What Is the Premack Principle Definition and Examples

The Premack principle is a theory of reinforcement that states that a less desired behavior can be reinforced by the opportunity to engage in a more desired behavior. The theory is named after its originator, psychologist David Premack. Key Takeaways: The Premack Principle The Premack principle states that a higher probability behavior will reinforce a less probable behavior.Created by psychologist David Premack, the principle has become a hallmark of applied behavior analysis and behavior modification.The Premack principle has received empirical support and is frequently applied in child rearing and dog training. It is also known as relativity theory of reinforcement or grandmas rule. Origins of the Premack Principle Before the Premack principle was introduced, operant conditioning held that reinforcement was contingent upon the association of a single behavior and a single consequence. For example, if a student does well on a test, the studying behavior that resulted in his success will be reinforced if the teacher compliments him. In 1965, psychologist David Premack expanded on this idea to show that one behavior could reinforce another. Premack was studying Cebus monkeys when he observed that behaviors that an individual naturally engages in at a higher frequency are more rewarding than those the individual engages in at a lower frequency. He suggested that the more rewarding, higher-frequency behaviors could reinforce the less rewarding, low-frequency behaviors. Supporting Research Since Premack first shared his ideas, multiple studies with both people and animals have supported the principle that bears his name. One of the earliest studies was conducted by Premack himself. Premack first determined if his young child participants preferred playing pinball or eating candy. He then tested them in two scenarios: one in which the children had to play pinball in order to eat candy and the other in which they had to eat candy in order to play pinball. Premack found that in each scenario, only the children who preferred the second behavior in the sequence showed a reinforcement effect, evidence for the Premack principle. In a later study by Allen and Iwata demonstrated that exercising amongst a group of people with developmental disabilities increased when playing games (a high-frequency behavior) was made contingent on exercising (a low-frequency behavior). In another study, Welsh, Bernstein, and Luthans found that when fast food workers were promised more time working at their favorite stations if their performance met specific standards, the quality of their performance at other workstations improved.   Brenda Geiger found that providing seventh and eighth grade students with time to play on the playground could reinforce learning by making play contingent on the completion of their work in the classroom. In addition to increasing learning, this simple reinforcer increased students’ self-discipline and the time they spent on each task, and reduced the need for teachers to discipline students Examples The Premack principle can successfully be applied in many settings and has become a hallmark of applied behavior analysis and behavior modification. Two areas in which the application of the Premack principle has proven especially useful is child rearing and dog training. For example, when teaching a dog how to play fetch, the dog must learn that if he wants to chase the ball again (highly desired behavior), he must bring the ball back to his owner and drop it (less desired behavior). The Premack principle is used all the time with children. Many parents have told children they must eat their vegetables before they can have dessert or they have to finish their homework before they’re allowed to play a video game. This tendency of caregivers to use the principle is why it is sometimes called â€Å"grandma’s rule.† While it can be very effective with children of all ages, it’s important to note that not all children are equally motivated by the same rewards. Therefore, in order to successfully apply the Premack principle, caregivers must determine the behaviors that are most highly motivating to the child. Limitations of the Premacks Principle There are several limitations to the Premack principle. First, one’s response to an application of the principle is dependent on context. The other activities available to the individual at a given moment and the individual’s preferences will play a role in whether the chosen reinforcer will produce the less-probable behavior. Second, a high-frequency behavior will often occur at a lower rate when it’s contingent on a low-frequency behavior than when it’s not contingent on anything. This could be the result of there being too great a difference between the probability of performing the high and low frequency behaviors. For example, if one hour of study time only earns one hour of video game play and studying is an extremely low-frequency behavior while video game playing is an extremely high-frequency behavior, the individual may decide against studying to earn video game time because the large amount of study time is too onerous. Sources Barton, Erin E. Premack Principle. Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders, edited by Fred R. Volkmar, Springer, 2013, p. 95. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1698-3Geiger, Brenda. A Time to Learn, A Time to Play: Premacks Principle Applied in the Classroom. American Secondary Education, 1996. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED405373.pdfGibeault, Stephanie. Understanding the Premack Principle in Dog Training. American Kennel Club, 5 July, 2018. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/what-is-the-premack-principle-in-dog-training/Johanning, Mary Lea. Premack Principle. Encyclopedia of School Psychology, edited by Steven W. Lee, Sage, 2005. http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781412952491.n219Kyonka, Elizabeth G. E. Premack Principle. Encyclopedia of Child Behavior and Development, edited by Sam Goldstein and Jack A. Naglieri, Springer, 2011, pp. 1147-1148. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79061-9_2219Psynso. Premacks Principle. https://psynso.com/premacks-principle/Premack, David. T owards Empirical Behavior Laws: I. Positive Reinforcement. Psychological Review, vol. 66, no. 4, 1959, pp. 219-233. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/h0040891Welsh, Dianne H.B., Daniel J. Bernstein, and Fred Luthans. Application of the Premack Principle of Reinforcement to the Quality Performance Service Employees. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, vol. 13, no. 1, 1993, pp. 9-32. https://doi.org/10.1300/J075v13n01_03

State Ready Mix Inc. V. Moffatt And Nichol - 2356 Words

Case #1: State Ready Mix Inc. v. Moffatt Nichol (2015) Cal. App. 4th Case Number: No. B253421. Second Dist., Div. Six. Jan. 8, 2015. Parties Involved: †¢ State Ready Mix, Inc: Appellant and Cross Complainant †¢ Moffatt Nichol: Respondent, Cross Defendant †¢ Vincent J. O’Neal: Judge Project Specifications: No specifications were given within the document. Date and Location of Case: †¢ Date: 01/08/2015 †¢ Location: California Court of Appeals, Second District, 6th Division Summary of Case: In 2012, a marine project manager called Bellingham Marine Inc. (â€Å"Bellingham†) hired Major Engineering Marine Inc. (â€Å"Major†) for a project to build a travel lift pier at a harbor. Bellingham then hired a civil engineering firm, Moffatt Nichol†¦show more content†¦The overdose of the chemical came about because of a calculation error. Major had to destroy and rebuild the pier and sued State for damages and State filed a cross-complaint alleging that Moffatt did not use reasonable care in the approval of the design. Three attempts at pleads were made and it was determined that Moffat was not in privity of contract with Major or State due to State being subjected to the economic loss rule. Court Decision: The court ruled that State could not sue for equitable indemnity or contribution based on the fact that there was no evidence that Moffatt owed a duty of care or that Moffatt was negligent. The court also determined that there was no contractual relationship between State and Major and that a person or other property was not damaged. Based on the two core findings, all cross complaints made by State are disregarded and State is found to be solely responsible for the damages. Moffatt is also awarded costs on the appeal. Further Actions: This case was the last appealed case of the series and therefore, no other actions followed. This is because the judge affirmed the case as â€Å"an order sustaining demurrer without leave to amend†. This statement means that the plaintiff cannot amend the complaint. Commentary: Opinion of Case The case seems to be strait forward with the fact that State is at fault for the

Health Benefits of Cigars Free Essays

Health Benefits of Cigars From the prehistoric times to voyages to the new world, cigars and tobacco have been used in varied methods that are important to man, and one of them is the various Health Benefits of using cigars. These benefits are as follows: Beneficial for Alzheimer’s Patients Studies since the 1900’s have shown that nicotine imitates a certain part of the brain called neurotransmitters and is known to affect an abundant number of this important part of the brain. Research has shown the effect of nicotine to increased brain function. We will write a custom essay sample on Health Benefits of Cigars or any similar topic only for you Order Now As Alzheimer’s is characterized by affected neurons in the basal forebrain linked with loss of nicotinic receptors, it was found out that nicotine have important effects to this cells, increasing not only the regulation of flow of blood in the brain but also cognition.. Control effects of Tourette’s Syndrome Data from a recent study showed that nicotine can control the effects of Tourette’s syndrome; these effects are characterized by physical tics and uncontrollable vocalizations which are often filled with obscenities. A series of case studies showed long-term control of tics, vocalizations and other symptoms by the effect of nicotine, the active ingredient in cigars. Stabilize patients with Schizophrenia New data indicating that nicotine can regulate some of the psychophysiological symptoms seen in patients with schizophrenia have been uncovered in recent studies in patients who are suffering from schizophrenia. This disease is very hard to understand and to treat, that is why understanding the effect of nicotine this illness is crucial. Good Memory and Cognition The effect of smoking cigars not only encompasses persons suffering from diseases of the neurons in the brain but also the normal and healthy person. Clinical studies have shown that effect of nicotine to non-smoking persons produces significant improvements in long-term recall and attention span. Analgesic Research has shown that the active ingredient in cigars, which is nicotine, has an effect that relaxes muscles. Its effect on the peripheral nervous systems is very much alike to analgesics so cigars, in case of emergencies can be used as pain relievers. Control Intestinal Parasites and Worms Cigars can be used to control some intestinal parasites and worms, ingesting small amount of cigar, the equivalent of 1-1. 5 of cigarette, can be used to kill this parasites. After 24 hours of ingesting the cigar, passing of the parasites can be noticed due to toxic effect of nicotine to the parasites. Stress Relief Most cigar smokers will tell you that cigars help them relax and ease the tension and stress after a hard day’s work. Stress is associated with many illnesses such as hypertension, migraines and others, and should not be taken lightly. The effect of cigars is very important to lower the stress levels of a person. Appetite and Diet It is known that small doses of cigar smoking stimulate appetite and large doses can depress hunger and thirst. By using one product, in this case cigars, people can have their desired effect on their appetite, either dieting or gaining some pounds. How to cite Health Benefits of Cigars, Essay examples

Blanchard Case Analysis free essay sample

Correct the EOQ and ROP quantities for each of the five items mentioned in the case. How do the corrected figures compare with the quantities calculated in 1969 and with production volumes scheduled for the June 1972 bottling run? The corrected numbers are much smaller than the scheduled amounts. If Blanchard did produce what they had originally planned, they would have a lot of unused inventory. What are the disadvantages of the formal EOQ/ROP system and the actual system used for scheduling bottling runs at Blanchard? Which system do you prefer? What improvements can be made? A disadvantage for the formal EOQ/ROP system is that the cost of a stock out may not be fully realized until an item is actually stocked out and they are unable to fill orders. Some safety stock should be held to prevent this from happening. To go along with this, there is also unused storage space, which lowers the actual cost of holding inventory. We will write a custom essay sample on Blanchard Case Analysis or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page There are also several disadvantages for the actual system Blanchard uses. While they may have plenty of safety stock, their surplus of inventory is unnecessary. They base their forecast off of the bottler’s guesses, rather than historical data. This can cause major problems (such as high holding costs), and will reduce the efficiency of the business. I prefer the EOQ/ROP system because it is based off an actual calculations, rather than intuition. It seems like it should have a more accurate forecast, and that would be better for businesses. I like to have facts and numbers in front of me, so I can see where the numbers are coming from. I am also more of a conservative person, so I understand how sometimes â€Å"less is more†. To improve Blanchard’s forecasting method, Hank can use historical data, experience employees, and multiple forecasting techniques to come up with the most accurate data. This way they will ensure that they have some safety stock on hand, but not too much. What should Hank Hatch recommend to his boss, Toby Tyler? Hank should recommend to his boss, Toby Tyler, that they should use the information available to them to forecast the data in the most efficient way. By using a cost efficient system, Toby Tyler can combine historical data and recommendations from his experienced workers to come up with an accurate forecast. I also think that Toby should update his historical demand forecasts on a monthly basis to ensure he is using the most recent and relevant data available. If he does this, he can create relevant forecast data that will assist in reducing costs and growing the business to its maximum potential.

A Guide to Every Freshman Year Youll Experience

Freshman year sucks. Well, not really - but whether you’re a freshman in high school, college, or life, the transition isn’t easy. It’s filled with new experiences and new rules that youll likely have never heard of before, so it’s hard to get used to. While people might warn you about the things you’re likely to face, you probably won’t find out what you can do to prepare for your new lifestyle that you’ll undoubtedly have. Here are just the three best ways that you can prepare for your high school, college, and post-college first years: High School: 1. Learning the keys to social life in high school is definitely one of the most awkward and frustrating times. The best thing you can do early on is find at least one friend in each class. It’ll make the transition a lot easier - not only will you have a friend to bond with, you’ll also have someone to study with, starting early. 2. One of the toughest things about high school is managing your time properly. Luckily, there are plenty of apps and programs to use on both your smartphone and computer. Notes organizers, reminders, to-do lists, and calendars are just a handful of utilities that you can take advantage of to help out. Getting on top of time management early in high school can set good habits for later on. 3. Don’t be afraid to talk to your teachers. They’re there to help you learn, so if you do have questions about anything, they’ll be there to support you. Plenty of students aren’t willing to ask for help, so it’s easy to fall into the pack and not reach out or raise questions in class. But it’s better to get out ahead of something you might not understand or material you’re having trouble with, especially before an assignment or exam. College:1. Try things out. Most universities have a plethora of clubs available to you across all different types of activities. Whether you’re interested in playing sports, watching TV, reading books, or anything academic, odds are, your school will have a club for it. It’s a great way to meet people and find new interests, and it’s also the perfect way to bolster your resume by pursuing personal interests. 2. Search and find the perfect place for you to study. It might seem like a dumb thing to start with, but there are plenty of students who go through the year, bouncing from study hall to library without ever getting comfortable. Something as simple as studying in the same place can actually help you improve your learning, so it’s worth taking the first few weeks of classes to find the best spot for you. 3. Get to know your campus resources, whether it’s meeting with your academic advisor or finding the best places to grab a bite to eat. The little things make a huge difference in college, especially considering you’re fully in charge of your own life for what’s probably the first time. Balancing your time between academics and social life when you have so much freedom isn’t an easy thing to do, but using all the resources that your college has to offer can certainly help. Post-College:1. Network. One of the most important aspects of your post-college life is building and expanding your network. Not only can it lead to job opportunities, it’s a good way to have contacts in various areas for any number of reasons. Beyond that, having an expansive network is a good way to reach out for help - if you’re having an issue with a project that you’re working on, contact someone who has done something similar for an explanation or a new perspective. 2. Get on LinkedIn right now. No seriously - these days, not having a LinkedIn profile is going to hurt you a lot more than you think. Employers and connections always expect to find a profile for every realistic candidate, so creating one is extremely important. It’s the perfect way to showcase your experience, leadership, and any extra important honors or certificates you’ve earned. Plus, it’s the best way to quickly and easily grow your network, and it’s an even easier way to interact with people you’re looking to reach out to. 3. Your resume is a living, breathing thing, but most people forget that. If you have experience that’s a good fit for one job opportunity but not for another, don’t be afraid to swap it out for something else. Change terms, edit bullet points, or remove an entire past job if you think it’ll help. It’s not permanent, so update it on a consistent basis.

Religion Role in Douglass Narrative Story

Religion Role in Douglass Narrative Story Frederick Douglass was a slave in America where there were a lot of inequalities between the slaveholders and the slaves. Slaves were mistreated in terms of being whipped, not given enough to eat, poor resting conditions as their bed was just the floor; generally slaves hardly received the basic needs from their masters.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Role in Douglass Narrative Story specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Both parties happened to believe and claim to practice the same religion- Christianity. One fails to understand why the inequalities and yet they both practiced the same faith. Religion therefore as presented in Douglass narrative story serves two roles; basically the symbolic functions and the narrative functions. This discussion therefore is inclusive of role played by religion in depth as the Christianity of the white south contrast to that of the black slave. To start with, religion has been used to justify the suffering of the black slaves. The religious slaveholders oppressed the slaves as they argued that God admitted for the slave existence when He cursed Ham. This is found in the Christian teachings as they used the bible as their guide. According to the scripture in the book of Genesis chapter 9 verses 24, Ham was cursed by the father Noah after he had seen the nakedness of his father and failed to cover him but instead told it to his brothers. Ham was then cursed into the bondage of slavery thus the whites believed that they were right in the practice of slavery (Douglass 11). According to the Christian teachings, God gave the masters power to discipline their servants if they failed to do as they were commanded. This is well illustrated when a crippled woman received a severe whip when she failed to do as she was commanded by her master. In these two instances and many others, the teachings from the bible were used to the exercise of more cruel acts. Douglass h owever does not blame the religiosity which is on the Christian teachings in the slavery acts which they faced, but he instead gives thanks to God with the full knowledge that the religion where he practiced Christianity was based on good morals (Douglass 32). Douglass and other slaves practice of Christianity contrasts with the Christianity that is practiced by the slaveholders. The Christianity practiced by the black slaves is represented as the Christianity that is inexistence of purity, complete in peace in it, and also it serves as the full representation of the nature of Christ Himself and thus carrying out the activities in unity. Unity was present when Douglass held on the good spirit of letting his fellow slaves learn how to read and even offering his time to teach them.Advertising Looking for essay on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Slaves’ Christianity does not support any corru pt deals, oppression through the act of slave holding or cruelty but instead, slaves continually believe and pray to God for their redemption. It is also against women whipping and any other form of whipping as they present a pure Christianity. Christianity is therefore a saving grace to slaves (Douglass 18). On the other hand, Christianity represented by the slaveholders who were the whites from the south, is a hypocritical kind of Christianity. They offer prayers to God, hold Christians activities like preaching and keeping the Sabbath. They at the same time honor the Christmas period where Christians cerebrates the birth of their Lord Jesus Christ and the New Year as a sigh of appreciating God for His mercies to have them see the New Year. One would automatically think that out of these Christian practices, they would at least show some good spirit in their deeds but instead they continue to oppress slaves. They even fail to give them enough food where they themselves have plenty to eat. According to Christian teachings, every person should actually love his or her neighbor and treat her of him in the best way possible. This is however not the case with the whites south. The white slave holders have all through misused the Christianity institution as they take it for their advantages in gaining their selfish gains. One fails to understand why they do misrepresent Christianity. For instance, they used to give the slaves holidays during the Christmas and the New Year period. One might assume that they did it out of good spirit so that slaves could have at least some time to rest. In fact this is however not right as the slave holders in their canning ways, planned on how slaves could get more drunk during this period where Christianity do not advocate drunkenness. They did this through betting with the slaves so as they could compete on who was able to drink a lot of whisky and still remain in soberness for a longer period. All what they enjoyed in, was to se e slaves misuse what they had saved. Douglass has spent much of his writing illustrating much on the main religion which is Christianity. He does this to show how much slavery and Christianity at any time can not be said to be compatible. Christianity cannot be inexistence wherever slavery is present as slavery is an act that promotes inequalities in the human being treatment and lack of humanity. Religiosity portrayed in Christianity advocate for love and thus wherever slavery is practiced, this virtue is absent. The fact is Christianity religion is highly affected by the presence of slavery.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Religion Role in Douglass Narrative Story specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There is therefore a direct opposite kinds of life as what is illustrated in the Douglass writing that are lived by the both parties: slaves and their masters in terms of social life and the practical part of it, thus bri nging out some differences in their spiritual lives. He therefore uses the juxtaposition of Christianity in the emphasis that there can still be a true Christianity rather than the representation of the hypocritical one (Douglass 18). In conclusion, it is clearly evidenced that religion which is presented in the form of Christianity plays a very significant role in the entire Douglass story. It is illustrated as a means of serving individual’s need, monetary aspects, and political values just for a group portion and not to the liberty of all. All these facts do not demoralize Douglass and his colleagues who were slaves in the belief concerning Christianity. In fact, they considered searching the will and the knowledge of God through reading instead of performing other acts like drinking of whisky which would on the other hand displease God. They wanted just to be different rather than the act of calling themselves Christians and yet they do against God’s will. Christia nity religion is therefore presented by the slaveholders as their reverence when defending their cruel acts where as to the slaves; it is the only source of consolation especially unto their souls. In difficult times, they believed God for His mercies and deliverance. Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. New York: Prestwick House Inc, 2005.

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

Taxation - Essay Example 50,760.34 Salary - Tax - NIC Tax brackets Income 10% (starting rate for savings only) 0 - ?2,560 20% for basic rate 0 - ?35,000 40% for higher rate ?35,001 - ?150,000 50% for additional rate Over ?150,000 (HM revenue and Customs 480 (2011) The liability of income tax payable from the above computation is ?25,718.3. A deduction of personal allowance of 7,475 is made in the year 2011/2012 (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Treasury Committee, 2011,103). This figure was increased by ?1000 (Budget, 2011, pp.1).The National insurance Contributions (NICs) are calculated under the annual brackets for directors. This is payable by the employer – Jumbo Company under the PAYE system on the payroll. The NICs is ?6,027.7. This is computed under the annual rate of the Upper Earnings Limit (UEL) of 12% of ?42484 minus ?7228 =Â  ?35256 and an addition of 2% of the amount exceeding this figure. The company is liable to pay this amount of ?6,027.7 to the tax authorities. Question 2 Value of taxable benefits in kind Car (see appendix) (10% * ?33,464.19) ?3,464.19 Fuel for car ?20,000 Accommodation (higher of 75,000 at the rate of 4.75%) (3,000,000- 75,000) * 4.75% (Malcolm, 2010, 435) ?138,937.5 House benefit ?15,000 Private health ?3,000 Use of furniture ?35,000 ?215,401.69 NICs Class 1A on benefits (13.8% * ?215,401.69) ?29, 725.4 Section 114, 149, 174 of HM revenue and customs in the United Kingdom explains that benefits in kind including cars for private use, incentives etc. given to directors are taxed at special rates. Although they do not qualify as individual employee’s salary, they are levied for tax purposes. They are levied for income tax at normal tax brackets rates and the deduction for NICs Class 1A is calculated at a higher rate of 13.8 % of the total value of benefits. Section 201(2) of HMRC gives a list of the benefits that are liable for tax purposes. House benefit is taken as the figure of rateable rent payable of that house or the an nual amount given. A car bought by the company is deemed as benefit for the employer when it is used for part or full time use by the director. In our case, the car is for fulltime use. The Co2 emission is 119g/km hence it is liable for a benefit of 10% of its cost according to HMRC tax regulations i.e. it lies under the category of less than 12og/km Co2 emissions. Fuel benefit is taken for the portion used for private purposes. An assumption is made at a figure of ?20,000 fuel usage. The whole amount is a benefit in kind liable for tax computation purposes. If the employer purchases the director’s house, the only allowable amount not liable for tax is a purchase price below ?75,000. The provision of accommodation benefit is taken at a rate of 4.75% of the figure above ?75,000. The cost of this house is ?3,000,000. The only amount liable is ?2,925,000 as an extra charge for accommodation. The total benefit is therefore ?138, 937.5. Use of furniture is gift or an extra benefit from the employer. The whole amount is liable for tax computation under section 201 (2) HMRC. This is an extra expense borne by the employer – Jumbo Company for the director. Contribution by the employer to private medical schemes for the director is a benefit in kind liable for taxation. It is taken as the whole amount paid to the scheme for the director. (House of Commons – Spending Review Committee, 2010, pp. 1) Income tax payable by Mr. Jedward for year 2011/2012 Salary ?89, 011 Total benefits in kind ?215,401.69 Income ?304,412.69

Critical analysis of Easter lilies, The Oxen and The Darkling Thrush Assignment

Critical analysis of Easter lilies, The Oxen and The Darkling Thrush - Assignment Example Jane Gardam’s Short story Easter lilies is one of her best short stories in her collection, The Pangs of Love. In this short story, a strange old lady known as Mrs. White decides to have flowers sent over to their church by buying them from Malta. Mrs. White had stayed in Malta for a certain period of time. The old lady decides to abandon custom regulations and using her common sense, she has some of the flowers sent over from Malta. A rich courier drops pearls in a flower bouquet and the old lady is fortunate to pick them. She tries the pearls. Mrs. White shows the human nature by trying to save the little money belonging to the church. She orders flowers from Malta which is cheaper. When the flowers get to their church, she starts to arrange them but falls at the alter and dies. Fortunately, Mrs. White had left all her estate to the church. Her death saves the cash strapped church. Easter lilies is a story of love and sacrifice. The story makes the reader to have a sense of deep sacrifice. The story is full of religious symbols. In its effective nature of communication the message, Gardam employs the use of narrative and recurrent religious symbolism. The language used is narrative in nature making the story to be easily told. Another important style employed by the author is the use of religious symbolism. The death of Mrs. White at the alter during the Easter period is greatly symbolic to Jesus death during the Easter period.... Mrs. White sacrifices her everything for the church just the same way like Jesus Christ did for humanity. Thomas Hardy’s poem, The Oxen is set in a childhood scenario during the Christmas holidays. The notion that cows knelt during every Christmas as postulated in the myth of the birth of Christ forms the basis by which Hardy sets his poem. Reading the poem captures the hope that children have during the Christmas period. The faith of the children is clearly portrayed by the poet when he states, â€Å"occur to one of us there / To doubt they were kneeling then† (The Oxen 7-8). This means that at that early age, the children’s faith in the miraculous kneeling of the oxen was undoubted. However, perhaps, with age, the voice in the poem has lost his faith in waiting and envisioning that Oxen kneel during the Christmas period. There is a sense of loss and exclusion in the poem. Hardy employs various literary styles in the poem, â€Å"The Oxen†. The most import ant style employed by hardy in â€Å"The Oxen† is symbolic imagery and use of direct speech. Symbolic imagery is found in the poem when hardy talks about the myth of the kneeling oxen. The belief in Kneeling oxen’s during Christmas and the deep belief in the myth is symbolic to the innocence that can be found in children. Direct speech is clear in the oxen where the poet quotes directly from other characters in the poem. For example, "Now they are all on their knees," is quoted to show the speech by the elderly. This helps to break the monotony in the poem. Direct speech also shows the authority of other characters in the poem by quoting directly. The darkling thrush is another of Thomas Hardy’s masterpiece. In the Darkling Thrush, the voice in the poem captures a person who wanders

Soil and Microbes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Soil and Microbes - Essay Example Soil and Microbes Due care should be taken while handling the soil samples collected from different locations. Preliminary examination of the soil samples can be carried out by wetting the soil sample with water and squeezing them between the fingers to ascertain the type of soil, if the soil is sandy it falls apart, silty soil gives a flour type feeling and if the soil has clay then it holds together. Soil samples may contain microorganisms such as Bacteria, Fungi, Algae, Actinomycetes and Viruses. All the microorganisms may either exist singly or in colonies. There are various techniques to detect form, pattern and arrangement of microorganisms in soil such as Microscopic methods and Microscopic methods plus culturing. Microscopic methods involve examination of soil samples under a light microscope by using simple stains such as phenol aniline blue and fluorescent stains such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), acridine orange, rhodamine (fluoresces red), europium chelate (europium (iii) thenoyltrifluoroacetonate), DAPI (4'-6'-diamidino-2-phenyl-indole), ethidium bromide and Hoechst 33258 (bisbenzimide). While the first method can be adopted with any bright field white light microscope assuming that light can be transmitted through the object under examination but in the second method, the stain emits light at a visible wavelength on illumination with ultraviolet light. In microscopic methods plus culturing the soil samples are impregnated with agar or polyacrylate resins and sectioned into thin plates and examined by direct microscopy. One more method called the fluorescent antibody technique is the only technique that can locate and identify microorganisms simultaneously in intact soil samples or sections. In this technique the antibodies to microbial cells are generated by injecting the cells under study into a suitable animal (guinea pigs or rabbits) which produce antibodies to the microbial cells that can be isolated from the serum samples of the animals. The antibodies are proteins that can be reacted with FITC to produce FITC-antibody conjugates which will adhere only to the correct microbial cells if applied to a soil sample. Once the excess FITC-antibody conjugate is washed and removed, only those microbial cells will fluoresce, can be located and identified by epifluorescence microscopy. A recent method uses monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies. Certain other methods like Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays (ELISA assays) and the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) methods can also used to detect the microbes i n soils (Source - United Nations Water Virtual Learning Centre). Isolating bacteria and viruses or virus like particles (VLP) from the soil samples is being investigated through two techniques i.e., Epifluorescence Microscopy [EFM] and Transmission Electron Microscopy [TEM] using two elution buffers (1% potassium citrate and 10Mm Sodium pyrophosphate) (Sampling Natural Viral Communities from Soil for Culture-Independent Analyses by Kurt E. Williamson, K. Eric Wommack and Mark Radosevich). Every possible care should be taken to avoid the microorganisms (Bacteria, Fungi, Algae, Actinomycetes and Viruses) to come into physical contact with the human body or enter into

Progress learners have made and identify learning needs

Progress learners have made and identify learning needs In this reflective assignment I have chosen to explore standard Q28: Support learners to reflect on their learning, identify ; focusing specifically on the integration of metacognitive strategies into a sequence of lessons. These strategies included making peer and self-evaluation an established part of every lesson. Making pupils aware of what they have learnt, mirroring pupils responses, and modelling exemplary metacognitive thought processes by thinking out loud. The essence of metacognition is thinking about thinking; having an awareness of what you already know and what you do not know, knowing how to learn and acquire new knowledge, knowing which strategies to use and when to use them (Wilson Bai, 2010). Metacognitive skills can be taught to pupils of any age and ability, and research has shown that pupils with metacognitive skills perform better in school (Sternberg, 1998). The reason I am interested in cultivating metacognition is because it improves pupils critical thinking skills (Ku Ho, 2010). In order to teach metacognitive skills the teacher must first create a learning environment in which pupils are expected to participate in reflective and evaluative activities (Leat Lin, 2007). The metacognitive strategies were trialled with a class of thirty top-set Year 8 girls over a period of two weeks (six lessons); coinciding with the start of a new science topic: Chemical Reactions and Materials. At the start of the first lesson pupils were given a self-evaluation checklist for all of the concepts they were going to be taught during the following sequence of lessons. They were then given the opportunity to write down any prior knowledge of these concepts, and to tick off any they felt confident with already. Pupils were instructed to place the checklist at the front of their files for use later on in the lesson and during the rest of the unit. A three-stage self-evaluation framework was devised in order to promote pupils metacognition at well-defined point within each lesson. At the start of each lesson all pupils were expected to record the learning objectives (as communicated by the teacher) in the appropriate space on the checklist. Approximately two-thirds of the way through the lesson, pupils were told to consider whether or not they were meeting the learning objectives. Pupils used a traffic light system of red, orange and green coloured pages within their planners to communicate their responses to the teacher. Pupils not meeting learning objectives were asked to write down what actions they would have to take in order to meet them At the end each lesson pupils were given time to identify what they had learnt and how they would address areas of weakness. When planning fifty minute lessons, thirty percent of the total lesson time had to be allocated to the three five-minute self-evaluation stages. In hindsight, it may have been a more efficient use of time to either self-evaluate every other lesson, or to assign self-evaluation as part of the class regular homework. Starting and ending lessons with a metacognitive task is commensurate with the three-part lesson structure of starter, main and plenary that seems to be in vogue. Placing a metacognitive task in the midst of a lesson may appear to disrupt the natural flow, but the anticipated change to an habitual task could serve as an opportunity for some pupils to refocus their attention and make better use of the remaining lesson time than they otherwise may have done. During the first lesson in the sequence the introduction and explanation of the self-evaluation system required a significant portion of the lesson time. I dont think there would have been any way around this. I had anticipated that during each of the subsequent lessons pupils would become more accustomed to the system and would therefore need less guidance. However, some pupils had been absent from the initial lesson in which the system was introduced and required additional teacher time to bring them up to speed. I dont think that this would be an issue if the system had been implemented over a significantly longer time scale, as pupils would inevitably become familiar with the format of checklist and how and when to fill it in independently. In addition, various pupils would either lose or forget to bring their checklists to lessons, hence requiring replacement checklists and losing information which they should have accumulated. For these pupils it is clear that they would not be in a position to reap the full benefits of completing the self-evaluations when the time came to prepare for their end of unit test. I think that all of the pupils had a degree of appreciation for the potential benefits of this system, but some more so than others. During the Year 8 consultation evening several parents provided positive comments after having noticed the checklists in the childs file. The general feeling was that the parents approved of pupils thinking critically about their own learning. At the end of the sequence of lessons, pupils who had been regularly completing the self-evaluation checklist were able to easily identify gaps in their learning. These gaps could then be addressed during revision the time allocated to prepare for the end of unit test. I think that if I had been teaching practical lessons, and in this unit there werent any, I would have found it much more difficult to allocate a time slot for self-evaluation during the lesson. This three-part framework is clearly an explicit means of artificially imposing a metacognitive activity upon the pupils. However, it is a usual part of my every day teaching style to think out loud, and to encourage pupils to do the same when answering problems. This is an established technique for enhancing pupils metacognitive abilities, which I find comes quite naturally. By thinking out loud the teacher is modelling the sort of processes, lines of reasoning, and questions which they are pursuing and asking themselves in order to reach the solution to a problem. By mimicking an exemplar under the guidance and elicitation of the teacher, pupils can assimilate this skill and apply it independently. I think that pupils often do not know how to tackle a problem for which they down know the answer immediately off hand. Some will just sit there and wait for the teacher to come over to them and intervene. Others would unthinkingly throw their hand into the air and expect to be told the answer straight away. It is often frustrating when I discover that a pupil hasnt even attempted to form an approach to finding an answer. Without explicit training most wont automatically know the sorts of questions they need to be asking of themselves, and are far too easily waylaid or disheartened by perceived unfamiliarity when a known problem is placed in an alternative context. I was not been able to gauge or quantify pupils metacognitive skill and I think this could be the basis of an interesting research enquiry, however, I did notice that pupils were generally more persistent after the sequence of lessons. Particular pupils who previously would have given up straight away were at least attempt ing to engage problems more before asking for assistance. I think that metacognitive ability is intrinsically linked with pupils motivation and self-efficacy. In my experience, pupils who are not sure how to approach a problem can attribute this inability to their own incompetence, which will invariably initiate a cycle of negative feedback with their self-esteem. Working with such pupils on an individual basis I was able to give them the confidence and necessary individualised scaffolding to attempt unfamiliar problems. I often began by asking them to think out loud so that I could see exactly how they were approaching a particular problem. I would then ask them if they could think of an alternative way to approach the same problem, or to ask one of their friends how they would approach the same problem. This has been an approach which I have always taken, but during this series of lesson I have placed a lot more emphasis on pupils sharing their thought processes with each other e.g. via a think, pair, share style activity. As a consequence of having taught a series of lessons with a strong emphasis on simple metacognitive strategies, I am motivated to continue using these strategies and to seek out new ones which complement or supersede them.

Applying Stanislavski’s Principles to a Role in Volpone Essay -- Konst

Applying Stanislavski’s Principles to a Role in Volpone As founder of the first acting system, co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre, and an eminent practitioner of the naturalist school of thought, Konstantin Stanislavski challenged traditional notions of the dramatic process, establishing himself as one of the most pioneering thinkers of his time in modern theatre. His process of character development, the Stanislavski Method, was the catalyst for method acting- one of the most influential acting systems on the modern stage and screen. Such renowned schools of acting and directing as the Group Theatre and The Actors Studio are a legacy of Stanislavski's pioneering vision. Stanislavski developed this unique system of training to change the way that people saw their characters. The actors would research the situation created by the script, break down the text according to their character's motivations and recall their own experiences, therefore causing actions and reactions according to these motivations. The actor would ideally make his motivations for acting identical to those of the character in the script. He could then replay these emotions and experiences in the role of the character in order to achieve a more genuine performance. This was Stanislavski’s main aim to create a more genuine performance. ACTION â€Å"In every physical action, unless it is purely mechanical, there is concealed some inner action, some feelings. This is how the two levels of life in a part (dramatic role) are created, the inner and the outer. They are intertwined. A common purpose brings them together and reinforces the unbreakable bond.† - ‘Creating a role’ In Volpone, it would be most likely to happen in the market place. The busy market place would be played by a group of people that would need to show a complicity of lives that intermingle with other characters just as if they were a real community. This would be hard to show, as they are not a real community. Good methods of getting these groups of characters to resemble villagers would be to give them little scenarios to act out in which all the characters intermingle and have lines to say to each other. This would help them realise each other’s inner character and feeling and therefore are then able to react in the way their character would to that situation. Then use what they ... ...must find out all he can about the character and the situation. This helps to create an overall realistic reaction to that particular situation. To be able to use ‘Magic if’ the actor must know a lot about his character and his or her personality. Stanislavski teaches the actor to become the character by asking questions that are answered by action based on emotional response. For example, the actor that plays Volpone in the rape scene must ask before he plays the scene, ‘What if I am Volpone and I am just about to rape Celia and Benario jumps out from the cupboard? What will I do?’ Another good question from Celia’s point of view: "What if I'm Celia and I am being raped by an old dirty man and I have no one to help me would I give in or stand my ground? "Magic if" questions contain motivation and awareness of "the now." The questions are cast in the first person, in the present tense, and therefore they pull you into the character's major concerns. Very importantly, the questions suggest not one but two attitudes: The character toward her or him, and toward other characters. These types of questions help the actor figure out the action to take in response.