Who’s Responsible for a Student’s Education

Who is it that bears the responsibility for the student's education? Is it the student? The school? Or is it the government? This question cannot easily be answered by just one person. The answer could be based on that person†s opinion, and opinions vary from person to person. Some people will say it is solely the student's responsibility. Others might say it is the school's responsibility. While others might say it is the government's responsibility. Some people might say that it's the student's responsibility because the student has to show up to the class on time, be prepared, and pay attention. They could also say that it is the student's responsibility because the student has to be willing study and do the homework. The student has to be willing to learn, and try to learn as best they can. Students have to provide the supplies that they don't get from the school so that they are able to do the work. The student has to study and at least try to pass the courses they are taking so that they can further their education. The student has to provide their own means of transportation to the school if the schools do not, or cannot, provide it for them. The student has to pay attention to the curriculum being taught and attempt to absorb and learn it to the best of their ability, because if they don't they can't really learn anything. The student however can't be held responsible if the teacher isn't teaching the curriculum in a way the students can comprehend and learn it. This is why other people might say that it is more of the school's responsibility, because the teachers are responsible for teaching the curriculum correctly. The students can't be held responsible if the facilities are inadequate for learning or teaching. (The teachers are not at fault either if they don†t have proper classrooms or materials assigned to them. ) The students can't be responsible for all the supplies they need for learning that are supposed to be provided to them. The school is the one responsible for the teachers and the facilities. The school is responsible for keeping the facilities maintained and in adequate condition for teaching and learning. The school and the government are also responsible for making sure the teachers are qualified enough to teach the curriculum they are teaching. The school has to provide equipment for the teachers and for the students, so that the teachers can teach the curriculum properly (and so that the students can learn it properly as well). The school has to provide other supplies as well and insure that the students are getting a proper education. The school has to make sure that most of the students are learning what they are supposedly being taught, and they learn how to use it in the proper way. Schools also have to make sure that the students are in the proper curriculum according to their skill and learning level, so that they don't get far behind in their education. The school also has to use the funding they have in a proper way to help the students and the teachers and keep the buildings adequately kept to ensure the student's and the teacher's safety and to make sure that the facilities are comfortable enough that the teachers can teach the courses and that the students can learn the courses. The school, however, isn't responsible for receiving inadequate funding. The schools get some of their funding from the government. This is another reason why people might say that it isn't the schools† or the student's responsibility, and that it is the government's responsibility. After all, the government has to provide the school with proper funding so that the teachers are paid their salaries, and so that the facilities can be maintaine The school, however, isn't responsible for receiving inadequate funding. The schools get some of their funding from the government. This is another reason why people might say that it isn't the schools† or the student's responsibility, and that it is the government's responsibility. After all, the government has to provide the school with proper funding so that the teachers are paid their salaries, and so that the facilities can be maintainehools don't follow the guidelines set up by the government the government also has to make it so the school is reprimanded so that the school will start to follow the rules and guidelines. All these are very valid points showing how each of the three is responsible for the education of the students that attend the schools. All three have their own responsibilities to attend to, to give the student a good education. All of these opinions and reasons are valid as well, and they show that the student, the school, and the government are all responsible for the students† education. The student wouldn't be able to learn if the student didn't have adequate facilities to learn in or teachers that could teach the courses properly. Equally the schools couldn't teach the students without the funding they need to keep the buildings well kept and to pay for equipment and supplies to help the teachers teach and the students learn. The government couldn't help the student get a proper education if the schools didn't use their funding properly or didn't follow the proper rules, guidelines, and regulations that have been set up. The schools wouldn't be able to teach the student's if they weren't willing to learn or didn't have their own supplies they are supposed to provide. The student, the school, and the government all have to work together and be willing to help each other to give the student a good, proper education that they can use later in their lives after they stop attending schools and stop furthering their educations. Each has to work in conjunction with the next in order to do their job in the process. This essay has attempted to show how the student, the school, and the government are all responsible for the student's education. It has also tried to show that each of the three has their own part that has to be done in order for their goals to be met. They each have to help individually so that they all can used their combined efforts to give the student a good, proper, and usable education that can be applied to the rest of their life. It also shows how schools or governments alone wouldn't be able to give the education to the student without the help of the other. If the others didn't do their part the student wouldn't be able to get an education and wouldn't do as well later on in their life when they need their education to find a good job, to raise and take care of their family, and have a more secure financial future.

Influence of Music to Culture Essay

When I think of pop culture I think of music. There is so much music out in the world today. Many people are influenced by music they listen to. Mostly because they want to copy their favorite artist or because they feel that’s a way of expressing themselves and fitting in with the people that are into the same music. It’s also a way to find similar things to other people who listen to different music. Teens my age are mostly into hip-hop and R&B. Hip-hop I believe is the most popular type of music that is listened to by the public. Nelly for example is an R&B artist and he wears Air Force Nike’s, big jerseys, and Sean John fashion. When you look around in my school you tend to see many boys wearing the same thing. Another artist is also Fabulous who likes to wear fitted caps, and many boys are wearing the same kind of caps. Now people who tend to listen to pop music like N’Sync and Britney Spears tend to wear shell toe sneakers and dress sort of preppy with light colors. People who listen to alternative music like Papa Roach and Slipknot tend to wear big baggy pants and baby pins on their bags with very colorful hair. Another way people let music influence them is the language or slang they use. For example Nelly is an artist from St. Louis, and because of his accent, he says here it sounds like he is saying â€Å"herre†. The way guys call their friends â€Å"dog† and â€Å"nigga† are also uses of slang that hip-hop artists use. With pop music there’s more of an accent when they speak like a preppy, peachy, happy sound. Alternative music is usually harsh and people who listen to alternative music tend to have a hard tough accent with much more cursing than usual. Another way that people become influenced by their music is what seems to interest them. People who listen to hip-hop are mostly interested in the â€Å"ice† (jewelry) â€Å"gear† (clothing) and â€Å"ride† (car). People who tend to listen to pop music, who are mostly girls I would say, are interested in the mall, and bleaching their hair. It’s not usually very accurate, but I’m just talking out of my experience. So many people do know what I mean when I say that music influences the way people act and the way people carry themselves. I know that not all is true but most of the time people copy artists just to feel good and be able to fit in with other people, because the truth is nobody likes to be alone.

MRI Contrast Agents

â€Å"MRI contrast is used for a variety of reasons.   Primarily, it is used to improve the detection of disease; that is, to increase sensitivity and diagnostic confidence, to enhance the ability to differentiate normal and abnormal tissue; and to identify the extent of the disease† (Muroff, 2001).Contrast agents are chemical substances used in anatomical or functional imaging for the purpose of increasing visual differences between normal and abnormal tissue.   These chemical substances are used to alter relaxation times.   Contrast agents are classified by changes in relaxation times after injection.There are six main categories of MRI contrast agents: Gastrointestinal, Intravenous, Intravascular (blood pool), Tumor-specific, and Reticuloendothelial contrast agents.Within the Gastrointestinal contrast agent category, there two subcategories: Positive and Negative contrast agents.Positive contrast agents cause a reduction in T1 relaxation times.   These agents appear brightly on images.   They may contain Manganese, Iron or Gadolinium as active elements.Positive contrast agents have three classifications: Paramagnetic agents, short T1-relaxation agents, and a combination of the two.Paramagnetic contrast agents have magnetic centers which create magnetic fields.   These fields interact with water protons, and have a larger effect on relaxation rates.   They include ferric chloride and gadolinium, which cause T1 and T2 shortening.   In low concentrations, T1 shortening holds the domination of the intensity of the signal.   In high concentrations, T2 shortening causes the signal to decrease.   At mid-level concentration, T1 and T2 shortening show an increase in the signal on T1 weighted images, and decreased the signal on T2 weighted images.Short T1-relaxation agents include mineral oil and oil emulsions.   In these agents, protons relax faster than protons in water, which results in short T1 time.   In bowels with T1 weighted imag es, a bright signal is apparent.Combinations include emulsion oil that contains corn oil and ferric ammonium citrate, and an emusion containing baby formula with ferrous sulfate.   Combination contrast agents distribute evenly through the bowels.Negative contrast agents will appear largely dark on images.   They are frequently called superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO).   They have shorter T1 and T2 relaxation times.Negative contrast agents have three classifications: diamagnetic agents, superparamagnetic agents, and perfluorochemicals.One readily available diamagnetic contrast agent is barium sulfate suspension.   It reduces the loss of bowel signals, resulting in improved pancreatic visualization.Superparamagnetic contrast agents are generally administered orally.   They include magnelite albumin microspheres and superparamagnetic iron oxide.   A large loss of the signal in the stomach and small bowels that give immense visualization of the pancreas and anterior renal margins.   This contrast agent type â€Å"accumulates in the reticuloendothelial system of the liver, and darkens healthy liver tissue in T2-weighted images† (mr-tip.com).Perfluorochemicals are organic compounds that replace protons with fluorine.   They are a special group of negative contrast agents that appear completely dark on images, because they do not contain hydrogen atoms, which are responsible for the signal in MRIs.   In gastrointestinal imaging, the purpose of perfluorochemicals is to give a complete signal absence in the bowels.Intravenous contrast agents include both ionic and nonionic chelates.   When using paramagnetic metal ions as contrast agents, there is a high level of toxicity in the doses required for imaging.   Chelates reduce the chances of long term toxicity by reducing the toxic levels.Intravascular contrast agents remain in the blood longer than most other contrast agents.   They are highly useful in diagnosis imaging that may require longer imaging times.Tumor-Specific contrast agents are targeted to tumors.   There are four main types of tumor-specific agents:Metalloporphyrins target multiple types of tumors, such as melanomas and lymphomas.Monoclonal antibodies are for specific tumors such as colon carcinomas.Ferrioxamine is a paramagnetic agent used for the kidneys and urinary tract.Nitroxides are also paramagnetic agents, but are not widely used.Reticuloendothelial contrast agents are used in liver, spleen and lymph node MRIs.   In liver and spleen imaging, specific contrast agents are used that target the reticuloendothelial system of the liver and spleen.   Because of the inability of most imagers to differentiate between normal and abnormal lymph nodes, USPIO has become widely used.   USPIO allows imagers to have the ability to differentiate between lymph nodes.â€Å"In cases where it is difficult to differentiate two types of tissue, because the signal intensity they produce is so similar, the s olution is to add a contrast agent to one of them in order to distinguish it from the other tissue† (GE Healthcare, 2007).   MRI contrast agents affect hydrogen atoms and the time they take to return to their original state, thereby increasing the signal intensity differences between the tissue with the contrast agent and the tissue without the contrast agent.   This results in an increase of contrasts on the image.ReferencesGE Healthcare (accessed January 13, 2007) www.amershamhealth.com/public/medical/mri_3.shtmlMedline Plus (revised March 2000) http://mplus.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202770.htmlMR-Technology (accessed January 13, 2007) www.mr-tip.comMuroff, Lawrence R. (Aug. 2001) â€Å"MRI Contrast: Current Agents and Issues† Applied Radiology Online (vol. 30, No. 8) www.appliedradiology.comRunge, Val M. (Aug. 2001) â€Å"The Safety of MR Contrast Media: A Literature Review† Applied Radiology Online (Vol. 30, No. 8) www.appliedradiology.com

Trading Simulation Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Trading Simulation Assignment - Essay Example From the research it is clear that foreign exchange trading has gained a lot of popularity in the twenty first century, where it has grown to the worth of over USD 3.5 trillion. This has attracted many investors, who are interested in earning returns on their investment. In order to offer delineation to factors that affect the forex market outlined below is a report on trading in futures market, with currency pair, the Sterling pound (GPB) ant United States dollars (USD) GPB/USD. Having specified the spot loss point together with the take profit, this acted as the bench mark in trading so to manage my portfolio effective and avoid cases where I incur excessive losses. This implied that, in order to ensure the value of the portfolio does not follow below the pre-specified rate, constant evaluation of information and other factors that would affect the value of the portfolio were critically analyzed as delineated in the by the daily monitoring of the market below. In addition, it was n ecessary to evaluate the growth of the various portfolios by calculating the percentage return obtained from holding such stock, as outlined in table below. This would ensure us to validate our previous trading strategy in an effort to revise the accordingly to ensure that they are not viable but also valid. As shown in the research the second trade has the highest figure showing that at this period implying this portfolio can increase returns than any other portfolio. In the first trade, the information ration was observed to be – 0.0006, when compared with initial benchmark shows that, the economics news which was the basis of the strategies taken were invalid. In the second trade the information was the highest and even higher that the benchmark, due to expectation on effect of economics news to the direction of the market. Compared to the other trade, third performed fairly as compared to other trades due inadequacy of economics news that would strongly influence the dire ction of the market. In addition to these, what if analysis was conducted so as to ascertain the effect of economic information to the prices prevailing in the market. What if analysis (scenario analysis) involved development of scenarios that is Best scenario, worst scenario and base scenario. Another aspect that was employed in order to effective manage the asset portfolio was the decision, not to invest all the capital at hand. If I all the capital I had then, in the event of loss I would be forced to borrow more resources so as reinstate the maintenance margin account. So as to ascertain the value of portfolio each time the market value of the portfolio was ascertained and deviations from the base price of future which was

Architecture and the Human Body Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Architecture and the Human Body - Thesis Example Architecture is not just about the construction of the building but the totality of the thought process involved in conceptualizing the architectural design. When it comes to the subject of construction, human body and nature can be an appropriate source of inspiration. Designing with an understanding of the human body allows the architect to bring about a structure with complete physical balance and tranquility.Unfortunately, the architects of the current age, seldom utilize the design of divine when practicing their profession. Every human creation can reflect harmony and balance once it is performed in compliance with the anatomy of nature. The entire universe rests on a certain geometrical pattern and if anything constructed with human intelligence does not balance with it, can bring forth chaos. The art of architecture Architecture is an immense artistic work which requires thinking unlike any form of art. It demands thinking of an individual at higher proportion and deals more with the utilization of space in a creative way. In this art, an architect’s responsibility not just concerned with the clients, but to the people using the building and the public as a whole. But the saddening fact is that an architect hardly has the freedom which an artist own in relation to his creation. An artist can flow with his thoughts, but an architect has to keep in mind the practicability and usability of his creation. The primary objective of any building is to provide a sound shelter and this when done with little creative thought can make wonders. Architecture is a task which creatively collaborates mass, volume, space, light, shadow, texture, materials and pragmatic elements like construction, cost, and technology. This very aspect gives distinction to architecture from engineering that which mainly works on the use of materials and forms in accordance with mathematical and scientifical principles. The architectural works often depict the cultural and political aspect of a nation. It portrays the artistic and creative skill of a particular culture and depicts their ideas and concepts in a nutshell. The great civilizations of the history have astounded many with their outstanding architectural achievements. The monuments like Egyptians pyramid.Taj Mahal and the Roman Colosseum are the great examples of architectural wonders which can find no match on earth. It is a very surprising fact that the architectural work created by Egyptians and Greek civilization which stood out in the history was an inspiration from the human body design. They were so impressed by the human body that they incorporated the human body pattern into their architectural work. The symmetrical harmony existing between various parts of the body is indeed a thing to ponder on and applied on to the constructional art. A building can be more humanized and made accessible to people by designing it with a divine equation.

Sum up the key points of these 4 reading as a presentation draft Outline

Sum up the key points of these 4 reading as a presentation draft - Outline Example Examples of clients were prostitutes and petty offenders but the CLHs were distinct from facilities for convicts. Social investigation that developed in early 1980s and involved enlightenment and perspectives facilitated development of the history of CLHs. The facilities were further filthy despite their environment that upheld cleanliness. The outcasts could be identified from their moral and physical orientations and even though they resented civilization to represent a more ancient generation, they depicted aspects of civilization. Investigations could therefore classify them as both outcasts and members of the society. The lodgings were further classified as heterotopias and membership was controlled by set of rules. Heterotopy was evident from existence of ignorance and intelligence, idleness and industry, animosity and affection, decadence and Godliness, and bodily indifference and affirmation. By laws initially governed the CLHs but acts such as the Town Improvement Clause act , Common Lodging Houses Act, and the Public Health Act were later enacted to govern the Common Lodging Houses. Despite existence of the regulations that were initially associated with success, there were rebellion and negligence in enforcing the regulations as data shows number of punished cases for breach of the regulations. Negligence among enforcement officers was also common and some offenders were caught and charged. In response to the negligence, authorities preferred dialogue instead of the legal process, an approach that could have further facilitated breach of the established status. Authorities however undertook frequent checks for promoting adherence to existing rules but diversity among the lodgers and their desired freedom limited governance initiatives such as transformation of the scope of the CLHs (Crook 2008, p. 414- 436). The study explores the scope and role of public baths in Victoria and associates the bath with power, freedom, and

SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

SOCIAL EFFECTS OF HURRICANE KATRINA - Essay Example After some days of disaster, the flood water gradually went down so that officials could identify the losses caused by the Katrina. Although the deaths had been estimated as 10,000 in New Orleans, the actual numbers were much more than that. Dead bodies were found even after six months from the disaster. Louisiana lost 1,080 people out of the confirmed deaths whereas it was more than 200 in the case of Mississippi. The elderly people had been mainly struck by the disaster and 75% of them lost their life out of 15% elderly population of New Orleans (66-67). In addition to the massive deaths, there were countless people who got seriously injured. At the same time, many people missed their family members and they did not get any information about their loved ones. Similarly, huge numbers of animals, birds and other pets also perished. Although the rescue volunteers had saved number of animals from the damaged building parts, they could not properly handover these animals to their master s. The intensity of the disaster was immeasurable for it destroyed acres of land and trees and thereby a wide range of mammals and reptiles lost their habitats. The violent attack of Katrina shattered a large number of people who had mainly depended on fishing and forestry. Gallons of oil spilled across various parts of the country including Gulf coast and neighborhoods of St. Bernard Parish (Palser). The oil components and other chemicals were mixed together and formed different toxic compounds. Scientists reported that this mixture compounds would affect the ecosystem for decades. The remnants of the buildings caused many allergic reactions and breathing problems. Similarly, large amounts of sludge formed across the affected parts of the United States; it dried later thereby the dust mixed with air, which caused adverse health problems. The Hurricane Katrina produced heaps of dirt in the cities, which would result in sequences of immunity problems. Although officials had declared that the city was safe enough to live, some scientists disagreed with the argument since they could find some poisoning substances in the soil (Palser). The Hurricane Katrina was the most ‘expensive’ natural disaster in the US history. The government spent billions of dollars for the rescue operations, financial assistance, and rehabilitation activities. There are no accurate data available on indirect financial losses such as job losses, impact on fishing and forestry, and other soil related consequences. The disaster also raised some political problems in US due to the delayed governmental response; and it led to the resignation of Michael brown, the head of FEMA. Likewise, great dilemma prevailed regarding the renovation of the city, New Orleans. The FEMA took considerable efforts in structuring schooling facilities in the city. Part II Rehabilitation After the flames of the disaster had been removed, there arose a cumbersome task of rebuilding the cities and providi ng rehabilitation to people. Since the Katrina completely swept away the whole and soul of the affected cities, the government had to take huge efforts to rebuild the town from ‘vacuum’. As we described above different politicians had different views on the matter. Similarly, some people argued that New Orleans should not be rebuilt (Palser, 2007, p.79). They pointed out that

Cookbooks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cookbooks - Essay Example Debates abut eating in raise a range f questins that are central in understanding fd cultures. In particular, they raise questins abut the rle f fd practices in prducing, and reprducing the hme, the family, gendered identities and the relatinship between public and private spheres. The purpse f ckbks is t prvide peple with new recipes and help them t verify their diet. At the same time, printed ckbks als help t usher in a prcess f change, allwing imprved r imprvized versins f traditinal recipes t be passed n mre rapidly. Since the early develpment f such bks cincided with the emergence f 'a prfessinal elite f cks in the service f members f the upper class', the pressure t imprve and imprvize is itself increasing. The example f England and France shw that English ckery bks tend t have a dmestic, female target audience. Thus, while French ckbks tend t be aimed primarily at the prfessinal male chef, the nbility and the upper-middle classes, English bks are aimed mre at female husekeepers, and mre ften at lwer scial strata than their French cunterparts. The article "Rmanced by ckbks." Anne L Bwer depicts impact and influence f new cking culture n sciety. The authr underlines that ckery bks can perate as vehicles fr cnstructing an image f the natin, just as they are capable f negtiating certain frms f female dmesticity. Alternatively, ckbks 'invent and cdify new, verarching categries which make sense nly frm a csmplitan perspective' (ibid.). The authr, fr example, inflates a particular culinary traditin 'and makes it serve, metnymusly, fr the whle'. Increasingly, Bks n Indian cuisine als seek t impse a menu-like structure n the recipes they ffer. This helps t cdify and rganize Indian fd in a systematic manner but, in s far as 'Indian meals d nt nrmally have a significant sequential dimensin', it prvides a clear example f the cnstructed nature f 'Indian' cuisine (Swallw 19). Duruz, (1999) and Duruz (2994) state that the purpse f ckbks are t keep ld traditins and recpies. Fd practices need t be understd in relatin t the ways in which they prduce, negtiate and reprduce the nature f the relatinship between public and private spheres. Indeed, in Duruz (2994) study f cking, the authr fund that eating in was a significant act because 'the cked dinner marks the threshld between the public dmains f wrk r schl and the private sphere behind the clsed frnt dr'. 'Hme-cked' meals are seen as imbued with the warmth, intimacy and persnal tuch which are seen as markers f the private sphere and in ppsitin t fds which are the prducts f a public, industrialized and annymus system f fd prductin. It is fr this reasn that cmmercially prduced fds ften seek t add value t their fds by assciating them with 'hme', demnstrated in claims t 'hme-cked' fd in pubs and diners and 'hmestyle' ranges f ready-meals frm supermarkets (Swallw 12). The authrs underline that cking and ckbks can be seen as nstalgia fr better days. Ntins f 'a prper meal' are ften linked t nutritin. These definitins ften draw n a range f scientific discurses in which the 'gdness' f a meal is equated with whether r nt it gives us the 'prper' nutrients. Ideas abut nutritin are ften far frm bjective: what cnstitutes a nutritius meal in ne decade will nt be necessarily the same in the next as

Sources of Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sources of Finance - Essay Example The major challenge faced by SMEs is to access the capital to take advantage of new investment opportunities. The studies on SME financing in the past showed the lack of financing a major constraint for start-ups as well as expansion but recent statistics show an improved capital access for SMEs. This essay aims to present the definition of SMEs from the point of view of European Commission, the sources of finances available to SMEs along with the suitable financing options according to the stage the SME is in, the barriers SMEs face in procuring the capital or if the financing constraints still exist, and the steps needed by policy makers to provide congenial environment to SME sector. Background of Small and Medium sized Enterprises The Small and Medium sized Enterprise can be defined in two ways- Quantitatively and Qualitatively. The quantitative definition is based on the various criteria set by the different countries. Qualitatively SME can be defined on the basis of ownership w hich is limited to a few individuals. SMEs are privately owned with low volume of sales and a very few employees. The definition regarding the number of employees varies from country to country with 15 employees in Australia under Fair Work Act 2009, 50 employees under EU and a little less than 500 employees in USA to qualify for Small Business Administration. The European Commission has given a definition of an SME which qualifies an enterprise to be small or medium sized enterprise if it fulfils the criteria of maximum ceilings in either one of staff headcount, turnover or balance sheet given in Table 1. Table 1: Qualification to be an SME (Source: European Commission-a, 2009, p.3) This new definition was adopted by EC in 2003 and came into effect in 2005. The main reasons behind adopting new definition were to improve availability of capital, to update thresholds and to improve access to R&D and promote innovation (European Commission-b, 2005, p.8-10). The European Commission wor ks on policies regarding SMEs throughout Europe and assists them through business support measures. In 2010, the number of SMEs in EU was around 20.8 million, 99.8% of the total enterprises. These SMEs employed 87.5 million people, almost two-thirds of the total employed people producing GVA of 58.4% (Cambridge, 2011, p.8). In 2010, SMEs accounted for 60% of UK’s total public sector employment and 50% of the private sector turnover (Turner, 2010). In February 2011, UK ministry announced the reform measures specifically to open-up public sector markets for SMEs. This included the set-up of ‘contracts finder’ a source to access information regarding procurement, tenders and contracts and directives to government departments to set targets to increase businesses with SMEs. They also presented an SME Action Plan taking into account the limited means to increase non-UK business for SMEs in UK (Foreign & Commonwealth Office, 2011). Sources of Finance for SMEs Finance i s considered a key element that drives the SMEs to successively build productive capacities and create jobs. Without capital, SMEs cannot acquire

Biology Notes Essay Example for Free

Biology Notes Essay Chromosomes: They are found inside the nucleus of cells. They are X Shaped Objects that Contain DNA. Each Chromosome is made from two Chromatids. Chromosomes are held together by a disc called a centromere. Chromosomes are always found in Pairs. A| T| G| C| C| G| DNA: It Stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA is Made from Nucleic acids of ten (referred to as bases). The four bases are Adenine (A) which always pairs with Thymine (T) and Cytosine (C) which always pairs with Guanine (G). T| C| A| G| T| G| RIGHT WRONG Genes: A gene is the short length of the chromosome which is a molecule of a DNA. Genes can exist in Different Versions. Different Versions of the same gene are known as ALLELES. Each gene codes for a specific Protein. Some proteins are Structural, meaning they can form skin, hair, blood and cytoplasm. Others are Functional (enzymes) controlling chemical reactions such as respiration or digestion. Genetic Information is stored by Genes who are arranged on Chromosomes. Variation: This is the Difference between humans. There are two types of variation. The First is Genetic Variation (Caused by your Genes and can’t be changed e.g. your natural hair colour, eye colour). The Second is Environmental Variation (Caused by your surrounding and can be changed e.g. Dying your Hair, Ear Piercings). Genetic Variation: Caused by the DNA in the cells in your body. We Can’t Change this. Environmental Variation: Caused by your Surroundings, Family and Friends. We can Change this. Determining Your Gender: A Sperm Cell has an X chromosome and a Y chromosome. An Egg Cell has two X Chromosomes. If the fertilised egg has a X Chromosome from the sperm the Foetus will be a Girl if it has a Y Chromosome (the Chromosome carrying Testosterone) the Foetus will Be a Boy. There is a 50:50 Chance of Having a Boy or a Girl. Further Gender Determination Chromosome pair 23 is known as the Sex Chromosomes. There are two Different types of of Chromosome 23 – The X and Y chromosome. The only Difference is that the Y chromosome carries the gene for testosterone, X does not. All Cells carry at least one X Chromosome. Sperm Cells carry either a Y or X chromosome. Allele – A different version of the same gene. Heterozygous – When There are two types of an allele in the genotype e.g. Bb – Brown. Homozygous – When there is only one type of Allele in the genotype e.g. BB(-Brown) or bb(-Blonde). B = Dominant – Always Expressed, b = Recessive – only expressed in a Homozygous genotype. Natural Cloning * The Hydra (Plant) Shows Budding * Asexual Reproduction The Spider Plant and Strawberries often reproduce this way. Twins: They are formed by the fertilised egg splitting in half and the two halves turn into to two identical babies. Artificial Cloning For many years, mammals have been cloned by splitting embryos – Artificial Cloning. There are two types of Artificial Cloning Cloning Way 1 1. They take an egg cell from one mammal. 2. A Body Cell is taken from a second mammal (the same mammal as the first) 3. The egg cell nucleus is removed from the cell 4. The body cell nucleus is also removed 5. The Nucleus from the body cell is inserted into the egg cell to make a clone of the Second Mammal. 6. The egg cell divides and is put into the uterus of the first Mammal. The Clone grows into a mature mammal. Cloning Way 2 It isn’t just Reproductive Cloning (Cloning People/mammals) we could use this technology for. Cloning human cells may be useful in treating humans. Reproductive Cloning – When a baby is born from cloning Stem Cells A stem cell is an undifferentiated cell which means they can turn into any type of cell required. They can therefore be used to make organs. They Can be used to replace damaged cells. Inherited diseases Cystic Fibrosis * 1 in 200 Children are affected by Cystic Fibrosis. * Is an Inherited disease * They produce thick sticky mucus. This can block the air passages and the tubes that carry digestive juices to the gut. * The Child has trouble breathing and absorbing food. * Patients are treated by chest physio-therapy. * The Mucus is a good breeding ground for germs. * Sufferers often get infections and have to be treated with strong antibiotics. At the moment there is no cure. * Cystic fibrosis is caused by a recessive Allele(c) – So to contract the disease a person must have two recessive alleles (cc). * Heterozygous people (Cc) do not get the disease but can act as carriers and pass it on to their children. * The disease is shown from Birth. * It affects the lungs and gut. Huntington’s Disease * This is a rare inherited disease. * It affects about 1 in 20,000 * It shows up when the patient is about 30 – 40 years old. * The cells of the brain degenerate and the patient makes clumsy and jerky movements. * The sufferers become moody and depressed. * The memory is affected and they eventually become totally disabled. * Huntington’s disease is caused by a dominant gene – so only one allele is needed to give the disease. * So all heterozygous people are sufferers because the onset of the disease occurs so late many people have produced a family before they find out they have the condition. * The Organ Effected is the Brain. Bacteria cell Bacteria are known as micro-organisms. Many of these cause disease. Those that cause disease are called Pathogens. Other micro-organisms include Protozoans, Fungi and Viruses. Micro Organisms reproduce quickly in warm, damp places. Once inside a host of Pathogens reproduce and cause Infection. How Pathogens can enter our Body * Nat Bites/ Being Bitten * Eating * Touch * Sexually Transmitted * Bugs * Dogs/ Animals * Breathing it in * Birds * Injections * Cuts * Natural Openings * Blood Transplants * Organ Transplants Things that protect our Body from Pathogens * Eyebrows/ Eyelashes * Cilia * Acid * Mucus * Tears * Skin * White Blood Cells * Healing over cuts Gaining Immunity Example 1) James is Infected by some bacteria that causes a disease 2) The bacteria reproduce and James gets ill. 3) One of James’ white blood cells detect the bacteria. It makes anti bodies to destroy the bacteria. 4) The white blood cells reproduce. Now there are lots of them making Anti-bodies. 5) The bacteria are all killed. James gets better. 6) Most of the white blood cells that make the antibodies die, but a few of them stay in the blood. 7) James is infected with the same bacteria again. 8) The white blood cells to make the antibody are still in James’ Blood. So this time they are ready to kill the bacteria very quickly. 9) The bacteria are killed before they can make James ill. He is Immune to this disease. Anti-body = A Chemical made by White blood cells which binds to Antigen. Antigen = A marker on the surface of a Pathogen that identifies it as foreign. Pathogen = A micro-organism which causes Disease. White Blood Cells: * Produce Anti-bodies to neutralise the Microbe * They eat the microbe * They produce anti-toxins to neutralise the poisons produced by microbes. Producing Anti-bodies 1. A White Blood cell detects a pathogen. 2. A White Blood cell produces Anti-bodies. 3. The anti-bodies bind with Antigens. 4. The Pathogen is engulfed by the White Blood Cell. Natural Immunity This is when Anti-bodies are produced by a Person when needed or they are passed on by a mother during Pregnancy. Artificial Immunity A Vaccine with dead Microbes is injected – the body is ‘tricked’ into producing anti-bodies ready for the real thing. This is called Passive Immunisation. We should use the new influenza vaccines every year because influenza reproduces very quickly. Also it has a high mutation rate, which means that it changes so you need to continually be protected by Influenza. Especially if you suffer from other illnesses, because you would be at risk the most. Also the antigens would have changed shape. Vaccinations Policy Benefits – Wont spread through a large population is a benefit. Also if a woman has a vaccination then falls pregnant she passes the antibodies onto the child. A vaccine Policy is a decision made by the government to vaccinate a large amount of people. This usually only works if the majority of people agree to it. Antibiotics Immunity/ Immune: When your body has already met a Pathogen once and therefore cannot make you ill again Antibody: These attach to pathogens and Stick the together. Vaccine/ Vaccination: An inactive or dead version of a pathogen is introduced into the body. Antigen: The marker on a Pathogen that a White Blood Cell can recognise. White Blood cells: a Cell that produces Antibodies. Antibiotics: * You take them and they kill the bacteria and it makes you better * You have to take them continually * They take a while to settle in * They kill infections * They are produced by Bacteria and Fungi * Are Drugs that are effective at killing Bacteria and Fungi * Antibiotics do not seriously damage body cells * Antibiotics are derived from micro-organisms * Penicillin comes from bread mould and was the first antibiotic discovered. * However they have limited use and have no effect on viruses. Antibiotics and Superbugs Antibiotics are used to kill Bacteria and Fungi in an infection in the body. The chemicals are made from Fungi and Bacteria. Antibiotics are Drugs that kill Bacteria and Fungi without harming body cells. These drugs do not affect viruses. A Superbug Bacteria is a Mutation to a Normal Bacteria. It is resistant to normal Antibiotics. How could we help Reduce Superbugs? Hospitals Hospitals can make sure that they treat people with the Superbug properly to stop it from spreading. Keep the Hospital Clean. Inject staff to Stop it Spreading, and to make them Immune. GP Inject people more Often and Give out Leaflets. Drug Companies Make a more effective drug and make a vaccine. The Public Allow people to inject them and make them immune. Antibiotic Resistance Stages 1. The cell starts to replicate the DNA 2. The cell has had the DNA Replicate. So therefore the cell has elongated. 3. The Cell has started budding. 4. Binary Fission has taken place and the cell has cloned itself. A Mutation is a change in the bases that make up DNA. These changes can cause a change in a gene. This can change a Protein and thus affect the Characteristics of an Organism. Drug Trials It is important to do strict test on drugs to check that they are safe for use, do what they are supposed to do and to check the side effects. Drugs are tested on human cells that have been developed in a laboratory (The drug is tested on different body cells), then it is tested on animals (to see whether it works as well on whole animals as on the cells) before it is used on human patients(these are tested on volunteers).The three drug trials are Double blind(both doctor and patient do not know the drug is new), Blind trial(only the patient does not know the drug is true but the doctor does), and Open trial(both doctor and patient know the drug is new). A placebo is when a doctor gives a patient something that does not contain Drugs. A Placebo is used in blind trials.

Affective Filter And Second Language Acquisition

Affective Filter And Second Language Acquisition As the number of ELL students increases on campuses across the nation, there is a growing need for educators to somehow increase their awareness about the process of second language acquisition, and different ways to promote students learning and acquisition of a new language. ELL students usually experience stress and anxiety as they are very much aware of their lack of proficiency in English. This often interferes with their learning and acquisition of a new language. In recent years the importance of affective filter has become a matter of debate and extensive research among language teachers, linguists and researchers. The major purpose of this paper is therefore, to address the implications and importance that affective filter has on the language acquisition of especially English Language Learners (ELLs). Overview of Krashens Theory of Language Acquisition Krashens theory of second language acquisition has had a great impact in the field of education, especially that of acquiring and learning a new language. Based on internal psychological factors, his theory holds that humans have an innate ability to learn language (Krashen, 1982). According to Krashen, a second language is most successfully acquired when the conditions are similar to those present in first language acquisition: that is, when the focus of instruction is on meaning rather than on form; when the language input is at or just above the proficiency of the learner; and when there is sufficient opportunity to engage in meaningful use of that language in a relatively anxiety-free environment. He emphasized the importance of providing learners with comprehensible input in a risk-free environment. Krashen also maintained that low stress situations provide the greatest opportunity for learners to improve their language competency. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Krashens theory of second language acquisition consists of five interrelated hypotheses which reflect an understanding of both linguistics and of psychology: The Acquisition-Learning hypothesis, the Monitor hypothesis, the Natural Order hypothesis, the Input Hypothesis, and the Affective Filter Hypothesis. Despite of the significance of all of these hypotheses in language learning and acquisition, this paper prioritizes the last, but also one of the most important hypotheses in the process of language learning and acquisition, the Affective Filter Hypothesis. Rosenthal (1996) found that although Duley and Burt were among the first to refer to the relationship between the affective delimiters and L2 acquisition, it was Krashen who championed the connection. In Krashens work, the affective filter hypothesis explains the role of affective factors in the process of language acquisition (2003). It suggests that emotional variables can hinder comprehensible input from reaching the part of the brain responsible for acquiring language. Krashen (1981) postulated that an affective filter exists that can increase or decrease the intake of the comprehensible input. He found that a high level of stress and anxiety creates a filter that impedes learning, blocks the intake, and reduces L2 acquisition. When the filter is up, input cant reach those parts of the brain where acquisition occurs. Many language learners realize that the reason they have trouble is because they are nervous or embarrassed and simply cant concentrate. In other words, the input is filtered out. Krashen also concluded that a low affective filter on the other side facilitates learning and promotes second language acquisition. The Affective Filter hypothesis embodies Krashens view that a number of affective variables play a facilitative, but non-causal, role in second language acquisition (2003). These AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION variables include: motivation, self-confidence and anxiety. According to him, it is easier for a learner to acquire a language when he/she is not tense, angry, anxious, and bored. Krashen claimed that learners with high motivation, self-confidence, a good self-image, and a low level of anxiety are better equipped for success in second language acquisition. Low motivation, low self-esteem, and debilitating anxiety can combine to raise the affective filter and form a mental block that prevents comprehensible input from being used for acquisition. In other words, when the filter is up it impedes language acquisition. On the other hand, positive affect is necessary, but not sufficient on its own, for acquisition to take place. Therefore, educators need to provide an environment that reduces stress and anxiety and also increases the ELL students motivation and self-esteem. This, according to Krashen, provides opportunities for language acquisition to occur more efficiently and quickly amo ng the learners (2003). The Motivation Variable A number of studies conducted in the field of ESL learning show that motivation is crucial to successful ESL learning (Andres, 2003). Within a school system the amount of motivation that children bring into the classroom with them is highly variable. It depends both on age and on family background factors. In-school factors also influence motivation. Crookes and Schmidt (1991) argued that intrinsic motivation, the one that stems from the interest in the activity itself independent from extrinsic reward, should be favored in the classroom. According to them, teachers can foster intrinsic motivation by posing reasonable challenging tasks to students, basing them on the perceptions of learners needs and providing for plenty of variety in classroom activities. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION Conversely, Fontana (1988) argued that there are occasions when students intrinsic motivation is insufficient and recourse has to be made to motivation of an extrinsic tangible nature. Thus, it seems that balance should be kept between both stances, understanding that extrinsic motivation may be valid, useful and even necessary, but if overused, in the long run it can be detrimental to students autonomy. Teachers own behaviour can either positively or negatively influence the learners desire and willingness to learn and continue learning the language. Based on his instructional design model for motivation, Keller (1979) suggested four different ways to help teachers increase the motivation of all students, especially of ELL learners: stimulating interest in the topic; creating relevance to students lives; developing an expectancy of success, and producing satisfaction in the outcome through intrinsic/extrinsic rewards. Clearly defined tasks, which are both interesting and sufficiently challenging, are also of the utmost importance. Furthermore, concerning curriculum and instruction, the importance of authentic, communicative tasks and assignments cannot be emphasized enough. Research by Oxford and Shearin (1996) also supports the critical role of educators in enhancing the motivation of ELL students. According to them, teachers can help shape students beliefs about success and failure in L2 learning. They found that teachers can help students improve motivation by showing that L2 learning can be an exciting mental challenge, a career enhancer, a vehicle to cultural awareness and friendship, and a key to world peace. In addition, teachers can make the L2 classroom a welcoming, positive place where psychological needs are met and where language anxiety is kept to a minimum. Most importantly, educators can urge AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION students to develop their own intrinsic rewards through positive self-talk, guided self-evaluation, and mastery of specific goals, rather than comparison with other students. Teachers can thus promote a sense of greater self-efficacy, increasing motivation to continue learning a new language and master the academic content as well. In the ELL classroom is vitally important that the curriculum and instructional strategies used are comprehensible. If language learners cannot comprehend the language input they receive, often they will become frustrated and check-out, no longer putting effort into the language learning process. This frustration, if not addressed early on, becomes overwhelming and discouraging to students and, as Duff (2001) reports, frustration and failure may lead to higher than average drop-out rates among immigrant students in high school, especially those whose home-country education or L1 literacy skills are limited (p.105). Therefore, teachers must make a concerted effort during instruction to assure that language input is comprehensible to ELLs. This certainly increases their motivation to learn the new language and also the academic content. Helpful suggestions for making input comprehensible include pre-teaching vocabulary, providing study guides, and graphic organizers etc. With these too ls, teachers provide students with the scaffolding necessary to motivate, and challenge students, but not frustrate them to the point of overwhelming or discouraging. In addition to providing students with comprehensible input, teachers must provide students with opportunities to experience success. In order for students to be motivated in continuing the language learning process, they must have enough self-efficacy, or confidence, to know that they are capable. One way to help meet this affective need in students through AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION curriculum and instruction is by planning activities in which students can experience success. As students effectively use learning strategies; there is a close association with the individuals self-efficacy (Zimmerman, 1990). Although these activities may not be necessarily easy, they must be tasks that students have tools and resources to complete with a sense of accomplishment. In addition to these types of tasks, students also experience success when they have choices over texts, activities, small grouping, topics, etc (Townsend and Fu, 2001). As students experience academic success and connections to their own knowledge and abilities, their self-efficacy and motivation to learn increases. With this affective need met, students are validated and more willing to take on new challenges in the language learning process. Ellis (1994) acknowledged McNamaras views that communication itself is also an important motivation learners acquire motivation from the need to express themselves and from the pleasure that they feel when they achieve this (p.516). Consequently, classes that provide opportunities for communication are going to have a more positive effect than those that do not. Interest increases as the learners are made responsible for their learning activities especially during interactive, flexible cooperative activities. Research supports two important claims regarding cooperative group work, particularly in the ELL classroom. First, minority students academic achievement increases with the use of cooperative learning activities (Aronson Gonzalez, 1998). Second, regarding the social and emotional needs of the learner, cooperative learning increases self-esteem and student motivation Slavin, 1985) and helps them develop empathy (Aronson Bridgemen, 1979). Cummins (1986) and Holt (1993) also emphasized the role of cooperative learning in maximizing the acquisition of English, its comprehensible input, and empowering students to use the language, hear it, and AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION model it for each other in a non-threatening environment. According to Stewart (2010), positive feedback, praise, and a sense of belonging can also be empowering for students who lack confidence in the subject matter. By giving them such feedback, ELL students may be motivated to put forth more effort, which will produce a higher quality of work, greater self-confidence, greater learning and then even more deserved positive feedback in a continuous loop. Last but not least, another factor that triggers the motivation of ELL students is the aspect of fun. Lin (2008) demonstrates the importance of fun in the classroom to lower the affective filter in her study with Taiwanese English as a Foreign Language students. She describes these activities as joyful and motivation-stirring and relaxing pedagogies (p. 126). Perhaps one of the most effective ways to lower the affective filter is to embrace the fun that I believe is inherent in second language learning. The Self-confidence variable The affective and emotional needs of students are deeply personal and influence language learning and academic achievement. The second variable that affects the affective filter and influences the process of language acquisition is self-confidence. Without some belief in oneself and ones abilities, it is easy to become anxious, frustrated, and discouraged. Work by Brown (1977) and Krashen (1981) reveals that traits related to self-confidence such as lack of anxiety, outgoing personality, and self-esteem are predictive of second language learning. The more confidence a student has about his abilities, the easier it is to participate in language learning activities, eventually leading to further language learning success. Conversely, when students lack self-confidence they tend to become overly anxious. This can have detrimental affects on language learning success as described by Gopaul-McNicol and Thomas-Presswood (1998): AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION A high anxiety level interferes with learning a second language because it not only impairs memory but it also decreases the learners willingness to take risks and practice the new language (p. 68). In addition, as anxiety increases frustration tolerance decreases; this causes students to become much more susceptible to giving up or quitting. It is very critical that students have a positive attitude towards themselves in the form of self-confidence/esteem, as previously discussed. This is an important affective need for all students, but particularly so for ELLs whose cultural identity is changing (Canadian Teachers Federation, 1989). While ELLs themselves need to have positive attitudes toward themselves, their culture, and second language, they also need to experience a positive social environment, which promotes acceptance, a sense of belonging, and community. According to Kristmanson (2003), it is very important for teachers to encourage and support students at all times, but especially when they are struggling or lacking confidence in certain areas, such as speaking a new language. For example, demonstrating interest and involvement in the children, getting to know them, their lives, their families, and capitalizing on the rich cultural knowledge and experiences their students bring to classroom increases their overall self-esteem and makes learning more meaningful. Finally, creating an atmosphere in which students are not afraid to make mistakes and are encouraged to take risks promotes their self-confidence. Lastly, praise also helps teachers build students confidence. Anxiety Variable Krashen (1981) states that low anxiety relates to success in second language acquisition (p. 56). ELL students are often very nervous about their first class in English. Everything is new to them the language, the building, the classroom, the culture of the classroom. Therefore, AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION it is very important to establish a welcoming classroom environment and thoroughly explain procedures and assignments to lower students anxiety levels. Avoiding tension-causing strategies such as surprise quizzes, overly competitive activities, putting students in front of their peers with no warning or chance for preparation, and correcting errors in a negative, accusatory fashion reduces the tension, nervousness, and affective filter of ELL students. Anxiety should be of a low level, and should be attached to the need to communicate, rather than to personality factors, or the fear of appearing ridiculous. Error correction must also be constructive and tailored to students individual needs. Examples of ways to gently and effectively correct students errors include reflecting their statements back to them, extending, and elaborating on statements. It is also important that error correction focus on mistakes that impede communication (global errors), rather than more minor grammatical errors (local errors). Recognizing the ELL students language proficiencies, differentiating instruction, materials, and assessment tools to meet their diverse needs certainly promotes language acquisition in a positive low- affective filter classroom. In conclusion, Krashens insistence on the importance of providing ELL learners with comprehensible input in a risk-free environment sends an important message to all teachers. As educators, we can make a significant difference in motivation, in anxiety levels and in the self image of our students. It is indeed our responsibility to establish a classroom environment that promotes camaraderie, makes every member feel welcome, wanted, validated and most importantly promotes their chances of acquiring and learning a new language in a positive, low-stress environment. This particular type of environment will certainly reduce our students affective filter, inspire them to learn the new language, and be successful in school. AFFECTIVE FILTER AND SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Health Promotion in the UK

Health Promotion in the UK Introduction Health promotion is a vast and complex subject, encompassing aspects of definitions of health, practical and political approaches to promoting health, education, social policy and particular notions related to preventative approaches to lifestyle management. As such, it requires careful examination and consideration in terms of the current UK socio-political culture and in terms of the evolution of health promotion into its current state (Scriven and Orme, 2001). Health promotion involves a great variety of people, professions and players, including politicians, doctors, nurses, social care professionals, teachers and educators, the legal profession, and of course, the general public. It touches everyone in our society in one form or another, from the advertising on cigarette packets to the nutritional information displayed on supermarket foods. Therefore, it is of concern to everyone in society, because it considers health, however it is defined, as being to a certain degree manageable, in that the manipulation of lifestyle and environmental factors can support people in achieving optimum health and wellbeing. However, its very complexity, partly due to its historical evolution, partly due to the complex social and political interactions which define the sphere of health in society, can mean that simplistic notions of health, health promotion and associated concepts are difficult to define and to achieve. This essay will address some of the complexities of the issues of health promotion. It will attempt to define what health promotion is, what ideas, ideals and concepts it includes, and how health promotion is realised in a practical sense. It will also address the need for exploration of the outcomes and interactions of health promotion activities, and their social and institutional context. It will, of necessity, discuss aspects of the healthcare systems within the United Kingdom which pertain to the subject, and of the socio-political systems and histories which underpin the current climate. It will then examine vital aspects of health promotion, such as health education and communication, participative approaches to health promotion, and evaluation of health promotion initiatives. The author will also attempt to debate ethical, political and professional dilemmas that arise in new practices and policies for promoting health and explore the development of ways of promoting health t hat tackle social and economic inequalities and that are holistic and culturally sensitive. What is Health Promotion? Tones (2001) describes health promotion as a contested concept, raising immediately the notion of differing definitions of health promotion, perhaps based on different conceptualisations of health or different social or political imperatives. Health promotion has often been viewed as synonymous with health education, while health education conversely is often believed to be a fundamental component of health promotion (Tones, 2001). It is also linked with and perhaps interchangeable with definitions of public health (Tones, 2001). This relationship with public health immediately takes the notion of health promotion away from the individual sphere and places it firmly in the public sphere, within the context of the social and political systems of the nation in question, or within a global perspective, both of which are applicable to this essay and discussion. Tones (2001) suggests a formula for health promotion where healthy public policy is multiplied with health education, establishi ng their relationship as the basis for our definitions of the concept. The World Health Organisation defines health promotion as the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. This generic definition suggests that health itself is an individual state over which individuals can have some measure of control. Jones et al (2002, p.xi) also suggest that for many people, health promotion means targeting behaviour, but view it as something imposed upon them which does not necessarily work for them. However, given that promoting heath is a diverse, complex and multi-faceted activity (Jones et al, 2002, p5), these definitions do not address the range of activities and ideologies associated with the process. Health promotion policy appears to combine diverse approaches which include legislation, financial measures, taxation and organizational change. Tones (2001) simplistic suggestion of a formula of the interdependence of health education and healthy public policy as a definition of health promotion does not focus on the role of the individual. Both are equally important in our understanding of this issue. Tones (2001 p4) however further goes on to discuss a model of health promotion which focuses on the purpose of healthy public policy and health education, which is argued to be the empowerment of individuals and communities to reduce or remove the various barrier spreventing the attainnment of health for all. This is a more useful definition, but rather idealistic, as it sugges ts that such a goal is achievable, and there may be vast differences in individuals’ notions of ‘health’ and their abilities to achieve this. Health promotion and health education are often also seen as synonymous. Health education can be as complex an issue as health promotion to define. Education implies somebody ‘teaching’ or educating, and somebody learning new information. Tones (2001) p 15) describes emancipatory education, a dialectical process which involves critical consciousness raising which leads to the translation of critical thinking about social issues into action. Health education involves communication and the transmission or sharing of information, but also implies that such information must be assimilated by the recipient and then utilised in order to bring about change in the self or in aspects of behaviour, lifestyle or environment. There are great benefits in adopting the curent collective approach to promoting health, which aims to involve people not only in their own health and well-being but in acting together upon theirf physical, social, political and economic environment for the sake of health (Sidell et al, 2002, p 1). Such approaches allow for the incorporation, validation and promotion of individual and group needs based on diversity in race, ethnic or religious identity, social or lifestyle identity, social status and social and geographical inequality. Historical Milestones in Health Promotion Webster and French (2003 p9) suggest that while the immediate sources of health promotion and current approaches to public health lie in the political history of the 1970s, there are roots which go much further back, arguing that all communities have had some interest in co-ordinated community action to ensure a better life. The historical link between health promotion and public health is well established, with one of the most significant milestones being the formation of the National Health Service in 1948, whose medicalised approach initially hindered public health and health promotion initiatives as we see them today in favour of a treatment-oriented approach to illness (Webster and French 2003 p 10). Webster and French (2003 p11) suggest that the three seminal documents which launched what we know perceive as the health promotion movement were: the Lalonde Report New Perspectives on the Health of Canadians (1974); the World Health Organisation’s Global Strategy for Health for All by the Year 2000 (1981) and the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion 1986). It was these documents which, collectively, set out a vision for health improvement which exceeded the traditional approaches of sanitation engineering, lifestyle health education and preventing and caring health services which characterised health promotion to that point. Instead, health promotion became concerned principally with empowering citizens that that they could take control of their health an in so doing attain the best possible chance of a full and enjoyable life (Webster and French, 2003, p 15). This notion of empowerment appears fundamental to current perspectives on health promotion and to its influences on the National Health Service, including on such concepts as patient participation and collaboration, service user involvement and patient rights. This heralds a move away from the medicalisation of health towards a more social definition of health where power is apparently distributed more equally among those who experience and those who purport to affect health, illness and wellness. This is something that the World Health Organisation appears to have consistently advocated, a positive and holistic view of health which comprises mental, physical and social elements (Tones, 2001 p6). The Ottawa treaty, which encompasses the key principles of equity, empowerment and the reorientation of the health services, reflects this notion of demedicalisation, where collaborative working by the many agencies concerned with health promotion is believed to maximise the potential of any strategy or policy in this arena (Tones, 2001, p7). Within the UK, policy drivers which have driven health promotion initiatives are too numerous and complex to fully explore within the context of this essay. However, governmental initiatives, changes in health and social services, changes in approaches to public health and changes in statutory control and responsibility for public services have all formed part of the UK health promotion focus (Jones et al, 2002 p 9-13). However, there appears to be a counter culture of bottom up drivers as well, with empowerment leading to the enabling of the activities of community and voluntary groups to bring about change at local and even national levels. This reflects the overall picture of holistic health promotion as a community development activity rather than a policy founded in political rhetoric. Contextual and Practical Issues in Health Promotion The setting of health promotion is also of some concern, with the role of the media, community development and critical consciousness raising (Tones, 2001, p14-15) still areas of some debate. This author would argue that the media may have some merit in health promotion, but that there are likely to be many who do not trust the ‘messages’ given out given that so much advertising is false, suggestive and manipulative, and based on the need to sell products rather than truly promote health. Health and community services appear to be the most impactful arenas for health promotion to take place within. The National Health Service has already established a policy context for the promotion of health within public services (Adams, 2001 p35). Therefore, a primary and important leader for health promotion is the health authority, with its twin roles of service improvement and strategic leadership for improving health and tackling health inequalities (Adams, 2001, p38). Activities such as health needs assessments and community planning can be carried out in a collaborative and participative way with local organisations and community groups in order to target and focus health promotion activities at a policy level (Adams, 2001, p 39). Primary healthcare services and Primary Care Groups can also be a vehicle for health promotion (Velleman and Williams, 2001, p43), and given their location within communities should be ideally suited to this role. Such groups can focus on practical initiatives to reduce inequalities in health and to target issues such as heart disease, cancer, teenage pregnancies and accidents, on the back of governmental initiatives, alongside emergent and self-defined local issues (Velleman and Williams, 2001, p43). An example of an activity by a primary care group is of a stop smoking initiative, whereby health professionals were trained and located in GP practices to provide one to one support to smokers who want to quit, and practices were supported in developing systems that deliver stop smoking interventions effectively (Velleman and Williams, 2001 p 44). Such practices can have multiple benefits, both to the individuals whose health is improved by the intervention, and to their communities. The wider impact is also that such practices can serve as examples and provide evidence for other groups wishing to develop similar interventions. So it would seem that local initiatives can be of much wider importance. GPs have, following changes in contracts, been charged with the responsibility of improving the public’s health (Jones et al, 2002). But the limitations of their services, their training and their scope are still apparent (Jones et al, 2002). The National Health Service also has an already established professional context which is ideally suited to taking forward notions of true, holistic health promotion whereby communities and individuals become empowered as agents of their own wellbeing. Community nursing services, again on the frontline of NHS care and which function fully within the communities they serve, can be a vehicle for such activities (Wright, 2001, p58). These work alongside specialist health promotion services who act as catalysts and facilitators at local levels (Learmonth, 2001 p 66). Such professionals and services can be active in organisation development, through leadership, partnership, development, training, education and support and policy and strategy development (Learmonth, 2001, p66). They can also engage in evidence based practice, market research, communication and publicity, and programme management (Learmonth, 2001, p67). The benefits of having such professionals are obvious, particularly wit hin the already overstretched and under-funded health and social services sector. Such activities appear vitally important to achieving health promotion goals, and in particular to ensuring collaborative working and full community engagement. Therefore, specialist services can also support community development through advocacy, needs assessment, community participation, information for health, and evaluation of services (Learmonth, 2001, p 67). However, there are challenges, particularly in the capacity and recognition of such services and their location, which may fall between traditional services and serve to hinder their function (Learmonth, 2001, p75). Hospital nursing practice also provides vast scope for health promotion (Latter, 2001, p77). Among other potentialities, the role of the hospital nurse as the primary caregiver for individual patients equates to a significant scope for health education (Latter, 2001, p78). However, there is also the need to further develop this role, and support its expression in the beleaguered health service (Latter, 2001, p 79). Despite the challenges of this, it could be argued that nurses have a strong role to play in creating environments that are supportive of health, encouraging community participation in health and helping to generate healthy policies (Latter, 2001). It should be remembered, however, that nurses are themselves individuals, whose own health needs support and input, and so any drive towards increasing their functions within health promotion may also need to address their working conditions, and the demands which place a strain on their own health. Environment is another contextual issue in health promotion. The role of Local Authorities in supporting healthier environments and communities is described by Allen (2001, p 91), who argues that such authorities can act as role models, and through the work of environmental health services, can promote the health of communities through: food inspection and maintenance of food safety; housing standards; health and safety at work and during recreation; environmental protection; communicable disease prevention and control; licensing; drinking water surveillance; refuse collection and street cleaning; and pest control. These are statutory functions, but if effective and efficient, have obvious public health benefits and therefore health promotion benefits. In addition, the discretionary powers of local authorities can affect issues of HIV and AIDS, alcohol and drug addiction, nutrition, women and men’s health, heating and energy advice, occupational health, environmental enhanceme nt and poverty issues (Allen, 2001 p 91). Their limitations are apparent, but this is where the voluntary sector comes in, and often voluntary groups and agencies fill some of the gaps where statutory services cannot stretch to cover all areas. Social services address the social aspects of health, by engaging in preventive work with children and families, by involvement in the care of older people, and by engagement with the health and wellbeing of people with special needs (Jones and Rose, 2001 p 95-102.) Diversity issues can be addressed by some aspects of social services (Jones and Rose, 2001 p 95-102), but again, there are gaps, where in some areas voluntary agencies can fulfil identified needs that cannot be met by health and social care services. Another arena for health promotion is that of health education in schools (Scriven, 2001 p 115). This is another growth area, supported by a range of policy drivers (Scriven, 2001, p121; Beattie 2001 p 133). School nurses have always had a role in health promotion for specific age groups, and this is another area where health promotion opportunities can be maximised (Farrow, 2001 p 151). Similarly, there is some evidence that Universities can be effective loci of health promo tion activities, with the integration of visions of health within plans and policies and promotion of sustainable health within the wider community (Dooris and Thompson, 2001 p 160). For those who perhaps cannot be reached through these contexts, there is also the Youth Work setting, which also provides considerable scope for health information and advice, though this too is not without its challenges (Robertson, 2001 p 173-176). Where services fail to meet need, as already suggested, the voluntary sector may cover the shortfall. The greatest value of the voluntary sector lies in its diversity and its motivation, which stems from free will, moral purpose and individual personal engagement (Anderson, 2001 p 181). Voluntary agencies are non-profit-making and occupy a singular position within society. Conversely, profit-making agencies can also contribute to health promotion through health working policies and health promotion in the workplace (Daykin, 2001 p 204). Good occupational he alth services, for example, can also play a vital role in health promotion, both generally and in specific issues related to the type of employment and activities concerned (Lisle, 2001). What all of these point to is this notion of collaborative, interagency working, where health promotion becomes the common goal of diverse populations, agencies, services, professions and of course individuals. Some believe that effective interagency working lies at the heart of improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations (Jones and Rose, 2001, p 95). However, such a standard of working is difficult to achieve (Jones and Rose, 2001, p 95), perhaps because of the boundaries and restrictions within which such groups work, and the historical context which makes them protective of their own ‘territory’. It is obvious that such limitations must be overcome if health promotion goals are to be met. It we are to achieve the goal of a holistic, socio-ecological model of health fully applied to our societies, then new ways of working and communicating must be developed, building on current evidence from innovations and practice. Debates and Dilemmas in Health Promotion It would be reasonable to raise the question, in the light of all these services, policies and drivers which promote health in our arguably well-endowed nation, why indeed is health promotion still such a challenge? Why are so many still suffering from ill health, social injustice, health inequalities and supposedly eminently preventable diseases? There may be many possible answers to this. Health is believed to be ultimately determined by the existence of equity and social justice, which is in turn rooted in people’s material, social, economic and cultural circumstances (Tones, 2001 p7). It is also believed that community action for health is based on the premise that health chances and health choices are shaped, to a great extent, by the social, political and economic conditions in which people live, and that ability of individuals to shape and control these structures is limited (Jones et al, 2002 p 25). It has been argued that the creation of healthy public policy is the prerequisite for changing adverse environments in order to facilitate the development of health (Tones, 2001 p8), but this author would also argue that adverse environments must be ‘ owned’ by those who live within them, and no amount of policy, imposed ‘top-down’ will improve environments if those who live within them do not equally invest in their amelioration and long-term development. Tones (2001 p 9) does argue that individual empowerment and community empowerment are linked, and that these are partly dependant on a sense of community where individuals have some notion of membership of some kind of community or group. The term community implies a common bond between individuals (Jones et al, 2002 p 25). Therefore we see the individual in a different context, a context comprised of various relationships and connections with other individuals. These must surely affect health and health p romotion behaviours, positively and negatively. But what of the individuals who fall outside such communities? Is it the remit of government, at any level, to force or coerce individuals into a state of ‘belonging’? Definitions of communities and group identities may serve to alienate those who do not feel associated with them, but in this case it might be necessary to focus on the good of the many, and to address the larger issues before addressing individual differences of this kind. If self-empowerment is attainable (Tones, 2001 p 11) then such individuals may take control of their own health. Activities such as community campaign groups, self-help groups and even more politicised groups related to notions of women’s or men’s health may all engage in action for health (Jones et al, 2002), and therefore it could be argued that any one individual should find a group or action which ‘concerns’ them or some aspect of their life or lifestyle. This may be particularly important in terms of dive rsity, where so-called ‘minority’ groups can both campaign for issues pertaining to their own identities and needs, and develop services which meet those needs. This returns us to the work of the voluntary sector, which is where such activities tend to find expression. But surely it is the role of government, and the services provided, at a locally devolved level, through central funding, to provide such sensitivity in the services and policies it underwrites? Some would argue that such sensitivity exists, but we have yet to see it fully realised in action, and have yet to see evidence of the efficacy of these great policy drivers in real practical terms. Jones et al (2002 p 47) suggest that community groups may find it useful to develop partnerships with local authorities, the education sector, other groups, NHS services, employers and even the media in order to ensure a fully participative, collaborative and comprehensive approach to locally-suited health promotion activities. This author would argue that with the best will in the world, there will always be a divergence between the goals of different groups, and an imbalance of power betw een these different agencies. The agendas of central government may end up dominating those of the community, and while such collaborative working is the ideal, it may need to be undertaken with awareness and caution. Farrant (2003 p 230) argues that the recent moves towards community development may simply mirror or reinforce the existing power inequalities within social systems, and such activities simply serve as another vehicle for governmental control. It is therefore important to be aware of the policy context within social action on health promotion, and to engage in true community or communal activities rather than those made possible by the current political and funding context. The paternalism of our current political system is evident in the media and the governmental policy drivers which shape public services. Such paternalism may be of some benefit in highlighting health promotion issues which need to be addressed, but the media reports demonstrate an over-generalisation of the issues. It is at the community level that the real needs can be identified (Jones et al, 2002 p 100). Part of this process is the evaluation of health promotion initiatives and actions, particularly participatory evaluation of community action with dissemination of findings (Jones et al, 2002 p 100). This serves two purposes. It allows communities themselves to build on evidence and continue to grow and develop such initiatives in a reflexive manner, and it establishes their work within the fields of health and social care on a more critical, intellectual level as an evidence-base which can educate and empower others. This essay has touched on the notion of public health and policy drivers, and has equated health promotion, to a certain degree, with the notion of public health. It is important, therefore, to consider the public health debate and the politics of health promotion. The context of public health within the UK is very much concerned with the notion of health inequalities, again, as mentioned in the above discussion. The evidence from the UK still points to considerable inequalities in health depending on region, and on individual occupation, and suggests that these inequalities are widening, despite significant improvements in aspects of social and economic wellbeing (Graham, 2003 p 20). Changing distributions of work and income, changing access to housing (such as increases in owner-occupation), changing patterns of working and domestic lives are all affecting social determinants of health (Graham, 2003 p 24-25). It has long been believed that income inequality is an important determin ant of health in richer societies, but research suggests that population health is related less to how wealthy a society is, and more to how equally or unequally this wealth is distributed (Graham, 2003 p 25). But individual factors must be taken into consideration, particularly in terms of health and illness. It is no surprise that an individual’s health is a determinant a well as an outcome of socio-economic circumstances, where those in better health are more likely to move up the occupational and economic ladder, while those in poorer health will not (Graham, 2003 p 26-27). Factors on the individual level include material factors, such and the physical environment of the home, the neighbourhood and workplace, and living standards; behavioural factors, such as health-related routines and habits, leisure activities and diet; and psychosocial factors in particular increased stress and risk-taking behaviours (Graham, 2003 p 27-28). Public health therefore has a dual remit – to address the socio-economic factors which affect health, and to address the individual factors which influence health. There is evidence of addressing individual lifestyle factors in governmental paternalism in such campaigns as the no-smoking campaigns and legislation, and the current debate on obesity. However, the notion of the evidence which underpins these drivers is debatable. There has been in recent years, a strong trend towards evidence-based practice in all aspects of health care, and this includes health promotion and public health (McQueen and Anderson, 2003 p 165). Ideally the theory informing practice should arise from multiple disciplines and represent diverse research (McQueen and Anderson, 2003 p 167). However, there is a divergence between empirical evidence and so called qualitative evidence, the latter of which does not enjoy the validity or acceptance of the former in terms of evidence. While health promotion is widely assumed to be based on science and a scientific basis for human behaviour, a scientific paradigm does not underlie our notions of health, public health and health promotion (McQueen and Anderson, 2003 p 168). The whole concept of public health and health promotion stems from an holistic and almost communalist paradigm, rejecting the view that human behaviour is simply a response to physiological and neural processes (MqQueen and Anderson, 2003 p 168). Therefore, simplistic, reductionist and scientific principles of evidence derived from statistics and experimental research will of necessity be woefully inadequate in addressing the very real complexities of health promotion in the practical and real community context. Therefore there is a need to identify news way s of seeking and defining appropriate evidence, in a developmental process which mirrors that of the health promotion activities themselves. Conclusion It is evident that health promotion, particularly within the UK context, is a complex concept with a wealth of diverse yet oddly inter-related issues and problems. This essay has attempted to discuss some of the issues raised in the set books for the K301 course, with an exploration of key issues and some debate of current provision. Health promotion is a governmental initiative, but remains also an ideogical and idealistic goal. It is best viewed as an holistic concept with contextual characteristics which must be taken into consideration. Some of these contextual characteristics are national, some are local or locational, and some are individual. It is the relationship between these three that defines both the need and the processes required to meet that need, fundamentally at a local level. The very complexity of the context requires that health promotion activities occur through collaborative, communal and partnership working, which means a change from traditional methods of organising health and social services. If we accept the principle that coordinated action leads to improved health, income and social policies that foster greater equity, then we understand the fact that collaborative action contributes to ensuring safer and healthier goods and services, better and more locally suitable public services, and cleaner, more healthful environments. It also requires that policy-makers, groups and individuals identify barriers and challenges to the adoption of healthier policies and behaviours, throughout society, and develop collaborative approaches to addressing these. However, avoiding paternalism and the mimicking of governmental agendas is also vital. What is most apparent from this discussion is that despite the debates, and there are many, the systems and resources are already in place to foster improved public health and health promotion activties and to engage all sectors of the community in these actions. Such resources include primary healthcare services and groups, nurses working in acute hospitals and within the community, specialist health promotion professionals, social services, schools, voluntary agencies, statutory agencies, youth groups, social and self-help groups, and many more. The potential of these groups in and of themsleves to engage in health promotion, and to evaluate and communicate these activties to others as a form of evidence, is already apparent from the literature. In particular, the literature also suggests that the notion of evidence in this arena should move away from reductionist, scientific principles to mirror the holistic nature of the health promotion context. But the efficacy of these diverse players in the arena is limited until such time as full collaboration, partnership and inter-agency working is realised.

Guide to Becoming a Jerk Essay -- Expository Process Essays

Guide to Becoming a Jerk Being a jerk can be fun. It gives you a feeling of dominance over others; you are more important then the rest. You are the wolf among a flock of sheep; people fear you, and therefore look up to you. Being a jerk is not hard; all you have to do is think about yourself and your own feelings, and forget that everyone else has emotions. There are various ways of achieving this perception of importance; you can put people down and belittle them, pretend you’re better than everyone, or just be plain mean, unpolite, and nasty. Sure, there might be some little voice inside saying that you are no better than anyone else is, but you can drown out that nagging reminder with constant insults to others. Nothing replaces that great feeling of emotional triumph over one of your "peers". The fact that you have engaged in and won a verbal war (however one-sided it may be) makes you feel as high as the sky, while the opposing party will probably sink like a rock in quicksand. They will think t hat you are mean (and you are), and they won’t want to befriend you or have respect for you, but you won’t care because you perceive yourself at a higher standing than they are. The foremost aspect of being a jerk is to make people feel inferior by way of your comments and actions; this also gives you a sense of superiority, which makes you feel important. Also, insults can be spiced up by adding sarcastic and witty remarks. Degrading someone is easy; just greet them with a "Hey, loser", or a cynical "What do you want, _______?" (fill the blank in with your favorite witty obscenity), instead of "Hey, how’s it going" or "What have you been up to lately?". Start off by being sarcastically mean, and you have already got the jump ... ...you need to be disrespectful and insulting to others; you need to make everyone else feel lower, and if these people around you feel lower, then you feel higher. That’s what this world is about, getting to the top by stepping on others; the ends justify the means. While you’re working your way up, you’re also having fun at someone else’s expense; belittling others makes you feel good, doesn’t it? Maybe you won’t be the most respected and liked person in the world, and the only friends you have will be jerks; they could turn their cruel ways against you at any time, but you’re ready for them; you’re a jerk too. Fight fire with fire. Even so, that’s just a small price to pay to have the feeling of massive importance born at the expense of others. Besides, you don’t care if those other people are your friends, or if they respect you; they’re not as good as you anyway.

Sandy Skoglund Essay examples -- Essays Papers

Sandy Skoglund Sandy Skoglund has been in the forefront of contemporary art in the United States, as well as overseas, for nearly two decades. Her dramatic impact to the art world didn’t begin overnight. After sheer dedication to art education she received her BA degree in Studio Art in 1968 from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts. Upon getting her BA, she pursued further education at the University of Iowa where she received her MD. With her remarkable educational background, Skoglund decided to expand her horizons by teaching. Her teaching career grew at a rapid pace and she found herself teaching at the University of Hartford from 1973 to 1976. In late 1976, she was offered a position at Rutgers University, New Jersey, and has been teaching there ever since. She has been giving her expertise in the form of photography and the art of installation and multi-media for fourteen years now, and she doesn’t plan on giving it up anytime soon. As Skoglund began to see that the sky was the limit, along with teaching, she decided to experiment with illustration and commercial images. The advancement in these areas had been a lifelong dream. Merely overnight, Skoglund’s career blossomed and her sole purpose in all of this was to make people see and feel her brilliant expression in a way that they could easily relate to. Over the years Ms. Skoglund has created an art that seems to bash modern day reality as we know it. Ms. Skoglund has had tremendous succ...

Peer Pressure Essay

Peer pressure persuades one to do something that one does not want to do. But maybe you want to do it, and you just don’t have the courage to do it and your friends talk you into it. Peer Pressure can be good peer pressure or bad peer pressure. Bad peer pressure makes one do something that one does not want to do. One of the major problems with peer pressure is that one is forced into doing something one does not want to do. Usually, people get backed into a situation to try illegal drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes and these behaviors can become habit forming . If and when someone comes up and offers you one of these substances, it is your decision whether you want to try or continue to use these substances.. Good peer pressure, on the other hand, is being pushed into something that you didn’t have the courage to do or just didn’t cross your mind to do. It seems to me like a good thing to do. Good peer pressure can also be a situation when our friends convince us not to do something we were going to do because it wasn’t in our best interest. Some people say that good peer pressure is when you get pushed into something that you don’t want to do , but it turns out well. When we have to make these big decisions, it is important to think before deciding. We must think about whether we want to do it, think about whether you should, and finally think about the consequences. These are the important things we must do before taking any big decision. If the person advises us is not our friend, we must really consider what he wants us to do. When we think of peer pressure we always think of it in terms of â€Å"bad†. We think of peer pressure in terms of pressure to; smoke, do illicit drugs, drink alcohol, engage in criminal and quasi-criminal behaviour, do violence, join gangs, etc†¦ We rarely think of the many â€Å"good† ways that peer pressure can influence us – and neither do the parents of teens! In fact it is essential to proper social development that we do learn to â€Å"follow the crowd†. This is how we learn acceptable social norms; that is, how we are expected to act in the world in order to be good people. The difference between good peer pressure and bad peer pressure can be summed up in a simple comparison – when it is good, you are a member of the crowd; when it is bad, you are part of a mob. If peer pressure is telling you to do something without questioning why, to do something you know is wrong, or to do something you feel uncomfortable doing it is safe to say this is bad. This is the kind of behaviour that leads to a â€Å"mob mentality†, that is when the group is acting as one and no one seems to be thinking about consequences or outcome. If peer pressure is telling you to act in a generally appropriate way, to do the right thing when you may not otherwise, or to do more good than harm it is safe to say this is good. Peer pressure help you analyze yourself and contemplate on your ways of life. If you are fortunate to get a good peer group, your peers can play a vital role in the shaping of your personality. Their way of looking at life may influence you to change for betterment. Some of your peers are your close friends, who do not pressurize you to do things but rather inspire you to change yourself. Your peer group may actually persuade you to bring about a constructive change in your personality. Peer pressure can lead you to make the right choices in life. Thus peer pressure is more beneficial than harmful.