American History Essay Example for Free

American History Essay The American Revolution posed to be an important event for both African Americans and women. For women, the impact of this event solidified their role and place in society (Courtney, 1999). These women made Americans understand their significance and worth in different aspects. On the other hand, for African Americans, this event started the process of change in terms of equality and the prevalent system of slavery. It is in this light such impact paved the way as a stepping stone towards gaining freedom and independence from their masters (Hooker, 1996). Comparing the two scenarios (women and African Americans), it can be argued that these two groups share the same principles each one fights for. The only difference in this is the manner wherein they are applied or the conditions that needs to be addressed. Looking at it, both parties seek to develop a renewed interest for (1) freedom, (2) equality, and (3) rights. However, in terms of application, we can see that African Americans clamor for this to eliminate the system of prejudice and hate brought about by slavery and apartheid. On the other hand, women continue to seek these principles for their desires to be equally associated with men in both rights and responsibilities. Despite these efforts, Americans continue to hinder participation for both African Americans and women. For women, suffrage was still maintained for men (Courtney, 1999). At the same time, jobs and responsibilities continue to be categorized accordingly with little or minimal changes. On the part of African Americans, apartheid and slavery continues to exist in some states. Likewise, prejudice and racial hate continues to be present especially among Southern states wherein some African American slaves were subjected (Hooker, 1996). The leaders in turn justified these actions as a result of adjustment and transition process wherein leaders and members of society have to adhere to these new set of standards and norms. At the same time, it was better off this way because some groups continue to pursue previous rules and principles since they are not subjected to such actions. Lastly, this endeavor opens up opportunities for change wherein it may prove to be difficult to handle for some leaders. It is through these myriad of reasons that many American leaders tried to limit down the application of the commitment towards equality.

Professional Development Of Teachers Education Essay

Professional Development Of Teachers Education Essay This study is to examine the role of leadership in teacher professional development in Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley. The specific variables that will be investigated include teachers perceptions of teacher professional development; teachers expectations as well as the principals role in facilitating teacher professional development. Developments in leadership will lead to changes in the ways teachers work. These will subsequently increase the need to review teacher professional development. The purpose of this research is to establish how the dual of the principal and the teachers manifests itself in professional development. This research will be significant as it will examine the voices of teachers on how leadership contributes to teacher professional development. The research will be conducted using qualitative methodology. It will be based on a case study of two Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley. Data will be collected using questionna ires and follow up interviews which will be administered to elicit responses from principals, deputy principals and teachers in both schools. The findings will reveal the need for teachers in Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley to engage more in teacher professional development programmes in order for them to have a better understanding of the concept. This study will also demonstrate if teacher professional development should be the core work of both the principals and teachers in order to create a learning environment in their schools so that both can develop professionally. Based on the results obtained in this study, we will determine if Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Klang Valley need more awareness in teacher professional development and how it will influence the leadership. Keywords: Leadership, Principals, Teachers, Teacher Professional Development, Teaching and Learning INTRODUCTION The purpose of this proposed qualitative study is to help principals of Chinese Independent Schools in Selangor and their supervisors understand the interaction of leadership capacity and distributed leadership practices as they relate to professional development within a school. The study will capture leadership practices in an effort to reveal how the practices impact on the professional development of the teachers. The overall question under consideration is: How do schools and school leaders understand capacity building while using that process to build and/or sustain a culture for professional learning? The intention is to understand more about systems that promote professional development and as a result contribute towards school development. The role of the principal in facilitating the development of organizational learning and capacity building via professional development related to instruction, student achievement, leadership roles, inquiry, teacher engagement, vision, goal setting, shared norms and values will be examined using case study methodology. Interviews, open-ended survey results, focus groups, and documents as well as environmental observations will be analyzed to reveal the role of the principal in this context. The case studies will examine the behaviors, actions, and interactions of principals and teachers within schools where leadership and professional development is considered to be in place through formal and informal structures established at the district and building level. All of the principals in the study are from the Chinese Independent Secondary Schools in Selangor. Qualitative research is proposed in order to examine and articulate practices related to school leadership and professional deve lopment. Four case studies are proposed to help inform established and new principals embrace the paradox of leadership with purpose as well as an understanding that each story needs to be told in order to meet the obligation of building knowledge as part of a schools culture. Teachers are the main resources of an education system. They have important roles and responsibilities to exercise in the teaching profession and to mould students in accordance with the changing social needs. Therefore, professional development needs of teachers constantly change and develop along with the changing expectations regarding the quality of education, the changing social needs, technological changes and the effect of technology on learning, the change in student population, and the transforming paradigms in learning and teaching. Professional development of teachers is a must for school improvement and educational change. It is useful not only for teachers, but also for students, school administrators, parents, families and colleagues. Thus, it can be considered as both an individual and social implementation. In other words, investment on teachers is an investment on individuals whose consequences are directly reflected in the society as well. Professional development involves teachers acquisition of knowledge, skills and attitudes addressing improvements in education. It compensates the lack of education in pre-service training with the help of regular in-service training. Therefore, it can be considered as a process which starts in pre-service training and goes on with in-service training till the end of the profession. Teachers professional development is generally defined as activities such as seminars and set-courses which aim at training teachers through in-service training (Odabasi Kabakci, 2007). It is also defined as any kind of teaching-training activity to meet teachers needs that is necessary for their professional growth and development (Seferoglu, 2001). According to a broader definition, professional development consists of processes and activities designed to enhance the professional knowledge, skills and attitudes of teachers so that they can improve the learning of students. Therefore, professional development is a process that is intentional, ongoing and systemic (Guskey, 2000). The purpose of any professional development program is to inform and change teacher behavior as a result of new information. To achieve this purpose, educators spend countless hours on professional development activities, learning to use new instructional strategies or materials (Barnett, 2003) since the   professional development of teachers must be an on-going process of refining skills, inquiring into practice, and developing new methods.Professional development leads to knowledge acquisition on the one hand and update of current knowledge and skills on the other. In this respect, the advantages of professional development can be listed as follows (Librera et al., 2004). Professional development: Ø   ameliorates the field of application, Ø   helps teachers and students meet their individual or mutual needs by providing them with the opportunities to reflect on their personal experiences, applications and research, Ø   orientates professional experiences of high quality in schools, Ø   contributes to educational policies in heightening standards, Ø   helps teachers understand and explain ICTs. Most countries in the world consider teacher training as a crucial subject, and so does Turkey. Teacher training has several qualitative and quantitative insufficiencies in several countries. Regardless of the quantitative adequacy of teachers, professional development of teachers remains one of the most glaring problems of teacher training. Pre-service teachers still have the chance to develop themselves since they are still within an educational institution as learners. However, in-service teachers might find themselves abandoned as they have started working and hence feel deprived of constant mentoring and guidance. The only solution to sustain lifelong learning in Turkey is to provide in-service teachers with constant support through regular and effective professional development activities

Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay

Health Care Program Evaluation Plan Health And Social Care Essay The question of how to treat people who are mentally ill is highly controversial. In the not-so-distant past, people with mental illness were confined in insane asylums, where they lived in conditions of degradation, physical abuse and squalor. Mental health professionals now agree that such treatment was barbaric and that patients should receive supportive care. Opinions differ sharply, however, on what kind of treatment best serves this population of people interests. How mental illness is treated varies in every civilization, culture, century, and religion. Some religions encourage its members to do well even towards mentally ill people. The treatments carried out go from dancing to chants to tortures and exorcisms, and some treatments do more damage to the patient than good. As time passes by, the term mental illness carries with a stigma that affects not only the patient, but also his/her family. With the increasing prominence of the health promotion theory, there exists a shift towards emphasizing wellness, empowerment, and empirically supported treatment. Mentally ill people are treated more humanely at present than when compared to the only several decades ago. Adjustments are being strategized in order to address the increasing demand of mental health education and ensure the implementation of new programs in order to maintain common ground among stakeholders. Drastic changes and the need for mental health reform based on recurrences of violence within communities have played a vital role in stakeholders rethinking mental health issues, particularly what treatments are appropriate. Historically, practices of health promotion can be incorporated into evidence based with the treatment being used in programs that have been implemented for those co-morbid health conditions with mental health problems. Background of the Problem Mental health programs require a set of skills that are accessible and different from traditional programs that have been set in place but have failed the system. Through the use of monograph, a method of research or literature written about a single, specific subject, it can be deduced that the pathways to effective care are often unclear and extremely difficult to negotiate, especially for young people and their families, and for people from backgrounds that are not part of the dominant mainstream culture (National Health Strategy, 2000, p.7). In other words, there exists a disparity between social classes in the effective distribution of health care, that regarding mental health notwithstanding. This socio-economic disparity is no longer a new issue. Even in other instances, especially in the realm of healthcare, care services are not equally distributed among those who need it. It is usual that patients from low socio-economic classes are the less privileged, subjected to public humiliation and unconventional treatment; while those with a secure financial capacity are more likely to receive immediate and humane treatment. Intervention approaches into mental health vary depending on the disorder and severity of symptoms. Integrating programs and new policies in the decision-making intervention is in the forefront objective of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). According to the NHS (2000, p.89), the main actors in the delivery of health care should have a pervasive awareness of the diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the people, as differences in culture and language, among others, can be a hurdle in the design and implementation of a health care program. This is not to say that efforts were not carried out to create programs to address mental health problems. However, some programs are either lacking in content or is not applicable to a particular group of people. Therefore, a program may produce significant results for adult patients, but may fail when applied to younger patients with the same mental illness. As such, the need for holistic and specific programs for mental health is high. Several measures should be taken into consideration first before a particular mental health program is to be designed and implemented. The severity of the illness and its symptoms, as well as the patients capacity to maintain treatment, among others, should be well taken into consideration. Literature Review This literature review has been prepared for evaluation of Mental Health programs, which will focus on the following topics: definition of mental health; mental health issues; treatments and therapy; global mental health policies, and legislation; and the process of evaluating a health care program, particularly that of mental health. Available literature on mental health focuses on programs that are in place and the implementation of new programs through integrating health promotion where a review of literature illustrate how the field of health promotion can be mainstreamed into all aspects of community mental health care, in policies, principles, and practices. It contains an array of clinical cases, historical analyses, assessment models, evidence-based interventions and evaluation tools, and strategies for policy reform. Definition of mental health The World Health Organization (2013) defines mental health as the state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease. Furthermore, it is defined as a state of well-being where an individual can realize his potential as a person, adopt measures in coping with lifes stressors, work productively while staying emotionally well, and contribute to the development of the community with which he belongs to. Mental health issues Mental health treatments Mental illnesses are developed due to various and sometimes interrelated factors, making it difficult to clearly predict the progress of a mentally ill person (SANE, 2010). Sometimes, the symptoms are so confusing that the patient himself is not aware that they are already experiencing a mental disorder. Initial assessment is done to identify whether the patient is suffering from a mental disorder. The diagnosis will be derived from a particular pattern of symptoms that the doctor will have to observe in the patient. Symptoms include (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012): 1) feeling down for a long period of time; 2) insomnia or inability to sleep; and 3) easily distracted and inability to concentrate. From there, the doctor will decide how to best treat the symptoms and then further observe the patient for any other more specific symptoms. In the field of mental health, diagnoses can change several times as the symptoms change, progress, or disappear. Likewise, it can change as more information surfaces from the patient himself through their sessions together. The doctor then should be able to critically delineate the differences between symptoms and suggest a treatment that would best help the patient. In other words, there is no fixed treatment or medication for a single individual with a mental disorder until all the needed criteria appears in the patients behaviors (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). There are, however, several ways in treating mental health disorders and helping patients cope and recover from mental illness. There are two main types of treatments: psychological treatments and medication. Psychological treatments are carried out on patients with anxiety disorders or depression as it helps reduce stress levels brought about or has resulted to the symptoms experienced by the patient. These treatments, or therapies, are based on how an individual react to, think about, and perceive things (SANE, 2010, in Better Health, 2012). Therapies are also called talking cure (Discovery Health, 2013) because emotional and physical pain is alleviated by talking about it. Medications are provided to patients who have a more serious form of the disorder. There is a specific type of medication for a specific type of disorder, and they are usually highly prescriptive. Sometimes, it is given with a combination of other prescriptive drugs or with psychological therapies. It includes (Better Health, 2012): 1) antidepressants, which is given to patients with depression primarily and, with psychotherapy, to those with phobias, panic disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), or eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia); 2) antipsychotic medications, which is used to treat illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolarism; and 3) mood stabilizing medications, which regulates the occurrence of major depression and high episodes in patients with manic disorder. Care should be extended, however, when using medications for mental health disorders. Although the benefits are high, there are still some harmful side effects that might affect the patient especially when used for a long term at variable doses (SANE, 2010). If available, newer generations of medications are to be given to the patient, as this has lesser side-effects (Better Health, 2012). Apart from these two major types of treatment, the concept of community support as a way to help patients cope and recover from mental illness is fast becoming a choice for professionals and patients alike. Community support efforts include information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups (SANE, 2010; and Better Health, 2012). Global mental health policies Kiresuk and Sherman (1968) have identified the rather contrasting two-fold identity of the goals of the mental health enterprise: a) highly philosophical in that theories are formulated in distinct relationships; or b) highly objective and focuses mainly on patient-therapy goals. These goals may be used to calibrate a mental health program to better cater to a wider group of concerned people. Furthermore, understanding the elements interacting between the patient and therapist in various stages of their relationship can aid in designing programs for community mental health. Mental health policies are rules and regulations written by the Government or its corresponding Health Ministry or Department. It includes the goals, priorities, and the main direction stakeholders have to take in order to effectively implement the services enclosed therein. Some of the components of a mental health policy include (WHO, 2005): advocacy, which is the individual and social action on raising public awareness and policy support; promotion, enabling patients to take control of and improve their mental well-being; prevention or the immediate application of measures to promote individual and community well-being and educational and informational campaigns; treatment and the carrying out of relevant care, whether clinical or non-clinical, to reduce the negative impacts of mental illness and improve patients quality of life; and rehabilitation where knowledge and skills learning are provided to mentally ill patients to help them achieve a higher and better quality of life despite of their disorder. Mental health policies are the main guiding framework in the design of mental health programs. Each of the components specified above can have its own health program that will help achieve its goals. In fact, mental health programs is to take into consideration both general and specific plans of action required by all stakeholders to undertake in order for the policy to take effect (WHO, 2005). It identifies what actions are to be done, who must do it, what specific timeframe should be followed, what resources are needed, and where can it be found. According to the WHO (2005), 90.9 percent of countries in the Eastern Mediterranean have national mental health programs in place. More than three quarters, or 76.5 percent, of North and South Americas have such mental health programs while only 52.9 percent of Europe does. Community care is the most basic unit to perform and provide healthcare services to citizens. Therefore, their presence is vital in supporting patients with mental disorders at the community level. About 75 percent of North and South American countries have existing community care facilities (WHO, 2005). On a global scale, however, a wider disparity is discovered. Only half of low-income countries have established community centers while 90-97 percent of high-income countries have such community centers. Some examples of these community centers are daycare centers, therapeutic and residential services, crisis residential services, sheltered homes, clubhouses, community mental health services which cater to all age groups (children, adolescents, elderly), and agricultural psychiatric rehabilitation villages, among others (WHO, 2005). Global mental health legislation Mental health legislation should not be confused with health policies. These are legal provisions for the protection of the basic human and civil rights of people with mental disorders (WHO, 2005). Mental health legislation deals not only with how dangerous mentally ill patients are to be restrained and protected, but also with the maintenance of treatment facilities and personnel, training of professionals, and the whole structure of providing mental health services. It also dictates and regulates the procedures in compulsory admissions, discharge procedures, and appeals, among others. Laws on mental health are present in 75 percent of North and South American Countries. This is still low in contrast to 91.8 percent of European countries. Eastern Mediterranean countries have the smallest coverage at only 57.1 percent. Knowing the coverage of mental health laws is vital in understanding how mental health is prioritized on a global scale. The timeliness of the laws needs to be considered as well. More recently existing laws may be more encompassing than older laws in the sense that evaluation processes have already been applied to it. Older laws may not be able on track with the fast changing pace of culture, society, and technology. As such, laws enacted earlier than 1990 may be ineffective because evidence-based treatment methods are not yet available during that time (WHO, 2005). More than half of existing legislation across the globe is enacted between 1990 and 2004. North and South American countries with mental health laws have enacted 58.4 percent their most recent legislatures within this time frame. There still lies the fact, however, that half of the existing legislations were designed and enacted all the way back to the 60s (WHO, 2005). One of the major facets of mental health legislations is the provision of disability benefits for mentally ill patients and their families. In some cases, the disability benefit is incorporated in mental health laws. In others, particularly in countries without specific mental health legislation, the disability benefit is part of a wider scale of health legislation. Half of low-income countries have disability benefit provisions, while a hundred percent of all high-income countries are covered (WHO, 2005). There are, however, less researches delving into the degree of implementation and the spread of coverage of mental health legislations and its accompanying provisions. Moreover, there is a need to identify what services or benefits do particular countries provided for individuals with mental health disorders. As such, these areas need to be researched into more to better accommodate to the needs of individuals and families who need it. Evaluating mental health programs Atkisson, et al (2010) has a conceptual model laying out the three components involved in evaluating a community mental health program. These three components are: a) levels of evaluative activity; b) functional roles of the evaluator; c) and the capability of the program information. This working model may be used in the assessment of the evaluation capability of mental health problems. Proper use of the model could generate a better evaluation strategy. Although outdated, Hagedon, et al. (1976) has written a reliable manual on determining appropriate evaluation strategies and in planning evaluations. Evaluations, as the authors have suggested, should be done in cycles. Monitoring and evaluation should be schedule annually or bi-annually. This allows the program to be constantly updated, making it easily be adopted into a community. Changing cultural and technological elements could pose threats or opportunities to the conduct of the program. Hargreaves, et al. (1977) states that addressing issues in a programs information system and adequately assessing outcome studies eventually act on the programs processes and integrity, as well as the stakeholders welfare. An effective mental health program should have a similarly effective system of collating and analyzing feedback, which may be used to further improve the program. The evaluation plan describes in detail how a program will be monitored and evaluated. The intention of using the results for program development and decision-making should also be made clear (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). A program evaluation must be carried out with a clear purpose in mind. In fact, in designing a plan for program evaluation, the expectations to be derived from the conduct of the evaluation should be already considered. However, the evaluation design and the actual implementation should not be carried out by just anybody. The evaluation should be done by someone knowledgeable of the processes of evaluation and must also have an understanding of the program being evaluated. Otherwise, the evaluation process might not be able to achieve its objectives. The evaluation design should be able to identify the specific group or group of people for which the program is intended for and would have access to. The methods to be used should be able to capture the needs of the stakeholders while maintaining excellence in the delivery of health care. The Minnesota Department of Health (2010), identified six reasons on why there is a need to monitor and evaluate the processes of a program: 1) to determine whether the objectives of the program is being achieved in the short-term; 2) to improve how the program is being implemented; 3) to provide a degree of liability to the funding agencies and the community with which the program is intended for; 4) to increase the stakeholders awareness of the program and encourage support; 5) to contribution to the current pool of knowledge and practices in the scientific undertaking of public health interventions; and lastly, 5) to inform and influence the decisions of the higher policy-making body, e.g., the government. A scientifically-sound evaluation has similarly scientifically-sound program objectives. According to Wilburn and Wilburn (n.d.), program objectives should be S-M-A-R-T: specific, measureable, achievable, realistic, and time-specific. It is ideal that an evaluation design is all-encompassing; however, as was said in the introduction, that it has to be specific to be able to fit the needs of the stakeholders better. Measureable concepts should be incorporated into each objective to aid in the attainment of quantifiable variables. It should also be realistic, not idealistic, and should follow a practical timeframe. The right questions should be able to answer the questions what, how, and why it matters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The evaluation design should be able to: 1) state the need for the implementation of the program and its relation to the intended effects (clarify the purpose and anticipated outcomes); 2) lay down the processes in the program implementation and identify whether it works well with the overall evaluation design; 3) clarify with short-term information if changes need to be done in the existing processes of the program; and 4) provide a rationale about the programs importance and impact to the field of mental health. The evaluation must apply not only to the program per se, but also to how the application of changes will affect the programs intended outcomes. There are other variables to be considered for evaluation. One is the nature of the stakeholders. Is the program able to capture the stakeholders and address their needs? Are they the right ones with whom to apply the program? Identifying the right stakeholders for the implementation of the program is vital in ensuring that the message is carried across. As such, the location where the program was implemented should also be evaluated. Cultural, social, and political issues must be considered as these could have an effect in the distribution of the program. Likewise, time should also be evaluated. This pertains not only to the timeframe or schedule of implementation of the program activities, but also on the timeliness of the program implementation. The last thing that should be subjected to evaluation is the output. Is it what the program intends to achieve? What went wrong? All the information from the monitoring and evaluation will be collated and considered as vital feedback. Feedback needs to be gathered to be used in the further development and improvement of the programs design. After the step-by-step process of evaluation is completed, the results will be integrated into the original mental health program. Recommendations for future researchers will be produced, such as the conduct of a second evaluation on the same program after it had been subjected to changes as a result of the initial evaluation. The design and methodological processes to be followed in the evaluation of a mental health program will be discussed in detail in the succeeding paragraphs. Goals and Objectives This research study primarily aims to identify a method that will be used to effectively evaluate mental health programs. Specifically, this research aims to: Identify the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients and families using the mental health program; Identify their information needs; Determine their attitudes and perception towards the mental health program; and Determine the strengths and weaknesses of the program through a professionals perspective. Theoretical Framework The main reason for conducting a program evaluation is to determine the efficiency of a program, particularly in terms of whether physical and financial resources are being used wisely, the programs performance and objectives are working with the design, and is following the processes set for it (Lindeman, 2010). Based on the literature review gathered for this research, mental health program evaluations mostly focus on how the program could better adapt to certain situations. Certain social conditions call for a more customized program, given that the current specifications of a program may not be suitable for another individual or group of individuals. Therefore, interventions must be carried out to ascertain the effectiveness of a mental health program. By using a program theory, the evaluation of the program may be guided accordingly. The program theory is only recently integrated into the field of public health, as it is mainly used in social science research. The program theory, by definition, is a conceptual plan, with some details about what the program is and how it is expected to work (Issel, 2009). The program theory has two main components: 1) process theory; and 2) effect theory. Process theory is concerned with the program per se, while the effect theory is concerned with the use of interventions. Similar programs, like in the realm of public health and its programs against obesity, consider evaluation as a very important process. It follows the same way of formulation of objectives and the creation of sound evaluation plan. Evaluation Model Design This research will follow a multi-design evaluation. It will make use of the responsive evaluation, followed by the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation, and then the utilization-focused evaluation. The use of a multi-design evaluation allows the researcher to better make use of the information that will be gathered for evaluation. The first design is the Responsive Evaluation type of evaluation model and approach, which is concerned with identifying how the program would look like to different people. This design must take into consideration what stakeholders need to satisfy their thirst for information. In relation to responsive evaluation design, the participatory/collaborative form of evaluation may be used to further identify how the stakeholders view the program and what they could suggest be done to improve it. Their information needs will then be enumerated and considered. Once the information needs are identified, this will undergo utilization-focused evaluation. This allows stakeholders to take part in the evaluation process, which will be used ultimately in the decision-making phase of the evaluation. The information will also be integrated into the program itself so as to better calibrate it to fit the specific needs of the stakeholders. The model below shows how these evaluation designs will be utilized to be able to evaluate a mental health program better. INPUT OUTPUT PROCESS STAKEHOLDERS How does the program look like to different people? PARTICIPATORY/COLLABORATIVE What are the information needs of those closest to the program? CONSUMERS EXPERT INFORMATION NEEDS What are the information needs of stakeholders, and how will they use the findings? Figure 1. The Multi-Design Evaluation Model The study aims to create a viable evaluation model to use in evaluating mental health programs. For this research, both primary and secondary research will be utilized. The primary research will be conducted with the use of a survey questionnaire and interview for research instrument to gather both quantitative and qualitative information. Respondents will be identified and the questionnaire will be distributed to them. Interviews will be scheduled accordingly. Quantitative methods will be employed as this is a flexible and iterative approach in researching information. Consecutively, the research will also make use of qualitative information which will be used to locate and develop theories that would explicate the relationship of one variable with another. As such, behavior, attitudes, opinions, and beliefs on the subject matter at hand will be identified and quantified easier. Secondary research will also be carried out as well. Statistics and results from previous studies will be incorporated into this research and then compared with the results of this study. Evaluation Methods Respondents of the Study Following the evaluation designs stated above, this research will identify stakeholders to help in evaluating the program. Consumers and professionals will be asked to assess the program and their attitudes and perceptions toward it will be gauged. It is vital to determine and identify the respondents to be used for this study. The consumers may be the direct beneficiaries of the program to their close relatives who have personally observed how the program was implemented. Their personal experience on the program implementation would paint a picture of the applicability and fit of the program to various demographic. On the other hand, the professionals will be third-party experts who are knowledgeable in the field. These may be psychiatrists, psychologists, or program implementers. Their expertise on the field would contribute to the identification of whats lacking or missing in the program. Sampling Method The researcher will use two sampling strategies: random and purposive. The purposive type of sampling allows for a more flexible way of choosing respondents, given that the classifications needed are not entirely that applicable to a general group of people. Likewise, this is easier to carry out by the researcher without compromising the results of the study. Psychologists, psychiatrists, and program implementers will be purposively identified based on their availability on the subject matter at hand. On the other hand, the program consumers will be identified randomly. A list of the program beneficiaries will be retrieved from authorities. Then, random sampling will be used to identify who among the beneficiaries will be interviewed. If ever the patient beneficiary will be unavailable for interview, their immediate family members will be contacted in their place. Research Instrument To gather pertinent information from the respondents, the researcher will create a questionnaire, one set for each of the respondents. The instrument will include socio-demographic characteristics, identification of attitudes and perceptions towards the program, suggestions for improvement, among others. The major objective of using a survey questionnaire is to gather both quantitative and qualitative information from the respondents. The research instrument will use a combination of open and closed questions. Closed questions will be used at the most, especially in identifying the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. Through the use of closed questions, the choices will be limited within the scope of the study; thus, allowing the researcher to easily encode the answers. Moreover, using closed-ended questions would help keep the results in line with the researchs problem statement and objectives. As such, open-ended questions will nonetheless be used. Using this type of questions will allow the researcher to gather qualitative data. For example, their experiences on how the mental health program was implemented on them are better off detailed than limited to a set of questions. Themes are captured as they emerge from the respondents accounts. The attitudes of the respondents toward the mental health program will be gauged with the use of a five-point Likert scale. The Likert scale is a rating scale that allows the respondents to indicate his/her level of agreement or disagreement towards a particular event, situation, or part of the program. The equivalent weights that would correspond to the degree of agreement or disagreement are as follows: RANGE INTERPRETATION 4.50 5.00 Strongly agree 3.50 4.49 Agree 2.50 3.49 Uncertain 1.50 2.49 Disagree 1.00 1.49 Strongly disagree To test its reliability, the one-shot research administered survey instrument will be pre-tested to a group of individuals. The instrument will then be revised as per the comments and suggestions derived from the pre-testing. The survey questionnaire is chosen as a research instrument since they are easy to construct. Likewise, questionnaires may be easily reproduced and can be delivered to the respondents by mail or by hand. Data Collection For this research, data will be gathered; information will be collated from previously published studies from local and international universities. The researcher will then summarize the secondary information, make a conclusion and a generalization, if applicable, and then provide recommendations which may be useful for this research. The researc

Economical Events That Lead Up To The Great Depression Essay -- essays

Information: In the 1920's, things were really rocking in the US and around the world. The rapid increase in industrialization was fueling growth in the economy, and technology improvements had the leading economists believing that the up rise would continue. During this boom period, wages increased along with consumer spending, and stock prices began to rise as well. Billions of dollars were invested in the stock market as people began speculating on the rising stock prices and buying on margin. The enormous amount of unsecured consumer debt created by this speculation left the stock market essentially off-balance. Many investors, caught up in the race to make a killing, invested their life savings, mortgaged their homes, and cashed in safer investments such as treasury bonds and bank accounts. As the prices continued to rise, some economic analysts began to warn of an impending correction, but the leading pundits largely ignored them. Many banks, eager to increase their profits, began speculating dangerously with their investments as well. Finally, in October 1929, the buying craze began to dwindle, and was followed by an even wilder selling craze. The Great Depression was the worst economic slump ever in U.S. history, and one, which spread to virtually the entire industrialized world. The sock market crash was the start of an economical downturn. Numerous people bought their stocks on margin. They also purchased stock with borrowed money. When there was a drop in the st...

Colonial South Carolina Report Essay -- American America History

Colonial South Carolina Report George the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, King, Defender of the Faith, I write to thee from the heart of South Carolina, Charleston to impart my knowledge of the region. My travels have been long and arduous. I arrived by way of a freight ship bearing finished goods for the colony on the twenty-eighth day of March, in the twenty-third year of thy reign. All that province, territory, or tract of ground, called South Carolina, lying and being within our dominions of America is well. The environmental conditions of South Carolina differ dramatically to that of England. The days are long, hot, humid, and at times damp. The people of the colony deserve admiration for dealing with such unfavorable weather. Occasionally, storms stemming from the Atlantic Ocean wreak havoc on the villages, upturning the soil and damaging the trees, but the majority of the days are bright with sunshine. During the spring and summer there is a combination of rain and scorching heat, whereas during the fall and winter it sometimes snows in the northern section of South Carolina, but throughout the rest of the region the climate remains moderately cool. The land is undulating and layered with an abundance of forestry. Yet, the terrain does not consist entirely of woodlands and smooth hills. The land is far from perfect. A large portion of the territory is made up of marshlands. The ground is somewhat blemished by the scattered swamplands. These quagmires are abode with vicious alligators and infested with countless mosquitoes. These bloodsucking mosquitoes in turn spread malaria amongst the populace. Despite the threat of malaria and fierce alligators, the economy thrives from the environment. South C... ...no loyalty to the Crown now, in future conflicts, the colonists may turn against us and become our enemy. Radical action must be taken in order to regulate their behavior. They must recognize the royal authority. The beneficial aspects of South Carolina outweigh the detrimental aspects. South Carolina is a powerful asset. The economy is strong and provides a priceless resource of indigo and rice. Our woolen industry would not be able to cope without the dye from the indigo. The colony produces an abundance of rice. The colony is also strategically located, to stop the Spanish from expanding north. Although there is a political predicament, it is not beyond thy Majesty to resolve it. By and large, the colony is a worthy investment and should receive immediate financial backing accompanied by British officials to reinforce the policies and taxes of thy Divine Grace.

Energy Drinks Case Study Essay

Competition in Energy Drinks, sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages Case Study There are new coming items in beverage industry during the mid-2000s, which are energy drinks, sports drinks and Vitamin-Enhanced beverages. These items focus on different flavors, specified consumers, efficient distribution systems, and products innovation in the beverage market. They compete with water, soft drinks, juices, tea, and other common drinks, which are in low prices, good and long history of brand reputation, easy to accept the taste. From 2005 until now, alternative beverages grow fast and take more and more market share in the whole world beverage market. The main alternative beverages companies are Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Red Bull and Hansen Natural Corporation. Energy drinks, spots drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverages use many strategies to find a good position in the beverage industry in the Global market, which also give us some ideas about how to operate beverage companies. Firstly, alternative beverages take the action via wider product selection, better product quality, good delivery system to gain sales and market share. For example, PepsiCo develops 12 flavors of Amp Energy drinks and 28 varieties of SoBe vitamin-enhanced drinks (Gamble, 2010, p. C-83). Again, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola through their own soft drinks distribution channels to deliver energy drinks at the same time, which reduce much time and cost. Secondly, energy drinks take big actions to enter emerging market opportunities, like most Asia countries and South America. For example, alternative beverages take 31. 5% market share in Asia-Pacific in 2009 (Gamble, 2010, p. C77). Thirdly, Energy drinks, spots drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverages try to acquire or merge with other small companies to strengthen market standing and competitiveness. For instance, PepsiCo has a multiyear distribution agreement with Rockstar to distribute Rockstar energy drinks in the United States and Canada (Gamble, 2010, p. C-83). Coca-Cola also has a multiyear distribution agreement with Hansen Natural Corporation to distribute Hansen’s Monster energy drink in some areas of the United States, Canada, and six European countries (Gamble, 2010, p.C-84). SWOT Analysis Strengths| Weaknesses| * Healthier than traditional soda. * Global brands * New product development * Strong manufacturing and distribution capabilities * Strong support of parent company| * High price * Consumer limitation| Opportunities| Threats| * Growing demand for healthy drinks * High growth developing markets * Cost reduction measures| * Traditional drinks competition which includes price and taste * Regulations and law * Health risks * Environment problem * New entrents|. To solve weaknesses and threats, alternative beverages industry companies set up business models to match the customer value and gain profit. Firstly, Energy drinks, sports drinks, and vitamin-enhanced beverages companies develop many different flavors to match different customers’ taste. Second, these companies also focus on different customers’ demands. Third, they sell products in many different locations, not only supermarkets, but also convenience stores and vending machines around every corner, which give convenient service to customers. Fourth, alternative beverage companies always try to follow the state law and regulations. Try to avoid risk ingredients. Fifth, to pretend the health risk, some companies placed warnings on their products labels. Sixth, because many people and organizations are focus on environment issues, alternative beverages’ plastic bottles and cans are really concern by these people. To solve this problem, beverage companies recycle plastic bottles and cans to keep pollution away. I also have some recommendations to alternative beverage companies to grow bigger and faster in the global market. First, try to make innovation on the local taste in different countries. Do research on people’s taste in various countries. McDonald’s is a good example in promoting global market. McDonald’s knows Indian people don’t eat beef and pork and love spicy food, so McDonald’s over there never have any product with beef or pork but with more spicy taste. Again, don’t put sensitive ingredients in the drinks. People are more curious about health and drink ingredients. Many organizations are strict with it, too. Try to produce healthier and more nutritious drinks to the market. Moreover, drinks’ function attempts to everyone, but not only for a small group of people. Nowadays, teenage boys always buy energy drinks, people who do sports, fitness, or other strenuous activities bought sports drinks; adult consumers are interested in buying vitamin-enhanced beverages (Gamble, 2010, p. C-77). What I recommend is alternative beverage companies should develop beverages suitable for most people. White collar can drink energy drinks; sports people also suitable to buy some kinds of vitamin-enhanced beverages. Additionally, don’t publicize the function too powerful. Some alternative drinks have some special effects, but not like what the advertisement said. If the company wants to operate for a long time running, it should be honest and act in good faith. Last but not least, incumbents of alternative drinks use strong brand preferences, high degrees of customer loyalty, significant cost advantages to keep new entrants out of the market. References: Gamble, John E. (2010). Competition in Energy Drinks, sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages. Crafting & Executing Strategy. p. C-77. Gamble, John E. (2010). Competition in Energy Drinks, sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages. Crafting & Executing Strategy. p. C-79. Gamble, John E. (2010). Competition in Energy Drinks, sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages. Crafting & Executing Strategy. p. C-83. Gamble, John E. (2010). Competition in Energy Drinks, sports Drinks, and Vitamin-Enhanced Beverages. Crafting & Executing Strategy. p. C-84.

Misconceptions About Africa

Coming to America Paper In the movie â€Å"Coming to America† we can observe a wide variety of stereotypes, cultural differences, and language barriers throughout the movie. Now whether or not the stereotypes and cultural differences are accurate, it gives us a good idea of how America is difference then most countries around the world. In today’s world when people think of Africa they think of people who may not be as educated as Americans, and possibly people who grew up in the jungle or rainforest. When in fact â€Å"only a small percentage of Africa, along the Guinea Coast, Congo, and in the Zaire River Basin, are rainforests. Most of Africa's forests, like the forests of Europe and North America, have been cut or burned by humans to create farmland. † (MAA) We also witness language barriers come into play in the movie. When the Prince is trying to find a city in America to find his bride he says â€Å"what better place for a queen than Queen’s, New York†. When in all reality Queen’s, New York is known for being to have a relatively high crime rate and high poverty rate in 1988 when the movie was released, which in American culture, would probably not be the best place to find your â€Å"queen† or girlfriend. Cultural differences, language barriers, and stereotypes, come up quite often in the movie. The movie tries to show Americans in a somewhat comedic way how Africa and America have different cultures. The cultural differences in the movie also suggest that it may not be very easy to transition between the two cultures, because American’s and African’s may value different things greater in one country compared to the other. Stereotypes, cultural differences, and language barriers will always be around, but it is up to the people of the world to educate one another, and help them evaluate and understand their differences, which will in turn help the coexistence of nations throughout the world. Citations â€Å"Misconceptions About Africa. †Ã‚  African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania. Ed. Ali B. Ali-Dinar. Web. 05 Oct. 2010. . (MAA)