Health Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Sociology - Essay Example Also included is the criticism of capitalism which forces the lower working classes to be subject to the exploitation of the upper classes. This includes not only the working standards of the employees but a variety of other factors such as the standards of health which are determined by the bourgeoisie set to attain power. Through manipulating these means, they are able to produce surplus product which leads to profits and the upper classes accumulation of wealth and power for themselves. The last pattern set by Marxism is the need for the worker to revolt. It is only by standing up to the orders set for them by the upper classes that the proletariat can escape. This requires the workers to unite through unions and political parties to stand against the control of the rich ruling classes. Thus, the Marxist policy is very consistent with the idea of exploitation done by the ruling class to maintain their power over the poorer and less powerful working classes. While most Marxist opinions are based upon the concept of economic determinism and its effect on the resulting class conflict, Marx and Engels have been unable to come with a unified and direct theory on over-all purpose of civil society itself. However this purpose of society can be understood by examining the work done by both men. This includes the criticism of the 19th century social systems, the advantages of a communist system and its superiority to the exploitation committed by the capitalist systems and the Marxist need for a justified revolution that would allow the workers to gain their due rights (Peffer 1990).Thus, Marxists aim for a health system that will not deprive the poor of their rights to a justifiable and efficient system that will provide for their basic needs and wants. Marxists view the health care system as a method for capitalist societies to search for profits while maintaining their capitalist domination and capital accumulation (Waitzkin 1983). Marx saw the problems created by the inequality amongst the classes. The conditions borne by the lower working classes were dismal. The working classes were living in an abject state of poverty and were deprived of many material goods. Not only were they paid a minimum wage which prevented them from buying anything but the basic necessities of life but they also lived together which allowed the diseases amongst them to spread at a much higher speed. This unbridled capitalist system created a breeding ground for disease amongst the proletariat (Baggott 2004). There is no doubt that the upper classes are not immune to the disease and infections spread caused by the social and economic conditions, but the number of ill-health between the rich and poor are severely disproportionate. This was coupled with the health services provided to the two different classes. Both were phenomenally different. This proved the Marxist concept that while the rich prospered; the working class lived in poo r conditions under them. The idea is that the health of managerial and professional classes tends to improve while those of the poorer

Emerging Technology 3-D Transistors Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Emerging Technology 3-D Transistors - Essay Example It is in line with this that manufacturers of memory cells, particularly, Intel have been concerned with ways of enhancing the performance level of transistors that are mounted on memory cells for various mobile devices, particularly smart phones. The new technology that has emerged from Intel is 3-D transistors. 3-D transistors have been said to be a technical form of Tri-Gate that has been set to advance over the traditional two-dimension gate, which was in flat construction. With the advancement, the two-dimensional planar is replaced with three-dimensional silicon fin that ensures that the silicon substrate is raised up vertically. This emerging technology has been said to be necessary because it is no longer becoming possible to cram transistors in two-dimensional gates to make the Moore’s Law of doubling the number of transistors on a silicon device every two years possible. Keywords – processor; transistors; 3-D transistors; tri-gate; mobile device; memory cell; Moore’s Law; fin; silicon; advancement; dimensional; chips I. INTRODUCTION The cell phone industry has grown to heights that can be described as the most phenomenal in decades since the introduction of the technology. There are indeed a number of factors that have aided in the rapid growth of the cell phone industry, particularly due to the efficiency and effectiveness of the various components of technologies that come together to make up the holistic cell phone industry. One of such components of technologies that cannot be overlooked is the performances of cell phones that have made them versatile to performing a number of functions, including advanced memory cells. It would be noted however that the making and functionality of these memory cells are always based on the mounting of transistors (Han and Wentzlo, 2010). these transistors have always been in place to enhance energy efficiency and monitor the speed of processors, ensuring that the cell phones and other mobile technology devices can undertake processes input in them quite easily (Joyner, Zarkesh-Ha, and Meindl, 2001). With this function of transistors in mobile devices, it is very clear to note that these mobile devices including new forms of smart phones cannot be integrated with component array of functionalities if they do not have an effective transistor base to regulate energy efficiency and processor speed (Apte, Doering, and Gargini, 2007). It is in line with this that the focus of most memory cell makers has been on the need to enhance the efficacy of transistors. This paper serves as a survey paper to critically analyze the works of existing reviewers on a particular new technology in the line of transistors, which are 3-D transistors. Intel’s 3-D transistors are used as a model. II. SURVEY FINDINGS A. Intel’s Motivation to go 3-D Since the emergence of this 3-D transistors idea, transistors were generally mounted on 2-D platforms, called the 2-D planer 2-D gate (Di etrich and Haase, 2012). Various researchers have therefore tried to find out what the motivation of Intel to go 3-D could be. In this, it has been identified that the major motivation behind the emerging technology of 3-D transistors is Moore’s Law (Davis et al, 2005). Chang, Zuo, Wang, Yu, and Boning (2012) notes that Moore’s Law states that â€Å"the number of transistors per chip will double roughly every two years.† By implication, the memory cell that houses the chips must be in a position to

Public and Private Finance in Property Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Public and Private Finance in Property - Essay Example ncreased consumption levels, reduction in unemployment rate, increased exports, growth in corporate profits as well as increased foreign direct investments. The British government does not only depend on tax revenue to fund its budget but also other sources which include state owned organizations, privatizations, foreign direct investments, sale of assets. The British government own several corporations, which forms a commendable source of revenue to the government in form of profits. For instance, the UK government own the postal service company- Royal mail, train-operating company-East Coast, and education holding company- BPP Holdings. The British government has been involved in a number of privatizations whereby the government relieve its ownership and interest in parastatal to private investors. An example of such privatization includes that of the British rail in 1993. British government is major player in local business and this is evident through participation in sovereign we alth funds. The UK government own motorways, harbours, airport terminus and sewer lines that forms an important source of revenue to the government when members of the public use these infrastructure. The government has also in a number of occasions disposed off its assets to get additional revenue in order to fund its operations. Government Expenditure The UK government has been experiencing a number of challenges with its expenditure patters for a long period. It is quite unfortunate that the UK government’s total expenditure for its fiscal years have always surpassed its revenue (Parliament, 2012). This trend has remained like this for a considerable period. The government has been forced in most cases to borrow surplus funds from the public in order to meet its expenditure need.... The British government does not only depend on tax revenue to fund its budget but also other sources which include state owned organizations, privatizations, foreign direct investments, sale of assets. The British government own several corporations, which forms a commendable source of revenue to the government in form of profits. For instance, the UK government own the postal service company- Royal mail, train-operating company-East Coast, and education holding company- BPP Holdings. The British government has been involved in a number of privatizations whereby the government relieve its ownership and interest in parastatal to private investors. An example of such privatization includes that of the British rail in 1993. British government is major player in local business and this is evident through participation in sovereign wealth funds. The UK government own motorways, harbours, airport terminus and sewer lines that forms an important source of revenue to the government when memb ers of the public use these infrastructure. The government has also in a number of occasions disposed off its assets to get additional revenue in order to fund its operations. The UK government has been experiencing a number of challenges with its expenditure patters for a long period. It is quite unfortunate that the UK government’s total expenditure for its fiscal years have always surpassed its revenue (Parliament, 2012). The government has been forced in most cases to borrow surplus funds from the public in order to meet its expenditure need.

Historical and Current Roles in Higher Education Research Paper

Historical and Current Roles in Higher Education - Research Paper Example Historically, education served as a mechanism through which the public good was advanced. However, currently, this ideology has changed over the years and new roles erupted. For instance, the societal benefits of education have changed to individual benefits. Institutions are equipping the students with the necessary skills that will enable them to fit in the job market. Therefore, the modern role of education is value addition (Hensley,  Galilee-Belfer, & Lee,  2013). The perception that education is the only existing gateway to the middle-class has increased the demand for education in the modern society. Therefore, more institutions have come up in order to fill this gap. However, this has affected the quality of education in the country (Lansverk, 2013). This is because institutions are now highly concerned about the numbers they admit rather than the quality of the information being disseminated to the students. Education is currently perceived as a one time investment expenditure. As a result, parents are willing to spend a fortune in order to equip their children with education. This has played a significant role in increasing the overall costs of college education. In an attempt to get a share of the mega profits, private institutions that are run using a business model have mushroomed. It is believed that education leads to the improvement of public health and welfare. As a result, the government has been instrumental in ensuring that more children gain a degree. In order to achieve this ambition more institutions of higher learning have been established. This explains the reason why the number of both the public and private institutions have increased tremendously. It is believed that education increases happiness, improve the living standards of a household and improve the financial management of the individuals. The government feels that it has a role of improving the living

My ideal place Essay Example for Free

My ideal place Essay Every person has some special place, where he or she feels the most comfortable and happy. My ideal place is football field of my high school. Being a member of our high school football team I always spend a lot of time there when participating in our trainings and playing games. I truly enjoy this dynamic activity, and there is nothing better for me than playing football with my good friends and feeling myself as a member of the team. This is the place where I can fulfill myself the best, and this makes me feel great. Our football playground is amazing! It is absolutely not worth than the ones for professional NFL teams. The field is very large, comfortable and perfectly cared about by our high school personnel, so the grass is always in good condition and everywhere is very clean. There are special seats for those, who want to see and enjoy our games. We have very good equipment for the games and trainings: balls and our personal kits of yellow-blue colors. During our daily trainings our coach makes us to do different things. We do a lot of special physical exercises and drills, as well as having some theoretical lectures and consultations. As a rule, quite a lot of people gather for the games to support our team: our friends, parents, teachers and other spectators. Many of them hold our small yellow-blue flags and applaud for the best players of the team. By the way, we have a group of beautiful cheer girls, who always accompany us at the games. It is incredible thrill to appear in front of our audience and receive from them a huge doze of positive energy for good performance. I always try to catch a second before the game begins, to watch the skies for a moment and to take a deep breath of tonic fresh air. The football field of my high school is ideal place for me, because I truly like playing this game. I believe that it will become my real life-long dedication! Football is not only physical activity, but it is always a challenge. We like to play and to win, and we always enjoy our accomplishments together. During the trainings and playing games every one of us learns, how to be a member of the team, and together we learn how to deal with the things as a team. I think that this activity is very important for my future, because it improves both my social image and self-esteem. It helps to gain self-control over my physical self and mental self.

Why are Professional Standards Important?

Why are Professional Standards Important? Introduction To start this report I would like to explain the importance of professional standards. According to the LLUK (no date) the professional standards have a purpose. These standards are for all educators who work within the lifelong learning sector which describe the skills, knowledge and attributes required for those who are in teaching and training roles. Professionalism in a teacher role According to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (no date) teacher professionalism has relevant significance in education and that it affects the role of the teacher, which in return affects the students ability to learn effectively. This definition however does not describe how a professional should act within their job or workplace. According to teaching expertise (2006) the post-compulsory education and training (PCET) sector is broad and diverse. Teachers, trainers and tutors who work within the FE sector have all had different experiences. Educators have often gained specialist knowledge within a particular industry e.g. hospitality and catering. An alternative route is through university and specialising this way. Critically examine societies and your own, values in relation to education or training. (K1) Values of professional practice, according to Wallace (2009), Our values represent something internal to us a part at our own moral and ethical guidance system. I believe that teaching and learning has a purpose to educate learners in the means to proceed and progress a learners future and career prospects. I believe that a value is a value created on someones own behalf. The purpose of education, I believe, is to educate and furthermore we need education in our daily lives to survive. The educator has a role which is to support and provide a service whilst at the same time motivating learners. Furthermore, it is important to stress that there should be a connection between the educator and learner and that there is a positive relationship between them. It is important, as an educator, to communicate effectively. In addition, a profession and a professional work together in harmony. It should be made clear that a professional person needs values of professionalism. There may be some overlap in terms of how a professional should act or carry out a professional job. The comments above tie in closely with what makes a good teacher. From personal reflections and thoughts, three distinct aspects came to my attention, which are: An effective listener towards the learners and staff Being respectful to colleagues and learners To be understanding towards learners and staff Poor teaching or poor professionalism in teaching is as follows: Not letting students finish tasks No reassurance of learning Impolite to staff and students Favouritism with students In summary, the values which are distinct and should be considered as acceptable values for teaching professionals are being supportive, being a listener and also to respect all staff and students within the institution. Professional practice can be determined with a set of values. These values are what educators should be following with on-going observation and reflective practice. According to LLUK (no date) there is a set of standards called the New overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector. Furthermore, the standards categorised into sub-sections which have specific professional objectives and act as guidelines. It is these objectives which educators must abide to throughout teacher practice. According to LLUK (no date) there is a set of 7 professional values. An example would be, AS 1 all learners, their progress and development, their learning goals and aspirations and the experience they bring to their learning AS 2 Learning, its potential to benefit people emotionally, intellectually, socially and economically, and its contribution to community sustainability As mentioned, each point has a value and purpose. From just observing the set of values, purposely constructed for educators within the LLUK sector, they are powerful and strong. I believe there is a problem with the values that educators may not be able to abide to all of these due to several reasons. Firstly, funding, and that some institutes may suffer to deliver consistent values. Secondly, some of the values will have more demand than others. It can be argued that these values will vary according to the institute. It can be suggested that some institutions would decide to keep their dominant values. Additionally, the values set by the LLUK are and should be approached with underpinning knowledge and understanding and a professional practice. For example, referring to LLUK (No name), The knowledge and understanding: AK 1.1 What motivates learners to learn and the importance of learners experience and aspirations. Professional practice: AP 1.1 Encourage the development and progression of all learners through recognising, valuing and responding to individual motivation, experience and aspirations Darling-Hammond (1988) commented that the value of professionalism, in regards to educators, is fundamental and direction of excellence. The author states that educators need competence and that professionalism relates to three focuses which are preparation, knowledge of subject area, and defined pedagogy. Firstly, preparation, prepares the professional for the classroom which examines the language and cultural barriers. All educators face deterrents in the classroom that must be broken down by individualised techniques. Darling-Hammond (1988 pg. 59) related this to state, Decision making by well-trained professionals allows individual clients needs to be met more precisely andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦promotes continual refinement and improvement in overall practice It is to suggest that values of professionalism are to be approached correctly. This will encourage the educator to be prepared for the classroom. Furthermore, the values of professionalism exist for a reason. They will benefit the professional teacher in terms of motivating and encourage student participation. Alongside preparation, a professional educator with a strong knowledge of his/her subject area will create opportunities to be creative around the subject taught. As a result, Lesson planning and resource preparation time will be less because the educator will already understand the subject. This will reduce the time researching material. It is worth commenting that it would be an advantage to know a subject inside out and would reflect and portray confidence in his/her teaching. In addition, the educator should have a wealth of experience which would benefit his/her practice and enhance their teaching. According to Lunenburg and Ornstein (2000), developing such expertise and knowledge can take years to develop such knowledge. As a result of this, I believe that constant reading and information seeking is important to teaching a specialist subject. It would be beneficial that an educator has worked and gained enough experience within the industry in order for them to teach or become specialists in their profession. I also believe that this would improve and develop opportunities when it comes to being creative. It is helpful to outline the wider context within which FE practice and values of the professional educator. Notwithstanding, the tutor groups in FE who were not previously included in the FE (e.g. colleges 14-19 diplomas), colleges have become livelier places. Lecturers activities have now geared more to ensuring that students remain on courses and that students pass qualifications (Hyland and Merrill 2003 P.g. 86). To summarise, I would like to comment that professional values assist the educator and that they should be utilised at all times during his or her practice. Guile and Lucas (1999 P.g. 204) suggested that clarification in terms of describing the FE educator is needed. It is worth suggesting that society decides and determines professionalism and the values of professionalism within reason to how the educator should be. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the concept of professionalism as this relates to the current role of a teacher working in the PCET sector. (K1, K2) With regard to the concept of professionalism, Humphreys and Hyland (2002 P.g. 06) argued that, the concentration on performance in teaching and professional development is to be welcomed, provided that performance is not defined in purely technicist or instrumental terms In other words, there is a purpose for performance in teaching which should not be confused or misinterpreted. The criteria, the role and responsibilities of a teacher have and are becoming more and more centralised. The questionable scenario/point to highlight here is that of the educator and how they are to overcome this challenge. According to IFL, a Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status is recognition for newly qualified teachers within PCET. This highlights the identity of teachers in post-compulsory education and training. All new teachers need to achieve a Level 3 teaching qualification. Following this, new teachers have five years to achieve a Level 5 teaching qualification which leads to the QTLS status. The QTLS status is recognition of the teaching qualification in order to teach within the PCET sector. In working towards a new profession, the IFL raises the importance for continuing professional development (CPD) which ensures that educators remain specialists in their chosen subject/s. According to Millerson (1964), there is conflict and discussion to how the teacher should carry out their professional role. This relates to the nature of professionalism. Millerson (1964) mentioned that professionalism concerned a lot of attention to sociologists in the 1950s. The main approach at the time focused on establishing the features that an occupation should have in order to be termed a profession. Within context, this questioned how professions such as medicine and law should be perceived. In contrast, Hanlon (1998) highlighted that there is research on professionalism. The author stated that people see professionalism in a profession. The author has highlighted the point that teaching is a profession and that the role of the teacher is professional. Critically evaluates a chosen aspect of quality assurance in PCET and relates this to the concept of professionalism. (K3) To critique quality assurance within PCET it would be appropriate to define quality assurance. To summarise, quality assurance is a system which prevents a lack of professionalism and through regular control standards and values can be maintained. This makes sure that the needs of the user/s are satisfied. The main purpose is to control assessment and also seeks to improve performance. In addition, quality assurance controls and helps to benchmark against existing qualitative and quantitative results/feedback. Professionalism and quality assurance are two complex areas which overlap and must work together. The two areas concerned are of high importance to the teacher, the course team and the college/Institution. The quality assurance process is closely linked with being a professional teacher and that the professional values should aim to assist and facilitate a direction. Being a professional teacher requires continuous professional development which is carried out by completing research within the specialist subject, faculty and institution. According to the LLUK (no date), student feedback is valuable. There are two types of feedback, formal and informal approaches. It is vital that the PCET teacher considers regular peer observations which will help to improve teaching skills. Observations can help to critique teaching styles/approaches within teaching. Through regular peer assessment and observation, the PCET teacher/tutor must demonstrate effective and appropriate organisational skills which should be evidenced through lesson planning. According to LLUK (No Date), The department and staff should be measured using a variety of ways which should include and involve statistical data such as attendance records, grades, percentages, student profiles, student surveys and lesson observations and more. This data can interpret and help to benchmark against information. This should assist the control and assessment of quality assurance as mentioned above. The institution has a reputation to uphold and a quality status to achieve through goals and action plans. It is part of the PCET teacher to ensure that constant contributions and efforts are made which are then measured through internal audits, college records, league tables and every child matters policies. Lastly, external bodies, as they help to mould the quality together. It could be stated that they are the back bone. External bodies such as, LLUK or Ofsted Inspectors signify what must be done. It is an essential part for guidance and that these external bodies are to help and improve the PCET teacher, college/institution and department. According to The University of Bath (2005) there would be a board or a quality assurance committee who would be responsible for the staff teaching. Internal and external examiners are also utilised to produce reports which help to evaluate and review the teacher, department and institute. All parts of the quality assurance system within PCET are vital to the mix of an overall quality performance. The chosen aspect for critical evaluation is observation. Reasoning for my decision is that there is plenty of research and information about the topic. Observations assist educators and institutions in terms of learning and teaching. It should be made clear for what purpose the observation has and will this benefit the teacher or the institution or both. Bains (2006) highlighted two main categories, formal and informal observations. These must be an agreed upon before it takes place. Bains (2006) stated that Formal observations are those for Performance Management e.g. Ofsted. Informal observations are those used for professional development. These take part of internal monitoring systems. Peer observations, for example, for informal feedback. The University of Sussex (no date) highlighted the importance of peer observation of teaching and that this enhances the status of teaching and learning and also strengthens quality assurance processes. The University of Exeter (2005) explained peer observations to be an assessment of teachers by teachers. Furthermore, pairings may be experienced by mentor/novice or experienced teacher. It could be argued that peer assessment can alternatively assess on various levels in terms of teaching experience. It is also questionable whether the observation criterion assesses appropriately against the observed teacher. The peer observation should help the teacher to develop teaching skills by carrying out observations with colleagues. It should be highlighted that the main objective is to provide opportunities for teachers to reflect on his or her teaching. The QAA (2000) stated that peer observation provides educators with opportunities to learn from each other in a non-threatening environment. This could suggest that teachers would share ideas constructively to his or her professional benefit and within relation to professional values. In summary, it can be argued that peer assessment is for the educators benefit. It is debatable how institutions guarantee that students learn effectively and consistently at all times throughout their education. Peer observations are to improve teaching practice which can be seen as beneficial to newly qualified teachers. It can be commented that peer assessment assists less experienced teachers to improve their teaching skills. Pagani (2002) commented that educators should have the freedom to choose peer assessor/observers. This approach could be argued as vague due to various reasoning behind fairness, equality and also being critical. In agreement, Pagani (2002) stated that institutions should identify an area of focus for peer observation. In summary, peer observations are useful and appropriate. There is some overlap and a lack of decisiveness to a concrete definition of observation. Furthermore, peer observations need to be carefully planned on the grounds of professionalism. I believe that peer observation should not be considered as an informal practice. It would be fair to comment that it is a formal in-house procedure which adopts formal guidelines. In agreement, Partington and Brown (1997) identified that peer review is an essential process for reviewing ideas and identifies where mistakes could occur if action is not followed through carefully. It can be commented that this improves the quality of a product/service. The authors argued that it is an opportunity to criticise and that it is an aspect of building ones confidence and teaching. Using relevant models of reflective practice to critically analyse learning on the Course The course, for me, has been beneficial and an enjoyable experience. It is time to reflect on my teaching practice. There have been some difficult stages which I have highlighted and times where improvement and action have been considered. According to Brookfield (1988) critical thinking is a process on recent experience with a past experience and should create an area or topic for discussion. Brookfield (1988) mentioned that critical reflection should include differences and or any relationships which can be highlighted. The aim of critical reflection is to develop critical thinking skills which will determine specific and realistic outcomes. On many occasions throughout the course I have reflected and it would be difficult to reflect on the whole course due to such varied topics and vast complexity of discussion. Hatton and Smith (1995) designed a critical reflection model which identified a framework for writing and identifying different kinds of reflection. The model will be used to help assist with my critical reflective practice. The framework will also determine stages within my teaching practice where I believe it is worth discussing. The first point of the model is descriptive and aims to create a starting point. To the attention of past reflections and practice it is a wise and an appropriate decision to reflect upon the micro-teach (pttls). The micro-teach was carried out within the early stages of my teaching practice. This was my starting point for teaching and reflecting. The second point will highlight descriptive reflections which attempts to provide reasons based upon personal judgment. I realised that an active approach to my hospitality students was required and that the VAKs strategies improved my lesson planning and time management. Gradually, as the course continued, lesson planning developed to become more structured and defined in terms of my aims and objectives. Throughout my reflective practice, to my attention, a number of students did not respond to how my lessons were planned. Thinking about this, this was down to the level of functional skills applied to the level delivered. To my attention, I needed to improve my skills on delivery. I needed to understand how I should apply them appropriately and effectively in lessons. The forth action point within the model must relate to a broader historical, social and/or political context and what better than my experience and knowledge gained throughout the independent study of the curriculum module. The study helped to generate some valuable points on social, political, economical and technological factors within context to my teaching practice. Brookfield (2001) described critical reflection to be a systematic effort which identified and discovered material. Brookfield (2001) developed the four lenses model which helped to analyse and assist teaching practices. The four lenses are our own experiences as learners, students, colleagues, and reading the professional literature. These help to reveal the assumptions behind those practices and call them into question. The model of reflection will help to analyse my teaching practice within the points identified above. My micro-teach was an experience and made me feel nervous and apprehensive as I have never taught before in my life. Due to my nerves, I wanted to make sure that I was delivering correct and appropriate information. I researched around my chosen topic which reassured my teaching delivery. I also found that this became useful when I was using the question and answer technique. I found that I was applying teaching techniques and strategies that I had learnt in the first few weeks of the course. Having applied these teaching strategies they helped boost my confidence. The question and answer technique was adopted to assist my delivery. I believe that this engaged my learners. I applied the VAKs strategies to help all learners. The students engaged well to my micro-teach and I now believe that I need to consider an active learning approach as I teach hospitality students. I personally found that the micro-teach went smooth considering it was my first time. Having now reflected, I think that more literature could have been used to support other learners. To summarise, the micro-teach was certainly a stepping stone towards becoming a successful teacher within the PCET sector. I found this a leap forwards and was extremely beneficial before going to my placement. After Christmas I personally felt under a lot of pressure as I was accumulating my teaching hours as well as working towards my assignments. Most of my lesson reflections identified that my teaching technique and style was too relaxed. Some of my students started to misbehave and use this to their advantage in class. I realised, after many lessons and observations that I needed to deliver my lessons with an active approach which would then control and manage my class. As a teacher trainee, I found that I was spending a lot of time on my lesson plans. They were not seeking the best out of students. I revisited my approach and consulted my mentor who kindly assisted my lesson planning. I found that this helped tremendously in writing and structuring my lessons. I found myself researching around activities and being creative when it comes to teaching. I researched and functional skills which closely linked with my VAKs and as result, I eventually found that students were learning effectively through their preferred methods of learning and my classroom management skills improved. About half way through the course there were several issues regarding my lesson planning. My mentor assisted me to improve my aims and objectives. I needed to make sure that my aims and objectives were measurable and considered direction towards my classroom approach and student benefit. As a teacher trainee, I feel that lesson planning is something that can only come in time. In fact, I realised that I needed to make sure I can plan a lesson now to ensure that I can deliver a lesson. My mentor and other colleagues supported me by letting me look at their lesson plans. My mentor and I agreed that I would submit my lesson plans before delivery. This helped me to understand and or rethink my aims and objectives. My lessons improved by being realistic about the aims and objectives and, as a result, improved student learning and teaching skills. The course has certainly been a learning curve. One of the most challenging reports was the curriculum assignment. I personally found that the report involved a lot of reading around political, economical, sociological and technological topics. The curriculum models were difficult to understand so I tried to refer to them in a realistic context at my placement. My mentor was supportive and guided me through some of the curriculum models. From past reflections, I think that curriculum models and understanding them are vital towards delivering specific courses such as the BTEC national diploma course. This is a course I was helping to deliver. This helped me to understand how I should approach my delivery. Make a critical comment on the value of reflective practice in the development of professional teachers. (K4, A2, A3) It would be appropriate to explain and define reflection before making assumptions and critical comments. Reflection is an everyday sense which assists and looks back on past experiences. Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) stated that critical reflection is known as a vehicle. This is used by educators to evaluate and analyse experiences within a classroom environment. Brookfield (1995) mentioned that critical reflective practice is a process which is used to analyse experiences. For example, curriculum development or theories. It can be stated that reflection is a process which analyses a point or action. In addition, critical analysis could be used to understand why a point or action is how it is. Within reason, critical reflection will be used. As a metaphor, the reflective practice could be the foundations of a house. The purpose of reflection is clear. Consequently, reflection does not indicate who, what, where, how and or why practitioners should carry out reflections and that it is left to the educator. This leads on to the work of Brookfield (1995) and stated that critical reflection can be broken into a number of dimensions which address or at least suggest a route for reflecting. 1. Descriptive 2. Descriptive with some reflection 3. Dialogic reflection 4. Critical reflection Reflective practice, according to Brookfield (1995), stated that practitioners can develop self-awareness if they evaluate their performance/s on an on-going basis. The author stated that teaching practice can be improved by focussing on the experiences and activities used. Within agreement, reflective practice is meaningful and it improves skills and knowledge. It can be argued that time and patience is an issue and not to forget how experienced the practitioner/educator is. I mean that reflective practice could prove more meaningful for a trainee teacher than an experienced teacher of over 10-20 years. There are many angles which could be argued and that reflective practice improves over time and not over night. Hatton and Smith (1995) agreed that self-awareness is meaningful when we want to improve teaching practice. Various teaching methods and skills allow the professional to consider alternative avenues. This would have a positive impact on their teaching by increasing their level of self-awareness. It can be argued that teaching practice and professionalism can only be developed in time. In addition, personal experiences and the experiences of colleagues should create an environment that enhances student learning. This suggests that the experienced practitioner is valuable and they should help trainee teachers to improve their teaching. As a result, the student, department and institution will benefit. Bruner (1990) highlighted that critical reflective practice is an ongoing process which enriches curriculum. I would agree that educators strive to be effective and students want to be creative. This suggests that curriculum should reflect both parties concerned. There seems to be contrast and overlap to authors opinions on reflection and being critical. It is to suggest that all practitioners have aims and objectives which determine enhance teaching practices and students performances. Curriculum awareness is highlighted and reflective practice should aim to achieve and improve the educator in terms of the teaching practice, students grades, the college league boards and attendance and reputation. Bruner (1990) would recommend that teachers engage in critical conversations with colleagues which would enhance and determine educational philosophies, instructions, and responsibilities to students growth. To summarise, it can be commented that a practitioner should reflect on their experiences. Reflective practice would eventually re-shape his or her teaching practice. It should be expressed that reflection is wise and is compulsory towards becoming and or achieving higher standards of teaching practice for the practitioner, the students and the institute. In addition, I believe that the professional teacher/educator should consider and value students comments. This would engage the students more and would assist the practitioner to understand the students better. Reflective practice develops professionals and enables us to learn from our own experiences. Although, I would argue that more experience does not guarantee improved learning. In addition, I dont believe that twenty years of teaching is twenty years of learning about teaching. It may also be the case that one year repeats over twenty times with no reflections made. I would consider this as poor teaching. It is worth commenting that reflections are honest and effective which should, in time, improve teaching skills. From reading, it has drawn to my attention that additional research is required around critical reflective practice. A review for appropriate opportunities within my personal professional development and to discuss my acquisition of skills in relation to professional development. (A1, A3) ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers) (2009) mentioned that since September 2007, all educators within the further education and skills sector in England came under new regulations which revised teaching qualifications. Continuous professional development (CPD) for all teachers are now required and is requested by the Institute for Learning (IfL). To gain and create opportunities within PPD and CPD action will be considered. First of all, up to this date, a review of my skills will be summarised which will help and assist the development opportunities. As part of the PPD and CPD, IFL membership is required in order to complete the CPD. Depending on a job after the course, full-time teachers should undertake at least 30 hours of CPD per year for professional development. CPD is a condition of retaining the IFL membership and aims to improve teaching skills. IFL made CPD compulsory for newly qualified teachers and permits them to teach within FE colleges. Examples of informal CPD might be to work shadowing, peer observation, attendance at subject-specific conferences, reading journal articles, or gathering up-to-date information on new curricula and or helping on qualifications such as 14-19 diplomas. A skills audit was completed for WBE 1 file which identified various weaknesses which could potentially be made into positive outcomes. In addition, WBE 1 and WBE 2 files were compared using the reflective practice gained throughout the course. The skills audit identified some weaknesses and also strengths. One of the main highlighted weaknesses was maths/numeric skills and that consideration would be focussed to embed these into lessons. This was a smart target objective to accomplish before finishing the course. Secondly, writing and literacy skills and was more closely related to proof reading documents before submission. On the other hand, the audit highlighted that IT and communication skills were high and that confidence developed. Action was considered using smart objectives which were defined to achieve in a step by step process however I still feel discomfort w

An Inverted Tooth Chain Engineering Essay

An Inverted Tooth Chain Engineering Essay An inverted-tooth chain operates quietly and smoothly and is also known as a silent chain. Silent chain consists of a series of toothed link plates assembled on joint components in a way that allows free flexing between each pitch. The teeth on the link plates mesh with a sprocket, similar to the way a rack meshes with a gear. The great majority of silent chain is used in drives. Silent chains are made up of stacked rows of load carrying link plates. Increasing the number of rows of links increases the chain width, tensile strength, and load carrying capacity. Using this feature, manufacturers make silent chains ranging from less than a 1 in. wide to more than 20 in. wide, with power capacities ranging from a fraction of a horsepower to more than 2000 hp. A chain is a reliable machine component, which transmits power by means of tensile forces, and is used primarily for power transmission and conveyance systems. The function and uses of chain are similar to a belt. There are many kinds of chain. It is convenient to sort types of chain by either material of composition or method of construction. There are five types of chains: Cast iron chain Cast steel chain Forged chain Steel chain Plastic chain Demand for the first three chain types is now decreasing; they are only used in some special situations. For example, cast iron chain is part of water-treatment equipment; forged chain is used in overhead conveyors for automobile factories. History: Chains have been used for centuries to drive machines and move materials on conveyors and elevators. In 225 B C, Philo described a chain- driven water lift. Leonard da Vinci sketched the chain designs in the 1500s. Some are similar to modern bar link, leaf, and silent chains. Cog chain was developed in the early 1800s to transmit power or motion between the shafts of treadmills to water elevators, weaving looms and harvesting machinery. This chain was used to mechanize farm implements, but it broke easily and was difficult to repair in the field. Cast detachable chain was introduced in 1873 and overcome many of the problems of cog chain. This chain was made of simple identical cast links that were easily coupled and uncoupled by hand. This basic detachable chain design is one of the early chain concepts that have been unchanged nowadays also. After few years cast detachable chain was introduced, a chain made of all steel parts was introduced for driving bicycles. A patent for roller chain was issued in 1880. By early 1900s, roller chains drove the wheels of safety bicycles, as well as automobiles, trucks, and the propellers of the Wright Brothers airplane that flew at Kitty Hawk. Two major factors combined to make the roller chain industry were automation and standardization. Automation helped manufacturers meet the demand for the large amounts of high quality that were used on machines made by other industries. Standard dimensions and capacities ensured that roller chains would fit and operate as the designer planned. The result was that the industry soon became as the precision roller chain industry. Engineering steel chains were first developed in the 1880s. They were developed for greater strength, speed and shock resistance and for better dimensional control than could be obtained from cast chains. Pitch, strength, wear life, and carrying capacity were increased to meet the heavy duty needs of industry. There are many types of engineering steel chains. Those with steel rollers are the most widely used on both drives and conveyors. The bushed, roller less style are the needs of many conveyor and bucket elevator applications. Sir Isambard Kingdom Brunel supervised the building of the Great Britain, and it was a revolutionary ship design. It was the first sea going iron steamship, the first propeller driven steamship to cross the Atlantic, and the first vessel driven by inverted tooth, or silent chain. The silent chain drive delivered power from the engines to the propeller shaft by way of large wooden- tooth sprockets. From 1895 to 1925, the chain industry improved the design of silent chains. From 1930 onwards, silent chain was used in a variety of industrial applications such as drives in paper and textile mills, flour and feed mills, printing presses, pumps and machine tools. Throughout the 20th century, the industry improved material quality, processing technology, and chain designs to increase the load and speed capacity of silent chain. Silent chain is also used in the drive train of snowmobiles and four wheel drive recreational vehicles. Outside the power transmission market, silent chain can be used as a conveying surface in a variety of material transport applications. Major improvements were made in the production of food and beverage products. The introduction of high speed processing, filling, and packaging equipment drove the need for a chain with a flat carrying surface for material handling. The first flat-top chains were produced by welding steel plates to roller chain, producing a flat surface where products or packages could be carried. These first flat-top chains were made of carbon and corrosion resistant steel and were widely used in the brewing industry to convey glass bottles. Construction and Features: Silent Chains have a very simple construction: only plates and pins. Silent Chains are actually an update of a 19th-century design.  ANSI  B29.2M-1982 regulates the standard pitch, width, and kilowatt ratings of the chains and sprockets. There are eight different pitches from 9.52 mm to 50.8 mm. The link plate receives tension and has a notch for engaging the sprockets. There is no notch on the guide plate. These plates act as guides for the sprockets. Pins may be round or have other shapes, such as D-shape. All the chain components share the tension. Silent Chains have higher capacity than roller chains of the same width. Since the link plates of Silent Chain strike the sprocket at an angle, the impact and the noise are reduced. This is why these chains are called silent. The higher the chain speed, the greater the difference from roller chains. Driving Links: Driving links, also known as plain links, engage with sprocket teeth to drive the chain. They are typically the most common component in the chain. Guide Links: Guide links maintain proper tracking of the chain on sprockets. They are positioned on the outer edges of the chain in side guide and multi guide chain or in the centre, with the centre guide chain. Pins: Pins allow the chain joint to flex and hold the assembled chain together. Chains may have a single pin in each joint or two pins, depending on the chain type. Design considerations: Tensile loads and strength: Silent chain with single pin assembly may be subjected to all of the tensile loads, but silent chain with two pin assembly eliminates chordal action. It is not affectd much by tensile loads from chordal action. Fatigue limit: It is a most important consideration in designing silent chains. The lower speed part of the power ratings for silent chain is based on a minimum fatigue limit. Fatigue strength: Loads exceed the fatigue limit in very high performance drives. The chain must have adequate fatigue strength to endure these loads only if the chain is to be used in high performance drives. Fatigue strength in the finite life range is an important consideration in designing silent chains. Wear: Wear is an important consideration in designing silent chain. The two major types of wears are joint wear and link plate and sprocket wear. Joint wear: As the chain runs over the sprockets, the joints flex. Material is worn off the joint components and chain gets longer. Then chain then rides out farther on the sprocket teeth. This increase noise and reduce efficiency. Link plate and sprocket wear: These wears are also caused by friction on the chains which reduces the efficiency of the silent chains. Advantages of silent chain drives: Silent chain drives require nearly as precise alignment as gear drives to obtain peak performance and service life. †¢ Silent chains are less affected by chordal action and joint friction than other chains; silent chains engage sprockets with reduced vibration, noise, and frictional losses. †¢ Silent chain can operate at loads and speeds that often exceed the capability of belts and other types of chain. †¢ Silent chain drives are quieter and smoother than roller chain drives, and in some cases are quieter than gear drives. †¢ Silent chain drives are more compact than gear drives when the shafts must turn in the same direction. Manufacturers of inverted tooth chain are: Bosch Rexroth AG, Germany:- Bosch Rexroth is an engineering company based in Germany. It is the result of merging between Mannesmann Rexroth AG and the Automation Technology Business Unit of Robert Bosch. It employs over 35,000 people worldwide. The industries Bosch Rexroth serves are Agricultural machinery, automotive manufacturing, Machine tools, Civil engineering and many more. Rexroths inverted tooth chains: The largest delivery program in the world for inverted tooth chains used for driving and transporting are from Rexroth. Rexroths new inverted tooth conveyor chains come with the axle pivots welded to the outer plate by laser. This new technology prevents lateral movement of the joint pivots. These innovative inverted tooth conveyor chains are fully interchangeable with previous design and the sprockets do not require any machining. .Advantages of Bosch Rexroth inverted tooth chain drives over: Gears / Transmissions Belts Roller Chains Reduced bearing loads Non-slip Rolling pivot joint Insensitive to temperature fluctuations Higher Speeds High maximum velocity No need for intermediate sprocket Silent no whistling Low-noise Zero tooth flank backlash Space-saving Smooth running due to involute toothing running Larger permissible tolerances for shaft installation Small sprocket diameters 99% efficiency Vibration damping Insensitive to extreme temperatures or humidity levels Wear-resistant sprockets Low-cost sprockets Reduced bearing loads Vibration damping The advantages over other conveyor systems are: Due to high power density, the space used is optimum Extremely long service life and availability Very low lubrication requirements High temperature tolerance Highly robust and resistant Comparison with different types: Characteristics Tooth chains Roller chains Toothed belts Toothed wheels Noise behaviour Very good Average Bad Good Temperature sensitivity Good Good Bad Good Space required Good Average Bad Very good Wear Good Bad Average Very good Maintenance Partly necessary Necessary Not necessary Not necessary Ramsey Products in USA is another major company. Ramsey manufactures an extensive range of silent chain and sprockets for use in industrial power transmission and conveying applications. For the companies that work with glass, silent conveying chains offer many benefits in applications like handling to precision inspection and measurement from hot-end and cold-end. These chains are made through hardened steel link plates and case hardened steel pins. Characteristics of Ramsey chain: Flatness and uniformity: The flat, uniform surface of the chain provides transport of smaller bottles without any trouble. Surface velocity: The chain wears, the pitch increases uniformly throughout the chain, and velocity remains constant. Uniform velocity reduces breakage. Heat resistance: The temperatures are high with hot-end handling, to withstand these temperatures chains are made from hardened steel. Heat transfer from transported glassware and heating torches does not effect the uniformity of the conveyor surface. Economy: Improved product handling, and requires very less maintenance, chain provides a cost effective means for conveying glassware in high speed production lines. Types of chain: Ramsey manufactures four basic types of conveyor chain. Ultralife Standard Lo-profile Extended pitch Ultralife are best quality conveyor chain. They consists single pin and two pin assembly. The straight edge of the aperture maximizes the link area contacting the pins and reduces joint bearing stresses and wear. Single pin joints provide a durable, smooth acting joint, satisfactory life, and easy to install than two pin joints. These are developed specifically for the glass industry. Two pin joints are originally developed for use in power transmission and have been adapted for use in conveying chains. They have the advantages such as long life, low friction and high efficiency. Advantages of Ramsey silent chain over : Gears / Transmissions Belts Roller Chains Greater elasticity and shock absorption capability No slippage Longer sprocket life Less critical shaft location and alignment Higher Speed and power capacity High speed and power capacity No end thrust Greater efficiency 99% efficiency Detachable and easily replaced Easily installed More uniform wear characteristics Lower bearing loads Lower bearing loads Less velocity variation More economical with large centre distances Larger drive ratios Reduced noise and vibration Reduced noise and vibration Less affected by temperature Less affected by chordal action R. Prinz KG Maschinenfabrik, Austria Wippermann jr. GmbH, Germany ZITEC Industrietechnik GmbH, Germany These are major companies in manufacture of inverted chain and exporting them. There are many small industries in China, India which manufacture these chains. Applications of Inverted tooth chains: Roller table drive applications Cost-efficient group drive Uniform synchronous running No backlash when reversing Quiet even at high speeds Good meshing conditions minimize wear Outer tooth ring applications More cost-efficient than a milled tooth ring Suitable for large transmission ratios Full circle rotary motion or swivel motion along an angle segment possible in reverse or continuously Gripper and robot drive applications Precise synchronized motion High load capacity even at narrow widths Optimum meshing depth on the toothing provides a high a degree of security against skipping Flexible shaft coupling applications High elasticity Uncouples quickly by opening the lock or by radial offset when closed Angles can be shifted to 1 ° and shafts can be shifted radially to 2% of the pitch