Negative Utilitarianism Essay Example for Free

Negative Utilitarianism Essay Most utilitarian theories deal with producing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. Negative utilitarianism (NU) requires us to promote the least amount of evil or harm, or to prevent the greatest amount of suffering for the greatest number. Proponents like Karl Popper, Christoph Fehige and Clark Wolf argue that this is a more effective ethical formula, since, they contend, the greatest harms are more consequential than the greatest goods. Karl Popper also referred to an epistemological argument: â€Å"It adds to clarity in the fields of ethics, if we formulate our demands negatively, i. e., if we demand the elimination of suffering rather than the promotion of happiness. † (Karl R. Popper,1945) Most forms of utilitarianism hold that we ought to do that which maximises the good and minimises the bad. There is some disagreement about what the good and the bad are whether the good is people being happy and the bad is people being unhappy, or the good is people getting what they want and the bad is people not getting what they want, or whateverbut most utilitarians agree that whatever the good and the bad are, we ought to bring about as much of the former and as little of the latter as is possible. Negative utilitarians disagree. Negative utilitarians are concerned only with minimising the bad. They dont think we ought to maximise the good and minimise the bad, and that when we must choose between the two we must weigh the difference that we can make to the one against the difference that we can make to the other; rather, negative utilitarians hold just that we ought to minimise the bad, that we ought to alleviate suffering as far as we are able to do so. Suppose that I have a choice to make: I can either make the happiest man in the world even happier than he already is, or I can alleviate some of the suffering of the unhappiest man in the world. Suppose further that the difference that I can make to the happy man is much greater than the difference that I can make to the unhappy man. Most utilitarians would say that in this case I ought to help the happy man. As I can make a greater difference to the life of the happy man than I can make to the life of the unhappy man, it is the happy man whom I should help. Negative utilitarians disagree. Negative utilitarians hold that it is more important to alleviate suffering than it is to promote pleasure, and that I should therefore always choose to alleviate suffering rather than promote pleasure when forced to choose between the two. In most supporters of moderate NU the preference to survive is stronger than the wish to be freed from suffering, so that they refuse the idea of a quick and painless destruction of life. Some of them believe that, in time, the worst cases of suffering is defeated and a world of minor suffering can be realized. The big problem with negative utilitarianism is that it appears to require the destruction of the world. The world contains much suffering, and the future, presumably, contains a great deal more suffering than the present. Each of us will suffer many calamaties in the course of our lives, before those lives finally end with the suffering of death. There is a way, however, to reduce this suffering: we could end it all now. With nuclear weapons technology, we have the capability to blow up the planet, making it uninhabitable. Doing so would cause us all to suffer death, but death is going to come to us all anyway, so causing everyone to die will not increase the suffering in the world. Causing us to die now, though, will decrease the suffering in the world; it will prevent us from suffering those calamaties that were going to plague us during the remainder of our lives. Destroying the planet, then, will reduce the suffering in the world. According to negative utilitarianism, then, it is what we ought to do. That, though, is surely absurd. Negative utilitarianism, therefore, is false. References (Karl R. Popper, The Open Society and its Enemies, London 1945).

Bergers Disease: IgA Nephropathy

Bergers Disease: IgA Nephropathy Sarah A. Poorman IgA nephropathy, or Bergers disease, is one of the most prevalent, primary, and chronic glomerular disease and an imperative cause of renal failure (Mayo Clinic, 2017). IgAN is one of the most common renal diseases present in todays world. It can occur at any age, perceiving first evidence of renal disease when people are in their teens to late 30s (Wyatt and Julian, 2013). It is twice more likely to appear in men than women, being the most common amongst Asian and Caucasian populations (Wyatt and Julian, 2013). Early stages of Bergers Disease may not have symptoms. It can be silent for years, sometimes even decades before a single symptom shows. The most common symptom witnessed is hematuria, or bloody urine (NIDDK, 2015). This is a definite sign of a damaged glomeruli. Usually, the tint of urine will become a hue of pink or resemble the color of tea or cola (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). Another common symptom to arise is albuminuria. This is when urine contains an overabundance or albumin. Albumin is a protein, typically found in the blood, which maintains fluid balance throughout the human body (Nephcure, 2016). Blood loses its capacity to absorb fluid from the body once albumin leaks into the urine. Due to the lost blood supply, low blood albumin levels will occur. Too much fluid will let to edema, or swelling, of various body parts. The most common body parts to experience edema are the legs, feet, and ankles, leaving the face and hands to be the least commonly affected (NIDDK, 2015). Foamy urine is a signal of albuminuria. The least common symptoms associated with IgAN are high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels (NIDDK, 2015). Glomerulus is a system of capillaries situated at the beginning of a nephron in the kidney (Wyatt and Julian, 2013). Its focal objective is to assist as the first phase of the filtration process of the blood, which is carried out by the nephron in the creation of urine (Mayo Clinic, 2017). IgA nephropathy, or IgAN, is considered an autoimmune disease that affects the glomeruli of the kidneys. Glomeruli are tiny filtering units where the blood is cleared. As the IgA deposits build up in the glomeruli, it causes the kidneys to leak blood and protein into the urine. Human IgA antibodies have two subclasses, IgA1 and IgA2, while IgA1 constitutes 85% of the total IgA in the circulation, starting in the bone marrow (Wyatt and Julian, 2013). Predominantly, these deposits consist of IgA, but they can also exhibit IgG and IgM antibodies by themselves or combined. As the IgA deposits build up in the glomeruli, it causes the kidneys to leak blood and protein into the urine. IgA in the glomerular deposits are exclusively of the IgA1 subclass and are in the polymeric form (Wyatt and Julian, 2013). IgA1 exhibits galactose deficiency in the O-linked glycans in the hinge region of the heavy chain (Suzuki et al, 2011). Going all the way back to basic chemistry, galactose, or Gal, is a monosaccharide sugar that is composed of the same element as glucose, but has a different arrangement of atoms (Maillard et al, 2015). The Fc receptor will blind the GD-IgA1 to create immune complexes that leads to the complement activation. The transcription of IgG and IgM trigger the pathways of complement activation, containing immune complexes (Maillard et al, 2015). Eventually, over time, the massive discharge of ctyokines, components of the ext racellular matrix, and oxidants that disrupt the function of the glomerular basement membrane will induce apoptosis (the product of TGF-B and IL-6) and glomerular scarring (Maillard et al, 2015). This creates the destruction of the kidneys which leads to the major development of end-stage renal disease. To put it simply, T cell-dependent activation of B Cells is initiated by APCs, which processes the antigen, and creates peptides to present, in MHC 11, to CD4+ T cells. This results in the production of T Helper cells. With the interaction of B and T cells, the expression of CD40L, a protein apart of the TNF (tumor necrosis factor) family, begins. Isotype switching of naà ¯ve B cells towards IgA1 and IgA2 producing plasma cells takes place. The B cells carry the antigens to the surface of the cell by Ig expression. They present this to MHC II, which aids in the recruitment of T cells. With the expression of CD40L and cytokines and signals from APCs will begin the regulation of production for IgA the IgA immunoglobulin will typically bind oneself to an antigen or infection found in the body. This will result in the activation of an immune response, which will find a way to rid the body of the infection. People with IgAN have an augmented blood result of IgA that signifies less galactose than what is considered normal. This galactose-deficient IgA, or GD-IgA1, in the blood, is recognized as foreign by the other antibodies circulating the blood. But, when an individual has IgAN, a flawed arrangement of IgA antibodies attach their selves to another IgA antibody, as an alternative of an infection or antigen, resulting in the creation of immune complexes. These immune complexes turn out to be jammed in the kidneys glomeruli, causing damage to the filters. Inflammation takes place, which causes blood and proteins to leak out of the kidneys and into the urine. Eventually, this will lead to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and total kidney failure, resulting in death or the dire need of a kidney transplantation. Currently, there is no known cure for IgA nephropathy, with no ultimate way of knowing what path the ailment will take. Once the kidneys are scarred, they cannot be repaired. Therefore, the vital goal of IgA nephropathy treatment is to inhibit or delay the inevitable, end-stage renal disease. Some people experience complete remission and others live normal lives with low-grade blood or protein in their urine. Treatment with numerous of medications can slow the progress of the disease and help manage symptoms such as high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and swelling. Some of the medications that are currently being used to treat IgAN are as follows: 1) Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) which lowers blood pressure and reduces the amount of albumin in the urine. 2) Omega 3 Fatty acids, which aid in the reduction of inflammation throughout the body, in this case the glomeruli, leaving no harmful side effects. 3) Immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids medication (prednisone) will suppress the immune system response, allowing to protect kidney function. However, these can cause serious side effects such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar. 4) Statin therapy are cholesterol lowering medications that are known to help slow the damage to the kidneys. 5) Mycophenolate mofetil, or CellCept, has been successfully used in some pati ents who have had persistent protein in the urine, however, most studies so far have failed to show the benefit for using this medication. There are no sources in the current document.   Ã‚  

Problem Based Learning PBL

Problem Based Learning PBL Introduction Problem-based learning (PBL) is a pedagogical tool in which students engage in a problem without introductory knowledge; they work to solve the problem by using existing knowledge and applying it to the situation in order to reach a solution (Wirkala Kuhn, 2011). The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics describes technology as an essential element in teaching and learning mathematics (NCTM, 2000). The use of computers influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students learning (2000). When implemented effectively, technology can be a tremendous tool for learning. Computers can be usedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as an environment for exploring mathematical concepts through interaction (Huetinck Munshin, 2008, p. 87). In this study, students will explore mathematical concepts using computers via a problem-based learning approach. Specifically, this research study will investigate how computer-assisted PBL effects student interest and achievement in a high school mathematics co urse. Much research has been done to investigate PBL in medicine and science. There has been more research in mathematics education that investigates the effects of PBL on achievement than of PBL and interest. I would like to examine both of these factors. The question of interest is as follows: How do using computers to teach problem-based learning (PBL) in high school mathematics classrooms increase student interest and achievement in mathematics? Following the introduction, in section 2, relevant literature about PBL will be discussed. In section 3, the statistical methods will be stated. In section 4, the analysis of the data will be presented. In section 5, my conclusion and discussion will be given. Literature Review PBL in Medicine Various researchers in the medical field have studied problem-based learning for quite some time. In the 1980s and 1990s, PBL was used in medical schools and began to be accepted by schools in North America and Europe (Savery, 2006). Researchers have studied how PBL effects achievement and/or knowledge. One group of researchers studied academic achievement of students in two medical schools (Verhoeven, Verwijnen, Scherpbier, Holdrinet, Oeseburg, Bulte, Van Der Vleuten, 1998). One school had a PBL instructional design and the other used a non-PBL instructional design. Test results showed no significant differences on total test scores. After the test was split into three categories, a few, non-systematic differences were found (p. 310). Hmelo (1999) studied how PBL in medical education can affect cognitive skill. The study found that the PBL students increased the accuracy of their hypotheses more than the nonPBL students (p. 197). The conclusion of the findings show that using a PBL approach in medical education does make a difference in what students learn. Another study examined students performances on Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination(USMLE) following the implementation of a problem-based learning curriculum (Blake, Hosokawa, Riley, 2000, p. 66). This study analyzed scores and found that students in the PBL classes scored higher on USMLE Step 1 than did students in the traditional classes. For the USMLE Step 2, the average test score for students in the PBL classes were above the national mean. In contrast, score were below the national mean for classes in the traditional curriculum (p. 66). Based on the data, the study concluded that the use of a PBL curriculum as a major educational method during the first two years of medical school does not compromise performance on standardized tests (p. 69). Other researchers found that in a PBL program; there were significant knowledge gain (Schwartz, Donnelly, Sloan, Young, 1994, p. 148). Knowledge gain was measured by giving students a pre and posttest. Students were administered an NBME surgery shelf examination on the first day of the clerkship (pretest) and a different one of the last day (posttest) (p. 148). Another study compared clinical performances in a medical clerkship of students who were enrolled in a class that used a PBL approach versus students who were enrolled in a class that used a traditional style approach (Richards, Ober, Cariaga-Lo, Camp, Philp, McFarlane, Rupps, Zaccaro, 1996). The PBL participants consisted of 88 third year internal medicine students. The lecture-based learning (LBL) participants consisted of 364 students in the same program. The researchers compared examination scores between the two groups. The results reveal that the students who had completed two years in the PBL curriculum had a higher medicine clerkship rating (p. 189). Thus, this study determined that a PBL curriculum may enhanceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦clinical perfo rmances (p. 187). A similar study was performed in a postgraduate medical education program in The Netherlands. The study aimed to examine the effectiveness of problem-based learning in comparison with lecture-based learning (Smits, de Buisonje, Verbeek, Dijk, Metz, Cate, 2003, p. 280). Knowledge, in terms of achievement, was measured by tests. They found that under PBL instruction, performance increased more. In the conclusion, the researchers state that this study shows evidence that the problem-based program has some small extra value for the participants in improving their performance (p. 285). Although there is a limited amount of research on the impacts of PBL on interest, there have been a few researchers to study this situation. Biley (1999) studied PBL in a nursing program. The study found that there were both advantages and disadvantages of using PBL in instruction. A disadvantage the study found is that tension occurred during the process of changing from more traditional forms of education to PBL (p. 587). The findings also showed benefits of PBL which coincide with previous studies; the benefits include the recognition of increased self-motivation, team work, and a more accurate theoretical representation in the classroom (p. 588). Smits, et. al (2003) studied students satisfaction in addition to knowledge. Satisfaction was measured by a rating. Researchers found that the problem-based group was significantly less satisfied than the lecture-based group (p. 284). Another study found dissimilar data relating to interest and enjoyment. Sobral (1995) found that PBL stu dents had a higher level of enjoyment and reported that they enjoyed their learning experience and would be more likely to look for studies in the same field (99). The researchers concluded that the PBL approach can improve the quality of the learning environment in both cognitive and emotional ways (p. 93). PBL in Science Education Researchers in science education have also studied the impacts of problem-based learning on achievement. One study (Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, Sà ¶zbilir, 2007) examined the impact of PBL in a physical chemistry laboratory class. Researchers looked at students attitudes towards a chemistry laboratory course, scientific process skills of students, and their academic achievement in relation to PBL (p. 99). They found that after students were exposed to PBL, their test scores were considerably higher. A similar study was done in a chemistry class. Tarhan and Acar (2007) examined how effective PBL is in increasing student achievement. Results from the post-testà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦showed that PBL is effective on students achievement (Tarhan, Acar, 2007, p. 351). One group of researchers investigated the effects of PBL for female students enrolled in a STEM program (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011). They found that students tended to gain more solid science and mathematics knowledge through STEM learning in PBL (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011, p. 195). Another study investigated PBL in science by conducting research using an experimental (PBL group) and control group (textbook group) (Inel Balim, 2010). Researchers examined how PBL affected academic achievement; they found a significant difference between the groups. Specifically, researchers concluded the problem-based learning method in scienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦teaching is more effective in enhancing students academic achievement than simply using the scienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦curriculum (Inel Balim, 2010, p. 16). Similarly, Sungur, Tekkaya, and Geban (2006) conducted a study to examine the effect of PBL on academic achievement and performance in a biology class. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the control or experimental group. Students were given a pre- and post-test that measured academic achievement and performance. Researchers concluded that PBl instruction caused a si gnificantly better acquisition of scientific conceptions than the traditional instruction (Sungur, Tekkaya, Geban, 2006, p. 158). AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an (2007) investigated PBL in science education. They gathered research to determine how PBL effects achievement, attitude, and concept learning. Researchers concluded that the implementation of problem-based active learning model had positively affected students academic achievementà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [in] the science course (AkinoÄÅ ¸lue TandoÄÅ ¸an, 2007, p. 71). Chang (2001) conducted research in several 10th grade science classes to study how problem-based computer-assisted instruction (PBCAI) impacts science achievement (p. 147). The researcher compared the PBCAI to a direct-interactive teaching method (DITM) (p. 147). He determined that more students in the PBCAI group had higher scores than the DITM group in terms of achievement. Chang concluded, the PBCAI was more effective in promoting students achieve ment than was the DITM (p. 147). Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert (2006) studied self-efficacy, attitudes, and achievement in a computer-enhanced PBL class. This study is similar to the research of the present study. The participants of interest in this study were middle school students. Researchers collected data from 549 sixth graders from two middle schools. Data was collected from a pretest/posttest, questionnaire, and interviews. Data indicated an increase in students science achievement and self-efficacy for learning science after their engagement in a computer-enhanced PBL environment (Liu, Hsieh, Cho, Schallert, 2006, p. 225). Researchers in science education have also studied the impacts of problem-based learning on student interest in and attitude of science. Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, and Sà ¶zbilir (2007) collected data from a physical chemistry lab regarding students attitudes towards the class through a PBL treatment. They found students attitudes towardsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the course were not changed significantly after PBL treatment (p. 109). Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert (2006) found an increase in science achievement in a computer-enhanced PBL class. They also collected data about students attitudes towards science. Based on their findings, they found no significant change. Besides studying achievement in a PBL class, Tarhan and Acar (2007), also conducted student interviews and found that students enrolled in the PBL class were more motivated (p. 351). Motivation relates to attitude in and interest of science. Another study, by Ferreira and Trudel (2012), inves tigated how a PBL curriculum in science impacts student attitudes toward science. Participants answered survey questions, wrote in student journals, and took an assessment. Data was gathered from these instruments in addition to teacher observations (Ferreira Trudel, 2012). Researchers found that there was a significant increase in student attitudes towards science (Ferreira Trudel, 2012, p. 23). Lou, Diez, and Tsend (2011), who studied the effects of PBL for female students enrolled in a STEM program collected data related to student attitudes (Lou, Diez, Tseng, 2011). Researchers found that the participants from the PBL curriculum attitude towards STEM improved. AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an (2007) investigated the effects of PBL in science education. They collected data to determine how PBL effects students attitude towards science. Researchers concluded that the implementation of problem-based active learning model had positively affected studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦attit udes towards the science course (AkinoÄÅ ¸lue TandoÄÅ ¸an, 2007, p. 71). Nancy Cerezo (2004) examined PBL in middle school math and science classes. The study investigated students perceptions of PBL in regards to its effectiveness and students interest in the content. Results from the study indicated that students perceived problem-based learning encouraged their interest and provided a more in-depth understanding of the concepts. Students indicated that problem-based learning helped them learn more about a topic and created a feeling of excitement about coming to class. (Cerezo, 2004, p. 9) This study related to the present study since it investigated PBL in mathematics and how students interest in mathematics changes. All research pointed to increased achievement or improved knowledge when a PBL curriculum was implemented in a science classroom. Gà ¼rses, Aà §Ãƒâ€žÃ‚ ±kyÄ ±ldÄ ±z, DoÄÅ ¸ar, and Sà ¶zbilir; Liu, Hsieh, Cho, and Schallert; provided conclusions that were contradictory to the findings of Tarhan and Acar; AkinoÄÅ ¸lue and TandoÄÅ ¸an; Lou, Diez, and Tseng; Ferreira and Trudel; and Cerezo in regards to interest in the subject or motivation. Specifically, the latter being the researchers who saw a significant difference in interest towards the subject. That is, that they found that there is a relationship between PBL and increased interest in a subject. PBL in Mathematics Education In mathematics education, PBL is relatively new, but many researchers have found that it is effective in increasing achievement. One team of researchers found no statistically significant data in favor of PBL (Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, Mokhtar, 2010). Researchers conducted a study to investigate the effects of PBL on mathematical performance, measure of instructional efficiency, and perceived advantages or disadvantages of the approach (Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, Mokhtar, 2010, p. 4683). They used a quasi-experimental design and gathered data via a posttest. Each variable of interest of the study was measured using a specific tool. First, scores from tests measured mathematics performance(p. 4685). Next, researchers collected data for mental effort via a nine-point symmetrical category scale (p. 4685). Efficiency index is a term which shows the relationship between learning and test (mental) effort and performance (p. 4685). Researchers used a mathematical formula to calculate dat a for this variable. Last, affective attributes were measured using Likert-style questions. Researchers found that the average scores for the overall achievement for the PBL group were greater than the control group. After researchers statistical analyzed the data, they determined that the mean difference was not statistically significant (p. 2685). Another group of researchers, Clarke, Breed, and Fraser (2004), studied participants at three high schools in California. Researchers investigated how a problem-based mathematics curriculum, the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP) were related to student achievement (p. 8). Researchers also collected data to measure achievement or mathematical performance. They compared PBL/IMP students to their peers in conventional classes. This data came in the form of test scores from the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Findings show that IMP students averaged higher SAT scores than did pupils of conventional classes (p. 14). PBL was studied in ano ther area of mathematics, Statistics (Tarmizi Bayat, 2011). Researchers compared data between a PBL group and a conventional group. Two posttests were administered and the scores were analyzed. They concluded that there was a significant difference between the mean performance of the PBL group and that of the conventional group indicating PBL efficacy (p. 344). Bostic and Jacobbe (2010) studied PBL in a fifth grade mathematics classroom. Researchers collected data by administering a pre-test, posttest, and student interviews. Data from the pre-test and posttest showed statistically significant growth in students ability to solve problems correctly (Bostic Jacobbe, 2010). Similarly, there has been some research to investigate the relationship between PBL and interest in mathematics. An indication that students are interested in mathematics is the students level of engagement. Tarmizi, Tarmizi, Lojinin, and Mokhtar (2010) also studied the effect of PBL and student engagement. Student engagement was measured by an open-ended survey. The mean average rubric engagement score was a 2.08, which indicated that the PBL group had benefited from the learning experiences with a proficient level (Tarmizi et al., 2010, p. 4687). Another research team studied the relationship of PBL in mathematics and student perceptions of mathematics (Clarke, Breed, Fraser, 2004). A problem-based mathematics curriculum, the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP), was implemented in three California high schools (p. 7). Researchers collected data from two questionnaires. The Mathematics Belief questionnaire examined student perceptions of their mathematical competence, and student beliefs about mathematical activity and the origins of mathematical ideas (p. 9). The Mathematics World questionnaire required students to identify the extent to which specific everyday activities were mathematical (p. 9). In comparison to traditional Algebra classes, researchers found that IMP students help a significantly more positive attitude towards mathematics (p. 14). The IMP participants also felt more mathematically able than their peers (p. 14). Use of computers in mathematics In mathematics, using computers and other related technologies to enhance instruction can greatly affect student achievement. Computers can be usedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦as an environment for exploring mathematical concepts through interaction (Huetinck Munshin, 2008, p. 87). When students are actively interacting with new ideas, their level of engagement and knowledge increases. Computers enable students to quickly explore many varied examples to generalize about the underlying characteristics of mathematical entities (p. 89). If students can make more generalizations, they will be more likely to be able to apply the concepts later. One group of researchers investigated how implementing a dynamical geometric software such as Geometers Sketchpad (GSP) affects mathematics teaching (Nordin, Zaharia, Mohamed, Embi, 2010). They found that this exploratory learning method and the discussions involved in understanding the mathematical concepts adopted from the gsp digital module can help boost hi gher order thinking skills (Nordin, Zaharia, Mohamed, Embi, 2010, p. 116). OCallaghan (1998) found that a computer program implemented in Algebra had greater achievement than their peers did in traditional algebra classes. Palmiter (1991) conducted research with university students and compared achievement between students enrolled in a class taught using a computer algebra system and students enrolled in a class taught using paper-and-pencil computations (1991). The researcher found that students enrolled in the class that was taught with the computer system had higher test scores for both the conceptual and computational exam (1991). Ragasa (2008) investigated the effects of computer-assisted instruction on achievement of college students in a statistics course. The researcher found that the mean score of the posttest of the achievement test for the computer-assisted group was significantly higher than that of the control group (Ragasa, 2008). In mathematics, the use of computers to aid instruction can improve students attitude and interest in mathematics. Ragasa (2008) also studied students attitudes in response to computer-assisted instruction. The researcher was unable to conclude that there was a significant effect on student attitude. OCallaghan (1998) studied the effects of Computer-Intensive Algebra (CIA) and traditional algebra curricula on students understanding of the function concept (p. 21). Among other findings, OCallaghan discovered that the CIA students attitudes were significantly different higher (1998). Another study examined college students attitudes towards using computers as an instructional aid in an Algebra class (Ganguli, 1992). The researcher determined that the attitudes of the students in the computer group were significantly increased. I hypothesize that in high school mathematics, problem-based learning, through the use of computers, will increase student interest and achievement. Previous studies have demonstrated similar findings. In the following section, methods will be discussed.

Confucianism Essay -- Papers China Chinese Culture Religion Essays

Confucianism A philosopher named Confucius founded Confucianism in China 2,500 years ago. Confucianism is a system of ethical behavior and social responsibility that became the great traditions of the East.1 It played an important role in the evolution in Chinese culture over the centuries. It has influenced near-by countries and had made a mark in the history of religion. There are today over six million people who call themselves Confucianists. Most Confucianists live in East Asia where Confucianism is thought to be born. For over two thousand years, Confucianism has been the dominant philosophical system of Chinese government, which has still a great hold on their people. Because Chinese culture has spread to the counties of Vietnam, Korea, and Japan, the values of Confucianism can be found there too. Confucius Confucius was born in 551 BC in the village of Zou in the country of Lu. During that time, the Zhou dynasty was in decline-this was controlled by King Zhou. As a child, Confucius would have make-believe rituals; as a young adult he quickly earned a reputation for politeness, fairness and had a love for learning. He traveled often and studied at the imperial capital, Zhou, where legend has it he spoke with Lao Zi, the leader of Daoism. When Confucius returned to Lu, he became a renowned teacher. At the age of 35, Confucius followed Duke Zhao into war. Duke Zhao was later captured and Confucius again followed. Zhao often went to Confucius for advice, but was later advised not to by one of his advisors. Eventually Zhao stopped going to him for advice and Confucius returned to Lu. When he returned, he saw that conditions have been unchanged so he retired from public life to concentrate on teaching and studying... ...ducted at the many Confucian temples on the island. In June, Taiwan?s Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death, in 299 BCE, of the Confucian diplomat Chu Yuan, who drowned himself to call attention to unheeded demands for government reform. Bibliography: 1Confucianism ? World Religions by Thomas and Dorothy Hoober P. 3 2 Confucianism ? World Religions by Thomas and Dorothy Hoober P. 75 3 Confucianism http://albany.net/~geenius/kongfuzi/teach.html 4 Confucianism ? Encarta Encyclopedia http://www.encarta.com 5 Confucianism ? World Religions P. 56 6 Confucianism http://www.albany.net/~geenius/kongfuzi/modkong.html 7 World Book Encyclopedia ? Confucianism 8 Confucianism http://www.encyclopedia.com 9 Confucianism http://connect.net/ron/confucianism.html 10 Confucianism http://www.encarta.com (I would check it first)

George Orwells Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 Essay -- essays research pa

 ¡Ã‚ °BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU ¡Ã‚ ± flashes out to the reader in capital letters. This slogan generally embodies the theme that the author is trying to convey. The darkness of the human nature, free will, and control are all the themes that are embedded within this piece of dark literature. The more we read on in the novel, the more we question the existence of Big Brother. Although physically absent, he still manages to instill constant fear with his presence in the people ¡Ã‚ ¯s mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1984 creates a world of totalitarianism in which communism is portrayed to its extreme. It is a world where there is only control. Mankind is the most intelligent beings on earth and it is within its powers to change its own surroundings. They hold great power that will always turn into a destructive force when left unchecked. Deep within the human heart, there lives a lingering darkness that can swallow the weak victims whole, but kept in control by those of strong-will. Everything that happens has to have a reason and here, in the novel, that reason is very clear. It is all about Power, the lust for Power that drives the ever growing darkness. The quest for control and domination is what holds the novel together.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Free will is suppressed to such an extent that not only devious actions are persecuted but thoughts that do not conform to the norm as well. The Party uses coercive and intimidating stimuli to control the citizens ¡Ã‚ ¯ independent ...

The Coca-Cola Company. Csr Policy

The Coca-Cola Company and its CSR policy There is no doubt that one of the most popular multinationals today is The Coca-Cola Company. It has strong CSR policy where â€Å"CSR† is not only about being responsible for customers and fans around the world but also being aware of employees’ needs. Talking about employees – The Roberts Environmental Center at Claremont McKenna College in California publishes annual analyses of corporate environmental and social reports (together called sustainability reports). In 2009, The Coca-Cola Company received an overall rating of A+, topping the list of companies reviewed in its sector. Among the keys to earning that recognition is maintaining world-class standards for fair and dignified treatment of all the people who work for it. Its Workplace Rights Policy serves to ensure that a consistent approach to workplace rights is applied worldwide – as an integral part of culture, strategy and day-to-day operations. However this is just one side of the coin. Suppliers are another group The Coca-Cola Company proves loyal to. Having a sound, stable and ethical supply base is important for its growth and the footprint it leaves in local communities around the world. Its suppliers provide its system with materials, including ingredients, packaging and machinery, as well as goods and services. As a company, it has a responsibility to hold its direct suppliers and bottling partners to standards no less than those required by applicable law. It also has an opportunity to support community development by purchasing goods and services from minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). Furthermore in 2009 The Coca-Cola Company is the recipient of the prestigious World Environment Center's (WEC) Twenty-Fifth Annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development (for implementing strategic business initiatives in the high impact areas of water stewardship, sustainable packaging, energy management and climate protection) and is among the 10 recipients of the Natural Health Magazine's first â€Å"Green Choice† awards (selected because of its leadership and commitment to recycling and impressive light-weighting efforts). Although it is really difficult to point out all the â€Å"green† initiatives this multinational is up to daily, monthly, annually or on a long-term basis, here are some of its highlights. Firstly, water efficiency is viewed as a main goal. To be the most efficient water user among peer companies is a distinction the company wants to achieve. In 2008, on average they used 2. 43liters of water to produce a one liter beverage. One liter goes into the beverage itself, and 1. 43liters are used for manufacturing processes such as rinsing, cleaning, and cooling. Still they are nearly half way to their 2012 goal of 2. 7liters per liter which will be a 20 percent improvement. Additionally, since 2005 they have been involved in more than 250 community water partnerships in 70 countries to support locally relevant initiatives, such as watershed protection; expanding community drinking water and sanitation access; agricultural water use efficiency; and education and awareness programs. I n 2009, respected experts are asked to work with them to calculate the water benefits of these projects. Secondly, considerable attention is paid to packaging. For an example – more than half of the metal in aluminum cans is recycled. The Company’s plant in the United States is the world's largest plastic bottle to bottle recycling plant with capacity to produce approximately 100 million pounds of food grade recycled PET plastic for reuse each year – the equivalent of producing nearly 2 billion 20ounce Coca-Cola bottles. As a conclusion: The Coca-Cola Company is one of those multinationals we can accuse of great marketing strategy and still believe it is not all about making profit or making people turn a blind eye to its â€Å"dark† side. Sometimes it does matter to do things with an appeal!

Hip Hop and Americas Youth Essay

Music is a large part of life, it is important to America’s culture and identity. Music can   produce a negative effect on behavior and susceptible audiences, leading to aggressive behavior   in many of American youth. There have been many debates over hip-hop and its influence on the  youth community in America. Some people believe that it has a negative impact while others feel  that it does not account for any change in youth society. I believe that hip hop plays a role in the   destruction of the youth community in the America. How does music and human behavior   correspond? What are the negative and positive effects that hip hop has towards Americas youth   community?  Before I reach into the negative influences I would like to discuss the positive influences hip-hop  has brought to the society. Hip-Hop is among the top 5 most played genres. The oral creativity   the performer uses to generate a certain simile, metaphor, language and rhyme. Hip-hop and   poetry share the same methods that expedite into the youth culture to grow companionship   throughout the audience. Many devotees have agreed critical thinking about the society is   encouraged by hip-hop. Hip-hop is being used as an instructional tool by many instructors to   employ it for teaching grammar, mathematics and the periodic table.  The development of hip-hop started in Bronx New York. The evolution of hip-hop continues to   expand to our present day. It has become a movement and culture that began 30 to 40 years ago.   Kool Herc (DJ) is known as being a founder of hip-hop in 1967 when he made his first gig at his   sisters’ birthday party. Alterations within the culture have taken the originality to a whole new   level with technology taking its jump and commercialism overrunning the music industry.   (Palvic, 2006) The four elements condition (social, economic, cultural and political) reflects the  youth community allowing them to listen in a way they can relate or portray society. The Black   Arts Movements, Black Power, Civil Rights, New Negro Renaissance, Blues and Jazz are all phenomenon’s that can be drawn as similar artistic movements such as hip-hop. Rapping,   graffiti art, break dancing, and disc jockeying are considered to be among the four elements that wrap around hip-hop. Ever since hip-hop appeared in the Bronx, hip hop has incorporated a style  of language, dress and dialect and a way of looking at the world. (Alridge and James, 2005)  The relationship between human behavior and music is strong. Music effects human behavior in many ways and can summon emotions. (Gurney, 1982) There are types of music that   can relax a person, get a person pumped, and eve make a person feel sad. Music can increase   levels of memory as well as increase concentration levels. M usic is subject to bring a straight influence on the behavior of an individual. Studies have proven that music decreases the   accuracy of handwriting and keyboard typing. Nearly over one thousand studies have shown that  violent lyrical music produces a negative behavior in not all but certain children. The average   teens spend 4 to 5 hours daily listening to music or watching it on television. A Swedish study showed that more children that are conducted around violent music are more like to be influenced by their fellow peers than influenced by their parents/guardians. One can estimate that  youths are spending more time listening to music than listening to the guidance of their parents/guardians. More parents/guardians are getting less involved with what their children are listening to. One may believe that these parents/guardians may think that there is no consequence  for their children .This is a result in youths being lead down the wrong path which will eventually stab them later in life. This compilation almost works like the butterfly effect. Its starts out with something small and gradually work its way into something big. Human personality is developed unconsciously in the stages of growth in child hood. What we learn in  Hip Hop and America’s youth community 4  and become accustomed to in our childhood development will insure what we will become in our  adulthood. The concern is not within hip-hop itself but it’s the songs that promote racism, sex, violence, and drug use. These elements are the outlook of the world that hip-hop brings to society. I believe if you can change this outlook you can change the world. Violent hip-hop is just entrainment or gangster stories painted through lyrics like picture movies, simply believe everything a rapper says and sometimes begin to behave the same as well. (Mcwhorter, 2003)Dr. Tricia Rose conducted a research to determine whether violent lyrics,and in the case of music videos, violent images, can cause violent youth behavior. She gathered 5 youth ranging from the ages 5-12. In this experiment the children are the independent variable and hi p hop music being the dependent variable. Dr. Tricia had four computer monitors set up. Each child would watch the music videos with headsets on. Dr. Tricia then would study the behavior the children showed. She concluded from four out of five children were showing signs in change of behavior as the hip hop music was being played. The younger children would follow what they were seeing. The children would raise their hands up and flash gang’s signs up as they saw in the music video. Dr. Tricia proves that the majority of the children that sat and watched the music video were affected by what was being played. Hip hop artist have changed rapidly over the past 30 to 40 years. The culture is now usingdrugs, money, foul language and many other things to get inside the listener’s head. (Mcwhorter, 2003) One may wonder if developing a clean version of hip hop music to be played on the radio is enough. It doesn’t change what the artist is really inferring. The people o f America should not allow their youth community to listen to such music for it will only cause bigger problems in the long run. First off the black youth community in America will not be able grow in the society. The Black community will always looked upon as being a group of uneducated ignorant people. When playing music human behavior is to mimic what they see or hear. One can believe that children will be cursing, having adolescent sex, dressing inappropriately and etc. The hip hop culture has become more inappropriate the past 30 to 40 years. Classic hip-hop is the MC who raps from the heart while enlightens the people with a different way of seeing the world. The term MC is short for master of ceremonies, which was started in 1974(before rap).We’ve noted that many of the youth community in America can have a negative and little positive effect on hip hop music. Music can affect human behavior in psychological ways. Parental guidance is overrun by the amount of hours youths listen to music. Although music is a large part of life, it’s important to America’s culture and identity. The debates over hip hops negative effect on youth will continue unless the culture puts in the effort to change the hip-hop industry. References Alridge, Derrick P., and James B. Stewart. â€Å"Introduction: Hip Hop in History: Past, Present, and Future.† The Journal of African History 90.3 (2005): 190-95. Print. Gurney, Edmund (1982). â€Å"The psychology of music.† Mind, 7(25), 89-100.Print. Mcwhorter, John H. â€Å"How Hip-Hop Holds Blacks Back.† (n.d.): n. pag. City Journal. The Manhattan Institute, Summer 2003. Web. Feb.-Mar. 2014. . Palvic, E. (2006). Rap, Soul, and the Vortex at 33.3 RPM: Hip-Hop’s Implements and African American Modernisms. Callaloo, 29(3), 956-968.