Argument essay on achievement gap Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Argument on achievement gap - Essay Example The issue needs to be resolved because despite of many efforts, an analysis of the different states in 2011 revealed that there were still five states in America where this achievement gap had increased since 2003. This analysis explained that an effective policy for overcoming this issue is needed in the country (Johnson 11; Lynch). The achievement gap is a matter of concern as it affects a large number of American students and this issue needs to be addressed with strong and effective strategies for the improvement of the educational system of the country. The achievement gap has been observed not only in primary and secondary schools but it has also been seen in children during their kindergarten years. A further analysis of achievement gap in minority groups has revealed that this gap is known to exist in schools even if the economic status of the all the students is the same. This means that each cause of an achievement gap is independent and it is not essential that students co ming from good economic backgrounds would be saved from this issue (Williams 26,27). According to an analysis done by the National Assessment of Educational Progress in 2007, it was seen that white students were better achievers in reading and math tests which were conducted in the fourth and eighth grade (Lynch). Thus, these surveys and reports indicate that the achievement gap is a grave issue and needs a thorough assessment. This is because considering the statistics of the immigrants in the country; it can be judged that this gap would rise if it is not tackled. This can be assessed as statistics reveal that from the year 2000 till the year 2050, the number of whites would reduce in the United States to 49 percent from 68 percent and the Latinos would form 40 percent of the America population. In a similar trend, the African Americans would rise by 1 percent whereas the Asian population would surge by four percent (Haller). The optimal way to overcome this achievement gap in the country is the formulation of effective instructions and interventions for the students. The achievement gap reduction can be achieved by providing improvement at three levels. These include classroom interventions, targeted interventions and intensive interventions. The most important of these is the classroom intervention where eighty percent of the students of the class learn. The students should be encouraged to learn and study and should be motivated to avoid failing in class. With this, the other interventions should also run side by side for students who are in need of them. For example targeted interventions should be carried out for approximately fifteen percent of the students who have failed to achieve good grades due to their socioeconomic status or due to having difficulties in learning English and reading. Intensive interventions should be saved for students who are not motivated despite of classroom and targeted interventions and do not seem to be interested towards the improvement of their education. These students should be handled individually by a team of instructors and psychologists. This three level process is the most optimal way to overcome the achievement gap in the country (Johnson 12,13). The program focusing upon interventions has not been practiced in the United Sta

Small group communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small group communication - Essay Example That first group meeting allowed some frank discussions where we talked about what we wanted to achieve as a group, how we would achieve our goals and objectives, and what things we could put into place to ensure that we remained on track. Also, one thing that we did to loosen the tension in our group was to go on a fun outing so that we could get to know one another in an informal situation. We decided to go out to a bowling alley and get to know each other a little better. We did not even talk about the project that we had to do; the whole focus was on bonding with one another. I would say that the norms developing in my group are a good thing. We have a certain amount of respect for each other yet we can also get on really well too. I think that we are in the norming stage now because everyone is the group knows their role and what they need to do to contribute towards the groups success. My typical role in any group is to act more like a motivator. I am not really a leadership type person so I prefer to take a backseat role and let others dictate the agenda of the group. I will use my friendly personality to encourage others to remain upbeat and do what is required of them for the groups sake. My behavior is very much influenced by others in my group for this class. Because they are focused and driven to succeed, this has also rubbed off on me and know I share the same feelings. I have noticed that my work ethic has picked up as I see my fellow team members working as hard as they can to help the group. My behavior has influenced my group members because I have really tried to help them to relax. When we first started working together I noticed that some of my team members were really stressed. I wanted to get them to relax and be calm because a team can work better if they can laugh once in a while and joke

Impact of ICT on the community Essay Example for Free

Impact of ICT on the community Essay Southall is located in a town of London borough of Ealing it is close to Heathrow airport which is one of the busiest airports in the world, which creates lots of jobs and large number of Southall residents are employed in Heathrow. Southall is quiet a small area but holds a large amount of population. Southall is one of the busiest places in England. In this area the route of communication such as, railways and roads need real improvement because at the moment they are not good enough and doesnt meet the needs of the community really well. There is also project going about trams but our community is not happy with the decision made by the Ealing Council. In Southall it is very difficult to settle down for a person who has just been to this town because there are no enough jobs for people to do and those with jobs are paid very less wages compared to national average wage. Southall also has a very low reputation is attracting the visitors to the town, thats because of the low employment rate. Basically this means that the people with business should give others a chance to work and pay them the same amount of wages like other employees are being paid in other towns and countries. This town is one of the towns in England which has most problems with public transport because there are very few buses to go around and the population is bigger if a bus comes early the person still cant reach his destination in time because of the traffic. This means that the local governors of Ealing must improve the services to keep the people in the community happy and to attract more people in the town. In Southall there is also quiet a lot of traffic but mostly its controlled by CCTV, there is also speed limit but the residents in our community dont follow the rules. Southall is primarily an Asian residential district, and is informally known as little India. Over 55% of Southalls population of 70,000 is Indian/Pakistani. One of the Sikh Gurdwaras in Southall won the Ealing Civic Society Architectural Award in 2003. There are a few Christian churches and there are few mosques as well. The main street in Southall is called The Broadway. Southall contains the largest Asian shopping centre in the London area. Southall was the main location for the film Bend It Like Beckham. Southall is also the location of the Glassy Junction, which serves several Indian draught beers and was the first pub in the UK to accept payment in Indian rupees. Recently Southall has become notorious for the amount of violence caused by Tamil gangs and the consequences on the community. South India and Sri Lanka have been brought to the United Kingdom. There have been many shootings and other incidents that have been connected to Tamil gangs. In origin this rivalry was caused by rival politcal groups vying for power. However many of these groups have now formed street gangs abroad and resort to violence to gain power. Percentages of group per authentic group Indian: 50.3% White: 29.8% Black: 7.5% Pakistani/Bangladeshi: 7.2% Chinese: 0.2% Others: 4.9% Needs of my local Community Banks Sports and Leisure Public Transport Schools and Colleges Medical Centre Hospitals GPS Internet Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Information Point Security CCTV Southall community Website Fire Department Every Community have needs and they have to meet Banks My community needs banks and ATM machine as people needs to keep their money secure people can also withdraw money from the ATM machines they need ATM because they can skip queues. The people can withdraw money from the ATM any time; it also provides us with a mini statement and gives you many more options. People in our community need to skip queues so they can have a service thats give you all the detail about your bank online. Sports and Leisure Centre People in my community need to stay healthy and eat balance diet so the Leisure centre provides them with pre-booking and computer readable cards. It also gives help about eating healthily and gives information about other sports for e.g. Cricket, Karate, and Football etc. My community also need to know what activities are taking place and how to book it. My Community need to know where is the nearest leisure Centre and about the costs. Public Transport People in my community need Transport for moving and travelling around the city. My community provide use of Oyster card which is machine readable so they dont have to wait in the queue for waiting to get inside and Oyster pre-pay. In addition we need to have ICT technologies in our transport for e.g. CCTV cameras so the passengers are safe and every moment is recorded. People need countdown timer which will tell them what time will the next bus come and which bus will come. My community also need a replacement service if one bus has a mechanical fault they need to have another bus at that time which will take the passenger. Schools and Colleges My Community needs to have schools which would provide basic education to younger generation. Students in schools need computer and internet access. Schools in our community need computers so they can keep record of every students and staffs to keep the school on track. Schools also need CCTV cameras to record students behaviour and dont cause trouble. So the community will need computer and ICT to stop the students causing trouble. Health Centre People in MY community also need health centre to be provided with quick efficient service. Health centre will need to provide people with easy services and making registration. Health centre in Southall should have better ICT facility they should be given a choice to book on the phone. An also they shouldnt take time to give an appointment. Internet Cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ Every person in my community doesnt have access to the internet. Some might not even have computer. People in my community are multicultural and came from other countries so they will need to communicate with their relatives in a cheaper way so internet cafes will meet their need. They need ICT that provides them with cheaper internet and let them have access to internet with cheaper offers as well. Southall Community Website Most of the people in my community will need to know widely about their community events and businesses in the community so the Southall website also provide information about the leisure and sport, religion, culture and businesses in the community. My community need ICT facilities to provide people with better services and keep people up to date about the events in our community. Police Station My community need to be safe and secure and police also need to try protecting people from theft, robbery and murder. My community needs good technology to keep record of crime and CCTV, so it needs ICT technology to keep records and solve peoples problem. In the above the need of my community some are more important than others. For my report I will need to look in detail of five of them. I will also need to describe the way it is used in my community. I have to define each technology and the use of the technology. I will look at the technologies that are used the most and have effect on my community. I will look at technologies that affect the whole of my community not a single person. I will also need to include how people benefit from using the service. And finally I will then evaluate how the technology will meet the need of my community. In my coursework I will write about those technologies which are in the most need and has impact on my community. Financial Transaction- Banking Definition of ATM: ATM stands for Automated teller machine is computerized telecommunications device that provides an agents customer a secure method of performing financial transactions is a public space without the need for a human teller. Using an ATM, customers can access their bank accounts in order to make cash withdrawals or credit card cash advances and check their account balances. Many ATMs also allow people to deposit cash or cheques, transfer money between their bank accounts, pay bills, or purchase goods and services. Explanation of the technology Banking is the biggest place in the world that uses ICT. ICT is used in ATM Machines (electronic funds transfer at point of sale). ATM is used to withdraw money there are also other facilities that ATM machines provide other facilities for example: you can print or view balance on the screen, change pin, order statement. EFTPOS helps customers to withdraw money through Debit Card it is mostly used in shopping. The customers card is swiped through a card reader and the merchant usually enters the amount of the transaction before the customer enters their account and PIN number. Before the customers didnt needed to enter their PIN number now the customers has to enter it for security reasons. How does the technology meet the needs of the community? Every bank has its own ATMs machines however the bank card works in every ATM machine. These machines meet the needs of the community as people are able to withdraw money at any time. It is also quick to withdraw money as if there werent any ATM machines it would have taken much time queuing in a lane and getting cash from the bank. It is quicker and reliable as the customer doesnt need to show ID when withdrawing money from your own account. ATM machines are safe as no one can get the data from the ATM. How ATM works? ATM is simply a data terminal. Like any other data terminal, the ATM has to connect to, and communicate through, a host computer. The host computer is analogous to an Internet Service in that it is the gateway through which all the various ATM networks become available to the cardholder the person wanting the cash. The host computer may be owned by a bank or financial institution, or it may be owned by an independent service provider. Bank-owned processors normally support only bank-owned machines, whereas the independent processors support merchant-owned machines. Use of ICT in the banks CCTV Database Security Alarm Evaluate on the use of ICT good/ and bad features and also advantages and disadvantages of the technology ICT that is used in the banks is a big advantage to people working in the bank and to the public as well. ATMs and EFTPOS services are open 24 hours 365 days in an year, this means the people in the community can withdraw money at any time so they dont have to wait for the bank to open. Another advantage is that there are a lots of ATM machines in Southall so there arent big queues which is then quicker to withdraw money from the bank. People also need to skip queues in the banks so they can do banking online which helps the sort transaction quickly and efficiently. Online banking also has disadvantages as there is danger from hacker. You will need to provide your bank details so there is risk of you details transferred. In addition the people in my community can also check their bank detail by internet it can be done 24 hours a day using a computer and internet connection. It can help my community in various ways: * People in my community can pay bills from the comfort of their home or the workplace. * People in my community can also transfer money immediately to high interest accounts. * People in my community can check balances and daily transactions on line. * People in my community can set up direct debits and order stationery on line. * People in my community can get higher interest rates and are available to Internet bankers. * It is easy to shop around on line for the best interest rates and switch funds automatically. * And also in some banks the counter can speak more than one language it benefit my community as some people in my community can speak English. There are also many concerns about ATM and the Banks: * Small banks in my community closes or having opening hours reduced * Reductions in staffing at the major banks. * Some customers have worries about security because of possible credit card fraud. How ever there are two new banks which will be opening in the next few months one of the Bank has already opened ICIC. And the other banks is Panjab national it will help my community and the people in my community will benefit a lot because they can send or transfer money to their country quick and reliable. And also some people in my community wont be able to read English so it will help the Punjabi and Indian people a lot but it will also help other people. How does the technology benefit my community? Modern ATMs provide customers with their bank account balance; they can issue money, print statements and even take cash deposits. Customers are able to use almost any ATM in any bank, supermarket or garage. And in this country it is normally a free service. Customers could get hold of their money without having to queue. This saved the customers time; it also saved the bank a huge amount of money since fewer staff was needed. The people in my community can benefit in many different ways as there are many more banks been opened in Southall for e.g. Panjab national it will benefit my community as well as the Panjabi and Indian people benefiting other people from different culture can benefit. Panjab national provide their service to my community in many different language for e.g. Hindi, Panjabi and English The people in Southall can also call the Centres where the Customers could now telephone the centre using either a free number or local cost number and find out information on their accounts without even leaving home. They can also change their bank detail. The people in my community can also access the their bank detail and information by internet they can open their account, check their balance online, move money pay bills and print statements from the comfort for their own homes. Lastly the ATM machines are free to use and most of the ATM machine are free of charge. To what extent does the technology meet my community need Without ATM people in my community will face various problems they wont be able to send money abroad. People will also need to keep their money in their houses where they might face robbery. Buying house will be hard as people wouldnt be able to get loan where they will need to pay all the money. ATMs machine also play a very big role in my community banking as people doesnt keep all the money in their pockets due to risk of theft so they need the ATM to withdraw money whenever they need. There are various ATM machines in Southall nearly every bank has an ATM in Southall Broadway e.g. HSBC, Abbey National, Barclays, Nat West etc. To some extent it doesnt meet the needs of my community as some of the people in my community are not educated so they arent able to withdraw money they has to go inside the bank and withdraw money which takes time. Another disadvantage is that ATMs and EFTAPOS provide money and cant provide advice. Last disadvantage of ATMs Machines and EFTAPOS is that whoever doesnt have a bank account that person wont be able to use these facilities. Possible development of the technology in the future They can improve the ATM machine by storing more cash so it doesnt run out. In the past years there were frauds where the ATM machine takes your card and doesnt give it back. They can also improve the ATM machine by having a secure place where people cant see your Pin number or your bank details. In some places for e.g. Tesco or Sainsbury the can charge you for taking money so it could be free of charge. And the big improvement of ATM machine could be that they can have other language on the screen for e.g. Urdu, Pashto, Farsi, Punjabi, Somalian and Gujarati. They can make the ATM machine safe in the future where the ATM machine wont need your pin number but it will need scanning of a customers fingerprint. Control and Monitoring- CCTV Explanation of the Technology CCTV stands for Close Circuit Television camera it is used for video surveillance. In my community CCTV is used in banks, casinos, shopping centres, streets, airports and now days it is even in the shops etc. Now it isnt expensive people uses it at home for security. CCTV in Southall is used for security and to decrease crime it is also used as evidence. It is also used in schools which help the school to control behaviour of the students. CCTV is used by police and council to decrease crime and used it as evidence against the criminals. There are different types of CCTV cameras as some of the can turn at the bearing of 3600 and some of them are straight. There are also some cameras that have black glass cover and the people around can see which direction is the camera recording. How CCTV camera works? CCTV cameras in my area are continuously monitored at the Councils Communications Centre. The Police are informed of suspicious incidents as they arise and can be directed to the exact location by CCTV operators. Since CCTV has been introduce in our community and in the borough, Southall crimes have been decreased for e.g. shoplifting, Pick Pocketing, Possessions of Drugs and unauthorised taking of motor vehicles. The control room for CCTV is in Ealing Town hall they are responsible for round the clock monitoring of over 337 CCTV cameras are fixed and 20 mobile cameras. The cameras can pan, tilt and zoom to record the action, and radio link with police make sure that the cameras are capturing the right footage. How does the technology meet the needs of the community? CCTV is used in various and different places in Southall, some CCTV cameras in my community are located in Southall Broadway and in High Street it control Anti Social Behaviour and some people drive over the speed of the limit it meets my community needs as it makes it easier to stop crime and record what has been happening it is also helps in controlling crime on the streets and shopping centres. It is used in streets to help the police catch crime and use evidence against trouble makers. It is also used in traffic lights which helps the police catch people who passes red lights and charge penalties those against who breaks the law it meets community needs as it decreases crime. CCTV cameras in Southall are able to zoom in and zoom out as it makes it easier and clearer for police and staff in the community to see what is happening. They are also computerised this means that it can record for some days and it can be used as an evidence. CCTV is also meets the needs of the community w hen it comes to use against criminals it helps my community as it produce a clear picture of the place where it is placed. It meets my community needs in a better way because every community needs to be as secured as it can be, in Southall CCTV is used in several places which meet the needs of the people and community as it provide security and records every thing is happening around. It also helps police in the as one of the CCTV cameras are able to rotate at 360 degrees which helps the police check around direct through the camera. Evaluate on the use of ICT good/bad features (advantages/disadvantage of the technology The introduction of CCTV cameras in my community has been one of the best weapons against crime in the Borough and in this community. It has been proved effective in both cutting and detecting crime and because of this people now feel safer when theyre out and about. CCTV cameras are a big advantage for my community. If my community didnt have CCTV the crime rate would be high and people will be free to cause trouble in my community. It will be hard for the police to find evidence and use it against the criminals in the court. People also wouldnt feel safe in shopping centres and also when traveling. CCTV cameras can deal with everything from murder to suicides, rapes and paedophiles, although they are very rare. CCTV cameras in my community are also used in shops and supermarkets which help the customer buy stuff safely and securely and it also helps the shop owner and use CCTV evidence against thieves. The crimes that have been tackled in my community by using CCTV cameras are: * Shoplifting * Pick Pocketing * Possessions of drugs * Assault * Unauthorised taking of motor vehicle * Public order offence CCTV is a tool that saves a lot of time. Aside from the disadvantage of not attending school, youngsters can also get into serious trouble if they hang around unsupervised on the streets. So CCTV is the best technology to catch them. Some teenagers in South all are not scared of CCTV cameras as when they are doing graffiti in bus stop and damaging the environment they dont stop, they carry on causing more damage. And when someone inform the police the operator attend the call then he tell the police about the incident and then they will deal about the incident so its a long process for the police to come and deal with the incident and it also cost a lot of money repairing the damage. How ever if there are more CCTV cameras placed in Southall there will be less police on patrol so it wont cost the council a lot of money. CCTV cameras can also help my community to catch domestic and trade litterers in the act as the Council tries to get the message of Project Street clean across and those who refuse to pay their fines will end up in court. CCTV cameras are also use in Southall Railway station and its safer for the community to travel at night time. If people cause trouble they can call in back-up from officers to stop antisocial behaviour immediately and arrest offenders on the spot. They can also stop people intent on harming themselves. There are suicides on railways Southall station so they can stop people committing suicide. There are many advantages of CCTV cameras but there are also disadvantages CCTV increased the workload of officers. Most of the CCTV cameras in Southall are black and white colour so it doesnt have a good quality picture. How does the technology benefit my community? CCTV benefit my community if my community doesnt have CCTV the crime rate would be high and people will be free to cause trouble in the community. People also wouldnt feel safe in shopping centres and also when travelling. CCTV cameras are also used in shops and supermarkets which help the customer buy stuff safely and securely and it also helps the shop owner and use CCTV evidence against thieves. CCTV cameras are place in various places in Southall most of them are placed in Schools, shopping centres, supermarkets and busy roads. It would benefit the community if they use CCTV on busy roads because some drivers drive over the limit of speed. So its easy for the police to catch them. To what extent does the technology meet my community need To some extent CCTV cameras meet my community needs as they can control anti social behaviour and also if they wouldnt had CCTV cameras so people would be free to cause trouble. To some extent it doesnt meet my community needs as most of the cameras arent very clear and they are placed in one place so it cant move round as it makes it hard for the police to see around and they will need to place more cameras. Most of the advance cameras are expensive so overall it cost lots of money to install it in the community. And some time it wont sort out some people who are causing trouble and damaging the environment. As I explained in Page 10 its a long period for the police to arrive and deal with the problem. The police wont be able to catch the people but they can use the evidence of CCTV in the court. Possible development of the technology in the future They can improve the CCTV for the future as in Southall most of the CCTV cameras are black and white colour and have a poor quality so they can replace the old cameras with the latest CCTV cameras. They can have more CCTV cameras in the railways so people dont commit suicide and already in the past the number of suicide has decreased. Internet Learn Direct Explanation of the Technology Learn direct is a program run by a company for the people aged over 16. It a service for people who wants to learn online and doesnt has time to go physically and study. It is also for people who has less education and want to have more education. It also helps people to get educated and have a good future. Learn direct tells people the easier way to achieve what the want in life and help them achieve it. These courses are available for all kinds of people whether they are educated or not. Learn direct have various centres in out community where they provide computer and internet access. Learn direct also covers a range of inter-related services for online learning, advice and guidance. These include: * Learn direct advice service: a government-funded telephone helpline and website providing impartial information, advice and guidance relating to learning opportunities and career development. * Learn direct is online learning service aimed at small to medium-sized enterprises. * A higher education offer aimed at people in work. Deciding whats best for you depends on factors such as your personal circumstances and what you enjoy doing. If youre unsure about what you want to do next, we can learn direct can help you. How Learn Direct works? Learn direct can help you in lots of different ways they can help you find a suitable course or you can search their database on Learn Direct website. Learn Direct have database of nearly one million courses from right across the UK, from short courses lasting one day to longer courses lasting a few years. Learn direct courses are a brilliant way to learn. You learn either online through the Internet or by using workbooks and/or CD-ROMs, so youre free to learn where and when you want, at a pace you choose. You can contact learn Direct on this number 0800 100 900 or email an advisor. How does the technology meet the needs of my community? Learn direct and the courses available meet the needs of the people in my community extremely well because there are courses available for nearly every one. Learn direct meets the needs of my community really well because Learn direct have many branches so there would be no shortage of space for people choosing to do the courses. Another big advantage for the people in my community can be that they can choose their courses online before actually talking to learn direct. There are 900, 000 different courses so there is a course for everyone. Evaluate on the use of ICT good/bad features (advantages/disadvantage of the technology Learn direct is a great advantage to the whole Southall community because most people in my community and in Southall are unemployed and uneducated. The other advantage people who came to this country new they can get a lot of help from Learn Direct. But since this online system is been introduced the unemployment rate have decreased and the amount of people with futures have been increased. Learn direct is a great advantage because it offers great advantages like: there are many courses available for all people whether employed/ educated or not. Also learn direct is available to everyone and people can use it online. Learn direct courses are broken down into bite-sized chunks, so you can do as little or as much as you like at any time, picking up where you left off. And if you get stuck, help is always at hand. The Advantages of Learn Direct are: * Equips people with the skills they need for employability * Is delivered innovatively through the use of new technologies; * Reaches those people with few or no skills and qualifications who are unlikely to participate in traditional forms of learning. There are some disadvantage of Learn direct in my community as some people in my community doesnt have computers and dont have access to the internet so they will need to use the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ so it will cost them quite a lot. Without Learn Direct my community will would have lack of education and uneducated people will still be having problems in the community. Most of the people in my community work and study both, it would be hard for people to go physically to go study centre and it would take more time. How does the technology benefit the community? My community benefits learn direct because there are more uneducated people in my community Learn Direct give advice on phone they give advice on courses and impartial information training, apprenticeships, careers, returning to work, and childcare. They can also advise you on paying for your learning. Any one in my community can get help and advice from Learn Direct its also free. Some people can benefit from learn direct a lot as for women they cant go to college physically because they have kids in the house to look after and in some culture women are not allowed to go to study and college so it will benefit women in my community as they can sit at home and learn. To what extent does the technology meet my community need To some extent it doesnt meet my community needs as some people who come to this country and they are in this community they really need help and advice and most of them dont know about Learn direct. Some people in my community dont know how to use computer so they will need another person to show them. Most of the people in my community also dont have access to computer so they will have to use library and library is not open all the time. Possible development of the technology in the future They can help my community in the future in different ways. All the staffs in Learn direct speak English so some people in my community might need help and they cant speak English and read English so the staff should be able to speak more than one or two languages as in our community some people cant speak English. And also there should be more advertising of Learn direct and in different languages so people can find about it easily. Communication Information Point Explanation of the Technology Information point are screens based in various places it provide a direct link to the council, free email, BBC news and sport, transport information and job search facility. It is free and every one in my community can use it. Information points provide users with local, national and international news. It also allows the user to use free email facility. It helps the people my community to communicate with other people and it lets them access to internet and search for jobs. How Information Point works? Information points are easy to use the best thing about information point is that its touch screen. As you go to the Information Point just follow the instruction on screen. It will tell you all the information about Traffic, News, and your local community it can also help you to look for jobs to the nearest location. How does the technology meet the needs of my community? Information points are located in various places in my community and in Southall Information point in Southall is located in South road opposite the bank. It meets the needs of the community as it makes it easier for people to access to free internet, provide them with latest information and also has link to council. This meets the needs of my community as it makes it easier for the council to contact people and it meets the needs of the people in my community as they can use it at any time and anywhere. If anyone is searching for a job they dont have to go around and ask they can easily search at an information point. It also meets the need of my community as in council there wont be too many people having problem so the council wont need to have a lot of staff and it is also quicker for the staff to solve problems easily. Evaluate on the use of ICT good/bad features (advantages/disadvantage of the technology Information points also attract more tourists in my community as the tourists are able to find information, events and businesses in my community. Information Points are located in various places in Southall for e.g. its located in Southall Broadway Information points are widely used by the people in my community. The content on Information Points can be tailored to suit each client, and ranges from local council, transport and community information to free email and job finding services. Users benefit from the opportunity to access what they need, where and when they need it. The Information Multipoint broadcast screen provides an effective communication tool for councils as they can be used to promote local services to citizens, such as Real-Time Passenger Information for local transport. In addition an Information Point network ensures the most appropriate services to suit the needs of citizens are available, e.g. council, government, transport and local news services. One of the biggest advantages of using Information Point there is not need of IT skills to use Information Point, the information provided is accessible to all. And also some people might dont know about the Councillor of Ealing they can get information about them and also when they have to elect a new councillor they can vote by using the Information Point. The disadvantage is that some of the information Points in my community not weather-proof and resistant to vandalism. How does the technology benefit my community? It also meet makes it easier for people in Southall to search for a job at anytime as there is more unemployment. It also meets the needs of the community as the council wont have to employ more staff. In order to provide Outdoor broadband service for everyone in our Community Information point provides network of interactive touch screen internet-based services on-street. They are free and easy to use. As I said above that unemployment rate in Southall is high and it would be hard for people to find jobs and read news and reviews. To what extent does the technology meet my community need To some extents it doesnt meet the need as there arent many around my community so people need to use their nearest information time. Also most of the people dont know how to use Information points. It is also some time slow and takes time to download the page. And some teenagers do graffiti on information point and damage the point so it gives a bad image to my community. Possible development of the technology in the future Information Point is really useful for my community and it attract tourist. They can improve for the future by keeping clean and in a safe place because people in our community do graffiti and break the glasses. People in my community dont look after the information point so the grand council may not introduce any more information point in Southall and other places. Data Capture Bar Code Scanner Explanation of the Technology Bar Code scanner is specialized for reading bar codes. Bar Code readers are used in various places in my community for example, supermarkets, leisure centres, community centres and local shops. It allows people to buy stuff from supermarkets easily and also they get receipt. How Bar Code scanner works? A barcode reader is a computer peripheral for reading barcodes printed on various surfaces. Bar code scanner is like a flatbed scanner, it generally consists of a light source, a lens and a photo. Additionally, nearly all barcode readers currently produced contain decoder bar code scanner send the information to the computer and it prints the receipt. As I have show a picture of a Bar code scanner on the left they cashier scans the product and the scanner send all the information to the computer. How does the technology meet the needs of my community? Bar code Scanner meets the needs of my community as it convenient for the people of my community. It also helps as cashier cant cheat with their customers as they cant charge people higher price which all computerised and all the cashier has to do is to scan it and the customer will receive the receipt which say the price. Evaluate on the use of ICT good/bad features (advantages/disadvantage of the technology Bar Code scanner is used in various places in my community it is mostly used in Supermarkets, leisure centres and the big stores like Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda. It is used for various purposes e.g. in leisure centres they have provided their customers a membership card which has bar code scanner and when it is scanned all the information comes up on the screen with the picture of the person which helps them to identify the person, in supermarkets it used for products as every product has bar code which is brought to the cashier and it calculates the total price and it also prints out a receipt. Bar code Scanner is also used in the local library in my community it helps the librarian to find all the details about the students and the information about the books. It is used by every single person in my community. It meets the needs of the community as it makes it easier for people to buy stuff efficiently and quick it also gives them a prove (receipt) which is then used to refund stuff which damaged. There are also some disadvantages of Bar code scanner Bar code scanner is when its scan a bar code, the cursor has to be in the correct input data field, and in the correct application otherwise the bar code data will end up in whatever application that is active. This can cause all sorts of problems. Bar code scanner is also more complicated to use as it is hard for new cashier to use and it give the wrong detail to the person who purchase the product and it can cause a lot of problem to the cashier and also to the buyer. So in my community all the people employees have to be familiar with using the bar code scanner. How does the technology benefit my community Bar code scanner benefit my community in many different ways it benefit my community as it makes it easier for people to buy stuff efficiently and quick it gives them a prove which is then used to exchange or refund the stuff which is damage. To what extent does the technology meet my community need To some extents it doesnt meet the needs of my community as it is not available in all the shops and the shops can also charge people high prices. Possible development of the technology in the future They can improve the Barcode in different ways some shops in Southall and in my community doesnt have Bar code scanner, some of do but its not the latest technology. There are many different type of Bar code scanner for e.g. Laser Barcode Scanners This is the most popular bar code scanner. A laser bar code scanner need not be close to or touch the bar code to do its job. A standard range laser bar code scanner can read a bar code from about 6 to 24 inches away, and a long range scanner can read bar code from about 2 to 8 feet away. An extra long-range scanner can read a bar code 30 feet away. Laser barcode scanners vary in price from $200 to $2,000 and come in a variety of models. Future Developments ICT needs to be improved for the new generation. It is hard to cope with the old technology for the new generation. For example community will need more telephone boxes on the streets they will also need to improve the facility for example some of them has the e-mail and news facility. Learn Direct will also need to improve as in the past the population of the community was less now it increased so they need to provide more centres and also more courses to give a wide choice. Community will also need to put more CCTV cameras on the streets as the crime rate increased and to put better quality cameras. My community also need to improve the transport it takes normally about 15 to 30 minutes for a bus to come. To meet the needs of the community in the future the technologies needs to be updated and improved so it will meet the community needs in a better way. Overall Evaluation ICT is a big help to Southall and my community ICT made several changes as in the past most of the organisation had problems dealing with task now with the help of ICT everything is done in less time and with less loss of energy. ICT meets the needs of my community as unemployment rate is high with the help of ICT it provided jobs and decreased the unemployment rate. It also helps uneducated they can learn on learn direct. ICT also provide security for my community as now the crime rate is low as more criminals are caught on CCTV and charged, people can report crimes online which saves time by going to the police station and getting a report written. Lastly with the help of ICT a person who cant afford to buy computer or use internet cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ they are provided with information points which lets them send free emails and has information. Overall without ICT people in our community would have problems and small tasks would take them long time.

Top 5 Environmental Issues Essay Example for Free

Top 5 Environmental Issues Essay 1. Population Explosion Whether we like to admit it or not, our very own rapidly multiplying presence on this planet is the biggest environmental problem there is, and it’s getting bigger by the minute. We voraciously consume resources, pollute the air and water, tear down natural habitats, introduce species into areas where they don’t belong and destroy ecosystems to the point of causing millions of species to become endangered and, all too often, go extinct. It took nearly all of human history – from the first days of man on earth until the early 1800’s – to reach a global population of 1 billion. In just 200 years, we’ve managed to reach 6.5 billion. That means the population has grown more since 1950 than in the previous four million years. We’re adding roughly 74 million people to the planet every year, a scary figure that will probably continue to increase. All of those mouths will need to be fed. All of those bodies will need clean water and a place to sleep. All of the new communities created to house those people will continue to encroach upon the natural world. 2. CO2 Levels in the Atmosphere Greenhouse gas emissions caused by our modern way of life – vehicles, power plants, factories, giant livestock farms – will bring devastating climate change within decades if they stay at today’s levels. Average temperatures could increase by as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit by the end of the century if emissions continue to rise, a figure that would easily make the world virtually uninhabitable for humans. A global temperature rise of just 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit would cause a catastrophic domino effect, bringing weather extremes that would result in food and water shortages and destructive floods. The most recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change represents â€Å"the final nail in the coffin† of climate change denial, representing the most authoritative picture to date that global warming is caused by human activity. According to the panel, we must make a swift and significant switch to clean, efficient and renewable energy technolog ies in order to prevent the worst-case scenario. 3. Polar Sea Ice Loss Polar sea ice is melting at an unprecedented rate, and it’s not showing any signs of slowing down. It’s perhaps the most dramatic, startling visual evidence of global warming, and it’s got scientists rushing to figure out just how big of an effect the melting is going to have on the rest of the world. British researchers said that the thickness of sea ice in the Arctic decreased dramatically last winter for the first time since records began in the early 1990s. The research showed a significant loss in thickness on the northern ice cap after the record loss of ice during the summer of 2007. Scientific American warns that â€Å"human fingerprints have been detected† on both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Antarctica had previously appeared to be the only continent on the planet where humanity’s impact on climate change hadn’t been observed. The collapse of the Larsen B and Wilkins ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula shows just how fast th e region is warming. 4. Destruction of the Rain Forest ‘Saving the rain forest’ has been at the forefront of the environmental movement for decades, yet here we are facing huge losses in the Amazon all the same. You might have thought that, with all the attention the rain forest has gotten, it wouldn’t need so much saving anymore – but unfortunately, global warming and deforestation mean that half of the Amazon rain forest will likely be destroyed or severely damaged by 2030. The World Wildlife Fund concluded this summer that agriculture, drought, fire, logging and livestock ranching will cause major damage to 55 percent of the Amazon rain forest in the next 22 years. Another 4 percent will see damage due to reduced rainfall, courtesy of global warming. These factors will destroy up to 80 percent of the rain forest’s wildlife. Losing 60 percent of the rain forest would accelerate global warming and affect rainfall in places as far away as India. Massive destruction to the rain forest would have a domino effect on the rest of the world. The WWF says that the ‘point of no return’, from which recovery will be impossible, is only 15 to 25 years away. 5. Mammal Extinction One in four mammals is threatened with extinction. That’s 25%, a huge number that will totally change the ecology of every corner of the earth. We could see thousands of species die out in our lifetime, and the rate of habitat loss and hunting in crucial areas like Southeast Asia, Central Africa and Central and South America is growing so rapidly, these animals barely have a chance. If you think the extinction of an animal like the beautiful Iberian Lynx is no big deal, and wouldn’t have that much of an effect on the planet, think again. Not only would we be losing – mostly due to our own disregard for our surroundings – so much of the awe-inspiring diversity of nature, mass extinctions like this would cause a serious imbalance in the world’s food chain. When a predator disappears, the prey will multiply. When prey dies out, the predator will see its ranks decrease as well. Many people fail to realize just how interconnected all species on this plan et really are.

Geography and Culture of the uk

Geography and Culture of the uk The United Kingdom, which is also commonly referred to as Great Britain is an island country located of the northwestern coast of the European mainland. The United Kingdom is comprised of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The capital of the UK is London which is according to Encyclopedia Britannica is â€Å"is among the world’s leading commercial, financial, and cultural centres.† The primary language in the United Kingdom is English, however there are several regional languages including Scots, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh and Irish. Brief History In the 19th century the Great Britain led the industrial revolution and was one of the most powerful nations in the world. Following World War II, Britain was left essential bankrupt and was forced to dismantle the British Empire. Most of its colonies became independent, and many sectors of the British economy became nationalized. Not until the 1960 did Britain fully recover from World War II. In 1979 Margret Thatcher became Britain’s first women prime minister. She became commonly known as the â€Å"Iron Lady† for her politics and leadership style. In the 1980 she began privatization of state-owned companies and reducing the power of trade unions. Culture According to the Hofstede Centre website the current rankings for the United Kingdom is as follows, Power distance 35, Individualism 89, Masculinity 66, Uncertainty avoidance 35, and Long Term Orientation 25. At a rank of 35 the United Kingdom ranks low in the power distance, reflecting that their society stresses equality and opportunity. With Individualism score of 89, it reflects that as a society they believe in the rights of an individual rather and act as individuals rather than members of a group or as one society. The low ranking of 35 for Uncertainty avoidance shows that as a society they are less rule oriented, more accepting of ambiguity and are more readily to accept change. They have a more they go with the flow approach. With Masculinity score of 66, this reflects a culture that favors more traditional masculine roles of control, achievement, and power. With a score of 25 the Long Term Orientation people look more to the long term rather than the right now. It is more a bout looking more into the future and putting value in tradition and persistence. Population According to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook website the current population in the United Kingdom 63,742,977, placing it 23rd on the world country comparison list. The median age is 40.4, (Males 39.2, Females 41.6) and largest section of the population at 41% is 25-54 year olds; see the following pie chart for age comparisons. Of the major urban areas London is the most populated at 8.615 million, Birmingham second at 2.296 million and Manchester third at 2.247 million. In regards to e urban vs. rural populations, the United Kingdom stands at 80% urban, 20% rural. The United Kingdom is 29th on the world comparison chart for life expectancy the total population 80.42 years (males 78.26, Female 82.69). Form of government The form of government in the United Kingdom is that of a Constitutional Monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State in the United Kingdom; however her role is not that of a ruler of the country she fulfils important ceremonial and formal roles with respect to Government. David Cameron is the current Prime Minister and holds the senior minster role also considered the Head of Government and Head of the Executive Branch. Parliament is an essential part of United Kingdom government. The main roles of Parliament are legislation, debating and passing all laws, enabling the government to raise taxes and examine and challenging the work of the government. Parliament is made up of two houses, the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two houses act as a check and balances system as decisions made in one house have to be approved by the other. The House of Commons is a publicly elected, the House of Lords members are appointed by the Queen. Role of religion According to the CIA’s world fact book the primary religion practiced in the United Kingdom is Christianity which includes Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Methodist which represents 59.5% of the population. 4.4 % identified as Muslim, 1.3% Hindu, 7.2% unspecified, 2% as other and 25.7% as not having an affliction. In the United Kingdom the Churches of England and Scotland are recognized by law as the official churches and are subject to the regulation of the law. In the Church of England the Archbishops and bishops are appointed by The Queen. A number of high Churches of England officials have appointed seats in the House of Lords. These officials have important advisory and advocacy roles regarding legislative issues affecting the church such as abortion and euthanasia. The Church of England holds no authority in Scotland and unlike the Church of England the Church of Scotland is separate from the state. Negotiation In negotiations you must practice patience and do not try and rush your British counterparts into a decision. Do not use a hard-sell attitude or attempt pressure tactics, as this will only be counterproductive in your negations. When it comes to your business plans stick to the facts and do not over sell or schmooze, British executives are more concerned with the facts of the deal than the relationship. They are more concerned with the letter of the law than the spirit of law. British Executives tend to be direct and to the point, it is more about fact than feeling or emotion. They also tend to be very reserved and will rarely show emotion good or bad, and will often down play dangerous situations. Financial In 2008 the United Kingdom was hit with the Financial Crisis. In December 2008 the FTSE 100 had its largest annual drop in 24 years closing 31.1% from January 2008. The FTSE 100 is the top 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange with the highest market capitalization. The unemployment rate increased from 5.1% in February 2008 to 7.2% by February 2009. In 2009 the Bank of England lowered interest rates to 1.5%, which was the lowest level ever recorded. The Office for Budget Responsibility was established in 2010 was established in 2010 to provide and independent analyses of the UK’s public finances following the financial crisis of 2008. In January 2014 the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgraded the UK GDP forecast from 1.9% previously forecasted to 2.4% for 2014, and forecasted UK growth by 2.2% for 2015. This upgrade was the largest forecast that of any other economy by the IMF. In March of 2014 the Office for Budget Responsibility(OBR) reported that â€Å"consumer spending was the main driver for growth in 2013† and indicated the housing market is showing signs of growth. The OBR is forecasting 2.7 growth in 2014, and 2.3% for 2015. In a recent interview on CCTV America Robin Harding, the U.S. economist editor for the Final Times reported that the UK economy is just about half way back to where it was just prior to the UK financial crisis. According to Nation Master in 2012 the United Kingdom was 2nd of 172 reported counties with a deficit of $10.09 trillion dollars. Exports 10th of 189 countries with $473 billion dollars. GDP 7th of 144 countries, $2.44 trillion dollars and GDP per capita 21st of 183 for $35,046.59 per capita. The unemployment rate is gradually decreasing. According to the Office for National Statistics in its April 16, 2014 Statistical bulletin the first quarter unemployment rate for 2014 was 6.9%, down from 2013 fourth quarter of 7.1% and down from the previous year of 7.9%. Doing Business Index of economic freedom – p95 According to the World Bank Group, Doing Business website, out of 189 economies the United Kingdom currently is ranked 10th, up fro 11th in 2013 on the â€Å"Ease of Doing Business†. The Gross National Income(GNI) per capita in 2014 is $38,250. United Kingdom is classified as a High-Income group. In the category of starting a business the United Kingdom ranks 28th overall with the average number of days to register the business being 12 days with an approx cost of $108. When obtain construction/building permits the UK ranks 27th with the average number of days being 88 days with an approx cost of $26,939. In the category of purchasing/register property the UK ranks 10th overall with approx fees ranging from $10,000 – $20,000. In regards to exporting/importing the UK ranks 16th overall, with the average number of days being 8 days. With a cost of export $1,005 and import $1,050 per container to and from the US. The UK ranks 14th overall for Taxes, with a total tax rate of 34% of total profit. Communication and apparel expectations In regards to business attire conservative dress is very important in the United Kingdom. Men typically wear dark blue, gray or black business suits, solid or pin stripe. Dress shirts should be solid colored and with no pockets, collared of course. Ties are a must, solid color or with a pattern but never striped, striped ties typically signify you are a member of the British Army. Laced dress shoes and socks should be the same color as your suit. Women typically wear business suit with pants or skirts. Women should avoid loud colors and stick with the more conservative colors like the men going with dark blue, gray or black. If wearing a skirt, panty hose should be worn in neural or solid color, avoiding patterns or mesh type hosiery. Makeup and jewelry should be kept at a minimum. When greeting a handshake is standard in business. However not all women shake hands, it is always best to observe your surroundings and follow suit. Avoid making too much physical contact, in the United Kingdom touching others in public is deemed inappropriate. When speaking to other avoid placing your hands in your pockets, it is considered rude. However avoid excessive hand gestures when speaking. Business cards are often exchanged; never place a business card in your back pants pocket. As a meeting planner always have an agenda ready and available for all, and a summary of meeting notes should be provided to all attendees. When address and individual as Mr., Ms. or Miss and last name unless you are given permission to use their first name. If an individual has an honorary title always use the title when addressing them. Taboos As in the United States it’s not taboo however in general it is best to refrain from certain topics such as politics, religion and income. The English are very modest and tend not to discuss their achievements. Avoid asking any personal questions, even a question as simple as what a people does for work is deemed to personal. A peace sign with the palm facing out is fine; however making the â€Å"V for Victory† with your palm facing you is considered an offensive gesture. References http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/615557/United-Kingdom – 5/26/14 Culture http://geert-hofstede.com/united-kingdom.html Religions https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html#uk – 5/26/14 Economics http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/united-kingdom 5/27/14 Population https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html 5/29/14 Finance – Harding interview http://youtu.be/5galHHe5MBE -6/1/14 Financial ONS http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_357545.pdf -6/1/14 Google Unemployment – www.google.com/#q=uk+unemployemtn+data -6/1/14 Financial http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2014/ -6/1/14 NationMaster Debt http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/United-Kingdom/Economy -6/1/14

Multilateralism and Small Developing States Essay -- The Political Eco

Multilateralism serves to be both a blessing and a curse, when placed amongst small island developing states in the global system. The statement without a shadow of a doubt stands true that multilateralism can simultaneously advance and undermine the interest of small island developing states in the global system. Small island developing states lack the power, wealth and influence to exert any political clout in the global political arena at the individual state level and as such, often times than none, their interest are overlooked and ignored. A we take a critical look at multilateralism, the very definition of the word according to (Keohane,1990;731) defined multilateralism as â€Å"the practice of coordinating national policies in groups of three or more states.† By this very definition, we can see the contradictions that lies within, when looking at this through a Caribbean lens. Multilateralism, where Caribbean states are involved in binding agreements, can be argued to be a contradiction on the basis of the contending international relations theories of Realism and Idealism. The first theoretical perspective to be undertaken will be the Realist perspective on states in the global political arena. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy states clearly that â€Å"Realism, also known as political realism, is a view of international politics that stresses its competitive and conflictual side. It is usually contrasted with idealism or liberalism, which tends to emphasize cooperation.(Baylis, Smith and Owens, 2011; 4) states that, â€Å" the main actors on the world stage are states, which are legally sovereign actors. Sovereignty means that there is no actor above the state that can compel it to act in specific ways,. Other acrors, such a... ... 61 (4): 853–876. †¢ Keohane and Joseph S. Nye, Power and. Interdependence: World Politics in Transition (Boston: Little, Brown, 1977) †¢ Keohane, Robert O. â€Å"Multilateralism: An Agenda for Research.† International Journal, 45 (Autumn 1990). †¢ McGinnis, John O. â€Å"The Political Economy of Global Multilateralism.† Chicago Journal of International Law, Fall2000, 6. †¢ Strange, Susan. (1997). â€Å"Territory, State, Authority and Economy: a new realist ontology of global political economy.† In The New Realism. Edited by Robert, W. Cox (New York: The United Nations University Press, pp 3-19). †¢ Spangler, Brad. "Integrative or Interest-Based Bargaining." Beyond Intractability. Eds. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Information Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Posted: June 2003 .

National Culture and Its Relation to Media Essay -- Media Culture

Introduction American writer Gertrude Stein uses â€Å"There is no there there† in the book Everybody’s Autobiography to describe Oakland. She spent her girlhood in Oakland, but she perceived that Oakland was inauthentic. When she mentioned France, where she lived most of her life, she said: â€Å"It is not real but it is really there† (Stein 1970: 2). France is more tangible to her than her nation. What does the nation mean to Stein? What is the essence of nation? Watson posits that â€Å"a nation is a community of people, whose members are bound together by a sense of solidarity, a common culture, a national consciousness† (Watson 1997: 1). A more familiar definition was coined by Anderson: â€Å"It is an imagined political community and imagined as both inherently limited and sovereign† (Anderson 1991: 6). If Anderson’s definition is rigorous, why did Stein fail to perceive the intimate connection with America? Stein could not maintain the identificati on of the US according to the memory of her girlhood. On the contrary, her real life is in France, it is not the imagination. Robins regards the people like Stein as the â€Å"empirical people† (Robins 2003: 196) in his book. The imagined community is not distinct to them because it is far away from the real life. The imagined community cannot surpass the reality all the time. Thus it can be postulated that the nation bases on a sense of belonging to an imagined community, but it is not a compulsive ideology; the sense of belonging may become vague when the individual lack the interaction with the nation. Then how to maintain the sense of belonging of the population becomes a pivotal question to the nation. This is the reason why the nation has been aiming at building an intimate relationship with medi... ... Ruigrok, Nel and Atteveldt, Wouter van, Global Angling with a Local Angle: How U.S., British, and Dutch Newspapers Frame Global and Local Terrorist Attacks , the Harvard International Journal of Press, Politics 2007, volume:12. Robins, Kevin, Beyond Imagined Community? Transnational media and Turkish Immigrants in Europe, Media in a Globalized Society, Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanum Press, 2003. Stein, Gertrude, Paris, France, New York: liver light, 1970. Volkmer, I, Journalism and Political Crises: In Journalism after September 11, London, New York: Routledge, 2002. Watson, Hugh Seton, Nations and states: an enquiry into the origins of nations and the politics and nationalism, Methuen young books, 1977. Zakaria, Fareed, How to invest jobs for America, November 1, 2010. (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/10/29/zakaria.create.jobs/index.html?iref=allsearch)