Team Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Team Building - Essay Example But a basic disadvantage in this type of functioning is that the employee doesn't feel the belonging to the organization and therefore may not go for value addition and creativity to the task. An individual is least bothered about the final product, once he/ she has done his/ her share of task. A team on the other hand helps in networking of the individuals, with exchange of ideas and suggestions. This not only helps in regular updation of the knowledge level of the team members but also enriches the final product and service. When the customer feels the advantage of value addition, he'll naturally be attracted towards the product/ service. The figure below depicts the difference between these two types of systems. Teams in general are committed for common goals as they are accountable for them. Teams can pool there resources, synergize their acts and the team members can complement and supplement each other's efforts to come out with the final product. Contribution from the concerned team members helps in widening the thoughts, assigning responsibilities, helps in implementing and constantly monitoring the results and feedback helps in devising a still better strategy. Structure and composition of a team forms the basis of its working. ... But the core characteristic is the commitment to a common goal. The team structure determines how to maximize the common efforts. If any one members of the team works in a manner adversely affecting the final outcome, then it acts as a de-motivating factor for other members in the team, which in turn affects the quality of the final product. Therefore an efficient team structure also takes care of such eventualities. A well designed team structures helps in polishing the abilities of the individual team members. A person's strengths may not always be visible; it might be overshadowed by something that he has done in the past. Sometimes it requires a personal trigger from the team leader. When the team members find that the team is behind them and the leader has enough confidence in them they come out of their shell with readiness to take initiatives. The trigger has to be the right one, because squeezing the wrong one might lead to further detachment. Strategies must be in place to s upport such initiates and experiments. Answer-2 Part-I: Contribution of leadership towards strategy implementation Howard Good (2006), the former president of Highland Central School Board in Highland, N.Y., says, "Being board president brings power and prestige, but you must inspire and help others to be successful". A team leader therefore plays the central role in making or breaking the team. It is the team leader who can synergize the efforts or just wither away the advantage, with his actions. A team leader is supposed to delegate the powers and responsibilities amongst his/ her team mates, inspire the team members by being an example and motivate his team with appropriate motivating factors. A leader

CRJ 520 DRNC WE6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

CRJ 520 DRNC WE6 - Essay Example Also, a high percentage of the labor forces in NPS are sourced from various faith based agencies which are aimed at the rehabilitation of the mentally ill people, homeless people and people who are looking for an opportunity to start life anew. The Nationwide Professional Services (NPS) works in collaboration with one such faith based agency known as New Person Ministries which operates in South Florida. The New Person Ministries (NPM) helps for rehabilitation and provision of jobs for persons who had been convicted of sexual crimes at some point of their lives. The labors sourced by this agency include sexual offenders who belong to the sexual predator lists and the sexual offenders list of the State of Florida. The sex offenders attending the rehabilitation programs are not fully normalized and there remain chances of threat for the visitors from these sex offenders. The risk assessment with respect to a sex offender is done on the basis of considering the statistical probability o f the sex offender committing similar sexual offenses. The sex offenders generally have a type of mental disorder or abnormality which may instigate them to repeat their crimes without any consideration of the punishments that may follow the crimes. The DRNC is being held in the American Arena area of Miami where security threats are high. Thus, this may encourage the sex offenders included in the labor force of Nationwide Professional Services (NPS) to repeat their crimes. This would mean exposing the visitors and attenders of the DRNC to high threats and risks of being victims to crime. There are some differences between the individuals enlisted in the Sexual Predators list and those enlisted in the Sexual offenders list. Sexual predators are those people who are convicted of the violation of various sections of the Criminal Codes. Attempted violations of these criminal codes of a state also lead to the enlistment of the individuals in the Sexual Predator list.

Assessment Of Learning Essay Example for Free

Assessment Of Learning Essay Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often  contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. TEACHERS’ ROLES IN ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide †¢ a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular  point in time †¢ clear descriptions of the intended learning †¢ processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill †¢ a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes †¢ public and defensible reference points for making judgements Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢55 The purpose of assessment that typically comes at the end of a course or unit of instruction is to determine the extent to which the instructional goals have been achieved and for grading or certification of student achievement. (Linn and Gronlund, Measurement and Assessment in Teaching ) Reflection: Think about an example of assessment of learning in your own teaching and try to develop it further as you read this chapter. 56 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 †¢ transparent approaches to interpretation †¢ descriptions of the assessment process †¢ strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING. The purpose of assessment of learning is to measure, certify, and report the level  of students’ learning, so that reasonable decisions can be made about students. There are many potential users of the information: †¢ teachers (who can use the information to communicate with parents about their children’s proficiency and progress) †¢ parents and students (who can use the results for making educational and vocational decisions) †¢ potential employers and post-secondary institutions (who can use the information to make decisions about hiring or acceptance) †¢ principals, district or divisional administrators, and teachers (who can use the information to review and revise programming). Assessment of learning requires the collection and interpretation of information about students’ accomplishments in important curricular areas, in ways that represent the nature and complexity of the intended learning. Because genuine learning for understanding is much more than just recognition or recall of facts or algorithms, assessment of learning tasks need to enable students to show the complexity of their understanding. Students need to be able to apply key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes in ways that are authentic and consistent with current thinking in the knowledge domain. What am I  assessing? Why am I assessing? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 57 Assessment of Learning In assessment of learning, the methods chosen need to address the intended curriculum outcomes and the continuum of learning that is required to reach the outcomes. The methods must allow all students to show their understanding and produce sufficient information to support credible and defensible statements about the nature and quality of their learning, so that others can use the results in appropriate ways. Assessment of learning methods include not only tests and examinations, but  also a rich variety of products and demonstrations of learning—portfolios, exhibitions, performances, presentations, simulations, multimedia projects, and a variety of other written, oral, and visual methods (see Fig. 2. 2, Assessment Tool Kit, page 17). What assessment method should I use? Graduation Portfolios Graduation portfolios are a requirement for graduation from British Columbia and Yukon Senior Years schools. These portfolios comprise collections (electronic or printed) of evidence of students’ accomplishments at school, home, and in the community, including demonstrations of  their competence in skills that are not measured in examinations. Worth four credits toward graduation, the portfolios begin in Grade 10 and are completed by the end of Grade 12. The following are some goals of graduation portfolios: †¢ Students will adopt an active and reflective role in planning, managing, and assessing their learning. †¢ Students will demonstrate learning that complements intellectual development and course-based learning. †¢ Students will plan for successful transitions beyond Grade 12. Graduation portfolios are prepared at the school level and are based on specific Ministry criteria and standards. Students use the criteria and standards as guides for planning, collecting, and presenting their evidence, and for self-assessing. Teachers use the criteria and standards to assess student evidence and assign marks. There are three major components of a graduation portfolio: 1. Portfolio Core (30 percent of the mark). Students must complete requirements in the following six portfolio organizers: arts and design (respond to an art, performance, or design work); community involvement and responsibility (participate co-operatively and respectfully in a  service activity); education and career planning (complete a graduation transition plan); employability skills (complete 30 hours of work or volunteer experience); information technology (use information technology skills); personal health (complete 80 hours of moderate to intense physical activity). 2. Portfolio Choice (50 percent of the mark). Students expand on the above areas, choosing additional evidence of their achievements. 3. Portfolio Presentation (20 percent of the mark). Students celebrate their learning and reflect at the end of the portfolio process. ( Portfolio Assessment and Focus Areas: A Program Guide  ) 58 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 Assessment of learning needs to be very carefully constructed so that the information upon which decisions are made is of the highest quality. Assessment of learning is designed to be summative, and to produce defensible and accurate descriptions of student competence in relation to defined outcomes and, occasionally, in relation to other students’ assessment results. Certification of students’ proficiency should be based on a rigorous, reliable, valid, and equitable process of assessment and evaluation. Reliability  Reliability in assessment of learning depends on how accurate, consistent, fair, and free from bias and distortion the assessment is. Teachers might ask themselves: †¢ Do I have enough information about the learning of this particular student to make a definitive statement? †¢ Was the information collected in a way that gives all students an equal chance to show their learning? †¢ Would another teacher arrive at the same conclusion? †¢ Would I make the same decision if I considered this information at another time or in another way? Reference Points Typically, the reference points for assessment of learning are the learning  outcomes as identified in the curriculum that make up the course of study. Assessment tasks include measures of these learning outcomes, and a student’s performance is interpreted and reported in relation to these learning outcomes. In some situations where selection decisions need to be made for limited positions (e. g. , university entrance, scholarships, employment opportunities), assessment of learning results are used to rank students. In such norm-referenced situations, what is being measured needs to be clear, and the way it is being measured needs to be transparent to anyone who might use the assessment  results. Validity Because assessment of learning results in statements about students’ proficiency in wide areas of study, assessment of learning tasks must reflect the key knowledge, concepts, skills, and dispositions set out in the curriculum, and the statements and inferences that emerge must be upheld by the evidence collected. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 59 Assessment of Learning Record-Keeping Whichever approaches teachers choose for assessment of learning, it is their records that provide details about the quality of the measurement. Detailed records of the various components of the assessment of learning are essential, with a description of what each component measures, with what accuracy and against what criteria and reference points, and should include supporting evidence related to the outcomes as justification. When teachers keep records that are detailed and descriptive, they are in an excellent position to provide meaningful reports to parents and others. Merely a symbolic representation of a student’s accomplishments (e. g. , a letter grade or percentage) is inadequate. Reports to parents and others should identify the  intended learning that the report covers, the assessment methods used to gather the supporting information, and the criteria used to make the judgement. Feedback to Students Because assessment of learning comes most often at the end of a unit or learning cycle, feedback to students has a less obvious effect on student learning than assessment for learning and assessment as learning. Nevertheless, students do Ho w can I use the information from this assessment? Guidelines for Grading. 1. Use curriculum learning outcomes or some clustering of these (e. g. , strands) as the basis for grading. 2.Make sure that the meaning of grades comes from clear descriptions of curriculum outcomes and standards. If students achieve the outcome, they get the grade. (NO bell curves! ) 3. Base grades only on individual achievement of the targeted learning outcomes. Report effort, participation, and attitude, for example, separately, unless they are a stated curriculum outcome. Any penalties (e. g. , for late work, absences), if used, should not distort achievement or motivation. 4. Sample student performance using a variety of methods. Do not include all assessments in grades. Provide ongoing feedback on formative  performance using words, rubrics, or checklists, not grades. 5. Keep records in pencil so they can be updated easily to take into consideration more recent achievement. Provide second-chance assessment opportunities (or more). Students should receive the highest, most consistent mark, not an average mark for multiple opportunities. 6. Crunch numbers carefully, if at all. Consider using the median, mode, or statistical measures other than the mean. Weight components within the final grade to ensure that the intended importance is given to each learning outcome. 7. Make sure that each assessment meets quality standards (e.g. , there should be clear targets, clear purpose, appropriate target-method match, appropriate sampling, and absence of bias and distortion) and is properly recorded and maintained (e. g. , in portfolios, at conferences, on tracking sheets). 8. Discuss and involve students in grading at the beginning and throughout the teaching and learning process. (Adapted from O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Resource: Marzano, Transforming Classroom Grading 60 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 rely on their marks and on teachers’ comments as indicators of their level of  success, and to make decisions about their future learning endeavours. Differentiating Learning In assessment of learning, differentiation occurs in the assessment itself. It would make little sense to ask a near-sighted person to demonstrate driving proficiency without glasses. When the driver uses glasses, it is possible for the examiner to get an accurate picture of the driver’s ability, and to certify him or her as proficient. In much the same way, differentiation in assessment of learning requires that the necessary accommodations be in place that allow students to make the particular learning visible.  Multiple forms of assessment offer multiple pathways for making student learning transparent to the teacher. A particular curriculum outcome requirement, such as an understanding of the social studies notion of conflict, for example, might be demonstrated through visual, oral, dramatic, or written representations. As long as writing were not an explicit component of the outcome, students who have difficulties with written language, for example, would then have the same opportunity to demonstrate their learning as other students. Although assessment of learning does not always lead teachers to differentiate  instruction or resources, it has a profound effect on the placement and promotion of students and, consequently, on the nature and differentiation of the future instruction and programming that students receive. Therefore, assessment results need to be accurate and detailed enough to allow for wise recommendations. Reporting There are many possible approaches to reporting student proficiency. Reporting assessment of learning needs to be appropriate for the audiences for whom it is intended, and should provide all of the information necessary for them to make reasoned decisions. Regardless of the form of the reporting,however, it should be honest, fair, and provide sufficient detail and contextual information so that it can be clearly understood. Traditional reporting, which relies only on a student’s average score, provides little information about that student’s skill development or knowledge. One alternate mechanism, which recognizes many forms of success and provides a profile of a student’s level of performance on an emergent-proficient continuum, is the parent- student-teacher conference. This forum provides parents with a great deal of information, and reinforces students’ responsibility for their learning. The Communication System Continuum: From Symbols to Conversations (O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Grades Report cards (grades and brief comments) Infrequent informal communications Parent-teacher interviews Report cards with expanded comments Frequent informal communication Student-involved conferencing Student-led conferencing Reflection: What forms do your reports of student proficiency take? How do these differ according to audience? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 61 Assessment of Learning An Example of Assessment of Learning  Elijah was interested in assessing student mastery of both the modern and the traditional skills required for survival in the Nunavut environment where he teaches. The overarching theme of survival is taught in the early grades and culminates at the senior level in a course delivered in Inuktitut. Students learn how to take care of themselves and others, and how to adapt what they know to the situation at hand. Survival requires not only skills and knowledge, but also a concept the Inuit people call qumiutit, or the ability in an emergency situation to pull out of stored memory information that will enable a person to cope, not panic. Traditionally, this was learned in a holistic manner, grounded in Inuit traditional guiding principles that were nurtured and developed from birth, and taught and reinforced in daily living. Throughout the term, Elijah took his students to an outdoor area to practise on-the-land survival activities, using both traditional and modern methods. He always took with him a knowledgeable Elder who could give the students the information they needed to store away in case of emergency. The students watched demonstrations of a skill a number of times. Each student then practised on his or her own, as Elijah and the Elder observed and assisted. Elijah knew that students need to have a high level of expertise in the survival skills appropriate for the northern natural environment. Elijah assessed each student on each survival skill (e. g. , making fire the traditional way, tying the knots required for the qamutik cross-pieces on a sled). What am I assessing? I am assessing each student’s performance of traditional and modern survival skills. Why am I assessing? I want to know which survival skills each s tudent has mastered and their readiness to s urvive in the natural environment. 62 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind  Chapter 5 Elijah knew that the best way to determine if students have mastered the skills is to have them perform them. When students believed they were ready, Elijah created an opportunity for them to demonstrate the mastered skill to a group of Elders, who then (individually, then in consensus) determined if the performance was satisfactory. A student’s competence in a survival skill is often demonstrated by an end product. For example, competence in knot tying is demonstrated by a knot that serves its purpose, and competence in fire building is demonstrated by a fire that is robust. As the Elders judged each student’s performance of the skills, Elijah recorded the results. He shared the information with each student and his or her parents in a final report, as shown here. Ho w can I use the informatio n from this assessment? Now that I know which skills each of the students has mastered, I can report this information to the s tudents and their parents. I can use this information to identify a learning path for each s tudent. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Ensuring quality with this approach involves clear criteria: either the student performs the skill s uccessfully or does not. I need to provide adequate opportunities for the s tudent to demonstrate the skills under various conditions and at various times. What assessment method should I use? I need an approach in which students can demonstrate the traditional survival skills that they learned. The method I choose should also allow me to identify which skills they did not master. Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 63 Assessment of Learning Shelters: †¢ emergency shelters †¢ igloo building4 †¢ qamaq5 †¢ tents Transportation needs: †¢ making the knots required for the qamutik cross pieces on a sled †¢ building a kayak/umiak. †¢ fixing a snowmobile (spark plugs, repairing track, drive belt) †¢ keeping a boat seaworthy Navigational issues: †¢ reading the land †¢ reading the sky †¢ understanding seasonal variations †¢ reading inuksuit †¢ using GPS †¢ map reading Preparation for land travel: †¢ packing a qamutiq (sled) †¢ load, balance †¢ necessities: snow knife, rope, food, water, heat source †¢ letting others know where you are going †¢ necessary tools, supplies, snowmobile parts, fuel †¢ using communication devices Food sources: †¢ plants and their nutritional properties †¢ hunting, skinning, and cutting up seal, caribou, etc. †¢ kinds of food to take on the land,  and their nutritional properties ____________________ 4. Expertise in igloo building includes understanding of types of snow, the shape and fit of blocks, and the use of a snow- knife. 5. A qamaq is a rounded house, built of scrap wood or bones, and covered with skins, cardboard, or canvas. Report on Survival Skills Student: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Traditional Survival Skills Modern Survival Skills Adaptability to the Seasons Attitude Success Next Steps 1) Skills Building a fire / means of keeping warm: †¢ fuel sources †¢ getting a spark †¢ propane heaters, stoves †¢ clothing. 2) Relationship to the Seasons Assessing conditions / recognizing danger signs: †¢ seasonal changes †¢ land changes †¢ water changes †¢ wind changes †¢ weather changes Climatic changes: †¢ weather changes and how this affects the land and water †¢ knowledge of animals and their characteristics and behaviours 3) Attitudinal Influences (Having the right attitude to learn) †¢ respect for the environment (cleaning up a campsite upon leaving, dealing with the remains of an animal, not over-hunting/fishing) †¢ respect for Elders and their knowledge †¢ ability to learn from Elders 64 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5. Elijah’s report identified which of the students had mastered the specified skills required to survive in the Nunavut environment. It outlined other areas (such as adaptability to the seasons and attitudinal influences) about which peers, parents, and family members would need to provide input before a comprehensive assessment could be made. The assessment also identified those students not yet ready to survive in the natural environment. But the Elders did not stop working with the students who did not reach mastery. Elders see learning as an individual path in which skills, knowledge, and attitudes are acquired along the way. If a particular skill was beyond the capability of a student, the Elders identified other areas where that person could contribute to the common good of the community, and was accepted for the gifts he or she brought to the group. In this way, the Elders helped Elijah differentiate the learning path for each of his students. SUMMARY OF PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Assessment for Learning Assessment as Learning Assessment of Learning Why Assess? to enable teachers to determine next steps in advancing student learning to guide and provide opportunities for each student to monitor and critically reflect on his or her learning, and  identify next steps Assess What? Each student’s progress and learning needs in relation to the curricular outcomes each student’s thinking about his or her learning, what strategies he or she uses to support or challenge that learning, and the mechanisms he or she uses to adjust and advance his or her learning What Methods? a range of methods in different modes that make students’ skills and understanding visible a range of methods in different modes that elicit students’ learning and metacognitive processes Ensuring Quality †¢ accuracy and consistency of observations and interpretations of student learning. †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ accurate, detailed notes for descriptive feedback to each student †¢ accuracy and consistency of student’s self-reflection, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment †¢ engagement of the student in considering and challenging his or her thinking †¢ students record their own learning Using the Information †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback to further his or her learning †¢ differentiate instruction by continually checking where each student is in relation to the curricular outcomes †¢ provide parents or guardians with descriptive feedback about student  learning and ideas for support. †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback that will help him or her develop independent learning habits †¢ have each student focus on the task and his or her learning (not on getting the right answer) †¢ provide each student with ideas for adjusting, rethinking, and articulating his or her learning †¢ provide the conditions for the teacher and student to discuss alternatives †¢ students report about their learning Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢ 65 Assessment of Learning to certify or inform parents or others of student’s proficiency in  relation to curriculum learning outcomes the extent to which students can apply the key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to the curricular outcomes a range of methods in different modes that assess both product and process †¢ accuracy, consistency, and fairness of judgements based on high-quality information †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ fair and accurate summative reporting †¢ indicate each student’s level of learning †¢ provide the foundation for discussions on placement or promotion †¢ report fair, accurate, and detailed information that can be used to decide the next steps in a student’s learning.

Snoopy Tool Evaluation

Snoopy Tool Evaluation Snoopy is a tool which is used for designing and animating hierarchical graphs along with others Petri nets. Snoopy also provides the facility to construct Petri nets and allows animation and simulation of the resulting token flow. This tool is used to verify technical systems specifically software-based systems and natural systems e.g. signal transduction, biochemical networks as metabolic and gene regulatory networks. Snoopy is in use for consideration of the qualitative network structure of a model under specific kinetic aspects of the specified Petri net class and investigation of Petri net models in several complementary conducts. Simultaneous usage of different Petri net classes in Snoopy is one of its outstanding features. Other features are: It is extensible as its generic design aids the implementation of new Petri net classes. It is adaptive as numerous models can be used simultaneously. It is platform independent as it is executable on all common operating systems e.g. linux, mac, windows. Two particular types of nodes i.e. logical nodes and macro nodes are meant for supporting the systematic construction, neat arrangement and design of large Petri nets. Logical nodes act as connector or multiple used places or transitions sharing the same factor or function. Macro nodes allow hierarchically designing of a Petri net. Snoopy allows edition and coloring of all elements in each Petri net class and manual or automatic change of network layout too. Prevention of syntactical errors in the network structure of a Petri net is facilitated by the implementation of the graphical editor. Editor Mode: Start Snoopy and go to File New or press the new button in the tool bar. It results in opening of a template dialogue that allows selection of the document template. File: New/Open/Close Window/Save/Save as, Print, Export/Import, Preferences (change the default visualization) and Exit. Edit: Undo/Redo, Select All/Copy/Copy in new net/Paste/Cut, Clear/Clear all, Hide/Unhide, Edit selected elements/Transform Shapes, Layout (automatic layout function), Sort Nodes (by ID or name), Check Net (duplicate nodes, syntax, consistency) and Convert to. View : Zoom 100%/Zoom In/Zoom Out, Net Information (number of each element used in the model), Toogle Graphelements/Hierachy browser/Filebar/Log window, Show Attributes (choose for each elements which attributes to be shown in the model), Start Anim-Mode/SimulationMode/Steering-Mode. Elements (list of all available elements): Select/ Place/Transition/ Coarse Place/Coarse Transition/ Immediate Transition/Deterministic Transition/Scheduled Transition/Parameter/Coarse Parameter/LookupTable, Edge/Read Edge/Inhibitor Edge/Reset Edge/Equal Edge/Modifier Edge and Comment. Hierarchy (edit and browse hierarchy): Coarse (chosen elements are encapsulate in a macro node)/Flatten and Go Up in Hierarchy/Go To First Child in Hierarchy/Go To Next Sibling in Hierarchy/o To Previous Sibling in Hierarchy. Search : Search nodes (by ID or name). Extra : Load node sets (visualize, e.g., T-, P-invariants, siphons and traps), Interaction and General Information (title, author, description, literature). Window (arrange all opened windows): Cascade/Tile Horizontally/Tile vertically, Arrange Icons/Next/Previous and Open Files. Help: Help, About (current version), check update. The tool bar holds four shortcuts that facilitate: Open a new document. Load a document. Save a document. Select an element. All elements accessible in the current net class are displayed in panel for the graph elements. Left-click on one of the elements enables user to use one of these elements. Right click on the respective element allows user to edit or select all elements of the same class. All levels are displayed in hierarchy browser and any hierarchical level can be opened in a new window by a left-click. The editor pane can be considered as the canvas which allows user to draw the network. A left-click on the Editor pane activates chosen element and places the selected element on the canvas. Click left onto one node, hold the left-click, drag the line to the other node and drop the left-click, to draw an arc between two nodes. To add edges to an arc push the CRTL key and click left on the arc which facilitates the user to drag the edge with another left-click. Grid in the canvas tab can also be used for a better orientation. User can also pick edge styles i.e. line or spline in the preference dialo gue in the elements tab. Elements: Nodes: Elements Graphics Standard transition Standard transition Coarse place Coarse transition Immediate transition Deterministic transition Scheduled transition Immediate Transition: Immediate transitions fire as soon as they are enabled. The waiting time is equal to zero. Standard Transition (Timed Transition): A waiting time is computed as soon as the transition is enabled. The transition fires if the timer elapsed zero and the transitions is still enabled. Deterministic Transition: Deterministic transitions fire as soon as the fixed time interval elapses during the entire simulation run time. The respective deterministic transitions must be enabled at the end of each repeated interval. Scheduled Transition: Scheduled transitions fire as soon as the fixed time interval elapsed during the given time points. The respective deterministic transitions must be enabled at the end of each repeated interval. Edges: Elements Graphics Description Standard edge The transition is enabled and may fire if both pre-places and are sufficiently marked by tokens. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-places and new tokens are produced on post place. Read edge The transition is enabled and may fire if both pre-places A and B are sufficiently marked by tokens. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-place B but not from pre-place A, new tokens are produced on post place. The firing of the transition does not change the amount of tokens on pre-place A. Inhibitor edge The transition is enabled and may fire if pre-place B is sufficiently marked by tokens. The amount of tokens on pre-place A must be smaller than the given arc weight. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-place B but not from pre-place A; new tokens are produced on place C. The firing of the transition does not change the amount of tokens on pre-place A. Reset edge The transition is enabled and may fire if pre-place B is sufficiently marked by tokens. The amount of tokens on pre-place A has no effect on the ability to enable the transition and affects only the kinetics. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-place B according the arc weight and all tokens on pre-places A are deleted; new tokens are produced on place C. Equal edge The transition is enabled and may fire if number of tokens on pre-place A is equal to the corresponding arc weight and place B is sufficiently marked. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-place B but not from preplace A; new tokens are produced on place C. The firing of the transition does not change the amount of tokens on pre-place A. Modifier edge The transition is enabled and may fire if pre-place B is sufficiently marked with tokens. The amount of tokens on pre-place A has no effect on the ability to enable the transition and affects only the kinetics. After firing of the transition, tokens are removed from the pre-place B but not from pre-place A; new tokens are produced on place C. The firing of the transition does not change the amount of tokens on pre-place A. Functions: Name Meaning of function BioMassAction(.) Stochastic law of mass action. Tokens are interpretated as single molecules. BioLevelInterpretation(.) Stochastic law of mass action. Tokens are interpretated as concentration. ImmediateFiring(.) Refers to immediate transitions. TimedFiring(.) Refers to deterministic transitions. FixedTimedFiring Single(.) Refers to deterministic transitions that only res once after a given timepoint FixedTimedFiring(., ., .) Refers to scheduled transitions. abs(.) Absolute value acos(.) Arc cosine function asin(.) Arc sine function atan(.) Arc tangent function ceil(.) Rounding up cos(.) Cosine function exp(.) exponential function sin(.) Sine function sqrt(.) Square root tan(.) Tangent function floor(.) Round off log(.) Natural logarithm with constant e as base log10(.) Common logarithm with constant 10 as base pow(.) Exponent Parameters: Parameters are used for defining individual parameters and rate or weight functions but are not able to define the number of tokens on a particular place. Third group of macro elements are coarse parameters which facilitate encapsulating parameters. High numbers of parameters are not visible on the top-level or can also be categorized by the use of coarse parameters. Animation mode: Snoopy allows user to observe the token flow in animation mode which starts by pressing F5 or going to View and then start AnimationMode. It will result in opening a new window which allow user to steer the animation. This part of snoopy is very beneficial to catch a first expression of the causality of a model and its workings as it provides information about the transitions too. In order to understand modeled mechanism, playing with the token flow prove to be worthwhile. The token flow can be animated manually by a single click on the transition. A message box is displayed revealing a message â€Å"This transition is not enabled† when user tries to fire a transition that is not enabled. Clicking-left and clicking-right on a place aids addition of tokens and extraction of tokens respectively. Animation of the token flow can also be controlled by using the radio buttons present on the animation steering panel. Usage of radio buttons involves step-wise forward and backward or s equentially as long as one transition can be enabled, otherwise a notification â€Å"Dead State: There are no more enabled transitions is displayed on screen. Simulation Mode Pressing F6, going to view/Start Simulation or using the stochastic simulation button on the animation control panel, are three ways to perform stochastic simulations with the current model in the active window. Facilities of this mode include simulation of the time-dependent dynamic behavior of the model indicated by the token flow or the firing frequency of the transitions. The fluctuating concentration levels or the discrete number of the components over time is indicated by the token flow. This provides an impression of the time-dependent changes in model under consideration which is helpful in understanding the wet-lab system. More than a few simulation studies can be performed with considered model by manipulating the structure and perturbing the initial state and kinetics. All results can be manually and automatically exported in the standard *.csv-format and can be analyzed in other mathematical programs. Simulation Control: The simulation control allows selection of main settings and individualities for the simulation. It splits further into four panels: Configuration Sets: Modification of configuration sets is carried out by edition of single entries or addition of new sets and picking the configuration sets that is suitable for the simulation run. Simulation Properties: It includes setting interval start i.e. time point where simulation starts, interval end i.e. time points where simulation ends and output step count i.e. number of time-points that should be displayed in the given interval. Export Properties: Various automatic export settings are accessible to the *.csv-format. Start Simulation: It will initiate simulation with the selected settings and properties. Progress of simulation is indicated by the bar and the required time is displayed below. Viewer/Node Choice: It facilitates user by providing choices in displaying simulation results. It is divided into two panels: Viewer Choice: It provides user an option to select one between data tables and data plots. Provided buttons in panel allow user to edit, add and delete the data tables and data plots. Token flow (places) or the firing frequency (transitions) can be displayed in a data table or data plot. Place Choice: User can choose those nodes which should be displayed in the data table or data plot. Display: This panel allows displaying the simulation results as data table or data plot. If data table is selected, the token flow for the selected places is presented in a table. Some options which are used for model checking are present at the bottom of the window. If data plot is chosen, the x-axis displays the time-interval and the y-axis indicates the average number of tokens. View of the plot can be altered via the buttons located below i.e. compress/stretch x-axis, compress/stretch y-axis, zoom in/out and centre view. A csv export button allows user to export the simulation results of the selected places manually. Image of the current plot can be saved by using print button. Model Checking Mode: Snoopy is enabled to perform model checking of linear-time properties based on the stochastic simulation. A subset of probabilistic linear-time temporal logic (PLTL) is employed to formulate and authenticate properties. Various features of snoopy also include checking several features at the same time. In order to perform model checking in Snoopy, user needs to open the simulation window and select the table view. To perform model checking on all simulation traces, user have to enter or load a property that is checked by simulating the time-dependent dynamic behavior. Simulation window allows following options: Enter State Property: User can specify a property in the dialogue box and no model checking is performed if it is empty. Load state property: User can load a property which is defined in a text file. Check state property: It refers to model checking which is performed on the basis of average behavior of the previous simulation. Simulation run count is of assistance to state a number of simulation traces to which model checking can be applied. It splits into two types: Default value 1 run: User is only able to get the information if the defined property holds true or is not false. Arbitrary number of runs: The number of simulation runs supports defining probability of the defined properties as high accuracy calls for high number of simulation runs. User can set the time interval where model checking should be applied with the help of interval start and interval end. A log window displays model checking results that includes following elements: Formula displays the formula checked during simulation. Runs indicate the number of simulation runs performed. Runtime shows the number of threads used for simulation. Threads display the number of threads used for simulation. Prop indicate the computed probability for the formula. S ^2 displays the variance of the probability. Confidence Interval indicates the size of the confidence interval. [a,b] reveals the interval of the probability that is calculated from the confidence interval

Emersons definition of experience :: essays research papers

The true meaning of life based on experiences†¦ What is it? This is a question which many people dedicate their lives into answering. Ralph Waldo Emerson is one of the few who has succeeded in answering this question. He weaved his answer into a long and tedious essay, which is called â€Å"Experience†. The only downfall from this work is that it’s solely from his perspective, and doesn’t include other people’s ideas as well as his. Emerson believes that people don’t possess the individualistic quality. Everyone is too focused on the actions and opinions of everyone else, and should take a more personal stance for once. We mimic people too much because we believe that we will benefit if we’re the same as the majority. We are all individuals and have our own opinions, and we should embrace them! Emerson also believes that people are multiform, and therefore have trouble uniting as one society. However, he explains how deep down everyone has a background of unity, and really want to unite as one. This is another reason why some people try to copy others. We figure that if we are all the same, we will be united. However, this is not the case, because our opinions and beliefs get in the way. We have a universal desire to believe, and because of this strong impulse, we yearn to move forward. We crave to be able to waltz up the stairs, and get closer and closer to our dreams. People gain intelligence and knowledge through what they experience. They gain valuable life skills by actually witnessing events first hand. If society were only to learn out of a textbook, everyone would be boring and completely one-sided. Our experiences help to shape our ‘clay of identity’. Instead of hiding from horrible experiences, we should try to learn from them, and incorporate the morals into our daily lives. Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writing style is very deep and profound, and answered the question of what the

Consequences And Remedies Of Din In The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

The Scarlet Letter shows many types of sin. Some is only sin in the Puritan eye, some is internally blamed sin and some is sin only defined back in the time period of pre-Romanticism. Three main characters; Hester Prynne, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth are the 'sinners' of the Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Nathaniel Hawthorn gives each one very different a consequence and remedy for each ones sin. Hester is publicly punished right away, Dimmesdale has to dwell on his sin for years and Chillingworth is punished abruptly when his sin comes to an end. Each punishment is different and holds its own lesson. Hester was forced into the marriage of a man she did not love, and after being separated for a long amount of time, she became attracted to another man. She then falls into a spell of passion with Reverend Dimmesdale. She then becomes pregnant with Dimmesdale's baby, obviously revealing her 'sin'. She is sent to the Scaffold to be mocked by all and is forced to reveal the father of the child. She refuses and then for her sins, received a scarlet letter, "A" which she had to wear upon her chest for the rest of her life in Boston. She wondered the streets and was given bitter looks from all. This was the Puritan way of punishing her for her then criminal action of adultery. The Scarlet Letter on her bosom does the exact opposite of that which it was meant for. Eventually, Hester upsets all the odds against here due to her courage, pride and effort. Hester goes beyond the letter of the law and does everything asked of her in order to prove that she is "able"(158). Hester, even though she was more appreciated by the Puritans, she still was not respected and her life was never the same. This eventually caused so much mental and physical anguish that she eventually questioned why she should live if it weren't for her Pearl. Pearl was a bundle of life sent from god to remind her of her wrong doing each and every moment and as a walking sermon to preach against sin for others. The symbolic Pearl helped Hester overcome her guilt. Hester becomes a highly respected person in a Puritan society by overcoming one of the harshest punishments, the scarlet letter. After Dimmesdale's passing away, she remains in the small Boston town as payment of her sin and more importantly as an example to other future women of the town.

Human Behavior Essay

At the beginning of the film, Lorenzo (played by Noah Banks and also Zack O’Malley Greenburg) is a bright and vibrant young boy living in the Comoros Islands, as his father Augusto (played by Nick Nolte) works for the World Bank and is stationed there. However, when his parents relocate to the United States, he begins to show neurological problems, such as loss of hearing, tantrums, etc. The boy is diagnosed as having adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), which is fatal within two years. Failing to find a doctor capable of treating their son’s rare disease, Augusto and his wife Michaela (Susan Sarandon) set out on a mission to find a treatment to save their child. In their quest, the Odones clash with doctors, scientists, and support groups, who are skeptical that anything could be done about ALD, much less by laypeople. But they persist, setting up camp in medical libraries, reviewing animal experiments, enlisting the aid of Professor Gus Nikolais (played by Peter Ustinov), badg ering researchers, questioning top doctors all over the world, and even organizing an international symposium about the disease. Despite research dead-ends, the horror of watching their son’s health decline, and being surrounded by skeptics (including the coordinators of the support group they attend), they persist until they finally hit upon a therapy involving adding a certain kind of oil (actually containing two specific long chain fatty acids, isolated from rapeseed [canola] oil and olive oil) to their son’s diet. They contact over 100 firms around the world until they find an elderly British chemist (Don Suddaby, who plays himself in a cameo role) working for Croda International who is willing to take on the challenge of distilling the proper formula. The oil, erucic acid, proves successful in normalizing the accumulation of the very long chain fatty acids in the brain that had been causing their son’s steady decline, thereby halting the progression of the disease. There is still a great deal of neurological damage remaining which could not be reversed unless new treatments could be found to regenerate the myelin sheath (a lipid insulator) around the nerves. The father is seen taking on the new challenge of organizing biomedical efforts to heal myelin damage in patients (see The Myelin Project). The film ends with Lorenzo at the age of 14 showing definite improvement (he could swallow for himself and answer yes or no questions by blinking) but indicating more medical research is still needed. The end credits of the film note that Lorenzo has also regained his sight and is learning to use a computer. Adrenoleukodystrophy Definition Adrenoleukodystrophy is a rare genetic disease characterized by a loss of myelin surrounding nerve cells in the brain and progressive adrenal gland dysfunction. Description Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a member of a group of diseases, leukodystrophies, that cause damage to the myelin sheath of nerve cells. Approximately one in 100,000 people is affected by ALD. There are three basic forms of ALD: childhood, adult-onset, and neonatal. The childhood form of the disease is the classical form and is the most severe. Childhood ALD is progressive and usually leads to total disability or death. It affects only boys because the genetic defect is sex-linked (carried on the X chromosome). Onset usually occurs between ages four and ten and can include many different symptoms, not all of which appear together. The most common symptoms are behavioral problems and poor memory. Other symptoms frequently seen are loss of vision, seizures, poorly articulated speech, difficulty swallowing, deafness, problems with gait and coordination, fatigue, increased skin pigmentation, and progressive dementia. The adult-onset form of the disease, also called adrenomyeloneuropathy, is milder, progresses slowly, is usually associated with a normal life span, and usually appears between ages 21-35. Symptoms may include progressive stiffness, weakness, or paralysis of the lower limbs and loss of coordination. Brain function deterioration may also been seen. Women who are carriers of the disease occasionally experience the same symptoms, as well as others, including ataxia, hypertonia (excessive muscle tone), mild peripheral neuropathy, and urinary problems. The neonatal form affects both male and female infants and may produce mental retardation, facial abnormalities, seizures, retinal degeneration, poor muscle tone, enlarged liver, and adrenal dysfunction. Neonatal ALD usually progresses rapidly. Causes and symptoms The genetic defect in ALD causes a decrease in the ability to degrade very long chain fatty acids. These build up in the adrenal glands, brain, plasma, and fibroblasts. The build-up of very long chain fatty acids interferes with the ability of the adrenal gland to convert cholesterol into steroids and causes demyelination of nerves in the white matter of the brain. Demyelinated nerve cells are unable to function properly. Diagnosis Diagnosis is made based on observed symptoms, a biochemical test, and a family history. The biochemical test detects elevated levels of very long chain fatty acids in samples from amniocentesis, chorionic villi, plasma, red blood cells, or fibroblasts. A family history may indicate the likelihood of ALD because the disease is carried on the X-chromosome by the female lineage of families. Biosynthesis (also called biogenesis or â€Å"anabolism†) is an enzyme-catalyzed process in cells of living organisms by which substrates are converted to more complex products.[1] The biosynthesis process often consists of several enzymatic steps in which the product of one step is used as substrate in the following step. Examples for such multi-step biosynthetic pathways are those for the production of blood clots,amino acids, fatty acids, and natural products.[2] Biosynthesis plays a major role in all cells, and many dedicated metabolic routes combined constitute general metabolism. Six organelles in the cell are involved in biosynthesis: ribosomes, chloroplasts, smooth endoplasmic reticulum, rough endoplasmic reticulum, plastids, and Golgi bodies. [3] Dementia (taken from Latin, originally meaning â€Å"madness†, from de- â€Å"without† + ment, the root of mens â€Å"mind†) is a serious loss of global cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging. It may be static, the result of a unique global brain injury, or progressive, resulting in long-term decline due to damage or disease in the body. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population (about 5% of those over 65 are said to be involved),[1] it can occur before the age of 65, in which case it is termed â€Å"early onset dementia†.[2] Dementia is not a single disease, but a non-specific syndrome (i.e., set of signs and symptoms). Affected cognitive areas can be memory, attention, language, and problem solving. Normally, symptoms must be present for at least six months to support a diagnosis.[3] Cognitive dysfunction of shorter duration is called delirium. Dysphagia is the medical term for the symptom of difficulty in swallowing.[1][2][3] Although classified under â€Å"symptoms and signs† in ICD-10,[4] the term is sometimes used as a condition in its own right.[5][6][7] Sufferers are sometimes unaware of their dysphagia. Spasticity is a feature of altered skeletal muscle performance in muscle tone involving hypertonia; it is also referred to as an unusual â€Å"tightness†, stiffness, or â€Å"pull† of muscles. The word spasm comes from the Greek word ÏÆ'πΠ±ÃÆ'ÃŽ ¼ÃÅ'Ï‚ (spasmos), meaning â€Å"drawing, pulling.† Clinically spasticity is defined as velocity dependent resistance to stretch, where a lack of inhibition results in excessive contraction of the muscles, ultimately leading to hyperflexia (overly flexed joints). It mostly occurs in disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) affecting the upper motor neuron in the form of a lesion, such as spastic diplegia, but it can also present in various types of multiple sclerosis, where it occurs as a symptom of the progressively-worsening attacks on myelin sheaths and is thus unrelated to the types of spasticity present in neuromuscular cerebral palsy rooted spasticity disorders. Definition A seizure happens when there are certain types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. During a seizure, you may: *Lose consciousness * Stare into space * Have convulsions (abnormal jerking of the muscles) * Experience abnormalities of sensation or emotion