Personal & Professional Development Essay

1.1  Cunningham1 has defined self-managed learning as â€Å"†¦idealised adult action learning†. Therefore, self learning is a process where the learner develops their learning goals, decides on strategies to make it happen, identifies resources needed to achieve it and adopts the process to evaluate their achievement. Self managed learning can only be effective if a person has the ability to independently decide about their learning and can manage this without much institutional support. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that most people, though understanding the need for such learning approach, are unable to identify and manage their learning without guidance and support from an institution. Hence, people go to an institution to learn. However, It is the responsibility of the learner to take charge of their learning. In an adult learning environment, where most learners have been out of touch with learning for a while, it is important that the tutors initially provide hands on approach to guide the learners. Gradually, ‘tutor dependency’ reduces and the learner becomes more self dependent, starting to manage their learning more effectively. Self learning process can be facilitated through research, using online tools such as web logs, wikis, search engine facilities, use of social software and other multimedia tools such as audio and video equipment. 1.2  Lifelong learning is a process that takes place throughout an individual’s life based on their life experiences, interaction with others and range of different circumstances which are used to acquire knowledge. It is, defined as the â€Å"ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons’’[2). There are various methods of learning, which can be termed as ‘life long learning’. These are: †¢ Home schooling : People learning at home rather than at an institute. †¢ Adult education : Enrolling in an adult learning course to gain formal qualifications for work or leisure. †¢ Continuing education : Courses to gain further knowledge without getting any formal qualification. †¢ Knowledge work : On-the-job training but can also include practical courses for professional development. †¢ Personal learning environment: Using a range of sources and tools including online applications. Lifelong learning is the most effective way to enhance personal and professional development. Therefore, all the above methods should be encouraged and used to gain relevant knowledge in relation to an individual’s goals and aspirations. A method used by a person depends on what their personal learning goals are, and on the answers to the key questions of what, when, where, how and why. 1.3  The benefits of self managed learning to individuals and organisations are many fold. The key benefits are : †¢ Ability to choose the content :Allows people to pick and choose what they are going to learn, and who they are going to learn from, depending on personal level of knowledge and preferences. †¢ Determining the schedule : Allows people to adapt learning process to their personal agenda, without depending on time schedules imposed by others. †¢ Learning with passion : Topic is chosen based on what the learner wants to learn, making the learner more engaged and the learning process more enjoyable. †¢ Sense of accomplishment and satisfaction : As the learner has chosen the topic, it provides greater degree of satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment within learners. †¢ More productive life : As it is a learner guided process, there is more passion and commitment within the learner about their learning, enhancing their chances of securing more expertise in the area. †¢ Develop expertise and skill : After gaining skill and expertise in the chosen field, a person is more likely to become an expert in the area, with others seeking their expertise and be willing to pay for it. 2.1 Since leaving school, I have worked within the catering sector all my working life, initially as a General Assistant in the kitchen, helping cook and chef. However, through my competence and performance, I was able to gradually rise to the position of Head Chef, with people working under my supervision. This allowed me to have experience of managing people effectively in a challenging fast moving environment. In addition, I was able to gain adequate knowledge and understanding about various health & safety guidelines through relevant training, including gaining relevant qualifications. I was able to comply with the professional standards for a Chef through the training I received. Also, working closely with the management, I was able to understand fully the key aims and objectives of the business and focused on ensuring that through my work, I help the business to fulfil them. It is important for a restaurant to provide good quality food and customer service – the two key aspect for such business. Unless the quality of the food and the level of customer service is to their satisfaction, customers will not come back, which is vital for a business. So, my role as a Head Chef is crucial to the success of the company. Since the restaurant is doing well, I feel confident that I have contributed towards the achievement of the company’s aims and objectives, complying with the professional standards required for my job. 2.2  Having worked in the kitchen all my working life, I would now like to have a change of career and move to management, where I would like to manage the whole business, either by setting up my own restaurant or be employed in a restaurant owned by others. In order to help me achieve my aim, I would need proper qualification, understanding and knowledge about how to manage a restaurant efficiently. Therefore, my development needs are as follows : †¢ How to devise an effective business plan †¢ How to prepare a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy †¢ How to be a competent business manager †¢ How to manage a business efficiently and profitably In order to acquire the knowledge required to achieve those aims, I need to enrol in a business course which will not only allow me to have the relevant knowledge but would also enable me to have thorough understanding of these areas, resulting in a qualification. In addition to the areas mentioned above, I also need to focus on some other areas, such as enhancing my literacy and numeracy skills as it would be necessary if I am to manage to restaurant. I also need to improve my social and communication skills too, which is vital for a business within the hospitality sector. 2.3 Since I don’t currently have any formal qualification other than GCSE, the only way for me to achieve my goal of enrolling in a course to acquire relevant knowledge and gain qualification would be to enrol in a course that does not have an entry requirement of any formal qualification and would accept someone with only GCSE. So, I started researching about various courses available that is relevant to me and is available for people who only have GCSE. I have identified that the Business Management HND is the best course for me as it offers all relevant aspects to help me achieve my developmental needs while allowing people with only GCSE to enrol. Therefore, I have enrolled in this course. However, I am seriously considering taking this further and go into further studies on business management, either through university or an informal course in continuing education, which may not result in a formal qualification but would provide me with the knowledge I need to achieve my goals. I feel that enrolling in the Business management HND is the first step towards achieving my aim of acquiring all relevant information and gain relevant qualifications regarding running a successful restaurant business. I also researched about courses to facilitate my aim of enhancing my literacy, numeracy, social and communication skills and have identified some of the courses that will be relevant to me and would assist me in achieving my goals.

Job Satisfaction of Teachers Essay

Leadership entails a number of different parts and can come from any position in the school. The administration is the main source of leadership in a school. Generally, we associate school leadership with superintendents and principals. People in these positions are in charge of making decisions, which run the school. However, teachers can also provide leadership in their classroom and through activities and other extracurricular activities. Katzenmeyer and Moller (1996) argue â€Å"†¦there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership that can be a catalyst to push school reform†¦.† Even students can provide leadership in certain situations such as an athletic team’s captain, a point guard for a basketball team, or a class officer. With the many places leadership can occur, to have good school leadership, all people need to be willing to share responsibility and power. Lambert (1998) argues, â€Å"Leadership requires the redistribution of power and authority.† This distribution of power can lead to trust between staff and administration. This trust emerges when administrators and teachers work together to benefit the school. Trust comes about by principals trusting the judgment of teachers in the classroom and backing teachers on issues such as discipline. So that the teachers’ authority is not undermined, discipline must be consistent and not show favoritism toward any student. Teachers, in turn, must trust that the principal will follow through on all rules and not make exceptions for the school’s â€Å"star† athlete or â€Å"smartest† student. This trust is also part of a type of leadership theory called transformational leadership. Bass (1996) says that trust is a key component of idealized influence, which incorporates faith and respect, dedication, and trust into leadership. Trust is an important aspect of leadership. With the trust between leader and follower, good school leadership will also have excellent communication. Smith, who can be found in Bean (2000), argues that communicating and keeping people informed of changes and events is a key part of effective leadership. People must discuss problems and possible solutions with each other. By not doing this, the problems will continue and the organization will fall into disarray. For example, let us look at a basketball team. If the opposing team is playing man-to-man defense, it will do the offense little good to run plays designed to attack a zone defense. Here is where the coach or offensive players must talk to each other and run the correct plays. Furthermore, we see the importance of communication from Yukl (1998). He states â€Å"Leadership is about creating teamwork, collaboration, communication, and the emphasis on a total group effort.† By communicating concerns, teachers can make administrators aware of potentially school harming actions and can put a stop to these before they go too far. One example of this would be the last month of school in my school district. Due to the hot weather, students begin use squirt guns and balloons to spray each other with water. With graduation and other senior activities to organize, the principal is not in the hallways as much as previous months. Therefore, the teachers need to let the principal know this is beginning so penalties can be determined and readily enforced. This can cut down on water damage of the school and the students can continue to stay focused on school. One aspect of effective leadership that needs to be communicated to all associated with the school district is the vision of where the school is and where it needs to go. Goleman (1995) argues that â€Å"†¦leader can be expected to communicate a vision well†¦generate energy and enthusiasm regarding this vision, epitomize its meaning through the example of personal behavior, and generally inspire others to reach this vision†¦.† People need to be motivated to do a job, whether in school or in the work force. Vision gives people a goal and direction; giving them something to work for. Making people aware of the vision for the school will help parents, students, teachers, and administrators to be on the same page and working to achieve the vision together as a team. Daft (1999) states there are many pieces that visionary leadership can accomplish. These pieces include the linking of the present and future, encouraging commitment, providing meaning to work, encouraging imagination, and defining the destination. For example, if the vision of a sports team is to win, through strong dedication by players and coaches, winning will happen. If coaches can help athletes see the importance of practice and teamwork, there will be chemistry and success. With the vision of moving into the future, there comes problems and opposition. Another part of good school leadership is facing these problems and solving them. An effective way to work to solve problems is to form a group of people to suggest solutions for whatever problems occur. An excellent model to follow is suggested by Bean (2000) and is called POLCA: that is Planning, Organizing, Leading, Controlling, and Assessing. One problem a school district might face is incorporating the new Pennsylvania standards for education into the curriculum. My school district is in this process and work on this is set to begin in August 2000. Our superintendent started this process by carefully planning when to work on these changes. The mathematics and English departments were contacted to help work on these standards. These teachers were organized into groups by their subject area. Outside help was brought in. These parties had knowledge writing the standards for the state and helping other schools work the standards into the curriculum. These men lead the English and mathematics groups in the writing of our curriculum to include state mandates. After drafting standards and curriculum for the district, the work was checked for quality and improvements were made. Finally, the work was assessed and determined to be useful to the district. We can see that effective leadership is not easy. It takes hard work and tolerance from many different parities. Teachers, administrators, parents, and students all play a part in good school leadership. The administrators plan for the entire district, the teachers for the classroom. Parents and students help with support and may act in limited leadership roles. Effective leaders need to be able to distribute leadership to worthy parties and possibly divide it up to many individuals or groups. Effective leaders need to communicate and problem-solve. Having good social skills and having a good plan can make leadership easier and solving problems smoother. Lambert (1998) says â€Å"It [leadership] needs to be embedded in the school community as a whole.† It takes a team effort to have effective leadership in the school. We all need to work together and share the responsibility of being a leader. 1) A sense of purpose: The values of an organization must be clear, members of the organization should know them, and they should exemplify and uphold them in their own actions. 2) Justice: Everyone in an organization should be held to common standards, with rules and procedures that are clear, firm, fair, and consistent. 3) Temperance: A leader must strive to maintain a proper balance of emotions; Shriver did not mean that leaders should be dispassionate. Quite the contrary- but there are time for passionate advocacy and times for quiet reflection and reconsideration. Balance is the key. 4) Respect: The dignity of each individual is the concern of any leader, and this is preserved by treating all members of the organization with respect and ensuring they treat one-another similarly, regardless of differences. 5) Empowerment: Leaders are just that- leaders. Most of what happens in organizations is carried out by individuals other than those in formal leadership positions. Therefore, the more skilled they are, the more they feel confident in their abilities and competent to make decisions, raise questions, see new possibilities, and disagree respectfully with others at all levels of the organizational hierarchy, the stronger and more successful the organization will be. 6) Courage: Leaders are paid to set direction, not wait for direction to emerge. They have to be willing to follow their convictions and bring their organization to new places. In education, this is most sorely needed in response to the test-based regimen that has taken over our schools at the expense of true education and social-emotional and character development. 7) Deep Commitment: Leaders must not be polishing their resumes, but rather should have deep commitment to their organizations, the advancement of the organizations’ missions, and the wellbeing of everyone in them. It is this deep commitment that makes leadership in schools so challenging, because it requires a commitment to every employee, student, and parent. The performance of a leader must be judged by his or her skills and the character of his or her performance in the many and complex roles that leadership demands. Using the seven cornerstones of leading with character, derived from the life and work of Sargent Shriver, educators and those concerned with education have a tool for both evaluating and improving leadership competencies along both moral and performance dimensions.

Analysis of gene research papers

Analysis of gene research papers Source: Ledford, H. (2017, March 07). CRISPR: gene editing is just the beginning. Retrieved July 05, 2017, from http://www.nature.com/news/crispr-gene-editing-is-just-the-beginning-1.19510 CRISPR has signaled a new age for molecular biologists, and non-profits like Addgene are on top of it all. Addgene has become the place where scientists deposit their tools while also turning to them in search of molecular tools. CRISPR now resembles something novel for researchers all around the world: Specificity – the ability to do exactly what they want and just what they want. The CRISPR tool can be used in many ways to suit the needs of the researcher. A common technique being used it to observe the effect of a change in the genetic code (particular genes) on the cell. This allows for a deeper understanding of metabolic pathways and effects of proteins and genes. The CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR Cas9) is the enzyme which is in widespread use in laboratories. Researchers from Stanford University modified the Cas9 to just inhibit the gene, and not cutting the gene (as it would normally). The brilliancy of CRISPR is the fact that it itself has been modified and we can attach molecules that affect the epigenetics of the cell, that can be induced by specific stimuli and we can attach molecules that can even stimulate the expression of a particular gene. The ability of this tool to modify the epigenome with high specificity has massive implications as the epigenome has been linked to issues like cancer and neurological disorders. Lastly, CRISPR has had a major positive impact on the economical side of research by reducing both the time taken and cost of experiments considerably. For instance, CRISPR has enabled researchers to do what previously took a year in just a month! Article 2: Source: Larson, C. Schaffer A. (2016, October 04). New Tools for Editing the Genome Could Radically Change the Study of Human Diseases. Retrieved July 05, 2017, from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/526511/genome-editing/ Genetic editing using the CRISPR-Cas method is revolutionizing the world and has transformed the scenario of many labs throughout the world. It now provides a cheap and highly precise method of gene editing. CRISPR is a tool born from the collaboration between scientists from varied backgrounds pursuing a common goal. Recent research in China has proven the possibility of genetically edited macaques and this is a stepping stone towards â€Å"designer babies†. The introduction of ethical dilemmas due to the advent of this technology is an inevitable repercussion of any powerful tool. However, the success of the aforementioned experiment seeks to showcase the importance of primate models in research. Primate models have also been useful in understanding genetic diseases and mutations and CRISPR now allows researchers to identify these mutations and find gene therapies to it. Article 3: Source: Kiefer, J., Yin, H. H., Que, Q. Q., Mousses, S. (2009). High-throughput siRNA screening as a method of perturbation of biological systems and identification of targeted pathways coupled with compound screening. Retrieved July 05, 2017, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19597791 There are two ways to screen cells containing the CRISPR Cas9 nucleases that knockout specific genes: pooled format and arrayed format. In arrayed screening, the cells and other molecules are arranged in multi well plates (96 wells, 384 wells, or 1536 wells) and the cells that are placed in each of the wells are transfected or virally transduced individually (on a well to well basis). The wells are imaged and then the readout is based upon measurements of those images based on different parameters. In the pooled format, the reagents are synthesized in a pool and are then virally transduced into the cell. Viral transduction ensures that generally only one change to the cell occurs and the integration of the virus can be read through polymerase chain reactions and next-generation screening. The readout of the experiment is based on the abundance of the integrated transgene between samples (in positive selection groups, control groups, and negative selection groups). Article 4: Source: Phillips, T. (2016, October 14). What Is siRNA and How Is It Used to Attack Protein Cells in the Body? Retrieved July 05, 2017, from https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-sirna-and-how-is-it-used-375598 RNA interference (RNAi) is the usage of small interfering RNA (siRNA) that bind to the messenger RNA (mRNA) for specific proteins and cause their degradation hence inhibiting protein synthesis. The siRNA uses a combination of endonuclease and exonuclease enzymes to bring about the degradation of the mRNA. The problem with siRNA is that it can be rejected by the cell and may trigger immune responses. Also, RNAi is known to give false hits and can have an impact on multiple metabolic pathways/mRNAs and cause an unspecific, unwanted, and unknown knockout. However, this method is still very useful in stabilizing serums, enhancing the activity of cells and is also being used in designing therapies for genetic diseases. Article 5: Source: Tan, J., Martin, S. E. (2016, December 28). Validation of Synthetic CRISPR Reagents as a Tool for Arrayed Functional Genomic Screening. Retrieved July 05, 2017, from http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0168968 The research conducted by Tan, J. and Martin, S. E. proves that the viral transfection based CRISPR Cas9 method can be used in the arrayed format by comparing the results of various different techniques and finding conclusive evidence that the results obtained from the arrayed format screening of the cells is similar to that obtained from using the pooled format and RNAi method. They tested their results based on the assay for aberrant DNA replication. Their findings show that the majority of the transfected cells showed a change in phenotype within 72 hours and also that high throughput gene editing and screening of the cells produced data (known DNA replication regulators ) that was comparable to that obtained from siRNA gene knockdown. Lastly, their findings also show that CRISPR screening gave less false hits, i.e. it was more accurate than siRNA screens performed in parallel.

Japanese colonialism was fundamentally different from western Essay

Japanese colonialism was fundamentally different from western colonialism. Do you agree Discuss - Essay Example Such, it cannot be generalized that all colonial nations follow the same form of colonialism that bears the same geopolitical meaning and practice across regions and continents. This fundamental difference in colonialism can be best illustrated in the case of Japan when contrasted with its colonialist counterpart in the western part of the world where its colonialist differences were identified in this paper. The most plausible cause that can be identified for this difference was that Japan jumped in the colonialist foray later than its western counterpart that it had an implication why colonialism in the East, particularly Japan, fundamentally differed from its counterpart in the West. It can be surmised that while the west has already a deep experience of colonizing, the idea of colonialism was only impinged into the consciousness of Japan in the 1870’s with the Meiji Restoration (Myers and Peattie, 1984) which has an implication on how it exercised its power and prerogative over its colonized countries. Japan’s exposure in colonialist effort was short while its western counterparts had already a long history of colonizing exploits that stretched as far back as 900 A.D. with the crusades. This wide gap in terms of colonizing experience has an implication on Japan’s motivation, purpose and method of colonizing that fundamentally differed from the West which will be elaborated in this paper. ... II. The Fundamental Difference of Japanese Colonialism from Western Colonialism A. Timeline and motivation for being a colonial power The western colonizers have a very long and deep experience in colonizing. While Japan as a country was still struggling among itself in 900 A.D., Europe has already embarked on a crusade to reclaim the Holy Land from the Turks and Saracens in the Middle East. Needless to say, the West already has already a deep experience with colonizing while Japan only learned the idea of colonialism in the 1870’s. It is also important to note that before the Meiji Restoration in the 1870’s, it came from a 200 year isolationist policy of the Tokugawa Shogunate and as such, was economically and military inferior compared to the west. In addition, Japan began with the same disadvantages just like its neighboring Asian countries. Also, just like any other non-European states, it was forced to sign unequal treaties that chafed the ire of its nationalists a s an infringement of its national sovereignty. Moreso, when Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States came to Japan in 1853 with its fleet that forced Japan to open itself to trade and end its self-imposed isolation (Myers and Peattie, 1984:78). This made Japan realize how backward they were and prompted them to embark on a nationalist endeavor to strengthen itself and become a respected country. This sentiment was recorded by a memorandum of saga samurai, Eto Shimpei in 1856 that â€Å"what was required . . ., was a long-range plan to utilize the talents, not merely of all Japanese, but of talent wherever it might be found in tools, in arms, in medicine, in land development, in astronomy, and so on, should be utilized

Any topic concerning US or World economy(within the past month to Article - 1

Any topic concerning US or World economy(within the past month to date) using an WSJ , web or any newspaper - Article Example Allowing religious services on schools would identify schools with Christianity which is usually practiced on Sundays. In 1995, the city was sued by the Bronx Household of Faith for the policy, arguing for the protection of religious freedom that was supposedly violated by the prevailing policy. While the church generally holds services in the Public School 15 on the Bronx, it has constructed a new community space for worshipping in the vicinity. In 1998,the church lost the lawsuit but won space inside the school temporarily on the year 2002 when the city was stopped from enforcing the ban by a federal judge. The church win in the District Court in 2012, but the decision was overruled by the Second Circuit. Despite the fact that the mayors decision is against the schools Chancellors previous public statements, many people approve of the mayors decision as it gives more freedom to the religious organizations in the

Discuss how the molecular clock hypothesis (gene clock, evolutionary Essay

Discuss how the molecular clock hypothesis (gene clock, evolutionary clock, or molecular clock) can be used to explain the diver - Essay Example This paper will discuss the manner in which the molecular clock hypothesis can be utilised to explain the divergence evident in species. The molecular clock hypothesis focuses on the idea that molecular evolution typically takes place at a roughly uniform rate over the course of time. The molecular clock bases its processes on the contention that to date the materialization of different species, it is assumed that the degree of molecular evolution is primarily homogeneous among duplicable proteins as well as species. The molecular clock, which focuses on the molecular clock hypothesis, refers to a system used in molecular evolution, which utilises fossil constraints, and the extent of molecular change achieved to foresee the time in geologic history when taxa diverged or two independent species diverged. In essence, the molecular clock approximates when key events such as radiation and speciation took place. The molecular information used to make these calculations primarily include nucleotide sequences for amino acid and DNA sequences in proteins (Ayala 1996, p. 11731). The molecular clock is also from time to time referred to as the evolutionary clock or gene clock. Rather than calculating hours, minutes and seconds, the molecular clock computes the extent of mutations and changes that build up within the genetic order of various species over time. This means that evolutionary biologists can take advantage of this data to conclude the method through which species evolve, and to construe the time when two species diverged, particularly with regard to the evolutionary timeline. The molecular clock is comparable to a normal wristwatch so as to appreciate how the molecular clock works in providing information on the divergence of species. Notably, while a wristwatch measures time from ticks, which are essentially regular changes in time (seconds), a molecular clock, on the other hand, measures time using random changes such as DNA mutations. The originators of th e molecular clock, biologist Emile Zucherkandl and chemist Linus Pauling posit that the concept of the molecular clock centres on the notion that although genetic mutations take place rather randomly, they typically occur at a moderately constant rate. As a consequence, the number of differences noted between any two gene sequences continues to increase with time. This led to the conception that the degree of mutations within a certain DNA stretch can be used effectively to measure the time of species divergence (Britten 1986, p. 1394). However, similar to other clocks, the molecular clock also needs to be calibrated. Therefore, setting a molecular clock starts with known information such as the fossil record for a certain species. Subsequently, when the rate of mutation is ascertained, calculating the species’ divergence time becomes rather straightforward. For instance, if the rate of mutation in a certain species is five every millennium and 25 mutations exist in the speci es’ DNA, then it becomes quite clear that the species’ sequences diverged five million years ago. A prominent element of molecular clocks

Nurse practitioner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Nurse practitioner - Essay Example within the present structure of the available health services mainly in order to facilitate their journey within the healthcare continuum (Sweet, 2005). Nurse practitioners have responded to this social and political need and professional challenge through expansion of the scopes of their practice with action, plan, and rigor. As a result in today’s changing contexts, this professional role has literally evolved into development of skills and expansion of scope of practice so this category of service providers can provide efficient, safe, comprehensive, and accessible care to the patients and the communities (Ashington Audit Group., 2004). Before going into the critical examination of the conditions of this development and its social and political contexts, it would be prudent to define a nurse practitioner. According to Australian Nurse Practitioners Association, nurse practitioners are senior clinical nurses within their specialty of choice with a Masters of equivalent degree and registered with the state nursing boards (Redshaw and Harvey, 2001). Professionally they are experienced with high level of skills suitable for different healthcare settings. The political motive for this role is to support the existing system of patient care while at the same time improving access of people to care that may be adequate or even better for certain clinical conditions. In the Australian context, the nurse practitioners are able to cater to the health needs of the population independently through their clinical skills and are able to meet the health needs of the population at the given level through their ability to recognize the holistic health needs in the context of their environments. In any way, this provision is not designed to provide care that is does not fulfill the competency standards of healthcare delivery. They provide services with accountability within this extended scope of practice in conformity with the evidence that nurse practitioners are quite able

President Trump Against The World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

President Trump Against The World - Essay Example President Trump claims that his decision to pull-out of the Paris Treaty will benefit Americans, but as is his usual tactic, the president only mentions one area where the benefit will take place, jobs-an important benefit of course. Economists are divided whether this will benefit American job, and if it does will, the jobs be short or long-term. The American industry sector that is mentioned most often in conjunction with the Paris Treaty is coal. While on the campaign trail, Mr. Trump consistently insisted that he would withdraw from the Paris Treaty so that coal mines would reopen and coal miners could go back to work. If one agrees that it was the Paris Treaty that caused the decline of the coal industry in the United States, then they would count the withdrawal from it as a win. However, the coal industry has been declining for years; the Paris Treaty has only been in place for one year. The winners on the jobs front will be those places where investments in research and develo pment in renewable energy is occurring. President Trump’s withdrawal from the treaty may seem like a victory for coal but it is not. The United States’ jobs market loses in the withdrawal, although many individual states have economies that are highly invested in renewable energy, and they will continue to work toward solutions and adaptation to global climate change. Those states’ economies will be winners while President Trump and his economic allies will cling to the fossil fuels, until those resources have been depleted.

Epistemology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Epistemology - Essay Example More often than not, when people think about acquisition of knowledge that they possess, their attention is drawn to school or college as the source of that knowledge. However, these are not the only existing ways of acquiring knowledge. For example, the process or onset of acquisition of knowledge is way before school when one is a baby or a toddler. When a baby cries, he gets the attention of the parents or caregivers who seek out what the problem is, and a toddler touching something hot immediately feels the pain. Deviant behaviors exhibited by children are met with punishment while good deeds and manners call for praise and reward. All these examples form parts of the knowledge equation despite the fact that the toddler or the child might not be aware of what is happening in his or her life. As the children grow up, there is more knowledge being acquired as they later learn how to dress themselves, tie their shoes, to talk and read. They also acquire knowledge about social aspect s of life like family life and relationships. In general, everything and all spheres of life including work life is knowledge (Cooper, 1999; Feldman, 2003). Individuals who are interested in acquiring knowledge about certain aspects or subjects can do so through schooling or through acquaintance. The concept of individual epistemology as they are developed and enacted in professional paid work can be elaborated by looking beyond the present ideas of epistemological beliefs (Hofer & Printrich, 1997), and positioning individual epistemologies as being dynamic, deliberate, and derived in individual-specific means through a unique set of socially-derived experiences that are a consequent of a person’s life history or ontogeny. Considering their dynamic and constitutive nature, it is imperative to centrally place these epistemologies in the dual processes of individual development and reshaping of socially derived norms. An illustration of these propositions can be made by drawing upon situations in which a worker, in this case, a GameStop manager, learns through paid work and how the work is remade, in conditions of greater and lesser close social guidance. In essence, personal epistemologies are considered as the primary basis for instigating, monitoring, and evaluating the process and outcome of these enactments. Therefore, it is important to elaborate individual epistemologies in order to understand how people engage in and learn through paid work and their reshaping and alteration of their work activities in certain circumstances and at certain instances. Studies of acquiring socially derived knowledge have often taken place in situations that provide strong direct social guidance and mostly through appraisal of dyads for example expert-novice. Therefore, current understanding about learning through work situations is largely premised on richly social affordances, including the availability of more informed social partners An Account of individual epist emology In my profession, in regard to outside support, trust is the most important factor when making a judgment of the support being offered as valued. Therefore, a lot significant consideration is put on my part on the basis of on which the support is provided. Furthermore, the judgments on the value of the different kinds

Personal Barriers to Online Learning Essay Example for Free

Personal Barriers to Online Learning Essay Online learning or e-Learning refers to application of electronic technology for the delivery of instructional content or knowledge domains. Beamish et al. (2002), defines e-Learning as: â€Å". . . a wide set of applications and processes allied to training and learning that includes computer-based learning, online learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. These services can be delivered by a variety of electronic media, including the intranet, internet, interactive TV and satellite. † In spite of the great flexibility and varied range of tools that e-Learning can provide to imparting education, implementing any e-Learning system can be a complicated and complex endeavour and online learning can be a very frustrating experience for the student as well as the teacher. A number of personal barriers affect students and teachers alike in any online learning system. Personal Barriers of Students The technology available with students determines the nature of the course content to a large extent. Students may simply not have the required bandwidth to access high-end multimedia content. The course designer has to tailor the contents to suit the technology availability of the students. This is especially true of e-Learning courses catering to international community scattered all over the world. In such cases severe constraints may have to be imposed on the utilization of technology resources available at the end of the imparting institution. The design would then have to optimized for dial-up users with at the most 800600 pixel monitor screen resolutions. In fact, many universities take special care to ensure prior to registration that their respective e-Learning course content is accessible to the students. â€Å"Technical infrastructure deficiencies on the student side can impede course activities, especially in an online distance-learning environment. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 42) The proficiency level of the student in using ICT tools would enhance or undermine his e-Learning experience to a great extent. In the international context it would be unwise to expect uniform familiarity with ICT usage. A student, previously not exposed to ICT, will therefore not only have to handle the course requirements, but will also have to acquire the requisite skills in ICT to pursue the course effectively. From the learner perspective, literacy and IT skills and aptitude for self-direction, being confident and motivated to participate in online learning have also been identified as potential barriers to effective online learning (Australian Institute for Social Research, 2006, pp. 15). The factor that students have to study in isolation in an e-Learning system has triggered off many debates. Many perceive this isolation as a crippling obstacle to the development of e-Learning systems for higher education. Brouner and Flowers (1997) even suggested that the lack of human interactions in the incorporation of technology into higher education would have to be effectively made up by increased human contact. The e-Learning environment lacks the discipline and time regulations imposed on students in conventional education. This requires students to be more motivated, better time managers and more attentive during e-Learning sessions. The lack of the proximity and personal touch of the instructor as in a traditional classroom can create a communication chasm that both the instructor and the student may find difficult to surmount. In a situation where eye contact and proximity are limited, students cannot be disciplined nor affirmed by eye contact and body language (McKnight, 2000). Time is another constraint that affects online learning negatively. Whilst education has now extended geographically it has limited students with time restrictions (Jones et. al. , 2004, pp. 14). Trials and Tribulations for the Faculty Time is perhaps the biggest investment that the instructor has to make. The amount of time required to develop and maintain an e-Learning course is usually not anticipated by the people involved. The instructor has to spend a lot of time on restructuring and reengineering the course for e-Learning delivery. A complete over hauling is required. Instructors also need to give time for technical and pedagogical training as instructions in e-Learning differ radically from conventional approaches. Last but not the least, the instructor has to spend considerable time corresponding or communicating with students. A very important aspect of e-Learning is the views or approach of the instructor. The instructor could be trying to make the e-Learning experience as good and fruitful as the conventional classroom’s. It is a case of trying to replicate the conventional classroom in e-Learning. The second approach could be the instructor’s effort to improve the instructions through the medium of e-Learning. The instructor will have to decide on which approach to adopt, a decision that could profoundly influence the very character and quality of the e-Learning content. Technical issues can hamper an instructor’s efficiency or performance. The instructor is often not familiar with the technologies that are utilized. Development in multimedia would require knowledge of Flash, Shockwave and similar tools. It is difficult to find persons skilled in both the application technology and the field of education. The problem of technology extends to the teacher who may not be proficient in the software. The dependency on technology also tends to undermine the faculty’s confidence at times. â€Å"Are things going to work when I’m in the classroom? Will the Internet be up? Do I need to bring back-up materials on a disk? Will the last instructor have left things in good shape? These [issues] may be more basic than you’d expect, but dependability is still a major issue. † (Arabasz, 2003, pp. 41) Online Learning therefore requires very careful planning and implementation in order to achieve success.

Prediction Of Spark Ignition Engine Testing Engineering Essay

Prediction Of Spark Ignition Engine Testing Engineering Essay Introduction Internal combustion engines date back to the 1800s. Since then, they have improved considerably as the knowledge of the engine process has evolved. The engine process is seen as a complex one and so, calculating the various engine parameters is a complicated task. There have been a number of computer programmes with the aim of estimating these parameters; OpenWAM is relatively new simulation software that intends to do this. OpenWAM, or open wave action model, is a free, open-source code that has been developed to solve the thermo- and fluid dynamics of compressible flow through the different components of an engine. The aim of this project to use OpenWAM to generate a full set of engine performance and fuel economy prediction estimates and to then compare these with experimental results. The engine in question is that of a BMW-Mini Direct Injection Spark Ignition Engine. It will be tested over a range of different operating loads and speeds. A successful interpretation of this softw are, and the results, could optimise the operation of the internal combustion engine. This Interim Report details a synopsis of the literary review done to date. It includes the main principles of an internal combustion engine, including the intake and exhaust system as well as the in-cylinder process. The details of OpenWam software are mentioned and its applications. The aims of this project are also described. Literary Review Basic Principles Internal combustion engines have one main purpose, that is; the production of mechanical energy from the chemical energy contained in the fuel. The basic principles behind any reciprocating engine are the same. The cycle has four stages; intake, compression, expansion, exhaust. The intake stroke begins with the piston at the top of the cylinder (TDC) and the inlet valve open. As the piston moves down a vacuum is created and air-fuel mixture is drawn into the cylinder. When the piston reaches the bottom (BDC) the inlet valve is closed and the compression stroke begins. This involves the piston moving up and compressing the air-fuel mixture. This is then ignited in the expansion stroke. As the air-fuel mixture is heated it expands, pushing the piston down, to bottom centre (BC). The outlet valve is then opened and the exhaust gases are removed to the atmosphere. The piston moves up to TDC as the exhaust stroke finishes the cycle [1]. Figur-1 Basic Combustion Cycle The engine used in this project is a four-cylinder engine. Most engines used for automobiles have four cylinders. The number of cylinders is an important consideration for the overall performance of an engine. Each of the cylinders, contain a piston that is connected to the crankshaft. The movement of the piston rotates the crankshaft. The crankshaft is what turns the wheels. The more pistons powering the crankshaft means more power can be generated in less time. The engine used in this project is a Direct Injection Spark Ignition Engine. This means that the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder. With regular engines, the fuel and air is mixed before entering the cylinder. This will be discussed in further detail in preceding sections. Basic Components https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_l1XQcX3Z_OaTMms1Yvjv6f9jVX_EpvzVhypW5nAUcfBXotPm7pz16qWO0GGy3Owr9c0vOMY0CfV5zl0b1T0bS4N5o9Wu7bgp8-nXm3NZ4lX1jFb8-Qn8v1GQ43r1m3ts1WsTY0fxTQ/s1600/BMW_S1000RR_ENGINE_CUTAWAY_700x462_700.jpg Figure-2 Engine Cutaway Intake The engine intake process governs many important aspects of the flow within the cylinder. The efficiency of combustion and the production of pollutants are strongly dependent on the flow of air during the intake stroke. Fluid Flow during Intake Process The gas flowing into the cylinder, through the intake valve, behaves as a conical jet. The axial and radial velocity components, of the jet, are up to ten times that of mean piston speed. High speeds of the fluid lead to turbulence. Turbulence is generated due to the large velocity gradient formed when the jet separates from the valve. Turbulent flow undergoes irregular mixing and the speed of the fluid is constantly changing magnitude and direction. By increasing the rate of momentum, heat and mass transfer of the fluid, turbulent flow encourages mixing within the cylinder. It leads to the formation of vortices. Vortices are large-scale rotating flow patterns that are unsteady and react with each other. These vortices are important governing factors of the overall behaviour of the flow. They remain until the end of the intake stroke, where they become unstable and break up. Turbulence is essential to the effective operation of an SI engine. It is a goal of any engine to maximise the turbulent effect, however this is complicated by the fact that flow patterns change during the engine cycle. They are largely dependent on the design of the intake system and are quite sensitive to small variations in flow. They are largely dependent on the design of the intake system and are quite sensitive to small variations in flow. This can lead to substantial cycle-to-cycle variations. The turbulent flow of air within the combustion chamber is almost exclusively generated during the intake stroke [3] Volumetric Efficiency Pg.209 Volumetric efficiency is defined is the measure of success with which air is inducted into an engine. It is defined as the ratio of the volume flow rate of air into the intake system, to the rate at which the volume is displaced by the engine. More simply, it is the actual rate at which air enters the cylinder, over a given period in time, to the theoretical rate at which it should enter, over the same time period [6]. C:Documents and SettingsucdMy DocumentsDownloadsCodeCogsEqn.gif Where; ÃŽÂ ·v volumetric efficiency Ma mass flow rate of air ÃŽÂ ¡a, 0 density of air Vd displaced cylinder volume N crankshaft rotational speed Volumetric efficiency is used to measure the overall effectiveness of an engine. It is mainly affected by the density of air entering the cylinder, the design of the intake and exhaust manifolds, and the timing of the intake and exhaust valves. The high temperatures within the combustion chamber have a limiting effect on the mass flow rate of air into the system, thus reducing volumetric efficiency. To counteract this, air with higher density, i.e. lower temperature and higher pressure, is preferred. This increases the amount of air entering the system, improving the volumetric efficiency. The intake and exhaust manifold and valve timing have similar limiting effects. The amount of air entering the cylinder is also largely dependent on these parameters. These parameters constrain the maximum possible engine power. This is why the volumetric efficiency of an engine is very important. Frictional Losses Pg.212 Losses due to friction have a major impact on the engines performance. During the intake stroke, losses due to friction, in every part of the intake system, mean the in-cylinder pressure (pc) is less than the atmospheric pressure (patm). The difference between these two values is dependent on the square of the speed. The total friction loss is the combined losses from each of the components in the intake system; air-filter, inlet manifold, inlet valve and inlet port. Each component adds a loss of a few percent, on average, pc can be 10-20% lower than atmospheric [1]. RAM effect During the intake process the RAM effect needs to be considered when calculating an engines performance. It occurs when the open valve phase is extended beyond that of the intake stroke to improve charging the cylinder and make best use of the inertia of the gases in the intake system. As the piston reaches TDC during the intake stroke, the inlet valve does not close immediately. Instead it remains open, as the compression stroke begins. This allows any extra air to be added to the cylinder. The momentum of the air during the intake stroke carries it into the cylinder even after the piston has reached the bottom of the cylinder. At high speeds, the intake valve can remain open for longer to optimize the RAM effect. The inlet valve isnt closed until a crank angle of approximately 40-60o after BDC to take advantage of this. However for engines running at lower speeds, the momentum is not high enough, this can cause the air already in the cylinder to be forced out. Adapting the inlet va lve open phase can have a major impact on the engines performance [2]. Overlap When considering both the RAM effect and the blowdown phase (discussed later), it is clear to see that there is a period of overlap, when both the inlet and outlet valves are open. If the pressure inlet to outlet ratio is less than one then backflow occurs. This involves a rush of exhaust gases out through the exhaust manifold that aids the intake of air into the cylinder during the intake stroke. This works best at higher speeds, when its main advantage of overlap is the improvement in volumetric efficiency. As with any fluid flowing through a system of intricate pipes, cylinders, valves, there are friction, pressure and inertial forces present. The importance of these forces is dependent on the both the velocity of the fluid and the geometry of the system. These forces along with the effects of changing engine design affect the volumetric efficiency. In-cylinder (NB Pg.372,) Gas motion within the engine cylinder is one of the major factors that control the combustion process. Both the bulk motion of the gas and the turbulence characteristics of the fluid are important. The in-cylinder combustion process can be divided into four distinct phases; Spark-Ignition Early Flame Development Flame Propogation Flame termination Spark Ignition Pg 585 Close to the end of the compression stroke, the discharge between the spark plug electrodes by the ignition system starts the combustion process. The spark develops a self-sustainable and propagating flame. The function of the ignition system is to initiate the flame propagation process, to repeat this for each cycle, over the full range of load and speed of the engine, at the appropriate time. Spark-timing is an important consideration during the engine process. It can have a number of affects on the efficiency, formation of pollutants and other parameters of the engine. Advancing the timing, so that combustion occurs earlier in the cycle, increases the peak cylinder pressure (compression stroke work transfer, which is work form piston to gases in the cylinder, also increases). This is because more fuel is burned before TDC and the peak pressure moves closer to TDC where the cylinder volume is smaller. Delaying the timing means the peak pressure occurs later in the cycle and is also decreased in magnitude. This is because more of the fuel is burnt after TDC. Higher peak cylinder pressure result in higher peak burned gas temperatures, and therefore higher NOx formation results. Maximum Brake Torque (MBT) is the use of optimal ignition timing to take advantage of internal combustion engines max power and efficiency. It occurs when the compression stroke work transfer (which is from the piston to the cylinder gases) is increased and the expansion stroke (which is from cylinder gases to the piston) is reduced. The MBT timing occurs when the magnitude of these two opposing trends just offset each other. Altering the timing from MBT lowers the torque [4]. Generally, spark timing is delayed so as to avoid abnormal combustion. Abnormal combustion refers to either knock or surface ignition. Knock is the name given to the noise transmitted through an engine when a spontaneous ignition of a portion of the end-gas occurs. End-gas is the mixture of fuel, air and residual gas ahead of the propagating flames. The spark plug ignites one flame front, however an uncontrolled combustion then occurs and an extremely rapid release of most of the chemical energy in the end-gas leads to the initiation of multiple flame fronts. When these multiple flame fronts collide, the cylinder pressure increases and causes the piston, connecting rods and bearings to resonate [5]. Knock has a direct impact on efficiency because it limits the maximum compression ratio that can be used in any cylinder. Surface-ignition is another type of abnormal combustion. It occurs when ignition is initiated by a local hot-spot located on the walls of the cylinder. Direct Injection Spark Ignition Direct Injection (DI) engines deliver the fuel directly into the combustion chamber. The traditional method pre-mixes air and fuel in the intake manifold and then delivers it to the cylinder. However with DI engines, air enters through the intake manifold, where a specific amount of fuel is sprayed into the cylinder. Early Flame Development Pg.846-850 During the in-cylinder process of compression and combustion, the increasing cylinder pressure forces some of the gas in the cylinder into the corners or narrow volumes connected to the combustion chamber, e.g. the volumes between the piston, rings and cylinder wall. Most of this gas remains unburned in the primary combustion process as the flame cannot enter these narrow regions. Spark-Timing Pg 585 There is always an optimal spark timing for all operating conditions of an engine. MBT is most ideal at WOT however is not desired when the engine is at idle. Although MBT is desired at WOT it is wise to retard timing slightly to prevent knock that may occur and to create a small safety margin. It is possible to calculate the MBT of an engine by taking into account of all the operating conditions of an engine through its sensors. Operating conditions are defined by the engine parameters lambda, engine load, internal exhaust gas recirculation, engine speed, and of course spark advance. Magnusson, J. 2007 An Investigation of Maximum Brake Torque Timing based on Ionization Current Feedback Exhaust ( Pg. 626,570,) The level of sulfate emissions depends on the fuel sulfur content. Unleaded gasoline contains 150 to 600 ppm by weight sulfur, which is then oxidized during the combustion process to form SOx. The emission of particles is increased when the engine is cold, i.e. following start-up. The exhaust temperature has a significant effect on pollutant formation. Particles form in the exhaust manifold and either are emitted immediately or deposit on the walls of the exhaust. Many of these are removed when the engine is suddenly accelerated. The exhaust geometry, specifically the diameter, determines the amount of particles emitted. Incomplete combustion due to bulk quenching of the flame in that fraction of the engine cycle where combustion is relatively slow, is a source of hydrocarbons in engines. Such conditions are most likely to occur during transient engine operation when the air/fuel ratio, spark timing, and the fraction of the exhaust recycled for emission control may not be properly matched. Engine Design The major combustion chamber design objectives which relate to engine performance and emissions are; Pg. 845-> A fast combustion process, with low cycle-by-cycle variability, over the full operating engine range A high volumetric efficiency at wide open throttle Minimum heat loss to the combustion chamber walls A low fuel octane requirement Faster burn process is more robust and results in the engine being able to operate satisfactorily with much more EGR, or much leaner, without a deterioration in combustion quality. Faster burning chamber designs exhibit much less cycle variation, this permits better control of NOx within the engine. This is achieved in a number of ways. Swirl is used to speed up the combustion process in some spark-ignition engines. Swirl is defined as the organized rotation of the charge about the cylinder axis. Swirl is created by designing the intake system such that the flow enters the cylinder with an initial angular momentum. This is done in two ways, either the flow is discharged into the cylinder tangentially towards the cylinder wall. or intake? High volumetric efficiency is required to obtain the highest possible power density. Effective vvalve open area, which depends on valve diameter and lift, directly affects volumetic efficiency. Swirl speeds up process and achieves greater combustion stability. Heat transfer to chamber walls has a major impact on efficiency. Blowdown amount of time/distance/degrees between exhaust port opening and the transfer port opening Muller. P, 2009, Muller Machine, http://www.muller.net/mullermachine/index.html The blowdown process is similar to that of the RAM effect. It is necessary to open the exhaust valve before the piston reaches the bottom of the stroke, as this allows any excess pressure, pressure left over from the last cycle, to be released from cylinder. This ensures there will be no pressure acting against the piston on the compression stroke. Accurate exhaust valve timing is essential. At higher speeds, the valve will have to be opened sooner, whereas for lower speeds if the valve is opened to soon means pressure is lowered and losses are incurred. AutoWare, 1998, Valve Timing Performance  , http://www.auto-ware.com/combust_bytes/valvetiming.html The exhaust manifold operates at pressures significantly above atmospheric. Pollutants (pg.626, 570, CO-Pg. 593, summary Pg.618,) Theoretically, the combustion process of hydrocarbon fuels, such as petrol, completely oxidizes the fuel and the only by-products are carbon dioxide and water. However, under actual conditions this is rarely, if ever the case. The products of combustion from an internal combustion engine produce pollutants. This is due to the varied composition of the fuel for each cycle. Impurities in the fuel itself mean complete combustion is not possible. Poor control of the air-fuel ratio and variations in the combustions temperature also contribute to the formation of pollutants. The main pollutants formed are sulfur oxides (SOx), nitride oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants have detrimental health effects. The presence of a catalytic convertor reduces the amount of harmful emissions entering the atmosphere by changing the composition of the pollutants. One of the most important variables in determining spark-ignition engine emissions is the fuel/air equivalence ration. GRAPH OF EMISSIONS!! To ensure smooth and reliable operation, SI engines are typically run close to stoichiometric, or slightly fuel-rich. From graph (ABOVE), lean mixtures give lower emissions until the quality becomes poor and back-fire occurs. In a cold engine, fuel vaporization is slow, the fuel flow is increased to provide an easily combustible fuel-rich mixture in the cylinder. Until the engine warms up and the enrichment is removed, the CO and HC emissions are high OpenWAM Simulation Software OpenWAM is a 1-dimensional gas-dynamics engine thermodynamic cycle simulation code. It was developed by the CMT- Motores Tà ©rmicos of the Universidad Polità ©cnica de Valencia, Spain. openWAM Modeling is an important technique for the optimization of internal combustion engines (ICE). The use of calculation models together with experimental tests is producing unquestionable successes due to the fact that both techniques complement each other. 1D wave action models simplify the engine by means of ducts, where only one dimension is considered, and volumes where mass accumulation is considered and the gas properties are uniform in the entire element. Finally, non dimensional models are used to solve connections between 1D and 0D elements. Thanks to more than 20 years, more than 10 PhD Thesis and many research projects and publications, CMT-Motores Tà ©rmicos has developed an own 1D gas dynamic tool called WAM which gathers an important know-how on air management, compressible flow, turbocharging, chemical species tracking, numerical analysis and many other aspects of engine modeling http://www.cmt.upv.es/WAM_02_02.aspx 1 dimensional modeling can reproduce the behavior of the engine under transient conditions when the injected fuel and the engine speed change during the simulation. For these applications, a heat transfer model is very important to take into account the heating process that the different parts of the engine undergoes during the transient. http://www.cmt.upv.es/img/WWam04.png http://giantmaw.com/Photo%20Album/Image%20Library/Cars/BMW/MWerks%20Forums%20the%20BMW%20Engine%20FAQ_files/4981_832.jpg