What is this? Essay -- Technology

The use of computer technology in the classroom is growing to be a major concern for parents and educators. How much time should children be allowed to browse on the Internet? Is the Internet affecting the children, the future of our society, and the ability to focus? Should parents and educators trust the websites that students get their information from? Although the Internet provides access to live video chatting, music streaming, and online books, it is not the miracle cure that many believe that it is. The Internet does an absolutely fabulous job of making what may have seemed impossible possible; it is responsible for a reduced attention span, ability to read in-depth and analyze literature. First amongst the problems is the speed. The Internet can access an enormous amount of information in less than a few seconds with a few typed letters and the click of a button. Search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo!, and Ask offer an endless number of links leading to what an individual is inquiring about. The danger there is that students do not necessarily know how to select their sites wisely. Also, there are websites including GoogleMaps and Mapquest that make finding a destination and/or direction to such destination a â€Å"piece of cake.† Such websites are without a doubt handy and provide a driver with step by step directions. However, when the satellite is out or a GPS malfunctions, the driver is out of luck. The Internet is making society’s ability to remember and do such tasks as driving to an unfamiliar place essentially impossible to do without its help. In Nicholas Carr’s article â€Å"Is Google Making Us Stupid?† he writes about how he notices more and more how his ability to focus and find research on his own has deeply... ...ary†. Education Digest 67-1 (2001): 46-49. Academic Search Elite. Web. 13 March 2012. Keen, Andrew. â€Å"The Cult of the Amateur†. Perspectives on Argument. Ed. Nancy V. Wood. Boston. Pearson, 2012. 503-504. Print. Kirshenbaum, Matthew. â€Å"How Reading is Being Reimagined†. Perspectives on Argument. Ed. Nancy V. Wood. Boston. Pearson, 2012. 508-510. Print. O'Hear, Steve. "The Internet Can Increase Learning." Has Technology Increased Learning? Ed. Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. At Issue. Rpt. from "E-learning 2.0—\ How Web Technologies Are Shaping Education." www.readwriteweb.com/archives/e- learning_20.php. 2006. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012. Wells, Melissa. â€Å"Internet-Related Problems Coming to The Attention of School Social Workers†. Children & Schools 28.4 (2006): 237-242. Academic Search Elite. Web. 13 March 2012.

Nature Based Therapy

Introduction Nature based therapy is not a new concept, our well – being and association with nature is part of the never-ending human quest of who were are and just where is our place in this vast environment which surrounds us. In order to better grasp the topic of nature based therapy or ecotherapy, studies consulted were those pertaining to our connection with nature and our wellbeing. Just how does nature connectedness affect our experiencing of a good life is the subject of the first paper reviewed, by Howell, J. A. , Dopko, R. L. , Passmore, H. , Buro, K. (2011).The second paper by Jordan & Marshall (2010) describes a the changes to the traditional therapy frame in a the uncertain environment of the outdoors. In taking therapy outside, we work with nature as one of the variables in the therapeutic relationship. The integrative, often experiential approach of nature- based therapy or ecotherapy, is gaining rapid ground in the field of counselling and psychotherapy. My fi nal research paper aims at looking further into this growing field and how it can help those suffering from anxiety, burnout and depression. Article Review A Howell, J. A. , Dopko,R. L. Passmore, H. , Buro, K. (2011). Nature connectedness: Associations with well- being and mindfulness. Personality and Individual Differences, 51 (2), 166-171. Howell, Dopko, Passmore and Buro (2011) delve deeply into the question of our connectedness with nature and how it can be measured as a reflection of our mental well- being. The authors, all from the Grant MacEwen University in Edmonton Alberta conducted two empirical studies evidencing this association with data demonstrating that connection to nature may be more beneficial to our emotional and social well- being that previously realized.Drawing from the Biophilia hypothesis argued by Harvard evolutionary biologist E. O Wilson in 1984, that human beings have an instinctive, emotional and genetic need to be in contact with nature, Howell et al. , thus hypothesize that â€Å"higher levels of nature connectedness would be associated with higher levels of well-being and with greater mindfulness. † Many studies have been conducted on the subject with various results. Howell et al. , describe a study conducted by Mayer and Franz in 2004 which showed a â€Å"significant correlation between trait nature connectedness and life satisfaction† (p. 66). They are careful to define the word trait and provide a seemingly through review of the qualitative variables in current literature, discussing the changes in definition of well- being by various theorists (Nisbert, Zelenski and Murphy, 2011). The team from Alberta builds upon current research by probing further into the question of the â€Å"whether trait nature connectedness was associated with feeling well †¦ and with functioning well †¦ as well as the relations among nature connectedness and a second index of positive mental health, mindfulness† (p. 6 7). Howell et al. , review a large amount of research, define terminology and uncover new holes in the theories, they then go on to pose the hypotheses: â€Å"are higher levels of nature connectedness associated both with higher levels of well being and with greater mindfulness? † Methodology Howell et al. , conducted two studies using quantitative methods. In the first study, data was collected from 452 university students, primarily female, with â€Å"81. 1% identifying Canada as their country of birth† (p. 167).Using a variety of questionnaires including Mayer and Franz (2004) 14- item Connectedness to Nature Scale, Keyes' (2005) 40- item, measure of well being and Brown ; Ryan's (2003) Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MASS). In order to ensure objectivity of results, Howell et al. , balanced these scales by using Paulhus's (1994) Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding which serves to filter out â€Å"unintentionally inflated self-descriptions and impression management† (p 168). In the second study 275 students participated, all students of similar age and demographic as thefirst study.Howell et al. , used a few of the same questionnaires adding the Allo-Inclusive Identity Scale (Leary, Tipsord ; Tate, 2008) as well as the Philadelphia Mindfulness Scale (PMS) (Cardaciotto, Herbert, Forman, Moitra, Farrow, 2008). In an attempt to provide consistency and validity to the results, Howell et al. , provide succinct definitions and examples for some of the questions on these scales in order that the reader better understand the subtle differences in the descriptive statistics of the variables.Results Variables such as connectedness to nature, nature relatedness, allo inclusive identity, emotional well being, psychological well being, social well being, MAAS, PMS awareness and PMS acceptance showed correlations between nature connectedness and well being. Descriptive statistics were measured and then correlated among variables using confi rmatory factor analysis (CFA). Howell et al. , also provided models with hypothesized correlations between nature connectedness, well -being and mindfulness.In the first study â€Å"associations between nature connectedness and well- being and between well- being and mindfulness were significant; however, the association between nature connectedness and mindfulness was not† (p. 168). In the second study , correlations were significant with respect to psychological and social and emotional well being and with the added test scores added to the soup, nature connectedness was found to be significantly correlated to mindfulness. Discussion Howell et al. are satisfied with their consistent findings and that most results of their two studies support their hypothesis and suggest that † nature connectedness is associated with the extent to which people are flourishing in their private, personal lives† (p. 170). Howell et al. do admit that some of the findings were inconsi stent with their hypothesis and that future research could examine â€Å"moderators and mediators of the relationship between nature connectedness and mental health† (p. 170).They go onto discuss future research possibilities and challenges, including how nature could be incorporated into other activities to produce maximum therapeutic results. Howell et al. , produced convincing research into the relationship between connectedness to nature and well being. They took into account multiple scales of affect in order to collect their results and carefully described their differences and their impact on the final results. I feel their downfall is in their sample size and demographic and suspect results may be different depending on age and culture.Perhaps new rating scales would need to be developed in order to reflect these differences. Essentially, nature can benefit us all and regardless of the outcome being present within a natural environment will help you learn to experienc e the moment and perhaps even a renewed vitality in life. Article Review B Jordan, M. , ; Marshall, H. , (2010). Taking counselling and psychotherapy outside: Destruction or enrichment of the therapeutic frame? European Journal of Psychotherapy and Counselling, 12 (4), 345-359We all know that nature can help us feel better, but just how can we take a traditional therapeutic frame outdoors? What would be the challenges and what is the potential of this upcoming field of ecotherapy? Ecotherapy represents â€Å"a new form of psychotherapy that acknowledges the vital role of nature and addresses the human nature relationship† (p. 354) Martin Jordan and Hayley Marshall use relational therapy concepts in order to investigate mutuality and asymmetry and how they may be experienced differently in the great outdoors.Both Jordan ;Marshall are practicing registered psychotherapists and by using their own experiences, they explore both the successes and challenges to the traditional fram ework of a therapeutic session. Jordan ; Marshall address many fundamental questions including how confidentiality would be addressed in public settings and how timing or the therapeutic session is affected by practicing counselling and psychotherapy outside. They believe that the challenges to the traditional framework could be sorted out between client and therapist and in fact become part of the process .A flexible contract could be drawn up, one open to change. Jordan ; Marshall are careful to provide several definitions of a therapeutic frame, from eh uber- conservative â€Å"Psychotherapy should be carried out in a soundproof consulting room, in a private office in a professional building† (Langs 1982), to â€Å"being seen as a transgression or a dual relationship for the therapist† (Zur 2001). But there are others who believe that the therapeutic boundary should be a dynamic process (Hermansson, 1997) or that the flexibility in the frame is an opportunity for â €Å"deepening the therapeutic work and relationship† (Bridges, 1999).Jordan ; Marshall seem to be covering all bases with their own summary of a therapeutic boundaries,† Working outdoors can throw new light on these traditionally more fixed ideas concerning boundaries and invite an increasingly flexible perspective on issues concerning power and mutuality within the therapeutic relationship† (p. 347). They examine the changes in client therapist relationships and how mutuality must not be equated with equality in terms of the therapeutic relationship. Jordan ; Marshall are not prescribing a recipe for therapy outdoors nor are they saying therapy is better outdoors.Their goal with this paper is to present their experiential findings and observations regarding the challenges various forms of outdoor therapy impart on the traditional therapeutic frame as well as on the relationship between therapist and client. Methodology The qualitative method devised to learn more about the impacts of taking the therapeutic frame outdoors was simple. Jordan ; Marshall began to hold sessions outdoors with their existing clients. They used two types of interactions outdoors: 1. taking the traditional therapeutic frame of one hour into ‘ nearby nature' and 2. aking clients on excursions where the frame is extended to over a weekend or more. Relational theory concepts were used in order to better understand how the traditional frame of psychotherapy elements such as â€Å"confidentiality and timing of therapeutic work, weather, containment and power dynamics† (p. 347), would be challenged by unpredictable natural environment. The variables of mutuality and asymmetry were also studied in terms of the expanding boundaries in the client – therapist relationship. One case study (in two parts) is presented in order to better grasp the challenges and potential of nature – based therapy.Results Jordan ; Marshall found many potential challenge s in taking the therapeutic frame outdoors. In particular, they found that the boundaries between client and therapist, could become challenged. The outdoors provided a neutral environment which fostered mutuality but maintaining some asymmetry in the relationship could be difficult. In taking this frame outdoors, Jordan ; Marshall also found that the structure of the frame itself may need to be reshaped and become more flexible; perhaps the frame becomes an open process, rather than an ultimate set of rules.They also found that sometimes the unpredictability of the environment created more anxiety, both in the client and the therapist and that the establishment of a therapeutic container or the ‘building of a home in nature' (Berger, 2006) was successful in overcoming some of these obstacles. Discussion The purpose of Jordan ; Marshall's paper was to provide information on the potential and challenges of taking traditional therapy practice outdoors. Jordan & Marshall consulte d a vast reference list including one of the founders of nature- based therapy, Ronen Berger and this provided interesting insight into this emerging field.At times the paper felt disorganized and the case presentation split in two halves was confusing. Results were scattered throughout the paper and the methodology was vague and seemingly structureless. Nevertheless, Jordan & Marshall got to the gist of the subject and were honest with their results, reporting their own struggles with mutuality and asymmetry when taking clients outside of the traditional hour long frame; â€Å"both clients and therapists can experience a blurring of the boundaries between what is therapy and what is social space† (p357).Jordan & Marshall did not however, provide much data as to how many clients they had seen and under what circumstances. Their observations are keen and easily related to when thinking about the traditional therapeutic frame, nevertheless a concrete chart or model, using the r elational as well as other theories or approaches, would have been welcome and interesting. ConclusionOverall I found both these articles fascinating and extremely pertinent to my final research paper. Simply being present within a natural environment can help us feel better. Perhaps when taking therapy outdoors and as nature becomes a dynamic third in the therapeutic relationship, the traditional frame will come alive with an emergent creativity and mindfulness nudging us all towards our own true nature.

Mother Teresa Essay

Mother Teresa has dedicated her life to helping the poor, the sick, and the dying around the world. She is one of the most well known and respected people of the 20th century. The movie that viewed in class displayed it very well. It showed how much she cared about the ‘un-cared for’ and how she preached to millions of people around the world. In her speeches she spoke of ‘blessing the misfortunate’ and loving them as well. She also spoke of how easy it is to help them. All we have to do is show some love towards them that they would normally never get. Mother Teresa is one of the most kind people on the planet and goes around spreading the love and affection. She was born in Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in 1910 in Skopje, Yugoslavia. Her parents were Albanians who settled in Skopje near the beginning of the century. He father was a owner of a major construction company so Mother Teresa grew up in a very comfortable environment. In 1928 she suddenly decided to become a nun and traveled to Dublin, Ireland, to join the Sisters of Loreto. After studying with the Sisters in the convent, she left to join another convent in northeast India. On May 24, 1931, she took the name of ‘Teresa’ in honor of St. Teresa of Avila. At first, Mother Teresa was assigned to teach a small Geography class at St. Mary’s High School in Calcutta. Mother Teresa noticed all the beggars, lepers, and homeless people on the streets of Calcutta. There lives were horrible, living on other peoples scraps and letting babies that they couldn’t support die in trash bins. She decided to ask the archbishop if she could stop her teaching and dedicate her life to helping the ‘less fortunate.’ When Mother Teresa received a written consent that it was okay, she began her work. In 1948 Pope Pius XII gave Mother Teresa permission to be a totally independant nun, so she became an Indian citizen. After studying about nursing, she founded the ‘Missionaries of Charity.’ This was a group of nuns who go around and help the sick and dying. All the nuns that agreed to work in the ‘Missionaries of Charity’ had to devote their lives to helping the poor and not to receive any money or material things. To the side is a  picture of a letter that Mother Teresa sent to a nun that wanted to join the ‘Missionaries of Charity.’ Mother Teresa welcomed her into the group with praise. Now to the movie. The movie did a very good job of showing how much Mother Teresa cared for the sick. The main part of the movie that I remember was the part when Mother Teresa and her nuns were starting a whole new center to the sick and dying. When the person that owned the building was telling the nuns and Mother Teresa about all the nice things they has in the building, the nuns almost simultaneously said, ‘I don’t think we will be needing that.’ The nuns and Mother Teresa live in such low living conditions and don’t seem to mind. Unlike most of us, she doesn’t need material things to get along. All she needs is some running water and the necessary materials to help the sick. Mother Teresa did such great work for the poor that she received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1971. Pope Paul VI honored Mother Teresa by awarding her the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. The following year the government of India presented her with the Jawaharial Nehru Award for International Understanding. In 1979 she received her greatest award, the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother Teresa accepted all of these awards on behalf of the poor, suing any money that accompanied them to fund her centers. By 1990 over 3,000 nuns belonged to the running centers in 25 countries. Obviously, Mother Teresa’s missions to help the poor were a tremendous success. There are also some kinds of summer groups like Habitat for Humanity. Unlike Habitat for Humanity these groups of kids go out and help the sick and dying just like Mother Teresa. The leader of these groups is a well known priest by the name of Johann Christoph. These kids love to do what Mother Teresa does best and make many dying people happy in there last days of life. The School that did this was the ‘Wake Forest University.’ Or as they prefer to be called the ‘City of Joy Scholars.’ The kids spent 18 long days in Calcutta as Mother Teresa’s first help center. The kids remember the varied cultures and races that Mother Teresa and the nuns love so very much. No matter how sick they looked. The kids were forever changed mentally and  emotionally after seeing and helping the helpless. The Missionaries of Charity and Mother Teresa are probably the most caring people on Earth. Mother Teresa is already called a Saint. She is the one and only living Saint. I enjoyed the movie and learned a lot about Mother Teresa and here mission to help the sick, lepers, and homeless. I trust she will succeed but she will need more nuns to join the famous ‘Missionaries of Charity.’

Stimulii for Choreography Essays - Phobias, Free Essays

Ideas/Stimulii for Choreography Essays - Phobias, Free Essays Ideas/Stimulii for Choreography African Dance Anorexia/Size zero models/catwalking Betrayal Body Systems Childhood Circus Claustrophobia Confusion Cycle of Life Discrimination/Alienation Do relationships change with time? Environment/Eco-systems/Rainforests Epicentre Everyday Routine/Monotony Fireworks/Sparklers Flamenco/Spanish/Bull Fight Games as a stimulus noughts and crosses, chess, etc Guardian Angels Heaven and Hell Hindu God Ganesh/Indian Hand Gestures Influences on a Teenage Mind/Feeling pulled in different directions Insomnia Isolation/Rejection Journey through Life Machines Magnetism Memoirs of a Geisha Metamorphosis transformation Midnight Horror/Nightmares Mood Swings Mother and Daughter Relationship Night and Day Not seen the same as everyone else/Trying to fit in Opposites/Love and Hate Parallel Lives Racism Religious themes Romeo and Juliet Sacrifice Schizophrenia/Split personality Self-conscious Seven Deadly Sins Shopping Social Anxiety Disorder, shyness, isolation Star signs Gemini The City The Sea/Ocean/Lost at Sea Toys/Dolls coming to life Trapped Twos Company, Threes a Crowd War/Army/Military Weather, Storms, Natural Disasters Paintings, postcards, sculptures, newspaper articles, diary entries, poems, movements, textures, films, nursery rhymes, myths and legends, fairy tales, music, everyday sounds, etc.

Awesome Jobs with Good Work Life Balance [Infographic]

Awesome Jobs with Good Work Life Balance [Infographic] So you want to have your life and live it, too- that doesn’t seem too much to ask, right? Yet some people seem to think career success comes at the steep price of giving up fun, family, and friends. Not so! Read on to find out how you, too, can attain that mythical and coveted â€Å"work-life balance† you’ve heard about, but never actually found. It’s there for the taking, really. You just need to know where to look.

Current Economic Climate in Britain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Current Economic Climate in Britain - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the economic climate in Britain affects businesses differently. Even with the realized economic progress, competition has heightened across all industries. Free market practices have become predominant, forcing businesses to engage in intense competition in order to secure significant market shares. Most importantly, Britain is not immune to the euro crisis as well as global financial and economic hardships. For this reason, risks might seem to outweigh benefits in starting up a new business. However, this might not be the case. The economic climate, whether it progresses, stagnates, or deteriorates, does not directly translate into business failure if risks are involved. The business environment can hardly be immune to risks and economic hardships. Business diversity in the economic context has to cope with many eventualities, which if not managed can be catastrophic to many businesses. Even in the best of economies in the world, risks cannot be ignored. Rather, the presence of risks is acknowledged and the necessary course of action taken to manage the risks. Business competition in Britain’s economy has been observed to intensify over time. Following this trend, the most influential risks for businesses are operational, financial, or economic in nature. The benefits realized by any given business in the economy depend on the opportunity identified, strategies taken to exploit the opportunity, decision making, and management practices employed. These aspects are essential in countering business start-up risks that could negatively affect the performance of the business.

Multi Modal Speech Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Multi Modal Speech Communications - Essay Example This paper will dissect two current commercials to demonstrate how manufacturers and marketing firms suggestively and creatively capitalize on the interconnected processes of language that humans use. In this particular commercial the advertisers selected a highly acclaimed and celebrated professional athlete to endorse the product. The essence or aesthetic presentation is one of playfulness and light-heartedness using the game of golf as the medium of persuasion. The outdoors environment of the backdrop of the velvety, smooth grassy knolls of the golf course is suggestive of the smooth, enjoyable gliding ride of traveling and driving a Buick. The technique of using a â€Å"trap† is a creative lure of language associated with the sand traps when playing the game of golf and the hidden cameramen, but it is a subtly suggestive ploy of deflecting again to enticing the players into the game of buying a Buick. The commercial is brilliant in that it playfully uses a game of golf as a means of introducing and displaying the amenities of the automobile’s design and features. Because of Tiger Woods’ boyish and attractive good looks viewers of the commercial make the association that by owning and driving the new Buick they in turn will project a similar image. The language, the backdrop of the golf course(s), lightness of the exchange between the actors in the commercial project and the unsuspecting participants represent a carefree and enjoyable image. The conveyance of a subconscious mental â€Å"trap† and the physical unconsciously convey to viewers that similar experiences await them as a result of owning the Buick Reiner SUV. Words that come to mind as a result of watching the commercial are: youthful, lightheartedness, fun, playful, beautiful, peaceful, happiness, refreshing, and attainable. This commercial reached back into a time when a full length featured cartoon series was a novelty. The marketing firm