Measured Building Areas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Measured Building Areas - Essay Example Demolish and remove existing buildings Refer also to Internal Demolition & Preparation Site clearance and demolition Site levelling, aligning, excavation and fill Excavation and Fill Termite treatment, barriers, etc. Allowance for fill, backfill, crushed rock, etc. Rock and poor site ground condition etc. Retention and protection to adjacent properties Excavation for rock Blinding concrete & excavation – allowance BUILDING WORKS Allowances plus Provisional Sums Concrete Work Insitu slabs, footings, walls etc. Concrete slab, piles & footings, reinforcement works, sand bed works & membrane Strip footings Pad footings, allowance for posts, columns, etc. Precast concrete works Minor personnels works, framings, fixures, ties, supports, linkins and propping. Samples & testing; hobs; access, temporary work; curing; work for services, other trades; shop drawings; inspections, etc Brickwork, Blockwork And Other Solid Walls Work in existing areas Masonry work in wall infillingg patching , making good; scaffold, etc Subfloor masonry & retaining walls Subfloor single skin walls with piers Subfloor cavity walls Brickworks 110mm brickwork skin of : External masonry veneer, wall cavity, solid or other commons Internal wallworks, commons Brickwork for fireplace & smoke/chimney - not needed Additional for facebrickwork - not needed Joints, links, scaffold, cleanings, etc - accomodated in above.

Interview Assignment- Relating to Autism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Interview Assignment- Relating to Autism - Essay Example Why physical therapy for autism, an apparently mental condition? The physical therapist I interviewed noted that the Cartesian mind-body dualism is the root of the misconception that physical illnesses need physical approaches to heal and mental illnesses need the same. Autism is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder: Development is delayed and impaired in many areas, including motor skills both gross and fine. Physical therapy helps autistics develop those skills and reduce the gap between them and the outside world in this fashion. Further, the physical therapist I interviewed found that above the strictly clinical benefits, physical therapy is really useful for autistics because it gets them out of the house, gives them something to do that helps them manage all the sensations and focus their perception, and makes them feel more normal. Training autistics with physical therapy can help them participate in normative social experiences like sports: This is especially importa nt for child autistics, who will find it easier to connect with their peer groups by skipping, playing jump rope or hopskotch, or playing in ball games. The occupational therapist I interviewed argued that occupational therapy was basically the mental flipside of the physical therapy.

Comparative Study of the Banks in Nepal

Comparative Study of the Banks in Nepal A well-structured financial sector is of special importance for the economic growth in both developed and developing countries. The commercial banking sector should be well organized and efficient for the growth of an emerging economy. Commercial Banks which forms one of the backbones of the financial sector are the intermediary link in facilitating the flow of funds from the savers to investors. By providing a means of mobilizing domestic savings and proficiently channeling them into productive investments, they lower the cost of capital to investors and accelerate the economic growth of a nation. No underdeveloped country can well progress without setting up a sound system of commercial banking system.  [1]   Nepal is an agrarian based economy with a GDP of $ 33.26 billion  [5]  . Nepalese banking industry has considerable changes over past decades because of liberalization, deregulation, improving information technology and globalization. The financial sector liberalization resulted in the entry of new firms in the market, which also added more pressure on competitiveness of individual banks; deregulation widened the scope of activities and expanded the banking activities; advancement in technology resulted into new methods to perform banking activities. Furthermore, the banks, these days, are entering into non-banking markets while other financial institutions are entering into the banking markets that have conventionally been served by the banks. These changes have altered the structure and market behavior of Nepalese banking industry. Currently there are 26 commercial banks out of which 6 are joint venture banks, 63 development banks and 77 financial institutions in Nepal. At present there is only one international bank operating in Nepal which is Standard Chartered Bank Limited. It started operation in Nepal since 1987 as a joint-venture operation and today it is a part of Standard Chartered Group having an ownership of 75% in the company and 25% shares owned by the Nepalese public. Nepal after its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during its accession in 2004, has allowed foreign banks to make their foray in Nepal to do only wholesale banking  from Jan. 1, 2010. Initially before the agreement with WTO (GATS), the Central Bank regulation allowed foreign shareholders to acquire maximum of 51% shares. Later the regulation changed which allowed foreign ownership of 75% and the recent regulation of 2010 allows 100% foreign ownership (i.e. allows a local entity to be a branch of a foreign company) in the banking industry. Entering of foreign firms is likely to generate benefits to financial sector as well as the economy as a whole (Chau HB, 2003). The effects can be seen mainly through an increase in efficiency and technological advancements as mentioned above. Over the past decade, the Nepalese banking industry has been doing well and has a number of new firms entering into the market. However, there is only one foreign bank and 6 joint-venture banks in the banking sector, though the government has liberalized the financial sector and allowed foreign banks to have 100% foreign ownership. With limited number of foreign banks in Nepal, it is still unclear whether entering of foreign banks, including joint venture, helps to improve overall performance of banking sector as well as to spillover some benefit to domestic banks in Nepal. Objectives To answer the key question above, there are two objectives of the research paper: To measure and analyze the performance of three types of banks namely domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank and to explain the variation in performances of these banks. To identify whether the entry of foreign banks, including joint venture, banks would be beneficial for domestic banks which still dominate the financial market in Nepal. 1.3. Scope and limitations of the Study This study will only focus on three types of banks, i.e. domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank, and it will offer an insight on the advantages of foreign banks in Nepal. Furthermore it will provide the reasons pertaining to variations in performance of the banks. The main limitation in this study is that there is only one foreign bank in Nepal till date, so the interpretation of the performance of the foreign bank in Nepal could be restricted to some degree. 1.4. Research Methodology This section develops research methodology to reach the objectives of the study. The banking sector in Nepal will be divided into three groups, namely foreign owned banks; joint-venture banks, and domestic banks. For this research, foreign-owned banks will be classified as those which have started a branch or subsidiary in the host country where the share of foreign bank ranges from 51% to 100% while joint venture banks will be classified as those in which foreign investors own the total equity of 50% or less and domestics banks are those which are purely owned by the Nepalese. The foreign owned banks are separated from joint-venture banks in this study because these two types of banks tend to have different operational management, resulting in their different performance. The research methodology is composed of both quantitative and qualitative analysis. First, the qualitative approach is applied to examine the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal during 2000-2010. The financial policy, especially competition-restriction regulation in Nepalese banking sector is also reviewed, mainly through official documents from central bank and international organization. Then the quantitative approach is developed to measure the performance and efficiency of banking sectors in Nepal. This is done by conducting various financial indicators of three types of banks in Nepal namely foreign bank, joint venture banks and domestic banks. Comparison of the indicators among these three types of banks over the past decades will provide the clear analysis of different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks. The indicators can be grouped into four aspects, namely profitability; operational costs; staff productivity; risk prevention. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit Margin (Net Profit/Total Income) Profit margin is very useful when comparing  companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. Profit margin is  displayed as a percentage; a 20% profit margin, for example, means the company has a net income of $0.20 for each dollar of sales. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Return on Asset (Net Profit/Total asset) ROA figure gives investors an idea  of how effectively the company is converting the money  it has  to invest into net income. The higher the ROA number, the better, because the company is earning more money on less investment. For example, if one company has a net income of $1 million  and total  assets of $5 million, its ROA is 20%; however, if another company earns the same amount but has total assets of $10 million,  it has  an ROA of 10%. Based on this example, the first company  is better at converting its investment into profit. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Return On Equity (Net Profit/Equity) The amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity.  Return on equity  measures a corporations profitability  by revealing how much  profit a company generates  with the money shareholders have invested.  Ã‚  Higher The ROE better the company. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Interest Rate Spread (Interest Earning Ratio-Interest Expense Ratio) The difference between the average yields a financial institution receives from loans and other interest-accruing activities and the average rate it pays on deposits and borrowings. The greater the spread, the more profitable the financial institution is likely to be; the lower the spread, the less profitable the institution is likely to be. Risk prevention Risk Prevention à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) Total Capital/ (RWAs) This ratio is used to protect depositors and promote the stability and efficiency of financial systems around the world. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Core CRAR = Tier I Capital / RWAs Tier one capital is that which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading. This measures the capital standard of the bank à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Adjusted CRAR = (Total Capital Net NPAs)/(RWAs Net NPAs) This relates to the bankâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ability to sustain the losses due to risk exposures is the bankâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital. The intermediation activity exposes the bank to a variety of risks. Staff productivity Staff Productivity à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit per employee (Net Profit/ No. of Employee) This helps to measure how productive the employees are in the bank by calculating profit generated by every employee. Higher the figure better for the company. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Net Income per employee (Net Total Income/ Number of Employees) This also helps to measure income generated by every employee in the company Operational costs Overhead Expense à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Overhead expense/total income The accurate accounting and allocation of over-head expenses are very important factors in calculating the true cost of the company Operating Expense Ratio à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Operating Expense/ Net Income The Operating Expense Ratio is usually viewed as a measurement of management efficiency.   This is because management usually has greater control over operating expenses than they do over revenues. In addition to analyzing different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks, this study further analyze whether entering of foreign banks helps to improve efficiency of domestic bank. This is done by (1) Structured interviews with managers of central bank and commercial banks. Specifically, the interview will provide detailed analysis on which factors do help to improve performance of domestic banking sector in Nepal; could foreign-owned banks influence performance of domestic banks; and which channels do foreign-owned banks influence domestic banks, and (2) by â‚ ¬Ã…“Granger causality testâ‚ ¬? between domestic bank performance and foreign bank performance. This will be done on profitability, staff productivity and operational costs. 1.5. Organization of the study There will be five chapters in the study. Chapter 1 provides introduction, objective, scope and limitation, and methodology of the study. Chapter 2 reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Chapter 3 examines the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal as well as financial policy over the past decades. The results of banking performance are shown in this chapter. Chapter 4 discusses the impacts of foreign banks to domestic banks, both qualitative and quantitative. Chapter 5 provides conclusion and policy inferences. Chapter 2 Literature Review This section reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries. This is done in order to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Penetration of foreign bank can come in different forms, such as branch offices, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or strategic partnerships. Branch offices, for instance, are an integral part of the parent company, that is, they have no capital of their own. Subsidiaries, however, are their own corporate entities, which are fully owned by the parent company. Similarly, joint ventures are separate corporate entities owned jointly by more than one parent company. Finally, foreign banks may establish a strategic partnership by buying a majority stake of an already existing domestic bank. Weller Scher (1999) The main difference between the various operational forms of foreign banks is their regulatory treatment. The regulatory treatment of the banks differs amongst domestic banks, joint-venture banks and foreign owned banks. Although there are different forms of foreign bank penetration, foreign owned banks are defined as those in which foreign investors own more than 50% of the total equity. Okuda and Rungsomboon, (2004). Decree on Foreign Banks, Phillip Fox 2006, distinguished foreign banks as Foreign Bank Branches (FBB), Foreign Invested Banks (FIB) and Joint Venture Banks (JVB). FBB is a dependent subsidiary of a foreign bank, for which the foreign bank has provided written guarantee that it will be responsible for all obligations and undertakings under FBB. A 100% FIB is established as a separate legal entity with capital being contributed from only foreign entities. Amongst the foreign investors, there must be a â‚ ¬Ã…“parent bankâ‚ ¬? and it must hold more than 50% charter capital. A JVB is established as a separate legal entity, with capital being contributed from one or more foreign banks and domestic banks. Capital is not divided into shares. In JVBs, the capital contribution rate by the foreign bank(s) is capped at 50% of the capital of the bank. The regulations and supervision of financial sector in a host country are crucial in affecting the penetration of foreign banks. Over the past decade, most of the banks throughout the world have started standardizing their policies relating to financial sector according to Basel committee (Basel II Basel III)  [7]   Although Basel system has been introduced and regulations and supervision of banking sectors began to be standardized, regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, which influence the penetration of foreign bank and market structure of banking sector, vary significantly across countries and regions. According to Barth, Caprio and Levin (2001), there are three key aspects of the regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, namely 1) Limitations on Foreign Ownership of Domestic Banks determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ownership of domestic banks by foreign banks); (2) Limitations on Foreign Bank Entry determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ability of foreign banks to enter the domestic banking industry) and (3) Entry into Banking Requirement determine (whether there are specific legal submissions required to obtain a license to operate as a bank). The restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership vary from country to country. The research on Regulation and Supervision of Banks around the World by Barth, Caprio and Levine (2001) mentions that there are two measures of the size of a countryâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking industry. First measure is total bank assets as a percentage of GDP and the other is the number of banks per 100.000 people. . Both these measures show substantial variation across countries. Countries like Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and United Kingdom have very high total bank assets as a percentage of GDP whereas United States and Asian countries are much lower. However the number of banks per 100,000 people is not much different in the countries mentioned above. The table clearly shows that the countries in ASEAN region have higher restrictions on banking activities and ownership in comparison to countries like New Zealand and United States. The regulations are different in each country and do not match even if the countries are in the same region. But Professional supervision per bank is lower in developed countries like United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom whereas developing counties have higher no. of supervision per bank. According to the research the highest restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership are imposed by countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and lowest restrictions by New Zealand then Germany, Austria and United Kingdom. In countries like New Zealand and United states the government ownership of banks is zero percent whereas India, Bangladesh has very high percent of government-owned banks. Although the regulations on banking competition vary, over the last decades, restrictions on foreign bank penetration have been relaxed as part of financial reform and foreign bank penetration increased substantially in many countries. This could be because the host country expects the positive impacts of increased foreign bank penetration in the host countryâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking system. Trade agreements have also played a major role in liberalization of market entry for foreign banks as financial services are required for international trade, production and investments. Governments usually support flow of foreign investment and this has been evident especially after various financial crises. Many countries in Southeast Asia started liberalizing foreign investment after the Asian financial crisis. The Asian crisis appeared to have catalyzed the liberalization of FDI restrictions in the banking sector across several ASEAN countries. Chau H.B (2003) A number of empirical studies analyze the impacts of foreign bank entry on domestic financial sector in a host country. The impacts can be grouped into three aspects. Firstly, foreign banks promote efficiency (competition and new technology) in domestic financial sector. A larger foreign bank presence can improve the competitiveness of the banking sector. Greater competition is advantageous for many reasons: to enhance the efficiency of financial services; to stimulate innovation; and to contribute to stability. It can also widen access of qualified borrowers to financing, which may increase aggregate lending and so enhance growth. A competitive and well-organized banking system can also improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission by tightening the link between policy rates and deposit/lending rates. (BIS paper No. 23) Foreign banks also help in availability of funds and acquisition of consumer-marketing skills. Chau (2003) In addition, foreign bank entry introduces new technology; financial services and advanced management skills, which existing domestic banks lack. The new technology and skills introduced by foreign banks include new financial products, advanced IT technology, and sophisticated bank management techniques. These are expected to contribute to lower operational expenses, amplified profitability, and better bank risk management. Forced by market competition, domestic banks may emulate the new financial products and management skills. Okuda Rungsomboon (2004). The presence of foreign bank also improves the corporate governance structure of the domestic banks. This includes breaking down the family-controlled structure and improving the decision making process. Chau H.B (2003) Unite and Sullivan (2001) has found that increase in foreign bank entry narrows the interest rate spreads and also reduces operating expenses. Foreign banks induces domestic banks to be more efficient, the increased competition forces domestic banks to take in less creditworthy customers and foreign participation induces domestic banks to spend more on improving their operations. However, Okuda Rungsomboon (2004) found that the entry of foreign banks is expected to negatively affect the operations of domestic banks but overall performance is likely to progress in the long run. Secondly, the entry of foreign banks is associated with reallocation of loans. Findings suggest that foreign banks improves credit access for many credit-worthy firms but some firms with positive net present value without opaque information will have difficulty obtaining loans. More developed countries, such as the U.S., Japan, and those in the European community, argue that Less Developed countries should allow foreign banks to enter into their economies. By increasing competition, foreign bank entry may boost the supply of credit and improve efficiency. Gormley (2006) Foreign banks are comparatively less likely to lend to â‚ ¬Ã…“soft informationâ‚ ¬? firms, and more likely to lend to â‚ ¬Ã…“hard informationâ‚ ¬? firms. â‚ ¬Ã…“Soft informationâ‚ ¬? refers to information that cannot be easily publicly verified by a third party. â‚ ¬Ã…“Hard informationâ‚ ¬? on the other hand refers to credible and publicly verifiable information, such as a foreign firmâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s authentically audited balance sheets, or government guarantees. Mian(2003.) The loan portfolio of foreign banks consists of only credible clients which mean that the chances of default are very less. The domestic banks will be compelled to give loans to non-credible clients because the credible clients will be mostly handled by foreign banks. This will have greater chances of loan defaults for domestic banks. Thirdly, foreign banks are geographically spread relative to domestic banks; therefore they are less affected by adverse shocks in the domestic country. Both foreign and private domestic banks have similar low probabilities of being assisted by the government in times of difficulty but foreign banks are considerably more likely of being bailed out by their parent bank. For example, if the local subsidiary in a developing country of a foreign bank runs into trouble, it may get an injection of new capital from its parent bank to bail it out. This access to liquidity directs to a lesser deposit cost for foreign banks. Furthermore, foreign banks have access to advanced technology, outside resources and expertise which facilitates them in providing better service than the domestic banks. However, there might be some drawbacks that make the foreign banks perform worse than domestic banks in the host country. Firstly, a large foreign banking existence could mean that information available to host country supervisors can be reduced and the decision-making and risk management shifts to the parent bank. The delisting of the equity of local partner on the local exchange removes an important source of market intelligence for the foreign bank. In addition, if the integrated firmsâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ equities are delisted in the local market, host country controllers can also lose access to key foreign bank decision-makers. Secondly, a country might be more exposed to shocks due to foreign banks presence. External events which affect the parent bank will affect the branches or subsidiaries. The factors that determine exposure to such external shocks, whether it is greater with onshore foreign banking as compared to traditional cross-border bank lending, and the propositions for regulatory and supervisory policy also demand further investigation. Lastly Accounting Standards could also be a problem for foreign banks unlike the domestic banks which have clear set of accounting standards set within its organization. There is a need for transparent and reliable accounting and financial reporting but for foreign banks; usually parent banks and their foreign subsidiaries often have different accounting standards, which can lead to discrepant financial balances, even when they are based on the same financial information. This might lead to complexity in comparison between international financial statements which could raise doubt in the reliability of banks financial statements. Differences may occur in different tax treatment, deferred taxes, valuation and accounting of repos, amortization of goodwill, treatment of past due loans and from provision and inflationary accounting adjustments. Moreno and Villar (2005) Comparative Study of the Banks in Nepal Comparative Study of the Banks in Nepal A well-structured financial sector is of special importance for the economic growth in both developed and developing countries. The commercial banking sector should be well organized and efficient for the growth of an emerging economy. Commercial Banks which forms one of the backbones of the financial sector are the intermediary link in facilitating the flow of funds from the savers to investors. By providing a means of mobilizing domestic savings and proficiently channeling them into productive investments, they lower the cost of capital to investors and accelerate the economic growth of a nation. No underdeveloped country can well progress without setting up a sound system of commercial banking system.  [1]   Nepal is an agrarian based economy with a GDP of $ 33.26 billion  [5]  . Nepalese banking industry has considerable changes over past decades because of liberalization, deregulation, improving information technology and globalization. The financial sector liberalization resulted in the entry of new firms in the market, which also added more pressure on competitiveness of individual banks; deregulation widened the scope of activities and expanded the banking activities; advancement in technology resulted into new methods to perform banking activities. Furthermore, the banks, these days, are entering into non-banking markets while other financial institutions are entering into the banking markets that have conventionally been served by the banks. These changes have altered the structure and market behavior of Nepalese banking industry. Currently there are 26 commercial banks out of which 6 are joint venture banks, 63 development banks and 77 financial institutions in Nepal. At present there is only one international bank operating in Nepal which is Standard Chartered Bank Limited. It started operation in Nepal since 1987 as a joint-venture operation and today it is a part of Standard Chartered Group having an ownership of 75% in the company and 25% shares owned by the Nepalese public. Nepal after its commitment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during its accession in 2004, has allowed foreign banks to make their foray in Nepal to do only wholesale banking  from Jan. 1, 2010. Initially before the agreement with WTO (GATS), the Central Bank regulation allowed foreign shareholders to acquire maximum of 51% shares. Later the regulation changed which allowed foreign ownership of 75% and the recent regulation of 2010 allows 100% foreign ownership (i.e. allows a local entity to be a branch of a foreign company) in the banking industry. Entering of foreign firms is likely to generate benefits to financial sector as well as the economy as a whole (Chau HB, 2003). The effects can be seen mainly through an increase in efficiency and technological advancements as mentioned above. Over the past decade, the Nepalese banking industry has been doing well and has a number of new firms entering into the market. However, there is only one foreign bank and 6 joint-venture banks in the banking sector, though the government has liberalized the financial sector and allowed foreign banks to have 100% foreign ownership. With limited number of foreign banks in Nepal, it is still unclear whether entering of foreign banks, including joint venture, helps to improve overall performance of banking sector as well as to spillover some benefit to domestic banks in Nepal. Objectives To answer the key question above, there are two objectives of the research paper: To measure and analyze the performance of three types of banks namely domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank and to explain the variation in performances of these banks. To identify whether the entry of foreign banks, including joint venture, banks would be beneficial for domestic banks which still dominate the financial market in Nepal. 1.3. Scope and limitations of the Study This study will only focus on three types of banks, i.e. domestic bank, joint-venture bank, and foreign bank, and it will offer an insight on the advantages of foreign banks in Nepal. Furthermore it will provide the reasons pertaining to variations in performance of the banks. The main limitation in this study is that there is only one foreign bank in Nepal till date, so the interpretation of the performance of the foreign bank in Nepal could be restricted to some degree. 1.4. Research Methodology This section develops research methodology to reach the objectives of the study. The banking sector in Nepal will be divided into three groups, namely foreign owned banks; joint-venture banks, and domestic banks. For this research, foreign-owned banks will be classified as those which have started a branch or subsidiary in the host country where the share of foreign bank ranges from 51% to 100% while joint venture banks will be classified as those in which foreign investors own the total equity of 50% or less and domestics banks are those which are purely owned by the Nepalese. The foreign owned banks are separated from joint-venture banks in this study because these two types of banks tend to have different operational management, resulting in their different performance. The research methodology is composed of both quantitative and qualitative analysis. First, the qualitative approach is applied to examine the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal during 2000-2010. The financial policy, especially competition-restriction regulation in Nepalese banking sector is also reviewed, mainly through official documents from central bank and international organization. Then the quantitative approach is developed to measure the performance and efficiency of banking sectors in Nepal. This is done by conducting various financial indicators of three types of banks in Nepal namely foreign bank, joint venture banks and domestic banks. Comparison of the indicators among these three types of banks over the past decades will provide the clear analysis of different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks. The indicators can be grouped into four aspects, namely profitability; operational costs; staff productivity; risk prevention. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit Margin (Net Profit/Total Income) Profit margin is very useful when comparing  companies in similar industries. A higher profit margin indicates a more profitable company that  has better control over  its costs compared to  its competitors. Profit margin is  displayed as a percentage; a 20% profit margin, for example, means the company has a net income of $0.20 for each dollar of sales. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Return on Asset (Net Profit/Total asset) ROA figure gives investors an idea  of how effectively the company is converting the money  it has  to invest into net income. The higher the ROA number, the better, because the company is earning more money on less investment. For example, if one company has a net income of $1 million  and total  assets of $5 million, its ROA is 20%; however, if another company earns the same amount but has total assets of $10 million,  it has  an ROA of 10%. Based on this example, the first company  is better at converting its investment into profit. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Ã‚  Return On Equity (Net Profit/Equity) The amount of net income  returned  as a percentage  of shareholders equity.  Return on equity  measures a corporations profitability  by revealing how much  profit a company generates  with the money shareholders have invested.  Ã‚  Higher The ROE better the company. Profitability à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Interest Rate Spread (Interest Earning Ratio-Interest Expense Ratio) The difference between the average yields a financial institution receives from loans and other interest-accruing activities and the average rate it pays on deposits and borrowings. The greater the spread, the more profitable the financial institution is likely to be; the lower the spread, the less profitable the institution is likely to be. Risk prevention Risk Prevention à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Capital to Risk Weighted Assets (CRAR) Total Capital/ (RWAs) This ratio is used to protect depositors and promote the stability and efficiency of financial systems around the world. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Core CRAR = Tier I Capital / RWAs Tier one capital is that which can absorb losses without a bank being required to cease trading. This measures the capital standard of the bank à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Adjusted CRAR = (Total Capital Net NPAs)/(RWAs Net NPAs) This relates to the bankâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s ability to sustain the losses due to risk exposures is the bankâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s capital. The intermediation activity exposes the bank to a variety of risks. Staff productivity Staff Productivity à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Profit per employee (Net Profit/ No. of Employee) This helps to measure how productive the employees are in the bank by calculating profit generated by every employee. Higher the figure better for the company. à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ·Net Income per employee (Net Total Income/ Number of Employees) This also helps to measure income generated by every employee in the company Operational costs Overhead Expense à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Overhead expense/total income The accurate accounting and allocation of over-head expenses are very important factors in calculating the true cost of the company Operating Expense Ratio à ¯Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ · Operating Expense/ Net Income The Operating Expense Ratio is usually viewed as a measurement of management efficiency.   This is because management usually has greater control over operating expenses than they do over revenues. In addition to analyzing different performance between foreign-owned and domestic banks, this study further analyze whether entering of foreign banks helps to improve efficiency of domestic bank. This is done by (1) Structured interviews with managers of central bank and commercial banks. Specifically, the interview will provide detailed analysis on which factors do help to improve performance of domestic banking sector in Nepal; could foreign-owned banks influence performance of domestic banks; and which channels do foreign-owned banks influence domestic banks, and (2) by â‚ ¬Ã…“Granger causality testâ‚ ¬? between domestic bank performance and foreign bank performance. This will be done on profitability, staff productivity and operational costs. 1.5. Organization of the study There will be five chapters in the study. Chapter 1 provides introduction, objective, scope and limitation, and methodology of the study. Chapter 2 reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Chapter 3 examines the structure and development of financial sector in Nepal as well as financial policy over the past decades. The results of banking performance are shown in this chapter. Chapter 4 discusses the impacts of foreign banks to domestic banks, both qualitative and quantitative. Chapter 5 provides conclusion and policy inferences. Chapter 2 Literature Review This section reviews relevant theoretical and empirical literature on foreign bank penetration and domestic bank performance in both developed and developing countries. This is done in order to lay the groundwork for developing analytical framework and methodology in examining the impacts of foreign bank penetration on domestic bank performance in Nepal. Penetration of foreign bank can come in different forms, such as branch offices, subsidiaries, joint ventures, or strategic partnerships. Branch offices, for instance, are an integral part of the parent company, that is, they have no capital of their own. Subsidiaries, however, are their own corporate entities, which are fully owned by the parent company. Similarly, joint ventures are separate corporate entities owned jointly by more than one parent company. Finally, foreign banks may establish a strategic partnership by buying a majority stake of an already existing domestic bank. Weller Scher (1999) The main difference between the various operational forms of foreign banks is their regulatory treatment. The regulatory treatment of the banks differs amongst domestic banks, joint-venture banks and foreign owned banks. Although there are different forms of foreign bank penetration, foreign owned banks are defined as those in which foreign investors own more than 50% of the total equity. Okuda and Rungsomboon, (2004). Decree on Foreign Banks, Phillip Fox 2006, distinguished foreign banks as Foreign Bank Branches (FBB), Foreign Invested Banks (FIB) and Joint Venture Banks (JVB). FBB is a dependent subsidiary of a foreign bank, for which the foreign bank has provided written guarantee that it will be responsible for all obligations and undertakings under FBB. A 100% FIB is established as a separate legal entity with capital being contributed from only foreign entities. Amongst the foreign investors, there must be a â‚ ¬Ã…“parent bankâ‚ ¬? and it must hold more than 50% charter capital. A JVB is established as a separate legal entity, with capital being contributed from one or more foreign banks and domestic banks. Capital is not divided into shares. In JVBs, the capital contribution rate by the foreign bank(s) is capped at 50% of the capital of the bank. The regulations and supervision of financial sector in a host country are crucial in affecting the penetration of foreign banks. Over the past decade, most of the banks throughout the world have started standardizing their policies relating to financial sector according to Basel committee (Basel II Basel III)  [7]   Although Basel system has been introduced and regulations and supervision of banking sectors began to be standardized, regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, which influence the penetration of foreign bank and market structure of banking sector, vary significantly across countries and regions. According to Barth, Caprio and Levin (2001), there are three key aspects of the regulations relating to competition within the banking sector, namely 1) Limitations on Foreign Ownership of Domestic Banks determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ownership of domestic banks by foreign banks); (2) Limitations on Foreign Bank Entry determine (whether there are any limitations placed on the ability of foreign banks to enter the domestic banking industry) and (3) Entry into Banking Requirement determine (whether there are specific legal submissions required to obtain a license to operate as a bank). The restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership vary from country to country. The research on Regulation and Supervision of Banks around the World by Barth, Caprio and Levine (2001) mentions that there are two measures of the size of a countryâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking industry. First measure is total bank assets as a percentage of GDP and the other is the number of banks per 100.000 people. . Both these measures show substantial variation across countries. Countries like Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and United Kingdom have very high total bank assets as a percentage of GDP whereas United States and Asian countries are much lower. However the number of banks per 100,000 people is not much different in the countries mentioned above. The table clearly shows that the countries in ASEAN region have higher restrictions on banking activities and ownership in comparison to countries like New Zealand and United States. The regulations are different in each country and do not match even if the countries are in the same region. But Professional supervision per bank is lower in developed countries like United States, New Zealand, United Kingdom whereas developing counties have higher no. of supervision per bank. According to the research the highest restrictions on overall bank activities and ownership are imposed by countries like Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and lowest restrictions by New Zealand then Germany, Austria and United Kingdom. In countries like New Zealand and United states the government ownership of banks is zero percent whereas India, Bangladesh has very high percent of government-owned banks. Although the regulations on banking competition vary, over the last decades, restrictions on foreign bank penetration have been relaxed as part of financial reform and foreign bank penetration increased substantially in many countries. This could be because the host country expects the positive impacts of increased foreign bank penetration in the host countryâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s banking system. Trade agreements have also played a major role in liberalization of market entry for foreign banks as financial services are required for international trade, production and investments. Governments usually support flow of foreign investment and this has been evident especially after various financial crises. Many countries in Southeast Asia started liberalizing foreign investment after the Asian financial crisis. The Asian crisis appeared to have catalyzed the liberalization of FDI restrictions in the banking sector across several ASEAN countries. Chau H.B (2003) A number of empirical studies analyze the impacts of foreign bank entry on domestic financial sector in a host country. The impacts can be grouped into three aspects. Firstly, foreign banks promote efficiency (competition and new technology) in domestic financial sector. A larger foreign bank presence can improve the competitiveness of the banking sector. Greater competition is advantageous for many reasons: to enhance the efficiency of financial services; to stimulate innovation; and to contribute to stability. It can also widen access of qualified borrowers to financing, which may increase aggregate lending and so enhance growth. A competitive and well-organized banking system can also improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission by tightening the link between policy rates and deposit/lending rates. (BIS paper No. 23) Foreign banks also help in availability of funds and acquisition of consumer-marketing skills. Chau (2003) In addition, foreign bank entry introduces new technology; financial services and advanced management skills, which existing domestic banks lack. The new technology and skills introduced by foreign banks include new financial products, advanced IT technology, and sophisticated bank management techniques. These are expected to contribute to lower operational expenses, amplified profitability, and better bank risk management. Forced by market competition, domestic banks may emulate the new financial products and management skills. Okuda Rungsomboon (2004). The presence of foreign bank also improves the corporate governance structure of the domestic banks. This includes breaking down the family-controlled structure and improving the decision making process. Chau H.B (2003) Unite and Sullivan (2001) has found that increase in foreign bank entry narrows the interest rate spreads and also reduces operating expenses. Foreign banks induces domestic banks to be more efficient, the increased competition forces domestic banks to take in less creditworthy customers and foreign participation induces domestic banks to spend more on improving their operations. However, Okuda Rungsomboon (2004) found that the entry of foreign banks is expected to negatively affect the operations of domestic banks but overall performance is likely to progress in the long run. Secondly, the entry of foreign banks is associated with reallocation of loans. Findings suggest that foreign banks improves credit access for many credit-worthy firms but some firms with positive net present value without opaque information will have difficulty obtaining loans. More developed countries, such as the U.S., Japan, and those in the European community, argue that Less Developed countries should allow foreign banks to enter into their economies. By increasing competition, foreign bank entry may boost the supply of credit and improve efficiency. Gormley (2006) Foreign banks are comparatively less likely to lend to â‚ ¬Ã…“soft informationâ‚ ¬? firms, and more likely to lend to â‚ ¬Ã…“hard informationâ‚ ¬? firms. â‚ ¬Ã…“Soft informationâ‚ ¬? refers to information that cannot be easily publicly verified by a third party. â‚ ¬Ã…“Hard informationâ‚ ¬? on the other hand refers to credible and publicly verifiable information, such as a foreign firmâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s authentically audited balance sheets, or government guarantees. Mian(2003.) The loan portfolio of foreign banks consists of only credible clients which mean that the chances of default are very less. The domestic banks will be compelled to give loans to non-credible clients because the credible clients will be mostly handled by foreign banks. This will have greater chances of loan defaults for domestic banks. Thirdly, foreign banks are geographically spread relative to domestic banks; therefore they are less affected by adverse shocks in the domestic country. Both foreign and private domestic banks have similar low probabilities of being assisted by the government in times of difficulty but foreign banks are considerably more likely of being bailed out by their parent bank. For example, if the local subsidiary in a developing country of a foreign bank runs into trouble, it may get an injection of new capital from its parent bank to bail it out. This access to liquidity directs to a lesser deposit cost for foreign banks. Furthermore, foreign banks have access to advanced technology, outside resources and expertise which facilitates them in providing better service than the domestic banks. However, there might be some drawbacks that make the foreign banks perform worse than domestic banks in the host country. Firstly, a large foreign banking existence could mean that information available to host country supervisors can be reduced and the decision-making and risk management shifts to the parent bank. The delisting of the equity of local partner on the local exchange removes an important source of market intelligence for the foreign bank. In addition, if the integrated firmsâ‚ ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ equities are delisted in the local market, host country controllers can also lose access to key foreign bank decision-makers. Secondly, a country might be more exposed to shocks due to foreign banks presence. External events which affect the parent bank will affect the branches or subsidiaries. The factors that determine exposure to such external shocks, whether it is greater with onshore foreign banking as compared to traditional cross-border bank lending, and the propositions for regulatory and supervisory policy also demand further investigation. Lastly Accounting Standards could also be a problem for foreign banks unlike the domestic banks which have clear set of accounting standards set within its organization. There is a need for transparent and reliable accounting and financial reporting but for foreign banks; usually parent banks and their foreign subsidiaries often have different accounting standards, which can lead to discrepant financial balances, even when they are based on the same financial information. This might lead to complexity in comparison between international financial statements which could raise doubt in the reliability of banks financial statements. Differences may occur in different tax treatment, deferred taxes, valuation and accounting of repos, amortization of goodwill, treatment of past due loans and from provision and inflationary accounting adjustments. Moreno and Villar (2005)

Reviewing Sullivan?s Study of America?s Wine :: essays research papers fc

For many years, wine dictionaries and encyclopedias have unknowingly been misleading consumers on the history of â€Å"America’s wine,† Zinfandel. In Zinfandel, A History of a Grape and Its Wine, Charles Sullivan, an accomplished viticulture researcher, challenges the popular belief that the grape was originally brought to America by a Hungarian immigrant. Sullivan explores the history of wine to bring forth intriguing facts that prove the popular belief to be wrong. With the help of University of California’s (UC’s) Carole Meredith, a new idea is thoroughly explained describing the true ancestry of Zinfandel.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For those not familiar with the wine it is important to note that Zinfandel, according to Sullivan, was the first and most successful American wine. Typically, wines from France and Italy prove to be more superior in taste than the American counterparts. However, with Zinfandel this is not the case. Unlike aged and dry wines, the young, fruity flavor of the Zinfandel makes for a more enjoyable flavor that appeals to a greater number of people’s tastes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sullivan does an excellent job keeping the book enjoyable by providing readers with intriguing side notes. For example, here he tries to illustrate the extreme passion that the Californians had for Zinfandel. â€Å"So great was the Napa passion for this grape that one of the tiny railroad stations below St. Helena was renamed â€Å"Zinfandel.† By the 1880s Zinfandel Lane crossed the valley, and the steamer Zinfandel plied the bay waters between San Francisco and the wharves of Napa City.† (Sullivan, 2003) This passage is a perfect example of why this book was enjoyable for me.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  However, there are times during the book where Sullivan becomes longwinded when it comes to explaining certain points. Long paragraphs embedded with, at times, insignificant graphics and charts make the book a hard and slow read. Yet, my curiosity and desire to learn helped me overcome the craving to close the book.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The desire I did have to close the book may have been attributed to the amount of â€Å"wine lingo† found within the text. The excessive amount of references to other wine varieties made it extremely tiresome, as I had to repeatedly look up in dictionaries and encyclopedias the characteristics of a certain wine he was describing. I believe that a person more educated in the subject of wine would enjoy this book more than an uneducated person like me. If a reader is not familiar with wine, the book can be quite discouraging at times.

Learning and Cognition

Running head: LEARNING AND COGNITION PAPER Learning and Cognition Paper LaTrice N. Weams PSY/ 390 Esther Siler-Colbert, M. S. , ABD April 8, 2013 Learning and Cognition Paper Examining the different concepts surrounded around learning and cognition and how they relate to each other will be the main focus of the paper. Giving a true definition of what learning really is and how behavior determines how someone learns will provide enlightenment on how learning can be achieved when being done according to one’s learning abilities and cognition.What is the definition of learning? What role does behavior play in learning? Learning can be easily described as a combination of â€Å"comprehension,† â€Å"knowledge,† or â€Å"understanding† which has been put together to gain a complete understanding of what is being understood. However, in psychology Gregory A. Kimble (1917–2006), defines learning as a relatively permanent change in behavioral potentiality t hat occurs as a result of reinforced practice (Kimble, 1961, p. 6).Kimble’s definition includes 5 important aspects being: (1) an observable behavior, (2) a semi-permanent change in one’s behavior, (3) the change in behavior does not need to be immediate, (4) experience or practice comes after the learned behavior, and (5) the aforementioned experience or practice needs to be reinforced. The behavior of constantly trying a concept multiple times until the desired level of achievement has been achieved is how learning is done. Since it is hard to show a tangible depiction of what learning is actively B.F. Skinner decided to make a box into which he put animals and was able to physically observe what learning was from watching the animals an action. What are two different types of learning? Describe each one in your response. The two different types of learning are instrumental and classical conditioning. Conditioning is a term that can be used as a descriptive measure f or learning; there are two types of conditioning; instrumental and classical (Olson, 2009).Instrumental conditioning can be described as working for a reward. Putting a child in a room with a gumball machine and pennies can prove instrumental conditioning is real. Once the child sees the gumball machine they will want one out of there. It will only take a few moments for the child to realize that they can put a penny in the machine and receive a gumball. This understanding was determined by B. F. Skinner when he put the animal in a box with a lever that produced a treat when the learned to push the lever.Classical conditioning was introduced by Ivan Pavlov and simply states that someone or something can be trained with a conditioned stimulus to produce an unconditioned response. For instance an adult that has the same lunch break every day at work is classically conditioned. The conditioned stimulus is the certain time of day that they go to break on a daily basis and the unconditio ned response would be getting hungry pains every day at that time once that lunch break has been passed. What is the relationship between learning and cognition? Provide a specific example.The relationship between learning and cognition is one that one needs the other in order to make learning possible. Cognition is the steps that one would go through in order to learn or gain knowledge to a certain skill. From infancy to Adulthood people go through certain levels of expected cognition to aid in the learning process. People are supposed to gain a certain amount of understanding so that learning can be proven that it is actually taking place. One specific example of learning and cognition would be a child learning how to read.They have to go through certain steps to be able to learn to read. Knowledge of alphabets, acknowledgement of alphabets, being able to put alphabets together to create words, understanding of what those words mean, and putting those words together to make senten ces in which understanding is fully acknowledged are the steps that a child goes through to learn to read. This paper has provided an understanding as to what learning is and how behavior is a main factor when it comes to how a person learns.It also provides a definition of what two learning types, which are instrumental and classical conditioning, with understanding as to how the two are distinguished from another. Understanding that cognition is the process that learning is acquired and without it neither one of them could exist alone. References Olson, M. H. & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2009). An introduction to theories of learning (8th ed. ). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Kimble, G. A. (1961). Hilgard and Marquis’ conditioning and learning (2nd ed. ). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Statement of Ethics Issue

Oct 20 2012 Oct 20 2012 ACCT 3121 Instructor: Ms. Julie Chenier ACCT 3121 Instructor: Ms. Julie Chenier | Written Assignment| | Student: Yichen Chen| | Written Assignment| | Student: Yichen Chen| To: Manufacturing Manager From: Becky Knauer Date: Oct 20 2012 Subject: Action of Ethnic Issue for Mueller Imports Dear Officer, My name is Becky Knauer, the new controller in Mueller Imports. Being selected as an experienced automotive professional to join such a huge management team, I aim at using my objective view and competency in addition to all available sources to best assist the organization.Recently, while managing the financial statement, I realized there are several transactions that are susceptible for ethical issue. A $5000 monthly invoice billed from the jeweler was personally approved as â€Å"selling expense† by the company’s owner Frank Mueller. My investigation exposes that the red flag involves significant fraud: 1. The periodic watch offering to regional sa les managers and other sales exclusives indicates the bribery. By receiving expensive rewards from Mr.Mueller, sales exclusives give biased car distribution to dealers. 2. The invoice billed by a local jeweler reveals the probability of collusion. Because the watch seller does not bill the transaction as a regular sale but explained it as a â€Å"miscellaneous service†, the jeweler has the high incentive to set the underground agreement with Frank Mueller. I suspect the indirect service charge conceals this fact. 3. The false financial statements presented by Mr.Mueller reveal the misrepresentation. Mueller’s action violates the policy of segregation of duties by overriding his right to authorize the controllable cost. His statement of this expenditure â€Å"selling expense† overstates the expense and understates the net income as well. He indirectly gains comparative advantages from the transaction called into question. Frankly, in the supply shortage market, t he substantial sale and high profit goal are pushing the upper level management into a dilemma.It seems that the fraud is initiated by the owner Frank Mueller, regional sales managers, and other involved exclusives, trying to gain personal interests by committing the fraud. Even though the outstanding sales can bring in large profits for Mueller Imports in the short term, the significant performance will be reevaluated and disclosed to the public. Consequently, all individuals within the organization and third parties committing to fraud will receive their deserved penalties.In addition, if Mueller Imports announces bankruptcy, employees who are innocent from the fraudulent activities will also suffer unemployment. According to Tom York (Segregation of Duties, 22), engaging in corrupt practices creates a very unfavorable business environment by encouraging unfair advantage and anti-competitive practices. As a controller within the company, I have the right to establish the monitorin g plans for internal controls to ensure that funds are expended and recorded appropriately on the financial report (Controller Job Description, 10).Referring to the IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice, the issue should be discussed with the higher level of supervisor or management who is not involved in the issue. Since the fraud is committed by the the top level of the organization, it is inappropriate to submit the issue to any level within the organization. However, it is impractical to hands-off because the activity of committing to the fraud which violate the code of ethnic. If I do nothing, I will be drawn into the concealment of fact as well.As far as I am concerned, it is not wise to fight the unethical issue with the upper level management, nor do I want to build a hostile relationship with the people of Mueller Imports. The most viable actions are: 1. Gather enough potential fraudulent statements, 2. Take an investigation of sale managers’ life a ctivities 3. Carefully evaluate the control system. After gathering substantial evidence, I would like to initiate a confidential discussion with you as well as the IMA ethnic advisors.In accordance with code of ethics (IMA Statement of Ethical professional Practice, Page 1), I will provide objective information and concerns to the appropriate business associates in the confidential manner. Following the guidance of the code of ethics, I want to utilize my professional skills supported by the appropriate authority to address the issue. Your responses and concerns will be very important to deal with the issue. I hope it can be solved in a professional manner resulting the in the car market returning to a fair and healthy state in the long run.I am looking forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Becky Knauer Work Cited: Controller / Business Manager Job Description The Association for Accountant and Financial Professionals in Business, IMA Statement of Ethical Professional Practice, York, Tom, Segregation of Duties, UNC Charlotte,

Thirteen essays

Thirteen essays The movie that I decided to watch is Thirteen. The main characters in the movie are: Holly Hunter (a mom named Mel), Evan Rachel Wood (a teen named Tracy, daughter of Mel), and Nikki Reed (a popular bad teenage girl named Evie Zamora). Tracy is a smart, shy student who gets As and is at the edge of adolescence. When she becomes friends with Evie, Evie leads her to drugs, sex, and misery. Tracy becomes a replica of Evie which leads her to many problems dealing with school, teachers, family, sex, and drugs. At the beginning the movie it is very confusing. However, I had seen the movie a while back and remembered it portraying young teenagers and their sexual experiences. I knew the movie a little from the first time I saw it and figured it would be alright for this project. Tracy, the good straight A student, approaches Evie, the popular bad girl, at a part early in the movie and they start talking about their clothes and jewelry and decide to go shopping. From that point on Tracy goes and copies whatever Evie does and begins to steal, get piercings, drink and do drugs, and begins to get into sexual situations and such. After their shopping or pretty much just stealing, they become friends. Tracy then brings Evie to her house for the first time. Evie eventually begins to spend weeks at a time at Tracys house. During this, Tracys mom who is an ex-alcoholic is trying to be open minded about her daughters rebellious changes and soon cant deal with it anymore and gives up on the teen. The sex appeal of these girls gives away their beauty. They are covering themselves in make up, piercings, not very much clothing, and also doing drugs. This makes you realize how sex appeal can make people these days ruin their bodies as well as their appearance. Girls thes e days are more into their looks and dont realize what kind of morals they have or how bad they are actually make themselves look. Tracy and her mother ...

Effects of Sex Education on Adolescent Behavior by Deborah Dawson

Effects of Sex Education on Adolescent Behavior by Deborah Dawson Sex education refers to the process in a human life where one acquires information and forms, values, attitudes and beliefs about intimacy, identity and relationships. It includes reproductive health, sexual development, affection, relationships amongst people, roles of different genders and body image. It addresses all aspects of life; psychological, spiritual, social and cultural dimensions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Effects of Sex Education on Adolescent Behavior† by Deborah Dawson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The article on â€Å"Effects of sex education on adolescent behavior† by Deborah Dawson gives different percentages of adolescents in regard to the type of sex information they receive in United States of America; especially on pregnancy and contraceptives. It is a professional journal on sex education. The main effect of sex education on adolescent behavior is reduced adolescen t pregnancies and induced abortions. I like this article because it emphasizes the need to educate the adolescents on sexual issues. The article is an excellent piece of work. I believe sex education impacts greatly on adolescents. Sex education is the tool to ensure the change of attitudes and thoughts amongst teenagers concerning sex, pregnancy and birth control. Sex education helps the participants to gain knowledge on their reproductive health and methods of birth control. Sex education is essential to adolescents. It changes their attitude towards other people’s sexual behavior. It is important to measure the behavioral impacts of sex education. I think the program has great effect on values and attitude of teenagers in regards to sex. Somehow the program could be having no impact on levels of sexual activity amongst teens. All the same, sex education has increased the sense of responsibility among teenagers. There is a positive relationship between use of contraceptives and sex education, which in my view shows responsibility. I believe the levels of sexual activity may remain high, but sex education helps in reducing cases of teenage pregnancy and abortions. The article is an excellent piece of work, but it has a few gaps. The sex education program presented in this case is more of theory than interactive. Students should play active roles, be involved in groups and watch videos for them to see the reality. This will improve its effectiveness. Daniel Wight’s article on â€Å"Limits of teacher delivered sex education† highlights some of the challenges which face sex education program in schools. In his study he involves 25 schools in East Scotland with and his main objective was to establish whether sex education delivered in schools or by teachers’ reduced unsafe sexual intercourse among adolescents.Advertising Looking for essay on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More I like this article because it offers a comprehensive report on limitations of sex education offered at schools. I adolescents spend most of their time at school, which means that teachers should ac like guardians. Also teachers should be able to deliver sex education effectively. The main aim of sex education in schools is to reduce cases of risky sexual behavior among adolescents. The quality of education they get matters most. Such gaps in delivering of sex education calls for other interventions like SHARE which means; Sexual Health Relationships: Safe, Happy and Responsible. In my opinion I would encourage such a programme to complement the school based curriculum. The program proves to be more effective in improving the quality of sexual relationships, reducing unsafe sexual activities and unwanted pregnancies. Sex education should not be a theoretical class work only, but should take a pro-active view in order to be effective. Effective sex education pro gram includes, working in small groups and games, providing sexual health leaflets, using interactive video and playing of different roles in order to develop skills. Including all these aspects in the program ensures that the program is effective. When the interactive program is put in practice, a considerable change of behavior is noticed. This is an excellent article to close up the gaps occurring in sex education delivered by teachers. It shows how delivering of sex education has changed and the results which come with the changes. Dawson, D. (1986). The effects of sex education on adolescent behavior. Family Planning Perspectives, 162-170. Print Wight, D., Raab, G., Henderson, M., Abraham, C., Buston, K., Hart, G. Scott, S. (2002). Limits of teacher delivered sex education: interim behavioral outcomes from randomized trial. BMJ, 324 7351, 1430. Print.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on â€Å"Effects of Sex Education on Adolescent Behavior† by Deb orah Dawson specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Assignment of Applied Linguistics

Teaching is that profession where the success of the teachers depends on the ability of the students. As we know that every good teacher knows that all students do not learn in the same way every student learns at different speed and reacts differently. So, teacher should be focused on, that every student gets a chance to learn and for that, teacher should be creative in using different kinds of teaching method. They have to choose a suitable method to convey the knowledge because they will find different situation and different students in the class. Generally, students would not be able to believe that they could be successful in learning language. This lack of motivation has made students do not have confidence to speak in the target language because they do not want to make any mistake. Moreover, they find difficulties to recollect the previous lesson, such us memorizing the new vocabularies. This situation encourages teacher to be creative and to use an effective method on teaching. In addition, students have different type of learning style. They learn through their own learning styles which are visual, auditory style. Those who are visual learn trough seeing and they need to see the teacher’s body language and learn best from visual displays. Then, those who are auditory learn through listening and they learn best through verbal lectures, discussions, talking things through, and listening to what others have to say Teacher should choose appropriate method of teaching different for types of students, to motivate students, and to increase students memorizing ability. Suggestopedia and Silent Way is one of those methods that can be used by teachers. Silent Way Method: The Silent Way is the name of a method of language teaching devised by Caleb Gattegno. The very name Silent Way highlights the fact that it is based on the idea that the teacher should be silent as much as possible in the classroom but the learner should be encouraged to produce as much language as possible. To let the teacher concentrate on what the students say and how they are saying it, drawing their attention to the differences in pronunciation and the flow of words. The significance of this method is that the learner eventually discovers what ability he has, which he has not yet had an opportunity to discover. The three basic tenets of the approach are Learning make possible if the learner discover rather than remembers or repeats In it the teacher and the learner work cooperatively to reach the educational desired goals. The learner is not a bench bound listener but an active contributor to the learning process. Learning is helped by physical objects The Silent Way uses colorful charts and rods (cuisinere rods) which are of varying length. They are used to introduce vocabulary (colors, numbers, adjectives, verbs) and syntax (tense, comparatives, plurals, word order). For example: teacher has introduced the idea of pronouns as in â€Å"Give me a green rod†. The class will then use this structure until it is clearly absorbed, using all the other colors. One member of the class would now like to ask another to pass a rod to a third student but she does not know the word â€Å"her†, only that it cannot be â€Å"me†. At this point the teacher would interfere and supply the new item: â€Å"Give her the green rod† and the learner will continue until the next new item is needed (probably â€Å"him†). Problem-solving is central to learning. This can be summarized by Benjamin Franklin’s words: Tell me and I forget Teach me and I remember Involve me and I learn† A good silent way learner is a good problem solver. The teacher’s role exist in only in giving minimum repetitions and correction, remaining silent most of the times, leaving the learner struggling to solve problems about the language and get a grasp of its mechanism. Suggestopedia Method: The term Suggestopedia, derived from suggestion and pedagogy. This term is developed in the 1970’s by Bulgarian psychologist and educator, George Lazanov. Suggestopedia is a teaching method which is based on a modern nderstanding of how the human brain works and how we learn most effectively. Lazanov argued that learners have difficulties in acquiring English as the second language because they do no want to make any mistake. When the learners are in this situation, their heart and blood pressure raise. He believes that there is a mental block in the learners’ brain. This filter blocks the input, so the learners have difficulties to acquire language caused by their fear. Music was central to his method. Music helps the students to reach a certain state of relaxation, in which the interest is increased. Moreover, it involves emotional meaning in given the lesson which help students better in memorizing. There are two types of suggestions first one is direct and second is indirect suggestion. The students learn English not only from direct instruction but also from indirect instruction. DIRECT: Direct suggestions are directed to conscious processes i. e. orally by the teacher, and/or by text materials. INDIRECT: Indirect suggestion is largely unconsciously perceived. In the teaching learning process, students who make mistakes are tolerated, for example in pronouncing the word. The stress is on the content not the structure. Grammar and vocabularies are presented and given treatment from the teachers, but not dwelt on. Homework is limited in this method Techniques: Suggestopedia: Classroom set-up, that is, the teacher provides as peaceful and relaxed an environment as possible. The classroom is provided with dim lights, soft music; soften armchairs, and walls decorated in order to make the students’ mind more relaxed. Silent Way In the class, the teacher uses rods which consist of ten brightly colored wooden blocks of different length, a word chart, a phonic chart, drawings, Worksheets and books. Colored charts are used in the first phase a practice pronouncing sounds and then the rods are used to practice saying words and numerals in the second phase. In the third phase, the rods are used to practice speaking. The teacher says as few words as possible, but uses more gesture and charts. The constant visual exposure to these rods and charts is the vital part of the techniques. The principle of the methods is that teaching should be subordinate to learning and the teacher’s role is to help the students to acquire the language more than just learning it. Advantages and Disadvantages of suggestopedia: -The first advantage of using suggestopedia for teaching English is that suggestopedia method use music during the process of learning. 2-The second advantage of using suggestopedia methods in teaching English is that suggestopedia methods have different class setting which make the students relax during the learning process. 3- Suggestopedia methods also decorate the class with posters or something which can make students’ mind relax, such as by putting flowers or aquarium in the corner of the class. By using poster, the students will always learn even when they just look around the classroom. -Beside the advantage, using music during the learning process also has disadvantages for some people who cannot study in the noisy class, it is difficult for them to divide their mind into two sides, to the music and to the lesson. 5-Another disadvantage is that suggestopedia method will be difficult to be practiced in the development country such as Indonesia. As we know that in Indonesia there are at least 30 – 40 students who fill in the one class. The teacher will be difficult to control them one by one. In conclusion, there are some advantages and disadvantages of using suggestopedia methods. As a good teacher we have to know what methods that appropriate for our students. Therefore before we choose a teaching method we have to consider its advantages and disadvantages. Suggestopedia is a good method for teaching, because the memorization can be done 25 times faster than the conventional method. But, there are also disadvantages of using it. So, we should be wise when we have to choose the method that we will use for our students. Advantages and Disadvantages of silent way: 1-This method foster cooperative learning between individuals. -It embodies a new approach to education in general, a respect for the individual and an awareness of the individual’s extraordinary cognitive powers. 3-This method can be benefited by the teacher only in small groups of students. The teacher can gain ability in this method by trying. The teacher is expected to enhance the materials on his/her own. 4-For some teachers the strictness of the system (no repetitions by the teacher, no an swers by the teacher etc. ) may be meaningless. 5-Language is separated from its social context and taught through artificial situations usually by rods. -How such a method would in the average classroom situation or how successfully it might be used at more advanced levels is a question mark left in our minds. 7- It would seem necessary for a teacher to gain a good deal of training and skill in order to apply the Silent Way to the teaching of a total grammar in all its complexity, if such a broad application is, in fact, possible 8-The Silent Way is often criticized of being a harsh method. The learner works in isolation and communication is lacking badly in a Silent Way classroom. 9-With minimum help on the part of the teacher, the Silent Way method may put the learning itself at risk. 0-The material (the rods and the charts) used in this method will certainly fail to introduce all aspects of language. Other materials will have to be introduced. Principles and Characteristic of silent way: 1. Errors: Are indispensable and natural part of the learning process. Self-correction and peer-correction are emphasized. The teacher corrects the language only as a last resort. 2. Repetition: Consumes time and encourages the scattered mind to remain scattered. If the teacher avoids repetition strictly, this will force alertness and concentration on the part of the learners. By this way the efficiency in learning will be increased and the time will be saved for further learning. This principle is against ALM. 3. Students native language: Native language can be used to give instructions when necessary. Also native language can be used during the feedback sessions (at least for beginner levels). If the native language is not very essential then it is avoided. 4. Evaluation: Although the teacher does not have to give a formal test, s/he assesses student learning all the time. One criterion of whether or not students have learned is their ability to transfer what they have been studying to new contexts. The principles of suggestopedia: 1. The first principle is that people are able to learn at rates many times greater that what we commonly assume to be limits of human performance. 2. The second principle is that learning is global; it involves the entire person. 3. The third principle is that people learn either consciously or unconsciously or both, either rationally or irrationally or both. Lazanov method is thought to be more concerned with irrational and unconscious processes. The concept of unconsciousness; comprises numerous unconscious forms such as associating and coding.

Focused Questions Various groups Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Focused Questions Various groups - Coursework Example Jerrel was the older one. â€Å"Identical like twins my sweet pumpkins!†- their mother used to say adoringly. Growing up in the 60s and 70s transitioning era, Cedric and Jerrel saw the decades of struggle for Black rights and liberation yielding fruit. There were various changes that were happening. The Supreme Court passed a ruling that segregation of schools according to races was not constitutional; consequently significant desegregation of schools took place in the latter half of the 1960s. It was exciting for Jerrel and Cedric to befriend â€Å"the White people† and to be treated their equals. The young American African brothers were keen and witty and excelled academically. It was heartening for their parents to see the trend in the 1960s that greater number of Blacks was being enrolled in colleges. Jerrel and Cedric saw their elder cousins, and later on themselves, working their way through respectable colleges and getting good degrees (â€Å"Unrest in the State †, 1974). The Black middle-class family typically characterized of the husband, who had two jobs. If the wife was working, she was not given long maternity leaves after childbirth and had to come back to birth almost after it. Such was the case with Leonard and Sophia. Leonard was a preacher by profession but also used to work in a bakery in the evenings. The extra money that he made from the bakery was used both for small charity works that Leonard did and to provide for the family. Sophia had also been working since before she got married to Leonard. However being a Black, she had tougher work restrictions that her White colleagues. She was given shorter maternity leaves and often complained to her husband of workplace discrimination. Migration trends out of the South continued in the 1960s but the era also witnessed an increment in the relative wages of African American workers. At the start of the 1960s, the average African American with Bachelors received about 60% of the income of their White counterparts (Fuchs, 1990). The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is attributed to the gains in wages. Thereby, when Jerrel and Cedric entered professional lives, their mother would gloat with pride at the fact that her sons made a respectable living. The transitioning period of the 60s and 70s was characteristic of a rise in the life expectancy of Blacks and important antidiscrimination initiatives were also undertaken (Backend, 2010). Nevertheless, life for young black men was tough. Most were in prisons when they got their high school equivalency and the number of black men who went to college was significantly less than the number of black women (Welch, Gruhl, Comer & Rigdon, 2008). Despite the problems in the society, Jerrel and Cedric managed to stay out of prison and lead a relatively crime-free youth. Another change that was apparent in the second half of the 20th century was the increase in single-parent Black households. A phenomenon that was seen in African American households in the 1960s was fatherlessnesss. Female-headed households and illegitimacy, although common in the American society, became an accepted norm amongst the Black community (Committee on Appropriations United States Senate, 2005; Schumacher, 2008). Cedric and Jerrel’s family could not stay immune to it for long. However it was not because Leonard followed carnal desires as was common amongst married Blacks. He decided that he wanted to go on a preaching mission. He left his two sons and his wife with some of his savings

Technology and a Just Society Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Technology and a Just Society - Assignment Example As a point of departure, technology has influenced human life on the globe through diverse innovations, which have contributed to life transformation. When all classes of people in a society are treated equally, even the impact of technology is universal. It is realizable that, life takes a different dimension for various classes of people in a society when injustice is evident in embracing life-changing technological activities for the poor. For instance, Deborah and Wetmore argue that the technology of appliances pushed the servants to the corner, because they became unnecessary, and the servant class’s children began to go to college. This implies that they transformed into the middle class. This technological innovation represents a mixed blessing. First, it pushes the servants (employees) to the poor class and second, it propels the servant class to the middle class. According to Deborah and Wetmore, he thinks of pushing technological innovation towards a different and modern direction. Dyson asserts that technology should be pushed from that of making toys for the rich to the basic needs of the poor. Majority of the poor people would choose to live in the rural areas as long as the technology is applied to make the places rich. Dyson’s argument advances to the point of proposing that poverty can be reduced through three ways of technological developments, which includes solar energy, genetic engineerin g, and the internet. Advancement of this development will open up remote areas and consequent. On the other hand, the aspect of Embodiment and Virtuality is fundamental to changing the lives of people. In actual sense, expansion in technology contributes to the expansion of possibilities of the virtual such as surrogacy, cloning among others.

Six Sigma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Six Sigma - Research Paper Example I selected this topic so as to be better equipped with the knowledge and skills that can enable me improve the overall performance of a company I hope to work for in future; Caterpillar Incorporated. Six Sigma is a concept that has been utilized by large and highly profitable organizations to aid their businesses to perform better than before. In fact, it has been deemed as an entirely new method that works, in managing businesses according to Pyzdek (26). Six Sigma will be important to me since, compared to other techniques of quality improvement; it scores much higher and allows organizations to realize their full potentials. For instance, the Total Quality Management (TQM) technique mostly focuses on attaining predetermined quality levels but does not push the business to perform at its peak. As future industry leader who will seek to get the most from his business, I will definitely find this concept to be of the uttermost importance since it has worked for other big companies and will definitely work for me too. Six Sigma focuses on making consistent quality improvements until the organization is fully optimized. On achieving a certain quality level, the technique calls for the business to shift gears and begin concentrating on attaining better quality levels. This whole process continues to the optimization off all the business processes. Six Sigma is therefore important for any company as it will push it to efficiently produce higher quality products. This will be advantageous to me as, apart from improving the company’s overall efficiency and reducing operational costs, it will in addition give me a lead over my competitors. DMADV and DMAIC are the acronyms of the two methodologies that Sigma Six projects follow in eliminating defects from products or processes. The methodologies are both made up of five phases. Define-Measure-Analyze-Implement-Control or in short, DMAIC, is used in

Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 11

Case study - Essay Example They work with people suffering from various types of illnesses in diversity of roles and actions demanding expert skills and professional knowledge. The situations are many a times complex requiring an understanding of the complexity of the situation. Every nurse-patient encounter is unique and there are no fixed solutions to many nursing problems. Due to these demands and requirements, some professional standards and skills are expected from the nurses. Competence for nurses is important for the kind of profession it is and the expectations that the profession arouses. Nursing profession involves complex combinations of performance, knowledge, attitudes and skills (David 2005). In this essay, nursing care of a patient with pancreatitis will be discussed to enhance reflective thinking and appraise nursing competence during case management. The case discussion is about a 58 year old patient by name James (name changed to maintain privacy). James was brought to the emergency room on a Friday evening after a weekend party with severe abdominal pain. He was accompanied by his wife and friend. In the past, James had few episodes of abdominal pain and he responded well to antigastritis treatments. However, since the intensity of pain was more and he also had severe vomiting, his wife forced him to see a doctor in the emergency room. In the emergency room, James appeared dehydrated and was in distress. On enquiry, it was found that he did not pass much urine in the past 6 hours and had vomited several number of times. He had severe abdominal pain in the centre of the abdomen which radiated towards his back. He did not have loos stools and was passing flatus normal. The emergency doctor suspected acute pancreatitis. He performed serum amylase levels and they were 3000IU/l. CT scan which was done immediately confirmed the same . The patient was then transferred to surgical intensive care unit for further management. I was put incharge of

The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers Essay

The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers - Essay Example 'For years, management professionals have argued whether treating workers well is good for business as well as being virtuous' (Plimmer, 2005: 9). In essence, this debate suggests that many business leaders continue to consider whether the needs of the business should be the primary goal of management or whether the employee, as a competent organisational resource, should be most important. The concept of human resources is a relatively new idea, as the establishment of a management system which actively engages and praises employees as valuable resources to organisational success is a contemporary idea much different than the historical, rigid management approach. However, many organisations still maintain a centralised leadership hierarchy, built on decision-making that is created by senior-level leadership. In this type of system, mid-level line managers are expected to coerce employees to comply with a rigid set of guidelines in the pursuit of sustaining strategic organisational goals. In such an environment, the employee is often overlooked as human capital and viewed more as merely a labourer. However, it appears that businesses are turning away from rigid controls and establishing a system of managerial professionals which act as employee champions; or those managers who actively pursue methods to establish stronger employee/business relationships and build on positive employee attributes to boost organisational performance. This might well be termed as the philosophy behind the establishment of HR policies.

Six Sigma Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Six Sigma - Research Paper Example I selected this topic so as to be better equipped with the knowledge and skills that can enable me improve the overall performance of a company I hope to work for in future; Caterpillar Incorporated. Six Sigma is a concept that has been utilized by large and highly profitable organizations to aid their businesses to perform better than before. In fact, it has been deemed as an entirely new method that works, in managing businesses according to Pyzdek (26). Six Sigma will be important to me since, compared to other techniques of quality improvement; it scores much higher and allows organizations to realize their full potentials. For instance, the Total Quality Management (TQM) technique mostly focuses on attaining predetermined quality levels but does not push the business to perform at its peak. As future industry leader who will seek to get the most from his business, I will definitely find this concept to be of the uttermost importance since it has worked for other big companies and will definitely work for me too. Six Sigma focuses on making consistent quality improvements until the organization is fully optimized. On achieving a certain quality level, the technique calls for the business to shift gears and begin concentrating on attaining better quality levels. This whole process continues to the optimization off all the business processes. Six Sigma is therefore important for any company as it will push it to efficiently produce higher quality products. This will be advantageous to me as, apart from improving the company’s overall efficiency and reducing operational costs, it will in addition give me a lead over my competitors. DMADV and DMAIC are the acronyms of the two methodologies that Sigma Six projects follow in eliminating defects from products or processes. The methodologies are both made up of five phases. Define-Measure-Analyze-Implement-Control or in short, DMAIC, is used in

The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers Essay

The Roles of HR Managers versus Line Managers - Essay Example 'For years, management professionals have argued whether treating workers well is good for business as well as being virtuous' (Plimmer, 2005: 9). In essence, this debate suggests that many business leaders continue to consider whether the needs of the business should be the primary goal of management or whether the employee, as a competent organisational resource, should be most important. The concept of human resources is a relatively new idea, as the establishment of a management system which actively engages and praises employees as valuable resources to organisational success is a contemporary idea much different than the historical, rigid management approach. However, many organisations still maintain a centralised leadership hierarchy, built on decision-making that is created by senior-level leadership. In this type of system, mid-level line managers are expected to coerce employees to comply with a rigid set of guidelines in the pursuit of sustaining strategic organisational goals. In such an environment, the employee is often overlooked as human capital and viewed more as merely a labourer. However, it appears that businesses are turning away from rigid controls and establishing a system of managerial professionals which act as employee champions; or those managers who actively pursue methods to establish stronger employee/business relationships and build on positive employee attributes to boost organisational performance. This might well be termed as the philosophy behind the establishment of HR policies.

Creative Arts Essay Example for Free

Creative Arts Essay This lecture enhances the creativity of the students by cultivating their interest in music. Various activities using different mediums like listening to CDs or watching musical shows help in having a better understanding of the lecture. Though the lecture may seem filled with fun activities, the lecture also focuses on teaching about the technical terms commonly used in studying music. Analysis In this lecture, I have learned that it is important to have interaction with the students in order to determine their learning progress. Also, having an activity that would sum all the lectures would be beneficial in measuring the students learning curve. Week 1 Visual Arts Description The teaching strategy used to teach the visual arts is methodical wherein the basic ideas are introduced about visual arts followed by an activity to put into practice what the students learned in class. More so, to teach kids about visual arts, use examples that theu can easily relate like cartoons or anything that is related to the interest of children. Meanwhile, for an older audience, use images or samples that apply to their generation so that they can quickly understand the lesson. Analysis Going through the lesson plan, I have noticed that beyond the explanation of basic visual art terminologies and the description of numerous artworks, art appreciation was also included. Art can be very subjective so the interpretation of a piece of art can be derived from ones opinion. Because of this art appreciation can be very limited but by teaching the objective and academic way of assessing artworks, ordinary people can obtain a better understanding and respect for the world of visual arts. Week 4 Dance Description This lecture shows how and why students should learn the art of dancing. I personally like the part that encourages students to craft their own moves to express their knowledge and judgment about dancing. Through this, one can really value the importance of this art form in a particular culture. Analysis I have learned that dancing can enhance or stimulate several types of intelligence including visual-spatial, interpersonal and others. Also, I have realized that dancing is not just movement but it also help in boosting self-esteem and enhancing social skills. Week 6 Drama Description Teaching drama requires focus and self-discovery. Students can use words or images to invoke emotions. To do this, one still needs to conduct research in order to realistically play a specific role. Also, it would be better to perform in front of other people so that you will be given criticisms on how to improve your acting skills. This will also be an opportunity to interact with other actors. Analysis Prior to reading this lecture, I have always associated drama with just acting out roles like what I see in the movies and television programs. Drama is more than what it seems. It involves a lot of concentration, dedication and understanding about different things in life. More so, every part of the body is used in this art form to convey a message or a story. Week 10 Arts and Literacy Description This lecture provides provide children with holistic and meaningful learning experiences. It uses integration to make the change from learning facts to understanding and applying concepts to developing generic skills for living and working. Analysis I think syntegration is a great way to teach arts and literacy. This is a process wherein subjects are working together synergistically to explore a theme, concept or focus question, while achieving their own outcomes as well as generic outcomes. Through this, students are able to value and fully appreciate what they learn in class. Week 11 Thematic Integration Learning Description A simple element like the colors of the rainbow can be used to learn about the different forms of art. Through definition and application, students can determine how to relate one form of art to another. Analysis I like the idea of having different stages in learning. First by exploring, then followed by developing the skills involved and lastly would be reflecting on the end results. Through this, students can have the freedom to discover things at their own space and they can interpret their findings based on their own opinions. This teaching strategy is simple and direct but it is a very effective learning tool.