Historical and cultural context Essay Example for Free

Historical and cultural context Essay All three of these stories create strange but similar atmospheres. Three similarities that these stories have is that they all took place around the 1880s/1890s,all three stories in the beginning always take place at 221B Baker Street, and all three stories seem to take place in and out of Victorian London. The mystery of The Red-Headed League takes place mainly around Victorian London and is described as very busy, crowded and swarming full of pedestrians. There are references to carriages, cellars and lanterns throughout the story so this will give you an image of the kind of atmosphere to expect. The way London is described it will probably strike people as it being old fashioned if you compare it from then and now when read. The value of money was different from then and now. In The Red-Headed League i 4 a week is seemed to be an awful lot, because most people in those days would maybe make that in a month or two. The story shows conflict between rich and poor people. The Blue Carbuncle is set in a few places around London, and has references to old buildings and carriages when Holmes and Watson are in the search of the goose. The background for all these stories reflects London of a hundred years ago. This was when forty percent of the population were servants. The police as you would notice belonged to lower social class and were poorly thought of at the time because of the inefficiency and corruption. Another feature in contrast to today is that the trains always seem to run on time, carriages are always there when needed and Holmes and Watson are never delayed by the traffic. The structures between all three stories do not seem to be all that different. All three stories have unusual and strange titles (The Speckled Band, The Red-Headed League, and The Blue Carbuncle) that intrigue the reader. The title gives you an idea to what the story will be about. They all have exciting openings, because they all start at 221B Baker Street with Holmes sitting down talking to a strange and mysterious person with Watson interrupting for the case to be retold and explained to us readers. When a new a new character is introduced it grabs the readers attention wanting to find out more so they keep on reading. In the beginnings of all three stories whenever Holmes is interrupted by Watson the new character will explain the case again so that Holmes will start to observe the person and make mental notes about him/her. Holmes is able to find clues just from the person and the clues are used to build up tension so that Holmes can make deductions. There are often flashbacks from the new character to give a history of them that will obviously be linked to the mystery. The dramatic ending for The Speckled Band was danger but justice was done as the villain had got what was coming to him. In The Red-Headed League the dramatic ending was that justice was done as the criminals were arrested and the dramatic ending for The Blue Carbuncle was not danger and nor was it justice done because the character had owned up to his mistake and said he had punishment enough. The points in short story structure (how the writer puts the text together) are as follows: Paragraph structure which is how the meaning is revealed from sentence, book structure which might affect the reader if the book is split into chapters, with language of implications and what is left unsaid, through the narrator which is how the story is told and with imagery which is how the emotions and scenes are built up. The language which is used for all three stories is quite old fashioned. The words and sentences seem confusing as they are not what we use today. For example instead of Holmes said like we would say now it is said he. The language is very different but understandable. The stories use old fashion words like: dog cart, would fain, forceps, whimsical, commissionaire, billycock, labyrinth, unimpeachable, deduce, inferences, foresight etc. The stories all give detailed descriptions for unusual objects, new strange characters and peculiar places by using similes and metaphors. Holmes and Watson both in the three stories use many similes and metaphors to give us descriptions of things. The dialogue is shown by Watson as he asks all the questions the reader wants to ask, and when Holmes impatiently explains what to him is obvious, Watson is acting on our behalf. The story gets retold just for us with more detailed language and more explanations.

An Examination Of The Kalabagh Dam Controversy Environmental Sciences Essay

An Examination Of The Kalabagh Dam Controversy Environmental Sciences Essay Since the Independence of Pakistan in August 14th 1947, Pakistan had many dams but the three main operating dams were Tarbela, Mangla, and Warsak. For the past decade following the new millennium, there has been an immense electricity shortage in the country of nearly 3000 megawatts due to severe water logging and siltation in the dams. Thereby President Pervez Musharaff in 2005, realizing this great problem, re-opened the idea of Kalabagh dam, in December 2005, It was said to be in the greater interest of the nation. This dam was to be built on the Indus River. It was situated in Kalabagh in the Mianwali district which is in the province of Punjab. The dam would be bordering the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa area. This multipurpose dam would provide a storage capacity of 6.1 million acres, which would not only provide water for irrigation but for the development of new projects under the Water Appointment Accord (WAA) of 1991. However, even though this project was already proposed in 2008, whe n the peoples party government came into power, Raja Pervez Ashraf the Federal Minister for Water and Power cancelled the plan by stating that there was fierce opposition from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the project was no longer feasible. kalabagh 3.jpg kalabagh 4.jpg This disagreement arose due to a conflict of interests between the three provinces of Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa . Main reason was that there would be unequal benefits to the provinces. However, after the heavy floods that touched Pakistan in the year of 2010, many believed that the construction of the Kalabagh dam would have helped save a large amount of devastation. The main importance of dams is to stop the flow of water, divert water, generate hydroelectricity, and provide water for irrigation, improving navigation, supply water to a town or a city, flood control, and generate power for that specific area. The main controversies that exist in this issue can be highlighted as water availability, food security, energy, the environmental and ecosystem impacts, the technical and financial feasibility of Kalabagh, social impacts; these include community displacement and rehabilitation. The debate on the Kalabagh dam takes its importance from the fact that if it had been built it could have saved the country from its worst ever natural disasters in which 20 million people were displaced. Apart from this, the dam if built would be able to produce 3500 megawatts of electricity which could have in turn saved the country from the power crisis it is facing today. However, this debate can be rebounded through another theory that if the three operating dams Mangla, Tarbela, and Warsak flush the silt, the country would almost be rid of its power shortage in the first place and it would mean a huge misallocation of resources in a time where the country is already in great debt. There seems to be a chronic mistrust and conflict of self interest between the central governments, land owners and politicians from which some fear that the building of the dam could mean more floods, and eventually destroy their crops. The Kalabagh dam would cost an estimated US $3.4 billion and was scheduled to be completed in a time span of six years. Literature Review kalabagh 8.gif Debate The Kalabagh dam is a huge and costly multipurpose project. Its main focus will be to provide electricity, and water for irrigation. The Kalabagh mega dam will professedly be able to generate 3600MW of electricity and store 6.1 MAF of water which will be able to irrigate 2 million acres providing for the food, and power needs of Pakistan. However, it will result in severe degradation of land by water-logging in about 20 years time. The other issues are the financial issues related with the building of Kalabagh dam. There is a very tiny possibility of our government in getting financial aid from international organizations. Most probably the dam will only increases are countries debts. However, if private infrastructure funds are attracted to finance the Kalabagh dam at a high return rate, it is uncertain that the project will still stay fiscally and cost-effectively feasible.1 The thought and possibility of building a large scale irrigation and power generation project at Kalabagh has evoked fierce criticisms among stakeholders. This has enabled this topic to still be a debated argument, and idea without a clear conclusion The very thought of building a large scale dam and not many smaller ones, to the thought of providing fair compensation, and the tremendous environmental and social impacts has emerged Kalabagh as an intensive and extensive field of argument. Clear cut information gaps, with low credibility of the government and the operating agencies, puts Kalabagh as an obstacle to informed debate. People supporting the construction of kalabagh dam argue that it is essential to meet the growing demands of an ever increasing population for cheap food, energy and that it will also increase the useful life of Mangla and Tarbela dams through reducing siltation. There seems to be an absence of systematic comparisons of Kalabagh with alternative ways of increasing deliveries of water in the irrigation system. It remains seemingly doubtful whether water flow in the Indus are violated or modified. Second, if fresh water below Kotri are reduced, the impact upon people dependant on agriculture and fisheries in coastal Sindh is highly disastrous. This will further result in the violation of the Water Accord. Another harmful effect of severe irrigation increase could also cumulate to further high levels of water logging and salinity in the Indus basin. kalabagh 9.jpe Continuous failures by the government in Tarbela, Ghazi barotha and Chotiari inspire little confidence in the government. The seminar also raised fundamental issues about the collection of funding for the construction of the kalabagh dam. If this project was to take place, hundreds and thousands of people will have to be resettled.1 Feasibility The Kalabagh mega dam will professedly be able to generate 3600MW of electricity and store 6.1 MAF of water which will be able to irrigate 2 million acres providing for the food and power needs of Pakistan. The inundated kucha Lands along the river Indus are 595,000 acres of think forest land and 600,000 of rich grazing land. If kalabagh dam project is given a green light, it could result in the grazing of this land which will further result in the lost of economic and social well being of a million people. However, it could also result in solving the power crisis of the entire country. Furthermore, the mangrove forest in Pakistan is spread over 650,000 acres and is the 6th largest in the world. It protects and nurtures thousands of botanic, aquatic, and wild life species. kalabagh 5.jpg Construction of Kalabagh will threaten the existence of these species. The total estimated cost of financing this project would be around US $8.0 billion (Oct, 1996 cost). The positive outcome identified from Kalabagh dam would be the Indus floods every five or six years, if there was a place to store this water, most of Pakistans problems concerning water availability would be almost over.2 Besides storing over 6 million acre feet of water for irrigation purposes, the dam would produce over 3600 MW. Kalabagh would be a source of cheap electricity and could serve to a massive advantage of many people. Petitions by some people have been filled against the federal government of neglecting the national interest by abandoning the project of Kalabagh which if constructed could serve hugely advantageous to the national economy. The dam would be a multipurpose project and should purely be falling in the domain of professional engineers as it seems that politicians oppose the dam more for political reasons than for any defect in the project. Opinions of Provinces kalabagh 10.gif The leading political party in creating opposition was the Awami National Party which expressed fierce reservations on the issue. The then Prime Minister Nawaz Shariff supported the construction and said that it should initiate without any further delay. Stakeholders in the National interest say that the agriculture and industrial sector could be served with the construction of the Kalabagh dam. It would be able to serve 2400 MW hydel power which could be maximized up to 3600 MW. According to some prominent individuals, It seems to be critical that the Kalabagh issue be resolved as day by day the the storace capacity of Mangla, Tarbela, and Chashma is gradually decreasing by sediment deposits. A difference of opinion in the ruling provinces has risen with Punjab and the federal government vowing for and the other three provinces voting against. A wrong decision could indeed jolt the federation.3 The irrigation and hydropower structure constructed along the 2900 km long the length of the river Indus includes two dams, nineteen barrages and forty three canals. The proposed location is 200 km downstream of Tarbela and Mianwali in Punjab province. The project will provide 35000 jobs. Experts say that Wapda has exaggerated the figures of water availability and that the water quality will be degraded if project initiates. The Arabian sea water might travel upwards for considerable distances submerging/immersing large region of lower Sindh. The shortage of water created by the dam could result the desertification of Sindh. Wapda has claimed that there is 17 MAF net available water but actually there is a shortage in the system and that Pakistan requires 16.0 MAF, so there is no surplus water for Kalabagh dam. It is also argued that if the water level in Mangla was increased without any major capital investment, what was the need for the construction of Kalabagh dam at the cost of Rs. 250 billion. Also, if farming practices were corrected, water logging and salinity could be reduced and there would be no need for the construction of Kalabagh.4 Division proportions The Kalabagh debate facts are not transparent and key issues like how much Indus river water is available and for whose usage and what expense remains unanswered. The 6.1 MAF water stored at Kalabagh is planned to be distributed as follows: Here are the supposed calculations of the water distribution, NWFP 1.1MAF, Punjab 2.1 MAF, Sindh 2.1 MAF and Balochistan 0.7MAF. This clearly shows that water distribution will be far from proportionately divided. Recent studies by professional analysts also clearly show that Wapda has incorrectly calculated the eastern river flows.5 Matters to consider Looking at the historical context, three trends can be seen, firstly, the need for water increasing, secondly, available water decreasing, and lastly downstream flow of water also decreasing. Like previously, it also seems unclear how the federal government plans to compensate the displaced persons, particularly the Sindhis who will be affected the most if the dam is to be built. From the information gathered, it can be noted that the construction of Kalabagh would mean a critical loss of natural habitat; we need more information on how Kalabagh will affect the Indus and Pakistan before making a decision.6 Discussion: kalabagh 11.jpg The Kalabagh dam has many positive and negative sides to it. Many specialists believe that Kalabagh dam is a constructive and necessary project while others believe that it has too many substantial negative aspects to it, and that it would be a bad idea to go through constructing it. My personal perspective on Kalabagh is that it should not be made and instead a better planned dam with less profound resistances, and difficulties should be implemented. Many facts show that Kalabagh dam could bring about major catastrophic problems, and yet would not guarantee the required supply of energy. Some major problems of the Kalabagh dam being implemented include the major problem of the Indus River running out of water or the water that remains there could get polluted due to salinity. The Indus river has already seen water shortages in the past decade, and the dams that are present already have not been able to be filled to their capacities. Besides this, the major conflict between the Punjab and the other three provinces is far too great. It is a common thing to believe among the people of the other three provinces that only the Punjab would be benefiting from the project. This belief amongst the three provinces can lead to a huge dispute within the country. The other major conflicts that caused for the plan to be rejected back in 1996 were that Kalabagh has been estimated to silt quicker than normal dams, the overall articulated performance of the dam seems not to be up to the required standard, and would have more cons than pros. It is estimated that the electricity that would be generated would be much less than the other already operating, and what is really needed. The electricity generation being so less, would mean that the maintenance, and operating expenses of the dam would be higher than the overall outcome. If the dam silts quicker this could cause the capacity of the dam and its performance to decrease even further. Another serious concern of the Kalabagh dam project is the displacement of the people who live in the area near the projected dam. These people will have to be resettled elsewhere which is another serious cost to the government. There would be a huge loss in the fertile land of the country, especially in the Punjab and Khyberpakhtunkhwa provinces. kalabagh 2.jpg The Kalabagh dam project is located near the forests where there is a huge amount of wildlife as well as trees necessary for mans survival in that area. These trees have material necessary for manufacturing of certain herbs and medicines. Endangering the wildlife is in turn dangerous for us as well, as food chains and the environment would be negatively afflicted. roads.jpg The structured building of the Kalabagh dam would also affect some of the major transportation routes in those particular areas. One of such bypasses is the Attock-Talang by-pass. These highways and bypasses would have to find a substitute route and this would cause further plans, implementation, and construction of new roads all across the province. This would further increase the cost, and would mean additional costs to the already weak project.7 The Kalabagh dam would bring more pressure on the river Kabul, and this would in-turn cause more water logging. Another disruption would be in providing gas. Kalabagh would disrupt the Sui gas pipe line between Peshawar-Rawalpindi, and Rawalpindi-Kohat. This would mean that new ways must be found to produce gas to these areas just as effectively and efficiently as these Sui gas lines do. Kalabagh dam would need a high amount of capacity to be filled for storage and irrigation canals, and to fill these amounts Sindh and Balochistan would have to suffer from shortages in water availability. This discussion could go on and on, the list will keep growing. However, the last major issue that the project of Kalabagh represents is that the location at which the dam is designed to be built lies on a faulty piece of earth, where a major earthquake could result in a really massive disaster.8 http://www.doodhpattiblogs.com/wp-content/earthquake_Pakistan.jpg In a world where the worlds less fortunate countries continue to be taken for granted by the more powerful nations, and where constant exploitation is norm, the World Bank continues on to show its state of readiness for the help of the Kala Bagh Dam, financially or otherwise. It has continued on to express that this project is the largest one currently present in the Banks Agenda. It has been in the Banks books since 1962 when Sir William Illif, the Banks chairman, along with USAID gave their votes for the Kala Bagh Dam. Wapda, on the other hand, were in the favor of the Tarbela Dam, which was later on selected by the countrys government and became the entity after a little while. kalabagh 7.JPG The Kala Bagh Dam has been described as a social service for the countrys electricity users who are using it free of cost. It has also been noted that the main idea behind the whole Kala Bagh Dam Project was to construct another source of electrical power generation for Pakistan, which has been facing deficits in meeting its electrical power demand. The Environmental Impact of the project is also considered to be a major issue. Keeping all these things in mind, the project incurs more social costs than benefits if the project is accepted and brought into construction.9 kalabagh 12.jpg It can be concluded that Kalabagh dam is not going to be beneficial to the country. It obviously poses some positive points such as higher production of energy, more irrigation, but these claims are just claims and have not stood well under the analysis of technical experts. WAPDA along with the present government has had a reputation for being highly non reliable, and untrustworthy. The projective supporters of Kalabagh seem to have not addressed the problems that would arise from the project in much detail. Even if the claims of the governments and the figures by WAPDA are accepted there are other major problems that cannot possibly be dealt with easily dealt with or avoided. The pollution of the water in the areas of Sindh and Balochistan are major sources of disputes. Even on human grounds when people living in those areas would be displaced, besides the cost, the people would have to move to a whole new lifestyle and familiarize themselves to a whole new environment. The long term effects of Kalabagh dam are inevitable such as the environmental degradation of the forests and the wildlife being adversely affected. Instead of constructing Kalabagh, the full capacity of the Pakistans existing dams Tarbela, Warsak, and Mangla should be utilized by clearing the silt, and increasing the height of the walls. Kalabagh dam is a mega project with huge risks as well. It would be wiser to construct a number of small dams which could produce the required energy, and not have major conflicts of opinion associated with their construction. kalabagh 13.jpg

Postoperative pulmonary complications

Postoperative pulmonary complications INTRODUCTION: Abdominal surgery involves a high risk of the development of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs). This is thought to be due to the disruption of normal respiratory muscle activity when a patient is anaesthetised, thereby impairing ventilation, expectoration and forced residual capacity (Auler et al 2002, Warner 2000). This may continue postoperatively leading to atelectasis, pneumonia and respiratory dysfunction (Richardson and Sabanathan 1997). Furthermore, abdominal pain resulting from the surgical incision may limit deep breathing (Dias 2008). Exercises which promote lung inflation may help to counteract the decreased lung volumes which patients tend to present with following surgery (Guimarà £es 2009). Incentive spirometry (IS) is commonly used as a prophylactic treatment to prevent pulmonary complications following surgery. An incentive spirometer is a device that uses visual feedback, such as raising a ball to a line, to encourage a maximal, sustained inspiration (Overend 2001). IS is often promoted as a useful tool for rehabilitation of the respiratory muscle function following surgery. It is hypothesised that inspiration to full capacity discourages the development of atelectasis by preventing the collapse of the alveoli, and encourages correct respiratory muscle control and coordination, thereby decreasing the incidence of PPCs (Overend 2001). Incentive spirometry is a low-cost intervention, and allows the patient to experience regular rehabilitation with minimal therapist hours (Hall 1991). However, recent arguments have claimed that this technique has little more effect than conventional physiotherapy, deep breathing methods or no intervention at all (Dias 2008). Several recent randomised controlled trials have attempted to determine the effect of incentive spirometry in comparison to other interventions such as deep breathing exercises, or no specific post-operative rehabilitation. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate recent literature to determine the prophylactic effect of incentive spirometry for the avoidance of pulmonary complications in patients recovering from abdominal surgery. METHOD: A wide-ranging search of the literature was carried out, utilizing a series of key words deemed optimal for recruitment of relevant articles (Table 1). Several databases were searched by this method (Appendix 1). These included PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, Medline via OVID and Cochrane. Reference lists sourced from several of these articles were then hand-searched. Limits were set to locate randomised controlled trials on humans, published in English from 1985 onwards. Articles published prior to 1985 were deemed to be potentially unreliable and irrelevant due to the advances in technology and medical knowledge regarding respiratory physiotherapy since this time. Articles which fulfilled the inclusion criteria (Table 2) were then assessed for methodological quality using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) Scale. The PEDro Scale is an 11-item Scale devised to rate the methodological quality of randomised controlled trials relating to physiotherapy (Maher et al 2003). The components of the PEDro Scale are seen in Table 3. The PEDro Scale was selected to consider the value of the methodology used for each RCT because there is a high level of recent, independent evidence to indicate that the scores generated by this Scale are of sufficient reliability to support decision-making in physiotherapy (Maher et al 2003, Mosely et al 2002). The RCTs assessed by the author were all included within the PEDro database, thus had already been rated by persons with specific training in applying the PEDro Score to RCTs. The scores gained from this are therefore regarded to display a high level of accuracy. Prior to assessment, the exclusion criteria was set as a PEDro Score of less than five out of ten. A PEDro Score of five or greater is evidential of a study of moderate to high quality (Mosely et al 2002). A summary table (Appendix 2) was constructed to display the information retrieved from the four articles included in the review. This data included: PEDro Score, sample size and follow-up, outcome variables, intervention, limitations, results and clinical implications of the findings. This systematic review evaluated the benefit of the use of incentive spirometry in comparison to a control group or other intervention. This was achieved by considering the incidence of pulmonary complications (defined by a variety of outcome variables) between the groups involved in each trial. RESULTS: Search method and study selection: The initial search produced 85 non-duplicate articles of which 24 were screened. The criteria for inclusion into the review are documented in Table 2. After reading the abstract of the 24 articles selected, a further 16 records failed to meet one or more of the inclusion criteria. The remaining eight articles were then assessed for eligibility by applying the exclusion criteria (Table 2). One review article was excluded. Three RCTs were deemed to exhibit low methodological quality having produced a PEDro Score of less than five out of ten, and were excluded. The remaining four RCTs selected for the review are documented in Appendix 2. The complete search process is shown by Figure 1. Methodological quality: Table 4 shows the level of methodological quality for each article. All articles rated six or above on the PEDro Scale, and demonstrated competency in the aspects of random allocation, baseline comparison, assessor blinding, and adequate follow up. Those trials by Stock et al (1985) and Schwieger et al (1986) failed to include concealed allocation and intention to treat. Due to the nature of the intervention, none of the trials had subject or therapist blinding. Intervention and outcome variables: The four studies selected for the review include the use of IS as an intervention. Outcome variables were obtained from common methods used to diagnose pulmonary complications, including (but not limited to) blood gas analyses, body temperature, sputum analysis, chest radiography and spirometry. None of the studies documented in Appendix 2 found any significant difference between the intervention of IS and other intervention or control groups in the development of pulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications: Hall et al (1991) compared the intervention of IS to a control group of patients receiving conventional chest physiotherapy. Pulmonary complications developed in 15.8% (95% CI 14.0-17.6%) of those patients undergoing regular maximal inspirations with the use of an incentive spirometer, compared to 15.3% (95% CI 13.6 17.0%) of patients receiving conventional chest physiotherapy (Hall et al 1991). Similarly, Schwieger et al (1986) found no statistically significant benefit to promote the use of IS. 40% of those patients performing regular IS developed pulmonary complications. The control group, receiving no specialized post operative respiratory care, had a 30% incidence of the development of respiratory complications (Schwieger et al 1985). Two studies (Hall et al 1996, Stock et al 1985) compared IS against other interventions designed to have a prophylactic effect on the development of pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. Hall et al (1996) found that IS has different levels of efficacy depending on a patients risk of developing a PPC. Post operative respiratory complications were found in 8% of low risk patients randomised to receive incentive spirometry, and in 11% of those who undertook deep breathing exercises. PPCs were detected in 19% of high risk patients receiving IS and 13% of patients who received a combination of IS and conventional chest physiotherapy (Hall et al 1996). Stock et al (1985) found no notable difference in the development of PPCs between patients randomised to IS, continuous passive airway pressure and coughing and deep breathing exercises. Post operative atelectasis All of the studies considered in this review included the presence of atelectasis detected by radiograph as a specific outcome variable to indicate a PPC. No studies showed a significant difference in the presence of post operative atelectasis between groups. Swieger et al (1986) found atelectasis to affect 30% of the IS group and 25% of the control group. Stock et al (1985) recorded a 24 hour postoperative incidence of atelectasis of 50%, 32% and 41% for patients receiving incentive spirometry, coughing and deep breathing exercises and continuous passive airway pressure, respectively (p FEV/FVC Two studies (Stock et al 1985, Swieger et al 1986) considered the change in forced expiratory volume and forced vital capacity following abdominal surgery. Stock et al (1985) noted an average decline of forced vital capacity to 49%, 62% and 69% of the preoperative value at 24, 48 and 72 postoperative hours respectively (p DISCUSSION: This systematic review provides a comparative analysis of the use of incentive spirometry for a prophylactic effect on the development of pulmonary complications following abdominal surgery. Four RCTs comprised the results analysed in this review. Two of these articles rated 6/10 on the PEDro Scale (Stock et al 1985, Swieger et al 1986) and two articles were awarded a score of 8/10 (Hall et al 1991, Hall et al 1996). While each study evaluated the use of IS for prevention of PPCs following abdominal surgery, the comparisons within each study varied. Only one trial (Schwieger et al 1986) compared the IS intervention group to a control group which received no specialised post operative respiratory care. Hall et al (1991) instead considered the IS intervention group to patients receiving conventional chest physiotherapy. Two trials, (Hall et al 1996, Stock et al 1985) compared the use of incentive spirometry to other specific respiratory physiotherapy modalities. Hall et al (1996) also investigated the effect of the patients putative risk factors on their incidence of development of PPCs. It is difficult to make comparisons between the selected studies, due to the high variance of intra-study comparison. Participants Two of the studies had high numbers of participants (Hall et al 1991, Hall et al 1996), allowing for the assumption to be made that the results gained from this are accurate and representative of the sample population. Two studies had comparatively low numbers of participants (Stock et al 1985; n=64. Swieger et al 1986; n= 40). The studies with low participation rate exhibited high levels of incidence of PPCs compared to the larger studies. This indicates that the low number of participants may have caused an exaggeration of the incidence of PPCs considered in these studies. The overall male: female ratio of the studies investigated was 679:758. The gender imbalance was particularly pronounced in the trials which had low levels of participation (Stock et al 1985, Swieger et al 1986), with females outnumbering males. This makes the results more generalizable to females and decreases external validity (Juni et al 2001). This is particularly important to the analysis of respiratory function due the gender-related differences regarding function, shape and size of the lungs and the chest cavities (Becklake and Kauffman 1999). This can alter the respiratory mechanics and thus create gender biased results (Auler 2002). Publication bias is also a possible limitation of this review. Studies which obtained undesirable results are less likely to be published, thus the available literature may be biased toward a favourable outcome (Egger 1998). Intervention and outcomes The intervention itself may create bias with respect to using the comparability between the studies evaluated in this review. The administration of incentive spirometry varied slightly between trials. For example, in the trial by Schwieger et al (1986), patients were instructed to breathe deeply (with use of IS) for five minutes hourly, twelve times daily for three postoperative days. The participants in the study by Hall et al (1996) required patients to maximally inspire and hold ten times per hour. This means that broad term of incentive spirometry may actually correlate to a slightly different intervention for each study, so the incentive spirometry results evaluated in this review may not be entirely comparable. The comparable intervention of conventional chest physiotherapy is also questionable as this could also involve incentive spirometry, thus give the same results as IS whilst appearing as a separate intervention. There was inconsistency in follow up time between the four trials (see Appendix 2), which makes it difficult to pool results. Variances of outcome measures across the four studies were also a source of limitation. Outcome variables for each study are summarised in Appendix 2. The definition for pulmonary complication is potentially limiting as this would affect the diagnosis and thus results gained. The professional ability of those assessing the outcome measures (e.g radiologists) needs to be taken into account. Trial methodology Due to the nature of incentive spirometry, neither patient nor therapist blinding was carried out. This introduces the possibility of performance bias and detection bias (Juni et al 2001). Concealed allocation was missing from two studies ( Stock et al 1985, Schwieger et al 1986). A lack of concealed allocation allows for the possibility that an investigator may change who gets the next assignment, thus making the intervention group less comparable to the control group (Shulz 2000). Intention to treat analysis is also devoid in two studies (Stock et al 1985, Schwieger et al 1986), therefore clinical effectiveness may be overestimated in these trials (Hollis and Campbell, 1999). CONCLUSIONS: This review found that there is currently no evidence to support the hypothesis that incentive spirometry has a prophylactic effect on the incidence of pulmonary complications in patients recovering from abdominal surgery, compared to other physiotherapy modalities such as deep breathing exercises and conventional physiotherapy. Another recent systematic review (Guimarà £es et al 2009) has obtained similar findings. One study (Schwieger 1986) found that there is no significant difference in the development of PPCs between post abdominal surgery patients receiving incentive spirometry and those who received no specialised post operative respiratory care. This was the only study to compare incentive spirometry against a control group receiving no other form of physiotherapy, so it is difficult to completely rule out the possibility that IS may have some prophylactic effect which has been masked by an equal prophylactic effect of the other therapies. The clinical implications of this i s that if incentive spirometry does in fact provide some prophylactic effect on postoperative abdominal surgery patients, this benefit is no greater than that provided by other forms of physiotherapy. IS is less cost effective than deep breathing exercises, but requires less therapist hours than conventional physiotherapy. Therefore, a higher level of adequate and conclusive research needs to be done before incentive spirometry can be promoted as having a prophylactic effect on the incidence of PPCs following abdominal surgery. Articles used as a template for the review format: Andersson G, Mekhail N and Block J.(2006). Treatment of Intractable Discogenic Low Back Pain. A Systematic Review of Spinal Fusion and Intradiscal Electrothermal Therapy (Idet). Pain Physician; 9: 237-248. Dodd K, Taylor N and Damiano D. (2002). A systematic review of the effectiveness of strength-training programs for people with cerebral palsy. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 83: 1157 1164. Viswanathan P and Kidd M. (2009). Effect of Continuous Passive Motion Following Total Knee Arthroplasty on Knee Range of Motion and Function: A Systematic Review. Unpublished article. University of Otago, School of Physiotherapy. Dunedin, New Zealand. Articles used in review: Hall J, Tarala R, Harris J, Tapper J and Christiansen K. (1991). Incentive Spirometry versus routine chest physiotherapy for prevention of respiratory complications after abdominal surgery. Lancet 337: 953-956. Hall J, Tarala R, Tapper J and Hall J. (1996). Prevention of respiratory complications after abdominal surgery: a randomised clinical trial. British Medical Journal 312: 148-152. Schwieger I, Gamulin Z, Forster A, Meyer P, Gemperle M and Suter P. (1986). Absence of benefit of incentive spirometry in low-risk patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy. A controlled randomized study. Chest 89: 652-656. Stock C, Downs J, Gauer P, Alster J and Imrey P. (1985). Prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications with CPAP, incentive spirometry and conservative therapy. Chest 87: 151-157. Other references: Auler J, Miyoshi E, Fernandes C, Bensenor F, Elias L and Bonassa J. (2002). The effects of abdominal opening on respiratory mechanics during general anaesthesia in normal and morbidly obese patients: A comparative study. Anesthesia and Analgesia 94: 741-8. Becklake M and Kauffmann F. (1999). Gender differences in airway behaviour over the human lifespan. Thorax 54: 1119 1138. Egger M and Smith G. (1998). Meta-analysis bias in selection and location of studies. British Medical Journal 316: 61-66. Guimarà £es M, El Dib R, Smith A and Matos D. (2009). Incentive spirometry for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications in upper abdominal surgery.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews2009, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD006058 Hollis F and Campbell S. (1999). What is meant by intention to treat analysis? Survey of published randomised controlled trials. British Medical Journal 319: 670-674. Juni P, Altman D and Egger M. (2001). Systematic reviews in health care: Assessing the quality of controlled clinical trials. British Medical Journal 323: 42-46. Maher C. (2000) A systematic review of workplace interventions to prevent low back pain. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 46: 259-269. Maher M, Sherrington C, Herbert R, Mosely A and Elkins M. (2003). Reliability of the PEDro Scale for rating quality of randomised controlled trials. Physical Therapy; 83: 713-721. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J and Altman DG. (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. British Medical Journal 339: 332-339. Mosely A, Herbert R, Sherrington C and Maher C. (2002). Evidence for physiotherapy practice: A survey of the physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro). Australian Journal of Physiotherapy 48: 43-49. Overend T, Anderson C, Lucy S, Bhatia C, Jonsson B and Timmermans C. (2001). The effect of incentive spirometry on postoperative pulmonary complications: A systematic review. Chest 120: 971-978. Richardson J and Sabanathan S. (1997). Prevention of respiratory complications after abdominal surgery. Thorax 52: 35-40. Schulz K. (2001). Assessing allocation concealment and blinding in randomised controlled trials: why bother? Evidence Based Nursing 4: 4-6. Warner D.(2000). Preventing postoperative pulmonary complications: The role of the anesthesiologist. Anesthesiology 192: 1467-72.

History of Paintball :: essays research papers

>>>>>>>>>>>>Some Parts are made up Paintball is quite a new sport and is becoming more and more popular. It has been around since 1982, but professional paintball teams have just recently come together in 2002. The rules of paintball are not very complicated and are very concise. The game is very entertaining to play. There are also plenty of different types of products used to play the game. It is the one of the only sports that I am interested in and I hope that someday it could become a more popular sport.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first known paintball gun or â€Å"marker† was made by John Barker in 1982. At the time he had a job designing air guns for Daisy Inc. The gun that he made was a single shot pump gun; he called it the â€Å"splatmatic†. Daisy did not want to market his gun so he started a small company with some of his friends and called it Splat Markers. The company was soon a success and in 1986 he changed the name to JT Products. Now JT Products is one of the largest paintball companies in the world, producing practically everything needed and used in the game of paintball. They have also made the NPA (National Paintball Association). This was created in 2002 and has many different teams that are sponsored by a variety of companies. Paintball has come a long way since the creation of the splatmatic and is now a very popular and sport.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paintball is not just a group of people shooting each other with paintball markers; the sport involves a few simple rules. These rules are from the NPA and are the most commonly used. All paintballs that break on the body count as an elimination and that player is out. Any player within ten feet has the option of surrender and has 3 seconds to do so, any movement from that player and his â€Å"chance† is over. All markers must be chronographed at fewer than 300 fps. A hit from a teammate does not count as an elimination. The paintball must pop on a player to count as an elimination. Any player hit with a ball must call out â€Å"HIT† and raise his or her gun in the air and walk off of the playing field. All players must stay in the designated boundaries or they will be counted as out. Barrel plugs must be used at all times when not on the playing field.

What is Bruce saying? :: essays research papers

What is Bruce trying to say? At the beginning of the film we are introduced to Bruce Nolan, a television news reporter who is looking for greater success with his career. The next thing to his job is his relationship with his girlfriend Grace which lives with Bruce. As we get to know Bruce, we see that he is frequently in charge but seldom in control. His need to succeed in life is acompanyed with his desire to be well liked are a hindrance to his ability to see what is really important in life and to him. As the film progresses, things do not go the his way for Bruce and he begins to question the justness of his god. When Bruce reaches his lowest point he virtually curses his god and says that he could do better at the duties of being god. Then God sends him a page and waits for the return call. As Bruce makes his way for the appointment with God, we begin to see increasingly more overt symbols of Christianity. I detected religious ideas in some situations that were presented in the film. For example, Bruce’s growing awareness of the suffering of others and the empathy he feels, despite his previous and somewhat charmed life. One thing I think that took this movie out on a limb was it was the frist movie to show a black man playing the role of God. In earlier films the role of god was always played by a white male. What is more compelling about this film is the overtly religious symbolism with the miracles that Bruce makes happen. What appears on the face as secular, under a more careful analysis, is unquestionably religious symbolism. For example, Bruce is a icon in a local television program. Television has been likened to the altar as a focal point of worship in the society we live in today. Now adays a person can watch a religious mass on television. The intent that Bruce demonstrates to put himself into a higher position in that altar is indicative of a reach for greater holiness(a better job). Bruce wants to be a God early on in this film and long before he curses his god and demands his job. Another obvious symbol of religion in this film is Bruce’s reverence to his job. In much of society and especially in American society, we can draw strong ties between organized religion and a corporate place of employment.

La Conciencia de la Mestiza Towards a New Consciousness

In this world of dualities—male-female, whites-other races, subject-object, self-society, among others—we are always confronted with identities. Essentially, these are struggles that co-exist, overlap, cascade and confront each other. Anzaldua’s concept of divided loyalties seeks to find the allies in the other, the Whites. The recognition of the truth is at the foremost of the consciousness call. Instead of disengaging or spreading animosity, Anzaldua aspires to transcend the world of dualities by engaging the â€Å"other† and creating something new out of this experience. Ultimately, I agree with Anzaldua’s concept of divided loyalties, specifically in the discussions on the duality of race.This paper seeks to present Anzaldua’s perspective of the new mestiza and her cognizance of the different struggles of dualities. This discussion will be followed by the discussion of divided loyalties and Anzaldua’s call towards acts of recogniti on and revisiting of buried truths that are indispensable features towards a more dignified humanity.Anzaldua’s argument inductively starts from a description of the self. The fact that the individual of the 21st century has her crisis of self-identity because of the problematic definition of boundaries is enshrined in the statement: â€Å"Because I, a mestiza/ continually walk out of one culture/and into another/ because I am in all cultures at the same time.† (Anzaldua 99) From this initial discussion the attempt to challenge the dualities of race and ultimately of identities is already surfacing. I also envision that this discussion is a vague description of the reality that every human being experience today—that of globalization, not only on the macro-level plane such as the political-economic sphere, but also on the level of the self.While â€Å"being in all cultures† seems like a very beautiful phenomenon, it is actually presented as a confrontatio n or struggle. The presence of different opposing cultural forces takes on the â€Å"self† as its battlefield. There is a clash happening within: â€Å"The ambivalence from the clash of voices results in mental and emotional states of perplexity†¦ The mestiza’s dual or multiple personality is plagued by psychic restlessness.† (100)Imagine this phenomenon of psychic restlessness taking place not just in a single person but collectively happening in commonly held boundaries such as race and culture. We then would have, what Anzaldua calls, un choque or a cultural collision. It is safe to assume that her understanding of un choque is comprehensive considering that she recognized that the struggle for collective identity takes its root on the struggle within the self.One might ask: why is an understanding of the iconic, self-identity-struggling mestiza essential in presenting an argument that would validate the concept of divided loyalties? Simply put the †Å"mestiza connection† is important because the struggle of the mestiza is a struggle of identity, a confrontation between mutually exclusive variables of cultures. Loyalties are given to defined boundaries of an identity; in this case, the boundary is culture. The dilemma of the mestiza lies in her multiple cultural boundaries. Most of the time, the mestiza identity is challenged by paradoxical cultural realities. Divided loyalties exist because of the constant redefinition of the self in the context of â€Å"conflicting information and points of view† (101). Why is there a tolerance for ambiguity? Anzaldua captures this in the statement: â€Å"Rigidity is death.† (101)The concept of divided loyalties elucidates the readers in the intricacies of the dualities of race. Before the â€Å"new consciousness†, people are consumed in the dualities of culture and race but Anzaldua recognized that without a transcendence of this bipolarization, a new consciousness will never be attained. The dual and mutually exclusivist nature of culture is fertile soil for hostility and animosity. The concept of divided loyalties is unique in such a way that the other (i.e. Whites) is perceived as allies instead of enemies.This is what I would call the â€Å"recognition of allies outside the boundaries of our identity.† Next to this recognition is the others’ revisiting of truths that were denied, forgotten or disregarded. Anzaldua affirms this by stating: â€Å"We need you to accept the fact that Chicanos are different, to acknowledge your rejection and negation of us. We need you to own the fact that you looked upon us as less than human, that you stole our lands, our personhood, our self-respect†¦ by taking back the collective shadow, the intra-cultural split will heal.† (107-108).While there is an attempt to seek for allies in â€Å"others† (i.e. enemies), there is also the need for revisiting past injustices. Without re visiting them, there would be reconciliation for the clashes, the un choque, within and without the self. Anzaldua’s call for an acknowledgement of mistakes and recognition of White allies might seem to be an anomalous response to the clash of cultures and yet ushering in a new consciousness calls for a new approach, a possible paradigmatic shift.It is tempting to assume that Anzaldua’s thoughts focus on the differences among the different dualities. The concept of divided loyalties is evidence supporting this fact. It is interesting to understand that divided loyalties show only one side of the multi-faceted and dynamic relation of identities and cultural boundaries. Crucial to the act of defining what makes different groups or individuals unique is also the act of finding the sameness co-existing among these differences.While there is the duality of Anglo and the Mexican, there is also the opposing identities and social constructions based on sexes. Male dominance fe atures strongly in Anzaldua’s discussions. The configurations of identities are complex that an area of sameness (i.e. Mexican culture) can also have independent elements that show differences (i.e. Mexican men and Mexican women). More importantly than posing the question what makes us different, is asking what makes us the same?The mestiza capability of â€Å"walking in and out of different cultures† can present a danger namely having a divided loyalty. Conversely, this same ability of the mestiza enables her to identify with others that are different by probing and looking into boundaries that are common denominators in different cultures. Of the Mexican-Indian difference, sameness can be found. Anzaldua writes, â€Å"It is imperative that mestizas support each other in changing the sexist elements in the Mexican-Indian culture. As long as woman is put down, the Indian and the Black   in all of us is put down. The struggle of the mestiza is above all a feminist on e.† (106).Despite the concept of divided loyalties and the conventional behavior of animosity towards the other, Anzaldua emphasizes on creating avenues of action that would highlight sameness in the midst of differences. This phenomenon actually transfigures the mestiza into someone transcendent of her boundaries. I allude to this as â€Å"reaching out to humanity.†One undeniably appropriate example for divided loyalties is the struggle of indigenous people, specifically Native American Indians, for their identity which is juxtaposed with the desire to belong to the American way of life. Ideally, one might pursue a life exclusively rooted in indigenous cultural identity or to embrace the American dream which leaves indigenous lifestyles behind. Surprisingly, Native American Indians show a hybridization of ideas and cultures. Some might call it a post-modern worldview—taking in, reinterpreting, reimagining and redefining the world and the self as one pleases. Cle arly, when an individual or the collective consciousness of a culture aspires for such hybridization, loyalties are automatically compromised or divided.It is important to reiterate that this new consciousness and new identity should not be seen in a negative way. In spite of the challenges to the indigenous peoples of the world, their identities thrive. Remember, â€Å"Rigidity is death.†Another example for divided loyalties is the diffused way of looking at things, as if we â€Å"have all melted in the pot, but haven’t.† (108). It is a conventional way of thinking for the rest of the world to abhor the US. Americanism, in a cultural sense, is largely detested. Politically, the US remains the world’s hegemonic power although many Americans would deny this as a fact. While Anzaldua does not point this out, the world has become an American mestiza. The countries of the world look at themselves and their clear-cut boundaries of identity are prominent.Howeve r, under this presupposition is the subtle trend towards Americanism, as evident in the world’s knowledge of American culture, love of Brangelina, desire for the American dream, skill of the English language, use of American technology, among other things. While the countries of the world quintessentially retain their identity, the majority have collectively fallen into the concept of divided loyalties. The countries still have their identities, but they take on new forms, they have the ability for mutually exclusive concepts such as nationalism diffuse with Americanism or internationalism.One might consider that the new consciousness ushered is a necessary embrace of the minorities towards its melting into the greater majority. Ironically, the melting happens, and yet the inimitable identities of the selves remain. While Anzaldua believes in compromise such as finding White allies to further the cause of minorities, and the concept of divided loyalties might show how one exc lusive boundary of identity can melt into the boundaries of another, her idea of a new consciousness still recognizes the legitimacy of the struggle of the less powerful. Talking in terms of race, this implies minority-majority conflictions that would need to be addressed. Furthermore, Anzaldua does not conform to passivity in the midst of constant changing of forms. This is indicated in the statement: â€Å"This land was Mexican once/ was Indian always/ and is./ And will be again.† (113).Divided loyalties exist because the boundaries of identities (both of the self and the collective) are no longer defined structures. Conflicting realities will never co-exist, albeit the mestiza has the capacity to transcend its dualities. While divided loyalties can be a threat to the self, it is capable of bringing forth a new beauty of a newly defined identity.Bibliography:Gloria, Anzaldua. â€Å"La Conciencia de la Mestiza, Towards a New Consciousness† Borderlands, La Frontera: Th e New Mestiza. 2nd Edition. Aunt Lute Books:

Diversity in instructional methods toward meaningful learning Essay

Abstract There is diversity in instructional methods that teachers can use to bring about meaningful learning. This paper discusses five of them; namely integrated inquiry approach, 5-model of inquiry, the jig-sawing approach, role playing and WebQuest. These instructional methods are learner centered methods that consider prior knowledge, attitude and skills and promote development of new knowledge and relate them to a variety of contexts. All of them also deal with real-life situations that essentially develop interpersonal relationships, problem-solving skills and content-knowledge among others. The teachers’ tasks are to plan and carry out efficiently the instructional designs to have meaningful learning among diverse learners, instructional methods and learning environments. Diversity in Instructional Methods Toward Meaningful Learning Diversity is an essential ingredient of success of all ventures in life including education. There are different kinds of learners as there are teachers, instructional methods and learning environments; but there is only one goal in education and this is for an effective and meaningful learning. Teachers should set environments for students so they could think critically and independently and relate new knowledge learned with a variety of contexts for meaningful learning. It is the task of the teachers to match the learners, the learning environments, the knowledge to be learned and the instructional methods. Learning meaningfully means that learners relate new knowledge to what they already know. Meaningful learning is non-arbitrary, non-verbatim, substantive deliberate effort to link new knowledge with higher order concepts in cognitive structures. It is a learning related to experiences with events or objects and affective commitment to relate new knowledge with prior learning. The diverse instructional designs towards meaningful learning should identify outcomes, guide the development of instruction content and establish its effectiveness. Efforts to consider meaningful learning in the different stages of instructional design are essential. Gagne et al. (1992) identified the different stages of instructional designs as: defining instructional goals; conducting instructional analysis; identifying entry behaviours and learner characteristics; developing performance objectives; selecting an instructional method; assembling instructional materials and planning formative and summative evaluations. He and his colleagues further cited that current educational theory and researches support the use of instructional methods that make students active learners. Among the diverse instructional methods available to teachers to explore and use, the commonly utilized approach towards construction of new knowledge meaningfully are the problem –based learning and inquiry approach, cooperative learning, and technology strategies. Each of these methods has its own advantages and disadvantages, but when used effectively can maximize learning. Problem-Based and Inquiry Approach Students in the problem-based and learning inquiry approach engage in meaningful learning through being actively involved in their own learning and reconstructing these based on their experiences. They further participate in active investigation, more of integrating knowledge rather than separating them so that deep understanding develop from acquisition of new facts. In this method, students are given relevant problems by teachers which inquiry must be done. The general steps in this inquiry approach are: identifying the problems, gathering of data, organizing the data in attempt to analyse the problems and analyses of the strategies to use to solve the problems. Integrated Inquiry In the Integrated Inquiry planning process, a model of inquiry approach developed by K. Murdoch, sequences of activities and experiences are developed to build on and challenge student perceptions. These sequences begin with students’ prior knowledge and experiences and move through deliberate processes wherein that knowledge is extended, challenged and refined. Students have their own prior experiences that they bring to their classes and teachers should be aware of how to address this situation. Activities and learning experiences in this model are grouped as: tuning on, finding out, sorting out, going further, making conclusions and taking actions (Murdoch, 1999). Furthermore, planning for assessment is a very important element of planning for Integrated Inquiry. Murdoch (1999) highlights the need for the collection and analysis of information about what and the how students have learned. The assessment in the Integrated Inquiry model is to determine how to improve student learning as these new information help teachers modify their plans of work to suit the needs of the learners. Students’ involvement in planning for assessment as in selecting responses to particular learning experiences and designing demonstrations of understanding are highly encouraged. Therefore, teachers are also tasked to identify and design learning experiences that will provide information for assessment purposes. The strengths of this model are focussed on assessment of learning in context and encouraging a variety of demonstrations of understanding based on the learning experiences that students undertake. Learners that may benefit most from this Integrated Inquiry Approach are those capable of setting goals in their own learning and significantly contribute in determining how assessment could be effectively done. 5-E Model In the book â€Å"Activities for Teaching Science as Inquiry† by Carin, Bass & Contant (2005) many laboratory investigations were cited as inquiry approach to learning. They focused on the 5-E Instructional Model with the five main components identified as Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration and Evaluation. Each of these components is learner-centred. This investigatory method maybe time and resource consuming but it allows the learners to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills experientially. The use of this method is not limited to teaching sciences, which are considered to be not very easy subjects. This experiential learning brings more opportunities for learners to bring forth better understanding and longer retention of knowledge learned. Cooperative Learning Cooperative learning is an instructional method that takes place in a small group of learners of different levels of ability and in environments of responsibility not only for their own understanding of the subject but also for his co-learners. It brings more meaning to learning because it provides shared cognitive sets of information between students, motivating them to learn the materials, ensuring that they construct their own knowledge, providing formative feedback, developing social and group skills necessary for success outside the classroom. Cooperative leaning promotes learning and academic achievement, increases retention and satisfaction with their learning experiences among students, helps develop skills in oral communication, social skills, promotes student self-esteem and fosters mutual responsibility. Although this method helps students learn to be more patient, less critical and more compassionate, some students may find difficulty with this method. Students who work alone find difficulty in sharing answers while aggressive students will tend to take over and brighter students to act superior to the rest. Teachers who will employ cooperative should prepare their students how to work in groups for this method to be successful. Jig Sawing Approach The â€Å"Jig Sawing† Approach is a cooperative learning strategy wherein students becomes an â€Å"expert† in a particular area, then shares his or her learning knowledge with other members of the group that eventually all members of the group learn the concepts. In the Modified Jigsaw, the class is divided into equal expert groups, with each of these groups working on isolated portions of the activity. Once each expert group has completed the tasks, they report their findings as group to the class. Group report allows for greater flexibility in student presentation style and prevents the possibility of unintentionally misrepresentation of information (Beaudrie et al. 1998). This method best suits heterogenous learners across disciplines. It provides opportunities for learners to show various competencies. Moreover, students are more comfortable to exchange ideas with their co-learners because of their dynamic open relationship. Role playing Another instructional method of interest is role playing. It also deals with solving problems but through actions. In role playing, problems are identified, explored through actions and discussed. The students input in their role playing their prior knowledge, values and attitudes. A role-playing strategy seems to work best when there are multiple correct approaches to solving problems. It encourages thinking and creativity to develop and practice new behaviours in non-threatening setting. It provides opportunities for students to explore further their feelings; gain more insights about their attitudes and also enhance their problem solving skills. It also promotes effective interpersonal relations. The learning in these role playing activities are meaningful as they are retained longer and hoped to be of use to the real life of the learners. Terms which are used, often interchangeably with role playing are â€Å"simulation,† â€Å"game,† â€Å"role-play,† â€Å"simulation-game,† â€Å"role-play simulation,† and â€Å"role-playing game†. Role playing dynamically promotes effective interpersonal relationships and social transactions among learners. Technology Supported Approach Technology provides a set of tool for addressing the issues on improving student learning. These issues are of providing more of learners’ time on authentic, challenging tasks with rich contexts with emphasis on multi-disciplinarity; changing of role of teachers to facilitators of knowledge that guide students and learn along with them; students working in an environment of more cooperative relationships that encourages communication and access to real-world examples towards the development of learning communities; and with greater emphasis placed on reflective thinking and productivity with the understanding that students will preform their tasks differently and have different task-relevant skills ( Grabe and Grabe, 2004). WebQuest WebQuest, the model developed by Bernie Dodge, is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. WebQuests is most often a group activity in a library or distance education setting. It may be enhanced by wrapping motivational elements around the basic structure by giving the learners a role to play, simulated personae to interact with via e-mail, and a scenario to work within. They can be designed within a single discipline or they can be interdisciplinary (Dodge, 1997). The WebQuest challenges he learner to be creative in problem-solving. In the world of education, there are so many instructional designs that can be utilized to end up with meaningful learning. No instructional method is better than the other but each one in the hands of a committed and learned teacher can merit students across academic levels and disciplines to bring about meaningful learning. References Beaudrie, B. , Slater,T. F. , Stevenson, S. & Cadit, D. (1998). Teaching astronomy by internet jigsawing. Leading and Learning with Technology Journal, 26. , Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://www. aem. umn. edu. Carin, A. A, Bass, J. E & Contant T.L. (2005). Activities for Teaching Science As Inquiry. NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Dodge, B. (1997). Some thoughts about WebQuests . Retrieved December 13, 2007 from http://webquest. sdsu. edu/about_webquests. html. Gagne, R. M. , Briggs, L. J. , & Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of Instructional Design . TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers. Grabe, M. & Grabe C. (2004). Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning. NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. Murdoch, K. (1998) Classroom Connections: Strategies for Integrated Learning. Melbourne: Eleanor Curtain Publishing.