Substitute Goods Essay Example For Students

Substitute Goods Essay In economics, one kind of good (or service) is said to be a substitute good for another kind insofar as the two kinds of goods can be consumed or used in place of one another in at least some of their possible uses. Classic examples of substitute goods include margarine and butter, or petroleum and natural gas (used for heating or electricity). The fact that one good is substitutable for another has immediate economic consequences: insofar as one good can be substituted for another, the demand for the two kinds of good will be bound together by the fact that customers can trade off one good for the other if it becomes advantageous to do so. We will write a custom essay on Substitute Goods specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Thus, an increase in price for one kind of good (ceteris paribus) will result in an increase in demand for its substitute goods, and a decrease in price (ceteris paribus, again) will result in a decrease in demand for its substitutes. Thus, economists can predict that a spike in the cost of wood will likely mean increased business for bricklayers, or that falling cellular phone rates will mean a fall-off in business for public pay phones. It is important to note that when speaking about substitute goods we are speaking about two different kinds of goods; so the substitutability of one good for another is always a matter of degree. One good is a perfect substitute for another only if it can be used in exactly the same way, at exactly the same cost, and with exactly the same quality of outcome; that is, when there is no particular incentive for a customer to prefer one over the other. Needless to say, there are relatively few perfect substitutes except between two goods of the same kind. Much more common is for goods to be imperfect substitutes for one another. Compact discs and cassettes, for example, can both be used for the same purpose (as media for recording and replaying sound), but there are significant differences between the two in terms of durability, sound quality, and the cost of the recording media and the equipment used to record on it. As a result the two can be substituted for one another, but there are significant trade-offs involved in deciding to substitute one for the other: if you buy a tape instead of a CD, you may pay less, but you will get lower sound quality and a less durable good; if you buy a CD instead of a tape, you may get better sound quality but you will pay more and you may not be able to listen to the CD in your car. Nevertheless, CDs and cassettes are substitute goods (though only imperfectly): and so if changes in the market tend to erode the advantages f choosing cassettes over CDs (such as a decrease in CD prices or increased availability of car CD players) it will tend to increase the demand for CDs and decrease the demand for cassettes. The opposite of a substitute good is a complement good. In other words, good substitution is an economic concept where two goods are of comparable value. Car brands are an example. While someone could argue that Ford trucks are much different from Toyota tr ucks, If the price of Ford trucks goes up enough, some people will buy Toyota trucks instead.

Research design Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches

Research design Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches Case Study Case study is a research method that is usually employed when the researcher might be interested in conducting an explorative study but not prescriptive study. In the research method, the researcher could be free to explore and tackle issues as they arise. This means that the method is flexible, which means that the researcher could address broad questions before tackling narrower questions.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The method is focuses on the context of the study implying that it employs the technique of thick description. This strategy helps in bridging the gap between the theoretical study and actual practice, which allows canvassers to offer a comparison of data (Seglin 2003, p. 8). However, the method is believed to be weak because it is too subjective. This means that the results neith er could be evaluated nor could be implemented since they are the views of the researcher. Furthermore, the method is too expensive since the researcher would have to stay with the researched in order to study their behaviour. This study cannot employ the case study method because of the ethical issues. Since this is an academic research, reliability, sensitivity and issues related to biasness are to be considered seriously before proceeding to collect data (Kothari 2004, p. 71). Interview Interviewing is considered one of the effective ways of collecting data in any research design. However, a number of issues restrict the use of the method. Interview guides enables sampling because the researcher can control it easily. The researcher would easily choose who to interview based on a certain criteria. Moreover, the method is effective since it permits face-to-face interaction. Face-to-face interaction allows the researcher to extract important information from the researched that cou ld otherwise not be extracted from them. Through interviewing, the researcher would be in a position to collect critical information that would not otherwise be captured by a questionnaire. In this proposal, interview method would be employed together with the surveying method. Additionally, the researcher might choose to use visual instruments in case interviewing would be employed.Advertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This would give valid results as compared to using survey method alone. Since the researcher would be available, he or she would ask additional questions hence acquiring additional information that would not have been captured using the questionnaire. In fact, the researcher may engage the researched in an in-depth discussion hence collecting information that is more important. This would be achieved through probing or seeking clarifications in case the researc her would not understand the answers clearly. No question would be left unanswered since the researcher would ensure that the respondent answers all questions. In other words, the researcher would create enough time for the respondent to address all questions (Blumberg Schindler 2008, p. 71). In research, there is no method lacking some weaknesses. Just like all other methods, interviewing has a number of weaknesses. The method is believed to be very expensive in terms of time and resources. The researcher would be required to travel to various places in search of respondents. The method is consumes more time as compared to survey method since much time is taken to interview one respondent. Moreover, geographical features affect the method because it is impossible to reach people in some provinces, especially during rainy seasons. Finally, the method is accused of biasness because the interviewer would ask a question in a way that suggests a particular answer (Hakim 2000, p. 28). S urvey Method This method would be employed in this study because it is an effective way to access a large population. In this regard, a questionnaire would be sent to various employees in various companies. Employees would be requested to give their views as regards to the position of the Chinese small firms. The technique saves time. The Proposal This proposal would take a deductive approach, which would call for the researcher to work from a known hypothesis that convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies would affect positively the economy of the country in terms of performance in the global financial system. Thus, the study would take a top down approach as compared to the inductive approach that would take an up down strategy. To realize the use of deductive approach, quantitative tools of data collection and analysis such as questionnaires and interviews would be used. Quantitative tools would be preferred as opposed to qualitative tools because they would enable the researcher to come up with facts, such as a hypothesis that convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies would affect the economy positively in terms of performance globally.Advertising We will write a custom proposal sample on Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This would enable the researcher to test and confirm the hypothesis (Taylor 2007, p. 19). This would not be like qualitative tools that first come up with an abstract idea that is followed by creation of theories and concepts about the idea. Lastly, data in quantitative research is believed to be hard and reliable as opposed to qualitative research where data would just be rich and deep. Due to this, the study would take a positivism kind of philosophy. A positivism approach would make the researcher understand more the impact of convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies on the performa nce of the economy of China globally (Crotty 2003, p. 9). Quantitative Research This research is occasionally referred to as factual knowledge and would employ conventional arithmetical and statistical representations to compute categorical results. Physical scientists usually exploit it, though social studies, education and finance have been identified to utilize this variety of study. Quantitative researches would make use of an average design, with a little insignificant inter-subject distinction of engendering a premise to be confirmed or refuted. This hypothesis should be verifiable by mathematical and arithmetical techniques and would be the foundation around which the entire research would be calculated. The design would permit randomization of any targeted clusters as well as to organize groups to be incorporated in the research if possible. A well-designed quantitative design would influence only one variable at ago, or else statistical examination turns out to be burdensom e and open to queries. In an ideal world, quantitative study would be built in a way that permits others to replicate the research and get comparable outcomes. Quantitative design is believed to be an exceptional approach to confirm results and establish or invalidate a hypothesis. The design would be selected in this research since its configuration has not changed for many years, which means it is normal across numerous technical disciplines and subjects (Parsimonious). Subsequent to statistical investigation of the outcomes, an all-inclusive response would be arrived at and the outcome would be legally conferred and published. Quantitative research furthermore would sieve peripheral aspects if suitably planned and the outcomes achieved would be perceived to be authentic and equitable. Quantitative researches are useful for testing the results obtained by a series of qualitative tests, leading to an ultimate responseAdvertising Looking for proposal on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ethical Implications Ethics is considered an important aspect of any research. Ethics would mean proper or professional research, which would be conducted in the best traditions of the discipline. The research would need to observe researcher-respondent relations, which deals with the welfare of the respondent. Honesty, sincerity, justice and responsibility should guide researcher-researcher relationships meaning there should be no criticism. It should not be based on polemic, personal biases or collective interests. Professional ethics means accuracy in data collection, data processing and application of relevant research methods. In this study, issues related to ethics would be addressed by giving relevant notice to the researched. The study population should also be amicably informed in order to get prepared for the study. To brief respondents is usually important because it could perhaps enhance reliability of the study. It would also be ethical to inform people before proceedin g to reseacrh on them. The findings should always be made public to the researched, as one way of ensuring morality in the study. Furthermore, the researcher should always observe research ethics by keeping away from criticism (Creswell 2003, p 40). Research Design There would be two key methods used to gather information in this proposal. The first one would be through a questionaire, which would be administered online to employees in various companies within the Chinese financial system. The questionaire would seek to capture various attutudes of employees regarding convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies. The questionnaire would have four Parts. The first part would seek to capture the biodata information of respondents. The second part would deal with the demography and gender of the respondents. This would be to ascertain the prevalence of views in varoius categories in order to ensure that if any differences would come about, then they would be captured in their d emographic space. The third part would deal with academic credentials and work experience of employees. The motivation for this section would come from the understanding that different sections of population would respond differently to change, based on age and academic credentials. The fourth part would delve on the specific issues relating to the convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies, starting from the understanding of the concept to the possible effects it would have on the economy. The questionaire would also employ a mix of open ended and closed ended questions to capture different aspects of issues studied. Open ended questions would be used because they give respondents more time to figure out their opinions, which would make them volunteer more information related to feelings, outlooks and comprehension of the subject. This would allow the researcher to understand the position of respondents as regards to their feelings towards convergence or divergence of Chi nese small companies (Wittner 2003, p. 12). Open ended questions would minimize some errors that could have been created in the course of research. Respondents would rarely forget answers if given an opportunity to respond freely. Furthermore, respondents could not ignore some questions because they must go through all of them. Open ended questions would generate data that could be used in data analysis by other researchers. In other words, they would allow secondary data analysis. On the other hand, closed-ended questions would be analyzed easily. That is why they would be used in this study. Each response could be coded for statistical interpretation. Nonetheless, closed-ended questions would be compatible with computer analysis package. The technique would be more specific meaning that its answers would be consistent in all conditions. This aspect would be impossible with open-ended questions because each respondent would be allowed to use his or her own words. Finally, closed-en ded questions would take less time to administer unlike open-ended questions, which would be detailed hence time consuming (Saunders, Lewis Thornhill 2009, p. 11). Rationale The questionnaire would be sent to respondents through the internet that is, the researcher would mail the questions to respective respondents. The researcher arrived at this decision after considering time and reseources. The method is costless and less time consuming. Furthmore, the method would allow respondents to reflect on the questions and answer them accurately. Employing research assistants would be problematic because of the complexity of the study. Many people would be reluctant to give their views freely. The method is ineffective because answers would not be independent. The respondent could not have filled the questions personally. Moreover, the method would be affected by the respondent’s level of literacy. One big disadvantage of the technique is that there would be no interaction between the researcher and the researched. This would mean that respondent’s reactions would not be captured. Reactions are important because they give more information regarding the feelings of respondents. Therefore, it was justifiable for the researcher to employ interviews to reinforce the survey method. Generally, the survey technique is considered more applicable where the researcher is interested in numbers, not deep feelings of the respondent. In this study, the researcher would be interested in identifying the number of employees who feel convergence or divergence of Chinese small companies would be the suitable method of acquiring global economic advantage (Xenos Moy 2007, p 34). List of References Blumberg, C Schindler, D 2008, Business Research Methods, New York, McGraw-Hill. Creswell, J 2003, Research design: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches, Sage, Thousand Oaks. Crotty, M 2003, The Foundations of Social Research: meaning and perspective in the research process, Sage, London. Hakim, C 2000, Research Design: Sucessful Designs for Social and Economic Research, Routledge, New York. Kothari, R 2004, Research methodology: methods and techniques, New Age International, New Delhi. Saunders, M, Lewis, P Thornhill, A 2009, Research Methods for Business Students, Prentice Hall, Harlow. Seglin, J. 2003, The Right Thing: Conscious, Profit and Personal Responsibility in Today’s Business, Spiro Press, New York. Taylor, S 2007, Business Statistics, Palgrave Basingstoke. Wittner, P 2003, The European Generics Outlook: A Country-by-Country Analysis of Developing Market Opportunities and Revenue Defense Strategies, Datamonitor, London. Xenos, M Moy, P 2007, Direct and differential effects of the internet on political and civic engagement, Journal of communication, Vol. 57, no. 1, p 34.

Ethnic Identity in Social, Political and Economic Life Coursework

Ethnic Identity in Social, Political and Economic Life - Coursework Example The value of ethnic identity in the context of social, political and economic life is reviewed in this paper. Efforts are made so that the influence of ethnic identity on ethnic affiliations is clearly described. The various assumptions developed in regard to this issue, as identified in the relevant literature, are compared. It is made clear that ethnic identity is a core part of modern social, political and economic life but its power to influence key social, political and economic decisions worldwide is differentiated, a fact probably related to the different perceptions of people in each state in regard to the context of ethnic identity and its requirements, meaning the terms under which ethnic identity can be considered as secured. Also, different levels of freedom exist internationally in regard to the potential limitations of ethnic identity, a fact leading often too severe social, political and economic conflicts, either in the internal and the external environment of modern states.   The representation of ethnic identity in a variety of social, political and economic activities is extensive. Moreover, the literature published in this field leads to the assumption that the forms of ethnic identity in social, political and economic life can vary. Reference can be made for instance to the relationship between identity and language. In accordance with Fishman and Garcia (2010), identity is reflected in a series of identity practices, including specific linguistic choices (Fishman and Garcia 40). These identify practices, if viewed as a unit, constitute ethnicity, as a social phenomenon.

The Russian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Russian Revolution - Essay Example The thirst for equal opportunities that the French Revolution inculcated in people also was one of the major reasons for the development and growth of democratic institutions of power in the world. This was seen in another revolution that took place during the twentieth century, the Russian Revolution that ended the reign of the tsars in Russia and paved the way for governments that would be based on the consent of the people of Russia. The Russian Revolution managed not only to wrest power from the Tsar but also to place it in the hands of the Bolsheviks and not in the hands of any emperor as in the case of the French Revolution when power finally ended up in the hands of Napoleon, who in a sense perverted the goals of the revolution by installing himself as the emperor of France and not upholding the ideals of the French Revolution. There are several similarities between the Russian and the French Revolutions. Both were very important events in their own times and were important in shaping the future of the world. The Russian revolution not only affirmed the world’s growing faith in democracy and rejection of autocracy but also signaled a willingness to focus on the welfare of the masses of a nation and not on the diplomatic concerns of a country. The unwillingness of the Russian people to be a part of wars was seen in the lack of popular support for the First World War and the dissent that had started to breed in the masses after the setbacks that Russia had to face during the First World War. This is similar to the French revolution in two ways. The French revolution too had a great impact on the world and its main rival, Britain felt the shockwaves of the revolution throughout the period of the Regency and the Victorian age. The fear of a revolution can be seen in the literature of this period that in some cases valorizes the revolution and in others mocks and satirizes it as an ineffectual tool for social change. The French Revolution with its slog an of â€Å"Liberte, egalite, fraternite† (liberty, equality and fraternity) caused people around the world to harbor dreams of a utopia where the lords and the peasants would be able to live as equals and share the produce of the land equally with enough for all. Like the French Revolution which made not only the French but also people of other countries clamor for freedom from autocracy, the Russian Revolution too made the claims for freedom that countries under the yoke of imperialism had been making for many years. Apart from this, the resentment of the French public was due not only to the misery that they were facing but also due to the recognition that their country had been spending their money unwisely by helping the Americans in their war for independence. This expenditure was thought of as a waste of money by thy emergent class of the bourgeois who were at the forefront of the revolution. As in the French Revolution, it was a concern for the faltering economy of th e country that was one of the major reasons for the Russian Revolution. The emergence of a bourgeois mentality in the people can be considered as a reason for the sudden uprisings that took place during this time even though the Bolsheviks were overtly Marxist in their approach to the topic of governance. Awareness and concern regarding the manner in which the national revenues were being spent and dealt with, is an indication of the increasing desire for control that the middle classes of both France and Russia felt during their respective

Instructional strategies & approaches Essay Example for Free

Instructional strategies approaches Essay The beginning of the 20th century marked the focus on problem-based learning. This is the strategy that I would like to implement in the classroom. As what most teachers generally agree, problem solving together with several other core competencies (i. e. comprehending and composing, critical and creative thinking, and metacognition) is among the most important dimensions of thinking and learning (Jonassen,1994). Moreover, the ability to engage in effective and purposeful problem solving is critical to the development of individuals and their communities. As what Nickerson (1994) argues, problem solving is (1) at the core of the survival of individuals and communities interacting with an increasingly complex external environment; (2) essential to developing and sustaining a democratic society, and; (3) an increasingly sought-after high level cognitive ability in the knowledge workplace of today. But despite the acknowledgement of the importance of developing problem solving skills, relatively little research has been conducted on this theme in the field of instructional design (Jonassen, 1994). Moreover, within the existing research base, even fewer contributions have been made to the development of instructional design approaches for ill-structured or complex problem solving instruction. The majority of the instructional design literature in the area of problem solving instruction points to the use of particular instructional strategies to support the acquisition of problem solving skills (e. g. cognitive apprenticeships and simulations). However, these strategies have rarely been researched with sufficient rigor to ascertain their effectiveness in achieving the desired outcomes (Nickerson, 1994). Recent literature has dedicated a fair amount of attention to considering the methods for applying problem-based learning as an instructional strategy in the context of primary and secondary school contexts (Ennis, 1987; Baron R. J. Sternberg, 1998). The majority of this work has approached the application of problem-based learning to formal instruction from a conceptual or theoretical standpoint, with little reporting on empirical research studying the effectiveness of this approach. Research findings on learner performance The existing research on learner performance in problem-based learning environments is characterized in a number of ways: (1) most of the research conducted to date compares the impact of problem-based learning on learner performance to the instructional strategies that characterize traditional, classroom-based teaching. (2) The research studies tend to focus primarily on learner performance on standardized tests, rather than performance in complex and authentic transfer contexts, and (3) the studies generally measure performance in terms of outcome measures rather than process-measures of performance. In this context, the research on the impact of problem-based learning on student performance has generally shown that there are no statistically significant differences in learner performance when compared to performance of learners receiving lecture-based instruction (Bransford, et al. 1990). Student perceptions of the effectiveness of problem-based learning on their performance appears to be consistent with the general research findings. Although only one research study was identified regarding student perceptions of the effectiveness of problem based learning, it is worthwhile noting that in this study, students pointed to problem-based learning as a more effective method of instruction than traditional, lecture-based methods, while qualifying their observations by noting that traditional teaching methods are more effective for knowledge acquisition (Biggs Moore, 1993). Research findings on student attitudes There are a number of other research studies, in which students in problem-based learning environments reported significantly higher levels of motivation and satisfaction and where it is reported that problem-based learning enhances intrinsic interest in the subject matter to a greater extent than traditional instructional methods (Savery, 1992). Given the general finding that learners in problem-based learning environments report more positive attitudes and higher levels of motivation, it is important to consider the factors learners attribute to their favorable disposition toward problem-based learning. Research conducted by Wilson (1995) provides some insight into this, reporting that students in problem-based learning curricula perceived their curriculum to be more stimulating and enjoyable than traditional instructional methods. In addition, research conducted by Bransford, et al.(1990) reports that students in problem-based learning environments rated their curriculum more favorably for democratic decision making, and for supporting effective interaction among peers. Another issue of relevance to effective design of problem-based learning environments is the extent to which various instructional support tools and mechanisms are provided to learners through this strategy. Research conducted by Biggs Moore (1993) found that students tend to rely on different instructional support tools at different stages in their learning process. In their study, Biggs Moore (1993) found that the four most meaningful elements impacting the students’ learning processes were (1) learning materials, (2) small-group process, (3) facilitator effectiveness, and (4) academic support. Furthermore, the study found that these four factors shifted in relative importance as the students progressed through the curriculum, with facilitator effectiveness being of greatest importance at the outset, while learning materials were the most important factor in determining learning success toward the end of the instruction. This finding appears to be generally consistent with the theory underscoring problem-based learning, which argues that, as students develop greater independent ability to engage in effective hypothetico-deductive reasoning, their reliance on the facilitator for this kind of support will be reduced. Problem-based learning is one constructivist instructional strategy that has shown much promise in its application to disciplines and domains where learners have to tackle complex problems in ambiguous situations. This approach to instruction â€Å"structures courses and entire curricula on problems rather than on subject content† (Ericsson Hastie, 1994)). Hence, problem – based learning strategy is appropriate in any circumstance of the teaching-learning process as life is always full of problems. There will always be problems. If a learner knows the technique of problem solving, he will be able to tackle whatever difficulties he meets. Further, this strategy gives direction to a discussion and prevents wandering off from the topic. It stimulates reflective thinking and furnishes a guide for organizing ideas. It directs attention to the task to be done and encourages concentration. The implementation issues surrounding the use of problem-based learning involves both the teacher, as he has to guide the pupil’s learning, and the learner’s, as they may not be able to recognize the problem without the teacher’s guidance. To raise the problem, the teacher must set the stage. The teacher should assist them by directing their observation to related data and recalling past experiences that have a bearing on the problem. The next issue is working on the problem. This involves organization of facts, principles, and ideas pertinent to the problem, selecting a hypothesis and trying it out, gathering data through reading, observing, etc. , evaluating the solution, and forming a conclusion. Hence, in implementing the problem- based learning strategy, the teacher directs the learning while the learners do the work. As a conclusion, problem-based learning strategies should be used as the need and situation arises. But a word of caution, however: Some teachers try to look for problems in every subject so that they can present the lesson in probable form. This will tend to make learning too stilted and formal. Besides, a problem will be considered as such by the pupils only if it is real and worthwhile. Further, what the teacher thinks of as a problem may not always be one to the class. To the pupils, it may just be a task or exercise assigned by the teacher. Hence, this strategy should be used only when: 1. A difficulty exists which demands solution and is thought provoking. 2. The problem is clear, definite, suitable to the level of the learner, and of practical value. 3. It is real, interesting, and worthwhile to the learner. In order to use the problem-based strategy, these are the essential steps to follow: (1) recognition and statement of the problem, originating in a difficulty or perplexing situation, (2) statement of hypothesis – inspection and proposal of solutions, (3) critical evaluation of suggested solution, and (4) verification of accepted solution. There may be several basic problem-solving approaches that have emerged and although teachers stress one specific approach to solve problems, students often use a variety of approaches, especially with more complex problems. In this regard, the teacher must be aware of how their students process information and what approaches they use to solve problems in order to teach according to the way the students think. The teacher who insists on one approach and penalizes students who uses other approaches is discouraging their problem-solving potential. Problem-solving must be part of the teachers` instructional strategies. They should consider it as a commitment and complementary to the teaching-learning process. References Biggs, J.B. Moore, P. J. (1993). The process of learning. New York: Prentice Hall Borich, G (2004). Effective teaching methods (5th ed. ). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Bransford, J. D. ; Vye, N. ; Kinzer, C. ; Risko, V. (1990). Teaching thinking and content knowledge. In: B. F. Jones L. Idol (Eds), Dimensions of thinking and cognitive instruction. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Ennis, R. H. (1987). A taxonomy of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. In: J. B. Baron R. J.Sternberg (Eds), Teaching thinking skills: Theory and practice. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. Ericsson, K. A. Hastie, R. (1994). Contemporary approaches to the study of thinking and problem Academic Press. solving. In: R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Jonassen, D. (1994). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. Reigeluth (Ed. ), Instructional design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. II,). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Nickerson, R.S. (1994). The teaching of thinking and problem solving. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Academic Press. Nickerson, R. S. (1994). The teaching of thinking and problem solving. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Academic Press. Savery, J. R. Duffy, T. M. (1992). Problem-based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Wilson, B. (1995). Constructivist Learning Environments. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Unidentified Flying Objects: Fact or Fiction? :: essays papers

Unidentified Flying Objects: Fact or Fiction? Unidentified flying objects, or UFOs, as they're fondly called, are one of the century's most intriguing and controversial mysteries. Since ancient times, UFOs of all types have been accounted for. More today than ever, hundreds of thinkers, theologians, and scientists have tried to answer why there are or whether there aren't UFOs. According to some, the speculation that UFOs are alien spacecrafts from another world is an absurd and foolish proposal. Others vehemently disagree and assert that extraterrestrial life is not only possible, but such life forms may be superior, technologically advanced beings who visit our Earth regularly. Are these "flying saucers" a figment of our imagination? Or, are they a genuine reality we prefer to dismiss because we fear the scary truth that we are not the only master race? Are we hesitant because society dubs such "immature" psycho tantamount to subscribing to belief in ghosts? These are a few of the many pertinent UFO questions the mature individual must address. One of the most popular theories that support and explains the existence of alien beings is the ancient astronaut theory. This theory contains three main schools of thought. The first states that aliens bred with our primitive forebears thereby creating modern man. The second is quite similar. Aliens performed genetic engineering on apes thereby creating the Homo Sapiens and man's intelligence. The third, and least accepted, is that colonists from another galaxy came to Earth, mated with the primitives and established a high level of culture, before being destroyed by some natural catastrophe. And upon this catastrophe and destruction, we build and grow (Fitzgerald 1). Berossus, a Babylonian scholar, may have been the first astronaut historian. He said that " animals endowed with reason" bestowed the Sumerian culture before 3000 BCE. The Sumerians, along with their cultural inheritors, the Babylonians, never referred to such beings as gods. Rather they were depicted as "disgusting abominations," a description only deserved by uninvited alien visitors (2). One step further takes the astronaut theory and surmises that with it, we can understand the later religious cultures, such as the Hebrews who are thought to have borrowed much of Sumerian practice. Such religions and secret societies, with their elaborate and complicated rituals may actually be "preserving from a previous epoch fragments of an esoteric and little understood knowledge, just as the Egyptian, Hebrew, and Mayan priests guarded in their temples the inspired word of their self-possessed creators (3)." Alien originators may have set down certain

Medical Record Keeping

What are the problems with America’s current medical recordkeeping system? How would electronic medical records alleviate these problems? The majority of America’s current medical record keeping is paper based which creates a lot of problems like:- a. Recordkeeping became really difficult with growing numbers of patients and their visits to Medical Practitioner. There are shelves full of folders and papers in corridors. b. It makes it difficult to effective communication, referring and access to the records. During emergency it could be the matter of life and death. c.It’s difficult to systematically examine and to share the information; the updating of these records is almost a challenge. There are cases of wrong entry and duplicate entries etc. d. When a patient changes a Doctor or moves to other problems, it becomes a hassle for patient as well as for Doctor. The electronic medical records will allow patients to enter their basic medical data into an online si te initially and after that Doctor also will be able to send relevant information for regular update. This system will make record keeping more effective and streamlined which are easily accessible.The use of electronic record keeping reduces errors in medical records. The handwritten records are subject to lots of human errors due to misspelling, illegibility, and differing terminologies. Thus digitations and standardisation of records will make the information universally accessible and cost effective too. Apart from this, it could also be used for remainder message for refilling of prescription, directories for doctors and personalised health advice. 2. What are the pros and cons of electronic patient records? Do you think the concerns over digitizing our medical records are valid?Why or why not? The main proponents of electronics patient record cite the following advantages: a. The electronics patient records reduce errors in medical records. With the use of electronics patient records standardization of patient health records may eventually become achievable. b. Paper records can be easily lost. Digital records can be stored virtually forever and can be kept long after the physical records are gone. Electronics patient records also help keep records of health information that patients tend to forget with time, i. e. inoculations, previous illnesses and medications. . Electronics patient records make health care cost-efficient by consolidating all data in one place. Previously, paper-based records are located in different places and getting access to all of them takes a lot of time and money. d. Electronics patient records can save lives. It enables rapid identification of at-risk patients and access to their medical history, thereby enabling rapid diagnosis and treatment especially in emergency situations. Classic examples are people with diabetes and/or heart problems who have high risk of collapsing and having attacks.The disadvantages of Electronics pa tient records: Electronics patient records threaten privacy. Many people are uncomfortable about having their entire medical history recorded and digitized for almost just anybody to see – in other words, incursion into people's privacy. a. Medical data can be used against a person in some cases, be it for a job application, insurance coverage or a college scholarship. Although it is against the law to discriminate against people with illnesses and disabilities, it is a fact of life that the fitter you are, the more competitive you are in the job market. . Electronics patient records can lead to loss of the human touch in health care. In the process of digitalization, the interpersonal aspect in health care may be lost. The doctors are forced to think in categories and can seldom express a personal opinion on an individual case. c. Electronics patient records are not that efficient. Despite efforts in digitalization and standardization, but sometimes one clinic's EMR system i s not compatible with that of a general practitioner or another clinic's system, thus belying the claim of added efficiency d.Electronic medical records are not safe and secure. Google Health and HealthVault are quick in assuring patients of the safety of their online health accounts. Stories of data hacking, stolen identities and blackmail abound. Even high security databases such as those run by banks and credit institutions are often compromised. 3. Should people entrust Google with their electronic medical records? Why or why not? People should adopt Google’s electronic medical records as it allows patients to control their medical records.If they decide to change doctors or hospitals, they will be able to electronically transfer their Google records by themselves. There are a lot of advantages that has been discussed in above questions which will benefit people and the whole system. Some concerns like privacy and security of data is restricting people to adopt this; they wonder whether hackers will be able to access the Google medical records or whether the company will use them commercially. Google has assured that it will not share or sell the data, and it's absurd to think Google would attempt to use medical records for commercial purposes.Further, hacking into hospital, small clinic, or family practice computer systems is far easier that going after Google's data centre. Google’s reassurances that its security is iron-tight and that businesses and individuals should have confidence in its ability to store and protect data. Based on these facts people should trust Google with their records. 4. If you were in charge of designing an electronic medical recordkeeping system, what are some features you would include? What are features you would avoid? The features which should be included in an electronic record keeping system are: a.It should store and manage the medical and health information in one central place. b. It should be personalize d i. e. the patient decides what goes on the record. c. It can give doctors fast and easy access to the patient’s records but only if the patient allows it. d. It can import electronic records from hospitals and pharmacies that are Google Health-enabled or are registered Google Health partners. e. It should be completely free. f. It should be secure. g. The system will have record standardization and interfaces can be customized to each provider environment.This customization should be done so that a physician's input interface closely mimics previously utilized paper forms. More time must be spent by both the implementation team and the healthcare provider to understand the workflow needs. h. All together features that should be included are security, universal standards for gathering, storing, and disseminating data, and universal standards for transmission technologies. Some features to be avoided are unrestricted access to data and unencrypted transmissions.