Powder Metallurgy

Powder metallurgy is the process of blending fine powdered materials, pressing them into a desired shape or form (compacting), and then heating the compressed material in a controlled atmosphere to bond the material (sintering). The powder metallurgy process generally consists of four basic steps: (1) powder manufacture, (2) powder blending,(3) compacting, (4) sintering. Compacting is generally performed at room temperature, and the elevated-temperature process of sintering is usually conducted at atmospheric pressure. Optional secondary processing often follows to obtain special properties or enhanced precision. 1] Two main techniques used to form and consolidate the powder are sintering and metal injection molding. Recent developments have made it possible to use rapid manufacturing techniques which use the metal powder for the products. Because with this technique the powder is melted and not sintered, better mechanical strength can be accomplished. History and capabilities The hi story of powder metallurgy (PM) and the art of metals and ceramics sintering are intimately related to each other. Sintering involves the production of a hard solid metal or ceramic piece from a starting powder. While a crude form of iron powder metallurgy existed in Egypt as early as 3000 B. C, and the ancient Incas made jewelry and other artifacts from precious metal powders, mass manufacturing of P/M products did not begin until the mid-or late- 19th century†. [2] In these early manufacturing operations, iron was extracted by hand from metal sponge following reduction and was then reintroduced as a powder for final melting or sintering. A much wider range of products can be obtained from powder processes than from direct alloying of fused materials.In melting operations the â€Å"phase rule† applies to all pure and combined elements and strictly dictates the distribution of liquid and solid phases which can exist for specific compositions. In addition, whole body mel ting of starting materials is required for alloying, thus imposing unwelcome chemical, thermal, and containment constraints on manufacturing. Unfortunately, the handling of aluminium/iron powders poses major problems. [3] Other substances that are especially reactive with atmospheric oxygen, such as tin, are sinterable in special atmospheres or with temporary coatings. 4] In powder metallurgy or ceramics it is possible to fabricate components which otherwise would decompose or disintegrate. All considerations of solid-liquid phase changes can be ignored, so powder processes are more flexible than casting, extrusion, or forging techniques. Controllable characteristics of products prepared using various powder technologies include mechanical, magnetic,[5] and other unconventional properties of such materials as porous solids, aggregates, and intermetallic compounds. Competitive characteristics of manufacturing processing (e. g. , tool wear, complexity, or vendor options) also may be c losely regulated.Powder Metallurgy products are today used in a wide range of industries, from automotive and aerospace applications to power tools and household appliances. Each year the international PM awards highlight the developing capabilities of the technology. [6] Isostatic powder compacting Isostatic powder compacting is a mass-conserving shaping process. Fine metal particles are placed into a flexible mould and then high gas or fluid pressure is applied to the mould. The resulting article is then sintered in a furnace. This increases the strength of the part by bonding the metal particles.This manufacturing process produces very little scrap metal and can be used to make many different shapes. The tolerances that this process can achieve are very precise, ranging from +/- 0. 008  inches (0. 2  mm) for axial dimensions and +/- 0. 020  inches (0. 5  mm) for radial dimensions. This is the most efficient type of powder compacting. (The following subcategories are also from this reference. )[7] This operation is generally applicable on small production quantities, as it is more costly to run due to its slow operating speed and the need for expendable tooling. oda[8] Compacting pressures range from 15,000  psi (100,000 kPa) to 40,000  psi (280,000 kPa) for most metals and approximately 2,000  psi (14,000  kPa) to 10,000  psi (69,000 kPa) for non-metals. The density of isostatic compacted parts is 5% to 10% higher than with other powder metallurgy processes. Equipment There are many types of equipment used in Powder Compacting. There is the mold, which is flexible, a pressure mold that the mold is in, and the machine delivering the pressure. There are also controlling devices to control the amount of pressure and how long the pressure is held for.The machines need to apply anywhere from 15,000 psi to 40,000 psi for metals. Geometrical Possibilities Typical workpiece sizes range from 0. 25  in (6. 35  mm) to 0. 75  in (19. 05  mm) t hick and 0. 5  in (12. 70  mm) to 10  in (254  mm) long. It is possible to compact workpieces that are between 0. 0625  in (1. 59  mm) and 5  in (127  mm) thick and 0. 0625  in (1. 59  mm) to 40  in (1,016  mm) long. Tool style Isostatic tools are available in three styles, free mold (wet-bag), coarse mold(damp-bag), and fixed mold (dry-bag). The free mold style is the traditional style of isostatic compaction and is not generally used for high production work.In free mold tooling the mold is removed and filled outside the canister. Damp bag is where the mold is located in the canister, yet filled outside. In fixed mold tooling, the mold is contained within the canister, which facilitates automation of the process. Hot isostatic pressing Hot isostatic pressing (HIP) compresses and sinters the part simultaneously by applying heat ranging from 900 °F (480 °C) to 2250 °F (1230 °C). Argon gas is the most common gas used in HIP because it is an inert gas, thus prevents chemical reactions during the operation. Cold isostatic pressingCold isostatic pressing (CIP) uses fluid as a means of applying pressure to the mold at room temperature. After removal the part still needs to be sintered. Design Considerations Advantages over standard powder compaction are the possibility of thinner walls and larger workpieces. Height to diameter ratio has no limitation. No specific limitations exist in wall thickness variations, undercuts, reliefs, threads, and cross holes. No lubricants are need for isostatic powder compaction. The minimum wall thickness is 0. 05  inches (1. 27  mm) and the product can have a weight between 40 and 300 pounds (18 and 136  kg).There is 25 to 45% shrinkage of the powder after compacting. Powder production techniques Any fusible material can be atomized. Several techniques have been developed which permit large production rates of powdered particles, often with considerable control over the size ranges of the final grain population. Powders may be prepared by comminution, grinding, chemical reactions, or electrolytic deposition. Powders of the elements titanium, vanadium, thorium, niobium, tantalum, calcium, and uranium have been produced by high-temperature reduction of the corresponding nitrides and carbides.Iron, nickel, uranium, and beryllium submicrometre powders are obtained by reducing metallic oxalates and formates. Exceedingly fine particles also have been prepared by directing a stream of molten metal through a high-temperature plasma jet or flame, simultaneously atomizing and comminuting the material. On Earth various chemical- and flame-associated powdering processes are adopted in part to prevent serious degradation of particle surfaces by atmospheric oxygen. Atomization Atomization is accomplished by forcing a molten metal stream through an orifice at moderate pressures.A gas is introduced into the metal stream just before it leaves the nozzle, serving to create turbulence as the entrained gas expands (due to heating) and exits into a large collection volume exterior to the orifice. The collection volume is filled with gas to promote further turbulence of the molten metal jet. On Earth, air and powder streams are segregated using gravity or cyclonic separation. Most atomised powders are annealed, which helps reduce the oxide and carbon content. The water atomized particles are smaller, cleaner, and nonporous and have a greater breadth of size, which allows better compacting.Simple atomization techniques are available in which liquid metal is forced through an orifice at a sufficiently high velocity to ensure turbulent flow. The usual performance index used is the Reynolds number R = fvd/n, where f = fluid density, v = velocity of the exit stream, d = diameter of the opening, and n = absolute viscosity. At low R the liquid jet oscillates, but at higher velocities the stream becomes turbulent and breaks into droplets. Pumping energy is applied to droplet form ation with very low efficiency (on the order of 1%) and control over the size distribution of the metal particles produced is rather poor.Other techniques such as nozzle vibration, nozzle asymmetry, multiple impinging streams, or molten-metal injection into ambient gas are all available to increase atomization efficiency, produce finer grains, and to narrow the particle size distribution. Unfortunately, it is difficult to eject metals through orifices smaller than a few millimeters in diameter, which in practice limits the minimum size of powder grains to approximately 10 ? m. Atomization also produces a wide spectrum of particle sizes, necessitating downstream classification by screening and remelting a significant fraction of the grain boundary.Centrifugal disintegration Centrifugal disintegration of molten particles offers one way around these problems. Extensive experience is available with iron, steel, and aluminium. Metal to be powdered is formed into a rod which is introduced into a chamber through a rapidly rotating spindle. Opposite the spindle tip is an electrode from which an arc is established which heats the metal rod. As the tip material fuses, the rapid rod rotation throws off tiny melt droplets which solidify before hitting the chamber walls.A circulating gas sweeps particles from the chamber. Similar techniques could be employed in space or on the Moon. The chamber wall could be rotated to force new powders into remote collection vessels,[9] and the electrode could be replaced by a solar mirror focused at the end of the rod. An alternative approach capable of producing a very narrow distribution of grain sizes but with low throughput consists of a rapidly spinning bowl heated to well above the melting point of the material to be powdered.Liquid metal, introduced onto the surface of the basin near the center at flow rates adjusted to permit a thin metal film to skim evenly up the walls and over the edge, breaks into droplets, each approximately the thickness of the film. [10] Other techniques Another powder-production technique involves a thin jet of liquid metal intersected by high-speed streams of atomized water which break the jet into drops and cool the powder before it reaches the bottom of the bin. In subsequent operations the powder is dried. This is called water atomisation.The advantage is that metal solidifies faster than by gas atomization since the heat capacity of water is some magnitudes higher, mainly a result of higher density. Since the solidification rate is inversely proportional to the particle size smaller particles can be made using water atomisation. The smaller the particles, the more homogeneous the micro structure will be. Notice that particles will have a more irregular shape and the particle size distribution will be wider. In addition, some surface contamination can occur by oxidation skin formation. Powder can be reduced by some kind of pre-consolidation treatment as annealing. sed for cerami c tool Powder compaction [pic] [pic] Rhodium metal: powder, pressed pellet (3*105 psi), remelted Powder compaction is the process of compacting metal powder in a die through the application of high pressures. Typically the tools are held in the vertical orientation with the punch tool forming the bottom of the cavity. The powder is then compacted into a shape and then ejected from the die cavity. [7] In a number of these applications the parts may require very little additional work for their intended use; making for very cost efficient manufacturing.The density of the compacted powder is directly proportional to the amount of pressure applied. Typical pressures range from 80 psi to 1000 psi, pressures from 1000 psi to 1,000,000 psi have been obtained. Pressure of 10 tons/in? to 50 tons/in? are commonly used for metal powder compaction. To attain the same compression ratio across a component with more than one level or height, it is necessary to work with multiple lower punches. A c ylindrical workpiece is made by single-level tooling. A more complex shape can be made by the common multiple-level tooling. Production rates of 15 to 30 parts per minutes are common.There are four major classes of tool styles: single-action compaction, used for thin, flat components; opposed double-action with two punch motions, which accommodates thicker components; double-action with floating die; and double action withdrawal die. Double action classes give much better density distribution than single action. Tooling must be designed so that it will withstand the extreme pressure without deforming or bending. Tools must be made from materials that are polished and wear-resistant. Better workpiece materials can be obtained by repressing and re-sintering. Here is a table of some of the obtainable properties. Introduction | |[pic] | | | |Powder metallurgy uses sintering process for making various parts out of metal powder. The metal powder is compacted by placing in a closed| |meta l cavity (the die) under pressure. This compacted material is placed in an oven and sintered in a controlled atmosphere at high | |temperatures and the metal powders coalesce and form a solid.A second pressing operation, repressing, can be done prior to sintering to | |improve the compaction and the material properties. | |[pic] | |The properties of this solid are similar to cast or wrought materials of similar composition. Porosity can be adjusted by the amount of | |compaction. Usually single pressed products have high tensile strength but low elongation. These properties can be improved by repressing | |as in the following table. |Material | |Tensile | |MPa | |(psi) | |Tensile | |as Percent of Wrought Iron Tensile | |Elongation | |in 50 mm    | |(2 in) | |Elongation | |as Percent of Wrought Iron Elongation | | | |Wrought Iron, Hot Rolled | |331 | |(48,000) |100 % | |30 % | |100 % | | | |Powder Metal, 84 % density | |214 | |(31,000) | |65 % | |2 % | |6% | | | |Powder Metal, repressed, 95 % density | |283 | |(41,000) | |85 % | |25 % | |83 % | | | |Powder metallurgy is useful in making parts that have irregular curves, or recesses that are hard to machine. It is suitable for high | |volume production with very little wastage of material. Secondary machining is virtually eliminated. |Typical parts that can be made with this process include cams, ratchets, sprockets, pawls, sintered bronze and iron bearings (impregnated | |with oil) and carbide tool tips. | | | |Design Considerations | |[pic] | | | |†¢ | |Part must be so designed to allow for easy ejection from the die. Sidewalls should be perpendicular; hole axes should be parallel to the | |direction of opening and closing of the die. | | |†¢ | |Holes, even complicated profiles, are permissible in the direction of compressing. The minimum hole diameter is 1. 5 mm (0. 060 in). | | | |†¢ | |The wall thickness should be compatible with the process typically 1. 5 mm (0. 060 in ) minimum. Length to thickness ratio can be upto 18 | |maximum-this is to ensure that tooling is robust.However, wall thicknesses do not have to be uniform, unlike other processes, which offers| |the designer a great amount of flexibility in designing the parts. | | | |†¢ | |Undercuts are not acceptable, so designs have to be modified to work around this limitation. Threads for screws cannot be made and have to | |be machined later. | | | |†¢ | |Drafts are usually not desirable except for recesses formed by a punch making a blind hole.In such a case a 2-degree draft is recommended. | |Note that the requirement of no draft is more relaxed compared to other forming processes such as casting, molding etc. | | | |†¢ | |Tolerances are 0. 3 % on dimensions. If repressing is done, the tolerances can be as good as 0. 1 %. Repressing, however, increases the cost | |of the product. | | | Powder Metallurgy – Processing | | | |Topics Covered | |Materials | | |Powde r Consolidation | | |Cold Uniaxial Pressing | | |Cold Isostatic Pressing | | |Sintering | | |Hot Isostatic Pressing | | |Hot Forging (Powder Forging) | | |Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) | | |Materials | |The majority of the structural components produced by fixed die pressing are iron based.The powders are elemental, pre-alloyed, or partially | |alloyed. Elemental powders, such as iron and copper, are easy to compress to relatively high densities, produce pressed compacts with adequate| |strength for handling during sintering, but do not produce very high strength sintered parts. | |Pre-alloyed powders are harder, less compressible and hence require higher pressing loads to produce high density compacts. However, they are | |capable of producing high strength sintered materials. Pre-alloying is also used when the production of a homogeneous material from elemental | |powders requires very high temperatures and long sintering times.The best examples are the stainless steels, who se chromium and nickel | |contents have to be pre-alloyed to allow economic production by powder metallurgy. | |Partially alloyed powders are a compromise approach. Elemental powders, e. g. Iron with 2 wt. % Copper, are mixed to produce an homogeneous | |blend which is then partially sintered to attach the copper particles to the iron particles without producing a fully diffused powder but | |retaining the powder form. In this way the compressibilities of the separate powders in the blend are maintained and the blend will not | |segregate during transportation and use. | |A similar technique is to ‘glue’ the small percentage of alloying element onto the iron powder.This ‘glueing’ technique is successfully used | |to introduce carbon into the blends, a technique which prevents carbon segregation and dusting, producing so-called ‘clean’ powders. | |Powder Consolidation | |Components or articles are produced by forming a mass of powder into a shap e, then consolidating to form inter-particle metallurgical bonds. | |An elevated temperature diffusion process referred to as sintering, sometimes assisted by external pressure, accomplishes this. The material | |is never fully molten, although there might be a small volume fraction of liquid present during the sintering process. Sintering can be | |regarded as welding the particles present in the initial useful shape. |As a general rule both mechanical and physical properties improve with increasing density. Therefore the method selected for the fabrication | |of a component by powder metallurgy will depend on the level of performance required from the part. Many components are adequate when produced| |at 85-90% of theoretical full density (T. D. ) whilst others require full density for satisfactory performance. | |Some components, in particular bush type bearings often made from copper and its alloys, are produced with significant and controlled levels | |of porosity, the porosity being subsequently filled with a lubricant. | |Fortunately there is a wide choice of consolidation techniques available. |Cold Uniaxial Pressing | |Elemental metal, or an atomised prealloyed, powder is mixed with a lubricant, typically lithium stearate (0. 75 wt. %), and pressed at pressures| |of say, 600 MPa (87,000 lb/in2) in metal dies. Cold compaction ensures that the as-compacted, or ‘green’, component is dimensionally very | |accurate, as it is moulded precisely to the size and shape of the die. | |Irregularly shaped particles are required to ensure that the as-pressed component has a high green strength from the interlocking and plastic | |deformation of individual particles with their neighbours. |One disadvantage of this technique is the differences in pressed density that can occur in different parts of the component due to | |particle/particle and die wall/particle frictional effects. Typical as-pressed densities for soft iron components would be 7. 0 g/cc, i. e. | |about 90% of theoretical density. Compaction pressure rises significantly if higher as-pressed densities are required, and this practice | |becomes uneconomic due to higher costs for the larger presses and stronger tools to withstand the higher pressures. | |Cold Isostatic Pressing | |Metal powders are contained in an enclosure e. g. a rubber membrane or a metallic can that is subjected to isostatic, that is uniform in all | |directions, external pressure.As the pressure is isostatic the as-pressed component is of uniform density. Irregularly shaped powder | |particles must be used to provide adequate green strength in the as-pressed component. This will then be sintered in a suitable atmosphere to | |yield the required product. | |Normally this technique is only used for semi-fabricated products such as bars, billets, sheet, and roughly shaped components, all of which | |require considerable secondary operations to produce the final, accurately dimensioned component. Agai n, at economical working pressures, | |products are not fully dense and usually need additional working such as hot extrusion, hot rolling or forging to fully density the material. |Sintering | |Sintering is the process whereby powder compacts are heated so that adjacent particles fuse together, thus resulting in a solid article with | |improved mechanical strength compared to the powder compact. This â€Å"fusing† of particles results in an increase in the density of the part and | |hence the process is sometimes called densification. There are some processes such as hot isostatic pressing which combine the compaction and | |sintering processes into a single step. | |After compaction the components pass through a sintering furnace. This typically has two heating zones, the first removes the lubricant, and | |the second higher temperature zone allows diffusion and bonding between powder particles. A range of atmospheres, including vacuum, are used | |to sinter different mate rials depending on their chemical compositions.As an example, precise atmosphere control allows iron/carbon materials| |to be produced with specific carbon compositions and mechanical properties. | |The density of the component can also change during sintering, depending on the materials and the sintering temperature. These dimensional | |changes can be controlled by an understanding and control of the pressing and sintering parameters, and components can be produced with | |dimensions that need little or no rectification to meet the dimensional tolerances. Note that in many cases all of the powder used is present | |in the finished product, scrap losses will only occur when secondary machining operations are necessary. |Hot Isostatic Pressing | |Powders are usually encapsulated in a metallic container but sometimes in glass. The container is evacuated, the powder out-gassed to avoid | |contamination of the materials by any residual gas during the consolidation stage and sealed-off. It is then heated and subjected to isostatic| |pressure sufficient to plastically deform both the container and the powder. | |The rate of densification of the powder depends upon the yield strength of the powder at the temperatures and pressures chosen. At moderate | |temperature the yield strength of the powder can still be high and require high pressure to produce densification in an economic time.Typical| |values might be 1120 °C and 100 MPa for ferrous alloys. By pressing at very much higher temperatures lower pressures are required as the yield | |strength of the material is lower. Using a glass enclosure atmospheric pressure (15 psi) is used to consolidate bars and larger billets. | |The technique requires considerable financial investment as the pressure vessel has to withstand the internal gas pressure and allow the | |powder to be heated to high temperatures. | |As with cold isostatic pressing only semifinished products are produced, either for subsequent working to sma ller sizes, or for machining to | |finished dimensions. |Hot Forging (Powder Forging) | |Cold pressed and sintered components have the great advantage of being close to final shape (near-nett shape), but are not fully dense. Where | |densification is essential to provide adequate mechanical properties, the technique of hot forging, or powder forging, can be used. | |In powder forging an as-pressed component is usually heated to a forging temperature significantly below the usual sintering temperature of | |the material and then forged in a closed die. This produces a fully dense component with the shape of the forging die and appropriate | |mechanical properties. |Powder forged parts generally are not as close to final size or shape as cold pressed and sintered parts. This results from the allowances | |made for thermal expansion effects and the need for draft angles on the forging tools. Further, minimal, machining is required but when all | |things are considered this route is of ten very cost effective. | |Metal Injection Moulding (MIM) | |Injection moulding is very widely used to produce precisely shaped plastic components in complex dies. As injection pressures are low it is | |possible to manufacture complex components, even some with internal screw threads, by the use of side cores and split tools. |By mixing fine, typically less than 20 ? m diameter, spherical metal powders with thermoplastic binders, metal filled plastic components can be| |produced with many of the features available in injection moulded plastics. After injection moulding, the plastic binder material is removed | |to leave a metal skeleton which is then sintered at high temperature. | |Dimensional control can be exercised on the as-sintered component as the injected density is sensibly uniform so shrinkage on sintering is | |also uniform. | |Shrinkage can be large, due to both the fine particle size of the powders and the substantial proportion of polymer binder used. |

Digital Fortress Chapter 22

David Becker strode over and stared down at the old man asleep on the cot. The man's right wrist was wrapped in a cast. He was between sixty and seventy years old. His snow-white hair was parted neatly to the side, and in the center of his forehead was a deep purple welt that spread down into his right eye. A little bump? he thought, recalling the lieutenant's words. Becker checked the man's fingers. There was no gold ring anywhere. Becker reached down and touched the man's arm. â€Å"Sir?† He shook him lightly. â€Å"Excuse me†¦ sir?† The man didn't move. Becker tried again, a little louder. â€Å"Sir?† The man stirred. â€Å"Qu'est-ce†¦ quelle heure est-† He slowly opened his eyes and focused on Becker. He scowled at having been disturbed. â€Å"Qu'est-ce-que vous voulez?† Yes, Becker thought, a French Canadian! Becker smiled down at him. â€Å"Do you have a moment?† Although Becker's French was perfect, he spoke in what he hoped would be the man's weaker language, English. Convincing a total stranger to hand over a gold ring might be a little tricky; Becker figured he could use any edge he could get. There was a long silence as the man got his bearings. He surveyed his surroundings and lifted a long finger to smooth his limp white mustache. Finally he spoke. â€Å"What do you want?† His English carried a thin, nasal accent. â€Å"Sir,† Becker said, over pronouncing his words as if speaking to a deaf person, â€Å"I need to ask you a few questions.† The man glared up at him with a strange look on his face. â€Å"Do you have some sort of problem?† Becker frowned; the man's English was impeccable. He immediately lost the condescending tone. â€Å"I'm sorry to bother you, sir, but were you by any chance at the Plaza de Espana today?† The old man's eyes narrowed. â€Å"Are you from the City Council?† â€Å"No, actually I'm-â€Å" â€Å"Bureau of Tourism?† â€Å"No, I'm-â€Å" â€Å"Look, I know why you're here!† The old man struggled to sit up. â€Å"I'm not going to be intimidated! If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times-Pierre Cloucharde writes the world the way he lives the world. Some of your corporate guidebooks might sweep this under the table for a free night on the town, but the Montreal Times is not for hire! I refuse!† â€Å"I'm sorry, sir. I don't think you under-â€Å" â€Å"Merde alors! I understand perfectly!† He wagged a bony finger at Becker, and his voice echoed through the gymnasium. â€Å"You're not the first! They tried the same thing at the Moulin Rouge, Brown's Palace, and the Golfigno in Lagos! But what went to press? The truth! The worst Wellington I've ever eaten! The filthiest tub I've ever seen! And the rockiest beach I've ever walked! My readers expect no less!† Patients on nearby cots began sitting up to see what was going on. Becker looked around nervously for a nurse. The last thing he needed was to get kicked out. Cloucharde was raging. â€Å"That miserable excuse for a police officer works for your city! He made me get on his motorcycle! Look at me!† He tried to lift his wrist. â€Å"Now who's going to write my column?† â€Å"Sir, I-â€Å" â€Å"I've never been so uncomfortable in my forty-three years of travel! Look at this place! You know, my column is syndicated in over-â€Å" â€Å"Sir!† Becker held up both hands urgently signaling truce. â€Å"I'm not interested in your column; I'm from the Canadian Consulate. I'm here to make sure you're okay!† Suddenly there was a dead quiet in the gymnasium. The old man looked up from his bed and eyed the intruder suspiciously. Becker ventured on in almost a whisper. â€Å"I'm here to see if there's anything I can do to help.† Like bring you a couple of Valium. After a long pause, the Canadian spoke. â€Å"The consulate?† His tone softened considerably. Becker nodded. â€Å"So, you're not here about my column?† â€Å"No, sir.† It was as if a giant bubble had burst for Pierre Cloucharde. He settled slowly back down onto his mound of pillows. He looked heartbroken. â€Å"I thought you were from the city†¦ trying to get me to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He faded off and then looked up. â€Å"If it's not about my column, then why are you here?† It was a good question, Becker thought, picturing the Smoky Mountains. â€Å"Just an informal diplomatic courtesy,† he lied. The man looked surprised. â€Å"A diplomatic courtesy?† â€Å"Yes, sir. As I'm sure a man of your stature is well aware, the Canadian government works hard to protect its countrymen from the indignities suffered in these, er-shall we say-less refined countries.† Cloucharde's thin lips parted in a knowing smile. â€Å"But of course†¦ how pleasant.† â€Å"You are a Canadian citizen, aren't you?† â€Å"Yes, of course. How silly of me. Please forgive me. Someone in my position is often approached with†¦ well†¦ you understand.† â€Å"Yes, Mr. Cloucharde, I certainly do. The price one pays for celebrity.† â€Å"Indeed.† Cloucharde let out a tragic sigh. He was an unwilling martyr tolerating the masses. â€Å"Can you believe this hideous place?† He rolled his eyes at the bizarre surroundings. â€Å"It's a mockery. And they've decided to keep me overnight.† Becker looked around. â€Å"I know. It's terrible. I'm sorry it took me so long to get here.† Cloucharde looked confused. â€Å"I wasn't even aware you were coming.† Becker changed the subject. â€Å"Looks like a nasty bump on your head. Does it hurt?† â€Å"No, not really. I took a spill this morning-the price one pays for being a good Samaritan. The wrist is the thing that's hurting me. Stupid Guardia. I mean, really! Putting a man of my age on a motorcycle. It's reprehensible.† â€Å"Is there anything I can get for you?† Cloucharde thought a moment, enjoying the attention. â€Å"Well, actually†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He stretched his neck and tilted his head left and right. â€Å"I could use another pillow if it's not too much trouble.† â€Å"Not at all.† Becker grabbed a pillow off a nearby cot and helped Cloucharde get comfortable. The old man sighed contentedly. â€Å"Much better†¦ thank you.† â€Å"Pas du tout,† Becker replied. â€Å"Ah!† The man smiled warmly. â€Å"So you do speak the language of the civilized world.† â€Å"That's about the extent of it,† Becker said sheepishly. â€Å"Not a problem,† Cloucharde declared proudly. â€Å"My column is syndicated in the U.S.; my English is first rate.† â€Å"So I've heard.† Becker smiled. He sat down on the edge of Cloucharde's cot. â€Å"Now, if you don't mind my asking, Mr. Cloucharde, why would a man such as yourself come to a place like this? There are far better hospitals in Seville.† Cloucharde looked angry. â€Å"That police officer†¦ he bucked me off his motorcycle and then left me bleeding in the street like a stuck pig. I had to walk over here.† â€Å"He didn't offer to take you to a better facility?† â€Å"On that godawful bike of his? No thanks!† â€Å"What exactly happened this morning?† â€Å"I told it all to the lieutenant.† â€Å"I've spoken to the officer and-â€Å" â€Å"I hope you reprimanded him!† Cloucharde interrupted. Becker nodded. â€Å"In the severest terms. My office will be following up.† â€Å"I should hope so.† â€Å"Monsieur Cloucharde.† Becker smiled, pulling a pen out of his jacket pocket. â€Å"I'd like to make a formal complaint to the city. Would you help? A man of your reputation would be a valuable witness.† Cloucharde looked buoyed by the prospect of being quoted. He sat up. â€Å"Why, yes†¦ of course. It would be my pleasure.† Becker took out a small note pad and looked up. â€Å"Okay, let's start with this morning. Tell me about the accident.† The old man sighed. â€Å"It was sad really. The poor Asian fellow just collapsed. I tried to help him-but it was no use.† â€Å"You gave him CPR?† Cloucharde looked ashamed. â€Å"I'm afraid I don't know how. I called an ambulance.† Becker remembered the bluish bruises on Tankado's chest. â€Å"Did the paramedics administer CPR?† â€Å"Heavens, no!† Cloucharde laughed. â€Å"No reason to whip a dead horse-the fellow was long gone by the time the ambulance got there. They checked his pulse and carted him off, leaving me with that horrific policeman.† That's strange, Becker thought, wondering where the bruise had come from. He pushed it from his mind and got to the matter at hand. â€Å"What about the ring?† he said as nonchalantly as possible. Cloucharde looked surprised. â€Å"The lieutenant told you about the ring?† â€Å"Yes, he did.† Cloucharde seemed amazed. â€Å"Really? I didn't think he believed my story. He was so rude-as if he thought I were lying. But my story was accurate, of course. I pride myself on accuracy.† â€Å"Where is the ring?† Becker pressed. Cloucharde didn't seem to hear. He was glassy-eyed, staring into space. â€Å"Strange piece really, all those letters-looked like no language I'd ever seen.† â€Å"Japanese, maybe?† Becker offered. â€Å"Definitely not.† â€Å"So you got a good look at it?† â€Å"Heavens, yes! When I knelt down to help, the man kept pushing his fingers in my face. He wanted to give me the ring. It was most bizarre, horrible really-his hands were quite dreadful.† â€Å"And that's when you took the ring?† Cloucharde went wide-eyed. â€Å"That's what the officer told you! That I took the ring?† Becker shifted uneasily. Cloucharde exploded. â€Å"I knew he wasn't listening! That's how rumors get started! I told him the Jap fellow gave away the ring-but not to me! There's no way I would take anything from a dying man! My heavens! The thought of it!† Becker sensed trouble. â€Å"So you don't have the ring?† â€Å"Heavens, no!† A dull ache crept through the pit of his stomach. â€Å"Then who has it?† Cloucharde glared at Becker indignantly. â€Å"The German! The German has it!† Becker felt like the floor had been pulled out from under him. â€Å"German? What German?† â€Å"The German in the park! I told the officer about him! I refused the ring but the fascist swine accepted it!† Becker set down his pen and paper. The charade was over. This was trouble. â€Å"So a German has the ring?† â€Å"Indeed.† â€Å"Where did he go?† â€Å"No idea. I ran to call the police. When I got back, he was gone.† â€Å"Do you know who he was?† â€Å"Some tourist.† â€Å"Are you sure?† â€Å"My life is tourists,† Cloucharde snapped. â€Å"I know one when I see one. He and his lady friend were out strolling the park.† Becker was more and more confused every moment. â€Å"Lady friend? There was somebody with the German?† Cloucharde nodded. â€Å"An escort. Gorgeous redhead. Mon Dieu! Beautiful.† â€Å"An escort?† Becker was stunned. â€Å"As in†¦ a prostitute?† Cloucharde grimaced. â€Å"Yes, if you must use the vulgar term.† â€Å"But†¦ the officer said nothing about-â€Å" â€Å"Of course not! I never mentioned the escort.† Cloucharde dismissed Becker with a patronizing wave of his good hand. â€Å"They aren't criminals-it's absurd that they're harassed like common thieves.† Becker was still in a mild state of shock. â€Å"Was there anyone else there?† â€Å"No, just the three of us. It was hot.† â€Å"And you're positive the woman was a prostitute?† â€Å"Absolutely. No woman that beautiful would be with a manlike that unless she were well paid! Mon Dieu! He was fat, fat, fat! A loudmouthed, overweight, obnoxious German!† Cloucharde winced momentarily as he shifted his weight, but he ignored the pain and plowed on. â€Å"This man was a beast-three hundred pounds at least. He locked onto that poor dear like she was about to run away-not that I'd blame her. I mean really! Hands all over her. Bragged that he had her all weekend for three hundred dollars! He's the one who should have dropped dead, not that poor Asian fellow.† Cloucharde came up for air, and Becker jumped in. â€Å"Did you get his name?† Cloucharde thought for a moment and then shook his head. â€Å"No idea.† He winced in pain again and settled slowly back into his pillows. Becker sighed. The ring had just evaporated before his eyes. Commander Strathmore was not going to be happy. Cloucharde dabbed at his forehead. His burst of enthusiasm had taken its toll. He suddenly looked ill. Becker tried another approach. â€Å"Mr. Cloucharde, I'd like to get a statement from the German and his escort as well. Do you have any idea where they're staying?† Cloucharde closed his eyes, his strength fading. His breathing grew shallow. â€Å"Anything at all?† Becker pressed. â€Å"The escort's name? There was a long silence. Cloucharde rubbed his right temple. He was suddenly looking pale. â€Å"Well†¦ ah†¦ no. I don't believe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His voice was shaky. Becker leaned toward him. â€Å"Are you all right?† Cloucharde nodded lightly. â€Å"Yes, fine†¦ just a little†¦ the excitement maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off. â€Å"Think, Mr. Cloucharde.† Becker urged quietly. â€Å"It's important.† Cloucharde winced. â€Å"I don't know†¦ the woman†¦ the man kept calling her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He closed his eyes and groaned. â€Å"What was her name?† â€Å"I really don't recall†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cloucharde was fading fast. â€Å"Think.† Becker prodded. â€Å"It's important that the consular file be as complete as possible. I'll need to support your story with statements from the other witnesses. Any information you can give me to help locate them†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But Cloucharde was not listening. He was dabbing his forehead with the sheet. â€Å"I'm sorry†¦ perhaps tomorrow†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He looked nauseated. â€Å"Mr. Cloucharde, it's important you remember this now.† Becker suddenly realized he was speaking too loudly. People on nearby cots were still sitting up watching what was going on. On the far side of the room a nurse appeared through the double doors and strode briskly toward them. â€Å"Anything at all,† Becker pressed urgently. â€Å"The German called the woman-â€Å" Becker lightly shook Cloucharde, trying to bring him back. Cloucharde's eyes flickered momentarily. â€Å"Her name†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Stay with me, old fella†¦ â€Å"Dew†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cloucharde's eyes closed again. The nurse was closing in. She looked furious. â€Å"Dew?† Becker shook Cloucharde's arm. The old man groaned. â€Å"He called her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Cloucharde was mumbling now, barely audible. The nurse was less than ten feet away yelling at Becker in angry Spanish. Becker heard nothing. His eyes were fixed on the old man's lips. He shook Cloucharde one last time as the nurse bore down on him. The nurse grabbed David Becker's shoulder. She pulled him to his feet just as Cloucharde's lips parted. The single word leaving the old man's mouth was not actually spoken. It was softly sighed-like a distant sensual remembrance. â€Å"Dewdrop†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The scolding grasp yanked Becker away. Dewdrop? Becker wondered. What the hell kind of name is Dewdrop? He spun away from the nurse and turned one last time to Cloucharde. â€Å"Dewdrop? Are you sure?† But Pierre Cloucharde was fast asleep.

Beowulf and King Arthur Essay

All these heroes did different things for their people. They have different set of qualities which make them heroes and since there are many heroic adventures and qualities, most of them are shared in part or as a whole with other heroes. That becomes the case between the two great heroes Beowulf and King Arthur. Beowulf emerged from the epic poem Beowulf while King Arthur was from the story of Morte d’Arthur. They have strong similarities and great differences. To be a true hero, you should do good things for good people, this depicts Beowulf’s situation. He left his homeland to help the Danish to get rid of human eating monster the Grendel. This quality is also evident in King Arthur, as he consciously rides into a battle so as to rid his people of an evil knight that does not allow others to pass. Both heroes display their concern for others by involving themselves in risky battle for the greater good. In the same aspect they are trying to get love and respect from the people they protect. To obtain this maximum respect both and Arthur enter into battle alone. Look more:  no fear beowulf essay For Beowulf, when Grendel is defeated, the glory, love and respect solely belong to him and his men. Arthur on the other hand does the same, when he met with his man and his horse. He mounted up and dressed his weapons, he bade his chamberlain tarry there till he came again (Morte d’Arthur). Although Arthur starts his journey alone he did meet with Merlin the court magician and faithful companion who later accompany him. The characteristic of being fearless when faced with death is a trait seen in all because it depicts courage and strength. Beowulf and King Arthur are not afraid of death thus showed their courage to adversaries and their peers. When Arthur is faced with death he says, â€Å"welcome be it when it cometh, but to yield me unto thee as [cowardly] I had liefer die than to be a shamed. † (Morte d’Arthur). He simply said that he would rather die than admit to a defeat or being cowardly. Beowulf feels much the same way because he shows no fear for his own life but instead expressed a concern for the honor of King Higlac by asking â€Å"if death does take [him], send the hammered / Mail of [his] armor to Higlac† (Macneile D, 2008). Sending his King his armor recommits him to his country and lets his King be reminded how brave he was every time he looks at it. Differences Looking at their differences, Beowulf was way more confident in his fighting ability then Arthur. It is evident when Beowulf fights Grendel unarmed he said his hands shall fight and struggle for him. His reasoning is that Grendel is so great that he needs no weapons and fears none and therefore by facing Grendel unarmed, he shows that he is brave and more significantly unafraid to be equal to Grendel since Grendel was not going to fight with weapons. Were as the much less confident Arthur fights with weapons since once his wounds were amended his first thought was his sword followed by the task of his army finding him one. This displays Arthur’s weakness in his reliance on weapons. Since Beowulf’s men could give him in the fight he had to defeat the monster by himself with his bear hands. On the other hand Arthur lost his battle by first of all loosing a jousting match then lost on the ground. Merlin had to come to rescue by using his magic, putting the knight to sleep for a period of three hours. Conclusion Beowulf in the end is the greater hero because the help he received from his men was useless. Their differences in heroism can be due to the fact that Arthur was a young hero compared to Beowulf who was an experienced hero. Either way they are like most heroes since their similarities and differences makes them who they are. They left commendable and memorable fantasy characteristics since both demonstrated great love for others as they both tried to do good things for commendable people. Reference Macneile, D. (2008). English Epic and Heroic Poetry: BiblioBazaar publishers

Theory and Practice Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Theory and Practice - Research Paper Example For instance, studies in mathematics and sciences have shown that better performance emanates from depth rather than breadth (Cogan & Schmidt, 2002). Teaching is termed successful, if students learn what has been taught. Therefore, this paper focuses on what students are learning. It is subdivided into three sections: the role of assessment in the context of instruction, most essential and long lasting concepts the students should be taught and, finally, the role of assessments. Beginning from looking at the role of assessment in the context of instruction, assessment is supposed to be developed to fit the learning targets set for the students in order to be supportive to the students. It should be consistent with methods of instruction as poor connection among learning targets. Instructions and assessment only amount to more than confusion and frustration leading to anger and despair. Learning is accompanied by a cognitive change and behavioral experience among people. Contrary to w hat teachers believe, much of what students learn come from experiences outside school rather than from classroom. Therefore, an ideal relationship should be established among learning targets, instructions and assessment. ... In determining what students are to learn, it best begins with one’s knowledge of the subject combined with their values as an educator. No time is sufficient for a student to learn all that is required of them. Factory model of schooling in which teachers rush to cover a topic after topic leaves little or no time for internalizing ideas and making the concepts gained a solid part of the student’s cognitive and behavioral experience. Students retain little of what is taught in courses that is based on content coverage other than deep understanding of the concepts. In the event that students cannot learn all that is taught, wise choices ought to be made about what is possible in a given fixed time. Learning goals and learning objectives are the terms used as labels for statements about what teachers want students to learn. Learning goals reflect ultimate aims of schooling; whereas, learning objectives focus more on knowledge and skills that help students attain their goa ls. The term subject areas are used to refer to conventional titles of content taught in school, while discipline refers to fields or study and work. Four questions can assist in framing learning goals for teaching and these include: evaluating the dimensions of the subject are to be taught, the chief aspects of these subject areas to students of a certain year and the level of sophistication. Students can, hence, continue working on the broad goals after moving to other teachers. The third question is the knowledge and skills within the discipline that will help students understand the working of other people in the field, the knowledge of people in the field that makes them successful and their

Social Media for Small to Medium Enterprises Essay - 2

Social Media for Small to Medium Enterprises - Essay Example Small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs play a crucial role in any national economy. They are a major source of employment and foster socio-economic expansion (Taprial & Kanwar 2012). To foster the achievement of their objectives, a majority of these SMEs leverage on IT-based tools to increase information content and creativity (Belo, Castela & Fernandes 2013; Laudon & Traver 2010). With this regard, many SMEs have incorporated social media strategy in their operations so as to realise the benefits that IT offers in their businesses. Joosten (2012) generally describes social media as technological systems that enhance collaboration and connection by creating personal and corporate profiles, sharing of opinions, activities and information and content creation. Among the many social media networks, Schwartz (2010) documents Twitter and Facebook as the most popular. SMEs have established their presence in a majority of these platforms. Anoto Group AB is an example of an SME that has embraced the use of social media in its operations. This Swedish high-tech company provides solutions for transmitting handwritten text from hard copies to digital media, intelligent camera surveillance and scanning printed text (Anoto Group AB 2013). To reach out to its customers and all other stakeholders, the company has presence on Twitter, Flickr and YouTube social media sites. With only 103 employees spread across Sweden, UK, US and Japan, the company is an example of modern SMEs that have adopted new IT features as change drivers to enable them gain sustainable competitive advantage over their rivals. Indeed, just like Anoto AB, many other SMEs have embraced the strategy of using social media to achieve their objectives. Meske and Stieglitz (2013) observe that 24% of small enterprises structurally use social media with another 20% using it informally. For medium-sized organisations, the

Creativity and Play Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Creativity and Play - Essay Example In reality teachers should be creative in so many areas in teaching felid such as, classroom environment, technology, and activities. To begin, and Teachers should be attention to the classroom arrangement. For example if the teacher is the one how is giving the lesson and explaining to student their desk should face the board, but if they are in team- working activity they should set in circle so they will communicate easily with each other (SARACHO,1998, p6). There should be an interaction between teacher and students; teachers must arrange the class depend on the current situation. Arranging classes properly is in the beneficial of students. Secondly, Technology is also a useful tool which enhances the creativity in classroom. Using computer, active table, and smart board will defiantly increase student engagement during the learning process (Lubart, pp 24). Educators should learn how to teach by technology to be creative. New digital technologies are very useful in classroom and educators should take an advantage of this opportunity and use it to help students in their learning process. Thirdly, activities also play important roles in creativity factor. It helps students to be innovative in solving their problems. Educators should give their students many useful activities that are aimed at helping them to participate and generate ideas. Getting involved in any kind of activity will increase the student IQ (Intelligence quotient) and make them critical thinker (LILLEMYR, 2009, p15). Learning and development depend on internal cognitive structures that are complex in their subsequent evolution and origins. These cognitive structures are intimately connected to children’s cultural and social worlds (WAGEMAKER et al, 1984, p46). Processes such as practice, exploration, mastery, repetition and revision are vital in extending, constructing and connecting cognitive structures. Play activities enable children to impose some structure or organization on a ta ste, engage in ongoing rehearsal of the cognitive processes and make sense of their experiences (MACLUSKY & COX, 2011,

Legal Counsel Exercise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Legal Counsel Exercise - Assignment Example This he can do whether or not the organization, person or state can be linked to any specific terrorist incidents. He will justify his actions by arguing that, being the Commander-in-chief of the U.S armed force, the constitutions vets him with the authority to use military force in response to emergencies caused by unforeseen, sudden terrorist attacks on citizens, properties or the U.S territory. In certain circumstances, the U.S government transfers foreign detainees suspected of terrorism acts to foreign states where they believe international legal or foreign safeguards do not apply for detention, questioning and interrogation. If your soldiers are detained, they might be transferred to U.S detention facilities are outside the American sovereign authority. They will be interrogated using methods and tactics that are not acceptable according to both international and federal standards. This process I usually referred to as extraordinary rendition. Does the U.S public policy allow for such a practice? No! It does not, but it is still practiced in certain circumstances. Extraordinary rendition or rendition is deemed to be illegal. This is a view shared by the U.S President, Congress, Justice Department and the United Nations. If your soldiers are taken to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, even if they are non-U.S citizens, the Supreme Court in 2004 ruled that, they have the right to challenge the U.S. government in regards to the state of their detention. This can be done within the U.S federal court system. Military tribunals or commissions are a form of military courts that are meant to try enemy forces during war times. They operate outside the scope of normal civil and criminal courts. Their judges are usually military officials who perform the roles of the jurors and are very different from court Martials. The United States have used military tribunal in the past during the reign of President Abraham Lincoln and Roosevelt. In 2001, President Bush tried to form milita ry tribunal to try army detainees from Afghanistan. His attempt was met with very stiff opposition. The Supreme Court declared that they did not conform to the standards of the Geneva Convention. Currently, the U.S government is not using military tribunals. The U.S government has for a longtime been spying on its citizens. ‘Operation Chaos’ established in 1967 is a perfect evidence of the U.S spying on its citizen. This operation was established to spy on American citizens who objected the Vietnam War. Agencies involved in spying activities include the CIA, NSA and the Pentagon. It is not only unlawful for the military to participate in domestic spying activities, but the whole activity by government agencies such as the NSA spying on the U.S citizens is unlawful. It is not lawful for you to attack the United States first even if you believe they are going to attack you. You must have viable reasons to warrant lawful attacks against the U.S. If you decide to proceed an d attack them on the basis of your belief that they are going to attack you, your actions will be deemed to be acts of terrorism. Therefore, I would advise that you reconsider and clearly revaluate your reasons for wanting to attack the U.S. The United States has a constitution. This is the supreme law of the United States of America and all persons are accountable under it. All the other laws are derived from the Constitution. Whenever

Europe Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Europe - Assignment Example This article, about the injury of a Dutch prince, Johan Friso, shows that avalanches can cause great damage to human lives. The accident happened just this past week in the Alps. We must be exceedingly cautious about Europe’s geography: it has the power to startle with its beauty, but also the power to destroy the unwary. I enjoyed this article immensely. It dealt with a painful and difficult subject, but it provided so much context that it gave me a great deal to think about. It was very interesting to consider the fact that European royalty used to have so much power. Now they are reduced to fun-loving glamour. And even that power and glamour is subject to Europe’s awesome geography. The power of the continent gives and it also takes away. One important element this article touches on only briefly is the idea that climate change may be responsible for Europe’s changing geography. It is possible that there are more avalanches on the Alps then in other years. This is difficult to prove, but it certainly is food for

Music Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Music - Assignment Example The wide popularity of the music has led to various transcriptions and arrangements. For example, in Switched On Bach on the Moog synthesizer recording done by Walter Carlos and the classical guitar. The composition of this music is in the G key and is in  ¾ time. The music is seen to be a slow moving piece.The introduction has three parts; the top line, the middle line and the bottom line. The choral is seen to have the alto, bass, tenor and soprano. In conclusion, currently, this music is performed at Christian festivities such as Easter holidays, Christmas and weddings. However, it is in non-cooperation to the effect Johann Sebastian Bach suggested in his first song. One referral listener asserted that he could not see a difference in seriousness, in sacred and secular music done by Bach. The opening of Jauchzet Frohlocket BWV 248 is full of jubilant coloratura. This is the same music written by Bach as a secular cantata â€Å"Tonet Ihr Pauken.† There is no distinction on the performance of these two

Quoting & Paraphrasing (dp4) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Quoting & Paraphrasing (dp4) - Essay Example One should always explain the quotes after using them. A proper analysis of the quotes should always be given in the text. In relation to the above, one should avoid using the quotes as padding. Whenever one omits unnecessary words in a quote, it is important that he or she uses ellipsis in the text. This use of ellipsis should be followed by a space before starting another word. Other than the above, the material has successfully shed light on how to set up a quotation as well as follow up the same quotation. This involves providing contexts for each quotation as well as attributing each and every quotation to their sources. Another way to set up and follow such quotations involves elucidating the importance of such quotations as well as citing those quotations. The material has also exhaustively suggested ways to embed quotations in sentences. These involve attributing the quote to the speaker. This can take the form of either introduction or conclusion. This should be followed by the use of grammatically correct words within the sentence quoted. The material has also dwelt exhaustively on how to combine quotation marks with other punctuation marks. The second material talks about the issue of paraphrasing. This comprises of some of the ways to paraphrase as well as what needs to be considered in order to avoid plagiarism when paraphrasing. According to the material, some of the ways or methods of paraphrasing involves writing whatever one has understood after reading a source. This involves identifying the key ideas or kernel sentences. These should be effectively combined into new sentences without losing the meaning of the original source. These two documents have exhaustively concentrated on the field of paraphrasing as well as the use of quotation marks. The contents within these two materials are very good. They have good information that contributes a great deal towards informing the readers of some of the

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - Term Paper Example A real leader is capable of doing different tasks guided by his vision and reason coming from the historical experience. To make it plain, â€Å"leadership is the result of a complex set of interactions among the leader, the followers and the situation† (Cited in Byrne 20). Thus, a leader follows the most optimal way to succeed paying much tribute to his environment and the focal goals in mind. There are no leadership perspectives without goal-setting and planning elaborated by a leader. On the other hand, it is vital to touch upon the types of leadership and the notion of an effective military leadership. The question is that the efficiency in the way a military leader follows comprises a global perspective along with the national ideals. There should be a detailed understanding of what the nation longs for and why such a problem stays unsolved. Byrne identifies effective military leadership as â€Å"the ability to inspire others to willingly participate in the achievement o f a shared vision set out by the leader and to assist them throughout that transformational journey† (25). Hence, these solitary traits seem to be apparent in Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. First of all, he was a leader able to make a significant change against the Muslim perspective. By establishing the National Assembly in Turkey, he gained support of the Turkish majority in turning Turkey into a secular nation-state (Polelle 44). It was one of the first steps toward modernization throughout Turkey. Second, Ataturk broke the ice of the misconception in a larger Turkish society. He was successful in his leadership skills due to the fact that he possessed all types of transformational leadership evident in his â€Å"vision, courage, rhetorical skills, determination and integrity† (Byrne 25). This is why every single step he did toward progress in providing reforms was more than just a breakthrough. It gave grounds for further modernization and constructive development of Turkey . Secularization and improvement in education were the two main goals of Ataturk’s mission. The thing is that the reforms were aimed at the following prospects, namely: secular governance, the replacement of Arabic script with Roman characters, monogamy, creating an industrial infrastructure, opening three western-mode state universities, establishment of a civil code in accordance with the European norms and standards (Reisman 7). These reforms were hard to implement without keeping a strict eye on their execution. Today, there is hardly a national leader to complete all these reforms within a short span of time. To say more, Ataturk believed that a republican idealism would become a new civic religion for Turks (Hanioglu 182). His intellectual capacity made him believe in that Turkey may reach the new heights in its overall development once the religious views on governance came in place. The moral side of the question was at stake. Mustafa Kemal was aware of that and could wait for some time to make Turks share the idea of republican idealism versus solely religious construct. Here, his rhetoric and courage complement his vision at the outset and ability to integrate toward new dimensions of national development of Turks. This is why he managed to create a new nation of Turkey based on the most progressive principles of civilian life. The authority of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is too significant for every Turk, as he dared to transform â€Å"

Criticism of the government Essay Example for Free

Criticism of the government Essay In naming people, the girls were probably projecting their own guilt onto others. In this assignment, The Crucible by Arthur Miller I am going to explore the whole situation to discover from where I think the evil came from. In order to do this, I am going to need to analyse some of the characters and state how much I think they contributed to the real evil in Salem. Firstly there is Samuel Parris. He is a very memorable character. Throughout the play, his character comes across as nasty, cold and cunning but underneath that bold exterior we see that he is an insecure and cowardly man who is easily intimidated by those of higher power in order to achieve what he believes to be a high status. Because of this, and the fact that he is widowed and has never been able to care for children, anyone who has read the play will find Parris unfit to be a father to his only daughter Betty, let alone be a minister of Salem. Due to his insecurity, Parris is paranoid that whatever he does, or wherever he goes he is being judged, as Arthur Miller states in his introduction, He believed he was being persecuted wherever he went, despite his best efforts to win people and God to his side. As he thinks of himself as a man of importance to the ordinary people of Salem, because he is a minister of Salem, he is over-sensitive and easily offended, even if someone rose to shut the door without first asking his permission. Between the very start of the play and the very end, there is quite a change in Samuel Parris character so our feelings towards him change also. As a member of an audience first watching the play, I would have no idea of the characteristics of Parris, which are described above, so when Parris first appears I am not biased towards him, and, in fact pity him as he kneels helplessly at the bedside of his daughter, although this feeling does not last long. We can see through Parris actions throughout the play that he is actually quite a foolish man. Although it is obvious that there are many others who can be blamed for the start of the witch-hunts in Salem, Samuel Parris is to blame on many occasions. For instance, his inability to handle the situation, the dancing in the woods, where he found his daughter, niece and other young girls in the wood, doing what he thought to be conjuring spirits, and Bettys state of unconsciousness. Parris could have handled the situation with humour, realising that such young girls were most probably unable to conjure spirits, and that Betty may have reacted like she did out of fear and hysteria. In this scene we find that Parris is very selfish as he cares more for his reputation than for the well being of his only daughter. He says that he does not wish to leap to withcraft for the cause of Bettys state when he says, Let him look to medicine and put out all thought of unnatural causes here. There be none. We believe that he is worried about his daughter and does not wish to let himself believe that there might be some evil presence with a hold on Betty, but it soon becomes apparent that he is only worried about his reputation and how his enemies will try and use Bettys condition against him, Now look you child, your punishment will come in its time. But if you trafficked with spirits in the forest I must know it now, for surely my enemies will, and they will ruin me with it. Parris can also be quite cruel. Instead of bringing up his niece Abigail as a cherished member of his family, he sends her out to work as a maid to the families of the village. Because of this, and all the previous discoveries made about Parris, it is easy for the audience to start to see his character differ from how it was at the very start of the play. We start to resent Parris, and start to see the cunning and selfish character of Parris, as described in Arthur Millers introduction to the play. One action that proves just how prone to act before thinking Parris is, is when he calls for Reverend Hale of Beverly, an expert in seeking out unnatural presences, although he has already stated that he does not want to look to unnatural causes to find the source of Bettys condition. He then progresses to tell Mr Hale that he caught the girls in the woods conjuring spirits, Why, sir-I discovered her and my niece and ten or twelve of the other girls, dancing in the forest last night. There was absolutely no need for Parris to have told Hale that. If he had not told him then Hale would have eventually have had to come to some conclusion about what was wrong with Betty and even if he did say it was to do with the unnatural world, Samuel Parris, nor any of the girls could be held responsible. It is doubtful that any of the girls would have confessed it themselves as the other girls threatened those who came close to telling. Later on in the play, Parris realises this early mistake he has made even though by now it is too late to save himself. After Hale eventually manages to get the girls to confess to have conjured spirits, we see a great change in Parris views towards witchcraft. He no longer wishes to stay away from the possibility of unnatural causes; in fact he does all he can to put all the blame on it when he finds that he can use it to his advantage. Parris seems to find it his responsibility to make matters worse for anyone accused of witchcraft, as with anyone whos testament may stand in the way of him achieving what he wants. As the girls make wild accusations about the poor innocent members of the Salem community, Parris makes senseless claims that make it seem like the girls are telling the truth. He does the same with anyone who tries to defend someone he has accused. He does this solely for his own benefit. Take for example when, in Act three, Judge Danforth asks John Proctor, Now, what deposition do you have for us, Mr Proctor? to which Proctor replies Its a sort of testament. The people signing it declare their good opinion or Rebecca, and my wife, and Martha Corey. Parris tries to enforce doubt into the minds of those present by questioning the validity of his argument, Their good opinion! though thankfully, he does this to no avail. Parris character stays pretty much the same throughout the duration of the play. He continues to ruin peoples lives. He is quite wise as he is able to manipulate peoples words to make it sound as if they are confessing to have trafficked with the devil. Nearing the end of the play, when John Proctor has been accused of witchcraft and is to be hanged, Parris character changes somewhat. Prior to the accusation against Proctor, Parris has slandered John Proctor and Giles to judge Danforth so that they will not be believed because he knows that if they are, it will look bad on his part. Soon after Proctor is accused, the people of Salem, who had always applauded the execution of witches, realised that the innocent were being killed. They chose to take out their anger on Parris and he received death wishes, one being a dagger in his door. This is what brings on the peculiar difference in his character. With his vain attempts, he tries to get Proctor to admit to witchcraft although he knows hes not guilty of it. Parris reason for doing this is clear to the audience, and our beliefs that he is a selfish man are confirmed. There are also many others who can be blamed for the Salem witch-trials. One other is Abigail Williams. I think that Abigail is the main, and close to being the only cause of the witch hunts in Salem. In comparison to all the other characters that I will describe, she is relatively young, yet she seems to be the wisest in the art of corruption and deceit. As with every character in the play, as a member of the audience I know nothing about Abigails character other done what she shows through how she portrays herself on stage. Because of this, when we first meet Abigails character, we have no previously existing feelings towards her. We first see Abigail when she has just entered the bedroom of her cousin Betty, who lies inert on her bed after the shock of being caught dancing in the woods. Her character seems to be gentle and caring. We soon learn that she is not so innocent because of two things she does, or has done. The first is the news of the cruel deed that she is supposed to have committed against Elizabeth Proctor, as Parris says Abigail, is there any other cause than you have told me, for your being discharged from Goody Proctors service she comes so rarely to church this year for she will not sit so close to something soiled. What signified that remark? By the way that she responds to this, it is simple to see that she is very aware of how she feels about people, and cares nothing about the respect she should show them, through what she says, She hates me, uncle, she must, for I would not be her slave. Its a bitter woman, a lying, cold, snivelling, woman, and I will not work for such a woman! The second is the change in attitude she has towards Betty. She claims that she will never do anything to harm Betty, I would never hurt Betty. I love her dearly. But as soon as Parris has left the room, we see that she is conniving and all that she said whilst Parris was in the room was an act. Immediately we grow to resent Abigail as we have seen her for just a short while, yet she has already been deceitful to someone that she should have great respect for. Abigail, in fact, has no real care for Betty. Her only care is that Betty does not land her in trouble. Once Parris has left the room, Abigail becomes more aggressive in her attempts to get Betty out of her unconscious state, Betty? Now stop this! Betty! Sit up now! Abigail is a person who easily intimidates her peers. I personally think that the other girls allow her to be so dominant over them as they think that she has no fear of anyone because of what happened to her parents, I saw Indians smash my dear parents heads on the pillow next to mine, and I have seen some reddish work done at night, and I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down! There is much that can be said about Abigail, and her contribution to the evil in Salem. As Mary Warren tells her early on in the play, all Abigail has to do, to save her own, and many others lives, is admit to having had danced in the woods. If she had been straight with Parris and told him everything that went on in the woods instead of blaming it on Tituba then she, along with the other girls who participated, would have only been whipped for their dancing. When Abigail and Proctor are first seen together in Bettys room, we see once more the lack of Abigails innocence as we find out about the pairs brief encounter, Give me a soft word, John. A soft word. The manner in which Abigail talks to Proctor is not of that of a child, so any beliefs that we assumed about the innocence of her character are dashed. When Reverend Hale first arrives and begins to question Abigail, she is frightened of the thought of being caught, and then when Hale simply asks if she was forced into it by Tituba, she finds a useful way of shifting the blame away from her, and onto someone that she herself knows is entirely innocent. Because of this our feelings towards Abigail change dramatically. Not only has her character lost its innocence, but it has also gained a streak of deceit, cruelty, and cowardice. Out of pure fear for her life, Tituba confesses to having had conjured spirits, but when Abigail joins her in confessing, it is done purely to alleviate her from the guilt of letting Tituba take all the blame. The fact that the other girls soon join in after Abigail either symbolises the same thing it did with Abigail or just shows how much power Abigail expresses other them. Because of the fact that Tituba is supposed to be a cherished friend of all the girls, how easily the girls can blame her comes as a shock, and just shows how far from kind the girls are. Unknowingly the adults actually fuel the start of the witch-hunts as they feed the girls with names of people that can be held liable of committing the crime. However, Abigail is fully aware of what the adults are doing and uses it to her advantage. The other girls follow Abigail, but only out of the hysteria. This event helps to inspire Abigail. Throughout the rest of the play, Abigail uses this technique to claim that she saw people with the devil. She is believed by the court officials because, as judge Danforth says, witchcraft is ipso facto, on its face and by its nature, an invisible crime, is it not? Therefore, who may possibly be witness to it? The witch and the victim. As I have already stated, Abigail is clever and it does not take her long to realise that she can blame people that she wishes to take revenge on, whatever the reason may be. For example, Abigail accuses Elizabeth Proctor because she wants her out of the way so that John Proctor will return to her. Abigail seems heartless as she jeers when she sees people that she knows are innocent being hanged. For this reason, and many others that I have described, including her infatuation with John Proctor, I blame Abigail for the Salem witch-trials. She contributed more than most of the others. Although it is not his fault, John Hale can be blamed for the conviction of people accused of witchcraft. However, John Hale did not contribute much to the evil. Through all of his actions, John Hale acts honestly and is genuinely convinced that the people are possessed. Hale is a minister who specialises in ascertaining witchcraft. He is convinced that he can tell if a person is possessed, and does not mean to cause any harm when he uses his gift to convince people to confess to trafficking. The accused know that confession is the only way of staying alive, but, at this moment, Hale is oblivious to it. Fortunately, Hale realises what is going on, after he is confronted by Proctor when he speaks of how many have confessed to witchcraft, why not, if they must die for denyin it? There are them that will swear to anything before theyll hang: have you never thought of that? Hale is truly remorseful and from that point on, does everything in his power to resolve the situation. But, with Hales case, although he does nothing to promote it, it shows how much image overpowers common sense. Hale brings with him weird books and he is thought of as a great healer, whereas Giles Coreys wife is hanged for reading books that could have been just like Hales. Compared to most of the other characters, the Putnams played a relatively small part in their contribution. In these times, it was thought that if a child died young it was the mothers failure as a woman. Ann has had seven of her eight children die at a young age and is ashamed of what the townspeople must think of her. Because of this we pity her. When Goody Osburn is blamed, Ann is relieved and is quick to find that she can now use Goody Osburn as the reason her children died, as she states, just after Goody Osburn is charged, I knew it! Goody Osburn were midwife to me three times. I begged you, Thomas, did I not? I begged him not call Osburn because I feared her. My babies always shrivelled in her hands! Unlike Ann, Thomas Putnam does not act out of grief, but out of greed. For this reason, we dont pity Thomas, and, in fact, feel resentment towards him, as he is heartless. He feels absolutely no guilt or remorse in falsely testifying in court about someone that he wants something from. For instance, Thomas Putnam convinces his daughter Ruth to cry witchery on George Jacobs so that he will be arrested, as it is obvious that such a man will not admit to working with unnatural spirits. This was because the law on witchcraft was, if someone was executed after being accused of witchery, but does not admit to it, then their land becomes state property, which means that anyone can buy it. Giles Corey realises that Putnam is acting out of greed and heads straight to court, in an attempt to overthrow the court, as Danforth questions Putnam I have here an accusation by Mr Corey against you. He states that you coldly prompted your daughter to cry witchery upon George Jacobs that is now in jail. John Proctor can also be blamed because from the start, he could have brought the situation to a halt if he had not been such a coward. From the start, Elizabeth tries to tell John Proctor of the dangers of Abigail but he does not seem to grasp just how dangerous the situation might become, until it is too late.

Why are Professional Standards Important?

Why are Professional Standards Important? Introduction To start this report I would like to explain the importance of professional standards. According to the LLUK (no date) the professional standards have a purpose. These standards are for all educators who work within the lifelong learning sector which describe the skills, knowledge and attributes required for those who are in teaching and training roles. Professionalism in a teacher role According to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (no date) teacher professionalism has relevant significance in education and that it affects the role of the teacher, which in return affects the students ability to learn effectively. This definition however does not describe how a professional should act within their job or workplace. According to teaching expertise (2006) the post-compulsory education and training (PCET) sector is broad and diverse. Teachers, trainers and tutors who work within the FE sector have all had different experiences. Educators have often gained specialist knowledge within a particular industry e.g. hospitality and catering. An alternative route is through university and specialising this way. Critically examine societies and your own, values in relation to education or training. (K1) Values of professional practice, according to Wallace (2009), Our values represent something internal to us a part at our own moral and ethical guidance system. I believe that teaching and learning has a purpose to educate learners in the means to proceed and progress a learners future and career prospects. I believe that a value is a value created on someones own behalf. The purpose of education, I believe, is to educate and furthermore we need education in our daily lives to survive. The educator has a role which is to support and provide a service whilst at the same time motivating learners. Furthermore, it is important to stress that there should be a connection between the educator and learner and that there is a positive relationship between them. It is important, as an educator, to communicate effectively. In addition, a profession and a professional work together in harmony. It should be made clear that a professional person needs values of professionalism. There may be some overlap in terms of how a professional should act or carry out a professional job. The comments above tie in closely with what makes a good teacher. From personal reflections and thoughts, three distinct aspects came to my attention, which are: An effective listener towards the learners and staff Being respectful to colleagues and learners To be understanding towards learners and staff Poor teaching or poor professionalism in teaching is as follows: Not letting students finish tasks No reassurance of learning Impolite to staff and students Favouritism with students In summary, the values which are distinct and should be considered as acceptable values for teaching professionals are being supportive, being a listener and also to respect all staff and students within the institution. Professional practice can be determined with a set of values. These values are what educators should be following with on-going observation and reflective practice. According to LLUK (no date) there is a set of standards called the New overarching professional standards for teachers, tutors and trainers in the lifelong learning sector. Furthermore, the standards categorised into sub-sections which have specific professional objectives and act as guidelines. It is these objectives which educators must abide to throughout teacher practice. According to LLUK (no date) there is a set of 7 professional values. An example would be, AS 1 all learners, their progress and development, their learning goals and aspirations and the experience they bring to their learning AS 2 Learning, its potential to benefit people emotionally, intellectually, socially and economically, and its contribution to community sustainability As mentioned, each point has a value and purpose. From just observing the set of values, purposely constructed for educators within the LLUK sector, they are powerful and strong. I believe there is a problem with the values that educators may not be able to abide to all of these due to several reasons. Firstly, funding, and that some institutes may suffer to deliver consistent values. Secondly, some of the values will have more demand than others. It can be argued that these values will vary according to the institute. It can be suggested that some institutions would decide to keep their dominant values. Additionally, the values set by the LLUK are and should be approached with underpinning knowledge and understanding and a professional practice. For example, referring to LLUK (No name), The knowledge and understanding: AK 1.1 What motivates learners to learn and the importance of learners experience and aspirations. Professional practice: AP 1.1 Encourage the development and progression of all learners through recognising, valuing and responding to individual motivation, experience and aspirations Darling-Hammond (1988) commented that the value of professionalism, in regards to educators, is fundamental and direction of excellence. The author states that educators need competence and that professionalism relates to three focuses which are preparation, knowledge of subject area, and defined pedagogy. Firstly, preparation, prepares the professional for the classroom which examines the language and cultural barriers. All educators face deterrents in the classroom that must be broken down by individualised techniques. Darling-Hammond (1988 pg. 59) related this to state, Decision making by well-trained professionals allows individual clients needs to be met more precisely andà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦promotes continual refinement and improvement in overall practice It is to suggest that values of professionalism are to be approached correctly. This will encourage the educator to be prepared for the classroom. Furthermore, the values of professionalism exist for a reason. They will benefit the professional teacher in terms of motivating and encourage student participation. Alongside preparation, a professional educator with a strong knowledge of his/her subject area will create opportunities to be creative around the subject taught. As a result, Lesson planning and resource preparation time will be less because the educator will already understand the subject. This will reduce the time researching material. It is worth commenting that it would be an advantage to know a subject inside out and would reflect and portray confidence in his/her teaching. In addition, the educator should have a wealth of experience which would benefit his/her practice and enhance their teaching. According to Lunenburg and Ornstein (2000), developing such expertise and knowledge can take years to develop such knowledge. As a result of this, I believe that constant reading and information seeking is important to teaching a specialist subject. It would be beneficial that an educator has worked and gained enough experience within the industry in order for them to teach or become specialists in their profession. I also believe that this would improve and develop opportunities when it comes to being creative. It is helpful to outline the wider context within which FE practice and values of the professional educator. Notwithstanding, the tutor groups in FE who were not previously included in the FE (e.g. colleges 14-19 diplomas), colleges have become livelier places. Lecturers activities have now geared more to ensuring that students remain on courses and that students pass qualifications (Hyland and Merrill 2003 P.g. 86). To summarise, I would like to comment that professional values assist the educator and that they should be utilised at all times during his or her practice. Guile and Lucas (1999 P.g. 204) suggested that clarification in terms of describing the FE educator is needed. It is worth suggesting that society decides and determines professionalism and the values of professionalism within reason to how the educator should be. Demonstrate a critical awareness of the concept of professionalism as this relates to the current role of a teacher working in the PCET sector. (K1, K2) With regard to the concept of professionalism, Humphreys and Hyland (2002 P.g. 06) argued that, the concentration on performance in teaching and professional development is to be welcomed, provided that performance is not defined in purely technicist or instrumental terms In other words, there is a purpose for performance in teaching which should not be confused or misinterpreted. The criteria, the role and responsibilities of a teacher have and are becoming more and more centralised. The questionable scenario/point to highlight here is that of the educator and how they are to overcome this challenge. According to IFL, a Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) status is recognition for newly qualified teachers within PCET. This highlights the identity of teachers in post-compulsory education and training. All new teachers need to achieve a Level 3 teaching qualification. Following this, new teachers have five years to achieve a Level 5 teaching qualification which leads to the QTLS status. The QTLS status is recognition of the teaching qualification in order to teach within the PCET sector. In working towards a new profession, the IFL raises the importance for continuing professional development (CPD) which ensures that educators remain specialists in their chosen subject/s. According to Millerson (1964), there is conflict and discussion to how the teacher should carry out their professional role. This relates to the nature of professionalism. Millerson (1964) mentioned that professionalism concerned a lot of attention to sociologists in the 1950s. The main approach at the time focused on establishing the features that an occupation should have in order to be termed a profession. Within context, this questioned how professions such as medicine and law should be perceived. In contrast, Hanlon (1998) highlighted that there is research on professionalism. The author stated that people see professionalism in a profession. The author has highlighted the point that teaching is a profession and that the role of the teacher is professional. Critically evaluates a chosen aspect of quality assurance in PCET and relates this to the concept of professionalism. (K3) To critique quality assurance within PCET it would be appropriate to define quality assurance. To summarise, quality assurance is a system which prevents a lack of professionalism and through regular control standards and values can be maintained. This makes sure that the needs of the user/s are satisfied. The main purpose is to control assessment and also seeks to improve performance. In addition, quality assurance controls and helps to benchmark against existing qualitative and quantitative results/feedback. Professionalism and quality assurance are two complex areas which overlap and must work together. The two areas concerned are of high importance to the teacher, the course team and the college/Institution. The quality assurance process is closely linked with being a professional teacher and that the professional values should aim to assist and facilitate a direction. Being a professional teacher requires continuous professional development which is carried out by completing research within the specialist subject, faculty and institution. According to the LLUK (no date), student feedback is valuable. There are two types of feedback, formal and informal approaches. It is vital that the PCET teacher considers regular peer observations which will help to improve teaching skills. Observations can help to critique teaching styles/approaches within teaching. Through regular peer assessment and observation, the PCET teacher/tutor must demonstrate effective and appropriate organisational skills which should be evidenced through lesson planning. According to LLUK (No Date), The department and staff should be measured using a variety of ways which should include and involve statistical data such as attendance records, grades, percentages, student profiles, student surveys and lesson observations and more. This data can interpret and help to benchmark against information. This should assist the control and assessment of quality assurance as mentioned above. The institution has a reputation to uphold and a quality status to achieve through goals and action plans. It is part of the PCET teacher to ensure that constant contributions and efforts are made which are then measured through internal audits, college records, league tables and every child matters policies. Lastly, external bodies, as they help to mould the quality together. It could be stated that they are the back bone. External bodies such as, LLUK or Ofsted Inspectors signify what must be done. It is an essential part for guidance and that these external bodies are to help and improve the PCET teacher, college/institution and department. According to The University of Bath (2005) there would be a board or a quality assurance committee who would be responsible for the staff teaching. Internal and external examiners are also utilised to produce reports which help to evaluate and review the teacher, department and institute. All parts of the quality assurance system within PCET are vital to the mix of an overall quality performance. The chosen aspect for critical evaluation is observation. Reasoning for my decision is that there is plenty of research and information about the topic. Observations assist educators and institutions in terms of learning and teaching. It should be made clear for what purpose the observation has and will this benefit the teacher or the institution or both. Bains (2006) highlighted two main categories, formal and informal observations. These must be an agreed upon before it takes place. Bains (2006) stated that Formal observations are those for Performance Management e.g. Ofsted. Informal observations are those used for professional development. These take part of internal monitoring systems. Peer observations, for example, for informal feedback. The University of Sussex (no date) highlighted the importance of peer observation of teaching and that this enhances the status of teaching and learning and also strengthens quality assurance processes. The University of Exeter (2005) explained peer observations to be an assessment of teachers by teachers. Furthermore, pairings may be experienced by mentor/novice or experienced teacher. It could be argued that peer assessment can alternatively assess on various levels in terms of teaching experience. It is also questionable whether the observation criterion assesses appropriately against the observed teacher. The peer observation should help the teacher to develop teaching skills by carrying out observations with colleagues. It should be highlighted that the main objective is to provide opportunities for teachers to reflect on his or her teaching. The QAA (2000) stated that peer observation provides educators with opportunities to learn from each other in a non-threatening environment. This could suggest that teachers would share ideas constructively to his or her professional benefit and within relation to professional values. In summary, it can be argued that peer assessment is for the educators benefit. It is debatable how institutions guarantee that students learn effectively and consistently at all times throughout their education. Peer observations are to improve teaching practice which can be seen as beneficial to newly qualified teachers. It can be commented that peer assessment assists less experienced teachers to improve their teaching skills. Pagani (2002) commented that educators should have the freedom to choose peer assessor/observers. This approach could be argued as vague due to various reasoning behind fairness, equality and also being critical. In agreement, Pagani (2002) stated that institutions should identify an area of focus for peer observation. In summary, peer observations are useful and appropriate. There is some overlap and a lack of decisiveness to a concrete definition of observation. Furthermore, peer observations need to be carefully planned on the grounds of professionalism. I believe that peer observation should not be considered as an informal practice. It would be fair to comment that it is a formal in-house procedure which adopts formal guidelines. In agreement, Partington and Brown (1997) identified that peer review is an essential process for reviewing ideas and identifies where mistakes could occur if action is not followed through carefully. It can be commented that this improves the quality of a product/service. The authors argued that it is an opportunity to criticise and that it is an aspect of building ones confidence and teaching. Using relevant models of reflective practice to critically analyse learning on the Course The course, for me, has been beneficial and an enjoyable experience. It is time to reflect on my teaching practice. There have been some difficult stages which I have highlighted and times where improvement and action have been considered. According to Brookfield (1988) critical thinking is a process on recent experience with a past experience and should create an area or topic for discussion. Brookfield (1988) mentioned that critical reflection should include differences and or any relationships which can be highlighted. The aim of critical reflection is to develop critical thinking skills which will determine specific and realistic outcomes. On many occasions throughout the course I have reflected and it would be difficult to reflect on the whole course due to such varied topics and vast complexity of discussion. Hatton and Smith (1995) designed a critical reflection model which identified a framework for writing and identifying different kinds of reflection. The model will be used to help assist with my critical reflective practice. The framework will also determine stages within my teaching practice where I believe it is worth discussing. The first point of the model is descriptive and aims to create a starting point. To the attention of past reflections and practice it is a wise and an appropriate decision to reflect upon the micro-teach (pttls). The micro-teach was carried out within the early stages of my teaching practice. This was my starting point for teaching and reflecting. The second point will highlight descriptive reflections which attempts to provide reasons based upon personal judgment. I realised that an active approach to my hospitality students was required and that the VAKs strategies improved my lesson planning and time management. Gradually, as the course continued, lesson planning developed to become more structured and defined in terms of my aims and objectives. Throughout my reflective practice, to my attention, a number of students did not respond to how my lessons were planned. Thinking about this, this was down to the level of functional skills applied to the level delivered. To my attention, I needed to improve my skills on delivery. I needed to understand how I should apply them appropriately and effectively in lessons. The forth action point within the model must relate to a broader historical, social and/or political context and what better than my experience and knowledge gained throughout the independent study of the curriculum module. The study helped to generate some valuable points on social, political, economical and technological factors within context to my teaching practice. Brookfield (2001) described critical reflection to be a systematic effort which identified and discovered material. Brookfield (2001) developed the four lenses model which helped to analyse and assist teaching practices. The four lenses are our own experiences as learners, students, colleagues, and reading the professional literature. These help to reveal the assumptions behind those practices and call them into question. The model of reflection will help to analyse my teaching practice within the points identified above. My micro-teach was an experience and made me feel nervous and apprehensive as I have never taught before in my life. Due to my nerves, I wanted to make sure that I was delivering correct and appropriate information. I researched around my chosen topic which reassured my teaching delivery. I also found that this became useful when I was using the question and answer technique. I found that I was applying teaching techniques and strategies that I had learnt in the first few weeks of the course. Having applied these teaching strategies they helped boost my confidence. The question and answer technique was adopted to assist my delivery. I believe that this engaged my learners. I applied the VAKs strategies to help all learners. The students engaged well to my micro-teach and I now believe that I need to consider an active learning approach as I teach hospitality students. I personally found that the micro-teach went smooth considering it was my first time. Having now reflected, I think that more literature could have been used to support other learners. To summarise, the micro-teach was certainly a stepping stone towards becoming a successful teacher within the PCET sector. I found this a leap forwards and was extremely beneficial before going to my placement. After Christmas I personally felt under a lot of pressure as I was accumulating my teaching hours as well as working towards my assignments. Most of my lesson reflections identified that my teaching technique and style was too relaxed. Some of my students started to misbehave and use this to their advantage in class. I realised, after many lessons and observations that I needed to deliver my lessons with an active approach which would then control and manage my class. As a teacher trainee, I found that I was spending a lot of time on my lesson plans. They were not seeking the best out of students. I revisited my approach and consulted my mentor who kindly assisted my lesson planning. I found that this helped tremendously in writing and structuring my lessons. I found myself researching around activities and being creative when it comes to teaching. I researched and functional skills which closely linked with my VAKs and as result, I eventually found that students were learning effectively through their preferred methods of learning and my classroom management skills improved. About half way through the course there were several issues regarding my lesson planning. My mentor assisted me to improve my aims and objectives. I needed to make sure that my aims and objectives were measurable and considered direction towards my classroom approach and student benefit. As a teacher trainee, I feel that lesson planning is something that can only come in time. In fact, I realised that I needed to make sure I can plan a lesson now to ensure that I can deliver a lesson. My mentor and other colleagues supported me by letting me look at their lesson plans. My mentor and I agreed that I would submit my lesson plans before delivery. This helped me to understand and or rethink my aims and objectives. My lessons improved by being realistic about the aims and objectives and, as a result, improved student learning and teaching skills. The course has certainly been a learning curve. One of the most challenging reports was the curriculum assignment. I personally found that the report involved a lot of reading around political, economical, sociological and technological topics. The curriculum models were difficult to understand so I tried to refer to them in a realistic context at my placement. My mentor was supportive and guided me through some of the curriculum models. From past reflections, I think that curriculum models and understanding them are vital towards delivering specific courses such as the BTEC national diploma course. This is a course I was helping to deliver. This helped me to understand how I should approach my delivery. Make a critical comment on the value of reflective practice in the development of professional teachers. (K4, A2, A3) It would be appropriate to explain and define reflection before making assumptions and critical comments. Reflection is an everyday sense which assists and looks back on past experiences. Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) stated that critical reflection is known as a vehicle. This is used by educators to evaluate and analyse experiences within a classroom environment. Brookfield (1995) mentioned that critical reflective practice is a process which is used to analyse experiences. For example, curriculum development or theories. It can be stated that reflection is a process which analyses a point or action. In addition, critical analysis could be used to understand why a point or action is how it is. Within reason, critical reflection will be used. As a metaphor, the reflective practice could be the foundations of a house. The purpose of reflection is clear. Consequently, reflection does not indicate who, what, where, how and or why practitioners should carry out reflections and that it is left to the educator. This leads on to the work of Brookfield (1995) and stated that critical reflection can be broken into a number of dimensions which address or at least suggest a route for reflecting. 1. Descriptive 2. Descriptive with some reflection 3. Dialogic reflection 4. Critical reflection Reflective practice, according to Brookfield (1995), stated that practitioners can develop self-awareness if they evaluate their performance/s on an on-going basis. The author stated that teaching practice can be improved by focussing on the experiences and activities used. Within agreement, reflective practice is meaningful and it improves skills and knowledge. It can be argued that time and patience is an issue and not to forget how experienced the practitioner/educator is. I mean that reflective practice could prove more meaningful for a trainee teacher than an experienced teacher of over 10-20 years. There are many angles which could be argued and that reflective practice improves over time and not over night. Hatton and Smith (1995) agreed that self-awareness is meaningful when we want to improve teaching practice. Various teaching methods and skills allow the professional to consider alternative avenues. This would have a positive impact on their teaching by increasing their level of self-awareness. It can be argued that teaching practice and professionalism can only be developed in time. In addition, personal experiences and the experiences of colleagues should create an environment that enhances student learning. This suggests that the experienced practitioner is valuable and they should help trainee teachers to improve their teaching. As a result, the student, department and institution will benefit. Bruner (1990) highlighted that critical reflective practice is an ongoing process which enriches curriculum. I would agree that educators strive to be effective and students want to be creative. This suggests that curriculum should reflect both parties concerned. There seems to be contrast and overlap to authors opinions on reflection and being critical. It is to suggest that all practitioners have aims and objectives which determine enhance teaching practices and students performances. Curriculum awareness is highlighted and reflective practice should aim to achieve and improve the educator in terms of the teaching practice, students grades, the college league boards and attendance and reputation. Bruner (1990) would recommend that teachers engage in critical conversations with colleagues which would enhance and determine educational philosophies, instructions, and responsibilities to students growth. To summarise, it can be commented that a practitioner should reflect on their experiences. Reflective practice would eventually re-shape his or her teaching practice. It should be expressed that reflection is wise and is compulsory towards becoming and or achieving higher standards of teaching practice for the practitioner, the students and the institute. In addition, I believe that the professional teacher/educator should consider and value students comments. This would engage the students more and would assist the practitioner to understand the students better. Reflective practice develops professionals and enables us to learn from our own experiences. Although, I would argue that more experience does not guarantee improved learning. In addition, I dont believe that twenty years of teaching is twenty years of learning about teaching. It may also be the case that one year repeats over twenty times with no reflections made. I would consider this as poor teaching. It is worth commenting that reflections are honest and effective which should, in time, improve teaching skills. From reading, it has drawn to my attention that additional research is required around critical reflective practice. A review for appropriate opportunities within my personal professional development and to discuss my acquisition of skills in relation to professional development. (A1, A3) ATL (Association of Teachers and Lecturers) (2009) mentioned that since September 2007, all educators within the further education and skills sector in England came under new regulations which revised teaching qualifications. Continuous professional development (CPD) for all teachers are now required and is requested by the Institute for Learning (IfL). To gain and create opportunities within PPD and CPD action will be considered. First of all, up to this date, a review of my skills will be summarised which will help and assist the development opportunities. As part of the PPD and CPD, IFL membership is required in order to complete the CPD. Depending on a job after the course, full-time teachers should undertake at least 30 hours of CPD per year for professional development. CPD is a condition of retaining the IFL membership and aims to improve teaching skills. IFL made CPD compulsory for newly qualified teachers and permits them to teach within FE colleges. Examples of informal CPD might be to work shadowing, peer observation, attendance at subject-specific conferences, reading journal articles, or gathering up-to-date information on new curricula and or helping on qualifications such as 14-19 diplomas. A skills audit was completed for WBE 1 file which identified various weaknesses which could potentially be made into positive outcomes. In addition, WBE 1 and WBE 2 files were compared using the reflective practice gained throughout the course. The skills audit identified some weaknesses and also strengths. One of the main highlighted weaknesses was maths/numeric skills and that consideration would be focussed to embed these into lessons. This was a smart target objective to accomplish before finishing the course. Secondly, writing and literacy skills and was more closely related to proof reading documents before submission. On the other hand, the audit highlighted that IT and communication skills were high and that confidence developed. Action was considered using smart objectives which were defined to achieve in a step by step process however I still feel discomfort w