Issues in Scottish Curriculum Design Essay Example for Free

Issues in Scottish Curriculum Design Essay The way that any curricula is broken up into is two main ways; one being the curriculum in action, where the aims, content and experiences of the curriculum on paper are implemented in practice. The other is the curriculum on paper which is the ideology of what should be implemented in education across the board. The ideology in curriculum can be split up into four main categories. Most papers on this topic, agree to an extent what the four ideologies constitute of, but Schiro’s (2008) ideologies are the most commonly known. The ‘Scholar Academic’, the ‘Social Efficiency’, the ‘Learner Centred’ and the ‘Social Reconstruction’ ideologies are the four main categories explained in the Curriculum Theory that will be discussed in this paper in relation to The Curriculum for Excellence, the current curriculum in Scotland. The oldest of the four ideologies is the Scholar Academic ideology which focuses on the accumulation of knowledge and understanding. The aim of this ideology is to pass on the knowledge of certain disciplines (subject areas), to allow there to be future scholars in that particular area and therefore, further develop understanding. The academic disciplines are the result of the culture’s compiled knowledge and understanding of each area, and with this in mind, the purpose of education is to assist pupils to learn this knowledge. The next ideology is Social Efficiency. This is pretty dominant in our curriculum today and means to prepare the learner for becoming an efficient and contributing member in society. The learner’s objective is to learn certain skills that will in turn achieve certain objectives that benefit society (Lorrie A. 2000). The individual will learn a mixture of knowledge and skills that can be put together, therefore making the skills more efficient and more beneficial to society. The learner centred ideology focuses more on the needs and interests of the individual rather than the c ontent they are to learn. The idea behind this theory is that learning will take place due to the interactions between the individual and their environment, therefore being more down to the experiences rather than the content. The newest of these ideologies is Social Reconstruction. This is where the social reconstructionists are aware of the problems in society and see the job of the educator to correct these problems in the classroom, hoping that it will reconstruct their society as it is (Groenke, S. 2009). The focus of the curriculum would not be based on knowledge but more of values and opinions that would benefit the society and make it attain the greatest satisfaction of its members. In ‘Building the Curriculum 3: A framework for learning and teaching’ it has examples of all four of the classifications of the curriculum ideology provided by Schiro (2008). It has examples of Academic ideology as it discusses the importance of knowledge and the ability and opportunity to increase the depth of knowledge already acquired as it states â€Å"Throughout a young person’s learning there will be increasing specialisation and greater depth, which will lead to subjects increasingly being the principal means of structuring learning and delivering outcomes.† (page 20, Building the Curriculum 3). From this quote we can relate the academic ideology through the concentration on developing knowledge further to specialisation in certain subjects, therefore being able to pass on the knowledge and allow it to grow from there. There are many examples of ‘The Social Efficiency Ideology’ in the paper as it focuses on health and wellbeing experiences and outcomes where the individual’s get the opportunity to gain skills that benefit the individual in life and work, but also the community around them. This is to help them become effective contributors in society: †¦support all children and young people in developing skills which they will use throughout their life and in their work, including the development of pre-vocational, enterprise and employability skills, personal skills, high levels of cognitive skills and the opportunity to put learning into a practical context. (page 15, Building the Curriculum 3) This example shows that the curriculum is aiming to encourage the learning of certain skills that will improve chances of employability and life skills that will help the young people settle into society and be able to play their part within it. The Curriculum for Excellence sees itself as being centred on the learner, and their individual needs. There are plenty examples throughout the paper of this ideology where the child is involved in what they are learning and setting themselves goals to achieve and having choice in what they learn within the curriculum, â€Å"All children and young people should experience personalisation and choice within their curriculum, including identifying and planning for opportunities for personal achievement in a range of different contexts† (page 17, Building the Curriculum 3). This quote shows that the idea of the curriculum is to give young people freedom to make their own decisions in what they are learning and at their own level. There are four capacities that make up the purpose of the curriculum that are described in this paper. ‘Successful learners’, ‘confident individuals’, ‘responsible citizens’ and ‘effective contributors’, are the capacities that the curriculum aims to enable young people to become. ‘Responsible citizens’ is a good example of The Social Reconstructive ideology as it explains how they will learn respect and about different cultures and how to behave responsibly within the community in all aspects (political, cultural or otherwise). As Building the curriculum states: †¦able to develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it, understand different beliefs and cultures make informed choices and decisions evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues develop informed, ethical views of complex. (page 22, Building the Curriculum 3) Here in this example, it shows that the curriculum wants to provide young people with varied knowledge so that the decisions they make in the future will help to create a better society. The idea is to teach them about values and respect so that they may make better informed decisions as to what is best for the society around them. Building the Curriculum 3 contains examples of all four of the ideology categories, but there are two that are most prevalent, ‘Learner Centred’ and ‘Social Efficiency’. Upon examining the evidence in more depth it seems that the ‘Social Efficiency’ ideology is the most dominant within this paper. Its main focus is on preparing and equipping individuals for future endeavours. For instance, the skills needed for future work prospects upon which Kridel’s (ed.2010) summary, of David Sneddon’s idea of social efficiency, explains the curriculum as a way to make individuals efficient for work. As discussed by Arnoldy (online), social efficiency in education is more for the benefit of the social economy than for the individual, but contradicting that theory in this paper, are the examples of learner centred ideology that is dotted throughout. Though, combining these two theories, Valades’ (online) talks about the idea that to help out society, educating young people to learn and improve their skills and capabilities to help the community in the future, is the way forward. From Building the Curriculum 3 and having summarised that the main ideology behind it is focusing on preparing the individuals to become more efficient and productive for contributing to our society, we can see that there will be some implication for teachers. Teachers who have been teaching for years under the same curriculum will struggle to accept the new curriculum, if it is as completely different way to how they have been teaching before. Although the main focus of the curriculum in Scotland has been focused on preparing individuals for the future, it has not been focused on the more individual level. This may cause implication for teachers as they only have specific allocated times to be with classes and it will be hard to offer each individual, the time and attention they need to develop specific skills to the point of being efficient. The teacher will have to focus more on the experiences and outcomes the learners are objected to, to develop the skills needed for the real world. This causes some problems as it depends highly on what the school can afford to give in ways of experiences, as most of these will probably be met outside of school. So, teachers need to find a way of achieving the outcome of making the individual a more effective contributor to society by combining what they learn in and outside of the classroom. This would be a task for teachers, as the environment each individual they teach will be different and this therefore means that the teacher will have to find a way to combine these different environments or find a similarity and focus on that. Building the Curriculum 3 has some implication for teachers, but the focus being on social efficiency means that in some ways there are not so many changes from the past as at least for the last hundred years the school curriculum has been focused on making learners that will have skills that will help them achieve objectives that will make the society a more efficient place. A Comparative Overview of the Curriculum Ideologies Chapter 6 http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/47671_ch_6.pdf (visited 29th dec 2012) Critical Pedagogy and Teacher Education in the Neoliberal Era: Small Openings pp 3 Springer Netherlands, 2009 volume 6 Susan L. Groenke http://www.geocities.ws/rf_valades/index2.htm Social Efficiency Theory SAVE SOMETHING TODAY Rodrigo Valades visited 29th dec 2012 The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture Lorrie A. Shepard Vol. 29, No. 7 (Oct., 2000), pp. 4 American Educational Research Association http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/47671_ch_6.pdf Chapter 6 A Comparative Overview of the Curriculum Ideologies visited 29th dec 2012 Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies edited by Craig Kridel SAGE Publications Inc 2010 Pg 4-7 Curriculum Theory: Conflicting Visions and Enduring Concerns, Schiro, M. (2008a) SAGE Publications, Inc Pg 199-245 Curriculum Theory: Conflicting Visions and Enduring Concerns Second Edition, Schiro, M. (2012b) SAGE Publications, Inc Building the Curriculum 3: A framework for learning and teaching, The Scottish Government, 2008

A Socio Ecological Model

A Socio Ecological Model A Socio- ecological model focuses on the influences on behaviour with focus on the environment and policy and reorientations of organizations such as the health system. The use of e ecological model presents a problem from other models, whereas other models can be specific, ecological model only give domains and does not give specific guidelines as to which domain to use for what specific behaviour. Where as psyco-social models propose a more generalised approach for example self efficacy and behavioural influences in dealing with issues ecological model has to be tailor made to a behaviour and a population. Hence other theories needs to be integrated into the model to aid in specify to deal with the problem at had Healthy Active Oregon 2003: Socio-Ecological ModelLooking Beyond the Individual http://www.balancedweightmanagement.com/TheSocio-EcologicalModel.htm The socio-ecological model recognises the interwoven interaction between the individual the environment in which he lives in. although the individual is responsible for maintaining a lifestyle that improves health and reduce risk, the social environment the individual lives in determines behaviour to a large extent, these can hence form a barrier which in a way can affect the community as a whole in achieving a behaviour change. Hence the social ecological approach suggests intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organizational and public policy in dealing with a problem at hand. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs-2007. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health; October 2007. Social norms play a significant role in shaping beliefs and behaviors in healthy and unhealthy ways.10 For example, survey data from California indicate that adult smokers with strong attitudes about the health effects and restriction of secondhand smoke are more than twice as likely to have made a recent quit attempt and to have the intention to quit in the next six months.11 Adult smokers who demonstrated strong anti-tobacco industry beliefs were 65% more likely to have made a recent quit attempt and 85% more likely to have the intention to quit in the next six months.11 tobacco control program combines and coordinates community-based interventions that focus on 1) preventing initiation of tobacco use among youth and young adults, 2) promoting quitting among adults and youth, 3) eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke, and 4) identifying and eliminating tobacco-related disparities among population groups. Reducing tobacco use is particularly challenging Community Programs A community encompasses a diverse set of entities, including voluntary health agencies; civic, social, and recreational organizations; businesses and business associations; city and county governments; public health organizations; labor groups; health care systems and providers; health care professionals societies; schools and universities; faith communities; and organizations for racial and ethnic minority group State capacity and infrastructure, including clear leadership and dedicated resources, are essential to the development and implementation of a strong strategic plan that includes the identification and elimination of tobacco-related disparities Tobacco control programs need to foster the motivation to quit through policy changes and media campaigns and promote their quitline services. McLeroy, K. R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A., Glanz, K. (1988). An ecological perspective on health promotion programs. Health Education Qarterly, 15(4), 351-377. McLeroy K R, Steckler Ab, Goodman RM and Burdine JN(1992) Health Education education research: theory and Practises-future direction. Health Education Research, 7:1-8. Piper S (2009) HEALTH PROMOTION FOR NURSES; theory and practice. Routledge Oxon pp28 Borland R, Chapman S, Owen N and Hill D (1990): Effects of Workplace Smoking Bans on Cigarette Consumption. American Journal of Public Health 80, 2 A survey by Borland et al examined the effect of smoking ban on the behaviour of workers in the workplace of Australias largest public service. Before the implementation of the ban publicity was done for a year, there were programs set up to help people quit smoking, control smoking addiction and pre-deadline restrictions were introduced at some worksites. 2,113 workers were surveyed for 2 weeks before the implementation of the ban and six month after the ban was introduced. The survey found out that of the 2113 participants, 492 participants who were smoking at the time of the initial survey had reduced to 471 giving a reduction of 21 smokers after the ban. 57 smokers at the initial survey had given up at follow up whereas 36 non-smokers at initial survey were reported to have started smoking. 58% of those who gave up are reported to have done so following the implementation of the smoking ban. The study also assessed the effect of the pre-implementation restrictions on the workers. Participants were grouped into those who were allowed to smoke at the work station(43%) and those who were not allowed to smoke at their work stations (57%) . the result showed a 4.5 cigarette pre day consumption difference between those who were not allowed to smoke on site and those who were allowed. After the ban it was also found that there was a 5.2 cigarettes reduction among those who had the pre-implementation restrictions and a 1.9 cigarettes reduction among those who were not restricted. Further the survey explored. The survey further explored the effect on the participants who did not have any restrictions prior to the ban. Participants were grouped into light, heavy and moderate smokers. It was found out that whiles there were no changes in consumption among the light smokers there was an average reduction of 5.8 and 7.9 cigarettes per day among moderate and heavy smokers respectively . However heavy smokers did not appear to smoke more coffee and lunch breaks though they tend to smoke more whiles working outside. There was an average compensated increase of 0.7 cigarettes outside the working environment. This study is based on the ecological model where a change in the environment causes a change in individuals behaviour. The socio-ecological model recognises the interwoven interaction between the individual and the environment in which he lives in (Healthy Active Oregon 2003). Although the individual is responsible for maintaining a lifestyle that improves health and reduce risk, the social environment the individual lives in determines behaviour to a large extent; these can hence form a barrier which in a way can affect the community as a whole in achieving a behaviour change (Healthy Active Oregon 2003). Hence the social ecological approach suggests intrapersonal, interpersonal, community, organizational and public policy in dealing with a problem at hand (McLeroy et al, 1988). Jane Wills (2007) VITAL NOTES FOR NURSES; Promoting Health. Blackwell Publishing Ltd Oxford pp 59 Legislative action is also intended to change behaviour through the state, this includes national policies and provision of supportive systems to aid people to be able to cope with the change and sustain healthy life styles. But this intervention may be met with such resistance and people may be forced to under take smoking undercover making it difficult to actually identify the individuals who are undertaking such acts Naidoo J and Wills J (2005) PUBLIC HEALTH AND HEALTH PROMOTION; developing practice. Second edition of practising Health Promotion: Dilemmas and Challenges. BAILLIERE TINDALL, LONDON WHO (1986) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion www.who.int/hpr/archive/docs/ottawa.html (accessed on 12/02/10) Bauer J E, Hyland A, Li Q, Steger C Cummings M K (2005): A Longitudinal Assessment of the Impact of Smoke-Free Worksite Policies on Tobacco Use. American Journal of Public Health, 95(6): 1024-1029. Stokols D (1996) Translating Social Ecological Theory into Guidelines for Community Health Promotion; American Journal of Health Promotion, 10(4):282-98 Davies M Macdowall W (2006) Health Promotion Theory; UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC HEALTH. Open University Press, ENGLAND National Tobacco Strategy (1999): A SUMMARY DOCUMENT TO ACCOMPANY THE STRATEGY http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/09C1490BFFCC1872CA256F190004478B/$File/tobccstrat1.pdf. This is part of a national tobacco strategy framework, whose main objective is to improve the health of all citizens of Australia by eradicating or limiting the exposure of tobacco and all it forms. The key strategies that was set up for the frame work was to improve the control of tobacco through community action, promote cessation of the use of tobacco, limit promotion and regulate tobacco and finally, reduce environmental exposure to the smoke of tobacco. A community is said to be well-informed when it has adequate information on tobacco to be able to make an informed decision on tobacco use. In the community information such as how to get help and quit, the difference between the use of tobacco and addiction, the effect of tobacco smoke on the environment, the benefits of quitting at any age and sooner than latter and on a whole the effect of tobacco on the society. It is a well known fact that information alone does not lead to behaviour by individuals in the community. For a community to gain control over tobacco use it has to be involved in the planning and implementation of community based programes for controlling tobacco. Community leaders, parents, schools and youth organiztions can all be involved. All though the survey does not account how data was collected to assess community participation, can be assumed that since this was part of a national frame work and employees are part of a community it may be possible for the individuals to be involved in some kind of a community based activity. And the whole employees come together forms a community that can be involved in tobacco control activities and also form a network to support each other. Egger G, Spark R Donovan R (2005): HEALTH PROMOTION STRATEGIES AND METHODS. 2nd Edition McGraw-Hill Australia Pty Ltd. It was reported in the study that 36 people who were non-smokers previously at the initial survey had started smoking at follow up (Borland et al, 1990). This reinforces the notion that knowledge does not motivate an individual to change their behaviour. Individuals are bombarded with so much information in our current society, but people perceive the information based on their own psychological inclination. People can select what they want to hear and ignores others that is likely to make them change their habits. Also people have their own beliefs and ideologies about what causes disease conditiones. And almost every smoker can point out an old smoker who has not developed cancer or someone who died of lung cancer but never smoked.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Prefabrication As Construction Method Construction Essay The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method, and to establish how these are achievable compared to traditional methods. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry The UK is legally bound to cut its green house gas emissions under the Climate Change Act 2008. These cuts are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050, compared to the baseline emission value from 1990. This is not a scientific quantitative study of the actually energy efficiencies of the construction method, but more of an in-depth qualitative study of the features of prefabrication. This will be done by reviewing existing literature on the topic and comparing this to actual opinions and use in the construction industry. These opinions and the level of implementation of prefabrication within the construction industry will be established using questionnaires. From this analysis it is hoped that there are environmental benefits to using off-site manufacture/prefabrication. This should then be shown in the construction industry by its increasingly use. With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Although the Climate Change Act 2008 is not specifically aimed at the construction industry, the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy has called for action in four key areas; the method by which electricity is produced, increasing the use of electric transport, reducing the carbon footprint of farms in the UK and an increase in the construction of energy efficient homes (Adam 2010). Many reports, especially from prefabrication manufacturers themselves state the benefits of off-site construction over traditional methods. These include an increased speed of construction, better health and safety conditions on-site, better quality of final product and a lesser total cost when economies of scale apply. However when observing construction sites; off-site construction seems to not be included and traditional methods of construction seem to dominate. This study aims to find out the actual use of prefabricated, off-site components within the industry, and the reasons professionals have for either using, or not using this construction method. The hypothesis for this study states that the current use of off-site manufactured components will have a positive correlation to the perceived benefits from using them. For example if the perceived benefits of the using off-site manufactured components are great, then it is predicted that their use will be common within construction. Conversely if the features of prefabrication are not greatly beneficial compared to traditional methods, it is predicted that the use of off-site manufacture in the construction industry will be low. These assumptions have been made due to common reasoning, being that; if something is more beneficial than another, it will be chosen more often. Some basic problems that may occur in this particular research project could involve the participant design. For example because this is a small scale research project, only a reasonably small number of professionals will be contacted to complete the questionnaire. This will mean that the results from the data collected can not be generalised to the rest of the construction industry. Another problem may occur with the return rate of the questionnaire. The expected return rate is 30%; this means that from the 60 questionnaires sent, around 18 are expected to be returned. Another problem may occur because the information produced about the systems is usually produced by the manufacturers themselves, and may be biased. The hypothesis will be accepted if the primary literature search states that there are clear advantages to prefabrication, and the industry study shows that it is being increasingly used as a construction method. It will be rejected if there is no significant correlation between the reported benefits and the use of the construction method. This dissertation will take the following structure. First a literature review will be undertaken to establish all known information on the subject area. This section will include analysis of literature to establish what the stated benefits of prefabrication are compared to traditional methods of construction. Examples of each construction method will be analysed and areas where the benefits or disadvantages arise will be highlighted. The Climate Change Act 2008 will be reviewed to ascertain the requirements the UK is legally bound to fulfil. The current energy efficiency requirements will be taken from a study of the Building Regulations. Then a methodology will be created which will involve formulating questions that have not been answered from the literature review. A participant design will be identified and a justification for its selection made. The selection and the rationale behind the research method chosen will then be made. The questionnaires will then be sent out and the data analysed from the information collected. A series of tables and graphs will be produced to identify any significance in the results collected. A discussion will then take place to deduce why the data collected has been produced and the impact it may have on the information we already know. Conclusions will then be made that will summarise the findings and show any limitations to the study that should be rectified if done again. This section may highlight areas for further research. At the end of the document, a section of references and appendices will be included. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Prefabrication Prefabrication is a term used to describe the construction of buildings or building components at a location, usually a factory, remote from the building site. (Emmitt, S. 2010) Prefabrication can also be known as off-site prefabrication (OSP), off-site manufacture (OSM) and as a modern method of construction (MMC) (Taylor 2010). It has been used in mass production of housing since the early twentieth century (Arieff, A 2002). Prefabrication need only affect the construction process and not the end-product (BRE 2001). It is common practise nowadays to use prefabricated components such as trussed roofs and precast concrete sections, however for the purposes of this study, the terms prefabrication and off-site manufacture are applied to bigger components, such as fully fitted toilet pods shown in Figure 1ab and external wall blocks with windows preinstalled and internal finishes applied. Figure 1a Source; http://www.archiexpo.com Figure 1b Source; http://www.stcinc.net/bahamar.html Figure 1a/1b; a prefabricated toilet and kitchen pod, ready to be lifted and secured on-site. Image and performance problems in the past have hindered the use of prefabrication, so it is useful to study the history to see if the same problems exist today. The mass production of prefabricated components started in the early twentieth century; however there are examples of its earlier use, including the UKs first iron bridge constructed in 1779 at Colebrookdale (BRE 2001). The major push for the use of prefabrication in the housing market occurred after both the First and Second World War (Arieff, A 2002). This was due to the period of reconstruction to account for the lack of new buildings constructed during the conflict, and the existing buildings that were damaged as a consequence of the conflict. Prefabrication suited the needs of the times as it provided a fast and affordable solution to the housing shortage. It addressed the lack in construction skills that existed after the wars and provided jobs in the factories for many people. It also provided a solution as to what to do with the large facilities that were constructed for armament manufacture during the war. Prefabrication enabled effective material management, reducing wastage. This was important at the time as there was a shortage in materials after the massive focus on production of components used for war. In October 1944 the Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act was passed that gave the Government the power to spend  £150M on the construction of temporary housing. This led to around 157,000 temporary houses being erected from 1945-1948 (BRE 2001). This figure is less then was anticipated by the programme and subsequently led to the poor perception of the construction method. Factors that have also slowed development of off-site manufacture include the poor quality of earlier systems, the difficulty involved with the maintenance of systems installed after the war and the poor attention to detail that was incorporated into their design also hampered the development (BRE 2001). Due to the difference in physical construction processes compared to traditional construction, prefabrication produces the opportunity to capitalise on many benefits. Therefore new OSM systems boast many advantages from using off-site manufacture as a primary construction method. These include an increased speed of construction. A case study from modular building contractors Unite Modular Solutions reports of a 76 module, 32 self contained flats scheme in London that was fully erected in 8 days (Unite 2009). A study undertaken by Davis Langdon and Everest found that for the Peabody Trusts Murray Grove project in East London, a saving of 18 weeks was achieved compared with a conventional project (Davis Langdon Everest 2002). Due to the factory conditions in which the components are constructed, a higher level of quality can be incorporated into the end product. Problems occur on-site when adverse weather conditions affect the quality of components such as concrete. When the weather is adversely hot, too much water evaporates from the concrete whilst it is curing. If the temperature is too low the chemical reactions that happen during curing will take place too slow. Both these extremes will have detrimental effects on the compressive strength of the cured concrete (Mittelacher 1985). There is also less movement and shrinkage when the project is completed that means that the quality of the finishes and the level of attention to detail permissible mean that snagging time is reduced at the end of the project. This is the added time of making sure the finishing quality is satisfactory. The use of prefabrication can improve the health and safety conditions on-site. This done by eliminating the congestion on site as well as the amount of working from height that is necessary. This is because anything that is needed to be done at height can be done in the factory conditions on platforms under correct supervision. A paper produced by the Health and Safety Executive reports that HSE: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦statistics indicate that fatal accidents in construction are five times more likely than in the manufacturing sector. (Taylor 2009) The main advantage that makes OSM relevant to this study is the environmental benefits it is reported to bring to a construction project. With a higher standard of quality, optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently using OSM. When construction takes place on-site, there is more of a chance of thermal bridges and insufficient workmanship to reduce the thermal efficiencies of a component. In a factory, standardised components can be used in a controlled environment with correct supervision to achieve minimal tolerances in products. Less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction. This is due to lean processes and the efficient use of resources. The opportunity to re-use and recycle materials is also increased due to the controlled factory conditions. The factory environment means that components are produced correctly the first time, limiting waste. Another benefit is that the final design is locked at an early stage, so the opportunities for variations on-site are limited, and so less waste is generally produced. New OSM systems are constructed of a light weight steel frame, which has a reasonably low amount of embodied energy compared to materials such as concrete (Greenspec 2010). Clearly systems could be used that are more harmful to the environment than traditional methods of construction, however reports show undoubtedly that there is more potential to produce more environmentally friendly buildings using OSM. However there are disadvantages to using OSM. One contentious aspect is the cost. There are two sides to the argument; the first being that the process of using prefabrication is more expensive. A study by Davis Langdon showed that there is on average a cost premium of using OSM of between 10% and 25% (Rawlinson 2009). Others accept the premium in cost, however believe the loss in money is regained due to the reduced construction time and reduced snagging time due to the better quality. They also argue that the components are better designed for ease of maintenance and repair and so a saving can be made in the long term. The report by Rawlinson (2009) does state that the costs are regained through these savings for some or all of the costs, but does not quantify the amount. Other problems include the high set up costs of using the construction method. The majority of the construction work that is undertaken in the UK uses traditional methods of construction. Therefore there is only a very small skill base of trades people who are competent with the OSM processes. Although the training to learn these skills is not rigorous, over the entire United Kingdom it would amount to a sizeable sum. The cost of establishing prefabrication facilities is also very high and so this may be a factor as to why the construction method is not widely used. The aesthetics of OSM may also be a factor that has reduced the use of the construction process throughout the UK. The poor perception to past systems and very modular design of many OSM structures mean that the construction method does not suit everyones tastes. 2.2 The Climate Change Act 2008 The Climate Change Act 2008 is a piece of legislation that legally binds the United Kingdom to reduce its green house gas emissions. The main green house gas (GHG) which causes concern is carbon dioxide (C02). The reduction targets are an overall GHG emission cut of 80% by 2050, with an interim deadline of a reduction of 34% by 2022. This is compared to a baseline figure from 1990 of 593 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtC02) (National Audit Office 2008). Therefore a reduction of 34% is an emission level of 391MtC02 in 2022, and a proposed emission of 119 MtC02 for the year of 2050. The other GHGs named in the Act are methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulphur hexafluoride (Climate Change Act 2008 s24.1). The Act also makes provisions for other gases to be added to this list by the Secretary of State if they become of interest (s24.1g). Section 32.1 of the Act states that an independent body must be created, named the Committee on Climate Change. The duties of this body include providing advice on whether the GHG reduction targets should be altered and to what extent in order to meet them (s33), advising on the carbon budget (s34), advising on aviation and shipping emissions (s35), presenting progress reports to Parliament (s36) and to provide advice and assistance upon request (s38). The Act states that the Secretary of State, currently Chris Huhne, must set a carbon budgeting system. This is the process of stating the allowable GHG emissions within 5 year periods. This figure is set with the advice of the Committee on Climate Change (s9). Three of these periods are set at a time. The first 3 periods are 2008-2012, 2013-2017 and 2018-2022. The next 3 budget caps must be set by June 30th 2011 (Climate Change Act 2008 s4.2a+b). The United Kingdom is the first country to legally show its intentions for cutting its carbon emissions. The Act is aimed to pave the way for cutting emissions for other countries. In a video made by the Committee on Climate Change about building a low-carbon economy, Martin Parry member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that the Act will set a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦landmark example to what other countries can do. It is hoped that the Act will increase the UKs energy awareness and help improve our carbon management. The Government hopes that this will move the UK into a low-carbon economy. It is hoped that because the Act is a long term measure, covering 40 years, it will encourage businesses to invest heavily in low carbon technologies, as there is reassurance that returns will be made from investments now. It has been established that the main area where the UKs GHG emissions can be reduced is in electricity production. In EcoCentroGen newsletter August 2009, it is reported that the Government predicts that around 40% of electricity will be from low carbon sources by 2020. However significant savings in emissions can be made in both the transport and housing industry. In the same newsletter, it is reported that by 2020: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦7 million homes will be involved in energy saving schemes, and more than 1.5 million households will be supported to produce their own clean energy The Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change, David Kennedy, highlighted four key areas where emission cuts can be made. These were electricity production, housing, transport and farming (Adam 2010). With about 27% of the UKs energy being consumed in the housing sector, there are substantial savings to be made (Farookhi 2008). Producing more energy efficient homes will reduce this figure. The Government will try to implement these savings through a variety of means. Examples of these may be through more stringent Building Regulations, financial initiatives for implementing renewable energy technologies, such as grants for installing solar panels or feed-back tariffs or by raising fuel prices. There is however some concern and criticism over the rate of decarbonisation the Act implies. The Kaya identity is an equation that shows the relationship between energy and human factors and the effect the combination of these has on total carbon emissions of a country. This equation states that the only method for reducing carbon emissions is to reduce either population, per capita GDP or the carbon intensity of the UKs economy. Governments tend not to manipulate population or GDP per capita as they do not receive public backing and disrupt economic growth. Therefore Government policies for reducing carbon emissions tend to focus on reducing the carbon intensity of the economy, and the Climate Change is no exception. It is argued that by using the Kaya Identity, the Climate Change Act 2008 has not taken into consideration the effects of population growth and per capita economic growth. It is argued that with the effect of a growing population and economic growth, to meet the reduce d emission targets of 2050, the UK would have to reduce the energy intensity and increase energy efficiency by a rate of 5.4% a year (Pielke Jr 2009). Pielke Jr argues that for this rate of decarbonisation to occur, the UK would have to have the same carbon efficiency as France achieved in 2006, by 2015. This would involve constructing around 30 nuclear power plants. It is argued that this is simply not feasible. Pielke Jr concludes by pointing out these unachievable targets have been set as the Acts approach to emissions reduction is backwards. Opposed to assessing what the ultimate rate of decarbonisation the UK is capable of achieving, and setting targets suitable to this, the Act has set practically impossible targets, and only now they have been made in law, the UK is thinking of ways of achieving them. 2.3 Building Regulations The current Building Regulation requirements are of interest to this study as they show the current energy efficiency standards of houses being constructed today. They will also be the means by which the Government will enforce changes in construction practice in order to meet the GHG emission reduction targets. Building Regulations are statutory instruments that are used to enforce the relevant legislation that dictate good standards of construction and safety in England and Wales. Schedule 1 of the Regulations consists of fourteen approved documents that cover the following subjects (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations); Part A Structural safety Part B Fire safety Part C Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture Part D Toxic substances Part E Resistance to sound Part F Ventilation Part G Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency Part H Drainage and waste disposal Part J Heat producing appliances Part K Protection from falling Part L Conservation of fuel and power Part M Access to and use of buildings Part N Glazing safety Part P Electrical Safety The Building Regulations are the statutory instruments of the Building Act 1984. The Act makes provision for the Secretary of State to update or create new regulations for the purposes of health and safety, increasing the conservation of fuel or power and preventing waste of water (Building Act 1984 s1). Building Control was first used in London in 1189. This involved the enforcement of rules dictating party walls, rights of light and drainage. Around this time the introduction of consideration in design for fire-resistance buildings and means of escape in case of a fire were developed (Stephenson 2005). After the Fire of London in 1666, the first building Act became law. This Act made provisions for surveyors to be selected to ensure that the regulations we obeyed on construction sites. In 1984 the Building Act was passed and consolidated the various previous regulations to produce one main piece of legislation. Most building work requires Building Approval. This is the process of checking work done onsite complies with the Building Regulations. The duty of checking compliance with the Regulations is undertaken by Building Control Bodies. These approved inspectors can be from the Local Authority or they can be from the private sector (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk). Some forms of construction are exempt from the Building Regulations. These include porches, conservatories and some garages which are all subject to size, use, description, design, location and other requirements. If these requirements are not strictly met then the construction work requires building approval (http://www.kingston.gov.uk/browse/environment/buildingcontrol). The responsibility of following the Building Regulations falls to the person carrying out the work. To whom this responsibility falls to should be confirmed at the start of the work (Building Regulations Explanatory Handbook s2.4 2005). The Building Regulations state the allowable U-value of components to be used in new dwellings. U-values show the ability of a building component to conduct heat. Approved document L1B 2000 outlines the target minimum U-value of building components. To increase the energy performance of the overall building, the U-values of components must be as low as possible. Under Part L 2002, the U-Value of new build cavity walls is 0.35 W/m2K. For a comparison a 225mm solid brick wall has the average U-Value of 2.0 W/m2K (http://www.syec.co.uk/factsheets/U_value_factsheet.pdf) The Building Regulations also state the allowable air permeability of new build dwellings. This is the rate of air leaving the building as well as the rate of new air entering the building. A low air permeability figure means that the air will not escape and energy will not be wasted. Under Part L of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations the allowable air permeability is stated as  10m3/hm2 at 50Pa. These figures are relevant to this study as the benefits of a higher quality product coming from a factory environment, mean that these figures may be more easily achieved using prefabrication and off-site manufacturing techniques. 2.4 Literature Review Summary From the research of the respective literature the benefits of prefabrication have been presented. These are the increase in quality, speed of construction, health and safety on site and the environmental benefits these bring. The disadvantages the OSM produces as a construction method are an increase in the project cost, a potential unattractive aesthetic aspect and the high set up costs associated with new OSM facilities. The Building Regulations have been studied to show the standard to which new homes are built as a comparison to OSM. The targets of the Climate Change Act 2008 have been established. These are a 34% reduction by 2022 and an overall 80% reduction by 2050 compared to a baseline figure from 1990. In order for the UK to meet these targets, four key areas have been highlighted for action; one of these is the energy efficiency of the UKs housing stock. Studies have shown that these targets are very ambitious and for them to be achieved a radical change in how we design and build houses must be undertaken. From identifying the benefits of prefabrications, an argument can be made that this construction method could be the answer to producing more energy efficient homes. A methodology must now be formulated in order to collect data from the construction industry. This will involve identifying the participants for the study and a method for collecting data from them. It will also involve creating questions that will produce the required data. 3. Methodology 3.1 Scope of the Chapter This chapter will establish the method for collecting the data relevant to this study. It will set out the research aims and the rationale behind their selection. A section that explains the types of information studied will be included as well as an explanation of the participant design. A method for the analysis of the collected data will then be established. 3.2 Statement of Research Aim The aim of this research is to establish whether an increased use of off-site manufacture will produce a more energy efficient housing stock, as the UK gets closer to its carbon reduction deadline. The objectives of this study are; To identify the key advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication as a construction method. To identify the current requirements for energy efficiency in new build houses. To identify the requirements of the Climate Change Act 2008 and how this will affect the construction industry. To establish the current use and opinion of prefabrication/off-site manufacture in the construction industry 3.3 Rationale of the Research With the UKs housing stock producing approximately 30% of the UKs total carbon emissions, it is a sector where huge environmental gains can be made (House of Commons 2005). Off-site manufacture enables an improved finished quality so that optimum thermal efficiencies and air permeabilitys can be achieved consistently. Other benefits are that less waste is produced during the manufacture stage compared to traditional methods of construction and there is an increased opportunity to re-use and recycle materials in factory conditions. With the UK legally bound to reduce its GHG emissions by 34% by 2022 and 80% by 2050, action is required to make housing more energy efficient. 3.4 Secondary Research To establish the advantages and disadvantages of prefabrication, the current Building Regulations for energy efficiency and the targets set by the Climate Change Act 2008, a literature review was undertaken. This was done to establish all the information that is already known on the topic and to highlight any areas of study that have already been conducted. 3.5 Primary Research 3.6 Research Sample 3.7 Method of Analysis 3.8 Summary of Chapter

Exporting US Engineering Labor Overseas, an Ethical Perspective Essay e

Exporting US Engineering Labor Overseas, an Ethical Perspective Introduction The recent trend of outsourcing white collar jobs overseas to countries such as India has angered many American Technology professionals. This is occurring specifically in areas such as computer software, chip design and technical support. This trend has contributed to the increasing difficulty many Americans, who are looking for technical jobs, are experiencing. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether this anti-outsourcing attitude has any moral basis and to discuss the conflict of interests involved. This trend has a huge number of stakeholders, impacting engineers working for US companies as well as the entire economies of the US and the nations who benefit from the practice. The consequences of this trend are newly established markets and improved standard of living in other countries at the expense of technical professionals in the United States and other countries with established technology industries. History of Overseas Outsourcing Outsourcing is defined as services provided for a company by a secondary company that would otherwise be supplied internally. The purpose of this is process is to reduce costs by subcontracting the work to an external company which can provide the service at a lower cost. In addition to lower cost, the benefits also include more predictable costs. This allows companies to concentrate on their core business. This system is advantageous to the secondary external company because they can achieve the benefits of the economics of scales in performing the same specialized work for many companies. Additionally the company can provide lower costs for a service if they can find lower labor costs. Duri... ...; I.B.M. Explores Shift of Some Jobs Overseas.† New York Times Late Edition – Final, Section C, Page1, Column 2. July 22, 2003. Country Profile: India. TechRepublic, 11/18/03, < http://techrepublic.com.com/5100-6298-1029727-4.html> Rachels, James. The Elements of Moral Philosophy. McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. 2003 McLaughlin, Laurianne. "An Eye on India: Outsourcing Debate Continues." IEEE Software, IEEE Computer Society. May/June 2003. Bardhan, Ashok Deo, and Kroll, Cynthia A. "The New Wave of Outsourcing." Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics. University of California, Berkeley. Fall 2003. 11/18/03, <http://repositories.cdlib.org/iber/fcreue/reports/1103/> Breslin, David A. "On the Ethics of Outsourcing," PM, November - December 1999. 11/19/03, <http://www.dau.mil/pubs/pm/pmpdf99/breslind.pdf> Ulrich von Hutten (1488-1523)

Choose Or Lose :: Voting Vote Politics Political Essays

Choose Or Lose The election of 2004 is being talked about all over the country. It is one of the most publicized elections I can remember, and yet I still do not feel that involved. My decision to vote this November depends on how informed I am at the time. I think you need to be an informed voter to be a good voter. Voting for someone you think speaks well or looks good is wrong. What is it that causes so many young voters like me to not vote? A lot of people think it is a lack of concern that causes young people not to go to the voting booth that first Tuesday in November, but I think it's something more. Our government is based on participation and being apathetic about voting is no excuse. Without active involvement from the people democracy will fail. The 26th Amendment granted those who are 18 years of age the right to vote. This privilege has long been abused by those ages 18-24. Since the Amendment was passed in 1972, the percentage of eligible voters ages 18-24 who actually vote has dropped 13%. The article by Carrie Donovan and Mark Lopez, "Youth and Adult Voter Turnout From 1972-2002," states that in 1972, 55% of youths voted and in 2000, 42% of youths voted. This is appalling compared to the 70% of citizens that are 25 + and voted in the 2000 election. This dramatic drop in voting among the young adult population is eating away at democracy. The election affects everyone, but unfortunately, not everyone recognizes that fact. Those who do not vote have no right to complain about the outcome of an election, and nor the right to protest the decisions made by those elected to office. If this is true then why doesn't every eligible citizen vote? Politics affect EVERYONE. Those who are currently going to school most likely have a student loan. The student loan interest rate is controlled by the government, and I'm sure there isn't one student who is looking forward to paying more interest. Anyone who votes most likely has a job and is therefore paying taxes.

College Athletes Must be Held to the Same Standards as Full-Time Studen

Despite a tendency for institutions to be lenient with college athletes, as they enjoy the benefits of full-time-student status, they must be held to the same standards as non-athlete students. Every institution has an obligation to set attendance rules; students who attend these institutions have an obligation to abide by them, however, in actuality, professors chose whether or not they’re enforced. This may cause significant problems between other students targeting a player, rather than who is responsible, the Professor. Although institutions want their students equally treated, diversity is well accepted. Existence as a college athlete contributes to diversity as well as a substantial amount of favoritism. Issues arise pertaining to how one may view an institution as well as the institution itself, due to an athlete’s gift. Though athletics contribute to a decrease in anxiety and stress, in some cases, facts show otherwise. Furthermore, every institution has a set o f rules pertaining to attendance policies, that every student, including athletes need to follow. Most institutions have similar attendance polices. Their policies include: attending regular classes on time, fully comprehending the syllabus for every class, prompt notice to instructor regarding absences due to competition and/or travel, once a certain amount of days have been missed the student is dropped, and failure to properly communicate with instructor may result in a failing grade. Policies have acknowledged the student-athlete is fully responsible for communicating with their professors regarding their attendance. They have also acknowledged students are not entitled to a certain number of absences. Most importantly, policies have stated the importance of in... ...Q Educause Quarterly.NDP. Web. 28 November 2011. Educause Quarterly Magazine, Volume 30, Number 2. 2007. www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/clickerintheclassroomanactive/157458 Pros, Cons on pay for play: yahoo. USA Today. 31 August 2004. Web. 25 November 2014. www.usatoday.com/sports/2004-08-31-pros-cons-pay_x.htm Taylor, Donald L. "A Comparison Of College Athletic Participants And Nonparticipants Of Self-Esteem." Journal Of College Student Development 36.5 (1995): 444-51. ERIC. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. Student Athlete Class Attendance Policy: JEFFCO. Viking Intercollegiate Athletics. 14 October 2011. Web. 25 November 2014. Jefferson College Policy. www.jeffco.edu.edu/athletics/inex.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=287&Itemid=256 Worsnop, Richard L. "College Sports." CQ Researcher 26 Aug. 1994: 745-68. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.

Mass marketing

Mass marketing is the process involved in presenting products to the general public using the mass media such as primetime television, radio, national newspapers, or magazines of general circulation.   This is usually done with products which appeal to or perceived to be useful to people from all walks of life such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, or headache pill.   This is referred to as the traditional method of marketing and was in use long before specialized or target-specific products came into being. Compared to the concept of direct marketing, mass marketing is more expensive because it utilizes the traditional mass media which get through to a wider range of audience.   For instance, it was estimated that in the 1960s, a single television spot aired simultaneously over the three television stations CBS, ABC, and NBC could already get a message across to 80% of women in the United States. (Bianco, Lowry, Berner, Arndt, Grover. 2004) Direct marketing, on the other hand, is a relatively new method in marketing where the target customers are contacted directly through mail, electronic mail, or the telephone.   This method relies heavily on a customer list created, maintained, and regularly updated by a company or an advertising firm for the purpose.   Organizations who are engaged in this method claim that their marketing efforts are measurable in terms of responses they receive from their targets. The system also allows them to conduct follow-ups in order to consummate sales, or extend after-sale services such as maintenance assistance or performance rating of their products.   Basically, direct marketing allows you to â€Å"focus limited resources where they are most likely to produce results; measure the success of campaigns accurately by analyzing responses; and test your marketing – you can target a representative sample of your target audience and see what delivers the best response rates before developing a full campaign.† (Business Link)   The concept is catching fire. The result of a transatlantic survey of over 500 direct marketers and service providers conducted in 2006 and released January 11, 2007, showed that â€Å"85% of respondents expect their online direct marketing expenditures to increase in 2007.† (Direct Marketing News) REFERENCES Bianco, A., T. Lowry, R. Berner, M. Arndt, & R. Grover. (2004). The Vanishing Mass Market. BusinessWeek online. (Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_28/b3891001_mz001.htm) Business Link. Direct Marketing: the basics. (Retrieved from: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotz/action/detail?r.l1=1073861169&r.13=1073902327&type=RESOURCES&itemID=1073790746&r.12=1073858842&r.s=sc) Direct Marketing News. â€Å"Alterian finds 85% of marketing and service providers plan to increase Online spending in 2007†. (Retrieved from: http://www.dmn.ca/Click/articles/vol109/vol109_b.htm)