Easter traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Easter traditions - Essay Example Life indeed is full of miracles. It could come to you, as it did to me this morning, with an offer to write on a magazine, or it could emerge out of a bottle of Dior that would give your skin a lasting glow, which its label promises with great authority at Sephora's open counters; that brim with lipsticks and fragrances, eyeshadow and mascara, or revitalizing lotions. I gazed at them, and even tried on a few scents just for the heck of it, dreaming about how my articles and by-lines would look in magazine print, as the painted salesgirl obligingly kept spraying little strips of paper for me to sniff,shoving the coffee pods in between that made me forget the last fragrance I had breathed in.I wandered out to the bookshop across, wondering if they do not carry any Easter eggs, but the once they did have were too plastic or too ornate, so I thought of browsing a few magazines to get a better idea on Easter eggs in vogue, and where best to get them. Of course I drifted towards the cooker y section where I was sure of   recipes for candy in the shape of Easter eggs. The girl next to me in overdone casual chic and a tad too much make-up stood   poring over a magazine, mumbling to herself, and when I passed by her I couldn't help gazing over her hunched shoulders. It was a quiz, â€Å"Is he the man for you?†, and I could tell she was seriously worried as she whipped out her neon-pink cellphone and began whispering furiously into it.The carpeting at the bookstore made me drag my feet a little, and I longed to put my sling-bag down. and sit down someplace for a cuppa. The girl at the coffee shop beamed at me the same smile she had put up for those ahead, and I settled down on a chair next to an old man with a lot on his mind, or at the very least, on his laptop. Between loud slurps on his plastic glass, where he presumably scalded his tongue each time, shook his head, and went ahead for another reckless gulp, he scribbled on a pad beside him and played around with his Blackberry. Maybe he was waiting for a wire transfer, drumming impatiently on the table, and I thought of Runaway Jury, and how I was taken with Gene Hackman, despite being the villain of the piece, or somehow because of it. The old man I sat next to was portly and appeared scatty. I soon lost all thoughts of Hackman, and let my gaze roam around in search of a possible candy shop. Having detected none by the time I had dragged the mocha to the last sip, I decided maybe the little shops across the road that I had spotted on my way here could be a likely source of holiday eggs. I loitered out, the edgy separates at the A/X Exchange on the way drawing my eye. I bought a staple scarf in discreetly

Identify and analyse those factors which are used by Pakistani TV Essay

Identify and analyse those factors which are used by Pakistani TV viewers to discriminate against the local TV channelsin favour of the Indian channels - Essay Example Diversity basically displays the respect for the audience, it shows that every member in the audience is equally important and the channel would want to cater to each and every individual. It is also a great tool to retain the viewers to a particular channel as they now have different things to look forward to rather than the monotonous programming (Onah & Anyanwu, 1988). Innovation is the main tool to attract audiences; people always appreciate innovation and hard work. It creates a sense of curiosity among the audience and forces them to keep coming back to the channel; people would stick to one channel if they are offered something out of the ordinary after certain time intervals (Alpert, 1992). The perception of being innovative gives the channel a positive word of mouth among the viewers, this becomes the source of advertisement for the channel, and people would prefer watching a channel that was recommended by their peers rather than some critic’s recommendation or even a conventional advertisement. One of the major factors that channels loose viewers to other channels is the lack of originality; channels in their urge to be recognized as innovative get carried away at times and start copying which is not appreciated by the majority as the ‘me too’ approach appears to be an act of desperation especially in case of T.V. channels. People switch channels and choose to watch one over the other in search for something different hence a perception of not being original can harm the channel’s business as people will not even bother having a look at it thinking there will be nothing different that the other channel is not showing. Hence originality is also a judging and differentiating factor among the audience between the channels (Benesch, Frey, & Stutzer, 2006). In television industry there have been several advancements in the past few years;

Discharge Plans: a Case Study

Discharge Plans: a Case Study It may come as a shock to caretakers of the patient that discharge planning may commence as soon as a patient has been admitted. This does not necessarily mean that the patient is being released for home, but rather it means that plans are being put in place for a successful discharge plan to take place. Information is gathered about the patient, how they live, for example, do they live with others, are they dependent or independent (Birjandi Bragg 2009). Caretakers are actively involved in a discharge plan provided the patient gives consent. Once the patient shows improvement, it is clear that further recovery in a hospital set-up is not likely to take place and thus they are sent to an environment they may adopt to their needs; their home. Birjandi, A Bragg, (2009) say that discharge planning is essential and should be done right, whether the discharge is to a rehabilitation center, a nursing home or the client’s home. Medical practitioners should have an ideal discharge plan as studies have shown that improvement in hospital discharges with great outcomes when appropriate discharge plans are made. Healthcare givers, family members and patients themselves have a great role to play after discharge in maintaining good health. Even though discharge planning is essential in patients health there is inconsistence in both the discharge process and the quality of discharge planning in most of the health care system. In this paper, we shall look at a discharge plan for a client with the cerebral vascular accident from hospital to their home. We shall look at initial assessment of the client at the time of admission; determine the possible discharge needs, family involvement in decision making and how to transport the client to their destination. Birjandi, A Bragg, L. (2009) describe discharge planning as a method used to decide the requirements of a patient as they shift from one level of care to another, only doctors may approve patients release from a health facility, but the actual discharge plan may be done by a nurse, case manager, case manager. Complicated conditions such as cerebral vascular accident may have a team approach. Well organized discharge planning may reduce the chances of re-hospitalization and aid in recovery; ensure medications are well prescribed and administered correctly. In general a discharge plan should involve the following; evaluation of the client by qualified practitioner, discussion with both the client and the caregiver, planning of the transfer process and homecoming of the client, determining whether the caretaker needs more training or any other kind of support, referral to support an organization or care agency and finally arranging for follow up activities. In our case we shall look at Ms. Kate a 76 year-old female who was admitted from the emergency department with a diagnosis of Right Cerebra Vascular Accident. Her Past Medical History includes: hyperlipidemia, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. Neurological: left-sided weakness for the past 2 days, awake, alert, and oriented to person, place, and time. Denied swallowing difficulties, no visual defects and denied pain. Medications: Aspirin 81mg per oral daily; Tylenol 650mg per oral when necessary for pain; Cerebral vascular and pulmonary: Placed on a cardiac monitor, findings indicated normal sinus rhythm. Vital signs taken every 4 hours, pulse 82; blood pressure 168/64; respirations 20. Lung sounds were clear to auscultation bilaterally. Oxygen Saturation on room air 97%. Gastrointestinal: Abdomen soft, non-tender, not distended, positive bowel sounds. Bowel movement present Genitourinary: Voids freely, requiring assistance to the bathroom. Output approximately 1000ml/day. Brief episode of dysuria on admission. Integumentary: skin intact, no lesions noticed Musculoskeletal: Active range of motion right side; limited range of motion on the left side; required assistant to get into a wheelchair. History of recent balance problems. Psychosocial: lives with daughter in a two story home; occupation: retired teacher Discharge needs were discussed with the caretaker, these included the physical condition of the family before and after hospitalization, the details of the kind of care required by the client were discussed, included information of the patients prognosis, what activities she might need to help with; information about the clients medication and diet should be given, any extra equipment that was deemed necessary such as wheelchair, oxygen and who will be in charge of the clients meal preparation, transport to referrals and support groups. The daughter who lives with Mr. Kate was involved in the discharge process, her ability and willingness to provide care to her mother was assessed, and the results were as follows; she felt it was too early for her discharge, as she did not have time to spare to take care of her mother as her work was demanding. She also had concerns about she would go about transporting her mother from the bed to her chair and taking her to the bathroom. She was referred to help agencies that assist in taking care of patients at their homes at a paid fee. Several agency information was availed to her, with instructions to come up with a decision on which one to use. She was also given a choice to hire an individual at a fee or hire nurses or case managers or other persons familiar with the condition. Ambulance services were given as an option to transport the patient to their home at a small fee at the time of discharge or the client may use assisted transport to their homes, wheelchair or stretchers were suggested be used for our client as she could walk with assistance. This was done in advance and the patient was fully responsible for this kind of transport arrangement. Discharge planning varies according to the hospital set up and the person who initiates it, and what kind of follow-up is needed, and whether the care takers are assessed for their ability to cater for the client’s needs. The transition of care and discharge planning all centered on improving the quality of care administered to a client, for example, education the care givers and training them on the conditions of their patients, encouraging preventive care and including caretakers to be part of the health care team. Simple steps such as exchanging patient’s progress regularly with the doctors or the health team increase the chances of effective follow up care. Telephone conversions, post discharge with doctors also helps to anticipate problems and improve care at home. Corey, G., Corey, M., Callanan, P. (2003) suggest that relative to discharge planning with some patient, there may be underlying issues that contribute to ethical dilemmas. As case managers, we should take reasonable steps to safeguard the interests and rights of those clients. Ethical dilemma occurs when an individual has to choose between two or more conflicting ethical standards. There is no one right answer and there is no easy answer! Codes of ethics provide guidelines, but don’t necessarily tell us what to do. Using a hierarchical ethical decision-making approach can help you achieve an acceptable resolution. Mattison, (2000) reminds us that utilizing an ethical decision-making model doesn’t result in bias-free decisions. Our values still come into play utilizing an ethical decision-making model and we may not be aware of it! First of all, it is important to remember clients’ rights to self determination and autonomy clients have the right to make poor de cisions. However, the role of the case manager is different in this situation depending on the client’s cognitive capacity for decision making. If the client has capacity, the focus is on ensuring the client is making an informed decision and reassuring the care team, which includes the family, about resources to maximize safety. If the client does not have capacity, the focus is identifying someone who can act on the client’s behalf and exploring alternatives for creating a safe discharge in respect of the client’s wishes. For the client When the care team perceives discharge unsafe; Promote informed consent this involves educating the client about the team’s concerns related to his or her safety and potential consequences associated with an unsafe discharge. Review and encourage the use of resources to maximize safety, this involves identifying the services the client will need in a lesser care environment for the discharge to be successful. For the care team May not be aware of resources available to enable older adults to live safely in their own homes; reviewing these resources can eliminate concerns. May be worried about remote dangers that should not trump client autonomy and self determination, i.e. â€Å"If there was a fire, he would have difficulty escaping.† When the care giver does not appear able to provide care. Sometimes family members or other caregivers wish to care for a client in a lesser care environment, but there are concerns about their ability to do so. In this situation, family/caregiver education is an important intervention. When the caregiver does not seem able to provide care; Approaches to family/caregiver education: Convene a team conference with them to review the client’s level of care and specific care needs. Have the individual assume full responsibility for care for a period of time while in a safe environment (i.e. Work a 4-hour shift as his/her loved one’s caregiver in the nursing home so he/she is fully informed of what to expect in terms of career. Often this will result in the family member realizing for themselves that the care is too much and they will either not be able to do it or will need to have outside support. Alternatively, sometimes family members will actually do well, relieving the team’s fears about their ability. Try a short trial visit in the lesser care environment, say 24-48 hours, with a planned return to the higher care setting to debrief re: problems encountered. When a client or caretaker refuses necessary service; again, it is important to remember clients’ rights to self determination and autonomy clients have the right to make poor decisions. However, sometimes what seems to be a â€Å"poor† decision is based on misinformation or other concerns; it is important for case managers to explore factors contributing to the refusal of services deemed necessary by the care team. Potential factors contributing to service refusal; Cost; sometimes clients and their families don’t feel recommended services are (or will be) affordable. Have referred agency review associated costs with them; sometimes services are not as much as anticipated. Assist client/family to access sources of financial support such as Medicaid. Reframe costs as in terms of future savings, i.e. Paying a little for care now will prevent costly hospitalizations in the future. Discomfort with the thought of strangers in the home. Validate this concern; it is un comfortable having unfamiliar people help with intimate tasks in one’s private domain. Arrange for client/family to meet potential service providers ahead of time to minimize anxiety. Additional factors potentially contributing to service refusal; misunderstandings regarding the purpose of recommended services. Feelings of guilt or shame related to not being able to provide all care independently. Recommended services don’t fit client/family’s cultural belief system. Past negative experiences with similar services Caretaker unwilling to have client return home; this is one of the most heart-wrenching ethical dilemmas to deal with and can bring up many issues of counter-transference; good self-care and supervision is important. Things to keep in mind; Client has a right to return to his or her own home, caretaker has a right not to provide care if this is something he or she is uncomfortable with, There may be a history of domestic violence or other traumatic relationship issues contributing to spouse/partner’s reluctance, Spouse/partner may be unaware of support services available to assist with care management and that the Client may be at risk for elder abuse. For clients with capacity, living environments deemed â€Å"unsafe† may simply represent differences in lifestyle choices between client and the care team. For example, client’s home is cluttered, smells like cats, and there are dirty dishes and dust everywhere, but is not actually hazardous in any way. Case manager’s role: advocate for clients and educate them, offer services to assist client with home management. If home is in disrepair, infested with rats, covered with mold and rotting garbage hazardous situation indicative of deeper problems. Case manager’s role: further assessment regarding client’s capacity and whether interventions can make home livable; recognize that sometimes it is just not possible for clients to return home We may conclude by stating that effective discharge planning and transitional care have real benefit in improving the out-come of a patient and bringing down the rate of re-hospitalization of the same patients. Reference Birjandi, A., Bragg, L. (2009). Discharge planning handbook for health care: Top 10 secrets to unlocking a new revenue pipeline. Boca Raton: CRC Press. Corey, G., Corey, M., Callanan, P. (2003). Issues and ethics in the helping professions, 6th edition. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole. Mattison, M. (2000). Ethical decision-making: The person in the process. Social Work, 45 (3), 201-212. The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck | Analysis The Arnolfini Portrait by Jan van Eyck | Analysis Jan van Eyck. The Arnolfini Portrait. Jan van Eyck The Portrait of Giovanni (?) Arnolfini and his Wife Giovanna Cenami (?) (The Arnolfini Marriage). 1434. Oil in oak. 81.8 x 59.7 cm. The National Gallery, London. The Arnolfini Portrait startles us by its apparent realism and attention to detail, which seem to anticipate Dutch painting of two centuries later. Much of the effect is owing to van Eyck’s use of oil-based paints. He is often called the inventor of oil painting, though it seems more likely that he and his brother discovered the potential of the new medium by developing a varnish which dried at a consistent rate, allowing Jan to â€Å"make a glossy colour which could be applied in transparent layers or ‘glazes’†¦ and put on the glittering highlights with a pointed brush† (Gombrich, 240). The new medium was miraculous in its suitability for depicting metals and jewels (as well as the individual strands of hair in a dog’s coat!), and, as Sister Wendy Beckett says, â€Å"more significantly, for the vivid, convincing depiction of natural light† (Beckett, 64). Equally original is the setting and milieu, for this is a â€Å"bourgeois commissio n† (Levey, 68), set not in a palace or a church but in a room in an ordinary house, every detail of which is depicted with total accuracy and naturalism, and shown, as Sir Kenneth Clark noted, â€Å"by a miracle that defies the laws of art-history†¦ enveloped in daylight as close to experience as if it had been observed by Vermeer of Delft† (Clark, 104). Despite the naturalism of the scene, it is likely that the objects depicted are rich in symbolic meaning. The couple stand in a room, shown with precise concern for perspective – Levy calls it a â€Å"perspective cube† (Levey, 68). They are dressed very richly, and stand in poses that suggest ceremony and serious purpose, hence the supposition that we are witnessing a marriage – as van Eyck is doing quite literally. He can be seen with another witness reflected in the convex mirror on the wall, i.e. standing at the point from which the perspective view runs, and he has left his signature above the mirror, in a legal Gothic script, saying that he â€Å"was here† (â€Å"only a moment ago, one might think† (Huizinga, 259)), not just that he painted this. The couple stand apart, as if separated by ceremonial considerations. He takes her right hand in his left, and raises his right as if to complete a vow or pledge. She has a shy expression, while he is earnest and solemn. His dress is sumptuous and expensive, hers is lavish and modest, in green, â€Å"the colour of affection† (Baldass, 76). If this is the holy sacrament of marriage, to complete its validity there should be consummation, which is why we are in a bedroom. In other parts of the room are objects painted with scrupulous accuracy, which at the same time have an iconographic purpose which is relevant to the ritual of marriage. The little dog is a symbol of fidelity. The shoes cast aside show that the couple stand unshod â€Å"since this is the ground of a holy union† (Beckett, 64). The fruit on the window sill are either a reference to fertility or a reminder of the fatal apple. The single candle flame in the magnificently rendered candelabra – a light which is not necessary for illumination – suggests the eye of God. Carved on the chair back is an image of St Margaret, a saint associated with childbirth, and the arms of the chair and the prie-dieu are decorated with the lions of the throne of Solomon. Most spectacular of all is the painting of the mirror, which with its convex shape reflects back the whole interior, together with the image of the painter and another man. Its frame is decorated with ten medallions show ing events from the life of Christ, â€Å"intended to emphasise that the Original Sin is atoned for by the Passion of Christ† (Baldass, 75). To emphasise the symbolic meanings of the objects in the painting (of which we cannot always be certain) is by no means to detract from the astonishing realism of the scene. The van Eycks began their careers as manuscript illustrators, and the concern for detail is apparent everywhere. The dog is intensely real, charming, and of no identifiable breed. The texture of materials is rendered in the finest detail, in the gilding of the candelabra and the way the light catches it, the glint of the beads in the rosary hanging by the mirror, and of course the glass of the mirror itself, and its concave shape giving a curved reflection of the room. The light is caught precisely on the inward curve of the medallion roundels in the frame. The presentation of the clothing is meticulous, both in the texture of the cloth and in the way it hangs on the body. Even the grain of the wood in the floorboards is exact. Colour too is handled with great subtlety, the green of her dress, with traces of blue in the undersleeves, set off against the rich red of the bed hangings, both lit by the single source of light, the window to the left. It is as if â€Å"a simple corner of the real world has suddenly been fixed on to a panel as if by magic† (Gombrich, 243). Huizinga makes a point related to this concern for total realism, that it is immensely valuable for us to see a late medieval artist depicting private life, and not bound by the requirements of the court or the Church. â€Å"The Master†¦ need not portray the majesty of divine beings nor minister to aristocratic pride† (Huizinga, 258). Van Eyck’s Gothic signature and declaration on the wall suggests that the whole piece might be a sort of legal act of witnessing. The whole conception marks the shift from the medieval to the modern world, because the witnessing is literally established for us through the precise application of the rules of perspective. The scene is viewed through the eyes of the man reflected in the mirror, and it is the view of the single observer which is to form the convention of painting from van Eyck until the end of the nineteenth century. In the Arnolfini portrait â€Å"the artist became the perfect eye-witness in the truest sense of the term † (Gombrich, 243). Works Cited Baldass, L. Jan Van Eyck. London: Phaidon, 1952. Beckett, Sister Wendy. The Story of Painting. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1994. Clark, K. Civilisation. A Personal View. London: BBC, 1969. Gombrich, E.H. The Story of Art. London: Pahidon, 1995. Huizinga, J. The Waning of the Middle Ages. New York: Anchor, 1949. Levey, M. From Giotto to Cezanne. London: Thames and Hudson, 1962.

Technology Expansion Essay -- Technology, Education, Teacher

Technology Expansion Technology expansion in Georgia’s K–12 education indicates that learners demand new and more challenging academic experiences to achieve success in a wireless technology rich culture (Hennessy, Harrison & Wamakote, 2010). The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) developed a plan to meet the â€Å"2008 ISTE National Technology Standards (NETS-T) number 5 â€Å"Engaging in professional growth and leadership† (Oliver, 2010). The Georgia K–12 technology plan mandated the expansions of information and information technology (desktop, wireless technology, handhelds tools, and portable video players) in K–12 classrooms. Essentially, this expansion along with Internet access created a new way to access and send information, thus, impacting teaching and learning in a social constructivism (SC) way. The GaDOE (2008) technology plan was designed to address teacher attitudes and determine ways technology contributes to statewide objectives to Kà ¢â‚¬â€œ12 public school students. In essence, the GaDOE‘s plan also focuses on achieving benchmarks, strategies, and evaluations. To issue common goals to combine efforts of GaDOE, other state-funded education organizations, municipal systems, and education partners supplementary underwent challenges with educational technology innovations. To address the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) act of 2001 guidelines and state guidelines enforced their state technology plan. The technology plan is also in place to utilize as a guide for both federal and instructional state technology funding (GaDOE, 2008). All school district teachers participated in the Georgia Technology Plan for 2007-2012 survey. The purpose of the survey was to assess teacher feedback and address ways... ...ional usage. Kay and Lauricella utilized an anonymous, online survey to gather data. The data collections provided assistance and a framework for best practices regarding wireless laptops usage. Kay and Lauricella’s (2010) concurred that there are no conclusive analysis for the general population quasi-experimental methods concerning reliability and validity of the data. Although, the population in Kay and Lauricella’s (2010) study was college and university student, K–12 students will inevitably be faced with working with technology in not only the higher education world, but also in the workforce. Teacher training can facilitate technology based activities aligned to cross curriculum strategies, employ basic information and technology skills on the K–12 level. Innovative technology provides students with an edge on advanced technology (Weston & Bain, 2010).

Customer Satisfaction in Banking Essay

Introduction Aiming for the customer satisfaction is the most challenging task in every organization. Through the satisfied customers, a firm an easily measure the effectiveness of the business, its potential and position in the industries, and the areas that are needed to polish and improve. Keeping the trust of a customer is not an overnight miracle but with full of patience and bountiful of effort. Background and Problem Statement The products and services that are sold in the most favorable prices can be an initial step of the firm in obtaining the trust and be included in the top list of the customers. However, because of the tight competition of various services, particularly in banks, the perception of the customers and potential customers are also divided according to the services that they want to achieve. In addition, the impact of the economic problems and financial crunches among the financial institutions creates a great challenge in the banks. With all the challenges that are ahead on the banks, how will they gather the customer satisfaction which is the same focus of the other competing banking institutions? Research Aim and Objectives The aim of the study is to determine the satisfaction on the services and products delivered by the banks towards their customers to attract other potential customer. There are three objectives that can be the guidance of the researcher/s in reaching for their goal and, in also, measuring the impact of customer satisfaction to their effectiveness in the market. First objective is to recognize the various strategies placed by the banks to achieve the customer satisfaction. Second is to determine the extent of those strategies to eliminate or at least minimize the impact of resistance and reluctance of the customers towards the bank’s offered products and services. And third is to discover the level of satisfaction from the existing customers that can contribute in the success and continuous performance of the banks. Literature Review Finding for the loyal customers is a great opportunity for the various firms and enterprises, for the corporate leaders believe that through them, the  firms can continue its business cycle. In order to keep the loyal customers, the organization should first attempt to discover the ways to satisfy the customers. Customer satisfaction is an applied term that determines on how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. It is an essential tool to see the key performance indicator within business. In banking industry, being competitive is already a given factor. Customers expect that banks should be strong enough even if there are uncertainties in the country, most especially in the financial stream. In the long run, the customer satisfaction can be the key element of the organization to prepare another strategy (Gitman and McDaniel, 2005). Every business’s mission is making the customers as their first priority. In accordance to this, the business must fill or serve the satisfaction of their customers according to what preferences that the market is demanding for. In the banking industry, there is a suggested conceptualized model of satisfaction in terms of the business-to-business level. With the aid of the path analysis, corporate customer satisfaction can be determined in the earliest time with regards to the equity, and expectations of customers (Armstrong and Seng, 2000; Hackl and Westlund, 2000). Catching the attention of the customers is the first impression of the banks in terms of promotion. However, if the banks continuously deliver the satisfaction towards to their customers, the firms will not only obtaining success but also the continuing promotion of benefits for their own customers. The most desirable outcome that the customers can gain is the improvement on their experience in banking services and products and identify that there is an increase performance. On the other hand, the firm can enjoy the benefits of minimization of the business uncertainty, maximization of profit margins and enhancement of productivity; reduce on expenses, and optimization on resource deployment (Hansemark and Albinsson, 2004). Methodology The suggested method in the study is the use of survey and interview as the primary strategy to obtain the needed information. Through the combination of survey and interview, the current position of the bank in the society can be determined. For the first process of the investigation, the survey will be conducted among the population of the customers. The first 100 customers will be the participants and through the help of the Likert Scale, the  researcher/s can view the appeal of the bank’s services and products on their customers. At the second phase of the study, the interview will be conducted among the five managers of the bank. The interview has a purpose to recognize the various strategies and their strong points to attr Read more: http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2010/06/research-proposal-on–17.html#ixzz3AGEqDr4W Writing the Research Proposal Expression of Interest Research Team / Collaborations Research Guidelines Research Proposal Steps Examples of Research Proposals Good Writing Interviews Research Proposal Steps Step 1: The Title Naming your research is an important part of the research proposal. It should tell the user (In 25 words or less) what you intend to research and how you intend to do it. You may also wish to give your research project both a MÄ ori and English title. The choice is up to you, as long as your title is relevant to the research question. Step 2: The Abstract Your research proposal in its entirety may be anywhere between 5,000 to 25,000 words in length. So it is important that you give a summary of the entire document. This summary is known as the abstract, and should demonstrate to the reader the most important parts of each of the sections of the research proposal in around 200 words. It is often useful to write the abstract last, after the rest of the research proposal has been written and fully thought out. Step 3: Aims and Objectives In this section you should expand on the title of your research project to  articulate in full detail the aims and objectives of your research. You should be able to provide a detailed description of the research question, the purpose of the research, and a description of your approach (methodology and method) to the research. Included in this section should be discussion around the research problem that you intend to answer or investigate, your hypothesis, the parameters of the research i.e. what you intend to include within the research, and what you intend to leave out. Step 4: Background This section should provide detail about the background to the research question. In this section you will need to demonstrate an understanding of the existing literature and research studies within the area of your proposed research topic. This is to assist the reader to understand the significance of your research, and where it fits within the existing body of knowledge. The background section is a significant portion of your proposal and therefore should be an extensive review of the literature related to your topic (see literature review). You should be able to discuss what the existing literature is about and highlight any gaps, issues or contentions that arise. You also need to be able to show where your research fits within this literature and enter into discussions on issues that relate to your research question. The point of this background section is to demonstrate to the reader your understanding and knowledge of the research area, as well as the contribution that your research project will make to the existing research and knowledge. Step 5: Methodology and Method In this section of the proposal you will need to demonstrate how you intend to go about investigating the research question. The methodology generally refers to the theory to be used to justify the use of the particular research methods that you are choosing to use. You may use more than one methodology to inform your method of research. The method describes the way you intend to investigate the question, such as a questionnaire, a hui, in-depth individual interviews, focus group interviews, a wÄ nanga, a survey and so forth. Kaupapa MÄ ori is a methodology, that also gives rise to and guides research methods. In this section you will need to give a brief overview of Kaupapa MÄ ori theory and/or theories, why you have chosen to use this methodology and how your research question fits within thismethodological framework. If you are using more than one methodology then you will need to demonstrate why you have chosen to use another methodology alongside Kaupapa MÄ ori, and how it is relevant to the aims and objectives of your research. You should also discuss the different methods you intend to use in full detail, and provide justification as to why you have chosen to use these methods. It is also helpful to discuss how many participants you intend to involve in your research, how you intend to find or approach participants, and how they will be used in your study. Step 6: Schedule and Timeline You need to be able to demonstrate that your research is possible within a given timeframe. You may be able to define your own timeframe, or the institution for which you are writing a proposal may have a set timeframe that you will need to work within. Either way, it is important that you are able to plot the intended progress of the project from start to finish. If you intend to produce any outputs, reports, findings then they should be inserted into this schedule. Step 7: Ethical Approval Some institutions require that any research involving interaction with human participants get approval from ethical advisory committees or boards. This ethical approval is sought to ensure that the researcher conducts research in a manner that is respectful to the participants and other human beings that may be influenced by the research process. It is important that you seek out what ethical approval is required within your area of research. You may need to seek approval from more than one advisory committee depending on the institutional, financial and disciplinary context. Applications for ethical approval are obtained directly from the ethical committees themselves. Ethical considerations is a key part of conducing Kaupapa MÄ ori research. Understanding research ethics will impact on all aspects of your research, in particular, how you engage with communities to conduct your research and disseminate your research findings. MÄ ori community research organizations are also beginning to develop their own research ethics guidelines to assist both the researchers and participants to be ‘culturally safe’ during the research process. In the ‘ethical approval’ section, it is important to outline who you intend to seek ethical approval from, and/or  when ethical approval was granted and for what period of time. Step 8: Resources This section demonstrates to the reader that you are both suitable and capable of carrying out the proposed research. You will need to discuss what resources you have at your disposal that makes it possible for you to carry out this research. For example, physical resources (such as research instruments), personal resources (such as knowledge of the discipline, area or community under study), as well as any other resources that you have as a researcher (or research team) that will enable you to carry out the research from beginning through to completion. You may also need to highlight what resources you still require in order to complete the research, and also discuss how you intend to go about acquiring these resources (i.e. through funding, through research collaborations etc.) Step 9: Budget Not all research proposal require a budget (such as thesis proposals for academic institutions), however if you intend to apply for funding for research it is important that you are able to show how much money you require, and justify the amount asked for. The way to justify the amount you are asking for is to provide a detailed budget outlining what expenses you predict you will incur in conducting the research. Exactly where and how money will be spent will differ from project to project, and the size of the budget should reflect the size of the research project. Some of the main expenses that may be included in any budget could be researcher’s time, human resources (such as other research assistants, transcribers, advisory board members), technical equipment (Dictaphones, transcribers, computer hardware and software etc), stationary, koha and others.

Challenges of Higher Education Essay

The world of higher education is far removed from life in high school. Whereas in elementary and secondary education, individuals are being taught the foundations, college life is ultimately about training for a life-long profession or career. Higher education is a combination of fundamental concepts learned across professions and their practical use for specific careers. In college, individuals find their niche, that one true passion that will define and give meaning to our lives. Of all the choices we make in life, one of the most important and most difficult is the choice of what course to take in college. This choice more or less determines the course of our adult lives and whether we become successful or not. For some, the choice comes easy because they already know what they want to be. There are others on the other hand who have spent some years in college, shifting from one course to another, trying to find what fits them the most. In any case, regardless of what course one takes in college, one should have a sound grounding in general education because this will serve as the foundations for the acquisition of more specialized, employment-based learning. (Gless, 1992) Once a choice of course and school has been made, the main challenge now is how to get through the rigors of higher education as well as the addressing the necessary activities of daily living. Indeed for incoming college freshmen, it is an entirely new world, profuse with challenges. After having spent 18 years in the care and protection of our parents, its time to leave the nest and learn to fend for ourselves. Chores can be particularly annoying because they have to be done endlessly. The challenge is how to budget not just money but other resources such as food and clothing. After having depended on our parents to do things for us, it can be difficult adjustment to have to constantly worry about washing clothes and cleaning the room. However, such tasks need to be done and they are actually part of the more important lessons that we must learn. Socialization if one of most crucial aspects of college life. It is important to be able to get along with roommates and classmates because they will form the support structure that one needs in order to make it through the daily grinds of college. Sometimes it can get difficult, juggling school responsibilities with other concerns, but if you have good friends to support you, then the burden is somewhat lessened. For college freshmen it can be difficult at first to forge new friendships after high school, but once we make the effort to reach out, then we will realize that college is better when spent with people you can trust and people you love and respect. In college it is important to have social skills because more than what we learn inside the classroom, it is the ability to make genuine connections that determines the quality of life that we will have. All the academic demands of higher education such as assignment, projects, reports, and activities can really be overwhelming. The best way to cope with this is through time management. We must learn to prioritize and set a schedule that we will adhere to when faced with several duties at the same time. The not-so-urgent things can be set aside to be attended to on less-stressful days. In the end, higher education is more than the things that we learn inside the classroom. Our characters are shaped by how we react to the challenges that we face both inside and outside the classroom. The ability to become self-determined and independent; that is what higher learning is all about. References: Gless, Darryl J. The Politics of Liberal Education Duke University Press. 1992.