Developmental Theories Essays

Developmental Theories Essays Developmental Theories Essay Developmental Theories Essay â€Å"All developmental theories can be distilled into one powerful statement – if there is no development, there is no learning. † Do you agree? Use examples from some of the theories that you have encountered to justify your response. Over the years, many psychologists, scholars, mathematicians, teachers and counsellors have pondered this exact statement. I, at the risk of being predictable, agree with this statement but then also think that the idea can be reversed – saying that without learning, there will be limited development. This is not a hasty decision, the studies of Piaget and Vygotsky, along with numerous others cited in Educational Psychology (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and academic journals all point to the conclusive outcome that development is essential to learning. Development, on a biological, social, emotional and cognitive level is defined in Educational Psychology as â€Å"certain changes that occur in human beings†¦between conception and death† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and â€Å"[these changes] are generally assumed to be for the better and result in behaviour that is more adaptive, more organised, more effective and more complex† (Mussen, Conger and Kagan, 1984). Development is therefore essentially PROGRESSION. Another source even says â€Å"the development of children unfolds along individual pathways whose trajectories are characterized by continuities and discontinuities, as well as by a series of significant transitions† (Shonkoff and Phillips 2000), showing that development is a process and a period of transition. Jean Piaget (1954) is explained in Educational Psychology to believe that â€Å"our thinking processes change radically, though slowly, from birth to maturity because we constantly strive to make sense of the world† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). Piaget also â€Å"began to suspect that the key to human knowledge might be discovered by observing how the childs mind develops† (Papert, 1999). He then went on to discuss the term â€Å"social transmission† which means learning from others, and commented that â€Å"the amount people can learn from social transmission varies according to their stage of cognitive development† (Piaget in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). Piaget essentially believed that â€Å"cognitive development has to come before learning – the child has to be ‘ready’ to learn† (Piaget in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007) and Diana Fox repeated this in her essay, Ages and Stages – â€Å"it is often said that the early childhood years are the getting ready phase of development and learning† (Fox, 2002). Jean Piaget pioneered the concept of the four major stages of cognitive development, the sensorimotor, pre-operational, concrete-operational and formal-operation. All of these stages are very closely linked to the idea that development and learning go side by side, for instance, in the pre-operational stage, Educational Psychology states that you can â€Å"see the rapid development of that very important symbol system, language† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). The child therefore needs to â€Å"develop† the capacity to learn the language and if they didn’t develop, they wouldn’t learn. So from Piaget’s teachings about the stages of operation and the way in which we learn, it is clear that learning can only come about with cognitive development. Lev Vygotsky (1978) recognised that â€Å"the child’s culture shapes cognitive development by determining what and how the child will learn about the world† (Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007), thus confirming the other statement being made in this essay – that the lack of learning will affect the development of the child. Vygotsky said that â€Å"interaction encourages development by creating cognitive conflict that motivated change† (Vygotsky in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). This shows that through social interactions between peers (learning), it fosters development to a higher learning level – hence moving into the territory of Piaget’s work. Vygotsky had the theory of â€Å"the zone of proximal development† which is â€Å"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers†. He shows that â€Å"the key to hearty intellectual growth was for children to be supported in this zone. That way, learning could actually shape development† (Thurber, 2003). For the child to be assisted by a supportive and non-judgemental elder, the potential development is far greater then if the child was left to perform in his or her own capacity. For a child trying to learn un-assisted, cognitive development that is â€Å"more adaptive, more organised, ore effective and more complex† (Mussen, Conger and Kagan, 1984) would be lesser than learning with an experienced other because, according to Thurber, â€Å"physical and sensory exploration boost cognitive development† (Thurber, 2003). The statement, â€Å"children are active participants in their own development, reflecting the intrinsic human drive to explore and master ones environment† (Shonkoff and Phillips 2000), can also support the notion that development and learning go hand-in-hand. The drive to explore and master is obviously a means of learning about ones surroundings and the statement shows that through this learning, development occurs. Furthermore, Shonkoff and Phillips (2000) also go on to say that â€Å"human development is shaped by a dynamic and continuous interaction between biology and experience†. Therefore children require â€Å"continuous interaction† with wiser mentors (Vygotskyan theory) and their development occurs while they attempt to â€Å"master† their environments (Piaget). When commenting on Piaget’s work, another source commented that â€Å"as children grow older, they develop progressively better rules and strategies for solving problems and thinking logically† (Seigler in Woolfolk and Margetts, 2007). He then went on to say that teachers can help students develop their capacities for learning. This infers that students or children need to develop in order to learn. Without the development of these learning capacities, learning will not take place. But as we look at Vygotsky, we can see an extension of Piaget’s theories, detailing that without learning, development will be limited.

Understanding Term Spreads or Interest Rate Spreads

Understanding Term Spreads or Interest Rate Spreads Term spreads, also known as interest rate spreads, represent the difference between the long-term interest rates and short-term interest rates on debt instruments such as bonds. In order to understand the significance of term spreads, we must first understand bonds. Bonds and Term Spreads Term spreads are most often used in the comparison and evaluation of two bonds, which are fixed interest financial assets issued by governments, companies, public utilities, and other large entities. Bonds are fixed-income securities through which an investor essentially loans the bond issuer capital for a  defined period of time in exchange for a promise to repay the original note amount plus interest. Owners of these bonds become debt holders or creditors of the issuing entity as entities issue bonds as a means of raising capital or financing a special project. Individual bonds are typically issued at par, which is generally at $100 or $1,000 face value. This constitutes the bond principal. When bonds are issued, they are issued with a stated interest rate or coupon that reflects the prevailing interest rate environment at the time. This coupon reflects the interest that the issuing entity is obligated to pay to its bondholders in addition to repayment of the bond principal or the original amount borrowed at maturity. Like any loan or debt instrument, bonds are also issued with maturity dates or the date at which full repayment to the bondholder is contractually required.​​​ Market Prices and Bond Valuation There are several factors at play when it comes to the valuation of a bond. The issuing companys credit rating, for instance, can influence the market price of a bond. The higher the credit rating of the issuing entity, the less risky the investment and perhaps the more valuable the bond. Other factors that can influence a bonds market price include the maturity date or the length of time remaining until expiration. Last, and perhaps the most important factor as it relates to term spreads is the coupon rate, particularly as it compares to the general interest rate environment at the time. Interest Rates, Term Spreads, and Yield Curves Given that fixed-rate coupon bonds will pay the same percentage of the face value, the market price of the bond will vary over time depending on the current interest rate environment and how the coupon compares to newer and older issued bonds that may carry a higher or lower coupon. For instance, a bond issued in a high-interest rate environment with a high coupon will become more valuable on the market if interest rates were to fall and new bonds coupons reflect the lower interest rate environment. This is where term spreads come in as a means of comparison.   The term spread measures the difference between the coupons, or interest rates, of two bonds with different maturities or expiration dates. This difference is also known as the slope of the bond yield curve, which is a graph that plots the interest rates of bonds of equal quality, but different maturity dates at a specified point in time. Not only is the shape of the yield curve important to economists as a predictor of future interest rate changes, but its slope is also a point of interest as the greater the slope of the curve, the greater the term spread (gap between short- and long-term interest rates). If the term spread is positive, the long-term rates are higher than the short-term rates at that point in time and the spread is said to be normal. Whereas a negative term spread indicates that the yield curve is inverted and the short-term rates are higher than the long-term rates.

Using PESTLE framework, analyse the impact of external business and Essay

Using PESTLE framework, analyse the impact of external business and economic environment of your focal organisation that affect its strategic decisions and performance - Essay Example The factors analyzed using PESTLE model includes political, economic, social, technological, and legal and environment (Henry 2008, P.51). Political factors in this case include government policies, conflicts, and wars, pressure groups, trading policies, grand, findings and initiatives and government term and change. Economic factors include general taxation, situation of home economy and trends, market and trade cycles, international economies and trends, factors affecting industries, monetary issues, exchange, and interest rates among others. Social factors analyzed include demographics, lifestyle trends, media views, consumer’ patterns of buying, Company, brand and technology image, lifestyle trends, consumer attitudes and preferences, and religious/ethnic factors. Others include major events and influences, publicity and advertising and changes in laws that impact on social factors. Technological factors include technological advancement, maturity of technology, laws governing technology, and consumer purchasing mechanism among others. Legal factors on the other hand include current and future legislations, European/foreign legislations and regulatory processes and bodies. Finally, environmental factors include corporate social responsibility expectations and awareness, environmental legislations, consumer buying patterns, public awareness on issues affecting the environment and political issues pertaining to the environment (Allen 2010, P.54). Wars and conflicts are some of the elements of the political factors that affect an organization’s strategic decisions and performance. Wars and conflicts usually come because of political instability and lack of democracy in a country. The UK is one of the most stable countries politically, which has witnessed minimal incidences of wars and political unrest for more than 3 decades. This trend is expected remain constant in the future following the measures

Educational Organization Evaluation Process Research Paper

Educational Organization Evaluation Process - Research Paper Example Evaluation should be considered as an important part of the development process for an educational organization. Primarily, educational institutions use evaluation data to exhibit effectiveness and secondly, to present performance measure, which would be a very good marketing tool. Such evaluation is a specialized activity that educators must undertake in order to assess and develop the learning experience that they are offering (Stronge & Helm, 1990). An outline is presented showing the required processes for the educational organization evaluation. The process provides guidelines for designing, implementing, assessing and improving the identified form of evaluation. Each of the steps aims to promote evaluations that are proper, useful, feasible, and accurate. The following steps could be undertaken in order to evaluate and analyze the Educational organization (Stufflebeam, 1999). The process could also be used to research and assess the effectiveness of the educational system which is used in an educational institution vital in the formulation of educational policies geared towards the realization of an empowered and globally competitive citizen. Goals for undertaking the evaluation should be clearly defined because these goals will significantly impact the shape of the organization’s efforts. Before the purpose could be fully identified, it is important to use information that is already available. Valuable information of a student can be obtained from the student’s classroom teacher, the cumulative file, and the parent regarding the learning problem.

Drug Addiction Essay Example for Free

Drug Addiction Essay This essay will outline the main points for an addict and will serve as a guide for an addict or family of an addict. Addictions are very dangerous for a person, emotionally, psychologically, and physically. There three main points to an addiction, the actual addiction and the symptoms, the addiction cycle (downhill spiral), and how to treat or where to treat an addiction. This essay will hopefully outline the main points for an addict and will hopefully serve as a guide for an addict or family of an addict. Addiction Addiction is defined as an overuse of any substance that changes the natural chemical balance of the brain. Most addiction specialists agree that addiction includes biological, psychological, and behavioral factors. There are many opinions as to what causes an individual to become susceptible to drug addiction. Many believe there are underlying physical and mental issues that contribute to developing an addiction. There are many different causes of addiction. Regardless of how or why an addiction began, there is a definite cycle of addiction that many individuals get trapped in. This addiction cycle is often referred to as the downward spiral. Breaking the addiction cycle can be a long and difficult process, depending on the nature of the addiction. There are many different types of addiction. An addiction can be developed by anyone; it is not reserved for certain personality types, social standing, or career fields. The best defense and recovery tool against addiction is education. Individuals caught up in the addiction cycle often try to hide or disguise their addictive behavior. They even try to hide the addiction from themselves. There are certain types of behavior that can assist a loved one or family member in identifying drug addiction. Once the drug addiction is identified, it is important that someone confront or intervene with the individual suffering from the addiction. Drug Addiction Cycle A cycle, simply put, means something that goes around and around like the wheels on a bike, or a brightly painted carnival carousel. Cycles can be a positive thing such as the annual review and raise that one might receive at work, or they can be negative. When is a cycle a negative or dangerous pursuit? When it threatens to destroy a quality life. If the Earth does not have snow and rain in the winter season, it dehydrates and is parched in the summer. It starves and so do we. If the wheels on the bike stop moving, the bike and rider fall over. If an addict cannot break free from the destructive and life threatening patterns of drug and alcohol addiction, they and/or others may suffer and die needlessly and harshly. The cycle of drug addiction never has a positive outcome and all efforts should be made to achieve a healthy, productive and long-term recovery from this dark and sinister downward spiral. To recreate a new pattern of living from a torn path will be the greatest and most empowering inner expedition an addict will ever encounter. The first step is to truly want it†¦so sincerely that a person can think of little else other than getting clean. It may be for oneself, a loved one or better yet a combination of both. Unfortunately, the reality of the addiction cycle and breaking free from its grip, is not that uncomplicated. Breaking free can be a very difficult process with occasional periods of personal let down, but this fact cannot in any way be allowed to discourage those seeking freedom from drug addictions. A person’s body, in almost every aspect of its being, is addicted when one is a mild to chronic user and abuser. The nervous system, brain, and muscle tissue are all living in anticipation of the next high. So, for the addict, it is crucial that the cycle of behavior, is broken. The addict needs to pull up the anchor that keeps them from moving forward. This means changing environments, patterns and even sometimes friends and social associates. Once an addict has made the personal commitment to change old habits, the next step is to establish new, safe and positive influences in their life. These can be found in quality support groups, hospital substance abuse centers and drug rehab centers. No matter what the setting, it is important to be around strangers. Being in proximity to familiar places and people may promote the tendency to fall back into old thoughts and behaviors. Of the aforementioned options, private drug rehabilitation retreats seem to be gaining popularity, in part, due to the impressive success rate they boast. What parents should know about drug addiction Drug and substance abuse among children, especially teens, is substantial. According to the most recent statistics available, (http://www. nationalyouth. com) 1. million of our youth age 12 to 17 meet the diagnostic criteria for dependence on drugs and approximately 1 million of our American youth (http://www. drugabusestatistics. samhsa. gov/) are being treated for alcohol dependency. Although these statistics may be surprising, there are many things that parents can/should know about the prevention of drug addiction including how to recognize the signs/symptoms of drug/alcohol addiction and what they can do to help their child once a problem has been recognized. Studies have shown that parents are often the first line of defense in the prevention of drug addiction. Numerous public service commercial announcements advertise parents as â€Å"the anti-drug. † Parents need to understand that ignorance is not bliss. Parents need to be well armed with the facts on prevention and treatment. Parents need to spend quality time with their children and be open to discussions on drugs and alcohol. Parents need to know who their child’s friends are, where they are going, what they are doing, etc. Parents need to make their expectations very clear and establish that they will not tolerate drug use of any kind. If all of these factors are utilized, children will be less likely to use drugs. It is also important that parents educate themselves about the types of drugs currently available. Although some of the standard drugs (drugs that may have been popular while the parent was a youth) are still around (marijuana, LSD, etc) there are also a number of new drugs that are very popular with today’s youth such as the inhalants (huffing). Conduct research on the Internet or attend a local community meeting regarding substance abuse. There are three categories of substance abuse: Use: The occasional use of drugs without developing tolerance of withdrawal symptoms when not in use. Abuse: The continued used of drugs even while knowing that the continued use is creating problems socially, physically or psychologically. Dependence: Where three of the following factors must be present: the substance is taken in large amounts over longer periods of time; their child has an everlasting desire for the substance and has been unable to control their use; child may suffer from repeated periods of intoxication or detoxification; child continues to use even though the substance is causing problems; and the child takes more of the substance in order to relieve any withdrawal symptoms they may be experiencing. It is important for parents to note that different substances lend themselves to different groups of drug addiction symptoms. In all cases however, the most visible symptom is a radical change in behavior. If a parent suspects that their child is abusing drugs, consult with a personal physician or pediatrician, an educational consultant whose expertise is this area, an addiction therapist or a drug counselor. These professionals will help the parents assess the situation and seek the proper addiction treatment. How to Find a Drug Rehab Center The first step is to contact a Doctor or a health professional. They will be able to point a person in the direction of a good drug rehab center. It is important that they be consulted with since they know the person and a bit about their history. They also might know and understand the addiction, and therefore be able to direct the addict to a drug rehab center that can cater to specific needs. If this option does not work, try to talk to local authorities that deal with drug addiction treatment. Most places that deal in mental health or in health practices will know exactly where to find good drug rehab centers. Free clinics and walk-in addiction counseling services, will have a lot of information regarding drug rehab centers. Another place to look for drug addiction treatment is the Yellow Pages. Researching on the internet might get you more information about the drug rehab centers a person is thinking about going to. There are also many online drug rehab referral services that can assist a people in making a decision. No matter how a person goes about finding a drug rehab center, there are important things that have to be kept in mind while doing so. Does the rehab center deal with this particular drug addiction? What are the costs and are they affordable? Is this particular facility covered by insurance? Is it covered by Medicaid? In addition, keep in mind that there are many state and government drug rehab centers that are available at no cost. These might be a big help as the cost of recovery is expensive. Another very important thing to keep in mind, are the services that the drug rehab center provides. Do they have in patient services as well as out patient services? Do they have counseling sessions that one can attend after the in-patient treatment is completed? Do they have information that they can give the patient/ family to read, and do they have any services for the addict’s family and loved ones? Make sure to find out about the staff to patient ratio, and how much time is going to spent at the drug rehab center. Most importantly, one should seek a drug rehab center where one can feel safe and comfortable. An addict is going to make the most progress in a place where they feel at ease and can be themselves. Recovery is a long and hard road, and if it is done in an environment where a person can feel the most comfortable, and just be themselves, they are going to be the most successful. Getting help for an addiction is something that is not easy, but a drug rehab center is a place where it might all seem to be a little bit less difficult.

Great Leaders Essay -- Informative, Greatness, Leadership

Greatness Great leaders are often thought of as history’s heroes and corporate commanders, but they can be seen in all areas of life. Without them, our society would fall to shambles for â€Å"the problems that require leadership are those that the experts cannot solve† (Manthey, 2004). I used to feel that leaders and managers were the same. However, I have learned that you can be a leader without being a manager, and vice versa. Acceptable leaders are a dime a dozen, but exceptional leaders are few and far between. Every individual at some period during his or her life will come across both ineffective and exceptional leaders, as well as a vast range between the two; the best of them drive others to become great in their own right. Core Greatness To successfully inspire greatness in others, leader must discover the greatness within themselves. â€Å"Everyone comes with certain gifts—but not the same gifts.† (Dupree, 26) People can only perform on strengths, and should focus on improving them. It makes little sense to focus on improving areas of low competence, as the energy required would be far more useful elsewhere. (Drucker, 2005, p. 3-5) Only when this personal evaluation has been preformed can one begin to effectively lead others. Great leaders recognize that all members of an organization are individuals with different needs, values, and desires. These emotional necessities are often at the core of conflict, as conflict arises when one person’s wants differ from another’s. Ineffective leaders simply impose their power in a conflict-type of situation, further aggravating the problem. This managerial method accomplishes nothing â€Å"You only succeed in stripping that person of self-dignity and making yourself an unwelco... ...ing an environment that both allows and encourages everyone to contribute to the vision, attempting to reshape the organization into the most socially and financially successful system possible. Organizational change is a complex task that often times receives resistance. When employees must change their way of thinking in order to meet new goals and challenges, opposition is often met. (Dummies, 287) To overcome this conflict, leaders must create a vision that instills confidence in new organizational practices, while at the same time, empowering their employees to actively seek out new ways of doing things. (Leader, 17) When leaders discuss their vision, effective and transparent communication is essential to its success. If the reason for this change is properly conveyed, voluntary commitment by employees will be nonexistent. (Bennis & Nanus, 2003, p. 172)

Kant’s Views on Space and Time Essay

In his Critique of Pure Reason, Immanuel Kant wrote about the science of the transcendental aesthetic in which he argues that space and time exist as a priori intuitions in the human mind. Space and time, for Kant, are the pure forms of intuition that order our empirical intuitions or sensations and allow us to have them. Thus, the essence of his view in this regard is that space and time are subjective human conventions that our mind brings to the realm of experience. There is one argument of Kant’s for space being a pure intuition in particular that I find compelling. Essentially, Kant says that empiricists advocate that the concepts of space and time are derived from our sense experience. Kant argues however, that it would be impossible for space and time to be concepts derived from sense experience because of the fact that all of our sensory experience is already ordered spatially. Kant poses that there exists, a noumena other than phenomena. Reality can either be the empirical/phenomenal world, or the non-empirical noumenal world, or they could be both. The noumena may somehow house or emanate the manythat is in our minds in order to perceive empirical space and time. Kant points out that we can simultaneously view both the empirical reality of space as well as the transcendental ideality. As far as a whole or one whole, Kant posits that we cannot successfully conceive of the whole or entire entity of time, or space because it is supposed to be infinite as, in never-ending and formless. I can show you the finite shape or form of an object, whether felt, heard, felt, tasted, or shown, but I cannot successfully show you the shape or form of either space or time itself, only the objects and events that reside within them. Kant points out that we dream, yet dreams are not empirically spatial. We can only say, I had a dream at such and such a time, yet we cannot go there, as in going to an actual physical place, so dreams are only temporal. Yet, dreams are still part of reality. The same applies for time and space.