Social Media as Marketing Tools-a Case of Coca-Cola

Back ground of Coca-cola Coca-cola started in Atlanta, Georgia, on May 8, 1886 by Dr. John Stith Pemberton. He was a local Pharmacist. After producing Coca-cola syrup he carried it down to another pharmaceutical store on the street, where it was sampled and pronounced as exceptional. The sales of the drink called Coke thereafter, began. It was not at first sold as bottled drink; rather it was sold from the fountain for five cents a glass. Carbonated water was later combined with the newly discovered syrup to produce the drink known as coca-cola today.Coca-cola is known all over the world for its unique taste which its competitors have not been able to beat. Dr. Pemberton partner with a man called Frank M. Robinson-a bookkeeper- to create the name Coca-cola. After considering the advertising aspect of the product, Robinson came up with the unique name known as â€Å"Coca-cola† today. Coca-cola was first advertised in The Atlanta Journal, through the journal the citizens were in vited to taste â€Å"the new and popular fountain drink†. While the product tasting were ongoing, series of advertising campaigns were also put in place to aggressively promote the newly found drink.The people passing by were invited to try the drink with the hope of passing the message across after tasting. During the first year, the average sales of coca-cola rose to nine drinks per day. Dr. Pemberton never realized the future prospect of the drink he created; therefore, he sold a portion of his business to different partners. In 1888 before his death, he sold the remaining part of Coca-cola to Asa G. Candler-An Atlanta business guru, who later proceeded to buy additional rights and completely took over the operation of Coca-cola (The chronicle of Coca-cola). Coca-cola brand imageCoca-cola is a leading name brand in the carbonated drink industry therefore; the name plays a major role in the sales of the product. With a very strong distribution channel that makes the product s readily available everywhere in the world and a unique brand image that places the product on the mind of it targets audience so much that, Coca-cola becomes an addiction within some quarters. This background knowledge gives Coke the greater opportunity to service a larger geographical population in various capacities (Coca-cola marketing mix 83). Coca-Cola’s brand personality reveals the positioning of its brand.Coca-cola strategically positioned it products in the mind of it targets group that they see the product as part of their daily lives and this strategic brand positioning often plays a major impact in taking decision. The association between the brand and the consumers sometimes result in brand loyalty and invariably makes the purchasing decision easier for the consumers. Coca-cola packaging system remains one of their strengths in the market. Although the bottling of Coca-cola has undergone series of transformation all through the years throughout the world but th e brand remains consistent in its distinctive taste all over the world.In other words, the product remains the same both in taste and packaging globally (Coca-cola marketing mix 83). The age of social media marketing Social media marketing is the process or strategy of using social media websites like, facebook, twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace etc. to promote a company and its products. Over the years technology has brought about changes in the way we do business. The new age of technology has undoubtedly altered the ways most companies also conduct their business activities. This technology inclined age therefore, makes buying decision easier for the target market segment.Earlier before the advent of social media; media outlet were limited to radio, TV and various print media, this made it easier for the advertiser to reach their â€Å"mass audience† using promotions through these available medium then. The media proliferation gave birth to various media channels which i n turn have allowed consumers to have options when it comes to media usage as a result of modern invention. It is very germane to note at this point, that the media availability really have a sporadic impact on consumers’ behaviors. Such impact include: Interactivity, Customization and Social interaction (Social marketing meet interactive media).The social media network has therefore, becomes so important that it is a must have for any company that wants to be relevant in the 21st century. It has contributed to the development and success of many companies in various ways. The case of Coco-cola is not an exception among the companies who are strategically using the social media marketing tools to draw followers to their brands. According to Jack Yan, The purpose for brands in any social media approach must be to serve the organization both internally and externally†¦ He went further to state the nine goals of social media usage by a brand.Such goals include: * Building a sense of membership or citizenship with the organization * Promoting communication and acceptance of the brand * Encourage the audience to engage in dialogue about the brand * Building positive brand association * Building brand awareness * Acting as a channel through which information about the brand can be obtained * Inform the consumers of the vision behind the brand * Help the organization to maintain a competitive ground * Act as a channel to know if the brand is been properly communicated to the consumers and * Build a perceived quality of the brand (Social medial in branding).Coca-cola effectively combines the above mentioned goals in its social media usage through the huge numbers of followers on its social medial page. Its continuous utilization of social medial marketing tools like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube, has undoubtedly given the company an insight into what the consumers are saying about its brand. Coca-cola facebook utilization Facebook is one of the fastest gro wing social networks with over 400 million users all over the world, it has both young and grownups as active users (Facebook: challenges and opportunities for Business communications students).Coca-cola is one of the most popular brands on Facebook along with celebrity artiste icons like Lady Gaga, Rihana and Eminem. Coke has over forty-one million fans (www. facebook. com/cocacola). Coke is the 15ht most popular Facebook page†¦ (usatoday. com) On Facebook, Coca-cola has over 35 million â€Å"like†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦according to Wendy Clark-Coke senior vice president of integrated Marketing, she says†¦Ã¢â‚¬ having all the fans respond to coke is meaningful. This is because; such responses are likely to generate more sales for the brand coke.She went further to lay emphasis on how such colossal responses from the fans on face book are to the advantage of coca-cola (usatoday. com). The nature of the social media networks site deliberately makes it possible to share information among the users. Facebook has a high utility growth and this allows sharing of information among† all friends in one-place solution† achievable (Too many Facebook â€Å"Friends†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦). More so, through its viral distribution of messages, Facebook allows target consumers to pass messages and ads to friends with ease.The online messaging allows comments to be passed on transmitted messages like ads (Viral advertising in social media†¦). Coca-cola understands this behavior, therefore, it virally engaged its targets audience through series of information about its brand. Coca-cola twitter utilization Twitter was introduced in 2006 as a blogging site that permits users to share different kinds of messages online vial medium called tweets (Follow me! Global Marketers’ Twitter use). Through these medium users are able to share messages and comments on various issues going on around them.Twitter has one hundred and sixty million users and send an upward of n inety million message everyday (Twitter as a medium of message). Coca-cola has over five hundred and thirty thousand followers on twitter (Twitter, Inc). These followers are constantly engaging in various topics about the brand coca-cola on the webpage. Through the twitter page consumers are informed about any ongoing promotion and program of Coca-cola. Twitter also stands as one of the avenues through which the consumers get information about any new ads message concerning the brand.The twitter –verse according to Clark, has a profound impact on how coke deal with consumers feedback. Coke monitors the questions posted on Twitter and answers them. Clark says twitter has brought changes to coke customer service approach. More staffs are now been put on twitter’s page to respond to the ongoing traffic demands of the twitter page (usatoday. com). Coca-cola YouTube utilization YouTube is a none-paid for social media website that enables users to upload their videos and sha re them through the internet (Peers or expert? ). It was created in 2005; it has over a 100 million videos per day.This massive number account for 60% of all online videos. The nature of YouTube broadcasting allows the users to share their opinions online concerning the videos they have seen through rating (Social interaction and co-viewing with YouTube: Blending Mass Communication†¦). Coke employs the use of YouTube for advertising purpose through which the viewers can pass comments on their advert. The use of YouTube by Coca-cola gives the viewers the opportunity to view and pass comments on their ads. These commentaries generated helps coke in furthering their creativity when else they plan another advert.The reason has been that such commentaries are not immediately receivable under the traditional TV adverts. Though there are many other sites through which one can upload videos but coca-cola YouTube engagement gives better viewing opportunity in terms of marketing to the l arger audience. A scene from an advertisement provided by coca-cola on YouTube†¦ Result of the brand The social media world has invariably changed the nature of the modern day business approach and it has so far brought so many challenges and success to those brands using them to promote their products at different stages.Coca-cola through the social media utility has been able to generate millions of followers and viewers all over the world. These viewers in turn promote the brand through their spending on Coca-cola brands. Coca-cola has over 2 billion people drinking coke globally. A success story that is linkable to its creative prowess and leveraging with social media network sites like Facebook, twitter and YouTube (Coke’s social media success†¦). Coca-cola through the usage of these media continues to build an empire of loyal followers.Coca-cola having built these enormous followers does not just live them to communicate in isolation, rather the company strate gically put a monitoring body in place that responds to the followers queries and provide immediate response. Wendy Clark in an address recognized that â€Å"social listening† is very important in social media; it is necessary to communicate back to the followers. She said†¦Ã¢â‚¬ forget about the† like† button. It’s all about the â€Å"share†. It’s the most important. She concluded by saying that whatever content the company has to create must be shareable.She shared the story of a man who through immediate response from the Coca-cola twitter’s team went ahead and purchased a Vitamin water drink-an extended brand of Coca-cola (Coca-cola VP Talks†¦). A result oriented communication! Connectivity Coca-cola through it social media connect various groups via online activities. This engagement gives the opportunity to the consumers to share their experiences about the products among themselves. It also allows Co-ca cola to have fe edbacks on how the brand is doing in the market place.These feedbacks help in developing marketing strategies for the brand. From the ongoing, it is certain that Coca-cola social medial presence and engagement with its consumers has not only created awareness and loyalty for the brand; it has also generated increase in sales for the brand through its huge cyber group followers. As a result of its involvement with its followers, the brand is able to connect globally with the consumers at various locations all over the world within a particular circle-the social network.It is therefore, very necessary within this paper to recognize the fact that, social media as a marketing tool plays a significant part in the brand’s ability to reach its target audience. References 1. The chronicle of Coca-cola: Birth of a refreshing idea: Retrieved on 05/02/2012, from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/heritage/chronicle_birth_refreshing_idea. html 2. Coca-cola marketing mix 83: Retrieved o n 05/02/2012, from http://www. bilara. hubpage. com/hub/coca-cola-0 3. Coca-cola Fans page: Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http://www. facebook. com/cocacola 4.Twitter, Inc (us): Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http://www. coca-cola. com/en/index. html 5. Coke’s media success makes a lot out of little: Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http://www. millwardbrown. com/global/blog/post/2011-12-19/coke-s-social-media-success-makes-a-lot-out-of-a-little. aspx 6. Coca-cola VP Talks about the keys to social media success: Retrieved on 05/03/2012 from http://www. marketingpilgrim. com/2011/04/coca-cola-vp-talks-about-the-keys-to-social-media-success. html 7. Brandtzaeg, P. , Luders, M. , & Skjetene, J. (2010). Too many Facebook â€Å"friends’?Content sharing and sociability versus the Need for privacy in social Network sites. International Journal of Human-computer interaction, 06-, 26(11/12), 1006-1030. doi: 10. 1080/10447318. 20010. 516719 8. Chu-chuan, C. (2011). Viral Advertising i n social media: Participation in facebook Group & Responses among college-Age users, Journal of Interactive Advertising, 12(10), 30-34 9. Decarie, C. (2010). Facebook: Challeges & Opportunities for Business Communication Students. Business Communication Quarterly, 73(4), 449-452. doi: 10. 1177/1080569910385383 10. Harisdakis, P. , & Hanson, G. 2009). Social Interaction and co-viewing with YouTube: Blending Mass Communication Reception and Social Connection Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, (53(2), 317-335. doi: 10. 1080/08838150908270 11. Hye-Jin P. , Hove, T. , Hyun Ju. , & Mikyyoung, K. (2011). Peer or expert?. International Journal of Advertising 30(1), 161-188. 12. Hill, R. P. , & Moran, N. (2011). Social marketing meets interactive media. International Journal of Advertising. 30(5), 815-838. doi. 10. 2501/IJA-30-5-815-838. 13. Kwon ES & Sung, Young Jun (2011), Follow me! Global markers ‘Twitter’ Use.Journal of Interactive Advertising, 12 (10), 4-16. 14. S avage, N. (2011). Twitter as medium and message communication of The ACM, 54(3), 18-20. doi: 10. 1145. 1897860. 15. Yan, J. (2011). Social media in branding: Fulfilling a need. Journal of Branding Management, 18(9), 688-698. doi: 10. 1057/bm. 2011. 19 Abstract The social media group is very relevant in the modern day marketing strategy, it is very crucial for any brand that wants to be successful in today’s marketing operation to fully utilize the numerous advantages associated with this viral tool in marketing communications.This paper examines the results of, and the utilization of three social media tools by Coca-cola to connect, and create awareness among its target audience. The strategic use of these social media tools-Facebook, Twitter and YouTube eventually leads to more sales for Coca-cola brand. Table of contents Background history of Coca-cola———————————————â₠¬â€Ã¢â‚¬â€-i Coca-cola brand image—————————————————————-ii The

Beowulf: Sigemund Episode Essay

One of the best literary devices the author of Beowulf uses is the use of episodes and digressions. Each of these episodes and digressions tell another story apart from the main plot of Beowulf, but sets up an introduction to the main plot. One such episode, the Sigemund episode, tells of valiant King Sigemund who received glory and honor through his killing of the dragon and possession of the hoard. Sigemund became a noble and experienced king, only to be betrayed and brought to his downfall. Beowulf was much the same as Sigemund, and both were great examples of heroes. The Sigemund episode introduces a comparison to Beowulf, foreshadows Beowulf’s downfall, and parallels the irony of Beowulf’s shortcomings. As we see in the following lines: â€Å"Sigemund’s name was known everywhere. / He was utterly valiant and venturesome, / a fence round his fighters and flourished therefore† (897-898), the author introduces Sigemund as an excellent comparison to Beowulf. The author uses the Sigemund episode to set up a better understanding of the character of Beowulf by describing a king much like himself. This allows the reader to understand the character of Beowulf and know what a noble and valiant character he was. The author presents Sigemund as a brave warrior who defeated the dragon, much like the victorious warrior that Beowulf was. And within the Sigemund episode, Heremod is introduced as a wicked king, an exact opposite of Sigemund and Beowulf. This allows the reader to compare the three kings, and promote Beowulf as a noble king such as Sigemund. Another purpose of the Sigemund episode within Beowulf is to foreshadow Beowulf’s defeat and downfall. Sigemund is a noble and mighty king, but is led to his defeat in the following lines: â€Å"†¦ The king was betrayed, ambushed in Jutland, overpowered / and done away with† (901-903). This defeat of Sigemund foreshadows Beowulf’s defeat and death during the battle with the dragon. As Sigemund and Beowulf are both valiant kings, they both are led to their failure and death. This part of the Sigemund episode gives the reader a glimpse of what is to come for Beowulf in the rest of the poem. From this episode, the author uses irony that Beowulf will become a great and mighty king, but also will come face to face with his destruction. The author uses this irony to connect the characters of Sigemund and Beowulf. Not only does the Sigemund episode foreshadow the downfall of Beowulf, but it also sets up a choice that Beowulf has to make. Beowulf has to either chose to be like Sigemund, a courageous and noble king, or take the path of Heremod, an evil king. This gives the reader a sense of uncertainty of the choice Beowulf will make. As the reader, the choice that Beowulf will make is obvious, but this is a huge choice of character for Beowulf. It gives a chance for Beowulf to prove his character, and allows the reader to understand the trustworthiness of Beowulf once he does chose to be a noble king. Among the various episodes and digressions within Beowulf, Sigemund’s episode sets up the best foreshadowing of Beowulf’s life. In all, Sigemund’s episode clues the reader in with what type of character Beowulf is. Sigemund is the perfect comparison to Beowulf, and this allows the reader to expect what is to come for Beowulf. Sigemund’s hymn apart from the main plot of Beowulf accomplished the task of introducing and setting up the destiny for Beowulf.

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Red Rock Community College’s adaptation of Christopher Durang’s play Baby with the Bathwater, directed by James O’Leary, concluded its 8-show run with a sold out finale performance on Sunday April 23rd, 2005. When the lights came up on the bassinet in the otherwise darkness of the stage, the image more or less stands for everything that follows ? childhood, loneliness and abandonment. It seems that an icon of the entire human experience, not just the implied infancy, is being presented. When the lights come up even further, the bassinet gives way in significance to a married couple standing over it: John (Kyle LaBoria), the father that coos at â€Å"Daddy’s little baked potato,† and Helen (Amien Conway), the mother who object to him calling their baby a vegetable. Durang had an interesting way of making illogical disconnections seem perfectly logical. A good example of this is Nanny. Sweeping onto the stage with demonic energy and a warped tinge of Mary Poppins, Nanny (Nancy Thomas) good-naturedly offers bad advice for child rearing and in the next breath optioning Dad for â€Å"quickies in the kitchen. † I found Nanny to an existentialist theme in making comments like â€Å"There’s no such thing as right and wrong. There’s just fun. † Thomas brought maturity to the otherwise young cast and seemed to thoroughly enjoy her role. Nanny could have been overly campy, but Thomas kept it believable and entertaining and captured the subtle domineering nature of the character. Whereas Nanny was consistent from beginning to end, I have to convey my disapproval with LaBoria’s portrayal of John, the dad. LaBoria aptly depicted the fragility and weariness of a new parent, but failed to reach any depth or humor. I think it would have been better if John had been placed with a more deer-in-the-headlights feel. I saw John more villainous in this rendition and wished for more of a victimized appeal. This out-sized tale deserved better framework. The set was drab and too simplistic for this type of play. Being set in the 80’s, I expected more of a tacky retro aesthetic that would have supported the outlandish play with equally drastic visuals. Maybe the intent was to keep the focus on the actors by neglecting the backdrop? Either way, it did no justice. Director James O’Leary presence throughout the play was rather absent to me. He did make good use of stage movements and employed the full range the stage offered, but I am left here with lackluster feelings. I feel the momentum of the play was non-existent, only offering a general malaise of sub par perspective. While watching the play, I could sense a more implicit complexity wanting to get out. After all, most of Durang’s satires appear flat, but actually has a great possibility for much depth. O’Leary failed to tap into the contents true substance. My attention was finally sparked in Scene 4. Up to this point, Daisy has been spoken for. Getting a glimpse at the character through the personal dialogue of psychoanalysis offered an emotional grasp heretofore vacant. The use of lighting in this scene, alternating sides to provide division of time and mounting individual awareness, was good. After the lights came up and people began to file out, I reflected and acknowledged my approval for the play itself, but remained incensed towards the performances. I felt that I would have gotten more out of it in reading the script and foregoing the actual presentation. This interpretation would not receive a recommendation for me.

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Student Nurse - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that he acknowledges that the course was indeed a very educative one. They got to learn a lot of lessons about nursing profession. From Nicki Harrington and Cynthia Lee Terry’s book LPN to RN Transitions: Achieving Success in Your New Role, he learnt that the transition from a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Registered Nurse (RN) is a long process that requires seriousness, commitments, perseverance, hard work and determination. Therefore, as an aspiring nurse, the author has to take this as a challenge to endure the long process and be ready to read very hard and pass all his examinations before becoming a model RN. This is he only way through which he will achieve his ultimate goals of contributing to the positive transformation of his society.This essay stresses that the author's highest point in the semester is when he got an opportunity to participate in an online course. It was actually enjoyable to get time to engage in private studies at h ome without necessarily having to physically attend lectures in the college. Also important is the fact that he had to write a series of assignments and submit them to the discussion board each week. From here, he managed to learn a lot of skills like time management, responsibility, accountability and punctuality. These are important skills that will help him to succeed as a student and a nurse in the future.  

The Federal Aid to Highway Act of 1956 Case Study

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Gaming Industry in Macao Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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SARBANES-OXLEY ACT Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SARBANES-OXLEY ACT - Research Paper Example 102). Such information is usually to be found in several locations and on dissimilar systems. This makes it imperative to have in place a mechanism that facilitates the retrieval of data from multiple applications; otherwise, complete compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes – Oxley Act cannot be realized (Stephens, 2005, p. 102). There is considerable difficulty and intricacy involved in complying with the Sarbanes – Oxley Act. Data has to be shown to be authentic, and this obliges auditors and company executives to confirm the integrity of the financial data of their enterprise that influences the financial position of their company (Stephens, 2005, p. 102). Complying with the provisions of Sarbanes – Oxley Act proved to be much more burdensome for companies. This includes among other things, the capacity to validate the processing and transmission of data at all times, regardless of the specific phase of the life cycle that the data may be subjected to auditing or investigation. A major consequence of these requirements is that the Information Technology division of a company has to ensure that authentication capacities are inherent in the storage repositories and software applications (Stephens, 2005, p. 102). Furthermore, a major issue related to compliance with the Sarbanes – Oxley Act is that related to the amount of time involved in accessing data. For instance, there has to a rapid disclosure with regard to a business event that has substantial influence on the revenues of the company (Stephens, 2005, p. 102). Thus, compliance with this act necessitates the capacity to authenticate, search and access the relevant records and data in near real time. The Sarbanes – Oxley Act 2002 was enacted by Congress with the express intention of enhancing the reliability and accuracy of corporate disclosures. This initiative was

The Colour Purple essay Essay Example for Free

The Colour Purple essay Essay 1) What do you learn about Celies attitudes to life in these letters?  2) Write about Walkers method of telling the story in letter 90.  3) Some readers see the ending of the novel as a triumph of the human spirit. Some see it as sickly and sentimental. What do you think about the novels ending?  1) By letters 89 and 90 Celies attitudes to life have changed considerably from the early letters of the novel. Celies attitude is extremely positive and she appears to have triumphed over her oppression, through her human spirit, attitude to life and bonds of sisterhood. This is shown in letter 89 by the way her and Shug respond to each other: She look at me funny for a minute, I look at her. Then us laugh.  This shows her sense of contentment and an almost carefree and happy attitude towards life. Laughter being a symbol of healing and regeneration suggests that despite Celies horrendous past experiences her psyche has been healed and she is content in her life.  In letter 89 Alice Walker portrays Celie with an air of confidence and defiance, Celie is finally prepared to not be passive in her response to discrimination and oppression she is prepared to question authority. Walker shows Celie to be proud of Sofias authority over a white man: she scare that white man. Anybody else colored he try to call em auntie or something. First time he try that with Sofia she ast him which colored man his mama sister marry. There is a lot of symbolism used in letter 89 which imply aspects of Celies attitudes to life. She shows her room to Shug:  Well here it is, I say, standing in the door. Everything in my room purple and red cept the floor,  The colours purple and red symbolise bruises on a beaten womans skin and in painting her room these colours her attitudes towards life are revealed, it suggests that Celie accepts her past life of abuse. However purple also symbolises beauty, royalty, it is a color Celie associates with vivacious women such as Shug and a color she feels was put on earth by God. By surrounding herself with purple it represents Celies new found confident attitude to life and contentment that her future life will be beautiful. Letter 90 shows Celies changed attitudes to spirituality within her life, opening the letter Dear God. Dear stars, dear treesDear everything. Dear God Celies changing outlook upon religion with the rejection of a patriarchal God and new belief that God is within everything, as well as the return of both Shug in letter 89 and Celies family in letter 90 has led to Celies sense of calm and inner peace, which is portrayed within these letters. This is expressed in her final sentences:  But I dont think us feel old at all. And us so happy. Matter of fact, I think this is the youngest us ever felt. These final sentences also depict Celies final self-acceptance and philosophical reflection upon her life. It concludes her journey to freedom from oppression, which the book has charted.  2) Just as Celies attitudes to life have changed, by letter 90 there is a noticeable change in Celies language style, she has a more sophisticated lexis and syntax which contrasts significantly to her early letters to God. Whereas Walkers use of language for Celies character in the early letters expresses her lack of education, Walkers change in Celies language shows Celies life education. It depicts the change from Celie being a naive innocent narrator to a confident woman, educated through life and others such as Nettie. The change in Celies vocabulary and grammatical style suggests she has learnt from Netties carefully composed letters. However, letter 90 also shows how Walker does not abandon Celies mimetic style and her use of the colloquial black American dialect:  This Shug and Albert, I say. Everybody say pleased to Meetcha  Celie continues to include phonetical spellings such as Meetcha and to use the present tense for past events such as I say instead of I said. Both of these are features of the dialect of the Deep South and show that Walker has continued to express aspects of black American cultural identity through Celies language throughout the novel. Often throughout history the voices of this community have not been heard and in her method of telling the story Walker allows them to have a voice through Celies vernacular.

Guiding Principals of Professional Learning Communities Essay Example for Free

Guiding Principals of Professional Learning Communities Essay Normally, in a professional learning community also known as a PLC, the educators work together brainstorming ideas, lessons, and activities that will support a plan to be implemented all in hopes of the student’s achievement. A professional learning community can benefit a school’s environment by reinforcing teacher morale and leadership skills. As the school moves forward, every professional in the building must engage with colleagues in the ongoing exploration of three crucial questions that drive the work of those within a professional learning community: †¢ What do we want each student to learn? How will we know when each student has learned it? †¢ How will we respond when a student experiences difficulty in learning? The answer to the third question separates learning communities from traditional schools. A PLC can serve as a support system that motivates teachers to follow a guided plan. Educators who are building a professional learning community recognize that they must work together to achieve their collective purpose of learning for all. Therefore, they create structures to promote a collaborative culture. This plan can include classroom assistants, parent volunteers, and other school personnel like librarians. The PLC culture can influence teachers through numbers. When teachers come together and have strength in numbers they can support each other, collaborate, and brainstorm the most effective methods and techniques to instruct the students. Even the grandest design eventually translates into hard work. The professional learning community model is a grand design, a powerful new way of working ogether that profoundly affects the practices of schooling. But initiating and sustaining the concept requires hard work. This is where the challenges may arise. It requires the school staff to focus on learning rather than teaching, work collaboratively on matters related to learning, and hold itself accountable for the kind of results that fuel continual improvement. A PLC will construct a solid foundation of committed teachers who are passionate about their career and working with families a nd fellow colleagues. The benefit(s) of a PLC is that everyone has the opportunity to be involved and share goals and positive learning experiences of the schools learning environment. When educators do the hard work necessary to implement these principles, their collective ability to help all students learn will rise. If they fail to demonstrate the discipline to initiate and sustain this work, then their school is unlikely to become more effective, even if those within it claim to be a professional learning community. The rise or fall of the professional learning community concept depends not on the merits of the concept itself, but on the most important element in the improvement of any school; the commitment and persistence of the educators within it. In conclusion, educators who work together form structured atmospheres that promote learning. References Barth, R. (1991). Restructuring schools: Some questions for teachers and principals. Phi Delta Kappan, 73(2), 123-129. Marzano, R. (2003). What works in Schools: Translating research into action, Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Measuring Zinc Intake Among Children in Luwelezi Mzimba

Measuring Zinc Intake Among Children in Luwelezi Mzimba TITLE: Validating the Zinc intake amongst Children aged 24-36 months in Luwelezi Mzimba using food frequency questionnaire. INTRODUCTION Our bodies contain 1.5 to 2.5 grams of zinc, found in all organs, tissues, and body fluids .Zinc is essential for the growth and repair of tissues because it is involved in the synthesis of DNA and RNA, therefore making Zinc Very important for the Developing child (24-36 months). Zinc intake correlates directly with protein consumption, groups are at risk because of limited meat intake. Zinc deficiency in children effects growth retardation, skeletal abnormalities, impaired immunity and Poor wound healing. Zinc deprivation impairs growth and development of infants and children. Evidenced with studies that showed zinc supplements produced highly significant improvements in linear growth and weight gain of children .Consequently Zinc intake estimate are important both for epidemiological studies and in the clinical setting. A reliable assessment of nutrient intake is a difficult task, and the choice of method depends on the aim of the study. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) is a pr actical tool for validating nutrient consumption, however can the same be noted when validating Zinc intakes. OBJECTIVE: To assess the Validity of zinc intake using a food frequency questionnaire for children between 24-36 months. MATERIALS METHODS A longitudinal survey design was conducted, data was collected twice over the year.Calculation of sample Size. Total number = 96, using error of mean 10%, 50% CV and 95% confidence level. Exclusion Criteria was used, this included the ability to keep a diet record therefore only Parents and Guardians that were literate, no previous involvement in a diet assessment study, and no major diet changes in the past 6 months. Leading to the study recruiting n=85 Children (age range 24 – 36 months) from Luwelezi in Mzimba. Participants were selected using Simple random sampling. Informed consent was obtained from participating parent/guardian, and a special effort was made by the Nutritionist to illuminate the importance of an accurate and not manipulated 3 day diet record. Collecting biological samples is often culturally unacceptable, moreover with children (aged 24 – 36 months) to rural populations in countries like Malawi and opportunistically getting samples from children already compromised at Hospitals/Clinics cannot offer the correct reflection of Zinc intake due to some already being Zinc deficient. According to a study by Gibson he found that Zinc level findings of dietary recall to biochemical indexes were significantly similar of 60 women in southern Malawi, therefore this study will not be using biochemical markers. Ethical approval was sorted from Local, District and National authorities. Zinc FFQ Although the FFQ is apt to self-administration, in this study it was administered by a trained interviewer, this was done due to low literacy rates and thus to improve accuracy. The operation required less than 10 min for each interview. Biasness arises when collecting data using FFQ done once a year, which may introduce a seasonal bias because certain foodstuffs are often consumed only at one time of the year. Therefore, this study collected data during both seasons rather than just at one time then calculated the average. The steps that were taken to improved internal validity of the FFQ included, Assembled and calibrated equipment a selection of local utensils were purchased and calibrated with a standard measuring cup. Acquirement of Picture charts depicting the foods most often eaten in Mzimba. Translated and pretested the FFQ was translated into local Language Chichewa Tumbuka, a pilot draft of the questionnaire was tested on a smaller sample, using respondents similar to actual population. Trained the interviewers adequate training for the interviewers is critical. The interviewing techniques should always be consistent both among the interviewers and over time. Estimating portion sizes is the most challenging part of the recall interview but also one of the most critical for ensuring high-quality results. This study used clay molded into the correct size and shape of the food to help estimation. Converting portion sizes to weight equivalents ,portion sizes was converted into weight equivalents by using dietary scales and using leftover portions to Calculated the proportion of edible percentage. FFQ usually suffer from overestimations or underestimation, this will reduce them errors. Reviewed the recall interview data at the end of the interview with respondent being present. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy Some nutrient composition values for a local staple food could not be derived, therefore the study obtained direct chemical analysis. This approach is especially desirable for zinc because their content in plant-based Staples often depends on local trace element levels in soil, agronomy practices. The principle of analysis is to determine zinc using flame atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) based upon the absorption of radiation by free atoms .This was done by preparations of three replications of each concentration in order to get an average using 100-mL volumetric flasks. In order to determine the total amount of zinc, multiply the concentration obtained by the dilution factor (100mL). 3 day food record After completing the FFQ, subjects were asked to keep a 3 day estimated diet diary (food record), recording everything they ate and drank, at the time of eating. A list of household measures was enclosed with the diary form. Comprehensive verbal and written instructions were given to the subjects on the methods of recording data. Emphasis was put during the explanatory phase prior to diet recording to just record the actual intake without any fear of judgment relative to nutrition. Estimation of Zinc nutrient scores For each food item, zinc nutrient content per average unit was compiled. Using Nutritional composition of each food derived from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food composition tables and Diet Master 2100 software when necessary was developed allowing the total Zinc intake for the FFQ and 3 Day Record to be calculated and compared to AAS. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Zinc intakes were calculated separately for FFQ, 3 day Record and AAS, and only then were comparisons made (refer to Fig 1). Calculating total zinc intakes Once the daily food intake has been measured, total zinc intakes can be calculated by multiplying the amount (g) of each food consumed by its zinc content (mg zinc/100 g). Specificity was defined as the proportion of those with a daily Zinc intake below 0.80mg on the FFQ. Sensibility was defined as the proportion of those with a daily Zinc intake above 0.8mg on the FFQ. Confidence intervals at 95% were also calculated using Excel 2013 software, ANOVA single Factor refer to Fig: 1. RESULTS The study had 85 respondents of which 47 (55.3%) were females and 38 (44.7%) were boys refer to graph 1. The average age of the Respondents was 29.0  ± 1.2 months. Mean dietary Zinc intake from the 3 Day diet records was 0.909 mg=day with a variance of 0.041, whilst FFQs was 0.90mg=day with a variance of 0.0366 and AAS was 0.89mg=day with a variance of 0.0366. The normal distribution of Zinc data from both diet AAS, 3 day record and FFQ revealed no significant difference between mean intakes (P ¼0.064). Fig 1: Anova Single Factor for zinc Intake for the children diets, with P-value of 0.91.Results shows they is a no significant difference in zinc intake between the 3 methods used. DISCUSSION The study findings showed that all the assessment tools used to assess zinc intake were equally precise as evidenced by Figure 1 (F= 0.09≠¤3.03, p = 0.91), this shows that they is no significant difference in findings, the different assessment tools were able to come up with similar results in zinc intakes of all the n=85 respondents . Hence increasing the reliability of FFQ, since it is one of the most used instruments in the majority of large-sample studies in nutritional epidemiology. Validation studies are carried out to measure the extent to which a method actually measures the aspect of the diet it was designed to measure with the group being measured. Validity and reliability are currently used criteria for selecting dietary assessment tools for observational research. However it is important to note that validation procedure of a dietary assessment tool is essentially impossible, as there is no absolute gold standard for measuring dietary intake CONCLUSION The purpose of this study was to validate Zinc intake for children in Luwelezi Mzimba using the FFQ. It was found that they was a significant correlation of Zinc intakes between all the methods used to calculate zinc intake, therefore the study justifies that FFQ is a valid tool in assessing dietary intake of Zinc. STUDY LIMITATIONS Using FFQ is depends solely upon the respondent’s memory. Calculating procedures based on estimation and assumptions. QUESTION 2 INTRODUCTION Systematic universal approach to determine nutrition status is an essential to achieve global health, recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). This assessment allows explanation of present and past occurrences, hence indicates likelihoods of future possibilities to child’s health. For this purpose, growth charts are adopted, in April 2011 Malawi also joined the 125 Countries across the world shifting from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS/1978) to WHO/ 2006.This paper aims to explore why it was necessary for Malawi to make this outstanding change. The recommendation for adopting the WHO standards for Malawi are based on several considerations including: IMPROVED METHOLODY AND TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT. The production of the WHO child growth curves underwent a careful, methodical process. Which included vicious methods of data collection, standardized across sites has to be followed during the entire study, thus exclusion criteria develop. Sound procedures for data management and cleaning were applied). The selection of the best statistical approaches and State-of-the-art statistical methodologies used to generate these standards making them the highest conceivable quality Smoothed curves and empirical methods indicating a true description of the growth of healthy children, in contrast the NCHS/WHO data was collected from 1929 to 1975 and does not even match current national birth weight distributions. Also, the statistical methods available at the time the NCHS/WHO growth curves were constructed were too limited to correctly model the pattern and variability of growth. As a result, the NCHS/WHO curves do not adequately represent early childhood growth. The equipment by NCHS in 1977 cannot be matched to State-of-the-art statistics used by WHO in 2004. Equally evidenced by differences between recumbent length measurements from the Fels data and the stature measurements from the NCHS data sets were larger than expected when the transition was made from recumbent length to stature between 24 and 36 months compared to WHO standard. IMPROVED DIAGNOSTIC AND MONITORING WHO and UNICEF have developed a network with facilitators which aim at supporting training and other technical aspects of the standards’ implementation at regional and country level. They provide training packages emphasizing the importance of accurate measurement, plotting and interpretation, plus documentation of growth problems. A child that has a nutritional growth problem, is identified and appropriate action should be determined to address it. Growth assessments by NCHS/WHO is not supported by appropriate response actions to prevent and treat excessive or inadequate growth, hence it is not effective in improving child health. Some Malawian settings where parents are not able to seek and afford treatment plus no presence of an NGO leaves the diagnosed child in grave danger. Another plus for WHO growth charts is that their study was followed incrementally, with each infant measured 21 times between birth and two years. The shorter measurement intervals results in a better tool for monitoring the rapid and changing rate of growth in early infancy However, the NCHS/WHO infants were measured once every 3 months and used supplemental data due unavailable data for the first two to three months of life. The cross-sectional nature of the NCSH/WHO charts represents achieved size of infants, it does not describe rates of growth as accurately as growth represented in longitudinal growth charts BREASTFEEDING The WHO growth standard promotes breastfeeding as the custom that should be followed to attain optimal growth among children exclusively or predominantly breastfed. This is consistent with the Malawi’s Baby-friendly Hospital approach. Infant feeding guidelines recommend breastfeeding as the peak source of nutrition during infancy. Thus, the WHO standards provides a platform for advocating the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding. In this regard, the WHO standards are expected to make meaningful contributions to reducing child morbidity and mortality in Malawi. This will now allow accurate assessment, measurement and evaluation of breastfeeding and complementary feeding because it recognizes the adequacy of human milk to support healthy growth and development. However the NCHS/WHO nearly all infants included in the sample were formula-fed resulting in a reflection different to the pattern of growth typically observed in healthy b reastfed infants. This makes it gravely suitable for Malawi due to most of our infants being Breastfed, therefore exposing them the many benefits exclusive breastfeeding come with promoting optimal child health. GROWTH STANDARD NOT GROWTH REFERENCE Children in the WHO standards were raised under ideal circumstances and health conditions. As a result the WHO growth charts are designated as the Golden standard identifying how children should grow when provided with optimal conditions .On contrast with NCSH/WHO charts which shows a snapshot of weight and heights of the sampled population, irrespective of whether their rate of growth was optimal or not. Therefore the NCSH/WHO charts potentially show the growth of some infants who may have been fed sub-optimally, raised in substandard environmental circumstances; or had infections, chronic illness or disease. Adopting this â€Å"Golden Standard† is helpful for Malawi as it allows the comparison to be made with the very best. INTERNATIONAL SAMPLE POPULATION The origins of the children included in the WHO standards were widely diverse. They included peoples from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East In this respect they are similar to a lot of populations ,due being ethnic diverse. The growth of the children in the 6 various sites was very similar because their environments were similarly healthy. This indicates that we should expect the same potential for growth in any country. Traditionally it was believed that different ethnic groups show different patterns of growth. However WHO standards has refuted this belief showing that variability in infant growth was greater within population groups than between the different country groups. The major Concern with NHCS charts is that the sample consisted primarily of white middle-class infants from southwestern Ohio (USA). So making the data obtained unrepresentative, WHO charts means Malawians are also capable of growing to these heights under optimal conditions. ‘Osat i zungu simuthu, amakula kwambiri kuposa ife Amalawi’. NEW ELEMENTS WHO Standard approach goes beyond the development of growth references towards a standard, inclusion of motor development milestones provide a solid instrument for helping to meet the health and nutritional needs of the world’s children. A further set of charts comprising: MAUCZ, HCZ, SSFZ and TSFZ were released early in 2007. All charts are available both percentiles and Z-scores, making it easier than ever before to record and assess Nutritional status of infants, one can just get a paper, pen and MAUC tape fold in the pocket and off they go into the Community. Then generate reports using WHO Anthro, which is an exciting software in itself. CONCLUSION After sensible and carefully evaluation the adoption of the WHO charts for usage in Malawi appears more helpful for the children’s nutritional screening and hence hospital admission than NCSH/WHO growth References. This is due it enables the detection of a higher number of malnourished children or at nutritional risk, thus allowing the much needed beneficial early intervention to be undertaken. Also the Development of WHO charts were promoted and supported by Stakeholders (NGO’s, Governments etc.) that are currently active in Malawi and contribute significantly to our National Budget, WHO charts makes it easier for steadfast interventions and communication between these stakeholders and Malawi .

Teenage Pregnancy and Crime :: essays research papers

teenage pregnancy and crime Lecture One Theoretical perspectives: early beginnings to present day Lecture Two Feminist challenges to youth and trouble: focus on teenage pregnancy and crime The academic literature on `delinquent youth’ arises in part from official concern over young people’s activities outside direct adult supervision by parents, teachers or employers. Griffin, C. (1993) Representations of Youth: The Study of Adolescence in Britain and America, Cambridge: Polity Press. and: A set of concerns about the activities of young people and their supervision by institutions or individuals representing the social order. Johnston, L. (1993:96) The Modern Girl: Girlhood and Growing Up, Sydney: Allen & Unwin Youth and trouble: theoretical perspectives Biological determinism Psychological theories Sociological theories Blumer’s symbolic interactionism rests on three premises: humans act towards things on the basis of meanings that the things have for them the meaning of things is derived from, or arises out of, the social interaction that one has with one’s fellows these meanings are handled in and modified through an interpretative process used by the person in dealing with the things he encounters. Hester & Eglin, 1992. In relation to criminal behaviour, symbolic interactionists concentrate on processes of social interaction in which: certain behaviour is prohibited by law, i.e. the process of crime definition through legislation certain acts and persons become subject to law enforcement, i.e. the process of crime selection by the police certain acts and persons become fitted with the label `criminal’ i.e. the process of crime interpretation by the courts criminal identity is developed, maintained and transformed (e.g.notion of careers). Labelling theorists interpret deviance not as a set of characteristics of individuals or groups, but as a process of interaction between deviants and non-deviants. Giddens, 1997: 178 Deviance is not the quality of the act a person commits but rather a consequence of the application by others of rules and sanctions to an offender. The deviant is one to whom that label has successfully been applied; deviant behaviour is behaviour that people so label. Becker, 1963:9 Critique of labelling theory Some acts are intrinsically wrong, such as murder. There are differences e.g. people from a deprived background may shoplift more than rich people; although deviant behaviour may increase after conviction, there may be other prior explanations for this. Labelling theory did not fully explain how what came to be seen as deviant was defined – the questions whose definitions, whose interests and why were not explored. Mainstream vs radical The mainstream perspective is positivist, empiricist and conservative, presenting itself as an apolitical and objective project.

Why Ireland is not Free Essay -- Essays Papers

Why Ireland is not Free Ireland has been in a civil war for hundreds of years with Northern Ireland because of Britain taking their independence. In the middle 19th Century the United States was also in a civil war. The Unites States civil war lasted for four years, 1861-1865, while Irelands has been going on for over a century. The United States civil war was quick and to the point, the United States knew what had to be done and they did it. While over in Ireland and Northern Ireland the civil war has been just an on going bickering for who deserves what and whether Britain should leave their land. When over in the United States they got an army, took their land, and didn’t have time to bicker. While in Ireland it’s just terrorist attacks they are dealing with. They won’t just settle the problem with Britain to make their land free again until they get back the money they think they deserve. This has all been going on because Britain was given Irelands land back in the 12th Century. Ireland has been struggling for freedom throughout history. Britain will not leave the nation of Ireland until it gets back what remains of British economical investments in the northeast of Ireland (Metress 149). Ireland had always been ruled by Britain but it wasn’t until Ireland voted to be a free nation, they were denied, and they started to fight back on Easter in 1916. According to Golway, James Connolly, the leader of the Irish labor movement, â€Å"demanded an end to mere talk of revolution† (224). This did not help the Irish like they attended it too. This only made the split of the two nations worse. Britain still thinks there are many things in the nation of Ireland that are still theirs, and believe ... ...en wrote and spoke out against Britain and thought it was not worth the time (Liam 242). Even with British troops siding with the Irish saying it is not a big deal, many Irish are wondering when they will take a stand and help them gain their independence. Throughout all history the motivation and inspiration has always been able to be seen in the Irish people. For one country to give so much dedication for their independence and to keep being overthrown time after time really shows how much one loves their country. This also shows how much Britain does not want to lose their land and shows the stubbornness by both sides of the continent by not just sacrificing a little to try to please both sides. But one thing is for certain throughout all of these conflicts; Ireland will not rest any time soon until they get the freedom they feel they deserve.

Tension and Atmosphere in The Red Room by H.G.Wells, The Signalman by C

Tension and Atmosphere in "The Red Room" by H.G.Wells, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens and "A Withered Arm" by Thomas Hardy To investigate tension and atmosphere, I have looked at three pre1900 pieces- 'The Red Room' H.G.Wells, 'The Signalman,' Charles Dickens, & 'A Withered Arm' Thomas Hardy. They use a variety of different techniques, each with their own individual style but achieving the same overall effect. They focus on setting, description of characters & use of language. The Red Room is a tale of a man on a quest to discover the truth about the legend of 'The Red Room' in Lorraine Castle, as the young man's fate unfolds the audience are led with him, they feel his fear, hear his thoughts and experience his terror. 'The Red Room' has such a mystery behind it, fear itself nearly leads him to his death. A tale that lacks warmth and everything about it instils terror. The title of the story has a suggestive air, the word red makes the audience think of blood, danger, and death, in 'The Signal Man,' red is also the main focus colour for the same reasons but this time in the form of the danger light in the mouth of the tunnel. H.G. Wells writes in the first person so the audience can follow what is happening and believe they are there, 'I have lived' The opening line sets the tone of the story, and the audience is filled with anticipation. The narrator is very confident, which is displayed almost immediately 'I can assure you, it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.' The audience is then effectively led into an early assumption that the narrator will be proved wrong, that there will be a ghost, and it will, most certainly frighten him. The setting is described in clues hidden thr... ...oy it more. Therefore this raises questions in the audiences mind, if only he had gone straight there, he may of saved the poor man's life, if only, he had believed him. Finally, that it now looked incredibly doubtful that it was coincidence what the signalman had 'imagined', the words, gesture and even the appearance of the train driver that had 'cut him down'. Pity is also a great factor in the conclusion; it makes the story have a more memorable and sad atmosphere. Finally the way that the narrator, whom had written the story after it had happened, finished of by giving the audience yet more to think about, reminding us of its obscurities, unbelievable coincidences and in turn reinforcing the mournful atmosphere. 'close at the mouth of the tunnel, I saw the appearance of a man, with his left sleeve across his eyes, passionately waving his right arm.'

Deforestation: Effects and Consequences Essay

The main causes of deforestation are summarized below: (i) Population explosion (ii) Agriculture: shifting cultivation, overgrazing, cash crop economy etc. iii) Commercial logging: cutting trees for sale as timber or pulp (iv) Poverty (v) Mining (vi) Dams (vii) Infrastructure creation for logging (viii) Forest-fires (ix) Acid rain (x) Development projects and housing projects. Effects of Deforestation: The ill-effects of deforestation are summarized below: (i) Soil erosion: Soil is exposed to wind, sunlight, and evaporation due to deforestation. Soil fertility goes down due to soil erosion and rapid leaching of essential mineral nutrients. ii) Harm to fisheries: As the soil is eroded, it accelerates siltation in dams, rivers, and the coastal zone. The increased sedimentation harms downstream fisheries. (iii) More floods and droughts: Because of deforestation, there is no regulation of the flow into rivers. As result, floods and droughts alternate in the affected areas. (iv) Habitat loss of wildlife: Butterflies, migratory birds, wild animals suffer due to the loss of their habitat. (v) Extinction of some species: Many species are affected and some get extincted. (vi) Local and global climate changes: The rainfall pattern is affected as the forest is cut down. Local and global climate changes may result from deforestation. (vii) Global warming: If the trees are burned, the carbon is released immediately as carbon dioxide which leads to global warming. (viii) Danger for the survival of local communities: Communities lose their source of food, fuel, construction materials and areas for livestock grazing by deforestation.

Carpentry: Wood and Tree House

Kayla Allison Markwood H English 12 18 March 2011 Carpentry Working with wood is a skill that has been around since man created his first tool. From carpentry’s beginnings, it has developed enormously, but in its essence, the tools and techniques our modern carpenters use today are the same as those used in the Stone Age. The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines carpenters as â€Å"people who construct, erect, install and repair structures and fixtures made from wood and other materials. This trade has an extensive history, an expansive modern field, and with it, I plan to build a tree house, thus making a difference in a kid’s life. The term â€Å"carpentry† comes from the Late Latin term â€Å"carpentum† which means two-wheeled vehicle. The woodworkers of the Roman Empire built the chariots that allowed the fast travel. They also built the foundation for early highways, between which concrete cement was laid. The innovative ideas of these workers allowed for the Romans to conquer and build such a vast empire.The woodworkers were thus named carpenters. Carpentry began many years ago and emerged from nations all over the world. Early Europeans created long, wooden homes from planks of wood that measured up to one hundred feet. A Stone Age city from nine thousand years ago created their buildings from mud bricks, supported by posts and beams. The remnants of these buildings have allowed modern scholars to study the way carpentry has evolved over years and across the different cultures of the nations. The first known city’s population, who lived until at least 5600 B. C. lived in a unified series of structures that all linked together like a giant fort; they had heavy support beams in the walls and for a roof, smaller beams, reeds and packed mud. About thirty-seven centuries ago, on the island of Crete, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, the natives used wooden columns with a downward taper (opposite of those later made popu lar by the Greeks) and stone and mud-brick walls to construct the Palace of Knossos, home of the labyrinth housing the fabled Minotaur. One very notable accomplishment was the early Egyptians of four thousand B. C. who were already using copper and metal tools for woodworking.These people were proficient in some of the modern techniques we use now, such as drilling, dovetailing, which is a tight interlocking joint made by using a fan-shaped tenon fitted into a corresponding mortise, mitering, which is creating a diagonal seam at a corner in order to make a right angle, and mortising, or cutting square or rectangular holes, into the lumber. In the twelfth century, carpenter guilds began to form. There were three kinds of member in the guild: masters, journeymen and apprentices. The master carpenter would have a lot of experience and had the ability to take in an apprentice to whom he could pass on his knowledge.The apprentice would live with the master, train with him and would recei ve food, clothing, shelter and the master’s wisdom in lieu of a paycheck. After a long enough period of time, anywhere between five and nine years, the apprentice could continue on and become a journeyman. He could then work for payment, start his own shop, and after gaining enough experience would take on an apprentice himself and would thus become a â€Å"master. † The carpenter’s guilds were the beginning roots that would eventually grow into our modern labor unions and associations.The first Carpenter unions began in 1724 which helped regulate hours and pay for workers and allow for benefits and assistance for the unemployed member workers. After the first Industrial Revolution, a few modifications were made to the basic carpentry tools for greater efficiency, but they retained many of the same characteristics from the original design, most of which we still use today. Axes, hatchets and other thick blades were common for chopping wood, just as it is now. Ch isels, which are tools with a sharp beveled edge, originated back then, as did the gouge, which is a chisel with a concavo-convex cross-section.Different kinds of saws were originated for different purposes and mallets, which are small, rubber hammers, and large metal hammers were also just as popular in the Middle Ages as they are now. In every modern carpenter’s garage or personal workshop, there are a few tools that are necessary for almost every project, whether it be large or small. The first one of these is the power circular saw. This is a power-driven saw in which a circular disc with a toothed edge that rotates at a high speed. It is particularly useful when used to cut across grains of wood on large or thick planks of wood.Another important tool to have is the nail gun. It uses compressed air to drive the nails into the wood. This saves both on work time and on energy levels, but as long as there is a basic hammer, it will do the trick. The power drill is of vital i mportance. Also called a pneumatic drill, it drills holes through the wood and attaches or detaches screws. Another necessity is the router, which is used to create hollowed areas in wood. It has a shaped cutter and can cut grooves into the wood. Another basic, but necessary, carpentry tool is the level. This is a device that helps the carpenter ensure the final project has straight edges.The old fashioned levels had two to four foot bars with a glass tube with a line on it in it. The newer levels, which are much more accurate, improved and user-friendly, are digital. Every house needs a tape measure, even for non-carpentry uses, but it is very important in a carpenter’s toolbox to have a tape measure so he or she can measure everything out accurately. The last vital thing to have in your toolbox is a framing square. Framing squares are steel L-shaped squares that are very simple, but very important as it helps you lay out accurate right angles.Modern carpenters build all dif ferent things and use various materials, but true to their profession work primarily work with wood. There are a few popular kinds of woods often used by carpenters; three of these include ash, pine, and oak. Ash is usually found in northern latitudes. The color is greenish white when it’s young, but after it has matured, the older trees have turned into a dark, beautifully marked timber. Pine is a blanket term for all trees that bear cones, but it can be broadly distinguished into Red/Yellow (both of which are indifferently used) or White.The first kind has a ground color of yellow with pale red markings across it, whereas the other kind is a whitish color, hence the given names. Oak is another commonly used wood among carpenters. The best place to find Oak is in America and Great Britain. The grain of the wood considerably open, or porous, however it is extremely hard and durable. This makes it difficult to work and can dull a worker’s tools very easily, but because of its durability, it makes for ideal medium to work with for building houses, floors, staircases, doors, wall panels, tables, chairs, sideboards, and other pieces of furniture.It is dark in color and can be polished to a high sheen. The same basic steps are almost always used when getting ready before starting a job by all carpenters for the most part. They start by designing, if it is necessary to, and laying out their project; this includes all of the measuring, marking and arranging of the materials that needs to be done. After that, the carpenter will then cut and shape all of the materials, using a combination of his or her hand and power tools. The next step is to join the items together. This can be done by nails, staples or glue.To increase the accuracy in the final project, it is necessary to implement the tape measure and framing square through the entire process. Many carpenters do different carpentry tasks, but a lot of them specialize in one or two tasks. Those who rem odel homes for instance, use a wide variety of skills. They will need to know how to do everything from building countertops to window frames. Others market themselves as experts in their specific fields, such as cabinet installation or moldings. Working as a carpenter can be stressful physically and mentally.The physical demands can involve standing for a long time, climbing, bending, kneeling and more. There is always a risk of getting hurt from slipping or falling from the roof or off a ladder or one could get seriously injured from working with the dangerous tools. As far as mentally, carpenters will usually work under independent contracts and with these can come a strict deadline. They usually average about 40 hours per week, which can also be stressful on the mind and body. About thirty-two percent of carpenters are self-employed. According to CollegeBoard, the average income of self-employed carpenters is $43,640.In this economy, self-employment can be hit or miss, but my go od friends Paul and Samuel Jobe, who own Jobe’s Carpentry, and have inspired me with their successful business and have helped in increasing my interest in the trade. I was influenced into studying carpentry for my senior project for a variety of reasons. I love taking things apart to rebuild them and learning how things work. This trait is a testimony to my manual dexterity and the way my mind thinks mechanically. I think carpentry would be a creative and interesting way for me to express these skills and something I would enjoy.Another incentive that has drawn my interest has been that I really think it would be interesting to study the trade Jesus practiced, as part of my own walk of faith in an attempt to grow closer with Him. I wanted my project to affect more than my own life; I want to make a difference for someone, so I decided to rebuild a tree house that belongs to my 9 year old friend, Sam Ritner. The Ritners have had the tree house for longer than I’ve know n them. They had it for their older sons who have long outgrown it. It is now falling part to the point that it is barely recognizable for what it truly is. I know that by rebuilding it, I will not only enjoy the work and the experience, but it will create a fun and exciting place for Sam and his friends to hang out which is fulfillment in itself. Making that sort of impact on a child’s life would mean the world to me. To begin, I’ll first go out to the tree house and evaluate the damage. Right now, it does not have a roof or walls anymore. I will then clear out all the ivy and debris that’s grown up around it and take the measurements needed for the final project.As I previously mentioned, my friend, Samuel Jobe, is a carpenter and he has agreed to help me out through the design process and aid me in picking out the materials I need to complete it. This includes the measuring, marking and arranging the materials. After drawing up the blueprints for the tree hou se and taking a trip to the hardware store for all of our supplies, we’ll begin the actual construction on the tree house. First, I’ll stabilize the floor with crossbeams. The tree house currently has only one crossbeam still supporting the floor. I plan on installing at least two or three crossbeams in order to add more support to the floor.Then, I’ll remake the ladder. The ladder currently is missing a step and is very unstable. I plan on making the ladder by putting two pieces of wood on either side, and putting at least three or four smaller pieces for steps in the middle. Next, I’ll construct the framework and the support system of the house. As of right now, there is no framework on the tree house; there is only a platform. I will pre-fabricate the frame on the ground so I don’t need to try to construct it in the air. I plan on using brackets to screw the uprights of the frame to the floor.Then, I will erect the walls. At least one of the wal ls will have a window built in. I will use plywood for the walls and cover them in stucco or another type of siding. Then, I will make the roof. It will be a pitched roof, so rain water will easily roll off the top. To waterproof it and protect it from water, I will attach felt over a thin plywood base and then cover it with shingles. Also with applying these materials, we will add a waterproof stain as the first primer coat to the wood. Afterwards, I will put in the door and install the shutters of the windows.The window will be a rectangular window and will have a cross in the middle with shutters extending to the outsides of the window. Finally, I will put an outdoor stain on the wood as paint. It will be a dark brown color and will go over the waterproof stain that had been previously coated. The shutters will be painted dark forest green to add to the ambiance of the tree house. This will be sure to make the tree house as waterproof as possible, while also adding style and maki ng it stand out. While building the tree house, I will photograph the process. This will include the before and after shots as well as pictures of it being constructed.The action shots will include me sawing the wood, drilling, and painting along with other challenging tasks. I will compile all of the pictures and create a scrapbook to bring in for my presentation to the judges. Carpentry is an interesting subject that has been practiced for thousands and thousands of years, since man created tools. To be using a craft that has been such an influence on the development of civilization and to be using it for to brighten a kid’s day makes the effort behind it so worthwhile. This project means a lot to me and I am proud to present it as my final project of high school.

Comparison between Hard Times and the Star

Like the beginning of Hard Times, the Star is about children and the way that they are treated. Although Hard Times was written a hundred years before the Star but both stories have similar messages and implications. The Star and Hard Times both stress what their authors thought about teaching in their times. An important theme in both stories is the importance of imagination. For ‘Sissy' Jupe in Hard Times, her imagination is what makes her herself. For the boy Cameron in the Star his imagination is a way of escape from the dystopian world around him. In both stories, these ideas are more important than the characters: but I think that in Hard Times the characters play a much more important role than in the Star, as they are described in much more detail and depth. Like Hard Times, the surroundings in the Star connote ideas of entrapment and claustrophobia. The phrase â€Å"monotonous vault† in Hard Times suggests a prison like feeling to the schoolroom, while in the Star, â€Å"enclosing tenements† connotes a similar feeling about Cameron's neighbourhood. An important message in both stories is that no matter how hard you try to suppress imagination, it will always resurface. In Hard Times, this is represented by the phrase, â€Å"dost thou think that thou wilt always kill outright the robber Fancy lurking within- or sometimes only maim and distort him! † This message is also reflected in the Star by the child disobeying the teacher and swallowing the star instead of handing it to the teacher. Dickens describes his characters in great detail, using similes and metaphors. For example, there is a lengthily description of Mr. Gradgrind being likened a building in chapter one. In Hard Times, Dickens how a character will act is reflected in their name. â€Å"Gradgrind† suggests gradually grinding, which is what Mr. Gradgrind does; he gradually grinds the children into his image of what a person should be. Dickens also hints to us how we are meant to feel about certain characters in his descriptions of them. I find that Gray doesn't describe his characters in the Star in as much depth as Dickens does in Hard Times. Gray spends more time on the descriptions of the images that Cameron imagines when he looks into the star; such as the snow-flake. â€Å"He brought it close to his eye. In its depth was the pattern of a snowflake†¦ He looked through the flake's crystal lattice into an ocean of glittering blue-black waves under a sky full of huge galaxies. † I preferred Hard Times to the Star because the characters are described in more detail whereas descriptions of the star seem to make up most of the story in the Star. I also find Hard Times easier to understand, probably because it is more blatant than the Star.

Appreciating Rain on a Grave by Thomas Hardy Essay

This poem presents its composer, Thomas Hardy, through a persona of grief over his late wife. The poem is contextualized immediately after Mrs. Hardys death as the widowed persona stands by her grave. The poem moves from third person perspective through to a first person point of view. It reflects on the personas guilt of mistreating his late wife before her death and his yearning to be with her in the present. Would I lay there And she were housed there! Or better, togetherWe both, – who would stray thereHardy wrote this poem as a way of expiating the way he treated his late wife while she was alive. The poet, Thomas Hardy introduces the poem by describing the rain spouting on the personas wifes grave Clouds spout upon her. This creates a melancholy mood in the audience and expresses the physical pain she suffered from the persona whilst she was living Her who but lately Had shivered with pain, his past actions make him feel immensely guilty. The purpose of this poem was for the poet to reflect upon his actions and acknowledge his guilt for the mistreatment of his late wife. The persona contemplates on his behaviour towards his wife while she was alive causing her physical and emotional pain and acknowledges that his love was lost through his ill-treatment of his late wife. This is evident through the following lines:Her who but lately Had shivered with pain and his yearning to be reunited with her again Would I lay there And she were housed there! Or better, together We both, – who would stray thereThe poem moves from a serious tone to a more light hearted tone. The poet evokes a sad, melancholy mood in the early stanzas of the poem Clouds spout upon her Had shivered with pain and in the late stanzas of the poem the poet evokes a somewhat contented mood Love beyond measure With a childs pleasure All her lifes round. There is a bittersweet tone to the poets reflections upon his thoughts of his wife in the poem. The poem consists of four stanzas with each stanza consisting of nine lines.  The informal language in Rain on a Grave is effective and appropriate in conveying Hardys reminiscence of thoughts and feelings as it allows him to freely express his emotions and hence it serves to achieve his purpose. Hardy uses several imagery techniques throughout the poem Green blades from her mound, which allows readers to visualize the grass on her grave, Clouds spout upon her which helps readers envisage the image of rain spouting on the grave giving a melancholy effect. Other techniques used are metaphors so coldly, so straightly such arrows of rain: giving the striking effect of rain and the cold, reality is brings like stars on the ground, – Till she form part of them- gives the uplifting mood and that his wifes afterlife is a much better life than the one she had when alive, emotive language loved beyond measure With a childs pleasure gives the empathy of love and how it can be beyond anything and rhyming techniques When sunny the day there, – Or evening was clear At the prime of the year. The techniques in the poem assist with evoking the reader with what the persona feels and sees and the mood of the poem. The rhythm is slow and gentle, appropriate for the personas thoughts. Movement of this poem is slow placed to suit the reflective thoughts and emphasize the thoughts of the persona. Due to the poets use of structure, imagery and metaphors he enables readers to feel and sympathize with his thoughts. Bibliography: http://web.mac.com/kburden/iWeb/Wessex%20Heights/Podcast/F1735ED8-8E67-492C-A6B7-266F83730FDE.html

Case study in event planning industry Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

In event planning industry - Case Study Example This one event can lead to many different risks. Specific risks are the risk of flooding, other damages to plumbing lines, possible shut down of water to nearby facilities which leads to ill proper use of the golf course and hotel/ casino. If the two businesses were forced to shut down due to no water, this would lead to many stakeholders being at risk. The second risk was when the catering company continued to get a fork lift loaded with banquet tables stuck in the mud that was produced from damaging the water line. If the catering company was unable to get to the event because of mud, it is likely that other companies would have the same issue. In order to minimize theses risks, it takes someone who can work well under pressure and is able to utilize necessary human resource skills to get the job done. An event manager needs to be prepared for a crisis to happen and have a different plan in force to help minimize risk even if the crisis does not happen. Being prepared is the first step in minimizing any risk associated with certain types of events. It is important to be prepared to make sure all vendors and stakeholders suffer the least amount of damage in a crisis that cannot be minimized. To make sure that the stakeholders suffer the least amount of risk, the problem with the damaged water line needs to be properly addressed. With only a few hours remaining until the start of the event, the damage has to be assessed and it needs to be determined whether or not the water line can be replaced, how long it will take, and what needs to change if it cannot be replaced in time. The catering company is going to have to wait for the ground to dry up, or get a bigger machine in there that can quickly get the fork lift out of the mud. If the fork lift is unable to be removed, the tables are going to have to be moved by hand along with the rest of any items. Human Resource Management/ Traditional? Human resource management can be defined as the management of employees . Since events consist of many vendors to make sure the event is successful, human resource management for events is similar for any traditional business environment. It is similar in the role of the management professional but, actually more complex than a traditional business setting. Human resource management for events is highly more complex as it does not deal with normal day to day operations. Different types of crisis’ can occur that makes the work of the one involved in human resources much more complex. The complexity is subject to fast problem solving, intervention, dealing with different types of vendors, and making changes where necessary. Every aspect is important when managing an event to make sure the event goes according to plan. Venue Investigation When planning an event it is important that the event is properly investigated to make sure it will fit everyone’s needs, involve the least chance of crisis, leave enough time for planning and an adequate am ount of attendees. Choosing a venue such as a golf course located within a casino/ hotel, it was important to check the facility to make sure it was capable of meeting the events needs. This is so in order to make sure there is enough room for guests, parking, overnight stay and easy access to places such as airports/ freeways. Once the event site was chosen, the venue had to meet the attendee’s expectations. Meeting everyone’s expectations is a hard task to accomplish but can be

Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching Essay

Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching - Essay Example The question that looms over my mind whenever faced with a totally new experience is, ‘Am I ready to take on the challenges?’ Without an answer, I usually proceed to do what is asked, follow the rules, and hope for the best. Fortunately, the coping mechanisms I apply have worked to make me adjust in time. However, these mechanisms, coupled with a positive disposition, are not an assurance to succeed in the university. There are skills that I have to develop in order to make it to the final event, the college graduation. Fortunately, I am not alone in facing the challenges of university life. The school, through its program, Introduction to Degree Studies (IDS) makes me feel confident that help is available to international students like me every time we need it. Gradually, the fears I had during the first week of my studies have transformed into challenges and later to adventures owing to the learning I gained from the course. The needs of a new student, especially a for eign national, are different from the needs of regular students. Regular students can adapt faster to their environment despite being new to the university because they have support systems to guide them such as their family, friends, and community. In contrast, foreign students have no one to turn to in times of need. Although they can always call up home or log on the net to communicate with their loved ones, it is still not the same as having their family and friends beside them especially in times of need. This experience, in addition to the barriers brought by language and culture, is made worse by the struggles foreign students encounter in coping with school requirements. Considering the difficulties that have to be addressed by each student, IDS, with its goal of guiding new students, is a wise effort by the school. Through IDS, foreign students are given the chance to prove their worth and excel in academics. The values I gained from attending IDS are immeasurable. First of all, the course has led me to gain insights about myself as a learner. The VARK assessments done in the course have guided me to realize my learning potential and to improve my learning habits. The exercises informed me that I am a visual-kinesthetic learner. Based on this, I realized that I have a lot to change about the ways I learn. My past learning habits are not in line with being a visual-kinesthetic learner. In light of this, I have changed the way I study, and make it a point now to read my lessons while taking down notes at the same time. Sometimes I used a whiteboard and a marker to jot down my notes. This way, I get to maximize my visual-kinesthetic potential. Nevertheless, I also try to develop my auditory skills by listening to some music or radio news before going to sleep. So far, this has helped me concentrate and visualize the words I hear even without seeing them. Secondly, IDS has guided me to learn new skills, which are equally important in university studies. O ne skill I improved with the help of IDS is my writing skill. In the past, I never used an outline to guide my thoughts in writing compositions. I just wrote whatever came up my mind, and never bothered to jot down and organize my ideas before writing. Through IDS, I realized that everything I write should be based on an outline. There should be a proper introduction, body and conclusion, or else the composition will not be considered an academic writing. The introduction orients the readers to the issue being tackled in the text, whereas the conclusion reiterates the arguments presented and gives the author’s parting message to tie up loose endings.