Frozen Vegetables Spark in the Microwave

Frozen Vegetables Spark in the Microwave When I was naming things you shouldnt microwave, I didnt list frozen vegetables. However, WSCH in Portland is running a news story (complete with video) about frozen vegetables sparking when being microwaved. At least two Texas consumers have reported seeing sparks and small flames during the first few seconds of microwaving Green Giant frozen mixed vegetables. The USDA says the vegetables are perfectly safe to eat and that the sparking probably is due to the presence of naturally-occurring minerals found on the produce. Personally Id guess its similar to the plasma phenomenon seen when microwaving grapes. I have never seen flames on my veggies while nuking them, but I dont usually watch them cook, so I might be missing out on some entertainment.Ivory Soap in a Microwave | How to Microwave a CD Safely Comments Stephanie  says: The same thing happened to me when I microwaved frozen Great Value (WalMart brand) mixed vegetables. It also sparked when I microwaved Del Monte green beans. Not sure what the issue is. I even cleaned the microwave completely to be sure it wasn’t because of any build up per the recommendation of other sites. Edward  says: I just bought a new micro as the tech said mine was broke when the Sam’s Club Mixed veggies sparked. I bought a new microwave and it does the same thing. Tried different plates, etc, same thing.I wonder if there is not something in the bags to keep freshness that has some ore in it. I wish the FDA would test this instead of blowing it off. Greg  says: I am having the same thing happen, but just recently. I’ve microwaved frozen veggies for years and this never happened, so why is it all of a sudden nationwide? Elayna  says: Same thing has been happening to me. I thought it was my microwave, as it was a bit old. So, I just got a new, pretty expensive one. Same thing! Plus, what is even more strange is that I use Stop Shop’s Natures Promise organic frozen vegetables. It’s also happened with Cascadian Farm Organic Peas Green Beans. They all spark like I put metal in the microwave plus some smoke and burn. Rebecognize  says: We had peas spark, and then today sweet potatoes that were already cooked and I warmed them up and got sparks. They were fresh and never frozen. Both times for me it was from reheating cooked veggies (for baby food). Weird. Charles  says: This just happened to me with a fresh sweet potato. I steamed it in the microwave with the skin on and it was ok. Later I cut it up into small chunks and re-heated it in the microwave and the sparks flew. Eric  says: This just happened to me while heating up some green beans. I did some playing around with it and found that if I have a a few pieces in the microwave not touching each other, then there are no sparks. If I touch two of them together, then the sparks and small flame fly! Craziness! Lori  says: I just had it happen with a sweet potato that was baked yesterday, but I cut the leftovers into chunks and heated it today. It leaves little black marks where the sparks came from and you can even smell it! It also happened a few days ago with some frozen green beans that I had already cooked but was reheating. It’s never happened before†¦ what is going on Micah  says: I chop fresh serrano chilis en mass and then freeze them to keep later meal preparation more simple. Today my chilis burst into flames when I defrosted them in my microwave! I took off the offending chili the off the plate the first time it happened and tried again – same thing happened! Wild! Tiffany  says: This is really alarming. I’ve had this happen on several occasions when reheating green giant previously frozen vegetables. Vegetables should not contain enough of any ore to cause this sparking. James  says: I used to get this when microwaving Aldi’s cheapest mixed frozen veggies. (Australia).The only thing in my mind that causes this is metal. Yes, you can see the burn-holes in the pieces of carrot and beans! So I just don’t buy them! Jonathan Green  says: I’ve had this same problem, small sparks coming from food (green beans but also potatoes under plastic foil). I wonder if it’s static electricity (the microwave has a turntable inside on plastic wheels). Or simply a microwave antenna which is sending out the wrong kind of waves? Never had this problem with my old microwave (bought 14 years ago, never any problems) but the new one is really scaring me. Don’t think this can be healthy at all†¦. Are microwaves checked by any government body at all before they hit the shelves? Heather  says: I have had the sparking with many frozen veggies and canned green beans. I never have the sparking if they are covered with water. But yesterday I reheated some cooked â€Å"fresh† green beans and the sparking still happened, there was just a small amount of water in the bottom. So I guess fresh, frozen or canned it will still happen. Kelsie Rodgers  says: I think the issue is answered pretty well here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid20060911061259AALYJUE Basically, it has to do with higher mineral contents (iron, magnesium, zinc, potassium) in certain veggies and other factors related to the microwaving process itself. If you read the ingredients on the side of a frozen veggie bag, nothing is listed but the vegetables (no preservatives, etc.). People also experience the same thing with fresh vegetables. I think we are all jumping to â€Å"worse case† conclusions. Yes, it’s scary when things spark and catch on fire, but the reason can be very simple (and benign). Ben  says: I added a cup of water to properly load the microwave and it stopped sparking. Sarah G.  says: This has happened to me with fresh, organic vegetables as well! I have cooked/boiled sweet potatoes and carrots for my young son, and on several occasions afterward when I have gone to reheat them in the microwave for him, they immediately start sparking and have emitted flames! This has never happened in all the years I have used the microwave, and now 3 times in the past 6 months. Steve M  says: We were just heating up some Birds Eye Steamfresh and they sparked started smoking and my Microwave shut down. The Microwave is less than a year old and was not cheap. Anyone else have it break their Microwave? Richard  says: I am having the same issue happening with fresh green beans straight from my garden. We cooked the fresh snapped green beans earlier in the evening. Later I put some in the microwave to munch on before going to bed. They lit up and caught on fire. It is not something coming from the frozen beans or the bags, mine have never seen the freezer or a bag. Monica  says: I am also here because I thought it might be my microwave but guess not! I starting looking into this today since I had FRESH cauliflower that I cooked a few days ago, spark when I reheated it today. In the past this has happened to me with frozen-then reheated veggies and I just assumed it was due to something when they are frozen but now that it has happened with fresh veggies I am stumped. At least I now know I am not crazy and our microwave is just fine. (36)  Debbie  says: I’ve also had it happen with ham. I separated the diced pieces because thought it might be because they were touching, but it didn’t work. Interesting to think that covering them with water seems to be the best solution. Jammin  says: It happened to me with broccoli today. I am thinking that the culprit has either to do with newer microwaves or (conspiracy theory coming straight from my butt) all the increased radio waves due to cell phones and the internet. This didn’t used to happen years ago with old microwaves. The earliest report I can find of this happening is from 8 years ago. I’m stumped! Lora  says: I placed frozen chopped onion, celery, bell peppers (combo) in my microwave last night, on a microwaveable paper plate and sparks and fire and smoke started immediately. I wonder if there’s pieces of metal from the machines at their processing plant Matt  says: I’ve had a few different brands (organic and inorganic) spark and flame in the microwave in the past few months. My mom uses microwaves for everything and has never seen this until now. So, I think the many comments on here stating it is from the minerals in the food are right, but the fact that it is happening more and more and no one had reported it in the past makes me think that they have higher levels of minerals and maybe there is a limit to how high the mineral levels can be (and what types) in order to still be safe. Cooking them in pans instead does not solve the problem, you just don’t get the burning. You still have the high levels of metals that are seemingly a new phenomenon. Hate to say it, but Bill Gates is on the record for funding private geo-engineering to combat global warming, spraying nano particles of aluminum and barium into the air, all over the planet. Organic veggies or not, soil samples have shown an 800% rise in these metals. They are not ben ign in these forms.youtube.com/watch?vjf0khstYDLA James Gast  says: Just had frozen bell peppers arc/caught foam plate on fire. Years ago it was broccoli. Microwaves are now 1000,1100 watts, much more power than earlier ones. Bigger arc nowCombination of natural minerals:iron,potassium,etc in the ice and those edges of piecesbecome â€Å"jump arc gaps† like a spark plug. But sweet potatoes and chicken pieces Why? How?

Choosing a Strong Research Topic

Choosing a Strong Research Topic Teachers always emphasize the importance of choosing a strong research topic. But sometimes it can be confusing when we try to understand what makes a topic a strong topic.   Additionally, you should consider that you’ll be spending a lot of time on a research paper, so it is particularly important to select a topic that you really enjoy working with. To make your project a real success, you’ll have to ensure that the topic is strong and enjoyable.   You also have to choose a topic that enables you to find resources. Unfortunately, you might find a topic that you like a lot, and go on to develop a strong thesis with no trouble at all. Then, you find yourself spending an afternoon at the library and discovering one or two problems. You could find that very little research is available on your subject. This is a common hazard that wastes time and disrupts your mental flow and confidence. As much as you may like your topic, you may want to give it up at the start if you know you’re going to run into trouble finding information for your paper.You may find that the research doesn’t support your thesis. Oops! This is a common frustration for professors who publish a lot. They often come up with intriguing and exciting new ideas, only to find that all the research points in a different direction. Don’t stick with an idea if you see lots of evidence that refutes it! To avoid those pitfalls, it is important to select more than one topic from the start. Find three or four topics that interest you, then, go to the library or an Internet-connected computer at home and conduct a preliminary search of each topic. Determine which project idea can be supported with plenty of published material. This way, you will be able to select a final topic that is both interesting and feasible. Preliminary Searches Preliminary searches can be done pretty quickly; there is no need to spend hours in the library. As a matter of fact, you can start at home, on your own computer. Choose a topic and do a basic computer search. Take note of the types of sources that appear for each topic. For instance, you may come up with fifty web pages that concern your topic, but no books or articles. This is not a good result! Your teacher will be looking for (and perhaps requiring) a variety of sources, to include articles, books, and encyclopedia references. Don’t select a topic that doesn’t appear in books and articles, as well as on websites. Search Several Databases You’ll want to make sure that the books, magazine articles, or journal entries that you do find are available at your local library. Use your favorite Internet search engine at first, but then try using the database for your local library. It may be available online. If you find a topic that’s widely researched and seems to be available in a number of books and journals, make sure those are books and journals that you can use. For instance, you may find several articles- but then you realize later that theyre all published in another country. They may still be found in your local library, but youll want to check as early as possible, to make sure. You could also find books or articles representing your topic, but they’re all published in Spanish! This is absolutely great if you are fluent in Spanish. If you don’t speak Spanish, it’s a big problem! In short, always, take a few steps, in the beginning, to make sure that your topic will be relatively easy to research over the days and weeks to come. You don’t want to invest too much time and emotion in a project that will only lead to frustration in the end.

Bioethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bioethics - Essay Example According to the World Health Report 2005, 68,000 women die from unsafe abortion (51). My aim in this paper is to persuade the masses to be pro-choice, in matters of abortion. The ruling of Roe v. Wade of 1973 has made abortion a safe medical procedure in the United States. In the United States alone, about 1.6 million pregnant women seek and carry out abortion. Many people have desired to minimize the number of unwanted or unplanned pregnancies. However, due to the insufficient supply of adequate contraception, contraception failure or unwanted sex, the resulting unwanted pregnancies bear similar risks as those deliberate and desired (50). Singling out abortion from a woman’s reproductive choices is unfair, to say the least. Therefore, legalizing abortion is keeping it safe. Many countries that keep it legal ensure the safety of women who desire to terminate their pregnancies. Unfortunately, as we have seen earlier, not every country supports abortion and this result in an estimated 68,000 deaths. If governments around the world would recognize the right to abortion as a human right, women would be safer. The right to privacy should not exclude the choice of a woman to do what she pleases with her own body. For example, a woman, raped, glares at the reality of raising a rapist child. This will have life-long psychological effects on her. Such a woman may more often end up losing her social standing, and in extreme cases, even losing her marriage. It is safer, therefore, for such a woman to choose abortion, than live a life of regrets and psychological torture. She should not be denied this right. The United Nations Human Rights Committee views a criminal penalty for a pregnant woman who contracts an abortion, as being a dire violation of her right to be free from degrading and inhuman treatment when the pregnancy is a result of rape. In a different scenario, a teenage girl, if raped, will lose her virginity and might more often than not, end up pregnant.

Testing Web Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Testing Web Services - Essay Example Over the half decade, web services have become widely used in the deployment of web-based applications as they provide the advantage of compatibility with various software platforms. However, due to the platform-independent nature of a client-server network architecture, testing web services can prove to be more difficult and requires approaches that are different from those employed in traditional software testing. World Wide Web (WWW) services typically involve three components: a web server, a web page, and a web browser. These components work together in delivering information to the end-user. Web pages are written using Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) for delivering formatted static content. Dynamic web pages can be constructed with the use of additional scripting using programming languages such as PHP, ASP, C#, or Java. These scripts are typically located in the web server. The last component, the web browser, displays text and multimedia content of web pages to the end-user. Currently, there are a number of web browsers available in the market, the most popular of which are Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, and Google Chrome. The main purpose of creating web-based applications is to facilitate data transfer to the server and between servers. Web services work with various internet protocols and web standards. ... Online services rely on such standards to properly exchange messages with each other. Some protocols may also be derivates of web standards. For instance, Web Services Description Language (WSDL), and Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) are both based on the XML standard. For a better understanding of the standards, protocols, and techniques used in the development of web services, these technologies shall be described further in the succeeding sections of this paper. The Limitations of Conventional Application Testing Software testing does not exist for the sole purpose of improving the quality of the application. It also guarantees reliability and aids in building the user's trust in the system. Due to the platform-independent structure of client-server applications, the testing methods often used in ordinary software development cannot cover all possible issues that may arise in web service development. The developers of a web service are not capable of predicting the software platform or programming language of other applications utilizing the said service. Likewise, they are cannot determine beforehand the platform being used on the client's side. Testing procedures for ordinary software usually focuses on a particular platform. As a result, these tests will like be unable to keep up with the open platform nature of web services. The need for interaction between web services makes it even more difficult to use conventional testing methods for these applications. (Huang, J.Z., Qub, Y., H. W. & Xie, J. 2004) For web service testing to be effective, it is not enough for just the service provider or requestor to take full responsibility. All parties must be integrated into a unified testing framework.

Globalization or inter-nationalization Essay Example for Free

Globalization or inter-nationalization Essay Whether we call it globalization or inter-nationalization, very few people, organizations or states stand to benefit To what extent do you agree with this statement? Globalization is without doubt it is a buzz word of the time it is a word that seems to be constantly mentioned in the news on the television or radio. But what does living in a globalized world really mean? As a starting point this essay will attempt to interpret its meaning by applying four main theories and using these theories to discuss the impact of globalization on individuals, organisations and states. It will go on to explore three different perspectives on global change and how each perspective might view its effects including identifying possible weaknesses in their arguments. This will enable a decision to be made as to what extent the question whether we call it globalization or inter-nationalization, very few people, organisations or states stand to benefit can be agreed with. Globalization can be characterized by four distinctive features. First it involves a stretching of social, political and economic activities across nation-state boundaries. What is happening on what might be geographically the other side of the world, affects the other and specific local developments can have considerable global consequences. Examples of this would be global climate change, environmental issues such as pollution into the atmosphere and oceans, poverty etc. We are all losers in terms of global problems such as pollution acid rain, toxic waste etc and it extremely daunting to think that we are totally limitless in our control of them. For example, in April 1986 an accident occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power station in the USSR. This caused a cloud carrying radioactive particles to hit Britain. Ten years on, as a result of the fall-out, 70,000 sheep in Cumbria remained contaminated (Cochrane, A. and Pain, K. (2004), p.18). Second, it is marked by the intensification of flows of trade. Technological developments have accelerated over the past 20 years the introduction of mobile phones, the internet, satellite television means that communication across the planet is virtually instantaneous. There are hundreds of satellites floating above the earth, each one carrying a huge amount of information. Physical distance is no longer an issue we are being brought much closer to news/issues/events from around the world this could be seen as good or bad although for the ones that have it, access to much more information has to be a good thing. Losers would undoubtedly be people without internet access and organisations with a less developed communication infrastructure. The way people work is changing working from home is now much more viable and this has to be a good thing for individuals and companies because it provides more flexibility all round. Third, it can be linked to increasing interpenetration or the bringing together distant cultures and societies face to face with each other at local level, good examples of this would be Microsoft, Coca Cola, McDonalds and Starbucks. This could be seen as good or bad, many people dont like the fact that these huge companies put smaller privately owned companies out of business and that everything is becoming so uniformed local places with character are being lost. Global trade on the whole is increasing which may mean more jobs, better employment prospects for some but on the down sound it may also mean many home communities are devastated when local companies are bought out by multinational ones that cut wages and benefits and/or moves production overseas. This could lead to the inequality gap widening further which will ultimately cause conflict and potentially from this point of view we are all losers here too. And forth, the development of a global infrastructure the authority of nations is territorially bound therefore international organisations such as The United Nationals, The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organisation all play a part in regulating and governing the global system and are new forms of agency brought about because of globalization. It could be argued that in this borderless economy, nation states have no option but to accommodate global market forces due to their power, limiting their options. Furthermore, a growth in international trade (often due to lower trade barriers) will encourage more competition. This could be seen as having winners and losers but reducing trade barriers in particular may reduce the role of governments which, in turn, could encourage corruption. There is no doubt that many developing countries have increased their share of world trade as a result of globalization although this may be at the detriment of the poorer countries. There are three positions which all have a different perspective on the term globalization; these are the globalist, inter-nationalist and transformationalist and all three have strengths and weaknesses to their arguments. Globalists on the whole see Globalisation as something that is real and is happening that changes are happening socially and economically and that it is an inevitable, irreversible development that should not be resisted. But globalists themselves fall into two categories optimistic/positive globalists and pessimistic globalists. Optimistic/positive Globalists view it as a process that is beneficial. They would probably disagree with the statement that very few people, organizations or states stand to benefit because they welcome the changes that it brings such as improvement on the quality of life, raising living standards and the bringing together of societies and cultures promoting a better understanding of each other. They acknowledge that globalisation is not all good news, that with it issues such as global environmental pollution, for example, but want citizens to take responsibility for their actions, to look for ways of minimising the damage through their own actions and through the use of new technologies. They may have overlooked however, that local Governments/authorities may be limited in their actions in relation to worldwide/global issues and that globalization is certainly not developing in an even handed way. In Tony Giddens Reith Lecture he quotes Globalisation some argue creates a world of winners and losers, a few on the fast track to prosperity, the majority condemned to a life of misery and despair and indeed the statistics are daunting. The share of the poorest 5th of the worlds population in global income has dropped from 2.3% to 1.4% over the past 10 years. The proportion taken by the richest 5th on the other hand has risen (Tony Gidden Reith Lecture Runaway World 1999). Pessimistic globalists regard it with hostility, believing that it increases inequality between nations, threatens employment and hinders social progress. Moreover they believe that globalization is making the world become more homogeneous with the demise of sovereignty and national identities as well as the demise of politicians capabilities to influence events. A pessimistic view would probably be that only the giant multi-national companies (usually American) stand to benefit since the US has a dominant economic, cultural and military position in the global scheme of things. They would probably view globalization as nothing more than corporate hegemony and would definitely agree with the statement about very few people, organizations or states benefiting. A weakness of the pessimistic globalist view is that they dont seem to have a clear solution to the problem, its like they want to reverse time and go back to how it was. They undermine the existing structure but have no idea abo ut any clear alternatives. According to the inter-nationalists all the talk about globalization is exactly that just talk. They believe that the world carries on much the same as it ever did that it isnt especially different from that which existed in previous periods and that increases in global trade across the world is just progression based on world trading links that have been established for many years a continuation of the past. They argue that a good deal of economic exchange is between regions rather than being truly worldwide, for example countries of the European Union mostly trade among themselves. This whole view seems unrealistic. World financial flows have grown exponentially since the 1970s and advances in technology have undoubtedly helped with transactions becoming instantaneous with 24 hour global financial markets. International trade has also grown to unprecedented levels and involves a much wider range of goods and services. As a result a weakness of theirs would be that underestimate the power of nation states and possibly put too much faith in the capabilities of national governments. The third transformationslists is somewhere in between the two. They believe that something is happening, that changes are taking place and that the effects of globalisation should not be underestimated. Unlike the globalists they believe that nothing is pre-determined or inevitable and that national, local and other agencies still have room for manoeuvre and that maybe new solutions may have to be found. A strength of the transformationalist is that they see sovereignty as having to be shared among other private and public agencies. They would probably sit on the fence as to whether people, organizations or states stand to benefit from globalization. Some people do benefit, some dont. Some organisations benefit, some dont, and so on. It might depend on who you are, what you are, where you live etc. A weakness of the transformationalist would be that they are somewhat blinded by the scale of global inequalities that are developing as a result of rationalisation as they tend to have more of a regional focus. The word globalization seems to have come from no where to be almost everywhere. Globalisation is political, technological, cultural and economic, it affects everyone and its effects can be seen everywhere. There are winners and losers but with reference to the original question in the introductory paragraph personally it would have to be a disagreement with this statement. Globalization is not something that should be shirked but the challenges it presents need to be controlled because it is now part of the way we live and its not going to go away. Metaphorically speaking it may mean a shrinking world but it is creating something that has never existed before and it is without doubt changing our world, for better or worse, no matter where or whom we happen to be. References Cochrane, A. and Pain, K, A globalizing society in Held, D. (ed) (2004) Gidden Reith, A. Lecture Runaway World (1999) Held, D. A globalizing world? Culture, economics, politics, London, Routledge/The Open University

The Id, Ego and Superego in Lord of the Flies :: Lord Flies Essays

The Id, Ego and Superego in Lord of the Flies      Ã‚  Ã‚   In viewing the various aspects of the island society in Golding's Lord of the Flies as a symbolic microcosm of society, a converse perspective must also be considered. Golding's island of marooned youngsters then becomes a macrocosm, wherein the island represents the individual human and the various characters and symbols the elements of the human psyche. As such, Golding's world of children's morals and actions then becomes a survey of the human condition, both individually and collectively.    Almost textbook in their portrayal, the primary characters of Jack, Ralph and Piggy are then best interpreted as Freud's very concepts of id, ego and superego, respectively. As the id of the island, Jack's actions are the most blatantly driven by animalistic rapacious gratification needs. In discovering the thrill of the hunt, his pleasure drive is emphasized, purported by Freud to be the basic human need to be gratified. In much the same way, Golding's portrayal of a hunt as a rape, with the boys ravenously jumping atop the pig and brutalizing it, alludes to Freud's basis of the pleasure drive in the libido, the term serving a double Lntendre in its psychodynamic and physically sensual sense.  Ã‚   Jack's unwillingness to acknowledge the conch as the source of centrality on the island and Ralph as the seat of power is consistent with the portrayal of his particular self-importance. Freud also linked the id to what he called the destructive drive, the aggressiveness of self-ruin. J ack's antithetical lack of compassion for nature, for others, and ultimately for himself is thoroughly evidenced in his needless hunting, his role in the brutal murders of Simon and Piggy, and finally in his burning of the entire island, even at the cost of his own life.    In much the same way, Piggy's demeanor and very character links him to the superego, the conscience factor in Freud's model of the psyche. Golding marks Piggy with the distinction of being more intellectually mature than the others, branding him with a connection to a higher authority: the outside world. It is because the superego is dependent on outside support that Piggy fares the worst out of the three major characters in the isolation of the island. Piggy is described as being more socially compatible with adults, and carries himself with a sense of rationale and purpose that often serves as Ralph's moral compass in crisis; although Ralph initially uses the conch to call the others, it is Piggy who possesses the knowledge to blow it as a signal despite his inability to do so.

SERVICE LEARNING IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

AbstractionThis research will analyze the evidences for implementing SL at University of Prishtina, by analysing the pupils ‘ attitude towards SL. It will concentrate in happening the most appropriate methods of how to implement SL in ESL and motivate instructors and pupils to be portion of it. The survey will be investigated through pupil ‘s questionnaire, teacher ‘s questionnaire, and concentrate group where pupils will be take parting. These methods will be used in order to analyze the pupils ‘ experience and sentiments on service acquisition in ESL, and teacher ‘s readiness and willingness to integrate Service Learning in their ESL instruction environment. The survey will reply the research inquiries and formalize the hypotheses. Analysis of consequences will be used in order to set up the evidences for implementing Service Learning into the bing course of study in ESL plans and giving the pupils an chance to use experience and cognition in existent life state of affairss.IntroductionService Learning isa new attack that merges the academic work with existent life state of affairss, this encourages the pupils to reflect on their ain experience in life and believe in a critical manner about it.Its chief constituents are reflection and experience. Service acquisition is built on squad work, it combines larning aims with service aims, Teachs duty to immature pupils and raises community demands awareness through instruction. The concluding end of Service Learning is run intoing class contents while prosecuting pupils in acquisition by making and reflecting upon their ain experience. The brooding action and the experience that is put frontwa rd in this type of larning develops pupil ‘s intelligence and forms their manner of larning while taking to organize their single course of study. Harmonizing to Dewey: â€Å" Education should promote engagement within the community, develop accomplishments that will work out existent life jobs, and learn the pupils to go responsible citizens † ( Dewey, 1938 ) . This thought is implemented in US instruction system. In station communist states such as Kosovo community based undertakings were non portion of instruction. Education was led by an iron-fist methodological analysis that was implemented in national course of study, which glorified the communism as a perfect political orientation. There was no room for inventions or any sort of service other than Communist. However, this epoch came to an terminal and gave room to new epoch and political orientations that will convey productive methods and attacks in instruction. As a consequence of the stray policy that former Communist states experienced today the demand for Service Learning in the Balkans is bigger than of all time and the demand for its execution into national course of study is critical. The industrialisation, globalisation challenges and the new world in Kosovo require an advanced instruction, a manner that will put the focal point in existent life, in the community and the existent jobs, a manner based on acquisition by making. There is an inaugural about implementing Service Learning in the Balkans. Since this correlates with to day of the month democracy, and this being the primary focal point of the Balkan states the involvement grows every twenty-four hours. To exemplify the attempt for implementing SL in ESL I will advert some enterprises: Service Learning Conference, held in Bijela, Montenegro in June, 2006 under the subject: â€Å" Increasing Community Impact and Educational Outcomes in Higher Education † . This was a plan that was developed by the South – Eastern Europe Junior Faculty, and was supported by the American Councils. This was an enterprise for the Balkans and it continues to develop and spread out as a plan in the part. On schoolroom execution of SL it is valuable to advert the innovator of this method in FYROM, severally in the SEEU, Aida Koci. As a JFDP alumnus she modified her talks in order her pupils to understand the challenges that particular needs pupils face every twenty-four hours. This speaks loud that service Learning can be implemented in every class topic, in this peculiar one she used her â€Å" Needs Analysis † class to make and affect pupils in a meaningful seminar where they had the opportunity to personally hear the challenges of two handicapped pupils and the experts of that field. Ms Koci ‘s hope that the pupils will reflect on the experience and the cognition gained from this undertaking in their future employment as instructors marked this enterprise as a milepost in the huge see of SL chance.1.1 Research AimsThe general purpose of this research is to research instructor ‘s willingness to implement SL into ESL plan. At the same clip, the research will analyz e the pupils ‘ positions on SL as a undertaking oriented plan. The probe of this research will be done through a questionnaire and a focal point group.1.2 The major aims of this survey are:To place the possibilities of farther implementing SL at University of Prishtina. To analyse the pupils ‘ attitude towards SL. To urge the most appropriate methods of how to implement SL in the course of study and motivate instructors and pupils to be portion of it.Literature ReviewService acquisition is dedicated to implement alterations within an educational system by perpetrating to it with serious motive that derives from agent ‘s involvement, emotions and spirit. These tools make Service larning a device that will take towards a alteration that will ensue with higher thought accomplishments in scholars, improved ability to reflect on experience, better apprehension of existent life jobs, battle in the community where scholar lives, and readying for life outside of the schoolroom. A young person geared with such accomplishments will without any uncertainties pave the route to a brighter problem-solving hereafter. A peculiar topic that requires a particular involvement in my part and besides broader is the ESL plan and the debut of Service Learning in this plan. The common inquiries that ESL instructors ask are the undermentioned: 1. Have my pupils learned what they were taught? 2. Can they utilize what they were taught in existent life state of affairss? 3. Is at that place knowledge functioning them in category merely? 4. And eventually, can they be fluent in existent life state of affairss when utilizing English Language? Thankss to the work and theories of many research workers the first stairss are taken towards implementing positive alterations to current instruction and ESL. The pillar of this thought was installed by John Dewey, to whose work and accomplishments we must mention when talking about larning based on experience. In Experience and NatureDewey provinces that experiential acquisition has an impact on epistemology, ( quoted by Kolb 1984, p. 161 ) : â€Å" aˆÂ ¦the ways in which we believe and expect have a enormous consequence on what we believe and expect aˆÂ ¦ We discover that we believe many things non because the things are so but because we have become habituated ( to them ) through the weight of authorization, by imitation, prestigiousness, establishment, and unconscious consequence of linguistic communication † . These two impressions that Dewey emphasized: the connexion of the pupils with acquisition, and how pupils know what they know is in fact believed to ease 2nd linguistic communication acquisition at best because is self- goaded manner and non imposed by another party, authorization, or a instructor. Besides experience, contemplation is another important constituent of the learning rhythm. Harmonizing to David Kolb: â€Å" The scholar is straight in touch with the worlds being studiedaˆÂ ¦ ( He or she has a direct brush with the phenomenon being studied ) , instead simply believing about the brush or merely sing the possibility of making something with it † . This construct is non new, and it is a really of import 1 for ESL categories excessively. Language scholars need a context that they understand and which is meaningful excessively. Here is what Mary Ann Christison, in â€Å" Applications of Brain-Based Research for Second Language Teaching and Learning † ( 1999 ) , inferred about the meaningful context in Language Learning ( quoted by Minor 2001 ) : â€Å" Facts and accomplishments that are taught in isolation and non connected to something meaningful can non be remembered without considerable pattern and dry run†¦ Second linguistic communication schoolroom activities that are meaningful create an ideal acquisition chance for 2nd linguistic communication pupils to larn more information in a shorter clip, with less attempt † . In an ESL category pupils ‘ cognitive accomplishments and acquisition enhances merely when they are exposed to context that relates to significance. Harmonizing to Laura Latulippe ( 1999 ) pupils ‘ proficiency in linguistic communication is in direct correlativity with the sum of their exposure to meaningful context and they should be exposed to it wheresoever and whenever possible. Another benefit for the pupils of ESL is the development of humane values ( Minor 2001 ) , and the true image about the society and its value. On this Howard Berry and Linda Chisholm ( 1999 ) , believe that: â€Å" Foremost among the intents ( of higher instruction ) is that of giving immature grownups the accomplishments and comprehensiveness of cognition to believe profoundly about the constructions of their society and to allow values which must regulate their personal and professional lives ( p.12 ) † . Service larning in ESL may travel out of their schoolroom and utilize what they have learned, reflect upon that experience and what they learned when they are back in category in order to heighten acquisition, and it promotes humanist values. Harmonizing to Kendall: an effectual plan is the 1 that has the undermentioned elements: Engages people in responsible and ambitious actions for the common good ; Provides structured chances for people to reflect on their service experience ; Articulates clear service and learning ends for everyone involved ; Clarifies the duty of each individual and organisation involved ; Includes preparation, supervising, monitoring, support, acknowledgment and rating to run into service and learning ends ; Is committed to plan engagement by and with diverse population ( Kendall, 1990, p.40 ) .Previous Studies and ResearchA reappraisal of the old surveies that are conducted in the field of SL in linguistic communication acquisition will supply the evidences for important replies to the inquiries being investigated. SL is instead a immature field and as a consequence of this the pool of researches that are conducted in this filed is non every bit deep as is the topic ‘s demand. Previous surveies and researches are conducted in order to light and clear up the importance and the positive consequence of Service larning in ESL in order to set up the development of this plan. Many establishments since 2000 have implemented Service larning in their Curricula. Sacred Heart University, to advert one, has successfully integrated SL in their ESL categories. Their ESL pupils go into the community on hebdomadal footing and they visit and serve to a local soup kitchen, an simple school, a tutoring bureau, a retirement community, a Habitat for Humanity building undertaking, etc. The services they offer are assorted, get downing from fixing and functioning nutrient, helping instructors, tutoring, etc. In category they reflect to legion feelings, ideas, experiences and observations they ‘ve had. They besides research and read about the issues they have observed in field ( homelessness, intervention of the aged, childhood instruction ) ( Minor, 2001 ) . Another interesting service larning undertaking is Mullaney ‘s which grouped Latino pupils of ESL with Spanish pupils whose native linguistic communication was English. This gave both groups an chance to hold a colloquial spouse and enabled a bipartisan information exchange and experience. To heighten their lingual development they were integrated into the community college, this was done with the purpose to do them experience as portion of the community and besides to give them the chance to pattern English linguistic communication while discoursing with native talkers. The pupils did non hold this opportunity to interact with native talkers in mundane life. In this undertaking they performed a service that was identified demand into the community, developed their sense of caring for others, their civic duty, and it enhanced their linguistic communication larning experience ( Hellebrandt, 1999 ) . Dawson ‘s ( 2006 ) service -learning undertaking engaged the Sitka Tribe in Alaska. The pupils ‘ service in this undertaking was to interview the seniors of the Sitka Tribe in order to document their verbal history into written. The pupils besides assisted them in interpreting from their Indigenous into English. This divine native American pupils to larn more about their cultural heritage and imposts and history while heightening their academic accomplishment in History. A similar service acquisition undertaking is integrated in the course of study of the University of Prishtina, Department of English Language and Literature. Junior pupils group comprised of 12 pupils were engaged to finish 30 hours of interlingual rendition for a local intelligence bureau â€Å" Kosova Live † . They had to interpret the intelligence, edit, save the interlingual rendition, and header with deadlines. On completion of this undertaking the pupils had to convey a file of their interlingual renditions to their instructor, for the portfolio appraisal. The educational goalsin this undertaking were: Career readying ; Students will better their Albanian- English interlingual rendition skills.Standards mete the followers: Students will understand and construe written linguistic communication on a assortment of subjects ; Students present information, constructs, and thoughts to an audience of readers on a assortment of reliable subjects ; Students demonstrate apprehension of the nature of linguistic communication through comparings of the linguistic communication studied and their ain ; Students use the linguistic communication both within and beyond the school scene. The spouse in this undertaking Kosova Live Agency benefited from this coaction from the translated intelligence into Albanian and the service was provided for free. The professor proofread the interlingual rendition work of the pupils and identified the grammatical or vocabulary constructs in which pupils need to better. Then the instructor created lessons to assist them learn/practice those constructs. Besides, the pupils received points in category for finishing the interlingual renditions accurately in the signifier of a undertaking o r assignment. This was the appraisal of the pupil larning ends.Research QuestionsQ1: Why should we advance service-learning? Q2: Why is it of import that service-learning be incorporated in the traditional course of study? Q3: How can service-learning be incorporated in linguistic communication larning course of study?Research HypothesissH1. Service acquisition is a cutting border methodological analysis that helps non merely the community but pedagogues and scholars besides it can be adapted to any class that is taught in the school. H2. Service larning helps pupils understand better the content of the class because they learn by making which fits in with the ends of the Bologna procedure. H3. Service larning gives pupils an chance to utilize their cognition in a socially meaningful context which improves the relevancy and pertinence of their cognition.Research Design and MethodologyData Gathering ProcedureThis present survey will do usage of implementing processs to accomplish the intent of the survey:4.1 ParticipantsParticipants in this research will be pupils of the English Language Department at SEEU in Tetovo, and Mechanical Engineering Faculty University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje. The pupils will be chosen based on their experience and consequences, and besides based on their instructors ‘ mention.MethodologyThe research methodological analysis that will be used in this research is quantitative method that will be gathered through: pupils ‘ and instructors ‘ questionnaire and focal point group. The questionnaires will be distributed to the pupils at the SEEU and Mechanical Engineering Faculty. In both establishments Service Learning has been introduced since 2006, and the choice of the pupils will be done based on their 5 twelvemonth engagement in this plan. Teacher ‘s questionnaire will be used in order to measure instructors ‘ engagement in SL plans and their motive for SL undertakings. Focus group is a group activity for pupils ‘ development and the purpose of this method is to mensurate how they will run into the class content and the addition larning through SL undertakings. Finally, figures, charts, and tabular arraies will be included and analyzed in the research paper in order to hold a clear image of the survey.4.3 ProcedureA pupil ‘s questionnaire will be distributed in order to obtain informations related to pupil ‘s background and their perceptual experience of SL. Students will be given instructions and the research worker will explicate the intent of the questionnaire. Afterwards, a instructor ‘s questionnaire will be distributed in order to derive general information in relation to teacher ‘s attitude towards SL and the manner it is implemented in ESL schoolroom. Again, the intent of the survey will be explained in item. Finally, there will be a focal point group and the pupils will be given the chance to portion thoughts about SL undertakings that they will be assigned to, this will function as an appropriate tool of appraisal. The pupils will be exhaustively briefed firsthand about the plan, the undertaking that they will be assigned to and the expected results of it.Analysis of DatasSome instruments will be used in the probe portion of the research paper in order to roll up the information. It is expected the information analysis will ensue with the utility of SL plan execution as an advanced thought in instruction and its purpose to develop the pupils ‘ larning into something significant to them by offering custodies on instruction and acquisition by making exterior of the schoolroom. Quantitative method will be used in the research paper in order to exemplify the consequences obtained from both instructors and pupils.Interpretation of ConsequencesThe research will expose the scholars †˜ perceptual experiences about SL undertakings and demo its importance in linguistic communication acquisition. Additionally, the survey will demo the instructors ‘ attitude towards SL plan and the manner they tend to implement it in the course of study. Another portion of the research paper will include the replies from pupils ‘ and instructors ‘ questionnaires and the focal point group consequences.Master Thesis Content:Table OF CONTENTSaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. ACKNOWLEDGMENTSaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. ABSTRACTaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ Chapter I: INTRODUCTIONaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Background of the StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Significance of the StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. Purposes and Aims of the StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ . Description of Thesis OrganizationaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ ConclusionaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Chapter II: LITERATURE REVIEWaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ .aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦Chapter III: PREVIOUSSTUDIES ON SERVICE LEARNINGaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 3.1 aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦..aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ . 3.2.aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ 3.3 aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Chapter IV: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 4.1 Purpose of StudyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.2 Research QuestionsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 4.3 Research Hypothesis†¦ aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.4 Research Design and MethodologyaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . 4.4.1 ParticipantsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ 4.4.2 InstrumentsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ .. 4.4.3 ProceduresaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ . Chapter V: Analysis OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONSaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 5.1 Students ‘ QuestionnaireaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 5.2 Teachers ‘ QuestionnaireaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. 5.3 Focus GroupaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ 5.4 Comparison of ResultsaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ . Chapter VI: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ Chapter VII: Restriction OF STUDYaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ .. REFERENCESaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦.. APPENDICESaˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦aˆÂ ¦ †¦ †¦ †¦ ..

Notes on Sociology

Choosing a research method Webb, R. , Westergaard, H. , Trobe, K. , Steel, L. , (2008) AS Level Sociology, Brentwood: Napier Press p. 162 Sociologists use a range of different research methods and sources of data to collect information and test their theories. In this Topic, we shall identify the main methods and sources used in Sociology. We shall also look at the different types of data that these methods produce. We shall also examine the factors that influence sociologists’ choice of what topic they research, and at some of the main practical, theoretical and ethical (moral) factors that affect their choice of which methods to employ.Types of data P. 163 Sociologists use a wide variety of different methods and sources to obtain data (information or evidence) about society. To make sense of this variety, we can classify them into: †¢ Primary and secondary sources of data. †¢ Quantitative and qualitative data. Primary and secondary sources of data Primary data is i nformation collected by sociologists themselves for their own purposes. These purposes may be to obtain a first – hand ‘picture’ of a group or society, or to test a hypothesis (an untested theory).Methods for gathering primary data include: †¢ Social surveys: these involve asking people questions in a written questionnaire or an interview. †¢ Participant observation: the sociologist joins in with the activities of the group he or she is studying. †¢ Experiments: sociologists rarely use laboratory experiments, but they sometimes use field experiments and the comparative method. A big advantage of using primary data is that sociologists may be able to gather precisely the information they need to test their hypotheses.However, doing so can often be costly and time consuming. Secondary data is information that has been collected by someone else for their own purposes, but which the sociologist can then use. Sources of secondary data include: †¢ O fficial statistics produced by government on a wide range of issues, such as crime, divorce, health and unemployment, as well as other statistics produced by charities, businesses, churches and other organisations. †¢ Documents such as letters, diaries, photographs, official (government) reports, novels, newspapers and television broadcasts.Using secondary data can be a quick and cheap way of doing research, since someone else has already produced the information. However, those who produce it may not be interested in the same questions as sociologists, and so secondary sources may not provide exactly the information that sociologists need. Quantitative and qualitative data Quantitative data refers to information in a numerical form. Examples of quantitative data include official statistics on how many girls passed five or more GCSEs or on the percentage of marriages ending in divorce.Similarly, information collected by opinion polls and market research surveys often comes in t he form of quantitative data – for example, on the proportion of the electorate intending to vote for a particular party or how many people take holidays abroad. Qualitative data, by contrast gives a ‘feel’ for what something is like – for example, what it feels like to get good GCSE results, or for one’s marriage to end in divorce. Evidence gathered by using participant observation aims to give us a sense of what it feels like to be in that person’s ‘shoes.These methods can provide rich descriptions of these people’s feelings and experiences. Factors influencing choice of method P. 164 Given the wide range of methods available, how do we select the right one for our research? Different methods and sources of data have different strengths and limitations and we need to be able to evaluate these when selecting which to use. We can look at these strengths and limitations in terms of a number of practical, ethical (moral) and theore tical issues. Practical issues Different methods present different practical problems. These include: Time and moneyDifferent methods require different amounts of time and money and this may influence the sociologists’ choice. For example, large – scale surveys may employ dozens of interviewers and data – inputting staff and cost a great deal of money. By contrast, a small – scale project involving a lone researcher using participant observation may be cheaper to carry out, but it can take several years to complete. The researcher’s access to resources can be a major factor in determining which methods they employ. A well – known professor will probably have access to more research funds than a young student, for example.Requirements of funding bodies Research institutes, businesses and other organisations that provide the funding for research may require the results to be in a particular form. For example, a government department funding re search into educational achievement may have targets for pass rates and so require quantitative data to see whether these targets are being achieved. This means the sociologist will have to use a method capable of producing such data, such as questionnaires or structured interviews. Personal skills and characteristicsEach sociologist possesses different personal skills, and this may affect their ability to use different methods. For example, participant observation usually requires the ability to mix easily with others as well as good powers of observation and recall, while in – depth interviews call for an ability to establish a rapport (relationship of empathy and trust) with the interviewee. Not all sociologists have these qualities and so some may have difficulty using these methods. Subject matter It may be much harder to study a particular group or subject by one method than by another.For example, it might prove difficult for a male sociologist to study an all – female group by means of participant observation, while written questionnaires may be useless for studying those who cannot read. Research opportunity Sometimes the opportunity to carry out research occurs unexpectedly and this means that it may not be possible to use unstructured methods such as questionnaires, which take longer to prepare. For example, a Glasgow gang leader offered ‘James Patrick’ (1973) the chance ‘out of the blue’ to spend time with his gang.With little time to prepare, ‘Patrick’ had no option but to use participant observation. In other circumstances, the researcher may have been able to set up the research opportunity carefully beforehand and have plenty of time to select their methods. P. 165†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Ethical issues Ethics refers to moral issues of right and wrong. Methods that sociologists use to study people may raise a range of ethical questions. The British Sociological Association s ets out guidelines for the conduct of research, including the following principles: Informed consentResearch participants (the people being studied) should be offered the right to refuse. The researcher should also tell them about all relevant aspects of the research so that they can make a fully informed decision. Consent should be obtained before research begins, and if the study is lengthy, again at intervals throughout the process. Confidentiality and privacy Researchers should keep the identity of research participants secret in order to help to prevent possible negative effects on them. Researchers should also respect the privacy of research participants.Personal information concerning research participants should be kept confidential. Effects on research participants Researchers need to be aware of the possible effects of their work on those they study. These could include police intervention, harm to employment prospects, social exclusion and psychological damage. Wherever p ossible, researchers should try to anticipate and prevent such harmful effects. Vulnerable groups Special care should be taken where research participants are particularly vulnerable because of their age, disability, or physical or mental health.For example, when studying children in schools, researchers should have regard for issues of child protection. They should obtain the consent of both the child and the parent, and they should provide information in language that the child can understand. Covert research Covert research is when the researcher’s identity and research purpose are hidden from the people being studied. This can create serious ethical problems, such as deceiving or lying to people in order to win their trust or obtain information. Clearly, it is impossible to gain informed consent while at the same time keeping the research or its purpose secret.However, some sociologists argue that the use of covert methods may be justified in certain circumstances. These may include gaining access to areas of social life closed to investigation by secretive, deviant or powerful groups. Theoretical issues This refers to questions about what we think society is like and whether we can obtain an accurate, truthful picture of it. Our views on these issues will affect the kinds of methods we favour using. Validity A valid method is one that produces a true or genuine picture of what something is really like.It allows the researcher to get closer to the truth. Many sociologists argue that qualitative methods such as participant observation give us a more valid or truthful account of what it is like to be a member of a group than quantitative methods such as questionnaires can. This is because participant observation can give us a deeper insight through first hand experience. Reliability Another word for reliability is replicability. A replica is an exact copy of something, so a reliable method is one which, when repeated by another researcher, gives the s ame results.For example, in Physics or Chemistry, different researchers can repeat the same experiment and obtain the same results every time. In Sociology, quantitative methods such as written questionnaires tend to produce more reliable results than qualitative methods such as unstructured interviews. p. 166 Representativeness Representativeness refers to whether or not the people we study are a typical cross – section of the group we are interested in. Imagine, for example, that we want to know about the effects of divorce on children.It would take a great deal of time and money to study every child of divorced parents, and we might only be able to afford to study a sample of, say, 100 such children. However, if we ensure that our sample is representative or typical of the wider population, we can then use our findings to make generalisations about all children of divorced parents, without actually having to study all of them. Large – scale quantitative surveys that use sophisticated sampling techniques to select their sample are more likely to produce representative data.Methodological perspective Sociologists’ choice of method is also influenced by their methodological perspective – their view of what society is like and how we should study it. There are two contrasting perspectives on the choice of methods: positivism and interpretivism. Positivists – prefer quantitative data, seek to discover patterns of behaviour, see Sociology as a science. Interpretivists – prefer qualitative data, seek to understand social actors’ meanings, reject the view that Sociology is a science.Why do positivists and Interpretivists prefer different types of data? Positivists and Interpretivists collect and use different types of data: positivists prefer quantitative data, while Interpretivists prefer qualitative. This is because they make different assumptions about the nature of society and how we should study it. Positivists: †¢ Assume that society has an objective factual reality – it exists ‘out there’, just like the physical world. †¢ Society exerts an influence over its members, systematically shaping their behaviour patterns. Positivist research uses quantitative data to uncover and measure these patterns of behaviour. †¢ By analysing quantitative data, positivists seek to discover the objective scientific laws of cause and effect that determine behaviour. †¢ Positivists thus prefer questionnaires, structured interviews, experiments and official statistics. These produce data that is both reliable and representative. Interpretivists: †¢ Reject the idea of an objective social reality – we construct reality through the meanings we give to situations, not the product of external forces. Our actions are based on the meanings we give to situations, not the product of external forces. †¢ Interpretivist research uses qualitative data to uncover and describe the social actor’s ‘universe of meaning’. †¢ By interpreting qualitative data, Interpretivists seek to gain a subjective understanding of actors’ meanings and ‘life worlds’. †¢ Interpretivists thus prefer participant observation, unstructured interviews, and personal documents. These produce data that is valid. Functionalists and Marxists often take a positivist approach.They see society as a large – scale (macro – level) structure that shapes our behaviour. By contrast, interactionists favour an interpretivist approach. They take a micro – level view of society, focusing on small – scale, face – to face interactions. The sociologist’s theoretical perspective is usually the most important factor when choosing which method to use. Whenever possible, they will want to obtain the type of data – quantitative or qualitative – that their perspective views as most appropriate. However, practical and ethical factors usually limit the choice of method. Just because a sociologist prefers a particular kind of data, doesn’t mean that they can simply go ahead and gather it. Time, resources, access, consent, privacy and so on are all constraints on their choice. Finally, even sheer chance may determine the method used. For example, David Tuckett (2001) describes how one postgraduate Sociology student found himself taken ill with tuberculosis and confined to a hospital ward, so he used this as an opportunity to conduct a participant observation study.Choice of topic p. 167. Before choosing which method to use, sociologists need to decide what topic they wish to study. Several factors influence their choice: Theoretical perspective The sociologist’s theoretical perspective is a major influence upon their choice of research topic. For example, a New Right researcher may study the effects of welfare benefits on the growth of lone – parent famili es, since the idea of welfare dependency is central to their standpoint.By contrast, a feminist researcher is more likely to choose to study domestic violence, as opposition to gender oppression lies at the heart of Feminist theory. Society’s values Sociologists themselves are part of the society they study and thus are influenced by its values. As these values change, so does the focus of research. The rise of Feminism in the 1960s and 1970s led to a focus on gender inequality and the environmentalist concerns of the 21st century have generated interest in ‘green crimes’ such as serious pollution or the unlawful transport of nuclear material.Funding bodies Most research requires funding from an external body. These bodies include government agencies, charitable organisations and businesses. As the funding body is paying for the research, it will determine the topic to be investigated. For example, one of the major social concerns of New Labour governments after 1997 was the ‘social exclusion’ of some disadvantaged groups. As a result, government departments were keen to fund research projects to investigate the causes and effects of social exclusion. Practical factorsPractical factors, such as the inaccessibility of certain situations to the researcher, may also restrict what topic they are able to study. For example, although sociologists may wish to study the ways in which global corporations make their decisions, this may not be possible because these are made in secrecy. Summary Sociologists test their theories using quantitative or qualitative data. Sociologists obtain primary data themselves, using methods including questionnaires, interviews and observation. Secondary data are produced by others but used by sociologists.In choosing a method, sociologists take several issues into account: †¢ Practical issues include time and funding. †¢ Ethical issues include whether the researcher deceives the subjects. †¢ Theoretical issues include validity (does the method give a truthful picture? ), reliability (can it be replicated? ) and representativeness (does it study a typical cross – section? ). Perspective also affects choice of method. Positivists prefer quantitative data; interpretivists favour qualitative data. Choice of topic is also affected by society’s values and funding bodies.

Memoirs of an Ex Prom Queen

Memoirs of an Ex Prom Queen This is essay is based on the book ‘Memoirs of an Ex –Prom Queen’ by Alix Kates Shulman. This work explores the barriers and boundaries faced by Sasha in her search for peace and happiness. Further, the essay discusses in detail how the barriers affect Sasha and the significance of the same in relation to the major theme of the book. Of key interest as well is how Sasha deals with the barriers or manages to live with them or tolerate them in her life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Memoirs of an Ex Prom Queen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sasha, the major character in the book, was born and raised in a middle class family. She was brilliant, smart, beautiful and very philosophical in her approach to issues. Whenever a challenge confronted her, she had developed a mechanism of finding solutions in philosophical thinking (Shulman 1976, 78). She believed that no matter how challenging a situation was, having a philosophical insight was tantamount in realizing its influence in her life. Sasha faced a lot of life barriers and struggles like most girls of her time. Some of the challenges that girls in Sasha’s world faced included job discrimination against women, sexual harassment, economic exploitation and disenfranchisement of the women (Shulman 1976, 78). Women were alienated from themselves through societal double standards as concerns social life especially when it came to sexual life. Like all girls or women of her time, Sasha was deeply concerned about beauty or how to remain appealing to men. The obsession with beauty is epitomized in Sasha’s fascistic tendencies. Sasha becomes acutely concerned about beauty after she wins a prom at the age of 15. The win of a prom reawakened in her the adolescence related beauty concerns. The concern for beauty in her life is heightened in her early 20’s. This heightened concern was triggered by a realization that her braces were wearing off and that her 30s were approaching fast. Her anxiety consisted in not being sure what her 30s would be like. She wanted to be done with the 20s so that the 30s in which she hopes to find true love, peace and happiness would come. This quest leads her in serious considerations of who she is, why she is the way she is and whether she will ever find happiness in life. As the book unfolds, when the 30s come to her, she is not able to arrive at or achieve the much anticipated love, peace and happiness. This state of affairs as depicted by the author results from the number of barriers or boundaries encountered by Sasha. The first barrier to her finding happiness was the bad early sexual experiences. As Sasha narrates her story, she reveals that boys in her high school were bullies and her first sexual experience was coerced. The second barrier to Sasha’s attainment of fulfillment is her promiscuous activities. In her 20’s she had already had sexu al experience with a number of men. The sexual experiences were not good for her self esteem. For example, the affairs with her University professor negatively affected her self perception and further her perception of men. She thought that having sexual experience with men would help her by improving her self esteem and confidence. However, the opposite is what happened.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Men’s attitude comes out as Sasha’s barrier to happiness because although her first marriage was perfect, the man had many ‘nos’ and ‘donts’. She later married again but the men continually disappointed (Shulman 1976, 116). Sasha and the men seem out rightly mismatched. All her marriages didn’t work for her and lasted for a very short period ending in divorce. The troubles in her marriages always send her living in the past or remi niscing over her life. Discomfort with this kind of life send her on a goose chase, trying to find how best to live in the present. Apart from promiscuity before marriage, unfaithfulness was a big barrier to fulfillment in Sasha’s marriage. Sasha didn’t live up to the promise of marriage which involves faithfulness, commitment and honesty. Somehow, it appears lust continued to plaque her; a sort of obsession (Shulman 1976, 46). While married to Frank, Sasha still went a head to have exclusive sexual excursion in Spain (Shulman 1976, 32). Frank was the typical man, who believed in order and a form of traditional adherence to marriage precepts. He was totally unaware of her unfaithfulness and continued to try out ways of expressing his undying love for her (Shulman 1976, 183). He knew nothing about his wife’s secret mission or trips to places like Spain. While frank still believed in love, Sasha was impatient with him. She restlessly looked forward to the earliest opportunity so as to abandon the marriage. Sexually transmitted diseases also played a role in barring Sasha from finding satisfaction and rest in life. She went to Italy due to a quest for some form of personal reawakening. She spent much of her time in Italy doing personal reflection, reading and brooding about her sex life. She eagerly yearned for an opportunity to experience Italian romance. Then she met Leonardo they fell in love. Unfortunately, Leonardo is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease; gonorrhea, and he accuses her of having had the infection (Shulman 1976, 132). Whenever a love escapade went awry, Sasha would go digging into her past and one issue was sticky for her. The loss of virginity and related innocence troubled her conscience or kept coming to her as often as her problems persisted (Shulman 1976, 112). Sasha had a unique family life as compared to the young women of her age. Despite being born in a ‘good family’, she lost her virginity a t an early age. This had a huge psychological impact on her life making the meaningfulness of sexuality elusive to her.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Memoirs of an Ex Prom Queen specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The final barrier to Sasha’s finding rest, peace and happiness is her obsession with beauty. The issue was how to remain attractive even after age 30 (Shulman 1976, 113). In effort to find the kind of beauty that would make her attractive even when her body begins to sag, Sasha started out the wild goose chase of shambled relationships. Obsession with beauty made Sasha selfish; she focused too much on her own desires than what others thought of her or the effects of her actions. The effects of the barriers on Sasha’s life are evidenced in her restless life style. She desired to find rest and peace at last, however, her initiatives failed because of the mentioned barriers. It was her desire to accomplish and live more meaningfully. When it became apparent that she could not continue in her tracks, she goes seeking therapy. In one of the sessions with the therapists, she discusses the possibility of having extra marital affair because she felt that it was good for her and her lifestyle since she didn’t feel comfortable in having a steady partner in marriage. In therapy, she reveals her desire to divorce and go back to her first husband. As she explains, her initial plan was to leave her parents so she could be free to enjoy the world on her own. From the therapeutic encounter, it is clear that Sasha need to reconsider her thoughts about self and others. Another important aspect of therapy is the realization the Sasha need to take a firm stance in terms of what would fulfill her life that is not depended on others’, especially men’s, approval or admiration. The barriers that Sasha faces are critical in understanding the ills or factors that disadvantage d women in society. Through the different barriers and challenges that Sasha faces, the writer is insightfully brings out the importance of self respect among women. The self respect should come with realization of self worthy after establishing a self identity. A woman’s self identity should not be depended on the approval of men. It is the warped idea that a woman’s worthy is depended on men’s approval or attractiveness that leads to the obsession with beauty among many women. The theme of beauty as an inner attribute as oppose to just physical appearance is well illustrated through Sasha’s story. In conclusion, Sasha through her barriers and life experiences reflects women’s struggles and obsessions in society. Sasha lived in a society in which women’s needs were not fully appreciated by men. Women were more or less seen as sex objects. There were no equal job opportunities for women and men continued to take advantage. Sasha is a woman w ho represents the reality but also indicates in which direction women empowerment efforts should focus.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Reference List Shulman, A. K. (1976). Memoirs of an Ex-Prom Queen. 6th Ed. New York: Bantam Books

4 great work from home jobs for teachers

4 great work from home jobs for teachers When you think of the day-to-day of a teacher, you likely envision the typical role of getting to school as the sun rises and standing in front of a class all day. All those work-from-home and make your own schedule perks are for other professions- not teachers, right? Not necessarily. Maybe you’ve been in the classroom for years and are looking for something a little more private and one-on-one. Maybe you still love education but family or personal circumstances make it so that the flexibility of working from home is ideal for you. If so, you’ll be thrilled to learn that there are lots of options available. That’s right, you can leverage the skills and experience that you’ve gained while working in the classroom and earn some real money- either extra income on top of your teacher salary or as your primary paycheck, all according to your schedule and needs.Consider the following work from home jobs if you’re a teacher looking to explore ways in whic h you can earn money without having to go beyond your very own front door.TutorYou’re already good at teaching students in the classroom, so why not earn some money doing it outside of class? Consider adding tutoring services to your roster of available work services- you can offer tutoring sessions at your home or online and book appointments that work around your current schedule, which is a huge plus for busy folks. Also, you can focus on the subjects you’re already an expert in, which means no â€Å"learning curve† or additional training is required- you can get started immediately. How’s that for a win-win work situation?Online TeacherThis one’s similar to tutoring in terms of directly leveraging what you already do inside of the classroom to earn a paycheck from the comfort of your own home. The number of institutions offering classes online- in nearly every subject imaginable- seems to grow by leaps and bounds every year, which means that th e demand for experienced and qualified educators will only continue to increase. Are you intrigued by the notion of getting paid to teach online from your home? If so, then this might be a perfect option for you.EditorWhat teacher doesn’t spend a significant amount of their professional time reviewing, editing, and revising their student’s written work? If this sounds familiar, then why not consider making some extra money doing it from home? Editors are paid to carefully read and revise a wide array of written material, from articles and books to blog posts, marketing collateral, and more. Many editors work from their own home computers and have leverage setting their own hours and rates- you can even have control over the types of materials you chose to edit, and once you get some experience under your belt you can specialize and focus in a topic or area of your choosing. If this sounds right up your alley then this just might be the work-from-home employment option that you’re looking for.Blogger/WriterThese days, many of us choose to blog for the fun of it, or because we’re passionate about a subject- but did you know that you can get paid for doing it? That’s right, many companies hire content developers to create original blog content for their sites in an effort to generate clicks and build their audiences. You can help contribute to their efforts and get paid in the process. The range of topics that you could potentially write about is nearly limitless, and you can typically have control over the hours you work. Also, if your content starts generating lots of reader traffic, you can build some real job security and even increase your hourly rate and take-home pay.Are you looking to boost your income with work opportunities that you can do from home? If so, then consider taking advantage of the opportunities mentioned here and you might find yourself with extra money without having to overhaul your life or derail your normal schedule and routine. Good luck!

Phase 1 Discussion Board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Phase 1 Discussion Board - Assignment Example The bidding procedures have brought several challenges to the entire department. As the project head, I see to it that we can follow a strategic plan from inviting suppliers to present proposals to closing a contract from one of the suppliers that has passed the eligibility checked. It’s easier said than done. A procurement plan is simpler than the actual process. In the preceding paragraphs, I will explain in details the highlights of my role as the project manager and procurement head. As I’ve said, my role has been associated from the very start of the procurement procedure which involve expert judgment and using appropriate criteria to identify the scope of work that best suit our current project few suppliers has presented on our department during the opening of bids. Prior to that, I and my committee would develop a qualified sellers list that would enumerate several companies that offer similar projects of standard quality. I am studying, not only the present sta nding of these suppliers, but their completed projects over the past years. This examination will include product or service package like discounts, after sales service, warranty and the like. Our invitation to bid letters will be sent to the chosen suppliers who have passed our criteria. This process makes the work simpler rather than allowing all companies, manufacturers and service providers to participate the sealed bidding. The tasks do not end here; the project would be awarded not only for the sellers who have offered the lowest price. Price is deceiving at times. Our criteria for selecting one or few sellers to participate on the contract are brands and end users feedbacks about them. Statistics won’t like so I used to collect feedbacks from different types of end users. One of the trickiest parts is contract negotiation, as a project manager, I always see to it that the contract would always in favour of the company. Based on the several experiences from procurement of ICT infrastructure to enhance our E-Ticketing System to repair and renovation of tourist train coaches, I have always come up with an outstanding contract with our awarded suppliers. That was made possible with the help of my committee. More heads are better than one. Nevertheless, before the contract can be finalized, our decision will be submitted to the contract department. We have in-house experts who are tasked to re-examine our reports before the purchased order and contacts will be released and signed. Despite of the presence of our in-house experts on the contract and purchasing department, my part on the planning and decision making of the procurement committee is a very important factor of the success of the project. I did most of the plan and control. I will tell you more about the behind scenes of the procurement management. Success is always associated to risks and failures. Despite of feasibility studies and similar researches, I also deal several procurement risks. As a project manager, I also developed a solid procurement risk management plan to solve anticipated risks. In conducting research, I always remind my committee to consider both pros and cons. Prevention is better than cure. I strongly believe that this is very applicable to business. To maximize the return of investment, I always look for a practical, well-structured plan to start the project. Some common examples of risks are unrealistic schedule set by