such as artillery, which facilitated soldiers to know what to do because they knew the location of the enemys weapons not allowing the enemy to do a surprise attack. Another example is that it is used to locate tornadoes minutes before they touch down. Another example in which infrasound is used is that migrating birds use infrasound when they migrate. They sense infrasound from turbulent airflows as a navigational aid or GPS. (Wikipedia, 2012) A very frequently asked question is Can infrasonic waves kill you? The answer to this question is yes but dont worry because not all frequencies of infrasound can really hurt you. This lethal frequency lies in 7 Hz. It is believed that 7 Hz is lethal because it matches the frequencies of your brain and organs. This match of frequencies can cause serious damage to your body or even death. Nausea, nervousness, cold, paranoia, depression, and blurred moments in peripheral vision are some common feeling that can be caused by infrasound. (Wikipedia, 2012), (Lowertheboom, n.d.) In this experiment our research question is Can humans sense infrasound? Our hypothesis for this project is that if we take at least four test subjects (two male and two female) and put sounds less than 20 hertz then, we will be able to know if humans can sense infrasound because of our results. Through our research we found that when people are exposed to infrasound they end up feeling uncomfortable. That makes us think that even though humans do not necessarily hear infrasound they can sense it. (Lowertheboom, n.d.) Natural disasters such as earthquakes can produce infrasound. If we could sense or feel the infrasound waves we would be able to predict or protect ourselves from a natural disaster without the need of modern technology. Also if this experiment goes the way we expect, humans would be able to use it in their favor. We will also help people to prevent infrasonic waves so that people wont harm themselves. (Serendip, 2012) We predict that all of our human subjects will sense infrasound. We think that all of our human subjects will sense infrasound because with our research we have seen that when people are exposed to infrasound they have side effects.The most common side effect will probably be headache and nausea.Some of the human results can vary because of age or gender of the subject. We hypothesize that the younger test subjects will be able to sense infrasound better because of theirage.

Professional, mental, moral and aesthetic development Essay

There has been increased demand for education from different kinds of people in the world, due to the introduction of information technology in their countries. Therefore people have increasingly sought for ways and means to acquire knowledge to enable understand the realities of life as they occur. Education is the process through which teaching and learning of knowledge, enables an individual to develop reasoning, judgment and skills required in adult life and professional occupations. Education focuses on the cultivation of skills trades or professional, mental, moral and aesthetic development . There are two types of education; formal and informal education. Formal education refers to the education whereby there is system of instruction, teaching and training by the professional teachers. Here, there is a curriculum to be followed and use of different teaching methods. Traditionally, educators borrowed information for education from many different disciplines for example psychology, philosophy, information technology linguistics, biology and sociology. A person can be trained by a specialist so as to get specific skills for example a pilot. Systems of formal education are established to provide education and training for children. A curriculum states what a student should know and be able to do as a result of education. Informal education involves acquisition of knowledge and skills learned and refined during one course of life. The right to education is a basic human right. Education can be attained informally through institutions such as libraries and museums (Shards, K. , and Smith, S. J. 2000). The central purpose of education The central purpose of education is to teach a student on values that will enable him to develop his mind and be in a position to deal with realities of life. Training that is given to the students enables them to think, understand, integrate and prove all information that they have been taught. Students are taught essentials of knowledge that is achieved in the past experiences and also trained to acquire knowledge by him. An example of purpose of education is the teachers’ transmission of knowledge to the students. One of the things that education does is to equip people with power to think effectively and objectively. Education should assist a person to be critical in terms of the truths, prejudices and propaganda. Education should enable the people to distinguish between true or false information, relevant from irrelevant information, real and unreal information. Part of education teaches the human beings to be critical thinker’s . For education to be whole; it should be morally right to the recipients of the information. Morals help a person to avoid wandering from one place to another and gives the persons power of concentration and reasoning. For one to concentrate well, he or she should have worthy objectives in order to meet that they would like to achieve in the future. The kinds of people schools should seek to develop The characteristics of people who can be a successful learners are they should be knowledgable, self determined, strategic, and empahthetic. They also have creative and critical faculties, motivation to learn and confidence about themselves as learners, tools and strategies for acquiring, evaluating and applying knowledge. They also have insights about motives, feeling and behavior of others and can effectively communicate with others. Schools should seek to develop individuals who are well rounded in terms of knowledge and work experience. Discipline is a trait which is experienced in our everyday life. Instances like getting to work on time, finding appropriate clothes, scheduling appointments, time management are skills learnt through learning. The ability to list work experience in curriculum vitae demonstrates qualities such as enthusiasm, initiative, work ethic and a genuine desire to work. Schools should also seek to develop people who are confident. This occurs when an individual feels that a task is within their reach. Work experience is important as it gives one a chance to watch people do a job, ask questions and frequently get the chance to try out the work. Being knowledgeable is equally important. This is because employers are interested in what an individual can do. If one can display an understanding of an industry and support by outlining key tasks based on experience, he or she has chances of gaining employment. When looking for placement, schools should encourage students to keep as many contacts as possible. The reason is that meeting people who can help in job seeking process can lead to one acquiring a position in the job market (Smardz, K. , and Smith, S. J. 2000). The ways in which the school can work toward greater equity Schools and communities have people from different races, gender, sexual orientation, class, language and religion which allow them to have equitable opportunities . For a positive change to be noted, change in individual, schools, communities would work together and aim to maintain diversity and equity. In schools, it means going beyond cultural differences and celebrating diversity. This in turn breeds open conversations about equity related issues and what those issues mean in the classroom or administration and in schooling at large. These issues include bullying, school culture, classroom climate, achievement gaps and others. It’s only possible to discuss these issues only if the real conversations about socio- economic status, gender, race because they have an impact on students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members. The main challenge is to find out whether schools offer an opportunity for an individual to achieve the best and have access to an equitable valid supportive learning environment regardless of race, gender, (dis)ability, and other dimensions of his or her identity. One goal of education is to measure work based on how much closer we help a school eliminate inequity. This can be achieved on the basis of the specific contextual needs of each school or organization. A workshop may be set up to place emphasis on achievement gaps, teacher expectations and effective methods of teaching for diverse students. The workshop may also be on racial tensions or gender equity in the classroom. Teachers on the other hand need strategies for implementation practical ideas, curricular tools, classroom activities and teaching methods that support diversity and equity. As teachers try to solve students’ issues in education, they need to balance the practical with the philosophical and also providing immediate strategies for long term needs and institution changes ( Smardz, K. , and Smith, S. J. 2000). The values of an educator and how those values are formed and informed There are some values that educators should be committed to develop that enable students accomplish goals and aims. An educator who is competent has characteristics such as well developed knowledge and skills in content areas and methods of teaching. This educator understands how children learn at various developmental stages and also provides learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and emotional development. He also uses multiple forms of assessment to guide instruction and other interactions with students. The educator who is caring values respect and trust reflecting a humanistic orientation to students and other members of the school community . He or she is child centered, nurturing and a facilitator of personal growth and self esteem. This educator motivates students to excel and be self confident. He provides a caring environment whereby students take risks and explore openly. Service is a value that the educators should thrive to attain . This is because it’s viewed as an opportunity to make positive difference in the lives of others. He seeks for ways to provide service to students and the education profession, school community and the community at large. The educator is mostly committed to take action on behalf of others even if such action requires measure of self sacrifice. These concerns are extended to his or her sphere of knowledge and influence. In addition, the educator has a disposition towards civic and social responsibility in the local community, nation and even the world (Tozer, S. E (2000). Leaderships is also a core value in this case the educator purses the goals of powerful learning and positive student achievement using the collaboration and supportive interaction within the classroom, school and community. The collaboration provides the support for continuous and consistent delivery of instruction to all students. This leader is well informed about the nation and educational reforms and uses personal skills to restructure environments to improve practice. He or she has a vision of setting that encourages efficacy and excellence, communicates his vision to constituents and leads them in the construction and implementation of shared vision of good schools. The education leader requires this to promote effective practices and organizational structures in places of work. He faces up these challenges because they in turn promote social justice and equity in the classroom, school and community. Issues like discrimination are given special attention especially in support of students with special needs ( Smardz, K. , and Smith, S. J. 2000). The role of the teacher in schools and wider society One of the roles of the teachers is to ensure that they promote integration between students from different backgrounds. This means that the teachers do not teach the same as the time passes by. Teachers play a role in teaching process to even becoming managers in the society so that to ensure the education system and society as a whole move from a long side by side. This movement towards monitoring and evaluation of the quality and performance of the national education system has unduobtfully began to have an impact in the way in which education is regarded both by the society at large and the people who are directly involved. A teacher is seen as a role model for the students . This is because he or she is respected by the society and therefore viewed as knowledgeable about different subjects of schools. Though teachers are seen as role models they still make mistakes, it’s therefore the role of the student to compare and pick only what is beneficial to them. The teacher is a dynamic force for the school, for a school without a teacher it is like a skeleton without flesh and blood (Tozer, S. E 2000). It is therefore important for people to attend school at early age so that they can acquire relevant information that can help them to be useful members of the society since they can be able to appreciate the realities of life as they occur. References â€Å"The Purpose of Education Papers of Martin Luther King â€Å"http://74. 125. 39. 104/search? q=cache:Z16hADTKn8AJ:www. stanford.edu/group/King/publications/papers/vol1/470100The_Purpose_of_Education. htm+what+should+be+central+purpose+of+education&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=ke&client=firefox-a Website accessed on September 24 2008 Smardz, K. , and S. J. Smith (2000). The Archaeology Education Handbook: Sharing the Past With Kids. Altamira Press, Walnut Creek, California. Tozer, S. E (2008). School And Society Historical and Contemporary Perspective 6th edition McGraw Hill Stone, P. G. , and Planel P. G. (1999). The Constructed Past: Experimental Archaeology, Education, and the Public. London. Taylor & Francis,

Satire speech

Can get a show of hands for anyone who honestly enjoys changes within the BBS community? Now, I'm not talking about the change from calling the garden cafe the hub, or the change of calling signature assessments, evaluation. No, I'm talking about big change, the kind of change that has you waiting at the edge of your seat, with your palms sweating, gripping onto the chairs handles like your life depends on it. Are you ready? I'm talking about the change that happened last year, that left many emotionally wounded and causes so many arguments, the change of switching the graduating class' blazer to the white blazers.It might not seem like much, but allow me to elaborate. The problem I'm here to address to you today is not just one strictly about change, but also about the graduating class. Not just about the graduating class this year, but also the many graduates that are yet to come. I believe I speak for a fair amount Of students when I say that it's almost sickening how often the gr aduating class is given all the attention and the credit, despite what the faculty seems to believe. They enjoy giving every important opportunity to the graduating class, while blocking out most of the other grades.The BBS community tries to differentiate them so much more from all other grades that it has become irritating. They've even come to the point of changing their uniform in order to distinguish their importance. According to the American School Board Journal, uniform is meant to â€Å"improve a school's environment by reducing competition, improving student self-esteem, and improving academic achievement. † But ask yourselves, can o really focus on how you can change your 4 to a 4+ in pre-Ap advanced functions, when Holier uniform isn't as cool as the grads?Now, I'm not saying that grade ;level isn't a big year because if I did, would have a trail of prom queen in seven-inch heels running after me. The message I'm striving to convey is strictly questioning whether it's fair or not the amount of praise they receive? But then ask myself, when is anything ever fair, and that's when came up with my solution. Change is inevitable; attempting to stop it is like raying to get in the way of the squirrel from ice age that's chasing after the nut, it's impossible.We all know that even after varies meetings and discussions, where the faculty pretends that they truly take your strong opinions into consideration; it's still their way or no way. You can't deny the fact that they hold those meetings to create an illusion that we actually have a say into what happens to our graduating year. So, I stand here and ask you, how exactly do we fix this problem, actually don't answer that since I already know the perfect answer. Instead of getting rid of the blazers or the school's obsession with the grads, why don't we embrace change?We are always taught to make the best of the situation so here is what propose: we completely change the uniform of the graduating y ear. Don't get worried yet; I know what you're all thinking, but what about the sailor suit collar? Of course that's going to remain a part of the new and improved grads only uniform because we all know how much BBS loves to respect tradition. After all, we still have the head girl position when all other aspects of the leader positions eave changed for the upcoming year.The new excessive uniform is modern, stylish, and affordable, but also very helpful towards the student's wearing it. Allow me to elaborate on this beautiful design that will brighten up your day. It's what I would describe as the future space wear. To simply describe it, it's a dress unlike the sailor suit top and the skirt. The dress will be long sleeve and ends appropriately three inches above your knee. Since it's a dress, girls cannot roll their skirts up, you're welcome male and female teachers of the school.The color the dress will be in shiny metallic silver, in order to outshine the other lower grade studen ts. Students walking past them in the hall won't be able to complain about the grads when they're be temporarily blinded by the reflection of the light off the dress. The most important part of the dress is going to be the red and blue embroidery all along the dress. After reading a recent article from The New York Times, it is said that, â€Å"the color red can make people's work more accurate, but blue can make them more creative.Researchers at the University of British Columbia conducted tests with 600 participants to see how cognitive performance varies when people see red or blue. Red groups did better on tests of recall and attention to detail, like remembering words or checking spelling and punctuation. Blue groups did better on tests requiring invention and imagination. † So clearly, the new uniform is going to help differentiate the grads more from other grades. In the end, change will happen; it might be for the better or the worse but who truly knows until you try? BBS is an ever changing, ever moving community that advances every day from new technology and creative action plans, but we must learn to put our best assets on display to frighten our rival schools. So, lets learn to accept the new change and let be honest, seeing walking space ships would be really cool.