IEP Module for SED 104 Essays - Special Education, Free Essays

IEP Module for SED 104 Essays - Special Education, Free Essays IEP Module for SED 104 objectives: 1. familiarize yourself with the basic information of an IEP (who it is for, what it is for, when it is written, how it is written, how long it is viable) 2. identify the parts on an IEP and their purpose (PLAAFP, goals, SDI/SAS) 3. develop a plan for creating IEPs in the future (knowing what documents are needed, expectations and requirements) What you need to do to complete this module: Access the required resources KDE IEP documents access this link and download the following documents: Guidance Document for IEP Development IEP and Lesson Plan Development Handbook IEP PPT by Dr. Clarke Watch the videos on our expectations for developing IEPs: PLAAFP video Goals and Objectives video SDI and SAS video Using the information you reviewed above, answer the following questions in the column on the right. Upload your response into the Assignment section in Blackboard. IEP QuestionsAnswer the prompts in this column What does IEP stand for?Individualized Education Program How does a student qualify for an IEP?A student must undergo evaluation and go through assessments. Who writes an IEP? (Is it written by the Special Education teacher, General Education teacher, committee, etc.?) List the author/authors.a What types of information should you use to create an IEP? Define PLAAFP - what information should be included here?Present Level of Academic Achievement and Functional Performance. To establish a baseline of measurable information that serves as the starting point for developing goals. Fix these sentences and identify why it is not acceptable in a PLAAFP: John wont listen to the teachers. Kalil never does his work. Sada doesnt read at grade level. John will listen to the teachers Kalil always does his work Sada does read at grade level. In the PLAAFP, what kind of data should be included?Statement of how disability affects the students involvement and progress in the general curriculum, a description of how the disability affects the students academic achievement and functional performance in the relevant skill areas, logical cues for writing the accompanying goals. What is included in the considerations of special factors section?Positive behavioral interventions, language needs, If the student is blind or visually impaired they must be provided Braille or appropriate reading and writing media, Consider communication needs, Consider whether the child needs assistive technology devices and services. Why should we have measurable goals?It tells what a student can accomplish in 1 year. How often are IEPs written and reviewed?IEPs are reviewed at least once a year but they may be revised more often than just once a year. What is the difference between annual goals and benchmarks?Annual goals are goals that should be met over a years time. Benchmarks are a breakdown of goals by intervals. How often are we required to report progress?Depends on district, usually weekly data collection is required. Why dont we use the term regular education? What term do we use instead?The term we use now Is General Education because the term Regular places a label on being regular or irregular. What is specially designed instruction? What does it pertain to?SDI describes the types of unique instructional services needed by a child or youth with a disability to accomplish their IEP goals and objectives. What are supplementary aids and services? Who does it pertain to?Focus on student needs in the classroom/school, Emphasis on leveling the playing field for LRE, Helps provide adjustments to general curriculum in order to meet IEP goals. What are assessment accommodations, and when should they be used?Accommodations provide access to the same curriculum. What are program modifications and supports for school personnel?Modifications change the general curriculum by decreasing expectations and/or the complexity. What is least restrictive environment and how should it be recorded in an IEP? A Least Restrictive Environment is when a student with a disability has the opportunity to be educated with non-disabled peers. When including time for special education services, who is the service provider?The special educators, Educational Professionals, Counselors. When including time for related services, who could the providers be?Therapist, Social work services, Speech Pathology services, Physical Therapy. How do students qualify for extended school year services?The decision will be made by the childs IEP team. A meeting would be set up by the team. Who is required to have transition services? Include the age according to IDEA (federal requirements) and the age/grade listed in KY requirements (note: KY has chosen a different age than is required in federal regulations,

The Failed State of Franklin

The Failed State of Franklin Founded in 1784 with the intent of becoming the fourteenth state of the new United States, the State of Franklin was located in what is now Eastern Tennessee. The story of Franklin - and how it failed - highlights how the victorious end of the American Revolution in 1783 actually left the new Union of states in a fragile condition. How Franklin Came to Be The costs of fighting the Revolutionary War left the Continental Congress facing a staggering debt. In April 1784, the legislature of North Carolina voted to give Congress some 29 million acres of land - about twice the size of Rhode Island - located between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River to help pay its share of the war debt.   However, North Carolina’s â€Å"gift† of the land came with a major catch. The cession document gave the federal government two years to accept complete responsibility for the area. This meant that during the two-year delay, the western frontier settlements of North Carolina would be virtually alone in protecting themselves from the Cherokee Indians, many of whom remained at war with the new nation. Needless to say, this did not sit well with the residents of the ceded region who feared that the cash-starved and war-weary Congress might even sell the territory to France or Spain. Rather than risk this outcome, North Carolina took the land back and began to organize it as four counties within the state. After the war, the frontier settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi had not automatically become part of the United States. As historian Jason Farr wrote in the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, â€Å"It was never assumed.† Instead, Congress gave the communities three options: become parts of existing states, form new states of the union, or become their own sovereign nations. Rather than choosing to become a part of North Carolina, the residents of the four ceded counties voted to form a new, fourteenth state, which would be  called Franklin. Historians suggest that to some extent, they may have agreed with George Washington, who suggested that they had become â€Å"a distinct people† with cultural and political differences from those in the Atlantic states who had fought for American independence. In December 1784, Franklin officially declared itself to be an independent state, with Revolutionary War veteran John Sevier reluctantly serving as its first governor. However, as historian George W. Troxler notes in the Encyclopedia of North Carolina, Franklin’s organizers did not know at the time that North Carolina had decided to take it back. â€Å"The December 1784 constitution of Franklin did not formally define its boundaries,† Troxler wrote. â€Å"By implication, jurisdiction was assumed over all of the ceded territory, and area approximating the future state of Tennessee.† The relationship between the new Union, its 13 Atlantic Seaboard states, and the western frontier territories had gotten off to a rocky start, to say the least. â€Å"There was little concern for western political and economic interests during the Confederation era, especially among the northeastern elite,† Farr writes. â€Å"Some even assumed that frontier communities would remain outside the union.† Indeed, Franklin’s declaration of statehood in 1784 stirred fears among the Founding Fathers that they might not be able to keep the new nation together.   The Rise of Franklin A delegation from Franklin officially submitted its petition for statehood to Congress on May 16, 1785. Unlike the statehood approval process established by the U.S. Constitution, the Articles of Confederation in effect at the time required that new petitions for statehood be approved by the legislatures of two-thirds of the existing states. While seven states eventually voted to admit the territory as what would have been the 14th federal state, the vote fell short short of the required two-thirds majority. Going It Alone With its petition for statehood defeated and still unable to agree with North Carolina over several issues including taxation and protection, Franklin began operating as unrecognized, independent republic. In December 1785, Franklin’s de-facto legislature adopted its own constitution, known as the Holston Constitution, which closely tracked that of North Carolina.    Still unchecked - or perhaps unnoticed due to its isolated location - by the federal government, Franklin created courts, annexed new counties, assessed taxes, and negotiated several treaties with area Indian tribes. While its economy was based mainly on bartering, Franklin accepted all federal and foreign currencies. Due to the lack of its own currency or economic infrastructure and the fact that its legislature had granted all of its citizens a two-year reprieve on paying taxes, Franklin’s ability to develop and provide government services was limited. The Beginning of the End The ties that  held Franklin’s unofficial statehood together  began to unravel in  1787. In late 1786, North Carolina offered to waive all back taxes owed to it by Franklin’s citizens if the â€Å"state† agreed to reunite with its government. While Franklin’s voters rejected the offer in early 1787, several influential citizens who felt disenchanted by the lack of government services or military protection in Franklin supported it the offer. Ultimately, the offer was rejected. North Carolina subsequently sent troops led by Col. John Tipton into the disputed territory and began to re-establish its own government. For several very contentious and confusing months, the governments of Franklin and North Carolina competed side-by-side.   The Battle of Franklin Despite the objections of North Carolina, the â€Å"Franklinites† continued to expand to the west by forcibly seizing land from the Native American populations. Led by the Chickamauga and Chickasaw tribes, the Native Americans fought back, conducting their own raids on Franklin’s settlements. As part of the larger Chickamauga Cherokee Wars, the bloody back-and-forth raids continued into 1788. In September 1787, the Franklin legislature met - for what would be the last time. By December 1787, the loyalties of Franklin’s war-weary and debt-laden citizens to its unrecognized government was eroding, with many openly supporting alignment with North Carolina. In early February 1788, North Carolina ordered Washington County Sheriff Jonathan Pugh to seize and sell at auction any property owned by Franklin’s Governor John Sevier in order to repay taxes he owed to North Carolina. Among the â€Å"property† seized by Sheriff Pugh were several slaves, who he took to Col. Tipton’s home and secured in his underground kitchen. On the morning of February 27, 1788, Governor Sevier along with about 100 of his militiamen showed up at Tipton’s house, demanding his slaves. Then, on the snowy morning of February 29, North Carolina Colonel George Maxwell arrived with 100 of his own better-trained and armed regular troops to repel Sevier’s militia. After less than 10 minutes of skirmishing, the so-called â€Å"Battle of Franklin† ended with Sevier and his force withdrawing. According to accounts of the incident, several men on both sides were wounded or captured, and three were killed. The Final Fall of Franklin The final nail in Franklin’s coffin was driven in March 1788 when the Chickamauga, Chickasaw, and several other tribes joined in coordinated attacks on frontier settlements in Franklin. Desperate to raise a viable army, Governor Sevier arranged for a loan from the government of Spain. However, the agreement required Franklin to be placed under Spanish rule. To North Carolina, that was the final deal-breaker. Strongly opposed to allowing a foreign government to control what it considered to be part of its state, North Carolina officials arrested Governor Sevier in August 1788. While his supporters quickly freed him from the poorly protected local jail, Sevier soon turned himself in. Franklin met its final end in February 1789, when Sevier and his few remaining loyalists signed oaths of allegiance to North Carolina. By the end of 1789, all of the lands that had been part of the â€Å"Lost State† rejoined North Carolina. The Legacy of Franklin While Franklin’s existence as an independent state lasted less than five years, its failed rebellion contributed to the framers decision to include a clause in the U.S. Constitution regarding the formation of new states. The â€Å"New States† clause in Article IV, Section 3, stipulates that while new states â€Å"may be admitted by the Congress into this Union,† it further stipulates that no new states â€Å"may be formed â€Å"within the jurisdiction of any other State† or parts of states unless approved by votes of the state legislatures and the U.S. Congress. Historical Events Fast Facts April 1784: North Carolina cedes parts of its western frontier to the federal government as repayment of its Revolutionary War debt.August 1784: Franklin proclaims itself as the 14th independent state and secedes from North Carolina.May 16, 1785: Petition for Franklin statehood sent to U.S. Congress.December 1785: Franklin adopts its own constitution, similar to that of North Carolina.Spring 1787: Franklin rejects an offer by North Carolina to rejoin its control in return for forgiving the debts of its residents.Summer 1787: North Carolina sends troops to Franklin to re-establish its government.February 1788: North Carolina seizes slaves owned by Franklin Governor Sevier.February 27, 1788: Governor Sevier and his militia attempt to recover his slaves using force but are repelled by North Carolina troops.August 1788: North Carolina officials arrest Governor Sevier.February 1789: Governor Sevier and his followers sign oaths of allegiance to North Carolina.By December 1789: All areas of the â€Å"Lost State† of Franklin had re-joined North Carolina.

Children with autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Children with autism - Essay Example Peer influence plays a dominant role in the development of social relations with others in the community. Children with autism can benefit from friendship and good social relationships. Some of the functions of social relations include natural support function. In that participants can have a non-contingent source of support to enable them accomplish tasks. The other function is that social relations serve as informational and social learning. In this case, participants acquire information concerning the acceptable social convections through interactions and feedback from acquaintances. The third function is advocacy function where social relations cite statements to promote their self-worth. Lastly, social relations serve an affirming action where the participants gain a sense of competence. An analysis of social interaction of kindergarten children reveals that social exchanges prompt positive statements for children. The available developmental data indicates that interactions sta rt from social overtures to an equitable reciprocal basis. The initial intervention efforts aimed to evaluate the functional effects of an increased level of social overtures rarely expose to the positive approach behavior from peers. Chiesa & Serretti (2011) say that Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs) are psychological treatments that can cure chronic pain. Other therapeutic interventions such as surgical techniques provide limited pain reduction in only a subset of patients. The author asserts that MBSR is a meditation initiative conceived in the late 70s in an effort to integrate Buddhist mindfulness meditation with modern clinical and psychological practice. The application of the program to treat different diseases shows good efficacy for mental and physical disorders. MBSR consists of three different techniques that include a body scan, sitting meditation, and

Verification of MBTI Type Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Verification of MBTI Type - Essay Example The ESFP personality profile was also chosen as the hypothesized one based on the description of the ESFP given by Myers and Briggs – â€Å"Outgoing, friendly, and accepting. Exuberant lovers of life, people, and material comforts. Enjoy working with others to make things happen. Bring common sense and a realistic approach to their work, and make work fun. Flexible and spontaneous, adapt readily to new people and environments. Learn best by trying a new skill with other people.† The test results that came back were ISFP – which matched the hypothesized profile on all but the first variable. The MBTI measures an individual's preferred modes of experiencing stimuli, and responding to them along four dichotomous variables. Each alphabet of the personality profile code stands for the dominant aspect of one variable. The first variable is Extraversion – Introversion; which attempts to understand the direction of focus of the individuals’ attentions. The report shows a preference towards introversion; signifying a tendency to look within and share significant events with a few close people rather than many acquaintances. The results also suggest that the individual would prefer to work alone, and prefer their own space. The hypothesised result on this variable was Extraversion – an assumption not supported by the test results.

Hunting speech Essay Example for Free

Hunting speech Essay It’s 5-something in the morning when the alarm goes off. I force myself out of bed despite the fact that it’s Saturday morning. â€Å"You only get so many days like this,† I mumble. Thirty minutes later, my boots are crunching across the frost as I make my way towards my usual spot. I settle in and my heart rate slows as I sit in the pitch-black darkness, waiting for the world to wake up. I doze off for a few minutes and awake to the chorus of the woods as the sky turns gray, then pink. There is no Iphones, no TV, no conference calls, no  routine, no voices—just birds and squirrels going about their business. It’s close to 7 a. m. when I see gray shapes slip out of the tree line. The thrill that shoots up my spine wipes the November cold from my limbs. There’s something primal about the first sight of game. Alert and careful, the column of whitetail deer emerges for breakfast. A peek through the binoculars reveals they’re all does exactly what I’m looking for. I wait for them to calm down and start browsing on the edge between the forest and the field. Even from 100 yards away, the deer sense that something isn’t quite right. Every few seconds the lead doe’s head bolts upward with her eyes and ears locked on my location; her nostrils test the air but the wind is in my favor. I dare not blink. When her head eases down in search of another acorn I make my move, raising my gun slowly until I’m in a solid, seated position. I pull the stock tight to my shoulder and cheek, rest my triceps on my knees and dig my heels into the earth to anchor the whole package into a steady platform. I take a breath and exhale most of it as the crosshairs settle into a small orbit on her shoulder—it’s never as steady as  it is in the movies. I lose sight of her from the recoil of my gun after I take my shot. The sound of the bullet’s impact echoes across the thick morning air and lets me know that bullet found its mark. There’s a sense of elation as I approach her, but there’s no high-fiving or celebration. There’s just a quiet moment between hunter and the deer. This is hunting. In your lifetime I want you to experience hunting, and here are my reasons why. 1. It’s safe According to data collected by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), hunting with a gun is the  third-safest sport when compared to 28 other popular sports, and has a lower injury rate than golf, volleyball and tackle football. 2. It’s healthy Not only is venison free of man-made chemicals, but obtaining it through hunting can be good exercise for the body and the mind. Hunting isn’t just about the kill—being afield helps us get reacquainted with the sights and sounds of the outdoors. It also allows us to step off the grid and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, which can be a refreshing change of pace for many. 3. It helps the planet of habitat preservation and improvement. And according to the national wildlife federation Each year, sportsmen contribute $7. 5 million per day toward wild life conservation. 4. It’s good for the species Habitat loss has eroded the natural range of animals while agriculture has increased food supplies—the result is game populations that must be managed. If they’re not hunted, they’ll die of starvation or disease. Like it or not, as we increase our land use, proper game management becomes more important than ever. 5. It saves money and helps the economy Though you can spend thousands on gadgets and gear, putting food on the table can be done on a shoestring budget, Fifty or so pounds of meat will make a lot family dinners. Hunters are a generous group of people— if you never have been hunting before, get an experience hunter to take you along and borrow what you can. Resident licenses and public land provide access at reasonable costs. And according to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, hunting is responsible for 600,000 U. S jobs, $66 billion in economic activity and $10 billion in state and federal tax revenue. 6. Its a good way for your family to bond There are few better ways to spend quality time with your family than to sit in front of a TV. You will learn many things together by Revealing how important it is to be resourceful and self-sufficient is also one of the greatest life lessons. After today I hope you will consider going hunting in the near future, As you can see hunting is more than just killing animals. It’s safe It’s healthy It helps the planet- It’s good for the animal species It saves money and helps the economy Its good way for your family to bond.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics Introduction The TSYS Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the "Code") covers a wide range of business practices and procedures. While it does not cover every issue that may arise, this Code outlines basic principles to guide all employees and officers of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries ("team members"). In addition, all members of the Company's Board of Directors and members of the boards of directors of the Company's majority-owned subsidiaries, in regard to their Company duties, are responsible for conducting themselves in connection with the applicable provisions of this Code. Team members and directors must conduct themselves accordingly and seek to avoid even the appearance of improper conduct. The Code will be provided to all team members and directors and should also be provided to the Company's agents and representatives, including business partners, vendors and consultants. If a local, state or national law conflicts with any policy in this Code, team members and directors must comply with the law; however, if a local custom or policy conflicts with this Code, team members and directors must comply with the Code. A team member who has questions about these conflicts should ask his or her supervisor how to handle the situation or call the Helpline. Team members who violate the standards in this Code will be subject to disciplinary action. If you are in a situation that you believe may violate or lead to a violation of this Code, follow the guidelines described in Section 12. 1. Compliance with Laws, Rules and Regulations Obeying the law, both in letter and in spirit, is the foundation on which this Company's ethical standards are built. All team members and directors must respect and obey the laws and all applicable rules and regulations of the cities, states and countries in which the Company operates. Although team members are not expected to know the details of each law, it is important to know enough to determine when to seek advice from supervisors, managers or other appropriate personnel. This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and additional information is available to every team member online through the enterprise portal ( insite ) as well as made available to new team members during their orientation. 2. Conflicts of Interest All team members and directors should avo... ...ocedures. The section deals with how to comply with the procedures in the code of Ethics. They have included steps that should be taken if there has been any violation of the code of ethics witnessed by an employee. I feel, after reviewing the sections of the ethics statement, that the purpose of the ethics statement is to have a written procedure for employee behavior and compliance of the policies and procedures of the company. After reading the ethics statement, I honestly feel that the company succeeds in the purpose of their mission statement. They have laid out all of the procedures that need to be followed and have included steps to take if you observe a violation in the code. If I were an employee at TSYS, I believe that the Code of Ethics, as it has been written, would contribute favorably to my work environment. If no one observed the ethical guidelines, there probably would be a lot of people going to serve prison sentences in federal penitentiaries due to Insider trading laws, and national and foreign policies that are already in place. I do not think that there is anything that I would change or anything that needs to be improved on.

Physical Exercise and GPA Essay

Physical education connotes many different things to people. To some it is a subject area which focuses on physical training. Conventionally, this has meant promoting activities which lead to anatomical and physiological development (Sansone, 2000). The notion of â€Å"PT† and calls to improve the physical condition of our nation’s youth in order to provide a strong base for the military have also been consistent with this idea (Ennis, 2001). Others have had a more expansive view of physical education and portrayed the area as â€Å"education through the physical,† rather than of the physical (Pringle, 2000). Such a notion suggests that involvement in a variety of sports and games provides participants not only with opportunities to develop physical prowess, but to learn important social values while developing desirable personal traits. A third major thrust that has affected the meaning attributed to the concept is associated with its recreational function (Ruth, 2006). The basis of this theme is that people perform optimally when they have periodic diversions from their normal â€Å"work† world, and that involvement in physical activity can provide necessary relief and renewal. Closely affiliated with this idea is that physical recreation provides a â€Å"wholesome† and constructive use of one’s free time (Lee2002). Despite such grandiose themes, Duda (2001) has argued that within the larger context of higher education classes focusing on the acquisition of skilled movements and play are viewed as â€Å"†¦ nonintellectual, nonacademic, nonessential, and nonartistic† (p. 433). As a result of such perceptions he believes that physical education is relegated to a peripheral role in the academy, and its practitioners pay a price for its marginal status in their daily lives. Furthermore, Duda suggests that a large part of physical education failing to gain acceptance in higher education is a consequence of the static criteria used to assess academic value in general. According to his analysis value of a curricular offering is typically based on such things as the intellectual challenge of material, the extent to which subject matter is categorized as academic rather than motoric, the usefulness of learning various skills, and the cultural significance of an area of study. His recommendation for redressing physical education’s plight is to convince those using such criteria to assess worth in broader, and less dualistic ways. Hence the types of challenges presented in physical skill acquisition situations might be understood as important stimuli for developing human capacities that complement those capacities acquired from more conventional intellectual pursuits. While the idea of rethinking criteria that should be used for judging academic value may be laudable, how this might come about is difficult to conceive. An alternative and, yet, much simpler approach for improving the viability of physical education classes in higher education is to improve the quality of student outcomes. In essence, it may be that the inclusion of physical education in higher education is not contested on philosophical grounds, but on operational ones. As Duda (2001) conveys â€Å"†¦ performance classes are elective, not required. Skill instructors are rarely hired as tenure track faculty. Credit toward graduation may not be given for such classes, and grading is often pass/fail. Passing marks are virtually assured with a good attendance record† (p. 437). If such a profile is accurate, it is difficult to understand how student achievement can be significant or the entire enterprise viewed as essential to the general curriculum. Indeed, such a profile connotes that the physical education curriculum is soft, and that whether or not students acquire certain information and/or master specific skills is ambiguous. Considering physical education’s past philosophical themes and its current trends of providing opportunities for students to: (a) recreate, (b) build and maintain health through exercise, (c) learn how to compete and cooperate, and (d) develop specific sport skills and levels of fitness, instructors often have difficulty in identifying and utilizing meaningful grading criteria. This has been attributed to both philosophical (Midgley, 2001) and managerial (Pringle, 2000) concerns. Indeed, as observed by Church (2001) many physical educators compute grades based on student behaviours which are unrelated to performance or knowledge objectives, such as dress, participation, and discipline. Interestingly, Ennis (2001) found that in colleges and universities virtually all grading in physical education is left to the discretion of the instructor, including selection of criteria and instruments to be used to assess student achievement. They also reported a trend toward less testing of all types. Consequently, it is not surprising that with so many ideas about what is to be accomplished, and so little control over how this should be done, it is difficult, if not impossible to determine the value of physical activity courses in the general curriculum. Indeed, it is one thing to provide sound philosophical arguments for why a particular discipline belongs in the curriculum, and quite another to operationalize the philosophy so that its essence is actualized. Recent studies suggest the importance of objective assessment not only as a device to promote the legitimacy of physical education in an academic setting, but as a tool to promote learning. For example, Pringle (2000) showed that student achievement in table tennis classes reflected the focus of evaluation. Students graded totally on physical skills performed most skilfully at the end of a class performed most skilfully, while those graded on attendance and participation had lower performance scores but the highest attendance rates. As well, Lee (2002), demonstrated how the proper use of evaluation and grading tools promotes on task behaviour and superior skill development in volleyball. Chen (2001), using a riflery task, also demonstrated that grading based on task competence was superior to grading based merely on participation when skill development was examined. Hidi (2000) further argues that the appropriate use of grading can promote positive attitudes towards a course, develop a student’s sense of confidence, and lead to substantial achievement. The reason why a rift exists between using grading as an integral part of the learning process, and using it only to fulfil administrative requirements seemingly is a complex problem that involves philosophical, technical, and practical issues (Duda, 2001). Yet, in a time when accountability is expected, and when cost cutting is widespread, empirical evidence for the integrity of a program is imperative. What and how we grade conveys a great deal about who we are, what we do, what we can accomplish, how we are viewed by others outside of our field, and whether physical education is considered as essential to the mission of education. Hence, the purpose of the present investigation was to acquire empirical descriptive data about grading of physical education in higher education. In light of our field’s history of divergent philosophical views, ambitious, and often ambiguous goals, and its defensive position in higher education (Duda, 2001), an examination of what and how we grade would seemingly shed light on where we are as a discipline. Furthermore, such an investigation might help identify important issues that need to be addressed and resolved if we are to gain the degree of acceptance the field has so desperately sought over the years. Method Instrument To acquire information about college physical education programs a questionnaire was developed which, in addition to requesting information about an institution’s profile (e. g. , public-private, size, approximate percentage of students enrolled in physical education, etc. , asked a series of questions about its physical education activity program. These included: (a) whether students received academic credit which counted in a student’s GPA, (b) the number and duration of class meetings, (c) how important various factors such as skill development, effort, and attendance were in computing a grade, (d) whether the department had a policy on grading, (e) the approximate percentage breakdown of grades awarded (e. g. , As, Bs, Cs, etc. ), and (f) whether the issue of grading had been considered by the department in the past five years. Prior to mailing the survey, questions were pilot tested on a group of five senior collegiate faculty members in a department of exercise and sport studies. These individuals each had taught undergraduate and graduate theory courses as well as a variety of undergraduate physical activity classes at a number of colleges and universities. They were quite knowledgeable about different types of service programs (e. g. , credit, required, no credit non-required) and how they typically operated. Furthermore, they were apprised of the questionnaire’s intent, and were asked to provide feedback on the clarity of questions as well as the instrument’s overall format. Based on feedback from this group, questions were reworded, added and deleted. In addition, the sequence of questions was revised for the purpose of providing a more coherent structure. The final version of the survey contained eight questions, some of which had subparts. As well, pilot testing demonstrated that a respondent could complete the questionnaire in approximately ten minutes. Coding of Data As surveys were returned data were coded into an Excel Spreadsheet by two trained assistants, and then analyzed using Exel’s statistical functions. It is noteworthy to report that during the data reduction process it became evident, as conveyed by a number of respondents, that quantitative data which were requested from a number of questions did not exist Consequently, many respondents either did not answer such items or acknowledged that they merely volunteered their own perceived best guess, or a numerical range within which they believed the actual value requested would occur. Hence, a decision was made to code and analyze all data acknowledging that, for the most part, they only reflect respondent’s best estimates, rather than â€Å"hard† numbers. Furthermore, where a range was given, the midpoint was used in further analyses. In passing, the observation that certain types of data were not acquired or readily available may in itself be an important finding since a department’s viability may depend on such information. Items falling into this category included such things as: (a) the number of students taking physical education classes in a semester, (b) the typical grade distribution (e. g. , % As, % Bs, etc. ), (c) the factors utilized to compute course grades, and (d) whether an institutional limit existed for the number of physical education courses that could be taken by a student for academic credit. Results Sample Within a thirty day period of mailing surveys 556 (44%) responses were received. Table 1 shows a break down of respondents by institution type and size. Because of financial limitations, further attempts to obtain data from nonrespondents were not attempted. Of the 556 respondents, 78 (14%) indicated that they did not have, or no longer had a physical education activity program. This was somewhat of a surprising finding, especially so because many conveyed that their institution’s program had been recently eliminated. Whether a trend toward program elimination actually existed is of significant import to our profession and deserves immediate attention. Schools which indicated that they did not offer physical education classes were removed from further analysis, leaving 478 institutions in the database. Is Academic Credit Given for Physical Education Activity Courses? An important question posed by this investigator was whether institutions grant academic credit which counts in a student’s GPA for taking physical education activity courses. Presumably, this would indicate whether classes were viewed as a meaningful part of the institution’s general curriculum. It was found that 335 (72. %) of respondents reported that academic credit which is computed in a student’s GPA was awarded for physical education activity courses. Table 2 reveals that Public State Universities and Colleges were somewhat more likely to award academic credit than Private Universities and Colleges. Furthermore, while a few institutions had a unique formula for computing the amount of credit earned in a class, nearly all institutions granted one credit per course. A follow-up question probed how much of such credit may be counted in a student’s total academic program. Although there seemed to be a great deal of uncertainty regarding the answer to this question, many respondents indicated that their institution had not set a limit or did not have a policy (only 65% of respondents who count physical education credit in the GPA responded). Those that were clear on this issue indicated that a limit did exist, and that the median value across institutions and within school categories was four credits. A subsequent question probed what the course time commitment was for earning credit. Across institutional types classes typically met for the length of a semester (14-15weeks), and for two contact hours a week. How are Grades Computed? A number of questions regarding how grades were computed ‘followed. An initial issue was whether or not the department had a policy on grading. The idea here was to get a sense of whether faculty members agreed on how such things as skill, knowledge, and class participation should be weighed in determining a student’s performance. In regard to this question, 80% of respondents indicated that their departments did not have a formal grading policy. Nonetheless, many individuals conveyed that students were administered tests of skill and knowledge, but that course instructors ultimately determined assessment tools, how various components were weighed, and the course grade computed. Because most departments did not have a formal grading policy, the next set of questions should be interpreted as only giving a general sense of how grades are computed from a respondent’s general perceptions. This question probed whether grades were competency based (i. e. students are assessed on the absolute level of performance attained), or norm based (i. e. , students are graded in relation to other students in the class). Results showed that most respondents (60. 6%) thought that grading at their institution was competency based, although a fair number reported that they thought their grading system was more norm based (23. 3%). The remaining 16. 1% either were unsure or did not respond to this item. Another question related to this issu e was whether the amount learned was considered to be as important as the level of performance attained. Interestingly, 72% of respondents believed that instructors at their institutions weighed the amount learned as being equivalent to the proficiency attained, while 21% did not see these of equal importance. The remaining 7% were missing or undecided. In light of the previous data indicating a bias toward competency based grading, the response to this question is surprising since the amount learned would only be of importance if it correlated highly with proficiency attained. This may or may not be the case, but needs further investigation. Another way of probing the importance of factors employed in computing a grade was to ask respondents about how important they believed a subset of factors were in arriving at a grade. They rated the factors of (a) effort, (b) attendance, (c) attitude, (d) amount learned and (e) level of performance on a five-point scale anchored by the terms very important(5). Overall, attendance (1. 3) and amount learned (1. 4) had the lowest median values (i. e. , highest perceived weighting). The level of performance attained (1. ), and effort expended (1. 8) followed closely, while attitude (2. 3) appeared lowest in importance. It should be noted that all of these criteria tended to fall between the very important and uncertain end of the continuum. With the exception of performance attainment, it is not clear why the other factors identified were viewed as important in grading, if grading is competency based. For that matter, these criteria would also be somewhat problematic for a norm referenc ed standard which focuses on relative competency attainments. Respondents were also asked to estimate the percentage distribution of grades in physical education at their institution. Overall, as were perceived to be the most prevalent grade and were awarded to 51% of students. Bs were the next most prevalent grade awarded to 31% of students with Cs following at 14%. Ds and Fs were infrequently given with a combined percentage of 7%. Has the Issue of Grading been Considered in the Past Five Years? A final question asked whether the issue of grading had been considered by a department in the past five years. Although 51% had not discussed this issue, 47% had done so. The questionnaire requested respondents who answered this question in the affirmative to comment on what issues were discussed by their departments. Clearly, the topic of whether to change from a letter grade system to a pass-fail system was the most widely discussed issue. Related to this was the subject of grade inflation and the idea that moving to a pass-fail system may reduce pressure from various constituencies (e. g. , administrators, faculty, regents) to reduce the number of high grades awarded. There were also numerous comments about criteria to be used in grading, consistency in grading across sections of a course, and among different courses. Several respondents also commented on the conflict between trying to encourage lifelong participation m activities and the negative connotations of having to grade based on an individual’s proficiency. From the nature and number of comments collated, it was evident that departments have grappled with this issue, but remain in a quandary about an ideal solution.

Knowing Your Audience Paper Essay

Most people would never want to imagine themselves or a family member being trapped under ground for even one day but the victims of those who were trapped under the Chilean copper mine had to consider not one day but even two months. According to The New York Times Company(2014), â€Å"On Aug. 5, 2010, a gold and copper mine near the northern city of Copiapà ³, Chile caved in, trapping 33 miners in a chamber about 2,300 feet below the surface†. At this time no one knew the well being or the nature of the situation that happened at the copper mine. During this time communication between employers, families’ members’ involved, trapped miners and those set in place to find a solution to this problem was very vital. Some things to keep in mind when considering roles and audiences is to determine what information to give and how it should be expressed or conveyed to the audience. For example, if you’re giving direct and urgent information, you wouldn’t send this type of information over an email, it would be more appropriate to say it face to face. It is important to consider how much does the audience know about the topic or subject you are sharing at that time. In the situation with the trapped miners the potential needs that should be considered and expressed to the families of the trapped miners would be first addressing what happened. This information should be given directly, face to face, to all family members involved. It is important to give the family as much detail about the incident as possible but not so much that it makes them alarmed and upset. Also another thing to add is the condition or well being of the trapped miners. If the information isn’t available its best to let them know although there isn’t much information at this time, but as soon as the information is available, they will be first to know. Also the last need that the family members affected by this incident would need is to understand and know what the employers and team of experts are doing to find a solution to the problem and how often can they know the extent and whereabouts of the situation. At this point after meeting the potential needs of the families involved, it’s also important to understand and know the potential needs of the company’s employees. Although they may not be the family members or those who are actually trapped at that moment, they also play a vital role. Some potential needs for the company’s employees would be to communicate effectively. Although the situation itself must have been very tragic if there was effective communication, there would be no way for  the employees at that time to help save those trapped. Also another need that needs to be met would be extra training and understanding of what took place, where it went wrong, and how to fix the problem. Without the employees having a plan or strategy of how they could effectively resolve or help the situation it could cause retaliation or resentment. After the message about the incident, and the actions or plan that is put in place has been verified and delivered to all important parties and involved it’s important that all those involved are able to convey what they heard and understood before and after the message is given. To make sure the message was received as properly and effectively you have to consider each audience which would be the trapped miners, employees and families. The message given to each party cannot be given the same. Also the channel has to be considered, again in this situation you wouldn’t send this information through an email or memo, this information that has to be conveyed face to face. It is also good to give information based on the listener’s level of understanding and to talk with the parties that involve a way opening up the way for cooperation and in this situation it would be much needed. An effective communication as the mining company to the family members of the trapped miners would be face to face. During this time the mining company would say with sincerity and clarity that â€Å" At this time we are deeply sorry to announce that we have understood and learned that on Aug. 5, 2010, a gold and copper mine near the northern city of Copiapà ³, caved in, trapping 33 miners in a chamber about 2,300 feet below the ground. At this time we aren’t certain what exactly caused the cave in and we aren’t certain the condition of the miners at this time. We will be working around the clock to get more information about the well being of the trapped miners. Also at this moment there will be specialist and experts going to the scene to analyze and inspect the situation at hand. After further observation of the experts then will we know what plan will be put in place to rescue our fellow employees. As soon as we are made aware of the plan we will let you know. We hope that we can all work together effectively which much understanding and cooperation from us and you so that we can bring your family members back to you.† Also an effective communication between the mining company and the employees would be a face to face channel. At that time the company would express, â€Å"I’m sad to announce to you that our fellow  employees have been caved in a chamber about 2,300 feet below the ground in the northern city of Copiapà ³. There are 33 at this time trapped and waiting to be rescued. We aren’t sure of the condition of the each employee but we all hope that we can all come together to help the best way we can to make sure that those who are trapped are in good condition. Although we never plan for anything like this to take place but unfortunately we have to use the way we were trained to assess the situation. At this time along with yourself the family members of the trapped miners are already being informed. Please let’s not alarm the families with information that has not been given or confirmed. Our main mission is to stay calm, offer up many prayers and work together in unity. During this time we will be working around the clock to help as much as we can and the company will provide meals, clean working clothes and a place to sleep. However you think you can help or what will better the situation please send your requests or opinions to us directly. Thank you so much for your cooperati on in help.†

How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications

How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications How to Style Titles of Print and Online Publications By Mark Nichol The rules for formatting titles of compositions and their constituent parts may seem complicated, but they follow a fairly straightforward set of guidelines, outlined below. Capitalization Titles of compositions are generally formatted in headline, or title style. In this system, the first letters of the following words are capitalized: The first and last word of the title, regardless of part of speech Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and subordinating conjunctions (such as although, because, and than) In titles, the following words are lowercased: Prepositions (except when they are used adjectivally or adverbially (in such phrases as â€Å"off day† and â€Å"come down†) To when it is part of an infinitive (for example, â€Å"to exercise†) All articles, prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions (such as and, but, and or) Emphasis Italics are used for titles of books, periodicals, films, television specials and series, and both series titles and episode titles for anthology programs like Masterpiece Theatre, though episodes of regular series, as well as titles of book chapters and magazine, newspaper, and online articles, are enclosed in quotation marks. Some publications, including most newspapers and some magazines, use quotation marks for titles of all compositions as well as parts of compositions, but italics are almost always employed for this purpose in books, and I highly recommend maintaining this distinction in periodicals and online. Titles of many nonfiction books include a subtitle following a colon, and except in informal usage, the full title should be used on first reference; the title alone the part preceding the colon can be used thereafter. Note that magazine and similar descriptive words should be capitalized and italicized only if they are part of a publication title: refer to â€Å"the New York Times Magazine,† for example, but â€Å"Time magazine†; in the former case, magazine is officially part of the publication’s name. (In a context in which it is obvious that Time, for example, refers to the publication with that title, the word magazine can be omitted.) Also, as shown in this example, do not capitalize or italicize the before a publication name, whether or not it is part of the title. Various publications differ in self-identification, even when their titles share a word for example, the New York Times bills itself as â€Å"The New York Times,† while the Los Angeles Times omits the article and this rule is designed to save writers the trouble of having to check individual publications for specific usage. Titles of plays and of poems long enough to be published in book form are italicized; titles of poems short enough to be included in a collection in a book are formatted, like chapter titles, in quotation marks. To determine how to treat titles of websites and their components, compare them to print equivalents: A website that sells products and/or services, even if it features content related to those offerings, is an online store, and the site name should not be formatted as a composition title. But titles of sites that emulate books and periodicals, and their articles and essays, should be treated like them; the same standard applies to blogs and blog posts. What about titles of videos posted online? Many such videos, especially those posted to video-sharing sites such as YouTube, don’t have titles or lack well-thought-out titles so they can just be referred to generically (â€Å"See Smith’s video about wombats†), with a link. For those with traditionally composed titles, however, use either italics or, especially for short videos, quotation marks. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Using "a" and "an" Before WordsTaser or Tazer? Tazing or Tasering?Comment, Suggestion, and Feedback

How to Write Perfect Research Paper †Pro-Academic-Writers.com

How to Write Perfect Research Paper The Role of Research Paper in Academics and Life Many students wonder how to write a great research paper as far as this project often weighs 20% of the course grade or even more. Even if you’re not a student any longer, you might want to compose a perfect research paper as a part of your business presentation or scientific report. On the whole, the following skills are required to come up with A+ research paper: Reading Writing Research Gathering information Analytical skills Knowledge of particular subject check the levelThis way, teachers and professors around the world check the level of student’s knowledge. Once defining the weak sides of the students, teachers think of the new approach to education.   Students and professionals create research papers basically to impress the target audience, obtain wide recognition, and get promoted. Students write these projects to get the highest grades and pass the course as well. The Goals of Research Paper Before writing, one has to understand the main purposes of this assignment they are: To inflate weak ideas Obscure poor reasoning Inhibit clarity Thus, the research paper has to be clear, concise, and built in a logical manner. Moreover, it should cover an issue which is relevant for the current society. That is why you should find sources that are no elder than 5 years. To achieve the desired results, students have to practice a lot. That is why various essays are assigned before the research or term paper. Every small paper is given to get students prepared for a time-consuming, complex work. You must realize that any essay communicates your ideas. THE PRIMARY GOAL IS TO INFECT THE MIND OF YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE WITH YOUR SPECIFIC THOUGHTS, LIKE A VIRUS. The best ideas come up when a student combines his own judgments with those made by famous people today and ages ago. Online writing services were designed to help students and young professionals with their writing projects. Step-by-Step Writing In brief, the general scheme of writing a research paper looks this way: Idea ⇒ Do research  Ã¢â€¡â€™ Write project Do you wish to observe more steps? The entire process can be described in more details which can be found further in the text. Select a topic Brainstorm and write down all possible ideas that come to your mind. Unless your teacher assigns the topic for your academic assignment, you have to pick one based on your ideas. If you have no idea, listen to the points of other people. Search for the sources Your sources have to be relevant and up-to-date. Including outdated sources is possible only when the main idea has not changed for ages. For instance, various economic terms have not changed since Ancient Rome. Still, the numerical data for accounting or financial research paper has to be gathered from the recent sources. Teachers are usually interested in the latest statistics. Part of the information must be influenced by your own thoughts. The primary sources for a good research paper include: Textbooks Books Academic articles Scientific journals Newspapers Magazines Reports Documentaries Audio tapes You can get some online or attend traditional library and save money. Read each online or published source carefully before using ideas from it. Your research can be both qualitative and quantitative. Humanitarian disciplines won’t require a quantitative research to be applied. However, it is impossible to ignore the quantitative studies when preparing a paper for Accounting, Statistics, or Finances classes. By the way, Statistics class will teach you everything you have to know about the research process. Mind your resources Usually, you need nothing more than your computer or laptop, opened Word, and internet access. However, there are times when you might need to create a presentation to support your academic project. You might want to use PowerPoint or Acrobat as well as various pictures and other additional materials. Also, you might demand real-life examples to show in class during your presentation. Prepare introduction Start working on your first draft. The most important thing you have to do in the first paragraph of your research paper is to state a thesis. Thesis statement reflects your main topic’s idea. Also, your introduction must explain the reason for choosing this topic out of many. Make an outline Once you are done with your thesis and introduction, develop an outline to serve as the plan. An outline has to be located on the second separate page after your title page. In other words, it looks like a table of contents. Arrange your notes Your notes and footnotes have to be united in one whole piece. Delete information which repeats. Each of the points you mention in a research paper’s body needs support, so be careful when organizing the data. Make a final draft After you handle all your footnotes and notes, work on the final draft of your academic task. By following the rules of the chosen writing style APA, Turabian, etc.), you must keep an eye on the organization of your ideas. They all should relate to your thesis and be logically interconnected. You may insert a question from time to time to encourage your reader. To support your thoughts, there should be some quotations added too. Cite them properly using one of the writing style guides. Do not forget to list all the referred sources at the end of your paper. To do so, develop a separate Bibliography or page. Obey this check-list Put a tick in front of each category you managed to cope with: Is my thesis statement concise and understandable? Did I keep to my outline as a plan? Are all arguments written in a logical manner? Are all used sources properly cited? Are there any plagiarized parts? Was my thesis statement supported by the powerful arguments and facts? Were my goals and points clear in the final paper? Revise edit the final draft Don’t hurry to get rid of your research paper. Before submitting any academic work, you have to check it twice or even more, times to make sure no grammar or spelling mistakes were missed. Check your punctuation as well. Various plagiarism tools will help to detect any copied parts of the text. There is always some time left to edit your text. But you should mind the deadline. If you are late with your paper, rely on writing and editing services where you can buy custom research paper without any delays.

PHARMACEUTICAL COMMERCIAL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

PHARMACEUTICAL COMMERCIAL - Essay Example With the advent of globalization, world market trade drugs that were once confined to a particular area or country. People across the world are being benefitted with the research and studies being conducted in one laboratory in one corner of the world. It could be made through commercialization of pharmaceutical products. On the other hand various laboratories are working in collaboration to bring out the best pharmaceutical results. They work under legislative and safety measures ensuring the customer satisfaction and to procure better results without negligible health hazards. It is mandatory that the companies must get approval from the ethical committees to pursue the research study prior to the drug manufacturing. Drug designing is becoming more precise and target oriented so as to minimize the damages caused to other tissues. Any kind of ignorance or manipulation in this designing may emancipate worst to mankind. It is mandatory that pharmaceutical companies take utmost precaution and precisions not to spin huge profit and ignore humanity but to come out with a devise in the form of drug that can provide a better alternative to the ailments and their cure with trifling side effects. These are all very vital and major contemporary issues that must be addressed when we look drug commercials and the controversies surrounding their increasing prevalence in our everyday lives. Historical background is imperative for any commercial advertisements. 19th century witnessed a huge expansion in the sale and use of drugs. Although many of these drugs were easily accessible but possess tremendous side effects; however limited instructions regarding the methodology of their use was mentioned. These directives are essential for the commercialization of the pharmaceutical products, else these pharmaceutical products become misleading for the customer resulting in life threatening

Give an introduction to the political system in People's Republic of Essay

Give an introduction to the political system in People's Republic of China. What is the role of Politburo Standing Committee - Essay Example China’s Political System: China is a socialist state, led by a single party rule, normally referred to as the communist party. This party is recognized by the constitution of China, and the same constitution has provisions on how this party should be led. This includes the establishment of powerful committees such as the politburo and the politburo standing committee (BBC, 4, 2013). The constitution also recognizes four vital institutions whose main roles is to help the party in the governance of the country. These institutions are, the people’s liberation army, the peoples national congress, the state council, and the political consultative conference (Lawrence and Martins, 7, 2013). These are the four pillars in which the communist party of China controls all the affairs of the Chinese. The institution of the state is responsible for implementing the various policies of the communist party. The state is therefore headed by the state council, which includes ministries and various commissions (Lawrence and Martins, 8, 2013). Under the Chinese constitution, the National People Congress (NPC) is responsible for overseeing all the affairs of the state council. The NPC is also responsible for supervising other political institutions such as the Supreme Court, the Presidency, the Prosecutors office, and the military. However, the NPC is under the communist party, and it is therefore unable to carry out its own policies (Military of China, 9, 2013). The political consultative conference on the other hand provides an avenue where the state and the party can consult on various policy issues. The military on the other hand have the responsibility of protecting the Chinese (Security Service, 11, 2013). However, critics argue that the Chinese military is only loyal to the communist party, and not the people of China. Other political institutions in China are the minor parties that were formed before the emergence of the communist party. These parties are eig ht, and they pledged their loyalty to the communist party, accepting its leadership. This allows for the description of the Chinese political system as one of political consultation, and multi-party cooperation, but under the Communist Party (Lawrence and Martin, 14, 2013). The Politburo Standing Committee: The communist party has four important organs representing its leadership. The highest decision making body is the politburo standing committee, followed by the politburo. The next in rank is the central committee, which is thereafter followed by the congress. The politburo standing committee (PSC) is responsible for the enactment and the development of policies. This organ consists of seven people, and each of them has various roles (Lunn, 13, 2013). The members of this committee are also members of the politburo, and they meet once in every week to deliberate on the policies that the government should follow. This is the institution that actually rules China, since their decisi ons is always the law. In arriving at a decision, members of the PSC try to achieve consensus, and if it fails, they take a vote. The simply majority carry’s the day (McGregor, 34, 2012). It is important to denote that the seven members of the PSC are ranked from the scale of one, to seven. Each of them has specific functions, and it can either be in security, propaganda, or foreign relations. For example, the highest ranked member of