Essay on U.S. and Chinese Education - 4371 Words

U.S. and Chinese Education Causation For Choosing This Topic I must confess I believed, until I two months ago, the Chinese education system is a totally mistake. I do not like it and as far as I know, a lot of Chinese students hold the same idea like me. I asked several Chinese graduate students who are now studying in US if they are satisfied with their elementary and middle school year’s study, or say, do they think those studies benefit their future life. Their answers are all negative. I am sure that is just what the most Chinese people are thinking now days. I am not surprised by this result because I was belonging to them. However I know now that the Chinese education system does have some good aspects after I read†¦show more content†¦I thought that the student’s conceptual development was a crucial issue in education area, now I changed: the teacher education is the area that I’d like to work on. Based on those thoughts, my own interest in culture and its effects on teacher’s teaching, on students understanding has been a growing one. I feel that I have always been intuitively aware of the many different cultural groups and environments that existed around me. I have also understood the need to use the language and the understanding of the group in order to live within it or along side it. I decided that I would be a better teacher if I knew how to deal with the cross-cultural issues involved in teaching and learning. I was aware that my teaching experience was limited and decided that I would need to study more and do some research which would help me to understand about culture. In the following part, I will focus on the middle school level which is comparable to grade 7-12, science education which include mathematics, physics, chemistry etc. Brief Introduction of Chinese Education System Let me give a little introduction about the Chinese education system before any further discuss. â€Å"Awake at six, morning exercises in the backyard, start school at 7:30, two hours for lunch, lessons until 4.30, followedShow MoreRelatedU.s. American And Chinese Education Practices2852 Words   |  12 Pagesculture is to have a relationship between yourself and others. Now this concept explains how Chinese and U.S. America culture shapes their value, which impact those children’s education. The life of a Chinese and U.S. American have a really different perspective from each other, this is what will cover in this paper, the most important focus ideas are the comparison of U.S. American and Chinese’s education practices, values, teaching methods, patents impacts, technology, and intercultural communicationRead MoreCultural And Social Capital Theory999 Words   |  4 Pagesaffecting the academic success of Chinese studen ts in Los Angeles Community College. The results of the study indicated that the aspirations of obtaining a higher level academic degree and then transferring to a four-year college or university were considered as the best predictors of academic success for Chinese international students. Whereas, English proficiency was considered to be a weak factor and social interaction factors were not too much related to Chinese international students’ academicRead MorePerception of the Chinese People1333 Words   |  5 PagesI Choose China because I am part Chinese and wanted to understand their culture a lot better. I believe if I learn more about the Chinese culture I will be able to understand their communication and tendencies better. Also to be honest I am just as guilty as anyone in not knowing the differences between Japanese and Chinese culture, so on a side note I also hope to clear up a few misunderstandings. At the very least you will know some information about the Chines e culture solving part of the problemRead MoreAmerican Education Vs. Chinese Education Essay1426 Words   |  6 PagesAmerican Education vs. Chinese Education Each country has its own kind of education, and education always plays an important role in affecting students’ life and study on many aspects. Having received ten years of education in China and two years of education in the U.S. I would like to compare and contrast a few significant aspects of these two different kinds of educations. Knowing that no two education systems are the same, the differences between American education and Chinese education allow countriesRead MoreAsian American And Asian Americans964 Words   |  4 Pagesadopted the principles of a quality education and strong work ethic as part of being of Asian descent in a primarily white Anglo-American population. Culturally, many Asians have adopted American ways of life, but the legacy of a Chinese work ethic and educational background are a major part of how they perceive success in then U.S. In many ways, the theoretical concept of the â€Å"model minority stereotype† had developed as a way to defin e the overt focus on education and high levels of work ethic performanceRead MoreBuilding Blocks Of Education : Rabindranath Tagore By Rabindranath Tagore1596 Words   |  7 PagesEducation is one of building blocks of human civilization; its importance is self-evident. People are still exploring the importance of education and the best way of learning today. For example, one individual strongly supports the building blocks of education: Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore was considered to be one of India’s most important figures. In his article, â€Å"To People†, he illustrates his perception of education: a school should work with the natural curiosity of a child’s mind to stimulateRead MoreAgents Issue Falsified Documents Abroad: A Report992 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Agents Issue Falsified Documents Abroad Falsified documents are becoming more prevalent as a means for Chinese students to attend school abroad. Many Chinese agencies are creating forged transcripts and fake essays for a Chinese student base desiring to attend foreign universities. In 2011, approximately 340,000 Chinese citizens attended foreign schools, per the Ministry of Education. Seemingly, in mostly urban areas, many consulting agencies have profited greatly by receiving service fees forRead MoreWells Fargo A National Survey Of Financial Attitude And Behaviors1025 Words   |  5 PagesWells Fargo conducted a national survey of financial attitude and behaviors in 2013 and found that over one third of Chinese-Americans (37%) reported a $100,000 annual earning, compared to only 23% of all adults in the U.S. (Wells Fargo, 2013). Oh and Min (2011) employed the 5 percent 2000 Public Use Microdata Sample from the U.S. Census to compare the earning patterns among Chinese, Filipino, and Korean Americans in New York. The sample consisted of male workers between 25 and 64 years old. The reasonRead MoreCulture Differences Between The United States And China1057 Words   |  5 PagesUnited State. I’m already used to the U.S. culture and the U.S. living style. So in general, I didn’t experience any culture shock after I got here. If I had any culture shock, it’s probably three years ago. I couldn’t remember any of them. However I do have some thoughts about the differences between the U.S. and China after four years of studying in the United States. From what I have seen, â€Å"the world is becoming smaller†(Diana 2001) differences between the U.S. and China are becoming less becauseRead MoreThe Education System Of Education Essay1383 Words   |  6 Pages Education is one of the most important values in the progress of our society. It provides knowledge and enriches everything that characterizes us as human beings. Countries around the world like China and United States differs in the way of their educations system works. Although they beak some superficial similarities, the high school education of students of these countries have pronounced differences because of their economic situation, cultural values and family expectation. The economy

Persuasive Essay On Racism - 1654 Words

â€Å"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.† This was part of the famous â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech by Martin Luther King Jr. said on August 28, 1963. Almost 54 years later this dream has still not been accomplished. People get judged on their skin color and many other things all the time and it isn’t right. Not everybody of the same race, or religion, or sexual orientation are all the same. Racism is a horrible, horrible thing that many people in America experience. Racism and slavery go back many, many years ago. All the way back starting in the 17th century. Since then we have had the Trail of Tears during†¦show more content†¦Increased mental health problems were shown to be significantly higher among racial minorities who’d experienced repeated incidents of racial discrimination, when compared to ethnic minorit ies who did not report any experience of racism. Now back in the Reconstruction Era, after the Civil War, a black person could look at a white person the wrong way and be killed for it. This government and police brutality still affects us today. A study by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that over the past 50 years, the risk of a young black man in the United States dying due to law enforcement action ranged from at least 3 to 10 times higher that a risk for a young white man. Also around a third of America’s population is comprised of people of color, yet they account for nearly two-thirds of the prison population. 1 in 3 black men will go to prison at some point in their lives. Noam Chomsky once said â€Å"The police can go to downtown Harlem and pick up a colored kid with a joint in the street. But they can’t go into the elegant apartments and get a white stockbroker who’s sniffing cocaine.† Not only do we have to worry about police brutality but also hate crimes. Nearly half of all hate crimes in America have to do with race. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, 47% of hate crimes are racially motivated. Second place, a tie between religion and sexual orientation, doesn’t even come close, accounting for 19% of hate crimes. There are hateShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Essay On Racism1138 Words   |  5 Pages It was during the first week of INT that I started to feel more in depth with the racism and its different terms. We talked in detail on intent, reverse racism, and white supremacy after watching few videos for each matter. It turned out that there are deeper meaning and context to these terms than the mere definition. A number of cases regarding intent have suggested that it’s solely up to someone’s motives if they are being racist or not. For instance, we talked in class about this one teacherRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1271 Words   |  6 Pagesthe options to chose our race. Yet we are still being ridiculed from what we are born with. Racism is one of many elements that in the United States of America affects our society. However, there is a hidden problem that promotes racism. It is the fact that a lot of people try to make themselves believe that racism doesn t exist. But unfortunately, it still does. Everyone knows about the problem of racism but don t realize that they are supporting the problem by discriminating against other peopleRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism701 Words   |  3 PagesRacism Racism is an issue in America that has been growing, Martin Luther King was a famous black citizen for his bravery of black people as equals. We can respond to and eradicate racism only through a peaceful stand for the love for humanity. The call of Pope Francis to take â€Å" a clear stand for creative and active nonviolence and against all forms of violence† echoes the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream of a nation without racism. Inspired by Dr. King’s concept of a creative and constructiveRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism882 Words   |  4 Pagesword to me, eventually I have come to understand her intentions during that week. Little did I know that this would not be the last time I would endure a situation like this. ‘Subtle Racism’ in America is common in society. It can come from all sides, and can have as deep an effect as blatant racism. Subtle racism to me is shown from someone who may not consider themselves to be racist, and may see themselves as a supporter of all ethnicities, but expresses certain behaviors and phrases that canRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1018 Words   |  5 Pagesit s working at 7/11, always smelling like curry, or mocking us with our thick accents. Stereotypes have always been around, they have been used to make some funny jokes, but others have used it personally and criticize people with it. That is why racism is a big problem in this world with people using stereotypes to verbally attack people, thinking those things are true for every race and not getting to know people before judging them. My friends always turn to these jokes when they want to makeRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1317 Words   |  6 Pages Is America Racist? As a privileged white female in the United States, I don’t personally deal with any racism. But millions of Americans are impacted by racism on a daily basis. They are exposed to ignorant slurs and racial violence constantly. Some people say that not everyone is America is racist. That America as a whole is accepting and welcoming. If so, why did we elect a president whose immigration policies will limit entry of millions of non-white people into our country? How is itRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1926 Words   |  8 Pagesdifferent culture or has different skin color? Racism is the major issues today and it still exists in our schools, works, and society. Racism at the workplace is responsible for continuous mood changes, aggressive behavior, and have a bad feeling in the minds of the affected persons. This turn bad for the employer and the society. Everyone has right to do something so why do people become races. Today it was better than years ago but still, racism exists in the United States and other countriesRead MorePersuasive Essay Racism1958 Words   |  8 Pagesloose. We learned about racism in the past, but in 2013, but we never thought we would experience it. Racism is discrimination or discrimination against another race , from one that believes that their race is superior. One of the biggest debates in America is whether or not racism exist. Racism is still present in America because America has an unlawful justice system for minorities, President Trump is causing racial tensions, and the media is racially bias. There is still racism present in AmericaRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1752 Words   |  8 PagesRacism is contagious to this society. It has been a growing concern in the United States for many decades now, however, no major improvements are made by any political officials in reducing it. Many individuals of color are treated unfairly just because they are of pigment. Not too long ago, many individuals in the African American communities sparked out in outrage when individuals such as Michael Brown and much more were racially profiled by were brutally attacked by the law enforcers. Racism doesRead MorePersuasive Essay On Racism1839 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout America, racism is a very prominent topic that affects thousands of American’s. Although racism has been fought for many of years in America, Americans find themselves still talking about the social divide. The subject of racism is all over the news and has even made it’s way to America’s game, fo otball. The kneeling during the national anthem has been a very big controversy that many American’s are furious about. However, for black Americans, it is an outcry that should be heard. Many

Us Gaap and Ifrs Difference in Income Statement Free Essays

Income Statement Income statements present an ordered list, grouped by broad categories of revenues and expenses. The income statement begins with revenues followed by a list of expenses. U. We will write a custom essay sample on Us Gaap and Ifrs Difference in Income Statement or any similar topic only for you Order Now S. GAAP and IFRS requirements for the presentation of income statements are similar, with some important differences. *Other than separating revenues from expenses, U. S. GAAP provides little guidance about which items the firm must separately display or their order. IFRS requires, at a minimum, the separate display of revenues, financing costs (for example, interest expense), income tax expense, profit or loss for the period, and certain other items. *Both U. S. GAAP and IFRS require the separate display of items whose size, nature, or frequency of occurrence make such separate display necessary for accurately portraying performance. *Both U. S. GAAP and IFRS require separate display of items related to discontinued operations, a topic discussed in Chapter 14. *IFRS requires separate display of the portion of profit or loss attributable to the minor- ity (noncontrolling) interest and the portion attributable to the parent entity, a topic dis- cussed in more detail in Chapter 13. U. S. GAAP contains a similar requirement starting in 2009 for most firms. IFRS permits firms to present expenses by either nature or function; although U. S. GAAP is silent on this issue, guidance from the Securities and Exchange Commission requires registrants to classify expenses by function. 4 REVENUE RECOGNITION Revenue recognition refers to the timing and measurement of revenues. Management applies the revenue recognition criteria of authoritative guidance to decide whether a given transac- tion meets the criteria and so results in recording revenues (and the related expenses). Reve- nue recognition is among the most complex issues in financial reporting. As of the writing of this textbook, U. S. GAAP contains over 200 pieces of authoritative guidance for recognizing revenues. The quantity and complexity of this guidance result from several factors. First, mis- reporting of revenues (either reporting revenues before the firm earns them or reporting non- existent revenues) is the most common form of discovered accounting fraud. 9 Second, firms often bundle products and services and sell them in multiple-element arrangements, and each element of the arrangement has the potential to result in revenue recognition. An example of a multiple-element arrangement is the sale of a machine with an extended five-year war- ranty, installation services, training for employees to learn how to operate the machine, and software upgrades as they become available. This bundled arrangement can contain five or more elements, delivered at different times, but with a single sales price. The selling firm faces difficult recognition and measurement issues in deciding (1 ) whether a given element of the arrangement has separable revenues, and (2) when, and in what amounts, to recognize rev- enues for the separate elements of the arrangement. CRITERIA FOR REVENUE RECOGNITION As a general principle, under the accrual basis of accounting, the firm recognizes revenue when the transaction meets both of the following conditions: 1 . Completion of the earnings process. The seller has done all (or nearly all) that it has prom- ised to do for the customer. That is, the seller has delivered all (or nearly all) of the goods and services it has agreed to provide. 2. Receipt of assets from the customer. The seller has received cash or some other asset that it can convert to cash, for example, by collecting an account receivable. The first criterion focuses on the seller’s performance. Firms recognize revenues from many sales of goods and services at the time of sale (delivery) because that is often the point of completion of the earnings process, in the sense that the seller has transferred the promised goods to the customer or has performed the promised services. Even if some items remain unperformed (for example, promises to provide warranty services and promises to accept cus- tomer returns), the seller can recognize revenues as long as the unperformed items are not too great a portion of the total arrangement with the customer, and the seller can easonably measure the cost of the unperformed items. 11 The second criterion for revenue recognition focuses on measuring the amount of cash the seller will ultimately receive. The exchange price between the customer (buyer) and seller represents the assets exchanged by the customer for goods and services, and provides the ini- tial measure of revenue. How to cite Us Gaap and Ifrs Difference in Income Statement, Essay examples

Global Dimensions for American Multinational Oil- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theGlobal Dimensions for American Multinational Oil. Answer: Introduction ExxonMobil Corporation, an American Multinational oil and gas corporation has its establishment on 1999, by the union of Exxon and Mobil. It is known as one of the largest publicly funded organizations in the world and is known for manufacturing as well as marketing of commodity petrochemicals that involve aromatics, polyethylene along with a range of specialized products (Weill, Peter and Woerner). The company being head quartered in Texas, has its chief business operations in energy that includes exploration for along with manufacture and sale of crude lubricants and natural gas, petroleum services. ExxonMobil has its engagement in the exploration, development as well as supply of oil, gas along with petroleum products (Valenti et al.). The company further has its operations through upstream, downstream and chemical that is responsible for generating crude oil, trades petroleum and provides petrochemicals. ExxonMobil has its commitment in developing as the leading petroleum and petrochemical organization of the world, further thriving to achieve greater economic and operating outcomes with adherence to the chief standards of business values and principles. The company owns almost 70% of the outstanding distribution of Imperial Oil Ltd in Canada whereby it functions with the established oil and gas distribution chain. The Imperial Oil is engaged in selling fuel products through its connection of over 1500 gasoline service stations functioning under ExxonMobils Esso brand (Touchette). The company operates facilities, sells products in majority of the nations, and further has its exploration for oil and gas catering six continents. ExxonMobil operates in over 200 nations across the world such as UAE, Qatar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Belgium and several other nations including South America and North America. Few countries are chosen to explore gas and petroleum whereas some nations where Exx onMobil is operating have been designated for the industrialization of chemicals, oils, and market petroleum. The oil and gas domain of the company has its expansion from western region of Texas to West Africa along with ranging from Australia to Alaskan region. It functions in deep seas, arctic ice region as well as desert areas located in some of the remote regions of the world. Furthermore, the multinational corporation has its accessibility to over 55 trillion cubic feet belonging to proven reserves and further exposed resources of almost 180 trillion cubic feet (Touchette). ExxonMobil has oil and gas sales in more than 25 nations and across 5 continents. ExxonMobil being regarded as one of the leading Oil and Gas Company in the world acquired the revenue of more than $250 billion. The companys increased revenue generation has been derived from its enormous oil and gas supply and resources. According to few reports, in 2017, ExxonMobil has been estimated to have produced the com parable of over 4 million barrels of lubricants per day. However, it has been anticipated that the company would become the fourth largest global oil manufacturer whereby, its level of production is lower than the amount of lubricants extracted from Russia that is estimated at 10.5 million and in the United States of more than 9 million (Shaaban, Mohamed and Petinrin). The company has initiated the comprehensive work on a potential US Gulf Coast project in order to extend polypropylene production power by over 400,000 tons a year in order to accomplish the increasing demand for high level performance, that has been expected to be several hundred million dollars by the next five years. The company supposedly has been positioned to take benefits of the elevating demands for increased value services in North America along with the increase growth catering to Asia Pacific regions (Yusuf et al). It has been noted that excess production of locally manufactured lubricants and natural gas h ave caused reduction to energy costs and further created existing resources of feedstock for the chemical industrialization of chemicals in the US (MacDiarmid et al). It is important to note that the majority section of strategized funding of ExxonMobil in the Gulf Coast region concentrates on the delivering to developing markets such as Asia with high-stipulated products, further stimulating the recent economic development locally. However, these funds have been considered as one of the recent facilities planned to develop the chemical industrializing competence in North America as well as Asia Pacific by almost 40% (Shaaban, Mohamed and Petinrin). Such investments including the two excellent stream crackers in the US will facilitate the organization to accomplish the elevating demand in nations of Asia and other emerging markets. Vietnam can be chosen as a potential market for ExxonMobil in order to start its subsidy (Ratner, Michael and Mary Tiemann). The economic performance of Vietnam has shown resilience further reflecting vigorous export-related manufacturing, well established local demand along with ongoing agricultural return. The GDP growth has been expected at about 7 percent in 2017 that has been regarded as a rapid expansion of the agricultural domain, with increasing international and domestic demand that elevated the manufacturing and business of the nation further united with vigorous foreign venture inflows (Touchette). Furthermore, it must be noted that the US natural gas manufacturers have actualized itself as an energy sector during the ban on crude lubricants exportation that was lifted in 2016. The cost diminution acquired by eccentric US manufacturers has been noteworthy. Furthermore, a dynamic industry like oil and gas further requires a healthy ecosystem of manufacturers, service suppliers, along with other producers (Ayling, Julie and Gunningham). OPEC another renowned oil and gas company has recently declared its cost reduction with Russia whereas the costs have been raised by mid$ 50 per barrel range. The oil cost that collapsed two years ago had immense effect of cost reduction among the upstream businesses of global oil and gas organizations further lacerated the capital outflow by over 35% (MacDiarmid et al). However, with the recent hike in oil price have been partly increased by the decision of cost reduction by OPEC. The oil and gas industry has been actively participating in the performance of CSR activities. Companies like ExxonMobil has been working on safety, health, management of climate change risks and other environmental and community investment activities. Similarly, Royal Dutch Shell and British Petroleum have been working on women empowerment along with several social, environmental as well as financial activities. References Ayling, Julie, and Neil Gunningham. "Non-state governance and climate policy: the fossil fuel divestment movement."Climate Policy17.2 (2017): 131-149. MacDiarmid, Donald G., et al. "The Oil and Gas ROFR: Understanding Current ROFR Issues from the Point of View of the Transactional Lawyer, the Litigator, and In-House Counsel."Alberta Law Review55.2 (2017). Ratner, Michael, and Mary Tiemann. "An overview of unconventional oil and natural gas: resources and federal actions."Congressional Research Service21 (2014). Shaaban, Mohamed, and J. O. Petinrin. "Renewable energy potentials in Nigeria: meeting rural energy needs."Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews29 (2014): 72-84. Touchette, Yanick.G20 subsidies to oil, gas and coal production: Canada. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2015. Valenti, Alix, Lila L. Carden, and Raphael O. Boyd. "Corporate social responsibility and businesses: Examining the criteria for effective corporate implementation utilizing case studies."International Journal of Business and Social Science5.3 (2014). Weill, Peter, and Stephanie L. Woerner. "The Future of the CIO in a Digital Economy."MIS Quarterly Executive12.2 (2013). Yusuf, Yahaya Y., et al. "A relational study of supply chain agility, competitiveness and business performance in the oil and gas industry."International Journal of Production Economics147 (2014): 531-543.

How Computer Based Training Can Help Teachers Learn New Teaching and Training Methods

Terrorists essays

Terrorists essays It seems most ironic that the one who brands itself as the peacemaker now is the same entity waging an appalling yet to some certain extent, ridiculous war. The same entity who promises equality and freedom to everyone now is the same one who manipulates others to do its bidding and to cater to its every whim... and anyone who dares oppose it will face the most dreaded consequences. Once again, all eyes are on the United States of America as it flexes its own muscles and show everyone who is suppose to be the boss. The bullying tactics of the US government has time and time again been proven to be only effective in one thing and one thing only; furthering the self interests of the government of the US. All else is pure facade. All else is but a cover-up, ineffective as it may seem, to their true purpose which is for them to solely dominate the whole world and held everyone in their sway... all in the name of glory and progress which has the lives of the innocent as the high price. What the US government wants with Iraq is not really just the ouster of Saddam Hussein, nor his supposed biochemical weapons (which if you did not know, was willingly given by the US government to him during the Iraq-Iran war in the 1980s) but the millions of dollars it will get from selling its own weapons to its allies who will join the war, fueling further its war economy, the oil fields that run all over Iraq, and not to mention as another outpost for future actions against another of Bushs axis of evil which is Iran. All of this seen as the reason for going to war, setting aside the countless lives of Iraqis that could be lost in this impending war. And to think that our beloved president whole-heartedly supports this, ignoring the possible havoc that this would add to our countrys already chaotic and almost hopelessly dismal economic and political scene. Makes you wonder if she really is an economi ...

Case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 17

Case Study Example She has no time to socialize and communicate inspite of having an assistant. She was not very accessible and the communication took time because of her delayed response to e-mails or messages and handover with the assistant. Studying the organizational behavior of Julie, it can be observed that she seems to have a good relationship with everyone in the university. She received good appraisals from her manager Pat Griffiths. She also received positive reviews from other faculty members. However, the surrounding environment has played a role in these relationships. Julie had several opportunities to interact with her colleagues and faculty members in informal gatherings which she did not do with Susan. Hence, there was a friendly emotional climate between Julie and other faculty members which was absent in case of Susan. This may have led to cognitive dissonance changing her attitude towards Susan. All full time faculty members Julie works with, apart from Susan, are men. Therefore, there is a high probability of gender dynamics creeping in. Also, her manager is a man. Men could have a favorable gender bias while evaluating or appraising women. Susan is a woman and is bound to have a different kind of relationship with Julie. Mental ability could also have an impact on the conflict between Julie and Susan. As confessed by Julie herself, she has been doing a lot of easy and normal work while the work given by Susan needed greater effort. Julie may not have the ability to handle such work due to her education or experience in the past which impacts her productivity. Studying the organizational behaviour of Susan, she seems to be highly occupied with work. Her work habits seem to be a result of her neurotic personality. Susan’s personality traits are that of an introvert which are quite opposite to that of Julie. In addition, Susan’s communication through Internet or messages has been ineffective. While Julie’s inability may be

Finance and Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Finance and Accounting - Essay Example After assessing things like stock market capitalization, employment, profits, contribution to Gross Domestic Product and the likes, it is clear that the financial system expanded by a big margin since 1990. For instance, by 1989 the global financial assets were about 50 trillion but increased to about 200 trillion by the end of 2007 (Anderloni, 2009:23). Generally, analysts describe financial system innovation as the key to ending the financial crisis and woes that are facing the world’s economy. This is because; assessments carried out to establish how the system has been working reveal that it is through innovation of new financial tools that can put to an end the world’s common complex financial crisis. As illustrated by progress of financial innovations, the way people handled financial matters twenty years ago is different today. Advancements and innovations regarding financial technology transformed apparently due to need for better financial management brought ab out by time and technology. Globally, people are able to face and overcome challenges regarding finances as a result of financial innovative systems. However, before regulators start making decisions on how to regulate, if they should, activities of financial institutions, it is vital that they consider the consequences of their actions. Since it was through financial system innovation that global financial assets rose from about 50 trillion to about 200 trillion globally within a period of only eight years, these benefits should deter regulators from imposing restrictions on activities carried out by financial institutions. Furthermore, it is within the same period when financial depth increased from 200 percent of world Gross Domestic Product to 400 percent (Zeng, 2011:133). These remarkable financial systems of innovation played an important in transforming the financial sector globally. While on the verge of prominently addressing challenges and risks that the financial system i nnovation may pose to the general financial sector, there is also the need to view the immense economic gains and benefits that flows from a healthy financial instrument or institution. With the increasing jiggle or sophistication and size, depth wise, of financial markets, that promotes economic development or growth it is crucial to allocate capital in places where it can be highly productive. At the same time, dispersion of perils or risks more widely and broadly all over the financial system has up to this far raised the system’s resilience and the economies shocks (Welfens, 2011:67). Therefore, it is advisable for regulators to be cautious when seeking to implement regulations of financial innovations as they also seek to address risks accompanying the innovation. Financial system innovations have come with lots of potential benefits that financial regulators find them in need of monitoring. Nevertheless, while developing a framework for regulating these benefits brought about by the financial system innovation it is essential to have a clear thinking. The regulators should be explicit on how to regulate public policies, if any, and how fresh innovations or developments threaten or undermine those objectives. In addition, regulator should also consider the roles played by the market in controlling risks that pertain to public objectives since market discipline can be prove to be a key element in a well-functioning regulatory project. Therefore, as a test of consistency, all regulations should

MicroL4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MicroL4 - Essay Example Higher education has proved to be beneficial in voting matters also. Education is an asset. It has provided benefits like self awareness, ability to think wisely and critically, having the ability to meet different people, which are less tangible and will help a child to grow up being a better individual. However, there are certain costs that have to be incurred for going to college. The opportunity costs of going to college include several components. First, the opportunity cost of one going to college includes the money that he or she would have earned instead of attending classes. It also includes the amount of wages that were foregone by not doing work and just attending college. In opting for going to college, one has also lost the opportunity to build up a career and the associated income that could be earned instead of not going to college. The greatest opportunity cost of going to college is the wage income that the individual has to forgone for attending classes. 2. The marg in is considered to be a very significant concept in the area of business and economics. In economics the concept of margin is related to a wide range of topics including utility, revenue, costs, profit, product, etc. We are quite familiar with the terms of marginal utility, marginal revenue, marginal costs, marginal profit, marginal product and so on. The term margin mainly stands for the difference in the value of a variable when one additional unit of some other variable is used. For example, marginal utility of a product refers to the increase or decrease in total utility of an individual due to one unit increase in the consumption of the product. The concept of margin is very essential in economic decision making. The level of p of goods, the level of production of goods, etc are always determined by considering marginal requirement. For example, a firm is a profit maximizer in the sense it will always produce a commodity in such a way that its profit is maximized. In a perfect ly competitive market, the firm will maximize its profit when marginal costs will b equal to its marginal revenue. The firm will continue to increase its production until marginal revenue becomes equal to its marginal cost. The point of equality is considered to be the equilibrium point of the firm. Thus the concept of margin is very important in economic decision making. Without the consideration of margin requirement it is not possible to conduct economic activities in optimum ways. However, it is not always necessary that all kinds of economic decisions are taken using the marginal concept only. For example, in a perfectly competitive market the break even point of a firm is not determined by any marginal concept. The break even point is relevant in short run production. This point mainly refers to the point of shutting down of production. A firm in a perfectly competitive market will shut down or stop production in short run when its average variable costs become greater than it s average revenue, i.e. its average revenue even fail to cover the firm’s average variable costs. Thus the concept of average is important in taking shut down decision. 3. There has been a huge debate over the tax cut policy by bush administration in 2001 and 2003. Bush tax cuts mainly refer to two important tax policies created and implemented during the Presidential era of George W. Bush. Through these policies, the Bush administration mainly lowered tax rates in the United States. These tax policies effectively lowered marginal tax rates for almost all

Lysozyme Enzymes: Purification and Assaying

Lysozyme Enzymes: Purification and Assaying Abstract This lab investigates the purification and assaying of lysozyme using size exclusion chromatography and Bradford protein assay. Micrococcus Lysodeikticus is employed in this lab as the substrate for lysozyme and its enzymatic activities are observed under various pH and substrate concentrations for determining the optimal conditions for lysozyme activity. The highest lysozyme activity was observed at a substrate concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and at an optimum phosphate buffer pH of 7. These optimal conditions were set as standard conditions for assaying the purified fractions for lysozyme activity and for the protein assay. A solution of egg white is used as the source for lysozyme and it is purified using size exclusion chromatography with column Sephadex G-50 that has a fractionation range from 1,500 to 30,000 daltons. Size exclusion chromatography provides purification of lysozyme, however about 64% of its initial yield is lost in the process of purification through the beads. The hi ghest lysozyme activity was observed for fraction # 12 indicating a structural mass range of 15,000da-13,500da for lysozyme. The protein assay indicated a significant concentration of protein in the neighbouring fractions of purified lysozyme, however the exact concentration of lysozyme in albumen remain inconclusive. Introduction Lysozyme is a catalytic enzyme that digests bacterial cell wall and is found in significant amounts in egg whites. Egg white, also known as albumen, is the cytoplasm of the unfertilized egg cell, which consists of approximately 40 different proteins dissolved in water (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). The main proteins in albumen are ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, globulins, lysozyme, ovomucin, avidin, etc (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). Lysozyme comprises about 3.5 % of the total protein weight in albumen (Lee-Huang et al. 1999) and thus a solution of egg white was used as the source of lysozyme in this lab. The main objective of this lab is to purify lysozyme using size exclusion chromatography for examining its structural properties and concentration in albumen. In this experiment lysozyme is extracted and purified from albumen using size exclusion chromatography. The stationary phase in the column consists of a porous cross linked gel matrix of Sephadex G-50 with a fractionation range of 1,500da to 30,000da. Separation and purification by size exclusion chromatography is based on molecular size i.e. larger molecules elute first with the mobile phase while the smaller molecules get trapped within the beads and elute last (Lodish et al. 2000). The different proteins present in albumen should elute at different fractions due to their varying molecular sizes leading to the purification of lysozyme which has a literature structural mass of 14,400da. It is hypothesized that since lysozyme is a small molecule in comparison to the fractionation range of the Sehadex G-50 coloumn, a significant amount of lysozyme is likely to be trapped or retarded by the resin beads resulting in a low yield. Substrate binding is used as a powerful tool in this experiment where the enzymatic reactions are used for detecting the presence of lysozyme. The structural composition of lysozyme consists of 129 amino acid residues folded into a compact globular structure with a cleft for substrate binding (Berg et al. 2002). When a substrate binds to the cleft, it hydrolyzes the peptidoglycan polysaccharide found in many bacterial cell walls, resulting in the osmotic lyses of the cell (Berg et al. 2002). Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to the effects lysozyme due to their peptidoglycan cell wall being exposed to the extracellular environment (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). However, gram negative bacteria are less vulnerable to the presence of lysozyme due to their thin layer of peptidoglycan shielded by the outer membrane of lipopolysaccharide (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). In this lab, the gram positive bacteria of Micrococcus Lysodeikticus is used as a substrate for detecting the enzymatic activ ities of lysozyme. The Bradford assay on the other hand is used to estimate the concentration of lysozyme with respect to other major proteins present in albumen. Lysozyme has great research importance since it possesses the capability to lyse gram positive bacteria. Lysozyme, like most of the other biomolecules are not found in nature in its isolated form and this lab investigates one of the most simplest methods for extracting and purifying lysozyme from albumen. Materials and Methods A solution of egg white diluted to  ¼ with 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7 and filtered though glass wool is used as the source for lysozyme (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The solution is put through size exclusion chromatography with G-50 Sephadex column (fractionation range of 1,500-30,000 da) to produce 24 test tubes of equal egg white fractionations of 0.75 mL (Laboratory Manual. 2007). Numerous assays are conducted with varying pH and micrococcus (substrate) concentration to determine the optimal conditions for the highest enzymatic activity of lysozyme. After the collected column fractions and prepared egg white solution were left in the lab for two weeks, the odd numbered test tubes were assayed for lysozyme activity and the even numbered test tubes were assayed for protein at optimal pH. Refer to York University Department of Biology Laboratory Manual Summer 2008, SC/Biol 2020 Cell Biology and Biochemistry Pages 54-57 for a more detailed procedure of the lab. Also refer to the attached flow sheets for a thorough step by step procedure for this lab. Results The addition of micrococcus to a solution of lysozyme results in the rapid decrease in its optical density value due to its enzymatic reactions. Various assays are conducted in this lab to examine various properties of lysozyme. The substrate concentration assay indicated 0.4 mg/mL of micrococcus to be the optimal substrate concentration for lysozyme as it resulted in the highest enzymatic activity of 250 units. The pH assay on the other hand indicated pH 7 to be the ideal pH for the phosphate buffer as it resulted in the high lysozyme activity of 300 units. These observations led us to set 0.4 mg/mL micrococcus and buffer pH of 7 as standard conditions for assaying the size exclusion column fractionations for protein activity. When assaying the odd numbered fractionations for lysozyme activity, fraction # 15 reached the highest enzymatic activity of 900 units specifying the presence of concentrated lysozyme in that fraction of egg white. The neighbouring fractions (#14 and #16) show ed significant protein concentrations of 4.4 mg/mL and 1.6 mg/mL when assayed however the highest protein concentration as observed in fraction # 12 which indicated a protein concentration outside the standard curve range. Upon dilution, the protein concentration of fraction # 12 was calculated to be 9mg/mL. Based on the results, a protein fold of 1.36 was calculated and the results showed a high lysozyme yield loss of about 64%. Calculations: Sample calculation of Micrococcus dilution: Target: 3 ml of 0.4 mg/ml Micrococcus C1V1 = C2V2 (10 mg/ml)(x ml) = (0.4 mg/ml)(3 ml) X = 0.12 ml of Micrococcus 3 ml 0.12 ml = 2.88 ml Therefore, 0.12 ml of Micrococcus and 2.88 ml of Phosphate buffer will be required Sample calculation of total protein in fraction # 15: protein concentration of 0.52 mg/mL Volume in fraction: 0.1 mL Total protein = 0.52mg/mL X 0.1mL = 0.052 mg Sample calculation of Total Enzyme Activity in fraction # 15 Activity = ΔOD x 1min/0.001 Activity = (0.4) x 1min/0.001 Activity = 400 units Sample calculation of Specific Activity for fraction # 15: Enzyme activity of column fraction 15 = 90 units Total protein = 0.052 mg Specific Activity = Enzyme Activity/Total protein Specific Activity = 400 units/( 0.052 mg) Specific Activity = 7692 units/mg protein Sample calculation of initial specific activity of the egg white at 0.3 mg/ml substrate: Specific Activity = Enzyme Activity/Total Protein Specific Activity = 90 units/(4.5 mg/ml x 0.1 ml) Specific Activity = 200 units/ mg protein Calculation of Fold Purification: Fold Purification = Specific Activity of fraction/Specific Activity of egg white Fold Purification = (7692 units/ mg protein) / (200 units/ mg protein) = 38.46 Discussion This lab experiment examines the purification and assaying of egg white lysozyme. Lysozyme is both a protein and an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in peptidoglycan (Lodish et al. 2000). It is found in abundant quantities in albumen (egg whites) where it protects the egg embryo from bacterial invasion. Several assays were conducted in this lab experiment and each assay demonstrated a significant property of lysozyme. Enzymes have optimal conditions at which it functions most effectively and it is important that enzymes are studied under optimal conditions for the most accurate results and observations. The substrate concentration assay and pH assay were employed in this experiment to determine the optimal conditions for lysozyme since its enzymatic activity varies with substrate concentration and buffer pH. Appropriate substrate concentration is significant for an enzymatic reaction because a high substrate concentration might outnumber the available active sites on lysozyme while a low substrate concentration will leave vacant binding sites on the lysozyme. This lab proved 0.4 mg/mL of Micrococcus to be the optimal substrate concentration for lysozyme with a high enzymatic activity of 250 units. The determination of the optimal pH at which the substrate-enzyme binding is carried out most efficiently is another important aspect of an enzymatic reaction. An environment too acidic or basic could ca use hindrance for the substrate-enzyme binding and thus result in low lysozyme activity. The phosphate buffer pH assay in this lab proved pH 7 to be the optimal pH at which the enzymatic activities of lysozyme are carried out most efficiently with an enzymatic activity of 300 units. Size exclusion chromatography is used in this experiment for extracting and purifying lysozyme from the mixture of approximately 40 proteins that is present in albumen. Other proteins that are present in significant quantities in egg whites are ovalbumin (66 kDa), ovotransferrin (77.8 kDa), ovomucoid (28 kDa), ovomucin, avidin (18kDa), etc. however none of these proteins share the same molecular mass as lysozyme which has a literature molecular weight of 14.5 kDa (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). This unique mass distinction between the proteins present in albumen allows size exclusion chromatography to be an effective method in purifying lysozyme as its separation method is solely based on molecular mass difference. Specific selection of resin for the column is another important factor in protein purification as the porosity and fractionation range of the column should be focused on the protein being purified. This experiment uses the Sephadex G-50 column for protein purification. The stationary phase of Sephadex G-50, has a bead matrix with a well defined pore size for separating proteins within the fractionation range of 1,500da 30,000da. Sephadex G-50 is well suited for lysozyme purification because lysozyme has a literature molecular mass of 14,400da (Lee-Huang et al. 1999) which falls midway between the column fractionation range. Purification of lysozyme however would come with the cost of obtaining low lysozyme yields. During purification, the larger molecules elute first while the smaller molecules like lysozyme travel through the beads and elute last. This affects the yield of lysozyme as some of its initial mass gets trapped within the gel matrix beads during separation while another small fraction of the initial yield is lost due to the retardation of the lysozyme during the in and out diffusion of the protein from the beads in the matrix (Laboratory Manual. 2007). Thus for a method like size exclusion chromatography, I would predict very low yields. The prediction was proved to be true as the data collected from the experiment demonstrated a low yield of 36%. Thus even though the method of size exclusion chromatography is effective in purifying lysozyme, it comes with the disadvantage of low yield. Micrococcus, the substrate for lysozyme in this experiment, is a gram positive bacteria with an exposed peptidoglycan cell wall (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). Like any other enzymes, lysozyme is very specific about its substrate and the ability of lysozyme to bind to micrococcus and lyse the cell allows us to follow its enzymatic activity through the decrease in optical density detected on the spectrometer. Lysozyme activity assay demonstrated a peak for the highest enzymatic activity at fraction # 15. The peak represents the single protein species of lysozyme because micrococcus can only be digested by lysozyme and no other albumen proteins. Therefore all activities observed for lysozyme assay is due to the presence of lysozyme binding and hydrolyzing the peptidoglycan in the cellular walls of micrococcus. Micrococcus is thus the ideal substrate for this experiment however it also poses some disadvantages as well due to its biohazardous nature. Micrococcus needs to be handled with extra c aution and is to be discarded of appropriately. The lysozyme assay showed the highest specific activity of 900 units in fraction # 15. This indicated that fraction # 15 contained purified lysozyme. Considering the fractionation range of 1,500 30,000 da of the chromatography, and the elusion of a fixed volume into 24 separate test tubes, an estimation of the molecular weight range for fraction # 15 could be made around 15,000 da 13,500 da, a range that covers the literature molecular mass of lysozyme, 14,400 da. Thus, our detection for the fraction of egg white containing purified lysozyme was pretty accurate. The Bradford protein assay was used in this lab to examine the protein concentration of lysozyme with reference to the other proteins present in albumen. Theoretically lysozyme comprises about 3.5% of the total protein mass in albumen (Canà §ado et al. 2007). Even though it is a significant amount, there are other proteins comprising a higher concentration in albumen. The odd fractionations closest to #15 show fair concentrations of protein with # 14 showing a concentration of 4.4 mg/mL and # 15 showing 1.6 mg/mL. In order to get an accurate reading for the lysozyme protein concentration, fraction # 15 would have to be directly assayed instead of its neighbouring fractions. Thus the actual lyoszyme concentration in albumen remains inconclusive. The highest protein peak was observed for fraction # 12 with a protein concentration that went beyond the standard curve range. Upon dilution, the protein concentration of # 12 was determined to be approximately 9 mg/mL. This indicates that a protein that eluted in fraction # 12 is the most concentrated in albumen. Specific activity is defined as the enzyme activity over total amount of protein (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The specific activity of 900 units/mg protein for fraction 15 and the specific activity of the initial egg white solution of 666.66 a fold purification of 1.35(Refer to calculations). The yield of lysozyme after purification was fairly low indicating a high percent of loss. This loss was due to a portion of lysozyme being trapped within the beads of the matrix during purification and another small portion being distorted during in and out diffusion of lysozyme (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The 64% loss in enzyme yield was worth the increase in purity because purifying the enzyme enabled us to estimate its structural mass and protein concentration in albumen. Sources of error in this lab were tried to be kept at its minimal level however there could still be some errors that might have deviated the results slightly. Lysozyme activity was measured by detecting the difference in optical density on a spectrophotometer in a time period of 1 minute. Incorrect readings of the optical density caused by fingerprints/other residue on the test tube surface or reading the incorrect absorbance at an earlier or later time period could have been a major source of error as this lab is dependent on the accuracy of the optical density readings. Other sources of error could be dilution errors as some of the dilution require very minute amounts and pipetting the small amounts with the pipette provided for this lab accurately is very challenging. New researches in the field of biochemistry help expand our knowledge about cell and molecular processes and thus research interest in the unique enzyme of lysozyme is of no exception. It was previously believed that lysozyme was used primarily as a constitutive defense against bacterial pathogens but recent research indicate that in certain species in the animal kingdom the structure of lysozyme is different and the structural difference enables lysozyme to incorporate other useful functions such as digesting bacteria for nutrition (Canà §ado, et al., 2007). Research has also shed light on urinary lysozyme C showing that a combination of urinary lysozyme C with certain RNases can be used to combat HIV-1 (Lodish et al. 2000). Other researches on lysozyme conducted by Lee-Huang et al. found that lysozyme from chicken egg white, human milk and human neutrophils combined with RNase A from bovine pancreas display activity against HIV-1 (Lee-Huang, et al., 1999). These are significant di scoveries that not only broaden our knowledge in biochemistry but also define possible cures for HIV in the future. Conclusion Lysozyme is a widely distributed enzyme in the animal kingdom that lyse bacterial cells to protect organisms from bacterial invasion and this lab demonstrated some of the important characteristics of this unique enzyme. Micrococcus proved to be an ideal substrate for observing lysozyme activity due to its gram positive nature illustrated by its exposed peptidoglycan cell wall, the cleavage target of lysozyme. The substrate concentration assay and pH assay demonstrated how lysozyme is at its peak enzymatic activity at the optimal substrate concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and at a buffer pH of 7. Even though the exact protein concentration of lysozyme in albumen remains inconclusive, the neighbouring fractions assayed for protein concentration provided an estimate that lysozyme is present in significant amounts in egg white in comparison to the other albumen proteins. Even though lysozyme was successfully purified using size exclusion chromatography with Sephadex G-50 column, its purificati on resulted in the loss of lysozyme yield. The column beads trapped and retarded about 64% of the total lysozyme resulting in low yields. Overall this was lab was well engineered to demonstrate how size exclusion chromatography can be used for purification based on molecular mass and how the unique activities of a certain enzyme with its specific substrate can be used to determine the purified fraction that contain the certain enzyme. Needs of the Elderly: A Case Study Needs of the Elderly: A Case Study Introduction We live in an ageing world and Australia is not an exception. In 1901 only 4% of Australians were 65 and older, by 2016 that figure increased to 15.3% and is estimated to rise to 23% by 2041 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016, Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), 2012). The United Nations (UN) principles of ageing, supported by the Australian Government, recognises the rights of all older persons, focusing in areas such as: independence; participation; care; self-fulfilment and dignity (Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2013), but are we doing enough to protect these rights and ensuring our older Australians are not left disadvantaged? This essay looks at the case of Hank, retrenched from his lifelong employer at the age of 62 with future employment prospects bleak. It looks at factors through the life course that effect Hank in his older years and discovers how Social Workers can respond to this demographic to assist them in continuing to fulfil a satisfying life. Key Social, Psychological and Physical Needs As a social worker, it is important to have an understanding of the key social, psychological and physical needs of the client plus any issues that may be present. In this way, a holistic and specific needs assessment can be made that identifies how a client situation affects his needs moving forward (Tanner Harris,2008). Hank was retrenched from his workplace and is having difficulty finding a new job. The jobs he is experienced in are becoming unsuitable due to the onset of arthritis and without formal training, his employment prospects are bleak. There have been many studies linking unemployment with lower levels of well-being, and higher levels of distress, self-doubt and dissatisfaction (VanDerMeer,2014). Being unemployed can be detrimental to ones needs, not only because of lesser income but also due to the effects on psychological and social factors (VanDerMeer,2014). Societal norms and expectations also plays an important role in well-being, being employed helps us to feel w e are conforming to those values and norms (Thompson,2016, VanDerMeer,2014). Mens social identity is often centred around their work and although as a society we are shifting in our view of men being the sole bread winner, for Hanks cohorts, his role as financial provider gave him a sense of pride and sense of identity. Hanks friends, his social group, have remained at work, this puts added stress on Hanks wellbeing, people who are unemployed are better able to cope when others around them are in the same situation (Clark,2003). Human Rights and Legislation Hank, like all Australians, have a universal right to employment regardless of factors such as culture, gender, age and disability (Ife,2012). The Australian Government, through the Australian Human Rights Commission, has agreed to uphold the UN covenants on human rights. Although there is no international covenant in the area of ageing, the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (1948, art.23) and the International Covenant On Economic, Social And Cultural Rights (1966, p.3,art.6) states that everyone has the right to work and be paid without discrimination, and that protections should be in place against unemployment. Federal legislation in place to uphold Australian Human Rights include the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and Age Discrimination Act 1992. In Victoria, workers rights are protected through the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, which includes Age and Disability. Adhering to such rights gives all people a sense of human dignity, a value held by the Australian Asso ciation of Social Workers (AASW) in its code of ethics (2010). These protections should be an advantage to Hank but unfortunately, in reality age discrimination, modernisation and globalisation often make it difficult to apply. Impact of Structural and historical Factors Although ageing happens to us all regardless of race, culture, gender or class, these structural factors, economic and social policies, plus experiences throughout the life course, often have a significant influence on later life (Hughes Heycox,2010). That influence, restrained by economic and social policies, has the ability to limit choices and opportunities that impact on ageing (Bengtson DeLiema,2016). Australias increasing population and its effect on the dependency ratio (the portion of population who are too young or old to work by those of working age), will also have an impact on factors such as housing, medicare, Centrelink, superannuation and age care. If Hank turns 63 in 2017, he was born in 1954, the baby boom generation. The year of birth is not only important in determining Hanks generational cohorts and possible life course experiences, but also in determining his eligibility for services such as the aged pension and superannuation release. The baby boomers were so called due to the raise in babies born during and post world-war II 1943 -1964 (Tolbize,2008). According to Tolbize (2008, p.2), it was an era of prosperity and optimism and bolstered by the sense that they are a special generation capable of changing the world, have equated work with self-worth, contribution and personal fulfillment. Generalising on the typical situation of this generation, Hank and his cohorts would have had a strong sense of work and sacrifice. They believed in loyalty to one employer with success being gained through step-by-step promotion, of paying their dues (Tolbize,2008). Hank was born in the pre-globalisation era where people could more e asily get a job without the need for a university or formal trade education (Phillipson,2009). Hank chose to follow the path of his father, leave school at 16 and start work as a machine operator. He expected, just as his father did, to be in his job for the rest of his working life. However, the recent globalisation of the Australian economy and technological advances, are often reflected in retrenchment of lower skilled workers like Hank and the creation of structural unemployment where unemployment results from shifts in the economy and by factors such as technological advances, making lower-skilled jobs obsolete (Business Council of Australia (BCA),2004, Klehe et.al,2012). Government measures are normally in place to provide assistance in the form of retraining in such situations. For example, when industries such as the car manufacturing, the government purposed other needed industries for retraining such as, ironically, aged care. For older workers, such as Hank, the offer i s often refused. Hanks self-devaluing attitude based on the ageist stereotype of you cant teach an old dog new tricks is often a barrier to changes in ones employment sector. Based on his year of birth, Hank will be eligible for the aged pension at age 66. Since April 1909, when Australia commenced the Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act 1908 for people aged 65, Australias retirement, pension and superannuation policies have become an important factor in the ageing experience. Since then, Australia has made changes to encourage Australians to be more self-sufficient in their retirement, therefore removing the burden of financial assistance from the government. 1915, saw the Income Tax Assessment Act 1915 allowing employers to make contributions on behalf of its employees for superannuation. In 1972 only 32% of Australians where covered by superannuation. In the 80s, the Federal government established policies around superannuation and taxation, this, plus the introduction of superannuation contribution by employers, increased the number of employees covered by Superannuation in 1990 to 64%. In 1992 the superannuation guarantee was implemented, employers were required to contribute to their employees superannuation fund. The amount of contribution progressively increased from 3% to 9% in 2002. In July 2017, the qualifying age for the age pension will increase by 6months every two years until it reaches 67 years of age in 2024 (Parliament of Australia,2010). The impact of government policy in Hanks situation means, that although he will not be eligible for the aged pension until 66, he is eligible to access his superannuation (Australian Department of Human Services (DHS),2017). The Department of Human Services through Centrelink is responsible for income support such as newstart, however in Hanks case, it is unclear if he is eligible for newstart based on his wifes full-time income. Victorian Skills Gateway, which is part of the Victorian Government Department Education and Training (DET) offices help with retraining and job search (DET,2017). Knowing the importance of older workers in the workforce, the government restart program offers incentives for employers to hire people over 50 (DET,2017). They are also looking at reforming structural barriers such as workers compensation, income protection and professional licensing all factors that affect employability of older workers. This is with the hope, that by removing these barriers, will remove negative perceptions of employing older workers (AHRC,2012). Theories of Ageing In the last few decades there has seen the development of many theories on ageing that allow us a better understanding of an older persons world. As a social worker, we can draw upon theories to gain clarity in understanding aspects of the human condition (Tanner Harris,2008, Hughes Heycox,2010). Theory can also enable us to find appropriate approaches to dealing with clients based on their specific needs and situations (Tanner Harris,2008). One of the pioneer theories on ageing, which draw popularity in the 60s through to the mid-seventies is disengagement theory. Disengagement theory, as proposed by Cummings and Henry (1961) states that ageing involves the gradual and inevitable withdrawal of a person from interacting with society. It supposes that this inevitable withdrawal is mutually beneficial, as it sees the transfer of power from the old members of society to the young. According to this theory, to successfully age means a reduction in activity levels and interactions until all activities cease in preparation for death (Hughes Heycox,2010). This enables the young a greater opportunity to become more active in contributing to society, thereby keeping society in balance (Victor,2005). Although Hank did not voluntarily leave the workforce, according to this theory, his retrenchment has set off his path to disengagement. We see this through his discouragement with not finding another job and therefore dropping out o f the job search and isolating himself from his friends. Proponents of this theory, would see this as natural progression for Hank Hank is on natural course leading to the remainder of his life. The problem with this theory in its original form however, is that it doesnt consider social processes and structures that are in place, that may hinder a person such as Hanks ability to engage (Hall Scragg,2012). Critics of this theory say it feeds into the negative stereotypes of ageing, making it seem acceptable and normal for older people to disengage and therefore preventing them from creating circumstances that increase engagement and quality of life (Bengtson DeLiema, 2016). One of its strengths however, is that the development of this theory opened the door to further research, resulting in a clearer view of natural ageing (Bengtson DeLiema,2016). Havighursts (1963) activity theory and Atchleys (1989) continuity theory were both in response to disengagement theory (Carstensen,199 1). Another such modification to disengagement theory was by Streib Schneider (1971), who concluded that disengagement from one sphere of life, does not mean withdrawal from all spheres (Streib Schneider,1971), this made available the idea of new social roles for the aged. As a social worker, applying Streibs version of disengagement activity within disengagement to the case of Hank, Streib emphasis the need for a new role for the retrenched, involving activities that are not mere busy work but should satisfy the social-psychological needs of Hank and be recognised as valid and socially useful pursuits (Streib Schneider,1971). Encouraging Hanks involvement in activities such as the mens shed or volunteer organisations such as meals on wheels or hands on learning (teaching disengaged youths practical skills). These activities differentiate themselves from hobby work because they not only benefit Hank but are also of community benefit. Keeping active in such a way may also lead to renewed encouragement towards employment in other areas. Another challenge to the disengagement perspective is the exchange theory of ageing. This theory draws upon previous works on the social-psychological theory of exchange, and addresses how a decrease in a persons power and status is associated with ageing (Dowd,1975). Dowd presents ageing and social interaction in the image of a cost-benefit model. Dowd reasons that as we age our conduct becomes a burden to ongoing interactions with others. It takes a greater effort to maintain a level of competent contribution, this decreasing competence means those we interact with are getting less benefit in the return they give. The greater the older person is dependent on others, the more they become a burden. Therefore, an older person begins to withdrawal from social life in order to balance the equation of exchange (Lynott Lynott,1996, Bengtson et.al,1997). For Hank, the loss of his job has given him a perceived loss of identity, status and power, not only amongst his social circle as Hanks close friends are still employed, but also within his family. Hank took pride in being the financial support giver for the family but this has been taken away from him, and his wife Jane has had to step up into full-time work. Hank feels he has nothing to offer the workforce or his social circles and therefore has begun to disengage. He is no longer applying for jobs and has withdrawn from contact with people outside his immediate family. The strength of this theory is its power of explanation into the relationship between the costs and rewards within a relationship. It helps us to understand that when we give something to a relationship whether that be employment, friendship, marriage, that to maintain that relationship, we expect something in return (Bengtson et.al,1997). For Hank, this explains his feeling of discouragement, he wants to give but does not feel he has anything to contribute to a work relationship due to his lack of education and decline in physical health this i s also affecting his social network, and family relationship, as he is no longer contributing to the finances. Although this theory is good at explaining relationships on a cost/benefit model, it does not take into account the complexity of relationships and a persons ability to compromise and adapt. It places people in a selfish light willing to give up a relationship if the costs outweigh the benefits. It also doesnt take into account cultural aspects of a relationship and reciprocity of past care or the increased function of older persons assisting the young such as childcare of a grandchild (Poole,2013, Carstensen,1991). Where disengagement theory sees the withdrawal and social isolation of older people as a societal need and of mutual consent, the exchange theory of ageing shows an unequal exchange between older persons and others in society. Disengagement theorists would say the reduction in interaction is fuelled by emotional distancing, whereas exchange looks at the change in dynamics of relationships and interaction (Carstensen,1991). And whilst both theories offer an explanation as to why we decrease in social interaction as we age, both are criticised for their lack of complete empirical data (Carstensen,1991). For Hank, I can see both as factors for his discouragement and disengagement the change in dynamics due to long term job loss has become a trigger for emotional distancing. For a social worker it is important to draw on the knowledge these and other theories gives us in offering a wider understanding of Hanks circumstance, to assist him in moving forward. Challenges and Social Worker Response At 62, Hank hasnt reached what most of us would consider older age, but he is now facing a serious transition point due to the current circumstance of his job loss. Hank is looking ahead at the challenges all Australians face when growing old. Australian society has made significant achievements in the promotion of health and wellbeing of its older citizens. However, our older population still faces many challenges. Some of which include biological and psychological changes general and mental health including dementia care. Other challenges include ageism and social isolation. Ageism can be seen here in discriminatory practices in employment or retrenchment strategies that see people like Hank lose their job or have difficulty in finding new employment (Thompson,2016). Throughout the last century, the Australian government has developed policies, such as those mentioned in previous sections, to enable people to be more self-sufficient in their older years. However, the government fo cus is often on the cost burden of aged care without consideration of protecting human rights, recognising contributions of older Australians and ensuring the needs of social inclusion (Ife,2012, Poole,2013). Although older people may be seen as a burden to society, they actually make substantial contribution. They volunteer an average 4.4hr more a week than working people and are often a valuable source of child-care to their grand-children (Poole,2013). Social work can play an important role in responding to the needs of a client such as Hank by taking a holistic approach to practice. Holistic care means focusing on the whole person, physical, emotional and spiritual, as it relates to their environment. It is taking into consideration a wide range of factors that affect the client (Tanner Harris, 2008). A social worker will consider all aspects involved in their care including, ecological and systems perspectives, legal and ethical matters, plus the biopsychosocial aspects (AASW,2013). The quality of a persons life can be enriched by adding opportunities to thrive under any circumstances. So assisting Hank maintain his independence and to participate to the fullness of his being, is important to his wellbeing and speaks of Hank in terms of his right to dignity and self-fulfilment. As we have seen above,a social worker uses knowledge, theoretical frameworks and models to identifying the best way to approach and discover the clients, strengths, weakness, and opportunities for participation and well-being. It is also important in the case of Hank, to be up-to-date with the latest policies and procedures provided by both State and Federal government. A person-centred approach considers the client as the expert in their own life and able to decide on their own lives path (Tanner Harris, 2008). Thus, encouraging clients within the system to take control and be empowered within their own lives. The effectiveness of this in Hanks case, is it supports the need for collaboration and keeps at the forefront the client and his family, as people with needs and desires, who should always be in control of their own decisions. Social workers also focus on social justice, delving into the inequalities and oppression within society based on such factors as age, gender, class, poverty, race, culture and sexual orientation to become an advocate of change (AASW,2013, Thompson,2016). They can help develop those opportunities through change in policy, social planning and community involvement (Hughes Heycox,2010). This Contributes not only to the individual client, but to the community as a whole. Conclusion With Australias growing older population and the fast-paced technological world of modernisation and globalisation, there are many real cases like Hanks happening every day. It is hoped that any new federal government reforms will assist in helping older Australians maintain active and productive lives, not only for the sake of individual wellbeing but also for the betterment of society. Social workers can have a role to play in policy reform by being strong voice in advocacy for change. Social Workers also have an arsenal of tools to draw upon, to help work collaboratively with the client to assist them in making decisions that have a positive influence on their lives and the lives of those around them. References: Australian Association of Social Workers, 2013, Ageing in Australia: AASW Position Paper, viewed 9th March 2017, https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/4356 Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2010, Code of Ethics, rev. edn, AASW, viewed 19 April 2016, https://www.aasw.asn.au/practitioner-resources/code-of-ethics Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016, Population by Age and Sex, Australia, States and Territories, ABS, viewed 10th March 2017, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/0/1CD2B1952AFC5E7ACA257298000F2E76?OpenDocument Australian Department of Education and Training, 2017, General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS), viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.employment.gov.au/general-employee-entitlements-and-redundancy-scheme-geers Australian Department of Education and Training, 2017, Restart help to employ mature workers, viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.employment.gov.au/restart-help-employ-mature-workers-0 Australian Department of Human Services, 2017, Age Pension, viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/age-pension Australian Human Rights Commission, 2012, Working past our 60s: Reforming laws and policies for the older worker, viewed 9th March 2017, https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/age/publications/Working_past_our_60s_2012.pdf Bengtson V.L., DeLiema, M., 2016. Theories of Aging and Social Gerontology: Explaining How Social Factors Influence Well-Being in Later Life. In M Meyer and E Daniele (ed.), Gerontology: Changes, Challenges, and Solutions, vol 1. Social and Life Course Issues, Praeger, California Bengtson, V.L., Burgess, E.O. and Parrott, T.M., 1997. Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 52(2), pp.S72-S88. Business Council of Australia, 2004, offshoring, global outsourcing and the Australian economy continuing Australias integration in the world economy, viewed 11th March 2017 http://www.bca.com.au/docs/474AB708-A812-41CD-962A-11B684489C0E/ offshoring_global_outsourcing_and_the_australian-economy_continuing_australias_integration_intothe_global_economy_14-7-2004.pdf Carstensen, L.L., 1991. Selectivity theory: Social activity in life-span context. Annual review of gerontology and geriatrics, 11, pp.195-217. Clark, A.E., 2003. Unemployment as a social norm: Psychological evidence from panel data. Journal of labor economics, 21(2), pp.323-351. Cummings, E. and Henry, W.E., 1961. Growing old: The Process of Disengagement. Basic, New York. Dowd, J.J., 1975. Aging as exchange: A preface to theory. Journal of Gerontology, 30(5), pp.584-594. Hall, B. and Scragg, T. eds., 2012. Social Work with Older People: Approaches to Person-centred Practice. Open University Press, New York Hughes, M. and Heycox, K., 2010. Older people, ageing and social work: Knowledge for practice. Allen Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW Ife, J., 2012. Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice. Cambridge University Press. Port Melbourne Klehe, U.C., Koen, J. and De Pater, I.E., 2012. 17 Ending on the Scrap Heap: The Experience of Job Loss and Job Search among Older Workers. In W. Borman J Hedge (eds), The Oxford handbook of work and aging, Oxford Handbooks Online. Retrieved 13 Mar. 2017, from http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195385052.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780195385052-e-017. Lynott, R.J. and Lynott, P.P., 1996. Tracing the course of theoretical development in the sociology of aging. The Gerontologist, 36(6), pp.749-760. Parliament of Australia, 2010, Chronology of superannuation and retirement income in Australia, viewed 15th March 2017, http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/0910/ChronSuperannuation Phillipson, C., 2009. Social welfare, aging, and globalization in a post-industrial society. In J. Hendricks J. Powell (Eds.), The welfare state in post-industrial society, pp. 57-70. Springer, New York. Poole, M., 2013. Ageing, Health, and The Demographic Revolution, in J. Germov (ed), Second Opinion, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne Streib, G.F. and Schneider, C.J., 1971. Retirement in American society. Cornell University press, NY Tanner, D. and Harris, J., 2008. Working with older people. Routledge, London Tolbize, A., 2008. Generational differences in the workplace. Research and training center on community living, 19, pp.1-13. Thompson, N., 2016. Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan, London Van der Meer, P.H., 2014. Gender, unemployment and subjective well-being: Why being unemployed is worse for men than for women. Social Indicators Research, 115(1), pp.23-44. Victor, C., 2005. The social context of ageing: A textbook of gerontology. Routledge, Oxon. Legislation Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 Age Discrimination Act 1992 Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) Income Tax Assessment Act 1915 Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act 1908 Treaties International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, (resolution 2200A), entry into force 1976 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948, (resolution 217 A), adopted 10 December 1948.

The Defeat of Ethiopia Essay -- African History

In the beginning of the 20th century, all of Africa was in European hands except for just one country. Despite all the factors against this one country, Ethiopia, in1896 they successfully defended themselves from the Italians in the Battle of Adwa. Unfortunately, when the Italians invaded a second time in 1935, the Ethiopians were not so successful. How come the Ethiopians were defeated when not 50 years earlier they were victorious? Was the advance in technology to much for the Ethiopians to combat or was it the lack of good leadership that they once had in the years leading up to the second invasion. I believe that due to the lack of good leadership before and during the second Italian invasion attributed to the defeat of Ethiopia, rather than their technological deficiencies. To first understand the loss in the second war we must first briefly look at their victory in the first war. In this conflict Ethiopia defeated the Italians because their leaders made all the right choices before and during the war. It started with Emperor Tewodros II, who â€Å"reunified the Ethiopia under a single emperor†. Before that Ethiopia was in great disarray, with many different kings and warlords ruled different parts of Ethiopia. This was a crucial step in defeating the Italian because without the full cooperation of all the Ethiopian warlords, than the Italian military would have easily defeated the fragmented Ethiopian states. Another crucial decision that Tewodros II made was to modernize the Ethiopian military with firearms. He learned this lesson harshly after a tough defeat from the modern equipped Egyptian army and from this experience he used it to better his empire. With just these two simple improvements Ethiopia was now in ... ...talian bullets ever could. Even in our time, the most modern army like the United States is not assured victory against a less advanced foe like the Taliban. In the end, it all comes down to the soldiers training, and the leadership of their superiors. WORKS CITED Del Boca, Angelo. Guerra d'Abissinia. Translated by Giangiacomo Feltrinelli. The Ethiopian War 1935-1941, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1969. Milkias, Paulos. The Battle of Adwa. N.p.: Algora Publishing, 2005. Nicolle, David, and Raffaele Ruggeri. The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935-36. London: Osprey Military, 1997. Wienholt, Arnold. The Africans' Last Stronghold. London: John Long, 1938. Gilbert, Erik, and Jonathan T. Reynolds. Africa in World History: From Prehistory to the Present. Boston: Pearson, 2012.

Literature Review Essay

Abstract The primary role of literature review in a quantitative research study to gain information on the subject of your research question and identify unbiased and valid studies connected with your research question. For instance, my quantitative research question is â€Å"all other factors being equal, do high school students reading popular fiction achieve better Language Arts test scores than high school students reading curriculum-required fiction? † My hypothesis is that high school students reading popular fiction will outperform the students who read curriculum-required fiction, because if you enjoy reading you will perform better. Then I need to do a literature review to discover if my question has already been answered and I may need to modify it or if there are related studies to my research question that can provide quantifiable research. Introduction Quantitative Research involves collecting numerical data though content analysis, performance tests, personality measures, questionnaires, etc. This type of research procedures include an objective/unbiased approach to collecting numerical data from a large number of participants and analyzes these numbers using statistics in order to answer a specific, narrow research question. As part of research, a literature review is required. A quantitative literature review is an extensive review of literature that may or may not influence the study and your research question (UOA 2013). The primary role of literature review in a quantitative research study to gain information on the subject of your research question and identify unbiased and valid studies connected with your research question. For instance, my quantitative research question is â€Å"all other factors being equal, do high school students reading popular fiction achieve better Language Arts test scores than high school students reading curriculum-required fiction? † My hypothesis is that high school students reading popular fiction will outperform the students who read curriculum-required fiction, because if you enjoy reading you will perform better. Then I need to do a literature review to discover if my question has already been answered and I may need to modify it or if there are related studies to my research question that can provide quantifiable research. Why This Research Question This research question â€Å"all other factors being equal, do high school students reading popular fiction achieve better Language Arts test scores than high school students reading curriculum-required fiction? † needs to be answered. There is a controversy over what types of literature is acceptable for students to have access. One of my favorite book series (Harry Potter) is a banned book in certain states. This research question would add to research already completed. Methodology in the Research Question This research question â€Å"all other factors being equal, do high school students reading popular fiction achieve better Language Arts test scores than high school students reading curriculum-required fiction? † is an experimental research question and a casual research question. An experimental research question tests the cause and effect and a causal research question that test for a cause and effect relationship between variables. The variables in this research question are the independent variable (IV), age, ethnicity, and gender, the dependent variable (DV), assigned popular fiction and curriculum-required fiction, and the covariant (CoV) socio-economic status. Additionally, this question has ratio data. Ratio data is continuous. Ratio data rank order, but also quantify and compare the sizes of differences between them. Ratio data has an absolute zero and allows for how many times greater. The research question can discover how many times greater or less are the test scores of high school students who read popular fiction than those who read curriculum-required fiction. Supporting Research My hypothesis of the research question is that high school students reading popular fiction will outperform the students who read curriculum-required fiction, because if you enjoy reading you will perform better. The other similar research found during the literature review relates to my research. Although, my specific research question has not been fully researched. Other research relates to my question. According to the article, Impact of Students’ Reading Preferences on Reading Achievement, middle school students in Canada found â€Å"The most significant indicators were reading novels or fictional texts, informative reading or non-fiction, and reading books or other texts from the school library. In-class reading and participation in discussions pertaining to school-related reading were also shown to enhance reading achievement. These results are somewhat surprising in that research documenting this subject mainly emphasizes the use of pedagogical material corresponding to the interests/needs of students to foster achievement in reading† (Bouchamma, et al. 2013). This research shows that reading achievement can come from both required and optional reading. Moreover, according to the article, Reading Attitude and its Effect on Leisure Time Reading, â€Å"gender, educational level, age, and amount of spare time have a positive effect on reading behavior† (Stokmans 1999). Additionally, there is â€Å"a positive relationship between time spent reading fiction and educational level† (Stokmans 1999). This research shows that reading fiction relates positively to reading level. Additionally, according to the article, Popular Publications May Help Students’ Reading Scores, â€Å"We are concerned about the struggle to increase scores that children are posting on state-required exams — not because of the scores themselves, but because they are strong indications that state students may not be gaining the thorough and analytical skills they need to become successful readers† (Michigan Chronicle 1997). This newspaper article shows that popular publications may help students on their reading score. Conclusion This research question â€Å"all other factors being equal, do high school students reading popular fiction achieve better Language Arts test scores than high school students reading curriculum-required fiction? † needs to be answered. This research question addresses the controversy over what types of literature is acceptable for students to have access to. Moreover, this research question would add to research already completed. It would allow  administrators and other educators to decide if certain books can be helpful in high school students learning environments. Bibliography Bouchamma, Y. , Poulin, V. , Basque, M. , & Ruel, C. (2013). Impact of students’ reading preferences on reading achievement. Creative Education, 4(8), 484-491. Retrieved February 6th, 2014 from: http://search. proquest. com/docview/1441488139? accountid=28844 Mia J. W. Stokmans, Reading attitude and its effect on leisure time reading, Poetics, Volume 26, Issue 4, May 1999, Pages 245-261, ISSN 0304-422X, Retrieved February 6th, 2014 from: http://dx. doi. org/10. 1016/S0304-422X(99)00005-4 http://www. sciencedirect. com/science/article/pii/S0304422X99000054 Popular publications may help students’ reading scores. (1997, Oct 01). Michigan Chronicle. Retrieved February 6th, from: http://search. proquest. com/docview/390200035? accountid=28844 University of Arkansas Libraries (2013, Oct. 30) Literature Reviews. LibGuides. Retrieved February 6th, 2014 from: http://uark. libguides. com/content. php? pid=110370&sid=1384703

University of the People - A Tuition-Free Online University

University of the People - A Tuition-Free Online University What Is UoPeople? The University of the People  (UoPeople) is the worlds first tuition-free online university. To learn more about how this online school works, I interviewed UoPeople founder Shai Reshef. Heres what he had to say: Q: Can you start by telling us a little bit about the University of the People? A:  University of the People  is the world’s first tuition-free, online academic institution. I established UoPeople to democratize higher education and make college-level studies available to student everywhere, even in the poorest parts of the world. Utilizing open-source technology and materials with a peer-to-peer pedagogical system, we can create a global chalkboard that does not discriminate based on geographical or financial constraints.   Q: What degrees will the University of the People offer to students? A:  When UoPeople opens its virtual gates this fall, we will offer two undergraduate degrees: a BA in Business Administration and a BSc in Computer Science. The University plans to offer other education options in the future. Q: How long does it take to complete each degree? A:  Full-time students will be able to complete the undergraduate degree in approximately four years, and all students will be eligible for an associate degree after two years. Q: Are classes conducted entirely online? A:  Yes, the curriculum is internet-based. UoPeople students will learn in online study communities where they will share resources, exchange ideas, discuss weekly topics, submit assignments and take exams, all under the guidance of respected scholars. Q: What are your current admissions requirements? A:  The enrollment requirements include proof of graduation from a secondary school as evidence of 12 years of schooling, proficiency in English and access to a computer with an Internet connection. Prospective students will be able to enroll online at UoPeople.edu.  With minimal admission criteria, UoPeople aims to provide higher education to anyone who welcomes the opportunity. Alas, in the beginning stages, we will have to cap enrollment in order to best serve our students. Q: Is the University of the People open to everyone regardless of location or citizenship status? A:  UoPeople will accept students regardless of location or citizenship status. It is a universal institution that anticipates students from every corner of the globe. Q: How many students will the University of the People accept each year? A:  UoPeople anticipates tens of thousands of students to enroll within the first five years of operation, although enrollment will be capped at 300 students in the first semester. The power of online networking and word-of-mouth marketing will facilitate the growth of the University, while the open-source and peer-to-peer pedagogical model will make it possible to handle such rapid expansion. Q: How can students increase their chances of getting accepted? A:  My personal goal is to make higher education a right for all, not a privilege for the few. Enrollment criteria are minimal, and we hope to accommodate any student who wants to be a part of this university. Q: Is the University of the People an accredited institution? A:  Like all universities, UoPeople must comply with the rules set forth by accreditation agencies. UoPeople intends to apply for accreditation as soon as the two year waiting period for eligibility is met. UPDATE:  University of the People was accredited by the  Distance Education Accrediting Commission  Ã‚  (DEAC) in February 2014. Q: How will the University of the People help students succeed in the program and after graduation? A:  My time at Cramster.com has taught me the value of peer-to-peer learning and its strength as a pedagogical model in maintaining high retention rates. Additionally, UoPeople plans to offer guidance and support for students upon graduation, however specific programs are still in the development phase. Q: Why should students consider attending the University of the People? A:  Higher education has been a pipedream for too many people, for too long. UoPeople opens the doors so that a teenager from a rural village in Africa has the same opportunity to go to college as one who attended the most prestigious high school in New York. And UoPeople doesn’t just provide four years of education for students worldwide, but also the building blocks for them to go on to create a better life, community and world.