Should public funding be used to provide early childhood education to Essay

Should public funding be used to provide early childhood education to all children - Essay Example However, this fact notwithstanding, the following analysis will consider the extent to which governmental funding of early childhood education would be a net good or an overall net bad from educational, economic, and societal standpoints. As a function of answering such a broad question, it is the hope of this particular author that the reader will be able to draw a more well rounded answer to a question that would otherwise evoke a rather emotional response from the perspective shareholders within the process as well as the taxpayers that will ultimately be left holding the bill regardless of what particular approach is engaged. By analyzing these determinants, it is the further intention of the author that the pros and cons of such a broad and overarching funding will be made manifest and allow the reader to come away with a rather clear understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of such a system might be. Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, one must integrate an understanding and appreciation for the economic constraints that universal government sponsorship of early childhood education would portend. ... As a function of understanding the means by which the United States government ultimately operates, one comes away with the understanding that the elected representatives are responsible to the shareholder citizens with regards to the legislation and proposed budget. In this way, it is easy to see how, regardless of current budgetary shortfalls, a large enough response from the electorate would force the hand of the federal government to act in a way to provide such services to the electorate. Naturally, in doing so, this would have a strong negative impact upon other vital functions of the government, to include many other forms of needed social programs; perhaps Medicaid, Medicare, and/or Social Security funding (Hart 64). As such, it is necessary for the reader/researcher to consider the fact that without exponentially raising tax rates, it will be impossible to seek to add a broad new level of government services without directly robbing from one program to help to pay for anothe r one. From the educational standpoint, the application of universal childhood education can have a massive benefit to the further development of educational standards within the lifetime of the student and can serve to provide a sound basis upon which the educators involved can seek to build. Within the current system, only some shareholders within the student body have the opportunity and/or the means to engage within childhood education. Although this should not be seen as a definitive disadvantage, the fact of the matter is that it provides an unequal footing upon which the first few grades must integrate with the students. A level of basic assumption cannot be provided with relation to what has been covered and what has not. In

Ontario’s Forest Accord Essay Example for Free

Ontario’s Forest Accord Essay The Ontario Forest Accord is an organized agreement of forest industry representatives, environmental community and the Ministry of Natural Resources which aims to make an acceptable approach to establish parks and some protected areas but not jeopardizing the needs of the forest industry. The Accord is under legislated protection also concerning the management of protected areas regarding its sustainability. Now, they are currently implementing â€Å"Room to Grow† policy that advances the wood production that can be allocated to parks, protected areas and forest industries. Since the Accord is aiming for environmental beauty and sustainability, they caught the attention of the tourists which gave them the idea to really put their work into good use and drastically improve tourism. The Accord has a huge responsibility on their hands having twelve percent of the forest and protected areas for which they have to manage. With their efforts, the tourism industry got more involved and productive—they have coordinated with the Accord organizers to draw up some policies in which they can make the implementation of the Accord more accepted by the public. The â€Å"Room to Grow† policy linked the two separate fields to hand-in-hand help each other for sustainability and development as well. For conservation and protection, Ecological Land Acquisition Program was launched to protect private land. This program is concerned with the transactions between the private sector and the government who wants to claim ecologically rich area. Basically, it was made to protect the habitat of species and also restrain companies of acquiring ecological lands that may help us improve our natural resources. The Ontario Forest Accord is like a relentless police that keeps on checking the government and private sector regarding their actions with natural resources. Works Cited Ontario’s Forest. (2003). Sustainability for Today and Tomorrow. Available on January 16, 2008 http://ontariosforests. mnr. gov. on. ca/spectrasites/internet/ontarioforests/conservingprotecting. cfm

Reversal of Paralysis :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Reversal of Paralysis This semester we learned about the paralysis of Christopher Reeves. In thinking about his condition, I began to wonder where researchers stood in their attempt to cure paralysis. Paralysis was often considered to be completely irreversible. However, I found that the last ten years have brought huge advances in our understanding of the nervous system and spinal cord injury. Even though paralysis due to spinal cord injury is still, for the most part, permanent, several drugs and techniques show promise in reversing the effects of paralysis. In order to understand the difficulties of curing paralysis, we must first understand the nature of spinal cord injury. When the spinal cord is injured due to trauma, there is localized death of the nerve cells. (1) The initial injury is only the beginning of the cell death. In the hours, days, and weeks following the injury, nerve cells continue to die above and below the original wound. When the area begins to heal, scar tissue, fluid-filled cysts, and cavities occupy an area where the tissue was once healthy. (4) Many of the nerve fibers at the injured area actually separate into two pieces. The part of the fiber that is torn from the soma dies within 48-72 hours. This part does not regenerate, and cell/cell communication is lost below this point. Some cells, on the other hand, remain intact, but lose their myelin. Myelin is a fatty substance that is necessary to conduct electrical signals along the axon. "[It] increases the speed of transmission of signals from one nerve cell to the next, and without myelin the signal may deteriorate so much that it does not reach its target at all." (2) It is entirely possible that the nerve cells and their axons may survive the trauma, but paralysis still occurs because of the destruction of the myelin sheath. In order to reverse the effects of the spinal cord injury, the patient must receive treatment depending on which damage category their injury falls into. Methylprednisolone is the first drug which was proven to control spinal cord damage in humans. It is unclear exactly how methylprednisolone works, but it is thought to reduce inflammation, the release of glutamate, and the accumulation of free radicals. Immediately after trauma to the spinal cord, tiny hemorrhages appear due to blood vessel damage. The resultant swelling inhibits the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to the nerve cells, causing them to die.

High School Practice for College Essay

High school life has been so much fun. I got very much involved with sports, particularly baseball, basketball and lacrosse. I played well and that made me somehow popular. I am a kind person and loyal to friends. I made many friends through the years and we spent many good times together, off-roading, going floating down Chattaoochee River or just hanging out. And when not in sports, I would spend time working at Brookfield country club on a driving range. I was so engrossed with so many enjoyable activities that I hardly noticed high school was almost ending. Eventually, my teachers reminded me that I had to start planning my life and determine what I really wanted to do after high school. The planning aspect was not that difficult because I had always known what I wanted after high school. Like many of us in our batch, I have always dreamed of having a college education. I felt like college education was what I had to do especially if I wanted to have a successful career. I wanted to take an associate degree in a university in Charleston that would prepare me to become a Wildlife and Game Warden. I would be so much thankful if I end up a warden for the state of Georgia. Though I knew what I wanted, I have not taken time to evaluate my capabilities and my readiness. Then I questioned myself whether I have what it takes to be in college. More questions kept popping in my head, like, am I prepared to be there or if ever I did get there, would I ever survive the challenges that laid ahead. I organized my mind and thought about my plus factors, those that would give me an advantage when I am there. Confidently, I could say, I would be able to blend with my friends and future classmates. This is because I have always been very sociable. Even if I have not had chances of leading groups or organizations, I have been a good follower and a good team player. Another factor that I realized would lead and get me through college is my passion for fishing. Fishing, they say, builds character and I firmly believe that. It is full of excitement, like life, the next trip, the next big one or the new reel. One cannot enjoy fishing when one does not have patience. My father taught me that. He and I had the same passion for fishing. This year, I caught a 2-pound bass and my father had it stuffed so we will remember our fishing memories. Someday I will be a professional fisherman or with luck, I may even have my own fishing show. That would complete me. Fishing has influenced a lot about me; my love for the country and the wildlife. The peace and serenity of nature gives me a sense of fulfillment. Something that perhaps complements with problems and difficulties with my family life. My parents were divorced when I was just three years old. My father lives in another state with his new wife and two other sons. I live with my mother, she also remarried and she has two step daughters. I did not have the luxury to remember having both parents together, even in special occasions. I had gifts, money and good times with friends, but holidays were always problems because I would not know with whom to spend it. I used to hide my tears many times when I see kids going shopping or dining with their parents. I felt, they were lucky. I know my mother and father were good people, and they would have stayed together if they could. They must have done it because it was the right thing to do. And I respect that. Childhood was tough for me, many times my dad missed my games; he did not even get to participate or coach my sports. We could not go fishing as much as I would have liked. I was always around people, but many of them, I did not know. I guess I was lonely and starving for a complete family. But I realized, no matter what, I had so much to be thankful for. All my families were all doing fine and in good health; I had chances of being with them, although separately, we did not have problems with finances and I was going to college. I am proud to have surpassed many of life’s trials even at an early age. The experience gave me strength and maturity to deal with the future. The blend of my personality, my skills, my love for nature and my experiences gave me my character. I know my character will lead me to success.

Green Architecture

IntroductionSince the Industrial Revolution, the universe has witnessed incalculable technological accomplishments, population growing, and matching additions in resource usage. As we enter a new century, we are acknowledging the aˆ?side effectsaˆ? of our activities: pollution, landfills at capacity, toxic waste, planetary heating, resource and ozone depletion, and deforestation. These attempts are striving the bounds of the Earth ‘s aˆ?carrying capacityaˆ?aˆâ€ its ability to supply the resources required to prolong life while retaining the capacity to renew and stay feasible. As the universe ‘s population continues to spread out, execution of resource-efficient steps in all countries of human activity is imperative. The reinforced environment is one clear illustration of the impact of human activity on resources. Buildings have a important impact on the environment, accounting for one-sixth of the universe ‘s fresh water backdowns, one-fourth of its wood crop, and two-fifths of its stuff and energy flows. Structures besides impact countries beyond their immediate location, impacting the water partings, air quality, and transit forms of communities. [ 1 ] That acknowledgment is taking to alterations in the manner the edifice industry and edifice proprietors approach the design, building, and operation of constructions. With the leading of diverse groups in the public and private sectors, the edifice industry is traveling toward a new value in its work: that of environmental public presentation. The industry ‘s turning sustainability moral principle is based on the rules of resource efficiency, wellness, and productiveness. Realization of these rules involves an integrated, multidisciplinary approachaˆâ€ one in which a edifice undertaking and its constituents are viewed on a full life-cycle footing. This aˆ?cradle-to-cradleaˆ? attack, known as aˆ?greenaˆ? or aˆ?sustainableaˆ? edifice, considers a edifice ‘s entire economic and environmental impact and public presentation, from material extraction and merchandise industry to merchandise transit edifice design and building, operations and care, and edifice reuse or disposal. Ultimately, acceptance of sustainable edifice patterns will take to a displacement in the edifice industry, with sustainability exhaustively embedded in its pattern, merchandises, criterions, codifications, and ordinances. Understanding the particulars of sustainable edifice and finding effectual sustainable patterns can be confounding. Local authoritiess and private industry frequently do non hold the resources to execute the necessary research to assemble information on sustainable patterns, presuming such information is readily available. This thesis, by its parts, presents a full vision about green architecture, green edifices, and the chance to use this architecture in Lebanon. In Addition, it includes a full conceptual design for a proposed undertaking related to such architecture.Part 1: Green Architecture / Green Buildings1.1 DefinitionSustainable development is the challenge of run intoing turning human demands for natural resources, industrial merchandises, energy, nutrient, transit, shelter, and effectual waste direction while conserving and protecting environmental quality and the natural resource base indispensable for future life and development. This construct recognizes that run intoing long-run human demands will be impossible unless we besides conserve the Earth ‘s natural physical, chemical, and biological systems. [ 2 ] Sustainable development constructs, applied to the design, building, and operation of edifices, can heighten both the economic wellbeing and environmental wellness of communities around the universe. The Union Internationale des Architects/American Institute of Architects ( UIA/AIA ) World Congress of Architects recognized that in its 1993 Declaration of Interdependence, which acknowledges that edifices and the built environment drama a major function in the human impact on the natural environment and on the quality of life. If sustainable design rules are incorporated into edifice undertakings, benefits can include resource and energy efficiency, healthy edifices and stuffs, ecologically and socially sensitive land usage, transit efficiency, and strengthened local economic systems and communities. Embracing sustainability constructs, the ends aim to cut down energy, operation, and care costs ; cut down building-related unwellnesss ; increase the productiveness and comfort of edifice residents ; cut down waste and pollution ; and increase edifice and constituent lastingness and flexibleness. [ 3 ] In the developed states, public and private leaders have realized the economic and environmental benefits of green edifice patterns and are establishing policies, developing edifice guidelines, and fabrication merchandises and systems that will accomplish sustainable development ends.1.2 Green edifices history1.2.1 Historical BuildingsHarmonizing to David Gissen, conservator of architecture and design and the National Building Museum in Washington DC, structures such as London ‘s Crystal Palace and Milan ‘s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II used methods that decreased the impact of the construction on the environment. Systems such as roof ventilators and belowground air chilling Chamberss were used to modulate indoor air temperature. [ 4 ] In the early 20th century, several skyscrapers such as the Flatiron Building and the New York Times Building in New York utilised deep-set Windowss and the Carson Pirie Scott section shop in Chicago had retractable sunshades. Both of these techniques were effectual in commanding interior temperature while lessoning the edifices ‘ impact on the environment. [ 5 ] From the 1930 ‘s through the 1960 ‘s, the forward believing chilling methods mentioned above gave manner to some new edifice engineerings that would alter inner-city edifice building dramatically. The innovation of air conditioning, brooding glass, and structural steel popularized the enclosed glass and steel edifices that litter the American metropolis today. These edifices were able to be heated and cooled with monolithic HVAC systems that consumed immense sums of cheap and readily available fossil fuels. [ 6 ] The monolithic ingestion of energy required to populate these edifices made their viability tenable and wholly dependent upon energy handiness and cost.1.2.2 The InfancyAround the clip that the aˆ?glass boxaˆ? manner high rise had become the icon of the American metropolis ( circa 1970 ) , a frontward believing group of designers, conservationists, and ecologists [ 7 ] were inspired by the turning environmental motion and the higher fuel costs that were prevailing during the 1970s. [ 8 ] The generation of these two scenarios finally resulted in the modern physique green motion. The first Earth Day, celebrated in April 1970, gave some acceptance to this new edifice construct, but the OPEC oil trade stoppage of 1973 gave the burgeoning environmental motion, and later the green physique attempt, the kick start it needed. With gas lines stretching for blocks, some Americans began to oppugn the conventional wisdom that we should be so independently reliant upon fossil fuels for our energy. [ 9 ] As a consequence of the oil trade stoppage, amongst other energy concerns, the American Institute of Architects ( AIA ) formed a Committee on Energy that was broken into two cantonments. aˆ?One group looked toward inactive, such as brooding roofing stuffs and environmentally good posing of edifices, to accomplish energy nest eggs, while the other concentrated more on technological solutions, such as the usage of triple-glazed windows.aˆ? [ 10 ] As energy concerns subsided, impulse for green edifice and the environment, in general, slowed down, but a dedicated core-group of designers continued to force their green edifice construct frontward. A twosome of noteworthy edifices constructed during the 1970ss which utilised constructs of green design are: The Willis Faber and Dumas Headquarters in England, which utilized a grass roof, day-lighted atrium, and mirrored Windowss ; the Gregory Bateson Building in California, which used energy-sensitive photovoltaic ( solar cells ) [ 11 ] , under-floor stone shop chilling systems, and country clime control devices. [ 12 ] Through the late 1970ss, throughout the 1880ss, and into the early 1890ss, much research was commissioned on energy efficient procedures. This research resulted in more effectual solar panels, prefabricated efficient wall systems, H2O renewals systems, modular building units, and direct use of visible radiation through Windowss in order to diminish day-time energy ingestion. [ 13 ]1.3 Green Organizations1.4 Green consequence on edifices & A ; metropoliss1.4.1 Energy EfficiencyApproximately 50 per centum of the energy usage in edifices is devoted to bring forthing an unreal indoor clime through warming, chilling, airing, and illuming. [ 14 ] A typical edifice ‘s energy measure constitutes about 25 per centum of the edifice ‘s entire operating costs. Estimates indicate that climate-sensitive design utilizing available engineerings could cut warming and chilling energy ingestion by 60 per centum and illuming energy demands by at least 50 per centum in U.S. edifices. [ 15 ]1. 4.2 Water EfficiencyWater preservation and efficiency plans have begun to take to significant lessenings in the usage of H2O within edifices. Water-efficient contraptions and fixtures, behavioural alterations, and alterations in irrigation methods can cut down ingestion by up to 30 per centum or more. [ 16 ] As demand on H2O additions with urban growing, the economic impact of H2O preservation and efficiency will increase proportionally. Water efficiency non merely can take to significant H2O nest eggs, it besides can cut down the demand for enlargement of H2O intervention installations. Non-residential H2O clients account for a little per centum of the entire figure of H2O clients, but use about 35 per centum or more of the entire H2O. [ 17 ]1.4.3 Waste ReductionGreen architecture besides seeks to cut down waste of energy, H2O and stuffs used during building. For illustration, in California about 60 % of the province ‘s waste comes from commercial edifices. [ 18 ] During the building stage, one end should be to cut down the sum of stuff traveling to landfills. Well-designed edifices besides help cut down the sum of waste generated by the residents as good, by supplying on-site solutions such as compost bins to cut down affair traveling to landfills. To cut down the impact on Wellss or H2O intervention workss, several options exist. â€Å" Greywater † , effluent from beginnings such as dishwashing or rinsing machines, can be used for subsurface irrigation, or if treated, for non-potable intents, e.g. , to blush lavatories and wash autos. Rainwater aggregators are used for similar intents. Centralized effluent intervention systems can be dearly-won and utilize a batch of energy. An alternate to this procedure is change overing waste and effluent into fertiliser, which avoids these costs and shows other benefits. By roll uping human waste at the beginning and running it to a semi-centralized biogas works with other biological waste, liquid fertiliser can be produced. This construct was demonstrated by a colony in Lubeck Germany in the late ninetiess. Practices like these supply dirt with organic foods and make C sinks that remove C dioxide from the ambiance, countervailing nursery gas emanation. Producing unreal fertiliser is besides more dearly-won in energy than this procedure. [ 19 ]1.4.4 Construction Cost ReductionApplication of green constructing constructs can give for nest eggs during the building procedure. Measures that are comparatively easy to implement can ensue in nest eggs to the contractor in the undermentioned countries: A · Lower energy costs, by supervising use, put ining energy-efficient lamps and fixtures, and utilizing tenancy detectors to command lighting fixtures ; A · Lower H2O costs, by supervising ingestion and recycling storm H2O and/or building effluent where possible ; A · Lower site-clearing costs, by minimising site break and motion of Earth and installing of unreal systems ; A · Lower landfill dumping fees and associated trucking charges, through reuse and recycling of building and destruction dust ; A · Lower stuffs costs, with more careful purchase and reuse of resources and stuffs ; A · Possible net incomes from gross revenues of reclaimable points removed during edifice destruction ; and A · Fewer employee wellness jobs ensuing from hapless indoor air quality. This listing suggests some possible countries for cost nest eggs ; the undertaking squad can place other possibilities through a concerted and incorporate squad attack. The contractor can besides better dealingss with the community and edifice proprietor by sing them as portion of the squad attempt to implement environmentally sound building steps.1.4.5 Building Operation and MaintenanceThe green edifice steps discussed in this manual can take non merely to take down edifice operating disbursals through reduced public-service corporation and waste disposal costs, but besides to lower on-going edifice care costs, runing from wages to supplies. For illustration, in many edifices, care staff collects recycled stuffs on each floor – or even at every employee ‘s desk – and transport the stuffs down to the cellar for manus screening. Recycling chutes, a feasible green option, let direct discarding of stuffs from any floor in the edifice to the cellar. The chute system, which ideally is installed during initial building or redevelopment, can screen stuffs automatically, salvaging labour costs by extinguishing the demand to roll up, conveyance, and kind recyclables. Other nest eggs come in the signifier of lower waste trucking fees ; reduced workers ‘ compensation insurance premiums due to take down claims for accidents from crisp glass and tins ; reduced lift care ; less frequent cleansing of spills on rugs and floors ; and less demand for pest control. Environmentally friendly housework merchandises can besides hold fiscal advantages. For illustration, cleaning merchandises that are purchased as dressed ores and utilize minimum packaging non merely advance waste decrease, but besides can cut down merchandise use by 30 to 60 per centum with dispensers that more accurately step and thin the cleansing merchandises for optimal effectivity. [ 20 ] Building proprietors need to see the edifice director and staff as critical participants in environmentally sound and cost-efficient operations. Building directors, charged with the efficient operation and care of multi-million-dollar assets, have experience in all countries of operations and care over the life of a edifice. Once a edifice is operational, preparation of direction and care staff – including instruction on effectual green constructing steps such as constructing energy direction systems, new cleansing merchandises, and new edifice codifications and criterions – can assist them to keep the edifice in a resource-efficient and economically favourable mode.1.4.6 Insurance and LiabilityThe past decennaries ‘ conventional office design, building, and operational patterns have decreased the quality of the indoor office environment, ensuing in new wellness concerns and associated economic costs and liability. The debut of a battalion of new contaminant pollu tion beginnings into the workplace, combined with tighter edifice building, has intensified air-quality jobs. For illustration, hapless indoor air quality can ensue from such factors as defective air-conditioning systems, occupant related pollutants, building stuffs that emit high degrees of volatile organic compounds, and hapless care patterns. The U.S. EPA ranks indoor air pollution among the top five environmental hazards to public wellness. Unhealthy indoor air is found in up to 30 per centum of new and renovated edifices. [ 21 ] Sick Building Syndrome ( SBS ) and Building Related Illness ( BRI ) have become more common in the workplace, increasing edifice proprietor and employer costs due to sickness, absenteeism, and increased liability claims. It has been estimated that SBS and BRI cost approximately $ 60 billion each twelvemonth in medical disbursals and lost worker productiveness in the United States. [ 22 ] Legal actions related to Sick Building Syndrome and other building-related jobs have increased. These actions against edifice interior decorators, proprietors, or employers may be initiated by residents who have short- or long-run jobs, runing from concerns and firing eyes to more serious complaints. Initial economic impact may come in the signifiers of higher wellness insurance premiums, increased workers ‘ compensation claims, and reduced productiveness. Expensive redress undertakings and environmental killings may follow, and edifice proprietors may seek to retrieve losingss from the original undertaking contractors and designers through judicial proceeding. By guaranting better indoor air quality, edifice proprietors, employers, and design professionals can take down their hazard of future judicial proceeding by constructing residents. Professional liability insurance companies have indicated a willingness to offer design professionals lower insurance premiums for higher operating-procedure criterions that lead to improved indoor air quality. Some national architectural houses are trying to rate edifice merchandises harmonizing to the degrees of volatile organic compounds they emit after installing, and to educate edifice proprietors and directors about healthier merchandise picks.1.4.7 Occupant Health and ProductivityThe intent of a edifice is non merely to supply shelter for its residents, but besides to supply an environment conducive to high public presentation of all intended resident activities. Recent surveies have shown that edifices with good overall environmental quality, including effectual airing, natural or proper degrees o f lighting, indoor air quality, and good acoustics, can increase worker productiveness by six to 16 per centum. [ 23 ] An organisation ‘s most important fiscal committedness is normally to its employees. Many employers spend at least every bit much on salary-related outgos as they do on building an full company edifice. In many organisations, wages and associated benefits consume the bulk of the one-year operating budget. [ 24 ] For illustration ; based on the sample computations in 2, a typical employer could pass $ 233 per square pes yearly for an employee. Building building costs by and large fall below this degree, frequently by 50 per centum. In add-on, one-year employee salary-related outgos, utilizing the Numberss in 2, are about 130 times greater than energy costs. A productivity addition of six per centum equates to nest eggs to the employer of $ 14 per square pes – eight times the cost of the edifice ‘s one-year energy measure. Given this information, an employer can make up one's mind to maximise the public presentation and efficiency of forces resources through appraisal of, and betterment to, the indoor environmental quality of its edifice. The undermentioned history of a recent redevelopment undertaking illustrates this attack. Both edifice proprietors and edifice tenant/employers can profit in other ways by bettering indoor environmental quality. For proprietors, these betterments can ensue in higher belongings values, longer tenant tenancy and rental reclamations, reduced insurance and operating costs, reduced liability hazards, extended equipment life, and good promotion. For renters, benefits include reduced absenteeism and better employee morale, reduced insurance and operating costs, reduced liability hazards, and community acknowledgment. If the edifice proprietor is besides the employer, an organisation can countervail initial building design and systems costs with the decrease of long-run organisational and operational disbursals over the edifice ‘s life rhythm.1.4.8 Building ValueGreen edifices ‘ high efficiency and public presentation can ensue in higher belongings values and potentially lower loaners ‘ recognition hazard. Lower operating costs associated with more efficient sys tems can take to higher constructing net income. In add-on to increasing a edifice ‘s cyberspace runing income or value, green edifice steps may let edifice proprietors to bear down higher rents or accomplish higher rates of edifice tenancy, if renters view green belongingss as more desirable. Presently, voluntary edifice evaluation plans are under development for commercial edifices in the United States. As these plans are introduced into the market place and derive the credence of edifice proprietors and renters, they could impact the value of belongingss. Prospective renters will be able to rate edifices based on such mensurable characteristics as natural daytime, better indoor air quality, and lower energy, H2O, and waste costs. If adequate edifices are rated for environmental public presentation, those that perform better will get down to recognize market advantages.1.4.9 Local Economic Development OpportunitiesPromotion and execution of green edifice patterns within a community can bring forth new economic development c hances. These chances can take a assortment of signifiers, including new concern development to run into the demand for green merchandises and services ; resource-efficiency betterment plans that enable bing concerns to take down operating costs ; development of environmentally oriented concern territories ; and occupation preparation related to new green concerns and merchandises.1.5 Appliance & A ; Ways of using1.5.1 Appliances1.5.1.1 Selecting environmentally and economically balanced edifice stuffs.Buildings significantly alter the environment. Harmonizing to Worldwatch Institute1, constructing building consumes 40 per centum of the natural rock, crushed rock, and sand used globally each twelvemonth, and 25 per centum of the virgin wood. Buildings besides account for 40 per centum of the energy and 16 per centum of the H2O used yearly world-wide. In the United States, approximately every bit much building and destruction waste is produced as municipal refuse. Finally, unhealthy indoor air is found in 30 per centum of new and renovated edifices worldwide. Negative environmental impacts flow from these activities. For illustration, natural stuffs extraction can take to resource depletion and biological diverseness losingss. Building stuffs industry and conveyance consumes energy, which generates emanations linked to planetary heating and acerb rain. Landfill jobs, such as leaching of heavy metals, may originate from waste coevals. All these activities can take to air and H2O pollution. Unhealthy indoor air may do increased morbidity and mortality. Choosing environmentally preferred edifice stuffs is one manner to better a edifice ‘s environmental public presentation. To be practical, nevertheless, environmental public presentation must be balanced against economic public presentation. Even the most environmentally witting constructing interior decorator or edifice stuffs maker will finally desire to weigh environmental benefits against economic costs. They want to place edifice stuffs that improve environmental public presentation with small or no addition in cost. The edifice community is doing determinations today that have environmental and economic effects. Its determinations are plagued by uncomplete and unsure informations every bit good as the deficiency of a standardised methodological analysis for measuring the information. The NIST/EPA squad seeks to back up these determinations by garnering environmental and economic public presentation informations and by structuring and computerising the decision-making procedure. The ensuing BEES tool will be publically available over the Internet. In the mean while, the USGBC has published a list of stuffs aˆâ€Å" certified from LEED aˆâ€Å" incorporating several green stuffs including: flooring, interior building, pigments & A ; movie, cloths, curtains, tack surfaces, ceiling systems, illuming, contraptions, millwork, furniture and plumping fixtures.1.6 Education of green architectureSince 1993, UIA released the aˆ?Declaration of Interdependence for a Sustainable Futureaˆ? suggesting that the architectural profession should seek aˆ?to achieve ecological sustainability within the limited clip that is likely to be availableaˆ? . And it ‘s been 14 old ages after the release of UIA / UNESCO aˆ?Charter For Architectural Educationaˆ? that registries among educational ends aˆ?an ecologically balanced and sustainable development of the built environmentaˆ? . Since so, many architecture schools have introduced or upgraded classs on proficient facets of sustainability, like aˆ?Energy Conscious Designaˆ? , aˆ?Sustainable Architectureaˆ? , aˆ?Beyond Greenaˆ? or aˆ?Bioclimatic Architectureaˆ? and others more. The integrating of sustainability in design schools up to now has been reviewed by several studies. Most of them portion two decisions: – foremost, that non many schools have embraced the topic in a thorough mode, indicating at aˆ?the low degree at which sustainable design constructs have been incorporated into the regular curriculumaˆ? and noticing that aˆ?environmental instruction in architecture has been done on an ad-hoc footing, aˆÂ ¦fragmented and insufficientaˆ? [ 25 ] ; – second, that sustainable design requires learning methods rather different than the long-established 1s [ 26 ] . Environmental crisis and its foreseeable effects are still a fringy issue in the academic discourse at schools purportedly covering with the environment, possibly because crises are non an attractive topic in our aˆ?feel-good ‘ epoch. As a consequence, those who will hold to undertake the looming crisis in the close hereafter are non adequately prepared. Still, the demand to implement sustainable design is widely recognized by the educational community, at least in rule. A revealing illustration is a study among architectural pedagogues in more than 30 European states in 2001 [ 27 ] , where aˆ?nearly 90 % of the respondents are voting for a instead dramatic displacement from a presently instead low to a high consideration of aˆ?Sustainable Development ‘ in future architectural educationaˆ? . Harmonizing to the study, aˆ?only 19 % of those said that this construct is presently having a very/quite high degree of consideration, and 83 % said it should have a very/quite high degree of consideration in architectural educationaˆ? , placing as an aˆ?aspect of taking importanceaˆ? the â€Å" integrating of sustainability-issues into all studio design † . In malice of such consensus, there is still a long route until sustainable design is steadfastly rooted in architectural acquisition. There are a figure of grounds for this, within and outside the academic margin:1.6.1 Academic obstructionsA · _____________________ In most schools that show environmental concern, related issues are normally confined in elected categories, detached from design studios. This creates a aˆ?fringe ‘ repute for sustainability, eschewing its rules from the chief design undertakings to the fringe of architectural acquisition. As a consequence, no practical experience is gained in how to present sustainable qualities in the aˆ?core ‘ design docket. A · ______________________ In many instances the accent is on quantitative instead than qualitative affairs. As a consequence figure crunching eclipses design, and pupils tend to tie in sustainable concerns with numerical public presentation merely, detached from issues like comfort, resources, or social moralss. In that mode, sustainability-related classs are considered similar to those on proficient Fieldss like structural or mechanical design, but non aˆ?real ‘ architecture. A · ______________________ Sustainable design is a instead recent subject, non really familiar to the old guard that administers schools. Most coachs have had limited or even nonexistent preparation in their yesteryear, and practical experience is even more rare. Consequently, aˆ?a deficiency of importance placed on sustainable design by many architectural educatorsaˆ? [ 28 ] is no surprise. As a consequence, it is hard to present aˆ?obscure ‘ , aˆ?uninteresting ‘ or aˆ?useless ‘ new subjects to the course of study, particularly in position of the fact that sustainable design challenges the preponderantly artistic stance of architecture. A · ___________________ Sustainable design is a complex architectural attack, embracing diverse Fieldss of cognition and necessitating multi-discipline teamwork. Therefore its instruction can non suit with the conventional additive attack where different proficient accomplishments are segregated in different sections, with rare chances to convey them all together through joint undertakings in a holistic mode. Furthermore, aˆ?sustainable architecture is a complex topic that should be covered throughout the curriculumaˆ? [ 29 ] , non merely in sporadic undertakings. A · ____________________ Furthermore, design undertakings are often detached from earthly world as if they refer to a infinite station, barely interrelated with nature or society. Social moralss or environmental consciousness are non embedded in the docket, restricting preparation in simply proficient accomplishments with major focal point on the aesthetic. aˆ?An architectural pupil all of a sudden transported to many of our architecture schools from 1900 Paris would experience right at homeaˆ? . [ 30 ] A · _____________________ Environmental crisis is repeatedly under the spotlight of the media but, unusually, it is rarely included in the academic discourse. There is small systematic consciousness of the relationship of edifice and urban design with critical environmental issues like energy & A ; H2O deficits, air & A ; land pollution, urban heat island & A ; ecological footmark, or resources depletion. And surely such subjects are non included in undertaking Jockey shortss or ordinary pupil work. A · _______________________ Furthermore, there is deficient auxiliary input through proficient categories like constructing natural philosophies or environmental engineering that could back up sustainable design undertakings. When pupils do non understand the dynamic linkage between constructions, environmental conditions and users, it is non easy to distinguish, state, between aˆ?building in the landscapeaˆ? and aˆ?building in interaction with the landscapeaˆ? . [ 31 ]1.6.2 Outside the schoolroomThe debut of sustainability in architecture schools encounters farther troubles stemming from the outer side of the academic walls: A · ____________________ Sustainable design has yet to happen a clear individuality: – Is it a edifice technique, a blend of architecture and technology that can be applied on any architectural assortment merely like, say, fire safety or seismal proofing? – Is it merely one more architectural manner, possibly with excess consideration to the environment than the remainder, with its ain stylistic hallmarks like solar aggregators, conservatories, or green labels? – Beaver state is it a fresh design mentality, where nature & A ; society, today & A ; tomorrow are equal spouses in the design model? A · _____________________ The sustainable design household includes fluctuations like aˆ?energy witting ‘ , aˆ?bioclimatic ‘ , aˆ?solar ‘ , aˆ?ecological ‘ , or aˆ?green ‘ , any of which could be applied in a non-sustainable mode. For case, an energy-saving strategy could use non-ecological stuffs ; bioclimatic skyscrapers use more resources than low rise, and the sustainability of a immense aˆ?green ‘ sign of the zodiac with merely two residents is questionable. It is clear that sustainable design in full graduated table is a complex enterprise that requires a holistic watchfulness on a wide array of topics, proficient every bit much as societal: aˆ?Although there is much involvement and wonder about the topic, no 1 would state it ‘s easy to larn or use in practiceaˆ? . [ 32 ] A · ______________________ The architectural aˆ?haut couture ‘ of our epoch markets themes instead far from sustainability. As a consequence prudence and aˆ?I?I µI„I?I?I? ‘ ( metron = Greek for step ) are ostracized from the chief architectural values [ 33 ] . Given that architecture is ever learned by illustration, many pupils – and many adults excessively – ringer the glamourous paradigms of the expansive maitres, endeavoring for ocular originality and manner above all. The calendered architectural imperativeness barely advertises the non-sustainable characteristics of the expansive works because that would botch the ware. Therefore attending is frequently focused on 2D thoughts instead than 3D infinite or 4D affairs, and hollow feelings count more than the stuff and social facets of the built environment. As manner outshines matter and clip, sustainability is a looser. A · __________________ Students are the last to fault for that ; given the prevailing aesthetic values, there are non excessively many sustainable illustrations exciting adequate to animate pupils. On the contrary, a frequent claim is that sustainable edifices are per se unattractive, as if all other types of architecture have merely good illustrations to demo. A · ___________________ Another repeated averment is that aˆ?environmental edifices cost moreaˆ? . Here, the cost comparison footing is instead obscure, ignoring the differentiation between constructing – and running – cost, or the fact that aˆ?trying to shoot sustainable standards subsequently, alternatively of earlier, in the design procedure is the cause of any added expenseaˆ? . [ 34 ] Even when the aˆ?extra cost ‘ is true, it is besides true that clients are frequently ready to pay more for cosmetic elements but non for, say, a more efficient boiler.1.6.3 The societal contextSustainable design is non an architectural exercising ; it refers to the built environment and therefore it can non boom without societal indorsement. Architecture has ever been repeating the dominant social values and forces, so the inquiry is whether today there is room for alteration: aˆ?To transform this activity from a alone one of counter-cultural rebellion into one of mainstream pa ttern requires merely a critical mass of people who take it for granted as the footing for technical/cultural meritaˆ? . [ 35 ] There are some marks that allow optimism, but the overall societal tendencies look instead black for a sustainable design flowering: A · _________________ In our epoch of aˆ?consumo ergo sumaˆ? , sustainable design sounds out of melody as euphoric consumerism inhibits motive for restraint. Clients demanding glistening energy-guzzlers are more influential than those inquiring for reasonable designs. Which school can develop its professionals for the hereafter while society looks the other manner? A · _____________________ About a century ago, Modernist thought was attesting extremist proposals, integrating both proficient and societal issues along with a distinguishable aesthetic idiom. Today, as aˆ?internationalism ‘ has been replaced by aˆ?globalization ‘ and aˆ?citizens ‘ by aˆ?consumers ‘ , most merchandises in the post-Modernist supermarket have short expire day of the months. Many current architectural theoretical accounts rest between show concern and practical world, and there is a deficit of real-life proposals offering an inspiring mentality for a future society and its architectural linguistic communication. Sustainability does hold the necessary ingredients and principle to go the footing of such thoughts, but it is still missing a plausible broadcast aˆâ€Å"and an watchful audience. A · ___________________ The apathy for the hereafter and the animadversion of sustainable proposals can possibly be explained: Alarming tendencies are all excessively apparent as jobs are swept under the aˆ?panem et circenses ‘ rug. The intensifying bad intelligence about the environmental jeopardies, triggered by human activities, lead to the denial of facts and the replacing of painful pragmatism by baseless optimism. Cipher likes Cassandras, and sustainable architecture is associated with their warnings. A · ______________________ The human impact on the environment is relative to population size, ingestion per capita, and resources or waste per ingestion unit ; therefore these three factors should be reduced if we are to accomplish a sustainable balance between nature and us. So far, we focus chiefly on the 3rd one -and that with fringy success. Decreasing the other two implies rough steps that cipher truly likes to confront. Again, sustainable propositions are straitening arrows to a acrimonious mentality.1.6.4 Counteracting lassitudeSo, even if architecture schools manage to short-circuit their obstructions and embed sustainability steadfastly in the course of study, and even if sustainable design overcomes its ain failings, there is still the critical checkpoint of societal credence. aˆ?Green ‘ designers need aˆ?green ‘ clients, otherwise their accomplishments are useless. Peoples brainwashed to devour more can non appreciate an architecture that requires less and wastes less albeit offering more. Equally long as show concern is a powerful political tool used to beef up today ‘s position quo, it will be hard for sustainable design to be more effectual in its existent consequences than, state, aˆ?Live Aid ‘ or aˆ?Make Poverty History ‘ runs. It is true that people do alter their position about the necessity of sustainability, although it is unsure to what extent they are ready to accept the effects and modify their manner of life consequently. But the gait of that alteration might be excessively slow compared with that of the environmental crisis, and cipher knows whether the dislocation will come easy like a long unwellness, or all of a sudden like a shot, without adequate clip to respond swimmingly. Therefore it is non plenty merely to present sustainable design classs at universities, or to heighten the public presentation of sustainable edifices. Alongside those pressing demands, it is every bit imperative to edify the populace about the virtues of sustainability and the hazards of aˆ?architecture as usual ‘ . Architects are the 1s who shape up the phase of our corporate and private lives ; hence they have the responsibility to make that with societal duty every bit much as regard to our cherished biotope aˆâ€Å"planet Earth.1.6.5 DecisionSustainability is a turning necessity that has to impact a broad scope of our societal precedences and aims, get downing with the credence of facts and, following, by recognizing that it is chiefly a socio-political instead than a proficient subject necessitating an earnest alteration of mentality. In that regard, sustainable architecture is non one more manner, a technique to salvage money, or a manner to decrease our ecological compunction. It is no less than an desperately needed response to semisynthetic environ-mental menaces. So far it has been hard to modify the architectural course of study efficaciously due to academic inactiveness, but schools have to admit forthcoming worlds in order to set learning topics and methods, and to transfuse sustainable spirit in the design attitude of future designers. This is a difficult undertaking as the mercenary dependence supports turning in our society, but is at that place another manner? Or we honestly believe that after a coevals we will still be constructing like today?1.7 Green UndertakingsA sustainable edifice, or green edifice is an result of a design doctrine which focuses on increasing the efficiency of resource usage – energy, H2O, and stuffs – while cut downing constructing impacts on human wellness and the environment during the edifice ‘s lifecycle, through better posing, design, building, operation, care, and remotion. [ 36 ]1.8 The Future of Green BuildingsTo many in the edifice industry, investing in green edifice patterns may be a spring of religion. Further research and successful illustrations of sustainable edifice will progress this developing engineering and supply direct cogent evidence of its economic and health-related benefits, promoting its greater acceptance. More research is needed in life-cyc le cost analysis over the full spectrum of edifice fiction, ownership, operation, and reuse/disposal. As the information become more widespread and the impacts – including external costs associated with pollution, waste, and environmental-resource ingestion – of conventional patterns become better known, green edifice patterns will go more widespread. The green edifice motion has started to derive impulse. Each twelvemonth yields extra presentation undertakings ; tonss of new efficient and healthy engineerings ; and expanded research, criterions, codifications, and ordinances. This includes evaluation systems to measure a edifice ‘s environmental public presentation, enfranchisement plans for green edifice merchandises, and the acceptance of green edifice criterions and patterns by recognized standard-setting organisations. The handiness of progressively sophisticated computing machine package plans besides fosters the growing of green edifice patterns by doing it easier to place and measure options for a edifice undertaking. Other new tendencies and emerging constructs impacting the edifice industry include performance-based contracts, remanufacturing and merchandise leasing, telecommuting and aˆ?virtual offices, aˆ? and attempts to extenuate natural-disaster losingss through improved edifice patterns.2.1 Green Buil dings in Lebanon2.1.1 Charles Hostler Student Center by VJAA2.1.2 Two Residential Undertakings by Arch. Atef TabetAtef Tabet & A ; Associates Beirut-Lebanon merely completed the design and building of two separate big houses, 950 sq. metres each. Both houses are built on big sites around 12,000 sq. metre located in rural cragged countries one in Mount Lebanon, and the other to the South of Lebanon next to Mount Haramoun. [ 37 ]1st House at RemineDesign Methodology: The landscape and the architecture are intertwined intentionally as a cohesive, none dissociable entity, intermixing the interior of the house with its immediate out-of-doorss and the natural milieus. A regional and a sustainable architecture design attack with program layout to suit the client ‘s modern-day life manner. The combination of unsmooth / saw cut rock cladding aˆ?Eclateaˆ? , The slanted ruddy roof tiles, Zinc Ti curved signifiers combination stand foring a slang of a Mediterranean small town. The insulated exterior dual walls, clay/wood lofts, deep recessed dual glazed cedar wood Windowss and wooden treillages utilized in order to shadow and anneal the house interior environment, and prolong it comfortably with a dateless design signifier friendly to its immediate vicinity.2nd House at JawzatThe Interior Architecture i.e. material choice, coatings, and colour spectrum or palettes, every bit good as the furniture pieces that has been designed by the office and produced locally, were carefully applied and placed in order to implement the countryside Mediterranean ambiance. The construct for both houses is to hold a sustainable timeless manner, harmonious with the natural milieus and its immediate environment. [ 38 ]2.2 Lebanese Green Organizations2.2.1 MAJAL [ 39 ]MAJAL is an Academic Urban Observatory, advancing sustainable be aftering schemes in Lebanon. Part of Urban Planning Institute of ALBA – AcadA ©mie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts, Balamand University, MAJAL was established in the aftermath of the extremely destructive July 2006 war, in order to supply a scientific monitoring of the Reconstruction procedure direction. Since so, it expanded its mission and is carry oning undertakings related to urban planning and sustainability in general. We have achieved 3 studies on Reconstruction and carried out many expertness missions for municipalities and assorted local and international organisations.Mission:MAJAL ‘s work today consists in three types of activities: 1. Monitoring set of indexs on building procedure and sustainable planning 2. Technical support to determination shapers in the signifier of adept missions, confer withing services, preparation, or other specific undertakings in urban planning and development undertakings. 3. Advocacy, lobbying and consciousness elevation in the Fieldss of good administration, and sustainable planning.2.2.2 Lebanese Green Building Council [ 40 ]The Lebanon Green Building Council ( LGBC ) is an NGO that provides stewardship towards a sustainable built environment. It promotes, spreads and helps implement high public presentation building constructs that are environmentally responsible, healthy and profitable. LGBC acts on market, educational, and legislative issues to accomplish its ends. The LGBC is officially accredited as an â€Å" Emerging council † with the World Green Building Council. The LGBC aims to go a prima non-profit organisation working to advance the sustainable edifice industry of an international degree. Its members will strongly recommend sustainable edifices in the purpose of planing a built environment that allows future coevalss to profit from the natural resources that will be available to them. The purpose of the organisation is to supply a Lebanese enfranchisement system for edifices that adopt environmental parametric quantities and to transform the manner edifices and communities are designed into a comfortable environment that improves the quality of life.Mission:The LGBC shall endeavour:1. Identifying and advancing processs, methods and solutions for the design, planning, building and use of both new edifices and major redevelopment of bing edifices that achieve the end of sustainability. Populating infinites shall be created in an environmentally-friendly, resource-saving and economic manner that enhances the wellness and comfort of their users. 2. Attesting the edifices that achieve the fixed evaluation degrees and run into the demands of a sustainable built environment. 3. Identifying, inventing and advancing processs, methods and solutions for the planning, design, building, redevelopment, use, care and public presentation appraisal of edifices that aim to accomplish the end of sustainability as per the enfranchisement system set by the LGBC. 4. Developing & A ; advancing industry criterions, educational plans and design patterns, aiming professionals related to environmentally responsible edifices, persons and squads, and at all stages. 5. Conducting research and educational activities and prosecuting in buttonholing attempts to advance green edifice patterns and statute law. 6. Inventing and advancing tips and suggestions for sustainable life styles that enhance the proper usage, and continuing the unity of green edifices and detering aˆ?green washingaˆ? . [ 1 ] David Rodman and Nicolas Lenssen, aˆ?A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns Are Transforming Construction, aˆ? World Paper 124 ( Washington, D.C. , March 1996 ) . [ 2 ] Sustainable development definition from Civil Engineering Researches Foundation, Washington, D.C. [ 3 ] National Science and Technology Council, Committee on Civilian Industrial Technology, Subcommittee on Construction and Building, Construction and Building: Federal Research and Development in Support of the U.S. Construction Industry ( Washington, D.C. : National Science and Technology Council, 1995 ) [ 4 ] Building Design and Construction, aˆ?White Paper on Sustainabilityaˆ? , page 4, November 2006 [ 5 ] Ibid. [ 6 ] Ibid. [ 7 ] Ibid. [ 8 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/in_business/green_building.shtml [ 9 ] Building Design and Construction, op. cit. , page 4 [ 10 ] Building Design and Construction, op. cit. , page 4 [ 11 ] aˆ?Photovoltaic Fundamentalsaˆ? , www.fsec.ucf.edu/pvt/pvbasics [ 12 ] Building Design and Construction, op. cit. , page 4 [ 13 ] Ibid. [ 14 ] David Rodman and Nicolas Lenssen, aˆ?A Building Revolution: How Ecology and Health Concerns Are Transforming Construction, aˆ? World Paper 124 ( Washington, D.C. , March 1996 ) , 41. [ 15 ] Ibid. , 39. [ 16 ] Based on conversations with Richard Bennette, Easy Bay SMUD ; Jane Ploeser, metropolis of Phoenix ; and Louis Generoso, metropolis of San Diego ( November 3, 1995 ) [ 17 ] American Water Works Association, Conservation Incentive Levels and Two Pilot Programs ( Denver, Colo. : AWWA, 1995 ) , 116 [ 18 ] Kats, Greg ; Alevantis Leon ; Berman Adam ; Mills Evan ; Perlman, Jeff. The Cost and Financial Benefits of Green Buildings, October 2003. [ 19 ] Lange, Jorg ; Grottker, Mathias ; Otterpohl, Ralf. Water Science and Technology, Sustainable Water and Waste Management In Urban Areas, June 1998. [ 20 ] Rochester Midland, Product Information Sheet, Form 550-A ( August 1993 ) , page 2. [ 21 ] Barbara Lippiatt and Gregory Norris, aˆ?Selecting Environmentally and Economically Balanced Building Materialsaˆ? National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 888, Second International Green Building Conference and Expositionaˆâ€  1995 ( Gaithersburg, Md. : National institute of standards and technology, 1995 ) , 37. [ 22 ] Lippiatt and Norris, 38. [ 23 ] Joseph J. Romm, Lean and Clean Management ( Kodansha International, 1994 ) , 102. [ 24 ] Romm, op. cit. , 94 [ 25 ] Jong-Jin Kim, Brenda Rigdon and Jonathan Graves, aˆ?Pollution Prevention in Architecture – Introductory Module ‘ , College of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Michigan, 1998 [ www.umich.edu/~nppcpub/resources/compendia/ARCHpdfs/ARCHintIntro.pdf ] [ 26 ] Tony Brown, aˆ?Education for Sustainability: An operational theoretical account for learning sustainable design ‘ , Second Nature conference, aˆ?How Can The Architect Contribute To A Sustainable Worldaˆ? , August 24-26, 2001, Racine, Wisconsin [ www.ecosainstitute.org/philosophy.htm ] [ 27 ] European Association for Architectural Education ( EAAE ) , & A ; European Cement Association ( CEMBUREAU ) , aˆ?The Educational Community ‘s Views of Challenges in Architectural Education ‘ , 8 November 2001 [ www.eaae.be/eaae/Publications/cembureau/report121101.pdf ] [ 28 ] Jong-Jin Kim, op. cit. [ 29 ] Jong-Jin Kim, op. cit. [ 30 ] European Association for Architectural Education ( EAAE ) , op. cit. [ 31 ] Report of the UK Sustainability Special Interest Group on behalf of the Centre for Education in the Built Environment, May 2003 [ www.cebe.heacademy.ac.uk/learning/sig/pdfs/report.pdf ] [ 32 ] David Posada, aˆ?Designing A Way Out Of The Box: Teaching Sustainable Design With Technology ‘ , National Solar Energy Conference, Portland, Oregon, 2004 [ www.sbse.org/awards/docs/2004/214P.pdf ] [ 33 ] Same as 31 [ 34 ] David Posada, op. cit. [ 35 ] Society of Building Science Educators News, Spring 2002 [ www.vuw.ac.nz/architecture/sbse/spring_02/NewsSp02.pdf ] [ 36 ] Frej, Anne B. , editor. Green Office Buildings: A Practical Guide to Development. Washington, D.C. : ULI — The Urban Land Institute, 2005. Pp 4aˆâ€Å"8 [ 37 ] hypertext transfer protocol: //www.1stlebanon.net/editouk/atef.html [ 38 ] The official Website of the designer Atef Tabet ; www.ateftabet.com [ 39 ] MAJAL Official Website ; www.majal-lebanon.com [ 40 ] Lebanese Green Building Council Official Website ; www.lebanon-gbc.org

Active Audience

Active Audience Audience is important in any communication process because the media constructs and conveys information for the people. Moreover, it would not exist if there were no public1. Therefore, an audience is the group of people or the public to which information is being conveyed to.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Active Audience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, an active audience is that which assesses and interprets the information that is passed by the media and reacts according to the facts conveyed. The active audience may reply, tell to another person or buy a product as a result of the information received; more generally, people make active discretions according to what they find out from the media. Its importance to the theorization of audience dates back to the 1970s and 1980s when more researchers and theorists, such as David Gauntlett, Frank Biocca, among others, became increasingly focused o n media audience2. Most of them centered on gaining more useful understanding of what people do with the media in their daily lives. Vital characteristics identified include the selectivity by the active audience on the type of media they choose to use, the utilitarianism of active audience to use media to meet their needs and goals intentionality as the media content works on to achieve purposeful and complete involvement of the active audiences, in order to influence it. Polysemy Polysemy is the association of a word to more than one distinct meaning. A polyseme is a word or phrase with multiple meanings. In relation to media audience and the theorization of the audience, a word may have more than one meaning when it is received by the different audiences which may differ from what was intended by the sender of the information3. The audience may interpret information conveyed based on its social background or surroundings or previously received data that is related to the one rece ived at the moment. Therefore, different receivers of the same information may have different understanding of the same information. Therefore, the texts are viewed as polysemic and related to gratification theory which discusses how users proactively search for media that will not only meet a given need but enhance knowledge, social interactions and diversion4.Advertising Looking for assessment on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More That is why, the whole society should be very interested in the way of how the media are accepted and work on further to see its influence on people and their lives. According to this approach, it is also emphasized that people decide on their own what type of media to select which will be perfect for them. The theory also states that media is necessary for the current society as a way to meet and satisfy individuals needs and desires5. To sum everything up, it can be concluded that media should always remain competitive in the sphere of entertainment to please its consumers. Public Sphere Public sphere is an area in social life where people can come together to freely discuss and identify societal problems, and through that discussion, influence political action. It is a discursive space in which individuals and groups congregate to discuss matters of mutual interest and, where possible, to reach a common judgment. The public sphere can be seen as a theater in modern societies in which political participation is enacted through the medium of talk and a realm of social life in which public opinion can be formed. Among the institutions that contribute to the make-up of a public sphere in society, the media, perhaps, perform the most critical function6. In fact, the media play an active role in the public sphere because TV, radio as well as press become innovators in the society implementing new things and promoting innovations or even some revo lutionary lifestyles and movements. In this study, it is revealed that media, as a rule, do not agree with some other power that tries to dominate or influence the society as it becomes viewed as a threat that may undermine its authority and/or limit its powers. Thus, the type of the relationships between the media and some country are defined by the level of states intervention and control over the public sphere7. As an example, the case occurred in the 18th century can be given when the opposition of the Bengal Gazette and the British government was too evident to be kept in a secret. After such impudent attacks on the authorities, any attempts of the media to criticize the politics and influence it are excluded.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Active Audience specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Reception Analysis Based on polysemic understanding of texts or information by different audiences, reception analysis goes beyond the different perception and takes a close look at what is actually going on. Reception analysis concentrates more on the audience and how the people come to a particular understanding view of a text or information8. To some extent, it is obvious that each of us will decode or translate texts in ways that reflect our personal experience. So, gender, class, occupation and personal circumstances are all important in determining how we decode a text. Once it is accepted that audiences are active, it begins to construct meanings; there are obvious implications for research methodology. Quantitative research is not suited to investigate the construction of meaning. To understand the meanings that people take from a text, it is necessary to get closer to individual audience members and engage them at a personal level-qualitative research9. Once this research technique is employed, simple answers become impossible as complexity takes over. Media Ethnography The term ethnograph y has come to be equated with virtually any qualitative research where the intent is to provide a detailed, in-depth description of everyday life and practice10. Another term, which describes this issue, is called thick description; it was suggested and developed by the anthropologist Clifford Geertz who worked on an interpretive theory of culture in the 1970s11. In this case, media ethnography will refer to the means in which mass media interprets using its own tools, and the use of qualitative methods, particularly ethnography, which distinguishes media anthropology from other disciplinary approaches.Advertising Looking for assessment on communication strategies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The interest in and importance of the media increased with the development of studies examining this issue. However, these do not always use the anthropological methods to study ethnography12. Media Ethnography is important to the theorization of audience as it establishes the cause effects through its research processes and hence eliminates room for doubts in the assessment of the audience as it relates to the process of communication with the same. Bibliography Abercrombie, N, Television and Society, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1996. Bauer, RA, ‘The obstinate audience’, American Psychologist, vol. 19, no. 7, 1964, pp. 319-328. Amacher, R Lange, V, New Perspectives in German Literary Criticism, Princeton University Press, Princeton, 1979. Bauer, RA Bauer, A, ‘America, Mass society, and mass media’, Journal of Social Issues, vol. 16 no. 4, 1960a pp.3-66. Barwise, TP, Ehrenberg, AS Goodhardt, GJ, ‘Glued to the box: Patterns of TV repetitive-viewingâ₠¬â„¢, Journal of Communication, vol. 32, no. 5, 1982, pp. 22-29. Berelson, B, ‘The state of communication research’ Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 3, 1959, pp. 1-6. Christian, SK, ‘Making sense of audience discourses: Towards a multidimensional model of mass media reception’, European Journal of Cultural Studies vol. 67, No. 3, 2000, pp. 3; 233. Iser, W, The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1978. Jauss, RH, Toward an Aesthetic of Reception, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1982. Hoey, BA, What is Ethnography?, Brianhoey.com, 2011, 23 March 2012, brianhoey.com/General%20Site/general_defn-ethnography.htm. Holub, RC, Crossing Borders: Reception Theory, Poststructuralism, Deconstruction. University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1992. Wood, H, The mediated conversational floor: an interactive approach to audience reception analysis, Media Culture Society, vol. 29, no. 1, 2007, p. 75-103. Footn otes 1 H Wood, The mediated conversational floor: an interactive approach to audience reception analysis, Media Culture Society, vol. 29, no. 1, 2007, p. 75-103. 2 RH Jauss. Toward an Aesthetic of Reception, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 1982. 3 S K Christian, Making sense of audience discourses: Towards a multidimensional model of mass media reception, European Journal of Cultural Studies Vol. 67, No. 3, 2000, pp. 3; 233. 4 N Abercrombie, Television and Society, Polity Press, Cambridge, 1996. 5 RC Holub, Crossing Borders: Reception Theory, Poststructuralism, Deconstruction, University of Wisconsin, Madison, 1992. 6 TP Barwise, AS Ehrenberg GJ Goodhardt, Glued to the box: Patterns of TV repetitive-viewing, Journal of Communication, Vol. 32, no. 5, 1982, pp. 22-29. 7 RA Bauer A Bauer, America, Mass society, and mass media. Journal of Social Issues, vol. 16 no. 4, 1960a pp.3-66. 8 R Amacher V Lange, eds. New Perspectives in German Literary Criticism, Princeton Univers ity Press, Princeton, 1979. 9 RA Bauer, The obstinate audience, American Psychologist, vol. 19, no. 7, 1964b, pp. 319-328. 10 BA Hoey, What is Ethnography?, Brianhoey.com, 2011. 11 B. Berelson, The state of communication research, Public Opinion Quarterly, vol. 23, no. 3, 1959, pp. 1-6. 12 W Iser, The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response, Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, 1978.

How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume is now in print!

How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume is now in print! As you may have read in my blog last week, my book How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume has now been published by Skyhorse Publishing – in first-time print and newly designed e-book formats! Even with the support of the editors at Skyhorse, revising the book was a huge project, and I’m excited to see its fruition. Here’s some of what you’ll learn in How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume: 1. How to create a compelling format Format your resume professionally and cleanly to speak to an executive audience. If you’re planning to write your resume yourself, you’ll need some Word skills that you might not have picked up in your travels. The book will teach you some important basics. Use a format appropriate to your profession. For example, if you’re a marketing or sales executive, you can be more daring with your graphic design than if you are an insurance or finance executive. Create something that â€Å"pops† without going overboard. Include plenty of white space. Too much text will turn your readers off. You might insert a bit of smart art or a chart or graph into your executive resume. An easy way to insert graphics is to create a chart in Excel and paste that into the document. Most important, print out your executive resume before sending to make sure everything looks okay, and run it by some colleagues in your industry for their opinion. If anyone is squinting to read your tiny print, increase your font size. A two to three-page resume is okay for executive resumes! 2. How to make powerful word choices Smart word choices, dynamic and varied verbs, and good sentence structure are essential to a successful executive resume. Check your spelling and grammar, and have three other people check your spelling and grammar. Many hiring managers will immediately reject an executive resume based on a single spelling or grammatical error. Remember that the past tense of â€Å"lead† is â€Å"led† – and don’t bore them by starting every bullet with the verb â€Å"Led†! Mix your language up as much as possible without sounding flowery. 3. How to deliver â€Å"power and punch† Pack your executive resume with measurable achievements – metrics and concrete/tangible outcomes. These quantitative results are what keep your reader engaged and demonstrate your value to the organization. You need to show them that you will deliver 5x the amount they are paying you in revenue generations and/or savings. Put your achievements in context. A $5M increase in revenue is more notable on top of $10M than it is on top of $1B. Achievements are also more impressive in the face of challenge. So share your CAR (Challenge/Action/Result), PAR (Problem/Action/Result) or STAR (Situation/Task/Action/Result) stories to demonstrate how you have tackled challenges and what results you have generated. These accomplishments will demonstrate what you’re capable of creating for your next company. Be careful! While you want to provide a sense of the challenge you faced, you want to do that without making your company look bad. This balance requires some finesse. 4.  How to convey your unique selling proposition (USP) You absolutely must make yourself stand out amongst all the other people applying for the position. Learn how to do this in the first few lines of your resume, with the â€Å"New York, New York† principle! 5. Why it’s important to put yourself in the employee’s shoes Imagine yourself reading your resume as your future employer. What would you be looking for? Would you hire you? As someone reading a resume, you would of course want to see some of the keywords that are essential to the position. That’s just the basics. Once that threshold is passed, is the content of this resume enjoyable to read? Is it pleasant visually? Or are you bored? Do you really get who this person is and the difference they could make for your company? Be rigorous in asking – and answering –   these questions. 6. What homework you should be doing You’re a rare person if you can just sit down without preparation and write your resume. This is a big project and it takes doing your homework! Take some time to think through your accomplishments. My resume questionnaire is a great tool for doing that. And choose a format you like, appropriate to your profession. How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume is a great place to start as you’re getting serious about writing your resume yourself. Overall, your resume or executive resume requires high-level storytelling that knocks the reader’s socks off with both an appealing format and impressive language. If you follow the advice in How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume, you might get feedback like some others who have followed its principles: â€Å"This is the best resume I’ve ever seen.† Then all you have to do is back up the resume with your interview skills. This winning combo is what will get you your dream job. Want a copy for yourself? Find How to Write a STELLAR Executive Resume at Amazon Google Barnes Noble Kobo

Fifty Shades of Grey Why So Much Fuss

Fifty Shades of Grey Why So Much Fuss The major event of the last weekend apart from St. Valentines day? The premier of scandalous movie 50 Shades of Grey of course. Why the book and the movie Fifty Shades of Grey actually got so popular? Should you rush to the cinema and see it immediately or is it just another marketing hype? Should you ever criticize it in public? Lets try to figure this out. It’s super-easy to Google â€Å"50 Shades of Grey† right now and get a really basic idea of the ferocious reaction so far from movie lovers and critics across the board. For example, here’s an Eagle Eye view from IMBD: Okay, so out of close to 62,000 people, it’s got a score of 4 out of 10. Ouch. Totally unexpected based on the popularity of the 2011 erotic romance novel and the amount of fuss surrounding the film leading up to release. Then of course there’s headlines like these from platforms in the ilk of Variety – â€Å"Box Office: Fifty Shades of Grey Explodes With Record-Breaking $81.7 Million†. So low ranks an bad reviewsbut the books becomes bestseller and the movie breaks the records – what are the reasons for that? Typical Love Story for Women If we look at the actual stats from IMDb we see that the reviews are absolutely dominated by females (especially in the under 18 demographic). This shouldn’t be a shock to anyone: The story hit its target audience – women looking for a wealthy attractive man in suit who is able to make any woman happy. It follows the pattern of famous Hollywood stories, starting from beauty and the beast – ending with Twilight. Each time women believe that no matter how hurt they are they will be able to change men to good husbands/lovers/fathers and make a happy end of that weird relationships. Lie? Yes, but somehow it still works! Bad PR Is Still PR If we head over to the actual reviews, it gets real ugly, real fast. Without going too deeply into all this negativity and movie bashing here’s the current headings of the reviews on the first page as of when this article was written: Just as I predicted! 1 Star This movie raped my Intelligence: 1 Star My god†¦this was awful: 1 Star Oh this film was just DREADFUL! 1 Star Yeesh, that was a whole lot of nothing: 2 Stars 100 Shades of Terrible: 1 Star It just goes on, and on, and on. What gives? Apparently, this movie demolished all expectations. Check out this quote from Vox contributor Alex Abad-Santos: â€Å"Seen through the lens of a sci-fi romantic comedy about a man whos barely human and the awkward woman who comes to love him, Fifty Shades is a masterpiece of subversion and dark humor - and much, much better than anything our kinky minds could have imagined.† Sci-fi romantic comedy? Wait, what? Others describe it as the male shovanistic TV show Mad Men on parabolic steroids. The most common notion is that while it was meant to be a creative take on the books (which most of the women watching the movie have read) it’s too predictable and the production value didn’t make up for the vapid acting and unengaging chemistry between the protagonist and antagonist. The Story Setting In reality, we should step back and look at 50 Shades of Grey story from a much more grand social-economic perspective. Here are three things going on in America and the western world in general that have a direct influence on the way this story is being received: Global economic shift with â€Å"suits† being demonized. Traditional sexual roles for men and women being erased or flipped on their head. Rampant over-sexualization thanks to internet porn. Roughly half to 60% of all males and females in the 18-44 demographic in western societies are either divorced or single. That’s a fact. At least according to poles and such. Furthermore, we’re in a part of the social cycle where men are being demonized, not just men in suits. Although the oligarch-type and the Wall Street-type are being targeted to†¦ Unprecedented income equality levels. Trillions in â€Å"bail-outs/ins† The control that multinational corporations seem to hold over world governments. When we put all these pressure together, stuff them into a modern man or women searching for their place in a quagmire-society and then sit them in front of a movie that uses these pain-points to create a somewhat outlandish representation of society, power, and relationships†¦well, it makes for some sizzling hot PR! The Mass Is Vile This is a perfect representation of how backwards society is becoming. Everywhere we look the response is overwhelmingly negative and yet sales are breaking records. Hordes of people sholdering their way through ticket and snackbar lines to take their seat and see if it’s as bad as everyone says it is. In a mad world, madness is the only source of real entertainment. In a juxtaposed and confused society, the worse something is, the better? It was Charlie Chapline who said: Man as an individual is a genius. But men in the mass form the headless monster, a great, brutish idiot that goes where prodded. The Influence of Media The only critics that seem to actually like the movie are more well-known and from more mainstream sources: The Telegraph: â€Å"isnt nearly as painful as it could have been†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The Guardian: â€Å"The bulk of the film, really, is Ana deciding whether or not to embrace the role of Christian’s new submissive.† New York Magazine: â€Å"Superb!† So in terms of people, horrid but worth spending money on. In terms of mainstream critics, the movie is a love/hate piece of cinematic art that slaps the viewer in the face, especially if they read the original book. The more coverage (no matter) positive or negative the story gets – the more attention is brought to it. That results in fame and money – simple as 1-2-3. Still doubt if you should see the 50 shades of grey movie? Or read the book? Well, life is short, if this many people are hating on it, you might completely LOVE it. The key is walking into the cinema without any expectations whatsoever. This is not the story that needs overthinking. Take it for what it is. To make it really interesting, in your mind look at the main male and female duo as society (played by Dakota Johnson) and the power-elite (played by Jamie Dornan).

Police Discretion in Domestic Violence Research Paper

Police Discretion in Domestic Violence - Research Paper Example Most police officers feel that a domestic dispute is a private matter that should be handled by both parties. However, police officers mostly rely on their experience as police officers to handle the situation as they think appropriate. Police Discretion in Domestic Violence Introduction Family problems which breed domestic violence are universal issues which affect all members of the family including parents and children. Domestic violence can be fatal, but it can be effectively controlled with the proper implementation of law and timely and appropriate intervention by the police. Police reactions to incidents of domestic violence have usually depended upon the attitude and discretion of the officer involved in investigating the reported incident. â€Å"Discretion can be characterized as the authority of the police officer to chose his/her course of action or inaction. Police have discretionary powers in their positions as protectors of the public and upholders of the law. A lot ha s been written about police discretion in the criminal justice field procedures. It has been proved that arrests in such matters reduce incidences, as the offender might not repeat the offence for fear of prosecution. Many abused women do not call the police because they feel that they will not be taken seriously, and the police might make use of its discretionary powers and not arrest the abuser. In such cases, it leads to further violence causing greater injury or harm to the spouse, partner or children. Sometimes women do not report domestic violence because they do not want their spouse or partner to be arrested and sent to prison (Green & Kelso, 2010). Discussed below are some of pros and cons of the police discretion in domestic violence. Police discretion was an unmentionable subject right up to 1956, when it was brought to light by an American Bar Foundation Study. Until then, no one would admit that it was a reality. The approach of police high-ups was that any digression f rom accepted or written down procedures was not permissible by law, and most probably a basis for dishonesty. When it became public knowledge, the police administration made efforts to play it down or even have it outlawed. The actual problem lies in the abuse of discretion, not in its implementation. Police discretion is now accepted as an indispensable malevolence, which can be of great use if used properly. Community policing is where officers can exercise discretion to help the community more effectively. Discretion is good when it is managed and well thought-out. (Green & Kelso, 2010) Defining Police Discretion Some facts which can be regarded as both pros and cons depending upon application have described â€Å"police discretion† as an area where the law is not implemented or as the â€Å"gap in the doughnut†. Discretion is the vacant space which is surrounded by the relevant set of principles and procedures. Alternatively, it can be described as cases where no r ules are applicable and the officer makes a personal decision based on beliefs, assumptions and his own interpretation of the situation. Discretion is not the same as repetitive and consistent compliance. It entails information, talent and the ability to act and perform in random and awkward situations. Police are not soldiers who must obey orders blindly and without question. Police must be quite

Last day at school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Last day at school - Essay Example I gained many friends in these years and they really changed my world. Even the teachers of the school were different in their own way. Somewhere friendly but others grave and did not talk freely with us. It is sometimes hard to imagine that these lovely years of learning has at last come to an end. It is impossible to believe that I need to leave the high school where I met so many wonderful people and friends. I know I have become close with my fellow students and this bond is not easy to forget. It is really difficult to assume what life would have been without these happy high school years. These days I was sometimes joyful and sometimes nervous and also there were days of sorrow. All these emotions took a ride through my years in high school. And the day when I had to bid good bye to my friends, tears rolled out of my eyes. I never realized that I love my school so much .It has given me valuable experience and knowledge and number of friends that I can never forget. It was a mem orable days, when I was busy compiling my graduation book with my friends and fellow students. All of us with a mixed feeling of sorrow and anxiety in our mind spend the last days of school in unity. I remember the times when I was busy with compiling the graduation book, the one with all the memories, fun photos and writing jotted down in it. The graduation book is a treasure for me, when I look in to the book I find my friends face glaring at me which give me utter happiness. The day when I was compiling it, I requested my best friend to put his picture on the front page and he sticked a photo in which both of us were holding hands in a sportive manner. He wrote words which displayed his feeling and love for me. I could not look in to his eyes as I could see the tears ready to fall out of his eyes. I did not know to cry or smile and was in a big confusion as to how to express my feelings for my friend at this delicate moment. The second page of the book I dedicated to the sporting days that me and my friend have spend together .The picture of me and him in soccer shorts and dribbling the ball through the foot ball ground and how messy we looked. Those beautiful days are hard to be captured in the space of a book. In that joyous moment I hugged my friend as he meant a lot to me. The main reason for this is that he was with me through all the good and bad times of high school days. He drew a picture of my smiling face with the pen on this page and I knew he always wanted me to laugh and be happy. The other moment was to confront my only friend who was a girl and she was such a lovely person, less could be told about her. She was the one who gave me confidence and hope in times of despair and depression. When I moved to this school, I was all gloomy and disturbed but she came to me as a hope. She consoled me and introduced me to other students proudly and made me converse with my class mates. On this day I expressed to her what she has meant to me. I hugged her and express my gratitude and respect as she was unlike other girls in the class. It was surprising when she wrote that sweet poem in my book which related to friendship and love. There were words from heart and is heart touching every time I read it. The picture taken with me and her on the birthday was the best picture in my graduation book. Her smile was radiant and always gave me positive vibes. I remember the day, when I approached her at home and requested for a picture for my book. And she came with a wrapper of chocolate that I have given her during my school days. She still had it, and she stuck that to my book and I could not ask for more. The wrapper still smelled of chocolate, it had the aroma of friendship and warm feeling she had for me. I could n

Research proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Research Proposal Example cy makers to launch programs on financial support under the administrative powers of Saudi Industrial Development Fund so that loan guarantees are offered to the Saudi banks to engage in feasible lending to the SMEs. The initiatives for providing financial support to the SMEs in Saudi economy have been presented as follows. The small and medium enterprises are such organizations that are comparatively smaller in size and whose employee strength falls below a certain number as designated by the authorities. The categorization of small and medium enterprises have been decided by the authorities like the World Bank, World trade Organization, etc. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the small and medium enterprises are categorized according to specified criteria designed by the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (Burke and Jarratt, 2004, p.126). The enterprises that earn revenues less than Rls 20 million on an annual basis could be termed as small and medium enterprises in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In order to standardize the criteria for classifying entities as small and medium enterprises, the World Bank has taken responses from the commercial banks in order to remove the differences in classification criteria in several countries. The standardized range that is followed for classifying entities in the cat egory of small enterprises is that the annual sales of the entity should fall with the bracket of Rls 1 lac to Rls 5 million with employee strength of 2 to 49 people. The entities that have annual revenue earnings of Rls 5 million to Rls 50 million and employee strength of 50 to 200 people fall in the category of medium enterprises (Achoui, 2009, p.36). The small and medium enterprises play an important role in the context to economic development. The small and medium enterprises are large in numbers as compared to the large business houses. Although the number of employees employed by the small and medium enterprises is low, the cumulative employment offered by the

Influences on comprehension, fluency, and word recognition Essay

Influences on comprehension, fluency, and word recognition - Essay Example Rather, it is a thinking process, where the reader thinks about what the symbols, signs and the words mean (p.99). To further contextualize the definition, the authors cited explanation from other sources that underscore how the reading comprehension reduces uncertainty and builds the bridge between the new and the known (p.99). The RAND Corporation also developed a similar definition, that which considers reading comprehension as the process of simultaneously extracting and constructing meaning through interaction and involvement with written language (Sweet and Snow 2003, p.10). Based from these definitions, one can infer several important insights. First, reading comprehension is a big concept that encompasses word and symbol recognition, the level of reading fluency and the ability to understand and think about the texts being read. Consequently, this paper will refer to reading comprehension as inclusive of cognition, fluency and word recognition. In addition, the framework also reveals that it is a construct resulting from social and/or cultural processes. The understanding required for the symbols and texts entails the influences of the environment, not unlike how children acquire cognitive abilities and behaviors. These points are important because they underpin the position that technology, motivation and instruction are crucial in developing reading comprehension ability. A study undertaken by Lietz (1996) measured the reading comprehension skills of students across six countries. There were at least four variables identified as major influences in a learner’s reading comprehension: gender, the education of the parents, the education of the learner, and the number of books and resources available (p.398). This study corroborates the position that reading comprehension is affected by environmental factors. For example, the education of the parents implies numerous dimensions. First, there is the level of awareness regarding the learner’s cognitive development. A higher educational attainment would mean a better understanding of the psychology of the learner. It could also be influence the perspective of the parents on education, academic performance and reading. Based from such perspective, the availability or unavailability of resources – which was also an identified variable - such as books, computer, the Internet, among others are determined. The body of literature on this subject echoes this theme. Alcantara et al. (2003), found that the attitudes of the parents, siblings and peers as well as the home background (i.e. whether the learner is read to or provided with sufficient reading materials) are crucial in the acquisition of reading comprehension ability (p.89). What these studies highlight is the fact that reading comprehension is a skill that is learned through a complex process, involving many factors. Student Motivation The student motivation is easily the most important variable that influences re ading comprehension or the acquisition of the ability. As has been mentioned earlier, reading comprehension is a cognitive process. This prompted Paris and Stahl (2005) to conclude that motivational processes are integral to it. It was argued that, generally, motivation, along other constructs, is behind comprehension, which for its part is considered as a psychological phenomenon (p.29). They demonstrated the dynamics of

Theory of The Differential Diagnosis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Theory of The Differential Diagnosis - Assignment Example   The rationale for these diagnoses is that difficulty breathing with exertion explains cardiopulmonary or pulmonary disease. Moreover, pursed-lip breathing is a sign of airflow obstruction. Dyspnea on exertion worsens with the resulting sedentary state. This is present in patients with cardiopulmonary disease. In regard to this case study, the patient has a past medical history of COPD; thus, skeletal muscle atrophy is a common finding and has been related to low-level systemic inflammation and oxidative stress (Nelson, 2015). To further develop the differential diagnosis, a review of systems ought to be conducted. This entails questions that need to be addressed. Such questions include dental changes, occupational exposure to dust and chemicals, excessive salt intake, weight gain, increased cough, fever, and increasing sputum production (Markovchick, Pons, & Bakes, 2011). The final primary diagnosis is COPD. The symptoms include a cough, sputum production, and dyspnea on exertion (Osadnik, McDonald, Jones & Holland, 2012). In this particular case, the patient has a significant cigarette smoking history, thus, the worsening dyspnea. This is because the increase in dyspnea is linked with age (the patient is 70 years), deconditioning, weight gain and concomitant comorbid medical conditions. Further diagnostic workup includes obtaining a spirometry before and after bronchodilator; as the first step. This step will determine any airflow obstruction thus grant patients immediate therapy. Additionally, lung volume ought to be measured, so as to reveal hyperinflation (Buttaro, 2013). Also, thoracic imaging ought to be performed with an MRI, as well as pulse oximetry test and arterial blood gas measurements.