Saturday, January 25, 2020

Types of Assessment and Evaluation

Types of Assessment and Evaluation Assessment and evaluation has become critical issues especially in the field of teaching and learning; it requires watchful consideration by every teaching practitioner in any educational institution. This is also the area where many teachers sink into the pool of confusion. But it has its key function, which is to collect information on the achievement of every individual student and judge their everyday progress. In other words, it serve vital role in the process of effective teaching and learning. Therefore, this essay will explain my understanding of assessment and evaluation from the perspectives of development, formal, informal, special needs, and standards in brief. However, to do this, we first need to define assessment and evaluation. The word assessment is derived from the Latin word assidere meaning to sit beside. It is obvious that simple tone of this phrase is soothing, and it suggests mutual confidence and understanding. So, it indirectly tells that existence of positive association between assessment and the process of teaching and learning in schools is necessary. By and large, assessment is a process of collecting information relative to some identified aims and objectives involved with students progress and achievement in the process of teaching and learning. More specifically, classroom assessment refers to the process of gathering, recording, interpreting, using and communicating information about their progress and achievement during the development of knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes. According to Lloyd-Jones and Bray (1986) assessment is referred to the process in which certain quality of a students education is measured, by the teacher, an examiner or the student.   It is means to measure worthiness of students performance.   Assessment, therefore, involves much more than testing. It is an ongoing process that encompasses many formal and informal activities intended to examine and improve teaching and learning in all areas of the curriculum. On the other hand, evaluation  is more or less defined as the process of judging relative merit, value, or worthiness of educational programs, or techniques by using realistic information generated through assessment. It helps in updating the nature and degree of learning; plays pivotal role in curricular decision making; and it favour better links between learning, and the aims and objectives of teaching. Moreover, it creates strong bond between learning and the environments in which learning takes place. Therefore, in educational setting, assessment and evaluation seeks evidence that the learning activities designed for students are effective. Assessment and Evaluation from the perspective of development Why do we assess and evaluate? This is the first question that knocks in my mind whenever I look assessment and evaluation from an angle of development. Generally, teachers plays vital role in developmental assessment and evaluation of students learning and programs for many reasons: Firstly, assessment and evaluation help teachers and student affair administrators to enhance their understanding of the needs of a persistently varying student population. In addition, it will help in identifying developmental delays in students and to develop strategies for intervention. For that, I would prefer to use the concept of integrated model of child development. It is because the model covers up all developmental areas such as sensory, behavioural, language, motor, perceptual, social cognitive and emotional skills. So it can also be used to improve holistic development of students as a student, self, and valuable citizen of the nation as it reflects their personality as well as their degree of achievement in the field of learning. Secondly, assessment is also meant to develop efficient educational institutional plans and policies to meet students developmental needs and learning styles. They are crucial for advancing the quality and easy accessibility of programs and services. Thirdly, we cannot avoid its greatest contribution in curriculum development. Through assessment and evaluation, we will be able to help curriculum developers for deciding how we might improve courses and programmes. At the same time, as a teacher we can contribute in doing revision on curriculum, course materials, teaching methodologies, etc. It is because assessment results can specially provide a potent rational for securing scaffold for curriculum changes, development and review. Formal and Informal Assessment and Evaluation A formal assessment is also sometimes known as summative assessment. And it is generally assessed in the form of quiz, test, or paper and is graded based on how well student is able to perform. A summative assessment is normally carried out at the end of unit or module. Furthermore, formal assessments are categorized into criterion-referenced tests and norm-referenced tests. Criterion-referencing is assessment based on certain criterion or principle, and norm-referencing is graded assessment based on the comparisons of learners achievement against one another from time to time. I prefer more of criterion referencing method than norm-referencing because it can be used to judge students achievement and progress on a series of key criteria set based on reasonably expected learning outcomes and objectives. Whereas, norm-referencing is based on the hypothesis, that a more or less similar range of human performance can be anticipated for any student group. On the other hand, Informal assessment is referred as formative test, and it is a continuous process of assessment and evaluation. Feedback plays vital role here as it allows both learners and teachers to evaluate learning and spot out the areas for improvement. But which one could be the best form of assessment, formal or informal? In my opinion, the use of informal assessments is best for the overall learning. It facilitate teachers to assess students through a range of classroom-based activities, identify students weakness then and there and start work for the improvement, rather than waiting at the last minute like informal assessment. Assessment and Evaluation for special needs students Students having problems such as: motor, linguistic, cognitive, behavioural, organizational, speech and physical disabilities are usually referred as special needs students, and it also includes gifted students. They should not be left out without normal education. Special arrangements or special needs accommodations should be offered to them in order to pursue their academic goals and achieve a higher level of personal self-sufficiency. Similarly they also need to be evaluated and identified their strengths, weaknesses and give guiding principles to make effective progress in attaining their academic goals. Other than teachers and peers, students family should involve in it. So, I feel that, by building an alliance with their parents; obtaining students developmental history and current family experience; and discussing issues with them would help greatly for addressing challenges in guiding special needs students to succeed like other normal students. Moreover, evaluation will be holistic and addresses all aspects of functioning. For that we should not forget to take students individual learning styles into account as all students do not have same learning capability and ways. Sometimes students with special needs are integrated in regular classrooms because the main idea of assessment and evaluation in this field itself is to see whether a student is able to adapt, make progress and met objectives in normal class like normal students. Assessment indicates whether the student learned the materials intended and what are some of the drawbacks areas to be improved. So schools and teacher must give all students an equal opportunity to education. Infect, they should provide counteractive assistance to special needs students. Never the less, we as a teacher, in order to select education program and activities suitable for our students, we must carefully evaluate our options and consider the specific needs of our disabled students. Standards based Assessment and Evaluation Here, it includes two types of educational standards, a content standard and a performance standard. A content standard defines the knowledge, concepts, and skills acquire at each grade level, while performance standard state the level of performance that is considered acceptable aligning to the benchmark set by the teachers. Standards-based assessment and evaluation is meant to identify students with different pace and capabilities in learning, so that we can design strategies to help them and make all of them achieve and master to the level that they are required to retain certain benchmark in learning. Understanding Standardized Test and its characteristics is necessary when we discuss about assessment and evaluation from the perspective of standard as it is one of the instrument required in standard assessment and evaluation process. Range of knowledge and understanding in specific subject is being assessed through standardized testing on students. And it is a snapshot in time where assessments are administered and scored in the same way for all students. For example, multiple-choice questions and written responses to be answered within a given time frame are examples of standard test. That means students are not allowed to use outer resources or references in order to complete the test. Their performance on these tests decides whether they will be promoted or not from one grade to the next. And this is what almost every school district now administers it. However, it is important for us not to get confused of Standardized tests with the standards movement, which approve definite grade-level content and performance standards in main subject sphere. Frequently, regulated uniform tests are not associated with state and district content standards, and these causes noticeably lose of connection between what is being taught and what is being tested. So as a teacher we have to process our teaching according to the curriculum. The standard evaluation will enable other school improvement plan and projects, and to bring advance changes in curriculum and pedagogy, and incorporation of new assessments. So standardized assessment and evaluation is uniformly regulated test which it refers to when every student at a particular grade level has to undergo the same test with same question, at same time frame in same year throughout the country. In the nutshell, we would find that the descriptions given in above paragraphs are all views from different perspectives constructed by hypothesizing the both special needs students and normal student as an active in structuring their own learning in the context of social interaction; role of educational institutions and teachers in establishing the childs stage of development in any aspect of learning, and that information collected through various assessment and evaluation methods will then be used to scaffold the next learning and curriculum development.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Real Estate Intern Report Essay

The company analyzed and discussed in this analysis is one of many health insurance companies registered under the Security Exchange Commission. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated or commonly referred as, â€Å"United Health Group,† or the â€Å"Company is the central tenant which this paper will focus on.† The Company, which was formally known as Charter Med Incorporated, was founded by a group of physicians and health care professionals in 1974. Their main objective was to give consumers a broad variety of options on health care coverage. A decade later, UnitedHealth Group becomes publicly traded, concentrating heavily on modern day technology. As a public traded company, UnitedHealth Group can be denoted as their ticker symbol, UNH. UnitedHealth Group’s core structure posits the goal of helping people live healthier lives by innovating thinking. The foundation of the Company is derived from the best practices in the medical care business. By achieving this goal, UNH uses incorporates an innovative and progressive clientele for their business management team to advance the health of patients. In order to reach out to potential patients, the Company operates under two platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which offers health benefits, and Optum which provides health services. UnitedHealthcare segments include Employer & Individuals, Medicare & Retirement, Community & State and International. In contrast, Optum’s sections consist of OptumHealth, OptumInsight, and OptumRx. To fully understand the Company’s strategy, we must first understand its mission. UnitedHealth Group mission is â€Å"helping people live healthier lives and making health care work better (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p. 1).†After we have establish a sense of understanding, we can further conduct a series of analysis by using tools such as PESTEL, Porter’s Five Forces, and SWOT analysis. As a result, we will be able to interpret UnitedHealth Group’s strategy and its competitive advantage. PESTEL 1). Political A). â€Å"The laws and rules governing our business and interpretations of those laws and rules are subject to frequent change, and the integration into our businesses of entities that we acquire may affect the way in which existing laws and rules apply to us†¦agencies administering, interpreting and enforcing current and future regulations governing our business could force us to change how we do business, restrict revenue and enrollment growth, increase our health care and administrative costs and capital requirements, or expose us to increased liability in courts for coverage determinations, contract interpretation and other actions (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.17).† B). In general, health care industry is and will continue to be heavily regulated in order to protect consumers. Insurance companies and other identities must be licensed in order to operate and hold jurisdiction where business are practiced. The complexity of regulations impedes companies such as UnitedHealth Group from generating revenue. As a result, the regulations force the Company to change how they do business. For example, UnitedHealth Group signed a contract with the Department of Defense to provide coverage to those in the military who are active or retired. The service known as TRICARE Managed Care Support will serve more than 2.7 million beneficiaries in 21 states (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.4). Thus, the losses leveraged from other services or products did not satisfy proper regulation. 2). Economic A). â€Å"Unfavorable economic conditions may impact demand for certain of our products and services. For example, high unemployment rates have caused and could continue to cause lower enrollment or lower rates of renewal in our employer group plans and our non-employer individual plans (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.25).† B). Because the economy changes daily, it is impossible to predict the certainty of unemployment rates. Unemployment rates are inversely related to the success of company operations. Simply, if rates increase, then membership levels decrease. To manage the inconsistency of unemployment rates, UnitedHealth Group offers a spectrum of products and services. When the economy is strong, traditional plans that typically â€Å"include a full range of medical benefits and network options from managed plans such as Choice and Options PPO† (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.3), tend to thrive. Conversely, when unemployment is high and the economy is weaker, essential benefits product which offer less than traditional plans but still provide basic services such as guides to physicians, become copious. 3). Sociocultural A). â€Å"As we continue to expand our business outside the United States, acquired foreign businesses, such as Amil, will present challenges that are different from those presented by acquisitions of domestic businesses, including adapting to new markets, business, labor and cultural practices and regulatory environments that are materially different from what we have experienced in our U.S. operations (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.24).† B).Although the Company’s main operations are in the United States, it has expanded its operations to other nations. Conducting business internationally faces many factors such as â€Å"political, economic, legal compliance, regulations, and operational risks and exposures that are unique and vary by jurisdiction (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.17)†. But having already been exposed to these elements in parts of Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia the recent acquisition of Amil, whose services are dispersed throughout Brazil, will face minimal encumbrances. Additionally, Amil’s products and services are much similar to those offered by UnitedHealth Group and thus effortlessly adapting to the new markets. The new market, which consist of over five million people, have been exposed to Amil’s health and dental benefits and have access to 45,000 contracted physicians (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5). 4). Technology A). â€Å"Our ability to adequately price our products and services, to provide effective service to our customers in an efficient and uninterrupted fashion, and to accurately report our results of operations depends on the integrity of the data in our information systems †¦technology initiatives and recently enacted regulations, changes in our system platforms and integration of new business acquisitions, we periodically consolidate, integrate, upgrade and expand our information systems capabilities (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.26).† B). Technology is fundamental to UnitedHealth Group. In their earlier years, the Company provided physicians with office software that managed and controlled cost. Investing in technology can be costly, but for UnitedHealth Group it serves as a competitive advantage. One way UnitedHealth Group stays above average is by utilizing its information system’s user-friendly resources that help consumers control their decision on health care. These resources â€Å"provide greater transparency around quality and cost, such as the Premium Designation ® program and Health4Me for Apple ® and Android ® phones, myHealthcareCost Estimator, Health Care Lane and myuhc.com (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† 5). Environmental A). â€Å"Relatively low interest rates on investments, such as those experienced during recent years, have adversely impacted our investment income, and a prolonged low interest rate environment could further adversely affect our investment income†¦delay in payment of principal and/or interest by issuers, or defaults by issuers, could reduce our net investment income and we may be required to write down the value of our investments, which could materially and adversely affect our profitability and shareholders’ equity (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.25).† B). As mentioned previously, UnitedHealth Group has an impact in the national and global economy. Due to its operations conducted on the international scale, UnitedHealth Group has significant exposure to environmental factors that directly affect shareholders’ equity. These factors include currency exchange, government intervention, and political instability. Because of the nature of the global economy, the Company must take preventative actions to protect their investments. This is exemplified when one takes note that the Company may choose to allocate its investments into smaller portfolios to help reduce exposure to the market. Additionally, the acquisition of Amil puts pressure on the company’s profitability. Fluctuating currency rates have an adverse effect on the Company’s cash flows. Thus, currency exchange may benefit UnitedHealth Group if not hindered by local government making transfer of funds difficult. 6). Legal A). â€Å"The Health Reform Legislation and the related federal and state regulations will impact how we do business and could restrict revenue and enrollment growth in certain products and market segments, restrict premium growth rates for certain products and market segments, increase our medical and administrative costs, expose us to an increased risk of liability†¦or put us at risk for loss of business†¦may also create new or expand existing opportunities for business growth, but due to its complexity, the impact of the Health Reform Legislation remains difficult to predict and is not yet fully known (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.11).† B). Health care regulations affects the whole industry who range from consumers to providers. Because insurance companies are so controlled, it obstructs the way businesses are run. Regulations that apply to health care companies, such as UnitedHealth Group, increases loss of business. For example, legislation will â€Å"includes an annual, non-deductible insurance industry tax to be levied proportionally across the insurance industry for risk-based products (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.35).† As a result, the Company is force to pay an upwards of $8 billion and gradually increasing every year. Porter’s Five Forces 7). Current Competitors (High) A). â€Å"†¦competitors include Aetna Inc., Cigna Corporation, Coventry Health Care, Inc., Health Net, Inc., Humana Inc., Kaiser Permanente, WellPoint, Inc., numerous for-profit and not-for-profit organizations operating under licenses from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, and, with respect to our Brazilian operations, several established competitors in Brazil, and other enterprises that serve more limited geographic areas (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† B). The companies stated above are a select few who construct the health care insurance industry. The thin selection of insurance companies causes companies to compete highly with each other to gain market shares. Health care insurance companies are much alike offering similar coverage to their clients. In order to have the upper hand, UnitedHealth Group spends an ordeal amount of money on technology to differentiate their products. Thus created plans for members to be â€Å"provided access to clinical products with the goal of helping them make better health care decisions, and thus better use of their medical benefits, with the ultimate goal of improving health and decreasing medical expenses (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† 8). Threat of New Entrants (High) A). â€Å"In particular markets, competitors may have greater capabilities, resources or market share; a more established reputation; superior supplier or health care professional arrangements; better existing business relationships; or other factors that give such competitors a competitive advantage†¦merger and acquisition activity has occurred in the industries in which we operate, both among our competitors and suppliers†¦Consolidation may make it more difficult for us to retain or increase our customer base, improve the terms on which we do business with our suppliers, or maintain or increase profitability (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.22).† B). Due to the limited amount of insurance companies, other companies compete for market shares. Top companies like UnitedHealth Group hold sizable portions in segmented markets. Moreover, mid-size companies merge together in order to increase their shares in the market. Similarly, bigger companies acquire smaller companies to broaden their consumer base such as UnitedHealth Group with Amil. 9). Power of Suppliers (Medium) A). â€Å"We contract with physicians, hospitals, pharmaceutical benefit service providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and other health care providers for services†¦Failure to develop and maintain satisfactory relationships with health care providers, whether in-network or out-of-network, could materially and adversely affect our business†¦ (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.22).† B). A strong connection with suppliers is crucial to the company’s business because it has a strong positive correlation between prospective clients. UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest amongst other insurers and attracts an abundance of health care providers. As a result, an increase in suppliers dilutes their bargaining power. 10). Power of Buyers (High) A). Under our risk-based benefit product arrangements, we assume the risk of both medical and administrative costs for our customers in return for monthly premiums†¦The profitability of these products depends in large part on our ability to predict, price for, and effectively manage medical costs (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.16).† B). It is human nature to desire a variety of choices. Although health care insurance companies are scarce, their products and services are not. In the case of UnitedHealth Group, a full range of services are offered to employers and individuals. As a result, consumers have the choice and power to select a plan that suits them well. â€Å"As the commercial market becomes more consumer-oriented, individuals are assuming more personal and financial responsibility for their care, and they are demanding more affordable products, greater transparency and choice and personalized help navigating the complex system (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† Acknowledging this helps UnitedHealth Group to stay competitive. 11). Threat of Substitutes (Low) A). â€Å"Our information systems require an ongoing commitment of significant resources to maintain, protect and enhance existing systems and develop new systems to keep pace with continuing changes in information processing technology, evolving systems and regulatory standards, emerging cyber security risks and threats, and changing customer patterns (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.26).† B). Technology serves as a great substitute compared to basic products sold by insurance companies. Technology consists of software programs that track your health, new medical treatment devices, and the ever changing Internet. The issue with technology is that it can get very expensive for both the company and the consumer. Therefore, only those who can afford it are amongst a few. Conversely, companies who are not developing new information technology will lose their competitive advantage and ultimately give up their market shares. Consumers are likely to find a cheaper and better alternative otherwise. SWOT 12). Strengths A). â€Å"UnitedHealthcare provides network-based health care benefits for a full spectrum of customers in the health benefits market. UnitedHealthcare Employer & Individual serves employers ranging from sole proprietorships to large, multi-site and national employers, as well as students and other individuals†¦ (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.1).† B). UnitedHealth Group sustains a competitive advantage through its diversified products and services. Coverage is offered to large scale employers, military personal, the elderly, and those who cannot afford health care through government sponsorship. The Company reaches to consumers throughout the nation and even internationally. 13). Weaknesses A). â€Å"†¦legal actions we face or may face in the future could further increase our cost of doing business and materially and adversely affect our results of operations, financial position and cash flows†¦certain legal actions could result in adverse publicity, which could damage our reputation and materially and adversely affect our ability to retain our current business or grow our market share in select markets and businesses (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.23).† B). The health care industry has have a negative connotation. The public views insurance companies as scammers that rob society. Companies gain a bad reputation when they get investigated by the Government. UnitedHealth Group’s goal is to provide people with healthier lives, not rob them financially. Consequently, â€Å"negative publicity may adversely affect our stock price, damage our reputation in various markets or foster an increasingly active regulatory environment, which, in turn, could further increase the regulatory burdens under which we operate and our costs of doing business (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.18).† 14). Opportunities A). â€Å"UnitedHealthcare International acquired Amil, which provides health and dental benefits to over five million people and also operates 22 acute hospitals, as well as specialty clinics, primary care, and emergency services across Brazil, principally for the benefit of its members (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5).† B). The acquisition of Amil will provide UnitedHealth Group with newer market segments, more consumers, and increase the company’s revenue. Amil will also offer diversified product portfolio that contain a range of products offerings, benefit designs, and indemnity products. Furthermore, Amil will include various administrative services which include network access, care management and personal services (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.5). 15). Threats A). â€Å"Several of the provisions in the Health Reform Legislation will likely increase our medical cost trends. Examples of these provisions are the excise tax on medical devices, annual fees on prescription drug manufacturers, enhanced coverage requirements†¦the prohibition of pre-existing condition exclusions and the implementation of adjusted community rating requirements (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.19).† B).As mentioned in the PESTEL breakdown, under the analysis of the legal realm, Health Reform Legislation causes a serious threat to the well-being of UnitedHealth Group’s business. Excess taxes take away from the company’s profits thus rendering them unable to reinvest into their company. Lastly, prohibition of excluding pre-existing conditions may increase the risk and medical cost in the future. Competitive Strategy 16a. â€Å"We believe the principal competitive factors that can impact our businesses relate to the sales, marketing and pricing of our products and services; product innovation; consumer engagement and satisfaction; the level and quality of products and services; care delivery; network and clinical management capabilities; market share; product distribution systems; efficiency of administration operations; financial strength and marketplace reputation (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.14).† In order for a company to have sustainable competitive advantage, they must abide their company’s vital principals. UnitedHealth Group does not only accomplish their objective, but they surpass other companies’ strategy. First they exceed in sales by offering premium services such as UnitedHealthcare and Optum products. The company also provides a variety of these products and services ranging from value-oriented plans to essential-oriented plans. Secondly, UnitedHealth Group has an exclusive network system that only clients have access to. Clients have access to physicians and hospital that meet their unique needs. Moreover, the Company serves to large national employers, public sectors employers, and midsize employers to individuals. As a result, UnitedHealth Group is â€Å"providing nearly 27 million Americans access to health care (UnitedHealth Group, Inc. 2012, p.2).† Lastly, UnitedHealth Group is a massive health insurance company which has enabled them to control ample market shares. Their recent acquisition with Amil shows how strong UnitedHealth Group is financially. Overall, UnitedHealth Group is a leading company in health care insurance proven by their business factors. The Company uses a differentiation strategy to maintain its competitive advantage. Article 16b. UnitedHealth to buy most of Brazil’s Amil for $4.9 billion The company is making a bold move taking on the fast growing markets of Brazil. UnitedHealth Group has made record on being the first to acquire manage Care Company across seas. The acquisition will bring UnitedHealth Group more leverage and revenue to its operations. â€Å"Amil has more than 5 million clients in Brazil and owns 22 hospitals and 50 clinics. It forecast revenues of $5 billion for 2012, up 15 percent from 2011. UnitedHealth had revenues of nearly $102 billion in 2011 and expects the deal to slightly increase its 2013 earnings per share (reuters.com). Ultimately Amil’s operations will be similar to UnitedHealth Group in that it will provide its products and services to new market segments. In addition, â€Å"Brazil’s healthcare system consists of public and private plans, similar to the U.S. model. The number of Brazilians covered under private plans has grown more than 50 percent over the past 10 years to nearly 48 million people, roughly a quarter of t he country’s population (reuters.com).† Work Cited Humer, Caroline. â€Å"UnitedHealth to Buy Most of Brazil’s Amil for $4.9 Billion.† Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 08 Oct. 2012. Web. 25 Sept. 2013. UnitedHealth Group, Inc. (2012). Form 10-K 2012. Retrieved from SEC EDGAR website http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml View as multi-pages

Thursday, January 9, 2020

The Prophet Of Small Things By Jhumpa Lahiri - 2316 Words

The four texts â€Å"The Namesake† by Jhumpa Lahiri, â€Å"The God of Small Things† by Arundhati Roy, â€Å"The Kite Runner† by Khaled Hosseini and â€Å"The Inheritance of Loss† by Kiran Desai all share the theme of a struggle for identity either though geographic, political or cultural displacement. Both â€Å"The Namesake† and â€Å"The God of Small Things† are examples of post-colonial literature. Through their themes and settings, they both show the repercussions of post-colonialism, cultural shift, suppression, migration and fragmentation. Whilst the perspective of the two novels is different - on from within India, and one outside India - they both capture the troubles of indigenous and non-indigenous people and how they exist either willingly or reluctantly, with a fragmented identity. The question of identity is pivotal to the children in both novels. The children in both novels diverge in a multitude of ways such as their upbringing, education, family, culture, society, and language. With all these differences though, they join at one particular point which is the questioning of their identity. In â€Å"The God of Small Things,† Estha and Rahel are indistinct Hindu/Christian hybrids without their surname. In ‘The Namesake’ Gogol feels alienated by his name, because it is neither Indian nor American but Russian. In both novels, the children experience a crisis of identity and alienation. In â€Å"The God of Small Things† the children are unaware of the importance of their names but in â€Å"The Namesake†Show MoreRelatedIndian English Novel17483 Words   |  70 Pageslikening themselves to the range of comic book popularisation. The contemporaneous Indian novels are widely sold and flying off the racks in overseas countries, besid es just the native land itself. Novelists like Rohinton Mistry, Sarojini Sahoo, Jhumpa Lahiri, Shobha De, Anita Desai, Altaf Fatima, Shashi Tharoor and others have earned international acclamation for their works. Indian novelists are the creative masterminds behind such impeccable story plots and continuous meshes in language. Indian novels

Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Psychology 200 - 893 Words

December 8, 2013 PSY 200 Reflection Prelude- When signing up for psychology 200, I expected it to be a very interesting course much like my class from high school. With such an interest in psychology, I hoped that this course would help determine if this was a potential major/minor to pursue. Aside from its academic aspect, I took psychology to gain some personal insight. With a mother diagnosed with bipolar disorder, along with other family members as well as myself suffering from depression, my interest in clinical psychology is extreme. The mind is a scary and complex place, and I wanted to understand how it functioned. Processes- Quizzes: Coming into college, I had very poor study habits. That quickly changed after being†¦show more content†¦I enjoyed the project. Other Activities: I enjoyed the video played at the beginning of every class. They were always an interesting introduction to the material at hand. The skits and demonstrations performed were also very humorous and really grabbed the attention of the class. When learning about memory, the experiment of the burglar that stole the money was an awesome example. It put a firsthand emphasis on how inaccurate our memory can be and I will never forget that. I think using the experiments to demonstrate and confirm what we are learning is important in psychology. Outcomes- Knowledge: Throughout the course, I have learned a lot about myself as well as the others around me. I learned that is it both nature and nurture that makes us the person we are today. This goes hand in hand with our behavior. Naturally, we contain unconditioned stimuli that automatically lead to outcomes, such as salivating at the sight of food. However, throughout life as we experience more things, we learn that our own actions produce outcomes; after studying for hours, I received a good grade on the last exam, leading me to do it again. I learned that these experiences help form my personality. Positive or negative, the way I interpret these experiences leads to my personality development. I also believe in Freud’s unconscious mind, and that some memories, urges, and conflicts, are hidden yet still affect my behaviorShow MoreRelatedwhat I Learned in Psychology 2001251 Words   |  5 PagesTaking a Psychology class has taught me a lot about others and myself. I have learn ed a lot in this class and the information I retained will stick with me for the rest of my life. The knowledge I have gained will help me in the future by allowing me to be a better actress, CEO, and mother. The most important topics I will need are Lifespan Development and Psychological Disorders. These subjects can be unknowingly important when crossing paths with other people. Lifespan Development WhenRead MoreWomen in Psychology - Margaret Washburn1458 Words   |  6 PagesWomen in Psychology – Margaret Floy Washburn PSY/310 May 23, 2011 Women in Psychology Margaret Floy Washburn was an accomplished and highly-recognized woman within the field of psychology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Her interests were equally divided between science and philosophy and thus, Washburn made the decision â€Å"†¦to pursue â€Å"the wonderful new science of experimental psychology†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Goodwin, 2008, pg. 200, para. 2). Under the tutelage of E. B. Titchener, a British psychologistRead MorePsy 300 Complete Course Material a+Work Essay993 Words   |  4 Pagessupport your summary. Please post your responses in the DQ threads. Then comment on other’s responses in the Main forum. Responses to each question should be at least 200-300 words. PSY 300 Week 1 DQ 2 In what ways do you see psychology used in the environment where you work? PSY 300 Week 1 Individual Foundations of Psychology Paper PSY 300 Week 2 DQs PSY 300 Week 2 DQ 1 How do classical conditioning procedures differ from operant conditioning procedures? How are they similar? In your opinionRead MoreExploring Psychology Careers Essay1100 Words   |  5 PagesExploring Psychology Careers Destiny Brotherton PSY 305 May 4, 2015 Dr. Jon Stern Exploring Psychology Careers Although there is an inordinate amount of diverse types and areas of specialization in psychology, such as Clinical Neuropsychology and School Psychology, the overall idea is the study and research of the human mind and behavior. Psychology is known to aid those who suffer from a variety of mental illnesses while also helping people to comprehend better the mind and how exactly theRead MoreIntroduction (50-100 words) Burrhus Frederic (B.F.) Skinner, an American behavioral psychologist,1000 Words   |  4 PagesNew York to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in writing. Following his graduation in 1926, Skinner explored writings of Pavlov, Russell, and Watson, three influential men in the field of behavioral psychology. After two years as a failed writer, Skinner applied to Harvard University to earn his Ph.D. in psychology. Early career (100-150 words) Throughout his college years, Skinner connected with William Crozier, his mentor and the chairman of the Physiology Department. Crozier challenged psychology’sRead MoreThe Importance Of An Apology For A Deficient Audit925 Words   |  4 PagesPart 1 , 200-400 words, worth 4% Discuss how both articles review the literature and compare the literature review a; Apology Accepted: The Benefits of an Apology for a Deficient Audit Following an Audit V Failure b; Students Behaviors and Views of Paraphrasing and Inappropriate Textual Borrowing in an EFL Academic Setting Review of literature: The information on the subject is not lacking but the inferences of various investigations are not consistent and differ greatly according to the materialRead MoreEssay on The Comparison of Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Comparison of Sigmund Freud and B.F. Skinner One name that jumps out at the mention of psychology, or the study there of, is the name of Sigmund Freud. Sigmund Freud is also known as the â€Å"Father of Psychoanalysis.† Freud was also known for having the tendency to trace nearly all psychological problems back to sexual issues. Although only parts of his theory of psychosexual development are still accepted by mainstream psychologists, Freuds theory of the Oedipal Complex has become a culturalRead MoreThe Psychology Of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Essay1146 Words   |  5 PagesThe Psychology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, also known as OCD, is a disorder that affects about two to three percent of the population (UOCD). Knowing what OCD is and who it affects is just step one in understanding the psychology of this disorder. The psychological symptoms of OCD can be quite varied which can make it difficult to diagnose. Understanding the therapy techniques and how people with OCD live their daily lives is one of the most vital part in theRead MoreExercise And Training Program : The Weight Management And Bmi Questions873 Words   |  4 Pages1. HS 200: Pre-Requisite Test #1 Overall I got an 8.5% on this Pre-Req Test a. Strengths: I think my strengths were in the exercise and training program questions, the weight management and BMI questions, the questions on basic nutrition concepts, and some of exercise science vocabulary questions. Even though I took HS200 a few years ago it was a class I did well in. Also I took a few exercise science classes at my community college, and live an active lifestyle, so I think this helped me on thisRead MoreAging America, Trends And Projections ( Annotated ) Essay806 Words   |  4 PagesE. (1999). Stories at the hour of our death. Home Healthcare Nurse, 17 (3) (1999), pp. 176–180 Brickman, P., Coates, D., Janoff-Bulman, R. (1978). Lottery winners and accident victims: Is happiness relative? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36, 917-927. Bryant, F. B., Smart, C. M., King, S. P. (2005). Using the past to enhance the present: Boosting happiness through positive reminiscence. Journal of Happiness Studies, 6(3), 227-260. Butler, R. N. (1963). The life review: An interpretation