Thinkertoys Week 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thinkertoys Week 3 - Essay Example eeping in view the methodology used by Michalko, it becomes quite easy to explore the problems at individual, collective and corporate levels, and finding out the solutions for these problems as well. Michalko focuses on complete assessment of a problem by examining each and every aspect of it, rather concentrating only one part of the problem, which, according to him, may put the solution of the problem at stake. The same is applied by analyzing one’s personal problems in respect of searching out a job. I have adopted the Phoenix checklist in order to put my questions and their possible answers on the basis of Michalko’s thinking strategy. The solution of a problem is extremely necessary due to the very reality that a problem creates difficulties for a person while thinking and analyzing, so it is very important to make plan to get rid of that problem. The solution of a problem helps the individuals proceed to some goals determined for making progress in life; it is th erefore comprehensive assessment of problem and determining of its all possible solutions is most required for individuals. I have the problem in finding out job as soon as I complete my degree from the university. The declining global economy is the ugliest hurdle on the way of the fresh graduates while penetrating into the job market. In addition, all the organizations demand previous experiences from the job-seekers, which is really a hard nut to crack for the fresh graduates. The analyses of business environment view recommendations and approach a must for entering the job market. Moreover, the rising unemployment at global level has created the proportion of competitors against every vacancy to a great extent. Further, since education has got popularity everywhere in the world, the percentage of educated people has also increased, but the job opportunities are far less than the percentage of educated people, which serves as a serious threat for getting an attractive job. All these points

Conservatives Placed Their Faith in Pragmatism Essay Example for Free

Conservatives Placed Their Faith in Pragmatism Essay Why, and to what extent, have conservatives placed their faith in pragmatism rather than principle? Pragmatism is the idea that one should take a flexible approach to politics; using an understanding of what is best for the people and what will bring stability, it also is about what is most wanted by the people. An example of this was the post war consensus when consecutive conservative governments didn’t cancel any of the widespread reforms brought in by the labour government of 1945-51. Principle is the complete opposite of pragmatism and is more ideological sticking to a certain view of how society should be and pursuing this. It is a political idea that changes with the times Conservatives have often favoured pragmatic approaches to situations an example being Benjamin Disraeli and his one nation toryism. Prior to this the general consensus about the poor made by early conservatives was that the poor were due to their own mistakes and that it was not the place of others to help them but that they should help themselves. Due to the Disraeli seeing growth of social inequality he came to the conclusion that to ensure social stability and to stem the tide of revolution, the government should take measures to help the poor. This displays conservative pragmatism as it’s a clear example of the conservative thought changing and reacting to events. In Disraeli’s case these events were the French revolution. This shows how pragmatism was held dear to conservative thought. Another Reason conservatives tend to favour the pragmatic approach stems from conservative thinker Michael Oakeshot who argued that societies should not be directed towards certain goals, claiming ideological change is normally radical in nature and can lead tyranny and this should be avoided. However there are cases when ideology has gripped the conservative party, the biggest example could be the new right under Margaret Thatcher. Here the conservative party appeared to break away from just an opposing role and instead began to pursue ideals of a free market; through the selling of national assets such as the railways and the deregulation of the banking system. It also saw a sort of reversal on the post war consensus, reducing the size of the welfare state. Here there was a clear example of principle being the main driving force within the conservative party as many of the actions taken by Thatcher’s government also faced a lot of criticism from many members of the opposition, the public and her own party. However the fact that the government policies of  her day still pursued these principles in the wave of mass public unrest show that these changes weren’t in reaction to any event but simply part of the pursuit of a political ideal. It seemed like the first time the conservative party had actually adopted some form of ideology. This is a clear example of principle being favoured over political ideology. At it’s very nature conservatism changes in regards to the ideology it’s opposing. It’s rooted in the original ideas of Edmund burke and his writings about the French revolution which claimed that radical change is bad and harmful for society. Conservativism right at its origin fears ideology and it’s very nature as it sees ideology and the radical views that tend to follow it as a threat to the balance of society. At it’s heart conservativism isn’t an ideology but simply a political ideas which at it’s very nature is reactive with the main aim of preserving and bringing about gently staggered change rather than radical changes. It could be claimed that the new right weren’t in fact real conservatives and more like classical liberals. But in conclusion it would appear that true conservativism will always favour pragmatism over ideology.

Report On Workplace Stress Management Essay

Report On Workplace Stress Management Essay Workplace stress can be defined as the mental trauma and distress that an employee has to go through when there is a disparity between the requirements at work and the capabilities, efficiency or the resources available. Workplace today has become a studio wherein scripts are written to overtake other studios and outperform every single instance of competition out in the middle. Hence the pressure put by employers on their â€Å"bulls† to plough their fields is immense. This pressure takes its toll and results in increased anxiety and tension levels among workers. This phenomenon is popularly called stress in the workplace. Overworking, repeated rebuttals can cause such a response in workplaces these days. Majorly, work related stress affects sleep causing insomnia and sleeplessness. It affects fitness adversely because of the reduced sleep. It can cause problems in the family of the affected individual like infighting, frequent arguments and fits of disagreement. This adverse ly affects the family life and also enhances the inefficiency at work. All of this lead to increased levels of frustration and hesitancy and directly affects the quality of work, thus further compounding the pressure on the individual. Also stress is related to the cause of various physical disorders like cardiovascular and others. Hence workplace stress is a potent problem faced by modern day offices and employees. It not only affects the individual, also the company is on the receiving end of poorer quality of work output. (Wikipedia) There has been much work going on in regard to increasing the level of comfort of an employee so that there are lesser and smaller chances of stress burnout. This includes increasing the number of employees taken in, or easier division of labour at the workplace, or better appreciation or acknowledgement of quality work. All of this is being done by companies to offer their employees an opportunity to a â€Å"healthy job†. A healthy job, as defined by the World Health Organization, is one where the pressure on an individual is proportional in measure to the individuals capability, the resources available at hand, the amount of work assigned to him and the people present to support him. All of these form important factors in deciding the stress levels of an individual at the workplace. Also, the WHO emphasises that a good working environment would be one wherein the individual feels not only the absence of stress inducing factors, but also the presence of health and goodwill pr omoting factors. (WHO official website) Statement of the problem: Our major concern in the undertaking of this project is to assess factors that may lead to a stress burnout in modern day work environments and a possible solution to mitigate their effects on employees. This study aims at studying the measures that have already been taken to counter the problem of work related stress and questions their effectiveness. We will look at measures suggested by various agencies like the WHO and people involved in research on this subject in order to provide the world with a workforce performing at its maxima. Purpose: Firstly, the study will focus on the causes and effects of increased stress levels, especially in or due to the workplace. The symptoms are evident. Increased levels of tension (hypertension), insomnia, loss of interest in work, apathy or indifference, increased frustration, fatigue, trouble concentrating; these are all symptoms that an individual is on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to highly exaggerated levels of stress or anguish, thus leading to a poor response at the workplace. At times, this heightened anxiety may also lead to the individual involving in the usage of dope or turning an alcoholic. Thus the symptoms indicate when a person is in need of guidance, help or assistance to cope with the psychological pressures of working overtime or not being able to match with the standards of his peers. Then our focus will be on measures to detract such situations from coming to the fore in a workplace. We will study methods that seek to improve the overall well being of the em ployee, whether it is changes in the sociological environment, or the use of a counsellor to help the individual emerge from his state of depression. Significance of the study: Its of immediate and absolute necessity that the problems of the office and the workplace be solved as soon as possible before they spill over into the personal lives of the concerned individuals. There are many problems affecting the corporate sector, problems related to publicity and HRM, but when the output coming out of an employee is sub standard, and if that happens on a mass scale, the company loses long standing clients and the reputation takes a steep decline, inhibiting further expansion and growth. Hence, employee satisfaction is one of the major concerns in todays corporate world. And one of the most important aspects in employee satisfaction remains burnout prevention. If the company can keep employees from exhausting their potential due to excessive workload, they will certainly excel in other aspects of growth. The feedback of an employee is essential to the expansion and the reputation of the company. Thus, employees form the backbone of the skeletal structure of any company. Hence the study of work related stress becomes of top priority of corporate honchos. If a company is unable to protect its employees from the disastrous outcomes of a burnout, the word about the companys exploitative policies gets out in the market and then there are hardly any people willing to join the company even on a bit elevated pay scale. The company loses reputation, and there is no way in which it can recruit quality professionals because of its lousy reputation. Also the company becomes a bed of controversies as people start criticising its policies of employee management. This adversely affects the stakeholders in the company. Hence, employee management and satisfaction form a primary priority of the companys policies. Chapter 2 Background: The problem we are looking at is the issue of employee burnout at the corporate level in todays cut throat environment where companies draw up plans of execution that require employees to exhaust themselves by repeated stints of overtime, incentive based overload, etc. Though in the short term the company ends up profiting from such misplaced dedication, in the long term, the company loses its energy and money on training professionals who are eventually going to burn themselves out in a particular instance. Hence the long term loss of the company is far more emphatic, and the company has to invest in order to set it right. Hence the company loses a lot of its money and time setting things right. Thus, the modern day corporate has woken up to an existing issue of workers suffering work induced stress. This problem needs to be addressed with a steel authority so that in the long term, employees dont end up leaving the company due to such reasons, and the company can retain most of its staff, thus putting good to all the investment it made on training and teaching the staff. The issue of employee burnout also has to be addressed to improve the output of a employee in a capacity. An increased output level of an employee can make wonders for a company looking for greater ventures. An employee holds the key to a companys ability to make it big in the corporate world. A grumpy and irritable employee only succeeds in turning the mood of an environment irritable, leading to an epidemic of grouchy workers, in turn leading to a horrible turnover for the company, failed attempts at meeting deadlines, angry clients. Thus an employee needs to be looked after if he does show signs of burnout. A pat on the back can do wonders to lift the morale of the worker. It can give him much needed assurance from the employers side. However, it is also rewarding to appreciate the quality of work a worker constantly turns in by rewarding him a pay rise. At times, a little counselling from experienced people can also help the individual climb out of his state of depression. Literature Review: A lot of literature has been published on the above topic to help companies with various techniques aimed at reducing stress at the workplace. The WHO has been actively involved in collaborating with researchers and the corporate world alike to enhance the methods taken to help individuals with their stress disorders. This is necessary for all companies throughout. The studies undertaken can be company specific, pertaining to the workplace of a particular company. The studies undertaken may be industry specific, pertaining generally to the kind of work involved in the industry of choice which will more or less be the same in most companies working within the domains of that industry. The studies could also be general, pertaining to some common features that all industries share. These measures can be adopted by all companies and are for global welfare of employees. Also the governments of various nations fund their own studies and researches to identify the key aspects that impact th e psychological functions of an employee. Thus even governments are actively involved in working for the welfare of their workforce. Many governments have set up centres or councils that work all the year around to study present day policies of companies towards its workers and give suggestions relevant and feasible to protect workers from an overdose of work. Also many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are also working for the same. Human rights activists are also actively voicing their concerns over the exploitative policies of certain companies and at times, also the governments. These add up to numerous research papers and literature on policies that a company should follow to save its employees from blowing off the lid off their heads. Definitions: An important definition is of a healthy job. As previously mentioned, a healthy job is one where the load on an individual is considering the capabilities of the individual, his resources, his knowledge of the topic, his work routine, so that he is not indirectly forced into putting in far too many extra hours, his support staff, whether everything in the personal life of the individual is fine and doesnt involve sizeable perturbations. Also the stress related hazards at work can be differentiated into 2 categories: work content and work context. Work content includes the amount of work handed to the individual, the quality of the job, also whether the individual is coped with enough resources to carry out the work, whether the work entails him to put in hours of extra effort, thereby affecting sleep. The work context includes the sociological factors in a workplace. These can be the competition at the workplace, the disappointments of failure, and the grumpiness due to malpractices at the workplace, the ignorance of the higher commands to the appreciable work done by the individual, the lack of motivation or disinterest in the kind of work allotted. Chapter 3 Causes of Workplace Stress: As many countries around the world spend billions of rupees on anti-depressants and stress-busters to relieve their people from stress, an analysis of the causes of stress provides a great deal of understanding of the problem. The research hence indicated some of the chief causes of stress, the major causes being explained as follows. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, U.S., emphasises that the personal traits and characteristics of the workers play a chief role in determining the level of stress the person is likely to go through, given a fixed set of working conditions. (NIOSH, 2010). For instance, the stress level of one person may differ from another person based on their skills to cope and adjust, and the tendencies of their bodies to respond to the mental stress. Another increasingly popular notion which is gaining credence states that the working conditions, instead, play a greater and dominating role in causing stress to the people. Apart from these viewpoints, there are also other causes by various organizations of the world, which are cited as contributing factors in inducing stress. For example, the post of a person, his status in the organization can also alter the levels of stress he might be experiencing. In other words, people who have little influence and lower status in the organization are found to be more stressed out than other people, who at higher posts. Such arguments also state that even though people at powerful positions have higher workload, but there is no co-relation between workload and stress. In addition it must be mentioned, the Glob al Business and Round Table Conference on Addiction and Mental Health puts the overload factor, also called as â€Å"The Treadmill Syndrome† on the top of the list of the factors causing workplace stress. Moreover, there are popular arguments which have claimed to link the stress with economic factors. It can be best illustrated by an increasingly growing trend in the 21st century business world wherein companies are very quick to lay off workers or sack them stating some reasons, cutting down jobs and taking back benefits to the existing employees, so as to save on capital and adjust with the rapidly changing business environment. The solid emergence of the concept of â€Å"downsizing† leads to worrying employees, which in turn leads to a great deal of stress. Moreover, studies of the WHO reveal that the most significant cause of work stress can be attributed to the pressures and demands from the employees who are either not capable enough, or not qualified and equipp ed to the level which would enable them to do the required work. Such situations, clearly, lead to immense workplace stress. Another factor that adds to the stress of an average employee is the vagueness of his perception of his job and the goals of the organisation. When the employees are ambiguous about their jobs, their duties and what is expected of them, it leads to worries and anxiety. Furthermore, the lack of concrete and clear knowledge about the philosophy of the organisation and its objectives leads to a lack of awareness, commitment, interest and a sense of lessening confidence. In addition, many studies have revealed the inflexibility is also a major factor contributing to stress. Workplaces where the employees are required to work for long hours under a strict schedule, and particularly those where they are made to do so alone, and the environment is non-social, it leads to great stress. The mental pressure increases with the strictness, and this might also, in a way, d epend upon the characteristics of the supervisor (manager). Another aspect of stress which is usually found to be its cause is, as discussed, lack of control or participation. The reason behind why employees at lower positions feel stressed is actually this factor, by which the employee tends to feel that his contribution to the organisation is making no difference, since he holds no say in any sort of decision-making or policy-framing. Gradually a growing sense of alienation and frustration combine, thereby leading to stress. (Workstress.net) Effects of Stress: Stress in the working environment of a company directly affects the individuals, and in turn, affects the organizations and its many aspects to a great extent. Apart from the physical toll stress can take on an individual, leading to many problems like fatigue, blood pressure problems, the emotional and psychological effects of stress are the most severe. A distressed person may lose his spirit of dedication and commitment towards the organization totally, thereby putting in less and less amount of effort and creativity in the work he does, and contributing less to the organization. Stressed out employees may not be able to work with concentration which can affect the output of their work in a negative way. All this in turn affects the organization as a whole. For instance, increasing workplace stress may cause considerable absenteeism from work thereby pulling down efficiency and productivity. In addition, it may create many other problems like defaming the image of the company, and dissatisfaction among the public (customers). Stress among the employees also leads to objectionable trends like drug abuse, etc. It negatively impacts the procedure of recruiting new staff, as the image of the company has been harmed and damaged. In addition to this, stress can be very problematic on the personal side of the employee. Anxiety, mood swings, etc. may affect the personal life and the relationship of the employee with his family and loved ones, the negative impact of which may result into more and more stress. Hence, the effect of stress is multi-faceted. It is taxing to the company, to the individual and to other people not directly related to the organisation. The effects of the stress lead to symptoms of stress amongst the employees, which must be identified at a stable stage, so that the task of stress prevention is carried out effectively and successfully. (Workstress.info) Chapter 4 Summary: The problem of stress, its management, its causes and effects is one of the most important global problems of the current area. The ever-increasing concern about workplace stress and how to curb it is the key motivation behind the research. Furthermore, the primary aim of the research is to study the causes and effects of stress, and provided recommendations. There has been a genuine attempt in fulfilling the aim, beginning by reading a great amount of literature on the topic. Various studies and various sources have tried to provide a concrete notion of the causal of workplace stress, based on which many have provided recommendations. Those causes are studied in a practical environment, as part of this research, so as to genuinely assess their validity. The research also involves considerable study on workplace stress management. Preventive measures that have been implemented to reduce stress have been evaluated and looked into, and measures that include management of stressed out w orkers and their total recovery from stress have also been analysed. Discussion: It must be mentioned here that completely doing away with stress is an unprofitable concept. Psychological studies reveal that a small amount of stress can provide for just the right amount of drive needed to work effectively with genuine interest. Thus, a little stress is always good. But when stress assumes larger proportions, it can be destructive for the organisation. We have studied the factors leading to stress. The causes of workplace stress vary, as we have seen. Contrasting arguments also exist, for instance, some cases argue that the even though managers and executives of a company face a larger workload, there are less stressed out than other employees at lower positions. On the contrary, there are studies that list the overload factor as one of the primary factors leading to stress among the employees. The likelihood of the latter claim seems more intense, since it is more reasonable and plausible. Furthermore, stress is now increasingly believed to be arising out of a si tuation known as the Work Organisation Problem, which states that the stress among the employees is a consequence of improper, inefficient, problematic and inappropriate organisation of tasks and work amongst the employees. This is perhaps a result of various studies which point out and emphasize that the mismatch between qualification and work done by an employee is the root of all problems that arise in various forms within the organization. Moreover, the recommendation for the organisation to look for signs of stress amongst its employees stems out of the need for prevention of stress. Since stress management, i.e. management of stressed out workers involves many structural measures and a great deal of temporary effort, and is also time consuming, it is always imperative for the organisation to prevent stress in a proactive way. Managing stressed workers should always be recorded for further interpretation of the findings, and hence for effective human resource management of the organisation. The need for culture change within the body of employees is an area that must be taken care of. Having unions for the betterment of the employees is a notion that must be discussed with the employees first, and then implemented. Furthermore, it is quite clear and easily comprehendible that stress leads to the damage of the image of the organization. Such damage is usually both internal, i.e. within the perceptions of the employees, as well as in the eyes of the public. (Guide to Stress Management) Recommendations: Based on the findings, it can be concluded that stress arises out of not one factor, but many factors. Improper work organisation, economic factors like pressure from investors in the share-market, growing fear of being downsized, and so on can create workplace stress. In any case, an organization must follow certain fundamental steps whenever stress is discovered to threaten its efficiency. The risks involved with stress are huge, and affect the organisation in many direct and indirect ways. Hence, a concrete policy of risk-management must be followed. Such a policy includes various steps as shown by the following flowchart. Beginning from the assessment of risk, to planning and materialisation of the required action plan, all steps must be followed up with genuine concern for the stressed employees and the suffering organization. (Leka) Thus, to address the overload problem first and foremost, the primary concern of the managers should be proper distribution of work among the employees. Moreover, there can be also a regular training for all employees to teach them on how to prioritize work efficiently. Certain other factors that are also cited as causes of stress must be treated. For instance, random and abrupt disturbances for the employees can have a negative impact. Various experts have suggested measures such as effective management of workspace and time as a solution to this type of stress. In an organization, it is imperative for every employee to be treated equally and justly. Absence of such treatment can also leads to uncertainty and stress amongst the employees. Hence, it must be tended to that each employee is treated equally and at par with everybody else, and all his rights are guarded. Mistrust amongst employees should be taken care of, with an attempt to develop frank communication levels and healthy inter-personal relationships within the organization. It is strongly recommended that any kind of politics must be rejected and condemned, so as to create a healthy workspace. In addition, the aim of creating a healthy and productive workspace can be done through rewards and recognizing outstanding performances, and their appreciation. Such measures have been found to go a long way in creating a sense of loyalty, commitment and a positive attitude towards the company. Stress puts the whole organisation at the risk of survival. Hence, it must be addressed as soon it has been discovered. Apart from small measures, a need to take large steps within the organization to reduce the problems caused by work stress might also arise. Such steps may involve redesigning the whole structure of work, and reorganising it within the employees, and managing it. Work stress generally shows itself in little observations, hence regular and continual steps must be taken to assess the conditions of the w orkers, and to look for signs of stress. Such measures may include regular questionnaires, or talks with the employees and managers. Also, whenever the warning signs are discovered, immediate action must follow. Discussions should take place with the stressed out workers, and certain changes which will help remove stress must be implemented. Such discussions should encompass suggestions and measures that could be taken on the personal front of the employees, which could help in lowering the stress. Steps such as having a balanced diet, thinking positive and even incorporating ideas like organising regular workshops on how to psychologically manage stress and combat it could turn out to be of great help. It becomes all the more important in many situations whether these discussions take place or not, since they could greatly benefit and completely curb stress within the workplace. A sense of direction, in totality, needs to be provided to the staff at regular intervals. (Life positiv e official website) References: Wikipedia (n.d.) retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_stress WHO official website retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/stressatwp/en/ National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health official website (n.d.) data retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/workorg/ Workstress.info official website (n.d.) retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.workstress.info/the-health-effects-of-workplace- stress/ Workstress.net official website retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.workstress.net/causes.htm Guide to stress management official website (n.d.) data retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.guidetostressmanagement.com/workplace-stress/ Work Health and Organization Stavroula Leka and Amanda Griffiths UK 1-35 obtained on 17/5/2010 from www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/en/oehstress.pdf Life Positive official website retrieved on 17/5/2010 from http://www.lifepositive.com/mind/psychology/stress/stress-at-work.asp Appendix: Downsizing (cutting down or chopping the workforce in economically unfavourable times) Page 9. Flowchart on Risk Management Page 13. Flowchart on Stress Causal Mechanism Page 8. Global Business and Round Table Conference on Addiction and Mental Health (organised by the Centre of Mental Health and Addiction , Toronto) Page 9 National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NOISH) U.S. Page 8. Summary of the research Page 10. Treadmill Syndrome (disproportionately high amount of work with respect to time, space) Page 9. Work content Page 8. Work context Page 8. WHO—World Health Organisation Pages 4, 7, 9.

Effects That Caffeine Consumption

Effects That Caffeine Consumption Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the United States (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Regular coffee drinkers consume an average of 200-500mg of caffeine per day (Julien, 2005). Caffeine is found in a broad variety of sources including coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate and some over the counter medications (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Upon consumption, caffeine reaches peak plasma levels in 30-75 minutes and has a half life of 3-7 hours when consumed in a single dose (Roehrs Roth, 2008). When consumed in greater quantities, the half life is extended (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Caffeines high rate of consumption may be due to the desirable effects it produces, such as increase mental alertness, improved flow of thought and of course, feelings of wakefulness (Julien, 2005). Caffeine is not without its undesirable effects; caffeine consumption may have a negative effect on tasks which require fine motor skills, complex arithmetic skills, or precise timing (Julien, 2005). Structurally, caffeine is similar to adenosine. In the brain, adenosine decreases neural firings and inhibits neurotransmitter release (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Caffeine works as an adenosine antagonist; blocking adenosine receptors in the brain. As a consequence, caffeine prevents adenosine from decreasing neural firings, leading to an increase in firings, and the stimulant effects caffeine is well known for (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Caffeines blocking of adenosine receptors leads to dopamine release in the prefrontal cortex, causing caffeines alerting effects (Julien, 2005). While discontinuation of caffeine consumption may produce withdrawal symptoms, caffeine does not influence the dopaminergic structures associated with rewards and addiction (Julien, 2005). Typical withdrawal symptoms include headache, drowsiness, fatigue, and negative mood (Julien, 2005). It is often difficult to estimate the amount of caffeine a person consumes due to great variability in the amount of caffeine per beverage (particularly coffee), exclusion of new caffeinated products on questionnaires, and variation in consumption from day to day. It is also difficult to compare results between studies due to a great amount of variation in methods of measuring caffeine consumption levels (Shohet Landrum, 2001). A study by Shohet Landrum (2001) of undergraduate university students implemented the use of an updated version of the caffeine consumption questionnaire as well as looking at chronotype and age. The caffeine Consumption questionnaire decreases a great deal of inaccuracy of caffeine consumption measurement. Shohet Landrum (2001) found that the average participant in the study consumed 1597.6mg/week. They also found that level of caffeine consumption is positively correlated with age. It was speculated that this increase may be an effort to compensate for de creased metabolism and subsequent decrease in energy (Shohet Landrum, 2001). In the same study, there was no significant difference in caffeine consumption between males and females (Shohet Landrum, 2001). Caffeine consumption in the evening was higher among older people, who tended to be morning-types (Shohet Landrum, 2001). The effects that caffeine consumption has on sleep are vast. Orbeta, Overpeck, Ramcharrin, Kogan Ledski (2006) found in a study of American high school students that those who reported a high rate of caffeine consumption also reported more difficulty falling asleep and felt more tired in the morning. In a number of studies, caffeine administration in varying amounts significantly reduced total sleep time and increased sleep onset latency (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Some studies also found a reduction in percentage of slow wave sleep after caffeine administration (Roehrs Roth, 2008). In a study where caffeine was administered prior to sleep, EEG spectral power density was reduced in the .75 4.5 Hz band. In a parallel study, men were administered 200 mg of caffeine upon waking (07:00 h) still experienced a reduction in EEG spectral power density in the .75 4.5 Hz range in the subsequent night sleep (Landolt, Werth, Borbely, Dijk, 1995). In this same study, total sleep time and sleep eff iciency were reduced following caffeine administration in the morning. Power density was reduced in the .25 .5 Hz range, and enhanced in the 11.25 12.00 Hz and 13.25-14.00 Hz ranges for NREM sleep (Landolt et al., 1995). Though a single 200 mg dose of caffeine in the morning clearly influences sleep propensity and power density of the EEG in the subsequent sleep episode, there was no deterioration in subjective sleep quality, and there is not a severe disruption of sleep continuity (Landolt et al., 1995). In contrast, a study by Sanchez-Ortuno, Moore, Taillard, Valtat, Leger, Damien, Bioulac, and Philip (2005) found that up to eight cups of coffee consumed by regular coffee drinkers was not associated with reduced TST. There was also no relationship found between caffeine consumption and day time sleepiness in participants consuming up to eight cups daily (Sanchez-Ortuno et al., 2005). The chronotype of an individual may be related to caffeine consumption. Chronotypes are a preference for being active during a particular time of day (Giannotti, Cortesi, Sebastiani, Ottaviano, 2002). Some individuals may be categorized as Morning-Types. Morning Types prefer to wake early in the morning, retire earlier in the evening, and are most active in the early hours of the day, where as Evening-Types prefer to rise later, and engage in activities later in the day. Others may fall somewhere between the morning-type and evening-type extreme. Daily physiological rhythms such as core body temperature, blood pressure and hormone secretions vary from one chronotype to another. Morningness and Eveningness also tend to vary with age, with older adults generally demonstrating a preference for morning activity, and younger adults a preference for evening activity (Giannotti et al., 2002). A study by Giannotti et al. (2002) of adolescents found that as they approached young adulthood, t heir circadian preference shifted more towards Eveningness. Giannotti et al. (2002) also found that Evening types tended to consume more caffeine, particularly in the morning. This may be due to forced pressure to adhere to a schedule more appropriate for those with a preference for morning activity (Giannotti et al., 2002). In a study of both men and women with different, but fixed work schedules by Ana Aden (1994) it was found that caffeine consumption increased with preference for evening. Evening types consumed more caffeine than neutral types, and neutral types consumed more caffeine than morning types. Interestingly, a large percentage of evening types were found to be caffeine abusers. 500 mg or more of caffeine per day was considered abuse (Aden, 1994). Adolescent evening types showed a more irregular sleep schedule and poorer subjective sleep quality in a study by Giannotti et al. (2002). Evening types also had higher sleep/wake behaviour scores than morning types, an indication of more sleep problems in evening types (Giannotti et al., 2002). Evening type adolescents reported consuming more sleeping pills than morning types as well as more day time sleepiness (Gianotti et al., 2002). Evening types had a greater tendency to fall asleep at school, and attention problems as well (Giannotti et al., 2002). An increase in the accessability of technology like computers, internet, television, and MP3 players may also impact caffeine consumption as well as sleep. A study by Calamaro, Mason, Radcliffe (2009) found that adolescents with higher scores on the multi-tasking index also reported higher caffeine intake, increase daytime sleepiness, increased incidents of falling asleep at school, and decreased total sleep time. Only 20% of the teenagers in this study received the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep for their age (Calamaro et al., 2009). 33% reported falling asleep at school on a regular basis, and 37% and 42% take naps on school days and weekends respectively (Calamaro et al., 2009). Clearly there is a great deal of interaction between caffeine consumption and chronotype. There is also apparent interaction between caffeine consumption and sleep quality. Chronotype had an influence on sleep quality in adolescents, There is also a relationship between caffeine consumption and sleep quality and multi-tasking/technology use. The present study aimed to examine the interrelationship between these variables in a group of university students. It was hypothesized that students who reported higher caffeine consumption would report lower subjective sleep quality. This relationship would be demonstrated by a significant positive correlation between level of caffeine consumption determined by Caffeine Consumption Questionairre (mg/week) (Modified from Landrum, 1992) and score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (a higher score indicates poorer sleep quality) (Buysse et al., 1989). It was also predicted that students who were evening-types would consume a greater amount of c affeine than morning-type students. This would be demonstrated by a significant negative correlation between Morningness-Eveningness Questionairre (a lower score indicates a preference for eveningness) (Horne stberg, 1976) and daily caffeine consumption (mg/week) . Next, it was predicted that evening types would experience more subjective sleep problems than morning types. More specifically, there would be a significant negative relationship between scores on the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score. The fourth prediction was that students who scored higher on the Nighttime Activities (Multi-tasking) Index would also consume a greater amount of caffeine. Specifically, there would be a positive relationship between Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire score and Nighttime Activities (Multi-Tasking) Index score. Finally, we predicted that students who were evening-types would use more technology between 21:00 and 06:00. This would be indicated b y a significant negative relationship between Morningness-Eveningness score and Nighttime Activities (Multi-Tasking) Index score. Method Participants Participants in this study were 49 undergraduate students enrolled in a Sleep and Arousal course and Trent University. Student age ranged from 20-31 years. Mean age of participants was 22.12 years (SD 2.26). 9 males and 39 females participated in this study. Materials Materials used were 4 established questionairres. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionairre (Horne stberg, 1976) was used to determine an individuals chronotype (preferred or peak time of day (morning, evening or neutral)). Scores range from 16-86. Questionnaires were scored as follows: (16-30) Definitely Evening, (31-41) Moderately Evening, (42-58) Neutral, (59-69) Moderately Morning, (70-86) Definitely Morning. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was used to measure students overall sleep quality (Buysse et al. 1989). Scores range from 0-21, with lower scores indicating better sleep quality. A modified version of the Caffeine Consumption Questionairre (Landrum, 1992) was used to estimate weekly caffeine consumption in students. Participants indicate how much caffeine they consume in the morning, afternoon, evening, and night time. Students also indicate the source of caffeine (small coffee, medium tea, soft drink, large coffee). The caffeine content of each type and size of drink was determined by Calamaro et al. (2009) and Roehrs and Roth (2008). Finally, the Night-Time Activities Questionnaire, modified from Calamaro et al. (2009) was used to measure the amount of time students spent doing various technology based activities in the evening (9:00pm 6:00am). Activities such as watching television, and using the computer were included). A multi-tasking index was then created by adding the total hours of time spent on all tasks and dividing this number by 9 (the total hours between 9:00 pm and 6:00 am). A student who engages in 9 hours of activity in that 9 hour period would receive a score of 1.0 (A score greater than 1 is possible, for example, if a student was listening to music and using the computer at the same time). Procedure Participants filled out all four questionnaires during a scheduled lecture period. The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index were scored by students after completion, while the other two questionnaires were scored by the instructor. Results Caffeine Consumption Questionairre The mean level of caffeine consumption in milligrams per week for the morning (06:00 12:00) period was 685.63 (SD = 1032.21). Mean afternoon (12:00 18:00) period caffeine consumption was 394.90 (SD = 554.39). The mean level of evening (18:00 02:00) period caffeine consumption in these university students was 320.49 (SD = 355.48) and mean night time (02:00 06:00) caffeine consumption was 24.84 (SD = 64.49) milligrams per week. Mean caffeine consumption total in milligrams per week was 1425.86 (SD = 1737.82). These results were similar to results found by Shohet et al. in that the greatest amount of caffeine was being consumed in the morning time. There was a slightly lower level of total caffeine consumption in our study compared to the results found by Shohet et al., with a difference of 171.74 mg/week between the two studies. This amount is equivalent to about 1 cup of coffee. (MORE COMPARISON BETWEEN OURS AND SHOHET..SEE TABLE 2 IN PAPER AT BATA) The mean source of the caffeine consumed weekly in milligrams was 974.69 (SD = 1713.09) for coffee, 270.12 (SD = 338.18) for tea, 99.24 (SD = 163.39) for soft drinks, 45.06 (SD = 127.23) for energy drinks, and 36.73 (SD = 74.44) for hot chocolate. The vast majority of caffeine consumed weekly by these university students was via coffee while very little caffeine was consumed in hot chocolate. Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) The mean MEQ score was 43.59 (SD = 12.25). Scores ranged from 24 to 69. 16.33% of participants were Definitely-Evening (n= 8), 34.69% were Moderately-Evening (n=17), 36.73% were Neutral (n=18) and 12.24% were Moderately-Morning. None of the participants were Definitely-Morning types. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Each subscale of the PSQI has a possible score of 0-3. The mean Subjective Sleep Quality score was 1.37 (SD = 0.83). The mean Sleep Onset Latency score was 1.84 (SD = 1.01). The mean Sleep Duration score was 0.78 (SD = 0.82). The mean Habitual Sleep Efficiency score was 0.69 (SD = 0.98). The mean Sleep Disturbances score was 1.55 (SD = 1.14). The mean Use of Sleeping Medication was 0.37 (SD = 0.83), and the mean Daytime Dysfunction score was 1.35 (SD = 0.83). The mean total score on the PSQI was 7.78 (SD = 3.93). According to Buysse et al. (1988), a score greater than 5 indicates that someone is a poor sleeper. The mean score of our participants was within the range of abnormal. The greatest amount of sleep disturbance came from high sleep onset latency, while the least disruptive factor was reliance on the use of sleep medications. Night-Time Activities Questionnaire (NTAQ) The mean data for the activities included on the NTAQ are included in figure 1. The mean multi-tasking index of these night time activities is 0.60 (SD = 0.29). The range of multi-tasking index scores was 0.12 1.39. A score of 0.60 means that the participant was doing some combination of the activities on the NTAQ for 5.40 hours. (0.60 x 9 hours = 5.40) of the 9 hour sleep period. In the case of the score of 1.39, the participant was engaging in an activity on the NTIQ for 12.51 hours. Since the measured period is only 9 hours, this participant was engaging in more than one activity at a time, for example, listening to MP3 player and online computer use. Results of Correlation Analysis There was a significant negative correlation between MEQ and Multi-Tasking Index. Morning types tended to have lower Multi-Tasking Index scores than Evening types, r = -.32, p Table 1 Correlations found between Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Multi-tasking Index, and Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire. . Â ­_ MEQ PSQI Multi-Tasking . MEQ score -.16 -.32* PSQI score .03 Caffeine Consumption Coffee -.06 .31* -.06 Tea .20 -.20 -.08 Hot Chocolate .13 -.18 .08 Soft Drinks -.30* .02 .08 Energy Drinks -.14 .20 .07 . Total Caffeine -.06 .25 .01 . * p Discussion We predicted that participants who consumed a greater level of caffeine would have higher scores, indicating poorer sleep quality, on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Although total caffeine consumption level failed to predict a higher sleep quality score, there was a significant negative correlation between level of coffee consumption and PSQI. Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire Score was predicted to negatively correlate with score on the Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire. Total caffeine consumption did not significantly correlate with MEQ score. Level of caffeinated soft drink consumption did significantly correlate with MEQ with evening types consuming greater amounts of caffeinated soft drinks than morning-types. It was predicted that evening types would report more sleep problems via the PSQI. This correlation failed to reach significance in our analysis. There is no significant difference between Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score in evening-types from morning-types. We predicted that students who scored higher on the Nighttime Activities (Multi-tasking) Index would also consume a greater amount of caffeine. The analysis revealed no significant relationship between these variables. Our final prediction was that evening-types would engage in a greater level of technology use in the evening, as indicated by a significant negative relationship between MEQ score and Multi-Tasking Index. There was a significant relationship between MEQ and Multi-Tasking Index. Evening types did tend to engage in more activities involving technology between the hours of 2100 and 0600 than morning-types, as predicted. Using The Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as a measure, consumption of higher levels of caffeine did not did predict poorer sleep quality. Although several studies found that caffeine consumption increased sleep onset latency, decreased total sleep time and increased daytime sleepiness, we did not find that high levels of total caffeine consumption predicted a significantly poorer sleep quality score (Roehrs Roth, 2008). Although total caffeine consumption and PSQI were not correlated, caffeinated coffee consumption did predict a poorer sleep quality score. This contrasts findings by Sanchez-Ortunga et al. (2005) in which up to eight cups of coffee consumed by regular coffee drinkers did not result in a significantly lower TST. Although it should be taken into consideration that TST is only one component of the PSQI. Contrary to our findings, Gianotti et al. (2002) found that Evening-types tended to consume a greater amount of caffeine than morning types. Ana Aden (1994) also found that daily caffeine consumption increased as preference for evening activity increased. Although these results contrast our findings, we did find a slight but significant relationship between consumption of caffeinated soft drinks and preference for evening. Gianotti et al. (2002) also found that evening-type adolescents reported poorer subjective sleep quality than morning types. These evening-type adolescents also showed a more irregular sleep schedule. Evening types showed greater daytime sleepiness, increased frequency of falling asleep during the day, and other indications of poor sleep quality (Gianotti et al., 2002). Contrary to these findings, we found no relationship between PSQI score and chronotype. Although Calamero et al. (2009) found that those reporting an increased multi-tasking index score also consumed greater amounts of caffeine, we found no relationship between the two. We did, however, find a significant relationship between chronotype and multi-tasking index. Evening types tended to engage in more technologically based activities between 2100 and 0600. There was no previous research available examining the relationship between chronotype and Night-time Activities/Multi-tasking Index. This may be a possible area of further investigation. One limitation of this study is the lack of diversity in the sample. The participants were a relatively small group of undergraduate psychology students between the age of 20-31. The small sample size may have made it difficult for trends in the data to reach significant levels. Also, chronotype and caffeine consumption have been shown to change over the lifetime, however, we were able to examine only a small window of young adulthood, leaving little opportunity for drastic variations. Also, being students, many of these participants may have schedules which vary drastically from day to day, as well as an increased frequency of engaging in late night activities with peers. These behaviours may have a confounding influence on many sleep variables. Thus, these findings may not be generalized to the population. Re-examining the same material with a larger and more diverse sample may yield more helpful results. This would be fairly simple to do since the questionnaires may be filled out with little guidance or instruction, and simply be distributed and returned by post or electronically administered. Another limitation is that the entire data collection procedure relied completely on student self-reports. The accuracy of these self-evaluations of sleep quality, sleep latency, and level of caffeine consumption may not have been accurate. Some questionnaires were also self scored, leaving open the opportunity for error in calculations. Although much of our analysis of caffeine consumptions effect on sleep quality failed to reach statistical significance, the trends in the data indicate that caffeine does likely detrimentally influence sleep quality. As previous research has shown, the impact caffeine may have on daytime functioning and sleep may be greater than many people realize. Caffeine consumption may be leading to a poorer nights sleep, and this less recuperative sleep subsequently may lead to more caffeine consumption the following day to compensate for the caffeine disrupted sleep of the night before. One can see how this may result in a caffeine/poor sleep cycle. Another interesting finding was the correlation between chronotype and Multi-tasking index score. It would be interesting to investigate whether this relationship is due to evening-types engaging in more night-time activities in order to simply occupy the time between when they believe they should be sleeping and when they are able to sleep, or if the opportunity to occupy the mind and stave off sleep, and disrupting their natural activity time preference. Although we did not specifically make any predictions regarding Multi-tasking Index and PSQI, it is interesting to note that there was no relationship between Multi-tasking Index and PSQI. Research by Calamaro et al. (2009) found that a high Multi-tasking Index was related to sleep problems like difficulty falling asleep, decreased total sleep time and daytime sleepiness. There was no relationship between chronotype and sleep quality in our study, despite findings of a significant relationship by Gianotti et al. (2002). Although the trend in our data leaned towards a similar relationship, it did not reach significance. The difference in our findings compared to Gianotti et al. (2008) may have to do with factors unique to adolescents. In summary, there is a significant relationship between Multi tasking and chronotype, PSQI and coffee consumption level. All other comparisons failed to reach significance. The trend in the data indicate that caffeine does indeed detrimentally effect sleep quality, but the degree of influence it has remains unclear. References Adan, A. (1994). Chronotype and personality factors in the daily consumption of alcohol and psychostimulants. Addiction, 89(4), 455-462. Buysse, D.J., Reynolds, C.F., Monk, T.H., Berman, S.R., Kupfer,D.J. (1989). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI): A new instrument for psychiatric research and practice. Psychiatry Research, 28(2), 193-213. Calamaro, C.J., Mason, T.B., Ratcliffe, S.J. (2009). Adolescents living the 24/7 lifestyle: effects of caffeine and technology on sleep duration and daytime functioning. Pediatrics, 123(6), 1005-1010. Gianotti, F., Cortesi, F., Sebastiani, T., Ottaviano, S. (2002). Circadian preference, sleep and daytime behaviour in adolescence. Journal of Sleep Research, 11(3), 191- 199. Julien, R.M. (2005). Caffeine and nicotine. In A primer of drug action. (10th ed., pp. 225-251). New York: Worth Publishers. Landolt H.P., Werth, E., Borbely, A.A., Dijk, D.J. (1995). Caffeine intake (200 mg) in the morning affects human sleep and EEG power spectra at night. Brain Research, 675(1-2), 67-74. Landrum, R.E. (1992). College students use of caffeine and its relationship to personality. College Student Journal, 26(2), 151-155. Orbeta, R.L., Overpeck, M.D., Ramcharran, D., Kogan, M.D., Ladsky, R. (2006). High caffeine intake in adolescents: associations with difficulty sleeping and feeling tired in the morning. Journal of Adolescent Health, 38(4), 451-453. Roehrs, T., Roth, T. (2008). Caffeine: Sleep and daytime sleepiness. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 12(2), 153-162. Sanchez-Ortuno, M., Moore, N., Taillard, J., Valtat, C., Legar, D., Bioulac, B., Philip.,P. (2005). Sleep duration and caffeine consumption in a French middle-aged working population. Sleep Medicine, 6(3), 247-251. Shohet, K.L., Landrum, R.E. (2001). Caffeine consumption questionnaire: a standardized measure for caffeine consumption in undergraduate students. Psychology Reports

Animal Testing (speech Outline) -- essays research papers fc

Specific Purpose – To persuade my audience that animal testing is wrong and how other safer alternatives should be taken. Central Idea – By going the extra mile in using safer alternatives when experimenting with animals will not only prevent conflicts from pro-life activists, it will minimize lawsuits and morals will be preserved. Introduction I. Okay I got a riddle I made up for the class. A. What was once cute and furry but becomes a bloody rotted mess? B. You guys give up? C. Well the answer to this question is an animal that has undergone chemical testing. II. I know that wasn’t too funny but I needed some sort of attention-grabber and this hit home on the question of my topic; whether animal testing is right or wrong. A. After all, the question whether animals should be tested is often hotly debated. B. Through intense research I have discovered that the issue on whether animals should be experimented upon, or â€Å"vivisection†, has cropped up in history as early as the 17th century. III. Although animal testing is much less frequent today than in the past, I will reinforce the idea that alternatives to animal testing should be preserved today. A. I will first explain the conflicts in the past where animal testing caused many problems. B. Then I will reinforce the solution to animal testing by discussing the various alternatives that can be taken. (Transition: Let us first look at the problem of animal testing.) Body I. As I have mentioned, the question on animal testing was posed even as early as the 17th century, according to the All For Animals Newsletter. A. According to this newsletter, Philosopher Jeremy Bentham rejected philosopher Rene Descartes’ theory that because animals have no reasoning that humans have, they therefore cannot feel pain or suffering. 1. But Bentham went further in this issue, rejecting Descartes’ idea because the idea of reasoning was irrelevant on the moral issue whether animals should be tested. 2. Bentham’s philo... ... be tested upon by dangerous chemicals? Bibliography Smith, Taylor. â€Å"Animal Testing - Alternatives - Cruelty-Free Living.† All For Animals Newsletter. Issue #1, March 1998. Grigg, Bill. â€Å"NIH News Release.† 28 Dec. 1999 [last revision]. < <a href="http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec99/niehs-28.htm">http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/dec99/niehs-28.htm > 1999. Adams, Johnathan. â€Å"Animal Welfare Act and Regulations.† August 22, 2000 [last update] < <a href="http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm">http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/legislat/usdaleg1.htm > 1996. â€Å"USDA Agrees to Regulate More Research Animals, Including Mice.† October 3, 2000 [last update] < <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/10/03/research.animals.ap/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/10/03/research.animals.ap/index.html > 1990. â€Å"Cruelty Free Companies—Choose to Be Cruelty-Free†. < <a href="http://www.allforanimals.com">http://www.allforanimals.com > 2000. â€Å"ANIMAL TESTING†. May 12, 1999 [last update]. < <a href="http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-205.html">http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-205.html > 1996.

The Philippine Party-List System: Absence of a Clear Seat Allocation Fo

The Party-List System of proportional representation is a relatively new addition to Philippine politics and specifically in the electoral system of the country. It was only introduced in 1987, by then, the new constitution and formalized by R.A. 7941 (The Party-list System Act) in 1995, to open the legislature to marginalized and underrepresented sectors or groups without a well-defined political constituencies but who could contribute to policy formulation beneficial to the nation. (R.A. 7941 1995, Sec. 2) Since then there had been various problems in implementing the statutory law and the principles of the constitutional provision on the party-list system. Rodriguez and Velasco (1998, 36-48) and Tangkia and Habaradas (2001) enumerated some of them: low voter turnout, COMELEC inefficiency in public information dissemination, and confusing instructions in explaining a new ballot structure. However, one of its longest standing issues is the seat allocation since R.A. 7941 does not provide a clear formula for translating votes into seats. (Rodriguez 2002, 25 and Rodriguez and Velasco 1998, 39) An allocation formula is one of the basic and most fundamental requisites of a party-list system. Yet ironically, the authors of the governing law seemed to have forgotten to include a clear allocation formula even though it was tackled during the deliberations of R.A. 7941’s origin bills. The effects of its absence were most evident during the 1998 and 2007 elections. In 1998, 14 party-list seats were already filled with finality using the â€Å"2-4-6 COMELEC formula.† The said formula apportioned a seat for every 2% a party garnered in the party-list votes. For example, APEC was given two seats with its 5.5% but ABA (second... .... 2007. â€Å"The Party-List System in the Philippines: Proportional Representation and Seat Allocation Errors.† Discussion Paper. QC: Center for People Empowerment in Governance/University of the Philippines. Republic Act 7941. 1995. â€Å"The Party-list System Act.† Rodriguez, Agustin Martin G. and Djorina Velasco. 1998. Democracy Rising? The Trials and Triumphs of the 1998 Party-List Elections. QC: Institute of Politics and Governance and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Rodriguez, Agustin Martin G. 2002. The Winding Road to Representation: The Philippine Party-List Experience. Makati: Ateneo School of Government and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Tangkia, Fritzie Palma and Ma.AraceliBascoHabaradas. 2001.â€Å"Party-List System: The Philippine Experience. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Philippines.http://www.library.fes.de/pdffiles/bueros/philippinen/50076.pdf. (November 27, 2011).

Mutual Respect Between Students and Teachers Essay -- Education Relati

Mutual Respect Between Students and Teachers The relationship between students and teachers should be one of mutual respect. Students should listen to the teacher and try their best in the class. Teachers, on the other hand need to do their best to give their students a quality education and respect them as individuals. There should be a set curriculum, but teachers need to be creative in how they teach what is required. California is considered one of the lowest in terms of education standards. In order for this to change, teachers and students both need to start working towards a solution. Students need to have more respect for their teachers and take more responsibility for their education. I have noticed a difference in the attitudes of people in high school now and when I went to school. Some high school teachers tell me that their students come to school high on marijuana, or drunk. From my own experience with young people at my workplace, I noticed when they go out, they often talk about different drugs they will take to heighten their enjoyment, and have heard some comment they don't want to go somewhere like Disneyland, or Magic Mountain sober. When I attended high school, people would drink and do drugs at parties, but only the "stoners" would do anything at school, or at most other functions. Some of the students I talked to at work said they feel school is boring and they don't learn anything from their teachers. Most of the homework their teachers give them is busy work. Some pointed out they learned more in elementary school and junior high, but haven't learned much in high school. Another point that was made was the lack of useful electives. Art, Auto shop, and Music are offered, but there are no busin... ...ross boundaries in a classroom they may see as intimidating, and a revision of how we see educational excellence. (117) Education will only improve if teachers and students learn to respect each other's positions. A place to start is by finding a common ground, an understanding. The curriculum, canon, or list of "Great Books" is a good common starting place. By keeping this canon in our schools, we will keep a common link between generations. The next step is the teachers' presentation of their lessons. The students need to be able to relate to the lessons. The final step is the students. They must take responsibility for their education and try to learn what is being presented to them. Works Cited Rose, Mike. "Lives on the Boundary." The Presence of Others. Ed. Andrea A. Lunsford, John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston, New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 105-119.