The Use of the GAP Model Approach Measuring Client Satisfaction Essay

The Use of the GAP Model Approach Measuring Client Satisfaction - Essay Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that customer satisfaction is an area that the management of different institutions takes a keen interest in. Quality service provision is a critical aspect that determines whether a company maintains relevance in the market or diminishes. At times, clients meet and talk concerning service provision in a particular institution. In their discussion, there are bound to arise certain issues about expectations towards service provision. In the event that their expectations fall below the expected level, a gap is then created. Breast cancer is one of the single most phenomena that have provided a new whole level of challenges in this modern dispensation. The dire consequences of this problem have made health practitioners get back to the drawing board and establish new ways and means of providing better services to the customers. This is relevant in so far as breast cancer is concerned. North County Breast Screening Unit provi des the services of screening the breast to ensure that no patient dies of the cancer disease. In the recent past, the number of people seeking services at the screening unit has increased significantly. The unit offers services to almost half a million people and in with an uptake of services from 70% to 77%. This is above the national quality grid of 75%. In a recent research done on the screen, its unit, the results told it is all about quality of service provision at the unit. A number of patients were interviewed a number of patients together with a selected number of employees. The results revealed some unique aspects that only need to be put into perspective for proper analysis. From the survey done at the North County Breast Screening Unit, some critical issues can be understood about service provision.

Jet blue case study Essay Example for Free

Jet blue case study Essay The United States airline industry includes roughly 600 companies with combined annual revenue of approximately 170 billion dollars (bts.gov). The major companies include American, Delta, and United Continental (bts.gov). There are air operations of express delivery companies such as FedEx and UPS. This industry is highly concentrated with the 10 largest companies accounting for more than 75 percent of industry revenue (bts.gov). The global airline industry generates about $500 billion annually (tbs.gov). The major international companies include Air China, Deutsche Lufthansa, Air France-KLM, Japan Airlines, and British Airways (bts. gov). Discussion Questions 1. Discuss the trends in the U.S. airline industry and how these trends might impact a company’s strategy. Trends in this industry are numerous. This discussion will include the price of jet fuel, on-time performance, security, and cheaper substitutes. Oil price volatility is the leading player in airline strategy (jetblue.com). Fuel is probably the most significant element in an airline’s base cost (jetblue.com). The new fuel price average for the year 2012 is around 129.7 dollars per barrel (jetblue.com). The impact of this year’s fuel bill for the global airline industry is upwards of 32 billion dollars (jetblue.com). The causes for delays and cancellations of flights are reported monthly to The Bureau of transportation Statistics (bts.gov). On time performance has many factors; a few of these factors are air carrier delays, late arriving aircrafts, security delays, extreme weather, and equipment (bts.gov). Air carrier delays are within the airline’s control. This area includes maintenance/crew problems, aircraft cleaning, baggage loading, fueling, and such (bts.gov). A late arriving previous flight Read Full Essay View as multi-pages

Educational System In Latvia Education Essay

Educational System In Latvia Education Essay Education in Latvia is composed of levels: nine years compulsory, secondary and higher education. Vocational schools, art schools, business schools, schools for special types of children, schools for children with special needs and kindergartens also form part of the program. In vocational education programs lasting two or three years provide theoretical and practical knowledge. The majority of vocational schools in Latvia provide 2-3 and 4-year vocational education and training programs, but in special education schools or special education classes within general education schools provide education for children with special needs that correspond to each individuals physical and mental condition. There are private schools and universities, where fees are charged. But majority of students go to state schools which are free. The main purpose of the nine year school is the general intellectual and social development of the child. Children in Latvia are compulsory by law to attend school from the year when they turn seven till the age of 16. In some special cases the acquisition of basic education may last till the age of 18. Promotion from one grade to the next is based on the pupils skills in all school subjects and on the results of tests. In secondary schools most pupils follow a course that includes latvian, science, social studies, mathematics, physical education, foreign languages. Elective subjects may be chosen according to the students interests. A student is graded from 10 (outstanding) to 1 (failing) in each subject he takes. Students receive report cards twice a year. At the end of the 12th grade every school-leaver is supposed to take 2 compulsory exams chosen by the Ministry of Education and 3 exams in the subjects each individual student has selected himself. About 80% of young people graduate from school with a General certificate of education. To get this certificate each student must complete a specified number of subjects and pass 6 final exams graded no less than 4 and upwards. Usually pupils have a separate teacher for each subject. Schools in Latvia begin on September 1 and end near the end of May. The year is divided into semesters, typically- September- December- January- May. The school breaks for holidays 4 times a year. There is a week holiday at the end of October, 2 weeks at Christmas Holidays, a week at the end of March and 1 week at Easter. The basic school day comprises from 5 lessons in grades 1-3 up to 8 lessons in grade 9. The school year is 34 weeks long in first grade and 37 weeks in grade 9 per year. In Latvia have two sorts of higher education programmes academic and professional. Such a division of higher education allows the student to choose either research or professional activity in the future. Professional higher education is divided into two levels. First level professional higher education programmes lasting 2-3 years and there are both state-financed and private higher education institutions. 2. Early childhood education system in Latvia Children attend pre-school when they are under age of seven years, but it is also possiable to lenghten studying for one more year, if the kid has some health, psychological preparedness problems, considering desire of parents, family doctor, psychologist opinion. Early childhood education programms provides preparation to primary school, incluging the development of individuality, mental, physical, social development, independence, creativity, strengthening health and also improving basic skills of state language. Main type of activity for pre-school children is games, so the teaching process is organised that a children can learn by playing and by this learning process kids takes over community experience, acguire knowledge, skills to create attitudes, explore themselves and also act independently. In pre-school educational institutions it is not allowed by law to hold entrance examinations. The local government, in agreement with the Ministry of Education establishes, maintain and finance, as well as reorganize and liquidate pre-schools. 2.1. Curriculum in early childhood education All subjects in early childhood education and curriculum content is important for giving children a common understanding of environment that is arround them and develop their creative, logical thinking and in making curriculum for early childhood education it is importan to understand what children already can do and what they need to learn and what they need to improve and train. Curriculum in Latvias early childhood education includes such subjects: latvian language (children develop speech of mother tongue also improve knowledge of literature, folklore, literacy), natural-sciences (children learns constructing, creat mathematical ideas), social sciences and ethics ( children develop social skills, explore environment and also social life), music, physical education, that goes closly together with didactics of rhythm and movement, visual art ( children are improving creative side by drawing, painting, modeling), housekeeping and technology ( children are doing needlework, applique or origami). Teaching methods and curricum in early childhood education dipends from children stage of development and age. There is four levels in children stage of development. The first level is for kids till two years age, second level is for kids till three years, third level is for kids till five years and the last level is till age of six. Curriculum for each level, teaching methods and methodical approaches are profesionaly created by Latvian Education Curriculum Centre but it is not forbitten that teachers in early childhood education use their own professionaly created methods and materials. Now I want to speak more closly about curriculum and children levels of development. At the level first, when kids are one, two years old, they can learn throught observation( going in walks and observing environment and it can also be made together with older kids, for exchanging their ideas and observation outcomes), demonstration ( these demostrations can be made by showing some plants, mushrooms), movement games, musical games, manipulating objects and exploring real objects. In second level, when children are in a age of three years then mostly all methodical approaches are playful and children are learning throught simbolistic, plot, destructive, rhythm games (swiping palm hands and singing together) and practical work ( children are involved in independent work, for example writing calligraphy). Many games can be played with older children from different stages and levels of development. Such kind a approach improves social skills and experience exchange. In the third level, when kids are in age till five years old, then the main teaching and learning approaches is throught discussion, evalution, throught didactic games, construction games and story role games. In this level it is also very common to go in excursions, go for a walks and do some games or playful activities outside the kinderganten yard. Till the age of six, when kids are in the last level, then the most common methodical approaches to children are by experments, dialogues ( teacher asks questions and making diagolue with children, about what they have seen today or making dialogues about some stories and fairy-tales), dramatization and theatrical games and also folk games (One of the most famoust folk games in Latvia is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Kas dÄ rzÄ ? or à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾Whats in the garden? It is game in a circle and when teacher stops singing one of the kid find another child to put in a center of circle). 2.2. Rythm and movement in early childhood education Rythm and movement goes closly together with such kind a subjects as physical education, health and music and thats why am going to review curriculum of these subjects to understend better about rythm and movement importance in early childhood education curriculum. Physical education and health subjects main goal is to promote children health, strengthening their body, improving movement but music subject promote childrem emocional, intelectual development, knowledge about rhytm and improve creativity. The main tasks in physical education and health is to acuire the skills to manage the body and enhance the natural movement activity and promote children emotional, social development throught physical activity. For example curriculum for physical education and health includes stepping and running, crawling and climbing, throwing and capturing, rolling and jumping. All these process improves childrens movement. The way how can improve children stepping and running is by playing some movement games (Craw and at the same time rolling the ball, by this proces children learns to control direction of ball). For example in running, there is many tasks to improve it and the more older are children, the more difficult will be task and curriculum. When the kids are about two years old they are able to run freely throught the field, evading and not touching other play members, but when the kids are about four and five years old, then the level of running comes more difficult. As an instance kids have to run after each other, run in environment with barriers, cones, filled balls and run by doing curves and changing directions, but when the kids are about six years old, then they are able to use some rhythmical actions like run and at the same time kick to a ball. Crawling and climbing is one of the ways how to improve movements and strengthen body. In a first level, when kids are one, two years old, they can crawl and overcome a variety of high obstacles, but they are still learning to craw in direct route among objects and arround them. When the kids comes older, they can freely craw on rought surface also on wide, sloping surface. Kids can also suport moving by hand palms and feets, climb the stairs up and down. In a fourth level children is able to craw and roll the ball at the same time by controling balls direction. There is also throwing and capturing process in early childhood education curriculum. These proceses comes closly together with playful learning. In a first level of children development, they are able to throw some objects in uncertain directions and capture transmited objects from close distance, when children pass to next level they they are able to throw objects in freely choosen directions, but in a third level of development children is ready to throw objects in horizontal goals (box, basket) from a small distance. Children are also able to throw and capture objects from a short distance by working in pairs. In a fourth level of development children are able to throw objects in vertical goals and capter the ball after it has hurtled the ground. 2.3 Music and rhythm in early childhood education One of the most important learning subjects, that creates development of rhythm and movement is music. Music subject in early childhood develops motor coordination, sense of rhythm, encourage to play music and rhythm instruments. In a curriculum of music, there is such important process as singing, listening music, dance and musical rhythmical movements, use of rhythm and musical instruments. The subject singing includes working with folk songs, children songs, chants, vocal range and tune. In a first level of development in singing children are learning to sing a simple children songs in a small range, play together with teacher rhythm accompaniment to instruments. When the kids gets older and pass next level of development, thay can sing freely and naturally without tension and can use different tempo, sing songs with different accompaniment types, use rhythm instruments like rattles, sticks. Another curriculum subject is listening to music, that includes tempo, dynamics, sound layout, genres, songs. In a age one and two children are listening various sounds and voices and at the same time are learning to heard low and high register, linking it with an image. At this age children are also able execute variouty of movements while sound of music. With a time children gets older, they can recognise some specific musical instrument sounds and express their feelings about the composition and also recognise hearded composition. When children is five or six years old, they are able to improvise movements given by music, perceive music mood (character), genre (song, dance, march) and dinamics. The other subject in music curriculum is dance and musical rhythmical movement, wich includes such important objects as posture, pulsation, sounding gestures. In a first level of development children are able to listen music accompaniment and do movements of mimics and participate in simple musical and rhythmical plays. When children pass next stage of development, than they are able to perform some movements while listening musical accompaniment and learn most basic dance steps as well dance in couples, but when the kids are about five years old, they can do dance moves, dance steps and are also able to stand in circle, wich they can reduce or expand. In a age of six, kid is ready to dance simple dances, and throught musical accompaniment improvise movements and reproduce composition in their movements. In this age children are also able to acquire folk dance grib and do gallop steps. The last learning subject in music curriculum is rhythm and music instruments. In this subject it is very common to use rhythmical instruments, sound tools, pulse. In a age of three kids in early childhood are able to play some audio tools by listening accompaniment at the same time. Kids are also able to play some rhythm instruments like rattles ,beat with a stick. When children pass to next level of development and come bit older, they are able to recognize two or three musical instruments, improvise accompaniment with rhythm and musical instruments. 3. Riga Teacher Training and educational management academy The Academys goal is to provide each student with an opportunity to acquire professional and academic higher education in the areas of pedagogy, psychology, business and management, as well as motivation for professional life and constant self-improvement. RTTEMA prepares teachers who are able to prepare pupils for life and work in information society. RTTEMA is a conceptually and technically modern professional higher education institution and academy is founded by a state. It started its work in 1994 with 1273 students and now is one of the largest higher educational institutions in Latvia in terms of the number of students. Academy educates more than 3, 5 thousand students in full-time and part-time studies, employs 160 lecturers and docents, offers 25 study programs at college, bachelors, master and PhD levels. RTTEMA also organizes international conferences, publishes scientific articles, implements projects of scientific research, promote student and teacher international mobility, is an active member of international organizations. Academys intellectual environment consist of Pedagogic Scientific Institute, Creativity Scientific Institute, Child Language Research Center, Psychological Research Institute, Nature and Working Environment Institute, Several methodic centers, Young Teachers Club, RTTEMA Centre of Further Education, Library with stocks in 10 cities of Latvia. Students are provided administrative support at International Office and social support at Students Parliament. Apart from these units students have an opportunity of involving themselves in the following cultural undertakings, that are Mixed choir Fortius, female choir Balta, chamber orchestra Gaudeamus Orchestra, Big band, sports club, folk dance group Dejotprieks. In RTTEMA is also possible to study education programs that are related to rhythm and movement subjects, for example professional bachelors education programs and second level in the short vocational higher education program offers to study and become a Dance and Rhythmic Teacher or Music Teacher. Professional Masters program offers Dance Pedagogy, Music Pedagogy. If a student wants to get Bachelor degree in Dance and Rhythmic Teacher education program, then he/she has to study in full time for four years or in part time, that takes four years and three months. This educational program gives opportunity to work in a profession of dance and rhythmic teacher also manage dance groups. Main requirements of this program is to acquire theoretical base of pedagogy and psychology, link the theoretical conclusion with the practical work at school, primary school also acquire research skills and be able to use them in practical work, develop skills and abilities necessary for Dance and Rhythmic Teacher as well as personal qualities and competences. This education program includes a plenty of subjects like classical dance, historical dance, dance anatomy, composition of dance, rhythmic, methods of children dance, the notation of Latvian dance, jazz dance, didactics etc. Conclusion The Latvian education system is structured at four levels: primary, secondary, vocational and higher education. There are also private schools and universities, where fees are charged, but majority of students go to state schools which are free. Children in Latvia are obliged by law to attend school from the year when they turn seven till the age of 16. Children attend pre-school when they are under age of seven years, Main type of activity for pre-school children is games, so the teaching process is organised that children can learn by playing and by this learning process kids takes over community experience, acguire knowledge, skills to create attitudes, explore themselves and also act independently. Teaching methods and curricum in early childhood education dipends from children stage of development and age. There is four levels in children stage of development. Curriculum for each level, teaching methods and methodical approaches are profesionaly created by Latvian Education Curriculum Centre. Early childhood curriculum includes physical education and music subjects, witch goes includes knowledge about rhythm and movement. These subjects main goals are to promote children health, strengthening their body, improving movement but music subject promote childrem emocional, intelectual development, knowledge about rhytm and improve creativity. Rigas Teacher Training and educational management academy (RTTEMA) main goal is to provide each student with an opportunity to acquire professional and academic higher education in the areas of pedagogy, psychology, business and management, as well as motivation for professional life and constant self-improvement. In RTTEMA is also possible to study education programs that are related to rhythm and movement subjects, for example professional bachelors education programs and second level in the short vocational higher education program offers to study and become a Dance and Rhythmic Teacher or Music Teacher. Professional Masters program offers Dance Pedagogy, Music Pedagogy. Internet resources http://www.aic.lv/ENIC/en/enic/ed_in_Latv.htm, Retrieved November 24 http://izm.izm.gov.lv/education/education-system.html, Retrieved November 24 http://www.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=20243, Retrieved November 26 http://www.rpiva.lv/index.php?mh=statistika, Retrieved November 26 http://viaa.gov.lv/files/news/1808/educ_in_latvia.pdf, Retrieved November 26

Spirit Of The Game Essay -- essays research papers

The Spirit of the Game This was one of the most inspiring books I have ever read. It spoke about periods of time throughout the evolving of one of Americas most intense and loved games. The book was split up into two large sections and then divided into chapters inside the sections. The first section was called The Spirit. The first chapter of this section deals with the early stages of development in the game. From the beginning hockey was known as a sport of integrity, grit, hard work all mixed in with a little class. Some of the most influential hockey players of all time such as Dan Bain, Goaltender for the 1899-1900 Winnipeg Victorias represented all these things that represent what hockey is all about. The next chapter in the section is called Team Game. This chapter in my opinion talks about the most important part of the game, which is teamwork. In the beginning hockey did not have all the individually talented players of today, it was all about the team. The 1932 Detroit Falcons, which would soon be, renamed the Red Wings were a prime example of a 1920-1950s-hockey team. Not one player on the team tried to put their own individual statistics before the team, no matter how good they were. With this intense team playing style they won the Stanley cup the following season. The next and final chapter in section 1 was Behind the Bench. The most substantial role is not being played on the ice, but behind the bench by the coaches. The coaches in any sport set the tone a...

Impact Of Computer Technology On Communication Essay

1. ABSTRACT Technological development has had a strong impact on the way society communicates, particularly with its acceleration in the last few centuries. From the invention of the telegraph and telephone to the advent of the Internet, technology has given people tools to not only keep in touch with each other, but also express their feelings and opinions to a broader audience than would otherwise have been impossible. Everything has both a positive and negative impact, and the impact of technology on the communication process also comes as mixed baggage. It is the purpose of this paper to discuss the positive and negative impacts of computer technology on communication. In this article, we would be discussing the impact of popular technological elements like emails, telephones, cellphones etc. on our means of communication. INTRODUCTION Communication is an essential part of life. The use of technology can be a great help to people in communicating, reducing the time it takes. But technology can have consequences of reducing person-to-person interaction without the device as an intermediary. Email Electronic mail, or email, was one of the first changes in how people use technology to communicate with individuals. The ability to release information to many different people at once, without calling a meeting or requiring printing of the materials, turned into a money- and time-saving device. Text Messaging Text messaging also has its own language, an abbreviated form of speech that has found its way into classrooms and businesses. People are more likely to pull out their phone and start texting while sitting at the table for dinner or while having a conversation in person. The actions of texting may seem rude under conventional social norms, leading to misunderstandings. Instant Messaging Instant messaging has been around since the 1990s. It was primarily used by people to communicate while doing homework and just to keep in touch. It was texting before text messaging became affordable. Businesses realized the potential of real-time communication at the computer between employees and implemented it. Instant messaging, or IM, has allowed people to reach other people without having to use the phone. Social Media Social media have been a revolution in how people plan events and communicate with one another. Rather than talking to their friends in person, they can post a comment about their life. The revolution of social media has allowed people to rekindle friendships, make new friends and gain new interests. 1. Positive Effects of Technology on Communication Technology has transformed the once big and far world into a tiny global village. Thanks to technology, we now have the power to communicate with anybody on the other side of the world. The points below summarize these benefits. 1.1. Keeping in Touch For more than a century now, technological advances have brought the world closer, making communication across long distances easier. Telegrams are faster than letters; phone calls, in turn, are faster than telegrams, as well as easier and more pleasant, since they require no go-between and allow users to hear each other’s voice. Cell phones take this one step further, allowing people to call and speak with each other regardless of their location. Online communication of all types is the most efficient yet, with email being a near-instantaneous version of the paper letter; webcams, paired with communication programs such as Skype, iChat or Google Video  Chat, make it possible to see the person you are speaking with rather than just hear his voice. 1.2. Doing Business The same technological advances that have simplified and improved personal communication have also had the same beneficial effects on business. Communication between colleagues is near-instantaneous whether they are a few rooms or a few countries apart; video conferencing allows companies to have workers scattered around the globe while but still hold efficient meetings and discussions; business networking is made easier by social media and online networks designed specifically for that purpose, such as LinkedIn. Perhaps most importantly, companies can expand beyond their local market and gain a wider customer base simply by maintaining an active online presence. 1.3. Overcoming Disabilities Technology has both improved communication for disabled people and made it possible where it previously wasn’t. Hearing aids boost the hearing of partially deaf people, making it easier to understand speech, while cochlear implants restore hearing to the completely deaf. Speech-generating devices give people with severe speech impairments a way to express themselves: perhaps the most famous user of such a device is scientist Stephen Hawking. Further advances in technology may result in functional brain-computer interface systems, restoring the ability to communicate to people who have lost it entirely, such as sufferers of locked-in syndrome. 1.4 Reaching a Broader Audience As people’s ability to communicate improves, the reach of their messages widens. This can be especially important in politics and activism. For instance, photos and video recorded covertly through a cell phone can be quickly and easily shared online through websites such as YouTube, making it harder for oppressive regimes to keep control; social networks such as Facebook and Twitter can be used to organize and coordinate meetings and protests. The Egyptian revolution of 2011-2012 was spurred greatly by social media. 2. The Negative Effects of Technology on Communication 2.1. Privacy Communicating via computers can help people bridge large geographical gaps and access remote information, but doing so may open up a person’s privacy more than he might want. With an in-person meeting or phone conversation, there is a relative assurance that details of those exchanges will remain private. However, with email, text messaging or message boards, there is a record of what people say. Information is not just thrown out into the air like speech, but it stored as a permanent record. There is an inherent danger when third parties can access these online â€Å"conversations.† Similarly, social networks and other Internet-based communication tools are vulnerable to privacy breach, as users often engage in these activities on public networks, leaving personal information, potentially, out in the open. 2.2. Misinterpretation The fact that most communication taking place on computers comes in the form of text can actually be a negative in terms of our ability to understand things clearly. Even with email, it is possible for information to be misconstrued or the emotion of a statement to be missed. Saying â€Å"thanks a lot† to someone in an e-mail message, for instance, could be used to genuinely relay gratitude. On the other hand, it could indicate a negative feeling of someone being put in a tough position. The context clues that a person provides with their body language and tone of voice are lost in this scenario. Users get around some of this confusion by using emoticons — keyboard characters that serve as a shorthand for mood and feeling — but a great deal of subtlety can be missed without seeing how someone reacts with their body language and voice. 2.3 Dependency Society’s dependency on computers for communication is also a dangerous game, as outside forces can prevent communication in a variety of ways. Earthquakes, floods and hurricanes have caused various slowdowns and stoppages of Internet connectivity for people all over the world. Additionally, reliance on social networks and email can have the unintended consequence of opening a person up to identify theft attempts and email scams. Even the outside force of political unrest can threaten a user’s ability to communicate, as the 2011 demonstrations in Cairo and Libya  resulted in government shutdowns of the Internet, drastically curtailing each country’s ability to communicate, both nationally and internationally. 2.4. Impact on children The minds of children are like blank pages. As we know that the generation of this era has a high level of dexterity. Their elevated cleverness allows them to fill those pages very fast with the provided information. Such information can be extracted not only from books and other educational materials but also from games, TV shows and texting. . Now, more and more people are interacting with others through different platforms like apps, role-playing online games, social networks, etc. This advancement has hampered the physical interaction skills of many children. Due to that they don’t know how to interact with others when they meet them in-person or what gesture they should carry. A limited use of gadgets can be quite useful for children as it will allow them to be up to date with the current technology. However, the overuse of these advancements can really hamper or even damage their development in the personal growth, communication and educational department. 2.5 Elevated Exasperation These days, children indulge themselves in internet, games or texting. These activities have affected their psyche negatively, consequently leading to increased frustration. Now they get frustrated whenever they are asked to do anything while playing games or using internet. For instance, when their parents ask them to take the trash out, they get furious instantly. This behavior has shattered many parent-children relationships. 2.6. Deteriorated Patience Patience is a very precious virtue and its scarcity could deteriorate a person’s Will. Determination is a necessity that comes with patience and without it no individual can survive the hardships of life. According to studies, tolerance in children is vanishing quite increasingly due to the improper use of technology. For example, children get frustrated quickly when they surf internet and the page they want to view takes time to load. 2.7. Declining Writing Skills Due to the excessive usage of online chatting and shortcuts, the writing skills of today’s young generation have declined quite tremendously. These days, children are relying more and more on digital communication that they have totally forgot about improving their writing skills. They don’t know the spelling of different words, how to use grammar properly or how to do cursive writing. CONCLUSION While technology did make communications faster and easier, it has also made, at times, communication more distracting and less clear.With any technological innovation and use of computer, communication issues of privacy, trust, security, and social control have been raised as computers have become more pervasive.. As you can see, the impact is both positive and negative. But logically thinking, technology has bettered the communication process and has done negligible harm. The positive points of the technological advancements cover up the negative points. It all depends on how we use these means; use the technological means of communication for sane purposes, and don’t abuse them for malicious motives REFERENCES [1.] Kiesler, S., Siegel, J., McGuire, T. W. (1984). Social psychological aspects of computer-mediated communication. American Psychologist, 39(10), 1123-1134 [2] Smilowitz, M., Compton, C. D., & Flint, L. (1988). The effect of computer mediated communication on an individual’s judgement: A study based on the methods of Asch’s social influence experiment. Computers in Human Behavior, 4,311-321. [3] Freeman, S.C. and L.C. Freeman 1979 â€Å"The networkers network: a study of the impact of a new communications medium on sociometric structure†. Social Science Research Reports, No. 46. University of California,Irvine. [4] Tanis, M. (2003). Cues to Identity in Computer Mediated Communication. The impact on Person Perception and Subsequent Interaction Outcomes. Thesis University of Amsterdam. Enschede: Print Partners Ipskamp.

Princess Bride Analysis

Heroes are brave, determined, courageous, and selfless people whop embark on a journey in order to fulfill a goal for the better good, every heroes journey is different. Some heroes fight dragons to save the castle and some like Westley steal the princess in order to protect her, Westley goes on a long journey where he faces many enemies and challenges but, he continues his journey to rescue his one true love.In The Princess Bride a novel by William Goldman, the character Westley is a hero because, he experiences all 6 stages of the heroic archetype structure including being called to action, crossing threshold, the road of tests, meeting the helpers, trip to the underworld, and the quest. The first stage of the archetypal structure is the call to action, Westley call to action is when he discovers his true love Buttercup has been kidnapped.Westley jumps into action and was â€Å" sailing like lightning towards the cliffs,†(Goldman 114) in order to catch Buttercup's Kidnappers and save her. He knows he must save his true love or his life will be nothing so he embarks on his journey to get Buttercup back so they can be together, This is cal to action because as soon as he hears his true love is in distress he goes to save her immeaditley. Another stage of the heroic achetype is crossing the threshold, which Is what Westley does when he climbs the Cliffs of Insanity.After reaching the cliffs Westley began to climb up them trailing behind the kidnappers he â€Å" seemed to almost be flying. Already he had cut their lead a hundred feet†(Goldman 115). This is crossing the threshold because this is the point in Westley's journey where there is no turning back he will either succeed or fail on his journey. One of the biggest archetypal stages is the road of tests, every heroes road of tests varies some have many and some have few, in Westley's case he has multiple tests throughout his journey.After reaching the top of the Cliffs of Insanity where Inigo i s waiting for him, Inigo lets Westley catch his breath then â€Å"they touched swords†(Goldman 146) and began their fencing duel that ends up with with Westley tying â€Å"Inigo's hands around a tree and (leaves) him there† (Glodman 152). Wetsley also battles Fezzick in a wrestling match and when Westley wins he leaves Fezzik unconcious, he then goes on to a battle of witts against Vizzini where Westley wins and leaves Vizzini dead on the ground. Througout his journey he faces a couple more tests but he overcomes all and continues with his journey.A major part in a hero's journey is their trip to the underworld, after the trip to the underworld the hero comes back stronger, better, and more mature; Westleys trip to the underworld is very traumatic because Westley actually dies. Inigo and Fezzik hear the scream that came from the Zoo of Death they investigate and they find â€Å"Westley (lying) dead by the machine† (Goldman 286) that killed him, but after a trip to Miracle Max he takes the magical pill and Fezzik finds Westley alive and exclaims â€Å"'you're alive!'†(Goldman 329).When Westley comes back to life he has broken heart and is also paralyzed, but that does not stop him and his sidekicks they push on and break into the castle. A crucial part in every heros journey is the archetypal stage where the hero meets his mentor or helper which can be anybody who helps along the journey such as a sidekick, during Westley's journey he finds two helpers who both began as his enemies.Westleys two helpers are Inigo and Fezzik they both do whatever is needed of them but ultimately they save Westleys life when he dies, and help him break into the castle and rescue his true love. After they discover Westleys dead body in the Zoo of Death Inigo tells Fezzik â€Å"' Come, come along. Bring the body'†(Goldman 307) they then take his body to Miracle Max who gives Inigo and Fezzik the magical pill to bring Westley back to life. Inigo and Fezzik then head back with still dead Westley and â€Å"Fezzik had been carrying the corpse the whole way†(Goldman 326).Without Westley's helpers he would have remained dead never to be reunited with his true love. The final Stage in the hero's journey is the quest, in Wetley's case this is after he comes back to life and he gets help from Inigo and Fezzik to break in the castle to rescue Buttercup from the evil Prince Humperdink. After gaining entrance to the castle and finding his true love Buttercup they escape the castle together with Inigo and Fezzik and they were riding â€Å"four great horses[†¦ ] toward (the) Florin Channel†(Goldman356) and lived happily ever after.This is the quest because his original goal was to save his true love Buttercup and while it all did not go as planned they ended up together and free. In The Princess Bride Westley has all the characteristics of a great hero and he follows the heroic archetypal. He goes to rescue his true love from kindnappers, he climbs the Cliffs of Insanity, he battles the kidnappers, he dies and comes back to life, he has helpers that saved his life and assist him on his quest, he breaks into the castle and rescues his true love Buttercup, and they all live happily ever after.

Finding Your Writer’s Voice Expert Advice for Developing Your Style - Freewrite Store

Finding Your Writer’s Voice Expert Advice for Developing Your Style - Freewrite Store Whether you write blogs and articles or your focus is on fiction, you need to find your voice. Every writer has a unique voice or style - but sometimes it can take a while for you to actually find your own voice. Especially when you’re first starting out as a writer, you may find that you’re trying to imitate another writer’s voice, and that means your unique voice is hidden. Here’s the thing: you don’t need your writing to sound like another writer’s. In fact, imitating other writers’ style will not help your writing to get noticed. Your readers want something different, not another clone of a popular writer or author. They want to hear your voice - your unique, authentic voice. What Is a Writer’s Voice, and is it the Same as Your Style? Before we dive into the meat of this article, I want to take a moment to define what exactly I mean when I talk about your voice as a writer and how that relates to your overall style of writing. Some people argue that voice and style are two completely different things, but there are so many overlaps it’s impossible to separate them. Your voice as a writer comprises: Your personality Your tone Your choice of words Your use of punctuation Your attitude Your personal preferences or personal style Your approach to sentence structure Your attitude towards strictly following grammatical ‘rules’ Your use of formal or informal language Your use of language when you speak You can see from this list how your true writer’s voice will be unique to you because it’s affected by your personality and your unique way of using language. When it comes to style, there may be some variations in your voice, depending on the audience that you’re writing for. Ultimately, whether you’re writing for an academic publication, a magazine or publishing a blog, your voice should still shine through in your adaptation of a particular style. Your voice will also mean you favor particular styles of writing, too, so there’s no way of completely separating the topics of voice and style. But why do so many writers struggle to use their own writer’s voice? There’s actually a superb explanation. Beating Imposter Syndrome Those self-doubts that you experience every time you sit down to write, and that feeling that your writing can’t compete with all the ‘great’ writers out there, is often referred to as ‘imposter syndrome’. Although you love to write, you’re never satisfied with the results, and you’re constantly waiting for your readers to discover that you’re ‘not really a writer’. Imposter syndrome is a huge barrier to using your own unique voice. While there’s no magic way of getting rid of imposter syndrome, when you focus on developing your own voice instead of copying someone else’s style, you will gradually see the value of using your unique style. Techniques for Unleashing Your Writer’s Voice So, how can you explore your own writer’s voice when you’re so used to imitating your favorite writers? I’ve spent a lot of time researching this topic (since I really struggled with imposter syndrome when I first got started) and have pulled together some of the best advice and exercises that will help you discover your unique writing style. 1. Set Your Voice Free When I first started writing fiction, blogs and articles, I found that I was focusing far too much on ‘doing it right’. I could spend days writing and rewriting an opening sentence or paragraph because I was worried about breaking the ‘rules’. I blame the education system for enslaving me to a long list of grammatical rules that must not ever be broken. I was also too focused on finding stylistic guidelines to religiously follow, even though I hated those self-imposed regulations. The ridiculous part was that I knew that a lot of writers regularly broke both grammatical and stylistic rules, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that in my writing. I was trapped and I didn’t know how to get free. Then I discovered freewriting when I took a creative writing course as part of my college degree. We were instructed to spend at least 15 minutes every day freewriting, and I found it so liberating. So, what exactly is freewriting? Freewriting sets your voice free because you’re deliberately breaking the rules that hold your voice back. It gives you the opportunity to explore your creativity, to express yourself without restriction and stop worrying about ‘what people will think’. Because you’re freewriting just for yourself, there’s some psychological stuff going on that breaks the chains that have prevented your unique voice from truly emerging. 2. Write Even When You Don’t Have to Write If writing is your career, it’s easy to get into the trap of only writing when you have a project to complete (i.e. you only write when you’re getting paid to write). That’s not good for your writer’s voice, because you’re losing that sense of writing for pleasure and your writing can become more formulaic. Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote Outliers: The Story of Success,reckons that it takes 10,000 hours to perfect your craft - and while that figure may be an exaggeration (and has been disputed), I think it’s important to bear it in mind. You will not find your unique voice if you don’t get lots of practice - and that means you need to write for pleasure as well as for profit. Setting yourself (achievable) writing practice goals - for example, to write (for pleasure) for at least 30 minutes every day - can give you the space you need to explore your writer’s voice. When you have a regular writing habit that’s not hampered by guidelines set by other people, it’s easier to get into the flow that will reveal your own unique voice. At the end of each week, set aside some time to read back what you’ve been writing and you should be able to see patterns in your language and how your personality shines through your writing. That’s your writer’s voice, and the more you practice using it, the more comfortable you’ll become with sharing it with the world. 3. Get Out of Your Comfort Zone If you’re the kind of writer that sticks to one kind of writing (for example, you only write blogs, or you only write poetry, or you only write fantasy fiction), then getting out of your writing comfort zone can really help you discover more about your writer’s voice. When you write in a genre or format you’re not used to or don’t read a lot of, you don’t have the same preconceptions about what your writing ‘should’ sound like. That means that when you start writing, your voice is more likely to emerge easier since you’re not trying to make your writing ‘conform’ in some way. Here are some examples of types of writing that may be out of your writing comfort zone and can help you explore the way your writer’s voice emerges when it’s totally free: Creative nonfiction Journalistic-style writing A completely different genre of fiction to what you’re used to reading or writing. Genres include: Historical fiction Romantic fiction Children’s fiction Young adult fiction Science fiction Fantasy Crime Thriller Literary fiction A piece of persuasive writing A political speech Poetry A short play/film script Biographical writing 4. Take A Journey of Self-Discovery A crucial part of exploring your writer’s voice is knowing yourself and understanding how you view and relate to the world around you. If you’re struggling with your writer’s voice, maybe you need to spend some time on a journey of self-discovery. It’s really easy to be swayed by other people’s opinions and views - to the point that you can easily internalize someone else’s way of thinking and being. Because those views and thinking patterns can actually be at odds with your natural (unique) ways of thinking and being, there can be internal conflicts that may affect your writer’s voice. To reconnect with your way of thinking and being, you need to do some deep work in getting to grips with your own opinions, way of seeing the world, and your passions. At the root of self-discovery is paying attention to what makes you happy, what inspires you, what brightens your day, what makes you angry, what causes you’re passionate about. All of these things will impact on your unique writing voice, and so the more you explore them, the more you’ll be able to unleash your writer’s voice. Getting comfortable with you empowers you to take more risks in your writing and your writing voice will thank you for the investment you put into self-discovery. Journaling is an excellent means of self-discovery, and it’s good practice to get into a habit of regular self-discovery journaling sessions. There are guided journals available to buy from places like Amazon if you feel you need help in getting started with journaling. Or you could use these questions as prompts for your self-discovery sessions: My greatest strength is†¦ I can’t stand it when other people†¦ If I had a theme song it would be†¦ When I think about the future, the thing I fear the most is†¦ When faced with a challenge, I†¦ If I encountered a road that had three forks and one path led to a mountain, one led to a forest and the third led to an ocean, I would choose†¦ (explain why) The things I am most passionate about are†¦ The charitable cause I’m most passionate about is†¦ Injustice in the world makes me†¦ If I had an unlimited budget I would... Discover Your Writer’s Voice and Set Yourself Free Discovering and developing your writer’s voice is an adventure that can have a massive impact on the power of your writing. When you’re embarking on the adventure, though, remember that your voice continues to develop as you write. As you mature, for example, you may notice subtle changes to your writer’s voice and even the types of writing you enjoy the most. The goal in discovering and developing your writer’s voice is to get out of the imitation trap and learn to love your own unique voice instead of feeling you need to copy another writer you admire. When you invest in developing your writer’s voice, you’ll gain confidence and your writing will become much more impactful. Every writer has, at some time or other, struggled with their writer’s voice, even bestselling authors like Stephen King. Persevere with your journey of discovery and you’ll get to the point that Stephen King has reached - where your readers can recognize your voice without seeing your name.