Forensic Psychology Assessments

Mental Health Capacity Assessment

Daubert Scale

Angela A is a female client from Minnesota whose issue has been determined as an inability to parent her 14-year-old child. Based on the SA-45 test that has been used to objectively test the patient, it is unlikely that she can take care of a child in her current mental and physical state. To begin with, she exhibits issues related to an inability to instantly recognize her surroundings. This can be attributed to the fact that she is currently taking mood stabilizer pills, synonymous with tests that indicate she has a high risk of being schizophrenic (she has a score of 68 on the MMP1-2 scale). The MMP1-2 scale is effective in testing for various mental and physical issues that could lead to an inability for a person to conform to established practices of society. The method of analysis has a narrow margin of error as it entails questioning an individual in a way that can aid professionals’ assess their mental state (APA).

Interview analysis

Mrs.A is unable to currently bear the responsibility of taking care of a young child as she suffers from issues such as low education ability and substance abuse. She has reportedly used heroin within the past year (last 90 days) and is currently on mood stabilizers. Therefore, she is also at risk of becoming dependent on these substances based on her history of drugs and addiction. While she seems well oriented with her surroundings, she showcases a form of oblivion where she is at times unaware of her actions (she has issues with getting to her appointment on time) (Chandler, 2008).

Collateral information analysis

Furthermore, her dependence on drugs also impedes her ability to take care of a child as she has low education. In this manner, she cannot afford to feed her habit while raising a child. Since she has vocational training, she is likely to be paid minimum wage, alleviating her ability to provide a well-structured home for her daughter. The medication that she is currently taking could also result in issues since it is impossible to realize the extent of her mood swings when such pills cannot be provided. In such a case, it is important to consider the fact that this issue puts the child at risk of harm, regardless of her parent’s upbringing (she did not witness domestic abuse or violence) (Crighton, 2015).

Recommendations

Mrs. A exhibits the traits associated with Gamma mothers, an issue that could lead to neglect for a child in such a parent’s care. Gamma mothers have issues relating to substance abuse as Angela possesses with Heroine. It would, therefore, be prudent to start her on a program to wean her off drugs before proceeding with recalibrating her mental disposition towards life. As a former inmate in the prison system, Angela could showcase instances of delirium. This can be seen in the moments where she is unable to understand her surroundings. Moreover, a strict regimen should be imposed as she is likely to dissociate from the established treatment plan. Gamma mothers are likely to be resistant to treatment offered, as such, physicians and other medical personnel involved in her care should be patient with her progress to ensure she does not deviate from the established design of treatment (Crighton, 2015).

Ethics

To begin with, verifiable means of testing for Angela’s illness have been used. MMP1-2 is a system used in Minnesota to assess the personality of an individual. In this case, the patient resides in the state and thus proper measures have been implemented in her treatment. While it would be helpful to include other methods of assessment to solidify this claim, the physicians responsible for her assessment have considered a due process to deem Angela incapable of raising a child. Furthermore, information used in the assessment has not been derived by force, rather, it has been shared voluntarily by the patient. In this case, the patient is to be treated based on the symptoms exhibited from a voluntary test (Scott, 2010).

Offender Risk Assessment

Johnny B is a male patient currently incarcerated and awaiting parole to determine his legibility to rejoin society. He is of Pakistani origin and has a young child named Albert. The child’s mother is Indian-American, the patient’s former lover and named Jamie. He is currently in prison because of exhibiting offer risk, where he has on several occasions been charged with domestic abuse. However, in 2003, he struck his 18-month-old baby and hurt his mother, resulting in his arrest and subsequent incarceration (Chandler, 2008).

Daubert scale

The Daubert scale has been successful in analyzing the relevance of Mr. B’s claim that he does not pose a risk to his family. Based on the Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory (SASSI-3), the patient has an additive tendency as he has been caught in offenses, albeit minor, while in prison. These issues have arisen due to possession of tobacco, indicating a dependence on the substance. IORNS, a test used to measure the risk of offense has also been used in the assessment as people who have been in prison have a high chance of committing offenses and thus being jailed up again. SARA has also been used to assess the patient’s likelihood to resort to domestic violence in the future (Bartol & Bartol, 2012).

Interview analysis

Based on an analysis of the interview information, Mr. B seems to have used the time spent in prison to better his academic qualifications. This has the result of boosting self-confidence and alleviating issues such as domestic violence in most instances. Moreover, his admittance of the problem and intent to deviate from this tendency is also helpful as it provides a step in the right direction for his healing. Since his relationship with Jamie started at a young age, it is likely that the introduction of a baby in the scenario resulted in additional stress on the individual. Since he has attained significant knowledge during his time in prison, Mr. B. has a higher chance of finding employment than a large number of former inmates, further increasing his chances of thriving outside of prison (Cronin, 2018).

Collateral information

Mr. B has faced several stressful situations in his life. To begin with, he gets a young girl pregnant while in college and delves into drugs to cater for the family. In this way, he deems himself responsible for their well-being. At such a young age, an individual can be affected by stress if they take on a lot of responsibilities. Coupled with bad coping mechanisms such as the use of drugs as the patient has admitted to, this could have disastrous effects for the person and those around them (Jamie and Albert were victims of Johnny’s outburst). He does not showcase any form of prior mental illness that could have prompted violent behavior, nevertheless, he has abused Jamie twice before law enforcement intervened. Therefore, it could be possible that his current predisposition is not related entirely to Albert’s birth. However, it is important to consider his remorse and belief that the system has altered his manner of interaction with people since it is crucial in the determination of whether he is eligible to leave prison (Cronin, 2018).

Recommendations

The prison system has indicated that Johnny’s issues relating to his interactions with people are due to stress. As such, it is important to ensure that he does not pose a risk to Jamie and his son. Before his incarceration, he believed he was his family’s head and thus had to provide sustenance for them. As they have been able to get along without his aid, he can see that he does not need to put a lot of stress on himself, issues that could lead to violent outbursts. However, Mr. B’s interaction with his child and Albert’s mother should be limited at the time of his release and monitored to ensure he does not pose a danger to either of them. It is prudent that Mr. B attends a mandatory anger management class and joins a support group for individuals dealing with these issues. The class is to help him gain new methods to cope with stressful situations rather than resulting to violence. A support group, on the other hand, is to aid the patient as they adjust to society since prison can take a huge toll on an individual. To prevent relapse, support systems are necessary as they prevent individuals from deviating from set plans (APA).

Ethics

The assessment has been presented in an impartial manner. Mr. B has been judged in a manner that reflects the results exhibited by assessment tools used. While one may take a side on the issue, it is important to remain impartial as one’s credibility is reliant on one’s ability to remain impartial when making decisions regarding a client’s status. Though the tests administered do not indicate Mr. B as a threat to himself or others, being biased could lead to wrongful conclusions. The decisions arrived at in the assessment are, however, impartial, exposing weaknesses in the patient’s recovery where seen and indicating the positive aspects in the same light. Impartial treatment of patients helps one remain objective as they develop measures to deal with a situation (Cronin, 2018).

Substance Abuse Potential

Daubert Scale

Jeannie C is a female patient from Minnesota with substance abuse issues that have led to other problems spawning in her life. She is divorced with four children and minimal sources of money, necessitating an assessment of the patient’s ability to sustain herself and her children. Moreover, it is important to ascertain the safety of Jeannie’s children in their current living environment.

Investigators conducted the assessment using the Symptom Assessment-45 test. Furthermore, there is a use of the SASSI-3 test while SARA and MMP1-2 have also been employed to comply with relevant laws. Of this nature, the assessment has yielded a lot of information regarding the nature of Jeannie while allowing an individual to develop a recommendation that protects all parties involved. Based on tests administered, the patient exhibits signs of depression and anxiety. Nevertheless, she is well in tune with her surroundings and indicates a high level of understanding. She does not appear to have any difficulty answering questions asked. Therefore, the tests administered are likely to elicit correct results and thus allow for proper treatment to be administered to Jeannie (Chandler, 2008).

Interview Analysis

Jeannie has in the past been involved in domestic abuse cases, she assaulted her husband, indicating violent tendencies. She has also admitted to occasionally fighting with her current spouse though the arguments are less heated. Nevertheless, this poses a chance for stress to be incurred by both Jeannie and the children in case the relationship status deteriorates. Jeannie’s ability to stay off drugs and alcohol use indicates a will to alleviate destructive factors from her life. She has attended mandatory drug offender meetings due to a court order. However, as her demeanor indicates, she is likely to continue abstaining from methamphetamines in the future. Jeannie’s depression and anxiety issues could have resulted from her experience with the ex-husband. She claims that there are incidences of rape within their marriage, an indicator that she was traumatized by the experiences (Chandler, 2008).

Collateral Information

Jeannie does not exhibit any evidence of homicidal tendencies and thus does not pose a danger to her children and spouse. Nevertheless, she has been in an abusive relationship prior to her current relationship where she is engaged. She is quick to rush into relationships, an aspect that could confuse the children. In this way, children living in such a household are at risk of being neglected as their principle guardian showcases a minimal interest in the children’s welfare when making decisions such as choice of spouse. She has admitted to occasional fights which could potentially affect the children as they are at risk of being exposed to domestic violence to the point where they develop issues of their own which manifest well into adulthood (Davies, 2017).

Recommendations

The patient is a Beta mother and thus is at risk of neglectful actions towards her children. She is also lax about relationships as she is currently engaged after being married before. Therefore, she does not take into account the children’s thoughts when making huge decisions such as being married. In this way, the children could be confused and left in the hands of strangers (she is willing to introduce a new father figure in their lives in a fast manner and thus is not apprehensive of the role models she allows to meet her children). It is important to motivate Jeannie to study more and thus improve her position at work. She may be feeling inadequate in terms of career exploits since her work does not require her skill-set obtained in education. Therefore, it would be prudent to ask the patient to consider joining an academic institution as it affords her the opportunity to advance her skills and thus gain better revenues to sustain her family (Davies, 2017).

Ethics

Jeannie has provided information regarding her health status in a voluntary manner. Well-established tests that are considered viable under Minnesota jurisdiction have been used to come up with an effective analysis of Jeannie. Based on recommendations drawn from the assessment, there is a high chance that the patient could be aided in her integration in society. While she is not incarcerated, Jeannie does not have stable relationships as evidenced by arguments posed within the household. She has been responsible for these fights and thus could be deemed a bad influence towards her children. Nevertheless, it is important to consider each party’s take on an issue before making a conclusion. In this instance, Jeannie cannot be wholly accountable for the damage in her first relationship. She has even stated that there were instances of rape by the ex-husband. Such information is, however, confidential and will remain in this state unless dictated otherwise by the law.

Trauma Symptoms among Children

Daubert Scale

Little Alberta is a six-year-old female client that suffered a major incident a year prior to the assessment.  She was involved in a car accident a year before foster care placed her with the Brady family. However, since her inception, she has showcased a lot of signs that indicate some form of abuse as having taken place such as withdrawal and confusion.

There is a very small chance that the results elicited in the tests administered to Little Alberta are false. This is because they have been continually tested across many states in the U.S.A. when compared to others. In this manner, the TSCYC scale employed to measure Little Alberta’s personality for signs of mental and physical distress could aid in developing accurate recommendations. Moreover, the investigation employs the use of CAPI in analyzing the potential of patents to affect child behavior through an analysis of their attributes. The tests used in this analysis are, therefore, both viable and reliable, in terms of their application in Little Alberta’s case (Chandler, 2008).

Interview Information

Little Alberta is under the care of the Brady family, a strict Christian home that does not tolerate disobedience. They, therefore, expect the child to behave as an adult, ignoring the fact that they should help her deal with the parents’ deaths. As such, she seems to have formed some form of delusion as she has not been addressed regarding the matter. In this way, she continues to live in the past, where she claims that the accident that killed her parents affected her head. There are no indications that she was hurt in this manner, prompting an investigation into the reason for her behavior. Moreover, as children, it is irresponsible for parents or guardians to neglect to provide for them. Alberta is neglected once her foster parents lose their positions at work (Goldstein, 2007).

Collateral Information

Alberta is punished whenever her foster parents consider her behavior to be unacceptable. As staunch believers, the individuals conduct themselves in a way that cannot be deemed acceptable in modern society. They have admitted to spanking Little Alberta whenever she throws a tantrum or talks back to them in a rude manner. In this way, the child could retract from associating with others as her expression of emotions could indicate a deeper issue within her psyche. Traditionally, Little Alberta was a jovial child whose intellectual capacity and level of understanding soared. Recently, her concentration level and the manner in which she conducts herself indicate stress and should thus be eliminated before causing more harm (Heilbrun, Grisso & Goldstein, 2008).

Recommendations

The Brady family is not a good fit for Little Alberta. To begin with, they have adopted a less than perfect method for dealing with issues within the house. Spanking the child cannot be considered an appropriate method to deal with indiscipline, especially for a small child. As a Beta couple, the Bradys have been unable to cope with the loss of income and thus pose a danger for Alberta’s upbringing. Mr. Brady has been charged with domestic abuse in the past, in this way, lack of employment could lead him to take out his anger and frustrations on Alberta. This issue has also led to the child being neglected as indicated by her dwindling score on cognitive function. It is, therefore, prudent to remove Alberta from the current situation and place her in a family with stability. In her current situation, Alberta is likely to grow up with severe mental issues as her parents do not provide her with mental stimulation but rather ignore her as they focus on monetary problems facing them (Heilbrun, Grisso & Goldstein, 2008).

Ethics

Alberta’s well-being is the paramount interest when conducting the assessment. Therefore, regardless of the feelings of the Brady family, the final decision to be made regarding Alberta’s placement should ensure she grows up without any form of deficiency developing. Currently, the Brady family has shown that it cannot refrain from physical punishment when a child under their care makes a mistake. As such, it would not be ethical to send Alberta back to the family. They have demonstrated an inability to look after the child where she has been seen at night watching adult videos. To prevent further degradation of Little Alberta’s potentials, it would be prudent to alleviate her from a neglectful scenario in favor of a situation where she is looked after. This is especially in light of the current predicament where the guardian faces the challenge of making the child come to terms with the reality of her parents dying (Heilbrun, Grisso & Goldstein, 2008).

Child Abuse potential

Daubert Scale

Sue Z is a female patient whose issues related to child abuse. She exhibits several worrying traits such as an affinity to violence and thus requires professional analysis to ascertain the level of risk she poses to those affected by her actions.

Firstly, the SA-45, MMP1-2, SARA and CAPI tests have been instrumental in developing a narrative that explains the individual’s tendency to commit a crime or any other wrongful act. The tests have been used in a myriad of cases and thus illustrate a positive inclination towards proper measurement methods for testing individual viability. Through the SARA test, the patient’s violence traits towards the spouse are monitored while CAPI assesses the likelihood of a child to be harmed by the guardian in question. MMP1-2 is a test reserved for Minnesota patients and illustrates various personal issues that could be developed from certain situations such as physical abuse. Tests used in this manner do not possess a high error rate and are reliable. They can also be checked for validity and viability through scientific testing methods (Chandler, 2008).

Interview Information

Ms. Z illustrates a desire to refrain from violent tendencies as evidenced by her active participation in the programs prescribed for her. Nevertheless, she has been denied freedom to have any other child as she cannot raise her current one. As such, the court has mandated her to abstain from starting a family and instead focus on improving her life. In this way, Ms. Z is attending GED classes though as a requirement by law. This could help her gain better employment since her current education capacity is low. Ms. Z has been in police custody following an assault charge imposed on her after she shot an individual, part of a gang she thought were ‘trying to rape’ her (Chandler, 2008).

Collateral Information

Sue Z has experienced rejection all her life since her mother’s family refused to accept her as part of their own. In this way, she shares the negative trait with her mother’s family where she does not concern herself with the child’s life. As a juvenile, the patient does not have a lot of education skills. It is earlier stated that the government has currently forced her to attend GED classes. In this way, she could gain better employment upon integration in the society. Sue Z also uses marijuana as she claims to have taken some within the past seven days. Here, the emphasis lies on her tendency to lie (she initially denies using any form of drug abuse) where she has not accepted that she has a problem but instead focuses on portraying false information (Cronch, Viljoen & Hansen, 2006).

Recommendation

Sue Z is a Gamma mother based on her upbringing and other factors such as the inclination to crime and education level. She has limited education capacity and could, therefore, not support a child while dealing with addictions on her previous salary. In this way, the best approach to take would be to ensure that the patient is weaned from drug addiction. Her use of marijuana a day prior to her assessment indicates stress. She may be using drugs to cope with normal situations, a fact that could spell disaster as it would lead to dependence on drugs for normal mood. Therefore, eradication of drugs is the first step of healing for Ms. Z. she should also be enrolled in a support group to help her build a sense of belonging. This would also help her alleviate drug cravings as these result in neglect and abuse of her young child. It would also be prudent to allow her monitored access to her child. In this way, she could form a better bond than the one between her and the mother (Petrila, 2010).

Ethics

The investigator ensured that they presented the patient with a question regarding their mental stability and health prior to questioning. In this manner, there is proof that the individual was in her right mind when conducting the assessment. Sue Z has also been tested using modern measures of assessing risk typologies since it would be erroneous to use methods that are deemed dated to analyze current patient characteristics.

Violence risk assessment

Daubert scale

Mr. Doug X is a patient from Minnesota with severe violent tendencies. These issues pertain to violence against women, an act that has led to his incarceration. He is currently seeking release by the parole board as he claims to have changed his erroneous ways.

The MMP1-2 has been used to conform to the state’s laws while SASSI-3 has also been used since he has in the past used drugs. IORNS and SARA are also being use in the patient’s assessment, leading to better conclusions. This is because the methods of measure employed have a low error rate and exhibit minimal variance from the mean. That is because they are accurate and thus tend to be reliable in their application to determine the mental and psychological state of a person.

Interview information

Mr. X has been in prison due to committing violent acts against his wife, Susanne. While in prison, he is often cited for continuing with this destructive behavior, further adding to his anger issues. This lack of adequate management skills has in the past led to the patient being involved in two cases (2011 and 2012) of aggravated assault. His delusional tendencies have made him force Susanne to take drugs before having sexual intercourse. In this scenario, it is clear that he does not consider his acts as negative but rather reinforces his ill-gotten belief in being superior to others (Robbé, Vogel & Douglas, 2013).

Collateral information

The manner in which Mr. X is portrayed showcases deep psychological issues. He is in denial, a fact that leads to the patient trying to justify their actions while ignoring actual adverse effects of their actions. He also believes himself to be superior to others, a delusion that is reinforced by his tendency to daydream and have visions that are not synonymous with normal thinking. Therefore, while he claims to have reformed, he has continued to exhibit violent tendencies in prison. This form of denial has led to one questioning the manner in which the prison system has helped Mr. X in his recovery since denial leads to false belief while the truth does not change (Robbé, Vogel & Douglas, 2013).

Recommendations

Mr. X does not showcase any form of remorse for his previous actions. He has a high likelihood of returning to prison as indicated by a score of 77% in a risk of re-offense test. Moreover, he does not seem to have changed any of his actions, exhibiting violent outbursts whenever he is unable to control his temper. As such, it is unlikely that releasing Mr. X will be advantageous to Susanne since he could continue to harm her as in the past. Therefore, Mr. X requires mandatory supervision if the parole board should release him. Nevertheless, it would be prudent for Mr. X to attend anger management groups and psychology sessions to alleviate delusions that he has allowed to fester in his mind. Releasing the patient would, however, require a lot of supervision while placing Susanne’s life at risk and thus it would be better to hold the patient until such a time when his violent tendencies have been dealt with (Bartol & Bartol, 2012).

Ethics

Firstly, the assessment conducted used the MMP1-2 scale, thus conforming to the state in which patients are located. The use of other measures of mental and psychological wellness could have been erroneous as states differ in terms of laws and regulations applied to assess patient inclination to mental and psychological disorders. Moreover, the patient’s best interest is focused on in the assessment and recommendations arrived at. This is because the focus should be patient-centered to elicit positive results.

References

APA. (n.d.). Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology.

Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2012). Current perspectives in forensic psychology and criminal          behavior. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE.

Crighton, D. A. (2015). Forensic psychology. Wiley-Blackwell.

Cronch, L. E., Viljoen, J. L., & Hansen, D. J. (2006). Forensic interviewing in child sexual abuse    cases: Current techniques and future directions. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 11(3),          195-207.

Cronin, C. (2018). Ethics in Forensic Psychology.

Davies, G. M. (2017). Forensic Psychology: Crime, Justice, Law, Interventions. Wiley & Sons,           Incorporated, John.

Goldstein, A. M. (2007). Forensic psychology: Emerging topics and expanding roles. Hoboken,        N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Heilbrun, K., Grisso, T., & Goldstein, A. M. (2008). Toward Best Practices in Forensic Mental             Health Assessment. Foundations of Forensic Mental Health Assessment, 143-156.

Petrila, J. (2010). Forensic Psychologists, Roles and Activities of. The Corsini Encyclopedia of          Psychology.

Scott, A. J. (2010). Forensic psychology.

THE MASSIVE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO PROJECTILE THE BUSINESS PEFORMANCE OF SHELL MALAYSIA
FACTOR 1:-
1. Industry Analysis and Global perspective
– The petroleum industry, also known as the oil industry or the oil patch, includes the global processes of exploration, extraction, refining, transporting (often by oil tankers and pipelines), and marketing of petroleum products. The largest volume products of the industry are fuel oil and gasoline (petrol). Petroleum (oil) is also the raw material for many chemical products, including pharmaceuticals, solvents, fertilizers, pesticides, synthetic fragrances, and plastics. Oil accounts for a large percentage of the world’s energy consumption, ranging from a low of 32% for Europe and Asia, to a high of 53% for the Middle East.Other geographic regions’ consumption patterns are as follows: South and Central America(44%), Africa (41%), and North America (40%). The world consumes 30 billion barrels (4.8 km³) of oil per year, with developed nations being the largest consumers. The United States consumed 25% of the oil produced in 2007.[1] The production, distribution, refining, and retailing of petroleum taken as a whole represents the world’s largest industry in terms of dollar value.

FACTOR 2:-
2. Malaysia Industry Scenario
– SHELL discovered the first oil well in Malaysia in 1910, in Miri Sarawak. Today the oil well is state monument known as the Grand Old Lady. In 1914 following this discovery SHELL build Malaysia’s first oil refinery and laid a submarine pipeline in Miri. However competition locally are getting stiff from day to day. With other major oil and gas player operating throughout Malaysia, SHELL has to equipped itself with the latest knowledge of the most updated technology regularly.Marketing strategy needs to be doubled to ensure SHELL relevance and profitability in the current market
FACTOR 3:-
3. Value Added
– Cost reduction through process optimization: Existing systems can be improved by focusing on efficiency improvements, addressing product quality needs and eliminating redundancies. The overall goal of process optimization is to reduce the cost of production at existing sites and reduce long-term maintenance needs.
Revenue generation through de-bottlenecking: By bringing more to market, operators can increase potential revenues from existing sites by both increasing production and adding new products to the mix. Where is production currently being held back? Done right, engineered de-bottlenecking can allow operators to make more money with their existing resources.
Strategic site planning: Would shifting to prefab or modular facilities help with overall system efficiency and cost? This approach can be used for both retrofit applications as well as new builds, minimizing the cost of construction.
Pre-engineering to prepare for the eventual upturn: By taking market dynamics into account, operators can make better decisions and investments with their sites, preparing both for a changing market and a changing regulatory environment. Smart preparations made now with targeted engineering and regulatory awareness can, and will, pay dividends down the road.

FACTOR 4:-
4. Export
– Oil and Gas industry is a known as a major success with high profitability. Thus SHELL could look to expand their ventures in project oversea like South Korea. According to the 2014 statistics the crude petroleum was the major import commodity of South Korea at 17.3% followed by petroleum gas at 6.96%. Since the company mainly deals in these products then South Korea will be a good market for its products. Also over the years the company has continuously discovered more oil wells. With these increasing oil wells the company will still be able to produce enough oil to fulfill its new market.

Critical Review by Poquette

Ryan D. Poquette specializes in writing about literature and has a bachelor’s degree in English.  In his critical review of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown, published in Nonfiction Classics for Students by Gale in 2003, he discusses the techniques employed by Brown to enlighten readers to the common misconceptions about Native Americans in the early 1800s, and eventually see through them.

In his essay, Poquette points out how Brown uses several techniques to convey his ideas and open the mind of his audience, such as eyewitness accounts and direct quotes from the Native Americans.  He also uses a three-part structure in the plot to set up hope and eventual despair for the underdogs.  Poquette eloquently covers almost every aspect of the book, which many consider Brown’s best work, and presents it in an informative and non-biased manner.

Poquette describes how Brown uses eyewitness accounts from the Native people to tell their side of how the West was lost to them.  Brown gives these accounts much impact by his use of language and plot.  Poquette says, “Brown’s first weapon is language”.  He often writes from the point of view of the Natives and uses their way of speaking, referring to trains as “iron horses”, and colonels as “Eagle Chiefs”.  Poquette also points out how Brown refers to some American historical figures by what the Native Americans called them, such as calling General Custer “Hard Backsides” because he stayed in his saddle for long periods while chasing them.  He says “Brown takes his reader deep into the Native American experience” and this helps the reader to better identify with the subject.

As the readers gain sympathy for the Native people, Poquette notes how Brown uses the plot in a three-part structure for many chapters: First, he introduces a character, usually a chief who has lost something, second, he explains the struggle of his tribe, and finally, he tells of their ultimate loss, despite all their efforts to either remain peaceful or fight.  These methods have a tremendous impact by bringing the reader into the world of the Native Americans and then “crushing any hope the reader might have” for them.

Poquette’s review of Brown’s book is an accurate analysis of his work and accurately describes Brown’s agenda in an objective manner.  His critique reminded me why I enjoy this book, and stirred me to want to read it again.  I would definitely recommend this article to any person interested in reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.

Agency Mission and Vision

According to the American Cancer Society (2018), the American modern life has led many American residents to eat large amounts of food, eat more unhealthy foods; and be less physically active. This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of Americans who are either overweight or obese over the recent past. According to Nicklas & O’Neil (2013), the incidences of obesity in the United States have been increased at an alarming rate over the past three decades. According to studies, the number of obese adults has doubled; the number of children doubled; and the number of adolescents tripled.

Scope of the Problem

As at 2013, the approximately 66 percent of American adults were obese and an estimated 33 percent of children and adults overweight or obese. These statistics are made particularly tragic not by the obesity itself, but by the far-reaching health consequences associated with the condition. According to the American Cancer Society (2018), obesity or excess body weight predisposes people to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. It has also been established to increase a person risk to stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers. This paper comes up with a health agency that will support the obesity awareness and prevention strategies for teenagers aged from 15 years to adults aged 45 years. The health agency of choice chosen for this project is the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO).

 CDC: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO)

According to CDC (2015), obesity is a complex health issue to address and, as a result, there is no single established solution to the condition’s epidemic. Since it is a complex issue, it requires a complex issue approach. All concerned stakeholders, including individuals, communities, state and local organizations, policy makers, schools and healthcare professionals, are required to work collaboratively in order to create and uphold an environment that supports a healthy lifestyle.

The health agency that the current project seeks to develop a marketing plan is the CDC, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO). DNPAO is one of the many health agencies across the United States that has been dedicated to public health promotion, particularly with regarding to promoting healthy lifestyles, including healthy nutrition and adequate physical activity. One of its key objectives is to educate and build public awareness about the causes and preventive measures for obesity across all ages.

DNPAO’s Mission and Vision Statements

The DNPAO’s mission has been to “ … Lead strategic public health efforts to prevent and control obesity, chronic disease, and other health conditions though regular physical activity and good nutrition (DNPAO, 2011).” Its vision is to save lives and protect people from health threats, particularly those related to poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and obesity (CDC, 2014). According to CDC (2017), DNPAO focuses on protecting the health of Americans across all ages by encouraging healthy nutrition and regular physical activity. Based on their mission and vision, it is apparent that the agency is focused on preventing and controlling obesity, chronic disease, and other health conditions by spreading awareness about the significance regular physical activity and good nutrition at every stage of the Americans life.

How the Projected Marketing Plan Supports DNPAO’s Agency’s Mission and Vision

YouTube and Facebook as the selected social media tools for the projected marketing plan for obesity awareness and prevention strategies will significantly help DNPAO meet its mission and vision. This is in consideration that the two social media platforms will enable the agency to reach a large number of people within the targeted age group. One factor that makes these platforms effective in DNPAO’s efforts towards its fight against obesity is that they have the majority of following when compared to other social media platforms.

For example, according to Statista.com (2017), YouTube is the leading social media platform with an approximated penetration rate of 73 percent followed by Facebook closely with 72 percent.  The second factor that using these social media platforms will enable DNPAO to achieve its goal is the consideration of target population. The marketing plan on obesity awareness and prevention measures used for this project targets teenagers aged from 15 years to adults aged 45 years, an age set that constitutes the most users of YouTube and Facebook. Such factors serve as an indication that using a combination of YouTube and Facebook will ensure that DNPAO will be able to reach a vast population effectively, as well as within the shortest time possible and, thus support its efforts toward the prevention and eradication of obesity in the United States of America and beyond.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the American modern life has led many American residents to eat large amounts of food, eat more unhealthy foods; and be less physically active. This has led to a dramatic increase in the number of Americans who are either overweight or obese over the recent past. As at 2013, the approximately 66 percent of American adults were obese and an estimated 33 percent of children and adults overweight or obese. These statistics are made particularly tragic not by the obesity itself, but by the far-reaching health consequences associated with the condition. This paper has identified DNPAO as one of the health agencies that bears the potential of supporting the obesity awareness and prevention strategies for teenagers aged from 15 years to adults aged 45 years using the marketing plan on obesity awareness and prevention measures that are specifically founded on two social media platforms, namely YouTube and Facebook.

Evidence-Based Research Capstone: Problem and Recommendation

Falls and falls-associated injuries represent one of the major adverse events that affect the elderly as they increase morbidity and mortality. Mostly, falls affect individuals who are sixty-five years old and above. These individuals are more vulnerable to falls as compared to those who are younger. Falls result in both physical and emotional consequences that contribute to the deterioration of the individual’s health and are also associated with a huge financial burden. Such impact reinforces the need for evidence-based strategies to reduce the occurrence of falls. One strategy that has been found to be effective in reducing the incidence of falls among the elderly is the implementation of multidisciplinary teams to asses for risk and make appropriate recommendations. This paper, therefore, describes the problem of falls among the elderly and identifies a multidisciplinary fall risk assessment and intervention program as a best practice recommendation to address the problem before a summary is provided.

Identification of Problem

Falls represent a significantly damaging adverse event that affects the geriatric community. The World Health Organization (2012) defines a fall as an event in which an individual inadvertently comes to rest on the floor or on the ground.  The elderly are deemed more vulnerable to falls. Falls or fall-linked injuries are the chief complaints among the geriatric population seeking care in healthcare facilities more so the emergency departments. According to World Health Organization (2012), falls represent the second leading cause of unintentional deaths and this may be due to direct contact or injuries sustained. The fatal or non-fatal falls they experience not only decreases their quality of life but also increases their risk of developing other health problems. These falls may also occur in the hospital settings where Bennett et al. (2014) noted that about 2-7 falls per 1000 days are experienced by patients with injuries reported in about 30-40%.

Falls experienced by the elderly have different features and this is dependent on the time of occurrence and how they occur (Nyman et al., 2013). Falls may occur at home, in the open, at the workplace, in the hospital and other settings. The elderly are at an increased risk of experiencing falls because they are perceived to be physically weak and some are perceived to be confused. Although such negative perceptions should not be used, there is no denying that the older adults may have poor health which increase the risk of falling (Waldron et al. 2011). According to a study by Nyman et al. (2013), most falls occur in presence of bystanders, when crossing roads, as well as in familiar places and therefore it is important to understand all these factors if one is to prevent them effectively. Nyman et al. (2013) added that the elderly who experience falls sustain minor or moderate injuries and may feel anxious and embarrassed. All these experiences may increase the risk of falling in the future.

The main problem regarding falls in the elderly is that the current measures have not realized absolute success. These measures include promoting a culture of safety and implementation of walking rounds among others. With an increasingly aging population, older adults are likely to visit emergency departments with falls or to treat fall-related injuries. A lot of healthcare resources including finances and staff such as nurses are therefore being utilized to care for those who have experienced falls rather than other more pressing health concerns. This burden to the healthcare sector reinforces a need for this preventable adverse event to be addressed once and for all. Therefore, since falls are detrimental and damaging, it is critical to ensure that there are measures taken to implement best practices aimed at reducing and/or preventing the high incidence and prevalence of falls among the at-risk individuals

Identification of Recommendation

In today’s healthcare setting, evidence-based practice is considered the best since it allows for the integration of a clinician’s expertise, patient values, and preferences with evidence derived from research (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). Considering the functional impairment and the emotional and financial burden associated with falls, it is necessary to implement evidence-based fall prevention programs customized to reduce the fall risk in the vulnerable frail older adults. Some of the best practices have sought to promote a culture of safety and this has led to the reduction of the incidence of falls. However, there is still a lot that needs to be done.

While promoting safety is critical, it is equally important to implement more effective best practices. One of these strategies is the adoption of multidisciplinary team approaches. The recommended solution to the problem of ineffective fall prevention in the elderly is the implementation of a multidisciplinary fall risk assessment and intervention program. This proposed solution is based on literature review which found studies advocating for multidisciplinary fall prevention strategies due to their effectiveness. According to Carpenter et al. (2014), Waldron et al. (2011) and Spice et al. (2008), the multidisciplinary approach allows for the effective fall risk assessment and also makes it possible for clinicians to make recommendations or referrals that can help reduce the risk of falling. The multidisciplinary team may be composed of professionals including nurses, doctors, nurse safety managers, health information managers, physicians, occupational and physical therapists (Ohde et al., 2012). These individuals must collaborate to ensure that they achieve a common goal which is to reduce or prevent the incidence of falls and promote the individual’s quality of life.

The multidisciplinary team will be tasked with coming up with a fall risk assessment tool that will help them identify the at-risk individuals and subsequently make an appropriate recommendation based on the results of the assessment. The team will, therefore, be able to collaboratively determine the most effective intervention for a given individual to ensure that they do not experience falls in the future (Huded et al., 2015). For instance, in studies conducted by Ohde et al. (2012) and Huded et al. (2015), the multidisciplinary team effectively rated the risk of falling of each individual based on the assessment findings and accordingly came up with an appropriate intervention that included making referrals for instance to physical therapists. The at-risk individuals and their families were also provided with written educational materials and an intervention plan that included interventions such as the installation of handrails, and use of motion sensors. In Ohde et al. (2012), the multidisciplinary approach resulted in a reduction of falls by 0.6 falls per 1000 patient days.

As such, there is enough evidence supporting that if a multidisciplinary fall risk assessment and intervention programs are well implemented, they can successfully prevent or reduce the incidence of falls among the elderly.  The argument is that this approach helps to successfully identify those at a heightened risk of falls and after identifying them, develop appropriate interventions that will ensure that the at-risk individual does not experience falls. Importantly, since a multidisciplinary team is involved, this means that the older adult is provided with holistic care to address the many fall risk factors.

Summary

There is a high number of older adults who experience falls and the consequence is functional impairment, emotional burden, and a huge financial cost. When patients visit a healthcare facility, this presents an opportunity to ensure that those at risk of falls are identified and the appropriate care and preventive measures taken. For this reason, the recommended solution to address the ineffectiveness of current measures is the implementation of a multidisciplinary fall risk assessment and intervention program.  As such, there is a need for a practice change in the ED and nursing department to ensure that there is a fall prevention protocol that allows for the creation of multidisciplinary teams tasked with assessing the elderly and providing holistic care to the at-risk individuals to ensure that they do not experience falls in the future. It is important to note that there have been studies that have supported the effectiveness of this approach. It is anticipated that this practice change will provide the most effective avenue for clinicians to enhance the quality of life of the elderly by helping them avoid death, fall-related injuries or complications that may compromise their health status.

References

Bennett, P.N., Ockerby, C., Willcocks, K., & Chalmers, C. (2014). Measuring hospital falls prevention safety climate. Contemporary Nurse: A Journal for the Australian Nursing Profession, 47(1-2): 27-35

Carpenter, C., Avidan, M., Wildes, T., Stark, S., Fowler, S., & Lo, A. (2014). Predicting Geriatric Falls Following an Episode of Emergency Department Care: A Systematic Review. Acad Emerg Med, 21(10), 1069-1082.

Huded, J., Dresden, S., Gravenor, S., Rowe, T., & Lindquist, L. (2015). Screening for Fall Risks in the Emergency Department: A Novel Nursing-Driven Program. Western Journal Of Emergency Medicine, 16(7), 1043-1046.

Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2011). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Nyman, S., Ballinger, C., Phillips, J., & Newton, R. (2013). Characteristics of outdoor falls among older people: a qualitative study. BMC Geriatr, 13(1), 125.

Ohde, S., Terai, M., Oizumi, A., Takahashi, O., Deshpande, G. A., Takekata, M., … & Fukui, T. (2012). The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary QI activity for accidental fall prevention: Staff compliance is critical. BMC health services research, 12(1), 197.

Spice, C., Morotti, W., George, S., Dent, T., Rose, J., Harris, S., & Gordon, C. (2008). The Winchester falls project: a randomised controlled trial of secondary prevention of falls in older people. Age And Ageing, 38(1), 33-40.

Waldron, N., Dey, I., Nagree, Y., Xiao, J., & Flicker, L. (2011). A multi-faceted intervention to implement guideline care and improve quality of care for older people who present to the emergency department with falls. BMC Geriatr, 11(1), 6.

WHO. (2012). Falls. World Health Organization.

Demographic and Needs Assessment

Landrum Middle School is located in Spring Branch Independent School District (ISD) serving the city limits of Houston, Texas. Of the 1,073 students enrolled in the 2016-2017 school year, 94.0% were Hispanic, 2.2% White, 1.6% African American, 1.6% Asian, 0.2% Native American, and 0.4% identified as two or more races. Eight hundred eighty-five or 82.5% of the students were identified as Economically Disadvantaged, 80.7% were At-Risk, while 51.9% were English Language Learners. Of the students registered in special programs at Landrum, 49.7% were enrolled in Bilingual/ESL Education, 28.2% were enrolled in Career and Technical Education, 4.9% were enrolled in Gifted and Talented Education, and 8.7% were enrolled in Special Education. Grade 5 consisted of 10.2% of the total population, 30.3% belonged to Grade 6, 31.2% were Grade 7, and 28.3% were Grade 8. Landrum Middle School achieved a “Met Standard” accountability rating in the Texas Academic Performance Report for the 2016-2017 school year. Nevertheless, many areas need revision to enable our students to become more scholastically competitive.

Data Collection

The Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) is a yearly collection of data on the academic performance of Texas Education Agency accredited schools. Over the years, the results obtained in the TAPR have helped educators in assessing the performance of students and identifying areas that require academic intervention. For this assignment, the 2016-2017 Campus Performance Report of Landrum Middle School was studied.

Needs Assessment

Although Landrum Middle School has achieved a Met Standard rating, after assessing how the school fared based on the TAPR, many subject areas require improvement. According to Steven Speyrer, campus principal at Landrum Middle, at least 50% of students have met the minimum standard score (approaches grade level) across all subjects in 2017 (personal communication, June 22, 2018). However, the school is lagging behind the state’s and district’s percent scores based on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR). Of the STAAR tested subjects, Landrum Middle only garnered 61% mastery, 14 points lower than the state’s 75% and 12 points lower than the district’s 73%. One constructive highlight is that scores have increased 5 points from the 56% garnered in 2016. Across subjects, the percent score for Reading, Mathematics, and Writing has risen from 57% to 61%, from 56% to 63%, and from 37% to 50%, respectively. However, Science and Social Studies have recorded a downward trend from 69% to 66% and from 60% to 58%, respectively.

The percentage of students that achieved “Meets Grade Level” has increased across subjects from 2016 to 2017. The percent score for Science has risen 4 points, from 33% to 37%. A five-point increase was observed for Reading and Social Studies, from 21% to 26% and from 20% to 25%, respectively. The percent score for Mathematics has increased from 21% in 2016 to 27% in 2017.  Additionally, Writing has garnered the highest percentage score increase, from 12% in 2016 to 20% in 2017.

Furthermore, the percent score of Landrum Middle School at the “Masters Grade Level” has recorded increase. Reading has improved from 8% to 9%. Three subjects have registered a 2 percent score increase. Mathematics has risen from 6% to 8% while both Science and Social Studies have garnered 9% in 2016 and increased to 11% in 2017. Meanwhile, Writing has recorded 5% for 2017.

Although Landrum Middle School has performed well in increasing its percent scores across subjects, it has consistently lingered behind the district’s and state’s percent scores. The data alone speaks volume on what the school needs to improve in regards to the STAAR assessment. We must strive to reach or even exceed the average percent scores of the district and state.

Proposed Intervention

In reference to how Landrum Middle School performed in the subjects tested by STAAR, a better designed holistic approach to improving student learning across grades and subjects needs to be implemented.

On the state and district level, case studies on best practices among schools can be of great help in providing a jumpstart to increasing performance. In the study of Villavicencio and Grayman (2012), it is noted that qualitative studies at the citywide level rather than just quantitative differences, elaborate the best practices in unifying schools to perform better. These studies could be a tremendous resource for teachers in assessing where their school stands compared to other local schools.

School performance relies heavily on administrators. They carry the burden of developing an academic curriculum that will best suit the needs of all students. Schools need to facilitate learning programs that would encourage students to invest in their learning.

Developing and implementing study skills, encouraging student advocacy within the school, identifying stakeholders and utilizing proper communication strategies between stakeholders are some of the points that can be considered by administrators in decision-making processes in academics (Kuthy and Spicer, 2015).

Meanwhile, Wilcox (2009) identified five critical elements to higher performance in science, which can also be used in other subjects. First creating a climate of fairness and fun that would encourage students to feel capable of exploring and understanding different concepts. Second, by having a collaborative focus so that administrators can quickly identify what areas need to be addressed based on existing data or from information gathered in dialogues with faculty and students. The third is creating a broad foundation by providing students with opportunities to go in-depth in their learning. Fourth is fluency; exposing a well-thought-out and tested curriculum that will increase knowledge about the subject matter. Last is employing highly qualified and skilled teachers who will mentor students and help them become the best that they can be academically.

References

Kuthy, L., Spicer, A. (2015). Academic Planning and Success in Middle School [Powerpoint Slides]. Retrieved from Williamsburg James City County website

TEA Division of Performance Reporting. (2017).  2016-17 Texas academic performance report

Villavicencio, A., Grayman J. K (2012, February). Learning from “Turnaround” Middle Schools: Strategies for Success. The Research Alliance for New York City Schools (page ES-6).

Wilcox, K. C. (2009). What works in middle school science.

Read the following website describing the science behind the atomic bomb. Describe the difference between nuclear fusion and fission. Which process makes a “better bomb?”

Fusion (Hydrogen Bomb) – Fusion reactions usually begin with fission, however, this type of reaction derives its power from the fusing of nuclei of various hydrogen isotopes into helium nuclei (Bellis, 2017).

Fission (Atomic Bomb) – A nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus splits into fragments -usually two fragments of relatively similar mass- causing the emission of an exponential amount of energy (Bellis, 2017).

The process of Fusion makes a “better bomb” because of the additional step of the fusing of nuclei, allowing for more of the bomb’s explosive power to become available (Pappas, 2017). The hydrogen bomb emits more energy because of this extra step, making the bomb exponentially more destructive. This process again, begins with fission and the separation of nuclei (Pappas, 2017). Once this has begun, high temperatures are pressures from the action of fission cause the hydrogen atoms to fuse (Pappas, 2017). The process of fusion releases neutrons, which boosts the fission chain reaction (Pappas, 2017).

Topic 2
The use of gunpowder changed the nature of warfare and played a significant role in the transformation of European Society. Yet in China, its land of origin, gunpowder did not have this effect. Why do you think this is so? What possible differences existed between Medieval Europe and Traditional China?

Gunpowder did not affect China in the ways it did Europe because of the means by which such technology is developed and employed. As stated in the text, “… the creation and use of technologies are parts of larger processes that involve existing social patterns, cultural orientations, and the motivations of individual people.” (Volti, 2010 p. 274). According to the lecture notes from this unit, gunpowder was at first utilized for medicinal purposes in China, not for warfare. However, the Chinese did eventually utilize gunpowder as a weapon, just not in the manner that the Europeans did when they finally got ahold of it (Whipps, 2008). This is possibly due to the differences in the fighting style and the demand for weaponry between China and Medieval Europe. Europeans happily accepted the use of gunpowder into war, as it allowed for those with little to no skill to participate in battle (Whipps, 2008). I think it is fairly safe to make the inference that the Chinese did not hold a similar opinion, otherwise the use of cannons and guns would have been more widespread. There was also a greater demand for the use of gunpowder in Medieval Europe as opposed to China, because Europe was engaged in more wars and confrontations at that time (Whipps, 2008).

References

Bellis, Mary. (2017, July 31). Atomic Bomb and Hydrogen Bomb.

Pappas, S. (2017, September 22). Hydrogen Bomb vs. Atomic Bomb: What’s the Difference?

Volti, R. (2010). Society and Technological Change(6th ed.). Worth Publishers.

Whipps, H. (2008, April 06). How Gunpowder Changed the World. R

A. Roman

Topic 1
Read the following website describing the science behind the atomic bomb. Describe the difference between nuclear fusion and fission. Which process makes a “better bomb?”

Nuclear fission is said to be started with or is a “nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus splits into fragments; while emitting 100 million to several hundred million volts of energy” (Bellis, 2017). On the other hand, nuclear fusion is started when or with a “fission reaction; powered from fusing nuclei of fission of various hydrogen isotopes into helium nuclei” (Bellis, 2017). Simply put, fission is splitting one atom into two and fusion is combining two atoms into a larger, heavier one (Energy, 2013). It is said that fission is better and more often used because the results can be controlled. “Fusion is not utilized to produce power since the reaction is not easily controlled and it is expensive to create the needed conditions for a fusion reaction” (Energy, 2013).

Topic 2
The use of gunpowder changed the nature of warfare and played a significant role in the transformation of European Society. Yet in China, its land of origin, gunpowder did not have this effect. Why do you think this is so? What possible differences existed between Medieval Europe and Traditional China?

Our text goes into great detail as to why the invention of gunpowder played a significant role into the transformation of not only European Society, but of warfare in general. What the text didn’t do, or I could not find, was explain why China didn’t have the same effect with gunpowder. What I did find was that the Chinese were actually “inventors of gunpowder; using it originally for medicinal purposes” (Volti, 2010, p. 261). Through further research I found that because of “their quest to find immortality, chemists had created gunpowder. Once they figured it had explosive properties, they kept the science to themselves” (Whipps, 2008). The article that I found went into further detail to say that the Chinese used the gunpowder to fend off enemies of feuding colonies within China. It wasn’t until the 13th Century that China had “passed their science along the ancient silk trade route” (Whipps, 2008) that others (including the Europeans) discovered gunpowder and its uses. I believe that Traditional China and Medieval Europe were different in the sense of where they were as nations that caused the use of gunpowder and its effects to not affect or influence China. The Chinese had used it internally to remain in control of they own lands, but Europe used it as a weapon or means to invade other countries.

References
Bellis, M. (2017, July 31). The Science Behind Nuclear Fission & Fusion.

Energy, D. (2013, January 30). Fission vs. Fusion- What’s the Difference?

Volti, R. (2010). Society and Technological Change Sixth Edition. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

Whipps, H. (2008, April 6). How Gunpowder Changed the World

MOS 5301-14I-1, Fire Protection Technology

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 25 is the baseline for inspection, testing, and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems, but it doesn’t address the proper flow requirements, in other words NFPA addresses that water would flow through the system but not how much.  Compliance helps maximize system integrity to avoid failure and ensure fast, effective response in a fire emergency. For that reason we look outside NFPA 25 to get proper guidance in addressing this particular situation that is crucial in assure that we have the proper water flow requirements to guarantee the integrity and effectiveness of the fire protection system.

A great source of information is ISO (Insurance Services Office). ISO is the premier source of information, products, and services related to property and liability risk.  ISO published in 2008 the Guide for Determination of Needed Fire Flow. According to their guide in order to evaluate the fire suppression delivery systems and the need of proper flow requirement in this case an auditorium you must consider certain factors, but first let’s define what an auditorium is; according to the NFPA website an assembly or auditorium occupancy is generally defined as “an occupancy (1) used for a gathering of 50 or more persons for deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; or (2) used as a special amusement building, regardless of occupant load.” Assembly occupancies might include the following:  Armories, assembly halls, auditoriums, club rooms, dance halls, drinking establishments and exhibition halls among others. Fires in assembly occupancies have shown to be some of the most deadly when the proper features, systems and construction materials were not present cite NFPA in their website. That is why it is so crucial to have the proper water flow when we use a sprinkler system. In addition to saving lives, there are unrecognized benefits in protecting buildings with fire sprinklers, such as the conservation of water and the potential reduction of water infrastructure demands in communities. Water usage by fire services is expected to be significantly less for buildings protected by a fire sprinkler system. A typical fire sprinkler system will discharge 22 to 38 gpm. According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) standard number 1910.159 (Automatic sprinkler systems) “The employer shall assure that every automatic sprinkler system is provided with at least one automatic water supply capable of providing design water flow for at least 30 minutes. An auxiliary water supply or equivalent protection shall be provided when the automatic water supply is out of service, except for systems of 20 or fewer sprinklers”. ISO developed the Needed Fire Flow (NFF) through a review of actual large-loss fires. ISO recorded the average fire flow and other important factors, including construction type, occupancy type, area of the building, and exposures. Those factors are the foundation of the needed fire flow formula.

The required fire flow for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings and one and two-family dwellings greater than 5,000 square feet (NFPA 1) or 3,600 square feet (IFC) are tabulated in tables B105.1 and 18.4.5.1.2 for the IFC and NFPA 1, respectively. But that information is not accessible free of charge, the person inquiring for that information throughout the IFC and NFPA websites need to actually pay for the publications.

References

Benfer, M., & Scheffey, J. (2014). Evaluation of Fire Flow Methodologies. Springer Briefs in Fire

GUIDE FOR DETERMINATION OF NEEDED FIRE FLOW. (2008).

Klaus, M. (2013). Water-based fire protection systems handbook (4th ed.). Quincy, Mass.: National Fire Protection Assoc.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR. (n.d.).

Unit 4 Discussion Topic 1

Discussion Topic

Teamwork

Hiring and Evaluating Your Team (Practice)

First make sure you have done the unit reading to understand team building; you might also like to review the part of Chapter 2 that introduced human resources ideas. This discussion does not require research, but if you use any source material, avoid quoting and make sure you properly credit the source for ideas through APA in-text citation and full reference entry.

Scenario: There is a new company that needs quite a bit of technology help as they set up business selling tractor parts. For this discussion, which will assist you in completing part of this week’s written Assignment, choose the option below that suits your expertise best:

Web: You have been hired to build their website. So far, the team consists of the following people in addition to you (as consultant): an HTML-CSS design expert, a database and PHP expert, and a content expert.

Network: You have been hired to develop their office network. So far, the team consists of the following people in addition to you (as consultant): an infrastructure architect, an installation expert, and a software expert.

Software: You have been hired to create a program that tracks deliveries. So far, the team consists of the following people in addition to you (as consultant): a programming expert, an interface design expert, and a database administrator.

Database: You have been hired to create the company database. So far, the team consists of the following people in addition to you (as consultant): an SQL expert, an interface design expert, and a migration expert.

You need to hire at least one more person for your team.

For your initial post:

In your first paragraph, explain what expertise and specific skills this person (or people) should have in order to complete the team. What other resume items are important to you in developing the best team?

In your second paragraph, explain how you would evaluate your team members once a project was completed. Include the method(s) you would use and what criteria you would deem most important.

Specific subject line instructions: Write Web, Networking, Software, or Database for your initial post subject line in this Discussion to clearly identify the focus of your team. Do not label it with your name, the unit number, or the unit name.

Unit 4 Discussion Topic 2

Discussion Topic

Conflict and Resistance (Practice)

Resistance often creates conflict. Make sure you have read the section about “Understanding Resistance” in the textbook this week and checked both the website and the journal article given to you in the reading section before posting. This discussion does not require additional research, but if you use any source material, avoid quoting and make sure you properly credit the source for ideas through APA in-text citation and full reference entry.

Scenario: You were working in another building when an argument erupted between two team members regarding the design of your IT consulting project. After the yelling subsided, one of the people left work for the day and the other person is not getting much done while still feeling angry. As consultant you are in control of final decisions, but you realize that bad feelings among team members have the potential to cost your project and the client in terms of schedule and quality. You are not able to fire anyone, so you must use your skills in conflict management to regain control of the situation.

For your initial post:

In your first paragraph, explain what measures you might take to get your team to work better together. Consider changes in responsibilities, sharing responsibilities, or compromise; group exercises, outside opinions, or other actions that can lead to positive team building. Explain why you chose these specific resolutions.

In your second paragraph, briefly describe a real-life event you witnessed in which a boss, client, or coworker resisted technology change. If you do not have an experience from the workplace, choose an appropriate event from other experiences. Explain why you think the person resisted change and how that situation might have been handled better.

Subject line instruction: Write a descriptive subject line for your initial post in this Discussion. Do not label it with your name, the unit number, or the unit name; it should be unique and identify the content.

In your responses to others, consider circumstances in which emotions other than anger can cause conflict, and what could be done to mitigate the situation.

Personal Philosophy of Teaching, Part I

I believe that a truly devoted teacher must have a clear understanding of the ways people learn, perceive and process information, and apply their knowledge in everyday life. My personal philosophy of teaching is based on the conviction that this process is directly related to the learners’ intellectual, social, and cultural context, as well as their physical abilities. Also, the primary goal of an excellent educator is to promote the ideas of equality, self-determination, and respect among learners. Thinking about various educational theories and practices that appear to be in line with my philosophy, I realize that the concept of democratic education is the most suitable one. This framework is grounded in the cognitive theory of learning. Therefore, I feel the need to study these topics in order to transform my beliefs, goals, and strategies into a coherent approach to teaching.

Democratic education is the approach that promotes respect for the fundamental social values and human rights, rather than the need for extensive control and strict rules. According to the Institute for Democratic Education in America, all the learners should be considered as “active co-creators” of knowledge instead of being viewed as “passive recipients” of information (Bennis, 2018). Personally, I am going to implement this idea in all possible teaching practices, making my students engaged and intrinsically motivated. With that said, it is necessary to define intrinsic motivation. Throughout the history, students of all ages were either terrified by the possibility to be punished or inspired by the opportunity of being rewarded. This is how extrinsic motivation works. On the contrary, people’s natural desires, feelings, and beliefs are primary drivers of intrinsic motivation. When experiencing mutual respect and overall importance, the students should be able to develop their moral and intellectual potential. This issue is of primary importance for me since it forms the foundation for the further development of one’s personality. One of the strongest features of democratic educations is the premise that everyone is unique, having some individual processes related to learning. As stated by Bennis (2018), the democratic teacher who supports the learning of each person individually, helps these people to understand themselves, engage with the surrounding world, “and become positive and contributing members of society.” I have experienced the benefits of this approach myself, being the child of the patient and devoted parents. All the members of my family respect individuality and free will, paying much attention to young children’s personalities and the ways of expression. As a result, I have developed the sense of people’s value and uniqueness since early childhood. Professional educators tend to build their own instruments and strategies based on the students’ age and cultural background. Still, only those teachers who have a clear understanding of specific theoretical approaches can be genuinely successful.

Most educators have their own favorite theories and ideas, and I have chosen the cognitive theory of learning to be my North Star. To my mind, the process of learning is directly linked with specific behavioral patterns which, in turn, stimulate the development of specific cognitive, social, and even language skills. According to Ertmer and Newby (2013), the cognitive theory of education aims to establish a direct correlation between the students’ learning skills and their personal experience and history. These scholars believe that people usually build their own reality based on the information acquired from the external environment (Ertmer and Newby, 2013, p. 55). I agree that personal and environmental issues must be taken into account when it comes to sharing of knowledge with students. People’s behavior is situational, which means that teachers are supposed to create the environment that would be beneficial for students’ motivation and engagement. The cognitive theory of learning attracts teachers’ attention to such complicated processes as thinking, communication, problem-solving, or working with a wide range of information. At the same time, this theoretical approach insists on the need to consider the peculiarities of the students’ mental work as one of the most significant aspects of teaching and learning. I believe that this idea can have practical implications. For example, I am going to focus on the ways to establish an equitable dialogue with my students. The power of communication is the phenomenon that should not be underestimated either in people’s everyday life or the process of learning. Teacher’s primary task, therefore, is to make sure that their students can interpret information and use it for their own purposes.

I realize that it would be impossible to teach someone against their will. Consequently, it is necessary to develop specific methods that are going to facilitate student learning. I believe that I will be able to employ the instruments of play-based learning. Being based on cognitive theory, this strategy is related to motivation and engagement. People’s behavior is determined by thinking. If my students enjoy their classes, they will work productively and will be more successful in general. It would be wrong to claim that only young children are fond of games and playing. I often deal with new information through play myself, as long as this method appears to be effective and useful. For example, there are several applications in my tablet that help me learn foreign languages and to develop logical reasoning and visual memory. There is no doubt that such an approach is much more engaging than cramming. The significant aspect of playing is that this activity promotes learning without infringing upon students’ cultural and social environment, which makes it universally applicable.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I think that my philosophy of teaching benefits from its flexibility and inclusiveness. Democratic education contributes to students’ motivation, engagement, activeness, creativity, and cognitive skills. I consider myself to be a dedicated supporter of this approach. I believe that even if my personal teaching philosophy changes over the time, the elements of democratic education and the cognitive theory of learning will remain as a strong foundation to build on.

References

Bennis, Dana. (2018). What is democratic education? Institute for Democratic Education in   America.

Ertmer, P.A., & Newby, T.J. (2013). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism:

Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance   Improvement Quarterly, 26 (2), pp. 43-71.