Mattel’s Toy Recall And Supply Chain Management Essay

Why do firms contract overseas for production of products they sell? Answer: The firms contract overseas for production of the products they sell to gain certain advantages from the different countries. One of the biggest advantages is cheap labor that cut down the cost of the products. To get the advantage of the cheap fuel prices and raw materials to make the products at effective cost. The companies can get the tax benefits and other government policy advantages by producing their products at overseas. The companies can also get the lower cost suppliers from different countries. The company can get the advantage of currency fluctuation to produce the products at lower currency rate. What were the primary causes of Mattel’s recall problems? Answer: There were several causes for Mattel’s toy recall. But the primary causes are problems in manufacturing, design and usage. Manufacturing Problems: One primary problem is the use of excessive lead paint in toys. Lead was commonly used in paint. However, it is a neurotoxin and is harmful to developing brains in children. Repeated exposure can cause serious brain damage. Design problems: A second cause for recall was defect in product design. That was the result of increasing use of small powerful magnets in children’s toys. If the designs of these toys were deficient and did not adequately encase the magnets, they could become dislodged and swallowed by the children. When a child ingested more than one magnet, the ingested magnet could be bind together across intestinal folds, eventually perforating the intestine and causing serious injury or death. Product misuse: Some recalls were due to the potential for misuse. Some features of the toys generally were not a ca use for concern if children used the toy in intended way, but children often found creative ways to play that were not anticipated by designers. So, if potential danger was brought to the  company’s attention, the toy might be subject to recall. What actions taken by whom to deal with the recall problems? Do you think these actions were the right one? Why or why not? Answer: In early July 2007, one of the Mattel’s European retailer discovered excessive lead on some of the company’s toys. Mattel stopped production and launched investigation of the problem. The company received data that convinced that recall is necessary. In August Mattel announced voluntary recall of 83 Fisher-Price products sold from May 1 to August 1, 2007. The recall involved about 1.5 million toys worldwide. Two-third of the toys were pulled from inventory before they reached retail customers. After first recall Mattel announced second voluntary recall for toys with excessive lead content. The recall involved 436,000 toys worldwide. After the second recall Mattel announced to recall the Sarge toy cars, an expansion of earlier recall due to small magnets. It recalled 18.2 million toys worldwide. All of the toys recalled had been manufactured in China. Two weeks after the August 2nd recall, the owner of the Chinese factory that used the lead paint committed suicide. According to my opinion, the actions taken by Mattel were absolutely right. Mattel has been criticized heavily for having to recall not once but twice in as many weeks 20 million toys manufactured in China with lead paint and/or loose, potentially dangerous magnets. Clearly Mattel did not have sufficiently tight quality control procedures in its supply chain to compensate for the extra risks of outsourcing to relatively new Chinese subcontractors. Clearly there were design flaws in the toys with the magnets that could come loose. Though the recall of the products had created serious problems for Mattel and for manufacturers of China, the products were highly dangerous for the children which needed serious concern. But the positive point was both the Governments of China and U.S. tightened the rules regarding product safety. They also raised the product quality standards and product testing. The CEO of the Mattel had taken personal charge of the situation. He has apologized publicly and taken immediate steps to tighten quality assurance requirements on Mattel’s suppliers. What should Mattel do now? What should China do now? Answer: Mattel has faced a series of difficult and potentially crippling challenges, including the lawsuits. Mattel should attempt to rectify its mistakes and to prevent future mistakes as well. Mattel should work hard for  restoring goodwill and faith in its brands, even as it continues to be plagued with residual distrust over the lead paint scandal. Mattel should upgrade its safety standards and quality control. Mattel should be careful for approaching international supply chain management strategies. Mattel should make sure its Chinese suppliers operate ethically, including treating their workers fairly. Whereas Mattel can do randomly test finished toys, as it should now test every single batch of toys produced. Safety checks should also get beefed up at the supplier and subcontractor level prior to the finishing of the product. Reputations are hard won and easily lost, but Mattel should appear to be steadfast in its commitment to restoring its reputation. After the recall by M attel, China’s export manufacturing sector, an important factor driving country’s economic growth, had been stung by suffering highly visible problems. The â€Å"made in china† brand was in real danger. At that point China needed to prove that they could produce products to the quality and safety standards expected by the rest of the world. China should ask companies to hire full time inspection staff and allow their customers to inspect their plants. China should enforce quality licensing system for product exports. Chinese agency should increase efforts to certify exporters and should severely punish and blacklist the companies that fail to meet performance requirements. Though Mattel had taken full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to the Chinese people and all of their customers who received the toys, China was fighting with the brand image in the international market. How can accountability be increased and better managed when production is moved overseas to other firms in the supply chain? Answer: There are many criticisms levelled at multinational organizations for choosing to relocate their manufacturing operations from domestic markets in developed countries to developing countries many thousands of miles away. Suspicion is often focused on cheap labor and possibly lower or less enforced health, safety and environmental legislation all contributing to lower production costs. But to increase accountability and better production management at overseas the company needs to have law inventories, flexible manufacturing and close relationship with suppliers and customers. Better managed supply chain requires close coordination with suppliers to achieve the desire level of quality and delivery. It also needs to have frequent communications with the suppliers  and customers. It entails to have close coordination among product design, engineering, the manufacturing plant, and suppliers. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that its products are produced to the highest safety standards that its workers are not exploited and that health and safety and environmental standards not compromised in the search for lower prices. In this case the stakes are very high since the safety of all our children is at stake as well as the acceptance of the ‘Made in China’ designation in world markets.

Additive Manufacturing Technology In Dental Implants Engineering Essay

Medical industry is one of the most existing industries which extensively use Rapid Manufacturing for their application. Every twenty-four hours tonss of people all around the universe faces different medical jobs and they easy get treated really rapidly merely because of new fabrication technique. From this aspect Dental and Hearing industries are in a tendency which is developing really fast to undertake the challenges of future and treated as the most successful portion of this industry. The full research and application are depends on some alone particular functionality, form and cost. Sing all demands the constituent are produced utilizing plentifulness of stuffs through different procedure for both industries such as, This study gives the brief thought about usage of linear fabrication engineering in medical industry particularly in dental and hearing with an illustration of fabricating constituent, it besides put light on advantage for both modeller and user after utilizing linear fabrication engineering. The Rapid Prototyping ( RP ) can be defined as a group of technique which refers to the bed by layer fiction of 3-dimensional ( 3D ) physical theoretical accounts straight from Computer aided design ( CAD ) . ( Cooper, 2001 ) By and large this RP is known as the Additive fabrication ( AM ) procedure, because of recent sweetening and development in the field of Computer Numerical Control ( CNC ) machining has prove this engineering as the portion of RP procedure. ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) Development in CNC machining which happened as an RP technique include remotion of stuff with higher rates, addition in cutting velocities and besides with higher machine axis speed. New development in both package and 3D bounder informations coped up with the recent alterations. ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) The procedure begins after making a 3D theoretical account utilizing CAD package and it is indistinguishable for all built techniques. The theoretical account is so convert in to Standard Triangulation Language ( STL ) format, this format shows the 3D surfaces as an assembly of many contriver trigons. At following phase STL file slice the 3D theoretical account in to beds. As we know the linear fabrication is gradual procedure in which parts are industries through beds and each beds are joined and procedure continues until the concluding portion formed. RP ‘s linear nature allows is to make parts with complicated internal characteristics which is non possible by other agencies like hollow countries and undercuts for that these parts some times supports are necessary. ( ( thenar, 1998 ) )2.2.1: Potential benefits of Rapid prototyping:Rapid Prototyping has great advantages in technology, fabrication, selling and buying because it is easy rectified the job before production through design procedure. And it becomes clearer after comparing it with both CNC and traditional methods. ( efunda, 2010 ) Other benefits of rapid prototyping are follows, ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) Elimination of clip of tooling and cost Complexity does non state about cost and clip. Bespoke/customised parts which are non possible for early methods. Through procedure is really easy to unite parts. It is easy to incorporate parts like mechanical and electronics Need non to piece the portion it will automatically come after procedure. Proper look into up cut down the stock list Easy to machine complex geometries like hollow parts and crisp interior cones.3.0: Rapid Prototyping Technologies:Assortment of rapid prototyping engineering is being used in different country for different prototyping intent. The purpose consider as fabrication of follows, Hearing assistance shell Dental header, coronating and Bridgess3.1: Linear fabrication Technologies:3.1.1: Stereolithography ( SLA ) : Stereolithography ( SLA ) is an linear fabrication engineering for bring forthing paradigms, forms, theoretical accounts, and in some instances, production parts. SLA builds theoretical account of plastic parts individual bed at a clip by following beam of optical maser on the VAT of liquid UV curable exposure polymer rosin. When UV light work stoppages the surface of the polymer rosin solidify the individual bed of rosin, when one bed is completed after following, the built platform descend in deepness by individual bed thickness ( Schmitt, 2005 ) . Then, a rosin filled blade expanses over the cross subdivision and make full it with fresh stuff and so optical maser once more do the same procedure on the top of the old bed, this procedure continues until the theoretical account is produced. Material self adhesive belongings to bond each bed and forma complete 3D theoretical account, after edifice parts are cleaned in dawanol rosin and intoxicant and so cured in a UV oven. ( wikipedia, 2010 ) Stereolithography requires support for some object holding complex geometries like over bents and under cuts to keep the portion in lift platform and to forestall alteration in geometry from non debaring because of gravitation but to keep accurately. Supports are either automatically or manually designed along with the theoretical account, after procedure completion elevates it from VAT and cut off the supports. Then station processing requires which include cleansing and station remedy. ( Schmitt, 2005 ) Fig 1: The stereolithography procedure ( wikipedia, 2010 ) Advantages of Stereo lithography: ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) High quality surface finish with good mechanical strength Models are clear and sound in declaration Reliable for high productiveness Disadvantages of Stereolithography: Expansive in machines and care every bit compared to others and Complete service in contract and besides require laser replacing. Materials are expensive ( ?120-200/kg ) and in limited scope Should see wellness and safety issues with accessory equipment Wet stuff handling Require station processing 3.1.2: Laser Sintering ( LS ) : â€Å" Laser sintering ( LS ) is an linear fabrication technique by which parts are produces straight from 3D CAD theoretical account built bed by bed similar to SLA but instead than liquid rosin pulverization is used † ( Arptech, 2010 ) . The CO2 Laser beam traces the all right heat fusible pulverization bed to increase its liquescent temperature so that pulverization fuses and organize a solid mass. The optical maser beam energy is maintained merely to blend pulverization in defined country of cross subdivision. The whole chamber temperature is fixed merely below the runing point of pulverization, so laser somewhat increase the temperature for sintering procedure or it means that welding without runing ( Arptech, 2010 ) . For the following measure Piston descend by individual bed thickness to resign topographic point for the new pulverization bed. Roller dispersed powder stuff on the built platform. This procedure continues until the sold theoretical account is produced with blending each bed below it. Then parts removed from the platform and left pulverization is removed for farther usage, produced portion may necessitate station processing for good surface coating such as sanding, it depend on the application. Complex geometries like overhangs and under cuts are supported by the solid pulverization bed. ( Schmitt, Rapid prototyping in dental medicine: engineering and application, 2005 ) Advantages of LS: ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) Potential stuffs are available in broad scope for processing Properties of the produced portion are really near to technology criterions With out station hardening theoretical accounts are used Fresh pulverization Acts of the Apostless as the support No demand to plan supports Easy to take support stuff Support stuff can be partly ( 30 % ) reused = less waste Supports are wholly removed with out feeling Partss are stacked on the top and inside the another object Disadvantages of LS: Process get shrink so need to give compensation Difficult procedure as compared to SLA Partss are porous require excess care/ powdery surface Build orientation defines the belongingss Brittle parts as compared to others Dust control is a large job in this procedure Fig 2: Laser sintering procedure plants ( Arptech, 2010 ) 3.1.3: Fused Deposition Modeling ( FDM ) : â€Å" Construction of 3D theoretical accounts through the uninterrupted deposition of an extruded fibril of stuff † ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) FDM is largely known as a 2nd best prototyping engineering after SLA ( Additive3d, 2010 ) ; it consists of temperature governable caput which extrude bed by bed thermo fictile stuff. Material is supplied to an bulge nose through a plastic fibril which is non wounded on a spiral. Heated nozzle melt the plastic in to semi liquid province and it besides has a mechanism through which it pour the liquid province plastic when it required agencies on and off system. Nozzle is allowed to travel in both perpendicular and horizontal waies and it is set on a mechanical phase. As the nozzle base on balls through the tabular array it pour the liquid province fictile stuff in the needed flight bed by bed. The fictile rapidly solidify and bonded with the old bed after chuck outing from the nose. The whole system is hold in a chamber which is maintained at a temperature somewhat lower so the runing point of plastic. Assortment of patterning colourss and stuffs are available in FDM procedure such as investing casting wax and medical class ABS. ( Schmitt, Rapid prototyping in dental medicine: engineering and application, 2005 ) Fig 3: Fused deposition patterning procedure ( express.redeyeondemand, 2010 ) Advantages of FDM: ( Wimpenny, ( 2010 ) ) Operation is simple Machines are inexpensive and dependable as compared to others Assortment of stuffs can be used for functional paradigms Easy to run in office environment. Disadvantages of FDM: Slow in procedure Partss are porous so they require excess attention Build orientation set the belongingss otherwise delamination can happen Support stuff should be removed otherwise it modify the physique stuff which are manually broken Waste of support stuff3.1.4: 3D Printing:â€Å" 3D printingA uses standard inkjet publishing engineering to make parts layer by bed by lodging a liquid binder onto thin beds of pulverization. Alternatively of feeding paper under the print caputs like a 2D pressman † ( Materialise, 2010 ) , in 3D printing procedure print caput prints the portion cross subdivision informations after go throughing over a bed of pulverization. Feed Piston and platform are mechanized to administer pulverization in full physique platform equally and accurately, which comes up bit by bit for every individual bed. Powder which is distributed from feed Piston is spread on a build platform through roller mechanism. After distributing the pulverization bed, Printing starts with inkjet print caput to the cross subdivision of the first bed or the base of the theoretical account on the all right bed of pulverization, with pasting the pulverization together. After this Piston fall the platform by individual bed thickness of 0.1mm and fresh bed of pulverization is distributed equally on the top of earlier 1. The print head start publishing new bed after using informations for the following cross subdivision, and it besides glued automatically with the old 1. This procedure repeated it self for every individual bed until the solid theoretical account is produced ( Materialise, 2010 ) . After finishing the procedure, The reinforced chamber and parts are supported by left pulverization. Partss are removed from the build chamber after stuff get set, feed platform usage staying loose pulverization for farther production. Fig 4: 3D Inkjet printing procedure ( Rapid prototyping centre, 2010 ) Advantages of 3D printing: Less fabrication cost for little and medium parts Good surface coating can be achieved through station processing and sanding Partss are reused after painting and smoothing Disadvantages of 3D printing: 3DP parts have small unsmooth visual aspect because of fictile bead layering Not good for big portion because slow in procedure 3.1.5: Jetting ( PolyJet from Objet ) : Jeting is significantly similar to stereolithography in engineering with lone difference that it uses solid province exposure sensitive stuff. PolyJet engineering works on the jetting procedure in which exposure polymer stuffs are jetted on a built platform in extremist thin beds to finish portion bed by bed. Ultra violet visible radiation remedies every individual exposure polymer stuff bed instantly after gushing, with out station hardening theoretical accounts are to the full cured on managing and can be used instantly. The supports which are designed to back up complex geometries are really easy to take by manus or H2O jetting because it is gel like support stuff. ( Materialise, 2010 ) Fig 5: Ployjet printing procedure ( Art corporation, 2010 )3.1.6: Multi jet Mold:Multi Jet Modeling is a fast rapid prototyping engineering besides footings as Thermo jet and is used for construct mold. The theoretical accounts truth is less every bit compared to stereolithography because of wax like plastic theoretical accounts. â€Å" The procedure uses a print caput that consists of additive arranged jets which spray bantam droplets of liquid liquid stuff which cool and harden on impact to organize the solid object † . ( ( About.com, 2010 ) ) Fig 6: multi jet patterning procedure ( Wimpenny. D. ( 2010 ) . RP & A ; CNC machining, Rapid Product Development, De Montfort University, Leicester ) Advantages of Multi jet mold: ( Cooper, 2001 ) Cost effectual Reliable Good surface finish and net working capableness Disadvantages of Multi jet mold: Materials are low in strength Relatively high cost for edifice stuffs Partss of support stuffs are unsmooth in surface3.2: Materials:Linear fabrication procedure requires different stuffs for different single application. Materials vary harmonizing to company and there machines. For Dental and Hearing parts the stuffs are suited such as, Perfactory- envisiontec e-shell 200- Rigid and Durable DMLS- Titanium and Cobalt crome 3D- Castable stuffs Solidscape D66+ 3D printer- Non toxic thermoplastic stuff Projet MP300- Visijet MP200 Dental theoretical account stuff Objet Eden machines- Full remedy rose and skin tone4.0: Application in Dental and Hearing industries:Hearing assistance shells Dental implants4.0.1: Hearing assistance shell machines:A: â€Å" LS are a free signifier fiction procedure using linear rapid fabrication engineering. The optical maser sintering engineering was developed at the University of Texas, originally licensed to DTM Corporation † . ( Paramount, 2010 ) Laser sintering has become the fabricating method of pick in the hearing assistance industry. This industry has to strongly necessitate to custom-make its merchandises, because the success of this procedure is to the full depend on the ability of portion to accommodate to the anatomy of the audile canal. The fabrication procedure does non depend on figure of indistinguishable or single merchandise and it ever runs with the same efficiency. The entire reinforced country of optical maser sintering system can be filled with several hundred hearing assistance shells and therefore all merchandises can bring forth in one dark. In this procedure optical maser copy the anatomy by making wax form so copied wax form scanned to make a 3D informations and apart from geometry every portion is integrate with certain designation figure so that that it can be easy identified after procedure. Laser sinter the shell and it will unite through electronic constituent. Presently this optical maser sinteri ng engineering produces about 100000 hearing assistance shells in a twelvemonth and it can be achieved through one individual plastic optical maser sintering machine ( Stotko, 2005 ) Fig 7: Laser sintered hearing assistance ( Stotko, 2005 ) Bacillus: Objet ‘s solution is the hearing assistance industry which done all necessary trial to guarantee that that the stuffs which are developed for hearing assistance instruments are suited for the procedure every bit good as Oklahoma from medical point of position. Objet ‘s Eden machines are work on Ployjet engineering and industry hearing AIDSs with perfect coating and good quality sing more flexibleness, productiveness and less cost. The solution including three material picks for alone hearing assistance instrument like clear, rose clear, skin tone. Machines particular rosin replacing system makes it easy to alter the rosin for the peculiar merchandise. Eden machines produce merchandise with really thin 16 micrometer bed thickness which are good in all facet for hearing industry. ( Objet, 2010 ) Fig 8: Objet hearing AIDSs for different stuffs ( Objet, 2010 ) Degree centigrades: Prefactory enhanced the hearing assistance shell sing both cost and clip. It besides offers the perfectness for the hearing assistance industry with over several medically approved stuff to offer with assorted skin tone colourss stuffs along with ruddy, bluish, tap, tan, mocca, ecru, chocolate, brown, black, white, rose clear and crystal clear it is new launched soft stuff. It is integrated on a face home base for application get downing from single hears casts to the concluding shells. ( envisionTec, 2010 ) Fig 9: Hearing assistance envision TEC e-Shell 200 series ( envisionTec, 2010 ) Through Perfactory 30 shells are produced at every 90 proceedingss which is more than earlier procedure because of its flexibleness in bring forthing parts with easy stuff changing. † EnvisionTEC e-Shell 200 is a liquid, photo-reactive propenoate for constructing functional parts which are tough, opaque, water- and perspiration-resistant † , and available in several different tegument tone colourss. ( envisionTec, 2010 ) 4.0.2: Dental Implants: Two chief paths ; 1: Investing casting from AM forms 2: Direct metal parts by optical maser sintering/melting4.0.2.1: Investing casting:Several machines capable of doing forms A: The Solidscape D66+ 3D pressman produce high precised wax form from 3D CAD information. This produces waxups utilizing linear engineering which is known as bead on demand jetting. The Non toxic thermoplastic stuff through which waxups produced are to the full castable and could non go forth any residuary ashes which create job for farther procedure. The whole procedure is clear in border and spreads because of negligible shrinking of the stuff and it besides remain consistent for every tally. ( Bruce Lusting, 2010 ) The D 66+ , which is an entryway to the new Prexacto merchandise line, is focused for bring forthing high quality wax forms for coronating and get bying and for other dental parts in little dental research labs. If it is used satisfactorily so the parts are produced at low cost with high degree of client satisfaction and it ‘s of import for proper digital dental medicine flow. The Solidscape Prexacto is the perfect merchandise line sing both monetary value and public presentation for dental research labs. ( CAD BLU DENTAL, 2010 ) D66+ produced 750 units per month with low norm cost so the earlier one and it besides saves more than $ 12,000 per month over traditional methods. ( Bruce Lusting, 2010 ) Fig 10: Solidscape D66+ pressman ( CAD BLU DENTAL, 2010 ) Bacillus: For dental procedure the Envisiontec perfactory Digital Dental Printer ( Perfactory DDP ) is a really good machine for bring forthing dental parts. The capableness of machine is that it can fabricate 65 anatomical wax get bying or units with good declaration of 35 micrometers in less than two hours utilizing wax based polymer system and besides it can bring forth parts with accurate spread systematically. Digital dental pressman is capable for cap, Crowns and Bridgess production without fring the existent size. The Perfactory DDP from envision TEC is absolutely convenient for procedure where both header and metallic ceramic pressure are built on the machine at the same time. The concluding printed portion get bying produced automatically with a psilosis on a system, which was designed for the simple arrangement for direct investing casting. Assortment of stuffs is available harmonizing to demands. ( envisionTec,2010 ) Fig 11: Digital alveolar consonant printing ( envisionTec, 2010 ) Degree centigrades: 3D production system launches its first economical Projet MP300 for both little and average dental labs. This new compact system green goods parts with the latest coevals of 3d systems patented and proprietary Multijet Modeling engineering. It gives the perfect characteristic definition at high physique velocity. Projet MP3000 produces dental portion theoretical accounts from new lasting and high contrast Visijet MP200 Dental theoretical account stuff for the application. ( 3D systems, 2010 ) The system can bring forth theoretical account with good surface coating and proper size and besides it can construct multi theoretical accounts in a individual clip. Same twenty-four hours processing helps to minimise cost and clip because it works with plaster and feeling scanner. ( 3D systems, 2010 ) Fig 12: ProJet MP 3000 3D Printing System ; Working Model ( 3D systems, 2010 )4.0.2.2: Laser sintering / MeltingThis engineering is used in dental and medical industries for bring forthing little and average sized direct parts, because of complexness in parts and tooling industry has to do insert tooling straight. With a great build envelop of 250mm ten 250mm ten 185mm tallness, and besides have the ability to fabricate multiple parts at individual clip ; DMLS is the engineering which is really effectual in both cost and clip. This used in both for cost economy technique to do it simple in assembly and geometry for production maker and rapid prototyping because it minimizes the clip of development for new merchandise. ( Wikipedia, 2010 ) Fig 13: SLM image ( 3D systems, 2010 )Typical forms like headers, Crowns and Bridgess are straight built in metal, utilizing Ti and Co chrome. Sinterstation Pro DM125 SLM is a system which manufactures straight to the full dense, stop metal parts with great smoothness and tolerances. ( 3D systems, 2010 )Linear Manufacturing Process Choice:5.0: Decision:This study highlights the usage of Additive fabrication engineering in production of hearing assistance instruments and dental implants. It besides concludes that how these engineerings are being used in medical industry for development and sweetening of medical parts. Particularly dental implant parts which are produced through investing casting linear fabrication procedure are more dependable, cost effectual and of import for digital dental medicine flow, nevertheless hearing assistance shells are produced through jetting procedure utilizing objet machines are really thin and assortment in colourss. Now patients are satisfied that the usage of linear fabrication engineering heightening the quality of merchandise sing all the factors, if u compare new merchandise with the earlier one so it is inexpensive and easy to utilize. In future as linear fabrication engineering and stuffs are keep on concentrating for development, so it will hike the medical industry in all facets. 6.0: Appendix:Jetting:Machines Solidscape D66+ 3D Projet MP 3000 Build size ( centimeter ) Resolution System package Input format Modeler weight Accuracy Material 15.24Ãâ€"15.24Ãâ€"15.24 5000Ãâ€"5000 XY declaration Windows CE STL or SCL 635 pound ( 288 Kg ) 0.001-0.002 per inch of portion dimension Non toxic thermo fictile stuff ( first-class strength and lost wax projecting qualities ) 29.8Ãâ€"18.5Ãâ€"20.3 328x328x606 DPI ( XYZ ) Windows XP or Windows 7 STL or SCL pound ( 34 Kg ) 0.001 per inch of portion dimension Visi jet MP200 build stuff ( Formulated for exceeding castability and visibleness ) Machines Eden250 Eden 260 Eden 350V Eden 500V Build size ( centimeter ) Resolution Input format Material Machine weight 26x26x20 600x300x1600 DPI ( XYZ ) STL and SCL Full remedy 720 Full remedy 705 support 280 Kg 26x26x20 600x300x1600 DPI ( XYZ ) STL and SCL Full remedy 720 280 Kg 35x35x20 600x300x1600 DPI ( XYZ ) STL and SCL Full remedy 720 Full remedy 705 support 410 Kg 50x40x20 600x300x1600 DPI ( XYZ ) STL and SCL Full remedy 720 Full remedy 705 support 410 Kg

Private and security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Private and security - Essay Example In addition, the respondents from the practices were more likely to report that their practice did not use â€Å"security tools such as wireless security protocols, e-mail encryption, or mobile device encryption† (HIMSS 21). The conclusion is hardly surprising given the prevailing economic environment. These initiative require financing, hence the reduced economic power of the country affects the capacity of the practices to purchase these services. Sharing data with â€Å"other entities such in corporate organization† will fall from 66% to 16% (HIMSS 11-12). Sharing data with government entities at all levels will average out. There will be a significant rise in sharing data with Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) and PHR Vendors. The internal sharing of information will not be necessary since the hospitals will rely on the more secure HIEs even for internal information exchange. This also explains why the use of HIEs will increase. The reason for averaging out of the government- related sharing of information is that the government will streamline its reporting requirements across all levels. One of the interesting findings of the survey is the percentage of IT budget that goes into IT security (HIMSS 6). It is interesting to note that the amount spent on ensuring that IT systems remain secure is much lower than the overall budget. This means that there is some recognition that security is important. However, the risks do not presently warrant increased expenditure, or there is insufficient appreciation of the risks that the systems face. There are five key characteristics of the lean culture based on this article. They include elimination of waste during production and secondly, the maximization of customer value. The third aspect of a lean culture is that the management mandates and plans the lean projects. The fourth key aspect is that the implementation takes place at the floor, by the line workers. The final aspect of the lean

Police Association of New Orleans v. City of New orleans Case Study

Police Association of New Orleans v. City of New orleans - Case Study Example The new system offered better base salary, better equipment facilities for street personnel, high power rifles, additional state supplemental pay, and a range of other improved facilities. The PANO could effectively deal with various obstacles and perform a prominent role in organizing other police unions throughout the south. Background In the middle of 1980s, a group of African-American police officers claimed that policies related to promotion and hiring in New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) were discriminatory. In order to solve this issue, the City of New Orleans agreed to issue a decree for the African-American police officers on May 27, 1987 (Justia.com). The term ‘decree’ means a rule of law that is issued by someone in authority within the legal system. Generally, decree is issued by the head of state. Although, a decree does not constitute all the features of an order, this particular degree represents certain specific procedures. The main intention of this d ecree was to ensure equal employment opportunities in NOPD and thereby eliminate all sorts of racial discrimination practices. Obviously, the decree brought considerable modifications in the NOPD’s promotion procedures mainly with the aim to increase the opportunities for the advancement of African-American officers. The proposed decree enforced the creation of supernumerary positions. However, a group of officers who are not African-American raised voice against this provision. In order to comply with the framed stipulation structure, PANO informed NOPD its need to maintain additional regular sergeant positions. The City has made certain adjustments in the administration of sergeant appointment in order to give equal priority to African-American officers and other officers. As a result of this practice, the city could maintain a total of 16 new sergeants, out of which six African-American officers were from Band 6 and ten non African-American officers were from Band 5. The P ANO and other 24 police officers who were not African-American alleged that the City dealt with certain transfers and promotions in a manner that violated the intention of the decree. In fact, all the 24 police officers who opposed the move were already in Band 5 of the Commission’s promotional register, and hence, according to them, promoting the Band 6 African-Americans adversely affected the employment opportunity of those 24 individual officers. The plaintiffs argued that the transfers and promotions that were exercised on 31st December 1993 were a blatant violation of the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, and Article I, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974† (Findlaw). The district court found that the promotions and transfer practices of the City on 31st December 1993 were against the decree and fundamental laws of the US constitution. Although, the district court gave the City an oppo rtunity to find an effective remedy that would correct the identified violations, the City could not frame a potential remedy within the specified date. As a result, the court ordered the City to pay $5,000 per day as fine until the City brought a reasonable solution to the issue. The City proposed another remedy soon, but that too was judged unsatisfactory by the court. After a series

Media Practice in the UK Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Practice in the UK - Personal Statement Example After this, I hope to either join an animation team for the production of a television programme or film or, alternatively, set up one myself. It is unwise to be too focused on the current economic climate, so although I remain ambitious, I am keeping my mind open to whatever comes along. Describe why you feel your background, experience and aptitude make you a suitable candidate for the Animation Direction course. Personally, I cannot help but feel that the Animation Direction course is the best thing I could possibly do with my life at the moment. As a teenager, I felt caged in my surroundings and found that I could only release my emotions through the creation of a story and the visualization of ideas. Since I was nine years old and started making flip books, I have spent much of my free time – and all of my time in higher education – writing novels and drawing comic books. Such a hobby came naturally to me, and happily, it is something at which I am skilled. This is why I am applying, specifically, to the Animation Direction course. I studied the Media, Art and Design Foundation course at the London College of Communication; I have a BA in Animation from the University of Westminster, and an MA in Illustration and Animation from Kingston University. I have excelled in these courses, due to both my passion and my talent. I have studied film theory in depth and developed both practical and mental skills necessary for the type of career I am entering. I am also a confident person and have never been shy to communicate my artistic visions: I am always discussing projects with my peers and potential colleagues. Given your choice of specialization, describe in your own words the role you would expect to take in the process of development and production of an animated film. I would welcome the chance to work at the highest possible level, as a director. The director of an animated film holds the most senior position in the animation department, and a s such is ultimately and personally responsible not only for the quality of the animation but also for the department's ability to produce results on time. This means that from the very beginning I would have to liaise with the writers to understand their vision and help communicate that vision to the artists. Delegation is an important part of being a director, so I would need to be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member to be able to assign work fairly and to the best advantage; later on, I would critically review the work of my staff, encouraging or suggesting improvement as necessary. Select one item from your submission and write an evaluation of the dramatic strengths and weaknesses including that of your own creative contribution. One of my submission items was the opening live-action footage of my experimental animation. I challenged myself to create an effective atmosphere without using sound effects. The series of close-ups of banal items such as shoes and gloves heighten the senses, and the cinematic color I used creates a feeling of suspense in the audience. More astute members of the audience will work themselves into a state of fear, creating links between the blue saturation and bathroom, in silence. I believe I have succeeded in making an atmospheric opening scene without resorting to music or sound effects.  

The Awareness of Mental Health among the American Public Essay

The Awareness of Mental Health among the American Public - Essay Example The total number of death cases in the Civil War is almost the same as the death cases in almost all other wars combined. Furthermore, more than one out of every five white men who participated in the war died (Vinovskis 1990, as cited in Costa n.d.). Studies about the prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II and the Korean War also suggest that they have higher risks of death from diseases involving the heart and greater prevalence rates or neurological and psychological disorders (Beebe 1980, as cited in Costa n.d.). The baby boomers, on the other hand, are so concerned with their health that herbal medicine's popularity increased significantly in the last decade. The television and magazines are full of advertisements about alternative ways to fight diseases, maintain good body resistance, and most importantly, aging. But what about mental health Is the American public so busy about hiring nurses from third world countries to attend to the health needs of the veterans of war Or are we busier in finding better ways to prevent aging How was the public's awareness of mental health different from the pre-war period "The mental health system in the United States has moved well beyond the official ignorance that prevailed in the 1970s and now recognizes PTSD as a diagnosable disorder. Armed with this diagnosis and prodded by veterans, rape victims, and survivors of genocide, we have begun to appreciate the profound and sometimes irreversible changes produced by overwhelming stress. These include fundamental alterations in perception, cognition, behavior, emotional reactivity, brain function, personal identity, worldview, and spiritual beliefs." (Freidman 2005). The previous passage may have been an answer. The world wars taught us so much about mental disorders: PTSD and other trauma, amnesia, psychosis among others. Before, psychologists who were treating veterans who were traumatized a decade or two after their war experiences did not worry that the certain mental illness the veterans may have has a stigma attached to it. Such stigma usually prevents disclosure of PTSD symptoms, thus, makes treatment and therapy difficult, or worse, impossible. Today, psychologists look at every aspect in which the environment or the society might affect a traumatized person directly, or via stigmas (Friedman 2005). From cases of mental disorders acquired by the veterans and victims of war, the awareness of mental health problems spread to the other sectors of the public. We now recognize that experiences need not be as grave as a genocide in order to worry about PTSD or other mental disorder. Other kinds of events like accidents, abuse, and disasters may also cause mental disorders. However, it seems illogical that we do not to pay as much attention to mental health as we do on beauty and anti-aging products. Yes, we may have progressed in terms of psychological treatment and research, and yes, we have increased awareness on mental health, but what is lacking is the promotion of mental health, especially to citizens of lower socio-economic status. We know very well that the elite can afford psychiatrists and psychologists, and there are many of them around. What about the common man Why isn't there a single television advertisement on mental health, or at least

Marketing a New Product Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing a New Product - Research Paper Example These services rendered by the company are generally related to the mobility parameters and thus encourages the consumers to purchase the automobiles for a safer and hassle free journey. Though the company encompasses a large number of automobile brands yet the company endeavours to render an individual identity to each of the different brands falling under the banner. The individual brands and companies working under the common banner of the Volkswagen group perform in a collaborative fashion to enhance revenue and market potential of the company in the international market (Volkswagen, 2010). Analysis of the Market Performance of Volkswagen The market performance of the Volkswagen shows that the company has gained a huge market acceptance both in terms of market shares and revenues. It is found that for consecutive ten months of the financial year 2011 the company recorded a sales of around 6.80 million vehicles through conducting sales from its different branches. This sales figur e reflects a rise of around 13.8 percent in respect of the sales occurring in the previous year. In regards to delivery figures the company records an increase of around 21.2 and 21.8 percent rise in respect of regions like North America and United States. Similarly in various European regions the Volkswagen Group recorded a high sales figure which rose by around 21.8 percent in respect to the previous years (Volkswagen, 2011). Need for Developing on its Product Lines It is found that regions like North America and in other European countries where the company has targeted in expanding its operation base is also subjected to large amount of snow falls. Snow falls in this region is likely to grow to around 25 inches in height mainly in the months ranging from November to April. Thus in regards to this fact the automobile company is required to devise new strategies in product development by adding wipers in the side mirrors of the cars manufactured. This development made in the produ ct line would help the users get rid of blurred vision caused due to damaged windows (NaturalHazards.org., n.d.). Explanation of/rationale for new product It is observed from the above discussion that the company gains a larger portion of the sales revenues through its enhanced sales in the North American region and in other European markets. To address the expansion activities in these regions in an effective fashion the company requires strategising and customizing its products. One of the effective strategies in regards to customization is the addition of wipers to side mirrors of cars. This creation of wipers helps in enhancing the effectiveness of the vehicles running in these regions. Creation of wipers along the side mirrors would help the automobile company counter contingencies like heavy snow fall or rainfall. This creation of wipers acts as a value addition to the automobiles manufactured by the company in regards to the North American and European regions. Through the us e of side wipers the consumers can drive safely in the North Amer

Political Parties Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Political Parties - Research Paper Example The normal people in the general population belong to this party electorate. These supporters or those who identify with a particular political party often show a strong tendency to vote for the candidate of that particular party. In addition, they register themselves as members of that party. These supporters tend to support all the policies of their political party blindly. There are various opinions among various scholars regarding party identification. While some opine that party identification is the result of people’s attachment to certain core political values, some others claim that party identification leads to political core values in an individual. In either way, political identification is an essential element in modern national politics. According to people like Green, palmquist, and Schickler, party identification is the sense of personal attachment one feels to a particular party as a result of the closeness he or she has to the social groups associated with tha t party (132). To illustrate, people often decide their political party taking into consideration how they feel about the social group which makes the base of that particular political party. The study by Goren proves that party identification is stable and rather long lasting (882). Admittedly, the first benefit of party identification is the proper representation of people’s requirements and their satisfaction. ... Secondly, though there is the claim that party identification leads to partisan politics, there is the counter argument that party identification leads to a greater degree of unity. For example, Larry shows that an individual’s value selection is greatly influenced by their party affiliation (122). That means a large chunk of population, which believes in a particular political party, tends to blindly support what the party propagates. It will help in reducing individual differences in opinion to a great extent. This is evident from Feldman’s report that party identification leads to greater voter turnout in elections (431). That means identification to a political party encourages participation in democratic process. As Fiorina opines, party identification is the best way to ensure effective running of democracies. For instance, such political parties are the only platform for candidates to reach the masses in a short time (89). Without the presence of parties, the ent ire system will be in chaos as so many candidates might turn up and the population will be divided into so many divisions based on the demands of each small section. Thus, political system becomes an important aspect of a successful democracy. Along with this, political parties play a great role in coordinated social interaction. Forgetting minor differences in individual perceptions, people gather under the banner of political parties and promote group survival and welfare activities instead of individual needs. Finally, in times of trouble and complex social situations, parties provide cues that guide people. Thus, party identification is an important element of party system and political participation, and these both are essential for democracy. 2. Developments in party Identification

Assignmen From Readings Essay Example for Free

Assignmen From Readings Essay This document includes ACC 340 Week 2 Assignments from Readings ACC 340 Week 2 Individual Assignments From the Readings Write a response to the following assignment from the Core Concepts of Accounting Information Systems text: Chapter 3: Case Analyses (The Dinteman Company) Format your response consistent with APA guidelines. Business Accounting Accounting Information Systems I ENTIRE COURSE Phoenix University Pick out classes that are challenging and interesting to you instead of the ones that people think are very easy. Giving yourself a challenge is rewarding. You are sure to gain more knowledge from tough courses, and you might make connections that will benefit you later on.

Micro Economic Environment Essay Example for Free

Micro Economic Environment Essay The economic environment consists of external factors in a business market and the broader economy that can influence a business. You can divide the economic environment into the microeconomic environment, which affects business decision-making such as individual actions of firms and consumers, and the macroeconomic environment, which affects an entire economy and all of its participants. Many economic factors act as external constraints on your business, which means that you have little, if any, control over them. Lets take a look at both of these broad factors in more detail Macroeconomic influences are broad economic factors that either directly or indirectly affect the entire economy and all of its participants, including your business. These factors include such things as: Interest rates Taxes Inflation Currency exchange rates Consumer discretionary income Savings rates Consumer confidence levels Unemployment rate Recession Depression Microeconomic factors influence how your business will make decisions. Unlike macroeconomic factors, these factors are far less broad in scope and do not necessarily affect the entire economy as a whole. Microeconomic factors influencing a business include: Market size Demand Supply Competitors Suppliers Distribution chain such as retailer stores Why Is It Important? The economic environment of business will play a pivotal role in determining the success or failure of a business. Lets first consider some  macroeconomic factors. If interest rates are too high, the cost of borrowing may not permit a business to expand. On the other hand, if unemployment rate is high, businesses can obtain labor at cheaper costs. However, if unemployment is too high, this may result in a recession and less discretionary consumer spending resulting in insufficient sales to keep the business going. Tax rates will take a chunk of your income and currency exchange rates can either help or hurt the exporting of your products to specific foreign markets. Now, lets turn our attention to microeconomic factors for a bit. Market size may determine the viability of entering into a new market. If a market is too small, there may not be sufficient demand and profit potential. This leads us to the concept of demand and supply. If your product is in high demand but there is a low supply of it, you are going to make a tidy profit, but if your product is in low demand and the market is flooded with similar products, you may be facing bankruptcy. The quality and quantity of your competition will affect how well you do in winning customers in the marketplace. Suppliers are the arteries pumping vital supplies and resources to you for production. If you have problems with suppliers, it can clog up those arteries and cause serious problems. Likewise, the type of relationship you have with your distributors, such as retail stores, may influence how quickly your products leave their shelves. Summary The environment in which a business operates is very complex and has a great deal of influence on how a business performs and whether it will succeed. Macroeconomic factors influence not only a business but also all participants in an economy and include such things as interest rates, inflation, unemployment rates, taxes, discretionary spending, periods of growth and recession. Microeconomic factors also influence the success or failure of a business and include such things as market size, demand, supply, competitors, suppliers, and distributors.

Effects Of The Learning Together Model Education Essay

Effects Of The Learning Together Model Education Essay CHAPTER 1 1.1 Introduction Cooperative language learning has been proclaimed as an effective instructional approach in promoting the cognitive and linguistic development of learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL) (Kagan, 1995; Kessler, 1992; McGroarty, 1989, 1993). These researchers, among others, have established the theoretical relevance of cooperative learning (CL) in second language (L2) instruction based on the premise that CL provides maximum opportunities for meaningful input and output in a highly interactive and supportive environment. CL also integrates language and content learning, and its varied applications are in harmony with the pedagogical implications of the input, socialization, and interactive theories of L2 acquisition. This is because CL enhances the motivation and psychosocial adjustment of L2 learners (Cohen, 1994; Dornyei, 1994, 1997). According to Olsen and Kagan (1992), CL increases interaction among learners as they restate, expand, and elaborate their ideas in order to convey and/or clarify intended meaning. This interaction is important because it contributes to gains in L2 acquisition (Long Porter, 1985; Pica, Young, Doughty, 1987) and in academic achievement (Bejarano, 1987; Ghaith Yaghi, 1998; Kagan, 1989). Furthermore, it has been established that CL enables learners to process information beyond the level of receptive understanding by offering redundancy and multiple venues of information access and tasks (Olsen Kagan, 1992; Webb, 1989). Likewise, CL may be especially useful for ESL/EFL learners based on the assumption that it provides a variety of flexible ways for organizing instruction and integrating language and content learning into various discourse and instructional contexts (Olsen, 1989). In addition, CL encourages active participation in genuine conversations and collaborative problem-solving activities in a class climate of personal and academic support. It also empowers learners and provides them with autonomy and control to organize and regulate their own learning (Clifford, 1999; Thomson, 1998) As Cooperative Learning advances into the nations classrooms, the benefits of reading strategies increase greatly. Reading strategies suggested in Diversified Teaching, though strong in themselves, gain more power as we put the steps into the hands of students. For many learners, active participation is the key to mastery. In the past, teachers have done most of the action with students passively observing. Now, after carefully modeling the steps of a strategy, teachers can direct the activities to small groups of students. When students become actively involved in the learning process, the following occur: 1. Motivation increases/boredom decreases 2. Mastery improves for kinesthetic learners 3. Responsibility of learning shifts to the students 1.2 Background of the Research Problem The social and school context of the present study is a bilingual environment where Bahasa Malaysia, the native language, is predominately used in the media and for daily communication and English is taught as second language, valued for their educational and cultural significance. However, ESL instruction in the context of the present study remains competitive in nature and does not provide opportunities for active learning and meaningful communication among learners because learners are expected to perform better than their classmates in order to attain higher grades and achieves the approval and success. There is a need to examine the theoretical relevance and efficacy of cooperative learning as an instructional approach in a bilingual and traditional school context such as this one based on the assumption that it would promote active learning and meaningful interaction in the target language of English among learners. 1.3 Statement of the Problem It has been said that students learn to read by reading and to write by writing. If, in fact, this is true, it is reasonable to assume that students develop feelings of worth by experiencing small daily successes. Success in school, particularly in reading, has a strong impact on students feelings of worth and accomplishment. True reading requires both the ability to break down the code and the ability to understand the meaning intended by the writer. Collaboration is required between left and right brain visual skills in order to be a strong reader. Fortunately, students who are weak in either area can be assisted by using specific strategies Cooperative learning is a philosophical shift from the teacher as primary conveyor of information to teacher as facilitator. Student works together in groups of two to five as they teach one another, problem solve and develop appropriate social skills. Cooperative learning provides a way for students who are weak in academic skills to actively participate in the learning opportunity by contributing their own strengths and by receiving peer assistance. However, research indicates that the strong student who helps the weak one actually benefits more. 1.4 Conceptual Framework This research is to determine the effects of the Learning Together Model of Cooperative Learning on English as a Second Language in Reading Comprehension Achievement and Academic Self-Esteem to improve students scores on reading comprehension tests within a particular primary school setting.  The experimental group of students from the upper primary level is the sample for comparison in the form of quantitative and qualitative instruments. Before and after achievements will be taken into consideration for analysis. During the pre test a specifically design test will be given for the purpose of the present study is administered to all participants 1 week prior to the treatment. This test is based on a reading text and included 12 items that measured participants literal comprehension of ideas directly stated in the passage and higher order comprehension that required inference and interpretation. Finally, the same post test is administered to the participants in the control and experimental groups at the conclusion of the treatment. This test is a domain-referenced test that covered the learning outcomes and competencies targeted during the period of investigation. The post test is based on a selection reading text that is previously read by the participants and included nine multiple-choice, three short answers, and eight sentence-completion items that measured the outcomes and competencies under investigation. Outcomes of the tests, the questionnaires, the feedback on the techniques and observation of the self-esteem of the sample will be taken into consideration for further evaluation. The conceptual framework of this research as below: Figure 1: Conceptual Framework of Research PRETEST CLASS B CLASS A EKSPERIMENTAL GROUP CONTROL GROUP POST- TEST Questionnaires (Self-Esteem) STUDENT STUDENT F M F M RESULT Murid) 1.5 Purpose of the Research The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of the Learning Together Model of Cooperative Learning on English as a Second Language in Reading Comprehension Achievement and Academic Self-Esteem to improve students scores on reading comprehension tests within a particular primary school setting.   ESL learners found reading for information easy in their first language but more difficult in a second or foreign language. Reading comprehension tests caused anxiety and a sense of failure for students who did not have the skills to cope with the tests. Reading in a second language was not easy but taking tests made it even more difficult. 1.5.1 Research Objectives This research intends to find the following objectives: To examine whether the Learning Together CL model more effective than conventional class instruction in promoting the ESL reading comprehension achievement. To examine whether the Learning Together CL model more effective than conventional class in promoting achievement within male and female students. To examine whether the Learning Together CL model more effective than conventional in increasing the interest for the experimental group. To examine whether Conventional Method can increase the students interest among the control group students. 1.5.2 Research Questions Specifically, the study addressed the following questions: a) Is the Learning Together CL model more effective than conventional instruction in promoting the ESL reading achievement? b) Is the Learning Together CL model more effective than conventional in promoting achievement within male and female students? c) Is the Learning Together CL model more effective in increase the interest for the students in experimental group? d) Is Conventional Method can increase the students interest among the control group student? 1.5.3 Hypothesis Null a) There is no significant difference in achievement mean score on post test of students in experimental group compare to students in control group. b) There is no significant difference of achievement score in English Lesson within male and female students who had been taught using Learning Together Model. c) There is no significant difference in interest for the students in experimental group using the Learning Together Model. d) There is no significant mean score in English Reading Comprehension Test in Interest for the Control Group Students Using Conventional Method. 1.6 Significance of the Research Its clear that reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process that depends upon a number of ingredients all working together in a synchronous, even automatic way. Vocabulary clearly plays a critical role in understanding what has been read. The reader must also be intentional and thoughtful while reading, monitoring the words and their meaning as reading progresses. And the reader must apply reading comprehension strategies as ways to be sure that what is being read matches their expectations and builds on their growing body of knowledge that is being stored for immediate or future reference. . In conventional classrooms, ESL students receive less teacher and peer communication and communication at a lower linguistic and cognitive level than in cooperative learning classrooms. One of the main advantages of group work for second language learners is that it offers students the chance to hear more language and more complex language during interaction. In discussion with others, students may hear more complex language from their peers than from the teacher in conventional class discussion. Consequently, at least some of the input will be at an appropriate level. In one study, students participating in group-based investigation made more high-level cognitive gains than those who took part in peer-tutoring or whole-class methods (Holt, 1993). Most observational research indicates that the speaker is the teacher 60 to 70 % of the time during teacher-centered interaction. In comparison, in cooperative learning, one fourth to one half of the students can speak at any given time, depending on whether pair work or group work is being used (McGroarty, 1993). This is important to language learning because it give students more opportunities to practice using language skills. In addition to increasing the number of opportunities available for verbal expression, cooperative learning methods promote use of a wide range of communicative functions. This is important to language learning to expose students to a variety of language skills. Through teacher modeling and pre teaching exercises, students are given specific instructions in such skills as paraphrasing the ideas of others, asking for explanations, summarizing, clarifying, indicating agreement or disagreement, and interrupting politely, all verbal skills, which are beneficial to the language acquisition process. 1.7 Limitations of the Research Some problems which may arose when research is conducted. They are: The outcomes may only cover the sample and may not necessarily be concluded all the groups in the general. However, samples with similarities of culture, background and also environmental factors may result in similarities of outcomes and problems. Differences in approaches and styles of the teachers, the interest of the students, the studying environment and other factors also need to be addressed in order to have more valid and reliable results. Reading techniques are focused on the reading comprehension and could not be generalized for other aspects of the language. 1.8 Definition of Terms Definition of Reading True reading requires both the ability to break down the code and the ability to understand the meaning intended by the writer. Collaboration is required between left and right brain visual skills in order to be a strong reader. Fortunately, students who are weak in either area can be assisted by using specific strategies. Reading Comprehension   Ã‚   Its clear that reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process that depends upon a number of ingredients all working together in a synchronous, even automatic way. Vocabulary clearly plays a critical role in understanding what has been read. The reader must also be intentional and thoughtful while reading, monitoring the words and their meaning as reading progresses. And the reader must apply reading comprehension strategies as ways to be sure that what is being read matches their expectations and builds on their growing body of knowledge that is being stored for immediate or future reference. Definition of Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is a philosophical shift from the teacher as primary conveyor of information to teacher as facilitator. Student works together in groups of two to five as they teach one another, problem solve and develop appropriate social skills. Cooperative learning provides a way for students who are weak in academic skills to actively participate in the learning opportunity by contributing their own strengths and by receiving peer assistance. However, research indicates that the strong student who helps the weak one actually benefits more. 1.9 Summary The research is an attempt to investigate the effects of the Learning Together Model of Cooperative Learning on English as a Second Language in Reading Comprehension Achievement and Academic Self-Esteem. Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process that depends upon a number of ingredients all working together in a synchronous, even automatic way. Vocabulary clearly plays a critical role in understanding what has been read. The reader must also be intentional and thoughtful while reading, monitoring the words and their meaning as reading progresses. Cooperative Learning advances into the nations classrooms, the benefits of reading strategies increase greatly. Reading strategies suggested in Diversified Teaching, though strong in themselves, gain more power as we put the steps into the hands of students. Effects of the Learning Together Model of Cooperative Learning on English as a Second Language in Reading Comprehension Achievement and Academic Self-Esteem CHAPTER 2 Literature Review: 2.1 Introduction : Cooperative Learning(CL) Currently, CL is perceived as a generic term for a number of instructional techniques and procedures that address conceptual learning and social development. It encompasses the following instructional models: the Structural Approach (Kagan, 1989), Group Investigation (Sharan Sharan, 1992), Student Team Learning (Aronson, Blaney, Stephan, Sikes, Snapp, 1978; Slavin, 1995), Curriculum Packages (Slavin, Leavey, Madden, 1986), and Learning Together (Johnson, Johnson, Holubec, 1991, 1992, 1994). The Structural Approach is based on using content-free ways of managing classroom interaction called structures. Structures are relatively easy to implement and can be categorized into team and class building, communication, mastery, and critical thinking structures. One example of a structure is Numbered Heads Together. Kagan (1989) describes the procedure of Numbered Heads Together as follows: Step 1: Students number off within teams. Step 2: The teacher asks a high consensus question. Step 3: Students put their heads together to make sure everyone on the team knows the answer. Step 4: The teacher calls a number at random, and students with that number raise their hands to be called upon to answer the question and earn points for their teams. Group Investigation divides work among team members, who complete specific tasks and then reconvene to prepare a group presentation. Student Team Learning includes the Jigsaw method and its variations and the Student Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD) method. The Jigsaw method has five major components: reading, expert group discussion, team report, testing, and team recognition. Meanwhile, STAD is organized around the components of teacher presentation, team study, individual quizzes, individual improvement scoring, and team recognition. The main difference between Jigsaw and STAD is that Jigsaw is well suited for teaching material in a narrative form such as a story or chapter, whereas STAD is useful in teaching materials that require single correct answers such as language rules and mechanics. Curriculum Packages are specific programs for teaching math and language and include the Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition program. The Learning Together model organizes instruction according to the principles of positive interdependence, individual accountability, promotive face-to-face interaction, social and collaborative skills, and group processing. Specifically, positive interdependence means that the success of students is linked with the success of their team members and may be structured through mutual goals, joint rewards, shared resources, complementary roles, and a common team identity. Individual accountability means that the performance of each member is assessed and results are given to the team and the individual so that team members cannot get a free ride on the efforts of their teammates. Yet, team members still help, share, encourage, and support each others efforts to succeed through promotive interaction within their groups. Furthermore, they use and develop their interpersonal and small-group skills of leadership, decision making, trust building, and conflict management. Finally, the team members perform group processing to reflect how well the team is functioning and how its effectiveness may be improved. As such, the main difference between the Learning Together and other CL models is that this model is less discrete and less prescriptive than the Structural and the Student Team Learning models that employ specific steps in lesson planning and some what prepackaged curricula, lessons, and strategies in a prescribed manner (Johnson Johnson, 1998, p. 226). Rather, the Learning Together model provides a conceptual framework for teachers to plan and tailor cooperative learning instruction according to their circumstances, student needs, and school contexts. (For fu rther description of the various CL models, see Kluge, McGuire, Johnson, Johnson, 1999.) 2.2 Review of Previous Studies Previous research involving students who spoke English as a first language and who learned content in English has suggested that CL may encourage higher self-esteem and lower feelings of alienation at school (Johnson, 1979). For instance, Norem-Hebeisen and Johnson (1981) reported that self-esteem was positively related with cooperative relationships among 821 White, middle-class secondary school students in a mid western suburban American community. These researchers further reported that competitive and individualistic patterns of social interdependence reflected lower self-esteem and greater concerns regarding success and social approval. However, Johnson, Johnson, Scott, and Ramolae (1985) found no significant differences between the Learning Together CL model and individualistic and competitive forms of instruction in improving the self-esteem of 154 fifth- and sixth-grade students of science in suburban Minnesota. Along similar lines, Oickle (1980) studied the effects of team reward and individual reward structures on the English achievement and self-esteem of 1,031 students from diverse communities enrolled in four American middle schools. This researcher reported positive effects in favor of the team reward structure in promoting achievement in the four schools and in improving self-esteem in only one of the schools. Similarly, Madden and Slavin (1983), who studied the development of self-esteem among regular and special needs elementary school children in Baltimore, Maryland, reported greater general self-esteem effects for STAD but no differences in academic and social self-esteem between STAD and the control group. Conversely, Allen and Van Sickle (1984) reported no differences between STAD and the control group in improving the general self-esteem of 51 ninth-grade students after 6 weeks of experimentation in rural Georgia. Finally, while some researchers found that the Jigsaw method had positive effects in improving students general self-esteem (e.g., Blaney, Stephan, Rosenfield, Aronson, Sikes, 1977), Gonzales (1979) reported no such effects. In the context of ESL/EFL, previous research suggests that CL promotes positive attitudes among learners (Gunderson Johnson, 1980), intrinsic motivation and satisfaction (Clement, Dornyei, Noels, 1994; Szostek, 1994; Ushioda, 1996), and active pursuit of group goals (Nichols Miller, 1994). It also leads to gains in social support for academic excellence (Daniels, 1994), expectancy of successful task fulfillment (Douglas, 1983), and increased self-confidence and less anxiety (Deci Ryan, 1985). More recently, Ghaith and Yaghi (1998) reported that the STAD method is more effective than individualistic instruction in improving the acquisition of L2 rules and mechanics. Likewise, Calderon, Hertz-Lazarowitz, and Slavin (1998) reported that a bilingual Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition intervention improved third-grade achievement during transition from Spanish to English in comparison with control classes that used traditional textbook reading methods. Similarly, Bejarano, Levine, Olshtain, and Steiner (1997) reported that small-group cooperative practice of modified interaction and social interaction strategies improve EFL learners communicative competence. In like manner, Thomson (1998), in her study of a group of third-year Australian university students in a Japanese language class, found that cooperation among teachers and students increased interaction opportunities among learners and promoted autonomous learning. Finally, Ghaith (2002) reported that the Learning Together CL model positively correlates with a supportive L2 climate and with learners perceptions of fairness of grading and academic achievement. The aforementioned studies underscore the value and potential of CL in the L2 classroom. However, there is still a need to investigate the efficacy of various CL models in promoting gains in the cognitive and non-cognitive domains of ESL/EFL instruction across different languages and cultures. 2.3 Summary Consequently, the present study set out to investigate the effects of the Learning Together CL model on the achievement, academic self-esteem, and feelings of alienation among ESL learners studying in a situation characterized by competitive schooling and limited opportunities for meaningful social interaction in English, the target language. Effects of the Learning Together Model of Cooperative Learning on English as a Second Language in Reading Comprehension Achievement and Academic Self-Esteem CHAPTER 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Study Design The study employed a pre test-post test control group design and focused on the variables of academic self-esteem and alienation from school as well as achievement based on the proposition that interacting positively with other people to achieve common goals tends to increase academic self-esteem and to decrease school alienation (Johnson, Johnson, Stanne, 2000). Academic self-esteem and psychosocial adjustment at school are of critical importance because they enable learners to withstand the disappointments of life, be confident decision makers, and ultimately be happy and productive individuals (Slavin, 1995). Likewise, the Learning Together CL model was selected as the form of intervention in the present study because it encompasses all the CL elements of heterogeneous grouping, positive interdependence, individual accountability, social and collaborative skills, and group processing. Furthermore, there is at present a need to examine the efficacy of this model in The context of teaching ESL in general, and in the context of the present study in particular, due to the scarcity of previous research. 3.2 Populations and Sample Participants in the study are 60 upper primary students from a primary school in Kulim. The learners are from families with low to medium socioeconomic and educational backgrounds enrolled in the primary school in Kulim. There are 34 males and 26 females, and their ages ranged from 11 to 12 years. The participants will be selected from the primary school and will be randomly assigned to control and experimental groups; the study will last for 10 weeks. The experimental group included 30 participants who will study together in seven teams of four members each according to the dynamics of the Learning Together CL model as described in the Study section. Meanwhile, the 30 participants in the control group will study the same material according to procedures in their textbooks. FIGURE 2: Populations and Sample Male Female Experimental Group 16 14 Control Group 18 12 3.3 Research Instruments Academic self-esteem was defined in the context of the present study as the self perception of one as being a capable, competent, and successful student (Johnson Johnson, 1996, p. 67) and measured by a five-item Likert subscale adapted from Johnson and Johnson (1996). Likewise, an eleven-item Likert subscale also adapted from measured school alienation Johnson and Johnson (1996) In addition, an achievement pre test specifically designed for the purpose of the present study is administered to all participants 1 week prior to the treatment. This test is based on a reading text and included 12 items that measured participants literal comprehension of ideas directly stated in the passage and higher order comprehension that required inference and interpretation. Finally, the same post test is administered to the participants in the control and experimental groups at the conclusion of the treatment. This test is a domain-referenced test that covered the learning outcomes and competencies targeted during the period of investigation. These outcomes and competencies included utilizing context Clues (syntactic and semantic) and using reading strategies such as previewing, skimming, and scanning to achieve literal and higher order comprehension of printed discourse. The post test is based on a selection reading text that is previously read by the participants and included nine multiple-choice, three short-answers, and eight sentence-completion items that measured the outcomes and competencies under investigation. The content validity of the test was established by the researcher, the program coordinator, and the teacher who implemented the study, using a specification table as suggested by Sax (1980). Consequently, it is determined that four items measured literal comprehension, eleven items measured higher order skills, and five items measured the use of context clues to aid comprehension. 3.4 Procedure for Data Collection The study consisted of two phases. The first phase involve a teacher who agreed to participate in the study by applying the elements of the Learning Together CL model (heterogeneous grouping, positive interdependence, individual accountability, social skills, group processing) in her teaching of ESL. This phase focused on specifying academic and collaborative skills objectives, dividing students into groups, arranging the room, assigning roles, and planning materials. Furthermore, the participating teacher will receive training in explaining academic tasks, structuring positive goal interdependence, individual accountability, and intergroup cooperation. The teacher will also learn how to specify and monitor learners desired behaviors and enable students to process and evaluate how the group functioned. The purpose of this first phase was to maximize experiment fidelity through careful training of the teacher-experimenter who would implement the second phase of the study. The second phase of implementation involved working with the program coordinator and the teacher who agreed to participate in the study in order to determine the content and learning outcomes and competencies to be achieved during the period of investigation. In addition, detailed lesson plans were designed in order to teach the same content and skills to the experimental and control groups. The lesson plans for the experimental group were based on a checklist of teachers roles and lesson templates designed by Johnson, Johnson, and Holubec (1987) . Specifically, the plans included lesson summaries, instructional objectives, and a list of materials needed as well as specifications of time required, group size, assignment to groups and roles, and arranging the room. The lesson plans also included an explanation of tasks, procedures to structure positive interdependence and individual accountability, and criteria for success. In addition, the plans specified the social skills and expected behaviors, and included procedures for group monitoring and processing to see how well the group functions. Meanwhile, the lesson plans for the control group focused on reading the same material according to the instructional procedures (activities) suggested in their textbook. These procedures were organized into three stages of lesson planning: opening, instruction and participation, and closure. These stages provided opportunities for working on various language objectives in the written and oral domains in an integrated matter, using a wide variety of instructional techniques such as whole-class brainstorming, discussion, question and answer, comprehension checks, crossword puzzles, and graphic organizers. Both the experimental and control group lesson plans addressed the same instructional objectives and will be based on the same reading selections and exercises. However, the experimental plans provided opportunities for small-group interaction and for sharing resources among team members. There was also an emphasis on social and collaborative skills and on developing team spirit and collegiality. Conversely, students in the control group worked individually and shared their answers with the class. As previously noted, one of the teachers who had received training in Phase 1 of the study had agreed to participate in Phase 2. In order to avoid any potential bias in the implementa

Voltaire and the Enlightenment Essay -- Essays Papers

Voltaire and the Enlightenment During the eighteenth century a group of French writers and critics known as the Philosophes favored change and reform. They believed in the power of the human mind, which was an idea that was inspired by the Scientific Revolution. The philosophes had faith in the power of rational criticism to challenge the tradition of the past. They also sought to apply the rules of reason and common sense to nearly all major institutions and social practices. The philosophes proposed a new kind of organized religion, a social religion which encouraged harmony and tolerance while strengthening the bonds of moral obligations within society. One of the major French philosophes during the eighteenth century was Voltaire. He was greatly inspired by the work of Isaac Newton during the Scientific Revolution, who believed there was a close relationship between his scientific theory and religion. Like Newton, Voltaire also theorized about the existence of God. One critic named Victor Hugo wrote, "'To name Voltaire is to characterize the entire Eighteenth Century. Italy had a Renaissance and Germany had Reformation, but France had Voltaire.'"1 Voltaire strongly believed that humans used their reason to make decisions and he also proposed a social religion and speculated about the existence of God which caused people to question their faith and reason. Voltaire, like many other Philosophes, believed in man provided that he was educated and used his reason. However, many people in Voltaire's time were illiterate, superstitious, unreasonable, and relied upon the guidance of the ruler. Voltaire believed in enlightened despotism, which was when the people obeyed the laws and made sure they were fairly enforced by all cla... ... the church and caused many people to question their faith and reason. Voltaire was one of the many philosophes who challenged people's faith and who was a part of the advancements in reason during the Enlightenment. - Frederick Artz, The Enlightenment in France (Oberlin: The Kent State University - Press, 1968), p. 66. - See Frederick Artz, p. 76. - See Frederick Artz, p. 79. - See Frederick Artz, p. 80. - Ronald Boss, "The Development of Social Religion: A Contradiction of French - Free Thought," Journal of the History of Ideas v. 34, no.4 (1973): p. 582. - See Ronald Boss, p. 583. - See Ronald Boss, p. 584. - See Ronald Boss, p. 585. - Rosemary Lauer, The Mind of Voltaire: A Study of his "Constructive Deism" (Westminster: Newman Press, 1961), p.90. - See Rosemary Lauer, p. 91. - See Rosemary Lauer, p. 92. - See Rosemary Lauer, p. 93.

Knowledge Is Power: How To Buy A Computer :: essays research papers

Knowledge is Power: How To Buy A Computer Buying a personal computer can be as difficult as buying a car. No matter how much one investigates, how many dealers a person visits, and how much bargaining a person has done on the price, he still may not be really certain that he has gotten a good deal. There are good reasons for this uncertainty. Computers change at much faster rate than any other kind of product. A two-year-old car will always get a person where he wants to go, but a two-year-old computer may be completely inadequate for his needs. Also, the average person is not technically savvy enough to make an informed decision on the best processor to buy, the right size for a hard drive, or how much memory he or she really needs. Just because buying a computer can be confusing does not mean one should throw up his hands and put himself at the mercy of some salesman who may not know much more than he does. If one would follow a few basic guidelines, he could be assured of making a wise purchase decision. A computer has only one purpose; to run programs. Some programs require more computing power than others. In order to figure out how powerful a computer the consumer needs, therefore, a person must first determine which programs he wants to run. For many buyers, this creates a problem. They cannot buy a computer until they know what they want to do with it, but they cannot really know all of the uses there are for a computer until they own one. This problem is not as tough as it seems, however. The consumer should go to his local computer store, and look at the software that's available. Most programs explain their minimum hardware requirements right on the box. After looking at a few packages, it should be pretty clear to the consumer that any mid-range system will run 99% of the available software. A person should only need a top-of-the-line system for professional applications such as graphic design, video production, or engineering. Software tends to lag behind hardware, because it's written to reach the widest possible audience. A program that only works on the fastest Pentium Pro system has very limited sales potential, so most programs written in 1985 work just fine on a fast '486, or an entry-level Pentium system. More importantly, very few programs are optimized to take advantage of a Pentium's power. That means that even if the consumer pays a large premium for the fastest

How skilful communication influence patients’ health behaviours

Abstract This essay analyses how skilful communication can influence the health behaviours of the patients. It looks at the importance of communication in healthcare and the different models of communication available to the healthcare personnel. These professionals need to decide on the model to use in order to ensure that they persuade the patients to change their health decisions by adhering to all the recommendations given to them Introduction Effective communication between healthcare personnel and the patients is important in clinical function as well as building a therapeutic relationship between them and the patients. Much of the dissatisfaction registered by patients and their failure to change their health behaviours are as a result of the breakdown of their relationship with the health care providers (Bryan 2009, p.75). However, many doctors often tend to overestimate their ability to effectively communicate with the patients thereby exacerbating the problem. Skilful communication and interpersonal skills encompasses the ability of healthcare professionals to gather information and use it to advise the patients appropriately with a view of influencing their health behaviours (Webb 2011, p. 57). This essay covers how skilful communication influences the health behaviour of patients. Healthcare Communication Communication is an important clinical skill that is very essential to clinical competence. The components of communication include non-verbal behaviours, listening and attending skills. All healthcare professionals need to understand the basic anatomy and physiology of communication (Bryan 2009, p. 66). They need to understand the variables that affect reception, processing and expression. A good comprehension of communication on delivery of healthcare is important in influencing health behaviour of the patients. They also need to understand the multicultural context in which the communication process occurs because it affects the manner in which the patients perceive the disseminated information. This should be in tandem with a good comprehension of therapeutic responses as they are significant in care management, increasing patient awareness and capacity for self-care and personal health management (Van 2009, p. 101). Models of Healthcare Communication Human beings often respond to illness and health differently, for instance some may choose to ignore or deny health threats while others face the threats by collecting the necessary information and acting accordingly and appropriately (Muller 2001, p. 88). There are different models designed to help understand the ways in which healthcare professionals interact with particular health outcomes. All these models contribute towards the successful understanding of communication in healthcare. These models are as follows: the therapeutic model, king’s interactive model, the developmental model, health belief model, health belief model for compliance, and the model for participative decision making (Jones & Jenkins 2007, p. 18). ). The therapeutic model puts emphasis on the importance of relationships in assisting the patients to adjust to their current conditions and take positive measures aimed at improving their health. The model emphasises on dyadic communication and the level of success is dependent on respect, trust, genuineness and non-judgemental attitude (Eisenberg 2012, p. 45).The healthy belief model explains how healthy people seek to avoid illnesses by outlining the nature of people’s preventative healthcare. The model is designed to indicate how personal health behaviours are influenced by perceived threats and benefits. It emphasises on perceptions and beliefs that can be modified to result in changed health behaviour. In this model communication is perceived as an essential tool for influencing the behaviour of the patients. The health belief model for compliance is an expansion of the health belief model and it includes the beliefs of patients that are already suffering from illnesses and have to comply with treatment. It aims at predicting compliance of patients to treatment to assist healthcare professionals in designing interventions to suit the needs of individual patients (Hugman 2009, p. 33). The King’s interaction model explains the communication between a nurse and a patient. It incorporates transactional aspects of human communication and the need for feedback. The model regards the trust between the nurse and the patient as vital in the effectiveness of the communication process. The model for participative decision making for patient doctor interaction postulates that when clients don’t get enough information from doctors or when there are communication barriers then they are likely to reject the treatment or decrease compliance (Eisenberg 2012, p.24). Therefore, the patients are supposed to be fully informed on their conditions and all the available options for treatment. The development model for health communication focuses on the communication occurring within the various relationships in healthcare settings. Its emphasis is on how different factors and contexts influence the interactions between different individuals in health communication. All the participants have their own pers pectives based on their individual beliefs and values. These perspectives influence the choice of the participants to interact with the others and as such healthcare personnel must always have this in mind (Hugman 2009, p.71). Importance of Skilful Communication as an Aspect of Care In an attempt to show the importance of communication in healthcare delivery, it is apparent that communication and healthcare delivery are indivisible. Delivery of healthcare to the patients encompasses more than just the administration of drugs. Healthcare delivery has moved from the task oriented practice it was in the past towards a therapeutic process that involves a wide range of roles focused on the health of the individual patients, their health and wellbeing (Tamparo & Lindh 2008, p. 69). The therapeutic effect of good communication between healthcare professionals and patients on healthcare delivery cannot be ignored. Provision of social support to the patients reassures them and can even lower blood pressure. Patients regard the health professionals who communicate effectively at an emotional level as warm, caring and empathetic. This enables the patients to engender trust in them and encourages them to disclose worries and concerns that they would have otherwise not have disclosed. In addition to this, useful and informative communication between the healthcare professionals and the patients encourages them to take more interest in their condition, ask pertinent questions and develop greater understanding and self-care (Jones & Jenkins 2007, p.38). It is this interest and understanding of the importance of self-care that drives the patients to positively change their health behaviours. This happens especially when the patients are allowed to ask questions and are involved in treatment decisions. The patients also experience benefits when the health professionals provide a good environment, give accurate information, use therapeutic communication and encourage positive motivation (Nemeth 2008, p. 93). Therefore good communication in the relationship between healthcare professionals and patients is an important tool for therapeutic intervention as well as good care. Basic communication skills alone are not sufficient to create and sustain successful therapeutic relationship between the patients and the healthcare providers. Successful therapeutic relationships are made up of shared perceptions and feelings on the nature of the problem, objectives of treatment and psychological support. Interpersonal skills develop from the basic communication between the doctors, nurses and other carers with the patients. Appropriate communication should be centred on both the carers and the patients as both sides are important in building and sustaining interpersonal relationships. The ultimate goal of any communication between the medical personnel and the patients is always to improve the health of the patients and medical care. Good communication skills are required for developing a high quality, effective and safe healthcare delivery. The skills are important for gathering information, diagnosis, treatment and educating the patients (Nemeth 2008, p.55). Eff ective communication benefits both the doctors and the patients because they are part of the treatment process. Previous studies on communication between the patients and doctors and nurses demonstrate that many patients are discontented even when the doctors and nurses consider it sufficient or excellent (Pilnick et al 2010, p 47). This implies that doctors and nurses often tend to overestimate their communication abilities. Patient surveys consistently indicate that the want the communication between them and the healthcare personnel to be improved (Tamparo & Lindh 2008, p.88). In the past most of the medical personnel considered disclosing bad news to patients as inhumane and detrimental to their medical condition. However, medical practice has now evolved from paternalism to individualism and is now characterised by shared decision making and communication that is centred on the patients. Effective communication between the doctors and the patients is very important in clinical function because it plays a central role in healthcare delivery. Perhaps the most significant importance of communication in influencing health behaviour of the patients stems from the fact that the nature of health care is changing from treatment of illnesses to management of chronic disease as more and more people are now living with survivable chronic illnesses (Van 2009, p.74). This implies that the healthcare professionals need to encourage the patients to take good care of their health. For instance the patients living with diabetes are required to manage their blood sugar levels. Quality of life is more important to healthcare as patients are now living longer with chronic illnesses like cancer and bipolar disorders. Therefore treatment choice is now more dependent on the individual patients and must suit their preferences, values and expectations. Conclusion Communication is an important tool that healthcare personnel can use to pass useful information to the patients. Well educated patients and their families need to be informed to make important health decisions in order to attain the aims of managed healthcare. Healthcare professionals need to disseminate relevant and persuasive information to the patients to help them change their health behaviours. They can rely on the models of healthcare communication to communicate to the patients based on their individual characteristics. References Bryan, K. (2009). Communication in healthcare. Oxford [England: Peter Lang. Eisenberg, A. M. (2012). Prescriptive communication for the healthcare provider. S.l.: Trafford On Demand Pub. Hugman, B. (2009). Healthcare communication. London: Pharmaceutical Press. Jones, R., & Jenkins, F. (2007). Key topics in healthcare management: Understanding the big picture. Oxford: Radcliffe. Muller, P. (2001). Healthcare communication: A rhetorical handbook. San Jose: Writers Club Press. Nemeth, C. P. (2008). Improving healthcare team communication: Building on lessons from aviation and aerospace. Aldershot, England: Ashgate. Pilnick, A., Hindmarsh, J., & Gill, V. T. (2010). Communication in Healthcare Settings: Policy, Participation and New Technologies. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Tamparo, C. D., & Lindh, W. Q. (2008). Therapeutic communications for health care. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Van, S. G. M. (2009). Communication skills for the health care professional: Concepts, practice, and evidence. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. Webb, L. (2011). Nursing: Communication skills in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.