communications :: essays research papers

With communication continuing to change forms every day, we have seen many different theories and explanations to try and explain communication. Communication is an interaction between two objects in any way, as long as there is a connection between the two objects. With the ever changing theories of communication, Marshall McLuhan’s theory of the medium is the message and his Playboy interview create a very interesting question. Why does Marshall McLuhan see the development of communication as a downfall to our society as seen in the Playboy article where Adler, Johnson and Lakeoff show many ways communication can have long lasting positive effects on society? The three points that McLuhan brings up are the phonetic alphabet, extension and the electric age. This paper will critique the different points McLuhan has made by using material from Adler and Lakeoff and Johnson. The Phonetic Alphabet: Marshall McLuhan has a negative view towards the invention of the phonetic alphabet while Adler and Lakeoff and Johnson used the alphabet as a tool to get their theories of communication to work. An example of McLuhan’s words is from his interview with Playboy where he said â€Å"Before the invention of the phonetic alphabet, man lived in a world where all the senses were balanced and simultaneous.†(McLuhan, 1995) In this quote Marshall expresses his view that before the phonetic alphabet was created man lived in a world where each sense that humans had were used evenly. Now that the alphabet had been invented different senses were being used for different reasons and now man was not in a balance of senses. He seen this as a negative outcome, and it will effect the culture in a negative way. On the other hand, to use this point in Adler’s words â€Å"different groups deal with conflicts in different ways†(Adler, 2000) So the way that a culture can adapt to the living style will tell if they will be effected as McLuhan said the culture will be effected, and that is there senses will not be in a balance anymore. Also, in the playboy interview McLuhan states â€Å"The modes of life of nonliterate people were implicit, simultaneous and discontinuous, and also far richer than those of literate man.†(McLuhan, 1995) In this quote Marshall suggests that it was easier to live life by being nonliterate and just stay the way man used to be with the senses being balanced.

Student-Centered Learning :: Education Teaching Papers

Student-Centered Learning Recently, the buzzword for school wide educational reform is student-centered learning. My last year teaching, the administration threw around this term, yet no in-services were in place on this subject in order to accomplish the goal. Even Atlanta Public School's strategic technology plan uses the common student-centered learning phrase, " Teachers will move from mentor in the center to guide on the side." However, very few teachers actually use this approach in their classrooms. One example of an excellent student-centered learning activity was "Biomes in a Box." A colleague of mine used this project, her students work in teams to research and create a biome of a particular climate of their choosing. I observed students using various forms of media including the Internet and CD-ROM resources to research their particular biome. They constructed the climate conditions of that biome using various raw materials at their disposal. In the end, they presented their biome to the class with an oral discussion of the climatic elements involved with that biome. The students were so proud and so actively involved in their learning. It was a great success. I am sure that "Biomes in a Box" will be one lesson those students learned in that school. Even though some teachers use this new approach successfully in their class, my concern is that not all of the teachers can or even know how to change from the "mentor in the center" to "guide on the side." Has the school systems come up with way to change the mindsets of these teachers and show them how to make their classrooms active learning environments? No, they are just content to throw the phrase around without determining how to bring about student-centered learning in the classrooms. So what is Student centered learning? Is it the cure all for the ailing public education system? What tools need to be in place in order to facilitate a student-centered learning environment? What kind of in-service or extra training will be necessary in order to foster the student-centered classroom? In this paper, I will define student-centered learning, explain the key attributes to this type of learning process, and identify the tools that will facilitate its growth. From Mentor in the Center to Guide on the Side "Students should be presented with real life problems and then helped to discover information required to solve them" John Dewey

Clearer Understanding of the Stress Phenomenon

The word stress has been used al lot nowadays. To us stress means something that puts pressure on some part of our life. However this is just a small piece in the puzzle. Stress is an explanatory factor in numerous personal or social problems. In other words Stress is the normal response of your body to any change. We feel it when we pass from a warm to a cold room, when we run for a bus. Stress prepares us for change by pumping adrenaline into your system. In this process our muscles get tense, our heart pounds, our blood pressure rises. We use this mechanism for adapting and surviving. However if this response is constantly triggered and surpasses illness or even death may follow. We as humans cannot avoid stress, we can nonetheless learn to use to our advantage. Many people have numerous problems that occurred from stress. Problems like cholesterol, insomnia, high blood pressure, and stomach ulcers, chronic back pain and other very serious and fatal diseases. However you can learn to make life easy for yourself by many stress management techniques such as breathing right, eating right, exercising, and using relaxation techniques. In the early 19th century, scientists tried to explain the phenomena of how humans are affected by our surroundings and daily activities. Claude Bernard was one of those scientists that tried to prove the body†s motions during a stress related event. He emphasized how the underlying conditions affect free and in depended life. He said â€Å"every living animal tends to maintain a state of internal stability in spite of changes in the external environment†. Scientist Walter Cannon was another pioneer in the studies of psychology that gave his work recognition in today†s society. He concluded from his work that animals or primate men, when confronted by danger to their internal equilibrium, would either prepare to fight or to take flight. However it took the work of Hans Selye to provide clearer understanding of the stress phenomenon. He noted that various factors like chills, traumas, and infections produced a stereotyped syndrome characterized by hypertrophy and hyperactivity. Then in 1950 he introduced the symptoms as â€Å"stress†. Today we still don†t have the unanimous definition of the term stress. Many people give different definitions to the word. Some give it the meaning that is, the group of biochemical changes, which typically occur in the organism when the internal equilibrium is threatened. Others psychologists use the term â€Å"stress† to talk of a stimulus. There are many psychological reactions to stress. These biochemical reactions may be benign, but in some cases they alter the body†s functioning to the point of inducing illness or death. Many of the reactions are well known like the heart rate increases, muscles tend to contract and a lot of the time perspiration increases. All of these reactions are very little for importance. Emotional and behavioral reactions to stress are often more apparent than psychological reactions since everyone could see. That†s why when a human being reacts to a stimulus you can see if he or she laughs cries, jumps. Emotions and behaviors due to culture vary, personality varies and time period always changes. Another very important criteria that help define stress are the present of stimuli or other agents that make us react to stress. However this criterion varies because of different traits that the human being may have. Many laboratories testing on humans have been done to show that humans react to different stimuli in different ways. Humans in many testing were subjected to loud noises or sometimes would be shown stimuli like a dog barking or even a snake. All of these things were great stimuli†s that affected the human in different ways. Stress may not be triggered by all the stimuli to which we are exposed but by the action of certain psychological factors, which make us perceive certain stimuli as dangerous, or threatening to life. Also perceptions of danger depend on many things. For example, past experiences, cognitive expectations which is the way you interpret the situation, personality, and your emotional factors. Many researchers have found several general rules that depict stress agents. One is that pervious experiences of stress agents diminish the stress felt. It has also shown that the greater the stimulation the greater the stress felt. Another stimuli is emotions. With the increase of emotional intensity of an experience the lower the stress level becomes. However the stress level can never be at zero because that means that you†re dead. When a person has a very low stress level it isn†t good. Low levels of stress can cause symptoms similar to those of intense stress. Many researchers use the word stress to describe not only reactions that humans or animals give off, but also the many internal pressures that provoke these reactions. Another name for this is â€Å"stress agent†. Hans Selye defined the stress agent as any demand made on the mind or body. Some people think that only life threatening situations are stressful for human beings. I personally believe that stress has to do with the individual person and how he perceives the stressor. Stress agents can be negative or positive, pleasant or unpleasant. Some say that anticipation of an event is more stressful then the actual event. One example of this is skydiving. When you get to specific height and you have to jump you become so stressed that you are afraid to jump. Even if you know you won†t die. On the other hand an unexpected occurrence can cause greater stress on a person. Like a car accident can cause great stress because of amnesia or sometimes even comas. When a human is stressed it is being in a state of psychological alert. This provides a better perception of danger. When confronted with a dangerous situation we as humans think of two things that we can do flight or fight. We use fight when we want to defend ourselves, or flight when we want to live or survive the danger by not interfering with it. However a very high level of activation can bring about a state of physical or psychological distress. In today†s world fight or flight response is very useful. It can help us to escape a fire or survive a disaster. When the body prepares for a fight or flight response, the adrenal gland releases hormones into the body, increasing the heart rate as well as the blood pressure. In many cases digestion stops eyesight is sharpened and muscles tense. Stress doesn†t only cause physical illness but also mental illness. Some symptoms are benign and common but such as fatigue and muscles however too much stress can bring on depression and even schizophrenia. According to Epstein moderate stress can help achieve self-concept. However heavy stress can rapidly unbalance self concept functions like threat to physical integrity and loss of self-esteem. He defined many of these functions as â€Å"maintaining new experiential data and maintaining self esteem. If an imbalance occurs, the individual may become defensive in order to keep his self-concept enact, and varying degrees of pathological symptoms appear†. Many psychologists agree that defense mechanisms are ways of facing stress. A good defense mechanism that has been proven to work is humor and jokes. Another example of a defense mechanism is denial. Denial can either help or hurt you. For example if a women has breast cancer and she is in denial that she has this disease, she then can hurt herself by not going to the doctor and trying to solve the problem and try to treat it. However she can be in denial and not do something that can alter her well being permanently like taking her own life as a means of escape from the illness. There are many psychological disorders however the two most known and common are macro-stressors and micro stressors. A serious accident or a very stressful experience are very good examples of macro-stressors. Reactions to these stressors are so intense that it causes temporary chronic traumatic neurosis. A good example of micro-stressors is depression. These stressors may vary because of daily criticism, unrealistic goals, and sometimes lack of social communication. Both of these stressors bring on difficulties in breathing, frequent sighing, and a lot of the times emptiness in the stomach. In most cases these symptoms disappear with time however for some people this becomes into a chronic condition and it disturbs their every day life. They lose all interests in everyday activities, develop problems at work and live in a state of mind where they are afraid of their own self-confidence. To control stress Psychologist say that stress management is the only way to go. The reason for this is because managing stress through special techniques will reduce the stress that affects your health in a bad way. Self-management comes from a belief in internal rather then external controls of ones life. Many people think that their lives are directed by destiny. However this has never been proven. In my opinion and many psychologist opinion is that self determination of ones power to maintain or modify your behavior according to your goals will overcome any obstacles. A lot of what stress management consists of is in the body. Selye believed that adaptation energy is limited and the cause of most deaths related to stress. However we see in many cases that this isn†t true because we as humans know that being in good physical and mental condition helps us overcome daily difficulties and traumatic life events. Managing stress is a very important thing. However their is a limit on the right way to manage internal factors that act on stress is to take care of your body with the following. Exercising is the primary stress reducer that we are exposed too. Exercise is a very important factor in keeping physically fit. Exercising acts directly on hart efficiency, blood circulation in the lungs and in the vascular system. Exercising lets us digest better look better and feel better. Another important aspect to reducing stress is eating properly. A good diet gives the body the right amount of nourishment that it needs to survive. Eating the wrong foods stress the body because it lacks normal functioning and harms the body†s cells. Another very important and crucial aspect of stress reduction is relaxation and relaxation techniques. Never ending activities and daily worries are constant sources of tension. Because of this we need to relax. To relax many people often smoke cigarettes or even weed. Other use tranquilizers and drink liquor. In today†s society we find out that these types of â€Å"stress reducing agents† are wrong and sometimes fatal. About 20-30% of Americans smoke and this increases the lung cancer risk by 700%. Smoking also brings on other dangerous problems with the liver kidneys and poor heart and blood circulation. Many relaxation methods more natural and safer than drugs should be used. The right methods reduce the psychological effects of tension. This helps to slow down adrenal secretions and allow the parasympathetic nervous system to work with ease. Physical conditioning was only introduced to us in the beginning of the 19th century when scientist found a correlation between health and fitness. Exercises help people consentrate, improve sleep and get rid of aggression that gives us stress. Exercising also gives us a feeling of personal control and provides us with greater bodily awareness. Physiologists say that sports act as medicine for relieving most stressful situations. It takes your mind away from pain and lets you relieve it. When people exercise it also gives them more energy to do other things because you get tired less quickly. All of this is a very beneficial stress reducing agent. However if you don†t exercise you can increase your risks of obesity, bad digestive functioning, back pain, and other problems of the body. For our body†s to function well we need a good diet. A good diet consists of carbohydrates, fats, protein, minerals and water. To have all of these aspects you need a balanced diet. There has been a lot of evidence that having a poor diet increases stress levels. When a person doesn†t eat right that stresses the body by preventing normal metabolism. To reduce stress you have to eat the right food. If you have low calcium levels you should start eating more dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurts. Many dieticians prefer eating whole grain products because they contain alimentary fibers needed for digestion. Fruits and vegetables are another source of healthy foods. They provide us with vitamins we need for living. You should reduce the fat content by about thirty percent because the more fat you eat the more stress you are putting on the functioning organs in your body like the heart. There are many relaxation techniques that you can do. Some have to do with playing a sport or some you can do while doing nothing at home. The most important and the most affective relaxation techniques have to do with ones control over mind and body. Meditation is one thing you can do that helps to achieve a stress free environment. Meditation has to do with centering your attention on one thing. The two main goals that are tried to reach during meditation are states of a deep relaxation and a mental state of awakening and alertness. When you reach a state were you feel relax your body also relaxes and takes time out for itself. The body slows down and you feel warm and comfortable. However there is no scientific proof of this but it works and helps to relieve stress. Another very affective way to achieve peace within your body is to tighten specific muscles. You must first learn what muscles you have to relax, and then you begin the process. When you find the muscles and tighten them you then let the muscle loose up, which gives a very comfortable feeling. This feeling is equivalent to taking a hot bath after exercising. Laboratory tests have shown that this exercise really reduce stress a lot. Stress cannot be avoided, however we can limit the amount of it that is subdued on us. Each time the body reacts to a stressor, numerous biochemical changes occur. If the stressor goes beyond the available adaptive abilities, illness or even death may occur. We as humans instead of battling stress need to reduce the amounts that we are exposed to. We should do what we need to stop the hurting of our body. We need to adopt a lifestyle that is stimulating and maintain a physical and mental state which gives a resistance to stressors.

Descriptive

Mikala Williams Writing Sample Word Count: 469 On the campus of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore there are a plethora of beautiful buildings that signify greatness. The architecture of the buildings is brilliant and gives the campus a sense of exquisiteness. The thoughts that go through the minds of incoming freshman could only be about what there roommate will be like, if they will be able to manage their classes and so on. The living conditions in the dorms are respectable and are suitable for any residential student.But not only is the atmosphere of a campus highly anticipated by incoming freshman, housing and dorms are also apart of the excitement. As a freshman here at UMES, I was assigned to live in a building known as University of Terrace, on the third floor. The dorm is an all girl freshman dorm and is located on the farthest end of the entire campus, getting to classes is quite a walk. Because â€Å"UT† is newest dormitory on campus, it was built away from th e buildings where most classes are held. The dorms are almost perfect in size, not too small or too large.The more space the more miscellaneous things that would become clutter. A bathroom, which isn’t exactly what I’d call home, connects two rooms. First opening the wooden door and pushing the metal handle down, it was cold and didn’t have a â€Å"homey† feeling. Surrounded by white brick walls floored with flattened carpet that seems to go with almost any color. As far as a working space, it’s pretty simple. It includes a basic wooden desk and cushioned chair under it. Once I unpacked and â€Å"spiced up the place† a bit, the room didn’t look too bad.As with every housing building there are rules to be abide by and upheld. My building’s Residential Assistant, better known as RA’s, made it apparent that all residences are required to follow the rules and procedures. Every Tuesday, RA’s conduct weekly room inspect ions, to make sure that residences adhere to keeping the bathrooms and rooms clean and neat. Another great facet of the dorm is that the air-conditioning and heating systems work wonderfully. Although, there are some defects with the dorm regulations.As ar as visitation hours are concerned residence cant just have anyone the rooms. Male visitors can only stay until 2a. m. , but female visitors can stay for three nights in a row. All in all, the housing at UMES is generally a great experience. It’s not too much of a problem that the visitation hours aren’t that great, but that would be a great asset to living in UT. In regard to great assets, the conditions are livable and as long as maintained, that aspect should remain. Even though there are some downsides to staying in the halls, overall the experience is a good one, indeed. Descriptive Shaun Bankston Chris Chandler English 101-526 Descriptive Essay 27 September 2012 The Greatest Sport in the World American NFL football is the greatest sport in the world. Many would ask why I think this. The Gridiron as we all know it is a very magnificent, strategic, and violent sport. Football can easily catch the unknowing eye of anybody. American football is the greatest sport in the world because of the tailgating, my personal opinion, and the strategy of the game.Through rain or shine, day or night, hail or sleet it really doesn’t matter what the weather is to tailgate. No matter what Mother Nature throws at tailgaters, tailgating is all about having fun. A great NFL stadium tailgate is a slight to behold. Tailgating also offer unhealthy, fatty, and grilled food in its godly goodness. People tend to bring elephant size tents with multiple fat screen televisions when tailgating. The only thing on tailgaters minds are football and partying.Tailgaters can even play footbal l with complete strangers and have their own Tailgating Bowl. The majority of American NFL football games are played on Sunday’s. My anticipation for Sunday NFL games is like a kid waiting to open up his presents on Christmas morning. My first time being inside the New Orleans Superdome which is now the Mercedes-Benz Superdome is one of the greatest feelings ever. The crowds were always loud, sounding like twenty eight wheelers revving up at the same damn time.Looking over the saints’ fans can be described as a black and gold sea. The feeling of being at an American NFL football game is like nothing else in the world. It’s like your parents buying you that brand new car you always wanted for your 18th birthday. American Football in my eyes is the most exciting sport in the world. Nearly every football fan thinks he or she can coach a NFL team. No other sport requires so much thinking. Football is a game of strategy and tactics. There are plays and counter-plays, rather than players running themselves illy for 90 minutes straight. Football is like Violent Chess. It's a smart and hard-hitting game, a combination that other sports lack. Due to the NFL tailgating, my personal opinion, and the strategy of the game, Football is the greatest sport on the planet. Football has a lot to offer. What I mean by that is it teaches kids about working as a team and can also teach leadership as well as discipline. Which nowadays is a tough lesson to teach? That in its self is the biggest reason why this sport is so great.

Employment law, trade unions (uk) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Employment law, trade unions (uk) - Essay Example Human nature is essentially the same the world over and "man is a social animal at all times" (Bates, April 1888) and in all places. It is this basic nature of man that controls and directs the organization and development of society in all its spheres of activity. The inevitable landmark of social advance has been the family , the tribe, the state and the world organisation. Further advances in world organisation have however to be made if man is to benefit from and not to be destroyed by the power of the atom. Different approaches may be made in this regard. But world organisation has persistently proceeded, ever since the industrial revolution in England, on the basis of social system subjected to industrial modes of production. One of the most fruitful approaches would, therefore to explore the possibilities of the dynamic forces that have already manifested themselves in modern industrial society (Fung, 2003). The industrial system has increased the inter dependence of people ev erywhere and it is constantly emphasising the ever-growing importance of the technique of cooperation. The trade union have, therefore become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy is closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. TRADE UNION The term 'trade union' is in constant and popular use, and it is usually clear when a body is or is not a union. However, a statutory definition is necessary to determine what organisations are eligible for the various rights and duties accorded such bodies. Thus s.1 of the "Trade union and Labour Relations (consolidation) act 1992 characterizes as a union, 'an organisation(whether permanent or temporary) which.. consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers of that description of those descriptions and employers or employers associations" (Trade Unions, n.d.). "The largest organization of trade union members in the world is the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation. it has approximately 309 affiliated organizations in 156 countries and territories today, with a combined membership of 166 million" (Wikipedia, 13 April 2008). PURPOSE OF TRADE UNION The trade unions have, therefore, become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. The immediate objectives with which trade union have been formed in different parts of the worlds are essentially the same. The objectives and activities of trade unions may differ but general objectives are follows: To ensure the benefits of the worker from unemployment, ill health, old age and working environment. So that they can get professional training,

Western civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Western civilization - Essay Example This paper seeks to explore the shifts in concepts and ideologies that occurred leading to western civilization. Renaissance illustrates a period of cultural movement and its spread to the rest of Europe whereas Italy is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance, which saw the outlook and institutions of the middle ages merge. Therefore, during this period radical change would be experienced at all levels of the society, giving rise to the European civilization, which later transformed to the modern western civilization. The central government within the political organization grew stronger in the wake of the rebirth but at the expense of feudalism. Feudalism was an arrangement in which persons regarded as nobles exercised public power, formerly held by kings since the existing monarchs could not guarantee the safety of their subjects. The notion that those regarded as the wellborn can influence policies and rule over others behind closed doors is still among the western civilization where stakeholders are involved in the decision-making process. Commercial and industrial activities expanded significantly, which introduced new and more efficient products to the society. As a result, capitalism in most city-states replaced most primitive forms of economic organization (Perry et al 293). This is a defining characteristic of the modern western civilization whose commercial activities are based on capitalism. The adoption of capitalism by the earlier civilizations enhanced pre-existing social inequalities, which for instance widened the gap between the rich and poor. At the height of the booming commercial activities, people in the middle-class level of the society increased in number as they amassed wealth, which played a crucial role in the economic and cultural life. In addition, religious reforms were introduced following the fragmentation of unity in

Pain Management in a Polytrauma Patient Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Pain Management in a Polytrauma Patient - Essay Example Nociceptive pain comprises of two other classes: radicular and somatic pain. Radicular pain primarily stems from nerve roots irritation such as a disc herniation (PubMed). It follows the leg down to the nerve distribution from the root nerve at the spinal cord. In most scenarios, this class of pain associates with radiculopathy (numbness, weakness, loss of reflexes in nerve distribution). Somatic pain essentially affects the thigh and back. The problem with back pain is that polytrauma patients may not be in a position to provide appropriate history. However, doctors usually provide exact diagnosis in few cases even with appropriate information. Patients suffering from neuropathic pain display characteristics of complete or partial changes in the innervations territories that correspond to the central nervous or peripheral system pathology. Additionally, there is paradoxical occurrence of hypersensitivity and pain in denervated zones and their surroundings (Thomas 125). These nerve p roblems occur in different conditions and different locations of the nerve lesion. Consequently, there is no single mechanism entirely responsible for maintaining and generating all the signs and symptoms in neuropathic pain. Overall treatment of neuropathic pain remains a problem, though the increasing evidence of effective neuropathic pain treatment makes it important for clinicians to know the effective drugs in relieving pain as well as their side effects. Additionally, there is need for a treatment algorithm based on evidence for treating neuropathic conditions. A direct comparison of different drugs in both their side effects and efficacy will ideally lead to the best drug for the... Patients suffering from neuropathic pain display characteristics of complete or partial changes in the innervations territories that correspond to the central nervous or peripheral system pathology. Additionally, there is paradoxical occurrence of hypersensitivity and pain in denervated zones and their surroundings (Thomas 125). These nerve problems occur in different conditions and different locations of the nerve lesion. Consequently, there is no single mechanism entirely responsible for maintaining and generating all the signs and symptoms in neuropathic pain. Overall treatment of neuropathic pain remains a problem, though the increasing evidence of effective neuropathic pain treatment makes it important for clinicians to know the effective drugs in relieving pain as well as their side effects. Additionally, there is need for a treatment algorithm based on evidence for treating neuropathic conditions. A direct comparison of different drugs in both their side effects and efficacy w ill ideally lead to the best drug for the algorithm. However, the availability of such comparisons is limited. The other viable option is to estimate relative safety and efficacy using the number needed to harm (NNH) and the number needed to treat (NNT) approach. Past research and studies using this approach appraise four pharmacological drug classifications that prove important in the management of neuropathic pain: antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids, and NMDA antagonists (Medscape).