Role of Examination in Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Role of Examination in Education - Assignment Example Whether physically, mentally, emotionally, and even in the spiritual and financial, it plays a big part on the success of the examination. As Physical education's primary goals include: the development of motor skills and physical fitness; and with the inclusion of growth in the cognitive and affective domains; social interaction and the encouragement to appreciate the successes and achievements of others. It is therefore, worthy to try to understand one's self and the pressures and forces which makes one respond or react, and be able to prepare for it. Mental preparation or the kind of mind setting is important in taking an exam. A mind that is already defeated beforehand would of course produce a negative result. Worrying on whether to pass or not tends the body to get tensed and muscles tighten. The state of being of an individual before taking an exam matters for it stabilizes one's focus and concentration, and be able to filter information needed to answer most especially essay questions. An examiner is able to organise insights and ideas needed to explain or support his propositions thus, making a desirable or excellent result. With the very nature of time that it cannot be recycled, time management is very significant to an examination result. ... Though some are wise in time management, constraints happen when less time is left to complete the answers. Reading Comprehension/Understanding instructions/Vocabulary Instructions direct the orderliness of an examiner's answers, and poorly constructed instructions would lead to failing examination result - both on the teacher's and the examiner. However, part of the instruction is the ability to understand the requirement of the question. Wherein in most cases, and as a result of the examination, uninformed candidates made little analysis or careful reading on questions and attempted to use whatever knowledge they had regardless of the question. As it is considered to be one of the common hindrances in producing good examination results, students suffering from it are the ones that fail. Reading may be a skill, but common problems during examinations, many students fail to achieve marks because of the inability to understand terminology with specific words or phrases highlighted in the question. It is often misunderstood especially those relating to work covered in the AS course. With the exception of the few, there were candidates who found it difficult to describe terms and consequently gave rather vague and rambling responses. The use of technical language, particularly in the synoptic questions, remains weak for many candidates. Using non-technical language will often result in candidates giving vague and generalised responses that normally fail to answer the question. As questions should be clear resulting to 'clear' answers, there was a fairly even spread between candidates who were able to identify particular body types and those

Economy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Economy - Essay Example This was positive news for the economy of UK but the policy makers have struggled to register even modest pace of progress of the country’s economy. The government of UK has however faced lot of criticism from the people because of policy measures on austerity after it took office in 2010. Since the time the government of UK has reduced their spending, the economy of the country has become stagnant. This has been fuelled by the effects of recession. As compared to the last fiscal, the economy of the country has grown by a meager 0.3% in the first quarter of the current year. The last quarter of 2012 registered a lean growth of 0.3%. This showed that the economic depression in UK has been prevailing since the last year and is still continuing in 2012. According to the director of fixed income at Scotia Bank, Alan Clarke, the GDP growth rate of the country has been 1.2% for the last year. The slight increase in the economic growth rate is a sign of relief for the UK treasury but the challenge of reviving the economy still looms large over the policymakers. One of the major rating agencies, the Fitch Ratings emerged as the second major ratings agency to dismiss UK from its triple â€Å"A† credit ratings. The economy of UK saw unemployment levels rising in the month of February and the wages of labor also declined to minimum levels. The International Monetary Fund who were once a major proponent of the austerity measures of the governments commented that UK should consider to reduce government spending on the back of weak economic progress of the country. The British political administration headed by the Prime Minister commented that they would continue with the austerity policies in order to avoid the fate of Greece and other members of the European Union (Dow Jones & Company, 2013, p.1). The British administration still believes that it might take longer than expected for the economy to recover but the slightest progress in the first quarter of 201 3 indicated that the economy is healing. There are no easy solutions for economic recovery from the situation of crisis built over the years. This is evident from the worldwide economic slowdowns in countries like US, Germany, China, etc. Analysis of the article and identification of linkage with the economic concepts The rime of Golden age in Europe and US saw the major economies of the world like UK passing through a phase of reconstruction and government policies on increased expenditure in order to boost the aggregate demand in the economy. This created increase in the flow of money in the economy of the countries like UK. This policy adopted by the policy makers could be linked with the economic theory proposed by the British economist, Keynes. The Keynesian theory of economics explained that an expenditure of one member in the economy leads to the income of another member. The rise in income level of the population led to the increase in aggregate demand which was supported by increase in production and increase in fiscal deficits of the government (Mankiw, 2011, p.39). In the later stages the increase in liquidity level beyond limit and excessive savings led to decrease in investments and fall of production levels. This caused inflation

Definition Of Outdoor Recreation Physical Education Essay

Definition Of Outdoor Recreation Physical Education Essay The term Recreation, which came from the word Recreate means to create a new. Outdoor recreationist defined recreations as recreating something new in people which they have lost while getting so indulged in their work. But the question arises, to re-create what? Therefore, what has been lost during the non leisure time that needs to be recreated during the leisure time? In line with that, Kelly, (1996) states that Recreation stems from the Latin recreatio, which refers to restoration or recovery. The term implies the re-creation of energy or the restoration of ability to function. Recreation contains the concept of restoration of wholeness of mind, spirit, and body. It presupposes some other activity that depletes, tires, or deteriorates that wholeness(p. 25). In other words, people need to move from their working environment and do some kind of activities which can fill that wholeness whining them. Hence, this can only be achieved through outdoor recreation activities. Outdoor recreation, is any leisure time activity which is being conducted outdoor where individuals engages themselves either physically or mentally from a range of choices of activities for their personal satisfaction and enjoyment. This wide range of activities can be subdivided into two categories which are namely, resource based and user-oriented recreation. The resource based recreation is known to be conducted in the natural surrounding that cannot be easily duplicated by man and on the contrary, user-oriented recreation can be provided anywhere such as theme parks. Types of outdoor activity There are a wide variety of outdoor activities which can be categorized into land based activity or water based activity. Some of the well known activities are listed below; Bicycling Camping Canoeing/Kayaking Boating Fishing Freshwater Swimming Hiking Horseback Riding Hunting Motorized OHV Riding Nature Study Picnicking Beach Activities Visiting Archeological and Historic Sites Canoeing/Kayaking Canoeing/kayaking refers to the use of one or more single or dual blades, paddles, to propel a canoe or kayak forward with only human muscle power. For planning purposes canoeing/kayaking also represents many different forms of paddling activities, such as rafting or whitewater rafting. A majority of the use is facilitated through canoe/kayak launches and designated paddling trails, although such facilities are not absolutely required. Boating Freshwater and saltwater boating is the leisure activity of traveling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat focused on travel itself. Boats vary greatly, from powerboats to sailboats or humanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ powered vessels. Although there are many different forms of boating, their basic similarly is the requirement of a water body as their principal supporting resource. To provide access to a body of water, boat ramp facilities and marina facilities are commonly developed by outdoor recreation providers. Swimming Freshwater swimming is an outdoor recreation type embracing all of the various activities carried on in fresh water in which the participant is the sole means of locomotion. Specialized variations of swimming include diving, skin diving, and SCUBA diving. Resources and facilities commonly found at outdoor recreation areas that provide freshwater swimming include beach areas, docks and swimming and diving platforms. Benefits Framework Outdoor and adventure activities benefits have been analysed and portrayed by using a variety of models/framework in the past. As presented in the work of Stiehl and Parker (2007), these model and framework have been summarized in table 1-4. Table 1 Benefits of Outdoor Adventure (Darst Armstrong, 1980) Dimension Benefit Personal New experience adds a kick to participantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ lives, allows them to experience something High-risk experience facing perceived danger may help participants overcome fears, gain self-confidence, and enhance their ability to cope Escape offers release form the tensions and complexities of modern life Success allows participants to achieve a highly personal senses of accomplishment Knowledge participants learn more about themselves and the environment Physical fitness physical activity can help burn calories and increase strength, stamina, and flexibility Economic Minimal financial investment provides interesting and pleasant activities at a reasonable cost Social-psychological Socializing provides a chance to meet others who have similar interests Unity promotes cohesiveness and doing things together without the distractions of everyday life Cooperation and trust promotes better relationships through cooperation, appreciation of others, compassion and respect Nature and outdoors promotes aesthetics appreciation for nature and concern for vanishing wild places Table 2 Benefits of Outdoor Adventure (Ewert, 1989) Dimension Benefit Psychological Benefits on a personal (versus group) basis: Self concept (enhanced or strengthened view), self-efficacy (self-confidence), self-actualisation (well-being, improved self-expression, feelings of psychological health) Sociological Compassion, cooperation, respect for others, communication Educational Improved academic abilities, awareness of nature and the environment, problem solving, outdoor skills, values clarification Physical Strength, co-ordination, balance, cardiovascular endurance Table 3 Goals and Benefits of Outdoor Adventure (Webb, 1999) Dimension Benefit Recreational Enjoyment, relaxation, entertainment, excitement, catharsis, self-expression Skill Goal setting, decision making, problem solving, responsibility, physical development, nature awareness, communication, leadership Character Independence, interdependence, self-efficacy, willingness to take risks, tolerance, respect, trust, compassion Table 4 Benefits of Camping (American Camp Association, 2005) Dimension Benefit Positive identity To the participant: e.g. self-esteem, determination, dependability, ambition, independence Social skills Beyond the individual: group bonding, cooperation, conflict resolution, appreciation of differences, leadership, community, connected to others Physical and thinking skills Activity skills, technical skills; physiological benefits of physical activity Thinking skills: knowledge of safety measures, planning, problem solving, environmental awareness Positive values and spirituality Acquiring and strengthening virtue; selflessness, compassion, keeping commitments, fulfilling obligations, self-discipline, honesty à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Connection to earth, others and even a higher power Health benefits of outdoor recreation Generally, outdoor recreation is known to improve people`s health and this can be achieved by doing regular physical activities. Similarly outdoor recreation contribution to health is often considered in the context of Wellness. According to the World Health Organisation (2003), health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This definition shifts from a strict medical model of health to a simple concept of well-being. Hence, the Alberta Centre for Well Being (1989) found that the concept of well-being or optimal health involves a delicate balance among physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and social health. In the same way, outdoor recreation covers all those aspects of health and also helps in not only enhancing the physical health but also the emotional well being of humans. During a research and promotional campaign, Carney (2001) confirmed the fact that physically inactive people have greater risk of having numerous health problems like coronary heart disease and some form of cancer rather than smoking, having a poor diet or drinking. Hence people can improve their health and those particularly in relation of coronary heart disease through regular exercise and activities like walking and cycling which are relatively inexpensive activities and which does not require any special skills to perform and it can also easily fit in people`s the daily routine. Hence in regards to that, The Health Education Board of Scotland has been promoting and encouraging walking through it`s campaign named walk about a bit. General health benefits of Outdoor Activity There is a wide range of outdoor activity; for example, Bird Watching may involve walking along with interpreting sounds and visual clues as well as meeting and socialising with other fellow Birdwatchers which contributes to wellness. Similarly, walking itself is known to be the most common outdoor activity and brisk walking for whether one hour per day or three hours a week helps to lower the risk of heart diseases by 30 to 40 percent in women (AARP 2008, citing the 20-Year Nurses Health Study). Therefore, walking have many health benefits specially for older adults which are: managing weight; controlling blood pressure; decreasing risk of heart attack; boosting good cholesterol; lowering risk of stroke; reducing risk of breast cancer and Type 2 diabetes; avoiding need for gallstone surgery; protecting against hip fracture; preventing depression, colon cancer, constipation, osteoporosis, and impotence; lengthening lifespan; lowering stress levels; relieving arthritis and back pain; strengthening muscles, bones, and joints; improving sleep; and elevating overall mood and sense of well-being. Thus, outdoor activities that include walking help to maintain a good health and wellness. In addition, many researchers (Driver and Knopf 1976; Driver and Cooksey 1977; Driver 1985; Godbey et al. 1992; Tinsley et al. 2003; Kaczynski and Henderson 2007) have found beneficial effects of outdoor recreation on two problems in particular which are stress and obesity. Stress and outdoor activity According to Godbey and Blazey (1983), strolling in parks is seen as beneficial to older visitors since it helps in stress reduction and More and Payne (1978), also added that it helps to decrease the level of anxiety, sadness and negative mood by spending time in parks. Hence, the longer people stay in parks, the less stressed they feel (Hull and Michael 1995). The American Institute of Stress (2008) found that 43 percent of adults in U.S suffer from acute or chronic stress. Moreover stress also lead to heart attack, blood pressure and is also linked with obesity (Bell et al. 1998; Brand et al. 2000). Hence, numerous studies have shown that when being in the natural surroundings, people tend to recover quickly and have fever illness (Frumkin 2001; Moore 1981; Ulrich 1984; Parsons et al.1998). therefore performing an activity within the natural environment have a rejuvenating effect over the peoples health while they are in contact with wilderness area (Hartig et al. 1991; Kaplan 1984), community parks (Canin 1991; Cimprich 1993), prairies (Miles et al. 1998). Obesity and outdoor activity Obesity is seen as an epidemic and it is closely linked and contributes to increased risk of disease such as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, respiratory disease and many others. Although there are multiple causes of obesity and it is not completely understood by researchers, sedentary that is insufficient physical activity is known as one of the factors causing obesity. Between 1991 and 2001 obesity in United States have been steadily studied and it was found that obesity rates have increased to 75 percent among adults and that only 25 percent are engaged in doing recommended activities. Figure 1 below shows more detailed information about obesity rates in California. Figure 1: The Growth of Obesity in California: Percentage of Californias Population Percent (%) Year Source: CDC, 2002a Obesity also affects a large number of children (Milnes, 2008). Children, who are overweight at their younger age, tend to become overweight adults later and this contributes to low self esteem and alienation (Healthlink, Medical College of Wisconsin, January 14, 2009). Furthermore, studies carried out on preschool children showed that being outdoor plays a major role in performing physical activities like playing games with friends (Sallis et al. 2000). Likewise, outdoor temperatures whether hot or cold act as a stimulus and prompt the body to burn more calories than rather being in heated and air conditioned environment. Economic benefits of outdoor recreation According to the research of Mackay (n.d.), outdoor recreation is beneficial to the Scottish economy. Due to the fact that throughout years, to perform any particular activity, people have to move and travel to the specific site, need to spend money on equipment, food and accommodation and this help to bring income in rural areas of Scotland which gives way to new businesses and sustain the economies of these areas. Moreover, according to the survey carried out in 1998 in Scotland, it estimates that 137 million day visit were made to the coast and countryside and on average,  £6.50 were spent by each persons on each visit (National Centre for Social Research 1998). A more detailed survey carried out in 2000 showed that people spent more than  £900 million while participating in walking and other outdoor activities in the countryside and at the coast. Hence, the expenditures were on average people spend  £6.20 per party,  £1.55 was on fuel and  £3.07 was on food and drinks ( NOF System Three Scotland 2000). To explore the economic impact of a multi-use rail trail in Victoria, Australia Beeton (2006) surveyed 140 groups, during Easter 2006, total accounting for 625 people. The length of journey was from 0.5 days to 30 days. The average expenditure per person per day was at about $258, $147 on food and beverage; of which $27 was accommodation; $47 on transport; $10 on cycling and $27 on other. The average economic contribution per person was $482.94(after the application of multipliers). The social benefits of outdoor recreation Outdoor recreation is often regarded as having positive impacts on the society. The physical benefits of outdoor recreation on health have been well documented by researchers but not much emphasis is made on the social benefits linked with these activities. Some of the social benefits of recreation are known as reduced crime rate, promotes stewardship, encourage voluntarism and strengthen the communities. According to the Californian mayors, they believe that parks and recreation facilities helps to strengthen and bring communities together (DPR, 2002). Similarly, 77 percent of Los Angeles citizens were surveyed after the riots of 1993 and they listed that improved parks and recreation facilities are important or Absolutely critical to the restoration of their community (TPL, 1994). Participating in recreation activities helps to promote voluntarism. Hence, adults who frequently use parks and recreation facilities and who participate in recreation programs are generally the one who volunteered rather the one who does not use these services (Busser and Norwalk, 2001). Moreover, following a survey, 95 percent of Americans agreed that outdoor recreations help to generate appreciation for the nature and surrounding (ARC, 2000). Faulks et al (2007, p. 11) found that research conducted on the Central Otago Rail Trail in New Zealand showed that the range of social benefits to the community due to the rail trail, both as a resource and as a place of physical activity, included: Mental and physical well-being for participants; Education benefits regarding an understanding about working on a railroad; Bringing families together; Meeting like-minded people; Introducing new people into the community; and Generating a sense of pride and a heightened community identity. Outdoor Education There has been a wide range of outdoor programs that have been conducted within educational contexts in recent research which include the Duke of Edinburgh style programs (Bailey, 2004), that is Extended Stay Outdoor Education Programs (ESOEPà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s) (Gray, 1997; McLeod Allen-Craig, 2007), cross-curriculum programs (Eglington Broderick, 2008; Haddock, 2007a), environmental education centres (Ballantyne Packer, 2007) as well as several traditional outdoor education programs (Hales, 2006; Haskell, 2000; Purdie, Neill, Richards, 2002). Moreover, from such diverse programs, the results reported were also wide-ranging. Hence, by participating in the Duke of Edinburgh program, it showed improved relationships among the participants and also problem solving skills and self confidence had been enhanced which have resulted in gain in academic achievement due to involvement in outdoor education programs (Haddock, 2007a, 2007b). in addition through these programs, students have been able to learn and apply eight dimension which are: Time management; Social competence; Achievement motivation; Intellectual flexibility; Task leadership; Emotional control; Active initiative; and Self-confidence. On average, outdoor education programs appear to have a small to moderate effect on participants perceptions of their own qualities and capabilitiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦(roughly equivalent to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ other types of self-concept change programs). These results are a positive endorsement of outdoor education as a legitimate and effective educational training method Outdoor education definitely has something to offer. (Neill and Richards, 1998, p7) Sport, recreation and tourism Understanding the motivations and expectations of participants is essential when trying to provide outdoor programs. Kiewa (2001) carried out a qualitative study using in-depth interviews and diary entries of rock-climbers. She analysed the responses of 14 females and 17 males over a 12-month period, attempting to develop an understanding of the role of gender and motivations and reasons in practicing these sports. The result showed that outdoor adventure programs are constructed with the view that both men and women will benefit from programmes designed to support skills associated with the opposite genderà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ (Kiewa, 2001, p.11). Furthermore, in seeking to understand the needs, expectations motivations and of participants, another survey was carried out on a different adventure sport which was rafting trip near Melbourne. The research showed that there were significant differences in the motivations and needs of the participants. While the newer participant tend to focus more on the challenges of the activity, the frequent and experienced ones focus more on the ancillary benefits like spending time with friends and family, resting and relaxing in outdoor environment (Fluker Turner, 2000). In addition, in a less challenging context, two surveys were carried out on visitors to Mt Kosciuszko where more than 2,000 people may visit the summit during peak periods on any one-day. The earlier survey was conducted during Easter 2005 and had 494 participants while the other one was conducted over summer 2005/6 and had 2,492 responses (2007b; 2007c). In each case, visitors both expected and experienced wilderness, even though there are several structures to protect the environment. The main factor that motivates the participants to visit Mt Kosciuszko, was the scenic beauty and nature then followed by enjoying the outdoors and climbing. For more than 50% of respondents, encountering and experiencing wilderness was very important to them. Although, due to high level visitation subsequent track management work, visitors still had high satisfaction level just by participating and experiencing the nature of the area Factors motivating outdoor participation A growing number of research supports the proposition that individuals who live in activity friendly environments are more likely to be physically active during their leisure time (Sallis et al. 2000; Humpel et al. 2002; Killingsworth 2003; Owen et al. 2004). Active Living Research summarizes the important facts of such research which are: the proximity, supply, safety and design of recreational spaces. Other well known factor influencing participation is the availability of leisure time. The following subsections consider these variables. Leisure Time On average, Americans have 35 to 40 hours of free time per week (Robinson and Godbey 1999; BLS 2006). However, the majority of this time comes in small portions during weekdays, rather than in big blocks on weekends. Hence, watching TV takes up about half of all free time (Table 5) and adding to this, 27 hours per month goes on Internet use for both work and leisure (Nielsen and Hansen 2007). By contrast, sports, exercise and outdoor recreation account for only about 8.5 hours per month. Therefore, outdoor recreation, then, is comparatively rare. Moreover, if travelling is considered as an indoor activity, most Americans spend 95 percent of their time indoors (Robinson and Godbey 1999). Table 5: Americans Leisure Time, 2006 Leisure activity Average minutes per day Watching TV 156 (2.6 hours) Socializing, communicating 46 Other leisure activities 29 Reading 22 Relaxing, thinking 19 Playing games, using computer for leisure 19 Sports, exercise, recreation 17 Total 308 (5.1 hours) Note: Data include persons ages 15 and older. Data include all days of the week and are annual averages. Source: American Time Use Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006. Furthermore, while being on vacation, people spend more time outdoors, like walk more, and watching TV less (Robinson and Godbey 1999). Vacations then alleviate perceived job stress and burnout (Westman and Etzion 2001). In short, vacationing may be good for ones health (Gump and Matthews 2000). Proximity to Outdoor Spaces Proximity to outdoor recreation is a critical variable in explaining participation rates. Creating and improving the recreational facilities and spaces can spark a 25 percent increase in those who exercise at least three times per week (CDC 2002). Hence, the closer people live to a bikeway, the more likely they are to use it (Troped et al. 2001). Moreover, Kaczynski and Henderson (2007) summarize the facts founds concerning the role of park proximity in physical activity. In addition, eight of 13 articles indicated positive associations between physical activity and park proximity. For example, a survey conducted on U.S. adults showed that perceived access to parks and recreational facilities were related to increased physical activity (Brownson et al. 2001). Similarly, adults in New York City, Baltimore, and North Carolina, were 28 percent more likely to engaged in recreation activities if the parks and recreation facilities was within five miles of their home. Likewise, having faci lities within one mile encouraged higher levels of physical activity among African Americans and Hispanics (Diez-Roux et al. 2007). Safety of Parks Powell et al. (2003) reported that four studies which were carried out found no significant relation between safety aspect and walking in ones neighborhood, but the three other studies found such a relation. One of the latter indicated that recommended activity levels were met by 43 percent of peoples who had safe places to walk within 10 minutes of home and on the contrary only 27 percent of those without safe places (Powell et al. 2003). An onsite survey in a large metropolitan park revealed that among older adults, female park visitors had significantly more fear of crime than did males (Raymore and Scott 1998). Fear of crime was found to be an important factor, and former crime victims (9 percent of all those surveyed) were particularly fearful. Respondents reported that traveling to and from the park were more worrisome than being in the park itself. Supply of Outdoor Spaces The number parks and playgrounds in a community are related positively to physical activity levels. For instance, a study of some 500 adults from 56 neighborhoods in Oregon, Portland, found that both the area of green or open space and the number of recreation facilities were related to high levels of physical activity (Li et al. 2005). Although the number parks and green spaces in a community positively influence on physical activity, researchers cannot say that large parks are no more likely to be associated with higher levels of physical activity than smaller parks. For example, a study of four neighborhoods in Ontario found no such relationship between the size of parks and their use for physical activity (Kaczynski et al. 2008). The provision of facilities The benefits of engaging in physical activities, particularly outdoor activities, are dependent on the type of infrastructure provided to participant. According to Aldous (2006), he noted that in the context of leisure planning, providing adequate infrastructure and green spaces in urban areas was important in creating and broadening appreciation for the nature and environment. Similarly, Crilley (2007) studied the theme of infrastructure provision to understand the important attributes of trails. Hence, it resulted in the five top trail attributes were: easily accessible; the trail should be safe; well-maintained surface, have adequate signage along the trail and that the trail should be well maintained. Park and Playground Design and Features Parks with soccer fields, courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, tennis and racquetball and playgrounds were associated from moderate to vigorous levels activity (Floyd et al. 2008). In another study, some researchers have examined 28 features of ball fields, bike paths, and so forth in 33 parks they found that parks with several features were more likely to be used for physical activity rather than parks with fewer features. Moreover, according to Kaczynski et al. (2008) parks with paved trails, for instance, were 26 times more likely to be used for physical activity than parks without paved trails. A study of four park types (neighborhood park, waterfront park, city park, extreme park) showed that levels of moderate or vigorous activity were highest in the areas having courts, sports fields, playgrounds, and paths, whereas sedentary activity was observed in open green spaces (Shores and West 2008).

Improving Society Through Individuals Essay -- essays research papers

Improving Society Through Individuals Starting in the late seventeen hundreds and continuing into the nineteenth century, England underwent a period of industrialization and urbanization, referred to as the Industrial Revolution. During this time, life became more difficult for a large majority of the citizens and hardships began to pile one on top of another. In the book Hard Times, by Charles Dickens, the lives and relationships of a range of people from this time are illustrated in order to demonstrate the nature of this society. Dickens uses the fictitious characters in Hard Times as examples of the varying degrees of inequality and misfortune, as well as the personifications of different schools of thought during the nineteenth century in England. Dickens uses this novel as an opportunity to expose many injustices in British society with which he seems to disagree. He criticizes the social structure by manipulating the lives of the characters in a way that reveals their flaws as a class while also indirectly relating his opinions on certain aspects of society. First of all, he uses Mr. Gradgrind’s model school as a way of mocking some elements of enlightened thought. He starts the book by describing Mr. Gradgrind as an â€Å"eminently practical father† who uses his own exceptional system of nothing but â€Å"Fact, fact, fact† to raise and educate the children of his school (Dickens, 16,20). The teacher’s name itself—Mr. McChoakumchild—is a means to ridicule the strict focus on ...

Movie Review Hoodwinked

Hoodwinked is a movie produced by Weinstein Company in 2005. The film puts a new spin on the children’s tale of Little Red Riding Hood as each of the characters is shown with a spin of their own. The story started with the familiar event, in which little red riding hood went to Granny’s house with a basket of goodies. As she arrived at the house, she saw the wolf in the bed of her grandmother and disguised as Granny. As the wolf jumped to attack Red, her Granny who is tied up jumped out of the closet and the lumberjack came to save red and granny. However, when the police arrive at the place of the incident, the line of questioning moves to information which is related to a mysterious string of goodie and recipe thefts which have been happening all over the woods. As Red’s Granny still has her recipes, the police decided that Granny, the wolf, Red and the woodcutter must be guilty or the police are determined to find evidence to prove that one of them is the prime suspect.  Ã‚   Police Chief Grizzly just wanted to book everybody and call the case as closed, however, Mr Flipper, the dapper detective sees more to the incident. The detective also arrived at the crime scene and decided to have an investigation by interrogating the four. In the movie, it can be seen that there are two overlapping crimes that happened in the woods. First crime is the attempted murder, if we can consider what the wolf wanted to do with Red that way, as well as trespassing in the house of granny and the abuse he made with the Granny and the recipe theft that is happening all over the woods. The police have been in the crime scene to investigate what had happened in the house of Granny and to know what the real truth behind the said is attacked of the wolf to Red and his Grandma. However, as the investigation proceeds, the four had learned that there is another crime that is happening in the woods which is the theft of the recipes of the goodies. And instead of solving the first issue, the detective have made focus on the recipe theft issue and interrogated the four, whom at first considered as victim, but now considered as the suspect for the other crime. In this story, one of the articles that can be linked or associated with it is the article entitled Deception and its Detection by Detective Wesley Clark under the testimonial evidence. The article is about obtaining statement that should be useful in investigating a crime. There are two different types of statement that can be established in crime investigation. This includes the specific statement and the alibi statement. Specific statement includes the information provided by the subject of the crime while the second one pertains to statement made to cover-up specific time-frame. In the story, detective flipper would want to know the truth about the thief of the recipes; hence, he interrogated that four. Since, the four (wolf, granny, red and woodcutter) are busy with what happened to them about the attempted crime of wolf to red, we can possibly say that they do not have any idea about the recipe theft. However, since granny has her own recipe, the four have become the suspect. To know the truth, the police have interrogated the four and asked them questions to determine whether they will be considered guilty or innocent of the crime.   With this, to cover up, each of the four had their own alibi statements to make sure that they will not be accused of being the recipe theft. According to the article of Detective Clark (1998), the police officer who is interrogating a suspect, should provide the subject with the limitations within which alleged suspects must be asked to tell everything that had happened during a specific time-frame. For example, since the recipe theft has happened in the woods, the police who is interrogating the suspects should let the suspect write everything which happened from the time they wake up until the time that they ended their day, in this case, the time after the crime of the wolf has been ended in granny’s house. Another article that can be linked in this story is the article still under testimonial evidence which is entitled Conducting Successful Interrogations by David Vessel. As can be noted in the story, the police officers have interrogated the four, knowing that they will be able to know who among them is the real suspect of the recipe threat but did not give attention to the crime that happened in the house of granny. In the article, it is said that the main purpose of having an interrogation is to identify the suspect or involved criminal suspects which makes confession by admitting his participation in a crime. More often, interrogators are having difficulties in collecting statements that will prove how guilty the suspect is or not. If the interrogator have investigate the wrong suspects, there is a tendency of having more conflict since the investigation would only waste the time of the police officers as well as the time of the alleged suspect. There would be a tendency that the real suspect is still living freely without the investigator knowing it. In the case of the movie, it can be said that the interrogators have investigated the wrong person, since in the end, granny’s recipe has also been stolen, making the officer believed that none of the four is guilty for the recipe theft. In the article, it also discussed about the acquisition of adequate background information about the subjects to be able to have a successful investigation. It is said that the feeling, personal values and attitudes of the subject have a direct impact on the success of the interrogations. In the part of the movie (Hoodwinked), though the police officers knew the background information about the suspects (red, granny, wolf and woodcutter), they still stick on they thought that one of the four is the prime suspect of the recipe theft.   The interrogation made by the police in a succession has revealed different experiences of the four which complexly intertwine themselves perfectly into a whole. In interrogating a suspect, the police officer should also consider the human rights of the individuals, even if he is accused of committing a crime. Hence, the officer should treat the alleged suspect in an ethical manner. However, in the movie, it can be said that the police officer who interrogated the four has not been ethical on the way they interrogate the wolf, granny, red and woodcutter. The police shouts on the alleged suspects and behaves in a threatening was towards the fours suspects. Such behaviour is said to violate one of the rules investigating and interrogating. Instead of treating the suspect badly, the interrogator should build a good relationship with these people to be able to gather essential details that would lead to the solution of the crime or that would lead to the real suspect. In the story, each of the characters has their own personality that is not usual for investigating a crime. The investigations made by the police bear and the detective frog, can be said to be incompetent unlike the investigations made by the wolf and his sidekick, though it still lack of enough evidence to conclude who really is the suspect of the recipe theft. References Clark, W. (1998). Deception and its Detection. Connecticut Trooper Magazine, Fall. Online Available http://www.crimeandclues.com/deception.htm. Accessed October 8, 2007. Vessel, D. (1998). Conducting Successful Interrogations, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Online available http://www.fbi.gov/library/leb/leb.htm. Accessed October 8, 2007.         

Pros and Cons of Managed Care

Care Some of the pros for managed care are; Preventive care — HMOs pay for programs, they are set up and are intended at keeping one healthy (yearly checkups, gym memberships, etc. )The idea is, so they won't have to pay for more costly services when and if one gets sick. Lower premiums — Because there are limits set as to which doctors one can see and when one can see them, HMOs charge a premium and usually they are lower premiums.Prescriptions — As part of their precautionary retreat, most prescriptions are covered by HMOs for a co-payment that also can be very low. Fewer unnecessary procedures —doctors are given financial incentives from HMOs , to provide only needed care, so doctors are less likely to order costly test or surgeries that one does not need. Limited paperwork — While healthcare professionals and facilities have more paperwork, under managed care, HMO members usually only has to show their membership card and pay a very low co-payme nt.Some of the cons for managed are; Limited doctor groups — To keep financial burdens down, HMOs tell one which doctors’ one can see, including specialized fields. Restricted coverage — one cannot expect care on command because ones primary-care physician must justify the need based on what benefits ones plan covers. Prior approval needed — If one would like to see a specialized doctor or go to the emergency room, one would need permission from their main physician.Possibility of under treatment — Because of the incentives given doctors to limit care, the doctor may try to hold back on good care management he would give. Compromised privacy — HMOs use patient records to keep an eye on doctors' performance and efficiency, so particulars of one’s medical history could be seen by other people. Getting medical care used to be thought of as trouble-free. One would go to the physician of their choice, get great care and their health insura nce would cover the cost of seeing the physician and cover tests needed.These networks should stand for better earth care for less money. But as they work hard to keep out of pocket expenses down, the scary tales it causes are frightening: â€Å"drive-by† mastectomies, when women are not allowed facility stays after harrowing breast removal; As network bureaucrats who deny a claim for coverage to the emergency room when heart attacks turn out to be indigestion; doctors who get year-end payoffs to give constraining care and don't communicate to patients about better costly treatments.Those against managed care aren't so kind. It can be said that the system that once commended physicians for working too much for the patient now, are given an incentive for doing a lot less. â€Å"The incentive now is to put bounds on care,† says (Dr. Donald Hanscom, a Beverly gynecologist. ) â€Å"Everything is money. â€Å"After a decade of wining and dining the public with lower premi ums and a wider spectrum of benefits, the inexperienced period for managed care is noticeably over. Those opposed are uneasy by the idea of unethically abuse.They are apprehensive members, many are not getting the care needed, the specialists they want, or the coverage one should get to have, especially in health urgencies. They also are concerned about issues that come up that have plagued the healthcare system elsewhere in the nation, such as stifling guidelines set up that keep doctors from suggesting more costly treatment choices. Although they say their far reaching goal is to provide a greater healthcare, the business has brought forth an unwelcoming talk that seems to challenge that.Patients who choose a doctor that does not participate in a â€Å"The† network, either at their own expense or with restricted coverage by the network, are considered â€Å"leakage. † Doctors who go against the networks system to get better treatment for their patients sometimes risk being blackballed out of and the network. It's reassuring to know that some networks are doing a good job, but lawmakers are dealing with a weary opposition that isn't frightened by what the nation thinks. Those up on the hill have responded with a charge of state and national bills pointed at bringing in a booming healthcare industry that's pretty much free-for-all.For their part, the networks don't see what the entire objection is about. They say productiveness and peoples request will keep their guidelines just and within ones means. â€Å"The networks are trying not only for cost, but also for class and peoples’ satisfaction. It's a patron service industry when you get right down to it. The network points to their absolute success in bringing down costs and keeping the mass of network enrollees happy. Each month people across the nation join a network, so it's plain that, Network care is here to stay in one shape or another.Those against and those rooting for that of ma naged care agree that the existence of unconstrained health care on demand is declining. As health care costs push very high yearly, some say it's time for all to comprehend that the medical healthcare industry has financial restrictions just like any other industry. â€Å"People have been brought up to believe that health care is an entitlement,† says (Jeanne Holland, executive director of Northeast Physicians-Hospital Organization) at Beverly Hospital. They think ‘Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and health care on demand. ‘ Consumers need to change their thinking. â€Å"Resources http://ask. reference. com/related/History+of+Managed+Care? o=102545&qsrc=121&l=dir, Retrieved, October 26, 2010 http://www. ecnnews. com/hlth/manintro. htm, Retrieved, October 26, 2010 http://ezinearticles. com/? Health-Insurance-Types, Retrieved, October 26, 2010 http://www. senioranswers. org/Pages/prosandcons. htm, Retrieved, October 26, 2010