Understand Child and Young Persons Develpment

Understand Child and Young Person Development. Core 3. 1 1. 1 The term â€Å"Sequence† of child development refers to the how we expect a child to develop from the day it was born to the age of 19. Child Development is the biological, physiological and all the emotional changes that happen during these formative years as the child goes from dependency to autonomy. These changes could be hugely influenced by genetics, events that occur whilst in the womb and during prenatal development and are usually included in most studies of child development.Developmental changes are different. They occur as a result of a genetically controlled process called maturation or as a result of environmental factors and learning (home life and school for example) but these changes most commonly happen as a result of a combination of them both. It can also be a result of â€Å"human nature† which is the ability of the growing child to in fact learn from their environment. Human beings and e specially children have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development covers and includes.A child’s development is continually happening and can be measured in many different ways and although the child will develop at different rates and in different ways, the sequence in which this happens will follow the same sort of pattern . This is because in most examples they need to learn one skill before they can move onto the next. An example is walking. The child will need to learn to walk before they can run or jump etc. Development in children is more rapid in the early stages with many milestones happening in quick succession.This slows down as the child becomes a young adult with the milestones becoming further apart. (Cache children and young people’s workforce p49) The table below looks more closely at the aspects of child development. THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES CHART Age| Intellectual| Social / Emotional| Language| Gross motor| Fine Mot or| Infant – Birth to one year| Uses hands and mouth to learn| Forms a bond with parents, will begin to recognise faces and smiles, at about 6months will recognise parents and be fearful of strangers. | Starts being ocal and using terms such as â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Lifts head first then chest, rolls over, pulls to sit, crawls and stands alone| Reaches for objects and picks up small items, clutches onto toys, e. g. Rattle | Toddler 1-2 years| Begins to learn words for objects and people| Learns that self and parent(s) are different or separate from each other, imitates and performs tasks, indicates needs or wants without crying| Can follow simple instructions and say more words than just â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Can walk, stop, jump and throw things like a ball. Unbuttons clothes, builds tower of 4 cubes, scribbles, uses spoon, picks up very small object| Preschool2-5 years| Understands things such as tired, hungry and cold, recognises colours, becomes aware of numbers and letters| Begins to separate easily from parent(s), dresses with assistance, washes and dries hands, plays interactive games like tag. follows directions, can make simple sentences of two or three words, vocabulary increases Names pictures| Runs well, hops, pedals tricycle, balances on one foot| Buttons Clothes, builds tower of 8 cubes, copies simple figures or letters| School age 5-12 years| Develops understanding of numeracy and literacy concepts, learns relationship between objects and feelings, acquires knowledge and understanding| Acts independently, but is emotionally close to parent(s) dresses without help, join same sex play groups and clubs| Defines words, know and describes what things are made of, vocabulary increases| Skips, balances on one foot for 10 seconds, overestimates physical abilities| Draws person with 6 parts, copies detailed figures and objects| 12-18 years| Understands abstract concepts like illness and death, develops understanding of complex id eas| Experiences rapidly changing moods and behaviour, interested in peer group almost exclusively, distances from parent(s) emotionally, concerned with body image, likely to have first sexual relationship| Uses increased vocabulary, understands more abstract concepts like grief| May appear awkward and clumsy while learning to deal with rapid increases in size due to growth spurts| Fully developed| 18 +years| Continues to develop the ability to make good decisions and to understand the complexity of human relationships| Becomes independent form parent(s), own lifestyle, and career, social and economic changes, develop interests, chooses a partner, becomes a parent. | Continues to develop knowledge and vocabulary of different styles of language used| Fully developed| Fully developed| (Cache Children and young people’s workforce p51-66) 1. 2Child development is the term used to describe how the child will grow through a progression of developmental milestones. All children are believed to follow the same sequence of growth (the child will crawl, then stand, then walk for example) this is called the normative pattern. What we need to know is that not all children follow this pattern and for example some children will miss out stages altogether. One example of this is blind children and some children may decide to bottom shuffle and not bother with the â€Å"crawling phase†. The traditional approach to monitoring this is to use this normative measure which as I have mentioned already is the milestones in which we measure our child’s development.These actually only show what most children can do and in reality many factors such as genetic, cultural and social factors will all have an effect on the child’s development and it is important we take this into account before labelling children â€Å"advanced or backward. † The sequence of development refers to the stages of which a child develops; the rate of development is how fast the child is expected to achieve these developmental milestones. It is important to realise that the normative measurements can only indicate general trends and cannot be taken as â€Å"normal† . It is very important to realise that while the sequence of development may be somewhat the same in most children, the rate or speed in which the child develops can vary in many ways.Things that have a massive effect on the rate of a child’s development can include environment (home life) culture (religious beliefs), ability, the amount of stimulation a child receives and input (from parents for example). It is important to understand the difference between the rate and the sequence of a child’s development as this will equip you with the knowledge you need in order to plan effectively with your child and will help you identify any concerns which you may have within the developmental process. (Cache Children and young people’s workforce) 2. 1-2. 2 A child’s gr owth and development can be affected by many factors, with some having more of an affect than others.They can be split into two categories which I will go into more depth later. These are Personal factors (such as genetics and health related issues) and External factors (such as poverty, family life, personal choice and social interaction. ) Below is a diagram illustrating things which can affect a child’s development? Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Finances (living in poverty) Finances (living in poverty) Education (home schooled, private or state) Education (home schooled, private or state) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs)Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Social class (lower, working, upper) Social class (lower, working, upper) Genetics, Bi rth problems Genetics, Birth problems Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Gender Gender Interpersonal Relationships Interpersonal Relationships Personal Factors influencing development. Genetic Influences Many studies believe it is both our environment and our genetics which will mould us into the person we ultimately become. Our chromosomes are where we find our genes.Parents pass these onto their children via their cells (the sperm and the egg). Alleles are different versions of the same gene and it’s this which can determine distinctive features such as eye colour, but also it is this which could lead to the inheritance of disorders such as cystic fibrosis. A baby’s development is also affected during pregnancy(before the birth) ,at the time of the birth and after the birth. Examples include a woman not knowing she is pregnant in the early stages and carrying on with all her ba d habits (drinking, smoking, drug taking and diet. ) It’s at these crucial first 12 weeks in the uterus when all the essential organs are being formed. This is called the antenatal period.A child being born before term (37 weeks) and therefore is born prematurely may need intensive care and this could affect development. Health Status A child’s health status can have a great effect on how it develops. This is determined by genetic inheritance but can also be affected by factors such as diet, environment, and what health care they receive. Some children are born with conditions which affect their development (these include Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and heart defects). Other illnesses which may develop over time( including asthma and diabetes) will also have an effect on the child’s development if for example they have frequent visits to the hospital and miss school or their activaties are restricted because of their condition.External Factors Influencing Dev elopment. Poverty This is the single biggest thing that threatens the healthy development of children and young people in Great Britain and can have an effect on all areas of a child’s development (Physical, Intellectual, Language, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual. ) This threat is part of the â€Å"cycle of deprivation† where poorer families will tend to live in poorer housing; they may also have a poor diet which will not provide all the right vitamins and minerals which will affect the child’s immune system which will have a knock on affect to the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Other things which are linked to poverty are:Accidents and illness: Children from poorer backgrounds are four times more likely to have an accident than those from higher up the social ladder. Quality of life: many children from lower classes have none or little toys, meals and clothes Poor diet: As I mentioned above a poor diet comes hand in hand with low income fami lies as they more times than not have to buy the cheaper brands or processed convenience foods. Space to live and play: poorer children are more likely to be limited in their play space as the housing which they live will is more likely to be small and substandard. Growth: Poorer children are more likely to be smaller at birth and shorter in height. Education: Children from the lower classes are more likely to have poor attendance and less likely to do well.Long Term Effects: As adults they are more likely to be homeless, be unemployed, and become involved in drug abuse, offending or be in abusive relationships. Social Interaction There is a lot of research to show that social isolation or a lack or opportunity’s to socialise ( playgroup, family members, mother and baby groups, toddler groups) can lead to early child development issues such as speech problems , the inability to share or in fact the ability to socialise with people in a civilised manner. The social environment in which a child is raised can have a dramatic effect on their development. An example of this would be a child who has had no contact with neighbours, family members or classmates.Family Environment and background The situation at home will have a huge effect on a young person or child’s development. A child may seem physically healthy but if they are unhappy and are not enjoying their time at home this is will most definitely be affecting their development. Things a child needs include: Love and affection: A child needs unconditional love and affection from their primary carers whoever this may be (Parents, Grandparents, Foster Parents etc. ) A child needs to feel safe and secure. Stimulation: a child needs the right amount of stimulation for healthy growth and development. Too little or too much will result in unhealthy developmentOpportunities to play: It is common sense that all children need to play to develop, then on from that, young people need to be given the oppor tunity to socialise and have leisure opportunity’s (such as learning an instrument or joining a sports club). A child’s social and emotional development is majorly influenced by the foundations which the family unit creates. Most parents will provide a nurturing unconditional loving family environment where their child will embrace and flourish within it. There are some carers or parents who, for a lot of different reasons will not provide this nurturing platform which all children need. Examples of this include carers with mental health issues, drug misuse, marital conflict and violent behaviour.Theories Regarding Child Development. Theories of child development can be said to be a set of principles that are designed to explain or predict some things. There have been many theories over the years by many scientists and psychologists and they have come up with a multitude of different perspectives as to why a child will do certain things within their development. Theori es not only provide an extended outline of understanding, they also allow educated guesses or hypotheses about some parts of a Childs development that are not clearly understood yet. These theories can provide a bounce board for other research but they also have some practical benefits.They can be useful (if you are a parent, teacher, therapist or carer) as a reference point when you need to make important decisions within the Childs lives and a well-founded theory can provide valuable information in making responsible decisions. On the flip side though, some child development theories can be limiting and misleading and can in fact hinder or jeopardise a Childs development if the primary carer follows this theory to the letter. It is with this in mind that it is vital to compare and evaluate a lot of theories before acting upon them and it is with this comparing and contrasting that you will find that a lot of theories strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. There are many the ories out there and underneath I will be going into a few of them in more detail. Alfred Bandura (Social learning theory) Main theory: Learning takes place by imitation.The social learning theory suggests that people will learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. This theory has been renamed â€Å"the social cognitive theory† this is to accommodate later developments of this theory. Albert Bandura found that children tend to copy people they hold in high status (parents etc. ) especially so if these people are warm or have powerful personalities. This theory could lead us on to the fact that we should very aware of our behaviour in front of children and the effect this could have on them. Things to think about: * If children are smacked by adults will they be more likely to smack other children? * If children are shouted at by other adults, are they more likely to shout at other children? If children are given explanations, are they more likely to explain things to other * If children are comforted when they fall, are they more likely to do the same to others? How this affects practise * You will have to be very wary of the language and behaviour you use in front of your children. * It could a useful theory to use if you want your children to experience role play. * Being a good role model can only help the child. * This theory allows learning without direct experience. * Promotes positive behaviour. If you are positive this will rub off on the child. Transmission theories There are three main theorists involved in transmission theories.John Locke: He thought that the child was an empty vessel and that they can be shaped by the adult and that children can be shaped by external factors and these are greater influences than any genetic involvements (nature v nurture) Ivan Pavlov: (classical conditioning): Pavlov’s theory was his famous conditioned Reponses in dogs experiment. Pavlov likes to be known as a physiologist ra ther than a psychologist as he believed the two were linked and were useful and scientific. Classical conditioning is the way in which responses are under the control of new stimulus. In his case the â€Å"conditioned† stimulus was a church bell and the â€Å"unconditioned† stimulus was food. His experiment involved feeding the dogs every time the church bell rang. This eventually produced an â€Å"unconditional† response from the dogs which was saliva flowing from the dogs mouth when the food appeared.This would then gradually change into saliva being produced with any bell noise thus producing a â€Å"conditioned† response from the dogs. Food will produce salivation, but it’s this change in stimuli using classical conditioning which means that saliva is being produced with the sound of the bells and not the actual food. Pavlov’s Experiment Burris Frederick Skinner: (operant conditioning) Skinners main theory was one of that reinforcement a nd punishment moulds behaviour and children are conditioned by their experiences. Skinner maintained that learning occurred through responding to the environment and he coined the term â€Å"operant conditioning† to describe this phenomenon.He did extensive research with animals, notably with rats and pigeons. I t was skinner who invented the famous box in which a rat learns to press a lever in order to obtain food. He gave rats a reward of food if they pressed the lever. This was positive reinforcement. The desired behaviour was rewarded. Conversely, undesired behaviour could be negatively reinforced. The rats would receive an electric shock every time they went near one area of a maze and they would then begin to avoid that area. The undesired behaviour was got rid of and the desired behaviour was encouraged. How this affects Practise. Positve reinforcemnet includes * Special helper Kindness awards * Points * Stickers * Special jobs * Star of the week * Trips out * Priase o r golden time. Negative reinforcement includes: * Lines * Detention * PunishmentThings taken from or kept from the child. The effects this has on practise is that it will provide motivation for the child to behave and also to put that lirttle bit more effort in than they would normally if they have something to aim for at the end of the week or day. It will give the child encouragement to repeat the good behaviour or effort upon recieving their treat or reward. Social constructavist theory Jean Piaget: This is the theory where all other theories are judged.His main theory is that the development of children take place in distinct stages of cognitive development. The adult does have an influence but the child is building their own thinking systems. Piaget believed that nature and nurture interact to create cognitive development. He claims that children when learning: * Go through stages and sequences in their learing * Are active learners * Use first hand Experiences and prior experi ences in order to learn. * Imitate and transform what they learn in to symbolic behaviour. He devolped four stages of cognitive learing. 1: Sensory motor stage (0-2 years) the child explores using its senses( sucking ,grasping etc) : Pre operational stage (2- 7 years) The toddler understands the use of symbols and language and this can be understood. 3: Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) the child can now conserve and begin to reason logically. The child can now solve problems but their sucessful reasoning is largely limited to concrete situations. 4. Formal operational years (11-16 years) the child is now developed and can show logical thinking and be able to work through abstract problems. Piaget view on a child as an active learner. Piagets three process: 1. Assimilation: this process is where people translate information in to a form they can understand. 2. Accomodation: This is where people adapt current knowladge in reponse to new experiences. 3.Equilibration: this is whe re people balance assimilation and accomodation to create a stable understanding. Implications in practise. Piagets theory suggests that childrens distictive ways of thinking at different ages need to be considered when deciding how best to teach them. In addition beacuse children learn by mentally and physically interacting with their environment, relative phsical activites are important in educational practise. How they influence current practise: * The language we use with the children * The resources you provide for the children * The need to incorporate role play * Activities( what to do with the resources at hand) * The way in which we chack for understanding from the child * We can question certain techniquesWhat are social constructivists? A social constructivist feels that the adult will play an active role in helping the children through their stages of development. Lev Vygotsky: He was a russian psychologist who died prematurely. His theory dates back to 1924 and he devel oped ideas that there was relationship between language and thinking and cognative development. His theory empahsised the roles of historical, cultural and sociual factors in cognition and argued that language was the most important symbolic tool provided by society. He said that the ZAD (the zone of actual develpment) is where the child will develop naturally with out the adults help.He then says that the ZPD( the zone of proximal devlepment) is where the adult helps and he believes that adult intervention is crucial for the child to move between actual and proximal development. Jerome Bruner: he belived that learning was an â€Å"innate† function. He believes that children â€Å"do â€Å" â€Å"imagine† then â€Å"translate† them into sense through schemas and that older children create symbols to imterpret what they have done. Bruners three stages of development are: * Enactive (0-1 yrs) Doing * Iconic (1-7 yrs) Imagining * Symbolic (7+) Using symbolic repr esentations Bruner also has his theory of â€Å"scaffolding† where he does recognise the importance of adult support.The easist way to get your head round this is to imagine the adult as the â€Å"scaffold† round the child, a bit like the scaffolding on a building. The adult moves and grows with the child offering them â€Å" support â€Å" and reinforcement on the way. How this effects current practise * We can use this to observe the children * We can look at the prefered learnign styles considered * This theory basically sums up the role of a teaching assistant â€Å" supprort and reinforcement† * Intorduce new concepts to expand learning * Will influence the way in which you question a child Humanistic Approach. Abraham Maslow and Mia Keller Pringle. Maslow created a theory of human needs that was relevant to all ages not just for children. This was known as the humanistic approach.He said that there was five levels of need and his theory suggested that ea ch level had to be â€Å"met† before you could progresson to the next one. Maslow also said that it was almost impossible to reach your full potentiol if the lower needs were not sufficiently met. Maslows Hierachy of needs. How this may impact on current practise. There are many ways this theory could impact on practise: * Keeping an eye out for the childs basic needs( Hungry, clothing, tired,) * Awareness of bullying and social exclusion * Having a homework club (where the older children could help the younger ones. ) * Praise( Give praise when a child Produces a good piece of work) * Having a â€Å"Get to know you† activity or activities Understanding problems with a child( enabling you to asses the need of the child so he/she can progress) * Promote a positive learning environment which is individual to the children. * Devolop a â€Å"Culture† where the child feels comfortable to come forward and say they have a need that is not being met. Mia Kellmer Pringle Pringle suggested that there are four primary needs that have to be met from birth. Love and security: this is probably the most important one of the four as this provides the basis for all future relationships. A child will also have objects as â€Å"security blankets† ie a favorite toy which they will use when they feel threatened or upset.The child will want routine which helps with their development and also they will need attachment which comes in the form of a caring a stable family. New experiences: this is a fundemantal requirement for cognitive development. In ealry life the act of playing and using new language as well as revisiting previous experiences and accesing new and demanding phsical and mental challenges all help in the childs cognitive development. This goes with them through to adolecence where they will start experimenting with boyfriends/ girlfriends and get involved in team roles etc. Praise and recognition: Strong incentives are vital for a child who is going through a difficult time.If a child is constantly put down or told they are useless it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy where the child has low expectations leads them onto low achievement. This will eventually lead onto the child never getting into any situations where they feel they will fail. Responsibility: It is also very inportant to structure the childs environment so he/she have challenges which reflect their interests and ability levels, this will encourage independance and co operation. Pringle goes along the same lines as Maslow so their impacts on practise are similar. Produce a routine the children are familiar with Plan trips out( get them interested in a musical instrument or have a themed week) Recognise cultural normsMake a child feel valued and Individual Have a School council( Promoting responsibilty) Welcome the child to his/her new setting( name on the peg, â€Å"get to know you activites) Give them jobs( registor monitor,handout milk etc) Leave it to nature Theories ( laissez faire model) Rousseau: was an 18th century philsopher who thought that the child will †learn naturally† and they were genetically engineered to learn certain things at certain times. He thought that a childs learning unfolds like a flower and that babbling leads onto talking which leads onto writing and reading, the same way kicking the legs and crawling leads onto walking and running.This theory suggests that adults mould the childs development through the environment they create and this â€Å"environment† will support the childs learning and help it to unfold. One example being speech. If a childs environment is all English speaking, the child will speak english, if a child hears both chinese and English it will become multi ligual and speak both languages. This view suggests that the child will do what they need to devolp and learn naturally. It sees the child as â€Å"active† in their own learing and as the adult do not ne ed to act this is sometimes reffered to as the laissez faire view of how children learn. Rousseau mapped a set of developmental norms charting expected development.He believed that development followed a sequence and identified ‘normal’ age ranges of achievement. A depressing approach for children with special needs. Gessel: In the 1930s he mapped out a set of developmental norms which charted expectent development in children. These norms mapped out the childs expected development and this followed a sequence which identified the normal age ranges of achievement. This was also a very depressing approach for any children who have disabilites or learning needs. Gessels spiral of development. How this approach impacts on current practise. You will have an understanding that you can observe and not always intervene in a childs behaviour. Understand Child and Young Persons Develpment Understand Child and Young Person Development. Core 3. 1 1. 1 The term â€Å"Sequence† of child development refers to the how we expect a child to develop from the day it was born to the age of 19. Child Development is the biological, physiological and all the emotional changes that happen during these formative years as the child goes from dependency to autonomy. These changes could be hugely influenced by genetics, events that occur whilst in the womb and during prenatal development and are usually included in most studies of child development.Developmental changes are different. They occur as a result of a genetically controlled process called maturation or as a result of environmental factors and learning (home life and school for example) but these changes most commonly happen as a result of a combination of them both. It can also be a result of â€Å"human nature† which is the ability of the growing child to in fact learn from their environment. Human beings and e specially children have a keen sense to adapt to their surroundings and this is what child development covers and includes.A child’s development is continually happening and can be measured in many different ways and although the child will develop at different rates and in different ways, the sequence in which this happens will follow the same sort of pattern . This is because in most examples they need to learn one skill before they can move onto the next. An example is walking. The child will need to learn to walk before they can run or jump etc. Development in children is more rapid in the early stages with many milestones happening in quick succession.This slows down as the child becomes a young adult with the milestones becoming further apart. (Cache children and young people’s workforce p49) The table below looks more closely at the aspects of child development. THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES CHART Age| Intellectual| Social / Emotional| Language| Gross motor| Fine Mot or| Infant – Birth to one year| Uses hands and mouth to learn| Forms a bond with parents, will begin to recognise faces and smiles, at about 6months will recognise parents and be fearful of strangers. | Starts being ocal and using terms such as â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Lifts head first then chest, rolls over, pulls to sit, crawls and stands alone| Reaches for objects and picks up small items, clutches onto toys, e. g. Rattle | Toddler 1-2 years| Begins to learn words for objects and people| Learns that self and parent(s) are different or separate from each other, imitates and performs tasks, indicates needs or wants without crying| Can follow simple instructions and say more words than just â€Å"mammy and daddy†| Can walk, stop, jump and throw things like a ball. Unbuttons clothes, builds tower of 4 cubes, scribbles, uses spoon, picks up very small object| Preschool2-5 years| Understands things such as tired, hungry and cold, recognises colours, becomes aware of numbers and letters| Begins to separate easily from parent(s), dresses with assistance, washes and dries hands, plays interactive games like tag. follows directions, can make simple sentences of two or three words, vocabulary increases Names pictures| Runs well, hops, pedals tricycle, balances on one foot| Buttons Clothes, builds tower of 8 cubes, copies simple figures or letters| School age 5-12 years| Develops understanding of numeracy and literacy concepts, learns relationship between objects and feelings, acquires knowledge and understanding| Acts independently, but is emotionally close to parent(s) dresses without help, join same sex play groups and clubs| Defines words, know and describes what things are made of, vocabulary increases| Skips, balances on one foot for 10 seconds, overestimates physical abilities| Draws person with 6 parts, copies detailed figures and objects| 12-18 years| Understands abstract concepts like illness and death, develops understanding of complex id eas| Experiences rapidly changing moods and behaviour, interested in peer group almost exclusively, distances from parent(s) emotionally, concerned with body image, likely to have first sexual relationship| Uses increased vocabulary, understands more abstract concepts like grief| May appear awkward and clumsy while learning to deal with rapid increases in size due to growth spurts| Fully developed| 18 +years| Continues to develop the ability to make good decisions and to understand the complexity of human relationships| Becomes independent form parent(s), own lifestyle, and career, social and economic changes, develop interests, chooses a partner, becomes a parent. | Continues to develop knowledge and vocabulary of different styles of language used| Fully developed| Fully developed| (Cache Children and young people’s workforce p51-66) 1. 2Child development is the term used to describe how the child will grow through a progression of developmental milestones. All children are believed to follow the same sequence of growth (the child will crawl, then stand, then walk for example) this is called the normative pattern. What we need to know is that not all children follow this pattern and for example some children will miss out stages altogether. One example of this is blind children and some children may decide to bottom shuffle and not bother with the â€Å"crawling phase†. The traditional approach to monitoring this is to use this normative measure which as I have mentioned already is the milestones in which we measure our child’s development.These actually only show what most children can do and in reality many factors such as genetic, cultural and social factors will all have an effect on the child’s development and it is important we take this into account before labelling children â€Å"advanced or backward. † The sequence of development refers to the stages of which a child develops; the rate of development is how fast the child is expected to achieve these developmental milestones. It is important to realise that the normative measurements can only indicate general trends and cannot be taken as â€Å"normal† . It is very important to realise that while the sequence of development may be somewhat the same in most children, the rate or speed in which the child develops can vary in many ways.Things that have a massive effect on the rate of a child’s development can include environment (home life) culture (religious beliefs), ability, the amount of stimulation a child receives and input (from parents for example). It is important to understand the difference between the rate and the sequence of a child’s development as this will equip you with the knowledge you need in order to plan effectively with your child and will help you identify any concerns which you may have within the developmental process. (Cache Children and young people’s workforce) 2. 1-2. 2 A child’s gr owth and development can be affected by many factors, with some having more of an affect than others.They can be split into two categories which I will go into more depth later. These are Personal factors (such as genetics and health related issues) and External factors (such as poverty, family life, personal choice and social interaction. ) Below is a diagram illustrating things which can affect a child’s development? Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Disability or special needs. Inherited (downs) or chronic (Autism) Finances (living in poverty) Finances (living in poverty) Education (home schooled, private or state) Education (home schooled, private or state) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs) Cultural background (Religion or beliefs)Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Health status, Antenatal issues (smoking, drinking, drugs) Social class (lower, working, upper) Social class (lower, working, upper) Genetics, Bi rth problems Genetics, Birth problems Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Family Environment and background (loving or divorced parents) Gender Gender Interpersonal Relationships Interpersonal Relationships Personal Factors influencing development. Genetic Influences Many studies believe it is both our environment and our genetics which will mould us into the person we ultimately become. Our chromosomes are where we find our genes.Parents pass these onto their children via their cells (the sperm and the egg). Alleles are different versions of the same gene and it’s this which can determine distinctive features such as eye colour, but also it is this which could lead to the inheritance of disorders such as cystic fibrosis. A baby’s development is also affected during pregnancy(before the birth) ,at the time of the birth and after the birth. Examples include a woman not knowing she is pregnant in the early stages and carrying on with all her ba d habits (drinking, smoking, drug taking and diet. ) It’s at these crucial first 12 weeks in the uterus when all the essential organs are being formed. This is called the antenatal period.A child being born before term (37 weeks) and therefore is born prematurely may need intensive care and this could affect development. Health Status A child’s health status can have a great effect on how it develops. This is determined by genetic inheritance but can also be affected by factors such as diet, environment, and what health care they receive. Some children are born with conditions which affect their development (these include Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and heart defects). Other illnesses which may develop over time( including asthma and diabetes) will also have an effect on the child’s development if for example they have frequent visits to the hospital and miss school or their activaties are restricted because of their condition.External Factors Influencing Dev elopment. Poverty This is the single biggest thing that threatens the healthy development of children and young people in Great Britain and can have an effect on all areas of a child’s development (Physical, Intellectual, Language, Emotional, Social, and Spiritual. ) This threat is part of the â€Å"cycle of deprivation† where poorer families will tend to live in poorer housing; they may also have a poor diet which will not provide all the right vitamins and minerals which will affect the child’s immune system which will have a knock on affect to the increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. Other things which are linked to poverty are:Accidents and illness: Children from poorer backgrounds are four times more likely to have an accident than those from higher up the social ladder. Quality of life: many children from lower classes have none or little toys, meals and clothes Poor diet: As I mentioned above a poor diet comes hand in hand with low income fami lies as they more times than not have to buy the cheaper brands or processed convenience foods. Space to live and play: poorer children are more likely to be limited in their play space as the housing which they live will is more likely to be small and substandard. Growth: Poorer children are more likely to be smaller at birth and shorter in height. Education: Children from the lower classes are more likely to have poor attendance and less likely to do well.Long Term Effects: As adults they are more likely to be homeless, be unemployed, and become involved in drug abuse, offending or be in abusive relationships. Social Interaction There is a lot of research to show that social isolation or a lack or opportunity’s to socialise ( playgroup, family members, mother and baby groups, toddler groups) can lead to early child development issues such as speech problems , the inability to share or in fact the ability to socialise with people in a civilised manner. The social environment in which a child is raised can have a dramatic effect on their development. An example of this would be a child who has had no contact with neighbours, family members or classmates.Family Environment and background The situation at home will have a huge effect on a young person or child’s development. A child may seem physically healthy but if they are unhappy and are not enjoying their time at home this is will most definitely be affecting their development. Things a child needs include: Love and affection: A child needs unconditional love and affection from their primary carers whoever this may be (Parents, Grandparents, Foster Parents etc. ) A child needs to feel safe and secure. Stimulation: a child needs the right amount of stimulation for healthy growth and development. Too little or too much will result in unhealthy developmentOpportunities to play: It is common sense that all children need to play to develop, then on from that, young people need to be given the oppor tunity to socialise and have leisure opportunity’s (such as learning an instrument or joining a sports club). A child’s social and emotional development is majorly influenced by the foundations which the family unit creates. Most parents will provide a nurturing unconditional loving family environment where their child will embrace and flourish within it. There are some carers or parents who, for a lot of different reasons will not provide this nurturing platform which all children need. Examples of this include carers with mental health issues, drug misuse, marital conflict and violent behaviour.Theories Regarding Child Development. Theories of child development can be said to be a set of principles that are designed to explain or predict some things. There have been many theories over the years by many scientists and psychologists and they have come up with a multitude of different perspectives as to why a child will do certain things within their development. Theori es not only provide an extended outline of understanding, they also allow educated guesses or hypotheses about some parts of a Childs development that are not clearly understood yet. These theories can provide a bounce board for other research but they also have some practical benefits.They can be useful (if you are a parent, teacher, therapist or carer) as a reference point when you need to make important decisions within the Childs lives and a well-founded theory can provide valuable information in making responsible decisions. On the flip side though, some child development theories can be limiting and misleading and can in fact hinder or jeopardise a Childs development if the primary carer follows this theory to the letter. It is with this in mind that it is vital to compare and evaluate a lot of theories before acting upon them and it is with this comparing and contrasting that you will find that a lot of theories strengths and weaknesses will be highlighted. There are many the ories out there and underneath I will be going into a few of them in more detail. Alfred Bandura (Social learning theory) Main theory: Learning takes place by imitation.The social learning theory suggests that people will learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modelling. This theory has been renamed â€Å"the social cognitive theory† this is to accommodate later developments of this theory. Albert Bandura found that children tend to copy people they hold in high status (parents etc. ) especially so if these people are warm or have powerful personalities. This theory could lead us on to the fact that we should very aware of our behaviour in front of children and the effect this could have on them. Things to think about: * If children are smacked by adults will they be more likely to smack other children? * If children are shouted at by other adults, are they more likely to shout at other children? If children are given explanations, are they more likely to explain things to other * If children are comforted when they fall, are they more likely to do the same to others? How this affects practise * You will have to be very wary of the language and behaviour you use in front of your children. * It could a useful theory to use if you want your children to experience role play. * Being a good role model can only help the child. * This theory allows learning without direct experience. * Promotes positive behaviour. If you are positive this will rub off on the child. Transmission theories There are three main theorists involved in transmission theories.John Locke: He thought that the child was an empty vessel and that they can be shaped by the adult and that children can be shaped by external factors and these are greater influences than any genetic involvements (nature v nurture) Ivan Pavlov: (classical conditioning): Pavlov’s theory was his famous conditioned Reponses in dogs experiment. Pavlov likes to be known as a physiologist ra ther than a psychologist as he believed the two were linked and were useful and scientific. Classical conditioning is the way in which responses are under the control of new stimulus. In his case the â€Å"conditioned† stimulus was a church bell and the â€Å"unconditioned† stimulus was food. His experiment involved feeding the dogs every time the church bell rang. This eventually produced an â€Å"unconditional† response from the dogs which was saliva flowing from the dogs mouth when the food appeared.This would then gradually change into saliva being produced with any bell noise thus producing a â€Å"conditioned† response from the dogs. Food will produce salivation, but it’s this change in stimuli using classical conditioning which means that saliva is being produced with the sound of the bells and not the actual food. Pavlov’s Experiment Burris Frederick Skinner: (operant conditioning) Skinners main theory was one of that reinforcement a nd punishment moulds behaviour and children are conditioned by their experiences. Skinner maintained that learning occurred through responding to the environment and he coined the term â€Å"operant conditioning† to describe this phenomenon.He did extensive research with animals, notably with rats and pigeons. I t was skinner who invented the famous box in which a rat learns to press a lever in order to obtain food. He gave rats a reward of food if they pressed the lever. This was positive reinforcement. The desired behaviour was rewarded. Conversely, undesired behaviour could be negatively reinforced. The rats would receive an electric shock every time they went near one area of a maze and they would then begin to avoid that area. The undesired behaviour was got rid of and the desired behaviour was encouraged. How this affects Practise. Positve reinforcemnet includes * Special helper Kindness awards * Points * Stickers * Special jobs * Star of the week * Trips out * Priase o r golden time. Negative reinforcement includes: * Lines * Detention * PunishmentThings taken from or kept from the child. The effects this has on practise is that it will provide motivation for the child to behave and also to put that lirttle bit more effort in than they would normally if they have something to aim for at the end of the week or day. It will give the child encouragement to repeat the good behaviour or effort upon recieving their treat or reward. Social constructavist theory Jean Piaget: This is the theory where all other theories are judged.His main theory is that the development of children take place in distinct stages of cognitive development. The adult does have an influence but the child is building their own thinking systems. Piaget believed that nature and nurture interact to create cognitive development. He claims that children when learning: * Go through stages and sequences in their learing * Are active learners * Use first hand Experiences and prior experi ences in order to learn. * Imitate and transform what they learn in to symbolic behaviour. He devolped four stages of cognitive learing. 1: Sensory motor stage (0-2 years) the child explores using its senses( sucking ,grasping etc) : Pre operational stage (2- 7 years) The toddler understands the use of symbols and language and this can be understood. 3: Concrete operational stage (7-11 years) the child can now conserve and begin to reason logically. The child can now solve problems but their sucessful reasoning is largely limited to concrete situations. 4. Formal operational years (11-16 years) the child is now developed and can show logical thinking and be able to work through abstract problems. Piaget view on a child as an active learner. Piagets three process: 1. Assimilation: this process is where people translate information in to a form they can understand. 2. Accomodation: This is where people adapt current knowladge in reponse to new experiences. 3.Equilibration: this is whe re people balance assimilation and accomodation to create a stable understanding. Implications in practise. Piagets theory suggests that childrens distictive ways of thinking at different ages need to be considered when deciding how best to teach them. In addition beacuse children learn by mentally and physically interacting with their environment, relative phsical activites are important in educational practise. How they influence current practise: * The language we use with the children * The resources you provide for the children * The need to incorporate role play * Activities( what to do with the resources at hand) * The way in which we chack for understanding from the child * We can question certain techniquesWhat are social constructivists? A social constructivist feels that the adult will play an active role in helping the children through their stages of development. Lev Vygotsky: He was a russian psychologist who died prematurely. His theory dates back to 1924 and he devel oped ideas that there was relationship between language and thinking and cognative development. His theory empahsised the roles of historical, cultural and sociual factors in cognition and argued that language was the most important symbolic tool provided by society. He said that the ZAD (the zone of actual develpment) is where the child will develop naturally with out the adults help.He then says that the ZPD( the zone of proximal devlepment) is where the adult helps and he believes that adult intervention is crucial for the child to move between actual and proximal development. Jerome Bruner: he belived that learning was an â€Å"innate† function. He believes that children â€Å"do â€Å" â€Å"imagine† then â€Å"translate† them into sense through schemas and that older children create symbols to imterpret what they have done. Bruners three stages of development are: * Enactive (0-1 yrs) Doing * Iconic (1-7 yrs) Imagining * Symbolic (7+) Using symbolic repr esentations Bruner also has his theory of â€Å"scaffolding† where he does recognise the importance of adult support.The easist way to get your head round this is to imagine the adult as the â€Å"scaffold† round the child, a bit like the scaffolding on a building. The adult moves and grows with the child offering them â€Å" support â€Å" and reinforcement on the way. How this effects current practise * We can use this to observe the children * We can look at the prefered learnign styles considered * This theory basically sums up the role of a teaching assistant â€Å" supprort and reinforcement† * Intorduce new concepts to expand learning * Will influence the way in which you question a child Humanistic Approach. Abraham Maslow and Mia Keller Pringle. Maslow created a theory of human needs that was relevant to all ages not just for children. This was known as the humanistic approach.He said that there was five levels of need and his theory suggested that ea ch level had to be â€Å"met† before you could progresson to the next one. Maslow also said that it was almost impossible to reach your full potentiol if the lower needs were not sufficiently met. Maslows Hierachy of needs. How this may impact on current practise. There are many ways this theory could impact on practise: * Keeping an eye out for the childs basic needs( Hungry, clothing, tired,) * Awareness of bullying and social exclusion * Having a homework club (where the older children could help the younger ones. ) * Praise( Give praise when a child Produces a good piece of work) * Having a â€Å"Get to know you† activity or activities Understanding problems with a child( enabling you to asses the need of the child so he/she can progress) * Promote a positive learning environment which is individual to the children. * Devolop a â€Å"Culture† where the child feels comfortable to come forward and say they have a need that is not being met. Mia Kellmer Pringle Pringle suggested that there are four primary needs that have to be met from birth. Love and security: this is probably the most important one of the four as this provides the basis for all future relationships. A child will also have objects as â€Å"security blankets† ie a favorite toy which they will use when they feel threatened or upset.The child will want routine which helps with their development and also they will need attachment which comes in the form of a caring a stable family. New experiences: this is a fundemantal requirement for cognitive development. In ealry life the act of playing and using new language as well as revisiting previous experiences and accesing new and demanding phsical and mental challenges all help in the childs cognitive development. This goes with them through to adolecence where they will start experimenting with boyfriends/ girlfriends and get involved in team roles etc. Praise and recognition: Strong incentives are vital for a child who is going through a difficult time.If a child is constantly put down or told they are useless it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy where the child has low expectations leads them onto low achievement. This will eventually lead onto the child never getting into any situations where they feel they will fail. Responsibility: It is also very inportant to structure the childs environment so he/she have challenges which reflect their interests and ability levels, this will encourage independance and co operation. Pringle goes along the same lines as Maslow so their impacts on practise are similar. Produce a routine the children are familiar with Plan trips out( get them interested in a musical instrument or have a themed week) Recognise cultural normsMake a child feel valued and Individual Have a School council( Promoting responsibilty) Welcome the child to his/her new setting( name on the peg, â€Å"get to know you activites) Give them jobs( registor monitor,handout milk etc) Leave it to nature Theories ( laissez faire model) Rousseau: was an 18th century philsopher who thought that the child will †learn naturally† and they were genetically engineered to learn certain things at certain times. He thought that a childs learning unfolds like a flower and that babbling leads onto talking which leads onto writing and reading, the same way kicking the legs and crawling leads onto walking and running.This theory suggests that adults mould the childs development through the environment they create and this â€Å"environment† will support the childs learning and help it to unfold. One example being speech. If a childs environment is all English speaking, the child will speak english, if a child hears both chinese and English it will become multi ligual and speak both languages. This view suggests that the child will do what they need to devolp and learn naturally. It sees the child as â€Å"active† in their own learing and as the adult do not ne ed to act this is sometimes reffered to as the laissez faire view of how children learn. Rousseau mapped a set of developmental norms charting expected development.He believed that development followed a sequence and identified ‘normal’ age ranges of achievement. A depressing approach for children with special needs. Gessel: In the 1930s he mapped out a set of developmental norms which charted expectent development in children. These norms mapped out the childs expected development and this followed a sequence which identified the normal age ranges of achievement. This was also a very depressing approach for any children who have disabilites or learning needs. Gessels spiral of development. How this approach impacts on current practise. You will have an understanding that you can observe and not always intervene in a childs behaviour.

Organic Foods vs Conventional Foods Essay

The purpose of this study is to test whether or not organic foods have more health benefits and are safer than conventional foods. The word organic refers to how farmers grow and process agricultural products. Farmers use nonconventional methods to fertilize, control weeds and to prevent disease in livestock. This study included seventeen studies in humans which carefully studied the biomarker and nutrient levels in serum, breast milk, semen and urine. The participants involved in this study were tested for pesticide levels. Pesticides can be absorbed into fruits and vegetables, and leave trace residues. Foods were tested for pesticide levels as well as bacterial contamination and Escherichia Coli contamination. The study shows that eating organic foods in place of conventional foods lacks strong evidence that organic foods are significantly more nutritional than the conventional foods. The study did however find that consumption of the organic foods may help reduce exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria as well as pesticide residuals. I was shocked by the results of this study. I believe the majority of people have always believed that organic foods are far healthier than conventional foods. Organic foods generally cost 20% more than the nonorganic varieties. A good question to ask yourself is whether or not it is worth it to pay the extra money for organic foods. Although the organic foods do not provide the extra nutritional punch as once believed, I feel it is worth paying the extra money for these items. Any reduction in exposure to harmful pesticides may be beneficial to your long term health. Pesticides have been proven to cause skin irritation, eye irritation, nerve system damage as well as certain cancers and hormone disruption. The authors of this study did a great job identifying the benefits of consuming organic foods. I believe this is an area that will continue to be researched as we continue to learn more about the effects of the foods we put in our bodies. Christain Nordqvist (2012. September 5). â€Å"Organic Food Has No Benefits Over Conventional Food, Says Study.’ Medical News Today. Retrieved from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles249848.php.

Genocide in Rwanda Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genocide in Rwanda - Dissertation Example The two groups had different economic roles and responsibilities, the Tutsis were pastoralist while the Hutus were farmers. These are the main economic activities between the two major groups. The Hutus arrived and settled in the region long before the Tutsis came later. The Tutsis are Nilotic and taller slender and having a paler skin with thin lips. On the other hand, the Hutus are shorter, darker and stalker, having a flat nose and thick lips. This means the two ethnic groups were very different both economically and physically. The colonial powers considered Tutsis superior to Hutus in terms of their appearance and skin color; paler. The German and Belgian colonialists use the Tutsis in extending their colonial agenda. The colonial governments passed laws that required everybody to carry identity cards that classified ten as Hutu or Tutsi. This broadened the breach amid the two sets even further. Studies show that the nation`s populace concentration is one of the highest globally . The populace concentration tops that of the populous nations in Africa. It then started by small violence a form of resistance by Hutus against Tutsis. This spirally escalated into a big problem as the struggle spread into other areas of society. In later years, the economic growth of Rwanda was hindered by the drought that affected the country and exposed the two communities to many environmental problems; fertility loss, soil erosion, and deforestation. All this forms the essential links to what created the problems and led to ethnic clashes. In the late 1990s, the then Tutsi activist Habyarimana took a Tutsi led attempted invasion on Rwanda. This according to studies, this led to the first civil war that caused more than a million Rwandan to be physically displaced and they fled into settlement camps (Bloxham 45). The situation causes young and desperate Rwandan to join militia groups in readiness to avenge. The need for vengeance as a way of solving immediate problems meant th at more blood had to be shade. From the previous fact that Rwandans population has since been bloated and it still grows, any unstable environmental factor brought with it. The droughts caused social stress on the resources that were scarce because of an increased population; Hutus were fighting for the scarce farmland while the Tutsis thought they had bigger powers to control the pastoral lands in relation to their political dominance. This meant that ethnic clashes were inevitable reaction given to one problem resulted in another problem. For instance, the Hutus struggled and formed militia groups as a formidable force for battle.

Contracting and Procurement in Project Management- Phase 2 part 2DB Essay

Contracting and Procurement in Project Management- Phase 2 part 2DB - Essay Example It simply relates to fixed-price contracts that proffer for development payments. Although it utilizes a formula procedure, it is not planned to be a precise result of the cost of working capital. Its intention is to present general detection to the contractor’s cost of working capital below unstable contract conditions, financing strategies and the financial situation. The contracting officer should analysis the extent to which expenses has been acquired previous to the finalization of the contract operation. The evaluation should be comprised some condensed contractor risk on together the contract previous to finalization and the enduring piece of the contract. When charges have been acquired previous to the finalization, usually scrutinize the contract category risk to be in the small termination of the designated selection. If an extensive part of the costs has been acquired previous to finalization, the contracting officer can distribute a worth as low as 0 %, in spite of contract type.1 Now I will discuses how contract types allocate risk in state of above normal conditions. The contracting officer might allocate an advanced than normal value when there is significant contract type risk. These risks can: FMS sales where the contractor would be able to divulge that there are considerable risks above those typically presented in DoD contracts for comparable items; or A violent performance based imbursement agenda that adds to risk. Now I will elaborate how contract types allocate risk in state of below normal conditions. The contracting officer may allocate an inferior than usual value when the contract category risk is small. Indicators of this are: Why this contract? I have selected this type of contract because the software development company will be given enough time to develop the software. Because there is no incentive for them in developing this software early and the price of software development is fixed, so they can not

Contemporary issues in development finance Essay - 1

Contemporary issues in development finance - Essay Example Income inequality is described as the uneven distribution of individual or household income/earnings across the several participants in the economy. It is the sign of how the material resources are generally distributed across the society. High degree of earnings/income inequality is considered as undesirable. Measures of the earnings inequality relies on the data of disposable income of the household. The key indicator of earnings distribution is employed in ‘Gini coefficient’. The values of Gini coefficient scope between 0 (in perfect equality case) and 1 (in perfect inequality case). Poorer countries generally have elevated level of income inequality (Oecd, 2011). The main purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the connection between the financial growth and the income inequality by taking the example of Vietnam from the period 2000-2008. In the previous two decades, country like Vietnam has applied various economic and social reforms in order to encourage economic growth. The entrance of Vietnam into ‘World Trade Organisation’ in the year 2006 has concerned large inflows of foreign capital under the projects of foreign direct investment. Free trade and market-oriented financial system helped in releasing the capabilities and potentials of enterprises and individuals. Due to this, the economy achieved efficiency, higher productivity, and economic growth (C.M. Hoi and L.Q. Hoi, 2012). The connection between financial progress and the income inequality is a searched topic lately. Till now, two strings of notion, of which one pursue linear hypothesis and other follows non-linear hypothesis, are under exploration for the empirical evidence. Linear hypothesis: An overlapping model has been offered by Galor and Zeira (1993), who concentrated on the significance of the investment of human capital. They believe that there exist two sectors in

Profit Maximisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Profit Maximisation - Essay Example The hotel industry (specifically Hotel Intercontinental) falls under tourism business. Profit maximization, in economics, is the process by which a firm determines the price and output level that returns the greatest profit. The total revenue -- total cost method relies on the fact that profit equals revenue minus cost. Management has to find ways to maximize profit without making the standard quality service offered to the general public suffer. We can give the hotel banquet department clients extra food (they call it side dishes or perks) or we could add some soft love music to the common waiting or guest area in the hotel. While the guests are whiling their time tinkering with their busy business portfolios and entertaining the clients' customers and friends in the hotel rooms or banquet or restaurant or even the bar area. Who knows, the swimming pool may be the most crowded area of the hotel. Profit maximization is the presumed goal of firms. In practice, business people often trade off making as much profit as possible against other goals, such as building business empires, being popular with staff and enjoying life. The growing popularity in recent years of paying bosses with shares in their firm may have reduced the costs that arise because. a) As a well respected hotel developer and operator, BDL operates a number of management contracts, where it delivers a range of services for its clients. The services range from standard hotel operations and management contracts based on a percentage of turnover and profit, to full or partial equity participation, development only agreements and/or pre-opening and launch contracts. COMMENT: BDL will maximize profit for its excellent services will increase the number of customers. The disadvantage of reducing costs to maximizing profit is that we may put a later date the expansion or promotional activities so that costs for the current period will not increase. Seminars and trainings for management level employees may be reset at a later date. Thus quality of employee performance may be affected. The morale of the workers will go down. This in turn will result in reduced quality of goods sold. The customers then will transfer to the competitors because of the poor quality of perform ance. b) Corus hotel placed an ad for housekeeping assistant at Maids Head Hotel, Norwich It offers a smart opportunity at Corus hotels with being responsible for helping to achieve the outstanding success of the housekeeping department. They are looking for a dedicated assistant whose super-efficient housekeeping can ensure their bedrooms, corridors and adjoining areas are kept spotless. Providing an enthusiastic service with above par interpersonal skills that adds to the satisfaction of our guests, applicant will prove a valued member of our team. Being honest and knows time management and able to turn out good ideas into realistic

Milly's Moped Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Milly's Moped Report - Essay Example If there are any documents as printed or physical output, they are outputs of this process too. Distribution or Logistics is another process found in the case. The distribution plans are used as inputs and the delivery schedule is used to plan deliveries to the whole sellers. As a result, the scheduled deliveries are matched with the completed orders and discrepancies are reported as an internal report. Information given as input and received as output serves the information needs of management at various levels. The three types of information needs being met by the information are (i) Strategic level, (ii) Tactical level and (iii) Operational level. Strategic level information is the information needed for strategic decisions. These decisions are made by top management and senior personnel of any organization. In the above processes, various types of information are to be used by the top management of Milly's Mopeds. The capacity shortfalls, bottlenecks in assembly, expansion decisions and changes in core competencies are the major information areas which are strategic in nature for Milly's top management. Tactical level information is meant for middle level management for managing and allocating resources for the organization. In this case, the information and inputs and outputs like selection of distributors, selecting channels, making delivery schedules and making budgets are all tactical level information. At the operational level, the very basics of operations are carried out. It involves the routine day-to-day activities that are carried out in the normal course of business. The information gathered from the inputs, outputs and reports of the business processes in this area are the feedback from operations, inventory and stock updates, operations reports and problem reports. The information systems and information technology has taken a new role over the past few years. The concept of Strategic Information systems is present today which was never existent before. This has huge application of Information Technology. (O'Brien, James A., (2002). Trends In Information Systems. McGraw-Hill) With the introduction to information technology, the information handling, storage and processing has become very efficient. Huge data repositories are now in place by almost all companies. Milly and Graham were also suggested and advised to use a database to solve their problems. Databases will provide them the data storage solutions. The interface and designing can be easily done to take data out from the database and use it for their needs. 2. Marketing in specialist literature The business process of marketing in specialist literature is focused on carrying out the task of marketing the mopeds by the use of specialist literature. Special literature may include the literature targeted to various levels of customers. The reason for selecting this process for detailed analysis was because it is a core process for Milly.

Current and Future Development of Electric Train Essay

Current and Future Development of Electric Train - Essay Example The electric trains were easier to run and cleaner since they did not rely on coal as the source of power. The new electric train was mainly used in Boston, Chicago, and New York. The electric train was shown at an international trade exhibition in 1879 in Berlin (Feedburner 2007). It was long before the electric train was used to carry passengers. The main advantages of the electric train are that there is no pollution and less noise. The other advantages are that electrification results in higher performance, lower energy costs, and reduced maintenance costs. The electric trains are quite as compared to the diesel trains and thus they produce less mechanical noise. The electrical trains also move easily on the tracks thus contributing to the reduced maintenance costs of the tracks (Duffy and Michael 2003). The current state of electric trains in Japan has been one of the major countries which have played a big role in the history and the development of electric trains, especially i n the 20th and 21st century. It is the country which has pioneered railway technologies in the whole world. Currently, Japan has been able to build faster, more accurate and safer mass transportation systems earlier than any other country in the whole world. ...There has been the computerization of the equipment which is used for train traction systems. This has contributed to the improvement of reliability, simplification of maintenance and saving labor. Train management systems have been introduced and this has accelerated the management of information for the whole train system. Current electric trains use an induction motor as the main driving motor and improved AC for circuit semiconductor. The current train also uses VWF inverter as their main control unit. The achievements have promised and proved to be more reliable and cost-effective in the running of the electric train. The current electric train uses JRIS transmission system which has made it realize world standard transm ission protocol. Due to this fact, the current train has higher reliability system and also a higher speed. Today, there is the use of the air compressor unit and the air conditioning equipment which are both electronically controlled. The conditioning equipment particularly has been transformed into a cooling unit that is easily controlled in accordance with the preferred for every power supply. This has improved service quality and comfort to passengers on trains. The current speed of an electric train ranges from 200 to 581km/hr. The current train also uses the circuit simulator. This is an advancement of the microcomputer control features. The stimulator has improved the design verification technology. This advancement has been made as result of the former simulator having limited condition settings in terms of time and labor. There has also been the introduction of the high-speed processor which stimulates the main circuit and the load. The current stimulator uses the frequency of 50/60-Hz.

Donatellos David Essay Example for Free

Donatellos David Essay The re-creation of David, a biblical hero, comes from three very notable works of art from history. The free standing sculptures are made by Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini. Donatello is an artist and sculptor known for his exploration of human emotion and expression. He also known to use difficult mediums to make masterpieces. In Donatello’s depiction of David appears as a bronze work of art from the Italian Renaissance period. This is a life sized sculpture of David in the nude. Its dimensions are 5’2 Â ¼ in. (as tall as me!) and possibly created thruout 1446 1460. Michelangelo the second artist of a David sculpter, was a poet and an artist, he studied and apprenticed under many great artist. Michelangelo’s depiction of David is a work of art formed from marble made in the High Renaissance period made in 1623-1624 and took about seven months to complete. The height of this sculpture is 170cm. This also is a nude statue. The last work of art we will explore, is that of David, in Bernini’s depiction. Bernini was a sculptor, painter and playwright. He was the Vatican architect in 1692. His work of David was formed from marble, made in approximately 1504 around or in the Baroque period and stands about 5.17 meter tall (17ft.) The body composition and expressions on the face are all different in each work of art of David. Donatello’s work seems to explore a younger more adolescent view of David. The body composition seems strong, but strong for a teenaged underdeveloped boy. The arms, legs and thighs have very little muscle tone and do not seem strong at all. David’s hair is long and thick but stringy. His facial features are very soft, no hard or intense emotion. The hat and boots are extremely detailed, but I must say they make did look very lady-like. The arm resting on the hip and dainty physique looks more woman-like than boy. I think the genitals look very underdeveloped. There is muscle tone in the abdominals but the chest area even look like there are breasts forming. The eyes are large

Judy Chicago Essay Example for Free

Judy Chicago Essay Judy Chicago was a â€Å"celebrated artisan, writer and a feminist. † On July 20, 1939, Arthur and May Cohen of Chicago, Illinois who were then a labor organizer and a medical secretary respectively were blessed with a baby girl and they named her Judy. In 1962, she earned her Bachelor’s Degree on Fine arts at UCLA. After 2 years, she received her Master’s degree on the same course and at the same university. By 1977, Judy was already receiving accolades and rewards for her artworks and art exhibitions particularly at the â€Å"Los Angeles County Museum of Art. † In 1969, Judy decided to change her name to Judy Chicago in honor of her hometown. She was able to conduct a â€Å"one-woman show at California State University at Fullerton in 1970. † While Judy’s career was growing, her lovely life was not doing so well. After 2 years of marriage Jerry Gerowitz, she became a widow. Then, she met Lloyd Hamrol in 1969 and divorced him after a decade. Her last husband was Donald Woodman whom she married in 1985 (Harvard University Library). When Chicago was in her late 20’s to early 30’s, she experimented with the use of â€Å"reduced geometric shapes. † More so, she utilized all various forms of art to convey her minimalist style. The utilization of basic forms and colors combined with the evasion of â€Å"incisive cultural commentary,† Chicago was able to put form or meaning to her ideas and art techniques. As a result, she was able to create artworks that â€Å"were formulative to her landmark â€Å"spectral color† theory that has informed all of her subsequent work† (Through the Flower). In the 1960s to 1970s, American society was energized by activism which encouraged the public to question the status quo or the ruling class. It was in this period that Chicago was inspired to initiate a new movement in the art world called the Feminist Art (Through the Flower). The unusual political and social views of Chicago were the results of â€Å"her childhood influences such as her father who was a member of the Communist Party and recognized the oppression of women. † She was considered to be part of the â€Å"red-diaper baby† genre wherein most of the children born in the early 1940s were raised in a progressively manner which was a â€Å"spillover of the WWII atmosphere of leftist and Communist thinkers† but in the case of Chicago, it was more of a â€Å"working-class Jews† scenario. More so, within the family Judy, the â€Å"left-wing politics† replaced Orthodox Judaism. † Through this, Judy was shaped into having an identity that was linked to the Jewish culture with a reputation of being an intellectual with â€Å"a commitment to social justice. † This clearly became the foundation for the creation of Chicago’s radical and socially relevant artworks including the Holocaust Project: From Darkness Into Light (WordPress. com). Chicago started to teach feminism through art education and other academic programs for women at â€Å"California State University, Fresno, and the California Institute of the Arts. † According to Chicago, â€Å"Women’s history was neglected or added on, as opposed to integrated into the full history of the human species†¦both implicitly and explicitly the message that is communicated is that what women did wasn’t important† (Pogrebin 1). It was in these academic institutions that Chicago founded the â€Å"Feminist Art Program† that yielded the Womanhouse, which was the â€Å"first installation demonstrating an openly female point of view in art. Chicago’s ideas helped to initiate a worldwide Feminist Art movement. † Then this was followed by the creation of Chicago’s one of most popular masterpiece, The Dinner Party. This artwork was focused on portraying the history of women. It was a multimedia project that showed the evolution of the female specie in the Western Civilization. Because of the forward-thinking concept and unique approach and the enormous support from the people all over the world, The Dinner Party became a huge success (Through the Flower). The Dinner Party is a 48 feet triangle-shaped table which is set for 39 significant women from history to mythology. Each of the set of plate was intended to visually honor the corresponding woman. Different types and designs of table wares were strewn all over the table. But it was the plates that embodied Chicago’s creativity and distinctive qualities. The plates were painted with â€Å"an undulating, flowerlike abstraction of femininity. † Additionally, the porcelain base contained the 999 more names of distinguished women all over the world. In this particular work of art, Chicago was trying to impart women’s history to broad and different types of individuals (WordPress. com). Overall The Dinner Party was a huge undertaking for Chicago that reflected her passion, beliefs and personality. After this, Chicago ventured into making another great piece of art which was called Birth Project. This project was comprised of several massive â€Å"series of birth and creation images for needlework,† which were intricately made by skilled workers from different parts of the country. In her later years, Chicago was able to produce numerous artworks in various forms such as paintings, sculptures, drawings and many others. In Powerplay, she incorporated a feminist point of view to the â€Å"gender construct of masculinity† (Through the Flower). Through Judy Chicago’s unwavering conviction that art can be an instrument for conveying â€Å"intellectual transformation, social change and women’s right to engage in the highest level of art production,† she was able to change how women perceived in modern world. Because of her many achievements, she was able to establish herself as an â€Å"an artist, writer, teacher, and humanist whose work and life are models for an enlarged definition of art, an expanded role for the artist, and womens right to freedom of expression† (Judychicago. com). Works Cited â€Å"Biography. † 2009. Judychicago. com. 13 April 2009 http://www. judychicago. com/? p=biography â€Å"Chicago, Judy. † September 2004. Harvard University Library. 13 April 2009 http://oasis. lib. harvard. edu/oasis/deliver/deepLinkcollection=oasisuniqueId=sch00326 â€Å"Judy Chicago. †2009. Through the Flower. 12 April 2009 http://www. throughtheflower. org/page. php? p=40n=3 â€Å"Judy Chicago: Art As Activism. † 26 October 2007. WordPress. com. 13 April 2009 http://ourdescent. wordpress. com/2007/10/28/judy-chicago-art-as-activism/ Pogrebin, Robin. â€Å"Ms. Chicago, Party of 39? Your Table’s Ready in Brooklyn. 1 February 2007. The New York Times. 13 April 2009 http://www. nytimes. com/2007/02/01/arts/design/01party. html? pagewanted=1_r=3fta=y

Convention And Exhibition Industry Importance

Convention And Exhibition Industry Importance In October 2010, the city of Shanghai successfully held the World Exposition, with an accomplishment of participants coming from 246 countries, and more than 70 million visitors (Xinhua, 2010). There were many preparations made prior to the event, including constructing the buildings, transportation, accommodation for world wide visitors, and training service providers with better services. As holding international large-scale conventions and exhibitions will attract international guests and will boost the economy locally, the value-added brought by the events can also influence tourism industry with the service quality, and the influence will take effect even after the event is over. The current research is interested in the effects of convention and exhibition industry on service quality, as World Expo 2010 Shanghai just finished, it is suitable for collecting data concerning this topic. The convention and exhibition industry is one of the most important and fastest growing industries in the 21st century. It is often categorized with meeting, incentive travel together as the meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry. With its gaining popularity, it has grown as a significant market segment over the past decades (Astroff Abbey 2006; Kim, Chon Chung 2003). MICE industry not only brings a destination with strength and development in their competitive advantage, but also enhances the image of the destination, and economic benefits for the destination and community (Opperman 1996). According to the International Meeting Statistics by the Union of International Associations (UIA), 11,423 international meetings were held in 2008 worldwide (UIA, 2009). The industry consists of multi-sectors of hospitality service including lodging, food and beverage, catering, convention service, convention facility supply, transportation, tourism, retail, and entertainment (Astroff Abbey 2006). And the benefit to local economy is huge. With U.S. Travel Associations (2009) estimation, the MICE industry contributes $101 billion in annual spending, and provides $16 billion in tax revenue, and creates one million jobs. As for Singapore, every dollar generates by the MICE industry adds another 12 dollars to the national GDP (International Enterprise Singapore 2001). As the case in China, which is one of the most populous countries in the world, reports indicated that during the Kunming Expo 1999, the international horticultural fair, ticket revenues were 100 million RMB ($12 million) , and it has brought 170 million RMB ($20.5 million) ticket revenues to the hospitality industry (China Research and Intelligence 2009). The development if convention and exhibition economy also provides more job opportunities, marketing, infrastructure and service quality. Service Quality Service quality has been an important attribute in the service industry; it is defined as the consumers judgment about an entitys overall excellence or superiority (Parasuraman, Zeithaml Berry 1988). It affects customer satisfaction, and it is one of the critical factors to business survival and competitiveness in the service industry. In previous researches, the efficiency and accuracy to measure service quality has been the main focus (Ladhari 2008). Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry (1988) conducted the most influential studies on service quality, which was developing the SERVQUAL instrument. The SERVQUAL instrument concluded five dimensions: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. This instrument has become the foundation of service quality measurement instrument in a variety of industries, which compares between customer expectation and realized performance of specific service. Tsang and Qu (2000) on the other hand, adopted from several studies and indicated the 5 gaps of service quality. They describe the gaps as the difference between expectations and perceptions. The management perceptions of customer expectations and service quality specifications, the difference between service quality specifications and the service actually delivered, and the service delivery and what is communicated about the service to customers, these gaps affect the actual delivery of service. And the difference between customer expectations of service quality and customer perceptions of the actual performance affects customer perceptions of service quality, which is what this research would like to find out. World Exposition The World Exposition, or called World Fair, Universal Exposition, Expo, is a form of large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in 1851, in Hyde Park in London, United Kingdom. It was the first international exhibition of manufactured products. It was the idea of Queen Victorias husband, and it influenced the development of many aspects in the society (Findling Pelle 2008, pp. 13-14). Since then, the World Expositions have attained increasing prominence as grand events for economic, scientific, technological and cultural exchanges, serving as an important platform for displaying historical experience, exchanging innovative ideas, demonstrating esprit de corps and looking to the future. The World Expo 2010 Shanghai is the first Expo to be held in a developing country, the theme is Better City, Better Life. Because nowadays, 55% of the world population lives in a city, the Expo sets out to explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century, and display urban civilization, exchanging experiences of urban development, explore new approaches to human habitat, lifestyle and working conditions in the new century, also learn how to create an eco-friendly society and maintain the sustainable development of human beings. It is held from May 1st to the end of October in 2010, spanning six months (Expo 2010 Official Website 2008). Visitors to Shanghai As the Expo brought over participants coming from 246 countries, and more than 70 million visitors (Xinhua, 2010), there is also a boost in tourism and numbers of travelers in Shanghai, both domestic and international. A statistic data gathered from the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration is given in Table 1. As shown in table 1 and the total number of visitors in Figure 1, theres a big leap in year 2010, which the Expo took place. Table 1. Visitors to Shanghai Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Domestic 4,646,303 5,200,981 5,264,727 5,333,935 7,337,216 Hong Kong 314,871 322,351 363,247 415,478 623,969 Macau 16,448 17,363 15,575 17,816 40,043 International 3,997,979 4,426,148 4,416,223 4,390,495 5,931,211 Total 8,975,601 9,966,843 10,059,772 10,157,724 13,932,439 Source: Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration Figure 1. Total Visitor to Shanghai from 2006 to 2010 Hotels in Shanghai Shanghai is one of the most visited cities in China, according to the statistics from Euromonitor research and China Bureau of Statistics, the market size of travel accommodation in China in year 2010 reach sales of RMB 510.8 billion ($78.2 billion) (Euromonitor International 2011). According to the report, the regional hotel parameters in 2010 indicate that Shanghai has the highest occupancy rate among all other municipal or provinces, as shown in Table 2. Table 2. Occupancy rate For Travel Accommodations in China Destination Travel Accommodations Occupancy rate % Anhui 3102 50 Beijing 5182 69.4 Fujian 5024 60.1 Guangdong 6422 67.1 Guangxi 4903 53.2 Hainan 2167 59.8 Hebei 2983 49.1 Henan 2668 50.4 Jiangsu 5544 59.8 Shaanxi 3882 55 Shandong 5149 50 Shanghai 4410 70.7 SiChuan 2311 58.9 Tianjin 1973 54.2 Yunnan 3763 52 Zhejiang 5606 56.7 Source: Euromonitor International from official statistics, trade associations, trade press, company research, trade interviews, trade sources As for a more detailed statistic for Shanghai, data retrieved from Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration is shown in Table 3, and the occupancy rates for total travel accommodations is shown in Table 4 and Figure2. The statistics suggests that the occupancy rate for accommodations in Shanghai experienced a growth between 2009 and 2010. Although the occupancy rates for Table 2 and Table 3 are slightly different, due to the differences is samples, numbers in Euromonitor International (2011) studies are narrowed to certain hotel chains, however it still indicates the market size in Shanghai is greater than other destinations in China. Table 3. The Occupancy Rate for Hotels in Shanghai Year 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010  ¼Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Occupancy 64.24 61.35 56.53 52.68 67.22 Source: Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration Figure 2. Occupancy Rates of Hotels in Shanghai Conceptual Map With the review and statistics presented above, we can infer that the 2010 World Expo Shanghai has brought more visitors to Shanghai, and helped increased the occupancy rate. Supposed there are more people visiting Shanghai due to the Expo, accommodation demands raise and the demand for service quality should also rise. The conceptual framework of this study is depicted in Figure 3. Convention and Exhibition Industry Total Visitors to a Destination Hotel Service Quality Figure 3. The Conceptual Framework The convention and exhibition industry will influence the total number of visitors to a destination, weather they are participants to the event or guests and tourists. This link is already shown and proven in the data provided above, therefore, with more visitors coming to the destination, demands for accommodations will rise, and that will in turn influence the service quality in the hotel sector. According to the research questions and framework, the hypothesis for this study is formed: Hypothesis 1: World Expo 2010 significantly influenced the number of visitors to Shanghai. After examining the influence on increase in visitors to Shanghai, I would like to know if the increase in visitor numbers influences the service quality in the hotel sector, therefore: Hypothesis 2: Increased visitors to Shanghai positively influenced the service quality in hotel sector. If Hypothesis is also supported, then I would like to examine if the effects on service performance will keep on taking effect, or if there is no difference between service quality compared to before, or the quality will even drop, therefore: Hypothesis 3: The increase in service quality in hotel sector will remain after the World Expo 2010 is finished. Research Question The aim of this study is to answer the questions of whether the convention and exhibition industry brings benefit to a destination, and will the industry influence the service quality. Not only during the event, but also after the event, the total quality for service industry will increase. Therefore, the research questions I set out to answer are: Will convention and exhibition industry bring more visitors to a destination? Will more visitors influence the service quality for hotels? After the event, will the influence still carry on? Research Design Due to the aim of this research, I try to discover the differences between service qualities before the Expo 2010 and after, the research will adopt a time series design. However it would be impossible to gather data prior to the Expo by myself, but I can reference past research on service quality in the hotel industry in China from previous studies and researches. Drawn from a research done by Tsang and Qu (2000), I will have a reference of the service quality done in year 2000, and then I will be able to compare the results done today and later. Sample To understand the hotel service quality provided in Shanghai, the current research targets at international guests that visits Shanghai, I will use a convenience sampling method, questionnaires will be distributed to guests in a hotel chain. Also a systematic sampling method will also be used, which every 5th visitor checking in will be asked to do the questionnaire. This will also be similar samples to the previous study done by Tsang and Qu (2000). Instrument In this research I adopt the instrument developed and used by Tsang and Qu (2000). They adopt the questionnaire from SERVEQUAL and other research, and developed the questionnaire in 3 parts, with 35 service quality attributes. The first part is to measure the respondents expectations regarding service quality in the hotel industry, they will be asked to fill in the level of importance of statements with responses, from a 5-point Likerts scale, ranging from (1) very low expectation to (5) very high expectation. The second part of the questionnaire is designed to examine the respondents perceptions of service quality actually provided during the stay. Also, the respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with statements with responses from a 5-point Likerts scale: (1) strongly disagree to (5) strongly agree. The third part of the questionnaire collects the demographic and classification questions of the respondent. The 35 attributes are listed as below: Gap mean differences between managers perception of tourists expectations and tourists expectations of service quality in the hotel industry Attributes 1. Comfortable and welcome feeling 2. Neat appearance of staff 3. Professionalism of staff 4. Hotel staff with multi-lingual skills 5. Friendliness and courtesy of staff 6. Special attention given by staff 7. Availability of staff to provide service 8. Staff performing the services right the first time 9. Reservation system was easily accessible 10. Quick check-in and check-out 11. Cleanliness of room 12. Quietness of room 13. Security of room 14. Attractive decor, furnishings of room/lobby 15. Comfortable mattress and pillow 16. Reasonable room rate/value for money 17. Variety of services offered 18. Reliable message and wake-up service 19. Provision of accurate and reliable information 20. The guarantee of reliable service 21. Availability of room service 22. Prompt breakfast service 23. Elegant banquet service 24. High quality of food in restaurant(s) 25. Variety of drinks and wine list 26. Reasonable restaurant/bar prices 27. The high degree/level of hygiene of food 28. Up-to-date and modern facilities 29. Adequacy of fire safety facilities 30. Availability of eating and drinking facilities 31. Availability of year-round swimming pool 32. Availability of business center facilities 33. Availability of sauna and health club 34. Availability of conference/meeting room 35. Convenient hotel location Data Analysis Descriptive statistics analysis was used to understand the demographic information about the respondent. Each of the categories will be calculated and described in the descriptive statistics section. In order to understand the correlations between variables, a correlation analysis were conducted on all basic data such as gender, age, experience, educational level, marriage status and the scores of the scales. To investigate the service quality gaps, a paired t-test will be used to evaluate the service quality. Conclusion The expected results for this research will be there are positive relationship between visitors to Shanghai positively influenced the service quality in hotel sector. As the visitor numbers already increased during the period of the Expo, the hotel occupancy rates are also higher. With more people check into the hotels, hotel managers pay more attention to the service quality, in order to deliver better guest service. Also, it is expected that the increase in service quality in hotel sector will remain after the World Expo 2010 is finished. There are several limitations of this research. First with the time series design, the differences in sampling and long time between the two time periods will cause some confounding. Since the improvements in infrastructure in Shanghai may also influence service quality, this is something we cannot eliminate. Second, travelers to the hotels will be different from the first sample, we can compare the demographic data between the two, trying to match the samples, however there are still unparallel between the two. For future research suggestions, we can collect the data again 5 years after the Expo, to find out weather the service quality keeps the same as the period right after the Expo. We can also get an idea of how hotel managers improve their service quality by interviewing them, with can reveal some more detailed facts on how the Expo really affect their business.