Portfolios To Assess Professional Competence And Development Nursing Essay

Portfolios To Assess Professional Competence And Development Nursing Essay Portfolios have been recommended for the assessment of professional development. To stimulate engagement and assess professional development during laboratory training, portfolio assessment was proposed for the final year BMLS and DMLT programmes in Kampala International University. Work Done The students undergoing clinical laboratory training in teaching hospitals, and engaged in routine laboratory services under supervision of qualified Medical Laboratory Scientists, composed a portfolio detailing their daily experiences, work done, and lessons learned. Their supervisors and facilitators provided daily feedback and endorsed their entries. The portfolios were examined at the end of training by faculty staff and external examiner through oral presentation and interviews. Rating rubric considered quality of presentation, portfolio content, demonstration of progressive development, and ability to make professional judgment. Students and assessors acceptance of this instrument was determined with questionnaire. Results 72 % of the students and assessors accepted the method. Many students reported that it improved commitment to training, encouraged reflection, and allowed for frequent feedback. Many believed that it was a rational assessment, but it was time consuming. 88 % of the participants would welcome it as a supplement to the standard tests. Conclusions The portfolio assessment was well accepted, rational, and provided a valid assessment of student engagement and progression during professional training. Take Home Message The inclusion of portfolio assessment in Medical Laboratory Sciences Education provided valid assessment of students engagement in training and professional development over time. Introduction The use of portfolios in health professions education has increased dramatically over the years. The enthusiastic acceptance of this principle is in part born out of the ever growing interest in outcomes based education in all divisions of health science.1 The curricula of most health sciences schools now emphasize authentic experiences, promote self direction and reflection in learning, and outcomes based assessment. Portfolios not only stimulate professional development and reflective learning, they also provide opportunity for self direction, and avenues for feedback from faculty.2, 3 Portfolios have been recommended for the assessment of professional development in medical education,4 and several reports document their successful use in assessment of competence at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.5,6 To stimulate engagement and to assess professional development during clinical laboratory training, portfolio development and assessment was proposed for the final year Bac helor of Medical Laboratory Sciences and the Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology students of the Kampala International University, Uganda in 2008. This article reports the experience of the use of portfolios to assess professional development in these programmes. Methods Institutional approval for the study was obtained from the IREC. Eighteen final year students who were undergoing clinical laboratory training in the teaching hospitals at the Kampala International University Teaching Hospital Ishaka and the Mulago Hospital in Kampala and participating in routine daily laboratory work were requested to compose and maintain a portfolio comprising details of their daily experiences, work done and lessons learnt during their training. Their supervisors and programme facilitators provided daily feedback on their work and endorsed all entries. At the end of their clinical laboratory training, the portfolios were examined by the four faculty staff and an external examiner. The students were also required to make a 15 minutes presentation based on the portfolio content, and take interview on lessons learned and overall impact of the training on their development. A rating rubric used for the assessment considered the quality of students presentation, portfo lio content, demonstration of students progressive development over time, and their ability to make professional judgment. Questionnaires were used to determine the students and raters views on the acceptability, convenience, and usefulness of this method of assessment. The data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Table 1: Rubric for the assessment of the students portfolios Standard met Standard not met 1 Presentation was complete in 15 minutes 2 Quality of presentation 3 Student showed progressive development over time 4 Student reflected on experiences and could make good professional judgment 5 Portfolio content was adequate 6 Overall assessment Pass Fail General comments: Results The result showed that seventy two per cent (72 %) of the students and assessors accepted the method as a valid and effective means of assessing professional competence. Many students (15 of the 18) reported that it improved their commitment to the laboratory training, and encouraged them to reflect on their daily experiences. Both faculty and students reported that it allowed for frequent feedback and more engagement in the programme. Many believed that it was a rational assessment as it captured development over time, but it was time consuming and quite tasking on both students and staff. Eighty eight per cent (88 %) were of the view that it should be a supplement and not a substitute for the standard written and practical tests. Discussion The evolution of portfolio as a tool for the assessment of professional competence and development offers several advantages over the traditional standard tests which to a large extent are reductionist and do not capture progression over time. Application of portfolio assessment in Medical Laboratory Sciences education is not widespread and only few reports are available in literature.7 This study demonstrated that portfolio development and assessment is well accepted by both staff and students in the medical laboratory sciences programme of the Kampala International University. An important aspect of medical education is the matching of assessment methods with learning mode, as assessment drives learning. Portfolio assessment aligns well with competency based education whose tenets include learner centeredness, formative feedback, developmental process, reflection, and multiple types and sources of assessment.3 This study demonstrated this clearly as it promoted student /staff engag ement in the clinical laboratory training programme, students ownership of their training, and reflective learning which are some of the advantages highlighted by similar previous reports of the use of portfolio in other programmes.8, 9 The study also showed that many of the study participants would not welcome this form of assessment as the only mode of student assessment. Rather it would be a valuable addition to the traditional methods of assessment of competence. The limitations of this study include the small sample size used for the study. It is recommended that a larger sample of students be included in a more elaborate study possibly over a longer study period. To ease the burden of assessment, using structured interview to assess the portfolio as recommended by Burch and Seggie 10 could be helpful. Conclusion: The use of portfolios to assess students progress and professional competence in Medical Laboratory Sciences is a welcome proposition. It should be used to supplement the standard written and practical tests. Its advantages include stimulation of student engagement, self direction, reflective learning, and monitoring of progress over time. It is however seen to be time consuming for the students. Its introduction extends the methods of assessment in Medical Laboratory Sciences.

Male Menopause: Fact or Fiction? Essay -- Biology Essays Research Pape

Male Menopause: Fact or Fiction? "Male menopause is a lot more fun than female menopause. With female menopause you gain weight and get hot flashes. Male menopause - you get to date young girls and drive motorcycles." (11) While 'male menopause' has provided both sexes a variety of jokes and frustration, there are researchers and scientists studying the alleged condition with great seriousness. Those who support the existence of male menopause feel strongly that its affects on the male mind and body should be regarded with the same credence that society attributes to the female menopause. Male Menopause begins with declining testosterone levels and is eventually characterized by the following symptoms: hair loss, depression, a slower immune system, weight gain, less stamina for physical activity, forgetfulness, irritability, and loss of or reduced interest in sex. (5) Impotence may also occur. Usually this "change" arises between the ages of 40 and 55, although it has been known to transpire as early as 35 and as late as 65. (6) Several different clinical terms exist for the popularized term "male menopause" such as "andropause" or "viropause". (2) Andropause was named for the hormone "androgen" which is essentially testosterone. It is also the name of the therapy with which they treat a man suffering from male menopause. This treatment comes in the form of injection, skin patches or liquid gel. (5) In order to be diagnosed with male menopause, one must have reached the eligible age then endure a physical exam wherein blood samples will be taken. These samples are tes ted for hormone levels. If these blood samples demonstrate low levels of androgen and the patient seems to be suffering from the symptoms associated wit... ...althy.net/hwlibrarynewsletters/update/malemenopause.htm 7)Human Development Report, provides the average male life expectancy statistics for all countries http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_199_1_1.html 8)Human Development Report, provides the average female life expectancy statistics for all countries http://www.undp.org/hdr2003/indicator/indic_198_1_1.html 9)ABC Science, short article by ABC questioning the reality of male menopause http://abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s112941.htm 10)ABC Interview, interview with Jed Diamond, author of Male Menopause, a 1998 best seller. who used to be a disbeleiver in male menopause but now firmly credits the possibility of a male 'change' http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/chat_diamond000614.html 11)Women Joke Page, Male menopause joke http://www.y2kwomen.com/recommended/humor2.html

A Comparison of the Runes and Magic in Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparing Runes and Magic in Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are runes and magic in the narratives of the poem Beowulf and The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki, an Iceland saga representing 1000 years of oral traditions prior to the 1300’s when it was written.    Beowulf is an Anglo-Saxon narrative poem whose oral traditions date back to the sixth century (Ward v1,ch3,s3,n11). Beowulf opens with a short account of the victorious Danish king Scyld Scefing, whose pagan ship-burial is described. His body was carried on board a ship, piled up with arms and treasures: the ship passed out to sea, whence Scyld had arrived to the Danes as an abandoned child – a likely indication of a charmed, magical life. In The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki we meet Yrsa (also found in Beowulf), who is an impoverished child of uncertain birth (Byock xi); she later becomes queen – another charmed life. But re,markably she grows into one of the few women in the saga who do not employ magic. In Beowulf the reigns of Scyld’s son and grandson, Beowulf and Healfdene, are mentioned, and we then meet Hrothgar, the son of Healfdene. In The Saga of King Hrolf Kraki we also meet a Hrothgar, but his name is abbreviated into Hroar. He and his brother Helgi saw th eir father, King Halfdan, killed by King Frodi, who would have killed the two sons except for the magic of the commoner Vifil with whom they were hiding. King Frodi, in his attempt to kill them, â€Å"sought the aid of seeresses and soothsayers,† and when that failed, of â€Å"sorcerers† (2). But the magic of Vifil was so strong that it obscured the supernatural vision of the women (witches?); Vifil knew that â€Å"powerful spirits have visited the island [where he lived] (3) and thus saved Helgi and Hroar. Later Hroar is a notable figure, just as in Beowulf, ruling over the northern English kingdom of Northumberland until forced into a disastrous conflict. Meanwhile, as kids, Hroar and Helgi’s sister, Signy, manifests an uncanny poetic ability of speaking in beautiful verses when Jarl Saevil is escorting a group to King Frodi’s celebration; to me this seems magical. At Frodi’s feast a seeres named Heid is placed high up on a trance platform and a sked to reveal any information about Hroar and Helgi.

Hacking is Stealing Essay

Hacking started in the ‘70s when a group of friends decided to tap into phone lines and make calls for free. Those people were called Phone Phreaks, a group of young men who twisted technology and used their technological know-how to create simpler solutions to complicated problems. What started as an intrinsically good past time slowly became a form of pranksterism. The Phone Phreaks soon held phone conferences from everywhere in the world. However, Telephone companies were less than delighted, and phone tapping became a crime. As more and more Phone Phreaks got persecuted for these crimes, the movement stopped, and the Phone Phreaks were almost of the extrinct race. However, the sensibilities of trying to one-up learned engineers and big corporations did not die down. A couple years passed and the same Phone Phreaks discovered a new form of technology to â€Å"play† with: the computer. And the exact same people who started and led Phone Phreak conferences were the people who started hacking computers, a new revolutionary product that everyone wanted to have. Back then, computers really did not have any practical purpose at home, but for a hacker, the simple joy of watching the screen light up, and looking at moving blobs of colors were enough. However, with the advent of the internet, everything changed. When the internet was first used, all the information was open for everyone to use and manipulate. However, with the internet slowly becoming a place of business and transactions, where a lot of personal and, supposedly, confidential information about people and companies are stored, hackers posed as a huge threat What started as a hobby of manipulating electronics to prank people and find easier solutions for common problems turned into something more serious. While Phone Phreaking in the 70s was encouraged as somewhat of an exercise of the mind, computer hacking was a far different story. Computer hackers did not stop at pranking people; they started to use information they gained from hacking government and corporate computers. Hacking became a crime. According to PCWorld. About. com, some people even rigged phone systems to win two Porsches and other prizes at a radio contest. This poses an ethical problem that has always been a problem in society since the beginning of time: stealing. No matter what mode they use, may it be as blatant as rigging telephone lines to win prizes, or as furtive as stealing an identity to escape prosecution by the law, it is still all considered stealing. Taking someone else’s property, and using the results of someone else’s hard work (without permission, and through deceit) to your advantage is very unethical, and is one of the most basic things society teaches us not to do, no matter how hard times may be. Somehow, hackers forget that what they do is stealing, because they are too focused on breaking down systems and trying to outsmart companies and electronics. Hackers are intelligent people, yet instead creating their own products and reap the fruits of their own labor, they do the opposite, and use their skills and abilities to take advantage of other people’s weaknesses.

Persuasive Speech

ALIENS: THEY ARE EXISTING! I am sure that everyone of you have heard about aliens and UFOs. Indeed, we all have heard about the famous case of aliens and UFOs in Roswell, New Mexico. Most people might be interested in the topic of aliens, but I know that the majority of you just think of it as rumours and the existence of them are impossible. Therefore, I am standing here in front all of you to make you change your perspective. I am strongly confident that I have found the evidence of their real existence to convince all of you. You should think that the existence of aliens is not just rumours. I am not talking nonsense because there are reasons why you should believe that their existences are real and not just rumours. First, after doing a lot of research, I have discovered that NASA scientists have found the absolute proof of their existence. Then, the existence of aliens has not just been noticed nowadays, but a long time ago. There is a great evidence of UFOs from past civilizations on earth. Lastly, if you are wondering if they are really exist, why has not God stated about them? For your information, there is also no statement that we are the only living being in this universe. This is why you should believe that their existence is real and not just rumours. TRANSITION: Okay, let’s get started with my first point of evidence about their existence. Some of you might be assuming that I will tell you the illogical proof, but I am here with the proof that makes sense. One of the Astrobiologists of NASA has reported that he has travelled to remote regions in Antarctica, Siberia, and Alaska over the past decade and found a very rare class of meteorites with some possible proof of alien life. Richard Hoover claimed that He found shapes similar to bacteria that are supposed leftovers of bacteria. To confirm, he tested the structures to see if they contained nitrogen. Unlike cells on earth, the mineralized microscopic rock fossils did not, so he decided that they had to be of extraterrestrial origin. The bacteria have been found at the bottom of Mono Lake near California's Yosemite National Park which is rich in arsenic which is usually poisonous to life, which do not have our atmosphere. Other than that, all the story of aliens and UFOs starting to be an issue after the UFO crash incident in Roswell, New Mexico. It all started on June 25, 1947 when a pilot named Kenneth Arnold reported seeing several objects while flying near Mt Rainier, Washington. His descriptions of the objects that flew like geese and moving like saucers that you bounced it across the water and became the term â€Å"Flying Saucers†, and thus the age of the UFO was born. Millions of people  have claimed to see or experience something paranormal and out of the ordinary. Even if most of them can be explained away, that still leaves a lot of unexplainable objects in the sky and unexplainable sightings of other worldly beings. UFO sightings have been reported all over the world, not just the U. S. A. A flying disc was seen by pilots, crew members, and a bunch of other people at the Chicago O'Hare Airport in November, 2006. The whole story was shown on CNN January 6, 2007. The government claims it was not alien aircraft or aliens and nothing of the sort was ever recovered. They have stated it was only a weather balloon. Alternatively, the evidence may exist but we, the public, are simply denied access to it by the big government on earth. But there are reasons why the government keep hiding and denying about the truth of their existence. The government is concerned want to keeps it a secret so as not to disrupt human society, which may be too fragile to risk exposure to the news that aliens exist and are routinely visiting the Earth. Imagine what would happen to the religions, which is a very important aspect of our society on Earth if the existence of aliens is confirmed. Then, they also may have in their possession alien technology, which they want to reverse engineer so as to gain an advance technological edge over rival nations. Besides, government could have incentive to keep alien’s technologies secret to protect the economy which is an important backbone of modern society. TRANSITION: Well, announcement from the government or NASA that aliens really do exist seems to be the proof that we are all waiting for. The fact that it has not come yet is what make people to believe that UFO does not exist. So, I also gathered some evidence from the past civilizations that also believe of aliens’ existence. The great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on earth is the most believable proof I can think of. The aliens and UFO’s stories not only been discovered currently, but they had already been an issues for a long time ago. The pictures of aliens show up in religious paintings and  on old drawings. There are several Renaissance paintings that have UFOs in them. There are also prehistoric drawings that show UFOs and also numerous examples of UFOs and aliens. How could they draw it all if they had never seen the real one? Consequently, these are the proof that cannot be doubted and shown that aliens and UFO are really present since a long time ago. Besides, there are also the aliens’ looking skulls found. The skulls are extremely stretched out, that would mean the brain would be much larger than a normal human's. They are clearly not a human skull because the researcher has been fed a variety illogical explanation as to why this skull has this formation. Now, they are all together at Museum Regional de Ica in Peru. It is not a coincidence, Ancient Egyptians make such large heads in their photos, carvings, and statues because they had really seen the real aliens at their time. Then, about ancient monuments that we would have trouble building today, metals that do not originate on Earth, which is have been found in China, they were completely spherical and well fabricated. So, this also means that they also involved in some of the construction in our earth. TRANSITION: So, I have shown you all the evidence about their existence either from the latest decade where there is the present of technology and also from past civilization on earth. But, I am sure that many of you might be thinking, if they are really exist, why Allah never stated about them in the Al Quran. Here are some points that may stop you from being wondering. The Al-Quran never stated about the existence of aliens, but you must be concerned that Allah also never stated that we are the only living beings in this universe. In some of Surah, there is some implied information about another intelligent existence other than humanity, angels and demons in this universe. And one of the statement in Al-Quran, He created sky and earth, and Dabbah that He spread the two of them. And He has the power to gather all of it whenever He wants. Then, Allah also created seven skies and either earth which is under His rule so that you know as He is too powerful or He knows about the entire thing. Besides, Al-Quran also stated that it is not only our earth that is under His shield, all the existence in earth and sky also needed Him al the time as we did. In the book of Syaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali, he said that our earth not more than a dust in this big and wonderful universe that full of life and living beings. We will be the fool one if we are thinking that we are the only existence in this big place. Allah created a lot of galaxy, so it is possible that our planet not the only one that is full of live. This universe for him is full with living beings that Allah made that shown about His existence and His Almighty. Okay, for now I am confirmed that my explications have given a big impact to your belief. All I can say that the existences of aliens are not only rumours but they are living in this planet with us. I hope that I have convinced you enough that the existences of those aliens are not just rumours but they are real. I think I have sufficiently exposed you the proof of their existence, hoping that you would change your perspective. Like I said previously, I am not talking nonsense without evidence. Once again I insist that you should believe the aliens are existing because NASA scientist had found the absolute proof of their existence. It is not been announced yet because there are some conspiracy from government as they are hiding and keep denying about the aliens’ existence and they did it for reasons. Besides all the evidence from NASA, yet there is a lot of proof that they do exist. I put more effort on historical proof as the great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on Earth shown that their existence had been found long time ago. After all, if you are still wondering why not Allah proves their existence, I reclaim that there is no statement that we are the only living being in this universe in Al Quran either from other Islamic Religion. So, you should believe that the existence of aliens and UFO are not just rumours. Persuasive Speech Anna Rash November 9, 2009 Persuasive Speech Outline Comm Lab 150 Section 10 Mandatory Physical Education General Purpose: To persuade Speech Goal: I want to persuade my classmates that physical education should be mandatory in grades K-12, yet reforms should be made to make it mandatory. Introduction: I. How many times have you thought about wanting to work out to keep up a â€Å"fit and healthy† lifestyle, but did not know the criteria for a certain workout or even how much you should be doing during a week?Making physical education in grades kindergarten through 12th grade will help teach you these lifelong skills. II. Physical education should be mandatory in grades K-12 for the following three reasons: A. Learning how to live a healthy lifestyle B. Avoiding obesity C. Decreasing depression and anxiety Body: I. Children need to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. A. According to Jessica Barron from an article on Associated Content, â€Å"Physical education is necessary in schools to effectively teach children how to manage their lives in a healthy way.Children are less likely to care about their health if they are not told why health is important than children who are educated about nutrition and exercise. † B. While physical education needs to educate students in the classroom about how to eat better and maintain a healthy lifestyle, they also need to learn how sports can be enjoyable. According to an article written by Jessica Barron on Associated Content, most children do not know that sports can be fun and enjoyable if they are not made to at least try them. Without physical education, these children will never be trying any sports.Sometimes they even miss finding a hidden talent. C. According to the American Heart Association, elementary students should be required to have at least 150 minutes per week, while middle school students should be required to have at least 225 minutes per week, and high school students have to complete a phy sical education requirement prior to graduation. D. If learning how to live a healthy lifestyle is engrained into your memory, you are more likely to continue doing it when you graduate high school and attend college, which is something we can all find relative.Transition: Along with learning how to live a healthier lifestyle, the risk of obesity as a teenager and adult can be avoided with a better lifestyle. II. Obesity is a continuing problem among children. When children do not learn how to take care of their bodies, it can follow them into their adult life, which increases health risks majorly. A. Nearly 10 million children ages 6-19 are considered overweight. (American Heart Association). B. â€Å"In 1971 only 4% of overweight adolescents made up the population. That number has nearly quadrupled into 17% in 2003† (American Heart Association).C. Physical education needs to begin early and continue all throughout high school (K-12) because nearly two-thirds of Americans ar e overweight, and one in five four year olds are already obese according to The USA Today. D. Obesity can cause increased risk in certain health issues, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis, cited from the WebMD. Transition: By making physical education mandatory, obesity can be avoided along with decreasing depression and anxiety, which will ultimately help weight as well. III.Physical education can help maintain a positive attitude and decrease depression. This is crucial during teenage years because you are transitioning through different stages and friendships. A. After conducting an experiment in young females, psychologists found that after 5 50-minute light jogging/exercise programs for 8 weeks, depressive states significantly decreased compared to young females who just did daily activities (European Public Health Association). B. â€Å"One recent study found that a good workout could boost your level of serotonin, a bra in chemical that is linked to mood,† according to Kate Lee, a consumer health activist.C. Increasing this serotonin is exactly what children need in their lives to decrease signs of depression. D. According to the American Psychological Association, suicide, which is mainly caused by depression, is the third highest death rate among teenagers. Physical exercise being made mandatory in schools can help prevent this. E. This statistic should be widely remembered when certain lobbyists begin advocating against physical education because schools cannot fund it, or because physical education is not in the standard â€Å"academic curriculum. Transition: If physical exercise and education is something that can fight against depression, then why should schools be cutting it out of their curriculums and adding in harder academic classes where the students are concentrating for eight straight hours a day? Conclusion: I. After the points I have given, you should be able to see why physi cal education must be mandatory in our school systems for grades kindergarten through 12th grade. II. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising is key to a happier life and mood day to day.Decreasing anxiety will make you feel better overall, therefore keeping your weight at a healthy level. III. Physical education and proper exercise can do no harm, therefore why should it not be in school systems all over the country? Barron, Jessica. â€Å"Physical Education in Schools. † Associated Content (2006): 1-3. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Day Care next frontier in fighting childhood obesity. † USA Today 13 Oct 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Lee, Kate. â€Å"Can exercise really improve my mood?. † Healthy Me (2009): n. pag. Web. 1 Nov 2009. . Nabkasorn, Channuda, Nobuyuki Miyai, Anek Sootmongkoi, Suwanna Junpraset, and Hiroichi Yamamoto. Effects of physical depression, neuroendocrine stress hormones and physiological fitness in adolescent females with depressive s ymptoms. † European Public Health Association 16. 2 (2005): 179-184. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Physical Education in Schools. † American Heart Association. 2009. American Heart Association, Web. 28 Oct 2009. . â€Å"Teen and Young Adult Suicide: A National Health Crisis. † American Psychological Association (2001): n. pag. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Weight Loss: health risks associated with obesity. † Web MD. 05 May 2009. WebMD, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Persuasive Speech Persuasive Speech Anna Rash November 9, 2009 Persuasive Speech Outline Comm Lab 150 Section 10 Mandatory Physical Education General Purpose: To persuade Speech Goal: I want to persuade my classmates that physical education should be mandatory in grades K-12, yet reforms should be made to make it mandatory. Introduction: I. How many times have you thought about wanting to work out to keep up a â€Å"fit and healthy† lifestyle, but did not know the criteria for a certain workout or even how much you should be doing during a week?Making physical education in grades kindergarten through 12th grade will help teach you these lifelong skills. II. Physical education should be mandatory in grades K-12 for the following three reasons: A. Learning how to live a healthy lifestyle B. Avoiding obesity C. Decreasing depression and anxiety Body: I. Children need to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. A. According to Jessica Barron from an article on Associated Content, â€Å"Physical education is necessary in schools to effectively teach children how to manage their lives in a healthy way.Children are less likely to care about their health if they are not told why health is important than children who are educated about nutrition and exercise. † B. While physical education needs to educate students in the classroom about how to eat better and maintain a healthy lifestyle, they also need to learn how sports can be enjoyable. According to an article written by Jessica Barron on Associated Content, most children do not know that sports can be fun and enjoyable if they are not made to at least try them. Without physical education, these children will never be trying any sports.Sometimes they even miss finding a hidden talent. C. According to the American Heart Association, elementary students should be required to have at least 150 minutes per week, while middle school students should be required to have at least 225 minutes per week, and high school students have to complete a phy sical education requirement prior to graduation. D. If learning how to live a healthy lifestyle is engrained into your memory, you are more likely to continue doing it when you graduate high school and attend college, which is something we can all find relative.Transition: Along with learning how to live a healthier lifestyle, the risk of obesity as a teenager and adult can be avoided with a better lifestyle. II. Obesity is a continuing problem among children. When children do not learn how to take care of their bodies, it can follow them into their adult life, which increases health risks majorly. A. Nearly 10 million children ages 6-19 are considered overweight. (American Heart Association). B. â€Å"In 1971 only 4% of overweight adolescents made up the population. That number has nearly quadrupled into 17% in 2003† (American Heart Association).C. Physical education needs to begin early and continue all throughout high school (K-12) because nearly two-thirds of Americans ar e overweight, and one in five four year olds are already obese according to The USA Today. D. Obesity can cause increased risk in certain health issues, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, and osteoarthritis, cited from the WebMD. Transition: By making physical education mandatory, obesity can be avoided along with decreasing depression and anxiety, which will ultimately help weight as well. III.Physical education can help maintain a positive attitude and decrease depression. This is crucial during teenage years because you are transitioning through different stages and friendships. A. After conducting an experiment in young females, psychologists found that after 5 50-minute light jogging/exercise programs for 8 weeks, depressive states significantly decreased compared to young females who just did daily activities (European Public Health Association). B. â€Å"One recent study found that a good workout could boost your level of serotonin, a bra in chemical that is linked to mood,† according to Kate Lee, a consumer health activist.C. Increasing this serotonin is exactly what children need in their lives to decrease signs of depression. D. According to the American Psychological Association, suicide, which is mainly caused by depression, is the third highest death rate among teenagers. Physical exercise being made mandatory in schools can help prevent this. E. This statistic should be widely remembered when certain lobbyists begin advocating against physical education because schools cannot fund it, or because physical education is not in the standard â€Å"academic curriculum. Transition: If physical exercise and education is something that can fight against depression, then why should schools be cutting it out of their curriculums and adding in harder academic classes where the students are concentrating for eight straight hours a day? Conclusion: I. After the points I have given, you should be able to see why physi cal education must be mandatory in our school systems for grades kindergarten through 12th grade. II. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising is key to a happier life and mood day to day.Decreasing anxiety will make you feel better overall, therefore keeping your weight at a healthy level. III. Physical education and proper exercise can do no harm, therefore why should it not be in school systems all over the country? Barron, Jessica. â€Å"Physical Education in Schools. † Associated Content (2006): 1-3. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Day Care next frontier in fighting childhood obesity. † USA Today 13 Oct 2009: n. pag. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Lee, Kate. â€Å"Can exercise really improve my mood?. † Healthy Me (2009): n. pag. Web. 1 Nov 2009. . Nabkasorn, Channuda, Nobuyuki Miyai, Anek Sootmongkoi, Suwanna Junpraset, and Hiroichi Yamamoto. Effects of physical depression, neuroendocrine stress hormones and physiological fitness in adolescent females with depressive s ymptoms. † European Public Health Association 16. 2 (2005): 179-184. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Physical Education in Schools. † American Heart Association. 2009. American Heart Association, Web. 28 Oct 2009. . â€Å"Teen and Young Adult Suicide: A National Health Crisis. † American Psychological Association (2001): n. pag. Web. 3 Nov 2009. . â€Å"Weight Loss: health risks associated with obesity. † Web MD. 05 May 2009. WebMD, Web. 3 Nov 2009. . Persuasive Speech ALIENS: THEY ARE EXISTING! I am sure that everyone of you have heard about aliens and UFOs. Indeed, we all have heard about the famous case of aliens and UFOs in Roswell, New Mexico. Most people might be interested in the topic of aliens, but I know that the majority of you just think of it as rumours and the existence of them are impossible. Therefore, I am standing here in front all of you to make you change your perspective. I am strongly confident that I have found the evidence of their real existence to convince all of you. You should think that the existence of aliens is not just rumours. I am not talking nonsense because there are reasons why you should believe that their existences are real and not just rumours. First, after doing a lot of research, I have discovered that NASA scientists have found the absolute proof of their existence. Then, the existence of aliens has not just been noticed nowadays, but a long time ago. There is a great evidence of UFOs from past civilizations on earth. Lastly, if you are wondering if they are really exist, why has not God stated about them? For your information, there is also no statement that we are the only living being in this universe. This is why you should believe that their existence is real and not just rumours. TRANSITION: Okay, let’s get started with my first point of evidence about their existence. Some of you might be assuming that I will tell you the illogical proof, but I am here with the proof that makes sense. One of the Astrobiologists of NASA has reported that he has travelled to remote regions in Antarctica, Siberia, and Alaska over the past decade and found a very rare class of meteorites with some possible proof of alien life. Richard Hoover claimed that He found shapes similar to bacteria that are supposed leftovers of bacteria. To confirm, he tested the structures to see if they contained nitrogen. Unlike cells on earth, the mineralized microscopic rock fossils did not, so he decided that they had to be of extraterrestrial origin. The bacteria have been found at the bottom of Mono Lake near California's Yosemite National Park which is rich in arsenic which is usually poisonous to life, which do not have our atmosphere. Other than that, all the story of aliens and UFOs starting to be an issue after the UFO crash incident in Roswell, New Mexico. It all started on June 25, 1947 when a pilot named Kenneth Arnold reported seeing several objects while flying near Mt Rainier, Washington. His descriptions of the objects that flew like geese and moving like saucers that you bounced it across the water and became the term â€Å"Flying Saucers†, and thus the age of the UFO was born. Millions of people  have claimed to see or experience something paranormal and out of the ordinary. Even if most of them can be explained away, that still leaves a lot of unexplainable objects in the sky and unexplainable sightings of other worldly beings. UFO sightings have been reported all over the world, not just the U. S. A. A flying disc was seen by pilots, crew members, and a bunch of other people at the Chicago O'Hare Airport in November, 2006. The whole story was shown on CNN January 6, 2007. The government claims it was not alien aircraft or aliens and nothing of the sort was ever recovered. They have stated it was only a weather balloon. Alternatively, the evidence may exist but we, the public, are simply denied access to it by the big government on earth. But there are reasons why the government keep hiding and denying about the truth of their existence. The government is concerned want to keeps it a secret so as not to disrupt human society, which may be too fragile to risk exposure to the news that aliens exist and are routinely visiting the Earth. Imagine what would happen to the religions, which is a very important aspect of our society on Earth if the existence of aliens is confirmed. Then, they also may have in their possession alien technology, which they want to reverse engineer so as to gain an advance technological edge over rival nations. Besides, government could have incentive to keep alien’s technologies secret to protect the economy which is an important backbone of modern society. TRANSITION: Well, announcement from the government or NASA that aliens really do exist seems to be the proof that we are all waiting for. The fact that it has not come yet is what make people to believe that UFO does not exist. So, I also gathered some evidence from the past civilizations that also believe of aliens’ existence. The great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on earth is the most believable proof I can think of. The aliens and UFO’s stories not only been discovered currently, but they had already been an issues for a long time ago. The pictures of aliens show up in religious paintings and  on old drawings. There are several Renaissance paintings that have UFOs in them. There are also prehistoric drawings that show UFOs and also numerous examples of UFOs and aliens. How could they draw it all if they had never seen the real one? Consequently, these are the proof that cannot be doubted and shown that aliens and UFO are really present since a long time ago. Besides, there are also the aliens’ looking skulls found. The skulls are extremely stretched out, that would mean the brain would be much larger than a normal human's. They are clearly not a human skull because the researcher has been fed a variety illogical explanation as to why this skull has this formation. Now, they are all together at Museum Regional de Ica in Peru. It is not a coincidence, Ancient Egyptians make such large heads in their photos, carvings, and statues because they had really seen the real aliens at their time. Then, about ancient monuments that we would have trouble building today, metals that do not originate on Earth, which is have been found in China, they were completely spherical and well fabricated. So, this also means that they also involved in some of the construction in our earth. TRANSITION: So, I have shown you all the evidence about their existence either from the latest decade where there is the present of technology and also from past civilization on earth. But, I am sure that many of you might be thinking, if they are really exist, why Allah never stated about them in the Al Quran. Here are some points that may stop you from being wondering. The Al-Quran never stated about the existence of aliens, but you must be concerned that Allah also never stated that we are the only living beings in this universe. In some of Surah, there is some implied information about another intelligent existence other than humanity, angels and demons in this universe. And one of the statement in Al-Quran, He created sky and earth, and Dabbah that He spread the two of them. And He has the power to gather all of it whenever He wants. Then, Allah also created seven skies and either earth which is under His rule so that you know as He is too powerful or He knows about the entire thing. Besides, Al-Quran also stated that it is not only our earth that is under His shield, all the existence in earth and sky also needed Him al the time as we did. In the book of Syaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali, he said that our earth not more than a dust in this big and wonderful universe that full of life and living beings. We will be the fool one if we are thinking that we are the only existence in this big place. Allah created a lot of galaxy, so it is possible that our planet not the only one that is full of live. This universe for him is full with living beings that Allah made that shown about His existence and His Almighty. Okay, for now I am confirmed that my explications have given a big impact to your belief. All I can say that the existences of aliens are not only rumours but they are living in this planet with us. I hope that I have convinced you enough that the existences of those aliens are not just rumours but they are real. I think I have sufficiently exposed you the proof of their existence, hoping that you would change your perspective. Like I said previously, I am not talking nonsense without evidence. Once again I insist that you should believe the aliens are existing because NASA scientist had found the absolute proof of their existence. It is not been announced yet because there are some conspiracy from government as they are hiding and keep denying about the aliens’ existence and they did it for reasons. Besides all the evidence from NASA, yet there is a lot of proof that they do exist. I put more effort on historical proof as the great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on Earth shown that their existence had been found long time ago. After all, if you are still wondering why not Allah proves their existence, I reclaim that there is no statement that we are the only living being in this universe in Al Quran either from other Islamic Religion. So, you should believe that the existence of aliens and UFO are not just rumours. Persuasive Speech ALIENS: THEY ARE EXISTING! I am sure that everyone of you have heard about aliens and UFOs. Indeed, we all have heard about the famous case of aliens and UFOs in Roswell, New Mexico. Most people might be interested in the topic of aliens, but I know that the majority of you just think of it as rumours and the existence of them are impossible. Therefore, I am standing here in front all of you to make you change your perspective. I am strongly confident that I have found the evidence of their real existence to convince all of you. You should think that the existence of aliens is not just rumours. I am not talking nonsense because there are reasons why you should believe that their existences are real and not just rumours. First, after doing a lot of research, I have discovered that NASA scientists have found the absolute proof of their existence. Then, the existence of aliens has not just been noticed nowadays, but a long time ago. There is a great evidence of UFOs from past civilizations on earth. Lastly, if you are wondering if they are really exist, why has not God stated about them? For your information, there is also no statement that we are the only living being in this universe. This is why you should believe that their existence is real and not just rumours. TRANSITION: Okay, let’s get started with my first point of evidence about their existence. Some of you might be assuming that I will tell you the illogical proof, but I am here with the proof that makes sense. One of the Astrobiologists of NASA has reported that he has travelled to remote regions in Antarctica, Siberia, and Alaska over the past decade and found a very rare class of meteorites with some possible proof of alien life. Richard Hoover claimed that He found shapes similar to bacteria that are supposed leftovers of bacteria. To confirm, he tested the structures to see if they contained nitrogen. Unlike cells on earth, the mineralized microscopic rock fossils did not, so he decided that they had to be of extraterrestrial origin. The bacteria have been found at the bottom of Mono Lake near California's Yosemite National Park which is rich in arsenic which is usually poisonous to life, which do not have our atmosphere. Other than that, all the story of aliens and UFOs starting to be an issue after the UFO crash incident in Roswell, New Mexico. It all started on June 25, 1947 when a pilot named Kenneth Arnold reported seeing several objects while flying near Mt Rainier, Washington. His descriptions of the objects that flew like geese and moving like saucers that you bounced it across the water and became the term â€Å"Flying Saucers†, and thus the age of the UFO was born. Millions of people  have claimed to see or experience something paranormal and out of the ordinary. Even if most of them can be explained away, that still leaves a lot of unexplainable objects in the sky and unexplainable sightings of other worldly beings. UFO sightings have been reported all over the world, not just the U. S. A. A flying disc was seen by pilots, crew members, and a bunch of other people at the Chicago O'Hare Airport in November, 2006. The whole story was shown on CNN January 6, 2007. The government claims it was not alien aircraft or aliens and nothing of the sort was ever recovered. They have stated it was only a weather balloon. Alternatively, the evidence may exist but we, the public, are simply denied access to it by the big government on earth. But there are reasons why the government keep hiding and denying about the truth of their existence. The government is concerned want to keeps it a secret so as not to disrupt human society, which may be too fragile to risk exposure to the news that aliens exist and are routinely visiting the Earth. Imagine what would happen to the religions, which is a very important aspect of our society on Earth if the existence of aliens is confirmed. Then, they also may have in their possession alien technology, which they want to reverse engineer so as to gain an advance technological edge over rival nations. Besides, government could have incentive to keep alien’s technologies secret to protect the economy which is an important backbone of modern society. TRANSITION: Well, announcement from the government or NASA that aliens really do exist seems to be the proof that we are all waiting for. The fact that it has not come yet is what make people to believe that UFO does not exist. So, I also gathered some evidence from the past civilizations that also believe of aliens’ existence. The great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on earth is the most believable proof I can think of. The aliens and UFO’s stories not only been discovered currently, but they had already been an issues for a long time ago. The pictures of aliens show up in religious paintings and  on old drawings. There are several Renaissance paintings that have UFOs in them. There are also prehistoric drawings that show UFOs and also numerous examples of UFOs and aliens. How could they draw it all if they had never seen the real one? Consequently, these are the proof that cannot be doubted and shown that aliens and UFO are really present since a long time ago. Besides, there are also the aliens’ looking skulls found. The skulls are extremely stretched out, that would mean the brain would be much larger than a normal human's. They are clearly not a human skull because the researcher has been fed a variety illogical explanation as to why this skull has this formation. Now, they are all together at Museum Regional de Ica in Peru. It is not a coincidence, Ancient Egyptians make such large heads in their photos, carvings, and statues because they had really seen the real aliens at their time. Then, about ancient monuments that we would have trouble building today, metals that do not originate on Earth, which is have been found in China, they were completely spherical and well fabricated. So, this also means that they also involved in some of the construction in our earth. TRANSITION: So, I have shown you all the evidence about their existence either from the latest decade where there is the present of technology and also from past civilization on earth. But, I am sure that many of you might be thinking, if they are really exist, why Allah never stated about them in the Al Quran. Here are some points that may stop you from being wondering. The Al-Quran never stated about the existence of aliens, but you must be concerned that Allah also never stated that we are the only living beings in this universe. In some of Surah, there is some implied information about another intelligent existence other than humanity, angels and demons in this universe. And one of the statement in Al-Quran, He created sky and earth, and Dabbah that He spread the two of them. And He has the power to gather all of it whenever He wants. Then, Allah also created seven skies and either earth which is under His rule so that you know as He is too powerful or He knows about the entire thing. Besides, Al-Quran also stated that it is not only our earth that is under His shield, all the existence in earth and sky also needed Him al the time as we did. In the book of Syaikh Muhammad al-Ghazali, he said that our earth not more than a dust in this big and wonderful universe that full of life and living beings. We will be the fool one if we are thinking that we are the only existence in this big place. Allah created a lot of galaxy, so it is possible that our planet not the only one that is full of live. This universe for him is full with living beings that Allah made that shown about His existence and His Almighty. Okay, for now I am confirmed that my explications have given a big impact to your belief. All I can say that the existences of aliens are not only rumours but they are living in this planet with us. I hope that I have convinced you enough that the existences of those aliens are not just rumours but they are real. I think I have sufficiently exposed you the proof of their existence, hoping that you would change your perspective. Like I said previously, I am not talking nonsense without evidence. Once again I insist that you should believe the aliens are existing because NASA scientist had found the absolute proof of their existence. It is not been announced yet because there are some conspiracy from government as they are hiding and keep denying about the aliens’ existence and they did it for reasons. Besides all the evidence from NASA, yet there is a lot of proof that they do exist. I put more effort on historical proof as the great evidence of UFO from past civilizations on Earth shown that their existence had been found long time ago. After all, if you are still wondering why not Allah proves their existence, I reclaim that there is no statement that we are the only living being in this universe in Al Quran either from other Islamic Religion. So, you should believe that the existence of aliens and UFO are not just rumours. Persuasive Speech

Evaluate Learning Activities Essay

After any learning activity it is important to evaluate how the activity went. This is because it gives both the children and staff members a chance to reflect on the learning which has taken place and establish whether or not the learning objective was achieved. To evaluate effectively you should refer to the original learning objective to see what you set out to achieve and then reflect on the outcome and whether or not this outcome was satisfactory and that the targets you set have been met. In order to evaluate accurately you must be sure to make learning objectives very clear at the planning stage. This must be done in a way that ensures learners fully understand what the outcomes mean and the outcomes must be achievable for everyone in the group regardless of ability and within the time that you have available. The learning objective should be set out in a way which makes it easy for you to assess pupils against it. A good knowledge of the success criteria is also important when evaluating learning as children may not necessarily achieve the learning objective despite fully involving themselves in the lesson and showing real enthusiasm. Where this is the case you should record how hard the child worked and take a look at the reasons they did not meet the objective and see how you can help them the next time. The resources you have used also play an important part in how successful an activity is so you should evaluate the resources you used and whether or not they were used correctly and decide if there were other things you could have used that may have been more relevant and beneficial to that particular task. Continual assessment is important to monitor a Childs progress and while you should share the information with other teaching staff it is also important to share it with the child. This allows the child to share with you any concerns they have, things that they find difficult and things they enjoy which allows you to plan activities accordingly. It also gives you the chance to give them praise and encouragement by telling them which things they are doing really well at, how proud you are of what they have achieved and offer reassurance that they should not worry about things they find hard because you can do extra work on these areas and help them to understand. While it can sometimes be difficult to find time during the school day to give feedback to the teacher you must find a way to do this whether it is in a written report brief discussion or phone call. Not only do you need to report on the pupils progress and weaknesses you should also inform them of any difficulties you experience during an activity, such as disruptive pupils so that the problem can be addressed and resolved. It is important to be careful when giving feedback that while you are honest you are also tactful and do not lay blame for the activity on the teachers inadequate planning or the fact that the activity was not stimulating enough. The better the relationship you have with the teacher the easier it will be for you to put your point of view across and work well together to improve the learning environment and achieve better results. Always be positive when making your suggestions or giving feedback. Providing the teacher with feedback on the learner’s progress and participation can be done in various ways. If a child has not been participating you may just need to briefly mention it to the teacher and try and come up with strategies to help them get more involved in future activities. When a child is disruptive you can either discuss this with the teacher or make a written record of how the child was behaving, if you think there was anything that caused the behaviour, the effect it had on the rest of the group, how you tried to resolve the issue and manage the behaviour, whether you were successful in disciplining the child and what you think you could do to avoid the problem arising again. Hopefully the teacher will then respond and give you feedback on whether they have experienced similar problems with that child and how they dealt with it. Keeping records on how a child is progressing is also essential as it allows all staff involved to see which areas the child is ma king progress in and where they need to improve, it also lets everyone know the level that the child is at so that the appropriate level of work can be set. In order to support learning activities effectively it is important to reflect on what you have done and consider how you managed different activities. When an activity is finished you may feel disappointed with the outcome. Activities don’t always go to plan or achieve what you wanted them to and this can be for a variety of reasons When you feel that things didn’t work out the way you expected you have to reflect on the session and ask yourself how it went? Which aspects were you pleased with? What did not go as well as you planned? What would you change if you had to do the activity again? By doing this you can improve the way you plan activities which will benefit yourself and the children. To be able to effectively teach various areas of the curriculum you must ensure that your own knowledge of the subject is of a high standard and if you are out of practice and unsure of some subjects ask for help or update your qualifications. Many establishments provide refresher courses to bring Maths, English and ICT up to an acceptable level for working in a school setting. If you are unsure of a subject or a teaching method your uncertainty will be apparent to the children and your lack of knowledge will confuse them. You cannot possibly teach a child something you know nothing about so you should find out about the subject matter ahead of the lesson by doing some research. You should make sure you communicate with other members of staff to find out the strategies they use and information they pass on to the children so that they do not receive conflicting advice or information and become unsure of what they are supposed to be learning. While I feel that my basic English, Maths and ICT skills are at an acceptable level I realise that it has been quite some time since I studied them and intend to familiarise myself with the curriculum and strategies that schools at the present time use to educate the children so that I feel more confident in helping and advising the pupils that I work with. I intend to do this by accessing the resources the school uses and familiarising myself with them while also asking for advice from other teaching assistants.

Primal Fear Reflection

If someone in my family suddenly became diagnosed with a serious mental disorder I would be surprised. My family does not have much of a history of mental disorders so it would be surprising to have to deal with one. Depending on the mental disorder my loved one would be diagnosed with would change the way I helped them. If someone in my family kept forgetting things it would be very hard to take care of. I would have to repeat the same things over and over and over until they could understand what I was saying. The multiple personality disorder would also be very hard to control.If the slightest thing I did would piss them off I would have to calm them down somehow depending on what it was that I did wrong, although most of the time the real person has no idea what happened afterwards. I would love my family member no matter what their condition would be. I would take care of them in as many ways possible to help them live close to normal lives despite their struggle with a mental d isorder. My habits would simply change to their advantage. I would try and be there as much as possible to make sure they weren’t getting worse and/or causing more and more problems.I would say the most important thing to take care of my family member would be interchanging depending on what mental disorder they were diagnosed with. I don’t think I could be able to stand seeing my mom or dad or sisters turn into an alternate person who was the complete opposite as them. A serious bipolar disorder would cause me to struggle with their emotions and be able to understand what they were doing and how I could help them. My family members are very important to me and I would go out of my way to help them if they were diagnosed with a serious mental disorder.