Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 8

Essay Example A randomized control trial or RCT consists of two groups where the subjects are assigned randomly to the following: (1) experimental group, a group who receives intervention being tested, and (2) comparison or control group, the group who receives alternative or conventional treatment (Kendall, 2003). Any differences between the outcomes will be followed up by the researcher, and the trials’ results and subsequent analysis are used in assessing the efficacy of the intervention (Kendall, 2003). Kendall added that the most stringent way of determining the existence of cause and effect between the intervention and outcome are the RCTs. (1) In order to achieve appropriate generalisable results, the sample being studied must be appropriate to the tested hypothesis. Sufficient patients will be recruited in the study to allow it to have probability of clinically detecting important clinical differences between treatments if a difference exists truly. Assume that your recommendation is that the application should not be funded, and explain carefully any faults that you feel the proposal may have. I suggest you concentrate on the methodology for the study and whether it will achieve its aims and answer the research question, and whether the proposed study would be ethical, in terms of what would be done to the participants. If you feel the study will not achieve its aims, state why; if you feel that it is ethically flawed, explain your opinion. After reading the grant application concerning the treatment of back pain by physiotherapists, it is hereby decided that the proposal will not be funded by the regional committee for the following reasons: The researcher did not discuss the basis of doing randomised controlled trial method in the clinical research study. The advantages of using this type of sampling over other types of clinical trials must be clearly indicated in the proposal. It was noted in the study that

Evaluation of a multiprofessional community stroke team Essay Example for Free

Evaluation of a multiprofessional community stroke team Essay The study aims to conclusively evaluate how effective it is to employ a specialist community stroke team for the rehabilitation of stroke victims in a community based setting. This is clearly established at within the opening lines of the article. In the summary at the beginning of the article the author claims that the available evidence is inconclusive and his aim is to provide conclusive proof with regards to evidence based practise for the patient. A research article should state its’ aims clearly and should assume the audience has no previous background knowledge (Greenhalg, 2006). The literature reviewed in this article was from a variety of sources such as the Cochrane database and a selection of journal articles. On this basis the authors were able to deduce that previous research carried out provided contradicting reports. For example Roderick et al (2001) as cited by Lincoln et al (2004) found no significant difference in the effectiveness of rehabilitation which had taken place in the home to that which had occurred in a hospital setting. On the contrary Gladman et al (1993) as cited by Lincoln et al (2004) found a significant difference in a small group of younger patients. It was also suggested that there was a shift of focus from mainly hospital based rehabilitation to community based rehabilitation of stroke patients. According to Polger and Thomas (2008) a literature review should provide appropriate background information. That is, it should show the current knowledge level in that area of study. The author appears to have utilised much of his own previous work in the study and some are more than ten years old. This could possibly be an indication that indeed, there is a large gap in knowledge of this subject area. On the other hand it may indicate that the author has done a selective search of the literature. A quantitative approach was utilised in this study and the method used was a Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT). The articles’ methodology was well documented. According to Sim and Wright (2000) an analytic study attempts to quantify the relationship between two factors, that is, the effect of an intervention or exposure on an outcome. A term used to describe the design randomized controlled trial according to Greenhalgh (2006) is Parallel group comparison. This is when each group receives a different treatment and both are entered into the experiment at the same time. By comparing the groups an analysis is provided. In the Lincoln et al (2004) study Participants were divided into two groups, A and B with the former receiving routine care while the latter received the intervention – rehabilitation with the multi-professional community stroke team. The question posed by the authors could have been answered using a qualitative approach. The question could possible state; Evaluation of a multiprofessional community stroke team: a phenomenological study. SAMPLE Altman (1991) states that a study should have enough participants recruited in order to detect a significant effect if one exists. The sample group consisted of patients referred to the Nottingham Community Stroke Team who had suffered a stroke within the last two years, who were over sixteen years old and needed intervention from more than one multidisciplinary team member. Patients who lived outside the geographical area and/or had been treated by the community stroke team in the preceding two years were excluded. Four hundred and twenty eight patients were randomly selected at the start of the trial and randomly allocated to either Group A or Group B. An error resulted in seven people being recruited twice. This error was corrected by including only the outcome of their initial recruitment when the results were being analyzed. The target population of this study is relatively clearly defined (patients who have had a stroke within last two years, over the age of sixteen, etc ) and lends credence to the external validity of the study (Payton, 1994). According to Sim and Wright (2000) the accessible population is the portion of the target population that is available to the researcher and the sample is then taken from this accessible population. The groups are similar to each other with regards to gender and age distribution; this also increases the validity of the study as this similarity reduces the variables of the study. The overall population was a convenience sample which was then randomized to two groups. Six months after randomization all the patients were sent a letter asking them to consent to being in a study to evaluate the input of a community stroke team. According to Lincoln et al (2004) the consent forms and outcome questionnaires were sent this late so as to reduce bias. It was thought that group A which was receiving routine care would have lower expectations if confronted with the realization that the alternate group may receive superior care. Some would possibly insist on being referred to the specialist community stroke team The Local Research Ethics Committee granted ethical approval for this study to go ahead. This indicates that the value of the research undertaken outweighed any harm that this consenting method may have caused as patients in Group A were still receiving routine care. However, the department of health has issued guidelines which state that participants must be consented and all pertinent information given prior to the start of any study. Data was collected via a questionnaire comprising of the Barthel Index, Extended ADL, General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) and Euroquol. The participants were also asked to rate their knowledge of the expected extent of recovery from their stroke, and their overall satisfaction with the services they received from the community stroke team. The use of a questionnaire for data collection has both negative and positive aspects. Greenhalgh (2006) states that a questionnaire is an instrument used to measure human psychology, so whilst sending the questionnaire via post proves to be cost effective as the alternative would be to hold face to face interviews with the participants as focus groups or individually, it raises concerns about the reliability of the study. This is because the researcher is not present to interpret facial expressions and body language when the participants answer the questions. The alternative of conducting face to face interviews with such a large number of participants would prove to be costly and time consuming. However, according to Oppenheim (2003) long questionnaires are sometimes off putting and may generate low response rates, conducting these questionnaires via the postal service could possibly increase the likelihood of a low response rate. The results were shown as a table and diagram, the Mann-Whitney U-test which was used to compare the groups showed no significant differences on independence in personal or instrumental activities of daily living or on the patients’ mood. There was also no significant difference between the groups in their knowledge with regards to the resources available to assist them in adjusting to life after a stroke. There was also no difference between the two groups with overall satisfaction or in satisfaction with the practical helped received. However, patients in the Community Stroke Team were significantly more satisfied with the emotional care they received. (Lincoln et al, 2004) According to Wright et al (2009) the Mann-Whitney U-test is used when one group from the sample is larger than the other and when both samples are from the same population, as is the case with this study. There was no significant difference in carers’ mood between the two groups. However, the strain on carers of patients seen by the community stroke team was significantly less than that of carers of patients randomized to the routine care group. The carers of patients in the community stroke team group were significantly more satisfied with their knowledge of stroke and had higher overall satisfaction than the carers of those in the routine group. By utilizing the randomized controlled trial design the author lends credence to its validity as this design allows for the eradication of systematic bias. (Sim et al, 2000) This was done through the sampling process of selecting the participants from the target population and randomly allocating them to Group A which received routine care or Group B those in the care of the community stroke team. The collection of data by using a postal questionnaire helps to â€Å"blind† the researcher as he cannot influence the participants’ response. Although some participants did not respond to the questionnaire, others responded with incomplete forms, some died and a few were recruited twice, the author is cognizant of this and incorporates it into his findings. Crombie (2000) states that if the withdrawals and failures to respond can be seen as being consistent between both comparison groups then the results of the research will not be negatively impacted upon. This is because the results show that these failures are random among both groups and not specific to one. However one major fault is the fact that the services received by Group A were not collected due to impracticalities and unreliable recollections of the patients. Critical appraisal is not just an exercise in fault finding, it is the analysis of these faults and the assessment of their potential impact on the research which allows the reader to come to a decision regarding the strength or usefulness of the article being critiqued. In order for the research results to be utilized in clinical practice its’ reliability and validity are essential aspects which need to be covered. (Polger and Thomas, 2008) This article shows a research that was methodically sound and well designed. The sample was representative of the population being examined and attempts were made to minimize bias. The author was aware of the shortfalls of this research and attempted to incorporate this in his findings however, most of the issues identified did not affect the results of the study. The study if repeated would provide comparable results. However, the author states that the study provides evidence supporting the use of a community based stroke team to assist in the rehabilitation of stroke patients because of the increased emotional support for patients and greater satisfaction and reduced strain on carers. This statement would have been better justified on results from a qualitative study as this type of study aims to interpret people’s emotional and psychological response to the intervention or interventions being employed. The results from such a study would be closer to the patients’ and carers true feelings as the methodology behind that study would be different.

greek comedy :: essays research papers fc

Tommy Coleman Intro to Theater Process Kimmika Williams-Whitherspoon Greek Comedy and The Process of Putting on a Show   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In The Poetics, comedy is defined as â€Å"a representation of an action that is laughable, lacking in magnitude, complete, [in embellished speech,] with each of its parts used separately in the various elements of the play; represented by people acting and not by narration.† (Aristotle, pg. 43) Therefore a play that does not adhere to this definition is not considered funny, nor does it produce laughter, which is highly essential to the genre. ***   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Kimmika told me that I was going to be doing a Satyr piece, I was devastated. I was so confident that I would be doing a musical piece in some shape or form. I would’ve even enjoyed opera, but not Satyr (of all genres) to do a project on. I was intimidated by the genre for my lack of knowledge about it. I was also fearful that my production would not add up to the caliber of the one I saw last spring semester, which followed all the rules, it seemed, of what a Greek comedy was supposed to be. With such anxiety eating at my psyche, it was difficult to move forward confidently with this project. On top of that, I was in the middle of rehearsals for Jitney, so I was not sure that I would pull my weight for the project. What is funny is that for the most part, my fear should’ve been the same fear as my partners who did not do as much as I did for this project at all.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Firstly, as far as meeting with my group members was concerned, that idea was cute in the beginning. Abbey, Phuong and I met during classes and discussed ideas for a possible Greek play. Then we suggested ways to come up with concepts and bring them back to each other. However not too long into the duration of the project, communication became non-existent. The only time I talked to my group members was during class time in Theater 011. Outside of class, there were no meetings. There was an attempt at one, but we got our times scheduled wrong. For me, it was impossible to meet during the evenings due to rehearsal for â€Å"Jitney† by August Wilson, performances of â€Å"Jitney†, and then rehearsals for a fashion show that I was a part of.

Advantages of Using Ict as a Tool for Teaching and Learning Process

Advantages of using ICT as a tool for teaching and learning process in higher education institution. ICT defined as information and communication technology (ICT) the hardware and software that enables data to be digitally processed, stored and communicated. ICT can be used to access, process, manage, and present information model and control events, construct new construct new understanding and communicate with other. In the context of learning process, ICT may be referred as a necessary tool for any student who desires further learning shortly after the internet explosion of the 1990s.ICT was immediately integrated into educational field. Even though symbolized advancement in human knowledge was seen as a setback by many educator and instructors at the university. There are many advantages of using ICT as a tool for teaching and learning. The advantages such as ICT can be used at anytime, anywhere, access to remote learning resources and it help to prepare individual for the work p lace. First of all, the advantage of using ICT as a tool for teaching and learning process in higher education learning is anytime and anywhere. Dr.Ken Olson, President of Digital and Equipment Corporation who said he had prescribed a time when computers will weigh no more than one and a half tons. One defining feature of ICT is the capability to transcend time and space between time. ICT make possible asynchronous learning or learning characterized by a time lag. For example, internet can be accessed 24hours per day for seven days per week. ICT based educational delivery such as educational programming broadcast over radio or television also dispenses with the need for all learners and instructors to be in one physical location.In addition, certain type of ICTs, such as teleconferencing technologies, enable instruction to be received simultaneously by other learner at higher learning institution. In a nutshell, we can see that using of ICT tools in higher learning institution give many advantages. The advantages in information technology have heavily influenced especially in teaching and learning process. In 2000, most excellent student of National University of Malaysia used ICTs tool as medium to excellent were stated and published in Berita Harian newspaper.All the benefits can lead many student to excellent in their study and at the same time they can diverse their knowledge in their study and provide so many resources if they really want to do some research about their study. They also can communicate better with their lecturers or instructors through the web cam on their computer. Internet services provide â€Å"Skype† to make people easier to communicate with each other. They can ask their lecturers or instructors about so many question and clarify better about their assignment or lecture syllabus. The most important thing it’s a free services.

Philosophies of Education Essay

There are many different educational philosophies that have developed over the years. Some of these philosophies are teacher-centered and some are student-centered, but they all have the same goal, and the goal is to provide students with the best education possible. The following is a list of educational philosophies and their basic ideas. 1. Perennialism- is a teacher centered philosophy that focuses on the values associated with reason. It considers knowledge as enduring, seeks everlasting truths, and views principles of existence as constant or unchanging. For Perennialists, the aim of education is to ensure that students acquire understandings about the great ideas of Western civilization. These ideas have the potential for solving problems in any era. The focus is to teach ideas that are everlasting, to seek enduring truths which are constant, not changing, as the natural and human worlds at their most essential level, do not change. Teaching these unchanging principles is critical. Humans are rational beings, and their minds need to be developed. Thus, cultivation of the intellect is the highest priority in a worthwhile education. The demanding curriculum focuses on attaining cultural literacy, stressing students’ growth in enduring disciplines. 2. Essentialism- is a teacher centered philosophy that believes there is a common set of skills and knowledge that educated people should have. It focuses on respect for authority, developing sound habits of the mind, and training in fundamentals. Essentialism is similar to perrenialism. Schooling should be practical, preparing students to become valuable members of society. It should focus on facts-the objective reality out there–and â€Å"the basics†or â€Å" back to the basics,† training students to read, write, speak, and compute clearly and logically. Schools should not try to set or influence policies. Students should be taught hard work, respect for authority, and discipline. Consisting of discipline subject. Teachers are to help students keep their non-productive instincts in check, such as aggression or mindlessness. Early in the 20th century, essentialism was criticized as being too rigid to prepare students adequately for adult life. 3. Progressivism- is a student centered philosophy that believes that ideas should be tested by experimentation, and learning comes from finding answers from questions. This philosophy values the scientific method of teaching, allows individuals to have their own beliefs, and promotes the interaction of students as valuable to the learning process. (learning by doing things). Create independent thinking,self expression and activity in the learner. Progressivists believe that education should focus on the whole child, rather than on the content or the teacher. This educational philosophy stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world. It is active, not passive. The learner is a problem solver and thinker who make meaning through his or her individual experience in the physical and cultural context. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing. Curriculum content is derived from student interests and questions. The scientific method is used by progressivist educators so that students can study matter and events systematically and first hand. The emphasis is on process-how one comes to know. One of his tenets was that the school should improve the way of life of our citizens through experiencing freedom and democracy in schools. Shared decision making, planning of teachers with students, student-selected topics are all aspects. Books are tools, rather than authority. 4. Reconstructionism/Critical Theory- is another student centered philosophy that promotes world social progress, focuses on world events, controversial issues, and developing a vision for a new better world. This philosophy is associated with pragmatism and essentialism. Social reconstructionism is a philosophy that emphasizes the addressing of social questions and a quest to create a better society and worldwide democracy. Reconstructionist educators focus on a curriculum that highlights social reform as the aim of education. Critical theorists, like social reconstructionists, believe that systems must be changed to overcome oppression and improve human conditions. Paulo Freire (1921-1997) was a Brazilian whose experiences living in poverty led him to champion education and literacy as the vehicle for social change. In his view, humans must learn to resist oppression and not become its victims, nor oppress others. To do so requires dialog and critical consciousness, the development of awareness to overcome domination and oppression. Rather than â€Å"teaching as banking,† in which the educator deposits information into students’ heads, Freire saw teaching and learning as a process of inquiry in which the child must invent and reinvent the world. For social reconstructionists and critical theorists, curriculum focuses on student experience and taking social action on real problems, such as violence, hunger, international terrorism, inflation, and inequality. Strategies for dealing with controversial issues (particularly in social studies and literature), inquiry, dialogue, and multiple perspectives are the focus. Community-based learning and bringing the world into the classroom are also strategies. 5. Eclecticism- is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases. It can be inelegant, and eclectics are sometimes criticized for lack of consistency in their thinking, but it is common in many fields of study. For example, most psychologists accept parts of behaviorism, but do not attempt to use the theory to explain all aspects of human behavior. A statistician may use frequentist techniques on one occasion and Bayesian ones on another. An example of eclecticism in economics is John Dunning’s eclectic theory of international production. 6. Existentialism – Student centered. If you are existentialist, subject matter is a personal choice. They focus on the importance of the student than the subject matter or curriculum. Man’s freedom. Man is nothing else but what he makes of himself. Such is the first principle of existentialism. ‘ ‘ †¢ Jean Paul Sartre Existentialism as an Educational Philosophy Existentialism rejects the existence of any source of objective, authoritative truth about metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. Instead, individuals are responsible for determining for themselves what is â€Å"true† or â€Å"false,† â€Å"right† or â€Å"wrong,† â€Å"beautiful† or â€Å"ugly. † For the existentialist, there exists no universal form of human nature; each of us has the free will to develop as we see fit. In the existentialist classroom, subject matter takes second place to helping the students understand and appreciate themselves as unique individuals who accept complete responsibility for their thoughts, feelings, and actions. The teacher’s role is to help students define their own essence by exposing them to various paths they may take in life and creating an environment in which they may freely choose their own preferred way. Since feeling is not divorced from reason in decision making, the existentialist demands the education of the whole person, not just the mind. Although many existentialist educators provide some curricular structure, existentialism, more than other educational philosophies, affords students great latitude in their choice of subject matter. In an existentialist curriculum, students are given a wide variety of options from which to choose. To the extent that the staff, rather than the students, influence the curriculum, the humanities are commonly given tremendous emphasis. They are explored as a means of providing students with vicarious experiences that will help unleash their own creativity and self-expression. For example, rather than emphasizing historical events, existentialists focus upon the actions of historical individuals, each of whom provides possible models for the students’ own behavior. In contrast to the humanities, math and the natural sciences may be de-emphasized, presumably because their subject matter would be considered â€Å"cold,† â€Å"dry,† â€Å"objective,† and therefore less fruitful to self-awareness. Moreover, vocational education is regarded more as a means of teaching students about themselves and their potential than of earning a livelihood. In teaching art, existentialism encourages individual creativity and imagination more than copying and imitating established models. Existentialist methods focus on the individual. Learning is self-paced, self directed, and includes a great deal of individual contact with the teacher, who relates to each student openly and honestly. Although elements of existentialism occasionally appear in public schools, this philosophy has found wider acceptance in private schools and ill alternative public schools founded in the late 1960s and early 1970s. 7. Naturalism- ‘’Back to Nature† slogan. Naturalism emphasizes ‘Matter and Physical world. Aim to unfold the child potential. We are born weak, we need strength; helpless, we need aid; foolish, we need reason. All that we lack at birth, all that we need when we come to man’s estate, is the gift of education. ~Jean Jacques Rousseau Naturalism as a philosophy of education was developed in the 18th century. It is based on the assumption that nature represents the wholeness of reality. Nature, itself, is a total system that contains and explains all existence including human beings and human nature Education must conform to the natural processes of growth and mental development. This root principle, already touched upon, stems from a concern to understand the nature of the child and follows from naturalism’s conception of the pupil. It is the make up of the learner that determines the character of the learning process, not the designs of teachers of the learner or there simply will be no learning. Education should be pleasurable; for children have a good time when they are doing things which the present development of their physical and mental equipment makes them ready to do. This readiness for specific kinds of activity is evidenced by their interest. Consequently, interest in a subject and interest in ways of doing things are guides to parents and teachers, both as to subjects of study and methods of teaching for which children have a natural readiness at any given stage of development. Education should engage the spontaneous self-activity of the child. As already noted, the child educates himself in great measure, most of his knowledge is base on what he discovers in his own active relations with things and people. Especially is this the case with our perceptions, developed almost completely by our own unconscious efforts in early childhood but constituting the machinery for a high percentage of our adult experiences. Adults are foolish, therefore, if they do not use this native self-activity as an ally in their teaching. The way to do this, Spencer advised, is to tell the learner as little as possible and induce him to discover as much as possible. The teacher’s role is to remain in background. The natural development of child should be stimulated. Since, Nature is considered to be best educator, According to naturalists the teacher is the observer and facilitator of the child’s development rather than a giver of information, ideas, ideals and will power or a molder of character. 8. Realism – Teacher centered. Slogan,â€Å"Things rather than words†. And according to Realism the external world of objects is not imaginary. It really exists, â€Å"Our experience is not independent but determines reaction to the external objects. Experiences are influenced by the external world which has real existence. † (Dr. Pandey Ram Shakal. The teacher is more focus to the lesson rather to the child. ( That’s the reality). Subject: Math and Science. 9. Idealism- is a philosophical approach that has as its central tenet that, ideas are the only true reality, the only thing worth knowing. In a search for truth, beauty and justice that is enduring and everlasting, the focus is on conscious reasoning in the mind. The aim of education is to discover and develop each individual’s abilities and full moral excellence in order to better serve the society. Deals with â€Å"mind and self†. Developing child potential. Ex. If a child is good in reasoning encourage him/her to develop that. In idealism, no comparison only encouragement. 10. Pragmatism- â€Å"Pragmatism is a temper of mind, an attitude, it is also a theory of the nature of ideas and truth and finally it is a theory about reality. † William James â€Å". Pragmatism is essentially a humanistic philosophy, maintaining that man creates his own values in the course of activity that reality is still in the making and awaits its part of completion from the future, that to an uncertain able extent our truths are manmade products. Method of teaching: This school of philosophy favours project method and consider it active and dynamic. Through this method the child learns by his own activities and experiences. The teacher only guiding and suggesting wherever and whenever there is necessity for such help. They believe learning by doing. They oppose bookish knowledge and condemn those methods which promote knowledge which is not useful. Teacher: works as a friend and guide to the children. The teacher comes in close contact to the children to know their interest and understanding regarding the conditions of changing society. The teacher puts in front of the students problems which are interesting and students are expected to solve it. 11. Constructivism- is a student centered philosophy that emphasizes hands on learning and students actively participating in lessons. Constructivists believe that students should be able to discover lessons on their own through hands on activity because it is the most effect way of learning and is considered true learning. Von Glasersfeld describes constructivism as a â€Å"theory of knowledge with roots in philosophy, psychology and cybernetics†. In the constructivist perspective, knowledge is constructed by the individual through his interactions with his environment. Learning is an active process. Students are actively engaged and are responsible for their learning. 12. Humanism- is a student centered philosophy that focuses on enhancing ones innate goodness, rejects the idea of group-oriented education, and upholds the idea of enhancing individual development. This philosophy also believes that students should be actively involved with their education on all levels, and students should be able to make choices about what they will be learning. To live life to the fullest Humanism focused on creating people who would be ideal citizens in whatever domain their work lay and would be able to speak persuasively to encourage those around them to a moral life; thus, students pursuing humanist studies were instructed from historically important works of poetry, history, grammar and rhetoric. 13. Behaviorism – is a teacher centered philosophy that is closely related to realism. This philosophy focuses on human behavior as a reaction to external stimuli, and believes that changing the environment can change misbehavior. Educational behaviorists are more interested in managing behavior in an attempt to better educate students and maintain a classroom environment conducive to the learning of each individual student. Educational behaviorists have developed systems of rewards and punishments in order to achieve academic success. He found a very strong effect from rewards but also discovered that punishment was a less effective means for control of behavior (Pulliam & Patten ). Teachers began to rapidly accept these laws of learning, and found them to be highly useful devices for classroom instruction Watson made the following statement: Give me a dozen healthy infants, well formed, to bring them up in any way I choose and I’ll guarantee you to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief, and yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations and race of his ancestors. Watson made it very clear that he believed that behavior could be altered, modified, and controlled by using forms of reinforcement. Reinforcement was one of Skinners most important behavioral concepts. Reinforcement is the affect of reward on a response that the strengthening produces it, to the reduction of physiological need. Often times the word reinforcement is mistakenly substituted by the word reward. It is important to realize that these two words are not the same. Rewards may or may not strengthen behavior. Robert Nye, author of The Legacy of B. F. Skinner, gives the following example to clarify this misconception: A teenager may behave contrary to his parents, wishes despite the fact that they heap rewards (a car, money, freedom, and so on) on him. This example exhibits parents who are giving rewards to their son, but they are not reinforcing his desirable behaviors. Skinners definition affirms that reinforcement does strengthen behavior, and reinforcement occurs only if what is being done has that effect. Therefore, rewards may or may not strengthen behavior. In operant conditioning there are two types of reinforcement: positive and negative. Positive reinforcement is a response strengthened by the addition of something (positive reinforcer) to the situation. A child behaving to earn parental approval is an example of the effects of positive reinforcement. The parental approval is the positive reinforcer. Behaviors can also be strengthened by negative consequences. Negative reinforcement occurs when a response is strengthened by the removal of something (negative reinforcer) from the situation. Negative reinforcement should not be confused with punishment; it does refer to a process in which behavior is strengthened. Without even realizing it, teachers condition students to do things, such as stand in a straight line or to be quiet, by giving looks and/or punishments. Teachers often use the theories behind behaviorism to drive behavior plans for emotionally disturbed students. These step-by-step plans include rewards (or punishments), which condition students to achieve specific patterns of behavior. These plans are designed so that when the student performs a desired behavior, the student is rewarded with tokens or points. The students are then able to trade these tokens or points for prizes, food, playtime, or other rewards. Critics disagree with this type of extrinsic reward; however, Skinner believed that this may be necessary when other methods do not motivate the students. Skinner also believed that since teachers are conditioning most of the time, they should learn how to do it more effectively (Ozman & Craver 213). 14. Analytic- The term â€Å"analytic philosophy† can refer to: A broad philosophical tradition[2][3] characterized by an emphasis on clarity and argument (often achieved via modern formal logic and analysis of language) and a respect for the natural sciences. The more specific set of developments of early 20th-century philosophy that were the historical antecedents of the broad sense: e. g., the work of Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, G. E. Moore, Gottlob Frege, and the logical positivists. – is used to described philosophy that proceeds via analysis- broadly, by seeking to understand the composition of its subject matter (or concepts of that subject matter) out of simple (or simpler) components. 15. Positivism- is a teacher centered philosophy that rejects intuition, matters of mind, essences, and inner causes. This philosophy relies on laws of matter and motion as valid, and bases truth on provable fact. It is also known as logical positivism. 16. Scholasticism- students were encouraged to face apparent contradictions in the things they were being taught, and find a consensus between teachings that seemed to oppose each other. They were expected to use their reason and experience — in combination with knowledge that was accepted on the authority of church fathers and teachers — to make their arguments. Scholasticism attempted to reconcile Christian teachings with one another, as well as with such philosophies as Aristotelianism and Neoplatonism. –(debate). Scholasticism focused on training people who would work as theologians, lawyers or doctors, and thus used works of theology, philosophy, medicine and law as a basis for study. 17. Postmodernism- The heart of postmodernism is the view that reality cannot be known nor described objectively. This contrast to the modernist view that says reality can be understood objectively. Postmodernism seeks to correct the imbalances of modernism. It reminds us that we do not possess an unlimited potential to understand and change the world for our own purposes. Ex. Under modernism, the prevailing theory of truth was known as the correspondence theory of truth. That is, something was felt to be true in so much as it corresponds to objective reality found in the world. The correspondence theory of truth caused people to believe that scientific truth equals absolute truth. Postmodernism corrects this by denying the equivalency between scientific truth and absolute truth. All scientific conclusions are now understood to be tentative simply because no one has ever made the infinite number of observations required to learn if there are any exceptions. So, postmodernism corrects modernism by helping us to understand the limits of our reasoning ability and knowledge. But postmodernism then presses things too far. Postmodernism rejects certain ideas of history. Generally refers to a form of contemporary culture, such as art and architecture. It is a style of thought which is suspicious of classical notions of truth, reason, identity, and objectivity. According to Elkind, Postmodernism venerates language rather than thought and honors human diversity as much as it does human individuality.