Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Equilibrium Constant - Chemistry Definitions

Equilibrium Constant - Chemistry Definitions The equilibrium constant is the ratio of the equilibrium concentrations of the products raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients to the equilibrium concentrations of the reactants raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients.For a reversible reaction:aA bB → cC dDThe equilibrium constant, K, is equal to:K [C]c ·[D]d/[A]a ·[B]bwhere[A] equilibrium concentration of A[B] equilibrium concentration of B[C] equilibrium concentration of C[D] equilibrium concentration of D There are several different types of equilibrium constants. These including binding constants, association constants, dissocation constants, stability constants, and formation constants. Factors that may affect the equilibrium constant include temperature, ionic strength, and choice of solvent. Source Denbigh, K. (1981). Chapter 4. The Principles of Chemical Equilibrium (4th ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-28150-8.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Effective Praise Highlights Student Effort

Effective Praise Highlights Student Effort Praise works. In fact, educational research since the 1960s shows that students at every grade level and in every subject like to be praised for their work in the classroom. The empirical evidence from the research shows that praise can have a positive impact on both student academic learning and social behavior. Yet, as researchers Robert A. Gable, et al. note in their article Back to Basics Rules, Praise, Ignoring, and Reprimands Revisited (2009)  in the Journal of Intervention in School and Clinic, Given the documented positive effects of teacher praise, it is puzzling why so many teachers make little use of it. In determining why praise in the classroom is not used more often, Gable et al. suggest that teachers may not have had the training through peer coaching, self-monitoring, or self -evaluating and may not feel comfortable in acknowledging positive pupil behavior consistently.   Another reason may be that teachers may not know how to deliver praise that is effective. Teachers may give general praise using phrases such as, â€Å"Great work!† or â€Å"Nice job, students!† General phrases are not the most effective way for teachers to give feedback in the classroom. General phrases are directed to no one or to no skill in particular. Moreover, while these general phrases may be nice to hear, they may be too broad, and their overuse may result in becoming humdrum.  Similarly routine responses such as â€Å"Awesome!† or â€Å"Excellent!† by themselves do not inform the student what specific behaviors brought about success. Arguments against generic praise given indiscriminately have been made by education researcher Carol Dweck (2007) in her article The Perils and Promises of Praise in Educational Leadership. The wrong kind of praise creates self-defeating behavior. The right kind motivates students to learn. So, what can make praise the â€Å"right kind†? What can make praise in the classroom effective? The answer is the timing or when the teacher gives praise. The other important criteria of praise are the quality or kind of praise. When to Give Praise When a teacher uses praise to acknowledge student effort in problem-solving or in practice, make the praise more effective. Effective praise can be directed to an individual student or group of students when the teacher wants to connect praise with a particular behavior. That also means that praise should not be given for trivial accomplishments or weak efforts by students such as minor task completion or the student completing their responsibilities. In making praise effective, a teacher should explicitly note the behavior as the reason for praise in as timely a manner as possible.  The younger the student, the more immediate the praise should be. At the high school level, most students can accept delayed praise. When a teacher sees a student is making progress, the language of encouragement as praise can be effective. For example, I can see your hard work in this assignment.You have not quit even with this tough problem.Keep using your strategies! You’re making good progress!You have really grown (in these areas).I can see a difference in your work compared to yesterday. When a teacher sees a student succeed, the language of congratulatory praise may be more appropriate, such as: Congratulations! You put in the effort to succeed.Look at what you can accomplish when you do not give up.I am so proud of the effort, and you should be too, about the effort you put into this. Should students succeed easily without effort, praise can address the level of the assignment or problem. For example: This  assignment was not as challenging for you, so lets try and find something that will help you grow.  You may be ready for something more difficult, so what skills should we work on next?  It’s great that you have that down.  Ã‚  We need to raise the bar for you now. After giving praise, teachers should encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity to offer a chance for reflection So when you have another assignment or problem like this, what will you do?  Think back, what did you do that contributed to your success? Quality of Praise Praise must always be connected to a process, rather than student intelligence. That is the basis of Dwecks research in her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (2007). She showed that students who received praise for their innate intelligence with statements such as â€Å"You are so smart† exhibited a â€Å"fixed mindset. They believed that academic achievement was limited on innate ability. In contrast, students who were praised for their efforts with statements such as â€Å"Your argument is very clear† exhibited a growth mindset and believed in academic achievement through effort and learning. Thus, we found that praise for intelligence tended to put students in a fixed mind-set (intelligence is fixed, and you have it), whereas praise for effort tended to put them in a growth mind-set (youre developing these skills because youre working hard). Of the two types of praise, Dweck notes, praise for student  effort such as â€Å"All that hard work and effort in completing the project paid off!† improves student motivation. One caution in praising, however, is to Make sure teachers are careful not to be inauthentic to inflate praise for students with low self-esteem. Critics have raised questions about the legitimacy of classroom praise, as rewarding trivial accomplishments or weak efforts. There may be some schools that do not support the use of evidence-based practices such as teacher praise. Additionally, at the secondary level, praise may also be received by students as drawing unwanted attention to an accomplishment. Regardless, there is no evidence to suggest that effective praise has a negative effect on students. Instead, effective praise can provide students with the kind of positive reinforcement that builds on success, motivates them to learn, and increases their participation in class. Steps to Effective Praise Notice effort by the student(s).Make eye contact with the student(s).Smile. Be sincere and enthusiastic.Deliver praise to students in proximity, especially at the secondary level.Prepare for praise by deciding what to say that is specific to the task.  Describe the behavior you want to reinforce telling how you feel about it with specific comments like, Your thoughts were well organized in this essay.Keep records of successful efforts and praise so you can make connections in future assignments. Finally, and most importantly, importantly, do not combine praise with criticism. To keep praise separate from criticism, avoid using the word, but immediately after a compliment. All this can make praise effective in the classroom. Effective praise can provide students with the kind of positive reinforcement that builds on success, motivates them to learn, and increases their participation in class.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Re-Educating Health Care Providers on Hand Hygiene Practice Essay

Re-Educating Health Care Providers on Hand Hygiene Practice - Essay Example Hospital Acquired infections (HAIs) present a serious challenge in provision of healthcare services to patients in hospital settings. Studies indicate that about 80 percent of patients who contract HAIs often succumb to the diseases and die while receiving treatment in the hospital (Ivers, et al. 2012). The numbers have since risen up and it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to point to the exact numbers of patients suffering from HAIs. Nevertheless, existing literature has produced a lot of evidence pointing to the role of hand hygiene practices in reducing the rates of HAIs. However, compliance rates to hand hygiene practices such as hand washing and gelling remain low, which makes it difficult to prevent HAIs. There is also a gap in available literature concerning the impact of specific hand hygiene programs in reducing the rates of HAIs. This project assesses how reeducation can enhance compliance to hand hygiene in hospital settings thereby reducing the rates of HAIs. Hand hygiene encompasses various technics and practices for cleansing hands before and after treating patients. Several agents such as antiseptic agents, anti-microbial soaps, alcohol based rubs, plain soaps, and antiseptic agents play a critical role in hand hygiene practices. The main underlying factor is that compliance with hand hygiene practices reduces the rates of related infections to a greater extent (Ivers, et al. 2012). However, inadequacies exist in the literature available regarding how to increase compliance with hand hygiene practices before and after attending to each patient according to the guidelines stipulated by the WHO (Dennison & Prevost, 2012).

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

US Economic Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

US Economic Situation - Essay Example This essay discusses that  the problem lies in somewhere else. As the country is technically upgraded enough, the production technique they use in the industrial sector is mostly capital intensive. This leads to unemployment as the labour input is not extensively used in the production system. Nevertheless, the population of the country is not as high as the developing countries. Hence the unemployment rate is not so severe in this country. It has been found that the rate of unemployment in this country has remained at the level of 5.8 per cent for the last two years. The country has witnessed economic growth near about 5 per cent in the last quarter of this year.From this paper it is clear that  US economy is globally considered as a developed economy. However this paper will examine the amount of stress the country has witnessed in the path of development for the last two years. Globalisation has caused the integration of this economy with various developing as well as under de veloped and many other developed countries. The appreciation of the exchange rate causes low inflation and it influences the international trade in a greater extent. The United States achieves the score 76.2 in case of economic freedom. The freedom in business has fallen compared to the last year. However, control over the government spending has achieved modest gains compared to the recent past.  It has been found by the US officials that the unemployment rate of the country has fallen to 5.5 per cent in the last quarter.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Analyzing Fiction Essay Example for Free

Analyzing Fiction Essay In â€Å"Where are you going, where have you been†, this story makes me frustrated with the main character Connie. She comes off to me as an immature little girl who wants to live the life of a mature woman, but when faced with reality she is still just a little girl. I felt Connie feels the need to rebel or act a different person when she leaves her house and in a sense lives a double life and has two personalities. In the story the author writes, â€Å"She wore a pull-over jersey blouse that looked one way when she was at home and another way when she was away from home† (Oates 325). This was an example of how Connie lived this double life. Connie made herself very vulnerable when she goes out with Eddie and exposes herself as a â€Å"woman† when she is not. What I feel is significant about this piece of literature is the story that is being told and the reality behind it. Many young girls face this kind of reality everyday and don’t have a good outcome. The authors’ intention in the story was to portray a little girl named Connie and show her struggle with adolescence and wanting to become a woman far too fast. The themes that stand out to me in this story are Connie’s constant fantasizing and daydreaming. She is always worried about her appearance and fantasizing about boys, but when it comes down to the reality of actually engaging and being confronted with a man, she reverts to being a child again. Another theme that stands out to me is Connie leaving herself extremely vulnerable. She has her friends’ dad drop them off at a shopping plaza, but sneaks off to a drive in to meet boys. Then she meets with Eddie and hangs out in an alley. This exposes her to Arnold Friend. She portrays herself with a lot of independence, but when she has the confrontation with him at her house, she tries to scare him away with saying, â€Å"But my father’s coming back. He’s coming to get me† (Oates 330). She says this because she is still a little girl and doesn’t quite know how to handle this situation. The reality of this type of story is what makes this piece of literature valuable. The author wrote a story about a young girl wanting to grow up too fast and puts herself in situations that portrays her independence, but then exposes her vulnerability. As a reader, I felt this story is a reality for many young girls. I think the authors’ goal here was to allow the reader to see what many young girls face and how easy it is to be manipulated by a man who has aggressive attributes. It was very creepy for this man to know everything about Connie when they were never formally introduced, but Connie’s appearance led him to believe she was open to her sexuality than what she really was or could handle. References Oates, Joyce Carol. â€Å"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been.† Lit. Eds. Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell. Boston: Wadsworth, 2012. 325-331. Print

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Avalon: Isle of Mystery Essays -- Island Avalon Essays

Avalon: Isle of Mystery The island of Avalon has been shrouded in mystery throughout the history of the Arthurian legend. Named Ynyswytryn, meaning "the glassy isle", it was famous as the Celtic paradise "The Happy Island of the Blest" (Webb 11). In the earliest religion it was believed that the souls of the dead were borne westward to "†¦an Island in the Western Sea, to the abode of Glast and Avallac†¦.Thus in later times was Arthur to be borne to the 'Island Valley of Avillion' " (Webb 11). The island supposedly held a mystic cauldron of Regeneration into which dead are dipped to spring out into a new life (Webb 12). In the Life of Gildas written by Caradoc of Llancarvan, Arthur comes to Glastonbury, and the writer tells us that the "City of Glass" derives its name from the British Yniswitrin, yet gives no hint that it was identical with Avalon (Robinson 7). "The Spoils of Annwn" also mentions the island, saying that after the battle of Camlan, Taliesin brings the wounded Arthur to Insula Pomorum, which is an attempt to translate the Welsh Ynys Avallach, and leaves Arthur there under the care of Morgen (Loomis, Roger Wales 154). Morgen was the chief of nine maidens on the island and was skilled in the arts of healing; the 4th line, 2nd stanza says that "By the breath of nine maidens it [the cauldron] was kindled" (Loomis, Roger Wales 154). A 12th century Welsh tradition derived the name of the island of Avalon from Avallach, the father of Morgain; from this, the Arthur legend acquired the name as well as the ministrations of Morgain le Fà ©e (Loomis, Roger Wales 72). William of Malmesbury, writing around 1125, also attributes the name to "a certain Avalloc, who is said to have lived there with his daughters because of the s... ...6. Loomis, Richard M. "Arthur in Geoffrey of Monmouth." The Romance of Arthur. Ed. James J. Wilhelm. New York: Garland, 1994. Loomis, Roger Sherman. Celtic Myth and Arthurian Romance. New York: Columbia UP, 1926. Wales and the Arthurian Legend. Cardiff: U of Wales P, 1956. Parry, Joseph D. "Following Malory out of Arthur's World." Modern Philology. 95.2 (1997): 147. Reid, Margaret J. C. The Arthurian Legend: Comparison of Treatment in Modern and Midiaeval Literature. London: Oliver and Boyd, 1938. Robinson, J. Armitage. Two Glastonbury Legends: King Arthur & St. Joseph of Arimathea. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1926. Webb, Albert E. Glastonbury: Ynyswytryn; Isle of Avalon. Glastonbury: Avalon,1929. Wilhelm, James J. "Arthur in the Latin Chronicles." The Romance of Arthur. Ed. James J. Wilhelm. New York: Garland, 1994.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Climate Change and Society Essay

Topic : In considering solutions to the problem of global warming, state whether you agree with the statement by Tickell ((1996), in Houghton, Chapter 8 p.253) â€Å"Mostly we know what to do but we lack the will to do it†. Give reasoned arguments in support of your opinion. Global warming is the topic that increasingly occuipies the attention of world. Is it really happening? If so, how much of it is due to human activities? After realising the situation, has the public aware of it and contribute enough effort in combating the problem? This essay argues that in cosidering solutions to the problem of global warming, whether it contradicts with the statement â€Å" Mostly we know what to do but we lack the will to do it.† I believe that this comment can accurately describe the situation and i would like to give reasons to support my stance in four regarding areas: knowledge , attitude, values and actions. First, public have supreme knowledge in recognizing the threat of climate change since the late 1990s and has finally led to acceptance of the global warming hypothesis, however prompt actions were not taken within the public nor the society with the full awareness of the situation. As Mark Maslin( 2008 ) stated: It was not until the early 1980s, when the global annual mean temperature curve started to increase, that the global cooling scenario was questioned. By the late 1980s, the global annual mean temperature curve rose so steeply that all the dormant evidence from the late 1950s and 1960s was given prominence and the global warming theory was in full swing. However, the upturn in the global annual mean temperature data was not the sole reason for the appearance of the global warming issue. In the late 1970s and 1980s, there were significant advances in global climate modelling and a marked improvement in our understanding of past climates. Development in  general circulation models (GCMs) during this period included taking into account the role of particles and clouds in affecting the global climate. Despite the cooling effect thought to be associated with particle pollution, the new ocean- atmosphere coupled GCM tools emerged with revised and higher estimates of the warming that would be associated with a doubling of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. After that, GCMs continued to improve and the numbers of scientific teams working on such models increased over the 1980s and 1990s. In terms of the study of palaeoclimate, during the 1980s there was also an intense drive to understand how and why past climate changed. All in all, the public and society had already gained enough recognition to the problem long ago. Furthermore, intense media interest throughout the late 1980s and 1990s contribute to the reason why global warming hypothesis was widely accepted and spread in the society. Second, people’s attitudes are also selfsh. Many recognise this lack of will to act as a spiritual problem that we are too obsessed with the material and fail to act according to generally accepted values if it cost to ourselves or if it is concerned with the future rather than the present. We are only too aware of the strong temptations we experience at both the personal and national levels to use world’s resources to satisfy our needs and greediness. The society holds different attitudes towards different issues. One of the main attitudes is equlity. In our world community, human beings are not all equal. Reality is full of inequities of many kinds. In the context of global warming, because it is long term and global, two equity issues are particularly important. In one hand, it is our responsibility to protect the environment for our future generations. However, this attitude is not universally shared. Once the problem would not become so serious in one’s lifetime, the longer we delay in taking actions. In the other hand, international equilty where climate change creates an huge challenge to the international community. The world’s developed countries have grown the wealth over the years from the cheap energer resources such as coal, oil and fossil fuels without realising the harm they did on the environment and the less developed countries. Third, environmental values in considering the solution regarding global  warming. What do we value in the environment and how do we decide what to preserve or not?As John Hougton ( 2009 ) stated: Moving away from science, we have already referred to values related to the environment that come from our basic experiences as human beings. These are also called â€Å"shared values† because they are common to different members of a human community. Forth, the effect of the action taken regarding the problem may not be the most effective. For example, developing alternative sources of energy. Many countries started to use nuclear power. 66% of electricity production in France and Belgium comes from nuclear power. They reduce the output of carbon dioxide effectively. However, there is also the problem for nuclear waste disposal. Other renewable energy eg. Solar, wind and H.E.P. have also been developed but the UK government blocks five wind farms since they will interfere with military rader. Large dams for H.E.P. may also cause environmental problems. For energey efficenciency, countries have try to improve fuel efficiency of cars, for example, sales of Japanese fuel-efficient cars in the U.S. markets have increased. And they have try to develop energy-saving transport, eg. Magnetically levitated trains, hydrogen cars or fuel cell vehicles. However, the construction cost of maglev is huge and the competition among maglev, â€Å"bullet trains† and airplanes is high in Japan. On the other hand, some countries have improved fuel efficiency of buildings through better design. In Canada, though the cost of an energy-efficient â€Å" R-2000† home is very high which is not very applicable for public. And the government has also controlled deforestation.Though countries give advices on forest project management, it is difficult to persuade the Brazilians to control the destruction of Amazon. In conclusion, human mankind has over exploiting the Earth resources over the past centuries since the beginning of industrial revolution. Great benefits are attained which makes people neglecting harm they have done over the environment.