Community and Population Health Essay

Introduction I currently reside in Denver County, Colorado. I have chosen to assess and analyze this community for this assignment. Denver, Colorado is located east of the Eastern Foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Denver County is centrally located within the city of Denver, Colorado and includes the Denver International Airport located north-east of the city. The elevation of this county is 5,277 feet and therefore is nicknamed the â€Å"Mile-High City†. Denver County contains 154.9 square miles of land with a large amount of parks and rivers, of which 1.4 miles is water. (City and County of Denver, 2011). Population Economic Status According to the 2010 census, Denver County has a population of 600,158 people with a median age of 33.7 years old (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). Denver County’s population is approximately 50% male and 50% female (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). The ethnicity of Denver County is predominately White (52.2%), with Hispanic (31.8%) and Black (9.8%) ethnic groups comprising the next largest population groups (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). The median household income in Denver County from 2008-2012 was is $49,091; compared to $58,244 for the entire state of Colorado (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010b). From2008-2012, 18.9% of households were at or below poverty; compared to an average of 12.9% for the entire state of Colorado (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010b). The average reported unemployment rate for persons ages 16 + in Denver County was 8.6% (with a +/- 0.4% margin of error) (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). Denver County has a high percentage of educated workforce. In 2008-2012, 36.7% of the population age 25 + had obtained their Bachelor’s Degree, or a higher level of education; compared 28.5% for the entire US (U.S. Census  Bureau, 2010b). Although Denver County has a large percentage of educated residents, it also has a high number of homeless residents. In a survey taken in January 2013, an estimated 11,167 people were homeless in Denver (including employed homeless) (Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, 2013). Of those individuals, 43% were women and 62% were adults with children (Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, 2013). The birth rate in Denver County in 2012 was 9,236 (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2012). This was average compared to the previous two years – in 2011 there were 9,431 births compared to 2010 where there were 9,584 births (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2012). Denver County’s death rate in 2012 was 4,220 (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2012). This number was average compared to the previous two years as well – in 2011 there were 4,156 deaths and in 2010 there were 4,210 deaths. The number one cause of death in Denver County from 2010 – 2012 was cardiovascular disease (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2012). The majority of deaths related to population was individuals age 85+ (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, 2012). Denver County offers two primary basic food assistance programs. These programs are called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). For the fiscal year of 2013, Colorado had an average of 47,636,090 persons from a total of 23,052,396 households were signed up for SNAP benefits (USDA, 2014a). This number had increased by approximately 1,027,016 persons from 2012 fiscal year (USDA, 2014a). For the fiscal year of 2013, Colorado had an average of 8,662,591 persons (including women, infants, and children) were receiving supplemental nutrition from the WIC program (USDA, 2014b). This number decreased by 245,249 persons from 2012 fiscal year (USDA, 2014b). Cultural Assessment The population size and sex of the cultural group I interviewed was of twenty white women. Out of the twenty women I interviewed, ten women were between the ages of 20-29 years old and ten women were between the ages of  30-49 years old. All twenty women are currently registered nurses on the internal medicine/oncology floor at the hospital I am currently employed at. The amount of nursing experience these individuals have ranges from two years to 29 years of experience. All twenty individuals interviewed have health insurance. The attitudes toward age and aging of the twenty individuals surveyed varied with a similar goal of staying healthy to prevent the onset of diseases. The younger group interviewed felt it was important to eat healthy and exercise to promote internal health and longevity of life in general. The older group interviewed were more specific with their answers and felt it was important to maintain low stress lifestyles to promote good mental and physical health, to exercise to promote strong bones/balance, to perform mental exercises to help prevent the onset of dementia, and to regularly attend appointments. Both groups agreed that positive vs. negative attitudes directly affect physical health and one’s quality of life. When I asked both groups of their opinions regarding what age adolescents are considered adults, I received drastically different answers. The younger group felt as if ages 18-19 years old are considered adults related to society’s description of an adult, the independency promoted with high school graduation, and the onset of college. The older group felt as if ages 22-23 years old are considered adults primarily related to maturity, life experiences, and the beginning of an entry level career after completion of a college degree. Both groups felt as if college education was an expectation. All of the individuals interviewed currently have their degree in nursing with an active nursing license. Approximately one-third of those interviewed have their Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and several of those interviewed possess recognizable specialty healthcare certifications. As an entirety, the group interviewed is healthy. Over half of those interviewed have no prior diagnoses regarding their state physical of health. The most obvious physical characteristic that both groups share is being overweight with eleven out of the twenty women interviewed currently being overweight according to their projected BMI. The entire population interviewed shared the mental challenge of overcoming the stress presented at work regarding difficult/challenging patients and all women interviewed believed they have compromised their safety while caring for a patient at one time or another in their career. When I asked this group what the usual sources of stress are, work was number one for all twenty women interviewed. The younger population interviewed stated that children/family and educational goals are some of their secondary sources of stress. The older population interviewed stated that aging/retirement and the health of other family members are their secondary sources of stress. Both groups primarily use the mountains/nature and outdoor activities, such as skiing and hiking, to cope with stress. Five of the individuals drive nearly sixty miles to work (one-way) daily, related to owning a home in the mountains to escape the â€Å"rush and chaos† of the city and helping to find a â€Å"balance in life†. Out of all twenty individuals interviewed, over 3/4 of the woman are married and/or have a significant other. When asked what their number one priority in life was, family was consistently number one. Most all other interests and goals were related to benefiting or bettering the family. Some of the answers named were continuing educational goals, buying a new home, having a baby, planning retirement, and helping their parents with activities of daily life. Of the cultural group identified, all of them share a team attitude while still exhibiting individualist perspectives unique to personal preferences and opinions. Neighborhood/Community Safety Denver is divided into about 80 different official neighborhoods within Denver County (City and County of Denver, 2011). Those 80 different neighborhoods have been divided into seven police and fire districts; including Denver International Airport with has its own district (Denver Police Department, 2014; Denver Fire Department, 2014). The average response time for the Denver Police Department varied in 2013 from 14.9 minutes to respond to urgent, emergency calls (from the time a 911 call was received to the time an officer arrived on the scene) to 16.9 minutes for an officer to respond to a non-emergency call (Maass, 2013). According to Lt. Matt Murray from the Denver Police Department, these slow response times  have been directly correlated with a lack of officers (Maass, 2013). According to Murray, the Denver Police Department can have as many as 1,426 officers and as of October 3, 2013, the Denver Police Department had only 1,350 officers (Maass, 2013). A new class of 70 recr uits are currently in training in hopes to decrease the department’s response times in 2014 (Maass, 2013). The Denver Fire Department maintains 34 different fire stations that are strategically split into seven districts (Denver Fire Department, 2014). Firefighter’s each work an average of three 24-hour shift with an average of 180 firefighter’s on-duty per shift (Denver Fire Department, 2014). The Denver Fire Department responds to a variety of calls including Fire Suppression, Rescue Operations, Hazardous Materials Response, Technical Rescue, Urban Search and Rescue, Water and Ice Rescue, High Angle Rope Rescue, Confined Space and Trench Rescue, Wildland Firefighting, and Emergency Medical Services. They also perform thousands of building inspections annually, daily training and certifications, public and community education, school fire drills, and organize other special events (Denver Fire Department, 2014). According to the Denver Fire Department 2012 Annual Report, there were a total of 101,531 alarms/calls made in 2012 that required the response of the fire department team (Maass, 2013). Out of those 101,531 calls made to the fire department, 54,350 were for medical calls, 8,103 were for auto accidents, 2,248 were for fires, and approximately 37,000 calls required other services or rescues (Maass, 2013). Denver County has a significant amount of violence, crime, and gang activity within the community. In January/February 2014 there were a total of 7,268 crimes captured by the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) (Denver Police Department, 2014). According to this reporting system, the crimes are broken down into four categories; (1) crimes against persons, (2) crimes against property, (3) crimes against society, and (4) all other offenses (Denver Police Department, 2014). The top two offenses in Denver County per category included (1) simple assault and aggravated assault, (2) larceny and criminal mischief/damaged property, (3) drug/narcotic violations and prostitution, and (4) disorderly conduct/disturbing the peace and  criminal trespassing (Denver Police Department, 2014). These figures are slightly elevated from a total of 6,822 crimes in January/February 2013 (Denver Police Department, 2014). There is a variety of different gang activity in Denver County. In 2003, Denver police estimated that there were 14,000 gang members in Denver who were affiliated with 220 different gangs (Gang activity in Denver, 2013). The Denver Police Department has since created gang prevention programs including education, a gang hotline, outreach programs for former gang members, crime stoppers anonymous tips hotline, and the Denver Police Department Gang Bureau (Denver Police Department, 2014). Even with gang prevention involvement in the community and with these prevention programs in place, from January-September 2013 there was a total of 143 total crimes that could be directly related to gang activity (Gurman, 2013). These crimes included homicides, sexual assault, robberies, and aggravated assault (Gurman, 2013). Denver County is also populated with a high level of alcohol and drug abuse. The availability of marijuana with the recent legalization of recreational marijuana makes marijuana the most widely abused drug in Denver County (Mendelson, 2014). Alcohol, methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine, and prescription drugs are all found within the city limits of Denver as well (Mendelson, 2014). Denver County is centrally located between two interstates; I-25 and I-70. These interstates have many different entry and exit points to and from the city that provide easier access for drug trafficking and other illegal activities. Denver County has many different programs protecting its air and water quality. The Environmental Quality Division (EQD) is responsible for a variety of measures including conducting compliance inspections of air emissions, monitoring pollutant levels, issuing permits, and constructing models of air pollutant levels in the Denver area (Department of Environmental Health, 2014a). In February 2014 Colorado became the first state to regulate methane emissions from hydraulic fracking (Kroh, 2014). This new regulation will directly increase water quality and decrease smog in the Denver area. The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is responsible for monitoring the quality of water in Denver’s lakes and  streams. The DEH collects an average of 13,000+ water samples and conducts more than 50,000 tests annually to ensure that Denver’s drinking water is clean and safe (Department of Environmental Health, 2014c). The goal is for the city of Denver to have fishable and swim mable waters in all the lakes and streams by 2020 (Department of Environmental Health, 2014c). Denver’s Departments of Environmental Health, Public Works, and Parks and Recreation are all work together to ensure that the City meets this goal (Department of Environmental Health, 2014c). Denver’s current number one pollutant is trash and litter. Urban Drainage and Flood control district alone collects approximately 100 tons of trash from the streams and rivers in Denver annually (Department of Environmental Health, 2014b). There are several health risks living within Denver County. These risks include earthquakes, hazardous materials, winter storms, and severe thunderstorms with hail, lightening, tornados, and/or flooding (Office of Emergency Management, 2014b). Hit and run injuries have become an epidemic in Denver County with an increase in fatal crashes in Denver County. Denver police reported 18,662 hit-and-run accidents, both sustaining injuries and sustaining no injuries, during 2011-2013 (Hubbard, 2014). At least one person in Denver metro area is injured every day by a hit-and-run driver and nearly three times a month a pedestrian is fatally injured by a motorist who flees the scene (Hubbard, 2014). Colorado legislators have recently increased the potential prison sentence for hit-and-run cases resulting in bodily injury and/or death. They have also formalized an alert program to inform the public on suspects, vehicles, and/or license plate numbers in an attempt to help in track down perpetrators (Hubbard, 2014). Disaster Assessment and Planning The state of Colorado and city of Denver has worked hard to organize a variety of disaster and emergency preparedness plans within the community. One source of information, READYColorado, offers a variety of data sources for the community. Their website, READYColorado.com, offers awareness and disaster preparedness for a variety of natural disasters, technological disasters, and human caused disasters. The website also contains statistics, facts, and a calendar list of current events and training exercises. It offers links for volunteer opportunities regarding community involvement and educational classes and it also lists ways to stay informed of emergencies  from such sources such as radio, television, text, live twitter feeds, and blogs. Three critical facilities in Denver County include three specific venues; Coors Field with 50K capacity, The Pepsi Center with 19K capacity, and Sports Authority at Mile High Stadium with 76K capacity (City and County of Denver, 2011). The most vulnerable populations to these disasters are the 22.3% of households with children less than 18 years of age, the approximately 23,000 individuals 65+ that live independently, and the residents in 51 long term care facilities within Denver County (City and County of Denver, 2011). The primary disaster of concern for the Denver County is winter weather. Winter weather is an expectation living in Colorado. READYColorado contains information for home and vehicle preparation, emergency communications planning, proper dress for indoors and outdoors to protect the body from hypothermia, and hypothermia/frostbite warning signs. One can also find more information at Ready.gov, Colorado Department of Transportation, NOAA watch, and the American Red Cross regarding winter weather and the risks involved. Avalanches are of great threat to the mountainous regions of Colorado but do not pose a threat within Denver County. The risk of earthquakes is low in Denver County. However if an earthquake was to occur, the city would be very susceptible to extensive damage. Residencies and some of the older buildings in Denver are not made to withstand earthquakes and would most likely suffer damage to their structures (Office of Emergency Management, 2014b). Severe thunderstorms bringing hail, lightening, and tornados pose threats to the Denver County annually. Residents of the Colorado’s Front Range area are located in the heart of â€Å"Hail Alley† which begins mid-April and lasts through mid-August. The Front Range and Denver County receives a high frequency of large hail annually, averaging three to four hailstorms a year, and costing at least 25 million dollars in insured damage for each event (READYColorado and the State of Colorado, 2014b). Lightening poses the greatest threat to areas where the mountains and plains intersect (READYColorado and the State of Colorado, 2014b). Three deaths related to  lightning strikes have known to occur in Denver since 2001 (National Weather Service, 2011). Tornados pose a threat to all areas of Colorado; however tornados to not typically get high intensity ratings within Denver County (City and County of Denver, 2011). Flying debris from high winds cause most injuries. NOAA weathe r radio, telephone alerts, and television sources provide alerts severe thunderstorms and the destructive events that they bring. Denver County also has an outdoor warning siren system consisting of 76 electro-mechanical sirens that sound when there are tornado alerts and warnings (Office of Emergency Management, 2014a). Wildfire ignition by lightning is a bigger concern rural Colorado areas compared to the city. Respiratory problems can still result from the inhalation of smoke spread by wind. Wildfires burn thousands of acres and destroy hundreds of structures annually in Colorado. These fires are generally ignited by lightening or human causes and can easily be fueled by drought conditions, insect infestations, and heat. READYColorado offers information on risk assessment, home preparation, evacuation plans, and shelter information. More information regarding wildfires can be found at Ready.gov, Ready, Set, Go!, Surviving Wildfire, The Red Cross, US Fire Administration – FEMA, and Colorado State Forest Service websites. Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal is also a useful tool in determining fire risks. Currently, Denver’s fire risk is between lowest intensity and moderate intensity risk (Colorado State Forest Service, 2014). Flooding has a big impact on Colorado and in 2013 challenged many residents in the Denver area. NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, television, and internet sources provide information on flood watches and warnings, including flash floods in Denver County. Flash flooding along streams such as Cherry Creek, Clear Creek, and Harvard Gulch pose the greatest threats within the Denver area. The Corps of Engineers, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District websites provide 2013 flood information, current projects, and resources for flooding preparation and damage control in Colorado. Health risks involved from flooding include contamination from bacteria (ie. E.coli), parasites (ie. giaria), and viruses (ie. Hepatitis A), respiratory infections from mold and other irritants, and bodily injury from swiftly moving currents, electricity hazards, and hypothermia. It is very important for all Denver County residents to be up to date with Tetanus  vaccinations. Terrorism poses a rather unpredictable threat to Denver County. Denver County has a large metropolis population and houses both government buildings and military installations, contains large sports stadiums and an international airport. It is known that failure of the Cherry Creek Dam would cause catastrophic damage to both life and property within Denver County (City and County of Denver, 2011). There have been known international and domestic terrorist groups identified in Colorado during previous years (City and County of Denver, 2011). Education regarding the â€Å"eight signs of terrorism† can be found at multiple terrorism related websites including READYColorado.com. Denver also has specialized units including Denver Police Department Mounted Patrol, S.W.A.T.(Special Weapons And Tactics) who’s primary objective deals with hostage negotiation, drug busts and counterterrorism (City and County of Denver, 2011). Hazardous material spill have an increase potential in Denver County related to the many different companies storing hazardous materials within city limits. There are approximately 400 facilities storing reportable quantities of hazardous materials on properties located throughout the county (Office of Emergency Management, 2014). Each company is regulated by law to hold emergency plans that would go into effect if an accidental release of substance was to occur. The interstates bring added risk to Denver County related to the traffic along I-25 and I-70. These two interstates pass through densely populated areas of Denver County Denver fire and police have Hazardous Materials Response teams in place that are trained to respond to such an event(s). Denver County has nearly a dozen different hospitals with a vast amount of public transportation options such as bicycle, RTD bus and light rail services, taxi cabs, car2go, and Lyft services. Denver County has excellent communications and response teams in the event of a disaster with a vast amount of online education; however this information is published mostly in the English language. With such a large population of homeless in Denver County and 18.9% of all households at or below poverty level (U.S. Census  Bureau, 2010), the internet is not a good primary option for learning. Also, approximately 28% of all households speak a language other than English (City and County of Denver, 2011). Community Diagnosis Denver County is a very strong community regarding the number of educated workforce, median household income, number of hospitals, amount of public ground transportation, the protection of air and water quality, and the number of fire and police with specialty training teams and programs operating within the community. There is a very small percentage of residents 65+ who live independently and slightly over 1/5 of all households have children less than 18 years of age. The primary language is English and the community culture has a good overall team mentality. Denver County’s birth rate double the death rate with the leading cause of death cardiovascular disease in a primary death rate existing in the population 85+ (Colorado Department of Public Health, 2012). Denver County has many open avenues regarding opportunities and readiness attitudes within community. The population of Denver County is approximately 50% male and 50% female with a median age of 33.7 years old (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010a). This provides the community with the opportunity to explore young ideas and diversity among sexes. Denver County has a large number of homeless population with approximately 1/5 of the total population at or below poverty. These numbers exceed the national average. Denver County has two specific food programs being utilized greatly; SNAP and WIC benefits. There is a high number of crime, violence, and gangs within Denver County. There is a high level of alcohol and drug abuse within the community as well. Specialized police teams and community resources/programs assist with deterring these types of activities and assist in recovery efforts for those individuals. Colorado has recently legalized recreational marijuana which could be positive in terms of tax revenue for the state and future funding of programs and resources for the community. There could also be negative consequences regarding adolescent drug use and the increase of impaired drivers on the streets; however these statistics have not yet been measured and studied. Denver County is  contains a 100% urban population. This is both a strength and weakness to the city in terms of emergency evacuation. There are three critical facilities that exist in Denver County at specific venues with a capacity between 19K and 76K (City and County of Denver, 2011). Denver County is centrally located between I-25 and I-70 which can be an opportunity for evacuation or a barrier regarding avenues for drug trafficking and other illegal activities. There is a high ratio of hit-and-run injuries and fatalities within Denver County. Colorado legislators have recently increased potential prison sentences for hit-and-run cases resulting bodily injury and/or death. They have also formalized an alert program to inform and involve the public as an attempt to help track down perpetrators. The formulation of a city-wide educational program focusing on the prevention of hit-and-run occurrences may be beneficial in reducing these numbers as well. It is important for the Denver Police Department to have quicker response times to both emergent and non-emergent calls. Hopefully with the addition of new recruits for the force who are currently in training, Denver County will see quicker response time to all calls made. This will also hopefully decrease the amount of gang-related crimes and deter community activity in general. It is evident that Denver County has a large trash and litter problem. The initiation of more trash cans and recycle containers parallel with city-wide education would be beneficial in decreasing this problem. It would also be of benefit to the community and the court systems to enact a community service program that revolved around helping clean up the neighborhoods and streets. Denver County has good disaster and emergency preparedness plans within the community; however educational resources to the public need to be explored with a variety of different materials and other languages for maximum effectiveness. The primary educational method is by internet with most of the materials written in the English language only. Nearly 1/3 of all households in Denver County speak a language other than English. References City and County of Denver. (2011, Oct). Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment. Retrieved March 8, 2014, fromhttp://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source =web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denvergov.org%2FPortals%2F428%2Fdocuments%2FDenver%2520Hazard%2520Identification%2520and%2520Risk%2520Assessment.pdf&ei=AvEtU6etF8OJogSh5oDwDw&usg=AFQjCNEEQhg_2-JDt_OVeX3pIyYSKGcx9g&bvm=bv.62922401,d.cGU Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. (n.d.). Health Statistics: 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s& source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chd.dphe.state.co .us%2FResources%2Fvs%2F2012%2FDenver.pdf&ei+I14tU9zPA-SNygGZ-IDYBw&us G=AFQjCNH_VbyYxdRvmxNekgRu-y0LhIgrzw&bvm=bv.62922401,d.aWc Colorado State Forest Service. (2014). Colorado Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.coloradowildfirerisk.com/map Denver Fire Department. (2014, January 7). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denver_Fire_Department Denver Police Department. (2014, January 6). Reported Offenses In The City And County Of Denver By Month. Retrieved March 8, 2014, from http://www.denvergov.org/police/ PoliceDepartment/CrimeInformation/CrimeStatisticsMaps/tabid/441370/Default.aspx Denver’s Water Quality Program. (2014, February 14). Sampling Results. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from https://www.facebook.com/DenversWaterQualityProgram?sk=app_190322 544333196&app_data Department of Environmental Health. (2014a). Air Quality Program: Our Role In Protecting Air Quality. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://wwwdenvergov.org/environmental Health/EnvironmentalHealth/EnvironmentalQuality/EnvironmenatlAssessmentPolicy AirQuality/tabid/444649/Default.aspx Department of Environmental Health. (2014b). Water Quality Program: Trash and Litter. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://wwwdenvergov.org/environmentalhealth/ EnvironmentalHealth/EnvironmentalQuality/WaterQuality/tabid/444650/Default.aspx Department of Environmental Health. (2014c). Water Quality Program: Water Quality In Lakes and Streams. Retreived March 9, 2014, from https://wwwdenver.gov.org/environmental health/EnvironmentalHealth/EnvironmentalQuality/WaterQuality/tabid/444650/Default. Aspx Gang activity in Denver. (2013, August 17). In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_activity_in_Denver Gurman, Sadie. (2013, October 15). The Denver Post. Denver Police: Gang violence rises this year, involves more victims. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.denverpost.com /breakingnews/ci_24309448/denver-police-gang-violence-rises-this-year?source=rss Hubbard, Brent. (2014, Feburary 17). Rocky Mountain PBS. Hit-and-run fatal crashes rising in Colorado. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.coloradoan.com/article/201 40217/WINDSORBEACON01/302170069/Hit-run-fatal-crashes-rising-Colorado Kroh, Kiley. (2014, February 24). Climate Progress: Colorado Become The First State To Regulate Methane Emissions from Fracking. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http:// thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/02/24/3322651/Colorado-methane-fracking/ Maass, Brian. (2013, October 3). CBS Denver. Denver Police Response Times Worsen, Complaints Rising. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://denver.cbslocal.com/2013/ 10/03/denver-police-response-times-worsen-complaints-rising/ Mendelson, Bruce. (2014, Feburary). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drug Abuse Patterns and Trends in Colorado and the Denver/Boulder Metropolitan Area – Update: Jan 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/organization/work groups-interest-groups-consortia/community-epidemiology-work-group-cewg/meeting- reports/highlights-summaries-january-2014-4 Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. (2013, January). The Gathering Place – Homelessness and Poverty Statistics. Retrieved On March 8, 2014, from http://www.tgpdenver.org/homelessnessfaq?printable National Weather Service. (2011, June 21). Colorado and National Lightning Casualty Statistics. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/?n=/Itg/Itg_stats_index. php Office of Emergency Management. (2014a). Alert and Warning Systems. Retrieved March 10, 2014, https://www.denvergov.org/AlertandWarning/tabid/391430/default.aspx Office of Emergency Management. (2014b). Potential Threats. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.denvergov.org/Redirect_404/tabid/391429/Default.aspx? READYColorado and the State of Colorado. (2014a). Retrieved March 10, 2014, from https:// www.readycolorado.com/ READYColorado and the State of Colorado. (2014b). Severe Weather/Thunderstorm. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from https://www.readycolorado.com/hazard/severe-weatherthunder storm READYColorado and the State of Colorado. (2014c). Tornado. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from https://www.readycolorado.com/hazard/tornado READYColorado and the State of Colorado. (2014d). Wildfire. Retrieved March 10, 2014, from https://www.readycolorado.com/hazard/wildfire

Interpretations of American History Essay

There has been a notable change in the American History from the last 400 years until now. At the beginning the American History the subjects that the historians interpreted were politics, diplomacy and war. The only people who could do the interpreting were only white male Americans. The contemporary American historians wrote nearly about everything that affected everybody. This times were very different from what they are now, when you read history, you are reading the historian’s point of view or encounter with the world. The historians were fully dedicated to this, they spend hours, days, years of their life’s to prove the reality comes away. They were characterized by nationality or their school of thought. The historians can be Jeffersonian liberal, nationalist, progressive, feminist or postmodernist; for example, Perry Miller in the twentieth century American liberalism, Kenneth Stampp’s was engaged with the civil rights movement, Kathryn Sklar’s ideas were feminist (p. 72). In those times everything was like they African American people couldn’t be historians, because they only accepted white male Americans, also they were male chauvinist, women couldn’t be historians and not only that, they were excluded from everything, they didn’t have the right to vote, to be in the politics, work, they Jimenez 2 could not do anything. History is successful when it tells you how things where, the only thing that could take you there was the imagination, but now, with all the technology that we have, we even can make a picture or a sketch of how the things were. basing on the things that had been found also. One of the things that the historians did, they constantly criticize, correct and supplement other historian point of view, they get closer to the truth arguing with one another. Historiography reminds you that history is not a closed book, is a reminder that there is always something to argue in history, it make us think or see what was before everything, the changes that have been in the growth of America, politics changes, racial justice, sex, differences in the society, education, labor. There has been a notorious change or evolution on how America has change. There are four stages in which the writing of American history has passed: the providential, the rationalist, the nationalist and the professional. The providential history in the United States from the seventeenth and eighteenth, ministers and magistrates and wrote a made of form of providential history. The puritans who settled in the United States believed that they were chosen by god that led to the form of their history to a holy chronicle one. Puritans used this form of writing for all men anybody that believed in god. The rationalism, they were very different with the providential because they didn’t believed that they were only chosen by god, they believed that opinions or actions should act on reason and knowledge not on their religious belief. They were ruled by the natural law was the idea of Newton, Locke, and the French philosophers (p. 75). The rationalist Jimenez 3 historians were the educated class in the colonies, the new story they told was of progress and reason. most of the historians of the eighteenth century were layer-politicians, planter-aristocrats, merchants or professionals. Tomas Jefferson was influenced by this movement and later on write a book named Notes on the State of Virginia in 1785. This book allow to men to discover and pursue their destiny and believed that they were free. After that, no one was free from slavery. This proves that the history during the rationalism the politicians only tells you what you want to hear, like right now it happens the same, everything was and is only about wealth, power, rights. In nationalist history changed the fact that in this stage the women contributed and argue in theirs perspectives or points of view. historians of women rewrote the story of America from the beginning to the recent past. They did not give women a place in the existing narratives, they just reconceived whole fields of history. An example of the women historians were Hanna Adams, Susanna Rowson, Elizabeth Peabody, and Emma Willard (p. 76) The professional historians started by the middles class that became educated through college or university which became commonly to only white males. History became a profession and the only way to access was to practice it and be at a advanced level in the subject. Their high opinion on distinguish scientifically and prove the truth from a romantic notion. In this time we can see through what has passed American History and learned about the different changes that our history has had, and also this has help to have America Jimenez 4 how is it now. Right now we see the thing different, for example, women can vote, women can do a lot more things that they couldn’t in the past, there is no slavery, everyone is free and follow their dreams and conquer their goals and that’s a big change.

Equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Equality - Essay Example One account of egalitarian justice proponents argues that equality is concerned with ensuring that a society receives equal shares of resources (Kaufman, 1). Analyzing this argument provides a contra view. For example; a person with a large body is not treated equally when given the same amount of food with a person with a much smaller body. This is becauise persons will vary in transforming the foods into their well being. Equality cannot therefore mean giving the same portions of resources to two unequal people, because that would be discriminating against one of them depending on the ability to transform the resources. Felipe and Lustig (33) argue that there is a need to invest more in education of the unskilled laborers by giving the unskilled worker higher wages that would make them to invest in education thus reducing the un equality in education that results to inequality in income. This might not lead to equality in that those with skilled labor would be still earning the same or more as the unskilled people seek education to bridge the gap. At the end of the day, the skilled workers will have higher education and be more skilled, which will translate to more earnings. This can therefore not lead to equality, but the gap between the two still persists. Ruxton (163) explains that inequality in gender between men and women results to poverty in the society and other factors. Therefore, according to Ruxton, gender equality can be prevented through making rural women more financially independent. This would imply that two people of opposite genders having the same level of wealth are equal. The problem with this argument as Ruxton (164) further elaborates is that the difference between the genders is mostly cultivated at the cultural level and no amount of wealth can delete these gender stereotypes. Therefore, this would not result to equality, since it is a

Report on CEDPA Training Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report on CEDPA Training - Essay Example She made us aware of our differences and in doing so helped us develop a greater appreciation for one another. By understanding our cultural diversities, we found that as female leaders we had many common bonds. Xiaoping was able to direct us into our personal learning style and demonstrated how our style could be flexible enough to work across culture lines and develop a team concept. We were challenged to see ourselves as women and understand our gender role. By understanding our selves as a unified team we could begin to mainstream our philosophies. At the heart of GWM's agenda is leadership. GWM stresses that leadership is not supervision and it is not management. The purpose of leadership is to establish a direction and create a vision that can be shared by others. By executing a visionary agenda, the leader inspires and motivates others into action. Instructor Sheila Ramsey instilled in us the idea that only a leader can effect change. In the changing face of the role of women, leadership is our most important quality whether it's in government, business, or the family. We were challenged to create a vision and an environment for that vision to take hold. The new directions envisioned by leadership cost money to adequately pursue. Management and senior staff will need to be creative in their approach to finance the needed projects. The fund raising presentation was given by Sue Richiedei who highlighted the need to have a well-directed fund raising strategy. A determination on the nature, purpose, and extent of the fund raising goals will lay the foundation for the fund raising plan. The course gave additional information on forming a proposal team, criteria for a good proposal, and managing the proposal process. In building an organization or program to aid women it is vital that the group has the ability to sustain itself over time. Xiaoping held a presentation on sustaining an institution through a careful analysis of finance and costs. She pointed to the need to understand where the money was coming from and place a value on its reliability. Will it be there in the future Is it independent of political pressure The importance of the expenditures is as important as the funding. Are the fixed costs really fixed Have we allowed for the fluctuation in variable costs By pinpointing the answers to these questions we can see the long-term outlook and measure the trend into the future. This understanding will give us a measure of sustainability. The care and work that goes into funding mandates that the money be spent with great control. Monitoring and constant evaluation of the project will give us the yardstick we need to measure the program's value. This requires setting baselines and endpoints. It calls for evaluation at pre-set intervals to validate data. The method of collecting and checking data is as important as the overall project. Instructor Jill Posner related the various ways in which an objective may be measured. The information may be totally objective numerical data, or a subjective and qualitative evaluation. These goals and endpoints will be used to form a project management framework. This will be the roadmap for the project's success. Throughout the process of fundraising to implementing a project, communication will be vital to keep the public informed as well as to maintain a

Contemporary British Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Contemporary British Drama - Essay Example In terms of productivity and impact, we can say that since Shakespeare's time, no other historical period has produced more controversial, brilliant and self-reflected plays as the drama in the last century. Changes in British society affected, influenced and are reflected in the tendencies in the theater. As intellectuals, playwrights react to the social changes, political and economic conditions, to internal governmental conflicts and depict them in their plays. In this paper, I will attempt to demonstrate that British identity seen through the eyes of contemporary drama has become unconventional. In the plays "Feel Good" by Alistair Beaton and "In - Yer - Face Theatre" by Alek Sierz Britishness is explored to its minute details in shocking and unexpected revelations. The idea about Britain and British identity that I found most significant and which is conveyed through the above plays is the total and absolute honesty, which at times borders with our own innermost moral principles. The other idea that strikes me is that even though, the plays that I choose are comedies, they dwell on current reality and biting social and political issues feed both the dramatist and audiences imaginati on. The tendency of the British modern drama is to transform and modify essential theatrical elements like dialogue, set and characterization to extremes of parody, satire, exaggerations and deconstructions. Contemporary British drama is essential, because it is part of the cultural dialogue between intellectuals and the whole nation. Plays deliver ideas, not only about the British identity, but also about its self-presentation to the rest of the world. Modern, British playwrights investigate the subtle changes in the kingdom and its socio-political quests. The contemporary British drama is wittily celebrating the class changes and recent class identifications and the formation of a different elite class. The modern age gives the opportunity for playwrights to probe into the existential social anxieties and torment the British nation. The stage is like a mirror for the nation's identity and writers use their verbal and visual resources to describe what matters for their fellow-citizens. Many of the dramatics that successfully presented their plays in the 1970s and 1980s, still continue to actively produce remarkable intellectual masterpieces. Alistair Beaton is Scottish journalist with left wing political convictions. In the last two decades besides his media presentations he succeeded as a very productive novelist and playwright. In his play "Feel Good" Beaton creates an unprecedented political farce. This play is a comic revenge on New Labour spin and the government's grimness. Alistair Beaton's play is about the clandestine panic that underlies Labour's preoccupation with spin. In short, it is about money, though behind the play lurks a deeper point that the author wants to make. Although, it was made to be a comedy, this play is best understood through its current political reality. This is something that Beaton was aiming for. The play is set in a seaside hotel on the eve

WRITTEN PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

WRITTEN PAPER - Essay Example Given the nature of options available, the selection of role model for the given field will be Oprah Winfrey. Being a gifted and talented personality herself, various attributes of given global context such as emergence of feminism and counter culture, technological advancement and development of tabloid talk shows as an accepted genre, allowed her to progress well in her career. Oprah Winfrey managed to emerge as a leading brand name from a local radio station to a news channel and then the TV show having a viewership of millions per episode (Garson, 2004). Despite a troubled childhood, Oprah began working as an anchor in the local TV station however the monotony offered by this position pushed her to move foreword to another chat show with declining ratings. Her communication style and ability to relate to audience made the ratings spiked within months. The resultant was a creation of a leading TV show which was her own product called the Oprah Winfrey show that ran for over twenty five years (Garson, 2004). Another important name on her credentials is The Oprah Winfrey book club whose credibility has driven many authors and their work to top selling charts (Ward, 2011). Other than that, she has also worked in several movies as well. Although Oprah appears to be a media person however her PR strategies and ability to promote transparent journalism are some of the traits required for being an effective international communication strategist or a policy maker for global clients. After using TV as a medium for leaving her mark, she moved onto print media and has launched a women’s magazine with the name O followed by a launch of a radio station. It can be seen that Oprah has fully utilized all media at the right times to reach her viewers. However, more than the selection of right media at the right time, she has presented herself as a media personality who is reliable and responsible and can be trusted by audience. Her major

Education Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Education - Case Study Example fled Athens to the country side to escape his persecutors, saying that he would not allow â€Å"Athenians to sin a second time against philosophy,† referring to the cruelty imparted to Socrates earlier? (Davidson, 2005, pp.159). 16. Who was the ancient Greek philosopher who added drawing to the educational curriculum of Greek society which had until then only three components, literacy, music and gymnastics? (Mahaffy, 2010, pp.52-53) 19. Which ancient Greek scholar prescribed ‘Dorian’ as the most appropriate scale for teaching music as part of education and said that flutes should not be used in teaching the same? (Plato et.al., 1996, pp.49) 24. In which ancient Greek state could we find a home that â€Å"enjoyed the greatest honour and sanctity and the house-mother stood highest in reverence and social importance, and where violations of fidelity were rarest†? (Mahaffy, 2010, pp.121) 32. In which country of ancient Greece, was the education of a woman thought totally unnecessary and â€Å"to see, hear and say as little as possible† was considered as the foremost virtue of a woman? (Powell, 2001, pp.352). 41. Which was the ancient Greek state which kept role of family and state in the area of education, strictly apart, fearing that any merger would hamper the freedom of the individual? (Davidson, 2005,

Methodology of systematic review in health care ( Nursing ) Essay

Methodology of systematic review in health care ( Nursing ) - Essay Example The effectiveness of quality care can be measured through patient satisfaction levels. Providing quality of care in nursing is important because it determines the satisfaction of, patients, nurses and their families and the health care organization (Sherman, Clark & Maloney, 2008). Quality of care has been studied extensively. Research shows that standards must be upheld through comprehensive objectives and specific goals Al-Yousuf, (2002). As a rule it is important that nurses aim to deliver quality care at all times. In so doing patients’ psycho-social and physical well-being are enhanced and they have prompt discharge home from hospital. r. Unfortunately, quality of care is not always in evidence. Consequently patients suffer and feel dissatisfied (Daly et al., 2004) A case in point in the health care field is Dammam Hospitals. Although the quality of care being delivered is good, there is observational evidence from nursing leaders that this could be improved. This is furt her evidence by patients feed back obtained through survey results received from patient satisfaction. In Saudi Arabia, nursing organizations operate in a top-down fashion according to levels of authority. The structure of nursing starts with higher authority system control from the ministry and extends downward to the nursing directors in the hospitals, nursing supervisors, nursing staff, and finally, nursing assistants (nursing leaders does not seem to feature here) (Al-Yousuf, 2002). Since macro-politics do impinge on care, it is critical for nursing leaders to have a good grasp of political issues and how this in turn can impact on care. Parallel with this, nursing leaders needs to possess other specific attributes in the following domains such as decision-making skills, technology skills, interpersonal skills, team-building skills, organizational skills, and effective communication skills. As a nursing Leader

Five network management categories making up the FCAPS model Essay

Five network management categories making up the FCAPS model - Essay Example CISCO (2009) provided the information that this specification was introduced by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and became known as a draft standard in 1995 in RFC 1757. This specification enables the network to be monitored from various aspects with the help of functions and statistics that facilitate communication with the console managers and network probes. SearchSecruity.com (1998) defined network probe as the act of attaining knowledge about a network by inserting a program or a device at a certain point on the network. The exchange of information between the RMON probes and RMON console managers takes place on the basis of simple network management protocol (SNMP). RMON probes are programmed to communicate with the console managers on the basis of their IP. The primary function of the RMON probe is to measure the packet flow at a certain juncture in the network to generate statistical information. The information is sent to RMON console managers where the network manager can analyze the data and judge the condition of the network. Aoshima (2000) stated that the RMON probes send statistical data to the RMON managers where it is converted into more comprehensive statistical formats, for example, lists and graphs. The statistical nature of the information facilitates fast and effective decision making and analysis. Aoshima (2000) also pointed out that the format of statistical data is based on the RMON Management Information Base (MIB). MIB possesses different monitoring mechanisms, namely RMON1 and RMON2. RMON1 possesses statistical information regarding the data link layer and physical layer, while the other one contains information about the n etwork layer and application layer. The information in RMON1 relates to the MAC addresses and ports, whereas RMON2 contains information about IP addresses and applications. RMON managers are designated to overlook all the branch networks to

The quantity of pennies Essay Example for Free

The quantity of pennies Essay (1) Draw an indifference curve map with the quantity of pennies are on the horizontal axis and the quantity of nickels are on the vertical axis. Given the shape of your indifference curve, how would you describe the typical relationship between these two â€Å"products†? The two goods are perfect substitutes for each other. 5pennies are equivalent to a nickel. (2) You and I are in consumer equilibrium. CDs cost 10 dollars each and cassette tapes only 2 dollars each. I consume CDs and cassettes. You consume only cassettes. What can you infer about my MRS (marginal rate of substitution) of CDs and tapes? What about your MRS. Since both individuals are in consumer equilibrium, for you, the MRS should equal the price ratio since you consume both goods. Hence MRS = 10/2 = 5.  For me since I consume only cassettes at my equilibrium, it implies that I consider CD’s a neutral good. Therefore my indifference curves are horizontal (assuming CD’s are on the horizontal axis). Hence MRS is zero, since no amount of increase in CD’s can change your utility unless you have more cassettes. (3) The price of driving a car is 30 cents per mile. The cost of riding the bus is 60 cents per mile. At the moment, your Marginal Utility of the last mile of car transportation is 80 units, and the Marginal Utility of your last mile of bus transportation is 150 units. Are you maximizing your utility? Explain your answer. If I’m maximizing my utility then the marginal utility derived from the last cent spent on each good must be equal. The marginal utility from the last cent spent on driving a car is = 80/30 =8/3=2.67 The marginal utility from the last cent spent on riding the bus = 150/60 =5/2=2.5 Hence I’m not maximizing my utility. I can increase my  utility by spending less on bus rides and more on driving the car. (4) Let’s say your consumption basket is made up of two goods, â€Å"X† and â€Å"Y†. Your income is â€Å"I†. The market prices you face for these two goods are PX and PY. Draw an initial equilibrium point for your consumption of these two goods. (Restate the formula for the relation between your marginal rate of substitution and the market values of â€Å"X† and â€Å"Y† at the point of equilibrium.) Now, you suddenly crave good â€Å"X† much more relative to â€Å"Y† than previously. this do to your indifference curve and equilibrium position? Why? After you crave more â€Å"X† relative to â€Å"Y†, the price of â€Å"X† rises dramatically. your graph what does this do you your equilibrium position? Now, your income doubles. What does Draw on Graph your new equilibrium position. By doing this exercise, you get a sense of how your real income and purchasing power, and consumption changes, as your tastes, income and market conditions change. Remember there are three components here: Your psychological makeup – your indifference curve Your income – the result of all your hard work and application of skills The prices you face, determined by the market. In the â€Å"real world† this is a situation that will always hold true for you as you interact with the world of goods and services. At the equilibrium, the MRS=price ratio = PX/PY. At the equilibrium, the indifference curve is tangential to the budget line. MRS =MUX/MUY =PX/PY, i.e. MUX/PX = MUY/PY Now it is given that X is â€Å"craved† much more for relative to Y. Hence the indifference curves becomes steeper. That is now you are willing to give up more amount of Y to have a unit more of X. Alternatively, it can be said that you need more of Y to leave you indifferent for the same decrease in X. Hence the slope of the indifference curve, i.e. the marginal rate of substitution increases, i.e. MUx/MUY increases. We know that the price ratio doesn’t vary. Hence at the original equilibrium, we have MUX/PXMUY/PY. Therefore you will consume more of X and less of Y at the new equilibrium, since your receiving more from the last dollar spent on X than Y. Now the price of X rises. Since we are at an equilibrium, MUX/PX=MUY/PY. But since Px is higher, your budget curve pivots inward. With the substitution effect you consume less of X and more of Y. With the income effect you consume less of both goods (since real income has decreased). Therefore at the new equilibrium, you consume less of X and the amount of consumption of Y depends on the relative strength of the two effects. (5) Think of a commercial establishment (department store, coffee shop, gas station, store from which you make common purchases – that is spending your hard-earned money) and think through the questions in the previous exercise (4) as they would apply yourself and to the goods offered by this establishment. That is, take any two goods or groups of goods from the store you have chosen and re-do the questions in (4) as they would really apply to you and your tastes. Now you are thinking economics and thinking creatively as well! Consider choice made between having fruit beer(X) or having ice cream(Y) after dinnerassuming that both are good goods. At the equilibrium, the MRS=price ratio = PX/PY. At the equilibrium, the indifference curve is tangential to the budget line. MRS =MUX/MUY =PX/PY, i.e. MUX/PX = MUY/PY Now it is given that X(fruit beer) is â€Å"craved† much more for relative to Y(ice cream). Hence the indifference curves becomes steeper. That is now you are willing to give up more amount of Y to have a unit more of X.  Alternatively, it can be said that you need more of Y to leave you indifferent for the same decrease in X. Hence the slope of the indifference curve, i.e. the marginal rate of substitution increases, i.e. MUx/MUY increases. We know that the price ratio doesn’t vary. Hence at the original equilibrium, we have MUX/PXMUY/PY. Therefore you will consume more of X and less of Y at the new equilibrium, since your receiving more from the last dollar spent on X than Y. Now the price of X rises. Since we are at an equilibrium, MUX/PX=MUY/PY. But since Px is higher, your budget curve pivots inward. With the substitution effect you consume less of X and more of Y. With the income effect you consume less of both goods (since real income has decreased). Therefore at the new equilibrium, you consume less of X and the amount of consumption of Y depends on the relative strength of the two effects. (6) You are willing to accept risk for rewards. For example, you are willing to take real tough courses at UCD because if you do well, it will look like you are a hard worker on your transcript (and that is a good thing). Okay, the reward is what could be on your transcript but the risk is that you MAY pull down your GPA. Draw an indifference curve for your two â€Å"goods†, risk and reward for your decision to take or not take the hard courses. Put the good, reward, on the X axis. What do micro-economists call these two goods with respect to the indifference map? Now, suddenly you are really afraid to take the hard courses (that is, you now have a greater fear of failure). How does that change your indifference map? You have upward sloping indifference curves between risk and reward, i.e. for a given level of utility; if you face more risk then you require more rewards to keep you at that level of utility. You consider risk to be a bad good while reward to be a â€Å"good† good. Since you are afraid to take hard courses, you require more reward for taking the same risk to induce you to take that course. Hence the indifference curves become flatter. (7) The price of good X is $2. The price  of good Y is $6. You have income of $30. In the case where you prefer to consume X, what will your indifference map look like? Give a numeric example of how much of the two goods you will consume in equilibrium. What will be the ratio of the marginal utilities of these two goods? What exactly will be the level of your utility at equilibrium? At the equilibrium, your MRS equals the price ratio. Hence MRS=1/3. Consider the utility function, U(x,y) =xy. Hence MRS = y/x. At equilibrium, x=3y. The budget equation is 2x+6y=30. Hence at the equilibrium, 12y=30, i.e. y=2.5 and x=7.5. u(x,y) = 18.75. (8) Automobile bodies and automobile wheels are perfect complements. Normally, four wheels are consumed for each body purchased. Draw the typical consumer’s indifference map for these two goods, auto bodies, and auto wheels. What can you say about the point of equilibrium for the typical consumer of these two items? Indicate the point of equilibrium on the diagram for lower and higher levels of personal income. At the point of equilibrium, a consumer consumes only an integer amount of the two goods. He consumes x cars and the corresponding amount of wheels, i.e. (4*x) since you require 4 wheels for each car. Your equilibrium is at the point where the budget curve is tangent to the indifference curve, i.e. at the kink of the IC’s. Suppose a person has income sufficient to buy only one car. The his equilibrium point is at L. Compared to this a relatively higher income level individual will consume more number of cars, say like point H at his equilibrium. (9) With respect to three goods – ice cream, green tea, and digital cameras, what does it means when your preference for, and satisfaction gained from, these three goods are consistent with the assumptions of completeness, transitivity, and (what I call) the â€Å"pig theory† of demand. When preferences are said to be complete, it implies that you can rank the three goods in terms of your preferences between them. It can never be the case that you don’t know your preference ranking between two goods. When your preferences are said to be transitive then if you prefer x to y and then y to z, then it must be the case that you prefer x to z. If not then your preferences violate transitivity. If preferences satisfy completeness and transitivity then as the price of the good increases the demand for the good falls. This is the pig theory of demand. (10) What does it mean when we say that the MRS is A NEGTIVE VALUE on the indifference curve? Indifference curves are downward sloping and the level of utility is constant along an indifference curve. As you give up some unit of the good on X axis, say X, you need more of the good on Y axis, say Y, to keep your utility level constant. Hence the slope of the indifference curve, which is the MRS, i.e. the ratio in which you are will to substitute one good for the other while remaining at the same level of utility, is negative. It is negative since as the amount of X decreases, Y has to increase. (11) If your equilibrium point between two goods X and Y is a CORNER SOLUTION, and you are on the X axis, what does that indicate about the relation between your personal MRS between X and Y and the market determined price ratio Px/Py? Why is this a corner solution? In case of corner solution, at the equilibrium the price ratio and the MRS are not equal, unlike in the case of an interior solution. Since you are on X axis and hence consuming only X and zero amount of Y, the MRS =∞, i.e. no amount of Y can increase your utility level for the given level of X. (12) If your equilibrium point between two goods X and Y is a CORNER SOLUTION, and you are on the Y axis, what does that indicate about the relation between your personal MRS between X and Y and the market determined price ratio Px/Py? Why is this a corner solution? In case of corner solution, at the equilibrium the price ratio and the MRS are not equal, unlike in the case of an interior solution. Since you are on Y axis and hence consuming only Y and zero amount of X, the MRS =0, i.e. no amount of X can increase your utility level for the given level of Y. (13)How might an indifference curve map indicate your personal preferences if you believe in the following: Coke is just as good as Pepsi You consider Pepsi and Coke to be perfect substitutes for each other and hence your indifference curves will be straight lines. I hate rainy days and just love sunny days. You consider rainy days to be bad goods. Given rainy days is on the vertical axis and sunny days are on the horizontal axis, your indifference curves are upward sloping with utility increasing along the horizontal axis. Compared to everything else I could possible buy, I absolutely, positively want an Audi tt sports car. Having an Audi is your satiation point or your bliss point. Hence your indifference curve are concentric circles around this point. Baskin-Robbins Jamoca Almond Fudge ® ice cream is so addictive. flavor is absolutely huge!. My craving for this If the fudge ice cream is on the horizontal axis, then your indifference curves are relatively steep, i.e. you are willing to give up the ice cream only if you receive relatively large amounts of the other goods in compensation. I like ice cream, but under very few circumstances will I eat yoghurt. You consume ice cream and yoghurt in a particular combination. Hence these two goods are considered as perfect complements of each other but with greater weight on ice creams. Therefore your indifference curves are L shaped. (14) Draw an indifference map where at your point of consumption your MRS between X and Y is 3 and the price of X is $1.00 and the price of Y is $1.00. Is there anything you can do to raise your level of satisfaction? If so, what is it? If increasing your utility is possible, where do you want to  end up on the diagram and why? The MRS =3 while the price ratio is =1. Hence you are not at the optimum. At the utility maximizing point we require MRS=PX/PY. i.e. MRS=MUx/MUy = PX/PY, i.e. MUx/Px=MUy/Py. In this case we have, MUx/Px=3 while MUy/Py =1. Hence you are getting more utility from the last dollar spent on X than from Y. Therefore you can increase your utility by consuming more X and less Y. (15) Draw an indifference map where at your point of consumption your MRS between X and Y is 1 and the price of X is $3.00 and the price of Y is $1.00. Is there anything you can do to raise your level of satisfaction? If so, what is it? If increasing your utility is possible, where do you want to end up on the diagram and why? The MRS =1 while the price ratio is =3. Hence you are not at the optimum. At the utility maximizing point we require MRS=PX/PY. i.e. MRS=MUx/MUy = PX/PY, i.e. MUx/Px=MUy/Py. In this case we have, MUx/Px=1/3 while MUy/Py =1. Hence you are getting more utility from the last dollar spent on Y than from X. Therefore you can increase your utility by consuming more Y and less X.  (16) The Addictive Foods Corporation wants you do purchase and eat as much of its possible as is humanly possible. So Addictive Foods designs a pricing strategy to encourage this result. Given your own utility preferences for products of the type marketed and sold by Addictive, what is the likely shape of your budget constraint? Where might you end up on this constraint? If the pricing campaign is totally successful, where might most people end up on the constraint? The budget constraint is likely to be relatively flat (assuming food is on the horizontal axis) since Addictive Foods Corporation would charge a  relatively lower price. Given your preferences, you are likely to end up consuming relatively large amounts of food. If the pricing strategy is successful most people would end up to the right of the midpoint of their budget constraint, i.e. they would consume relatively large amounts of food. (17) The Greenie Energy Corporation wants you to conserve your household energy use – electricity and gas. So Greenie designs a pricing strategy to encourage this result. Given your own utility preferences for the energy marketed and sold by Greenie, what is the likely shape of your budget constraint? Where might you end up on this constraint? If the pricing campaign is totally successful, where might most people end up on the constraint? The budget constraint is likely to be steep (assuming that energy is on the horizontal axis). Greenie Energy Corporation would charge a relatively high price to discourage usage of  energy. Given your preferences, you are likely to end up consuming relatively small amounts of energy. If the pricing strategy is successful most people would end up to the left of the midpoint of their budget constraint, i.e. they would consume relatively small amounts of energy. HW 2. (1) What does â€Å"homogeneity† of demand mean? If the prices of all goods rises by 10% and you get a 10% income raise, what happens to your â€Å"real† income and purchasing power. If you were to represent this situation on an indifference map as you consumed goods X and Y, how would you show it? Homogeneity of demand is x(p,m) = x(ap,am), i.e. as income and prices increase by same proportion, the demand remains unchanged. If the prices of all goods rise by 10% and income increases by 10%, then your real income and purchasing power remains unchanged. On the indifference map you remain at your initial equilibrium. (2) You consume two goods, X and Y. You really prefer X to Y. Also for you Y is an Inferior good. X is a Normal good. Starting from an initial position of equilibrium, you face a sudden rise in income. Go re-establish a new equilibrium. How would you represent all of this on your indifference map? As your income increases, given that Y is inferior, you will consume less of Y and more of X. You move to a higher indifference curve and hence attain more utility since the budget set has expanded. (3) You are in equilibrium on your indifference map with respect to X and Y. Your income does not change, but the price of X falls. You move to a new point of equilibrium on the indifference map. Show: Where you end up if both X and Y are normal goods. Where you end up if X is normal and Y is inferior. Where you end up if X is inferior and Y is normal. Now: Show the impact of the income and substitution effects with respect to your consumption of the good X in each of the three cases. Are the substitution effects different in each of these three two cases? As the price of X falls you will consume more and X and less of Y under the substitution effect. This holds across the three cases.  In case of X and Y being normal goods, a fall in the price of X increases your real income and hence with the income effect you consume more of both X and Y. At the new equilibrium you will consume more X and the amount of Y consumed depends on the relative strengths of the substitution and income effects. In case of X being normal and Y being an inferior good, a fall in the price of X increases your real income and hence with the income effect you consume more of X and less of Y. At the new equilibrium you will consume more X and the amount of Y consumed falls. In case of X being an inferior good and Y being a normal good, a fall in the price of X increases your real income and hence with the income effect you consume less of X and more of Y. At the new equilibrium your consumption of X and Y depends on the relative strengths of the substitution and income effects. For instance, if the substitution effect is stronger then you will consume more X and less Y. (4) What is a Giffen Paradox? If the good X is subject to a Giffen Paradox, show with indifference curve, how you would respond to a sudden rise in the price of X. Show the income and substitution effects with respect to your consumption of X after the price rise. According to the Giffen paradox as the income increases, you consume less of the good. For a given rise in price of X, the substitution effect induces you to consume less of X and more of Y. Since your real income has reduced, the income effect induces to consume more X (by Giffen paradox) and the consumption of Y reduces. At the new equilibrium, the final consumption of X and Y depends on the relative strength of income and substitution effects. If the income effect is stronger, then you will consume more X and less of Y at the new equilibrium. (5) Using indifference curve analysis, show how a TAX on the consumption of the good X can be less satisfactory from a satisfaction standpoint (utility standpoint) than a tax that raises the equivalent amount of money on income. A tax on X changes the price ratio and budget curve pivots inward. Let e1 be the new equilibrium point. For an equivalent tax on income, the new budget line will pass through this point parallel to the original indifference curve. The indifference curve at the equilibrium e1 cuts the budget curve with tax on income. Hence you move to a new indifference curve which is tangential to the budget curve with income tax, with the new equilibrium lying to the right of e1 and hence on a higher indifference curve. (6) Using indifference curve analysis, show how a unit TAX on the consumption of the good X that is completely reimbursed back to the consumer can lead to less satisfaction than before, even when the entire tax amount is handed  back to the consumer. (7) You are in equilibrium on your indifference map in your consumption of X and Y. The price of X drops. Show where you might end up if X and Y were complement goods. Show where you might end up if X and Y demonstrated substitutability. In case of complementary goods, a fall in price of X results in increase in consumption of both X and Y in a given proportion (depends on the ratio in which you consume the two). In case of substitutes assume that the price ratio equals the MRS which implies that you are consuming positive amounts of both goods at your equilibrium. However once the price of X falls, it makes X relatively cheaper of the two goods and being perfect substitutes, you will spend your entire income on X and none of Y. (8) Here is a question that deals with the notion of exogenous variables and your ability to consume goods and services. Let’s say that you live on a Pacific Island with a bunch of other people. Let’s say as well is that your â€Å"profession† is to make and sell â€Å"wind kites†. This is a very desirable form of entertainment for the islanders. The market has determined the price of what you make (wind-kites), and the prices of all of the other things that you want to buy. You consume coffee and candy as goods X and Y. Your income is from the sale of wind-kites. You face two issues: First, you really want more coffee and candy than you can afford, and Second, some other people are out there also making wind-kites. So, what do you propose to do to raise your â€Å"income† (push out your budget constraint) in order to consume more of these two items that you really crave? How would you represent your successful efforts on a two-dimension graph? What if the price of coffee skyrockets? What happens to your graph? What happens to your consumption of coffee and candy if both are normal goods? What additional steps might you take to maintain your purchasing power over the goods you demand to consume? When it comes to your manufacture of wind-kites, can you think in what ways any accumulated knowledge and wisdom on the island (the past experience and  efforts of other people) helps you in your profession? Note: there are many possible answers to (8), but all follow a correct micro-economic logic. And this is an economic logic that we all face every day of our lives in the real world. I want to consume more coffee and candy but I am constrained by my budget. Hence to consume more of these goods I need to increase my budget, i.e. income and this can be done only by increasing profits from selling kites. One is to reduce the cost of manufacturing the kites which will in turn lead to higher profit margins on each unit of kite sold. Also there are others selling wind kites. To increase sales revenue, I can also lower my price, but this requires the demand for kites to be inelastic and my price cut should not be matched by the other kite sellers. If I can increase my income then I can consume more of the two goods and hence move to a higher indifference curve at the new equilibrium.  However if the price of coffee increases, then under the substitution effect I consume less of coffee and more candy. But my real income has fallen and thus the income effect induces me to reduce consumption of both goods. At the final equilibrium, I will consume less coffee. The relative consumption level of candy depends on the strength of substitution effect relative to the income effect. If I can make use of accumulated knowledge and wisdom on the island, then it will help lower my costs of production and thus increase my profit margin on each unit sold. (9) Simple, but important. What is the difference between a â€Å"shift in demand† (an increase or decrease in demand) and a â€Å"change in the quantity demanded†? What do these concepts have to do with endogenous and exogenous variables? A shift in demand implies movement along different demand curves. A demand curve shifts when an exogenous variable changes. A change in quantity demanded is a movement along the demand curve. A change  in demand occurs when the endogenous variable varies. (10) Now here is a challenge. If you can work through the answer to this problem and understand it, you will have an insight as to what can drive national economic and most especially foreign policy of a country like the United States. The GDP of the USA is almost 70% consumption of goods and services by individuals. It is desire and possibility to consume all these goods that provide incentives for businesses to  make the goods and therefore provide employment and income for hundreds of millions of people.  Just about all of the goods that we consume and use in the USA are made with petroleum (oil) as an input. Soap, plastics, machines, medicines, and (obviously) gasoline and diesel fuel are examples. Suppose we had an indifference curve that showed the relationship between the consumption of all oil and oil-based goods (X) and all other goods (Y) for all Americans. Show what would typically happen in terms of income effects, substitution effects, and welfare loss if the US suddenly faced a large rise in the price of imported oil. A large rise in the price of imported oil would make imports relatively expensive. Given that 70% of income is spent on imports, the increase in price of imports significantly reduces the purchasing power of income and you move to a lower indifference curve. Hence there is a large reduction in welfare. (11) An issue facing just about all consumers (ALL OF US) is that of trying to move out the budget constraint (increasing purchasing power through a rise in income). I admit, I want that too. Using indifference curve analysis, we see how movements in income can â€Å"compensate† for price changes. Let’s say you were faced with a rise in the general price level for the goods you desire to consume. How would this impact your position in the budget-constraint indifference curve diagram?  Now, remembering the diagram about earnings and wage-power that I put on the board in an early lecture, think of ways that you could try to remedy this situation, right now? Remember the three factors that will determine how  much purchasing power you will have over the goods and services that others in the community produce (should you WANT to consume them). What resources are there in the community that can help you solve this problem? (This is a very practical and real-life question that should make our ECN 100 theory more relevant to you.) A general rise in the price of goods would shift the budget constraint inward, i.e. your budget set contracts since the purchasing power reduces. This induces you to move to a lower indifference curve. The lower purchasing power can be compensated for by increasing the number of hours worked (i.e. by reducing leisure enjoyed). Alternatively, you can invest your income in inflation-indexed bonds which will prevent your purchasing power from decreasing. (12) Which of the two phrases that follow would indicate a demand curve moving vertically or horizontally?  An article that coffee is healthy results in people drinking more coffee at any price. An article that coffee is healthy results in people wanting to pay more for coffee no matter how much they drink.  The first article indicates a shift of the demand curve. The article induces people to change their tastes and hence consume more coffee at the same price. (13) If he price of coffee rises from $3 to $4 per pound and as a result you lower your consumption of coffee from 4 pounds per week to 3 pounds per week, what is your personal elasticity of demand for coffee? Is your demand elastic or inelastic at this point? The elasticity is given by e=(dQ/dP)/(P/Q) = -1*(3/4) =0.75. Your demand is inelastic at this point since ebagels purchased? What can Noah expect to happen to his total revenue earned after this price increase of the bagel? Why would a typical business desire a demand curve for its product that is as least elastic or as inelastic as possible? We can assume that the price elasticity for Noah’s Bagels is inelastic if it is less than 1. We can define price elasticity as, e= (% change in demand)/(%change in price). Since demand is inelastic, e If the price elasticity of demand is inelastic, then as the price increases, the total revenue will increase. If the price elasticity of demand is elastic, then as the price increases the total revenue falls. For unitary elastic demand, for changes in price, the total revenue remains unchanged. (16) If a linear demand curve has a slope of One, what is the value of the price elasticity of demand on this demand curve at its midpoint? What is the value of the price elasticity on the curve above the midpoint? Below the midpoint? For a linear demand curve of slope=1, we have dQ/dP=1. At the midpoint, P=Q. Hence e=(dQ/dP)/(P/Q) =1. For any point above the midpoint, PQ, thus e1 and for any point below the demand curve, P  changes for coffee, why is it that the demand curve would ALWAYS be downward sloping. Show how this demand curve would be determined using the indifference map and budget constraint diagram for a typical coffee consumer. The substitution effect induces the consumer to consume more of the relatively cheaper good. Hence as the price of a good increases you will substitute away from it. Hence the demand curve under the substitution effect is downward sloping. An increase in the price of X pivots the budget curve inwards around the vertical intercept. To capture the substitution effect, a new budget curve where the real income is held constant is defined. The initial equilibrium is at e0. For the budget curve to the right of e0 lies below the original budget curve and hence was already affordable. Hence the consumer will consume to the left of e0 under the new equilibrium. Hence as the price of X increases, the substitution effect induces the consumer to reduce the consumption of X. (19) Let’s say the commodity â€Å"X† is a Giffen Good. Using the indifference map and budget constraint for the typical consumer of this good, show how the combination of the substation and income effects results is an UPWARD SLOPING demand curve for â€Å"X†. For a given rise in price of X, the substitution effect induces you to consume less of X and more of Y. Since your real income has reduced, the income effect induces to consume more X (by Giffen paradox) and the consumption of Y reduces. At the new equilibrium, the final consumption of X and Y depends on the relative strength of income and substitution effects. If the income effect is stronger, then you will consume more X and less of Y at the new equilibrium. Hence as the price of X increases, you consume more of X and hence the demand curve is upward sloping. (20) This next question is related for (6) above and is repeated for emphasis. Your government wants you to consume less Coffee. It believes that the caffeine in coffee is harmful to your health. Thus, your government decides to place a tax on your purchase of coffee. Coffee is a NORMAL good.  This tax is a FIXED PERCENTAGE of the price (amount of money) you pay to this product. For every dollar you spend on coffee, you pay a â€Å"t† percent tax on that dollar. Therefore the more money you spend on coffee, the more tax you pay. BUT, your government feels sorry for you and decides to rebate back to you the tax you pay on the coffee that you purchase (all of it). With the rebate, you can do what you wish. Please use the tools we have developed thus far in the course to show: (1) The original consumer equilibrium before the tax and the impact of the tax on the budget line and the new consumer equilibrium after the imposition of the tax. (2) The impact of the tax rebate on the consumer and the new consumer equilibrium after the rebate. (3) How the new consumer equilibrium with the rebate leaves the consumer â€Å"worse off† than had the tax not been levied in the first place. Since you are moving to a lower indifference curve after the rebate, you are worse off under this system. (21) If potatoes are an inferior good, how would we show that to be the case using a simple calculation of the income elasticity of demand for potatoes? Income elasticity can be defines as, ei = (dQ/dI)/(I/Q). Since potatoes are inferior goods, as the income increases you consume less of it, i.e. (dQ/dI) Assuming that the demand is linear, i.e. it is a straight line joining (0,10) and (10,0), the consumer surplus for P=5 will be half the area of the triangle enclosed by the demand curve. Hence consumer surplus =  ½*[1/2*10*10] =$25. Consumer surplus on a unit sold is the difference between what the consumer is willing to pay for that less the amount he actually has to pay. Therefore the lower the price he has to actually pay relative to his willingness to pay, greater is his consumer surplus and hence greater the welfare.

Roles and responsibilities of a teacher

Roles and responsibilities of a teacher Review your own roles and responsibilities as a Teacher, in terms of the Teaching/Training Cycle, identifying boundaries that should be set. INTRODUCTION In every profession, there are roles and responsibilities and boundaries that are set in order to divide the line that indicates the farthest limit. Roles and Responsibilities are important because they would facilitate order in any given organisation and allow personal and organisational objectives to be met, as those with Roles will be accountable to their functions. Actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group are referred to as Roles while the obligations to carry forward an assigned task to a successful conclusion are referred to as Responsibilities. All learning institutions are subject to legislation. It is of relevance that in this assignment I link these roles and responsibilities to current legislative requirements such as Disability Discrimination Act, (DDA), Special Education Needs (SEN), and Equal Opportunities. Under the Professional Code of Practice, I have responsibilities as a teacher to undertake 30 hours of Continued Professional Development per year and I must also update my subject knowledge. I must therefore, have clarity on my roles and responsibilities in order to prevent omission of duty. In this assignment I will examine the Roles and Responsibilities of a Teacher in relation to the Teaching/Training Cycle. This will lead to focussing on professional activities within the learning cycle. I will also recognise the professional boundaries that govern a teachers behaviour in order to comply with the Professional code of conduct. It is therefore, of significance that I discuss where the teachers different roles stop. After analysing this topic, I will come up with a conclusion. Holtrop (1997) suggests that Obviously teachers wear many hats: friend, counsellor, judge, mentor, hundreds of roles and different roles for different classes, students and extracurricular duties. In relation to the Training cycle, I have a role of Assessor. A majority of learners will have different individual learning needs and for me to accommodate their needs, I need to have assessment skills that will promote equality, diversity and inclusion. I will link this to Domain A of the LLUK Standards which states one of the professional practices as Apply principles to evaluate and develop own practice in promoting equality and inclusive learning and engaging with diversity. I can achieve this by carrying out thorough initial assessments that will help me to identify different learner needs such as poor writing skills, poor reading skills, disabilities etc. This would be in line with Domain C Ways to identify individual learning needs and potential barriers to learning in own specialist area. This will make it easier for both the learner and me to access learning and deliver learning respectively, because based on the assessment needs that I will identify, I must have knowledge understanding of how I will apply the different assessment methods like formative and summative assessments to meet these needs. This may increase the level of motivation to both the learner and teacher. I will link this to Domain E which is about assessment for learning Theories and principles of assessment and the application of different forms of assessment, including initial, formative and summative assessment in teaching and learning. In my role as a teacher I am to conduct initial assessments which will help me to identify learners needs, knowledge and skills and also help to identify referral points against levels within the National Standards. When I identify needs that need to be referred, I will have to give the learner information, advice and guidance to where they are being referred. This will be linked to Domain F which is about access and progression- sources of information, advice, guidance and support to which learners might be referred. This also promotes the Wayt (2008) explains that Assessing varying learning styles within a group and considering learners motivation and previous experiences helps identify various teaching methods that could be useful throughout the programme. Sessions incorporating visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles ensures students have equal rights to learning and provide the opportunity to re-evaluate what is already known while exploring aims and objectives from a different perspective. The initial assessment will provide me with some important detail to inform the plan, which will be revised on an on-going basis to monitor the learners progress and identify any subsequent support needs. Both learner and teacher will be aware of what the learner knows and is able to do and what he/she needs to learn. It is also important for me and the learner to know how the learner likes to learn; as this helps me to identify barriers to learning such as difficulties in reading, writing, numeric, language skills and any other disabilities and will make reasonable adjustments in order to use the appropriate assessment methods that will meet the individual learners needs and promote equality and diversity. At this stage, should any learner require support which is beyond my competence, I will refer and ensure that I give the learner the right information on their referral, so as to meet the professional standards in Domain F of the LLUK Sources of information, advice, guidance and s upport to which learners might be referred. This is in line with the Equal Opportunities Act (2004) which states that all learners must have equal access to learning regardless of their learning barriers, disabilities, sex, religion, and race. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995(as amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001) disabled learners must not be treated less favourably and teachers must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled learners are not at a substantial disadvantage compared to their peers. . Following the initial assessment, I should do a diagnostic assessment in order to identify specific individual needs and support required and this will lead to the creation of a detailed personal profile, providing the basis for an Individual Learning Plan. As an Assessor, I have limits to this role. By doing a thorough assessment, I may identify needs that are beyond my competence and may need to refer the learner appropriately. For example, if I identify that a Learner has financial needs, I may need to refer the said learner to the appropriate department. This in itself is helping meet the learners need and adhering to the professional boundaries. It would be very unprofessional for a teacher to give money to a learner to fund his/her education or get money from a learner. This is to conform to the LLUK standard in Domain A which states that Conform to statutory requirements and apply codes of practice and also Domain F which says Boundaries of own role in supporting learners. And one of the professional code of practice introduced by the Institute for Learning (IFL) states that a teacher must protect the interest of the learners and the wider public and any member of the Institute for Learning who breaches the code will be subject t o disciplinary investigation as described by the disciplinary procedure. Let me look at another role of a teacher. As a teacher, I am a Planner, in that I plan appropriate, effective, coherent and inclusive learning programmes that promote equality and engage with diversity. This means I should plan for the use of different teaching methods and activities which are in line with the curriculum requirements and meet the needs of the learners. These may be group discussions, questioning etc. This is in line with the LLUK Standard Domains B and D BK2.1 Principles of learning and ways to provide learning activities to meet curriculum requirements and the needs of all learners. DK 1.1 How to plan appropriate, effective, coherent and inclusive learning programmes that promote equality and engage with diversity. Planning is a very important role for me because it will direct or guide me in the delivery session. My planning will depend on the identified individual needs, which will prompt me to use the appropriate teaching methods. This is because I am required to ensure that the identified needs of my learners are properly taken care of in my planning process. Without planning, I might not be able to meet the learners needs and may not deliver in line with the curriculum. This may result in de-motivation and dissatisfaction to both the learner and I, as learners will feel they have not been catered for and I will feel I have not played my role as a planner. In view of the on going assessments, I am responsible for preparing the assessments in such a way that they meet the needs of individual learners and promote equality, diversity and inclusion. In this case, it is important for me to use different assessment methods such as formative and summative assessments. These could be direct observation, oral questioning, professional discussion, witness testimony of case studies. When this is done, I will have met the LLUK Standard Domain E Theories and principles of assessment and the application of different forms of assessment, including initial, formative and summative in teaching and learning. It is part of my responsibility to ensure that learners are involved in planning for assessments. Learners should not be subjected to a surprise assessment. I should always involve them at the planning stage and be able to give them opportunities to make their own suggestions and choices without putting them in situations where they feel overwhelmed . This will give them a sense of ownership. This is in line with LLUK Standard Domain E Ensure that learners understand, are involved and share in responsibility for assessment of their learning. The planning session should be able to meet the individual learner needs, by considering different resources that will promote fair and effective assessment. For example, a teacher who is going to assessor a learner at a place of work must have planned in advance with the learner, who might have suggested that it was better to do the assessment in the morning because that is when a lot of activities take place. If this happens, it is most likely that the learner will feel at ease and have a sense of fulfilment because he/she has been involved in the planning process and his/her need met. This is linked to Domain E Apply appropriate methods of assessment fairly and effectively. A teacher is also an Information Provider (Lecturer). In reference to the Teaching/Learning cycle, this role requires me to deliver/implement teaching as planned and designed, inclusively to promote equality and diversity. Gay (2000) states that, It is very important for teachers to appreciate the impact culture has on learning. Furthermore, they must make their teaching well suited to the social cultural contexts and frames of reference of ethnically diverse students.  Ã‚   I must therefore, take the differentiation approach, to be able to offer a range of approaches and resources to meet the needs of an individual or a group of learners. It is my responsibility to develop and produce teaching and learning materials appropriate for a range of contexts, purposes and target audiences. Different learners have different levels of understanding and knowledge, and if I am to cater for their needs, I will have to use different teaching tools, such as DVDs, handouts and practical demonstrations(which must be referenced to the curriculum) When applied these teaching tools will promote equality, diversity and inclusion and will have the potential for language, literacy, numeracy and information and communicat ion technology for learners and will make it easier for those who understand visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning. For example, a learner who understands well when they see might need to watch the video to get understanding. This can be linked to Domain B of the LLUK Standards Ways to ensure that resources used are inclusive, promote equality and support. This can also be linked to Bloom (1997)s taxonomy where he separates out learning into three Domains Cognitive domain concerns our thinking and memory and our capacity for understanding. The psychomotor domain deals with our abilities, the skills that we have, what we can physically do. Affective domain relates to our understanding, i.e. our approach, our attitude to what we do. I am also responsible for making the learning environment a safe place to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974.) This calls for risk assessments, which help to identify any hazards that would hinder learning. According to Maslows pyramid, everyone needs to feel protected against any life threatening cause. This is also in accordance with the LLUK Standard Domain B- which states that Ways to maintain a learning environment in which learners feel safe and supported. It is therefore important for me to maintain safety in the learning environment and to make learners be aware of their responsibilities in maintaining safety, as health and safety is everyones responsibility.   As a teacher, I have the role of a Mentor/ Counsellor in delivering the course. I should be able to apply appropriate teaching and learning strategies which take account of individual learner needs. When delivering the course, I must show understanding of the responsibilities and boundaries of my own role in providing support for individual learners for example, signposting and /or referring on specialist services. Learners should be given information on where they can find further information, advice, guidance or learning provision. I also need to ensure that learners understand the context of the course, for example the NVQ standards, its application and contribution to the care sector, the economy and the community. It is therefore, important for me to attend standardisation meetings in order to keep abreast with current standards in my specialist area, as required by the LLUK Standards Domain C Own specialist area including current developments and Domain C Ways in which own specialist relates to the wider social, economic and environmental context. Gravells (2007) asserts that, learners learn from each other as well as the tutor. To promote diversity in my delivery, I must ensure that there is involvement of all students in relevant activities, rather than excluding them for any direct or indirect reasons (inclusively), as mentioned in the Tomlinson report. Teachers must facilitate learning environments which will promote culture and ethnic diversity. Therefore, learners from different ethnic groups will be able to voice their cultural expression in order to increase content and learning processes. The assessment of learners competence is an important role of a teacher. I will assess what the learner has learnt and will be responsible for finding out what methods of teaching and learning would be most appropriate for the learner and to motivate the learner to continue and to do better. This can be achieved by using formative and summative assessments. In relation to my area of teaching NVQs in Health and Social Care, formative assessment is aimed to helping the learner become competent and meet specific performance criteria. This should be an ongoing process, where regular tutorial sessions take place, teacher following workplace observation and completing of written tasks. I am responsible for giving learners constructive feedback on their performance, which will motivate them, especially those that are unsure of their own abilities. This can be linked to Domain E The role of feedback and questioning in assessment for learning. I am also responsible for recording outcomes of formative assessment and keeping these records updated and stored safely for confidentiality to conform to the LLUK Standard Domain A Keep accurate records which contribute to organisational procedures. This will in turn give learners a clear guidance as to what aspects of performance they shall still need to work on. In view of the Data Protection Act (1998), I must keep all records within confidentiality agreements to comply with organisational policies and procedures and also to comply with the LLUK Standard Domain A The need for confidentiality, respect and trust in communicating with others about learners. Summative assessment will take place at the end of the learning, giving feedback on learning achievements, maybe a qualification, test or a completed Individual Learning Plan. In relation to NVQs, summative assessment will represent a formal summing up of the learners achievement on completion of a particular piece of work; this may be at a completion of each unit. I will be responsible for making a final judgement on the whole of a unit after making a series of formative assessments. This also must be recorded as evidence to represent the learners competence at the time of the summative assessment. A teacher has a role of an evaluator as well. It is my responsibility to make an assessment of, or to judge what I have delivered. Evaluation will help me to look back at how I delivered the learning and find out what could be done differently. I will need to evaluate my own practice on a regular basis, such as my opinions on the course and how it could be made better next time. Learners must be given the opportunity to evaluate the course whether they achieved something, were the teaching materials enough? Did the course meet individual learner needs? This will help to improve delivery in subsequent sessions. In my role as NVQ Tutor/Assessor, I may need to follow the established structure in place, that means I need to be observed actually assessing and giving feedback and then I will be given feedback on how I perform and how I could improve. Some of the ways of getting feedback on my assessment and teaching skills could be, asking an experienced colleague to observe me, get feedback- formal and informal from learners on different types of assessments I use and how these can be improved. This can also be done by writing reflections to explore and evaluate the different ways I assess, using information from colleagues and learners, as well as the actual experiences and results related to the assessments I use with learners. Reflective practice will enhance good practice and further improve what I do in my subject area. All this is in line with the LLUK Standard Domain E The role of feedback in effective evaluation and improvement of own assessment skills. Revising is about making changes based on the evaluation information and will enable continuous improvements to be made. I am responsible for making any changes to the assessment or teaching methods that were not effective to the learners in order to meet their needs. This can be linked to Domain E The role of feedback in effective evaluation and improvement of own assessment skills. A teacher is a researcher. I should take responsibility to engage in continuing professional development to inform my practice, as this is one of the Codes of Professional Practice. As a teacher, I need to do a lot of research by reading relevant books, using the internet, journals, attending training and other relevant sources to update my knowledge. I am responsible for attending Standardisation meetings to inform my practice and to work in line with the specified standards. I must take it upon myself to explore and keep my mind focused to get knowledge and understanding. Collaborating with others would help to improve my own and team performance. This is in relation to the LLUK Standards in Domain A Ways to reflect, evaluate and use research to develop own practice and to share good practice with others. There are boundarieswithin professional disciplines. Teachers are not supposed to borrow money from learners, neither are they allowed to lend money to learners. It would be unprofessional for a teacher to be found in such a situation. Teachers are also reminded not to go beyond their role by going to learners home for assessment or learner coming to teachers home for assessment. All assessments must take place at the centre and /or workplace. As a teacher, I must always follow organisational procedures in dealing with issues such as complaints and appeals and make references appropriately, especially where the issue is not within my competence. CONCLUSION Roles and responsibilities are important because they will promote accountability among teachers and will help meet personal, organisational goals and individual learner needs. It would be frustrating if teachers lacked clarity on their roles and responsibilities because they would be stuck with who is doing what and who answers to whom? When these roles and responsibilities are applied, they benefit both the learner and teacher, by delivering learning which is inclusive, and promotes equality and diversity. Boundaries will help teachers to work within their limits and adhere to the professional code of practice. . Wayt(2008) The responsibility of a teacher will be to continually   reassess development and change during the course and create a seamless transition   to ensure smooth delivery. This just confirms the teaching/learning cycle. I am responsible for ensuring that the cycle is on going, by seeing to it that action plans are put in place, constructive feedback is given to the learner where necessary and the cycle does not break. This will increase the level of motivation, satisfaction and will help to achieve the goals for both the learner and me. The teacher will also be responsible for inducting the learners to the organisation and course so that learners understand what is expected of them and what the organisation can deliver. This will also help the learners to have a clear understanding of the organisational rules and regulations and also of the course contents. This is likely to result in learners having a good foundation for their course and be able to prepare adequately. REFERENCES Bloom (1997) Maslin-Prosthero -page 185 Gay (2000) Available at http:/www.intime.uni.edu/multiculture/curriculum/culture/roles.htm Accessed on 6th December, 2009 Gravell A (2007) FE champion January, 2007- Post compulsory education and training. Available at www.pcet.net/articles63.html (Date accessed 6th December, 2009) Holtrop (1997) Available at http:/www.huntington.edu/education/lessonplanningroles.html Accessed on 6th December, 2009 Wayt S.(2008). Holistic Health and well-being. Available at http/:www.balance-therapy.co.uk Accessed 6th December, 2009 LLUK STANDARD DOMAINS LINKS Domain A AP 3.1 Domain C CK3.2 Domain E EK 1.1 Domain F   -FK 1.1 Domain A AP 6.1 Domain F -FK 2.1 Domain B BK 2.1 Domain D DK 1.1 Domain E EK1.1 Domain E EP3.1 Domain E -EP2.1 Domain B BK5.2 Domain B BK1.1 Domain C CK1.1 Domain C -CK1.2 Domain E EK4.1 Domain E EK5.1 Domain E EK4.2 Domain A AK4.