How to Do One Thing at a Time

Sample practice test prompts for the CATW Sample 1 Assignment:  Begin by reading the passage below. How Your Birth Order Influences Your Life Adjustment The child becomes known as the family’s only child, oldest child, middle child, or youngest child, depending on his birth order. He is thought and talked about as having that place in the family. Both in his mind and in the minds of other people, an important part of his identity is his family position. The other members of the family assume certain attitudes toward each child in terms of his birth order.Parents usually expect their oldest child to be more capable and more responsible than the younger children. The oldest child comes to think about himself in the same way. These ways of seeing himself, of thinking about himself because of his sibling role, become part of his self-concept. Similarly, the middle child may think of himself as able to do things better than other people because he is usually more capable than his younger siblings. Sometimes, though, he must turn to an older sibling or to his parents for help, and so he thinks of himself as being able to obtain help when he needs it.The youngest child may develop the self-concept that he is less able to do many things than other people. However, he is not concerned because there are always others around to take care of him. In contrast, the only child tends to think, â€Å"When my parents are not around, I have no one to turn to for help. So I’d better learn to take care of myself as much as possible. † The place in the family establishes for the child a specific role to be played within the family group. It influences him to develop certain attitudes toward himself and toward other people and helps him develop specific patterns of behavior. 290 words) Adapted from an essay by Lucille Forer, â€Å"How Your Birth Order Influences Your Life Adjustment†, in  Write to be Read, p. 7. Writing Directions Read the passage abov e and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that are needed to help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay. Sample 2 Assignment:  Begin by reading the passage below. Modern Society and the Quest for Human Happiness Everywhere, by all means imaginable, people are striving to improve their lives. Yet strangely, my impression is that those living in the materially developed countries, for all their industry, are in some ways less satisfied, are less happy, and suffer more than those living in the l east developed countries.Indeed, if we compare the rich with the poor, it often seems that those with nothing are, in fact, the least anxious, though they are plagued with physical pains and suffering. As for the rich, while a few know how to use their wealth intelligently – that is to say, not in luxurious living but by sharing it with the needy – many do not. They are so caught up with the idea of acquiring still more that they make no room for anything else in their lives. In their absorption with material wealth, they actually lose the dream of happiness, which riches were to have provided.As a result, they are constantly tormented, torn between doubt about what may happen and the hope of getting more, and plagued with mental and emotional suffering – even though outwardly they may appear to be leading entirely successful and comfortable lives. This is suggested both by the high degree and by the disturbing prevalence among the populations of the materially developed countries of anxiety, discontent, frustration, and depression. Moreover, the inner suffering is clearly connected with growing confusion as to what constitutes morality and what its foundations are. 242 words) From an essay by the Dalai Lama, â€Å"Modern Society and the Quest for Human Happiness† in  Write to be Read, p. 170. Writing Directions Read the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced.Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that are needed to help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay. Sample 3 Assignment:  Begin by reading the passage below. The Woman Who Died in the Waiting Room Esmin Green fell out of her chair in the waiting room of Brooklyn's largest psychiatric hospital nearly an hour before anyone realized she was in trouble. For 20 minutes, she writhed and twisted between two chairs under the watchful eye of a security camera whose footage would later be broadcast across the country, spurring a public outcry.Two security guards and two other staff members passed through the room and glanced at the 49-year-old woman, without bothering to check her vital signs or help her up. Nearly 40 minutes after she stopped moving, a nurse walked over and lightly kicked her. By then, she was already dead. The city's medical examiner cited blood clots in her legs as the official cause. As disturbing as the circumstances of  Esmin Green's death were, they should not have come as a surprise.Public hospitals across the country have struggled to provide acute psychiatric care t o the poor and uninsured since the early 1960s, when large mental hospitals began closing their doors en masse. Rather than lock them away in cold, uncaring institutions, the thinking went, the mentally ill should be offered a place in society. But with insufficient outpatient services and a dearth of community-based support, the least fortunate of them have ended up in already overtaxed emergency rooms. They are the poor, the uninsured and the undocumented.Many of them suffer from chronic conditions that could potentially be treated with medication and regular counseling, luxuries most of them cannot afford. With just 50,000 inpatient psychiatric beds for tens of millions of people across the country, the mentally ill typically wait twice as long for treatment as other patient populations do. â€Å"It's like landing airplanes at JFK airport,† says Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. â€Å"There is just no place for them to go. † (306 words) adapted from July 12, 2008 Newsweek article, â€Å"The Woman Who Died in the Waiting Room† by Jeneen Interlandi   Writing DirectionsRead the passage above and write an essay responding to the ideas it presents. In your essay, be sure to summarize the passage in your own words, stating the author’s most important ideas. Develop your essay by identifying one idea in the passage that you feel is especially significant, and explain its significance. Support your claims with evidence or examples drawn from what you have read, learned in school, and/or personally experienced. Remember to review your essay and make any changes or corrections that are needed to help your reader follow your thinking. You will have 90 minutes to complete your essay.

Freedom to live Essay

During the ancient times before imprisonment, there were executions and executions only which were rather completed by stoning. There were consisted of several reasons as to why the capital punishment was needed. The United States inherited its use of capital punishment from the European settlers in the seventeenth century but in the eighteenth century, German philosopher Immanuel Kant appealed that execution was the â€Å"fairest punishment for murder†. He presented that it is the most suitable punishment for those who have committed murder and that a person who has done wrong should suffer for it. Arguing that killers should â€Å"die in order to gain release from their suffering†, including that the crime must fit the punishment. Arguments against the death penalty expose capital punishment for what some believe is a reasonable punishment, while others view it as revenge disguised as justice but overall, is continuously an issue that would not be equally discussed an d abolished world-wide. Disagreements about the death penalty mostly turn on issues of fairness, morality and effectiveness. There consists of endless reasons as to why the death penalty is to be abolished. One of many is that executions cost more than life in prison. According to Statistic Brain, it costs nearly 2 million per person to be executed, all which consists of maximum security, counsel for defense and others. Another popular point is that the innocent may be wrongly executed. This is a high risk because evidence, DNA, and witness statements are not one hundred percent reliable. A slightly relevant case was a falsely executed man named Cameron Todd Willingham. He was executed in Texas, known to be the number one state with the highest rate of executions. He was accused of allegedly setting his house on fire that killed his three young daughters. He repeatedly claimed his innocence and the arson investigator was questioned right before Willingham’s’ execution. After his execution, an investigative report discovered the fire was an accident. Several reasons include that the death penalty punishment does not  necessarily decrease the crime rate, that life in prison also guarantees no future crimes, some religions forbid death penalty, killing is wrong even through a punishment, that it violates international human rights laws and that it promotes killing as a satisfactory solution to a difficult problem. A common factor as to why people oppose the death penalty is because of the cruelty of the act itself, such as the common contemporary methods of execution, such as by shooting, hanging, using gas, electrocution and lethal injection. According Amnesty International who are strong non-advocates of the death penalty, capital punishment is the decisive rejection of human rights. It is the â€Å"premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state†. Half the amounts of US States have banned the death penalty for example New York, finding it unconstitutional. In Just Revenge by Mark Costanzo, he states that most Americans are supportive of the death penalty in the abstract by simply wanting the government to take care of it, â€Å"cleanly and efficiently, in a distant prison†. He questions that â€Å"is it morally acceptable to subject murderers to psychological torture before we kill them?†. While others assure it is a harsh, inhuman and undignified punishment done â€Å"in the name of justice†, including that inflicting punishment on wrongdoers discourages others from wrong doing. Some may say that the death penalty is a way to lash back at those who have harmed us, but coo peratively we must be more reasonable and humane than those who commit the act themselves. Those who favor the death penalty argue that if there were no death penalty to hold over the head of prisoners, those who have been sentenced to life without parole would be free to commit whatever crimes they chose without fear of increased punishment. Death penalty supporters often press two claims of executing murderers. The first is that it is injustice to the victims of murder if we do not execute their murders. The second claim is that the death penalty is needed to frighten potential murderers. Fear of the execution chamber will restrain potential murders, knowing they could face the executioner and that those who otherwise kill will stop and innocent lives would be saved. Another factor as to why the death penalty is justified is it giving closure to victims’ families who have suffered tremendously from the loss of their loved one. And also a prisoner can escape prison and give them another chance to kill. The death penalty is said to be needed to protect society from those who would kill again. Many of these factors which relate back to revenge. In some cases, the capital punishment is a â€Å"risk taker†. There are certain cases in which killing a criminal can lead to questioning as to whether or not the individual was guilty of the crime. The death penalty fails to effectively build up a society that is free from crime. Furthermore, it does not relieve the pain and loss of the victims or their families. States have made many proposals as to why capital punishment is wrong. As citizens, the death penalty does not alleviate the fear of violent crime or better safe-guard the people and is not imposed with fairness. Pope John Paul II made a very clear point in a statement he made about the death penalty. He stated â€Å"the death penalty does not allow the opportunity for the spiritual and human reconciliation with the victim† and also that â€Å"we cannot teach that killing is wrong by killing†. This quote is a very good example to supporting the idea of abolishing the death penalty that we cannot teach that murdering an individual is wrong by killing a criminal. Depending on the country, there are different views as to whether the death penalty should be abolished or not. The factors on both sides of the argument have led to the abolition of the death penalty in Eastern Europe. For example, Ukraine has put a pause to its punishment of the death penalty, as well as South Africa, whose parliament voted to formally abolish the death penalty, which had earlier been declared unconstitutional by the constitutional court. Their constitutional court believes that death is the most extreme form of punishment. They believe every individual has the right to life, dignity, public opinion. Not only is this an issue in the United States, but very well around the world. In India, the Indian Penal Code authorizes the imposition of the death sentence as a penalty of murder. Although it is nearly impossible for the abolishment of the death penalty to be equalized and understood by both sides of the arguments, the ideas and opinions shall never fade. With several states not having the death penalty, the real question is whether or not we need the death penalty. Capital punishment is not the core of our criminal system; its only one aspect of it. Only a small percentage of murderers are sentenced to death, and only a small percentage of that are executed. The real question is whether we insist on keeping the death penalty even though we don’t need it. WORK CITED â€Å"End Capital Punishment.† Abolish the Death Penalty. Amnesty International USA, 2013. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Costanzo, Mark. Just Revenge: Costs and Consequences of the Death Penalty. New York: St. Martin’s, 1997. Print. Bureau of Justice Statistics. â€Å"Death Penalty Statistics.† Statistic Brain RSS. Statistic Brain Research Institute, 6 Aug. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. Kronenwetter, Michael. Capital Punishment: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2001. Print.

Chinese Culture 1800-1900

It goes without question from 1800-1900 China was experiencing a decline, which had not been seen for quite some time. Problems such as overpopulation started to take its toll on the once-known elite nation, sending them into famine, lower standard of living, extreme mistreatment of females, especially at young ages and an unfit government that allowed chaos to unfold. Conflict arose in China, but was it due to internal affairs of the Chinese people and government, wanting to maintain its superiority over the West, or were outside forces to blame for the extreme change in culture?Both of these aspects united to form seemingly the perfect storm that sent Chinese culture into a downward spiral for excess of 60 years. At the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, peace was brought to a majority of China and allowed population to grow rapidly, and was estimated to be at about 300 million by the beginning of the nineteenth century. In a mere 50 years, China’s population increased by approx imately 100 million. A 33 percent increase in just 50 years. Such increases had harsh impacts regarding the agricultural front.Food became a prized commodity as China’s overpopulation led to a famine, which the nation had never experienced during a stable and productive agricultural period. Every mountainous and hilly area was terraced and double-cropped in effort to produce a sufficient quantity of nourishment for everyone, but to no avail. As an effect, people began dying of starvation and malnutrition. Jobs were few and far between for the crowded work industry, leaving people unemployed and virtually worthless in the government’s eyes.This problem was not helped in any sense, when the British finally found the one item the Chinese would buy was opium. A drug which was once used for medicinal purposes was now being used in a recreational manner. Use of the drug created addictions among many people, having to feed their addictions by selling their children to receive the drug. Outraged, the emperor banned the production and importation of opium in 1800 and in 1813 banned the smoking of opium. British and American smugglers were still bringing the drug onto Chinese soil, selling it for large profits.Emperor Daoguang debated on how to deal with the crisis and entertained the idea of legalizing the sale of opium and taxing it, which would help money in the government and possibly make it too expensive for anyone to afford. Some of his officials disagreed and wanted the drug to be completely wiped out. Lin Zexu was given the job to fight the drug problem and get to the main source of where the drug was coming from. Zexu arrested many en route to finding the drug was being smuggled by British citizens.He sent 500 laborers in to destroy the supply, which was enough for the British to begin warring with the Chinese (The Opium War). The British took their navy and obliterated the Chinese in what is known as The Opium Warm. Following the destruction of the Chinese navy, for being far too old, the British made them sign the Treaty of Nanjing, which allowed five new ports to be opened for trade, gave British money for destruction of opium and demanded Hong Kong. Nearly a decade after, Britain felt China was not holding out its side of the treaty and teamed with France to attack the coast of China, once again.The attack was based around the desire for more trade ports to be opened. Again, the Chinese endured an onslaught, and an additional ten ports are opened, more money was paid and the Europeans could travel wherever they desired on Chinese land, while abiding by European law (The Opium War). Less than a decade after The Opium War, the Chinese were faced with unprecedented rebellions the world had never seen. The Taiping Rebellion lasted an astonishing 13 years and claimed the lives of approximately 30 million people and was driven by an unorthodox religion.Hong Xiuquan claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ and began p reaching to people around the nation to get them to follow his beliefs. After sweeping through parts of the country and destroying many temples and lives in the process, the idea of equalization was starting to be taught, although it never worked. The Taiping Rebellion was followed by the Nian and Muslim Rebellions, which weren’t as significant (Qing Dynasty). Self-strengthening was an idea brought about to help the Chinese get themselves out of such a rough time and back to the elite power they once were.Conflict again arose during the discussions, as the government could not agree upon a certain route to take in planning the idea. Empress Dowager Cixi was given power due to the death of the emperor, which left a 4-year-old for the throne. She was able to manipulate people in her court to do what she wanted and when she wanted. Cixi was conservative and allowed outsiders walk all over the Chinese, and again were demolished by the French. The Chinese were in a time where they were desperate to catch up with the rest of the western world.Reformations covered a vast amount of areas but mainly focused on the depleted militaristic aspect of China. Unfortunately China would not be able to make the next step and reach the level of France or Britain, having only weapons that were second-best. China missed its chance to make the leap needed to catch up with the rest of the vastly changing world. Outside pressures from France, Britain and Russia forced China into a corner, having to back down due to an unequal army and navy.Although, China was pressured from others, it created its own problems as well, with a government that could decide on nothing good for the people. Most of the conflicts were brought upon themselves, but the extra pressure from the West made China feel the hardship more than if it were only internal affairs which had brought the nation to struggle.Works Cited â€Å"Qing Dynasty. † www. mnsu. edu. Minnesota State University, Dec. 2003. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. . â€Å"The Opium War. † www. harvard. edu. Harvard University, 19 June 2002. Web. 23 Mar. 2010. .

Public Law 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Public Law 3 - Essay Example However, the so called judicial power in re the HRA is not as ideal as it would seem with respect to existing primary legislations because even if the courts can declare it as incompatible with convention rights, it is at the pleasure of the Parliament to revoke, modify or alter that legislation. The judicial power to declare incompatibility with convention rights therefore does not subsume the power to strike down primary legislation (Wright 2001 p 15). The HRA, in effect, pits entities called public authorities vis-à  -vis convention rights, and determines if the former have committed acts that violate the convention rights of the latter. The impact of the HRA is that it compels local courts to take into consideration the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg concerning cases involving the HRA rather than the usual reliance on their own precedents. Previously, the courts were under no compulsion to religiously follow the ECPHR provisions. This is because the act of the state in entering into an international treaty cannot and does not affect a state’s domestic law. In fact the ECHR played only a secondary role in court decisions prior to the HRA. This court perspective was illustrated by Lord Denning when he remarked: â€Å"The Convention is drafted in a style very different from the way in which we are used to in legislation. It contains wide general statements of principle. They are apt to lead m uch difficulty in application because they give rise to much uncertainty. [†¦] So it is much better for us to stick to our statutes and principles, and only look to the Convention for guidance in case of doubt† (Faulks & Warnock 2008). The English courts however, did not totally discount the ECHR provisions prior to its incorporation into domestic law. In one of the cases, Lord Bridge remarked that â€Å"it is well settled that that, in construing any

Constraints to the Development of Alternative Energy Essay

Constraints to the Development of Alternative Energy - Essay Example The cause of the problem has already been identified: the increase in the emission of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons and hydrofluorocarbons. Both the absence and increased volume of greenhouse gases are seen to be detrimental to the environment as less of it might cause negative temperature which disallows the earth to sustain life. On the other hand, increased volume of greenhouse gases is the primary source of global warming. Some greenhouse gases are emitted as a byproduct of some materials with significant use to our everyday life. The example of this is carbon. Energy sources are of paramount importance to our daily life. Since the industrial revolution, we have relied heavily on energy to run our transportation and communication and many other aspects of our needs and wants. For commercial purposes, the use of energy has been significant especially in terms of firms’ profit. It was also â€Å"the process of industrialisation that brought about the conversion of fossil fuels into power, heat and light, thereby releasing within a mere 250 years carbon that had lain dormant underground for millions of years†. â€Å"It is these fossil fuels that are responsible for the vast bulk of carbon output† â€Å"Fossil fuels, the energy of modernization, which constitute about 70 percent of global energy output, now threaten the survival of life on Earth† and people believe that â€Å"the key to survival lies in conserving energy and switching to carbon-free or, at least, low carbon sources†. ... On the other hand, increased volume of greenhouse gases is the primary source of global warming. Some greenhouse gases are emitted as byproduct of some materials with significant use to our everyday life. Example of this is carbon. Energy sources are of paramount importance to our daily life. Since the industrial revolution, we have relied heavily on energy to run our transportation and communication and many other aspects of our needs and wants. For commercial purposes, the use of energy has been significant especially in terms of firms' profit. It was also "the process of industrialization that brought about the conversion of fossil fuels into power, heat and light, thereby releasing within a mere 250 years carbon that had lain dormant underground for millions of years" (Blowers, p.208). "It is these fossil fuels that are responsible for the vast bulk of carbon output" (Blowers, p.210) "Fossil fuels, the energy of modernization, which constitute about 70 per cent of global energy output, now threaten the survival of life on Earth" and people believe that "the key to survival lies in conserving energy and switching to carbon free or, at least, low carbon sources" (Blowers, p.209). Two Approaches The government has two approaches against climate change: mitigation which is prevention of further changes and adaptation which is preparation for the possible effects of climate change. In this paper we would be dealing with the mitigation approach particularly the development of alternative sources of energy. "Mitigation strategies involve the reduction of greenhouse gas sources or the enhancement of sinks. Examples of mitigation strategies include switching from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, improved energy efficiency and planting trees to

Marxism and Durkheim Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Marxism and Durkheim Theory - Essay Example There was a realized increase in loses because there existed poor agricultural techniques and storage method that could have preserved the yields experienced in the farms. Another attribute of this system was a minimal realization of the social classes within the society and most individuals experienced similar or less development. Individuals struggled to develop their livelihood in this society as a comfortable life led sought to revolve around agriculture and less on technology. Rural societies embraced this format of societal functioning and worked on improving the general family yield to support individual development. With the emergence of new technologies and a need to accelerate development especially in trade patterns, towns developed into trading centers. Here, knowledge and skills needed to control the general development impacted people’s creativity and agility in development. These impairments sought to the development of the industrial society where advanced adju stments were created to tackle problems that hindered productivity and development (Lee, 1982, 115). The industrial society was driven by technological advancements that improved productivity and supported more individuals who had then started specializing in various development sectors. Satisfaction in production was channeled from family basis to an industrial level that boosted overall development in societal technology and production. With the development of industries, labor force in the industries was boosted to accommodate required changes sufficient to support the growing economy. Industrialized societies brought much competition within individual and companies as urbanization took shape to improve the lifestyles that had been created by the capitalists. My essay dwells on two theories that may relate to these developments in the society in the struggle for development, Marxism and Durkheim’s theory. Marxism In this theory, Karl Marx believes that all the components o f the universe are natural and are based on nature’s law basing his theory in philosophical materialism. This theory disputes the presence of supernatural composition of the environments believing that all constituents are tangible and can be altered (Biorseth, 2009). Marx and Engels who invented Marxism generated the theory commonly known as dialectical materialism merging these two concepts to explain their resolve in the identification of the universal components to be materialistic (Marx, 1998, 68). They further stress on facts proving that there is continued evolution in the natural components and boundaries crated by people are virtual They further believe that the world consists of various elements that are all related and dependent. A change in one entity may result in an alteration in the other and all restrictions are majorly created by the human imagination limiting freedom. According to Marx and Engels, science is greatly applied in the quest to solve mysteries im pacting major revelations in obtaining explanation to difficult questions presented by nature (Jonathan, 2011). In Metaphysical type of materialism, Marx states that the type of idea or resolve within a particular individual is influenced by his brain components without stressing on anything else. In his work, Marx explained the development of

Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Philosophy - Essay Example These are unanswered questions, though various religions offer guidance in this respect. People have made predictions in the past about the end of time also; â€Å"Annie Stanton predicted that a 14.4 mile long asteroid will collide with the earth. Jesus will arrive and a 1000 year period of peace will start.† (Robinson, 2007). No one can tell whether time is a property of the universe or vice versa. Despite the enormous confusion about time, I believe it did always exist and it is immortal, yet the parameters to measure time were different before the formation of universe and will change after the universe will come to an end on the Doom’s day. Man is born with an intrinsic urge to realize the sequence of the worldly matters, and this is what shaped the time for man in the world. Man derives the system of time from the regularity in the routine of nature. Everyday, the sun rises at a certain time and sets at a certain time. It keeps happening so until summers convert into winters to squeeze the time shorter. After the winter season, day starts to elongate. But the changes observed in the solar length of a day over one year keep repeating in the same fashion every year. This caused man to associate his daily activities with the shifts of day and night. Our circadian rhythms are designed and governed by the sunrise and sunset. The routinely motion of Earth around the sun h as the power to harmonize the man’s internal chemistry. The origin of the modern system of time, which everybody follows today, is associated with the birth of Christ. But scientific research on the now-extinct species of animals like dinosaurs suggests that the world had been there trillions of years ago, though such statements are only estimations and have little to do with reality. Everyday a new theory emerges that sidelines the previous one. Various religions teach about the existence of time even after the end of

Introduction to business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 9

Introduction to business - Essay Example In addition, Michael Dell had personal interests in the company as it symbolized the works of his entire life and his legacy. Therefore, he had the required motivation to drive the company into profitability and see the work of his hands hold up for future generations to see. In addition, Michael Dell had fresh new ideas that could salvage the corporation from losing any further than it had, marketing strategies. His idea of collaborating with retailers in order to bring about more revenue to the company; this was by targeting the retail market in order to tap its enormous purchasing power. Changing the marketing and operations in a company require a new organizational culture in order to address several issues that arise from human behavior about the work place. These are in the form of motivation, language, norms, visions, values, systems and symbols that the organization follows. Marketing interfere significantly with these factors in that every strategy used kin marketing directly affects all members of staff because; norms change according to the strategy applied in marketing. The procedures used in implementation change according to the strategy, moreover, there is need to have a new culture with changes in the operation that a company conducts. This is because language used in the changes thus there is need to come up with a new working language that will handle the changes that occur. In addition, motivation in staff varies depending on the goals and visions of the company. This, therefore, makes room for a new organizational culture that handles all these even tualities. Marketing strategies, also, affect the way in which staff members interact among themselves and with clients of a company. Therefore, changes in marketing must account for all aspects in staff behavior. Information gained from retail partners will

Johansen under the employment law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Johansen under the employment law - Case Study Example Johansen is protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As stated in Schultz, 45 because she is a female and, therefore, falls under ‘protected class’ and she applied for the job in the company having met all the required qualifications. These give her the ability to contest the reason for termination. Johansen’s right to sue cannot be waived regardless of the Arbitration/Mediation clause she had signed with the company. It is illegal to take away an individual’s right to sue in a court of law (Schultz 43). Furthermore, the close cannot be binding because Momma Mia misrepresented the contact in the first place. Johansen can seek remedy because her profile is tainted by the ‘guilty by association’ since she was involved in a publicized case. Her career was ruined by firing her and future employers may also decline to hire her by looking at her history as a whistle blower for the previous company. Since she is not the one who breached the contract, Johansen is entitled to the agreed contract fee for the five years amounting to $450,000; that is, $90,000/year for 5 years. Moreover, Momma Mia should cover all the court fees and costs. d entering into a contract with the company, since Momma Mia never disclosed the full nature of her services, which included client escort - something that went against her religious beliefs.

Making survery and interview questions for proposal Assignment

Making survery and interview questions for proposal - Assignment Example The survey questions for both groups are presented below. It is expected that these questions will be able to search out for most reasons behind placement problems for international students. The results from these surveys can be used to piece together effective strategies to deal with international students placement problems. In order to deal with placement problems for international students, the representative of the Career Center at UMD will be interviewed to discern the nature of obstacles causing the problems. The information extracted from this interview will enable the creation of strategies that would augment the hiring of international students who graduate from UMD. The sample questions for the interview are listed below. 3. How would you place the responsibility of low placement figures for international students – with the students themselves, the university, the economic circumstances or a combination of all these? It is expected that answers to these questions from the Representative of Career Center at UMD will yield much required insight that would be required to solve the international student placement

International Environment Management and Sustainability Program Research Paper

International Environment Management and Sustainability Program - Research Paper Example From the study it is clear the scarcity of water related to the current changes in weather patterns has also led to an emergent need to control the overall consumption of water in different parts of the world. Different approaches have been developed to tackle the issue of water shortage and most of the approaches developed have sought to developed water management approaches. Waste from human beings, animals and from the households also contribute to an increase in the overall pollution of the environment. As a result, international environmental management programs have sought to introduce a number of waste management approaches that improve sustainability. As the report declares the growing world population has led to an increase in the overall consumption of energy in different parts of the world. Energy is used in different sectors of the economy to enhance production, farming and light and drive domestic appliances. However, energy is non-renewable source of energy that must be preserved to enable the environmental gain self-sustainability. The operation of Bolton thermal recovery site has a number of environmental impacts, which are both highly desired today to restore our environmental degradation. Some of the effects from the operation of the plant may be hazardous to the environment due to emissions and the generation of particles, that can create heating in the atmosphere. The bottom motivation behind the overall operations of the plant seeks to reduce the environmental damage that solid waste has created.

Strategic Formulation Essay Example for Free

Strategic Formulation Essay Strategic formulation refers to the process of choosing the most appropriate course of action for the realization of organizational goals and objectives and thereby achieving the organizational vision. * Role of hrm in strategy formulation: * Administrative linkages: Focussed on the functions of day-to-day activities. * One- way linkage: Plan is informed to the HRM function after the planing is done by the strategic business planning function. * Two- way linkage: Allows for consideration of human resource during the strategy formulation process. * Integrative linkage: Is based on continuing interaction. Strategic HRM is about how the employment relationships for all employees can be managed in such a way as to contribute optimally to the organizations goal achievement. Fundamental Process Consideration The process by which strategies come to be realized is not only through formal HR policies or written directions: strategy realization can also come from actions by managers and others. Since actions provoke reactions (acceptance, confrontation, negotiation etc) these reactions are also part of the strategy process. Characteristics Of the process The strategy formation process is complex, and excessively rationalistic models that advocate formalistic linkages between strategic planning and HR planning are not particularly helpful to our understanding of it. Business strategy may be an important influence on HR strategy but it is only one of several factors. Implicit (if not explicit) in the mix of factors that influence the shape of HR strategies is a set of historical compromises and trade-offs from stakeholders. Look more:  strategic management essay Strategic option and choices The choice of practices that an employer pursues is heavily contingent on a number of factors at the organizational level, including their own business and production strategies, support of HR policies, and cooperative labour  relations. Choices should relate to but also anticipate the critical needs of the business. They should be founded on detailed analysis and study, not just wishful thinking, and should incorporate the experienced and collective judgement of top management about the organizational requirements, while also taking into account the needs of line managers and employees generally. Making the link The link must be judgemental, but it could still be fairly rigorous. Conceptually, the approach would be to develop a matrix, which for each of the key elements of business strategy identifies the associated key elements of HR strategy. Even if the approach cannot be as rigorous as this, the principle of considering each key area of business strategy and, reciprocally, the HR implications provides a basis for integration. Overcoming the barriers To overcome these barriers it is necessary to: 1) conduct a rigorous preliminary analysis of needs and requirements; 2) formulate the strategy; 3) enlist support for the strategy; 4) assess barriers; 5) prepare action plans; 6) project-manage implementation; and 7) follow up and evaluate progress so that remedial action can be taken as necessary. Implementing HR strategies Getting strategies into action is not easy. . It must be emphasized that HR strategies are not just programmes, policies, or plans concerning HR issues that the HR department happens to feel are important. Piecemeal initiatives do not constitute strategy. http://www.businessteacher.org.uk/free-business-essays/porters-five-forces-model.php http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Porter_five_forces_analysis_for_Tata_Steel

Development of a Free Source for Internet

Development of a Free Source for Internet Ebrahim Ali Otaif Suggestion for a free source for Internet for TTC The project aims to provide a new way to give the internet for Technical Trainers College for free and design it and build it for them. The data will be collected from the research websites and finished the survey in these websites. The target group of my project is the poor students in TTC also the poor staff in TTC. The collected data it will be analyzed and show to the students with reasons. The design method will be tested throughout the interviewing be the experts and the students. The expected result is to provide solving a problem for internet for TTC. 1.1. Key words: Development a free source for Internet Enhancing a free source for internet Improvement internet source Providing a free source for internet Introduction of a free source for internet Found a free source for internet Create a free source for internet Try a free source for internet Made a free source for internet Modify a free source for internet Example of a free source for internet Design a free source for internet Build a free source for internet Test a free source for internet Planning a free source for internet Manage a free source for internet Increase the ways of a free source for internet Change the ways of a free source for internet Choose a way of a free source for internet Implement a free source for internet Giving the internet for everyone will result in significant improvements in other key areas including social, cultural, political and global peace Emdad Khan (2011). For many people, the internet has become such a pervasive, fundamental part of daily life and business that it is hard to fathom that over 4 billion people more than 55% of the worlds population are still not online Many of those simply do not have access: they live in hard-to-reach rural areas or do not have digital or other basic infrastructure. Some simply do not see the benefits of being connected, often because of limited relevant digital content. Others are illiterate; many are poor.(The Boston Consulting Group, 2017) Figure 1: Twenty countries are home to three-quarters of the 4.3 billion internet non-users of internet. 2.1. Keywords: Part of daily life Do not have access Basic infrastructure Many are poor 2.2. Main ideas based on key words: Improve part of our daily life Proved internet access Replace the basic infrastructure Help the people Nowadays the internet is importing rescuers to our live that help the user on everything and make his job easy. There are many students or staff at TTC does not have access to the internet because they are poor or the Wi-Fi signal of the TTC is too bad. We should change our infrastructure from cabling on the ground to the air on the sky. Giving free internet to the poor people it helps in their life and makes them happy. (The Boston Consulting Group, 2016) There are many ways to deliver free internet and these ways come from different companies ideas, some companies are exploring the potential to solve coverage issues using satellites4everyone, balloons or stratospheric solar planes. Even if such solutions are speculative and for the long term, they deserve consideration and support from public authorities when necessary, such as accommodating airspace regulations and allocating suitable spectrum. (The Boston Consulting Group, 2016) The study of KATIKALA (2014) the aims of this paper to describes or overview about google Balloon that will powered Internet for everyone and the purpose of the idea how to provide the wireless network to remote areas to connect the people. The result of this study the balloon idea could be work and help countries to avoid the cost of underground infrastructure. The befits of this paper it helps me to know this idea and how it work and what the advantages if we use it. The study of PANDEY BHATTACHARYA (2014) they aims of this paper to show that traditional satellite systems along with the cellular networks it was great technology but the costs of equipments it was huge and cannot be done to everyone. The result of this study indicate that balloon with ad hoc mesh network It will enhance the current standard of living for the humans by giving Internet services. As previous studies mentioned the aim if this study is to provide a problem-solving. The idea here is to solve the problem of internet access for TTC students. The current study is going to answer the question of: Suggestion for a free source for Internet for TTC References Internet for Everyone: Reshaping the Global Economy by Bridging the Digital Divide, Emdad Khan (2011), 204 pages. The Boston Consulting Group (2016). Broadband Commission Special Session at the World Economic Forum: 21 January 2016, Davos, Switzerland. http://www.broadbandcommission.org/events/Pages/WEF-davos-2016.aspx   (Accessed on 17.01.2017) The Boston Consulting Group (2016). Internet for All A Framework for Accelerating Internet Access and Adoption, World Economic Forum White Paper. https://www.google.com/url?sa=trct=jq=esrc=ssource=webcd=cad=rjauact=8ved=0ahUKEwjm6OHutNvRAhXqHJoKHVOXCXUQFggZMAAurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww3.weforum.org%2Fdocs%2FWEF_Internet_for_All_Framework_Accelerating_Internet_Access_Adoption_report_2016.pdfusg=AFQjCNFys9KmT6kVUCXIgXREomiOVpEF3gsig2=B0QuojNrz2RIioAOJmkw   (Accessed on 17.01.2017) KATIKALA, S. (2014). GOOGLEà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ PROJECT LOON, RIVIER ACADEMIC JOURNAL, Volume 10, Number 2. PANDEY, M BHATTACHARYA, S. (2014). BALLOONED WIRELESS NETWORK FOR FREE INTERNET ACCESS, Vol. 4, Issue 2.

Student Essay -- essays research papers

The current advertising for Target’s CE department is not helping sales. In fact in some cases, it may be hurting sales. This section will address Target’s current advertising strategy and the problems associated with it. Then alternative methods of promoting Target as a credible CE department with large variety of products will be proposed. Target’s commercials are currently showing clips of music videos for approximately 20 seconds, followed by less than a 10 second advertisement announcing that Target carries that particular artist’s CD. This advertisement may be hurting your CE sales. The viewer is made aware of this popular artist’s recent album release, and the consumer’s first thought is not who is carrying it, but which retailer is closest him/her because that popular artist will be sold everywhere. This is ineffective advertisement. Another Target commercial flashes a multitude of Target trademark symbols, a few CE products, current selection of seasonal clothes, and our current spokes dog. This commercial is also ineffective. This current advertisement strategy does not give the viewer something to focus on, and it does not create a need to buy products from Target. Instead, it is advertising on behalf of all major retailers. It is essential that Target starts advertising Target, not just the products it carries. Commercial advertisements need to stress customer service, product variety, and product quality. The first step is finding a representative for commerc...

Comparing A Midsummer Nights Dream and Romeo and Juliet :: comparison compare contrast essays

A Midsummer Night's Dream is, in a way, Romeo and Juliet turned inside out--a tragedy turned farcical. The tragedy both are based on is the story of "Pyramus and Thisbe." In one, Ovid's story is treated as a melodrama (in Romeo and Juliet) and in another, it is fodder for comedy (in A Midsummer Night's Dream). The tale of "Pyramus and Thisbe" is simply told in Book IV of Metamorphoses. The title characters are in love with one another, but they cannot be together because they are separated by a wall. More importantly though, they are separated by their parents who forbid the relationship to progress. The two lovers will not be denied and so plan to meet in secret one night. However, each arrives at the arranged rendezvous point at different times, and this complicates things. Pyramus arrives after Thisbe, but she is hidden from sight at that moment, and he believes she has been eaten by a lion because he finds a bloody scarf of hers, so he kills himself. When Thisbe comes out of hiding, she finds her beloved dead and, too, commits suicide. All this is certainly very sad and pathetic. So what better story to base a melodramatic play on? Shakespeare does just that in Romeo and Juliet. He uses Pyramus and Thisbe, borrowing their plight of being separated by parents, their clandestine relationship, and their suicides. Through this, he satisfies the qualities of melodrama. Romeo and Juliet wrings a good cry out of audience members probably every time it is performed. That is because it is easy to identify with the "star-crossed lovers" and the fact they are kept from what they want most. Empathy plays a major role, as much as any of the characters. It almost makes the audience part of the play. The spectator is part of the action in essence, rooting for the good guys, for "us," and not "them," the bad guys. However, the protagonists do not win in the end. This is yet another melodramatic quality found in both "Pyramus and Thisbe" and in Romeo and Juliet. It seems that they should, and will, be together in the end and be allowed to love each other freely, but that is not the way it turns out. Instead, the young lovers are dead by play's end because of pride and hate. The entire audience watching this spectacle is left feeling the same way and asks, "But why couldn't they just be together?

normalization :: essays research papers

Normalization of the Lowe's Inventory Information System Database As a database grows in size and complexity it is essential that order and organization be maintained to control these complexities and minimize errors and redundancy in the associated data. This goal is managed by a process referred to as normalization. Normalization permits us to design our relational database tables so that they "(1) contain all the data necessary for the purposes that the database is to serve, (2) have as little redundancy as possible, (3) accommodate multiple values for types of data that require them, (4) permit efficient updates of the data in the database, and (5) avoid the danger of losing data unknowingly (Wyllys, R. E., 2002).". As a prelude to normalization, the database modeler researches the company and current database uses to determine the requirements for the new database. Table elements and relationships are determined, and candidate keys reviewed and established for the tables. The process of database normalization then begins. Databases can attain varying degrees of normalization classified as 1NF, 2NF, 3NF, 4NF, 5NF, and BCNF, however for practicality and in staying with the layout of our Lowe's inventory database, only the first through third normal forms or 1NF – 3NF will be addressed. First, a balance must be struck between data accessibility with regard to performance and maintenance and the concerns of data redundancy. To accomplish this and normalize the Lowe’s database, the supply and retail sides of the database were combined and the tables set in first normal form. In first normal form, the tables were formatted to ensure that the data within them was atomic i.e., ensuring that it was in its simplest form and had no repeating groups. A concatenated PK characterizes tables in 1NF and these tables can have partial and transitive dependencies. Decomposition from this point helps to eliminate redundancy as the modeler works toward a defined goal based on business rules and individual needs. The tables were next moved to second normal form, again undergoing a review where efforts were taken to reduce the amount of redundant data by extracting and placing it in new table(s). Here, each key component is written on a separate line, with the original key written on the last line. All dependant attributes then follow their perspective keys. This process is used to eliminate partial dependencies which are not allowed in 2NF. Finally, the tables were set into third normal form by ensuring that no non-identifying attributes were dependent on any other non-identifying attributes.

Adult learning and motivation Essay

An exploration in to the multi-dimensionality of participatory behaviour; and what motivates adults to return to education. The research question that was initially formulated aimed to inductively generate a theory (Rothchild 2006; Cohen et al., 2000). Unfortunately, the initial question became subject to ethical challenges; and within a framework that would demonstrate rigour, validity and reliability, unsurprisingly; it was far better too approach/explore the multi-dimensionality of participatory behaviour; and what motivates adults to return to education. An enquiry designed around this approach has a better fit to a pragmatic framework (Armitage and Keeble-Allen, 2007; Bryman, 2007) and the BERA ethical directives. Furthermore, this should help bolster the totality of coherence; or as Moss et al., (2009) would suggest as; ‘a chain of reasoning and logic’. Similarly, individual agency and how the experiences of adult learners’ are co/re-constructed (Clark 2011; Flowers 2009; p. 3) needed a greater relationship to an interpretivist epistemology (E891 Part 2: Action 2.9; Gage 1989). As the researcher primarily overlooked these factors that, in turn, determine what is seen as valid and invalid knowledge; then [those] factors would have been overlooked when inferences were made during the research process reducing the quality and internal – and possibly external – validity. Obviously, this incommensurability will be addressed before the researcher analyses any data generated (Bryman, 2007; p. 19). With these approaches better placed the researcher could demonstrate that – generally – social and cognitive phenomena are simultaneously quantitative and qualitative (Ercikan and Roth, 2006; p.16) and participatory behaviour is an outcome of the ‘meaning-made’ (Clark 2011) i.e. social-cognitive collocation. This would then show that cognition is co-constructed (Clark 2011) and re-constructed by experience resulting in the multiple interpretations that create the social realities in which people act (Flowers 2009; p. 3). It could be suggested that the initial ‘meaning-made’ is a primary motivator which persists until the time the learner feels satisfied (Park and Choi 2009), or, has achieved ‘what they set out to achieve’ (Gustafsson & Mouwitz, 2008). This also implies that ‘meaning-made’ is mutable (Gibbons Bylsma 1984) and subject to further co/re-construction; adjustment; or complete abandonment. Research philosophy After extensive ‘Adult learner’ research and talking with tutors that instruct adult learners’ highlighted a distinct difference in the approaches from which children (Pedagogy – teaching method) and adults (Andragogy – teach how to learn) are taught. The implementation of informal learning methods, however, appears to have dominance in the adult education field (Gibbons Bylsma 1984). Therefore, in order to shape and advance the theory, research design and instrument/s required conducting a focussed literature review of several learning theories (see fig 1); namely, Knowles’s Andragogy Theory (Houde 2006), Cross’s Characteristics of Adult Learners (CAL) (Kohl-Frey and Schmid-Ruhe 2007; Crittenton Women’s Union 2012), Margin (Gibbons Bylsma, 1984) and Proficiency Theory (Gustafsson & Mouwitz, 2008). Fig. 1 is showing the associated theories that characterize adult learners’ What becomes problematic is; adult learning has not been researched as vigorously as others areas of education, so the real challenge will be – as Hodkinson and Macleod (2010) encountered – to anchor the line of enquiry in a combined paradigmatic harbor. In contrast to Hodkinson and Macleod (2010), the upcoming report will be combining the aforementioned theories with the following paradigms’ as they display a distinct homogeneity. Specifically, social (E891 Part 2: Action 2.5), and cognitive constructionism (De Abreu 2000), Interpretivism (E891 Part 2: Action 2.4; Gage 1989) with quantitative and qualitative data collection i.e. mixed methodology. A critical review of the initial report by Street (2013) and Holmes (2013) exemplified the scarcity of knowledge and understanding some had on the associated theories. Both commented on differing aspects of the line of enquiry, but these were conceptual in nature. Street (2013) illustrated that the researcher must remain aware of the macro/micro societal effect that the learning environment has on the adult’s lived/shared experience and Holmes (2013) suggested that there needed to be a better fit to the realities of the adult learner. With this in mind I re-conceptualized the report and reflected more specifically on the feedback and guidance. Therefore, in order to steer the paradigms so that they pull in the same direction, the aforementioned theories naturally occurring and overlapping dimensions will be grouped (i.e. constant comparison method; Cohen et al., 2000; p. 151) by their substantive statements (i.e. content analysis; Gillham, 2000; p. 137) and used to engender questions. This process generated four themes that naturally expanded upon their shared features. Social contact and Relationships Goal and relevancy orientated External expectations Internal expectations In order to check for consistencies/inconsistencies (Denscombe, 1999; p. 217-8) between the questionnaires i.e. Phase 1 and Phase 2 and interview responses both datasets will be triangulated to assess the overall motivation/s toward participatory behaviour i.e. cross-sectional design (Bryman, 2006; p. 104). This ‘Mutual’ approach (Armitage and Keeble-Allen, 2007) will be implemented during the adult learners’ regular session/s, which should (1) reduce bias (Nederhof, 1985) and attrition (Torgerson 2009), (2) be more pragmatic than experimental research (Torgerson 2009), (3) increase internal validity, reliability and research quality, (4) support external validity and (5) decrease demand characteristics due to any researcher effects. Research enquiries can be polarized into qualitative and quantitative classifications based on how phenomena are represented (Ercikan and Roth, 2006). But, the researcher firmly believes; if representative qualitative and quantitative data have shared aspects that are dependent on their counterpart for completeness (Ercikan and Roth, 2006; p.16; Bryman, 2006; Bryman, 2007), then the incorporation of cross-validation is warranted to best serve this enquiry. This strategy should ensure internal validity; especially when considering using complementary methods (Armitage and Keeble-Allen, 2007). Moreover, as these quantitative and qualitative counterparts contain a fundamental element of the interactive dependency that is shared, and required, for individual understanding i.e. the connectivity of interactivity and the influence on representative individuality then the research must be aware to consider that both methods have shared and conflicting elements. Consequently, when considering multidisciplinary approaches, mixed methods i.e. quantitative and qualitative and triangulation one must be aware that incommensurability can exist between them. Brannen (2005) suggests that some methods become more feasible than others and deemed a better ‘fit’ as [they] provide more sensitivity when investigating complex social phenomena. Hence, certain methods, used in conjunction can become less than complimentary with the other. Additionally, Yin (2006) suggests that the ability to tighten the use of mixed methods so that they do in fact occur as part of a single study requires integration. The claim is that, the more that a single study integrates mixed methods, the more that mixed methods research, as opposed to multiple studies, is taking place (Yin, 2006). Furthermore, Houghton et al., (2010) highlight one of the ethical challenges, which have important implications for qualitative research, practical examples and solutions. The unpredictability of qualitative research means that an a priori prescription for ethical conduct is not always possible. Therefore, the researcher must be constantly mindful of the on-going impact that the research might have on those involved, while simultaneously being ethically sensitive and morally competent Although, mixing methods does provide an inferential narrative to the statistical outputs from quantitative analysis, it might not sufficiently negate the qualitative and quantitative dichotomy (Yin, 2006), or, necessarily produce the expected scholarly standard for presenting credible evidence (Maclure, 2005). These qualitative and quantitative complements are noticeably – even arguably – intrinsic facets of social/cognitive interaction/functioning; hence, the methods used to collect data in this enquiry will be trying to procure what happens when the internal interact/s with an external influence/s (Yin, 2006). This illustration provides a start for thinking about yet other types of mixed method research. The point is, if a relationship is completely absent— particularly where two or more methods address wholly different dependent, independent, or descriptive variables—the mixed methods are likely to form separate studies, not a single study (Yin, 2006). All these influences are important and relevant, but they are only some of the processes that, together, comprise a complex social world and unfortunately; understanding that the relevance and value assigned to learning by adults’ highlights the importance induced, does not necessarily liberate them (Hacking 1999; p. 2) from any disenfranchisement they could feel. Likewise, the researcher understands that the aforementioned factors are not the only variables that are existent; however, the researcher is of the opinion that those factors (see fig. 3 + 4) are the most prominent from the observations made and literature review conducted. Research Design Fig. 2 is illustrating the design and flow of data analysis that establishes the internal validity, reliability and quality of the research enquiry. Historical background Considering participation in adult learning since 1996 we see it has remained around 40% for those of working age (16 – 69) for seventeen years. These were either currently participating, or had recently participated in the last three years. Of those that did participate, there is an equivalent amount that has not participated since leaving full time education. Although, 80% of students’ currently participating intend on continuing in further education after they have completed the present course (see Tab.1). Whilst participating in Further Education and Lifelong Learning I observed a possible explanation for the existence of these variances (that being relevance and value). A possible explanation for the disordinal interaction (percentages decrease in the ‘Likely to learn in the future’ group whilst percentages for ‘Unlikely to learn in the future’ group increase) demonstrated in table 1 could be; the further in years an adult moves away from education the less relevance and value they attribute to returning to it. Or, is it as Siraj-Blatchford (2010) may suggest; that the adults are overscheduled and more committed to sustaining the home environment and maintaining a career with ‘on the job’ training. Multimodal Heuristics Informal learning is seemingly multimodal i.e. being valuable and relevant to the matter at hand and socially constructed through long/short term interactions (GTC 2006). The informal learning mechanisms that mediate influence shapes learning environments’ (Evans, et al., 2010; p. 6), cognitive processes and our social interactions (Evans, et al., 2010; p. 6). ‘Meaning’ then, is co/re-constructed by experience resulting in the multiple interpretations that create the social reality in which people act (Flowers 2009; p. 3). And as Vygotsky would state; context affects cognitive – and by way of – behavioural activities (De Abreu, 2000; p. 3) Bruner’s suppositional framework suggests that learners form new ideas or theories based upon what they already know (GTC 2006). His theory of learning, not only, related to the way children’s thinking developed, but it could also be applied to adults learning new and unfamiliar material (GTC 2006). Learners, as Bruner proposes, are creators and thinkers through the use of inquiry (GTC 2006). The process of which how learners dynamically construct knowledge is heavily in focus: implying the transformation of information, which suggests that Bruner’s theory of Constructivism falls into a cognitive domain (GTC 2006). Learners are provided with opportunities to construct new knowledge and new meaning from authentic experiences (Brockmann 2011). As a result, this exposes the pivotal role Multimodal Heuristics start to have when adults’ decide to return to education. For instance, a parent can reassure a frightened child that ‘shadow monsters do not exist!’ Although, a sibling can suggest leaving the light on to scare the monsters’ away. This indicates that informal learning can alter our worldview (e.g. ‘When did you stop believing in Santa?’) if it is seen to offer a plausible solution. This supports the concept of how informal learning can contribute to our understanding, cognitive processes (De Abreu 2000), social interactions, and the associated behaviours (Schwartz 1995; p. 5). These multimodal components; not only determine the level of commitment and motivation (Park & Choi 2009) that is ascribed to the retention of relevant and valuable information (Gibbons Bylsma, 1984; p. 23), but also contributes to the ease of transfer and retrieval of that information (Ekey 2012). The characteristically pragmatic nature of adult learners’ (Abdullah, et al., 2008; Kohl-Frey and Schmid-Ruhe 2007; Crittenton Women’s Union 2012) also demonstrates this need/requirement for information to have applicability to their life. This is determined by the perceived applicability it has to their future experiences and interaction. The internal dimensions of meaning-making are also multimodal (Clark 2011) and seemingly derived from the combination of the value and relevance (or Multimodal Heuristics – adults’ decide, through cognitive appraisal, their own level of involvement) assigned by the adult to measure applicability. Consequently, we could suggest that this is an ad hoc contribution to our social cognition (Aronson et al., 2005; p.57 – 64; De Abreu 2000; p. 4), our availability heuristics (Rules of thumb; Aronson et al., 2005; p. 74 – 75) and the associated behavior and schemas (Aronson et al., 2005; p. 59 – 61), which then assist navigation of social environments’. Unfortunately, understanding that the relevance and value assigned to learning by adults’ highlights the importance induced, does not necessarily liberate adults’ (Hacking 1999; p. 2) from the disenfranchisement they could feel in institutions where learning is delivered primarily from a traditionally pedagogical approach. Similarly, these interactions are situational and experienced directly by participation, so it will be difficult to generalize the results further than adult learning. Theory development Essentially, humans tend to seek out information that confirms what they think/believe to be most relevant or true to their experiences and/or future interactions; a relative cost-benefit/means-end (Evans, et al., 2010; p. 6) cognitive appraisal that enables Multimodal Heuristic co/re-construction (Clark 2011). This process begins to filter out information that is considered worthless. The cost-benefit (Primary appraisal) and means-end analyses (Secondary appraisal), along with the personal value and relevance adults’ assign to learning (‘rule of thumb’ Gustafsson, L., & Mouwitz, L. (2008); p. 5) appear to be hierarchical and Maslowian in nature. Additionally, an adult must consider, through means-end analysis, the benefit of actively participating and building upon their knowledge and experience, throughout their participation in learning. Ultimately mediating their need for satisfaction i.e. Socio-emotional negotiation and selectivity (Houde 2006). As a result, for the adult to consider participation Multimodal Heuristics must negotiate support for expectation and assess the benefit knowledge, learning and education have in recompense for reorganizing multiple obligations, and competing priorities (Evans, et al., 2010; p. 12). Therefore, is socio-emotional negotiation and selectivity a process of fragmenting information so that it creates a heuristic commensurability with an individual’s normative social and cognitive functioning, which therefore, influences behaviour i.e. influential connectivity of socio-cognitive interactivity affecting the potentials for action? Fig. 3 is showing the internal framework of the decision making, and meaning-making, mechanisms that help generate mental constructs of multimodal heuristics. To some degree, we can compare the assessment of value and relevance to Gustafsson & Mouwitz (2008) description of Proficiency Theory, and, means-end and cost-benefit analyses to McClusky’s Margin Theory (1974, as quoted in Gibbons Bylsma 1984). These theories emphasize a need to be competent at tasks’ whilst being realistic about certain physical, mental and social capabilities. If there is conflict between primary and secondary appraisals this could be seen as a violation of expectation (Deffenbacher 1993), which may account for drop-out rates, serial signers’, absenteeism, non-participation in task relevant activities, specific course popularity, the cost-benefit/means-end analysis (Evans, et al., 2010; p. 6; Geertz 1993; p. 4 – 5) for staying the course and societal perception of lifelong learning (Tab. 1). For instance, after asking my students’ (12 in total) if they had any questions about what had been learnt, they responded with â€Å"what would I do if†¦?† and â€Å"When would I use†¦?† As there were only subtle variations in discourse, in regards to relevance and value, I feel this highlights (1) what comprises Multimodal Heuristic co-construction, and (2) what is required from information when it is presented outside of their interpretation of it. Moreover, adults maintain autonomy (Gibbons Bylsma 1984) by performing a cost-benefit analysis to justify their participation; being that peripheral or full (Swan 2005; p. 5). Firstly this, amongst others mentioned, will form the basis of ‘what counts as value and relevance evidence’, and, from which, quantitative data will be collected (questionnaire). Lastly, the quantitative data will be qualitatively complemented with a semi-structured interview to produce a rich narrative and attain thick descriptions (Geertz 1993). The semi-structured interview will be conducted with a subset of the surveyed group and will represent a cross-section of the adult learners’ in that group i.e. single parent, co-parent and a single male/female with no dependants. And as Denscombe (1999) and Brockmann (2011) found; interaction is situational and experienced directly by participation, making it essential to respect [their] views, with, further recognition given to the possibility that [their] priorities may not reflect the general consensus view or official theory. For example, Gustafsson & Mouwitz (2008) have reported; what is valued and encouraged in formal learning environments lacks to varying degrees explicit relevance in the workplace. Therefore, adults must demand a greater degree of relevance, value and satisfaction when deciding to return to, and participating in, education (Abdullah, et. al. 2008; Houde 2006). Fig. 4 is showing the internal framework of secondary appraisal that aims to justify the decision made and validate the perception of learning by paralleling meaning-made with the realities of the study. Illustrating, not only that the individual agency of these interpretations of relevance and value are co/re-constructed (Clark 2011) cognitively (GTC 2006) and socially (Hacking 1999), but also that adults’ apply this form of Heuristic Multimodality when seeking satisfaction from having their expectations fulfilled. Park & Choi (2009) have reported that relevance and satisfaction, being sub-dimensions of motivation, are known to be interrelated with various course-related issues. Even though the societal influences mentioned in this report can modify (1) the assessment of relevance and (2) affect the personal satisfaction adults cultivate (Park & Choi, 2009) they can also mediate and reinforce participatory behavior (Park & Choi, 2009) by enhancing the importance adults’ induce when deciding an academic and/or social level of involvement (Gibbons Bylsma 1984). Furthermore, students’ have asserted that relevance is a significant mediator in their assignment of value. Many students’ have commented that relevance paralleled the value assigned to learning and their specific choice of subject(s). These statements were observed over time and place using a relative constant comparison method (Cohen et al., 2000; p. 151). Their comments demonstrated the application of a cost-benefit and means-end analysis e.g. â€Å"How relevant is†¦in the big scheme of things?†, â€Å"When would I use†¦?† and â€Å"I don’t see the relevance? Evidently, the use of Multimodal Heuristics acts as a mechanism that could also increase commitment, dedication and motivation (Park & Choi 2009). In constant comparison data are compared across a range of situations, times, groups of people, and through a range of methods (Cohen et al., 2000; p. 151 – 2). The process resonates with the methodological notion of triangulation. The constant comparison method involves four stages: Comparing incidents and data that are applicable to each category, comparing them with previous incidents in the same category and with other data that are in the same category Integrating these categories and their properties Bounding the theory Setting out the theory The subjective ontological/epistemological view, research design and methodology exhibited in this report is sufficient and necessary to explore this direction of enquiry, if it were absent, it would prove problematic supporting a theory with an accompanying objective approach that advocates detachment (Flowers 2009; E891 Part 2: Action 2.2; Gage 1989; E891 Part 2: Action 2.5), when, in this case, it is more advantageous to explore the subjectivity of individual agency, participatory behaviour and situational experiences, motivation, and, the personal value and relevance assigned to learning, as these are closer to the truth. Instrument Design There will be two distinct phases to data generation; firstly, questions will be formulated from each of the four themes that CAL, Andragogy and Margin and Proficiency theories appear to create and then randomly assigned (Nederhof, 1985) to a questionnaire. A descriptive analysis of each question will be conducted to address whether the aforementioned multi-dimensionalities of adult learners’ are being considered. The strength of the trend in the agreement/disagreement should build a picture of the shared experiences. These questions will then be relocated back to the themes that created them, scored (Likert Scale; the higher the score the more relevance and value is attributed) and compared with the descriptive analysis to, not only generate a semi-structured small group interview schedule (Gillham, 2000), but also to get a sense of what is personally valuable and relevant about learning. This is an attempt to demonstrate; how meeting these multi-dimensionalities may be instrumental in maintaining learner participation (Park and Choi 2009). Furthermore, by mapping these realities, establish whether they support the general consensus view of these adult learning theories. An opportunity sampled group (16 – 35+) will be surveyed using this questionnaire (13 in total) with a small group interview being administered to a subset of the surveyed group (5 in total). Ideally, this subset should be representative of the adult learners’ in that educational facility. Even though the whole group will be opportunistically surveyed; in phase 2 every effort will be made to be more purposive. In order to support internal validity and ensure the reduction of any bias the incorporation of a ‘social desirability’ measure (Nederhof, 1985; SDR) will be added to the questionnaire. Certain questions will be cross referenced with one another to assess whether the adult learners’ are responding in a socially desirable way. This local blocking technique should increase the internal validity of the questionnaire, enhance the internal consistency of the small group interview questions, reduce bias and maintain rigour when all the data is analysed. This should also allow individual agency (E891 Part 2: Action 2.4; Gage 1989; Denscombe 1999), shared experience and the personal value and relevance attributed to learning to be highlighted. Due to the amount of data that could have been reported the evaluation will be specifically limited to the triangulation narratives of the ‘Theme Summaries’, interview data i.e. content and descriptive analysis (Clark, 2011). The researcher firstly formulated questions from these naturally occurring themes and searched for consistencies and inconsistencies (Denscombe, 1999) between the summary narratives (Gillham, 2000) and statistical outputs from the descriptive analyses (Bryman, 2007). Phase 1 As there were 30 questions generated from the four themes the in-depth analysis of each question will be triangulated and presented in the theme summaries. In an attempt to expose any consistencies/inconsistencies (Denscombe, 1999; p. 217-8) in the responses the data will be compared against the learning theories that created them: ensuring validity. Consequently, due to the amount of quantitative data generated from the in-depth analysis of the individual questions, this report will only include the second stage of Phase 1 i.e. descriptive analysis and theme summary triangulation. The interview responses from Phase 2 will be further triangulated with these summaries and content analysed to highlight the adult learners’ realities and ascertain what influences their decisions and motivates them to return too education i.e. by constant comparison method. Theme Summaries Social contact and Relationships – Q1, Q2, Q6, Q7, Q17 Q19 and Q30 The adult learners’ appear to value social interaction and feelings of reciprocal respect whilst participating in learning, which demonstrates that the adult learners’ value a sense of ‘belonging’ (16/21). However, there is a small percentage that does not see ‘belonging’ as being of value. Therefore, the feelings of reciprocal respect and support cannot be generalised as influencing their decision to continue in learning. Internal expectations – Q10, Q13, Q14, Q15, Q18, Q22, Q26, Q28 and Q29 This theme relates to the adult learners satisfaction. Satisfaction, being a sub-dimension of motivation, is something that must be regarded as paramount in the adult learning experience. The consistent attendance of the adult learners’ at the session/s is testament to their satisfaction with the course and the delivery thereof (18/27). In essence, if the adult learner considers that the potential learning opportunity is not transferable to the workplace, is not satisfied, or perceives it as inadequate at providing improvement to their problem solving capabilities could ultimately diminish their motivation to participate. Goal and relevancy orientation – Q3, Q4, Q5, Q9, Q11, Q16, Q20, Q23, Q25 and Q27 External expectations – Q8, Q12, Q21 and Q24 As these last two dimensions, respectively and comparatively, share a greater degree of similarity they will be interpretatively combined and presented together. Looking at these from a political perspective; the demand for lifelong learning to have greater prevalence in society sets an industry standard that demands conformity to it. Subsequently, this appears to facilitate the re/co-construction of self-directedness and the personal interests of adult learners’ so that they begin to mirror ‘what is required of them’; which is indicative of a cost-benefit/mean-ends analysis. Therefore, some adult learners’ might be so focussed or motivated on getting the qualification that they adjust their sense of self-direction in order to reorganise their lives and satisfy what is required of them i.e. Mutability for the betterment of self. It could also be suggested that the pressure too have certain qualifications encourages participatory behaviour in some adult learners’ and determines the relative conformity to industry demands and learning the required skills i.e. something they adapt to rather than adapted for them (Q8, Q9 and Q10). Conformity, in this sense, would then act as a pre-determinant to achievement; the perception of economic sustainability and upward mobility and what value, and relevance, learning has. Not surprisingly, this could be one reason why thousands of people leave their jobs: they only took the job because it is what was demanded of them, which is in direct conflict with their personal interests, self-directedness and life goals. Which also illustrates that cognition can be influenced by social interaction and be co/re-constructed by experience and meaning-made. The questionnaire included items that let the participant assess the value and relevance they attribute to learning as an adult. The overall strength of this agreement was guided by their experiences as an adult learner. However, some of the diagnostic questions seemed to be complex and ask two things of the participant. As this is a major source of error (Hammersley et al., 2003) the validity of those questions will be scrutinised as the participants may have weighted one aspects of the complex question more important than the other aspect, hence, an adumbrated response i.e. a decrease in validity. However, all of the responses were reduced to one mean average for that individual question, and as these were pooled from the four themes that characterise adult learners’ it reduced sampling error and bias. Furthermore, as there was a two stage analysis in phase one the validity of the research instrument is strengthened; especially when we factor in the use of the SDR measure to control for bias (Nederhof, 1985) and the encouragement of omission (Hammersley et al., 2003) when the participant had no opinion. What we cannot suggest at this stage of the analysis, however, is that the shared experience led to a shared meaning. As Denscombe (1999) ascertained; the perceptions of the individual are not always consistent with the general consensus view (Brockmann, 2011) of the group as a whole. This extends to the meaning-made and the individual nature of the meaning-making process. The surveyed group cultivated differing levels of relevance and value from their shared experiences. But, this was seemingly determined by the level of relevance and value that was extrapolated from their continued participation. Hence, the individual agency of meaning-making is an outcome of the level of value and relevance attributed to the shared experiences of learning as an adult, the level of satisfaction and a sense of mutability for the betterment of self. Phase 2: Narrative of Qualitative data Before the triangulation, constant comparison and content analysis the researcher must point out that (1) this was a small scale study, (2) the interviews was held in a small group so full disclosure by each participant was not always possible and (3) the results should not be over generalised to other adult learning situations. All that is being sought is an insight in to the connectivity of socio-cognitive interactivity and the subsequent influence on representative individuality; the multidimensionality of participatory behaviour and what the adults felt their motivations for returning to education were and still are. This should (1) map the external/internal influences on the adult learner; (2) expose the dimensions behind this seeming connectivity of socio-cognitive interactivity that create the potential/s for designated types of action i.e. Multimodal Heuristics and (3) if the analysis supports the researcher’s theory and the adult learning theories that feature in this enquiry. Some of the interviewee’s shared a meaning to one degree, but had a different meaning-making process before reaching that decision; the salient feature was a shared-meaning in a shared-goal in reaching university or attending a higher level course from the successful completion of the current course of study. This gave them a common ground on which to build upon ‘what learning means’ to them on an individual basis whilst allowing the shared-meaning element distinguish and define their individual social relationships in the class; whom they sought clarification from; what level of involvement they chose and what comparative judgements they begin to make on others in the session/s. Walter: â€Å"Well I think if you do†¦ I think if you do†¦like, we are social people, things†¦we are social and that’s that, that’s what we are†¦we are designed to be social people, if we exclude ourselves we do not, you know, we lose all basic human function, it’s like the guy at the front, you know he doesn’t †¦ he can exclude himself, he doesn’t do anything, he doesn’t enjoy being here, doesn’t have any excitement about coming and learning†¦if you exclude yourself from everyone else you’ll probably not learn!† Serena: â€Å"I like learning with a group but then it’s dependent on what I do with that information†¦but when it’s writing things down or posters and stuff I can’t have other people touching.† This illustrates that the need to feel self-directed and sometimes being free from outside interference is just one of the commonalities we start to see in the participants responses. Although, some of the interviewee’s do highlight that; Sally: â€Å"I came because I needed to do it, but now I quite, I’ve more motivation to do it because I enjoy it.† Therefore, the individual agency of meaning-making is, not only an outcome of the level of value and relevance attributed to the shared experiences of learning as an adult, the level of satisfaction and a sense of mutability for the betterment of self, but also the means/ends-cost/benefit interconnectivity seen in their decision-making process i.e. motivated to do it and their continued participation in the session/s that seemingly contributes further to the mutability for the betterment of self in these adult learners. The individual meaning-made is a product of these connective interactivities varying – and individually decided – high/low levels of cost/benefit the course has and what perceived means/end reward the course provides for successful completion i.e. the multimodal heuristic factors that led to participatory behaviour and satisfaction. The shared-meaning is an accidental affinity that becomes synchronous with other people that are pursuing a similar goal as them. This suggests that they share similar educational values and relevancies due to their common or shared goals. The shared-meaning dimensions presumably start to mediate the differing high/low connective interactivity level in the cost/benefit and means/end analyses. Furthermore, this also starts to define and distinguish individual social relationships; who we seek advice and clarification from; what level of involvement we chose and what comparative judgements we make on others i.e. asynchronous affinity with others. The comments from these interviewee’s also highlights the need to feel proficient and competent about the material in the course and where they culture this confidence. It seems the more confident the adult learner gets about understanding the material and being able to discuss, question and seek clarification on their understanding the more proficient and competent they feel. This bolsters their feelings of satisfaction and adds to their motivation to continue through reducing the physical and mental sense of effort i.e. cost and/or means and increasing the perception of benefit cultured from continuation in the session/s. e.g. internal expectations and social relationships. This could be defined as a beneficial compromise for the betterment of self being the mediation of the perceived value social contact offers in raising confidence, increasing feelings of proficiency and reducing our fear of incompetency. The commentaries also point toward Margin theory (Gibbons Bylsma, 1984) in the manner of how ‘power’ and ‘load’ i.e. the amount we can manage is balanced with the effort we can assign to it and ‘expansive’ and ‘restrictive’ perceptions of future time i.e. the older you are the more urgent something becomes also contributes to the motivations of the adult learner (Gibbons Bylsma, 1984). So, is motivation the product of a restrictive ‘future time’ perspective creating a behaviourally urgent response to the realisation of your current educational inequities; therefore, adding to the perception of the reduction in opportunities for sustaining economic upward mobility? For example the following conversation illustrates the reasoning behind this question; Researcher: ‘so does anyone find, you know, that helps them decide to do a course, or, was it a combination of both things were like valuable and relevant to you as well?’ Walter: ‘Yeah, yeah†¦that’s the reason I’m here, you know you can’t get a well-paid job without English and Maths!’ Leroy: †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢and without those I can’t precede on to university’ Researcher: ‘So you can see the as an industry standard kind of then?’ Walter: ‘Yeah, this is the industry standard’ Researcher: ‘So to actually progress you need these things to progress?’ Walter: ‘Yeah†¦yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Leroy: ‘Like to myself, like to have this qualification would make me feel better about it†¦but,’ Researcher: ‘Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Leroy: ‘†¦it’s a requirement’ Researcher: ‘yeah like a stepping stone’ Leroy: ‘yeah.’ Therefore, these adult learners’ may just see the benefit of having the qualification to progress beyond where they are now. This could also suggest that these adults’ are fully aware that the ‘real world’ applicability of certain subjects are determined by the industry demand for that subject, making a qualification economically more relevant and valuable to these adult learners’. We could theorise that society has a shared understanding about what industry requires of the workforce and how this requirement places a demand on the learner to rearrange their lives in order to participate in learning. Therefore, shared meaning in society could be facilitated by a shared understanding of what it demands of society, which supports the theory that adult learners’ must assign more personal relevance, value and expectations of satisfaction to learning before there is the motivation to return to education i.e. is there a beneficial compromise between what I want and what they require. And as can be seen in the descriptive analysis of Q20, Q21 and Q22.These questions relate to social influence and societies perception of value and relevance assigned to learning. The adult learner agrees that the decision to attend a course of study was suggested to them (Q20) and that this social influence/encouragement essentially provides the persuasive reinforcement to their implicit understanding that; learning increases an adult’s chances of employment (Q21). The adult learners’ also feel that the support they receive from the different sources of this social influence/encouragement is at a level which permits their participation on the course of study. We could again theorise that an individual knows what is demanded of them in the employment market, but they seek confirmation on what they already know. This suggests that ‘meaning’ is socially co/re-constructed by the individual seeking confirmation on their present understanding in order to reinforce their decision, and by way of, increase motivation to return to learning. Furthermore, the adult learners’ do not feel they have to make allowances to attend a course, as long as the scheduled session/s is at a convenient time for them to attend i.e. the conscious effort to avoid the conflicts between personal obligations and scheduled session/s. Moreover, showing that, for these adult learners’, the course of study has value and is personally and economically relevant to them. And as it was outlined in the ‘Theory Development’ section of this report; we can compare the assessment of value and relevance to Gustafsson & Mouwitz (2008) description of Proficiency Theory, and, means-end and cost-benefit analyses to McClusky’s Margin Theory (1974, as quoted in Gibbons Bylsma 1984). These theories emphasize a need to be competent at tasks’ whilst being realistic about certain physical, mental and social capabilities. Moreover, because the theories that were used in this study have overlapping dimensions (e.g. Q3, Q4 and Q12 overlap Social contact and Relationships; Goal and Relevancy orientation and External Expectations) with each dimension seemingly providing a piece to the decisional mà ©lange that affects the internal expectations i.e. individual agency of the adult learner. We could therefore suggest that Multimodal Heuristics and co/re-constructive social influence, not only becomes more evident when motivation towards participation is being established and/or maintained, but may also be one of the key components in the processes that assist the transformation of identity. Hence, as a sense of belonging, competency, proficiency and satisfaction are valued and relevant to the adult learner and evolve as they evolve; as do their identities. Equally, in a sociocultural ontology progress in learning is viewed along trajectories of participation and growth of identity, so both competency and belonging matter in understanding learning. It is for these reasons that a sociocultural ontology describes learning as a transformation of identity. And as the report is looking at the macro and micro-structural influences on the adult learner and how that comes to mediate and motivate them toward participation we can suggest quite firmly that identity transformation is closely tied to multimodal heuristics which is apparently mediated by a co/re-construction between the connectivity of social/cognitive interactivity thus having an impact on the identity formation of the adult learner. So the relevancy and value that is selected from external sources is fragmentally factored from differing micro and macro-structural influences and negotiated in to cognitive constructs i.e. internally mediated hence facilitating the decisional components that create the motivation for, and support continued participation towards, designated types of action. Discussion, implications and conclusions So, are social contact and relationships the result of synchronous affinities? Is the use of multimodal heuristics an actual contributor to identity transformation? All that can be suggested is that the results support the theory of multimodal heuristics and the connectivity of interactivity and imply that motivation is established through the individual deliberately, and sometimes vicariously, extracting information from these proximal and distal influences. Hence, social/cognitive collocation comes to, not only reinforce their decision to participate in designated types of action, but also – to a greater or lesser extent – impacts upon the transformation of identity. But, we must keep in mind that this is paralleled with a balance between the beneficial compromises for the betterment of self and the perceived value social contact i.e. belonging offers in raising confidence, increasing feelings of proficiency and reducing the fear of incompetency. The real implication of these results is the noticeable benefit of informal conversations being used to reinforce learnt knowledge. The participants suggest that more time for reflection and confirmation would go some way to aiding the retention of new information, how the information actually relates to their personal circumstances and how this also contributes to feelings of belonging, proficiency, competency and feelings of increased confidence. For example; Walter : â€Å"†¦if you have a conversation with someone, say after this class, you’ll remember that conversation better than you would, you know than someone standing at the front of the class going ‘this guy wrote this poem about this† And like the small child that is afraid of ‘shadow monsters’ and leaves the light on; the sessions could benefit from the incorporation of small group/whole class learning reinforcement dyads of informal conversations. This would then start to determine the level of commitment and motivation (Park & Choi 2009) that is ascribed to the retention of relevant and valuable information (Gibbons Bylsma, 1984; p. 23), and further contribute to the ease of transfer/retrieval of the current learning material/s and any new information (Ekey 2012). In conclusion, if adults are autonomous, self-directed and pursue their personal interests and goals then; when an adult decides to return to education the course of study must display a greater degree of relevance to the adults. If the course of study is perceived as having relevance, it (1) fulfils their need for feeling autonomous, (2) allows the adult to make an informed decision as to the value it has, (3) contributes to the continuation of feelings of self-directedness and (4) also contributes to their perceptions of being closer to achieving their goals’; thus adding value. Especially when we factor in that adult learners’ are complying with requirements’ laid down by someone else and may need to reorganise multiple obligations and competing priorities in order to participate. Another reason that these adult learners’ generally value the social interaction, support and reciprocal respect they receive whilst attending a course of study. Hence, the sense of belonging would be enhanced if there were more opportunities for interaction. Therefore, creating more opportunities for reflection between learners’ could, not only, reinforce learning, but also support the feelings of belonging through increasing the opportunities for discussion on how the material covered in that session/s contextually relates to them. Moreover, focussing on enhancing feelings of proficiency by allowing the adult learner to co/re-construct their current understanding through reflecting upon it with learners’ that share the same learning experience and synchronous and asynchronous affinities. References Abdullah, M, Parasuraman, B, Muniapan, B, Koren, S & Jones, ML. (2008) ‘Motivating factors associated with adult participation in distance learning program’ International Education Studies, 1 (4), pp. 104-109. 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