Effects of Computer Technology as a Teaching Method

Effects of Using Instructional Technology in Colleges and Universities: What Controlled Evaluation Studies Say. This report and related issue briefs are available at:    © 2003 SRI International Early studies of effectiveness By 1991, this author’s research team at Michigan had carried out meta-analyses of findings from 121 controlled studies of teaching in colleges and universities (J. Kulik et al. , 1980; C.Kulik & Kulik, 1986; C. Kulik & Kulik, 1991). The studies contained results from a variety of computer applications in a number of different disciplines. Among the 121 studies were a substantial number on computer tutorials and computer simulations in science. The results from these early studies provide a good standard for gauging recent contributions of tutorials and simulations to science teaching, and are therefore reviewed here. Listed in the 1986 and 1991 reviews were achievement effect sizes from 37 studies of computer tutoring in college courses.Results of the se studies favored the computer-tutored students by a small amount. In 26 of the 37 studies, the tutorial group outperformed the control group; in the remaining 11 studies, the control group scores were higher. The effect sizes in the 37 studies were between –1. 20 and 1. 25. The median effect size was 0. 15. This effect is not large enough to be considered educationally meaningful. It suggests that computer-tutored students would perform at the 56th percentile on relevant achievement tests, whereas conventionally taught students would performat the 50th percentile.Results of computer tutoring in science courses were similar to results in nonscience areas. These reviews also contained findings from 13 studies of computer simulations in science. Results of these studies were favorable to the groups that worked with the computer simulations. In 11 of the 13 studies, the simulation group outperformed the control group, but in the remaining studies, the control group outscored th e simulation group. The effect sizes in the 13 studies were between –0. 14 and 1. 27. The median effect size was 0. 25. Effect sizes of 0. 25 and over are usually considered to be educationally meaningful.By this standard, the effects of computer simulations are just large enough to be judged as educationally meaningful. An effect size of 0. 25 suggests that students who worked with simulations would perform at the 60percentile on relevant achievement tests, whereas conventionally taught students would perform at the 50th percentile. Computer tutoring Seven studies of computer tutorials from the 1990s were identified for this literature review. The studies examined two kinds of instructional outcomes: student achievement and student attitudes (Table 7).Effects of computer tutorials on both outcomes were mixed. Large or moderate positive effects. The effects of computer tutoring were large and positive in two studies (Kitz & Thorpe, 1995; Vitale & Romance, 1992). Both of these studies examined effectiveness of videodisc software from Systems Impact Corporation. Conclusion It is clear that computers can contribute substantially to the improvement of college teaching. Evaluation studies of the past decade usually found that college courses taught with computer help were more effective than similar courses taught without such help.These recent studies produced far more favorable results than did studies of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. In 119 studies carried out between 1967 and 1986, the median effect of instructional technology was to raise scores on examinations by 0. 30 standard deviations (C. Kulik & Kulik, 1986, 1991). In the 46 more recent studies reviewed in this report, the average effect of instructional technology was to raise student scores by 0. 46 standard deviations. Both gains are large enough to be considered educationally meaningful, but a gain of 0. 46 standard deviations on achievement tests is clearly a more important gain.There were clu es in the earlier reviews that computer applications were becoming increasingly effective as the years rolled on, but early reviewers did not chart the change in evaluation results over time (e. g. , C. Kulik & Kulik, 1986, 1991). Now, the time trend is impossible to ignore. Analysis of results in the earlier reviews shows that the median effect size was –0. 13 in 5 evaluation studies of instructional technology published during the 1960s, 0. 22 in 85 studies published during the 1970s, and 0. 35 in 35 studies published during the 1980s.This review found a median effect size of 0. 46 in 46 studies published during the 1990s. In other words, computer-based teaching was as likely to shortchange college students as to help them in the early years of the computer revolution, but today’s students are likely to gain substantial educational benefits when their teachers incorporate instructional technology into their courses. The effectiveness of computer applications in colle ge courses is not restricted to a single area. This review shows that computers have made significant contributions to a variety of instructional areas.Computer contributions were clear in mathematics courses, where computers are being used as algebra and calculus tools; in science courses, where older computer applications such as tutoring and simulation programs are being used along with such newer applications as computer animations; and in the field of language learning, where a diversity of computer approaches are now being tried. Of all the results reviewed in this report, the most notable came from studies of computer and calculator use in algebra and calculus courses. Twelve studies focused on this topic. Six of the 12 studies took place in algebra courses.The remaining six studies took place in calculus courses. In each of the studies, experimental group students used computers or graphing calculators while doing coursework, whereas control group students completed their co ursework without using such tools. In the typical study, computer and calculator use raised student scores on tests of conceptual understanding a total of 0. 88 standard deviations. This means that students who used computers and graphing calculators while studying algebra and calculus scored 0. 88 standard deviation units higher on conceptual tests than did students in the control group.If control group students scored at the 50th percentile on a conceptual test, scores of students using computers or calculators would be at the 80th percentile or above. Evaluations of educational innovations rarely report average effect sizes this high. 40 Results on computational exams, on the other hand, were strongly influenced by the conditions under which the exams were taken. In studies in which experimental group students were permitted to use computers or calculators on final exams, they outscored control group students by a large amount on computational items.In studies in which neither th e experimental group nor the control group was allowed to use computers and calculators on final exams, students in the experimental group performed computations about as well as students who learned in more traditional classes. Overall, these studies suggest that students who used calculators and computer tools when learning algebra and calculus did not suffer in their ability to solve computational problems with paper and pencil alone. Finally, a review of study results did not yield any definite conclusions about the effects of computer and calculator use on student attitudes toward mathematics.In two studies, mathematics attitudes were clearly higher in the experimental groups, but in three other studies, mathematics attitudes were not significantly different in the experimental and control groups. No definite conclusion about computer and calculator effects on attitudes can be drawn from such conflicting results. Studies of computer effects on science learning examined both old er and newer instructional approaches. The two older approaches still being evaluated during the 1990s were computer tutoring and computer simulations.The newer approach that was extensively evaluated during the 1990s was computer animation. Reviewed in this report were 7 studies of tutoring, 11 studies of simulations, and 9 studies of animations. The seven studies of tutorial instruction examined two kinds of instructional outcomes: student achievement and student attitudes. Effects of computer tutorials on student achievement were mixed. Four of the six studies of student learning reported significant positive effects of tutoring, and two studies reported trivial effects. The median effect size in the studies was 0. 33. Tutorial effects on attitudes were likewise mixed.One study reported strong positive effects of computer tutoring on student attitudes; one study reported a strong negative effect; and one study reported a nonsignificant positive effect. Eleven studies of computer simulations in science also presented a somewhat mixed picture of effectiveness. In 7 of the 11 studies, effects were large enough to be considered statistically significant and educationally meaningful, but in 2 other studies computer results were nonsignificant and in the remaining 2 studies results were significant and negative. Median effect size in the 11 studies from the past decade was 0. 9. While the most likely outcome of using simulations in teaching was an increase in student test performance, using simulations could also have a negative effect or no effect at all on student test scores. The studies suggest that computer simulations can be valuable tools for teachers, but teachers must use some care in deciding on how to use simulations and which simulations to use. Computer animation is the most recent addition to the science teacher’s toolkit, but this instructional innovation has already compiled a record of strong contributions to science instruction.In each of nine studies of computer animations, the group that viewed the animations outscored the control group, but the effects differed in size from small to large. In seven of the nine studies, the improvement was large enough to be considered educationally meaningful. The remaining two studies reported positive effects of animations, but the effects were not large enough to be considered practically important. The median effect of computer animations in the nine studies was to increase student scores on science tests by 0. 8 standard deviations. As a group, therefore, these studies suggest that animations can help students substantially in their attempts to understand scientific phenomena. Computer searches yielded a total of only seven controlled quantitative evaluations of computer-assisted language learning (CALL), and these studies were extremely varied in focus. 41 Each of the studies examined its own approach to improving language instruction with technology, and so the studies do not provide a sound basis for conclusions about CALL effects.Several years ago, Miech and his colleagues observed that the area of CALL lacks an agreedupon research agenda (Miech et al. , 1996). Their point seems to be as valid todayas it was when they first made it. Diverse though evaluations of CALL may be, they have yielded enough strong positive results to encourage CALL enthusiasts. In each of seven evaluations, CALL had at least a small positive effect on instructional outcomes, and in five of the seven studies, CALL effects were large enough to be considered educationally meaningful.The median effect of a CALL program in the seven studies was an increase in language test scores of 0. 60 standard deviations. This is a moderate to large improvement in student performance, equivalent to a jump in scores from the 50th to the 73rd percentile. These results suggest that a number of approaches to CALL may have positive results on student learning. Although the various approaches sti ll need in-depth examination, the future of CALL appears to be promising. Overall, computer-based teaching approaches have come a long way during the last four decades.Originally almost a hindrance to learning, computer-based instruction is now an important ingredient in many successful college courses. The growing effectiveness of instructional technology in college programs should not come as a great surprise. Computers have improved dramatically during the last three decades. They are faster, friendlier, and vastly more sophisticated in their operations than they were 35 years ago. In addition, many educators have become sophisticated designers of instructional software, and most college students have become proficient users of computing technology.Recent evaluation studies suggest that instructional technology can thrive in this climate and that computers—which have transformed society in so many ways—are also making college teaching more effective. The Effects of Computer Assisted Instructions in Teaching & Learning in Primary Education By Kara Schmidt, eHow Contributor Computer-assisted instruction provides another avenue to academic success. Computer-assisted instruction offers teachers and students another avenue to learn the required academic material. Educational computer programs are available online, at computer stores or through textbook companies.Stick with programs that are user-friendly and hold your students' attention. Make sure the programs are at the correct grade level. Decide if you want the computer program to supplement your lesson, practice basic skills, or assist in teaching a new concept and make sure it does just that. 1. Student Benefits Computer-assisted instruction provides differentiated lessons for varied levels of learning, including students with disabilities and gifted students. Students are able to work at their own pace while receiving instant feedback which enables them to self correct before moving on to th e next skill.If a student answers incorrectly, the computer programs will provide instructions to assist the student in correcting their work. The programs are interactive and students can work individually or in groups. This allows them to compete with their individual scores or the scores of the students within their group. Students also gain valuable computer skills which will continue to benefit them throughout life. 2. Teacher Benefits Teachers are better able to track their students' strengths and weaknesses through computer-assisted learning. Computer programs can enhance the essons and allow teachers to pick different levels of a program or different programs altogether for students who may be behind or students who are advanced. When students are learning and actively involved with learning, teachers will have less behavior problems in the classroom which in turn sets up a cycle for more learning to take place. Computer-assisted learning benefits teachers by allowing them t o work with small groups of children on a particular skill while the other students in the class are working on their computer program.The nature of the program allows the students to work independently; minimizing distraction to the teacher while she works with the other students. Disadvantages Computer programs can evaluate students' progress on many levels although it is the teacher's responsibility to make sure students develop critical thinking skills which are essential to solve problems encountered throughout life. Too much time spent learning through computer programs can also reduce time students spend interacting with each other and their teacher. This can result in less time for learning appropriate social skills.Computer-assisted learning can be a great asset to the classroom and curriculum as long as they are not overused. Too much of any mode of teaching can lead to boredom and frustration in the students. Use good judgment and find computer programs that enhance the l earning process. Sponsored Links * Bulk Email–Free Trialwww. iContact. com Email marketing to fit your needs. Start a Free 30-Day Trial Today. * Educational Technologywww. met. ubc. ca International Master's Program 100% Online – Apply Now * The Knowledge Engineerstheknowledgeengineers. om/ Leading digital training company, accelerate your digital knowledge * Search Cebu hotelsAgoda. com/Cebu_Hotels Instant confirmation. Trust Agoda. Save up to 75% Don't miss out! Related Searches: * Teaching Students * Teaching Career * Computer Technology * Video Teaching * Learning Online Read more:  The Effects of Computer Assisted Instructions in Teaching & Learning in Primary Education | eHow. com  http://www. ehow. com/list_7408273_effects-teaching-learning-primary-education. html#ixzz1qFW4xJoO Brief History of Computers in EducationComputers and related technologies are now in most of the schools in all around theworld. Advancements in technology are inevitably reflected in educational systems. In most of the developed countries education has been penetrated by informationtechnologies (IT); schools have computers, a large numbers of teachers usecomputers and new technologies while teaching, and more  over textbooks have someparts devoted to new  technologies. New technologies are integrated into disciplines and more disciplines are beinginfluenced by the new technologies in an integrated way.Most of the educators andresearchers try to use technologies in various subject matters, and this integrationchanges the nature, concepts and methods of work in each subject. For example, inmathematics education, the way of teaching and learning, the roles and functions of  the most concepts have changed with the use of  technology. 19Although the wide-spread interest in computers as an instructional tool did not occuruntil the 1980s, computers were first used in education and training at a much earlierdate.Much of the early work which computers introduced in education was done inthe 1950s by researchers at IBM, who developed the first Computer AssistedInstruction (CAI) author language and designed one of the first CAI programs to beused in public schools. Students followed the commands on the computer screenreceiving rewards for correct answers within the framework of behavioristapproaches. In 1959, PLATO, the first large-scale project for the use of computers ineducation was implemented by Donald Bitier at the University of Illinois (Carter,2003).Atkinson and Suppes’ (1959) work led to some earliest applications of  computers at both the public school and university levels during the 1960s. By theearly 1980s many educators were attracted to microcomputers because they wererelatively inexpensive, compact enough for desktop use, and could perform many of  the functions performed by the large computers that had preceded them. The dominant use of computer-based instruction in the 1980s was typified by theemploy of â€Å"beh avioral-based branching† software that based greatly on drill-andpractice to teach programmed content and/or skills.The  educational software that ranon the computers of the early 1980s were at first based on Skinner’s â€Å"methods of  branching†: first separating into small sections, rewarding combined responses, andteaching disconnected facts. Although the learning is passive where learners do notwork together with problems and content, research studies indicate that learner didadvantage from the technology when the learning objectives were behavioral. During the 1990s, computers eventually started to have a major impact oninstructional practices in schools.With the help of advances in technology andlearning, science researchers consider learning with technology as means forconstruction problem-solving skills and for achieving learner independence. Thecognitive approach to instructional technology emphasized â€Å"looking at how we knowrather than how we respond, and analyzing how we plan and strategize our thinking,remembering, understanding, and communicating† (Saettler, 1990, cited inhttp://www. ncrel. org/ tplan/cbtl/toc. htm,  2003). Besides,  students  would  also  tolearn through playing games and simple simulations with the help of cognitive 20school of thought.The worth of using a word processor has been discovered bywriting teachers and almost immediately students were using the advantages of wordprocessor by writing, deleting, formatting and revising with effortlessness. Othersubject matter teachers perceived the importance of the computer in creating a richlearning environment by using databases, spreadsheets, presentation, and researchtools. Since 1995, rapid advances in computer and other digital technology, as wellas the Internet, have led to a rapidly increasing interest in and use of these media forinstructional purposes (Reiser, 2001).Swiftly there was a volume of informationobtainable to students w ith a network of people all through the world that improvedcommunication and the exchange of thoughts. Additionally, distance educationcourses are offered and in this way students in geographically isolated schools haveextended learning opportunities in a diversity of  subject areas. For example in UnitedNations, Kalu (2006) states â€Å"the proportion of instructional rooms with Internetaccess increased from 51 percent in 1998 to 93 percent in 2003† (p. 3). Theoreticalexplanations could now be demonstrated and manipulated with the help of  technology innovations.A complete innovative learning environment becamepossible. Since the advent of the personal computers in the mid 1980s, computers have rapidlybecome one of the key instructional technologies used in both formal and informaleducation. The computer’s role has changed because of two factors: first, it canprovide rich learning experiences for students and secondly, computer givingstudents the power to manipula te depth and way of their learning. Furthermore,teachers can use the computer as an aid to manage classroom activities; it has amultitude of roles to play in the curriculum which can range from tutor to studenttools.

Is the Customer “Always Right”

Is The Customer â€Å"Always Right†? Abstract The customer is always right. It is the merchant’s wealth to safeguard the interests of customers. Many sellers think that some the customer is unreasonable and vulgar. Customer is always right for three reasons. First, the customer is always right is not the criterion of distinguished between right and wrong but is the criteria of the service work because the focus of the work is how to help customers make the right choices, and how to provide good service to customers. Next, understand the psychology of the customer can help employees easily cope with them.It is can make the seller better serving the customers and make customers to have a higher level of satisfaction. Finally, allowing guests to be picky, can improve the quality of companies and salespeople. The example of Apple and Nokia demonstrates that picky customers can make the seller better serving the customers and make customers to have a higher level of satisfac tion. The survival and development of enterprises rely on the trust and support of the customer. Like Zhang (as cited in Gluckman, the last paraphrase 2012) said â€Å"we will always be wrong†. So we will do better!Is The Customer â€Å"Always Right†? The customer is always right. Many people don’t think so, because when customers walk into a store, the clerk gives many different kinds of merchandise for them to choose from. However some customers will complain about the products. Some sellers think that some customers are picky and unreasonable. Nevertheless, no matter what kinds of the customers go into the store, regardless of the attitudes and tempers, they are â€Å"Gods†, since they bring large amount of profit for the business. Therefore, customer is always right and I have three reasons.First of all, the customer is always right† is the goal of service work, not distinguishing between right and wrong. Also, the slogan â€Å"the customer is always right† can be seen in many companies. However many people do not understand it or misunderstand the original meaning of this slogan. â€Å"The customer is always right† is not to judge the rights and wrongs of the matter. It means that companies to do their utmost best to create a good environment for the customers make guests to enjoy quality service, and to ensure the quests feel they have received good value no matter when and where.As Ray Miller (2012) stated, â€Å"It does not matter who is right and who is wrong†. For this sentence a customer may have his or her own ideas, and maybe these ideas are wrong or misguided. If pointed out that the customer is wrong, it will make things worse! Do not need to care about right and wrong with customers as a service industry. How to help customers make the right choices, and how to provide good service to customers that is the focus of service work. Secondly, understanding the psychology of the customer can hel p employees easily cope with them, but how do they cope when the customer is picky?When customers walk into a store, the clerk take out the merchandise give him the choice, more than half of customers are very critical. Frequently, customers don’t want to buy something maybe have three reasons: show off own appreciative, looking for an excuse to demand for lower prices and thinking it’s too expensive, as a reason of do not buy it. Understanding these reasons, employees can more easily seel products. Actually, a salesman usually has three purposes: he or she hopes the transaction is successful, hopes customers come again, and hopes the customers to introduce other customers to the business, because a friendly staff.Therefore, understanding customer psychology is a discipline. Serving customers as serving themselves, therefor they can provide a higher level of satisfaction. Finally, allowing guests to be picky, can improve the quality of companies and salespeople because many good advises from some customers. By contrast, Xiaoyao (2102) noted in â€Å"The difference between Apple and Nokia† that ten years ago, Nokia mobile phone sold was first place staler. With the advancement of technology people's requirements is also rising.Because of the discerning of customers, Apple innovate their products to satisfy a client's needs. However, Nokia did not think that this is important. So, Apple exceeded Nokia less than a decade. Even though some vulgar and unreasonable customer think they always right, a simple philosophy said by Zhang (Gluckman, 2012): â€Å"we always think we are wrong and only take the customer’s need as right† can impel company carry on realistic reason of social activities is society advance and power that develop. In a highly competitive market, customers have a wide right of freedom choice and to purchase the commodity.In fact, the customer also can fire anyone in the company, because they can spend money in oth er places that make customer like a boss. In my opinion, the customer is a consumer of goods and services and is the foundation source of enterprise. The survival and development of enterprises rely on the trust and support of the customer. Therefore, business should consider the issue from the customer’s point of view and it’s crucial to put customer’s satisfaction and their interests at first stage. Following this standard will improve sales and our profits.In other words, there would be no profit if on customers bought products. Hence, taking care of the interests of the guests is to take care of the business own interests. As Zhang (Gluckman, 2012) said â€Å"we will always be wrong†. So we will do better! Reference Miller, R. (2012). Is the customer always right? Retrieved from http://www. thetrainingbank. com/article_is_the_customer_always_right. htm Gluckman, R. (2012). Every Customer Is Always Right. Forbes, 189(9), 38-40. Xiaoyao (2010,7). The di fference between Apple and Nokia Retrieved from http://www. williamlong. info/archives/2236. html ———————– 1

Assess the View That Traditional Class Identities

These groups are the working class, middle class and upper class. However now some believe there isn’t this social class division within society and that everyone is equal. People that would agree traditional class identities are no longer important are postmodernists. These have the view that class no longer really matters in modern Britain and that now people no longer identify themselves according to their class background. Clarke and Saunders (1991) would agree with the view of postmodernists. They suggest that classes have become fragmented into many different groups and now they have been replaced with other influences such as gender and lifestyles. Although they is some evidence which suggests these ideas are exaggerated. Marshall’s survey into how people view themselves showed people still see social class as a source of identity. The traditional working class was a group of people that was developed after the industrialisation when they were need for large amounts of manual workers. This group formed a strong sense on culture and identity. These were strong moral values, having men as the breadwinner and women as housewives and believing getting a job is more important than having an education. The traditional working class also saw the labour party as the party for the working class as it represented their interests, as pointed out in item B. Although now many people in the working class vote for different parties as they don’t all agree on what is important now in society, supporting the idea that traditional class identities are no longer important. Now also the manufacturing business as changed a lot, this means now they aren’t the same jobs available as they would have been before as they have been replaced with things such as machines that can do a faster and cheaper job. Therefore the working class has had to change the sort of jobs they do over time which may be a reason for the change in characteristics, and therefore making the traditional class identities now no longer important. Diamond and Giddens agree with this as they argue that the working class is no longer important because of the change in the economy that as lead to the decline of manual labour jobs, and that the working class isn’t now the only class which experiences economic and social eprivation. The new working class is now seen to have little loyalty to others within the same class, more emphasis on customer goods, high levels of home ownership, and women likely to be employed. There is also now a larger section of the working class, this may be down to some working class jobs now becoming more skilful therefore getting higher pay, which others become less skilful and get lower pay, meaning people in the same class may identify themselves every differently. However there are sociologists that believe traditional class identities are still very important, for example Marxists. They believe social class is still hugely influential in shaping our identities. They also believe social class is identified by your income, and that leisure wouldn’t define your identity as you would need the disposable income to afford it. The British Attitudes Survey supported this idea, because in 2007 it found still 94% of people still identified themselves with a social class, whereas only 6% didn’t. Overall the importance of traditional class identities are seen every differently by different people. Views which agree and disagree to the importance of traditional class identities still being important have both positives and negatives so it’s hard to just believe one view point is the truth and the other doesn’t matter. Therefore I believe both viewpoints have sufficient evidence and that traditional class identities are still important to an extent, however now there is also other factors that can make up our identity other than just our social class. Assess the View That Traditional Class Identities These groups are the working class, middle class and upper class. However now some believe there isn’t this social class division within society and that everyone is equal. People that would agree traditional class identities are no longer important are postmodernists. These have the view that class no longer really matters in modern Britain and that now people no longer identify themselves according to their class background. Clarke and Saunders (1991) would agree with the view of postmodernists. They suggest that classes have become fragmented into many different groups and now they have been replaced with other influences such as gender and lifestyles. Although they is some evidence which suggests these ideas are exaggerated. Marshall’s survey into how people view themselves showed people still see social class as a source of identity. The traditional working class was a group of people that was developed after the industrialisation when they were need for large amounts of manual workers. This group formed a strong sense on culture and identity. These were strong moral values, having men as the breadwinner and women as housewives and believing getting a job is more important than having an education. The traditional working class also saw the labour party as the party for the working class as it represented their interests, as pointed out in item B. Although now many people in the working class vote for different parties as they don’t all agree on what is important now in society, supporting the idea that traditional class identities are no longer important. Now also the manufacturing business as changed a lot, this means now they aren’t the same jobs available as they would have been before as they have been replaced with things such as machines that can do a faster and cheaper job. Therefore the working class has had to change the sort of jobs they do over time which may be a reason for the change in characteristics, and therefore making the traditional class identities now no longer important. Diamond and Giddens agree with this as they argue that the working class is no longer important because of the change in the economy that as lead to the decline of manual labour jobs, and that the working class isn’t now the only class which experiences economic and social eprivation. The new working class is now seen to have little loyalty to others within the same class, more emphasis on customer goods, high levels of home ownership, and women likely to be employed. There is also now a larger section of the working class, this may be down to some working class jobs now becoming more skilful therefore getting higher pay, which others become less skilful and get lower pay, meaning people in the same class may identify themselves every differently. However there are sociologists that believe traditional class identities are still very important, for example Marxists. They believe social class is still hugely influential in shaping our identities. They also believe social class is identified by your income, and that leisure wouldn’t define your identity as you would need the disposable income to afford it. The British Attitudes Survey supported this idea, because in 2007 it found still 94% of people still identified themselves with a social class, whereas only 6% didn’t. Overall the importance of traditional class identities are seen every differently by different people. Views which agree and disagree to the importance of traditional class identities still being important have both positives and negatives so it’s hard to just believe one view point is the truth and the other doesn’t matter. Therefore I believe both viewpoints have sufficient evidence and that traditional class identities are still important to an extent, however now there is also other factors that can make up our identity other than just our social class.

Titanic - The Unsinkable Ship Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Titanic - The Unsinkable Ship - Research Paper Example Before going into the details of the famous and tragic Titanic disaster, let’s first plunge into the history of the Titanic ship. Titanic is the ship that grabbed the attention of the whole world, when it was made, and when it sank (Molony). The 1950's version of the Titanic's sinking, "A Night to Remember', and the latest 1997’s version of James Cameron’s Titanic, are the masterpieces that detail the shipwreck. Ambekar (para.1) writes that, â€Å"Titanic was one the greatest ship built in twentieth century.† It was of such great strength that it was believed to be unsinkable. It was the largest ship ever made, â€Å"stretching a sixth of a mile from bow to stern, standing ten stories high from its keel to the top of its four funnels and displacing over 45,000 tons†, writes Barczewski (1). It was an ostentatious and grand ship, known as the British passenger ocean liner, and was owned and driven by White Star Line (Eaton and Haas). Thomas Andrews, t he head of Harland & Wolff design department, was the designer of this 882.5 feet long ship. Commissioned by White Star and built by Harland and Wolff, it was created between 1908 and1909 in Belfast (Ireland), by more than 15,000 Irish shipyard workers. It is said that at that time, every worker was paid nearly $10 per week. Titanic was called unsinkable because of its strong structure. It had double bottom. The hull, whose number was 401, was divided into sixteen waterproof compartments. The structure of the ship was such that it could support the ship to stay floating, even if two of its middle compartments, or four of the front compartments, submerged under water and got flooded. Interior Design Now, let’s talk about the interior decoration of Titanic. Registered in Liverpool and belonging to the Olympic class of the White Star Line, the ship offered a luxurious lifestyle to its passengers, though it was far away from land. It contained all kinds of entertainment facilities, dining halls, pubs, dancing floors, living rooms, and massive kitchens. Equipped with four 400 kilowatt electrical generators, the Titanic ship had a plentiful supply of electricity. The passengers had the facility of separate rooms, and they could use electric heaters and electric lamps. The deck offered all kinds of continental foods, thus increasing the lavishness on the ship. The food was stored and refrigerated properly. Special areas had been dedicated to indoor games. A fully furnished gymnasium was also present in which the passengers could do their daily exercises. Passengers could use lifts for moving inside the ship. There was proper ventilation in the ship, due to which proper airy conditions were maintained. Passengers could use telephones to communicate. Radios were also available

Existentialism and Marxism Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Existentialism and Marxism Paper - Essay Example This notion swept the world through a phase of political change that evolved generation after generation. There was also the concept of Existentialism that also spread through Latin America in a major manner. This concept was unique in that it stressed the significance of experience as compared to notions that come from other people’s views. This means that it identifies an individual to be a free being not to follow various factors from others. Many philosophers had different notions on the two different philosophies and the comparison of their views goes deep. Romero Francisco in Theory of a Man displays his vast and widespread support of the Existentialism notion. In this book, he argues deeply stating that the running of the society through material ideology is nothing but a waste of time due to the manner through which the society has progressed through the ages (Romero 134). The author states very clearly that he very much supports the effort and the changes observed in the behavioral sciences and that they have hopes in the future but rather discredits the pace through which they have had in the past days. Romero states that in Latin America, people were rather confused on the way to which they should follow in society and thus many of them did not have a sound decision but rather followed the mass (Romero 142). He states this to be the reason unto why societal progress has been very slow from those days, thus Existentialism credited, and the entire disregard pointed towards Marxism. He also goes ahead to state that the weakness of the human being is what made him believe in culture rather the scientific revolution of the age. He states that with the stand that he takes on the issue, he has no offence towards reductionism and that it is a concept feared only by those with developmental fear. A writer that is clearly against this notion is Enrique Dussel’s Philosophy of Liberation. In this book, Enrique goes a long way in explaining the mann er in which the Latin Americans were represented or rather took up Marxism and states that this was a rather conscious decision for them (Dussel 67). In the book, he majorly focuses on issues relating to Ethics and politics. Enrique states that human beings in the era needed a political scope of the world and notes a sociological view because understanding the society was not just enough. Enrique claims that for one to concentrate on the rather large Latin American society at the time, the basic philosophy to understand is that on politics. Enrique states that no society can run without the basic unit that is a government. It is due to this that he states that the formation of a government was important. It is from this governing body that unity was found to develop and as a single unit, there was the ability to move forward with decisions that are more informed rather than having an individual making a single decision (Dussel 154). This is because it would lead to confusion with on e another constantly ending in feuds and thus the importance of the Marxism movement in Latin America. Francisco Milro Quesda in Without Theory goes a long way in explaining the various concepts that show the reason as to why the Existentialism notion was rather important in the Latin American society. He states that many of the human philosophies going around are baseless and are bound to fail because they base the human experience in a manner that the issues that they faced were rather

Big Data vs Semantic Web Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Big Data vs Semantic Web - Essay Example It should be noted that such estimation could not be achieved before the adoption of the Big Data Management. Additionally, it was also intended to increase transparency in the data being shared. In this case, any data that is not covered in the digital form will be captured in the Big Data (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p. 34). In other words, the big data management allows capturing of large amount of data in digital form. Finally, the big data management was intended to enable development of products and services of the new generation. The management and environment of the big data management surpasses the traditional data warehouse and relational databases platforms. This is because incorporates technologies that allows processing and storing data in nontransactional forms (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p. 49). The new technology of handling big data concentrates on the collection and analysis of big data that combines the use of the traditional data warehouse with logical data warehousing architectural systems. It is worth noting that the big data management must decide on what data to process. This determination is arrived at following a compliance reasons that determines what data to be stored and what data to be destroyed. Therefore, the technology requires a careful data classification that enables quicker and productive analysis of small data sets. A/B testing, integration, data fusion, machine learning, crowdsourcing, signal processing, natural language, simulation, genetic algorithm, visualization, and time series analysis are the incorporated technologies that are used in the management of the bid data. These technologies are considered exceptional in processing large data quantities efficiently and within tolerable period. These technologies have led to an increased demand of big data information management especially with organizations that generate enormous data on a daily basis (Heath & Bizer, 2011, p.162). For instance,

Don Giovanni and Enlightenment Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Don Giovanni and Enlightenment - Term Paper Example The character of Don Giovanni gives voice to two contrasting attributes of enlightenment. On is the enlightenment notion of liberty. Don Giovanni in his acts shockingly refutes all the norms and values of society, state, decency and religion (Clive 30). In that sense, Don Giovanni stands to be an Enlightenment anti-hero who mocks at the norms set by the society and the church, to live a life of true liberty. Thus, no doubt, Don Giovanni may be said to be devilish in the sense that he brings the humanity to face the truths that hide deep down in the recesses of the dark side of human personality, and are ordinarily too difficult to be faced owing to the pressures and constraints put in place by the state, society and religion (Clive 30). Yet, at the same time while tending to be the true proponent of the idea of liberty that constituted the bedrock of Enlightenment, Don Giovanni is also a harbinger of disruption in all the spheres of life existing around him, be it moral, political or legal (Clive 44). While he aspires to live a liberated life, he puts to risk the liberty of others around him, which happened to be a side effect of Enlightenment. The sexual hunger of Don Giovanni makes him blatantly mock the vows of love and marriage, put at risk time honored bonds and relationships, and disturb the social distinctions that to some extent held the society together. No doubt, Don Giovanni qualifies to be a true Enlightenment hero who is committed to live a liberated life, thereby giving way to a creative disturbance that shakes the foundations of old norms, values and ethics on the altar of reason (Clive 45). One essential aspect of Don Giovanni’s personality that attracts the attention of audience is his commitment to live a socially and ethically liberated life while setting aside all fear, either human or heavenly (Steptoe 243). In the final part of Act 1, when the five characters those are Masetto, Zerlina, Elvira, Anna and Ottavio try to scare him to r epentance by hinting at the heavenly vengeance, his carefree reply is â€Å"My courage shall not fail me, though the powers of hell assail me (Mozart: CD)†. Not to mention the end of Act II, when Don Giovanni vows to never to be scared to repentance, even if it amounted to burning in the everlasting fires of hell. The thing to be noted is that in the plot of this opera, Don Giovanni is not left at a dead end, but the destiny allows him a chance to repent and go to heaven instead of hell. Yet, in the true spirit of Enlightenment, Don Giovanni chooses to live a life on his own terms, rather than bowing before the constraints of the society. Hence, Don Giovanni turns out to be a true Enlightenment rebel hero. In this opera, the music by Mozart also highlights Don Giovanni as a happy and confident person who is free of all superficial constraints and superstitions. The music depicts Giovanni as a person who is totally unapologetic about his love for women and bodily exploits (Moz art: CD). The music attributed by Mozart to Don Giovanni is fast paced, celebratory and energetic (Mozart: CD). It goes without saying that the music also has a tinge of sadness, perhaps because it tends to convey to the audience the distance between Don Giovanni and society and its traditions and the inevitable fate of those who decide to live life on their own terms (Mozart: CD). There is no denying the fact that it is the opening bars of the finale that most suits the

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man Essay

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man - Essay Example   The paper tells that William Apess was a Native American who accepted the Christian faith. He continued to labor among the Native American Indians as a Christian minister and advocated human rights in his sermons and writings. The period in which he wrote marked an age of cruel slavery and anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited the intermarriage between Whites and Colored people. Apess uses the notable technique of irony in which he would expose the hypocrisy of the Whites employing their own religious doctrines and ideologies.  The superficiality of the White man's doctrine is a point of argument in Apess' work. Apess observes that one "may learn how deep (the White man's) principles are...I should say they were skin deep." The foundation of the White man's objection to the non-Whites enjoyment of their inalienable human rights is based on the skin tone. Skin pigmentation or exterior is not of value in any substantial and profound argument for what lies on the inside forms t he core and matters most. In his day, Apess would have been familiar with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human races and relegates the Other to occupy lower tiers. Whites used this concept to justify their subhuman treatment of other races. The irony of using skin color as a means to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the truth of the proverb, 'All that glitters is not gold.' In time, the surface of any object is defaced and gradually stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only nature is real and enduring. Apess reiterates: "I am not talking about the skin, but about principles." Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the so-called White man's religion. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instructs Christians in defence of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. The Christian Bible quotes that "God is no respecter of persons"-"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength-Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." "By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." "Let us not love in word but in deed." Repeatedly Apess preaches to the people who should be acquainted with their own doctrines of love. Apess concept of God differs from the White man's God. Judging from the professing Christians' cruelty, greed, and antagonism, the Apess shows that according to the white man's principles, the Christian God wou ld have to be an unfair and hateful deity who would favor a cross section of people and belittle others. True religion in Apess' eyes is an inclusive religion. One which inspires love and compassion. Apess laments that in 'Christian America' there remains active practice of cruelty, systematic oppression, inhumanity and hostility. Apess argues that a Christian should never be a slave-owner for doing so puts at detriment his own soul and contravenes the founding principles of his faith. He urges the equality and brotherhood of Negroes and Whites according to the Christian doctrines and wonders at White Christian hypocrisy. To add force to his arguments, he quotes numerous scriptural texts from the Bible from Matthew, John and Romans. To hate and propagate division is not only unchristian but also unethical. God's unconditional and impartial love is a perfect example of the love that man must have for his fellow. Greed, selfishness and prejudice are the true motivators of discriminati on that have poisoned the heart, turning it from human compassion. Vices such as sloth, greed and materialism are other adverse effects of the White

Human Resource Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resource Development - Essay Example Human Resource Development (HRD) can also take an informal shape for example employees being coached by a manager. Healthy organizations, in meaningful terms, have strong faith in Human Resource Development and cover all its fundamental aspects. Learning and development is continuous process in every aspect whether it's in organizational or in classroom, people or an employee always learn something new in every area which will help in developing its skills and knowledge which also support him/her to work better in an organization or any other working condition. Ans. In my opinion learning is a continuous process and person will always learn on every stage of life. According to me learning will be more practical to gain an effective skills, knowledge, and motivation by developing the vision and skills that result in real team commitment; Build and lead empowered and motivated teams; Delegate tasks and authority while maintaining control, communicate effectively at all levels, create w orld-class team performance, Become a skilled and effective team leader. Ans. 2.Needs and performance are the main factors to improve learning. Discus this issue in relation to E-learning method to learn. Ans. Learning is a phenomenon within this definition that takes place across various locations, or that reaps benefits of learning opportunities provided by moveable technologies. In other words, E-learning decreases limitation of learning location with the mobility of general portable devices. The term covers: learning with portable technologies, where the focus is on the technology (which could be in a fixed location, such as a classroom).in today's world technology places very positive and effective role in several sectors and in different aspects such as in performance and needs as well. This technology will help in effective learning in every person's life because it's really fast and effective and the person can learn everything very easily and work can be done efficiently af ter effective learning in relation to E- learning. 3. State the main problem, objective that this university applied this teaching method. Ans. Arab Open University runs degree programs in the Middle Eastern country by providing open learning business studies. The lecturers adopt an action learning approach to teaching during their periodic time to students. However, resistance to this method is regularly experienced.

Early childhood education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Early childhood education - Essay Example This "Early childhood education " essay describes the prevailing problems and issues regarding child practitioners and how can early childhood programs support parents in facilitating the healthy, holistic development of their children.The panelists, composed of experts in various fields proposed a four-point plan, namely: (1) strengthening policies, raising and sustaining funding and building appropariate infrastructure; (2) improving education, training and development, improving compensation and providing career opportunities for practitioners; (3) delivering high quality, evidence-based and age-appropriate programs and practices for children; and (4) building strong partnerships with parents.Ontario is struggling with the decrease in number of effective and efficient child practitioners and this greatly affects the quality of education. The following reasons have been identified: ï‚ § Several practitioners do not meet the educational requirements needed to successfully address the demands of the practice and provide high quality early learning and care for children. ï‚ § Fresh graduates of early childhood education courses opt to work in jobs other than in regulated child care. ï‚ § Several practitioners will retire in the next 5 – 10 years and there are not enough new practitioners coming in to replace them. Research has provided evidence that the early years are most crucial in an individual’s development because it is at this time when early learning and experiences determine the quality of the child’s brain structure. ... arly years are most crucial in an individual’s development because it is at this time when early learning and experiences determine the quality of the child’s brain structure, disposition and well-being. Provision of a high quality early childhood program wherein positive, stimulating learning experiences take place contribute to the child’s self-confidence and positive attitude towards learning. These are qualities that lead to greater success in school and throughout one’s life. 4. How can early childhood programs support parents in facilitating the healthy, holistic development of their children? Early childhood programs should be able to accommodate the schedules of parents in planning events that require their presence. They can also extend the children’s time in preschools or day care centers to enable parents to work. Regular communication with parents regarding concerns about their children keeps them updated about their child’s progr ess. Also, early childhood programs provide adequate information to parents about things that can help them in implementing good parenting to their children. Article Review: Heyman, J., Barrera, M. and Earle, A. (2008) The Working Poor: Canada and the World, Policy Options. The article reports the state of child poverty throughout the world, and specifically in some countries of study. It discussed how child poverty is a lingering challenge that policy-makers face and has grown to be a global issue. The article claims that child poverty may be effectively managed if parents can succeed in working while caring for their children without fear of losing their livelihood. 1. How can families rise from poverty? Poverty may be overcome when individuals are given the opportunity to work and earn for a living. When parents’

Arthur Millar Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millar Essay In this essay I am going to analyse the dramatic techniques that Arthur Millar uses in his 20th century drama called, A View From The Bridge. The play is set in Brooklyn in the 1940s when the Italians were immigrating to America to find work as they were poor and they needed to get away from Italy to find work to feed their families in Italy. Many of these immigrants entered America Illegally. The play is about a skilled docks worker in Brooklyn named Eddie Carbone. Eddie lives with his wife Beatrice and their niece, Catherine. Beatrices cousins named Marco and Rodolfo come to America from Italy to find work to feed Marcos family in Italy, as they are very poor. They plan to enter illegally. Eddie has feelings for his niece Catherine that he should not have. Meanwhile Catherine falls in love with Rodolfo and Eddie hates him because he is jealous as he loves her and he cannot stand any other man looking at her and touching her. As a result Eddie decides to let the Immigration Bureau know that there are illegal immigrants in his building. In the play, Arthur Miller uses a number of dramatic devices many of which are seen in the first act but their significance only becomes apparent to the audience in the second act. These dramatic devices are: use of language, dialogue and its sub textual meanings, stage directions, characters actions, props and lighting. The first dramatic technique I am going to analyse is the use of language in Alfieris speech at the start of the play. Miller has put this at the start of the play to prepare the audience for what will happen later on in the play. The speech starts to develop tension because there are a lot of negative and violent words used. For example, Alfieri uses terms such as Machine Gun. The effect of using a term like this is to create tension for the audience, as they now know that something bad is going to happen later on in the play. As the play progresses the audience realise that this is the only time when Alfieri uses negative and violent language. So his words take on a deeper meaning when the audience realises this. I am now going to look at Eddies language in the first act. His speech is simple but at the start of the play his words are more vibrant towards Catherine as he tells he that she is walking wavy. At the same time he also refers to her as a Madonna. This gives the audience the idea that she is pure and she is a virgin and Eddie wants her to stay as she is. Listen, B. , shell be with a lot of plumbers? And sailors up and down the street? This illustrates Eddies feelings for Catherine and it can also mean that he does not want any other men looking at Catherine or marrying her. Eddies dialogue changes when the cousins arrive. He uses working class American colloquial words, such as Yiz have a nice trip? when he asks the cousins Marco and Rodolfo about their journey. Eddie wants to make it clear that he is the man of the house and that he is in charge. These expressions are only used in the first act when he is speaking to Marco and Rodolfo. This builds tension because the audience know that Eddie is going to start trouble with Marco and Rodolfo later on.

Exploring the Relationship Between Mother and Baby Essay Example for Free

Exploring the Relationship Between Mother and Baby Essay Exploring the relationship between mother and baby in the NICU in relation to nursing support. Abstract Aim -To explore the effect of interaction related to care-giving and information exchange between nurses and mothers in relation to maternal stress and maternal-infant relationship in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) throughout the hospital stay. Background Mothers in the NICU experience depression, anxiety, stress, and loss of control, and they fluctuate between feelings of inclusion and exclusion related to the provision of health care to their neonate. This literature review helps to identify nursing interventions that promote positive outcomes between mother and baby by reducing maternal feelings of stress and anxiety. Search Method A literature search covering the period 2008-2012 was conducted. Five articles reporting both quantitative and qualitative studies relative to the subject were retrieved. Findings Findings reveal that positive and trustful relationships between nurses and mothers develop when nurses communicate and interact with mothers. This alleviated mother’s anxiety and enhanced their confidence when interacting with their baby. Discussion Critical analysis as well as strengths and weaknesses of the relative journals reviewed is given together with useful recommendations that emerge from the evidence. Conclusion The literature reviewed shows that nurse-mother interaction improves mother-infant relationship. In turn, this will eventually assist in decreasing maternal stress and improve the maternal well-being. INTRODUCTION Mothers develop attachment to their baby during pregnancy, which continues and develops more fully after the child is born (Cleveland 2009). However, the pathway to becoming a mother is threatened with the admission of the baby to the NICU. This occurs due to the unfamiliar and intimidating environment of the NICU (Obeidat et al 2009). During the initial admission parents can believe that the healthcare team is more able to care for their baby and this can instill feelings of inadequacy (Cockfort 2011). As a result, maternal attachment may be delayed by the lack of socialisation between mother and baby as most of the care is done by nurses (Cleveland 2009). DeRouck and Leys (2009), found that the parents of an infant admitted to the NICU face challenges including access to information, disclosure about the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of their newborn, as well as a lack of control over the care of their newborn. Adding to this distress is the uncertainty of survival or the eventual impact of the infant’s condition on later health and well-being. In addition, feeling guilty to mother an unhealthy infant creates fear of social prejudice. Further, the structure of the NICU places significant barriers on mothers’ abilities to enact the parental role since decision-making and the daily care of the infant is taken over by medical and nursing staff restricting interactions with the babies stripping off their maternal authority (Cleveland 2009). In fact, when babies are in the NICU, traditional conceptualizations of the parental role are altered. The situation demands heightened parental participation while simultaneously placing severe restrictions on parental involvement. In response, parents need to negotiate this tension and traditional definitions of the parental role, which must be continually redefined throughout their experience What emerges is that the predominant source of distress is inability of the mother to protect the infant from pain and provide appropriate pain management. (Fenwick et al 2008). A lot of procedures cause pain in the neonate creating concerns for the mother, starting from peripheral cannulas, indwelling catheters and intubation to mention a few. In intubated babies, even though morphine infusions are administered, the baby still shows signs of distress during nursing times. In this case, we administer a small bolus of pain relief prior to nursing so that the baby would be more comfortable. Conversely, Fenwick et al (2008) describes factors that contribute to parents’ satisfaction in the NICU. These include; assurance and psychological support, the provision of consistent information, education, environmental follow-up care, appropriate pain management, and parental participation and proximity, as well as physical and spiritual support. Therefore, it is imperative that nurses should do their best to improve the mothers’ sense of confidence, competence and connection with her infant through guided participation (Domanico et al 2011). Johnson (2008) notes that skin-to-skin holding or kangaroo care promotes maternal-infant feelings of closeness, builds maternal confidence, and may be a stress-reducing experience for both the mother and infant. Hence the importance of providing the opportunity for kangaroo care to occur. Hunt (2008), notes that KMC is also crucial to stabilize parameters, such as cardio-respiratory parameters whilst being beneficial for maintaining body temperature. They add that even the incidence of nosocomial sepsis and the duration of hospital stay decreased with practicing KMC. In addition, Ali et al., (2009), found that Kangaroo mother care also showed positive outcomes towards practicing exclusive breastfeeding. Cockfort (2011) notes that, continuity of care needs to be ensured hence the importance of documentation. Therefore, it is suggested that handover should not be rushed, whilst a more comprehensive handover can ensure the smooth transition of care for staff and the family. When parents ask questions relating to their baby they feel assured in the competency of staff when information has been passed on correctly. When information is not shared effectively parents can lose trust and the partnership breaks down. In Malta, even though handover of 2 consecutive days is given, conflicting advice is still given at times due to the nurses’ different view-points. Consequently, this requires ward meetings in order to clarify important issues so that advice given and practice is consistent. In Malta, about 373 babies are admitted yearly (Grech et al 2012). In view of the benefits discussed, nurses should do their utmost to improve the overall experience of the mothers of such babies. Search Method A review of published research consisted of the following steps; broad reading to determine areas of focus, identification of inclusion and exclusion criteria, literature search (appendix 1) and retrieval, critical appraisal and analysis of the research evidence and synthesis of evidence. Evidence was reviewed with the aims of identifying barriers that affect the motherinfant interaction within the neonatal intensive care unit and how nurses can actively support attachment. Articles were included if the setting was primarily in a neonatal intensive care unit (neonatal unit or neonatal intensive care unit) and the participants were mothers of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units or nurses working within that setting. In addition, All articles were critically analyzed with two primary questions in mind: (a) What are the needs of parents in the NICU? (b) What nursing behaviors support parents in meeting these needs? Articles were also included if they were primary research studies published between 2008 and 2012 and written in the English language. Primary and secondary literature searches were conducted through the EBSCO, ERIC, Sciencedirect and Medline databases. The primary search terms included â€Å"NICU,† â€Å"Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,† â€Å"family support,† â€Å"communication,† â€Å"nurse† and â€Å"early intervention.† The secondary literature search terms included â€Å"nursing support,† â€Å"efficacy,† â€Å"family,† â€Å"communication,† â€Å"support†, â€Å"neonatal† and â€Å"Kangaroo Mother Care†. These terms were used and utilised in all possible combinations to perform an extensive literature search of the above mentioned electronic databases. Thirdly, a review of references was conducted of the identified articles for any further studies. Eighteen articles were found through the search. Six studies met the inclusion criteria of which, 3 were qualitative and 3 quantitative (appendix 2). The subject was limited to the last 5 years. This time frame helps in the getting the most recent experiences since NICU is a changing environment especially as regards to technology which effects the mothers as well as the nurses. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were found. Both qualitative and quantitative research was conducted to identify what is known about the needs of NICU parents and what behaviours support these parents. Both methods of research were included because of the potential for each to contribute to a more complete understanding of this topic. In selecting a research design, researchers should be guided by one overarching consideration: whether the design does the best possible job of providing trustworthy answers to the research questions. One needs to note that both studies have limitations (Cottrell McKenzie, 2011). In quantitative research, the researcher’s aim is to determine the relationship between one variable (an independent variable) and another (a dependent or outcome variable) in a population (Morrow 2009). In contrast to quantitative designs, qualitative designs do not result in numerical data for statistical analysis (Schira, 2009). In qualitative methods, researchers are interested in interpreting social phenomena and exploring the meanings that people attach to their experiences (Polit and Beck 2010). Moreover, views, attitudes and behaviours may be explored (Wood Kerr, 2011), through grounded theory as it develops theories that are grounded in the groups observable experiences, but researchers add their own insight into why those experiences exist. Findings Table 1 includes information about the 5 studies that met the inclusion criteria . Once an infant is admitted into an NICU, many factors account for parental stress. Admission of the infant to the NICU places mothers in a stressful situation where they must cope with the NICU environment and its associated demands. In the study conducted by Parker (2011), a grounded theory approach was used to understand feeling and stressors of 11 mothers whose new-borns were in the NICU. It was found that the early days shock and numbness accompanied feelings of none or little control over their lives. Moreover, all mothers described feeling unprepared for the premature delivery and the sight of their baby in the NICU. Comparative results were found by Lee et al (2009), with regards to the shock experienced with the initial sight of the baby. Everyday unpredictable changes occur leaving no time for adjustment or preparation. Constant fears about the life and death of the baby do not subside and several mothers spoke about their experience of always anticipating the death of the baby. These findings are also reflected in my clinical setting when mothers would be recounting their experience once the baby’s condition improves. This is in line with the findings of Fenwick et al (2009) and Lee et al (2009). In addition, the findings imply that the positive reassurance of the effects of a positive and caring environment and support network between parents and nurses in the NICU is not always evident among every unit. Nicholas-Sargent (2009) found that assurance is the most important aspect to be fulfilled. Her quantitative study of 46 mothers found that the length of stay in the NICU and mothers’ information needs were found to be significantly inversely correlated. Therefore, this suggests that the longer an infant remains hospitalized in the NICU, the less emphasis the mother places on receiving information about the infant’s condition. This shows that the needs of the mothers in the NICU can change over time. My observations match these findings since mothers familiarise themselves and adapt to the situation. Moreover, they would eventually want to be successful with the care of the baby. This is reflected in the grounded theory analysis conducted by Fenwick et al (2008), using semi-structured interviews. They found that the nurse-mother relationship had the potential to significantly affect how women perceived their connection to the infant and their confidence in caring for their infant which occurred through a three way interaction. Being successful in their desire to care for the baby, engendered feelings associated with being a ‘‘real’’ mother. However, not all women in this study were able to successfully employ these strategies. In the situation where the mother perceived herself as ‘‘quiet and unassertive’’, and in a position without any power, it was very difficult to gain the confidence needed in order to be able to openly question, negotiate and direct the care of her infant. Therefore, it is very important to identify these mothers in order to help them by giving them continuous reassurance. This would particularly be required when the situation changes from support needing to encouragement in participation. Lee et al (2009) found that mothers received support from the healthcare professionals and the social networks that mothers made. These helped to create the connections that developed between the mothers and infants making their journey towards parenthood possible. They discovered that challenges are further compounded in Taiwan, where women are traditionally required to practice the cultural ritual which includes confinement to the house with a special balanced diet for the first month postnatal. Lee et al (2009) used the grounded theory approach with in-depth interviews and constant comparison. All interviews were audio-taped and notes were made during and immediately after the interview concerning actions and body language of the mother during the interview. The finding of this study further indicated that the initial sight of the life-support equipment was shocking. The technological environment created a fearful atmosphere, and the medical equipment attached to their infants caused the mothers further physical separation. The mothers indicated that they were so afraid of the equipment that it took them a long time to be able to participate in their infants’ care. In turn, this hampered them from establishing positive mother–infant interactions. Chiu and Anderson (2008), found that preterm births often negatively influence mother–infant interaction due to lack of physical contact. In addition, they found that skin-to skin contact post-birth has positive effects on infant development. These researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) using questionnaires for data collection. In addition, mothers were further video-taped during a feeding session. Ali et al., (2009),highlight the importance of kangaroo care in their RCT where the researchers conducted their study with one hundred and fourteen infants. This study showed that the infants exposed to kangaroo mother care had an increase in rectal temperature compared to conventional care, therefore having a decreased risk of hypothermia. The mean temperature during kangaroo mother care was of 37 degrees Celsius while the mean temperature during conventional care was of 36.7 degrees Celsius. The data collected was through posted questionnaires. Discussion In the 3 qualitative studies found, the data was collected through interviews of which 2 were semi-structured while 1 was unstructured. Parker (2011), Fenwick et al (2008) and Lee et al (2008), used the Grounded theory approach. However, while Parker and Fenwick use semi-structured interviews, Lee uses unstructured interviews. In semi-structured interviews there is a topic guide with list of areas or questions to be covered with each respondent. This technique ensures that researchers will obtain all the information required, and gives respondents the freedom to respond in their own words, provide as much detail as they wish, and offer illustrations and explanations. Lee et al (2009) uses ground theory approach but incorporated with unstructured interviews. Unstructured interviews also known as are flexible but are more time-consuming than semi-structured since the interviewer listens and does not take the lead. The interviewer listens to what the interviewee has to say. The interviewee leads the conversation (Wood Ross-Kerr, 2011). However, anonymity for confidentiality which is of utmost importance is not possible. When using unstructured interviews, the researchers have to be able to establish rapport with the participant. The reason is that the interviewers have to be trusted if someone is to reveal intimate life information. This may lead to interviewee bias. Also, it is important to realise that unstructured interviewing can produce a great deal of data which can be difficult to analyse. Lee et al (2008) and Fenwick et al (2008) conducted the interviews themselves while Parker (2011) did not, thus reducing the bias. However, interviewer bias occurs even if someone else is conducting the interview. The number of mothers in the study of Lee et al (2008) was adequate since with in-depth interviews 20 participants are enough. However, to account for the small sample, more interviews and observations were done with the same participants in order to reach theoretical saturation. Usually informants are selected for in-depth interviews in a purposive manner questioning the generalizability of the results (Wood Kerr, 2011). A major controversy among grounded theory researchers relates to whether to follow the original Glaser and Strauss procedures or to use the adapted procedures of Strauss and Corbin (Polit Beck 2010). Grounded theory method according to Glaser emphasizes induction or emergence, and the individual researchers creativity within a clear frame of stages, while Strauss is more interested in validation criteria and a systematic approach. Parker (2011) uses the original Glaser and Strauss (1967) paradigm while Lee et al (2008) and Fenwick et al (2008) use Strauss and Corbin (1998) procedures. One of the fundamental features of the grounded theory approach is that data collection, data analysis, and sampling of study participants occur simultaneously. A procedure referred to as constant comparison is used to develop and refine theoretically relevant categories. Categories elicited from the data are constantly compared with data obtained earlier in the data collection process so that commonalities and variations can be determined. As data collection proceeds, the inquiry becomes increasingly focused on emerging theoretical concerns. All 3 studies use constant comparison. All the above 3 studies use audio-taping for data collection except for Fenwick et al (2008) who used field note documentation as well. Audio-taping enables eye contact to be maintained and to have a complete record for analyses, however, some interviewees may be nervous of tape-recorders. On the contrary, in note taking on the other hand, a lot of eye contact is lost unless a type of short-hand is learnt. However, the interviewer will have plenty of useful quotations for report when transcribing the interview. Randomized controlled trials consist of a complete experimental test of a new intervention, involving the random assignment of a large and varied sample to different groups (Polit Beck, 2010). The intention of an RCT is to arrive to a judgment as to whether the novelty of an intervention is more effective than the traditional intervention (Polit Beck, 2010). This intention was well noticed throughout the RCTs chosen by Ali etal., (2009). Wood Kerr, (2011) sustain that RCTs are the most rigorous method to determine a cause-effect relationship between the treatment and the outcome. Furthermore, RCTs were also described as the gold standard trial for evaluating the effectiveness of a clinical intervention ((Muijs 2010). One of the primary aims of RCTs is to prevent selection bias by distributing the patient, randomly between the two groups, so that the difference in the outcome and results can be justified and attributed only to the intervention under study. Thus, through random selection there is a better balancing of any confounding factors, therefore creating similarity between the groups (Cottrell McKenzie, 2010). In effect in this literature review, RCTs were found to be useful and beneficial to compare the effect of KMC and conventional care on the physiological aspects of the infant. Ali et al., (2009) chose to add blocking to randomisation so as to ensure a better balance in the number of infants allocated in the groups. These groups were randomized through simple randomization and the disruption of groups was achieved by delivering a concealed envelope technique. Through random sampling, Polit Beck (2010) explain that each element in the population has an equivalent, autonomous chance of being chosen. However, this design is not used frequently as it is lengthy and may be expensive (Wood Kerr, 2011). Chiu and Anderson (2008), use mixed methods of data collection by using both questionnaires and video-taped interviews. The use of multiple sources or referents to draw conclusions about what constitutes the truth is called triangulation. This is one approach in establishing credibility as it enables the researcher to counteract the weaknesses in both designs. The use of video-taping provides the most comprehensive recording of an interview since it captures body language, facial expressions and interaction (Gerrish and Lacey 2010). However the interviewee may become uncomfortable and act differently than in normal circumstances questioning the reliability of the data collected. In addition, questionnaires are the main research tools used in quantitative research. They are very advantageous as they can be constructed in such a way as to meet the objectives of almost any research project. In the Family Needs Inventory used by Nicholas-Sargent (2009), the ‘not applicable’ part was removed from the Likert scale in order to report definite opinions. Questionnaires can measure the participants factual knowledge about a certain subject or an idea or else they can be used to explore opinions, attitudes or behaviours (McNabb, 2008). Moreover, questionnaires are also less expensive than most other research instruments and are also less time-consuming . Self-administered questionnaires provide the participants with anonymity, and responses are not affected by the interviewers mood or presence (Wood Ross-Kerr, 2011). On the other hand, the main disadvantage of questionnaires is that there is a high possibility of a poor response rate since some questions are ignored, misinterpreted, incorrectly completed or inadequately detailed (Polit and Beck 2010). The RCT of Chiu and Anderson (2009) and Ali etal. (2009),, is one of the most powerful tools of research where people are allocated at random to receive one of several clinical interventions. However RCT’s are vulnerable to multiple types of bias at all stages of their workspan (Geretsegger et al 2012). Hence the need to establish validity and reliability. In the study done by both Ali etal.,(2009) and Chiu and Anderson (2009),the researchers increase the rigor on the study by using a large number of participants. In addition, Chiu and Anderson (2009) use the Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training Program (NCAST) Feeding and Teaching scales. Nicholas-Sargent (2009), improved the rigour by using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI), as a framework for the FNI. CCFNI has been thoroughly reported with results indicating internal consistency and construct validity (Gerrish and Lacey 2010). Despite this, Nicholas-Sargent (2009), use a small scale study and therefor e the results cannot be generalized. Limitations In the study done by Lee et al (2008), the data were only collected from one hospital in this present study causing generalisability of the results to be low. Moreover, the sample was restricted to those who did not have additional social, cultural or medical circumstances to consider. Moreover, coding was done by researcher itself and this might have caused some bias. Both Nicholas-Sargent (2009) and Parker (2011) use small scale studies but these were qualitative studies. Therefore, to a certain extent the findings cannot be generalized across the population of families involved with the NICU. In addition, Parker (2011) uses a retrospective study, which might have been subject to bias in recalling information. There was absence of pilot study in both Nicholas-Sargent (2009) and Chiu and Anderson (2009). The use of pilot studies helps to assess the design, methodology and feasibility of the tool and typically includes participants who are similar to those who will be used in the larger research study ( Wood Kerr 2011). Hence, their importance. Also, the instruments chosen by Chiu and Anderson (2009), being the (NCAST and the feeding and teaching scales) for this study might not be sensitive enough to capture any between-group difference in changes resulting from the intervention. Finally, Ali et al., (2009) fail to mention intention to treat analysis where researchers can introduce reality into research by outlining that not all randomised participants will continue throughout the study. Therefore, this might be a potential weakness in this study. It was also noted the there was no detailed report about the time intervals between the two different groups. Hence, this may also have introduced performance bias. In the grounded theory approach taken by Fenwich et al (2008), limitations lie in the method of data collection itself through semi-structured interviews that were tape-recorded and field note documentation done. The authors did not acknowledge limitations in the study. Recommendations Maternal contact Fenwich et al (2008) suggests prioritising maternal-infant closeness when underpinning policies and protocols and suggests the unrestricted access to their child. Lee et al (2008) found that in Taiwan mothers are allowed to visit for 30 minutes twice a day. In Malta, mothers are allowed to stay with the child 24 hours a day. In addition, skin-to-skin contact is recommended by both Lee et al (2008) and Chiu and Anderson (2009). The latter suggests that all mothers, if they are able and whether or not they ask for it, skin-to-skin contact should be encouraged. My suggestions on interventions for critically ill infants include encouraging the parents’ presence at the bedside, assisting the parents in personalizing the bedside, and teaching the parents to gently touch their infant. Another approach is to hang a simple picture board with the first names of nurses and practitioners near the entrance to the unit. This picture board helps anxious families feel welcomed in this healing environment. In our unit, those babies who have central lines such as umbilical arterial catheters (UAC), the mothers are not allowed to hold the baby for fear of bleeding if the UAC gets dislodged. However, if the mother shows signs of needing contact with the baby, we allow her to hold the baby with constant supervision. In the case of babies that are ventilated mothers are only allowed to hold their baby if the prognosis is very poor. Therefore, this shows that, if the baby is on long term ventilation, skin-to-skin is hindered from being introduced. Fenwich et al (2008), recommend the development of tools that can better evaluate the satisfaction of the mother. Hence, the need for longitudinal qualitative research. In my opinion this would yield good results when past experiences would show which improvements were helpful and which were not. NICE standards (2010), specify the use of surveys. We can incorporate these surveys after consideration with the midwifery officer. Mother-nurse-infant interaction Because of the complexity of illness, parents of critically ill infants are anxious and fear the worst with every visit to the NICU. Strategies need to be adapted to decrease maternal anxiety while supporting the needs of these infants. (Nicholas-Sargent 2009). Nurses play a vital role in helping parents throughout the stressful and challenging experience of the NICU by developing therapeutic relationships and providing emotional support. These approaches enable parents to feel more supported, more involved, confident, and more effective as parents of their vulnerable newborn. The experience of parents in the NICU occurs during an emotionally intense period fraught with anxiety, stress, depression, and feelings of hopelessness. Therefore, Nicholas-Sargent (2009) suggests that, it would be vital to do an NICU orientation for expectant parents with a high risk of giving birth to a premature infant or a compromised newborn. Supporting and facilitating their parenting role will help decrease their stress, strain, anxiety, and depression. Lee et al (2008), nurses need to respect the cultural preferences of mothers as this would promote desired health outcomes. This would aid in meaningful, holistic and individualized care. According to Nicholas-Sargent (2009), personalized one-to-one as opposed as opposed to group support would be helpful. In addition Nicholas-Sargent (2009), suggests that nurse education is needed to improve the awareness of the impact of the counselling service. However, the service needs to be more flexible due to fluctuations in the health condition of the baby. In fact, what we notice is that mothers would require counselling at different stages of the hospitalization. Therefore, if the service was refused once, it may still mean that mothers would need it at some other point in time. Nicholas-Sargent (2009), further suggests that the counselling service would be extended to the whole family from the hospital as well as in the community., Both the DH (2009), and NICE (2010) highlight the importance of Family-Centered Care (FCC) views the family as the ‘child’s primary source of strength and support’ and allows for collaboration, respect, and support with the parents and family during all levels of the service delivery. To foster participation in care for the infant, unrestricted visiting hours should be encouraged for the nuclear family of the neonate. In Malta, visiting hours are restricted to parents only due to increase in cross infection when family members were allowed to visit for 1 hour everyday during the day. However, timing of care may still be arranged to facilitate parents’ participation. In addition, special moments such as baby’s first time off CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) needs to take place during parents’ presence. Cockfort (2011), highlights that missed opportunities to involve parents in care, heighten anxiety and can create a sense of sadness and loneliness . Information for mothers Mothers vary in the amount of information they can assimilate under stress. Therefore identifying parents’ feelings through active listening and observing will help us to pick up on parents cues and respond appropriately in order to provide parents with accurate and clear information (Fenwick et al 2008). Nicholas-Sargent (2009), adds that, information regarding the health status of the baby needs to be give in a timely provision. Parker (2011), recommends the access to certified interpreters for non-English speaking parents to enable them to ask questions and get the information they need as well as information regarding the counselling services. Likewise, an updated information board at the infant’s bedside helps mothers retain information while feeling welcome at the bedside. In my opinion, these interventions create an environment that facilitates maternal- infant attachment by promoting maternal competence with meaningful positive parenting skills and fostering partnership in care.. Conclusion In summary, the findings showed that parents of infants admitted to the NICU experience stress, depression, anxiety, and feelings of powerlessness, hopelessness, and alienation within the environment of the NICU. These situations are often overwhelming and catastrophic for the mothers keeping in mind that the process of motherhood is a protecting and loving phenomenon. Therefore mothers should participate in the care of their sick, fragile infant in the NICU through mother-infant interaction. Nurses need to be supportive and informative in dealing with parents in the NICU. Therefore, the need for parents to be given the access of interpretation by certified interpreters in order to overcome language barriers has been identified. Further, information and emotional support is required throughout the stay in the NICU, However, it was further found that information in preparation for discharge planning is vital. This enhances parental knowledge and decreases stress, which promotes more effective parenting. Further, as understanding of the parents’ experience of having an infant admitted to the NICU increases, nurses will be better prepared to meet parental needs and alleviate parental suffering. Providing holistic, developmentally supportive care and open communication with parents in this stressful experience is essential. Moreover, the need for family-centered care has been identified. REFERENCE LIST Ali, M.S., Sharma. J., Sharma. R., Alam. S. (2009). Kangaroo mother care as compare to conventional care for low birth weight babies. Dicle Tip Dergisi. 36(3), 155-160. Chiu S. Anderson G.C., (2009). Effect of early skin-to-skin contact on mother–preterm infant interaction through 18 months: Randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 46, pp.1168–1180. Cleveland, L.M., 2008. Parenting in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing, Vol. 37 (6), 666e691. Cockfort S., (2011). How can family centred care be improved to meet the needs of parents with a premature baby in neonatal intensive care? Journal of Neonatal Nursing, Vol.95(5), pp.365-368. Cottrell, R.R. McKenzie, J. F. (2011). Health Promotion and Education Research Methods using the Five-Chapter Thesis/Dissertation Model (2nd ed.). Sudbury, Canada, United Kingdom: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. DeRouck, S. Leys, M., (2009). Information needs of parents of children admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. A review of the literature. Patient Education and Counselling, 76 (2), pp.159-173 DH: Department of Health, 2009. Toolkit for high-quality neonatal services. DH, London. Domanico R., Davis D.K., Coleman F. Davis B.O. (2010). Documenting the NICU design dilemma: comparative patient progress in open-ward and single family room units. Journal of Perinatology, Vol.31, pp. 281–288 Fenwick J., Barclay L., Schmied V.,(2008). Craving closeness: A grounded theory analysis of women’s experiences of mothering in the Special Care Nursery. Women and Birth, Vol. 21, pp.71—85. Geretsegger M., Holck U. and Gold C., (2012). Randomised controlled trial of improvisational music therapys effectiveness for children with autism spectrum disorders (TIME-A): study protocol. BMC Pediatrics Vol.12(2), pp.1471-2431. Gerrish K. Lacey A. (2010). The Research Process in Nursing. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. UK. 6th ed. Glaser, B.G., Strauss, A., 1967. The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. Aldine, NewYork. Gray, D. E. (2009). Doing Research in the Real World (2nd ed.). London, California, New Delhi, Singapore: Sage Publications. Grech V., Cassar M. Distefano S., (2012). Nurse staffing levels on a regional neonatal paediatric intensive care unit. Journal of Paediatric Intensive Care, Vol. 1(1), pp.25-29. Johnson, A.N., 2008. Promoting maternal confidence in the NICU. Journal of Paediatric Health Care, Vol. 22 (4), 254e257. Lee S., Long A. Jennifer B. (2009). Taiwanese women’s experiences of becoming a mother to a very-low-birth-weight preterm infant: A grounded theory study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol.46, pp. 326–336 McNabb, D. E. (2008). Research Methods in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches (2nd ed.). New York: M. E. Sharpe Incorporation. Morrow V., (2009) The Ethics of Social Research with Children and Families in Young Lives: Practical Experiences. Young Lives. Oxford: Department of International Development. Muijs D., (2010). Doing Quantitative Research in Education with SPSS. London: Sage Publications NICE: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, (2010). Quality Standard for Specialist Neonatal Care http://www.nice.org.uk/media/17A/A8/ Obeidat H.M, Bond E.A. Callister L.C., (2009). The Parental Experience of Having an Infant in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. The Journal of Perinatal Education | Summer, Vol. 18(3), pp.23-29. Parker L., (2011). Mothers’ experience of receiving counselling/ psychotherapy on a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Journal of Neonatal Nursing, Vol.17, pp.182-189. Polit D.F. Beck C.T. (2010) Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice, 7th ed. Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams Wilkins, Philadelphia. Nicholas-Sargent A., (2009). Predictors of needs in mothers with infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology, Vol. 27(2), pp.195–205. Schira, M. (2009). Appraising a single Research Article. In Mateo, M. A. Kirchhoff, K. T. (Eds.), Research for advanced practice nurses: from evidence to practice (pp. 73-85). New York: Springer Publishing Company. Strauss A. Corbin J.( 1998). Basics of qualitative research. 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publishers;. Watson, H., Booth, J. Whyte, R. (2010). Observation. In Gerrish, K. Lacey, A. (Eds.), The Research Process in Nursing (6th ed.) United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishing Limited. (pp. 382-394). Wood, M. J. Ross Kerr, J. C. (2011). Basic Steps in Planning Nursing Research: From Question to Proposal (7th ed.). Sudbury, Canada, United Kingdom: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.