Pili de-Shelling Machine(Unfinished) Essays

Pili de-Shelling Machine(Unfinished) Essays Pili de-Shelling Machine(Unfinished) Essay Pili de-Shelling Machine(Unfinished) Essay United State of America, p. 3 The New Lexicon Webster Dictionary Vol. 2, Lexicon Publication Inc. , United State Of America, p. 762 Chapter 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES This chapter presents the review of related literature and studies which were gathered from books and other references including the internet in order to shed lights on areas that need enrichment and to give readers proper background of the present study being conducted. Included in this chapter is the synthesis of the state-of-the-art, theoretical and conceptual framework of the study. Related Literature The Pili nut (Canariumovatum), one of 600 species in the family Burseraceae, is native to the Philippines and is abundant and wild in the Bicol Region particularly in Sorsogon, and in parts of Visayas and Mindanao. Trees of Canariumovatum are attractive symmetrically shaped evergreens, averaging 20 m tall with resinous wood and resistance to strong wind. C. ovatum is dioecious, with flowers borne on cymose inflorescence at the leaf axils of young shoots. As in papaya and rambutan, functional hermaphrodites exist in pili. Pollination is by insects. Flowering of pili is frequent and fruits ripen through a prolonged period of time. The ovary contains three locules, each with two ovules, most of the time only one ovule develops (Chandler 1958). (en. wikipedia. org) Fruit is a drupe, 4 to 7 cm long, 2. 3 to 3. cm in diameter, and weight 15. 7 to 45. 7 g. The skin (exocarp) is smooth, thin, shiny, and turns purplish black as the fruit ripens. Much of the kernel weight is made up of the cotyledons, which are about 4. 1 to 16. 6% of the whole fruit; it is composed of approximately 8% carbohydrate, 11. 5 to 13. 9% protein, and 70% fat. (www. hort. purdue. edu) Pili nut kernel is the most important produ ct. When raw, it resembles the flavor of roasted pumpkin seed, and when roasted, its mild, nutty flavor and tender-crispy texture is superior to that of the almond. Pili kernel is also used in chocolate, icecream, and baked goods. The edible light-yellow color oil from the kernel is comparable in quality to that of olive oil, containing 59. 6% oleic glycerides and 38. 2% palmitic glycerides. The largest buyers of pili nuts are in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the kernel is one of the major ingredients in one type of the famous Chinese festive desserts known as the moon cake. (www. hort. purdue. edu en. wikipedia. org) From Christian B. de Guzman, the Philippines is the only country that produces and processes pili in commercial quantity (Coronel, 1978) and has the monopoly of processed pili in the foreign market. Bicol Region is known for its pili candies and confectioneries which are sold in different product forms and in various packaging containers. These products are exported to Australia, Guam, Canada, Japan, Hongkong, China, UK, Korea, Singapore, Hawaii, Germany, France and the United States. (www. pinoybisnes. com) Pili nut is a minor crop produced only in the Philippines. The bulk of the raw nuts are supplied from wild stands in the mountains around Sorsogon, Albay and Camarines Sur in the Bicol region. Pili nut has the potential to become a major nut crop. Improvement of nd knowledge in efficient vegetative propagation, ecological and cultural requirements of pili as a commercial crop, and the mechanization for commercial processing are needed. Related Study In the study of Ojolo and Ogunsina (2009), they developed a prototype machine to crack roasted cashew nuts. It is a box like machine that has a hinged and spring-loaded mild steel cracking lid with grooves to hold a cast aluminum feeding tray which has machined to hold 25 nuts at a time. The nuts get cracked by the impact of the lid against the feeding tray. The lid provides for a minimum clearance from the feeding ray on which nuts are preloaded; this prevents the applied force from being in excess of the required cracking force. The machine was tested with various cashew nut sizes and placement orientations. The percentage of whole kernels produce was 66. 66%. The capacity of the machine was estimated to be about 18. 3 kg/hr. Another study is headed by Engr. Arnulfo P. Malinis (2009), it is entitled â€Å"Pili Nut Cracker Goes High-tech†. The Bicol University college of Agriculture and Forestry (BUCAF) in collaborator with the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (DA-BPRE), Tropics Agro-Industries (KOLBI) and DA-Regional Field Unit (RFU) 5 developed the latest mechanical pili nut cracker because of the need for appropriate tools and equipment in processing pili nut. The prototype was consisted of six-blade cracker powered by a 1 Hp electric motor. The motor’s energy consumption is 0. 41 kW-hr. The machine consists of fine major parts: the cracking unit, conveying unit, stand/frame, transmission, and prime mover. The prototype was tested using three major parameters: cracking capacity, the cracking efficiency and economic viability. Technology verification of the prototype showed that on the average, it can crack 204 pieces of pili nut in a minute (117 kg/hr) with a cracking efficiency averaging 93% with 89% whole kernel recovery. It is one-man operated machine that could crack bags of dried pili nuts. For eight hours a day, the simple machine could crack 16 bags of dried nuts. To produce the machine an outlay amounting to 40,000 php is needed and they guaranteed that the return of investment is 53% after more than a year of use. Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art The development of the mechanical pili nut cracker is somehow similar to the present study since the researchers aimed to make improvement as to create a possibility of including a motor powered pili de-shilling machine for future research. However, they differ especially in terms of capability and speed, the only advantage of the present study is that: because of being simple of the propose machine, it is easy to carry for a farmer bringing to his farm besides of a mountain than to bring the mechanical pili nut cracker at here. It is more comparable to bring a one especially when you home is far from the place where your pili trees is planted. Also, from your farm you can sell your pili nuts at the price that you want and making the most of the benefits of it is in you because you’re brought pili are all kernels than if you brought pili with shells, after at home, you will de-shell it or you will sell it at a low price. The development of a C ashew Nut Cracking Device is posed similarities in part that the present study is also use a tray for the nuts are hold. They both use the impact force for the cracking of the shells of the nuts. But they differ on the method to make the nuts cracked. Instead of using hinged and spring-loaded mild steel cracking lid, the researchers using in their machine a weighted blocked that is hang on the pulleys. The cashew cracking device is having grooves to hold 25 nuts at a time while the pili de-shelling machine is fabricated a beehive-like tray to hold 17 pili nuts at a time. Cashew nuts get cracked by the impact of the lid against the feeding tray, however pili nuts get crack by the impact of the loosened weighted block at the upper blade which is have direct contact to the shell and the bounce back impact to the lower blade that is also with direct contact to the shell. In cashew cracking device, the lid provides for a minimum clearance from the feeding tray on which nuts are preloaded to prevent the applied force from being excess of the required cracking force. In pili de-shelling machine, it provides a stopper at the both side of the metal plate where the upper and lower blades are attached for it does not excess on the required cut deep needed. Cashew cracking device was tested with various cashew nut and placement orientations, throughout the pili nut will be test with various pili nut sizes but instead of placement orientation, another test is getting how much weight of the weighted block must be needed to crack all pili nuts in the beehive-like tray. Theoretical Framework This study anchored to the law of Isaac Newton, the Third Law of Newton’s Theory. It state that ‘for every action there is an equal and opposite re-action’. The researchers use this theory in respect on the process of cracking the pili shell. Because of being brittle of pili shell, the researchers themselves conclude that it needs only a little amount of force to crack the shell. In relevant with the theory, since the force is going down because of the blowing of the weighted bar, the researchers put a blade under the tray suite in every hole where pili are placed. If the weighted block is blow down it produce impact and the big pili will crack surely but for the small pili, the under blade is designed. For if the upper blade cannot reached the shell of the small pili, the impact of the block will help to crack the shell because it have a another blade under the tray. Pili Nuts Third Law of Newton’s Theory Or The Third Law of Motion Pili De-Shelling Machine Figure 1. Theoretical Paradigm Conceptual Framework The conceptual framework of this study was based on the system concept. A system consists of three elements, the input, the process and the output. The input, which is actually the load of the system, consists of all things that enter the system. In this study, the input refers to the pili nuts, which is the main objective of this study to be process and the machine if it is more efficient than to the existing. The process which study, the process refers to research method to be used. The tools in gathering data and procedures of interpretation are also written. The output will be the result of the study after analyzing the data related to the problem under study. The summary reports about the application of the propose principles, if it is more efficient or not to the existing. PROCESS Application of the propose principle to the machine to be actualize its process and gathering data to show if it is more efficient OUTPUT Efficient and economical pili de-shelling machine INPUT Pili de-shelling machine FEEDBACK Figure 2. Conceptual Paradigm Notes Francis T. Zee, Pili Nut. hort. purdue. edu/newcrop/cropfactsheets/pilinut. html, 2005 Richard A. Hamilton, Planting Pili Trees: An Economical Value for the Philippines. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Pili_nut, 2008. Christmas B. De Guzman, Pili Nuts and It’s Uses, pinoybisnes. om/agri-business/pili-nuts-and-its-uses. July, 2010 Rita T. Dela Cruz and ARnulfo Malinis, Pili nut cracker goes high-tech. http://blog. agriculture. ph/pili-nut-cracker-goes-high-tech. html, March 03, 2009 S. J. Ojolo and B. S. Ogunsina, Development of a Cashew Nut Cracking Device, emeraldinsight. com/journals. htm? articleid=1876508show=html, Febraury,2009 Chapter 3 RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES This chapter presents the research methods a nd procedures that was utilized in the study. The step by step process of development was the highlight of this chapter. Also discussed was the scientific principles behind the development of the pili de-shelling machine. Methodology The researchers will be using experimental method on a basis of actual values of weight, dimensions or sizes of parts needed for constructing the machine. We will do some trials to test the weight of the block and even the velocity of the block distance per unit time of travel. The primary function of this test is to assure that the entire pili nut in the case will crack. The cracking ability of the machine will depend in the case, composes of two parts, the upper and the lower part. The lower part, there is a tray where the pili nut put in and the lower blade. The upper part has a cover to prevent the movement of the pili nut and where the upper blade attached. Other mechanisms that are part of the case are the stopper, the base, the poles and the upper brazed. In the pulling of the rope, the force you will exert is not too large. It is in the range of 8. 8 to 17. 6 lb more or less. It’s like you pulling a toy car weighing 4 to 8 kg. It is easy to pull because it have a wheels same as this machine. We connect pulley to resist the friction while in operation. With it comes to actual constructing of machine we will make it adjustable. For example, the weighted block can be adjustable by adding another weight to satisfy the required weights needed. The stopper is also adjustable by little-by-little subtracting a height to make get the appropriate height needed. Research Procedure The researchers use a questionnaire to gathered data to answer the problem whether the machine is gender friendly or not and to get the idea of the respondents for the specified improvements given by the researchers. The esearchers selected 10 farmers or sellers randomly who are active in pili farming or selling in Daet, Camarines Norte. The researchers use a time frame to make the research possible. But because of some conflictions to the other subjects of the researchers, they made more adjustments to their time frame. The researchers also use to pattern some of their paper works on the undergraduate thesis that are place at the school library. Assembly and Const ructions This part deals the procedure on how the machine works and operates. 1. The beehive-like tray Here, where pili nuts are place. Because of being like of the beehive holes, the pili is easily shoot and place when you droop it of your hands. 2. The amazing case Here, the upper and lower blades are located. In this part, the beehive-like tray with pili nuts is inserted between the two blades. The upper blade is adjustable for the variation of pili nuts height while the lower blade is fixed on the base. 3. The base, poles and the upper braze The poles are attached to the base at the lower part and the upper braze is on top of it. In the base, the lower blade of the amazing case is in fixed and the upper braze, where the pulley is in place. The poles signify for the approaching height of the weighted block when it drops. 4. The pulley and the rope The rope is attach to the weighted block while the pulley made the pulling of the rope easy for the weighted block goes to it’s initial position. 5. The weighted block It gives the biggest contribution on the machine. The force that can get from falling of it from its initial position serves as to push the upper blade and bounce back by the lower blade. That is why, the pili nuts inserted in between of it where nothing to go but to crack. Statistics Tools CHAPTER 4 Pili De-Shelling Machine For Small Scale Farmers This chapter present and interprets the data gathered by the researchers about getting the efficiency of the Pili De-Shelling Machine. The details are focused on calculating the cracking capacity, the kernel recovery and if the machine is gender friendly, including the economic viability of the machine in compare to the existing and improvements that can be adopted to enhance the machine efficiency. Preliminary test were carried out with dry-rousted pili nuts to determine the performance of the machine. Table 1 and 2 indicates on how to measure the said performance. By using the tables, it will help to give a scientific discussion on how to treat the data. I. The efficiency rate of pili de-shelling machine Table 1: Cracking Capacity Sample| Cracked nuts (pcs)| Time of Operation (s)| 1| | | 2| | | 3| | | 5| | | Mean| | | Table 2: Kernel Recovery Sample| Whole Kernel| Broken Kernel| 1| | | 2| | | 3| | | 5| | | Mean| | | Table 3: Gender Friendliness Respondents| Yes| No| 1| | | | | | 3| | | 5| | | 6| | | 7| | | 8| | | 9| | | 10| | | Mean| | | II. Economic Viability III. Possible Improvements CHAPTER 5 Summary, Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations Summary Removing pili kernel on its shell is one problem that farmers encounter in producing high quality of kernel. Manual operation using bolo is time consuming and sometimes it cannot guarantee to produce high quality kernel becaus e this method can damage essential parts of a kernel. As time goes by, there are many machines that have been invented in order to help people to make their work easier. There are even machines that were invented for pili shelling however, none of these have the quality of being economically friendly especially to the small-scale farmers who are working in the Philippines. This idea gives the researchers a motivation to develop a machine that can produce more and high quality pili kernel at low cost, easy to operate and practical for small-scale farmers and sellers. The machine that proposes by the researchers is based on the theory of Isaac Newton which is the law of motion. In this theory it says that every action has an equal and opposite reaction that’s why the researchers use a weighted block as the source of force so that it can crack the pili shell. The researchers was also designed the special tray that is suitable to sizes of pili which is ranging of 4 to 7 cm long, 2. 3 to 3. 8 cm in diameter. This special tray had also blade at the bottom and upper part so that it can assure to crack the pili shell when the weighted block was dropped. This machine also composed of other parts like rope, pulley and stopper. The purpose of pili de-shelling machine especially to the small scale farmers and sellers is to produce pili kernel without using fuel or electricity to operate the machine. As of now the world was suffering to the decreasing source of energy especially fuel, that’s why we need to think another solution to do the same work without consuming a fuel. Pili de-shelling machine was designed in order to help small scale farmers but also the world especially our nature to control the decreasing source of energy. This project aimed to help pili farmers and sellers in their de-shelling operation of pili nuts. The purpose of this study is to develop a pili de-shelling machine that can produce good quality pili kernels with easy operation, it could be economical and in a short period of time. The study was conducted to determine the efficiency and probably economic viability of the proposed fabricated pili de-shelling machine in comparison with other existing pili crackers and sighted some improvements for the machine. The researchers measured the property of pili de-shelling machine in terms of its cracking capacity, kernel recovery and if it was gender friendly. They compare the proposed machine to the existing pili crackers to determine its economic viability. Also, the researchers cited some improvements that could adopted to enhance the capability of the pili de-shelling machine. Findings I. II. III. Conclusions I. II. III. Recommendations I. II. III. IV. Additional Recommendations Curriculum Vitae Personal Data Name : Christian Jess A. Natan Nickname:Nathz Contact No. :09103842029 Address:Pob. I, Basud, Camarines Norte Date of Birth:December 22, 1990 Place of Birth:QMMC, Quezon City Father’s Name:Roberto E. Natan Mother’s Name:Jocelyn A. Natan Religion:Born Again Christian Educational Background Elementary:Mangcamagong Elem. School(S. Y. 2002-2003) Mangcamagong, Basud, Camarines Norte Secondary:Basud National High School(S. Y. 2006-2007) Basud, Camaries Norte Tertiary:Camarines Norte State College(S. Y. 2011-2012) Daet, Camarines Norte Course:Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Vitae Personal Data Name :Edwin T. Bombales Nickname:Edz Contact No. :09463127539 Address:Brgy. Mangga, Sipocot, Camarines Norte Date of Birth:February 07, 1988 Place of Birth:Brgy. Mangga, Sipocot, Camarines Norte Father’s Name:Eduardo T. Bombales Mother’s Name:Beatriz T. Bombales Religion:Roman Catholic Educational Background Elementary:Mangga Elem. School(S. Y. 2000-2001) Brgy. Mangga, Sipocot, Camarines Norte Secondary:Barcelonita Fisheries School(S. Y. 2004-2005) Barcelonita, Cabusau, Camarines Sur Tertiary:Camarines Norte State College(S. Y. 2011-2012) Daet, Camarines Norte Course:Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Vitae Personal Data Name :Karlo Jamie A. Ong Nickname:Kaloy Contact No. :09095699023 Address:p-3, Brgy. Calintaan, Talisay, Camarines Norte Date of Birth:February 12, 1991 Place of Birth:Brgy. 7, Daet, Camarines Norte Father’s Name:James S. Ong Mother’s Name:Rosemarie A. Ong Religion:Roman Catholic Educational Background Elementary:Talisay Elem. School(S. Y. 2000-2001) Talisay, Camarines Norte Secondary:D. Q. Liwag High School(S. Y. 2006-2007) Sto. Domingo, Vinzons, Camarines Norte Tertiary:Camarines Norte State College(S. Y. 2011-2012) Daet, Camarines Norte Course:Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Education Trends, Theories, and Practices Annotated Bibliography

Education Trends, Theories, and Practices - Annotated Bibliography Example The increasing trend of assimilating technology within the field of education has led to various research on the subject. This paper addresses the various trends in instructional technology and discusses such critical aspect as the administrative support with regard to the use of technology in classrooms; various legislations and aids available to support and promote such use etc., among many others, which will help the policy makers in understanding the influence of technology in the field of education. The discussions presented by the authors will help the general readers in understanding the various trends introduced in the field of academics. The authors propose that interactive communication is likely to dramatically change the manner in which education is imparted, and that such futuristic trends in technology will soon drive out old and outdated modes of education such as the conventional blackboard and replace it with modern and state of the art technological aids such as int eractive whiteboards, PDAs, and other hand-held devises; as well as other instructional software. Internet has dramatically transformed the educational environment and the same has been discussed at length in this paper. The authors have addressed various issues with regard to trends in online education, the outcomes of learners', as well as various other administrative and institutional factors which play a key role within the education systems. The authors review have included comprehensive, descriptive as well as exploratory studies., which observed the trends of online students and made several major observations with regard to their learning outcomes. This paper helped in assessing the impact of online technology on education and its role in the future of academic studies. Alaxander, M., Perraault, H., Waldman, L., & Zhao, J. (2008). Comparing the Distance Learning-Related Course Development Approach and Faculty Support and Rewards Structure at AACSB Accredited Institutions bet ween 2001 and 2006. The Journal of Educators Online, 5(2), pp. 1-15 This research was conducted to study the impact of online education and the support provided to educators to use and integrate technology within the educational domain. This article would be most helpful for researchers, scholars, and teachers. For the purpose of this study, the researchers conducted various studies and observed the approaches used by business schools. The outcome indicated

Cog Therapy & Gay & Lesbian Counseling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Cog Therapy & Gay & Lesbian Counseling - Essay Example This leads to development of feeling of worthlessness and hence, depression. This feeling of worthlessness and rejection is being faced by the gays and the lesbian population, as the society is yet to accept homosexuality as normal thing (Bringaze, Tammy and White 162). This has led to many homosexual people suffer from psychological disorders. Their psychological disorder is a result of both, the social attitude and their own negative perception of the self image. Hence, cognitive therapy, which aims to resolve the problem from roots, is one of the best therapy to use while counseling gays and lesbians. According to Beck and Weishaar (1986), â€Å" Cognitive therapy is a system of psychotherapy based on theory which maintains that how an individual structures his or her experiences largely determines how he or she feels and behaves† (Freeman and Dattilio 3).Cognitive therapy is mostly based on the quality of the interaction between the therapist and the patient. According to Beck and Weishaar (1986), â€Å"it is a collaborative process of empirical investigation, reality testing, and problem solving between the therapist and patient.† Cognitive therapy has proved to be extremely effective in treating problems related to mind as it not only tries to fix the problem on surface but works on the root cause of the problem by dealing with emotional and behavioral disorders (Freeman and Dattilio 3). Cognitive therapy works effectively because it believes that the behavior pattern of a person depends on how he perceives the self and his relationship and adjustment with people and society around him. According to Horney (1950) and Adler (1936), the behavior pattern of a person

HR management Essay Example for Free

HR management Essay HR management forms a valuable and effective administration concerned mainly with working category. It evaluates the steps to be implemented to make the working category into further industrious, satisfied and happy. As an integral fraction of society of human resource management policies, the team have supported that the strategies need to encourage the companies to provide pioneering and flexible plans that are highly benefit. The work-life policies laid forward by the SHRM proved to be highly beneficial to employees. However, there are several human resource factors, which influence an organization to adopt the work-life plans as a vital division of SHRM practices and plans. Majority of the factors that stressed upon work life policies incorporates the demographic variation occurring with the prospective workforce, variation in social characteristics, role and responsibility changes in organizations and other governmental factors. Women make an essential part of almost all types of organization in the most modern era. Most of the working class woman wishes to conjointly take the responsibilities of their family as well as the employment terms. This was considered as an apparent factor that resulted in the emergence of family friendly plans. This plan was further termed as work life policies and rapidly gained importance in the area of SHRM. The next vital factor associated with demographic variation forms the ageing employees that raised the value of the work life policies. As per the plan, the aged workgroup may remain in the organization. However, they only need to work for very few hours or may change their shift timings as per their comfort. Most of the working people hold the responsibilities for bringing up their kids and take equal responsibilities for their aged parents. The plan allows even the aged people to support their children with their responsibilities. With the advance of modern technology, the labor market gets tightens and requires more and more skilled laborers. The organization needs to implement the work life policies to influence and regain employers who might have left the organization previously due to some or other cause. As per a study conducted by IRS, the most important motive behind the management to initiate the work life plan is strongly associated with recruitment of staffs as well as retention. As majority of leading organizations work on a 24 hour per day basis, increasing the working hours. However, there is strong requirement of flexible plans to cover these elaborated hours with efficiency. Surveys shows that adaptation of faster work pace has lead to organizational stress and most of the workers experience severe problems such as anxiety, stress, workload and inadequate personal time. These variations make the organizations to breach the government induced rules. Evaluating with respect to a legal outlook, all the working categories have a role on self care and protection and work life policies influence this particular concept. With the policies of work life, every employee may endorse a healthy and happy job environment and understand more about their social errands as a working personality. Thus, the policies offer high benefits to the employees as well as appropriate guidance with proper management to the employers.

John Steinbecks Effect on Early Literature Essay -- Biography

John Steinbecks Effect on Early Literature Even though John Steinbeck grew up in a small town in California, with his great ambition and perseverance, he was soon able to become one of Americas greatest literary writers that is still remembered today. John Steinbeck may have had a difficult start in his early works, which did not gain him much popularity, he was still able to believe that he could be better and was able to write some of his greatest works such as the Gapes of Wrath which make him great to this day. his believe in his self and help from others, he was still able to become successful as a writer. John Steinbeck was born on February 27, 1902 in the small town of Salinas in California (Austro 2415). His parents John Ernst Steinbeck and Olive Hamilton both wanted John to be a lawyer as his life job, but Steinbeck thought otherwise (French 1). As John Steinbeck grew up his love for literature only grew with the help of his mother being a school teacher. She would always read him books as a child, which never helped him become a lawyer in life(Steinbeck.com John) . In his early years of school his teachers always look down on him thinking he was never a smart student, because he never was very great at school, but he always showed talent as a writer(Swisher 16). Even though his teachers never thought great of him, his English teacher always knew he would be a great writer, and because she knew this she would always use his writings as examples for the other students(French 1). Soon after grade school he knew that he would be a great writer. After High School John Steinbeck attend Stanford college to learn more in becoming a better writer(Austro 2414). He did not finish to get a degree but he learned things in this ti... ...lped him become a better writer. While working he realized hardships of the average worker which he used to write his story like the Grapes of Wrath. His stories on the average worker also helped him sell because the book were also a influence to the worker to buy, because they were able to relate to the character hardships (Bloom 13). Still to this day he is stilled compared to writers such as Harriet Beecher Stowe of Alfred Hitchcock. Even till his death he is stilled remember as a great writer (Austro 2418). Even though John Steinbeck grew up in a small town in California, with his great ambition and perseverance, he was soon able to become one of Americas greatest literary writers that is still remembered today. He shows that even a bad start and believing you can achieve greatest. He still is and will remember for his life and even after his death.

Diversity in the Classroom Essay

INTRODUCTION Teachers are faced with the challenge of students bringing with them, vastly different experiences, cultures, interests and abilities. These characteristics can have a great impact on how students learn. Teaching to such a diverse group requires teachers to be more flexible and place a greater emphasis on the individual. Through the aid of variety and choice, teachers can differentiate presentation to motivate interest in the individual, and hence aid the student to become an independent learner. (Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., Conover, L. A. and Reynolds, T. 2003) LEARNING STYLES While it is unfair to expect teachers to fully grasp the psychological & cognitive complexities that comprise learning, they should have a solid understanding that individual students have different preferences in the way they prefer to receive, perceive, interact and respond to information; known as their preferred â€Å"Learning style†. A widely used model of learning styles is based on Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory, which suggests learners fall into seven distinct categories of learning intelligence. â€Å"Visual/Spatial† learners prefer pictures and images; â€Å"Aural† learners prefer sound and music; â€Å"Verbal/Linguistic† learners prefer words in writing and speech; â€Å"Physical/Kinesthetic† learners prefer the use of touch, movement & action, and â€Å"Logical† learners prefer reasoning and sequence. Aligned with these learning styles is also a preference by students toward â€Å"Social/Interpersonal† learning, in groups or â€Å"Solitary/Intrapersonal† learning where the student prefers to learn alone. (Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education. 2007) Most students have a preferred learning style, but are not solely dependent on one style. They can adapt to other styles and use them in combination with their preferred style. APPROACHES IN THE CLASSROOM Diversity in the classroom inevitably creates complexities for teachers in formulating learning and teaching models that suit their specific context, situation, and the students varying needs. (Rayner, S. 2007) Some researchers, agreeing that learning styles are important, suggest that teachers should match instruction to the content being taught rather than the preferred learning style of the student (Glenn, D. 2009). This seems plausible in light of research into brain plasticity, which suggests that the brain has the ability to transform, adapt and â€Å"increase its capacity to learn† (Walker, S. 2010). Other’s place greatest emphasis on â€Å"matching† instruction with the learning styles of the individual student, which the overwhelming literature suggests is the ideal approach for the benefit of the student. However, in practice, theory and expectation can often fall short of reality. CHALLENGES With class sizes often ranging from 20 to 25 students, trying to cater to every student’s individual learning preference can be very resource intensive. Very few teachers will have the knowledge and understanding of every form of diversity within their classroom. Teaching students with special needs is a prime example, often requiring assistance from specialist aids. This is all good and well in principle, however, additional assistance usually comes at a financial cost, where often schools are restricted by budgetary constraints. High stakes testing such as NAPLAN can also create conflicts between what is best for the students and what is best for the school. This may exacerbate the unwillingness of school hierarchy to deviate from traditional core curriculum/structures, as overall results can often be linked with a school’s reputation as well as government funding. (Tomlinson et al. 2003) LESSONS FROM JESUS Jesus was the epitome of what a teacher with a diverse student body needs to do. He taught in parables imbued with illustrations familiar to the daily lives of all the people in his audience, who had a diversity of experiences. By teaching through stories, of shepherds, fishermen, seasons of growth and harvest, rich men, servants, kings and slaves, he was able to impart the same message, to a diverse audience, so that all could relate to, and understand according to their own experiences. Teaching methods of old sought to adapt the student to the material being presented. Jesus’ methods aptly illustrate that today’s teachers need to be able to adapt to the learning capacity of the students. Jesus also differed in many ways to those around him but transformed the lives of others by the way he lived. By his example, he helped mold many into his own image (The Role of the Christian Teacher 2013). As teachers who are Christian, our aim should not be to directly preach about Christianity. This can be left to the local church priest or pastor, and the willingness of the individual to accept such a direct approach. In a diverse classroom there will be students with vastly different beliefs and experiences that contrast our own, and that impact on their learning capabilities. The goal would then be, like Jesus, to subtly portray our Christian understanding by our own actions, therefore becoming a role model to students. Jesus taught: â€Å"†¦everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher† Luke 6:41 As role models, we should be aware that students may imitate and model their behaviour according to the way we as teachers act, speak and behave. Therefore, unless our behaviour is aligned with fundamental Christian principles, it can do more harm than good. It would be wise to follow the encouragement given by the apostle Paul: â€Å"Imitate me as I imitate Christ† 1 Corinthians 11:1 †¦by living out our faith, we show our students the essence of God through our own words and deeds. CONCLUSION In light of existing research and Christian philosophy, a meshing of theories is necessary which tends toward a balanced approach. Making sure all learning style preferences are addressed in some way; as students will need to garner at least some of the attributes of all learning styles, for future success. Also using experience and expertise in our own learning preferences, to bridge the divide between teacher and student and become that positive role model that developing student’s need. Employing a balanced approach is no easy task, but can be aided in a number of ways: Firstly, inclusive teaching, were students are not segregated or made to feel inferior due to differences in preferred learning styles or abilities. Aligned to this is the idea of flexible grouping where research shows that when students are put in small groups comprising varying learning preferences and abilities, weaker students attain better learning outcomes, without detriment to stronger students. (Tomlinson et al. 2003) Secondly, Scaffolding where teachers, peers or teaching aids; support, assist and guide the student, particularly those who have difficulty. This is a more personalized approach to the flexible grouping. Thirdly, Engagement with parents/carers and students enables the teacher to attain valuable information about the student, and engagement with colleagues can assist in gaining additional knowledge or formulating shared strategies. Finally, Methods of presentation is at the heart of catering to diverse array of learners. Using technology enables a teacher to present material in multiple styles at the same time. (Guidelines for responding to learner diversity in the classroom through curriculum and assessment policy statements 2011) Ultimately, we as teachers need to nurture students, and expose them to a variety of learning styles, despite our own preferences, enabling them to become independent learners. Children are less flexible and cannot easily adapt to unfamiliar learning styles, so it is incumbent upon the teacher, to adapt and modify teaching methods, activities and environments in order to create interest, thereby stimulate and motivate a student’s desire to learn. REFERENCES Cook, P. F. (1998). Teacher Reflection in learner-centred education. Journal for Education Reform in Namibia, v.8, 8p. Discover your Learning Styles – Graphically! (2013.) (n.p.) Available Internet http://learning-styles-online.com/ Glenn, D. (2009) (n.p.), Matching Teaching Style to Learning Style May Not Help Students, The Chronical of Higher education, Available Internet http://chronicle.com/article/Matching-Teaching-Style-to-/49497/ Guidelines for responding to learner diversity in the classroom through curriculum and assessment policy statements (2011), Directorate Inclusive Education, Department of Basic Education, preoria South Africa. 52p. Howard Gardner, multiple intelligences and education (2007) Regis University Available Internet http:// academic.regis.edu/ed205/gardner.pdf Humphrey, N., Bartolo, P., Ale, P., Calleja, C., Hofsaess, T., Janikova, Vera., Mol Lous, A., Vilkiene, V., and Westo, G. M. (2006). Enderstanding and responding to diversity in the primary classroom: an international sudy. European Journal of Teachr Education, 29(3), 305-318. Rayner, S (2007). A Teaching elixir, learning chimera or just fool’s gold? Do learning styles matter? Support for Learning, 22(1), 24-30. Teachers and their influence (2010) (n.p.) Covenant Christian School Sydney Available Internet http://www.whychristianschools.com.au/wcs/teachers-influence.html The Role of the Christian Teacher (2013) (n.p.) Transforming Lives. Available Internet http://m.transforminglives.org.uk/thinking-of-teaching/role-of-the-christian-teacher Tomlinson, C. A., Brighton, C., Hertberg, H., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., Brimijoin, K., Conover, L. A. and Reynolds, T. (2003). Differentiating Instruction in Response to Student Readiness, Interest and Learning Profile in Academically Diverse Classroom: A review of Liteature. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 27(2/3), 119-145. Walker, S. (2010) (n.p.), Lifelong Learning and the Plastic Brain, Scientific Learning Internet http://www.scilearn.com/blog/lifelong-learning-brain-plasticity.php

Midlothian Housing Accommodation - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2505 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Housing Essay Type Essay any type Did you like this example? Chapter 4.0 – Midlothian A Case Study Having looked at the development of partnering philosophies, potential benefits, challenges, and overall aims of partnering in Chapter 2.0, this chapter will focus on the actual implementation of partnering arrangements in the UK public sector. It does this by describing the approach and the process undertaken by Midlothian Council in setting up the current New Housing Construction Partnership (MNHCP). It goes on to explain how Midlothian have addressed Rethinking Construction challenge and implemented partnering through the signing up to the framework agreement. 4.1 Introduction As is common with most local Authorities within the United Kingdom, Midlothian Council had not constructed its own housing for over 40 years. Housing stock has been running low within Midlothian due to the amount of properties purchased by the tenants under the controversial Right to Buy scheme, brought in by the then Conservative Government in 1979. Many other authorities within Scotland have suspended their right to buy option. The homelessness act 2003 put even greater pressure on Midlothian to supply accommodation for those falling under this category. In 2004 Midlothian spent ÂÂ £1.2 million on bed and breakfast accommodation and it was recognised that this would be unsustainable over the coming years and that some other form of action would have to be taken. That action came in the form of a proposal to construct 1000 new houses across 30 sites within the Midlothian area. The framework was agreed in November 2006 with a total planned capital spend of ÂÂ £1 05 million over 5 years from 2006-2011. The project was let under a GC/Works 5 form of contract, based on a negotiated Target cost with a risk/reward element defects and accidents on site. Benefits for Midlothian Council include maximising construction spend, modernising the authoritys procurement process and delivering best value from improved predictability. The longer-term aims of the relationship included eliminating duplication, improving communications and integration between the Council and its partners and promoting continuous improvement. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Midlothian Housing Accommodation" essay for you Create order 4.2 The Project Specific Aims The Project aims are to: Provide 1,000 new social housing units in 5 years; Use best practice/principals; Provide a property of good quality built to last; Avoid conflict and additional costs; Have flexible housing to cater for Housing for Varying Needs; Have sustainable housing to meet Agenda 21 targets; Ensure that buildings constructed require only low-level maintenance throughout their lifetime; Ensure these aims and goals are to be secured by Design. 4.3 The Partnering Decision This section focuses on how the decision was made by Midlothian to go down the partnering route and the stages covered to put the partnering team in place. As stated previously Midlothian had not undertaken such a large project for over 40 years and valuable experience in how to handle this size of contract had been lost due to local authority job cuts. Most of the construction section had been decimated and contained very little experience of contracts of such size and complexity. Consultants were brought in to give advice and it was established in these early meetings that a partnering arrangement would fill all the requirements that Midlothian were looking for. At the time of this decision the Facilities and Construction Manager (FC M) was aware that the traditional approach to construction did not meet the requirements, along with his knowledge of rethinking construction (Construction Task Force, 1998). Feeling that there was strong backing from central government de cided that partnering was the way forward. This knowledge that central government was committed to reform in the construction industry was vital as it gave Midlothian Council the confidence to move ahead with partnering. Furthermore partnering offered the chance for the council to show best value in carrying it out. A strategy report was then sent to council cabinet for approval. The report outlined the benefits to the cabinet in the use of a partnering agreement through its auditability and also confirmed that it could meet the requirement of best practice. This report acted as the mechanism for Midlothian to allow partnering to proceed. According to prescriptive texts on partnering, for the client to ensure that all relevant parties in the organisation are informed about partnering (Loraine and Williams, 2000). These requirements were largely fulfilled in the case of the Council. 4.4 The Partnering Process The partnering agreement would be based on the concept of the Seven Pillars of Partnering see Chapter 2.0 page Membership Choosing the Partners Following the decision to partner on a particular project or a contract and having completed the process of inculcating its values within the client organisation, the next step is to select the partners (European Construction Institute, Partnering in the Public Sector, 1997). The process was a multi-stage one and very intensive, consisting of preliminary and more detailed questionnaires, presentations, interviews and site visits and the sample pricing of two exemplar sites. In assessing the bids, the council used geared weighting of multiple criteria, which included not only conventional factors (such as commercial stability and technical skills), but also others, such as deep understanding of partnering. At the end of this process it led to the selection of two contractors and five consultants. The consultants that were involved in the initial consultation on partnering were not among the five chosen. The partners were informed of their success in August 2006. Integration- Team Formation The remainder of the seven pillars of partnering were put into action once the strategy and financing of the project had been passed by the council cabinet. Partnering depends on co-operation which in turn depends on trust. The integration pillar deals with the need to develop co-operative behaviour at all levels. This was done through a serious of workshops. The purpose of the workshops was for the project team to: Get to know each other Create a Partnering Charter for the project Develop an Issue Resolution Process Develop a Joint Evaluation Process The first workshop took place over 14/15 November 2006 and was attended by 22 participants of the partnering organisations. This workshop was designed to develop the partnering agreement. This was achieved by a discussion to identify the issues that would affect the way the partners work together. During each workshop the proceedings were fully documented and these provide a basis for further development of an action plan agreed by the parties. In addition to the conduct of the workshop appropriate pre and post workshop advice is provided on the development and maintenance of the partnering agreement. 4.4.3 Benchmarks : Setting Standards Once the partners had been selected it was, of course, necessary to operationalise partnering by agreeing objectives, structures, performance monitoring, conflict resolution and how information would be communicated (Lorraine and Williams, 2000). Essentially the partners had to agree mechanisms to facilitate partnering; changing it from an idea to a reality. From its inception, the MNHCP has been committed to rigorous performance measurement. It was crucial that MNHCP could see how it was performing and compare results against national construction industry standards, particularly with regard to cost, time, health safety, defects and sustainability. A second workshop was held on the 5/6th of December 2006. This workshop was designed to engender a sense of ownership of the agreement by getting those present to decide what factors to focus on and measure in the Partnership and establish agreed expectations and to generate performance indicators. The Project Performance Indicators (summarised below) designed for the project to provide feedback on how the partnership is performing as well as an assessment of how each contractor and consultant are meeting the required standards across a range of criteria. The KPIs Programme (Management of Time) Tenant Satisfaction Public Relations (No of complaints) Health Safety (Accidents Safety Notices) Finance (Cost Saving Cash Flow) Payments (from client-constructors-sub-contractors/sub-consultants) Adherence to Procedures Errors (Design Construction Errors) Defects (Internal External) Staff (Continuity Training) Environmental (Material Waste) Project Processes : The Issue Resolution Protocol (IRP) The partnering workshop is the vehicle used to create the partnering charter for the project which comprises the mission statement and performance objectives; issue resolution and evaluation process as well as problem management techniques are subsequently developed (European Construction Institute, 1997). In line with the overall procurement philosophy, the Council have developed a protocol based on best practice. The protocol does not seek to give advantage to the Council or any other party. Under the IRP issues would be resolved at the lowest level possible. Conflict resolution was an area where the workshops were apparently weaker in comparison to suggested best practice. Such practice guides contain information about the timescale which each level has to solve a dispute before it moves to a higher level for consideration. (Loraine and Williams, 2000). The dispute resolution procedure of the MNHCP shown in Figure 6 below is less explicit than those described in best practice guides. For example there exist no timescales to determine how long each organisational level has to resolve a dispute before it must move up the next level. This contrasts sharply with suggested practice. Of course so far there have been no disputes that have not been settled and so the procedures shown above seems to be perfectly adequate. However, a more detailed procedure would allow parties to know where they stand and timescales involved so that expectations are not unrealistic. This flow chart is an indicative representation of the process. The shaded elements represent the desired process. Figure 4.2 : Midlothian Partneship Issue Resolution Protocol (IRP) (Source : Midlothian Construction Services, March 2006) Feedback and Communication Communication and feedback are the great drivers of the MNHCP. A monthly project progress team meeting is one of the partnering tools used for feedback. The progress meeting provides the team an opportunity to bring up issues, concerns, and ideas on a regular basis. Project meetings can help everyone working on the job understand the schedule, co-ordinate work, and to identify and resolve issues by bringing everyone together involved in one place, at the same time, to discuss the status of the project and to plan ahead. Good communications and planning are critical to a successful project. Good communication also means that there are no surprises on the project. It means that one day you wont open a letter to find that someone is upset about something that you have never heard of before. The project team committed to not writing letters without talking to each other first. Talking first gives everyone an opportunity to make sure they understand the issues(s) and to try t o work things out before positions are put in writing. The council also committed to review achievements regularly, to ensure efficient and effective working. One innovation has been the appointment of a Project Co-ordinator. His role includes a number of functions designed to ensure the effective functioning of the Partnership. This post reflects suggested partnering practice. (Other key individuals within a partnering arrangement are The Partnering Champions. These are senior individuals in the organisations concerned and they play a central role in ensuring the viability of partnering, (Bennett and Jayes, 1995). For this role indicates a commitment to partnering and, as noted, commitment of individuals is vital for successful partnering. The functions of this role are vital in allowing the agreement to function. The Council Champion roles include: Agreeing the Charter Agreeing the targets Agreeing the allocation of works under the agreement Establish and maintain monitoring systems to evaluate partnership performance Monitor targets regularly Liaise with all parties involved to ensure adherence to the Partnership Promote innovation within the partnership Discussion : Midlothian Approach Vs Best Practice The selection process and the development of the Midlothian Housing Construction Partnership in the workshops discussed above, was essentially very successful. The selection process, involving two questionnaires and an interview/presentation. It was a rigorous selection process that achieved its aim of selecting effective partners. This validates the approaches followed as effective tools to help implement partnering. Thus this validates the texts on the best practice which promotes such approaches. The selection process also required commitment from constructors. For example all the successful (CT) set up a special panel to deal with the questionnaire and interview. Such commitment here indicates a commitment to partnering generally. Having noted this however it should be mentioned that past experience was a factor in these Construction team (CT) knowledge of what would be required of them. This knowledge gave them an understanding of what the client would require of th em. This experience was important, not because it directly resulted in these companies being selected as partners, but because they could draw on the past experiences to convince Midlothian of their competence in the selection process, which fits well with ideology of partnering. The Central function of the interview/presentations allowed the council to establish the (CT) who felt they could work with effectively on a personal level. The fact that these contractors/consultants had been short listed proved that, generally, they were capable (CT). Indeed all of those who made presentations were very competent and the race was a close one. It can also be argued that the diversity of the selection panel was actually positive. Had the panel comprised compromised technically qualified individuals they would have been more likely to have focused on technical issues that, at this point, were no longer relevant. The primary qualification questionnaire had already ensured those short list were competent. At this stage attitudes were important and the selection panel were more than competent to judge on these. The workshops ought to be deemed successful as they achieved all the aims they are supposed to according to writers on the subject. In particular it felt the workshops were well organised, spread the team working message very well. Furthermore the initial workshops were successful in that they promoted the aims of Midlothian Council. To allow the partnering agreement to operate, a series of project workshops followed. They generated a sense of ownership, a range of issues to focus on and performance indicators to measure and illustrate Best value. These project workshops should be regarded as a positive aspect of the partnering process to the extent that they allowed those involved to have a direct input into performance measurement. The dispute resolution procedure of the MNHCP is less explicit than those described in best practice guid es. For example there exist no timescales to determine how long each organisational level has to resolve a dispute before it must move up to the next level. A more detailed guide, perhaps including timescales and who to contact would make the situation clearer. To date he MNHCP approach has worked well. During the course of carrying out this research, for this project, no major unresolved disputes came to light. Time will tell whether the MNHCP approach to conflict resolution will prove as, if not more, effective than suggested best practice. Summary This study describes the establishment of the MNHCP which, generally, was through and followed current perceptions of how to set up partnering, with only a limited number of specific deviations. These appear to have had a significant negative impact on the overall process. The problems and issues noted, whilst important, should not deflect from the overall view that the establishment of the MNHCP was professionally and successfully carried out.