Amearican Pop Cultures and Politics from 1940 to Present ( short Essay

Amearican Pop Cultures and Politics from 1940 to Present ( short questions) - Essay Example During the formal political protest of 1950-1970, audiotopia music was used to make an awakening call to Americans to oppose bad governance and fight for more civil rights and liberty. 2. Formal politics are the kind of politics that is defined by the law. In this case, there exists a legal framework on which all political issues are inclined. Just as the title implies, they are formal, organized, and very easily defined and identified. Formal politics are done be organized groups and individuals and in most cases, they involves divergent opinions on some legal perspectives. On the other hand, cultural politics are informal. In this case, culture politics basically defines the role of culture in defining economic, social and political lives of the people. As such, it involves everyday acts of political changes and ideas that are not intentional or at least based on cultural aspects. During 1940-1950, politics in America were marked with huge changes as a result of amendments made on the law to regulate the way politics are conducted. In this case, the two types of politics were harmonized so as to complete each other. between 1960 and 1970, more formalization of p olitics was done such that a shift from cultural politics to modern politics were experienced. 3.A moral panic is the term used to express a strong feeling of fear among the population that the social and moral orientation of their culture is being threatened. In this case, moral panic in America during the period 1950 to 1990 was marked with changes in the moral aspect of people. As such, more and more people started engaging in immoral behavior that was seen as catastrophic to future generation. Moral decadence was experience mainly in 1980s and 1990s whereby the issue of sexual immorality was seen to be on the riding trend. Many cases of teenage pregnancy and indecency acts

Age-Related Changes that Occur in the Cardiovascular System Essay Example for Free

Age-Related Changes that Occur in the Cardiovascular System Essay The title page introducing what subject I am planning on presenting to the residents of the independent living facility. It tells them who I am and what subject is being presented. The residents that I am going to be addressing are healthy, active and mentally alert senior who want to learn more about health conditions that are affecting their age group in general and are of major concern. Slide 2 Homeostasis is the equilibrium of the body. Homeostasis is maintained by the balance of our vital signs to keep us on an even keel. The definition of Homeostasis is, â€Å"Homeostasis is the compensation of the vital signs to regulate the hearts blood flow and maintain balance within the body† (Jenkins, Kemnitz, Tortora 2010). The autonomic system and its branches keep the body moving and functioning. Like these teeter-totters the parasympathetic and the sympathetic move oppose of each other, but keep a slow steady rhythm and together they work as a whole. Slide 3 The fight or flight dilemma. The fight stance is pretty self-explanatory; these are noticeable effects like pupils dilated, neck and shoulders stiffen up or tense, chest pain or palpations, mouth can get very dry or cotton mouth, these are just some of the examples of signs and symptoms that an individual can experience. The flight stance is more hidden and not necessarily identified by the patient or doctor until the more noticeable symptoms are visible. Some of the hidden symptoms can be, but not limited to blood pressure can get higher to a dangerous level, more adrenalin is released into the individuals system, liver produces more glucose to give energy to the muscles, and the digestion system will slow or stop completely. Slide 4 Some of the side effects from medication or treatments can be uncomfortable and more severe than the symptoms of the condition that is being treated. Looking on the brighter side is that once the medication or treatments are manageable the medication is controlling the condition, than life can get back to normal except for some life style changes. Diet and exercise can be the most drastic changes, and the hardest to comply with. If an individual has never exercised much and has lived on fast food, eating healthy and increasing activity besides sitting in front of the television can be the most challenging. Slide 5 A hypertensive heart has thickened ventricular walls which make the heart work harder to pump the blood throughout the body. When the walls thicken, the elasticity is decreases and the heart and other systems need to work harder to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. Any condition that affects the oxygenated blood from flowing through the heart can cause the ventricular walls to thicken. As we age our blood pressure increases, age, ethninticity, weight, and genetics can play a role in a hypertensive heart condition. Slide 6 Hypertension is sometimes call, â€Å"The Silent Killer† (www. medicinenet. com 2013). Hypertension usually does not have any symptoms and puts a lot of stress on other major organs which over time will start to deteriorate. Some side- affects that can impact quality of life are sexual dysfunction, stroke, heart disease, kidney disease, and neurological problems. Sexual dysfunction is usually more noticeable and bothersome to men. Heart disease can lead to other heart related problems, like heart attack (MCI), stroke (CVA), and congestive heart failure (CHF). Slide 7 After the diagnosis of hypertension, the physician and individual will work on a plan to manage the hypertension. Most of the time this includes medication, low fat, low sodium diet and exercise. This will include some changes in your family’s life to. Our society functions on fast food, and not enough education on the right foods to eat. Exercise can be as little as walking around the block or as much as working out at the gym several times a week. Blood pressure needs to be taken every time there is a doctor’s appointment and sometimes it should be Slide 8 Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is caused from a waxy substance building up in the coronary arteries called plaque. Blood is slowed because of the plaque blocking the arteries and slowing the blood flow. Sometimes the plaque can disengage and cause a blood clot that if not detected and treated can cause a stroke or heart attack. The lack of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and major arteries over time will cause organ to deteriorate and healthy tissue and muscles will start to die. Acting quickly is the key in recovering from a heart attack or not surviving. Some symptoms can include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, and dizziness. Men generally have classic signs of a heart attack; women can have other symptoms that are not classic symptoms, like lower back pain, and even neck pain. Slide 9 Heart attacks can be caused from medication (legal and illegal), stress, diet, generational, exposure to extreme cold weather, and cigarette smoking. Drugs and alcohol when taken in large quantities can be damaging to body when not prescribed for a treated condition. Narcotics, over-the-counter, cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, alcohol, even medication for certain conditions if taken differently than prescribed can do harm to the heart and body. Slide 10 Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is the leading cause for hospitalization in individuals over the age of 65 years old. The heart needs to work harder to pump oxygen-rich blood through the body. The myocardium’s thickened walls make the heart work harder to pump blood. The heart may pump more freely to hold more blood or stiffen and harden as time goes on. Slide 11 Some of the symptoms of congestive heart failure is kidneys start retaining water and salt, edema in the legs, ankles, arms and feet. The lungs can start retaining fluid to. More weight from the excess of fluid puts stress on the heart, shortness of breath and more exertion on activity. Slide 12 Myocardial Infarction (MCI) is the medical term for heart attack. Some of the symptoms can include seizures, dizziness, fainting, fainting, chest pain or discomfort and extreme fatigue. The person may experience the heart racing really fast, like if they ran a marathon, but were sitting down and relaxing. If the individual has unexplained family deaths at an early age can put them in a higher-risk category. Slide 13 This slide is a picture depicting what might happen in a heart attack. A blood clot can dislodge and move through the blood stream until it blocks oxygen-rich blood from reaching the heart or major organ, or it completely blocks the pathway of blood flow. If not treated immediately, it can lead to tissue and muscles becoming damaged or dying all completely and then death. References Jenkins, Kemintz, Tortora (2010) Anatomy and Physiology. John Wiley and Sonc Inc. Kulik. (2013, April). www. medicinenet. com. Retrieved from Myocardial Infarction: www. medicinenet. com Ladwig, A. a. (2014). Nursing Diagnosis Handbook. Mosby by Elsevier Inc. National Stroke Association. (2012). After Stroke. Effects of Strokes, www. stroke. org. Potter, P. S. (2012). Fundamentals of Nursing. St. Louis: Mosby an imprint by Elsevier Inc .

Understanding Blog Definitions And Features

Understanding Blog Definitions And Features There are four sections in this chapter. The first section is an overview of the chapter. The second section provides a general understanding on blog definition, the features of blogs and blogging tools and their evolution. The third section examines the uses of blogs in different areas such as personal, business, politics and education. The fourth section discusses the previous empirical studies. Finally, the discussion of the entire chapter is summarized in the last section. A blog or weblog refers to a personalised web page with minimal or no external editing that provides, online commentary and that is periodically updated and presented in reverse chronological order (preserved old posts in addition to new entries) with hyperlinks to other online sources (Farell and Drezner, 2007; Downes, 2004). Most authors agree that a blog is a frequently updated website consisting of dated entries (Walker, 2003). A blog may include any, all, or some combination of text, photos, videos, audio, as well as hyperlinks (links to websites or other Internet-based information). One of the useful features of blogs is their interactivity. A blog was designed to facilitate interaction by permitting readers to comment on entries. So a blog is a platform of personal media, knowledge management tool, and community forum (Liu et al, 2009). Blogs are a popular way for expressing personal opinions and interests on the Web (Varlamis et al, 2008). Essentially, the author or we call a blogger not only expresses his personal ideas and experience, but also provides help to others during the communication throughout the Internet and in this way make their blogs more valuable for sharing (Shaohiu and Lihua, 2008). In addition, blogs can be a personal diary, a memo, a place to deliver messages, a cooperation field, a news-release website, or a temporary performing stage for a politician (Xin, 2009). According to most researchers, a small scale webpage that we call as a blog usually has certain features. Five features that a blog usually has i.e. personal editorship, a hyperlinked posting structure, frequent updates, free public access to the content via the Internet and archived postings (Paquet, 2003). Table 2.1 summarises the definitions of a blog or weblog according to respective researchers. Table 2.1 Definition of Blog Definitions Authors Reverse chronological posting Doctorow et al., 2002; Paquet, 2003; Walker, 2003; Schiano et al., 2004; Downes, 2004; Herring et al., 2004; Bruns and Jacobs, 2006; Viegas, 2006; Farell and Drezner, 2007; Shaohui and Lihua, 2008; Liu et al., 2009 Individually author / Personalised web page Barger, 1997; Paquet, 2003; Bruns and Jacobs, 2006; Liu al et., 2009 Online commentary Bruns and Jacobs, 2006; Farell and Drezner, 2007; Liu al et., 2009 Text-based online environment Downes, 2004 Mini web page / Small scale website / Simple web page Doctorow al et., 2002; Farell and Drezner, 2007; Shaohui and Lihua, 2008 Online diary/journal Barger, 1997; Blood, 2000; Doctorow al et., 2002; Herring al et., 2004; Xin, 2009 Table 2.1 (Continued) Definition of Blog Definitions Authors Posting with date entries Paquet, 2003; Walker, 2003; Herring al et., 2004 Frequently updated website Blood, 2000; Walker, 2003; Schiano al et., 2004; Herring al et., 2004; Luehmann and MacBride, 2007; Shaohui and Lihua, 2008 Sharing thought Shaohui and Lihua, 2008 Express personal ideas / opinions Doctorow al et., 2002; Varlamis al et., 2004; Shaohui and Lihua, 2008 Sharing experiences Shaohui and Lihua, 2008 Sharing interests Varlamis al et., 2004 Collects and shares resources (Photos/Videos/Hyperlinks) Doctorow al et., 2002; Paquet, 2003; Bruns and Jacobs, 2006; Luehmann and MacBride, 2007; Farell and Drezner, 2007; Liu al et., 2009 Features Blogs utilise a simple interface to make it easy for a user to construct it, without having to understand HTML or web scripting. Thus, anyone who can create a basic Microsoft Word document can create and maintain a blog. Users can add pictures or audio files to enhance their blogs attractiveness. Typically, blog combines text, images, links to other blogs or web pages, and other media related to its topic i.e. video. A blogger decides what does and does not go into a blog (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). According to Duffy et al., (2006), a blog is usually made up of the following components: Date and time the post was published Category the post is label with (can be one or more) Main title of the post Main content of the post Links back (trackback) from other sites Comments added by readers URL of the full, individual article In addition, Du and Wagner (2005) claimed that the features of blogs (i.e. archival of past weblogs by date-posted, hyperlink to other web or blog, instant publishing of web content with little technical skill required, and ways for others to comment/feedback). An important and desirable feature of blogging technology which makes communication possible is the ability to comment a publication in a blog. Most blogging tools allow writing a comment on someones article (Downes, 2004; Du and Wagner, 2005). Shaohui and Lihua (2008) stated that advanced network technology is not required to build a blog and thus any one can establish his own blog, as long as he is able to type and take advantage of the Internet. The establishment of a blog does not need any extra economic costs because basic blog services are available in any online computer for free. A blog is open, free and available for sharing. This entails one may write down what he sees, hears and thinks of freely in a blog. The openness, sharing features, interaction, virtual capability, cover up and non-restraint characteristics of a blog stimulate peoples desire of self-expression and self complacency, including those who are reserved in real life but are willing to express their inner thought through a blog (Shaohui and Lihua, 2008). Besides the basic features of a blog, there are additions to a blog. Nowadays, most blogging tools support a method for communication between blogs called trackback. When someone writes a new article in his blog that refers to another article typically residing at a different blog, a notification is sent to the other blog. The notification is referred to as trackback (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). The trackback functionality enables the reader of a weblog to comment on a certain article in his own blog platform (Bross al et., 2009). Another additional blog feature is called pingback. This feature allows a blogger to request notification when somebody links to one of his articles so he can keep track of who is linking to, or referring to his publications (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). In a contemporary blogging system it is now important to support Really Simple Syndication (RSS). This is a web feed format, which is used to provide web content (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). This way when someone is interested in content published in a particular RSS-supporting site and wants to stay in touch with its updates and new articles posted there, he may subscribe to them via RSS. BLOGGING TOOLS AND THEIR EVOLUTION During the late 1990s, there were no special tools available for creating weblogs. Most bloggers hand-coded their sites. But, very soon, it became difficult to read every weblog every day, or even to keep track of all the new ones that were appearing (Blood, 2000). Blogs started to gain popularity after Pitas.com launched the first free build-your-own-weblog tool, and others like Blogger released their blogging tools. These tools provide the ease and affordability for non-technical persons to communicate online. According to Bauer (2004), approximately 80% of weblogs use hosting services that provide weblog building tools and server space, while the rest use standalone software that runs on individual servers or web hosts. Popular weblog hosts, such as Blogger, ModBlog, and Xanga, offer basic services for free, which are to the advantage for new bloggers or general users even though there are limited server spaces and standard features. But, successful weblogs can outgrow these basic services, and may be forced to choose premium services (at higher costs), or even to set up their own hosts (Rubenking, 2003). Comparatively, standalone software is more flexible in terms of server space and control of own content, but this requires some knowledge on the part of the users to set up the application and to maintain the server. Movable Type and Radio Userland are two popular fee-based standalone software solutions. Schiano al et. (2004) found that the participants of their research used a wide variety of blogging tools, including Blogger, Blurty, Xanga, MoveableType, RadioUserLand, and customised scripts. Several participants began with Blogger (recently acquired by Google), but as they gained experience, they migrated to other, more sophisticated tools or created their own. 2.3 USES OF BLOGS Most people are not aware that there is a variety of genres in the blogosphere. The interface looks similar but the content is different. Blog can be used in various areas or purposes such as, for personal usage, politics, business and educations. 2.3.1 Personal Personal blogs is often known as online diary or journal. The blog format of an online diary makes it possible for users who have not much experience to create, format, and post entries with ease. People often write their everyday experiences, complaints, poems, thoughts and more and this type of blog allows others to contribute. The blogger, as a main role, writes about his/her personal perspective in his/her own blogs. Blogs also provide users the right to write and express their own ideas and viewpoints. Moreover, blog writings enable the users both to share information and to make self-reflection. According Schiano et al., (2004), many blogs seem to function in the age-old tradition of diaries and personal record-keeping. 2.3.2 Politics Political campaigns at the federal, state and local level use blogs to organise and motivate their supporters (Farell and Drezner, 2007). Political blogs may take a number of forms. Often an individual will link to articles from news web sites and post his own opinion. Most news, activism, and issue-based blogs follow the same format. A recent trend in politics is that candidates are incorporating blogging into their campaigns. For example, in 2005, Chilean presidential election, four candidates used their own blogs as part of their campaign mechanisms (Farell and Drezner, 2007). Blogs have played an important role in several media scandals (Glaser 2004). They have also played a important role in shaping campaign strategy and tactics. In 2004, Howard Dean rose to prominence in part because of his adroit use of the blogosphere as a tool for rallying activists (Graf and Darr 2004; Kerbel and Bloom, 2005). Blogs increasingly affect legal outcomes (Solum, 2006; Berman, 2006). It has been shown that blogs have influenced policy outcomes. As example, blogs played an important role in helping defeat George W. Bushs proposed Social Security reforms, which were intended to be the landmark achievement of his second term in office (Glover and Essl, 2006). Blogs have also achieved some political and policy prominence outside the US (Drezner and Farrell, 2004). 2.3.3 Business Businesses increasingly use blogs for promotional campaigns, and track blogs to measure customer satisfaction and monitor trends (Farell and Drezner (2007). A number of entrepreneurs establish blogs to promote their businesses. Often business blogs act as a showcase for entrepreneurs to provide a window into the behind-the-scenes activities at their business, presenting a more personal face. In some cases the blog itself is the core of the business bringing in revenue from advertising, selling products or information. Interest in blog as a business tool has coincided with a growing realisation that traditional marketing methods may no longer suit todays fragmented markets and increasingly demanding customers. The nineties saw the introduction of new forms of marketing, including relationship marketing, buzz marketing, word-of-mouth marketing, one-to-one marketing, opt-in marketing, guerrilla marketing and viral marketing. Blogs have the potential to fulfil the aims of these new marketing methods. The blogger not only share the ideas and feeling, but also received valuable comments from readers. The business world now realises the opportunities of blogging and begins to reap the benefits. Maintaining a blog an important part of each companys Internet strategy. A company can make blogs to introduce products/services; inform customers about discounts, do promotions and announce achieves and success (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). In addition, customers can write their comments, opinions, complaints and suggestions and get support from responsible company workers. Concurrently, it is useful to have also an internal blog for development tracking, which by company employees. This supports collaborative work as the blog might be not only central information source but also management tool, brainstorming sessions, announcements or reporting place (Shevked and Dakovski, 2006). Corporate blog have received widespread attention in press and among Internet users. It can help a company build stronger relationships with its customers and get customers feedback instantly. It can be used to market products or services and develop a brand (Ryu and Shi, 2010). 2.3.4 Education Blogs can be used as learning tools in a variety of ways, Their value is demonstrated by the operational structures and responses mechanisms, discourse style and method of recording ideas, commentary and institutionally relevant information (Ismail, S., 2009). Students frequently use blogs as records of their learning while teachers use them as records of what they taught. For example, through a blog, a teacher can perform daily recording was taught, include links to Internet resources, and specify the homework students are required to carry out. This application has many advantages: (i) student can quickly catch-up if they miss a class, (ii) the teacher can use the blog as a lesson plan, and (iii) the blog serves as an accurate summary of the course that prospective students or new teachers can refer to. The collaborative features of blogs can be used to authorize several students to contribute to the blog. There are more educators and language teachers using the Internet in language teaching as well (Godwin-Jones, 2003; Lord and Lomicka, 2004). Many computer applications, especially asynchronous computer-mediated communication such as email and electronic bulletin boards, promote interactive learning (Arnold and Ducate, 2006). With the booming growth of technology, blogs have become another learning platform for language teaching. Johnson (2004) pointed out that the logs are a useful additional aid to teachers. From any computer connected to the Internet, teachers can create, edit, or delete their teaching hand-outs including notes, assignments, and reviewed materials. Teachers messages are organised in a reversed chronological order with the latest postings at the top. The feature of automatic date-stamping for each post is useful. Students emails may, for some technical glitches, not reach their teachers or be carelessly deleted by their teachers. With the automatic date-stamping function, both teachers and students know clearly when students turn in their assignments. Consequently, the automatic archive of past posts by date or theme can help teachers and students easily locate the message they are searching. If students do not have their own personal websites, an easy-to-use blog is a good start for them to interact with users of the cyberspace community. As Campbell (2004) emphasised that simple customisation of templates can help students build a sense of ownership and unique online identity. Most students will write more carefully if they know that they are going to publish their articles online for authentic readers who may comment on their postings. Additionally, teachers can easily use blogs to organise a collaborative learning environment in which students can peer edit others postings (Dieu, 2004; Mitchell, 2003). Students should be encouraged to comment their partners postings, which can also be shared by other classmates. Oravec (2002) claimed that blog development can allow students to become more analytical and critical. Duffy al et. (2006) list the following are possible uses of blogs in education. Table 2.3 Possible Uses of Blogs in Education (Duffy et al., 2006) Perspective Uses Personal academic A blog can support reflection on teaching experiences; categorised descriptions of resources and methodologies for teaching; ramblings regarding professional challenges and teaching tips for other academics; illustration of specific technology-related tips for other colleagues. Organisational A blog can support a common online presence for unit-related information such as calendars; events, assignments and resources; an online area for students to post contact details and queries relating to assessment. Pedagogical A blog can support comments based on literature readings and student responses; a collaborative space for students to act as reviewers for course-related materials, images and reflections related to industry placement; an online gallery space for review of works, writings, etc. in progress; making use especially of the commenting feature, teachers encouraging reactions, reflections and ideas by commenting on their students blogs; development of a student portfolio of work. 2.4 RELATED EMPIRICAL STUDIES This section focuses in blogs used in learning, blogs in teaching and also others issues related to technology in teaching. 2.4.1 Blog and teacher The ease of operating blogs make them attractive tools to some teachers for posting announcements, facilitating discussions, or linking to class resources (Downes, 2004; Oravec, 2003). Blogs have been coined as teacher-driven administrative tools. Teachers may require students to post to their own or a shared blog a required (or recommended) structure and contents for entries and in accordance to specific grading rubric (Krause, 2005). The literature discusses interesting possibilities for the use of blogs in education (Flatley, 2005; Huffaker, 2006; Perschbach, 2006; Quible, 2005; Richardson, 2006; Selingo, 2004). Churchill (2009) asserted that blogs added a new dimension to teaching effectiveness by enabling teachers to do things that were not possible otherwise, either with or without other technology. Initially, teacher saw blogging as a means by which they could provide a reflections (Chuang, 2008; Yang, 2009). Wang and Hsua (2008) reported that pre-service teachers enjoyed exchanging perspectives on the blog and considered blogging an extra channel that enabled them to express different views or to extend in class discussion. Teachers can continue the class discussion in a blog after class. For that reason, blogs become a good tool for communication between teachers and students as they provide with a platform for the students to give their opinions about teaching. Ding (2008) concluded that the greatest advantage of a blog is that it provides an efficient platform for the interaction between teachers and learners. In addition, a blog can promote teachers to develop thinking and writing habits. Blogging help accelerate the transfer of teachers personal implicit knowledge to explicit knowledge, and let others share the essence of his knowledge or beliefs. So a blog is not only a platform for teaching, thinking and communication; but also a platform of belief and opinion (Yan et al, 2010). Blogs contribute positively in teaching of the English language (Ding, 2008; 2009) and Science (Sawmiller, 2010). Ding (2008, 2009) found that blogs has extended and complemented classroom teaching and learning activities. Sawmiller (2010) in his study supported that using blogs in the classroom can help in teaching scientific concepts and in increasing student learning through the use of a students preferred learning style, personal interest, and engagement. Blogging is the bridge spanning the gap that exists between at-home and school experiences of learning. Blogging can be a constructive tool in a science learning environment. It promotes critical thinking skills, collaboration, and differentiated instruction by using multiple learning styles. Other than teaching, blogs can be used as a tool to promote interaction within online communities, teachers professional development and teachers interaction (Hou, 2010). Luehmann (2008) supported the potential of blogging for teachers professional identity development. The study suggested that teachers blogging determine the extent of the benefits they derive from the practice. Blogs can become the digital files that record teachers professional growth (Shaohui and Lihua, 2008). Blogs help teachers prepare for lessons co-operate and communicate with each other and receive long distance training. Because of the classification function of blogs, teachers can set some useful items (e.g. teaching materials, reference, question solution, exercise, work presentation, notice etc.) in their teaching blog as knowledge management tool (Ding, 2009). Blog provides a platform for not only information interchange but also interchange of thoughts. In sum, blogs allow teachers to have a network identity, promote teachers to reflect upon daily teaching activity, and hence improve the quality of teaching. (Yan et al, 2010). 2.4.2 Attitudes towards Technology and Teaching It has been stated that no matter how sophisticated and powerful the state of technology is, the extent to which it is implemented defends on teachers having a positive attitude towards it (Huang Liaw, 2005). Therefore, this section will discusses the empirical studies related to teachers or educators attitudes towards technology in teaching. Teo (2008) asserted that the success of any initiatives to implement technology in an educational programme depends strongly on the support and attitudes of teachers involved (Teo, 2008). The factors that affect the successful use of computers in the classroom are teachers attitudes towards computers and these attitudes, whether positive or negative, and the attitudes affect how teachers respond to technologies (Teo, 2008). Khine (2001) studied 184 pre-service teachers their use of ICT. They found a significant relationship between computer attitude and ICT use in the institution. Yuen and Ma (2001) administered the Chinese Computer Attitude Scale for Teachers to 216 secondary teachers in Hong Kong to examine the factors that influence the instructional use of computers. They found that affective attitudes a significant factor in influencing the use of computer among teachers. Hong and Koh (2002) investigated the attitudes of rural secondary schools teachers towards computers. The sample consisted of 200 secondary school teachers in Malaysia. Hong and Koh (2002) found that rural secondary teachers have positive attitudes toward computers. Teachers who owned computers and had more computing experience were found to have more positive attitudes than teachers who had less computer experience. Wong et al (2005) examined the use of the Internet among 310 pre-service teachers in Malaysia using questionnaire survey method. The study shows that attitudes toward the Internet were positive. Wong et al (2005) concluded that pre-service teachers will integrated the new technology effectively in classroom instruction either as a teaching tool or as a learning medium. Kadijevich (2006) examined teachers interest to attain educational technology standards (interest) in terms of their computer attitude (attitude) and the professional support they received to attain these standards (support). The study used a sample of 39 mathematics pre-service teachers and 62 elementary pre-service teachers. The two groups differed in Support favouring elementary student teachers, who, contrary to mathematics student teachers, received some basic. Despite the differences in support, for both student teachers, there were direct positive and significant effects for support on attitude and of attitude on interest. Teo et al (2007) examined 239 pre-service teachers attitudes towards computers in Singapore. The results show that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and subjective norm were significant determinants of pre-service computer attitudes. Later, Teo (2008) examined demographic factors among 139 pre-service teachers using a questionnaire. The results show no gender or age differences among pre-service teachers on computer attitudes. However, there were significant differences in computer attitudes for the subject areas that pre-service teachers had been trained. Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between years of computer use and level of confidence, and computer attitudes. Birisci et al (2009) conducted a survey among 191 prospective elementary teachers in Turkey to investigate prospective elementary teachers attitudes toward computer and Internet use. It was found that attitudes of prospective teachers towards computer and Internet use at high level. There are no significant differences between prospective elementary teachers attitudes toward computer and Internet use with students class, graduation school type and monthly income. Prior researches haves shown that a teachers attitude towards the computer is a major predictor for future computer use (Myers Halpin, 2002) and his need for learning computing skills that in turn will lead to computer literacy (Zhang Espinoza 1997). For example, Yildirim (2000) found that teachers who used computers more would tend to develop positive attitudes to promote further use of the computer in their daily teaching tasks and conduct activities that require computers to play a major role in, for example, computer-mediated forums. Researchers (Guerrero et al, 2004) summarized teachers attitudes toward the use of technology in mathematics classrooms as hesitant. The majority of teachers indicated that they had not observed any software that really helped learning and using software did not save time in teaching or evaluation. Further, Kadel (2005) found that overcoming the typical obstacles that may deter faculty from utilizing technology for instruction requires a positive attitude. This attitude may manifest itself in an extensive time devotion or willingness to challenge institutional thought. Chao (2005) conducted a survey to find teachers attitudes toward usage of mobile technologies in Taiwan classrooms. This study used cognitive, affective, and behavioural construct of attitudes 150 school teachers. He found that teachers intent to use technologies resources begins with their attitude toward using them in their daily practices. Gado and Hooft (2005) conducted a project in West Africa that introduced handheld computers to Benin secondary science teachers to explore their attitudes towards technology integration in inquiry-based science. Sixteen physical science teachers were selected from ten secondary public schools. A mixed method research design (survey data and interviews) was used. Participants showed positive attitudes toward handheld computers. Analysis of interview data showed five determinants of participants attitudes toward the use of handheld computers and probeware: (i) handheld computers as powerful educational tools; (ii) novelty of the technology; (iii) (ir)relevance of handheld tools in the context of Benin; (iv) self-efficacy beliefs (or perceived simplicity of use); and (v) enhancement of student learning outcome expectancy. Pange et al (2005) studied the attitude of Greek pre-school teachers towards new technologies. 100 preschool were selected as a sample. Pange et al (2005) found that the pre-school teachers have a positive attitude in using new technology. Likewise, Luan et al (2002) found that teachers have positive attitudes towards IT amongst 60 Malaysian in-service teachers. 2.5 SUMMARY This chapter provides a general understanding on blog definition, the features of blogs and blogging tools and their evolution. Examples of blog used in different areas also explained. It also included the empirical study that used technology in teaching. Therefore, the following chapter proposed a model which will be used for this study.

An Analysis of Fairy Tales Essay -- Literary Analysis

Sagas about princes and princesses, beauty, magic, and love, fairy tales like Snow White and Cinderella among others have become children’s favorite bedtime stories. However, as parents tuck their sons and daughters in, they fail to realize that there is a much more daunting purpose to these stories. American writer and poet, Jane Yolen suggests that fairy tales indicate life values. Furthermore, Yolen insists that these tales are â€Å"thumbprints of history† (Yolen 27). Studying fairy tales in depth, she proves that the â€Å"functions of myths† consist of â€Å"creating a landscape of allusion [and] enabling us to understand our own and out culture from inside out† (Yolen 18). Yolen confirms that these stories comment on, â€Å"the abstract truths of our common human existence† (Yolen 18). To Yolen, fairy tales inform the audience about significant themes and historical events. Jack Zipes, a retired professor, has lectured on the subject of fairy tales and folklore for many years. Zipes maintains that fairy tales are far from harmless and play a much larger role in society. In fact, he concludes that â€Å"the creative purpose and major themes of the folk tales did not concern harmony but the depictions of changing social structures† (Zipes). Moreover, he insists that â€Å"might makes right† as the ideas in a particular fairy tale usually display the beliefs of the dominating class (Zipes). According to Zipes, â€Å"central to most tales is the concept of power† (Zipes). Furthermore, Zipes argues that fairy tales frequently present elitist and sexist views. Zipes argues that fairy tales reflect the views of the dominating class, often mocking the minorities of a given community. As stated by Jane Yolen and Jack Zipes, fairy tales play a much greater ro... ...h much more significant themes and truly enlighten people (Yolen 36). â€Æ' Work Cited Tatar, Maria. â€Å"Jack Zipes: Breaking the Disney Spell.† The Classic Fairy tales. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 1999. 332-352. Yolen, Jane. â€Å"How Basic Is Shazam?†Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie and Folklore in Literature of Childhood. Little Rock: August House Publisher Inc., 2000. 13-19. Yolen, Jane. â€Å"Once Upon a Time.† Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie and Folklore in Literature of Childhood. Little Rock: August House Publisher Inc., 2000. 27-36. Zipes, Jack David. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2002. Zipes, Jack. â€Å"On the Use and Abuse of Fold and fairy Tale with Children: Bruno Bettelheim’s Moralistic magic wand.† Literature Resource Center. Gale, 2007. Web. 18 Feb 2010.

Communication and Crisis Essay

My name is Rosa Singleton. I am the director of the Emergency Management Office in the area of Ohio. Today we have received official reports that the public water supplies for the city of Canton and other nearby cities have become contaminated with a life-threatening biological agent. It is the duty of my staff to implement contingency plans and address them within the organization, and with the public in a way that will not create panic amongst the citizens of Canton and the surrounding cities. The individuals or groups that will be communicating inside and outside the organization during this crisis situation When a crisis situation occurs, there has to be a quick response for collecting information concerning the situation. The individuals that will be communicating during this crisis on the inside of this organization are myself, the senior manager of the regional Emergency Management Office, the communications coordinator, and the command coordinator along with the help of outside agencies such as: The State Department of Health, the Red Cross agency, and the media spokesperson (Hicks, 2012). Potential advantages and challenges associated with communicating within the organization and with the public and private sectors during this crisis situation When an event like water contamination occurs, it gives an opportunity for emergency teams to work with diverse communities to effectively relay the importance of health communication, and it causes the citizens of those communities to be dependent upon the emergency teams to bring them to a safe place from the crisis. Sometimes a crisis can have good outcomes, and sometimes the outcomes are not as favorable. The advantages that we’re hoping for while communicating with the associations and the public are, that everyone involved receives the correct public health information messages, and that they knew before hand their needs, and have familiarized themselves with other vulnerable communities close to them at the time they realized the water was contaminated. We never hope for negative outcomes, so hopefully being aware of these situations will help in knowing the drawbacks of developing and relaying clear and effective messages in these types of crisis (Nsiah-Kumi, 2008). Differences in communication processes used in crisis situations, including what you learned from the situations in the scenario and how you might incorporate that knowledge to improve health care communication strategies A crisis team must monitor health status to identify community health problems-the detection of any harmful or unfavorable health events is important, and has to be done quickly to ensure a speedy response to biological attacks, with medications and vaccines provided. An engagement of diagnosis and investigation of health problems and hazards in the community-identifying and diagnosing potential bioterrorism agents is very important; it ensures that prevention and treatment measures can be quickly implemented. The crisis team will also inform, educate, and empower people about health issues-in a crisis, such as this bioterrorist event, this information needs to be shared as quickly as possible with law enforcement agencies and all other groups responsible for protecting the public. Mobilizing the community partnerships to identify and solve health problems will take place-the local public health agencies will have to get together with all other organizations, including those not really considered part of the public health system to provide epidemiologic investigation and medical treatment to those who need it, and help prevent the spread of disease. They also must develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts-the local public health agency preparedness plans should include careful, thought out reviews of local, state and federal policies that will help in its responses to any health emergency for the public. They will enforce laws and regulations to protect health and ensure safety-a very important part of preparedness planning involves making sure that the local, state, and federal laws and regulations involving public health emergencies are updated. Fraser and Fisher (2001) said that some of the laws are outdated because they haven’t been changed to show the same existence in public health practice. The residents will be linked to needed personal health services and be given the health care that is provided for them that is normally not provided any other time-so; it is the duty of the crisis team to make sure that all members of a community can have access to healthcare services if they need it. The crisis team will assure the public of a competent public health and personal health care workforce-in order for a crisis team to be effective in their response to a bioterrorism event, everyone involved in the local public health system must be competent personnel who have had training in emergency preparedness and response procedures. Effectiveness, accessibility, and quality will be evaluated of all personal and population-base health services-there are many local public health agencies that have, and are now taking tabletop simulations and field exercises to help keep their response capacity intact, and to help identify their needs for how they need to improve. Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems are being done on a continuous basis-there are so many important ways that a team can respond to bioterrorism; it can be done through research on local public health preparedness activities (Fraser & Fisher, 2001). Appropriate technology, such as social media, affecting communication during the crisis situation and how these technologies may be used to enhance communication Getting a staff together to bring in useful information to plan for the release of the information to the news media is a great way to enhance communication to the public. The media will then get the information out to the public by ways of News releases, web sites, news conferences, newspapers and other social media (Hicks, 2012). The advantages of using these types of media are they quickly allows for the public to know what type of crisis has happened, and what kinds of precautions are being taken to ensure their safety. If there were to be any fatalities caused by the crisis event(s), these types of avenues also will give information on that. Some disadvantages can be unreliable technology of the citizens that will not allow for them to get access to the information that is being released by the media, such as no television, computer is not working properly, or they don’t received the local newspaper to be able to read it, etc. How technology might be used differently now than it was during the crisis situations described in the scenario Back in 1979, when a crisis occurred, it was released in the media, but the technology was not as great then as it is today. In 1979, there were no reliable social media besides the television or radio. If there was internet, it was not as reliable for getting information out to the public back then as it is today. There were no cell phones to quickly communicate back and forth when a person was on the go. In 2005, there was newer technology such as the internet, cell phones, and doplar radar systems to help with bad weather forecasts, which was needed in the case of Hurricane Katrina that left New Orleans in such shambles. Technology in 2005 was efficient, but has been upgrade to be even more efficient since then. We now have newer and more efficient technology today that can be used for â€Å" the ability to quickly gain awareness of the nature and scope of the crisis; the ability to quickly gather the information necessary to respond to the crisis; the ability to quickly deliver relevant information to all agency staff members; the ability to quickly deliver relevant information to the general public, the media, and other agencies—despite limited contact center resources; the ability to quickly ascertain whether recipients are finding information useful; and the ability to quickly respond to any ongoing changes in the crisis over time† (Customer Relationship Management and Crisis Management, 2012, p. 3, para. 5). Media opportunities during this management crisis Local environmental health agencies, Local news media, local Emergency Management Officials, Fire, Police, and EMS, Hospitals and Health Plans, Infectious disease physicians, Poison Control Centers along with other local agencies are some of the many media avenues that have been recruited to manage this crisis situation. Other media opportunities will involve the media at the state level as well, such as the State Public Health Department, State Emergency Management Officials, The American Red Cross, etc., and other volunteer groups. Federal media opportunities are also involved; they go as follows: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Emergency Preparedness, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Justice, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency along with others (Fraser & Fisher, 2001). Crisis situations happen all the time, at any given time. No one knows when a crisis may occur. It is always a good idea to be prepared for a crisis just in case one happens. If anyone is affiliated with a company that does not have plans, or engage in any drill exercises for crisis situations, my staff and I are encouraging those companies to do so, and put some plans in effect right now. The employees will be glad those steps were taken for the sake of the public, as well as for the company. My staff and I, here in Ohio’s Emergency Management Office, will always make sure that the technology and plans that we have on hand will allow us to always be able to quickly respond to any crisis situation. Today, we had a life-threatening biological agent that contaminated the waters in Canton and surrounding cities. With the help of other public officials, the crisis team did a wonderful job of implementing a successful plan to aid the public at hand without panic, and was able to successfully assure their safety. References Fraser, M. R., & Fisher, V. S. (2001, January). Elements of effective bioterrorism preparedness: A planning primer for local public health agencies. National Association of County and City Health Officials. Retrieved from http://bioterrorism.slu.edu/bt/key_ref/NACCHO/effective.pdf Hicks, N. J. (2012). Health Industry Communication: New Media, New Methods, New Message. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database. n.d., (2012, March). Customer Relationship Management and Crisis Management: Proven Emergency Response Strategies for the Public Sector. Oracle. Retrieved from http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/crm-and-crisis-management-wp-1560491.pdf Nsiah-Kumi, P. A. (2008). Communicating effectively with vulnerable populations during water contamination events. Journal Of Water & Health, 663-75. doi:10.2166/wh.2008.041

Griffith Observatory Report Essays - Radiation, Planetary Science

Griffith Observatory Report Essays - Radiation, Planetary Science June 30, 2015 Astronomy Griffith Observatory Report After going to Griffith Observatory, I feel I had learned almost too many facts. The exhibits, as well as the workers who were walking around, answered most of my questions. I was able to clear up any misunderstandings I had before. Living right next to the beach, I had to get used to the tides raising and lowering. The waves would always grow much bigger during the late afternoon. I learned that this happens because of the gravitational pull from the Moon and the Sun. The Observatory has this enormous layout of deep space on the wall of one of the rooms, called The Big Picture. This is the largest astronomical image ever put on display. Embedded in the picture are hundreds of thousands of stars from our own Milky Way Galaxy, along with a million other galaxies, and nearly a thousand quasars. I also learned that the photo was taken with the Samuel Oschin Telescope, by a team of astronomers from Caltech and Yale, observing the sky in the constellation Virgo. The Moon, 238,000 miles away, has craters from billions of years of impacts. The Moons smooth plains, like Mare Imbrium, are ancient lava flows. Also, it is believed that the Moon formed when something collided with Earth, meaning they are closely related. The Observatory also holds a piece of the biggest rock taken from the Moon, as a sample. Big Bertha is a 19.8 pound moon rock collected by the Apollo 14 mission. Comet dust, as well as other tiny pieces from asteroids, is smaller than grains of sand. I learned that some space-dust particles begin their journey to Earth after being hit by hit by another asteroid, or shed from a comet passing near the Sun. Also, the larger space-dust particles fall through our atmosphere and flash as meteors we see in the sky. This happens plenty during meteor showers. Another thing I learned is that most space dust is vaporized before it reaches Earths surface. Asteroids that melt can separate into several layers, including an iron core. Also, when objects in space run into one another at high speeds, they generate an enormous amount of energy on impact... enough to heat them and break them into pieces. When a star explodes, or even when the Sun erupts in a flare, protons and electrons are shot away as cosmic rays. These rays travel across space at really high velocities, always coming in contact with Earth. I also learned that cosmic rays are not rays, but high-energy particles from space. Also, muons and other secondary rays are created when cosmic rays collide with gas molecules in our upper atmosphere.