Methodology Chapter (2) Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Methodology Chapter (2) - Dissertation Example Figure 2.1 In vitro effects of sildenafil on murine embryo development 2.1.2 In vivo effects of sildenafil on murine embryo development This part of the experiment was not conducted due to requirement for changes in the license. However, the in vivo effects on the development of oocyte would have been examined by injecting sildenafil on female mice for a period of four days with the following three doses: 0.5 mg/kg, 1.5mg/kg and 2.5mg/kg. Afterwards, the female mice would be mated naturally with males; then one-day old zygotes would be harvested from sacrificed females. The number of oocytes and corpora lutea recorded would be used to determine the rate of ovulation. Thereafter, the embryos would be grown to blastocysts again in a media not supplemented with sildenafil. The quality of development of the embryos would then be determined by examining their development rate, and assessing the numbers of the blastocyst cells (figure 2.2). Figure 2.2 In Vivo effects of sildenafil on murin e embryo development 2.1.3 Expression of PDE5a in the mouse pre-implantation embryo The experiment was conducted by examining the presence of PDE5 mRNA in murine embryos at the successive stages of embryo development. The embryos used for study were obtained from mice that had been mated naturally. On the other hand, the blastocysts had been cultured in standard conditions. 2.2 Sildenafil Citrate purification from commercially available Viagra tablets In both the in vitro and in vivo experiments, sildenafil had been cleansed from commercially available Viagra tablets by leaving 20g sephadex G-25 overnight to swell in 100ml of distilled water. A column of 80ml was then applied with the sephadex gel and equilibrated in 100ml of distilled water at room temperature. A Viagra tablet of 38mg was then placed in 91.2ml of distilled water and slowly mixed with a magnetic stirrer at room temperature for a period of twenty minutes. It was then filtered for 20 minutes under a temperature of 4 d egrees Celsius. The liquid in which sildenafil has been dissolved was then applied on the column. The column was rinsed with the Viagra solution just before it was flushed with 400ml of water to wash away any possible small molecules. This way, only sildenafil was left precipitated to resin. The column was then applied with 1% Formic acid to rinse the sildenafil off. The absorbance of the rinsed solution was then observed and according to Francis et al. (2003), the rinsed sildenafil had a sharp peak absorbance at 40ml (Figure 3.1). Figure 3.1 Elution of pure sildenafil from sephadex column After sildenafil was rinsed, the column was washed again with 160ml or distilled water to eliminate the formic acid. After the column was free of formic acid, it was then washed with 320ml of 0.2% sodium azide in order to preserve it for later use. The rinsed sildenafil was then frozen at temperatures of -80 degrees Celsius. It was then dried by freezing it in a high vacuum. This was done by first sublimating the contents for a period of 8 hours at 0.37 mbar and under a temperature of -53 degrees Celsius, then desorbing it at 0.001 mbar for 3 hours. The weight of the crystallized contents was determined by examining the rate of absorbance of sildenafil over the whole sildenafil that had been eluted, assuming that there had been a recovery rate of 60%. The eluted sildenafil was then dissolved in 0.1% formic acid in order to obtain the normal concentration of refined

Liver Functions, Anatomy and Diseases

Liver Functions, Anatomy and Diseases Sandra Marais Nikita Wiggil Charne Scott Chante Wiese   Sue-May van der Westhuizen Stephanie Willows Contents (Jump to) Introduction The Anatomy and function of the Liver Definition and description of the disease Fatty Liver Disease Symptoms PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND ETIOLOGY OF FATTY LIVER DISEASES: Treatment and prevention Introduction The Anatomy and function of the Liver Anatomy is the science of the structure and shape of entities. It is important for the knowledge of hepatic anatomy and surgery. The liver is one of the largest organs of the human body after the skin it is the second largest. The liver is the largest gland in the human body, with an average weight of 1500g. The transverse measurements ranges between 20 and 22,5cm, its vertical measurements (close to its right/lateral surface) between 15 and 17,5cm and its antero-posterior diameter between 10 and 12,5cm. Its measurement, from opposite the vertebral column, is reduced to roughly 7,5cm. It is found underneath the diaphragm -in the right upper abdomen, mid abdomen as well as in parts of the left upper abdomen. The shape of the liver generally has the form of a wedge or a prism. According to Synington the shape resembles that of a right-angled triangular prism with the right angle rounded off. Its base faces the right and its apex to the left, the colour of the liver is dark reddish brown it has a soft degree of density, it contains a large amount of vessels and is very brittle. In an adult, it is smaller than in a fetus. In the later (side) it contributes roughly one thirty-six of the body weight. In the former (side) it contributes roughly one-eighteenth of the body weight. The liver has three surfaces namely the superior (Facies superior), inferior (Facies inferior/ visceral surface) and posterior (Facies posterior). The posterior surface is divided from the superior surface by a sharp margin. The superior surface attaches itself to the diaphragm as well as the anterior abdominal by the falciform ligament (ligamentum falciform hepatis). The falciform ligament separates the liver into a right lobe (lobus hepatis dexter) and a left lobe (lobus hepatis sinister). The right lobe is larger than the left. Five fossae divide the inferior and posterior surfaces into four lobes. The fossae are arranged like the letter ‘’H’’. The left limb of the H is divided into what is known as the left sagittal fossa (fossa sagittalis sinistra/longitudinal fissure) consisting off the fossa of the umbilical vein and the fossa for the ductus venosus. The right limb of the H consists of the fossa for the gall-bladder (fossa vesicà ¦ felleà ¦) and th e fossa for the inferior vena cava (fossa venà ¦ cavà ¦). The two limbs of the H surfs as a transverse fissure- the porta (porta hepatis/transverse fissure). The superior surface is part of is part of the left and right lobe. This surface is convex. The middle part is found behind the xiphoid process and it makes contact with the abdominal wall. It is entirely concealed by peritoneum, with the exception of the line of attachment of the flaciform ligament. The inferior surface is concave. It is aimed downward, backward as well as to the left. The surface is infused in peritoneum- the only parts that are without it, is where the gall-bladder and the liver attaches as well as at the porta hepatis. The posterior surface has a curved surface and is broad on the right, but narrow on the left. The diaphragm is attached with a triangular and coronary ligament that intertwine connective tissue, it leads to the intimate connection of the inferior vene cava that is connected with hapatic veins that holds up the posterior part of the liver. The abdominal viscera full the abdomen, where the muscular walls are in a state of tonic contraction. The superior surface of the liver fits under the diaphragm surface, so that the pressure is enough to hold the diaphragm. The lax falciform ligament creates no support for the lateral displacement and the latter creates negative pressure that is held up in the thorax (Gray, Henry. Anatomy of the Human Body. PHILADELPHIA: Lea Febiger, 1918; Bartleby.com, 2000. www.bartleby.com/107/. [DATE of Printout].) Functions of the liver The liver receives blood from two main sources: 30% is received from the hepatic arteries and 70% is received from the hepatic portal vein. The hepatic portal vein receives blood from the stomach, intestines, pancreas and spleen; which is then carried to the liver through the porta hepatis. All nutrients are absorbed by the small intestine, all nutrients reaches the liver by this route except for lipids. Arterial blood bound for the liver exists the aorta ant the celiac trunk. These arteries deliver oxygen and other materials to the liver. (SALADIN, p. 975-977) Digestion Liver produces bile; which is a mixture of water, bile salts, cholesterol and pigments of bilirubin. Bile is produced by hepatocytes in the liver. Bile passes through the bile ducts and is stored in the gallbladder. Fats are emulsificated by bile. Large fat clumps are turned into smaller pieces which makes it easy for the body to digest. Old worn oud red blood cells are destroyed by Kupffer cells in the liver. Kupffer cells pass their components to the hepatocytes. Haemoglobin is the red oxygen-carrying pigment of red blood cells, haemoglobin is metabolized into heme and globin components. Energy for the body comes from globin protein. Metabolism Liver is responsible for metabolizing carbohydrates , lipids and proteins into biologically useful materials. Blood entering the liver through the hepatic portal vein is rich in glucose from digested food. Some of this glucose is absorbed by hepatocytes. The glucose is stored as the macromolecule glycogen. Homeostasis is maintained by the absorption and release of glucose by the hepatocytes, it helps protect the body from spikes and drops that can be dangerous in the blood glucose level. Hepatocytes absorb and metabolise fatty acids to produce energy in the form of ATP. Through gluconeogenesis the hepatocytes convert glycerol and other lipid components into glucose. Cholesterol is a lipid which can also be produced by hepatocytes and gets excreted from the body as a component of bile. Amino acids is a component from dietary proteins. Amine groups are removed from the amino acids, by the hepatocytes, which is further converted into ammonia and urea. Urea can be excreted in urine as a waste product. Urea is less toxic than ammonia. Detoxification Hepatocytes cells of the liver monitor the contents of the blood and toxic substances are removed before they reach the rest of the body. Alcohol and drugs are metabolised into their inactive metabolites by the enzymes in hepatocytes cells. Storage Nutrients, vitamins and minerals obtained from the blood passing through the hepatic portal system are stored in the liver. Homeostasis of blood glucose is maintained by the storage of nutrients. Vitamins such as A, D, E, K and B12 is stored in the liver. Minerals such as iron and copper are stored in the liver. Production Vital protein components of blood plasma such as prothrombin, fibrinogen and albumins are produced by the liver. Prothrombin and fibrinogen proteins are factors involved in the formation of blood clots. Albumins maintain the isotonic environment of blood. Immunity Bacteria, fungi, parasites, worn out red blood cells and cellular debris are captured and digest by Kupffer cells. Large volumes of blood are cleaned very quickly by Kupffer cells due to the large volumes of blood passing through the hepatic portal system. (www.innerbody.com/image _digeov/card10-new2.html) American journal of Physiology: Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology : physiology and pathophysiology of apoptosis in epithelial cells of the liver; pancreas and intestine. By Blake. A. Jones ; Gregory. J. Gores. Published 1 December 1997 (vol.273. no.6, G1174-G1188) Definition and description of the disease Fatty liver disease â€Å"Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a clinical and pathological syndrome.† (Zeng, et al., 2008) The main feature of NAFLD is the swelling of the (liver cells) hepatocytes because of pathological factor, alcohol excluded, that injure the liver. NAFLD is ranged from fatty liver alone to steatohepatitis, steatonecrosis and non-alcoholic steatohepartitis (NASH). (NASH) is only a stage in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. NAFLD may have the potential to progress into cirrhosis and liver failure.† Liver –biopsy features include steatosis, mixed inflammatory cell-infiltration, hepatocytes ballooning and necrosis, glycogen nuclei, Mallory’s hyaline and fibrosis.† (Angulo, 2002) According to Jansen (2004) NASH is an under diagnosed liver disease characterized by steatosis, necroinflammation and fibrosis. NASH can possibly develop into cirrhosis and hepatic cellular carcinoma. NASH incorporate mixed acute and chronic lobular inflammation, zone 3 perisinusiodal fibrosis and ballooning (Brunt, et al., 1999). Alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) includes a variety of spectrum of injury that can be from simple steatosis to frank cirrhosis. There are 3 groups of histological stages of ADL. Fatty liver or simple steatosis, alcoholic hepatitis and chronic hepatitis with hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis. ALD can be caused by different types of factors including dose, duration and type of alcohol consumption and risk factors like obesity iron overload ect. Fatty Liver Disease Symptoms Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease causes no signs or symptoms that can be noticed but when it is noticed, it show signs of: Fatigue Pain in the right upper abdomen Weight loss. Inflammation and scarring of the liver Possible progression to liver failure. Symptoms consists of four (4) stages namely Simple fatty liver disease ( steatosis), Non-alcoholic Fatty liver Disease (NAFLD), Fibrosis And Cirrhosis. Simple fatty liver (Steatosis)- There are no clear symptoms and it can only be discoverd by an abnormal blood test result. Non-alcoholic Steotohepatitis (NASH)- It is the most aggressive form of this condition, it causes the liver to become inflamed creating a dull or aching pain in the top right abdomen, covering the lower side of the ribs. There may be no signs of any symptoms at all and it can only be discovered by specialized testing. Fibrosis- Constant inflammation in the liver which leads to the formation of scar tissue. Cirrhosis- Over a long period of time, it creates inflammation which can lead to the loss of liver function- which may lead to creating primary cancer. ALCOHOL-RELATED (ARLD) It shows no symptoms until the liver has already been severely damaged and it causes symptoms such as: Feeling sick, weak or tired Loos of weight Loss of appetite Jaundice- the yellowing of the eyes and skin The swelling of the stomach and ankles Confusion or drowsiness The excretion or the vomiting of blood. Alcohol related fatty liver disease is constantly diagnosed because of other conditions or other tests. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND ETIOLOGY OF FATTY LIVER DISEASES: Fatty Liver Disease encompasses two over head segments, namely Alcoholic Liver Disease and Non Alcoholic Liver Disease. ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE (ALD) Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) encompasses the manifestations of the liver that is caused by the over consumption of alcohol (ethanol). It includes Fatty Liver, Alcoholic Hepatitis, and Chronic Hepatitis with liver cell fibrosis or cirrhosis.*1 Ethanol metabolization takes place in the liver. There are two main pathways of alcohol metabolism, namely alcohol dehydrogenase and cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 2 E1. The first pathway works as follows: Firstly ethanol is metabolized by Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) into Acetaldehyde in the cytoplasm. The second phase occurs in the smooth Endoplasmic reticulum of mitochondria, where Acetaldehyde is further metabolized by Aldehyde dehydrogenase into acetate. Acetate is then finally oxidized into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water. CYP 2E1 also converts ethanol into acetaldehyde (OShea, et al., 2010). Liver damage occurs in a few mutually related pathways: Acetaldehyde can form hybrid-adducts with reactive residues acting on proteins or small molecules, mediating lipid peroxidation and nucleic acid oxidation. (French, et al., 1984) During further metabolization of alcohol, Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) is reduced. This causes a shift in the NADH/NAD ratio. A higher NADH (reduced form of NAD) concentration increases the production of fatty acids, while lower concentrations of NAD result in decreased fatty acid oxidation. This altered ratio impair the metabolization of carbohydrates and lipids, resulting in the diversion from gluconeogenesis to ketogenesis and fatty acid synthesis. The liver cells compound the fatty acids to glycerol to form triglycerides. These accumulating triglycerides result in fatty liver. This leads to oxidative stress, which plays a pivotal role in ALD development. (French, et al., 1984) Furthermore, Acetaldehyde interacts through covalent binding with reactive residues of proteins found on the membranes of liver cells. This binding results in the formation of stable protein by-products which have been shown to be immunogenic. Tissue damage and ALD may be caused by this, because the neo-antigens may induce an immune reaction with anti-body production. CYP 2 E 1, when exposed to chronicle alcohol use generates free radicals through the oxidation of Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) to NADP (OShea, et al., 2010). This exposure activates hepatic macrophages, also known as Kupffer cells, which leads to Tumor Necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is increased by the mitochondria, which in turn was induced by the TNF-alpha. This also promotes oxidative stress, which leads to hepatocytes necrosis and apoptosis. Many alcoholics have a condition of malnutrition. The deficiency in anti-oxidants, such as vitamin E, only worsens the necrosis and apoptosis. Free radicals initiate the oxidative degradation of lipids, which causes inflammation and liver tissue becomes scarred. Although the over consumption of alcohol is the primary cause of ADL, it is not always a pre-requirement for ALD development. It is important to understand the mechanisms of liver damage. When liver cells are exposed to alcohol, ATP synthesis is reduced and the activity of mitochondrial complexes is depressed. This causes energy metabolism of liver cells to be severely weaker and results in tissue damage. Metabolization of ethanol takes place in the centrilobular area of the liver lobule. Hypoxia alters energy metabolism, therefore centrilobular hypoxia can also be responsible for liver injury. The pathophysiology of alcoholic liver disease is very complex and further in depth investigation to understand the disease and how to treat it is being done. NON-ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE (NAFLD) Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is an over arching term for a variety of conditions associated with fat depositions in liver cells. NAFLD ranges from Simple fatty liver to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), to fibrosis and cirrhosis. The first stage of NAFDL is simple fatty liver or steatosis. It is considered harmless and only consists of a fat build up in the liver. The second stage, Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is more serious, but not many individuals progress to this state from simple fatty liver. Two liver insults may lead to the development of NASH. With the first insult or hit, macro-vesicular steatosis (abnormal retention of lipids within a cell) occurs as a result of an excessive amount of triglycerides accumulating in the liver. The cause of triglyceride accumulation can result from excessive importation of free fatty acids from adipose tissue.*5 The accumulating lipids in the liver cells seem to be caused by insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to changes in the livers enzymatic pathways that control free fatty acid uptake, synthesis, degradation and the secretion of free fatty acids. A crucial paradox arises: the liver maintains its liver lipid metabolization, but carbohydrate metabolism is weakened or damaged. Hepatic steatosis caused by these factors can result into diminished hepatic free fatty acid oxidation, more hepatic lipogenesis or fewer lipids are secreted from the liver. Along with insulin resistance, obesity plays an important role in the development of NAFLD. These alterations make the liver sensitive for the second insult or hit, which is an inflammatory response and further liver damage (Carey, et al., 2013). Toxic inflammatory proteins are secreted by the cytokines in the liver.*6 Hepatocyte apoptosis, an organized form of cellular death, is a leading component of the second insult of NAFLD progression. Oxidative stress and resulting lipid peroxidation are involved in the progression of NAFLD to NASH. The term â€Å"oxidative stress† is frequently used to describe the imbalances in redox couples. *7 This metabolic reaction produce too much reactive free radicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS). This process usually occurs in the mitochondria. Lipid peroxidation can lead to changes in the cell membrane fluidity and these alterations cause tissue damage. Fibrosis is the third stage of NAFLD. NASH develops to form fibrosis if it is not treated. Fibrosis occurs where chronicle inflammation in the liver results in the formation of fibrous scar tissue around hepatic cells and blood vessels. The liver still functions normally, because there is still enough healthy tissue. The forth and most severe stage of NAFLD is cirrhosis. During this stage lots of scar tissue develops. This causes the liver to shrink and change morphologically. The damage caused by cirrhosis is permanent and cannot be saved or reversed. The progression of cirrhosis is slow, but it ultimately causes the liver to stop functioning.*8 Treatment and prevention Basic therapy: you have to work out a strategic plan of the intake of calories and adjustment of diet constitution. Medium aerobic exercise and the changing of some life styles and behaviour. Weight reduction: The most important fact of weigh reduction is not the amount of weight loss but how the weight is lost. Losing weight rapidly may increase portal inflammation and fibrosis. A relatively safe goal is to lose about 1.6kg per week. Liver transplantation: For some patients liver transplantation is recommended. Metabolic states should be examined before the transplantation. A BMI >40kg lm2 is a contrain dication (Zeng, et al., 2008) Abstinence: This is a very important therapeutic intervention for patients that have ALD. Abstinence helps to decrease portal pressure and lower progression to cirrhosis.

Priesthood :: essays research papers

Priesthood The position of priesthood in the church has been evident since the earliest existence of the church. Jewish priests first were established in the seventh century BC performing religious ceremonies. They were even more established around 950 BC due to the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem. The major role of the traditional Jewish priest was to perform sacrificial rituals. According to the Bible, the Temple was built as a place for God to live with the people. It was the holiest building that existed, and needed to be kept holy by the priests. Their role of the priests was to perform animal sacrifices to God as an offering. The priests performed these sacrifices as specialists on behalf of a community or congregation in order to restore the holiness of the community and of the Temple. It was believed that if there was sin among the people then God would not come and be with them. After the Temple was destroyed during the war with Rome, these animal sacrifices were stopped, and there were no more active Jewish priests. The religious leadership in the synagogue was led by the rabbis. In the Protestant religion there exists a "priesthood of all believers"("Priesthood", 529). This meant that each member in the community serves as his or her own priest, with direct access to communication with God. Protestants believe that the role of the priest is an "officiating mediary"("Priesthood", 529), rather than a one who performs ritual sacrifices. This stems from the Protestant belief that Jesus Christ served as "the ultimate" sacrifice, and therefore there is no use in animal sacrifices. Protestants also do not call their religious leaders "priests" because the name itself implies that he is of a higher level than his fellow man or that he has more access to God than others. There exists two different forms of priesthood: hereditary and vocational priests. A hereditary priest is a limited position in that it can only be held by a person who a direct descendent of the tribe of Levi. This tribe is one of the original 12 tribes of Israel as set forth in Genesis 49. There exists among this tribe one High Priests who head of the other priests. He is the only priest who was allowed to view the holy Ark of the Covenant during the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem. These hereditary priests, unlike most priests in today's society, were allowed to marry in order to carry on the line of priesthood. The vocational priests are those which have been "called" to the ministry by God himself.

Kohlberg’s Moral Judgment Model

The focus of Lawrence Kohlberg’s Moral Judgment Model is to investigate and assess how the concept or consciousness about morality arises and what constitutes this perception about morality. He provides six stages of development which explains how a child obtains and develops his own idea of moral action. When a child experiences a dilemma in which he or she must be able to come up with a particular decision and actualize it, Kohlberg tells that the child’s judgment could be explain through his model. The first three stages are crucial for the reason that the child’s response is dependent on his or her initial orientation on morality. The first stage explains that a child’s response might be based on the idea of obedience and punishment. The child would act in such a way that he or she obeys what the immediate authority imposes to him or her (e. g. rules set in the house or in the school). The right action for the child would be if he or she is able to follow the rules which would also make him or her free from any form of punishment. The child would assert that he or she must not such and such acts to prevent being punished. The second stage is when the child realizes that his or her actions, whatever they are, have equivalent consequences. If he or she would act like this for the benefit or harm of others he or she might think that the same thing would be done for or against him or her. In short, his or her actions would be based on how he or she perceives the result of his or her actions which is still directed towards his or her own interests. The third stage explains that the child in this period learns that it is not all about him or her or not always geared towards his or her own satisfaction. In this stage, the child becomes conscious about how others perceive him or her. Thus, his or her actions are not just dependent on what he or she likes but also on how others would see him or her as a moral person. The child would think that â€Å"I ought not to tell a lie because others will see me as a bad person for doing so. † In short, the concept of conventional morality starts at this point.

Dttls Assignment Essay

Unit 4: Theories and principles for planning and enabling learning In modern day teaching, the onus is shifting further and further away from teacher dictated methods of educational delivery, to methods that ensure the learner is placed at the heart of teaching, and every individual within the classroom is considered and catered for. Advances in technology available to teachers has contributed to a broadening of teaching styles, but this has mainly come about through the need to differentiate teaching more effectively and break down the barriers that exist between teacher and learner. Engaging every learner is a difficult task and requires the teacher to have a plethora of knowledge of teaching methods and theories. Learners may differ in terms of age, gender, ability level, communication skills, confidence, learning styles and many other factors. The job of the teacher is to ensure these factors do not hinder individual learning and that success and achievement within the group is widespread and at a high level. Planning and implementing learning is paramount to this process. To effectively plan and deliver to diverse and varied groups of students, teachers can draw upon a number of teaching theories and principles put forward by educational academics. Theories of teaching and behaviour are themselves, in general, varied and diverse in the way they approach the dissemination of learning and the bringing about of desired responses. Similarly, different theories of communication have been put forward that document methods through which we as teachers can effectively converse with our students. All of these theories can provide a vital insight or tool for teachers to improve their practice and ultimately promote inclusive learning for all students. Many examples of different teaching theories are evident across academic literature. Examples of these include Classical and Operant conditioning, Kolb’s learning cycle, Gagnes 9 events of instruction, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Knowles’ Pedagogical and Andragogical approaches. An example of a communication theory is Berne’s (1970) transactional analysis. It is concerned with ensuring that control and understanding occurs through ommunication between groups or individuals. Berne believes that transactional analysis represents â€Å"a theory of social intercourse and used it to help people understand and improve their behaviour towards others† (Huddleston & Unwin, 1997, p115). This theory also suggests that communicating effectively will directly impact on success, motivation work rate and b ehaviour through increased understanding of the nature and demands of a task or the content of the message itself that is being communicated. If we also also consider the effectiveness of communication in the classroom and relating theoretical concepts, i. e. ehaviourist and humanistic theories, these have some distinct differences which affect greatly the approaches and techniques adopted by teachers. Behaviourist theories suggest all behaviour is ‘learned’ or that these theories bring about a recognisable ‘change’ in behaviour (Armitage, 2003). Examples of Behavioural theorists include Pavlov (Classical conditioning), Thorndike (Operant conditioning), Skinner and in terms of early behaviourist studies, Watson. These theorists along with others have over the past 100 years put forward a number of different behaviourist theories that are concerned with changing or ‘conditioning’ behaviour. Classical conditioning was pioneered by Pavlov who looked at learning by association. His famous study involved the use of dogs as a medium to facilitate associative learning. Pavlov rang a bell every time a dog was to receive food, the presence of food elicited a saliva response from the dog, which over time it associated with the sound of the bell. After a period of time, the stimulus of food was no longer produced, but the dog continued to salivate at the sound of a bell, as it now ‘associated’ this behaviour with the onset of a meal. Classical conditioning essentially elicits a reflex and an association is formed (Artmitage, 2003; www. learning-theories. com). Operant conditioning is a theory put forward by Thorndike. This theory waits for a desired behaviour to occur and then rewards it. It builds somewhat on the work done by Watson regarding trial and error learning. Perhaps the most prominent or influential behaviourist work is that done by Skinner. Skinner adopted an operant approach to behaviourism and famously conducted experiment using rats in specially designed boxes. Skinner’s ideas revolved around the presence of a reinforcer to cause a desired behaviour to be repeated. This could be in the form of a primary reinforcer (a basic need like food) or a secondary reinforcer (such as money or praise). In the case of his rats, Skinner effectively trained them to pull certain levers to release food. Initially, the release was accidental but after a while, the rats learned to associate the arrival of food with the pressing of a lever. Skinners work revolved heavily around the need for reinforcement, reward, punishment and feedback. The scheduling and delivery of these things was also important to Skinner who suggested the timing of something like a reward was paramount to its success at brining about long term changes in behaviour. Similarly, he suggested giving punishment should occur immediately after the event in question and in a consistent manner. Also, it was skinner who introduced the concept of successive approximations – small steps towards a desired behaviour (Artmitage, 2003; www. learning-theories. com). Humanistic theories of learning are much more concerned with the individual themselves than the behaviour. Maslow identified a Hierarchy of Needs which he believed outlined the basic requirements of all individuals Figure 1 – Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (www. talkingtails. files. wordpress. com) Both humanistic and behaviourist theories have a huge application in the delivery of teaching and learning. In the curriculum area of Public Services, evidence of the use of both theories is apparent across different subject areas. Operant conditioning is embedded widely across public service lessons. This occurs on many occasions where praise is used within a fitness session to reinforce good performance. Primary reinforcers are also often used, for example, excellence certificates sometimes act as a tangible reward for students who perform well in strenuous task such as fitness testing. When coaching exercise techniques in the gym, classical conditioning is used to develop the desired response of good form. For example, when learning to perform a squat, the learner must bend their knees to a 90 degree angle. This is taught by putting a bench under the learner so that when they feel their posterior touch the surface of the bench they know to begin the upward phase of the lift. At the point of touch, they will be encouraged to reverse the process. Over time, the bench is removed from the lift but the learner still remembers the motion. Punishment is often used to discourage certain behaviour. For example, at South Devon College if a student is rude in a lesson they are given a set amount of press ups to do. Whilst punishment is deemed less effective than a positive reinforcement strategy, the section have a consistent and department wide policy towards distributing press ups which contributes to making this a more effective way to manipulate behaviour. Humanistic approaches such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are also evident within the curriculum, looking at developing individuals through agendas such as Every Child Matters and through the departmental tutorial process. The teamwork and overall nature of the course is also a particularly effective medium for learners to progress through the top two stages (esteem and self actualisation) of the hierarchy. Inclusive practice is something that all teachers are ultimately striving for. Within the curriculum, inclusive practice is complicated by the both theoretical and practical element of the subject area. A teacher must look to facilitate learning for those who are academically able, practically gifted and also attempt to integrate the study of theory and practical to enhance learning as a whole. Computer based learning, for example, is common place on all courses, and although often difficult to facilitate in all subjects, such as outdoor activities, the needs of the learner and future employer is paramount. The Uniformed Public Services today use computer systems, including email, online study, and specific service systems such as Wotan, on a regular basis and so it is vital that learners are prepared for this. This also helps out those learners who may struggle with putting pen to paper. Much of what the Public Services do is very practical and so as much as possible I try to embed a practical way of delivering the course specification. For example, team building activities using equipment outdoors. This enables some learners to shine as they are more practically minded. However, an indoor table top scenario does the same job, but gives learners with different learning styles chance to shine. Linking theory to practice is related to another teaching theory put forward by Kolb (1984). Kolb’s Learning Theory Kolb’s theory is ‘based on the assumption that people learn best by doing things then thinking about how they have done them, considering both the thoughts, feelings and perceptions which emerged during the experience’ (Harkin et al. 200, p42). This makes the process of learning more efficient, relevant and enjoyable. It also promotes inclusive practice with all three learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic) being catered for effectively. The nature of our learners has a significant influence on the techniques and theories we implement in the preparation and delivery of lessons. In my own teaching practice, I have exposure to both adult and child groups. This difference in age groups has a big impact in how I teach and communicate with these groups. This is linked to Knowles’ (1970) theory of Pedagogy and Andragogy. These two states relate to the differences associated with teaching these varying groups. Effective communication is required throughout all levels of teaching. Transactional analysis is strongly linked to communicating and giving feedback and reflects the way we use our voice (in terms of tone, pitch, volume and content) to relay information to our students. The way this is done will affect whether a student understands a task and understands the nature and direction of the feedback. Within pastoral support mechanisms, teachers often undertake one on one tutorial discussions with students. Depending on the situation and the learner, the teacher may adopt one of the 3 ego states (Parent, Adult, and Child) in order to most effectively converse with the student. The ego state may also change over the course of the tutorial process as the teacher gets to know the learner more. Within the classroom, communicating with learners in the form of feedback allow them to understand if they are being successful or not achieving and what they can do to improve. As teachers, it is essential we have the ability to adopt the correct ego status for the situation but also to consciously manipulate the interaction of ego states between teacher and learner. Doing this involves manipulating our own tone of voice and delivery of information and also encouraging certain behaviours and attitudes amongst our students to allow them to best understand what is being said to them. In Public Services, when feeding back to a student on their performance in a practical session, a teacher may look to switch between the adult and parent ego states to best deliver positive and negative comments to a learner. Currently I teach a subject that is well within my comfort zone, particularly as a serving member of Her Majesty’s Forces, where I can relate much of my teaching to my current role. However, I am acutely aware of the need to teach and develop my own core skills in literacy, numeracy, language and ICT. To progress in a career in the Public services, it is vital that these core skills are maximised. As mentioned previously, the ICT is developing in all aspects of our lives and as a teacher, I feel this is an aspect where I maximise my potential. My own literacy and language is adequate for the subject matter that I teach, but would be limited I believe if I were to teach another core subject. My use of voice and body language overcomes many of my shortfalls when addressing learners but may not be appropriate in other subjects. Numeracy is my weakest area and as such my teaching reflects this. As a teaching group we play to our individual strengths and so the subjects that I teach have limited numeracy base. However, this is an area that I am conscious of and it does need to be addressed. As a teacher, I teach across a range of courses from Level 1 to Level 5 and with groups ranging from 15 years old to adult learners. This necessitates that I employ a range of teaching strategies and adopt a range of learning theories to best accommodate for all my students. I feel one of my particular strengths is my adaptability to work effectively with these diverse groups and adopt different ego states through which to control these groups and facilitate their learning. Sub consciously, I feel for a long time I have been utilising many of the learning theories discussed in this assignment, however through recent further study I now feel much more confident and able to take what I perceive to be the most advantageous parts of these learning theories and implement them in my classroom. I believe a further strength of mine is to bring about certain behaviours or encourage those that are most appropriate within the classroom. Using operant conditioning ideology, I am quick to recognise and praise desired behaviour but am careful how and how often I deliver this reinforcement. Although I understand the limitations of punishment, I believe it has a place in the classroom and feel I am fairly competent at being consistent and fair with punishments/press ups. Feedback from learners is clearly an essential medium to assess one own teaching. With my adult learners I widely adopt a andragogical approach, allowing them a lot of freedom to learn in their own way. This is effective but often leads to a lack of feedback from learners in terms of how they are progressing and learning. I feel I could improve by embedding some more formative assessment methods into my andragogical style of teaching to allow for freedom within learning, but also actually more feedback for me from learners. This will ultimately help me see how they are doing, and also how I am doing in terms of teaching. For future development, I believe it is essential for me to continue to develop my use of Kolb’s ideas integrating theory into practice. This is something I believe to be essential, especially given the more practical/kinaesthetic orientation of the learners who study upon the course on which I teach. I also feel that I could benefit from more in depth investigation into the Skinner’s schedule of reinforcement linked to operant conditioning. I feel I am good at giving constructive praise but could improve by really analysing how I give feedback, especially in terms of frequency.

Robert Merton Theory Essay Example

Robert Merton Theory Essay Example Robert Merton Theory Paper Robert Merton Theory Paper It is rightfully argued that crime, whether or not in a contemporary society, is an extremely complex and multi-faceted Phenomena that has puzzled academics for many years. Theories that aim to rationalise the causes of crime and understand the origin of criminal behaviour are often criticised for being too biased or deterministic in their research studies. Many have been of great influence and seen to explain (to an extent) the cause of crime but none has fully decoded the mystery of why people commit crime. Mertons anomie theory aimed at explaining deviance from a ociological perspective as opposed to previous academic theories on crime and criminals. The first well known study of crime and criminals is that of one who is often referred to as the father of criminology, Cesar Lombroso. Lombrosos argument was based around the Darwinian theory of human evolution and his theory argued that criminals were a throw back to an earlier period of human progression. In other words, they were less evolved humans, with visible physical features such as large ears and big lips. His theory suggested that criminals were born and not made therefore, where genetically prone to criminality. Mertons argument was to the contrary. Rather than observing the individual criminal as being subhuman, he questioned societies influence on the individual. In his 1968 book, Merton argued that it no longer appears to be so obvious that man is set against society in an unceasing war between biological impulse and social restraint. The image of man as an untamed bundle of impulses begins to look like a caricature rather than a portrait. Sociological theories on crime and deviance, have always disagreed with the idea of biology being the cause of societies problems and thus, would rather emphasize the nfluence of external societal factors on the causes of crime. Individual differences are often disputed or ignored, and the explanation of the overall collective behaviour is seen to correlate with the influence of institutions. Being a sociologist, Mertons Anomie (or strain) Theory also attempts to rationalise and understand crime from such a social perspective. In his theory, which, is an adaptation of Durkheims earlier theory of anomie, Merton suggests that for most, deviance and criminality does not stem from pathological personalities but from the culture and structure of society itself2. Mertons strain theory is an adaptation of Durkheims earlier theory of anomie, which described a period of normlessness when the general value consensus was lost and people didnt know the parameters of acceptable behaviour. Unlike Durkheim however, Merton argued that anomie was not brought about by a sudden social change but by a society which assigns the same goals to all its members but affords them unequal opportunities to attain these goals. For Merton, irrespective of the role of biological impulses, there still remained the further question of why it is hat the frequency of deviant behaviour varies within different social structures and how it happens that the deviations have different shapes and patterns in different social structures. The new adapted theory employs this functionalist idea of social norms and values and suggests that people become deviant when they cannot fulfil societies expected of success through the normal, accepted, legal channels such as education, talent and hard work. Being an American sociologist, Merton utilized the idea of the idea of the American dream to illustrate his theory. Contemporary American culture appears to approximate the polar type in which great emphasis upon certain success goals occurs without emphasis upon institutional means. -Merton 1968 According to the American dream, everyone in the American society is equal as created by God. They all have not only the right, but the opportunity and ability to achieve great financial success through hard work and dedication. Mertons theory was simple- people are bombarded with such high expectations and strain is put upon them by society to succeed. Such success is measured by financial achievements and material wealth. The American dream states that everyone has the capability to own a Cadillac and a Beverly Hills mansion. but little attention is given to the accepted institutionalised means of gaining them. Some are capable of achieving such success through the socially accepted means but due to the problem of societal inequality (observably, race and gender discrimination), not all will be given the opportunity to achieve such goals. Some that cant achieve these set goals in the legal way, will turn to illegal alternatives. Merton understood the importance of individual differences however and importantly oted the fact that not everyone that was unable to achieve societys goals through the accepted means turned to deviance. His primary aim therefore, was to understand why some people conformed to the socially accepted methodology and others didnt, or became deviant. People react to societies strains in different ways and for Merton, these individual differences could be summed up in 5 groups; conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion. Individuals who fall under the conformity genre accept both the goals as well as the set methods for achieving those goals. They are the academics and those who follow the required means of achieving success. They may not always achieve the American dream but they reach a level of self sustenance which is respected. Those who are classed in Mertons innovation concept, are creators or innovators. Although they are unable to achieve societal goals through the set means, they accept the goals but invent their own means of achieving them, often illegal ways. In ritualism, individuals abandon the goals they once believed to be within their reach and dedicate themselves to their current lifestyle. They play by the rules and have a aily safe routine. Retreatism is the reaction of those who reject both the goals and the means of achieving such goals. They often retreat into the world of alcoholism and drug addiction. They escape into a non-productive, non-striving lifestyle. Finally, rebellion is the mode in which individuals not only reject the required goals and accepted means but alienate themselves from them. They seek to create a society where a closer correspondence will be made between merit, effort and reward. The main part of Merton theory that relates to crime and criminal behaviour is his Innovators strata. This is where Merton highlights the origin of modern day criminality in the western world thus this will be the main focus of this essay. Innovators, as stated above, are those who invent their own (illegal) means of achieving societys success. They are the fraudsters, drug dealers, muggers, embezzlers and even white collar criminals. It is agreeable that many monetary crimes are committed due to financial reward and his theory carries its greatest strength in its explanation of economic and white collar crime. Merton argued that the idea of the skys the limit encourage people hat already have wealth to continue to seek more. This is also seen in large corporations where businesses are expected to continue to make a profit and the businessmen cross the blurred line of what is and isnt legal in corporate finance. They become innovators as they try to find ways to improve their businesses. Indeed, this applies equally well to Britain, especially in light of the competitive market created by Thatcher in the `80s. However, where Mertons theory succeeds in explaining crime for economic gain, it fails in its explanation of other ypes of crime which are widespread in the UK. A research study that supports an element of Mertons theory is that of John M. Hagedorn. In his 1987 study entitled Homeboys, Dope fiends, Legits and New Jacks, Hagedorn interviewed 47 members of 19 Milwaukee male and female gangs. Although Merton fails to address gang crime in his theory, this study shows some understanding of anomie. The drug dealers and criminals in the gang claimed society had failed them through racism and discrimination. The only way to make a good living according to the gang members, was from the streets.

Descriptive Essay Writing

Descriptive Essay Writing Descriptive Essay Writing Descriptive Essay Writing Writing an essay is the most effective way to develop writing and thinking skills. As you already know, descriptive essay writing is an integral part of educational process in any institution. The purpose of descriptive essay writing is to deepen obtained in the course theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge on the study discipline, to inculcate skills for self-study material on the selected topic, and to teach to collect, to study and to synthesize material sources. In addition, descriptive essay writing helps to expand the presentation of the students on those sections of the course that were studied. College essay should be written on the basis of carefully examined sources, collected and processed material. Essay can be a creative work on the free topic (e.g. 'What I know about political scientist profession', 'Why does political scientist need historical knowledge' ), or on any other issue. Used material must be reworked and organically linked to a student chosen topic. Topic presentation must be specific and saturated with actual data. Attention should be drawn to the language and style of essay writing. College descriptive essay must be logically linked and have logical transitions between distinct parts, and within the text. English essay content must have a single road - all paragraph should be linked, complement and enhance one another. Essay Writing Tips Obligatory requirements to the English essay writing: Presence of the personal position and ability to defend/prove it. Clarity, including terminological. Sequence of material presentation and absence of inconsistent assertions. Depth of investigation of the topic and complete disclosure. Creativity and originality of conclusions. Evidence and wealth of factual material. Clear material structure that includes obligatory presence of introduction and conclusion; Help to Write an Essay Descriptive essay structure consists of the content, introduction, the main part, the conclusion. Introduction is the structural part of the main text. It is an initial paragraph that brings the essence of essay issue. You need to formulate the relevance and importance of selected topic, the degree of your knowledge, and include the objective of writing. Conclusion is the last paragraph that summarizes the main ideas and restates thesis statement written in the introduction. The number of the used literature for descriptive English essay depends on the degree of knowledge on the topic and the raised problem. Selection of literature for college essay writing is independent work the success of which depends on the ability to use catalogs, directories and bibliographic resources. Descriptive essay writing might seem easy, however, not all students possess good writing skills. You are welcome to become the customer of and we will write custom essay for you on any topic and of any complexity!