Politics in Everyday Life Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Politics in Everyday Life - Case Study Example Every decision that is made should, therefore, be centered on their decisions so that a fair judgment can be given. The real law comes from the will of the people. This is based on democracy and social compact. How much influence should interest groups play in your decision making? Interest groups is one of he factors as they are all citizens of the town. They should not be put in a position where they can directly influence the decision. This is because; they are an interested party that could give a suggestion to favor them (Roskin, 2006). How do you respond to those that support the project/against the project and donated to your campaign? Having people supporting the project with the knowledge of the reasons of why they support, it is very essential. They could be supporting it for personal gain or to avoid responsibilities. Those not supporting the idea, on the other hand, could be those that are oppressed by the suggestion. The only solution to these two parties is listening to all their suggestions. Making a point of dealing with the situation in a manner that will not be oppressive could also be an important gesture. What role should lobbyists play? In this case, a lobbyist will come in handy in advising the city dwellers (Roskin, 2006). They are the people that are in a position to influence the final decision made by the authorities.

Many studies show that social background determines pupils' success Essay

Many studies show that social background determines pupils' success and it has been suggested that 'Class Does Matter' in ed - Essay Example Recently, some approaches came into picture which focused on: a) Raising the aspirations of working-class individuals, and b) On the diversification of the education market. Here, both these approaches are reviewed as well as analyzed. As an effort to find the remedy to this situation, the previous Labor government aimed to ‘drive up the standards’ through the diversification of the market and increased competition. The government took various initiatives including the academic program, and further ‘freeing’ of the market through allowing schools to gain their independence from local authorities. At this time came the concept of ‘free schools’ which in turn helped in analyzing emerging literature works as well as standards. At this point in time, the concept of the marketization of education worked perfectly as desired as per the closing of the social class gap in the field of education, and giving a stronger purchasing power to the middle-class es (Huat See, 2004). It increased their ability to ‘play the game’ successfully to their various social and cultural capitals. Early Reforms During the decade between the 1980s and the 1990s, the then functioning governments made a lot of standard changes to the education system of UK (DCSF, 2009). Some of these standard mechanisms included representation of parents on governing bodies, parental choice and creating a link between student enrolment numbers and school funding so as to bridge the gap. The explicit aim behind designing these reforms was the improvement of pupil achievement. The policy makers have also been concerned about the existence of poor basic skills found in the UK workforce, in comparison to other nations, especially amongst the younger population. Keeping in view all these issues, a nationwide standard curriculum was introduced by the government for the students in the age group of 7-16, so as to ensure that every student studied a minimum componen t of the curriculum (DCSF, 2009). In recent decades, higher education (HE) has been an important policy area, subjected to frequent reforms. As per the prevailing trend, higher education has been reserved as an area meant only for the higher socio-economic groups. Although, the recent decades have witnessed a gradual rise in HE participation, the lower socio-economic groups still score low on relative participation. Additionally, there is enough evidence to support the fact that the economic value attached with HE has not collapsed on account of its expansion. Indeed, the value of degree returns has remained very much intact during the period. Beginning from the late 1980s, a number of policy changes have been introduced in the education system of Britain (Huat See, 2004). Depending upon the type of educational system, the main content of these policy changes went through time based variations. However, the ultimate goal behind these changes was the creation of a standard policy fra mework which would make it mandatory for all schools and colleges to adopt the improvement agenda, as prescribed by Labour as well as Conservative Governments. The FEFC (Further Education Funding Council) has made an attempt to achieve the below given goals through the adoption of funding mechanism (DCSF,

Effect of Blow Moulding on Bottle Weight and Dimensions

Effect of Blow Moulding on Bottle Weight and Dimensions Abstract Blow moulding, which is also called blow forming, is a manufacturing process for production of hollow-form plastic products. The present report is intended to deal with the effect on bottle weight, bottle dimensions and machine output of the various process factors. By reference to Rheological properties of plastics, the correlation between the share rate and screw speed, melt temperature, die swell, bottle thickness were discussed. Also, the influences of elongational viscosity were suggested. 1. Introduction Blow moulding, also known as blow forming, is a process used to produce hollow productions by â€Å"blowing† thermoplastic molten tube into the shape of a mould cavity. Generally, blow moulding can be divided into three main types including stretch blow moulding, injection blow moulding, and extrusion blow moulding. In this experiment, extrusion blow moulding was studied to examine the effects of process variables on bottle weight, bottle dimensions and machine output. In extrusion blow moulding, plastic particles are melted into fluid with heat applied. Then the melt plastic is extruded through a die, forming a hollow tube, which is usually called a parison. After that, the parison is captured by closing it around a mould. Next, air is pumped in to the parison when the ends of the parison keeps sealed at the mould parting line during forming. The parison deforms, forming a shape very closed to the mould. The mould is opened after the component is well cooled. Finally the component is ejected and the procedures are repeated. More and more products are made. In this experiment the plastic particles are High-density Polyethylene, the density of which ranges from 0.941 to 0.967 g/cm3. The High-density Polyethylene is preferred for production by blow moulding as it is more rigid and usually has a matt finish compared with Low-density Polyethylene. 2. Experimental Equipment Hayssen extrusion blow moulding machine Materials High density polyethylene (HDPE), Blow moulding grade, BS2581, Borealis. Procedures Firstly, HDPE particles were pumped into the hopper though a pipe. After that, the parameters of process variables and the temperatures of different zones were set according to Table 1 2, respectively. Then the machine was set in automatic mode and continuous cycle. Each group needs 10 samples, marking 1 to 10. Before the Process Variables were changed, the weight of parison extruded per unit minute was measured. Finally weight of each bottle, was measured along with thickness distribution along the length circumference. 3. Results And Discussions Experimental Results The original records including weight of bottle, bottle thickness distribution, output rate and crew speed are shown in Appendix I. In addition, the calculation of share rate and modified prison length are shown Appendix II and the general results are summarized. Experimental Discussions Influences Of Machine Variables On Bottle Weight And Dimensions Generally the bottle weight and dimensions is influenced by screw speed, melting temperature, and vent time. Screw speed. By comparing group A and group C, it is clear shown that output rate increasing with the increasing screw speed due to low viscosity and high die head pressure. By referring to the rheological properties of plastic, thickness and weight of group A should be higher than that of group C, because the higher sagging brings decreasing of weight and thickness. However, the records of the experiment do not accord with the theoretical analysis. The reason is that the machine is too old. Melting temperature. By comparing Group C and Group D, it is found that the bottles of group D are lighter and thinner than those of group C. The higher the melt temperature is, the lower the viscosity of polymer is. Lower viscosity reduces bottle weight and dimensions. Vent time. By comparing Group A and Group B, the result is that the bottles of group B are lighter and thinner than those of group A. If the vent time is too short, it will cause insufficient cooling and less sagging. Share Behaviours According to the equation ÃŽ ³= (6Q)/ (WH ²), the results of apparent share rate are given in Table 4 (all steps in calculation is shown in Appendix II). Experiments runs A B C D Shear Rate (s⠁ »Ã‚ ¹) 234.94 232.86 398.41 458.62 Table 4: Apparent shear rate Generally shear rate is related to screw speed, melt temperature, die swell and bottle thickness. Screw speed. The output rate is proportional to the screw speed. According to the equation ÃŽ ³= (6Q)/ (WH  ²), as the mean circumference (W) and die gap (H) are constant in this equation, the shear rate (ÃŽ ³) increases as output rate (Q) increases, in other words, screw speed increases. Melt temperature. The viscosity of polymer becomes lower at higher melt temperature. Lower viscosity results in high output rate (Q), which brings out a higher shear rate (ÃŽ ³). Die swell. â€Å"An increase in die swell results in a lower linear output rate. Since extrusion is usually continuous, further adjustments to the process dynamics are sometimes inevitable. Parison length sensors are available, to ease the effects of the problem†. In consequence, larger die swell results in larger output rate, which brings out larger shear rate. In one word, shear rate is proportional to die swell. Bottle thickness. Bottle thickness is related to the viscosity of polymer. Higher viscosity results in lower shear rate. So, shear rate increase as bottle thickness decrease.. Elongational Behaviours According to the equation ΔL= (Ï gtL ²)/ (2ÃŽ »), the results of Modified Parison Length are (all steps in calculation is shown in Appendix II). Experiments runs A B ΔL(mm) 0.566 0.944 Modified Parison Length (mm) 17.566 17.944 According to Table 5, it can be found that the longer the cycle time is, the longer the parison becomes. The result can be explained in this way: the parison will be elongated if more time is given under the gravity force. The elongational viscosity is influenced by molecular weight and temperature. High molecular weight and high temperature cause a decreasing of the elongational viscosity. 4. Conclusions Blow moulding is a manufacturing process for production of hollow-form plastic products. Process variables have the effects on bottle weight, bottle dimensions and machine output. Specifically, high screw speed, low melt temperature, and short vent time results in the increasing of bottle weight and thickness. High screw speed, high melt temperature, large die swell and thin bottle thickness lead to high shear rate. Longer cycle time results in larger parison length. High molecule weight and high temperature cause a decreasing of the elongational viscosity References [1] A. W. Birley, B. Haworth and J. Batchelor, Physics of plastic, Hanser, 1991 [2] Edwin G. Fisher, Blow moulding of plastics, The Plastics Institute, 1971

Comparing A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Farewell to Arms & The Sun Also Rises "After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain" (332). This last line of the novel gives an understanding of Ernest Hemingway's style and tone. The overall tone of the book is much different than that of The Sun Also Rises. The characters in the book are propelled by outside forces, in this case WWI, where the characters in The Sun Also Rises seemed to have no direction. Frederick's actions are determined by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the river with barely a hold on a piece of wood his life, he abandons everything except Catherine and lets the river take him to a new life that becomes increasing difficult to understand. Nevertheless, Hemingway's style and tone make A Farewell to Arms one of the great American novels. Critics usually describe Hemingway's style as simple, spare, and journalistic. These are all good words they all apply. Perhaps because of his training as a newspaperman, Hemingway is a master of the de clarative, subject-verb-object sentence. His writing has been likened to a boxer's punches--combinations of lefts and rights coming at us without pause. As illustrated on page 145 "She went down the hall. The porter carried the sack. He knew what was in it," one can see that Hemingway's style is to-the-point and easy to understand. The simplicity and the sensory richness flow directly from Hemingway's and his characters' beliefs. The punchy, vivid language has the immediacy of a news bulletin: these are facts, Hemingway is telling us, and they can't be ignored. And just as Frederic Henry comes to distrust abstractions like "patriotism," so does Hemingway distrust them. Instead he seeks the concrete and the tangible. A simple "good" becomes higher praise than another writer's string of decorative adjectives. Hemingway's style changes, too, when it reflects his characters' changing states of mind. Writing from Frederic Henry's point of view, he sometimes uses a modified stream-of-cons ciousness technique, a method for spilling out on paper the inner thoughts of a character. Usually Henry's thoughts are choppy, staccato, but when he becomes drunk the language does too, as in the passage on page 13, "I had gone to no such place but to the smoke of cafes and nights when the room whirled and you

Identify Barriers to Effective Communication Essay

Communication can be hard when people speak different languages or use sign language, and it can become frustrating when you don’t understand what a person is saying. Barriers can occur when people find it hard to pass on or receive information because of impairment such as being death or bind which is quite common impairments. If a person is ill or feeling emotional this can also affect the way they communicate as they may be to upset and unable to get the right words out. At times service providers jargon can also be a barrier when they use big technical words to describe something and we are unsure of the term. The same can happen with young people and their slang words for instance, I have came across young people describe say a film as being sick, but to my misunderstanding they actually thought the film was really good so in this case the word sick means good, this is an example of a word meaning something totally different to what you believe it means. The environment y ou are in can also become a barrier to communication in certain circumstances such as, a wheelchair user not being able to see a shop keeper or receptionist as the counter is too high or a person with poor vision not being able to read signs as they are too small, faded or have words missing. So there can be a lot off barriers to overcome when trying to communicate effectively.

Report: High School and Attendance Essay

Introduction Like other schools around the nation, Beech Grove Intermediate School is experiencing a serious problem with attendance. This has been cited as a problem and something that needs to be addressed so that Beech Grove Intermediate can achieve the attendance rate they need to become a Four-Star status school. Currently, the attendance at Beech Grove Intermediate is averaging around 95 percent. The rate needs to increase to 97 percent for the school to achieve Four-Star status. Beech Grove Intermediate does have an attendance policy; however, other strategies could be implemented to increase the attendance. Attendance is an important part of children’s and parents’ everyday responsibilities, and poor attendance habits cause lifelong consequences. Many schools around the nation report low attendance and high tardiness rates. This problem needs to be addressed in order to help our children do well in school and become responsible adults. Children who are habitually late or chronically absent miss out on much that is learned in school. Even being 5 to 10 minutes late each day creates a situation where children can lose a considerable amount of time that is being spent on their schooling. Also, it is known that children with poor attendance rates in elementary and high school continue to show problems of tardiness and even proficiency later in life once they go to college or pursue a career. Changes in the attendance program at Beech Grove are needed, and the following report is intended to propose tactics for increasing the attendance rate at Beech Grove Intermediate School. Methodology For this report we surveyed teachers from six local elementary and secondary schools to get an idea of what other schools were doing to increase their attendance. We received 50 completed questionnaires. We also searched scholarly databases such as ERIC to find relevant articles on the problem of increasing attendance. These articles outline several solutions to increasing attendance in schools. Review of the Literature This review of recently published literature on attendance addresses causes, effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, and rewards and incentives to increase student attendance. Causes of Absenteeism. All the literature agrees that absenteeism is an all too common problem for schools around the country. This can be traced to a range of causes from unsupportive school environment to poor health of the student. According to John Doughtery (1999), home dynamics play a key role in absenteeism. The parents are the key to how often a child attends class (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen (1996) agree with this and list parent influence on absenteeism as number two on their list for reasons for absence. They go on to state that lack of caring by the parents, or parents who are not home to see the child off to school are major reasons for students not to go to class, especially with younger students (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Other than home life, illness of the child is also given as a common reason for absenteeism in the literature. Also, appointments and vacations are listed as top reasons in the literature as well. Doughtery attests to this in saying, â€Å"It is now common practice for students to miss school for general appointments to avoid tests and assignments† (1999, p.10). Two authors noted that homeless students or students who live in a family that move very frequently are more likely to be chronically absent from school (Epstien, Sheldon, 2002, p. 311). Some of the authors also agree that if a student is not succeeding in school then they are less likely to want to come to school. This also goes along with schools that do not give praise to students or interact with the students so that no one feels left out, and help to see that everyone succeeds (Doughtery, 1999, p. 10). In short, all of the authors agree that parental involvement and student-teacher interaction is very important in keeping absenteeism down. Effective Policies and Parental Contact As schools seek new programs and ideas for increasing student attendance, one of the two most frequently mentioned tactics in the literature are having an effective attendance policy and increasing communication with parents and guardians. According to Dan Vandivier (2003), a high school principal, attendance policies must be stringent and must also be persistently adhered to. He states that policies must be fair and also have â€Å"flexibility to accommodate mitigating circumstances† (Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Vandivier’s new attendance policy no longer distinguished between excused and unexcused and allowed administration discretion in dealing with excessive absences for legitimate reasons (Vandivier, 2003, p. 81). Dougherty (1999) agrees that schools must produce a clear fair attendance policy that is up to date and standardized and communicate it. Many studies have also shown a correlation between increased parental contact and increased attendance (Smerka, 1993; Epstein & Sheldon, 2002). Smerka (1993) noted that after mailing notices to all parents informing them of the success of the attendance program and asking for their support, the perfect attendance rate increased to 13. 9 percent (p. 96. ) He claimed that the key to good attendance is promoting it everywhere to everyone (Smerka, 1993, p. 96). Another study also found that â€Å"the degree to which schools overcame the challenge of communicating effectively with families was related to gains in student attendance and declines in chronic absenteeism† (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p. 315). The study noted that providing families with someone to talk to at the school about attendance or other issues was effective in increasing attendance (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002, p. 315). In addition to simply having contact with parents, many authors agree that it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor their student’s absenteeism (Dougherty, 1999; Ford & Sutphen,1996; Kube & Radgan,1992). Dougherty (1999) says that parents â€Å"must be responsible for their child’s daily attendance and promptly inform the school attendance office when the student is absent† (p.11). One study shows that increasing communication with parents and involving them in the student’s education are strategies for increasing attendance. This study also cited the use of a letter to parents informing them of the policy and encouraging them to discuss the importance of good attendance with their children (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 96). Another study also said that parents â€Å"must be responsible for the student’s daily attendance† and they must â€Å"stress the importance of daily attendance to their children† (Kube & Radgan, 1992). Creating effective attendance policies that are reviewed and renewed regularly and establishing parental contact are very important stepping stones for increasing attendance in schools. Community Involvement While it is not crucial to the success of an attendance program, many of our authors agree that solid community involvement can positively impact attendance rates. Many schools work with businesses in the community to offer incentives for students with good or perfect attendance (â€Å"Raising School Attendance,† 2002). John Daugherty (1999), an education professor at Linden-wood College, refers to programs which offer a series of incentives for attendance, ranging from fast-food coupons to entertainment centers which were offered at a discount from local businesses (p. 16). A different form of contribution is noted in Bob Maggi’s (1991) case study of a school in Missouri. A local company contributed $500 to fund their mentoring/ adoption program. Seeing how successful the project was, the company doubled the amount it contributes to the program. Another article suggests that schools work with law enforcement and local businesses. The author states, â€Å"With their support, children who should be in school will be in school† (â€Å"Raising School Attendance,† 2002). Joyce Epstein and Steven Sheldon from The Johns Hopkins University agree, saying, â€Å"Developing productive school-family-community connections has become one of the most commonly embraced policy initiatives in schools and school districts† (2002, p. 308). There are times when the community involvement takes a much more negative but still necessary angle. Often, students will be habitually absent and schools are now working to address that issue. Janet Ford and Richard Sutphen, social work professors at the University of Kentucky, mention that in some states or districts parents of students will face fines or even jail time if they fail to adhere to attendance laws (1996, p. 95). Dougherty suggests other tactics, such as â€Å"implementing police sweeps, involving local agencies and the media and notifying juvenile authorities† (1999). Of course, these tactics are usually implemented in only severe cases of absenteeism. Community involvement and support can be a wonderful addition to attendance policies if tailored to meet the school’s needs and the student’s desires. Teacher/Student Relationships While family and community involvement both play important roles in maintaining good student attendance, our sources all agree that student-teacher relationships are also very important. Several authors encourage one on one meetings, or mentoring students who have attendance problems. In fact, at least one study (Maggi, 1991) is devoted entirely to this practice and with great results, while others (â€Å"Raising school attendance,† 2001 and Vandiver, 2003) simply add it into their attendance programs. Authors agree that to curb poor attendance teachers should lecture students every day about the importance of attending school daily. Kube and Ratigan (1992) insist, â€Å"Teachers must let students know that they are missed when they have been absent. They must ensure that important learning experiences occur each day in their classes† (p. 3), while Dougherty (2003) concurs and adds, â€Å"And they must value and reward good attendance† (p. 76). According to the literature, the teachers are also responsible for coming up with new and creative ways to entice children into coming to school every day. These enticements run the gamut from Vandiver’s (2003) idea of being exempt from having to take the final exams if the student has perfect attendance to Ford and Sutphin’s (1996) strategy of giving tokens to students with good attendance so that they could cash them in on prizes at the end of the week (p. 98). In the end, authors agree that in order to keep attendance under control, educators need not only to regularly come up with new and innovative ideas to keep students coming to school but to consistently tell the students how important it is for them to be present every day. Rewards and Incentives Research has shown that attendance increases when schools incorporate incentive programs into their attendance policies. Bob Maggi (1998), principal at Jarrett High School, began a program which encouraged teachers to adopt a student. Maggi (1998) claimed that â€Å"A $500 grant from Southwestern Bell Foundation was distributed to the adopting teachers to be used to their discretion: for birthday or holiday gifts, for taking student out for dinner or a show, or to buy a sweatshirt or dance ticket† (p. 12). It only took one year for Jarrett High School to receive the results they were searching for. Terrance Smerke (1993, p. 95), principal of Aurora Middle School, along with other schools found it effective to reward the children with positive letters of their accomplishments (Best Practices for School Attendance, 1998). According to Janet Ford, PhD, and Richard Sutphen, PhD, both assistant professors, other types of incentives are posting student’s names in the hallway or reading them over the public address system (1996). One observation mentioned in the article â€Å"Raising School Attendance† (2002), was that Monday and Friday â€Å"are typically the days with the highest absenteeism. Planning special events for these days could improve attendance. † Vandivier (2003), principal of Twin Rivers High School, and John Dougherty (1999), professor of education at Linden-wood College, agree that rewards such as movie tickets, food coupons, and gift certificates will increase attendance. The article How do you improve student attendance, claims that one way to boost attendance is to put all the students’ names with perfect attendance into a drawing (2001, p. 26). Ann Kube, math teacher at North Scott High School, and Gary Radigan, principle at Ankeny High School, agree that incentives encourage students to attend school regularly (1992). As most of the authors stated, incentives have been proven to increase attendance. Punishments/Consequences All of our authors agree that absenteeism has negative consequences for students, schools and society. In the article â€Å"Early Intervention to Improve Attendance In Elementary School for At risk Children,† Janet Ford and Richard V. Sutphen discuss the effects on students. They say that non-attendees generally fall behind their peers in academic achievement and the development of social competence (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Consequences for parents include fines and jail time; consequences for schools are loss of funds, and for society higher rates of unemployment, poverty and lack of preparation to enter the work force (Ford & Sutphen, 1996, p. 95). Dougherty agrees that habits of absenteeism and tardiness affect work performance when youngsters become adults (1999, p. 7). In Dan Vandivier’s article entitled â€Å"Improving Attendance, A Formula that Worked† he discusses an attendance policy at Twin Rivers High School in Brosely, Montana. Policies stated that students that miss more than six days in a semester are not considered to have earned credit, and no distinction is made between excused and unexcused absences (2003, p. 81). As for students and specific punishments our authors disagreed with suspension. Dougherty states, â€Å"that suspending a student is giving them what he wants, a vacation† (1999, p. 9). As most of the authors conclude, there is some form of punishment given to a student that misses excessive days. Conclusion In conclusion, the above research findings all agree that attendance is a very important issue for students. The literature indicated that the following topics are important factors in increasing attendance: effective policies, parental contact, community involvement, teacher/student relationships, rewards and incentives, and punishments/consequences.