Chinese Students Attitude Towards the Giant Panda: A Study

Chinese Students Attitude Towards the Giant Panda: A Study Introduction People have been attracted by specific species (Goedeke, 2004). Regarding these specific species, Kellert (1996) analyzes that humans tend to be attracted to the species which has a large body and is able to walk, run, or fly. The giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca is one of the most famous among those attractive species (Lorimer 2007). The giant panda is a member of the Ursidae family and occurs in only three provinces in China (Reid and Gong 1999). The species is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List with the estimated population of no more than 1600 individuals (IUCN 2009). In China, which is home to the giant panda, people express their willingness to pay (WTP) for the giant panda conservation, which is enough to conclude that this charismatic species is able to acquire their habitat (Kontoleon and Swanson 2003). In contrast to this economic point of view, Yang (2005) refers to the fact that little is known about Chinese peoples perception of the giant panda, although several studies have been made on the general attitudes towards wildlife. Therefore, she studies the attitude of the public in China towards the giant panda. She analyzes the relationship between the attitudes of Chinese people towards the giant panda and the image of the species in the media, and concludes that the general attitude in China is likely to be associated with the symbolic and domestic value rather than ecological-scientific value. This corresponds with general Chinese attitudes towards wildlife and the image of the giant panda constructed by the media (Yang 2005). However, s ince this conclusion is drawn based on the literature review, it may not reflect peoples actual attitudes. Thus, this attitude still needs to be studied. This research aims to explore Chinese students attitude towards the giant panda by semi- structured. This report consists of three sections. First, the research methods are presented including participant, the development of interview, questions, procedures, and an analysis. In the second section, the results from an analysis of the students attitude are described. The final section of this paper discusses the insights of main finding and several limitations of this interview survey for further research. Methodology Participant Ten Chinese students at the University of Kent were interviewed for this study. The interview sample was composed of two male and eight female students, and of two undergraduate and eight postgraduate students. The students majors were classified as follows: Conservation and Tourism, International Commercial Law, Human Resource Management, Accounting and Financial Management, European Culture and Language, International Business Management, and English Literature. The respondents were recruited through personal contact with one Taiwanese and three Chinese students. The interviewer informed about the purpose, topic, structure, and length of the interview in advance to confirm participation (Sarantakos 2005). After a student agrees those conditions, the time and place for the interview was arranged. The development of idea for interview questions and procedures In order to standardize interview guides, a pilot survey was conducted at an initial stage (Newing in press). This pilot survey on November 1st through the skype revealed that the interview was difficult to answer and analyze owing to specific questions, thus, a half of questions were changed to improve the interview. The actual interview survey, approximately 25 minutes for each interview, was conducted from November 3rd to 20th. The first interview was conducted with a student who has knowledge about the giant pandas to test modified questions and to develop the background of questions; hence, an unstructured interview was carried out at this time. In the second interview, the interviewee who was not familiar with the topic was chosen to confirm whether all questions in the interview were not difficult to answer for all interviewees. Since the student seemed uncomfortable to talk about an unfamiliar topic, the place was rearranged. In addition, in an effort to reduce uncomfortable constraints on the student, the interview was not recorded. Therefore, further interviews were recorded by note-taking to conduct in the same way as this second interview. Based on these first two interviews, the further questions and procedures of the interview were standardized. Questions This interview consists of six questions (see Appendix). The first question aimed to be a relatively easy question to talk about (Robson 2002; Newing in press). The second question was related to the first question, so that it was able to lead the interviewees to main topic of the interview. This question was one of main questions of this interview as well as the third, fourth, and fifth question. These questions were set to understand Chinese students attitudes towards the giant panda. The final question was not directly related to the subject and it was supposed to be a simple question as a cool-off question. However, it was found at the development stage of this interview that this sixth question invited the further discussion about the relationship between the giant panda and Chinese people. Therefore, the question was kept in each interview. Procedures This interview survey followed the procedure described by Robson (2002:277); Introduction, warm-up, main body of interview, cool-off, and closure. In the introduction stage, interviewers and the students were introduced each other, and talked about their own courses at University of Kent as warm-up. During the interview, it is weighted to elicit information to maximize the advantage of a semi-structured interview. Therefore, the depth of answer was varied between the questions and the answerers. It is also important to note that the interview was often stopped to clarify what the interviewee meant or answered. In some cases, it was confirmed at cool-off stage or after the interview by exchanging e-mail. Analysis During the data collection, the interviewer tried to record annotations, memos, coding (Newing in press). At an initial stage of an analysis, the coding procedure was conducted followed the instruction described by Newing (in press: 218). As top codes, several values from Kellerts nine values (1996) (see Table 1) were employed as predefined codes. For sub-codes, the detailed information related to the defined top codes was identified. At next stage, the procedure suggested by Sarantakos (2005) was taken to develop from open-coding to the concept. However, the coding procedure for this interview description was not sufficient for axial, selective coding since top codes used at open-coding stage and core category were similar with each other. Result All Chinese students showed their favourable attitudes towards the giant panda. It is likely that the species has a special meaning for Chinese students, and a good illustration of this is the answer that if the giant panda becomes extinct, it is going to be chaos, I mean panic feeling. As in Yangs study (2005), the symbolic value seemed to play the important role in determining the attitudes towards giant pandas. However, unlike Yangs study (2005), the other five values, utilitarian, ecologistic-scientific, humanistic, moralistic, and negativistic values, are also the important factors on individual attitudes. In contrast to above values, three of nine values, naturalistic, aesthetic, and domestic value, were difficult to detect during the interview. The reasons for this are (1) in order to obtain information for understanding of Chinese students naturalistic and aesthetic value, the follow up questions about students experiences and view of nature should have been asked during the interview. However, these questions would carry us far away from the purpose of this paper, (2) the domestic value of the giant panda was hardly discussed throughout the survey, although Yang (2005) suggests that this value is also one dominant value in Chinese people attitudes towards the giant panda. From these two reasons, the detailed findings about only utilitarian, ecologistic-scientific, symbolic, humanistic, moralistic, and negativistic values will be described in following subsection. Utilitarian value Students indicated two types of answers regarding this value; for ecotourism and for diplomatic relations. Concerning ecotourism, some students mentioned that they would like to have giant pandas in their towns to attract tourists. This concept can be seen in the answer the giant panda bring the money to our town. Moreover, a student illustrated the species as money when asked to choose one word for the giant panda. It was also mentioned that tourism for the giant panda is a benefit for the development of local villages by opening the road for the facilities, developing transportation service, and providing employment opportunities. The second type of answer was using the giant panda for diplomatic relations. Several words such as the tool for diplomatic/international exchange, gift for foreign countries, and the advertisement for China were used when interviewees explained the relationship between Chinese people and the giant panda. Ecologistic-scientific value All Chinese students showed their ecological knowledge about the giant panda, and their knowledge is supplied by environmental education, education in primary and middle school, media, and books. All respondents mentioned that the giant panda is endemic to China, thus, it is important to protect the species. One interviewee continued to say we treat them as a treasure. It was also mentioned that the species requires specific diet and habitat to survive. Not all but most of Chinese students imply the population of the giant panda in wild was not stable and mentioned captive breeding to conserve the species. Moreover, two students expressed their concern about over-attention to the giant panda status in China. For instance, one student insisted that the giant panda was just a bear with the knowledge about the classification of the species and the rate of extinction for other species in the world. Their knowledge comes from various sources from formal education to movies. However two st udents did not remember how they learned about the giant panda since it was common sense for them. Symbolic value It is noteworthy that all Chinese students in this research described that the giant panda represents China with remarkably similar words such as symbol of China, stand for China, pride of China and image of China. Three possible explanations for this answers were identified from interviewees answers; (1) the giant panda only occurs in China, (2) the species represents Chinese people, for instance, one student chose the word modest for the giant panda, and this student referred to that the national animal represents the own culture and personality. Other student answered identity to explain the relationship between Chinese people and the giant panda. (3) In the Chinese mythology, it is assumed that Chinese people are children of the giant panda, which is told by one interviewee. It seems reasonable to suppose that the giant panda has the high symbolic value as national animal on the grounds that all students defined the species as the symbol of China. Humanistic value Interviewee tended to see giant pandas from an anthropomorphic view. Chinese students showed the feeling of love and strong attachment for this species. All students described the panda as cute at least once in the interview. Students illustrated this species by the words lovely, warm-hearted, animal of love, friendly, funny, honest and modest. In addition, their strong attachments for the giant panda can be seen the phrases such as everyone cannot help falling love with Panda, all Chinese like panda, all people like panda, he brings a lot of happiness, I know them from my childhood, [so I will feel pity if they become extinct], and the panda has special meaning for us. Moralistic value Interviewees showed their concern about the giant panda. Of those who refused to have the species in their towns, all stated that they do not let the giant panda put in the difficult situation for survival because of unfavourable habitat. Furthermore, a specific question about the extinction of the giant panda was asked to explore students attitudes towards the moralistic value. To this question, all interviewees indicated their concerns about the dying out of the giant panda. Two students stated that the giant panda should not become extinct owing to its intrinsic value as one species, as can be seen in the answer they belong to the earth. Although these two students expressed their moralistic concern, the major reason for the other students might not be moralistic. The major reason why eight students opposed the extinction of the giant panda was the fact that the giant panda is an endemic species and the national animal. Negativistic value The ecological feature of the giant panda was the key to understand the negativistic value towards the species. Nine of ten Chinese students did not show their fear of the giant pandas. Some of them chose the word for or the image of the species such as friendship, friendly, warm, close to people, and community. When they were asked the reason for using those words, they explained that the giant panda eat only bamboo, never attack people, stay at mountains, and do not compete with people for food resource. Based on these characteristic of the giant panda, nine students seemed not to express their fear. On the other hand, one student mentioned that giant pandas attack people when they get furious. Discussion and conclusion This study set out to explore Chinese students attitudes towards the giant panda and its result showed that generally students have strong favourable attitudes. It was also shown that the major values contributing to their attitudes were utilitarian, naturalistic, ecologistic-scientific, symbolic, humanistic, and moralistic. The most significant value among ten Chinese students at University of Kent was the symbolic value of the giant panda, which correspond with the Yangs study (2005). There may be two reasons behind this answer; the anthropomorphic view towards the giant panda throughout history and the fact that the species is endemic to China. Regarding the anthropomorphic view, some students answer that the species represents Chinese personality. The other explanation is that the species is an ancestor of Chinese people in the mythology. These two explanations demonstrate that the anthropomorphic attitudes to the giant panda may lead to consider the species as the symbol of China. This anthropomorphism for the giant panda can be also seen in the humanistic value. In addition to an anthropomorphic view, the fact that the giant panda is endemic species in China can be the main factor of being the symbol of China. Students showed their understanding of the uniqueness of the giant panda such as habitat preference or specialist diet with their ecological knowledge, as described in the ecologistic-scientific value. Therefore, it could be assumed that the ecological f eatures of the giant panda can be also one of major factors for identifying the symbol of China. These two reasons provide more depth of the Chinese attitudes towards the giant panda than literature review conducted by Yang (2005). As she suggests, this study also found that the symbolic value plays the key role in determining the attitudes towards the giant panda, and that few students indicated the influence of the media. However, the behind of this attitudes, there are several factors, which related to the anthropomorphic view in their culture including the mythology, and the ecological knowledge from school education about giant pandas, according to this interview survey. Moreover, it should be also noted that students revealed contradiction statements towards the giant panda. While interviewees showed their emotional attachment for the species, they also mentioned the use of the species as an attraction of tourist and the tool for the diplomatic relation. In this research, it is difficult to discuss this inconsistent stance of the students because of the lack of information. More information on following points would help to establish a greater degree of accuracy on this matter; (1) the relevance of nine basic values towards the giant pandas to test whether the symbolic value is the most significant determinant, (2) the influential agencies, such as the media or school, to construct peoples attitudes towards this species, or (3) further investigation of the contradictory attitudes towards the giant panda. However, for further research, it should be considered following difficulties this research faced. Firstly, at the design stage, sampling method and questions should be changed. This research did not used random sampling, thus, it might cause sampling bias. Concerning questions, although the main six questions were designed to be neutral and to avoid using simple and direct questions (Newing in press), follow-up questions which was improvisational question could cause error, bias or leading the answer. Thus, it is essential to conduct more pilot intervi ews until the interviewer become able to create proper follow-up questions during the interview. Secondly, at the interview stage, interviewers skill was not ideal. Several errors might be included to some extent in this interview, such as recording error, instruction error, or leniency effect (Sarantakos 2005) which might cause students inconsistent statement. Finally, at the analysis stage, to understand more depth of Chinese students attitudes, an analysis of the detailed information and a coding of the data should be more sufficient at the interview stage (Newing in press; Pole and Lampard 2002). In this research, an analysis of the interview during data collection with annotations, memo, and coding was not sufficient for the in-depth analysis. In addition, the top codes used for the data sorting should be well-defined in the context of the answer. Even though the previous study used the same codes for an analysis of attitude survey, the coding followed previous survey might be subjective rather than objective. In conclusion, returning to the aim posed at the beginning of this paper, it is now possible to state that ten Chinese students at University of Kent generally have favourable attitudes towards the giant panda. Although the symbolic value as the symbol of China plays the key role in the students attitudes, it should be noted that the factors behind their answers are more various and complicated than the previous study described. Literature Cited Goedeke, T.L. 2004. In the eye of the beholder: Changing social perceptions of the Florida manatee. Society Animals 12: 99-116. IUCN (The International Union for Conservation and Nature and Natural Resources). 2009. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Ailuropoda melanoleuca. Available from: http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/712/0/full [Accessed: 28th November 2009]. Kellert, S.R. 1996. The value of life: Biological diversity and human society. Island Press, Washington, DC. Kontoleon, A. and T. Swanson. 2003. The willingness to pay for property rights for the giant panda: Can a charismatic species be an instrument for Nature Conservation? Land Economics 79: 483-499. Lorimer, J. 2007. Nonhuman charisma. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 25: 911-932. Newing, H. In press. Conducting Research in Conservation: A Social Science Perspective. Routledge, London. Pole, C. and R. Lampard. 2002. Practical Social Investigation: Qualitative and quantitative methods in Social Research. Parsonal Education, London. Reid, D. and J. Gong. 1999. Giant panda conservation action plan. Pages 241-254 in C. Servheen, S. Herrero and B. Peyton, editors. Bears. Status survey and conservation action plan. IUCN/SSC Bear and Polar Bear Specialist Groups, IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Robson, C. 2002. Real World Research: A Resource for Social Scientists and Practitioner-Researchers (Regional surveys of the world). 2nd edn, Blackwell Publishers, Oxford. Sarantakos, S. 2005. Social Research. 3rd edn, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Yang, L. 2005. Biosocial reciprocity in environmental communication: A study of giant panda conservation communication in China. MSc thesis, Texas AM University, US.

Maths Coursework- Matrix Investigation

Maths SL Matrix Investigation I will try to investigate in powers of matrices (2Ãâ€"2). Also, try to find a pattern, if there is one. A=[pic] Using my GCD calculator to raise matrix A to different powers [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]=[pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]=[pic] The pattern that I can see is that when the power of matrix A is an even number e. g. 2,4,6,8 then the result is [pic] the identity matrix. However, when the power is an odd number the matrix stays the same so [pic] My prediction for [pic] matrix is: [pic] Using the GCD calculator I checked my answer and it is correct.The determinant for this matrix A is -1 because (1x(-1)-0x3), that means that if we multiply A with the inverse of A so [pic] the result would be [pic] identity matrix. [pic]= [pic] [pic] [pic] which basically shows us that the inverse of this matrix is the same as the original one. A general rule for [pic](using algebra) When the ‘n’ is an even number [pic]= A[pic] wh en the ‘n’ is an odd number [pic]= A(A[pic] It’s basically really simple one because of the determinant, which was -1, so when we make it as a fraction [pic] the result is still the same.Now, I am considering the matrix B= [pic] Using my GCD calculator I am calculating B raised to different powers. [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] The determinant of this matrix is -4 so probably the formula from before would not work because it’s not an identity matrix. But what we can see it is somehow related to the identity matrix. Because of the first result, which is just squaring, is 4x[pic] From these calculations I can see that the formula for an even powers would be: [pic]= [pic] so [pic]= [pic] = [pic] [pic]= [pic] = [pic]And when the power is an odd number det= -4 [pic]= [pic][pic] [pic] so [pic]= [pic] = [pic]=[pic] [pic]= [pic] = [pic]=[pic] My prediction for [pic] would be [pic]= [pic] = [pic]=[pic]= [pic] =[pic] As I checked i t using my GCD calculator and it is right we can consider that the formula is working for matrix B, which has a determinant equal to -4 Now I am trying to generalized this rule and try different values for a, b and n. pic] Using the GCD [pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] Checking with the formula (the determinant is equal to -16) [pic] So [pic] [pic]= [pic] = [pic]= [pic] Using the GCD and formula to see if the pattern is working: [pic]=[pic] [pic] So [pic] (the determinant is equal to -9) [pic]=[pic] [pic]=[pic]=[pic] [pic]=[pic] [pic]= [pic] The formula works so far, however now I am going to try raise matrix to a negative power and see, if the formula is working: [pic] I can’t put it into the calculator.But we know that when we raise something to the negative power is the same as: e. g. [pic] = [pic] [pic]=[pic] [pic] [pic]=[pic] [pic]= [pic] The rule for negative powers make sense, we would always end up with 1 over matrix. So simply saying when the n was a positive odd number the matrix was [pic] and when n was the same but negative the result was [pic] so almost the same but every element in the matrix was 1 over the result from the positive. Now I am going to try a different value for b: [pic] = [pic] [pic]= [pic] pic] = [pic] [pic]=[pic] We could also consider the power n= [pic] [pic] Which we can rearrange as [pic] We can’t really use the pattern here because we cannot square root the matrices The results hold true in general because the third element(c) was always 0. Which made the determinant always a negative number and multiplication of two the same numbers e. g. (2x-2) (3x-3) It is important because of the rule, so when we use odd numbers as a power a formula is that n-1 which makes it an even number, which then is divided by two.Now, I will consider powers of the form [pic] Using the GCD: [pic]= [pic] the determinant is equal to(-4-4)=-8 [pic]=[pic] [pic]= [pic] so [pic] = [pic] [pic]= [pic] so [pic] [pic]= 64[pic]=[pic] [pic] determinant = -19 [pic]= [pic] =[pic] [pic]= [pic] =[pic] it doesn’t work [pic]= [pic] =[pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] =[pic]= [pic] when I do [pic]= [pic] the formula doesn’t work anymore so I’ll try this one [pic]= [pic] [pic] = [pic] which is the same as in the calculator et’s see with the other matrix [pic] the determinant= -19 [pic]= [pic] = [pic] [pic]= [pic] =[pic]= [pic] [pic]= [pic] [pic] = [pic] As we can see the generalized rule is: For even powers: [pic]= [pic] Now I need to find out the formula for odd powers [pic]= [pic] so [pic] [pic]= 64[pic]=[pic] [pic] [pic] the determinant =-19 [pic]=[pic] [pic]= 19 [pic]= [pic] [pic]=[pic] [pic]=[pic] Using my GCD I checked the answer and it’s the same. The general rule for odd powers: [pic]= [pic]

The Lincoln-Douglass Debate - 1048 Words

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Should You Do An Optional College Interview

If a college interview is an optional part of the application process, it may be tempting to pass on the opportunity. Perhaps you arent confident in your interviewing ability, or perhaps the interview simply seems like an unnecessary hassle. These are legitimate concerns. Youre busy. Applying to college is stressful. Why should you create more work and more stress for yourself by going through the interview process when you dont have to? Why not simply decline? In most cases, however, youre better off doing the optional interview, for it will do more good than harm. Key Takeaways: Reasons to Do an Optional College Interview In most cases, an interview will improve your chances of admission by demonstrating your interest in the college and revealing the personality behind your application.Interviews are generally friendly conversations, and they help you learn more about a school and make an informed college decision.Take a pass on the interview only if the travel will create significant financial hardship, or you are 100% certain that youre awful at verbal communication. Reasons to Do an Optional College Interview There are several reasons why you should take advantage of the opportunity to interview with the colleges youre interested in attending: Choosing to interview demonstrates your interest. A student who is applying to 50 random colleges isnt going to bother interviewing. When you take the time to meet with a representative from the college, youre making a statement that your interest is sincere and that you want to learn more about the school. Also, the college wants to admit students who will accept their offer, and your decision to interview makes you a safer bet. In short, the interview is a way for you to show your  demonstrated interest, a factor that many colleges consider in the admissions process.The interview lets you learn more. A successful search for a college isnt about getting into the best school, but getting into the school that is best for you. An interview is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the college and find out if it really is a good match for your personality and interests. The interviewer will almost always give you the chance to ask questions, so be sure to take advantage of th is opportunity.The interview allows the college to put a face to the numbers. Put yourself in the shoes of the admissions folks. They have a bunch of transcripts and test scores to use for making admission decisions. If they meet you, youll be more than numbers. All highly selective colleges have holistic admissions, so use your interview to paint a rich portrait of your personality and passions. Some aspects of your personality and passions are difficult to convey in the written application, but the interview can bring them to light. A Few Reasons to  Not  Do an Optional Interview Cost. If a college doesnt have regional representatives and the school is far away, an on-campus interview can be a $1,000 (or more) investment with plane tickets, hotels, and other expenses. In such cases, it is perfectly reasonable to pass on the interview. In such a case, however, you could try to set up a phone conversation or Skype interview.You definitely wont present yourself well. If you really, truly are an awful verbal communicator, you may want to keep that fact hidden from the college. Being nervous about interviewing isnt a justification for skipping the interview—many students are nervous, and colleges understanding this. But if people tend to like you less after theyve met you, you may want to let your written work speak for you. This situation tends to be much more real in students minds than in reality.You havent done your homework.  Before interviewing, you should always practice common interview questions, and you should research the school. If you show up knowing nothing about the college and youre unprepared for even the most basic questions, youd be better off staying home. A Final Word about Optional Interviews In general, its to your advantage to interview. Youll be better informed when making important decisions about choosing a college, and the admissions folks will be more certain of your interest in their college. Keep in mind that choosing a college is typically a four-year commitment, and it impacts the rest of your life. The interview allows both you and the college to make a more informed decision, and its likely to improve your chances of being admitted in the process.

Distracted Driving Annotated Bibliography - 1727 Words

Annotated Bibliography Distracted Driving. Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2013. In this article â€Å"Distracted Driving†, many distractions are mentioned other than just cell phone usage, such as changing the radio station or driving with kids in the back seat. It is stated that the dangers from distracted driving are because of the decrease in brain function and inability to pay full attention to the road. These practices lead to wrecks and in many cases death. This article is written by writers for the Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection from Gale Database. Because this database is well known and used at a variety of high schools, this†¦show more content†¦Web. 8 Mar. 2013. Copeland discusses the impact parents have on their children, more specifically teens, while driving. When parents perform distracting tasks while driving, they are teaching their kids that it is okay to do. Copeland surveyed pa rents and teens about how often the parents use their phone when driving. Copeland’s article is meant to inform parents of their effects on teen’s driving behaviors. Their actions behind the wheel let their children know what is okay to do and what is not. If parents are aware of this then it would help them try to set a good example. This academic journal is a reliable source that comes from the database Academic Search Elite, provided by school’s online database systems. This article about parent’s distractions can be used to show that poor driving is not just practiced by teens. The teens that use their phone or groom themselves while driving very well could have been learned by their parents. Although distractions are a problem amongst teens, in a persuasive essay Copeland’s article would help claim that teens are not the only distracted drivers. Copeland, Larry. Most Teens Still Driving While Distracted. USA Today 2 Aug. 2010.: Academic Search Elite. Web. 13 Mar. 2013 Copeland’s article about teen driving claims that teens know the consequences of distracted driving. However, they continue to use their phones and participate in such behaviors. Copeland states that mostShow MoreRelatedAn Annotated Bibliography : Social Media And Depression1950 Words   |  8 PagesAn Annotated Bibliography Social Media and Depression Becker, M. W., Alzahabi, R., Hopwood, C. J. (2013). Media Multitasking Is Associated with Symptoms of Depression and Social Anxiety. Cyberpsychology, Behavior Social Networking, 16(2), 132-135. doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0291 Media multitasking is associated with symptoms of depression and social anxiety according to Mark W. Becker, Reem Alzahabi, and Christopher J. Hopwood’s study. These people conducted an experiment containing 318 participantsRead MoreIs Technology Really Making Life Easier?5158 Words   |  21 Pagesyou know that one of the main causes of car crashes are that people are texting while they are driving? That is a huge problem. Several studies show cell phones are a leading cause of car crashes. It is estimated that cell phone distracted drivers are four times more likely to be in a car wreck. Cell phones cause over 200 deaths and half a million injuries each year. When you are texting while driving, you are more focused on your phone than on the road. As a result your speed can change very quicklyRead MoreEvidence based practice, task 1 Essay9249 Words   |  37 Pagesusage. Recent research links bedside handover to improved patient safety outcomes. More comprehensive studies are needed to test the validities of these assertions and ascertain if bedside handover is a patient safety initiative. There are numerous driving forces that are making this method of shift to shift communication an increasingly popular strategy. â€Å"One of The Joint Commissions on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) 2010 National patient Safety Goals (NPSG) was to improve shift

The Leadership Education Free Essays

A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. We will write a custom essay sample on The Leadership Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual’s career, the more effective leader that person will likely be. How to cite The Leadership Education, Papers The Leadership Education Free Essays A. Leadership education. While the debate over whether effective leaders are born that way or can learn these skills, the fact remains that even natural-born leaders need some help in understand the dynamics involved in teams. We will write a custom essay sample on The Leadership Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now All of the U.S. military branches of services recognized this need early on and established service academies to help train their future leaders, but people in business, academia and other professions also have relevant leadership education available as well. According to Barker and Rost (2000), the content of leadership education courses required for the 21st century should address three general categories: (i) the evolution of social change and development, (ii) the processes that influence social development, and (iii) the dynamics of human nature in change processes. These authors add that, â€Å"Leadership education is aimed at producing citizens for a democratic society† (p. 3). B. Continuing education. Many professions require continuing education credits to maintain credentialing and privileges for practice; for example, lawyers and healthcare practitioners must complete a set number of credit hours each year for this purpose. While all professions may not mandate it, the individual pursuit of continuing education in any field should be regarded as a sound business investment, just as the provision of such training by organizations makes good sense. Because of the importance of having effective leaders in any organizational setting, it is vitally important for them to remain cognizant of changes and innovations in their field, as well as in allied fields that may impact their industry. Today is an excellent time to be a professional in search of continuing educational opportunities, though, because of the explosion in adult education classes designed for this purpose, particularly in online forums of various types. In this regard, Jarvis (2002) reports that, â€Å"Adult and continuing education is changing at a tremendously rapid rate in this contemporary, urban world,† and the purposes for which adult leaders are seeking continuing education have changed in fundamental ways in recent years (p. iii). Likewise, Beaudoin (2002) points out that, â€Å"The proliferation of instructional technology in the past decade, particularly in higher education settings, is having a profound impact on how teaching and learning now occurs, and is transforming the means by which institutions reach and support an emerging worldwide market across time and distance† (p. 131). This author adds that because it is so important to organizational and individual success, continuing education has a well developed format concerning not only to the planning and management of continuing education activities, but also insights in the area of leadership (Beaudoin, 2002). C. Types of education. Because every business situation is unique, leadership is taught in a variety of ways across many disciplines. According to Nirenberg (1998), â€Å"Most schools of business typically include the study of leadership as part of a survey of organizational behavior (OB) theory and not as a course in its own right. By all accounts, though, there are continuing and adult education opportunities available for virtually any vocation and avocation today through community colleges and online learning forums and even busy professionals can take advantages of these services. More importantly, though, effective leaders need to be well-rounded individuals with a basic understanding of how the business world works and what makes people behave the way they do. The types of education required for these complicated purposes are clearly a lifelong endeavor because they must continue to be updated and refined, and the more variety in the educational services taken over the course of a individual’s career, the more effective leader that person will likely be. How to cite The Leadership Education, Essay examples

The Light of the World free essay sample

Yet, when we look up at God’s creation in the middle of the night, we do not think of the physics or nuclear mechanics that makes them work. We think of the beauty, perhaps our futures, some of us get lost in our imaginations and still others think of alien life. Interestingly, there are more than 286 references to â€Å"light† in the Bible, and yet I find it altogether astounding that the blackness that surrounds God’s Word will never consume even the light of the smallest single candle of Christ. Since the beginning of creation, there have been divisions among the light and the dark and God in all of His grace has shown us something about the two. â€Å"And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not† (John 1:5 KJV). There will never be darkness in the light (Christ) but the millions of candles (Christians) of the world will always break the deceit of darkness (Satan). Jesus exclaimed to the Jews, â€Å"I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but have the light of life† (John 8:12 NKJV). The Psalmist writes, â€Å"Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path† (Psalms 119:105 NLT). I am quite certain if you were to ask, no one would wish to have darkness before his or her feet. No instead, they wish for light. Light guides the world. Moreover, some may say that water is the source of life on our planet, but I say to you that the light is indeed the source of life here on God’s wondrous and indescribable creation. If you take away light, the water on this planet will freeze in sheets miles thick, without a single drop for us to use. In addition to that, there would be no photosynthesis for even the ugliest, prickliest weeds to grow. So if there is not light what do we have? The answer is simple. We have Satan. The Prince of Darkness who wishes to bring us to the very place where, â€Å"their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh† (Isaiah 66:24 KJV). So now that we have considered why physical light is essential to our fleshly existence on this planet, let us now turn our attention to why Jesus Christ, the spiritual light is essential for our eternal life in paradise. Light: The Righteousness of Men. To not place value on the testimony of the Apostle and Gospel writer John would be a grave mistake to those seeking to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. There are many who argue that John is writing a Christology that heavily favors a docetic Savior. That is to say, that Christ’s body was merely an illusion and the crucifixion, the very moment that God sacrificed himself so that we may live eternally in his presence was a hoax. The world-renowned author of scriptural commentaries Leon Morris states this about John and his Gospel, â€Å"John is a master at hammering away his point from a number of angles. That Jesus the Word made flesh underlines all he writes. His great themes center on Christ†¦his functions as light of the world, as life, as truth. † The great detail associated with John’s writings about Jesus’ ministry do not suggest that Christ is an illusion created by God. If indeed this were the case, our whole doctrine would be fraudulent and based on a God who has greatly deceived us. Similarly, it was distorted doctrine and poor rationale that sets the scene for what Jesus’ would have to face in his ministry. All Signs Point to Jesus I AM Who I AM. God the father revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 with these words that Israel would forever remember and revere. It should not be any wonder then why Jesus stated these words eight times in the gospel of John. Seven times, He would associate them with some sort of imagery and one last time with that of Yahweh in Exodus. In John 1:3-4, the beloved disciple points us toward four basic facts about Jesus Christ. First, is that He is the very creator of the universe. â€Å"3All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made† (John 1:3 KJV). Second the creation of man is the pinnacle of His creation. â€Å"4In him was life; and the life was the light of men† (John 1:4 KJV). Lastly, John discloses that it is only through Jesus Christ that man can gain eternal life, and only through Him is there light in the world. Sadly, man was too blinded by self-gain and legalism to understand that God was in their very presence. The Pharisees by this point have formed a society, (mostly in Jerusalem) that has focused on false redemption as taught only by Satan. Paul Louis Metzger in his reflection about this blindness states that the Jews, â€Å"refuse to deal with who he truly is and who they truly are-living under the illusion that they are free through false forms of redemption. † They fail to see that Jesus of Nazareth is actually Jesus the Christ, Savior of the world and in so doing they begin a vengeful plot to slaughter Jesus like the lambs of the Passover. They would begin a three-year quest filled with botched attempts to assist Satan in entangling Jesus in their own earthly sin. The most memorable is the story of the adulterous woman in which Christ reveals the sin of those who were to symbolize the righteousness of God. The Pharisees, in an attempt ensnare Jesus, present a woman to Him, accusing her of adultery. â€Å"Teacher†¦This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say† (John 8:4-5 NLT)? It is truly amazing that when Christ is on earth, He is continually revealing His life giving light, regardless of the situation. He continually makes known the paths to which men should go. Christ also reveals that in His light He knows all things, even sin. As Jesus bends down and begins to write in the sand, His omniscience becomes apparent. Neither did He condemn the woman to death and break Roman Law or break the Law of Moses which states, â€Å"If a man is discovered committing adultery he and the woman must both die† (Deut. 22:22 NLT) Jesus remained a friend of sinners and revealed once more that He is God. Strong arguments regarding the meaning of this particular passage have been made. Many would say that the spiritual root of Jesus’ words imply that there is no one except Him who is without sin. Perhaps the suggestion refers to The Gospel of Matthew in which Jesus exclaims, â€Å"27You have heard the commandment that says: You must not commit adultery. 28But I say anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart† (Matthew 5:27-28 NLT). Regardless of the spiritual explanation of the passage, one should take notice of Jesus revealing that He is the light in moral darkness and that He is God. It is truly amazing that Jesus Christ breaks free of h is innate human traits and makes the claim of deity. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology states the attributes of God as follows: â€Å"God is invisible, personal and living Spirit, distinguished from al other spirits by several kinds of attributes: metaphysically God is self existent, eternal, and unchanging; intellectually God is omniscient, faithful, and wise; ethically God is just, merciful, and loving; emotionally God detests evil, is long-suffering, and is compassionate; existentially God is free, authentic, and omnipotent; relationally God is transcendent in being, immanent universally in providential activity, and immanent with his people in redemptive activity. Jesus’ statement was more than saying, â€Å"I have deity like qualities,† it was saying â€Å"I AM God, the one who created you and gave you a mind to think, a heart to love. I gave you passion, and blessed you with the joy of parenthood. I bring forth the water, which you drink and the food, you eat. I do not need your animal sacrifices because they are mine, for I created them. I created everything. I am Love and I am Truth. † Jesus in this statement also tried to point to another important fact: One who is without a heart, which yearns to have a relationship with Him, will never see salvation. They will never see the Glory of God and appreciate the blessings that he showers down on believers. The Jews then and many now will never experience the inexpressible intimacy with which God’s relationship with us is. The Pharisees never headed the warnings from Isaiah’s prediction of Christ’s tender luminescence that said: â€Å"1Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light for those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine† (Isaiah 9:1-2 NLT) Only Christ brings forth the light that reveals the very deception of Satan, which blinds us from ever coming to God’s glorious presence. He is the warmth that melts the thickened ice from our hearts, and t he light, which causes the seed of love to grow inside of us. From that same seed, blossom the fruit of truth, joy, and the peace of God. Christ is the light, which brings us life in the Kingdom of Heaven.