Evaluation of Cheryl Beck's Postpartum Depression Theory using 2 Essay

Evaluation of Cheryl Beck's Postpartum Depression Theory using 2 methods - Essay Example It is full of evolving and receding paradigms. The new millennium has brought us forward into a new era of Nursing – the Socialization of era of Nursing Science. Thus the 21st century saw monumental changes taking place in Nursing. In lieu of this, an extensive and comprehensive research on â€Å"The Postpartum Theory of Depression† was carried out by Cheryl Beck (1993) (Beck, Reynolds and Rutowski) and they built a background with strong analysis to support it. They soon had a theory on Postpartum Depression. They followed a specific theory approach which was used to formulate this theory. The sole aim and purpose of this theory was to provide enlightenment and insight into Postpartum Depression. The various stages or concepts of Beck’s theory (1993) was defined in different ways, such as – This theory was implemented in the nursing sector and was used to alert nurses on the incidence, recurring and impact of Postpartum Depression. Beck stressed the importance for the need to identify new mothers and render assistance to those suffering from Postpartum Depression through various support groups (Beck, et al., ) Though Beck’s theory is relatively new, still it has been implemented and used in a number of Nursing Studies. The concept of Postpartum Depression (Beck, 1995, 1998) was further examined by carrying out a meta- analysis to test and document its efficacy. The information gathered from the Meta analysis (Beck and Gable 2000) served as a basis which led to the development of the â€Å"Postpartum Screening Scale† to enhance detection of this particular disorder. This tool was then used by nurses in their studies. Clemmens, Driscol and Beck, 2004 took a survey after using this tool on 150 mothers and reported data which determined that the tool was effective in identifying and diagnosing those mothers with Postpartum Depression. Walker and Avant in their book on growth and evolution on the philosophy of nursing theory give us a

Learning Expirience Essay Example for Free

Learning Expirience Essay Experience can shape our behavior and personality. More over our experiences contribute to our development over time. Learning process occurs when we experience situation that have negative or positive effect on us. In this essay I will briefly describe my personal learning experience; I will also define the concept of learning, and will provide analysis of what I have learned from this experience. In addition my essay will include the analysis and application of classical and operant conditioning as well as cognitive- social learning. My Experience Every person’s identity is formed by the various roles that they perform in the world. In fact becoming a mother is one more such role and it has psychological implications. Four month ago I became a mother to a wonderful, my first baby boy. The experience of giving birth, as well as being home with a newborn for the first few weeks was overwhelming, painful, and emotionally tiring. I am 25 years old and was so exciting to becoming a mother, however when my son was born for the first few weeks I have experienced anxiety, stress, depression, fear and even anger. It has been almost 4 month and my baby is my life, I cannot imagine how I was getting frustrated and feeling all those things when my baby is my joy. Today I am still tired, and stressed, however anger and depression is gone. I have learned from this experience that I need to accept the change in my life, and avoid becoming frustrated. Being prepared for things to be different could have prepared me to deal with situation differently. Also positive attitude should have been my best ally instead of being afraid and having negative thoughts. At last I have learned from this experience that I need to try to develop a new and balanced lifestyle that takes into consideration all areas of my new life. Learning Learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience (David A. Kolb, 1984). As we learn, we alter the way we perceive our environment, the way we interpret the incoming stimuli, and therefore the way we interact, or behave (Carpenter Huffman, 2012). Learning through Classical Conditioning One of the best-known characteristics of behavioral learning theory is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is a learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus (Carpenter Huffman, 2012). There are basic principles of classical conditioning process. Such as the unconditioned stimulus (UC) and unconditioned response (UR), as well as conditioned stimulus (CS) and conditioned response (CR) (Carpenter Huffman, 2012). The unconditioned stimulus is one that unconditionally, naturally, and automatically triggers a response (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). For example, baby crying made me feel sad and frustrated, and baby smiling made me feel loved, happy and positive. For instance, when I saw my bay for the first time the feeling of pain was simply gone. As I spend those first weeks with my baby although I have had mood swings and feeling of anger sometimes, however every time I looked at my baby I naturally felt better and calmer. The unconditioned response is the unlearned response that occurs naturally in response to the unconditioned stimulus. For example, feel of love in response to my baby smile is unconditioned stimulus. The conditioned stimulus is previously neutral stimulus that, after becoming associated with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually comes to trigger a conditioned response (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). For example, when my baby cried I felt frustration and in the same time my husband was trying to explain me something thus my husband voice would be conditioned stimulus. Although the sound of my husband voice is unrelated to my baby’s cry and feeling of frustration, if the sound of his voice was paired multiple times with the baby’s cry, the sound would eventually trigger the conditioned response. The conditioned response is the learned response to the previously neutral stimulus. For instance, feeling frustrated when I heard my husband talking to me. In my view classical conditioning is a useful technique that can be applied by creating a positive environment to help people to overcome anxiety, fear and frustration. For example, a situation like my baby’s crying with pleasant surroundings would have helped me to learn new associations. Instead of feeling anxious, frustrated and angry in that situation, I learn to stay relax and calm (Carpenter Huffman, 2012). Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is a technique of learning that happens through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior (â€Å"The propositional nature of human associative learning,† 2009). The elimination of an undesirable outcome can be used to decrease or prevent undesirable behavior. Feeling frustrated, being angry with situation simply led to more stress and created more problems for myself emotionally and physically. Positive reinforcement: Getting to know my baby, his first smile and lough created a positive and happy environment thus increasing my positive behavior. To conclude learning process revolves around human life. People learn something new every single day, thus creating new experiences and knowledge. Self-development and growth naturally occurs through learning.

Fallen Souls In the Inferno :: essays research papers fc

Fallen Souls in "The Inferno" Thesis Statement: In each Circle and Canto there are different penalties to pay but it is for sure that each forbidden soul in the Inferno will live forever in eternal suffering. I. Introduction II. Medea and Jason A. Jason's love affair. B. Medea and the three children exiled. C. Medea's slaying of the three children and Glauce. D. Jason's penalties. III. O. J. Simpson A. His Crime. B. His Penalties in the Inferno and in life. IV. Benedict Arnold A. His Crime. B. His Penalties in Hell. V. Conclusion Cantos III, V, and XXXIV are only three of the Cantos of the fallen souls of the Inferno. The Inferno is the place we call Hell. It reeks with bad smells and bugs and fire along with the many other hideous things. The Inferno has many Cantos and Circles, each for a different sin or wrong doing towards another. In each circle and Canto there are different penalties to pay but it is for sure that each forbidden soul in the Inferno will live forever in eternal suffering. Our first soul to discuss is eternally locked in Canto V, Circle Two: The Carnal. This man, Jason, became king of Cornith by committing adultery against his wife, Medea, with the king of Cornith's daughter, Glauce. Jason returns to Medea and tells her that she and their three children are to leave his home immediately so he and Glauce can move in. The following day Medea sends Glauce a poisoned robe which kills her. This causes Jason to come to Medea for revenge, where he finds his three children murdered by their mother's hand. Jason grief stricken falls upon his own sword and dies there with his sons. Jason is reputed to the Carnal a place where souls who give up there own life for passion â€Å"are swept forever in the tempest of Hell, forever denied the light of reason and of God,† (Literature 635). He is forever with the judge of Hell, Minos. The Caina is â€Å"the first ring of the last circle where those who performed acts of treachery against their kin,† (Literature 638). One destined for the Caina is O. J. Simpson. This man committed a sin that would send him to Canto XXXII. Simpson killed his wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman in a jealous rage. Simpson will surely be judged by Minos to go to Caina were his soul will forever have to live in retribution and think about what he had done against his wife, Nicole. O. J. will also have to live the rest of his life on earth and pay cash sums to the Brown's and Goldman's.

Henry David Thoreau †“Why I Went to the Woods” Essay

This excerpt is from his famous essay, â€Å"On the Duty of Civil Disobedience†. First, some background; in 1842, his brother John died of lockjaw. Three years later, Henry decided to write a book commemorating a canoe trip he had taken with John in 1839. Seeking a quiet place to write, he followed a friend’s suggestion and built a small cabin on the north shore of Walden Pond on a piece of land owned by his friend and mentor, Ralph Waldo Emerson. He started work on his cabin in March of 1845. On the 4th of July, he moved in. Thus began one of the great and lasting experiments in life and thought of the whole of human experience. â€Å"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.† Thoreau otherwise filled his time by working in his garden, talking with visitors, reading, and writing in his diary. B ut most of all, he walked and thought, and it’s difficult to tell now which was the more important activity. It seems that, in his two years living in his little cabin in the woods he brought himself to a state of conscious living, where thought and action were harmoniously combined. This story is about his rejection of the world’s definition of ‘success’ and so he demanded a life of personal freedom. He went to the woods, built a humble cabin on the edge of Walden Pond, Concord, Massachusetts†¦and learned about nature and life. He rejected the Establishment and all its trappings. He saw such possessions as fancy clothes and elaborate furniture as so much extra baggage. He demanded a fresh, uncluttered existence with time for self-exploration. He would, he told the world, â€Å"breathe after his own fashion.† All aspects of life for Thoreau focused on simplicity. When Thoreau’s two years at Walden had ended, he left with no regrets: â€Å"I left the woods for as good a reason as why I went there. Perhaps it seemed to me that I had several more lives t o live, and could not spare any more time for that one . . . â€Å" His experiment had been a success. Thoreau had learned many lessons, had taken time to examine his inner self and his world, and proved he could live under the simplest conditions and still be fulfilled: â€Å"I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that as one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.† To him, most men live lives of â€Å"quiet desperation,† and have needed to simplify, to cast off material  encumbrances and achieve true freedom. The stages of spiritual evolution that a man passes through all prepare him for the more difficult inner development; and every man, he believed, possesses an inner spiritual instinct which, if nurtured and cared for, will divulge his divine nature.

Reasons for Returning to School

Reasons for Returning to School Dolores Hutt ENG 121 Instructor Vanessa Martin January 15, 2012 Reasons for Returning to School After careful thought and consideration, I made the desire to return to school into a realistic goal. I had finally come to the conclusion, that it was time to take control of my circumstances, rather than continue to let my circumstances control me. For the first time in twenty years, I have a window of opportunity to fit a degree program into my daily schedule. Returning to school had always been a desire of mine, but in the past, I did not think I had the time or the money to pursue a degree. I was a single mother, I was working all of the time, my children were very young, and half of my wages went to daycare expenses. Seven years ago I made a decision to pursue a career in Massage Therapy. When the opportunity presented itself to enroll in an accelerated Diploma and State licensing program for Massage Therapy, that was only going to take one year, I jumped on it. Looking back, I realized how fast a year can go by and how easy it was for me to turn a desire into a concrete accomplishment. Having a career in Massage Therapy for the past six years has been a rewarding experience; it has given me that sense of contribution to society and to my community. I have taken much pride in accomplishing my career goals so far, however, through my experiences with working for corporations, businesses, and having my own business, I realize that I am still missing that important element: a business degree. Having gone through that year in school to get my career going, the experience gave me the confidence to overcome the thinking, that I did not have the time or money to pursue a degree, I now believe that the benefits of a degree will far outweigh any outcome of not having it. The benefits of having a business degree to enhance my career are; that a degree will add credibility to my desire to take my career to the next level, and it will open more doors and options concerning high level job positions. I can talk about experience all I want, but at the end of the day, when it comes to running a business, or getting an executive to listen o my ideas, that will help the industry flow more efficiently, I believe that having a degree will help me to be taken more serious. It will also help me take a break from the labor to pursue the creative and business end of things. I am hoping that this degree program will help me to develop the skills I need to keep a successful business running, an d give me the credibility I seek. My first step after obtaining my business degree will be to get a management position in a corporate setting, so I can get the experience I need to have my own company and employees. I believe that a Degree in Organizational Management will help me to accomplish that goal. Experience, though valuable and relevant, is no substitute for a short cut. I have realized that regardless of experience, if I want to be taken serious, having a degree will open doors and add more opportunity and credibility to any experience. So pursuing a degree at this point in my life has become a priority. Returning to school had always been a desire of mine, but in the past, I did not think I had the time or the money to pursue a degree. Any obstacles I had in the past are no longer there. I have an excellent support system at home, a loving and supportive fiancee of six years, a two income household, my career allows me to work part time and make the same amount of money as I did working full time in the past, so I get to spend more time at home, and my children are much older now so daycare expenses are a thing of the past. This online university program offers so much flexibility and affordability, that I really have no excuse to not execute this with full force. For me, the timing is perfect; the time it will take to complete this degree program is short when I compare it to time wasted by not having a degree. I have done this before and I know I can do it again. I keep my goals and plans right in front of me. I know that with perseverance, planning ahead, and just staying positive, that pursuing my degree will be another accomplishment that I can be proud of, and then I can keep moving forward in my life with confidence and ease. I am no longer at the mercy of my circumstances, I have taken control back, and returning to school is exactly where I need to be right now.

Indian Marriage Necklace †Research Paper

Indian Marriage Necklace – Research Paper Free Online Research Papers This paper is a study to further research â€Å"Marriage Necklace† kalata uru/thail C: 19th century, Indian, gold, approximately 1’x2’, currently shown at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston. The study will cover the classification of this type of art as a whole, the technique in which it was created, the artists who created this type of art, its cultural history, iconography, mythology, and compare it to other works made during the time of its creation. This thickset necklace is made of thirty over-sized gold pendants arranged symmetrically along a stout black cotton cord. Five pendants are large hand shaped, highly ornate forms that hang on the front breast area of the necklace. Two pendants are geometrically shaped mirror imaged cones that counterweight the necklace on the back area. Dividing the front pendants, arranged in pairs, are twelve smaller less defined cylindrical pendants that have a file like texture. All pendants are clasp to the black cord giving them a defined direction to face rather than freely hanging. The focal point of the necklace is one of the five hand shaped pendants that hangs in the center on the front breast area of the necklace. This comb-like central pendant of solid gold is worked in repousse and depicts the Hindu god Shiva and his companion Parvati on the bull Nanki in front of a shrine. The relief design of the pendent allows red foil to show through from behind this scene. Above, green copper alloy backs more relief of antelope and birds, this detailed repousse work is characteristic of south Indian Jewelry. In Indian culture all women wear jewelry as a fundamental part of their wardrobe and as a sign of respectability. Jewelry has great importance; it signifies status, marks rituals of life and identity, awards decency, and presents a social background and stage in life. As a protection from misfortune it acts as a store of wealth, and as a medium of prayer it has an association with religion, fortune, and health. This piece of jewelry known as kalata uru meaning â€Å"neck bead† also called a thali was the ceremonial Kazhutthuru necklace from the mercantile Nattukottai Chettir community. Originally this thali was worn by a bride, as a gift from her new husband, during special festival occasions at a Chettiar marriage ceremony, a smaller version was also presented to be worn daily. For a Chettiar marriage a woman’s dowry is an important role through which jewelry was rendered between families, a bride can expect to receive a certain amount of jewelry from her in-laws. The gold used to make the complex marriage necklaces such as this one is given by the bride’s family; except for that used for the central pendant, which is provided by the groom’s family. The thali central pendant was a key factor to the wedding ceremony in that it not only symbolized a blessing from the sun god Suyra it also had spiritual powers to establish a unity between the newly wed bride and groom. Although a Chettiar wedding could take place without the central pendant it was looked upon as a horrible insult to the bride’s family, therefore making it crucial for the groom to present a pendant for the thali that was unique in its own. The smaller daily worn version of the thali known as a mangalsutra is greatly reduced with only a selection of gold pieces rather than the full set of thirty that are worn during the marriage ceremony. Pendants are added to the mangalsutra upon different ritual happenings, each of these pendants has a symbolic meaning, such as fame, education, strength or success. Pendants are also added after the sacred fire, and after conception. Once this jewelry is in the bride’s possession it is known as stridhan or â€Å"women’s wealth†, it belongs solely to the bride and remains an uninfringeable source of financial security for her. In times of trouble the bride could support herself by selling the pendants from it, if not used the stirdhan is inherited by her children. This particular thali actually lacks one pendant. The pendant missing would have been a large elaborate bead representing the foot of Krishna. It is debatable whether a bride sold this pendant during a time of crisis, passed the pendant on to a child, or if this thali was ever completed for a marriage ceremony. The technique in which this thali was made has features from early nineteenth century Europe as well as highly proficient techniques that are unique to the Indian subcontinent. During this period some of the most extensive innovations in craft of gold were created by Indian goldsmiths, some of these skills are still used around the world today. Goldsmiths held high ranking status in the hereditary caste system within the Sudra group of the social categories of India. Out of all metalworkers the status of a goldsmith attributed ritual purity. Goldsmiths worked on the floor of unadorned workshops using simple, sometimes makeshift, tools with which they produced works of great skill and ingenuity. A goldsmith was not only a metal smith, but also worked as an engraver, to mark the pattern of the design to be produced, a chaser, to hollow out the areas that were to be enameled and precious stones to be set, and an enameller, to hatch the surface and fuse colored glass to the piece, a nd on occasion an artist for creating the design of the jewelry. Compared to other works of jewelry of the nineteenth century this ceremonial Kazhutthuru thali is renowned for not only its legendary cultural history but also its exquisite craftsmanship of its time of production. For the last century Upper-class Hindu families have hired goldsmiths to model thalis for their own personal wedding ceremonies, mimicking the Kazhutthuru thali. It has suggested that this thali is as important to India as the royal queens crown is to England. Reference List J.P. Losty, et al. â€Å"Indian subcontinent.† In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T040113pg58 (accessed April 8, 2009). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 200-. Marriage Necklace (kalata uru), New York. Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. metmuseum.org/toah/ho/10/ssa/ho_1991.32.3.htm Cooper, Ilay, and John Gillow, 1996. Arts and Crafts of India. London: New York: Thames and Hudson Inc. Barnard, Nicholas, 1993. Arts and Crafts of India. London: Conran Octopus Limited. Branard, Nicholas, 2008. Indian Jewelry. London: V A Publishing. Dye III, Joseph M., 2001. The Arts of India Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. London: Philip Wilson Publishers Research Papers on Indian Marriage Necklace - Research PaperHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Hockey GameInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsWhere Wild and West Meet19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is ArtPETSTEL analysis of India

Health Benefits of decriminalizing Marijuana Essays

Health Benefits of decriminalizing Marijuana Essays Health Benefits of decriminalizing Marijuana Essay Health Benefits of decriminalizing Marijuana Essay The thought of legalizing marijuana has elicited a raging debate with supporters of the move pointing out the benefits whereas the opponents citing the disadvantages of taking such an initiative. In the United States, individuals are generally opposed to the legalization of marijuana save for its medicinal use. According to a poll conducted jointly by the Associated Press and CNBC, 55% of the population is opposed to decriminalization of marijuana whereas only 33% of the population is for the legalization of the drug (Risling, para 5). In the poll, it was found that majority of those in support of legalization of marijuana belonged to an age group of below 30 years. The poll also revealed that the states in the Western region were most likely to approve medicinal use of the drug whereas women, Republicans, and rural folks were likely to argue against legalization of marijuana (Risling, para 5). Health Benefits of decriminalizing Marijuana: Those in support of legalization of marijuana points out that alcohol and cigarettes are legal substances yet marijuana is criminalized. Marijuana has been used for medicinal purposes from the historical past. Historians claim that cannabis has been used by mankind as an antiseptic and a drug in traditional societies. Other medical uses of marijuana emerged in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe (Solomon, p 12). During the 19th century, marijuana became accepted for medicinal purposes by the medical practitioners within the western societies especially after the Napoleon army returned from Egypt. Previously, cannabis was restricted to treating burns. The Napoleonic army was interested in the drug’s ability to relieve pain and its sedative effects. In the United States, medicinal interest of marijuana developed during the 1860s when the Panel on Cannabis indica of the Ohio State Medical Society revealed the healing capabilities of the drug (Roth, para 5). Marijuana has been confirmed to be having medicinal benefits as it is associated with treating glaucoma, offering relief to chemotherapy patients, and treating psychological problems like the social and anxiety disorders. Marijuana is also known to relieve stress that comes from physical and emotional distress. Proponents of legalization of marijuana have also argued that though marijuana is associated with some harmful effects, other legalized drugs including tobacco and alcohol are even more harmful as research indicates that nicotine is highly addictive compared to marijuana. Also, there are more deaths associated with tobacco smoking and alcohol than from use of marijuana (Martine, para 1). Health Risks of Decriminalizing Marijuana: Opponents of legalization of marijuana argue that the drug has been associated with many health risks both mental and physical. It is said that marijuana smoke contains carcinogenic hydrocarbons which could lead to the development of cancer. Marijuana is said to cause ‘dysregulated growth’ of the epithelial cellular lining of the lungs which may be the starting point for the development of cancer. Since marijuana is a mind-altering drug, it leads to hallucinations and an impaired cognition. The long term use of the drug may lead to irreversible impacts on the brain and its functioning. There have been revelations that intensive use of the drug may lead to mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and suicidal tendencies (Martine, para 6). Decriminalization of marijuana for whatever reason whether it is medical or any other may lead to ease in accessing the drug for the wrong reasons. Legalizing the use of marijuana will amount to abandoning the already positive steps that have been achieved in the fight against drugs. The fight against drug use is facilitated through a well balanced model of deterrence, enforcement, and management of the drugs. Illegal drugs are so due to their harmful nature thus there is no need to decriminalize such substances as an afterthought. Marijuana smoking has not been scientifically approved as medicinal. The version of marijuana that has some scientific approval for its medicinal value is the ‘marinol’ (Boire, p 12). This therefore holds no ground for the legalization of marijuana in its whole meaning. In any case that the use of marijuana will be legalized; there is a high chance that high levels of use and addiction will be recorded (Solomon, p 25). Conclusion: There is no doubt that legalization of marijuana is a contestable issue with each side championing for its course. However, a keen look at the scenario indicates that the benefits of decriminalizing marijuana are of little significance when compared to the associated risks. The fact that tobacco and alcohol are legal despite their health risks should not be advanced in looking for the legalization of marijuana. Tobacco and other legal drugs are harmful to human health but that should not mean that we should introduce other harmful drugs in the market. Already we are feeling the toll of drinking and tobacco smoking in our society and adding marijuana to the equation would not help. Though the medicinal implications of marijuana can not be wished away, research should concentrate on other alternatives other than focusing on marijuana. Legalizing marijuana would bring a situation where it will be difficult to control its use as the drug will be readily available to abusers. Work Cited: Boire, R. Glen. Marijuana law. 1996. Oakland, CA: Ronin Pub. Martine, Michael. â€Å"Devil Weed† – To Legalize or Not. Retrieved on 12th May 2010 from; http://sirmons. wordpress. com/2010/04/20/devil-weed-to-legalize-or-not/. Risling, Greg. Most in U. S. against legalizing pot, poll shows: But more are accepting of medical marijuana, AP-CNBC survey says. 2010. Retrieved on 12th May 2010 from; msnbc. msn. com/id/36650347/ns/health-more_health_news/. Roth, Rebecca. Medical Marijuana. Retrieved on 12th May 2010 from; http://serendip. brynmawr. edu/exchange/node/1901 Solomon, Snyder. Legalization: A Debate. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs. 1988. Series 2. Chelsea House Publishers. New York.

Comparative Words Lesson Plan

Comparative Words Lesson Plan Use these guidelines to prepare a lesson plan to teach students of any age how to use comparative words and comparative clauses to express the concepts of more or less and greater or lesser. Objectives and Goals Instruct/review adjectives as a part of speechIntroduce students to words that end in -er and/or -estOffer students the chance to practice finding similar items and comparing them through the proper use of language Anticipatory Set​ Ask students what they know about -er and -est words, as well as the word than. Explain that -er adjectives are for comparing two things, while -est words are used to compare three or more things. For older students, introduce and use the terms comparative and superlative repeatedly and hold students accountable for knowing these terms. Direct Instruction Model turning common root adjectives into comparative and superlative adjectives (examples: funny, hot, happy, big, good, etc.)Brainstorm additional adjectives and practice (as a group) putting them into sentences (example: The sun is hotter than the moon. A baby is smaller than a teenager.) Guided Practice Depending on the age and abilities of your students, you can ask the students to write their own comparative and superlative sentences from scratch. Or, for younger students, you can design and copy a worksheet with cloze sentences and they can fill in the blanks or circle the correct suffix. For example: Fill in the Blanks: The ___________ is bigger than the ___________.Circle one: The big (er or est) animal in the zoo is an elephant. Another option is to have students look through the pages of their independent reading books and search for comparative and superlative adjectives. ​ Closure Offer sharing time for the students to read aloud the sentences they completed or composed. Reinforce the core concepts with discussion and question/answer time. ​ Independent Practice For homework, have students write a given number of comparative and/or superlative sentences based on things they find in their homes, books, neighborhood, or imaginations. ​ Required Materials and Equipment Worksheets if needed, paper, pencils, student reading books if needed. ​ Assessment and Follow-Up Check completed homework assignments for correct sentence structure and grammar. Re-teach as needed. Point our comparative and superlative words as they come up in class discussion and whole group reading.

Drinking Alcohol Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Drinking Alcohol - Essay Example There have been studies that indicate that the effect of alcohol on a person’s brain increases the occurrence of accidents (vehicular), violent tendencies and aggressive behavior, more serious psychiatric conditions (depression, anxiety, short attention span); and hampering of the brains abilities to function well. Hypothesis: An increase in the consumption of alcohol increases the tendency for people to become socially aggressive and thereby, the victim of bullying would respond by getting retribution for the physical aggression received from the bully. According to Buddy T. â€Å"in all 50 states, the legal limit for drunk driving is a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .08. A 120-pound woman can reach a .08 BAC level after only two drinks and a 180-pound man can be at .08 after only four drinks† (2010, par. 2). Experimental Process: Three sets of samples (say 5 victims of bullying to drink alcohol in excess of legal limits, 5 victims not to drink, 5 victims to drink just within the legal limit) would be taken and asked to drink as prescribed. They would then be asked to confront their bullies and react according to their state of mind. The frequency and kind of socially aggressive behavior would then be identified, measured and noted according to the sample and control groups. Validity Procedures: Choose sample randomly but with almost the same gender and age as well as the kind of bullying applied (The direct form involves behavior that aims to physically harm the victim through any of the following means: hitting, kicking, pushing (Carbone-Lopez, et.al, 2010, 333) and fighting, flicking, throwing, shoving, hair pulling (Parentline, 2006,

Hate Violence Turn it off by Tim Goodman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hate Violence Turn it off by Tim Goodman - Essay Example Goodman reiterates his thesis statement throughout his essay to make sure that his argument is easy enough to understand and his reasoning simple enough to follow. The social context of this essay is applicable to almost anyone, from young children to concerned adults. While this essay seems to be meant for children, in actual fact Goodman is trying to get through to parents because he knows they are in a position to enforce change in the family home. Goodman used logical arguments that parents would understand, but even more important was the fact that he did not go overboard by criticizing parents too much. The author tried to steer parents away from complaining about violence on television to a local official and instead use the remote to take control back of the television. I feel that Goodman did make a good choice for the intended audience and purpose of this assignment because if he had missed the mark then he may have made people resent his argument. The writer used a clear structure to his essay with three distinct supporting arguments. More importantly, Goodman continually stressed the overall purpose of the essay after every couple of paragraphs so that the reader did not forget what the argument was. Goodman used to tone and language that was necessary for parents of young kids to hear. He tried to get on their side by pointing out that complaining about it won't actually do anything and they should be the ones to make a change rather than telling others to change. Goodman quite rightfully states that some people prefer to watch violence on television, and those people should not have their rights taken away just because someone else doesn't like it. Instead, we all have the choice to watch or not watch so it really comes back to us. Â  

MHE503 Survey of Emergency and Disaster Mgt Module 2 Case Essay

MHE503 Survey of Emergency and Disaster Mgt Module 2 Case - Essay Example FBI: months before the actual attack, there had been a reported suspicion on two Middle Eastern Men training in one of the US flight schools. It has been observed that they're being too much concern about fast learning procedures had been a practical reason for the suspicion of the agency.2 Then again, this call has not been well recognized by the government as a possible threat to the nation's security. These particular calls for possible alarm appeared to have no specific and strong evidences of being true, taking them into consideration could have been a better choice for the government as putting the little suspicions together was practically a good reason for them to search through the individuals were suspected to have connections with Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden. The reports after the attack noted that there were possible calls and secret movements within the government agencies during the pre-attack dates. ... One particular truth that might have enveloped the lack of concentration and attention that the government had on the possible case of an arising attack against the safety of US may have not been given careful concern practically because of the compartmentalization of the major agencies governing the safety of the country.4 Likely, even though the government administration of US poses to be centralized and mainly controlled by a main unit, it could be noted that only a few are really interconnected towards each other. Here are some other considerations that could have been given attention to: Many agents in both CIA and FBI do not have an idea about each other. Hence, even though they are interconnected by a particular system, there is no personal linkage that served their agencies. Because of this, it is quite hard to deal with the increased emergence of possible suspected matters that are noted to have a great imposing threat to the nation's security and protection. 5Because of this, it could be noted that getting to the people who know something about the situation was not that easy to accomplish between the different teams within the agencies working within a certain case. Besides that, being naive over the major things that happened before the attack may be correlated to the self belief that Americans have that the Al Qaeda would not take the risk to attack the nation since they though these Middle Eastern individuals believe that the nation's security is established well and that they would be feared by it. No matter, the surprise attack made a good fulfilment of the plan. 6Apparently, the American government failed to recognize the fact that these Middle Eastern Individuals are known for their commitment to their

Food Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Food Issue - Essay Example In my opinion, I would support solar-based agriculture. First, the system has been shown to be prudent in saving energy. In my place, farmers have been spending too much energy that is available to produce crops in the petroleum-based agriculture. Moreover, the solar-based will help in conserving our local environment there will be less use of fertilizers and other forms of chemicals (Pollan 1). Secondly, I would support the solar-based agriculture due to the immense benefit it has on health. This is because the petroleum-based agriculture has led to the production of cheap food that is of low quality. Such food lacks essential nutrients and mostly comprised of fats. The effect has been the rise of various chronic diseases that are costly to the American people (Pollan 1). Thirdly, solar-based agriculture will help the country reduce overreliance of food from other countries. Food from foreign countries may provide a leeway for terrorist activities. Hence, solar-based agriculture wil l help production of food locally that is free from contamination from the rest of the world (Pollan 1). Recently, there has been growing interest in the community to shift to local foods and farms. The shift has been based on several reasons. The shift to local food has been mainly due to realization that the food is healthier, nutritious and of quality value. On the other hand, the shift to local farms has been due to the high prices of food produced through local means. In fact, it has come to the attention of the farmers that consumers are willing to pay an extra cash to get locally produced

Agency theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Agency theory - Essay Example Freeman states that stakeholder concept is about management, and it mirrors and guides how managers function rather than chiefly addressing management and economists’ theories (1994). Freeman states two key enquiries of the stakeholder concept in his article. The first query is the aim of the corporation. This is useful and helpful for managers in the 21st century. Managers, by determining the purpose of the firm, can state the share’s responsiveness for the value they create. Managers can also determine what brings the key stakeholders together. Furthermore, this challenges the firm to establish sound performance through considering its goals and market fiscal metrics. The other question enquired in the shareholder concept is what accountability management has to shareholders. These aid managers to understand how they plan to carry out business. Predominantly, they look for a suitable kind of association with shareholders to attain their own welfares. The fundamental o f shareholder theory’s economic importance is that great numbers of persons come and function together to enhance their situation, in conformity with the central modern economic realisms. To urge more and more workforces to perform their finest for the corporations, it is essential and vital for supervisors to develop relations and create effective communication with shareholders. It is broadly accepted that stockholder is a significant party within the firm and his or her interests are a dire characteristic.

Food Issue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Food Issue - Essay Example In my opinion, I would support solar-based agriculture. First, the system has been shown to be prudent in saving energy. In my place, farmers have been spending too much energy that is available to produce crops in the petroleum-based agriculture. Moreover, the solar-based will help in conserving our local environment there will be less use of fertilizers and other forms of chemicals (Pollan 1). Secondly, I would support the solar-based agriculture due to the immense benefit it has on health. This is because the petroleum-based agriculture has led to the production of cheap food that is of low quality. Such food lacks essential nutrients and mostly comprised of fats. The effect has been the rise of various chronic diseases that are costly to the American people (Pollan 1). Thirdly, solar-based agriculture will help the country reduce overreliance of food from other countries. Food from foreign countries may provide a leeway for terrorist activities. Hence, solar-based agriculture wil l help production of food locally that is free from contamination from the rest of the world (Pollan 1). Recently, there has been growing interest in the community to shift to local foods and farms. The shift has been based on several reasons. The shift to local food has been mainly due to realization that the food is healthier, nutritious and of quality value. On the other hand, the shift to local farms has been due to the high prices of food produced through local means. In fact, it has come to the attention of the farmers that consumers are willing to pay an extra cash to get locally produced

Key Concepts in Health Promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Key Concepts in Health Promotion - Essay Example It is thus imperative to promote health in the best way in order to treat and prevent majority of these diseases and thus increase the life expectancy. The assignment will cover the concept of health promotion and its challenges. It will also cover the present situation of coronary heart disease in the United Kingdom and what the government and other partner agencies are doing to promote health among the population in the United Kingdom. Health promotion can be defined as the process of allowing the individuals to have control over the health determinants and thus improving their health. It is a set of practical strategies and a concept and it remains to be an essential guide when addressing the main health challenges that are faced by both the developing and the developing countries. It also includes the non-communicable and communicable diseases, and other issues that are related to the health and human development (Health Promotion Agency 2009, p1). The main aim of health promotion is to strengthen the capabilities and skills of the people to take action and the capacity of the communities and groups to act in a collective manner to exert control over the health determinants and attain a positive change (Health Promotion Agency 2009, p1). There are certain prerequisites that are required in the promotion of health and they include; enough and well distributed economic resources, peace, clean water, shelter and food, sustainable resource use, access to the basic human rights, and clean water. The failure to meet all these challenges remains the main goal for all the activities that are directed towards social, health and economic development (Health Promotion Agency 2009, p1). Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading killer disease in the United Kingdom; it is estimated that around 1 in 5 men and 1 in 7 women die from CHD. The disease is estimated to cause approximately 94,000 deaths per annum in the United Kingdom (UK). In the UK, approximately 2.6

Child Labour Essay Example for Free

Child Labour Essay I.INTRODUCTION In a developing country like the Philippines, the child labor phenomenon remains widespread. Today, we find hundreds of thousands of Filipino children being deprived of the oppurtunity to share in the prospects of development. The door of the opportunity is close on them simply because their â€Å"childhood is wasted in premature work (ILD 1994) rather than nurtured in school and at play. And doubtedly, many stand witnesses to this bleak scenario in the workforce. How the lives of this children are apparently placed at risk and how they are clearly cheated of their basic rights and privileges have stimulated a sounding call for an immense public awareness and a prolific action on the child labor issue. Child labor is a â€Å"long standing problem† (ILO 1993: 26), that has been rapidly creaping from the midst of economic, social, and moral crisis. Hence, this papers generally aims to propagate awerness about child labor particularly, the current situation her in 6the Philippines. It has three major objectives. First, it intense to present current facts and data about the child labor condition in the Philippines. Second, it attempts to discuss significant points about the child labor issue. And finally, it aims to waken concern individuals and bring fort a worth while realization, concern, and utmost action and this matter. A.What is child labor? Filipinos re smilingly wide aware of the prevalence o child labor here in the Philippines yet, knowingly or unknowingly, many remain inadequately informed and aware of child labor’s real score. The idea of child labor would concretely leads us to a common general notion, that is, children being abuse through forced labor. This is the concept, which inevitably sticks to anyone who hears about the issue. Hence, we must remember that child labor implies a broader concern so purposely, there is much to be adhered about child labor and what it substantially means. To further understand this concern, let us set answers to these questions: When is child labor considered ethical? Illegal? Child work refers to gainful work of children below15 years of age ( Torres 1995 :2). It means the production of goods and services either on a full-time or part-time basis as performed by children in both the formal and informal sectors. Recent studies in the Philippine noted child participation in the following areas of work: agricultural plantations, small handicraft shops, home-based sub-contracting industries, commercial establishments, household’s street trades, and other small-scale business ventures. Work among children, is not wrong. Children, as part of the traditional Filipino culture are taught to work at an early age by their families. This true particularly in Philippine agricultural communities were farming is considered a family affair and the farm household is equivalent to one production unit (Torres 1995:2). Work for children however, becomes unacceptable and objectionable if it falls under any of the following circumstances. One, if the work is hazardous to the help and morals of the children such as night work, heavy work, or work in the streets which exposes the children to drug abuse and sexual encounters. Two, if the conditions of work are exploitative, as in instances when they require long working hours, provide low pay, and are used as substitute for adult labor. And lastly, if the work prevents children from obtaining education which is their right and privilege in any society (Torres 1995: 2). Child labor is the illegal employment of children below the age of 15, where they are not directly under the sole responsibility of their parents or illegal guardian or the latter employs other workers, apart from their children, who are not members of their families or their work endangers their life, safety, health, and morals or impairs their normal development including schooling. It also includes the situation of children below the age of 18 who are employed in hazardous conditions. (Representatives 1994:3) B.What is current child labor situation in the Philippines? The current child labor situation in the Philippines has recently raced enormous concern. In the 1995 Children Survey conducted by DOLE, results revealed that about three in every twenty children have worked in the past year. Males compromised two-thirds of the working children. The proportion of working males increases with age. Looking at the sex ratio, the ratio of working male to every one hundred working female increases from 171 for age group 5 to 9 years to 181 for age group 10 to14 years. The absolute increase doubles as the children reach the working age of 15. For age group 15 to17, there are 200 working males for every 100 working females or 2 males for every1 female. (NSO 1995). Working male children out number females in both urban and rural areas. 2/3 of working children lives in the rural areas. This maybe due to unpaid farm work participated in by family members during planting and /or harvesting seasons. Based on the1995 children of the Philippines Survey, Only 69.8% reported to have attended school during school years 1994-1995 and 1995 to 1996. They compromised mostly of male working children (62.5%), out numbering the female working children (38.5%). Working children from the rural areas have higher school attendance (67.3%) tha those from the urban areas (32.7%). Most of these working children reported the same kind of problems encountered in schooling. Ranked, as the first three problems were high cost of school supplies/books/transportation’s, school distance from the residence is too far, and difficulty in catching up with lessons (NSO 1995). Working children inevitably experience multiple work-related problems. Only 2 out of 10 children express that they did not encounter any problem in relation to their work. The rest, however, said that they experienced one or more work –related problems. Among these problems experienced by them are  coming home exhausted from work, doing heavy physical work, work being stressful, boredom from work and that their work is risky or dangerous. (NSO1995). Children remained in the workforce for a common significant reason. Survey results showed that majority or 60.1% of the total working children who prefer to remain in the workforce sited improvement in the living conditions of their households as the main reason for working. In the urban areas, only 56.4% cited improvements in living conditions as the main reason while in the rural areas, the proportion reaches 62%. This is following the notion that families in the urban areas have better living conditions than those in the rural areas. These facts and data justify the growing concern of children labors prevalence to the present Philippine society. C.Why is child labor very rampant in our Philippine society now a days? The prevalence of child labor in the Philippines has been attributed to multiple factors. While poverty is apparently the principal factor. The Philippines being a third world country, â€Å"Child labor is symptomatic of broader social disorganization resulting from urbanization, industrial development, and economic recession, and the shifting models of production† (Torres 1995: 3). With the advent of economic globalization, awareness of the incidence of child labor in the third world nations is growing rapidly in the industrialize counties as the Philippines. Hence, Many Filipino many children work for the very reason that their families are poor. Though poverty is the most significant cause of child labor, other factors greatly contribute as well. Cultural values may also drive children in to employment. Children in Filipino farm agricultural households are expected to participate in farm production. Parents also affirmed that teaching children hoe to work is important and they introduce â€Å"Work – related task as if it work play activities† (Torres 1995: 3). This scenario is likely triggered by the traditional Filipino values of close families ties and  kinship by which each family member is expected to contribute to help keep the family moving and survive. These persuasions make easier for children to accept work as part their routine. It is also a question of social attitudes. The fact that many children work because there is a little else they can do is an educator of ill social attitudes. Schools are unavailable, in adequate or expensive; the education, which is provide is a related to the world of work. The structural adjustments program, which many third world countries have under taken, has also unfortunately ment as serious cut back in investment in the social sector. Political condition also interacts with economic factors that make child labor possible. Counter-insurgency campaigns have lead to dislocation of families, and the lost of parents forcing children to work for their own survival. Undoubtedly, many Filipino children are victims of this grim political manipulation. On the demand side, research show that many children hired because they are more easily exploited than adults are. Employers prefer children because they are docile, In capable of collective bargaining and willing to work to support their family or simply to survive. To have child labor means lower cost because children never complain with very low wages (Weissman 1997: 18). All these, including other minor factors, play a productive part in rapid increase of child labor cases in the country. D.What is the risk faced by working children? Working children inevitably faced intolerance risk. Of millions of children who are working many toil in â€Å"Slave-like† (ILO 1993:54) or Hazardous conditions. There are all too many children in the work force that faced physical risk and hazard to their physical, social, intellectual and psychological development. Survey results revealed that many Filipino working children have suffered from work –related injuries such and other  various risks are affected by this condition: The attention span of children is usually limited and their judgement of dangerous situations may not be to develop. As they are not experience enough to cope with job responsibilities, ling hours of work and other job stresses that normal adults can cope within their daily chores, the impact of psychosocial stresses on a child in understandable more pronounced (GUST 1993:78). In the mere sense, the consequences are intolerably traumatic and devastating. These case of Filipino child: A Filipino, barely ten years old, lost her sight, when another worker carelessly threw his cigarette but near a mound of gun powder that she was inserting into colorful bits of paper. The gunpowder exploited and with it went her sight. Working in sub-human conditions, these children’s health soon gave way†¦ (Junior citizen Ed. 1996:2). Many types of work affect the intellectual and psychosocial development of the child.† Work is detrimental to a child if it deprives him of his normal leisure, play and recreation, worse if he is deprived of his basic rights of education, parenting, and protection â€Å" (Gust 1993:78). Such adverse conditions have been observed in bonded labor such as seen in feudalistic agriculture, in the participation of children in Muru-ami fishing and in domestic work. The projected psychological effects on working children was shown in this specific study: A study on the psychological profile of ten scavenger children from the Smoky Mountain in the Philippines was conducted in 1992. The results showed low levels of intellectual functioning of the scavengers of different age levels. It also demonstrated and inverse relationship between age and intelligence quotient. That is, the intellectual scores of children decreased as age increased. To a certain point, there can attributed to the  children’s preoccupation with survival and lack of learning opportunities. (Gust 1993:81) Aside from these risks, we cannot do away with the fact that poor working conditions of children often bring along infectious illnesses. Combined with malnutrition, toxic substance used at work affect several organ systems like the brains and nerves sometimes irreversibly. Some researchers make then point that the unhealthy sanitation, over crowding, poor ventilation, and extremes of temperatures in the work environment are aggravated by poor conditions in the living environment therefore, making working children more susceptible to new infectious illnesses and injuries, and other work-related ailments. Descriptive studies of hazardous and demonstrates the different types of risks: First, there is the â€Å" hazardous process†. Muro-ami fishing which practice in few fishing towns involves deep-sea diving without the use of protective equipment. This method was reported as a notoriously hazardous process resulting in drowning, deaths and rapture eardrums. Second, there is the exposure of children to adverse physical working environment. Exposure to organic dust is widespread in farms and plantations and tha prevalence of respiratory diseases is high. Children also work in repair shops, woodwork and in construction with constant exposure to dust and fumes. Third, children are exposed to dangerous substances in both formal and informal sectors. No personal protective equipment’s where given to the children who often handle chemicals with bare hands which was seen among those working in scavenging, in dumpsites, in gold processing, in leather industry, in garage, and in gasoline work. (Gust 1993: 80) No work is too difficult for these children despite the great risk on their lives. Nevertheless, this makes child labor a visible act of exploitation. E. How can we eliminate child labor in our Philippine society? The problem is huge, needless to say, the weapon in store must be equally extensive if not, stronger than the problem itself. All working children are basically at risk: the ultimate object of society should therefore be the elimination of child labor. However, the problem of child labor will not be solving overnight. It is â€Å"a large and complex problem† (ILO1994: 4). Some aspects of which are probably not yet capable of solution, for example, until a better knowledge and understanding can be gained, or until further progress has been made in addressing underlying social, cultural or economic factors. Given the multiple, over lapping causes at child labor, no single approach will and the scourge (Weissmen! 997:16). The resources available for combating child labor are glaringly in adequate when set against the magnitude of the problem. But no progress will be made at all unless start is made somewhere. Ideally, the Philippine government has already recognize the need to establish priorities and the Philippine plan of action for children has set targets for the protection and rehabilitation of abuse and exploited working children and for banning of children in hazardous occupations or situations, with priority being accorded to disadvantaged, depressed, and undeserved families and communities. The Government-UNICEF child labor Plan of Operation also establishes priorities for action. There emphasis action at the local level, without which no strategy to combat child labor will be effective. And with the formation of the â€Å"Sagip Batang Manggagawa†, and Inter-agency Quick Action Program (SBMQAP), the Philippine government has apparently taken the challenge in astounding force. The said program is established to respond to cases of child laborers in extremely object conditions and shall be responsible for the provision of various services in relation to the search and rescue operation. Elimination of child labor may justify seem impossible. Truly, our chances are slim, but there is hope. With these dynamic forces at hand, we can all look forward to a better and ideal future for the Filipino children. II. CONCLUSION: Child labor is an apparent hindrance to the economic, social, and moral development of the people and this country. This very uncharacteristic scenario in the workplace gradually yet tremendously cripples the country’s economy, destroys the ethical course of society, and deflates the standards of moral values. Nevertheless, â€Å"that trend is a human tragedy†(Senser 1997: 18). A manifestation of the world’s cruelty to the young and the innocent is what child labor is at its least. The children, being â€Å"the most vulnerable group in the society, who are unfortunate victims of this inhuman condition have been greatly deprived of the incalculable chances they ought to venture. Sad to say, our very own Philippine society has failed to provide the teeming Filipino children that exceptionally ideal community they all deserve. Yet, what soothes us the least is the fact that the child labor situation in our country has not been left in the rug and forgotten. After all, we dream of nothing less butter to hold strong in our pursuit of saving the Filipino children from falling into this bleak exigency. â€Å" Let not young souls be smothered out before. They do quaint deeds and fully flaunt their price. It is the world’s one crime its babes grow dull† (Linsay1997: 9) Bibliography :  ·Gust, E. 1993. Safety and Health Hazards to Working Children, Bangkok: International Labour Office  ·International Labour Organization. 1994 . Attacking Child Labour in the Philippines: and Indicative frame work for Philippine-ILO Action Geneva ; International Labour Office  ·International Labour Organization 1993. Inter-Regional workshop on Improvement of Effectiveness of Enforcement of Child Labour Legislation. Bangkok International Labour Office.  ·Lindsay, Vachel 1997 The Leaden- Eyed , Sunstar, May24, page 9.  ·National Statisticas office. Children of the Philippines Manila 1995  ·Senser, Robert A. 997 Global Economy and Child labor. Sunstar, May 26 pages 1 and 8.

Training practices used in the Shell Corporation

Training practices used in the Shell Corporation Populations are growing and economies are developing. The global demand for energy will continue to increase. And finding responsible ways to meet that demand will be the defining challenge of the 21st century. As result, more workers needed in the Shell company which it fulfills demand in the market. So, many ways was taken by Shell to retain more workers in company, also retrain them to be productive worker in the company. In Shell, they providing the training they need to fully optimize their skills and potential. Thats why they offer a huge range of training and development activities. Trainee can choose one or more training which provided by Shell of the following: On-the-job learning you can expect to move both sideways and upwards through the business, building on your skills as you go Training for recognized professional qualifications either through external organizations or Shells own extensive training services and facilities Personal development programmed Direction and support from buddy schemes, mentoring and regular appraisals with line managers. In addition to these initiatives, Shell also has tailored training for all of their new starters, including inductions and Shell Life. Shell Life is a highly experiential and interactive course for graduates designed to develop your leadership potential.   The course helps participants reflect on their personal direction and the leadership, interpersonal effectiveness and business awareness qualities theyll need if theyre going to have a successful career with Shell. Shell Aviation offers a number of different courses addressing subjects of importance to the Aviation Industry. These include: The Aviation Competence Education (ACE major) The Aviation Competence Education (ACE) provides personnel working in the Aviation Fuelling business with a basic knowledge of all facets of Aircraft fuelling. The course incorporates a structured series of modules with clear concise training material, informative video presentations, training needs analysis and documentation, programme development, plus refresher courses and assessments. Practical exercises and assessments ensure that the knowledge is absorbed and operator skills are proven in practice. It is also offered either as a traditional taught course delivered by Shell Aviation consultants, or alternatively in a series of self-learning computer modules. Train the Trainer This three-day course provides the user with the ability to deliver for example, the ACE training in-house. The course syllabus includes communication techniques, the skills training process, recall retention and assessment skills. The Operations Training Course This focuses more deeply on the specifics of fuelling operations, and is delivered as a combination of classroom and on-site teaching at one of Shells worldwide facilities. Courses are conducted mainly in English as standard, but are also available in other languages. The Famous Fuel Tech Course Offers deeper insight in advanced Quality Control, product knowledge and covers more technical issues concerning various aviation products and their use. The Supervising for Safety Course Targets Aviation Operations Supervisors, and helps them understand their role in managing safety in the aviation workplace. Others Shell Aviation also offers competency assessment tools to customers; WINGS, a general competency program, and CAF, an HSE competency program. Both of these assist management in profiling employees, deciding which competence levels they have reached, and identifying gaps in their knowledge. Courses are also custom designed based on specific customer needs and can cover all aspects of the supply chain, from the refinery to the wing-tip. As innovative training methods are developed, improvements and revisions are made to the programmed and new materials produced. These are incorporated into the refresher programmed together with updates to include developments in operating procedures and standards as they occur. This ensures that operators are always trained to the current standards. Training systems are available in multiple languages, using multi-lingual presenters and assessors. Training may be delivered by Shell Aviation or self-delivered by Aviation fuelling companies to their own staff. Whether Shell Aviation courses are delivered at the trainees workplace, or at Shell training centers, the benefits are always quickly secured. Training may be delivered by Shell Aviation or self-delivered by Aviation fuelling companies to their own staff. Whether Shell Aviation courses are delivered at the trainees workplace, or at Shell training centre, the benefits are always quickly secured. Furthermore, Shell also continues to complement the governments efforts to develop and enhance Malaysian human capital through its scholarship programmed. As the business community can play an integral role in realizing this manpower requirement, Shell contribute to sustainable development in the country by enhancing our nations intellectual asset pool through scholarship .The students to continue to work hard and be motivated to succeed not only in their studies but in their future careers. Funding from the Shell Scholarship Fund (SSF) set up by Shell Malaysia provides scholarships and incentive awards to deserving Malaysians to pursue studies in approved institutions either locally or abroad. Shell Malaysia invests RM11 million country-wide in various educational assistance or capacity building programmed annually. Out of the amount, RM3.4 million is allocated for Sarawak. Some 235 students from Sarawak were selected to receive scholarships and bursaries from Shell this year. Shell would continue to partner the state government as well as other stakeholders in their long-standing educational, youth development and other community-oriented programmed which are designed with the underlying objective of progressing capacity building, knowledge enhancement, skill development and promoting health and safety and environmental concern. Shell also works closely with universities in Malaysia to regularly share information on the oil and gas industry and employment opportunities within Shell Malaysia as well as collaborate on research programmed. These include a study on dolphins conducted with UNIMAS and Sarawak Forestry Corporation as well as the Campus Ambassador programmed with Curtin University, Miri. The long running Shell Scholarship programmed has benefited many bright young boys and girls from Sarawak and Sabah and a number of them have become leaders in their chosen fields within and outside Shell.   Training was provided in many courses at Shell which provides students with a work-and-learn experience that compliments their classroom curriculum. This opportunity will enable them to learn how to apply theory to practice, explore career options and gain knowledge of the working world. Commercial opportunities: Commercial Upstream and Midstream Contracting and Procurement Finance Human Resources IT/Information Management Sales and Marketing Supply Chain and Distribution Trading Technical opportunities Asset Maintenance Engineering Discipline Engineering Geology/Geophysics Petrophysics Process Engineering Product Process Research Production Engineering Production Technology Reservoir Engineering Well Engineering HSSE There are many examples, in developing and transition countries and industrialized ones, of the private sector directly sponsoring road safety initiatives. Four main areas of sponsorship have been identified: (i) road safety education and knowledge transfer; (ii) publicity and awareness campaigns; (iii) enforcement; and ( iv) driver training. Whilst these four groups are the main areas of business involvement in sponsorship, it should be noted that this is not an exclusive list. There are examples of companies sponsoring road signs, or reflective markings to enhance the visibility of vulnerable road users and heavy goods vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe. The initiatives invested in to date, however, do not generally include hard engineering measures. Corporate sponsorship of the four main areas of involvement is discussed below: For example, Petroleum companies have been identified as being a major contributor to child road safety education through a number of initiatives. These include resource material that teaches children about road safety, yet also ties in with the school curriculum and through direct investment in road safety education. For instance, BP developed a teaching resource pack in the UK, Living with Traffic, which was produced to help with primary school road safety education. Indeed, BPs own road safety team has been touring schools in the UK for some 30 years teaching road safety to primary school children. Indeed, Shell, for their part, have funded road safety education for primary school children in Germany and established the Deutsche Shell Youth Centre in 1950. Initially, participation involved development of fixed site traffic schools. Shell constructed the traffic schools and provided equipment including, eventually, miniature cars. In addition, mobile traffic schools were often provided in the form of equipment that could be taken to, and used in, individual schools. Deutsche Shell Youth Centre provides the equipment, and the State Government or town/rural districts fund the set up and operation costs. It is important that publicity campaigns target according to areas of specific concern. For example, Shell Canada has provided training to their drivers addressing collisions with wildlife. This area of road safety was highlighted through monitoring accidents and identifying that a number of animal strikes were being recorded. To highlight the problem, Shell has worked with other petroleum companies and has helped develop workshops within the petroleum industry to identify ways and means to reduce animal strikes. One third of Canadian traffic accidents are attributed to animal strikes, and it is hoped that a reduction will lead to lower costs, improved profitability and reliability of equipment. As well as car and truck driver training, cycle and motorcycle rider training is currently being sponsored in various locations. Shell Malaysia has been involved with the Emergency Motorcycle Unit (EMU) of the Malaysia Red Crescent Society. Volunteers in the EMU attend crashes and are able to get through traffic jams on a motorcycle where it would be impossible for a car or ambulance. In 1997, Shell assisted in training EMU volunteers in defensive riding, through its Road Safety Academy. The Road Safety Academy itself was built in 1991 to conduct safe and defensive driving courses for the companys own staff and contractors. 3M have been involved in Romania in highlighting the presence of vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, through the provision of retro-reflective safety devices and markings. Shells Introductory Trial of Overdriveà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ System Proves Safety and Efficiency for Running Casing on Floating Rig had objective to; Conduct a safe introductory trial on a floating rig of the OverDrive system with its TorkDriveà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ 750 HD (heavy-duty) casing running and drilling tool, Prove the ability of the OverDrive system to serve as the primary method for running casing on floating rigs in the future, Achieve no-incident health, safety, and environmental performance, Avoid cross-threading of connections, Minimize the time required for the rigs drillers and tool pushers to become proficient in the use of the OverDrive system. As a result, Shells first OverDrive system run (also the first OverDrive system run for any operator on a floating rig/semisubmersible) was successful, with no reportable incidents, No connections were cross-threaded, the operators drillers and tool pushers were running up to 16 joints per hour by the third hour of operation. The value to client are no reportable safety or environmental incidents occurred, use of the OverDrive system reduced operational risks and costs by eliminating manually operated, moving equipment from the rig floor, the need for a stabber was removed, and the number of rig floor personnel was minimized, training of Shells drillers and tool pushers by Weatherford personnel minimized non productive time and expedited operations. The success of this trial provided the operator with a proven means of avoiding the dangers of manual equipment manipulation on a floating rig. This success also reassured Shell that, with proper planning and discussion, new technology can be introduced safely and effectively without compromising the well.The Shell Training Center offers training in several areas including drilling and well operations, instrumentation and product operations. Classroom at the Shell Training Center designed to simulate operations on the rig. For example, PS3054 SUBSEA PRODUCTION OPERATOR TRAINING-PHASE I, this workshop is an introduction into the operation of subsea and subsea-related topside equipment. Issues addressed include an overall system presentation, equipment overviews, and flow assurance concerns, operating guidelines discussions, surveillance requirements, control system operation, ROV capabilities and the unloading of subsea wells. Shells standardized subsea system will be addressed significantly. Training videos, computer assisted training, control system simulator training, in addition to presentations by various Shell personnel and equipment manufacturers will be a portion of the training tools utilized during the workshop. The workshop is recommended for production operators or individuals that are involved in the operation of subsea systems. SKILL PERFORMANCE BASED PAY, upon completion of this course, successful participants will obtain the necessary foundation to self assess and certify at their field location the Level II subsea operations Skill Certification Manual. An introduction of Level III topics concerning site specific operating guidelines and simulator training will also be addressed. Objective of this workshop are: Provide platform personnel with an understanding of the overall subsea system, Furnish operating personnel with a working understanding of operating guidelines and control sequences and Provide personnel with flow assurance knowledge as it relates to an operating environment. Outline of this workshop are; I. SUBSEA SYSTEM OVERVIEW II. EQUIPMENT OVERVIEW III. FLOW ASSURANCE IV. SURVEILLANCE V. CHEMICAL SYSTEM VI. EROSION, CORROSION, SAND DETECTION VII. OPERATING GUIDELINES VIII. MCS SIMULATOR TRAINING IX. FLOWLINE PIGGING X. ROV OVERVIEW XI. UNLOADING SUBSEA WELLS Awarded MSC status in 2010, Shell  Business Service Center Kuala Lumpur was incorporated in January 2000, and is one of six global shared service centres of Royal Dutch Shell plc that provide a wide range of finance, accounting, human resource, customer service, contracts procurement and information technology services to Shell operating companies globally.   The KL centre was  the first milestone towards the Groups vision to enable the delivery of common business operations and services for Shell, at world-class operational excellence. The Shell Business Service Centre Kuala Lumpur (SBSC-KL) is one of six global business service centres providing finance, accounting, human resource, customer service, contracts and procurement services, and information technology to Shell operating companies globally. These centres enable the delivery of common business operations and services for Shell, at world-class operational excellence. Five services currently operate out of SBSC Kuala Lumpur. Finance Operations Finance Operations provides finance, accounting and business services to Shell operating companies across the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.   The finance processes include: Revenue: Master Data Maintenance, Processing Invoice and Billing Adjustments, Cash Application and Allocation, Monitoring of Debts, Account Reconciliation and Reporting, Intra-Group Transaction Processing Expenditure: Processing Invoices and Expense Claims, Payment Run Processing Record to Report   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Financial Reporting: Group and Local Reporting, Business Planning and Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Financial Accounting: Bank Reconciliation, End of Day (Cash Forecasting), Fixed Assets   Ã‚  Ã‚   o Hydrocarbon Management: Stock Recording, Reconciliation Valuation, Accounts Payable, Contracts Pricing, Customs Excise, Chemical Stock Accounting Management Information: Management Internal Reporting, Variance Analysis, Decision Support, Budgeting Planning Governance, Risk Assurance (Controls Framework): Controls Migration, Controls Assurance, Governance Compliance, Design Deploy HR Services HR Services delivers a full range of HR services to Shell employees across Asia Pacific and the Middle East: First point of contact for HR support and advice Enabling effective Self Service Capabilities Managing HR Data and Information Provision of HR Infrastructure Payroll Management   Processing of HR Transactions Downstream Customer Service Centre The Downstream Business to Business (B2B) Customer Service Centre (CSC) is a single touch point contact centre covering customer service order to cash activities for B2B, Retail and Lubricants business across Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong. Contracting Procurement Contracts and Procurement (CP) helps ensure standardization in the efficient management of monetary resources. CP supports Shell operations and capital projects by guaranteeing timely delivery of goods and services, to the right specification. Information Technology Kuala Lumpur is the global hub for some of Shells Information Technology (IT) activities. Its service portfolio includes IT infrastructure services such as Desktop, Applications Hosting, Helpdesk and Telecommunications. Collectively, these services involve the support of more than 1,500 servers and 115,000 desktops across the group worldwide. It also provides business applications support and applications development, both predominantly SAP-based. IT operates on a truly global basis, and provides an opportunity to showcase Malaysian IT talents to the world. Shell Malaysia today awarded seven scholarships to the value of RM251, 000 to enable outstanding Sarawak-born students with disability to realize their full potential and pursue pre-university or first-degree studies at approved institutions locally. Datuk Tuan Haji Fadillah Yusuf, Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, presented the scholarships to the recipients, in the special award ceremony held at a hotel in Kuala Lumpur this morning.This special category of education assistance was introduced this year to mark Shells 100th year of operations in Miri. Similar scholarships will be offered to students originating from Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia from 2011. In making the announcement, Anuar Taib, Shell Malaysia Chairman, said that the Company was proud to contribute to sustainable development in Malaysia through the enhancement of its intellectual asset pool. Education is often seen as the great leveller. With the introduction of these special scholarships, we wan t to offer a more inclusive education assistance programmed, where the mental capability of our applicants becomes the only criteria for selection.   With the inclusion of this category of scholarships, we hope that no talent with physical disabilities misses out on the opportunity of a good education on account of financial inabilities, Anuar says. Shell recognizes the importance of high quality education in fuelling the countrys growth and prosperity, and applauds the Governments focus on improving educational outcomes to build a competitive workforce and high income, Anuar adds. Shell Malaysia has been awarding scholarships and bursaries for over 40 years as part of a long-standing commitment in support of the governments effort to develop human capital.  In 2010, Shell presented scholarships and awards to the value of RM14.5million to students in Malaysia to pursue further studies at local and foreign universities. The partnership programmed that held on March 2009, was organized by Shell Malaysia Gas Power and the School of Engineering and Information Technology of UMS, in collaboration with Department of Environment (DOE) and Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Over the last three years, over 250 students from UMS as well as UNIMAS have successfully completed this capacity building programmed, which highlights Shells best practices in HSE and showcases how they are applied in the workplace using real-world examples.  The programmed is designed to benefit student engineers as they enter the workforce, to help them appreciate the importance of good HSE practices, and recognize their roles and responsibilities in ensuring their implementation. In 2008, in order to help develop the undergraduates capabilities in Deepwater, Shell has been and will continue to sponsor a Deepwater Platform Model competition in collaboration with the Faculty of Civil Engineering.   Shell and UTM are also currently looking into the possibility of setting up of a Deepwater laboratory.   Deepwater is a challenging environment and Shell has developed the ability and the necessary technologies to conquer its complexity and provide access to the oil and gas that lies deeper, in dispersed reservoirs. Shell has set up a Deepwater Engineering Office in Kuala Lumpur to manage the Companys deepwater projects in the region and is able to easily draw on its experts to assist in the capacity building of the UTM. Training Development initiatives at Shell can drive your career progression based on: Professional Development Onboarding Early Career Development Learning Programmes Finance in Projects Formal Learning Informal Learning Online Learning The firmly believe Finance can support Shell in building on its position and reputation as a leading global energy company. But realizing their potential as a firm means continuing to attract, develop and retain great people in Finance. At Shell, there are committed to your ongoing professional development. Their in-house team, Shell Finance Learning, provides a comprehensive Onboarding programme, a broad range of formal and informal learning, networking events and workshops globally. They are also offer e-learning and a number of initiatives with a clear Diversity Inclusiveness focus. In addition, Shell runs a Leadership Development Framework. These development courses are designed to help people with high potential to develop the specialist skills and experience theyll need to establish themselves as senior members of the organization. This whole learning programmers is supported by a tailored Finance Competence Framework that helps applicant identify the requirements of his job, match them with his own competences and locate gaps for Training Development. Onboarding means the firm want to ensure that you feel at home with us straight away So whenever you join firm in Finance, youll undertake a comprehensive half day Onboarding programme entitled Welcome to Shell. Early Career Development means if you join firm at the early stages of your finance career, youll be able to take advantage of firm Develop Early Career Development programme. Key features of this programme include assignment rotations, development discussions and mentoring or coaching. In other hand, Shell also developing talented young Malaysians. For Shobana Gnanam, 18, who grew up in a modest home in Selangor, studying abroad always seems like a distant dream. Undeterred, she worked hard and scored straight As in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia public examination. Her efforts have been rewarded she is now pursuing A levels on a Shell scholarship, in preparation for further studies in Britain in 2010. The Shell Malaysia Scholarship Awards are presented annually to students in Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia. We invested over RM11 million (US$3.1 million) in these awards in 2008, benefiting some 530 students. Apart from the scholarship awards, Shell supports such capacity building programmes like the joint development of a Deepwater laboratory in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, an industrial welding course aimed at addressing a national shortage in this area, a personal computer assembly and maintenance course, and Practical Environmental, Safety and Industria l Guidance for Engineers (PRESTIGE) for engineering undergraduates. With the full support of Shell, employees and contractors have been helping in many ways: like build homes for the less fortunate, run blood donation drives, take special needs children to self-development camps, trek to marginalised communities in the interior to offer clothing, medicines or household essentials and join communities in keeping beaches clean. Upstream employees took the spirit of the programme further by establishing the Shell Employees Voluntary Fund (SEVF), to respond to crises and emergencies. Staffs who sign up have deductions made from their monthly salaries and the funds collected are distributed to community projects selected by a committee. In 2008, SEVF provided financial relief of RM59, 000 (US$16,000) to fire victims, cancer patients, and other groups in need, with the company matching many of these donations. In 2008, Shell was named Malaysias most popular graduate employer of the year in the inaugural Malaysias 100 Leading Graduate Employers and doctor jobs Students Choice Awards held by GTI Specialist Publishers.Shell was also the most popular graduate employer in the Engineering sector. The award is the result of surveys conducted by the GTI Group in the UK, Ireland and Australia, involving some 15,000 final year university students. Says Vimi Venugopal, Shell Recruitment Marketing Manager for Asia Pacific: Winning the most popular graduate employer award is affirmation that Shell Malaysia is on the right track towards attracting the cream of the crop when it comes to engaging graduates. Noting that the Shell Campus Ambassador (CA) programme had contributed to this success, she added: By liaising with students, careers advisers and academics, CA volunteers help to bring the Shell experience to life and play a vital role in enhancing Shell reputation among one of our key audiences. In the 2008, with the theme Small changes, big difference. With its emphasis on personal action, staff and contractors were encouraged to take steps and make pledges to change at least one aspect in their work that will help improve health and safety. Shell Malaysia Chairman Dato Saw Choo Boon took the lead when he pledged to intervene on any non-complying behaviours he comes across, while also inviting staff to stop him should they spot him committing a non-compliant act. To help monitor safety performance, a standard safety measure had been used- Total Recordable Case Frequency (TRCF). This reflects the number of injuries of contractors and staff requiring medical treatment or time off work, for every million hours worked. The injury rate has come down over time, improving approximately 23% since 20042. This reflects our efforts to build a safety culture where all employees and contractors must aim for Goal Zero operating with zero fatalities and significant incidents. Lost Time Injury frequency (LTIF) is an indicator of the number of injuries with time off work for every million hours worked by employees and contractors. Employees performance has been improving since 2005, successfully halving the number of cases per million work hours in 2006. Shell Company is a firm believer of enabling employee training that enhances performance. Their managements task is to ensure that their workforce is equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are necessary for optimal performance. Employee training forms an integral part of the corporate and human resources strategy and is available to all employees.

What can managers do to create a motivating workplace? Essay -- Busines

Everybody in the world need to work to earn money. We can find that there are different jobs have different relationships between the employers and their employees. Most of the workers find that there are some necessary pacification that job should have. Directors thought workers just work for earn money, in fact ,workers need well work place where they feel comfortable. Also managers should motivate their workers by many ways. This essay will discuss what workers consider important in a job and what can managers do to motive work place. There are some factors that workers consider important in a job. The first factor the job should be an interesting job. The majority of the workers prefer to have an enjoy job. For example, Phillips (2008) said that sixty-seven percent of females and fifty-nine percent of males prefer to have an exciting job was necessary for them. In addition, the interesting work was at the priority of the employees.(article 22222222). Another example, Article (33333) reports that both groups of employers and employees are the same by put the exciting and security jobs at the tops of the self assessed needs as shown in results. The second factor workers prefer worthwhile jobs. Most of people like to work in place that when they retire, they will keep something helpful to help them in their future life. For instance, males and females choose doing something beneficial to be in the third place of a vacant survey of public opinion.(Phillips 2008).In addition, article(333333) reports that achieving som ething beneficial and being wealthy was quite necessary feeling by the managers and the workers. Another example, Phillips(2008) says that doing something constructive was another exciting result for both males an... ...ple feel how they are important in the work place, they can provide the best work they have.(article 2222222222). Another example, workers should feel value when they do their job like, they get a " pat on the back " or a " thank you " . (article 222222222). In brief, there are three methods that managers can use to stimulant worker, make the job exciting, communicate with the employees and make the workers feel value. In conclusion, this essay has discussed what the employees consider important in a job and what managers can do to motivate their work place. Interesting job, worthwhile job and security job are the factors that worker consider important in a job. There are three ways that managers can motivate their workers which are, make the job interesting, communicate with the workers and directors must make workers feel value.

Authentic Freedom Essay

A human being is free to do as what they please! That’s just an interpretation of authentic freedom. All too often humans think of freedom as a free for all. Authentic freedom is does not mean doing what one wants when one wants to whom one wants, but rather it means, understanding who one is , that a human being is not alone and here to contribute to society. Authentic freedom is a paradox, one that will make you think, but not a contradiction. The more freedom a human being has, the more one is called to respond. â€Å"Freedom is exercised in relationships between human beings. Every human person, created in the image of God, has the natural right to be recognized as a free and responsible being. All owe to each other this duty of respect. The right to the exercise of freedom, especially in moral and religious matters, is an inalienable requirement of the dignity of the human person. This right must be recognized and protected by civil authority within the limits of the common good and public order (Catechism, 1732). A human being gains freedom, by exercising freewill in a positive and productive way. People make choices in daily life, choices that affect the ability to live a free life. When one chooses to go counter to the common good, a human being chooses slavery, slavery to the consequences of one’s choice. †The more one does what is good, the freer one becomes. There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just. The choice to disobey and do evil is an abuse of freedom and leads to â€Å"the slavery of sin† (Catechism, 1733). When a human chooses not to listen to their conscience one chooses to listen to the voice of evil, when that happens, a human being has just entered in to a slave/master relationship. With them being the slave. Freedom allows one to make choices that benefit themselves and more importantly the world around them. Freedom demands of one, or rather obligates one to concern ourselves with the affairs of the world around us. If you look at the world around a human being, countries where freedom is lacking, the overall population is less concerned with their fellow man, then in a freer society. The same can be said of individuals, the more freedom a human being has, and the more responsible one acts to other, on the whole.

Identify how you would beta test a multimedia project for delivery Essay

Beta testing is a test for a computer product prior to commercial release may it be an application software, an operating system or a multimedia product. It is a stage where in the product is put into a larger community after a rigorous in house test. To some, it is also a way of knowing how well the community responds to the product. Beta testing is the last stage of testing, the last possibility to correct errors that would render a product priceless to customers. And because of this, beta testing of multimedia products is in essence a difficult task. PURPOSE The purpose of this document is to present a strategy to beta test a multimedia product. It presents possible alternatives that would yield the best result. BETA TESTING STRATEGY In the past, beta testing is used to be a secret. Beta testing is given to a group carefully selected by the company who owns the product to be tested. The fear that finding a considerable amount of bug might diminish customer interest was the old belief. Now, the perspective has changed. Beta testing is already considered an important marketing tool (Nelson & O’Connor, 2004). It increases the popularity of the multimedia product. The best strategy therefore is to make it available for free in the beta testing phase. The first step is to advertise the beta software and provide links to beta version download. Then provide a feedback center for them to comment on observable bugs. Providing the beta version free has many advantages. First, it is very cost effective because you do not have to spend money for hiring a group of people to beta test the software. You may have to spend a certain amount to accelerate interest by providing rewards to people with most important bugs found or by advertising the beta download locations, but these are small compared to hiring an entire group. Second, it is the best way to reach the most number of beta testers. The number of beta testers is directly proportional to how effective the beta testing would be. Third, providing it for free is a way of advertising the software to gain more users. The finding of bugs is just one part of beta testing, there should also be a way for users to provide suggestions. Suggestions are very important to make the multimedia product more acceptable to the market. The suggestions and reported bugs should be monitored on daily basis. Suggestions should be evaluated of whether there is a plan to include it or not. Reported bugs should also be evaluated of whether it is connected to some other bugs or it is really a bug. Then an update release should be available on a periodic basis, for example a monthly update until the reported bugs are already tolerable or it is already completely bug free. The end result of this methodology should produce a very robust multimedia product. If the multimedia product gains public acceptance, the number of users who will beta test this product would also be many. This will give the developer an early view of whether the multimedia product would become profitable. Although there are some possible drawbacks, the beta software should also be given some licensing limitations to prevent users from simply using the beta version instead of the final version. An example would be a pop-up of the reminder to purchase license when the beta period expires. CONCLUSION Multimedia products undergo beta testing to ensure good quality. The best approach in beta testing is to make it free and available for public download at the beta version stage. This would increase its popularity and the cost of beta testing would be minimal. References Nelson, T. and O’Connor, M. (2004). Beta Software: Get In the Development Process. Retrieved from the PC Today website: http://www. pctoday. com/Editorial/article. asp? article=articles/2004/t0205/20t05/20t05. asp&guid= , on January 24, 2007