Case Analysis Publix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case Analysis Publix - Essay Example Publix head office is based in Florida and is a grocery chain with huge numbers of employees, serves a large pool of customers and has its branches and operations spinning across different states in the USA. Society, Sub cultures This company looks at the society it operates in with pride, acceptance, and joy because it has lived by its philosophy of caring for the people as part of its corporate culture in that it helps the customers meet their needs and realize the extraordinary achievements in their lives. This has a major impact on the society since in a way it empowers the customers through various incentives and most importantly through offering customer focused services. This is why the associates of Publix have it clear in their minds whenever at work because they understand that they are not just running a grocery business but have the responsibility of doing the people business. And to that extend, taking care of the needs of associates, customers, its suppliers, and the co mmunity as a whole is very central to this supermarket chain (Publix Case, 2011). The other concept that Publix has addressed in its business operations is the dealing with different sub-cultures that are strewn all over the United States. Indeed the US has the most cosmopolitan community in the world. These people have different cultures that define their daily lives. It has been very necessary for Publix to deal effectively with cross-cultural differences within its workforce, the public and most critically its customers. To its employees, this supermarket chain appreciates their efforts and recognizes every individual and group as an important component of its continued growth and has this as part of its organizational culture. Thus to its employees, recognition and genuine appreciation of the contributions that these employees make is part and parcel of Publix and fosters the slogan of ‘where working is a pleasure’. The chain has an eye on its branches in different communities across the US. The customers have their own cultural beliefs in terms of shopping trends, likes and dislikes. To ensure that the supermarket is able to deal with the cross-cultural issues, the associates make contact with the customers and through the interaction; they get to know each other on a one on one basis. This has built a culture of appreciation and the firm is able to understand the different cultural needs of its customers. The customers have fallen in line with Publix’s slogan of ‘where shopping is a pleasure’ (Publix Case, 2011). Demographics/Socio-culture The operations of Publix are revolving around caring and meeting the needs of all its customers despite having different ages, social class, race, and origin. It is in this light that the customers, employees and the public hold the view that Publix has no socio-cultural barriers and neither does it discriminate against people based on their demographic differences. To this chain, the d emographic and socio-cultural differences are just another added advantage for it to serve its customers fully without one part feeling left out! The effects of globalization, doing away with barriers to trade and economics, competition, advances in technology and the fact that people-centered services have become critical to success makes Publix the choice of many and these factors have seen the chain grow faster. The

Nursing research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nursing research - Essay Example In effect, the outcome was inappropriate positioning of the baby and the failure to ensure proper latch-on during breastfeeding. Hence, this contributed to discomfort in babies and mothers, which eventually led to inappropriate breastfeeding tendencies in mothers. In addition, it is crucial to point out that research studies pointed out that some mothers stopped breastfeeding their babies even before attaining the mandatory six months age. In effect, this program is essential in ensuring that the mothers breastfed their babies even after they attained the mandatory six months. Based on the foregoing, the outcomes of this program are: Proper latch-on technique for mothers who are breastfeeding their babies Effective positioning of the baby during breastfeeding in order to ensure that the mother and the child did not suffer from any discomfort Breastfeeding for a period not less than six months in order to ensure the breastfeeding tendencies were appropriate Outcome Measures and Target Description of the Target Effective Latch-on Outcome Measure The nurses in the facility did not know the appropriate latch-on technique. On the other hand, the healthcare facility will ensure that mothers developed the appropriate latch-on techniques during the process of breastfeeding. ... Baseline Data During the implementation stage of this program, 2 out of 10 nurses did not know the right approaches to latch-on babies during breastfeeding. Hence, the facility aims to achieve 100% effective latch-on technique among nurses in order to ensure a successful implementation. In the implementation stage, 15% of mothers who attended prenatal care were aware of the efficient latch-on technique. Hence, the program seeks to ensure that there was a 100% awareness of the effective latch-on technique used during breastfeeding. On the other hand, only 40% of antenatal mothers knew of the effective latch-on technique. In effect, the facility seeks to achieve 100% knowledge of the effective technique. Description of the Target Effective Positioning Outcome Measure The appropriate outcome measure in this case is effective position of the mother and the child during breastfeeding. In line with this, it is important to point out that only 50% of the nurses are aware of the effective po sition of the baby during breastfeeding. Hence, all nurses should be aware of the appropriate position in order for them to transfer the same to the mothers. Pregnant mothers should devise the appropriate posture and position during breastfeeding in order to ensure that there was no discomfort on the baby and the mother. Baseline Data Fifty-percent of the nurses should gain the skills and knowledge required for correct positioning of the mother during breastfeeding. More than 70% of the mothers attending prenatal care thought that breastfeeding did not require any correct or appropriate position. Thirty two percent of afterbirth mothers did not use the right position during breastfeeding and

Renewable Energy Policy Of The Philippines Environmental Sciences Essay

Renewable Energy Policy Of The Philippines Environmental Sciences Essay This article provides background for the current petroleum reserves scarcity problem, importance of sustainable energies, as well as the advantages and shortcomings of renewable energies development. In addition, it covers the review of renewable energy policies of four different countries, namely Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam. The article also summarizes results of this study by comparing approaches taken by the governments of the abovementioned nations to solve the energy scarcity issue. Although these four developing countries take different approaches in addressing the problem, they share a common ultimate objective by reducing dependence on fossil fuel and the amount of hazardous gases, including greenhouse gases and toxic gases, discharged into the atmosphere. While certain renewable energies such as biomass energy and wind power have a tendency to generate negligible amounts of carbon dioxide, others, however, are environmental friendly. Thus, the renewable ener gies developed by these countries are fairly promising and will bring significant benefits to the countries if managed wisely. Lastly, this article also attempts to draw a conclusion on the study of the four policies based on key aspects such as natural resources available and the countries vision and propose some recommendations for further development. Keywords: Renewable energy, Sustainable, Environment 1. Introduction Energy drives nearly all parts of modern life such as the transportation sector and electricity generation. Most primary energies are derived from petroleum [1]. Overreliance on petroleum has become a serious global issue in the 21st century. According to the US Department of Energy (US DOE) report, petroleum reserves are diminishing at a faster rate than the discovery speed. Based on current oil reserves, the current consumption rate and projected consumption rate are 1354 billion barrels, 86.1 million barrels per day (in year 2007) and 92.1 million barrels per day (in year 2020) respectively [2]. Current petroleum reserves are expected to be depleted within the next four decades. The situation is worsening with the rapid growth of motorization, transportation and industrialization activities. This has led to a steep rise in crude oil prices due to high demand for fossil fuel [3]. Prior to 2000, the crude oil price in NYMEX was generally under USD20/barrel. With a higher demand than supply, the price rose to USD60/barrel in 2005 and subsequently shot up to USD100/barrel in 2011 [4]. To maintain the standard of living, searching for alternative energy resources to replace the current primary fuel source is inevitable. Furthermore, the use of alternative energy does not only solve the depletion of petroleum problem, but also generates significant environmental [5-7], economic and social benefits if managed with due regard to sustainability constraints [8]. In addition, efforts on efficiency improvement in energy production and use should not be neglected [9]. In fact, this effort should receive early attention as these objectives are easier to attain , require less investment during the commissioning stage than at the optimization stage and are environmentally friendly in meeting the needs of every developing country [10], [11]. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare four developing countries renewable energy policies in Southeast Asia. In addition, advantages and shortcomings of the policies are also identified and discussed in the later section. Further, a summary is drawn up regarding to the countries existing policies and frameworks. Lastly, suggestions for improvement on the policies are also included in this study for future review. 2. A broad look at the renewable energy policy of different developing countries Every developing country has its own unique renewable energy policy. Although some countries share a common objective or interest, none of the renewable energy policies can be identical to other renewable energy policies. For instance, the Philippines, a country which has few natural resources is mainly focusing on geothermal power in its renewable energy policy. Indonesia, a country which is rich in natural resources, on the other hand, has a more diversified renewable energy policy. In other words, the renewable energy policy of a country varies according to the countrys direction and natural resources available. In addition, efficiency of energy generated, energy used and environmental impacts are also taken into consideration during the review stage in certain policies. Although these factors do not directly affect or contribute to the development of renewable energies, impacts related to these factors should not be underestimated. Ignorance (on these issues) may lead to more ser ious catastrophic consequences to the world as some of the impacts pose significant threats to the global economy, food security, air quality and the condition of humans health [12]. 2.1 Renewable energy policy of Malaysia Traditionally, Malaysia, a country which is known for having vast amounts of petroleum resources, relies heavily on oil and gas (84%) and hydropower (16%) [13] for electricity generation. However, due to maturity of some oil reservoirs, production of oil has decreased gradually from 862 thousand barrels per day in 2004 to 713 thousand barrels per day in 2010 [14] and 630 thousand barrels per day in 2011 [15]. This problem has forced the government of Malaysia looking for viable renewable energies. To expedite the process, the government of Malaysia has established a fund, known as the Green Technology Financing Scheme (GTFS) amounting MYR 5 billion [16] as an effort to identify alternative green energy and develop green technology. Four key renewable energy sources have been identified, namely hydropower, solar power, wind energy and biomass energy. All these energies are expected to replace petroleum in the next 50 years. However, current researches on alternative energy are mainly concentrating on palm oil based biomass and biofuel with palm oil methyl esters being the preferred fuel. According to a preliminary estimation, palm oil biofuel could generate up to 20% of the countrys electricity by 2020 [17] and expect to replace the non-renewable fuel source, petroleum. Nevertheless, combustion of biofuel is always associated with greenhouse gases discharge such as carbon dioxide (CO2). Global atmospheric CO2 concentration has reported been increasing over the past century from 280ppm to 390ppm [18]. Malaysia was reportedly discharged 164.2 million tonne CO2 or 5.98 tonne CO2 per capita in 2009 [19]. It is estimated about 235.6% higher than the figure reported in 1990. A steep rise of CO2 discharge signifies the increase of environmental and health problems such as drought, rise in sea level, heavy downpours or flooding, increase mortality of wildlife, intense heat waves and increase risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases [20-22]. Although some parties claim that development of biofuel could reduce emission of greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuel combustion, the economic, environmental and social benefits of the current generation of biofuels vary [19]. The data does not take into consideration that deforestation for planting of palm tr ees used for biofuel production can result in one-time releases of CO2 which could be very large [19]. Furthermore, use of palm oil as feedstock in biodiesel production is also not economically feasible. Production cost of biofuel has escalated with increasing demand on palm oil due to the use of palm oil as edible oil in cooking. Although there are scopes to increase yield, massive conversion of palm oil to biodiesel will reduce reserves and eventually lead to higher palm oil prices [23]. In addition, increase in demand of palm oil would also drive global food prices higher and increase the competition for edible oil. It is undeniable that the abovementioned problems can be solved with increases palm oil production, but production increases have required rapid expansion of the area planted under oil palm [24], giving rise to serious concerns over deforestation and habitat loss as well as the drainage of peat lands. While short term governmental support such as tax exemption, regulatory intervention and promotion campaign play an important role in the biofuel development, the long ter m sustainability prospect pertaining to the environmental impact and economic is uncertain. 2.2 Renewable Energy Policy of the Philippines The government of the Philippines, however, focuses their effort mainly on geothermal energy development. It can be clearly seen from the country power generation statistic that the geothermal energy accounts for 12% of the countrys total electricity generation [25]. With the total capacity of 2000MW geothermal power plant in operation, Philippines is considered as the worlds second largest geothermal power producer [26]. This figure is far higher than the amount of energy generated by any other types of renewable energy. The effort on geothermal energy development is expected to be continued as it provides a promising future to the country. The reason why the government of the Philippines maintains its existing policy is due to present of numerous volcanos in Philippines. According to Sussman et. al., Philippines islands are complex assemblage of island arcs which have been accreting between two tectonic plates. Two opposing subduction zones have generated a series of volcanoes which extends the length of the Philippines, from northern Luzon to southern Mindanao. Most of the known high temperature (>240Â °C) geothermal systems in the Philippines are associated with these volcano [27]. At the same time, the government of the Philippines also attempts to develop biomass energy. Philippines is known as an agricultural country which produces abundant of biomass resources [28] such as rice straw, coconut shell and sugarcane residues. These resources are believed to have a large contribution to biomass energy production as it could supply continuous stream of feedstock for biomass energy generation. Although researches on other types of energy such as biomass energy and hydropower are also given a fair consideration, progress of the researches remains modest. The problem is mainly due to lack of financial support from the Philippiness Department of Energy and private investors. Limited financial resource available is a great barrier for the development of biomass energy. In addition, lack of incentives is another factor that hinder biomass energy development as the production cost is considerably higher than fossil fuel price [29]. 2.3 Renewable Energy Policy of Indonesia Indonesia, a country which is rich in natural resources, intends to reduce its dependence on the fossil fuel and aims to reduce the depletion rate of fossil fuel reserves[30], by diversifying its focus on solar energy, wind energy, ocean wave energy, geothermal energy and biomass energy generation [31]. Below are the policies related to Renewable Energy development [32]: Green Energy Policy (Ministerial Decree No.2/2004) Small Power Generation using Renewable Energy (Ministerial Decree No. 1122 K/30/MEM/2002) Geothermal Law (Law No. 27/2003) Regulation on Electricity Supply and Utilization (Government Regulation No. 03/2005) The government of Indonesia also encourages private sector and community participations through a small renewable power purchase tariff [26]. Through this programme, renewable power producers are given freedom to develop their own renewable power plants such as micro hydro power plants, mini wind farms and solar power plants in rural area. In addition, the government of Indonesia also invests a vast amount of money on biomass [33] and biofuel development. One of the examples is combustion of rice husk and biodiesel. The country produces an average of 50 million tonnes of rice husk each year. These rice husks have a very low commercial value and limited application. Hence, the government of Indonesia propose to build some rice husk and biodiesel power plants adjacent to rice mills or palm oil plantations to supply energy to the local community. Based on preliminary estimation, the country would enjoy an additional 1600MW power generated each year from the biomass energy generated [26]. However, combustion of biomass is not environmentally friendly. Some of the hazardous compounds generated such as smoke, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds are carcinogenic or may cause cancer. Furthermore, emission of carbon dioxide and methane may also lead to global warming problem. According to World Health Organization estimation, more people in the developing world die each year from conditions related to air pollution which is mostly from inefficient, solid-wood-burning stoves [34]. According to a study conducted by World Health Organization, air pollution from solid fuel use was responsible for almost 2 million annual deaths and 2.7% of the global burden of disease in the year 2004 [35]. This makes biomass combustion the second biggest environmental contributor to ill health, behind unsafe water and sanitation [35]. Although the promising geothermal power and hydropower are also given a fair consideration, development of the areas seems to be difficult as potential investors are deterred by the lack of financial viability guarantee and unstable political circumstance [26]. Moreover, distribution or supply of electricity to remote areas or communities is not economically feasible and the state-of-art technology involved of this energy is more expensive than energy produced by conventional hydrocarbon fired plants [30]. Thus, the proposal of building a large scale hydropower plant has been postponed for years. 2.4 Renewable Energy Policy of Vietnam Unlike other developing countries, Vietnam is currently on the rapid economy growth track and is enjoying economic prosperity which it has never experienced before. A decade after the end of the Vietnam War, Vietnam underwent an intensive economic reform known as Doi Moi or socialist-oriented market economy which encouraged foreign and private investments in various industries or sectors [36], [37]. Since then the economic performance of Vietnam had started to escalate and experienced a more intensive growth than ever before [38]. This growth has mainly been the results of the strong performance of five sectors, namely manufacturing, fishery, agricultural, tourism and services industries. Although the economy of Vietnam, like other countries, has also encountered several economy setbacks such as the Asian Financial Crisis, the Burst of the Bubble of Information Technology and the Subprime Economic Crisis, the countrys economy has recovered very rapidly each time after the crisis and has managed to attain average GDP growth of 6 to 9% annually [39]. Improvement of economic performance has indirectly driven up the countrys energy demand. According to the data provided by the Institute of Energy of Vietnam, energy or electricity generated were estimated around 21TWh, 40TWh and 67TWh for the years of 2000, 2004 and 2008 respectively [40], [41], with fossil fuel as a primary source of fuel. Based on the figures provided above, the average annual growth rate of energy demand was estimated at about 15% for this period. Despite having abundant fossil fuel reserves, it is noteworthy that the population of Vietnam [42] also increased in line with economic growth [38]. In addition, Vietnams transportation sector is still undergoing explosive growth. By making the assumption that the rate of growth in energy demand remains constant, the total energy or electricity required by 2030 will be 654TWh [36]. This situation has forced the government of Vietnam looking for sustainable alternative energies. Failure to search for more renewable energies will eventually turn Vietnam into net importer [38], which will give its economy a hard hit as high oil price could lead to a higher manufacturing and living costs. Furthermore, IMF and Citigroup predicted that Vietnam will be subjected to further currency devaluation [43] in years ahead due to inflation problem. All these factors will lead to a more severe economy setback if they fail to develop more sustainable energies to replace the scarce fossil fuel. Electricity supply in Vietnam currently is virtually provided by the local government as more than three quarters of the power plants in Vietnam are operated by either government organizations under the governance of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam[41] or organizations which the government has stake or indirect interest in the companies. In short, most of the power plants are state-owned properties. These power plants are basically established under the first Power Development Master Plan, which is introduced to support the economic reformation [44]. Majority of the electricity supply to the northern and southern regions of Vietnam is generated using fossil fuel such as oil and gas (48%) and coal (17.9%) [39], which is considered unsustainable to both environment and economy. Electricity supply to the central part of Vietnam, on the other hand, is mostly generated using hydropower, which is accounted for 27.4% of the electricity supply in Vietnam [39] and is cleaner than fossil fuel combustion. Use of hydropower can be explained by the number of rivers available in Vietnam, which has about 2400 rivers of 10km long [41]. This enables the country enjoying the free and clean resource without compromising its sustainability policy. However, the potential of hydropower is still not fully exploited in Vietnam. Based on rough estimation, up to 70TWh of hydropower electricity could be generated annually [36]. The figure is higher than the countrys current energy need. Thus, the government of Vietnam is currently reviewing the existing strategy and master plan to develop hydropower for the period up to 2015 [45]. The plan of developing hydropower is not a sole solution, but certainly a wise move. In addition to the development of hydropower, the government of Vietnam also explore the possibility of utilizing wind power to generate electricity. In comparison to other countries, Vietnam has a better potential for wind energy development [46] as the country has a higher average wind speed of 7 to 9 m/s at a height of 65m [40]. Another reason encourages the country to develop hydropower is that it provides a competitive generation cost advantage. An estimation based on current wind power generation, with the cost of 8 US cents/kWh [40], indicates that the generation cost of wind power is at least 50% cheaper than other renewable energies. Moreover, wind farms can also be utilized to cultivate crops [47]. In other words, installation of wind turbines would not deter the development of the agricultural sector. This is particularly important to the country as the agricultural sector contributes significantly to its GDP. Furthermore, agricultural activities are bread and butter for p eople of the country. According to the Federal Research Division, agricultural activities account for the employment of approximately 60% of the nations workforce [48]. Thus, development of wind power could bring double benefits to the country. Although wind power generation is also associated with CO2 emission, the emission rate of CO2 from wind turbines is 100 times lower than that of coal combustion, which is insignificant or negligible. A part from the abovementioned energies, the government of Vietnam also explored other potential renewable energies such as solar power, biomass energy [49]. Solar energy is a very promising renewable energy for Vietnam as it is located very close to equator and receives up to 4500 hours sun light every year. Likewise, generation of electricity using biomass is also sustainable as Vietnam is rich in organic and natural resources such as forest, plants, agricultural by-products and edible oil. However, development of renewable energy was very slow and the move was not well received by the community previously. This was mainly due to factors such as limited understanding of renewable energies, lack of expertise support in this field and ignorance about importance of renewable energy to the country. Thus, the updated revised Master Plan for Nation Power Development of Vietnam has already included design principles for the implementation of the Vietnam Competitive Generation Market [50] to increase potential of renewable energy development. In addition, renovation of management is also taken into consideration to attract foreign investors [37] and foreign talents. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance also shows a strong support on the plan by increasing tax imposed on profit gained by power plants through oil, gas and coal combustion. 3. Conclusion In conclusion, energy is essential to every countrys development. However, overreliance on fossil fuels in energy generation has become a critical issue. Following the footsteps of the developed countries, most developing countries in Southeast Asia have started reviewing their sustainable energy policies and searched for viable renewable energies to replace the scarce resources. While some countries choose to focus on biomass energy or wind power research and development, others, on the other hand, take a more diversified approach. These policies are mainly designed according to the resources available and each countrys vision. For instance, Malaysia allocates more financial resources on biofuel development as the country possesses vast amounts of palm oil plantation or land. While the Philippines choose to maintain its exploration effort on geothermal energy and biomass developments as country is located in the western part of the Pacific Rim, which is the weakest part of the earth crust [51]. This gives the country the advantage of using the magna of the earth crust to generate steam and electricity. Indonesia, a country which is rich in natural resources, tries to variegate fuel resources by exploring different potential energies. Their counterpart, Vietnam, however, chooses to invest on hydropower development as it has more than 2400 rivers with 10km long [41]. In addition, efficiency of energy generated and environmental impacts are also taken into consideration during policy review stage as legislators believed that under-estimation of the impacts related to these factors may lead to catastrophic impairments to environment and economy. It is undeniable that development of all these renewable energies would reduce human dependence on fossil fuel, however the long term prospect for these energies is uncertain. For instance, combustion of biofuel may not be environmental friendly as well as economically viable in the long term. Thus, a more comprehensive evaluation should be taken into consideration during the policy review stage. In addition, present energy strategy should adapt to new criteria which must be followed in future energy system development [52].

The Two Worlds in Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening :: Stopping Woods Snowy Evening

The Two Worlds in Stopping by Woods "Stopping by Woods" The visible sign of the poet's preoccupation is the recurrent image of dark woods and trees. The world of the woods, a world offering perfect quiet and solitude, exists side by side with the realization that there is also another world, a world of people and social obligations. Both worlds have claims on the poet. He stops by woods on this "darkest evening of the year" to watch them "fill up with snow," and lingers so long that his "little horse" shakes his harness bells "to ask if there is some mistake." The poet is put in mind of the "promises" he has to keep, of the miles he still must travel. We are not told, however, that the call of social responsibility proves stronger than the attraction of the woods, which are "lovely" as well as "dark and deep"; the poet and his horse have not moved on at the poem's end. The dichotomy of the poet's obligations both to the woods and to a world of "promises"--the latter filtering like a barely heard echo through the alm ost hypnotic state induced by the woods and falling snow-is what gives this poem its singular interest.... The artfulness of "Stopping by Woods" consists in the way the two worlds are established and balanced. The poet is aware that the woods by which he is stopping belong to someone in the village; they are owned by the world of men. But at the same time they are his, the poet's woods, too, by virtue of what they mean to him in terms of emotion and private signification. What appears to be "simple" is shown to be not really simple, what appears to be innocent not really innocent.... The poet is fascinated and lulled by the empty wastes of white and black. The repetition of "sleep" in the final two lines suggests that he may succumb to the influences that are at work. There is no reason to suppose that these influences are benignant. It is, after all, "the darkest evening of the year," and the poet is alone "between the woods and frozen lake.

Malnutrition in the Elderly with Dementia Essay

What is Malnutrition? Malnutrition is a state of nutrition (under or over nutrition) in which a lack of protein, energy and other nutrients causes measurable adverse effects on tissue and/or body form, composition, function or clinical outcome. We will focus on under nutrition as a nutritional concern. The main cause for concern among older people in the UK is that they are not eating enough to maintain good nutrition. Among the population of older people in residential care there are many more underweight people than there are overweight or obese people, and in old age being underweight poses a far greater risk to health than being overweight. The most recent information on the nutritional status of older people in Britain was reported in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) of people aged 65 years and over in 1998. In this survey, 3% of men and 6% of women living at home were underweight, while comparable figures for those in residential care were 16% and 15% respectively. It is suggested, however, that risk of undernutrition is still not adequately identified in older people and that undernutrition is often associated with hospitalisation and poor health status.1 The level of undernutrition among older people with dementia in residential care is likely to be even higher, with estimates that as many as 50% of older people with dementia have inadequate energy intakes. Undernutrition is related to increased mortality, increased risk of fracture, increased risk of infections and increased risk of specific nutrient deficiencies leading to a variety of health-related conditions that can greatly affect the quality of life. Disease can also exert a potent influence on malnutrition as medical conditions can reduce food intake and impair digestion and absorption of nutrients as well as affect how the body metabolises and utilises them. The causes of undernutrition in older people in residential care are often multi-factorial: low income, living alone, limited mobility, and lack of facilities and social network can lead to undernutrition before admission, and this is often exacerbated by depression, bereavement and confusion. Factors that have been associated with undernutrition in care situations include: lack of palatability of food and inflexible timing of meals, lack of assistance with eating or loss of independence in eating, lack of acceptability of food provided to ethnic minorities and lack of awareness of the need for assessment and documentation of older people at risk of undernutrition. Malnutrition can be significant if a person has: †¢ a BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m2 †¢ had unintentional weight loss greater than 10% within the last 3-6 months †¢ a BMI less than 20kg/m2 and has had unintentional weight loss greater than 5% within the last 3-6 months People are also at risk of becoming malnourished if they have eaten very little or nothing for more than 5 days and/or this pattern is likely to continue. Worryingly, more than 1 in 4 of all adults admitted for a hospital stay, to a mental unit or a care home is at risk of malnutrition. It is a well-documented fact that worldwide, the elderly population is increasing, and with it, the incidence of malnutrition. Malnutrition is associated with significantly increased morbidity and mortality in independently living older people, as well as in nursing home residents and hospitalised patients. Prevalence of malnutrition amongst the elderly population: †¢ 35% in adults over 80 years of age †¢ 25 – 35% in adults 60 – 80 years †¢ 25% in adults less than 60 years of age Causes of Malnutrition There are many causes of malnutrition. These can include: †¢ Reduced intake: Poor appetite due to illness, food aversion, nausea or pain when eating, depression, anxiety, side effects of medication or drug addiction †¢ Inability to eat: This can be due to investigations or being held nil by mouth, reduced levels of consciousness; confusion; difficulty in feeding oneself due to weakness, arthritis or other conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, dysphasia, vomiting, painful mouth conditions, poor oral hygiene or dentition; restrictions imposed by surgery or investigations †¢ Lack of food availability: poverty; poor quality diet at home, in hospital or in care homes; problems with shopping and cooking †¢ Impaired absorption: This can be due to medical and surgical problems effecting digestion & stomach, intestine, pancreas and liver /or absorption †¢ Altered metabolism: Increased or changed metabolic demands requirements related to illness e.g. cancer; surgery, organ dysfunction, or treatment †¢ Excess losses: Vomiting; diarrhoea; nutrient fistulae; stomas; losses from nasogastric losses tube and other drains or skin exudates from burns People at risk of Malnutrition As we have seen, the groups most vulnerable to malnutrition include: †¢ People just discharged from hospital †¢ Elderly people (16% in residential care) †¢ People with cancer and other long-term conditions †¢ People recovering from surgery Risk factors more specific to the elderly: Dementia and other neurological disorders: – Alzheimer’s disease – Other forms of dementia – Confusional syndrome – Consciousness disorders – Parkinsonism Consequences of Malnutrition Malnutrition can often go undetected and when left untreated, it can have serious consequences on health, which include: †¢ Increased risk to infections †¢ Delayed wound healing †¢ Impaired respiratory function †¢ Muscle weakness and depression Detection of Malnutrition There is no alternative to measurements of weight and height, along with other anthropometric measures in specialist circumstances. These measurements can then be used with the following questions: †¢ Has our resident been eating a normal and varied diet in the last few weeks? †¢ Has our resident experienced intentional or unintentional weight loss recently? Rapid weight loss is a concern in all patients/residents whether obese or not †¢ Can our residents eat, swallow, digest and absorb enough food safely to meet their likely needs? †¢ Does our resident have an unusually high need for all or some nutrients? Surgical stress, trauma, infection, metabolic disease, wounds, bedsores or history of poor intake may all contribute to such a need †¢ Does any treatment, disease, physical limitation or organ dysfunction limit out resident’s ability to handle the nutrients for current or future needs? †¢ Does our resident have excessive nutrient losses through vomiting, diarrhoea, surgical drains etc? †¢ Does a global assessment of our resident suggest under nourishment? Low body weight, loose fitting clothes, fragile skin, poor wound healing, apathy, wasted muscles, poor appetite, altered taste sensation, altered bowel habit. Discussion with relatives may be important †¢ In the light of all of the above, can our resident meet all of their requirements by voluntary choice from the food available? Understanding that asking these questions take a significant amount of time and expertise, a number of screening tools have been developed to help you identify whether our residents are at risk of malnutrition. Given the high prevalence of malnutrition and lack of proper management of patients/residents in various settings, performing a routine nutritional ‘screening’ should result in early identification of patients/residents who might have otherwise been missed. A screening tool should help establish reliable pathways of care for patients with malnutrition. Screening for malnutrition (and the risk of malnutrition) should be carried out by healthcare professionals with appropriate skills and training.

Statistik dalam penyelidikan pendidikan

PENDAHULUANTajuk ini dipilih kerana parity pengkaji hendak mengetahui tahap penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi ( TMK ) di kalangan guru-guru Sains sekolah menengah di daerah Gombak bagi memastikan kejayaan mengintegrasikan teknologi ke dalam bilik darjah. Pendidik yang berkompetensi teknologi memahami hubungan di antara fungsi asas komputer dan pembelajaran pelajar. Setiap kali suatu teknologi baru diperkenalkan dalam bilik darjah, ada pihak yang Akan menyokong dan mendakwa teknologi ini Akan merevolusikan cara guru mengajar, cara murid belajar dan secara amnya keseluruhan cara pendidikan dikendalikan. Dalam abad ke-21 ini, negara menghadapi cabaran baru kesan daripada globalisasi, liberalisasi, pengantarabangsaan dan perkembangan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi ( TMK ) . Sehubungan dengan itu Malaysia memerlukan modal insan yang juga celik TMK, progresif dan mampu bersaing di pasaran kerja planetary. Oleh itu, guru-guru perlulah lebih `competent ‘ dan `well-informed ‘ , dimana seseorang guru itu berkemampuan mengolah maklumat dan pengetahuan yang sebegitu banyak dengan ketajaman daya analisisnya dan kemampuannya untuk berfikir secara integratif dan conceptual. Ini akan membolehkannya bertindak balas dengan cepat terhadap perkembangan pesat di sekitarnya. Beberapa masalah timbul mengenai pengetahuan tahap penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi di kalangan guru-guru Sains di sekolah menengah. Antaranya adalah:Sejauh manakah tahap penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Adakah penggunaan TMK membantu meringankan beban guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Apakah faktor-faktor yang mendorong dan menghalang penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?OBJEKTIF KAJIANObjektif kajian ini ialah untuk:Untuk mengenalpasti tahap frekuensi penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains.Untuk mengenalpasti tahap frekuensi bentuk bahan TMK yang digunakan oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains.Untuk mengenalpasti faktor yang mendorong penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains.Untuk mengenalpasti faktor yang menghalang penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains.Untuk mengenalpasti kelebihan penggunaan TMK dalam P & A ; P Sains.SOALAN KAJIANKajian ini dijalankan untuk menjawab beberapa persoalan mengenai tahap penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains.Apakah tahap frekuensi penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Apakah tahap frekuensi bentuk bahan TMK yang digunakan oleh gu ru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Apakah faktor yang mendorong peggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Apakah faktor yang menghalang penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam P & A ; P Sains?Apakah kelebihan penggunaan TMK dalam P & A ; P Sains?METODOLOGIDua teknik analisis telah digunakan dalam kajian ini, yakni yang pertama analisis deskriptif dan yang keduanya adalah analisis inferensi. Statistik deskriptif membantu mengatur, memaparkan dan menerangkan informations dengan menggunakan jadual, graf dan teknik rumusan. Terdapat lapan puluh responden, oleh itu ianya boleh diklasifikasikan sebagai sesuatu populasi. Selain daripada itu, statistic inferensi pula merangkumi teknik atau langkah yang menggunakan sampel ujikaji untuk membuat keputusan dan generalisasi terhadap sesuatu populasi. Justeru, demi memenuhi keperluan ujikaji, dua jenis analisis deskriptif telah digunakan. Analisis ini menggunakan peratus untuk menerangkan maklumat tentang latarbelakang responden seperti jantina, umur, bangsa, opysen, bilangan tahun mengajar matapelajaran sains dan latarbelakang pendidikan tertinggi. Analisis yang disertakan dalam kajian ini turut mengandungi peratus, min, sisihan piawai, mod, average serta julat minimal dan maximal untuk menerangkan pembolehubah-pembolehubah yang telah dipilih diatas. Selain daripada itu, empat jenis statistik inferensi turut digunakan dalam kajian ini. Chi- kuasa dua digunakan untuk mengkaji hubungan antara dua pembolehubah nominal, iaitu jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar matapelajaran Sains. Ujikaji-T pula telah digunakan untuk menentukan min antara pembolehubah-pembolehubah tidak bersandar. Korelasi Pearson R, juga telah digunakan untuk menganalisa perhubungan di antara pembolehubah-pembolehubah tidak bersandar. Pembolehubah-pemboleh ubah yang dikaji adalah tahap penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains, faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh guru, serta kelebihan penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains.SAMPEL KAJIANDalam kajian ini, sampel terdiri daripada guru-guru yang mengajar mata pelajaran Sains di sekolah menengah. Sampel kajian ini dipilih secara rawak mudah yang terdiri daripada pelbagai bangsa dan agama. Persampelan rawak mudah merupakan proses menggunakan sampel bila mana individu dalam populasi mempunyai kebarangkalian yang sama untuk dipilih. Bilangan sampel terdiri daripada 80 Pongo pygmaeus guru yang mengajar dalam mata pelajaran Sains di sekolah menengah.INSTRUMEN KAJIANDalam kajian ini satu set soal selidik telah digunakan untuk mengumpul informations iaitu: –Bahagian A: Soal Selidik Latar Belakang RespondenBahagian B: Soal Selidik Tahap Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi Oleh Guru-Guru Sains ( TPTMK )Bahagian C: Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( FPTMK )Bahagian D: Kelebihan Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( KPTMK )Bahagian A: Soal Selidik Latar Belakang RespondenBahagian A adalah soal selidik berkaitan dengan maklumat diri subjek. Antara item-item yang dimuatkan untuk mendapatkan maklumat pe ribadi guru ialah umur, jantina, bangsa dan opysen matapelajaran, Di samping itu juga, soal selidik ini berkaitan dengan sumber maklumat mengenai bilangan tahun mengajar dalam mata pelajaran Sains dan latar belakang pendidikan tertinggi. Sumber maklumat ini telah diubah suai oleh pengkaji agar bersesuaian dengan kajian yang dijalankan. Subjek diminta menandakan ( / ) terhadap sumber maklumat yang berkaitan dengan diri subjek.Bahagian B: Soal Selidik Tahap Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi Oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( TPTMK )Bahagian ini adalah doal selidik mengenai tahap penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi terhadap subjek yang dikaji. Alat kajian ini sebenarnya menguji tentang kekerapan tahap penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi subjek dalam Masa seminggu dan juga tahap kekerapan penggunaan peralatan, perkakasan atau perisian yang dibekalkan semasa pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Responden dikehendaki menjawab dua puluh Lima soalan dengan menggunakan dua pilihan jawapan iaitu ya atau tidak.Bahag ian C: Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains. ( FPTMK )Bahagian C adalah soal selidik berkaitan dengan faktor-faktor yang mendorong dan menghalang penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Dalam bahagian ini juga, responden dikehendaki menjawab Lima puluh soalan dengan menggunakan dua pilihan jawapan iaitu ya atau tidak.Bahagian D: Kelebihan Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains. ( KPTMK )Bahagian D pula, merupakan soal selidik berkaitan dengan kelebihan penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Bahagian ini terbahagi kepada dua kumpulan soalan. Responden dikehendaki menjawab soalan dengan menggunakan dua pilihan jawapan iaitu ya atau tidak.PEMBOLEHUBAH KAJIANPembolehubah bebas dalam kajian ini ialah umur, jantina, bangsa, bilangan t ahun mengajar dan latarbelakang pendidikan tertinggi. Manakala pembolehubah bersandar adalah tahap penggunaan TMK dan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi serta kelebihan penggunaan TMK. Soalselidik ini terbahagi kepada empat bahagian iaitu Bahagian A, B, C dan D. Bahagian A mengandungi pembolehubah-pembolehubah di bawah:JantinaUmurBangsaOpysenPengalaman mengajar matapeajaran SainsLatarbelakang Pendidikan TertinggiDalam kajian ini terdapat satu set borang soal selidik yang mengandungi tiga bahagian iaitu Bahagian A, Bahagian B, Bahagian C dan Bahagian D. Dalam Bahagian A, soal selidik latar belakang responden digunakan untuk mengumpul maklumat daripada responden, bilangan tahun mengajar dan latarbelakang pendidikan seperti yang dipaparkan di atas. Bahagian B pula, adalah soal selidik berkaitan dengan tahap penggunaan TMK guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Soal selidik tentang tahap penggunaan TMK ini terdiri daripada item-item yang berkaitan dengan tahap kekerapan mengunakan TMK dalam seminggu semasa sesi pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Selain itu, item-item berkaitan dengan kekerapan menggunakan peralatan, perkakasan atau perisian TMK dalam Masa seminggu. Bahagian C, adalah berkaitan dengan faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Dalam bahagian ini item-item yang terdapat dalamnya adalah berkaitan dengan faktor mendorong dan menghalang responden dalam menjayakan pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains dengan menggunakan TMK. Bahagian D, adalah mengenai kelebihan penggunaan TMK oleh guru dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains. Bahagian ini terdiri daripada 50 soalan tertutup yang memerlukan responden menjawab ya atau tidak. Soalan -soalan yang dikemukankan merangkumi, kebaikan dan kelebihan TMK dalam meringankan beban guru dengan menjimatkan Masa, tenaga dan coss dalam penyediaan sesi pengajaran dan pembelajaran Sains.LATARBELAKANG RESPONDENItem-item dalam bahagian A soal selidik secara umumnya digunakan untuk mengenalpasti demografi responden Dari aspek umur, jantina, bangsa, opsyen, bilangan tahun mengajar matapelajaran Sains dan latar belakang akademik responden. Seramai 80 Pongo pygmaeus responden yang terdiri daripada 100 % guru Dari Lima buah sekolah menengah di sekitar daerah Gombak. Seramai 40 Pongo pygmaeus responden terdiri daripada guru lelaki, manakala selebihnya merupakan guru perempuan. Majoriti respoden Lelaki and Perempuan masing masing adalah 50 % ( n=40 ) Majoriti respoden adalah dalam lingkungan 30-34 tahun iaitu sebanyak 31 % ( n=25 ) .Diikuti 30 % ( n=24 ) adalah responden dalam lingkungan umur 25-29 tahun. Umur 35-39 ( n=2 ) responden adalah sebanyak 15 % manakala 14 % responden adalah dalam lingkungan 40-44 tahun. 45 keatas adalah sebanyak 6 % dan 4 % adalah umur diantara 20-24 tahun. Majoriti responden adalah Bangsa Melayu iaitu 44 % ( n=35 ) .Dikuti oleh bangsa Cina 28 % ( n=22 ) , 21 % ( n=17 ) adalah bangsa India, manakala 8 % ( n=6 ) adalah dalam kategori lain lain. Majoriti responden 85 % ( n=68 ) adalalah Dari aliran Sains, manakala 15 % ( n=15 ) adalah dalam aliran Bukan Sains. Sejumlah 39 % respoden ( n=31 ) mempunyai Pengalaman Mengajar diantara 4-6 tahun, 0-3 tahun dalam sebanyak 34 % ( n=27 ) , dikuti 7-9 tahun 20 % ( n=16 ) dan hanya 8 % ( n=6 ) mempunyai Pengalaman Mengajar 10 tahun ke atas. 75 % respoden ( n=60 ) adalah kelulusan Ijazah Sarjana Muda, manakala bagi Ijazah Sarjana dan Diploma masing masing adalah 13 % ( n=10 ) .Analisis informationsEmpat inferens analisis telah dijalankan. Khi kuasa dua digunakan untuk menguji perhubungan antara dua pembolehubah-pembolehubah tidak bersandar nominal, jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar matapelajaran Sains. T-tests telah dijalankan untuk bandingkan cara antara pembolehubah-pembolehubah bersandar. Tiga pembolehubah bersandar yang telah dikaji ialah: Tahap Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi Oleh Guru-Guru Sains ( TPTMK ) , Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( FPTMK ) , Kelebihan Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( KPTMK ) .Ujian DeskriptifJadual 6.1, 6.2 dan 6.3 menunjukan tahap-tahap bagi TPTMK, FPTMK, dan KPTMK masing-masing. Nilai berangka dimensi pembolehubah-pe mbolehubah di atas sahaja tidak menunjukkan kekuatan relatif tahap-tahap ini. Beberapa perbandingan diperlukan untuk menandakan ini. Jadual 6.4: Ujian Analisis Khi Kuasa Dua Antara Jantina Dan Bilangan Tahun Mengajar Untuk Keseluruhan Sampel ( N=80 ) . Langkah 1: H0: Tidak ada perhubungan jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar H1: Terdapat perhubungan antara jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar Langkah 2: Kami menggunakan taburan X? untuk menguji darjah kebebasan atau perhubungan antara pembolehubah jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar Langkah 3: Menentukan kawasan penolakan dan bukan penolakan. Tahap signifikan ialah 0.05 atau 5 % . Kawasan dalam hujung kanan = ? = 0.05 Darjah kebebasan, df = ( Jumlah barisan – 1 ) ( Bilangan ruangan – 1 ) = ( 2 – 1 ) ( 4 – 1 ) = 3 Daripada Jadual X? , untuk df = 3, ? = 0.05, X? = 7.815 Langkah 6: Nilai 3.3 yang diperolehi adalah lebih kecil daripada nilai kritikal ( 7.815 ) dan ia jatuh dalam kawasan bukan penolakan H0. Oleh itu, kami menolak H1 dan mengekalkan H0 ; dimana tidak adenosine deaminase signifikan ( p & lt ; 0.05 ) perhubungan antara jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar ( X? = 3.3, P & A ; gt ; 0.05 ) . Pekali korelasi additive adalah 0.0018 ( dibundarkan kepada 2 tempat perpuluhan ) Interpretasi: Korelasi di antara TPTMK and FPTMK adalah lemah. Korelasi kuasa dua, merupakan pekali bagi penentuan. r2 = ( 0.0018 ) 2 = 0.00 menunjukkan kiraan 0 % terhadap varians bagi skor FPTMK dalam kes ini. Langkah 4: Menguji dapatan signifikan R melalui hipotesis nul supaya tiada hubungan yang signifikan di antara skor TPTMK dan FPTMK. Bagi menguji nilai dapatan signifikan R yang diperolehi, pertama perlu setkan Arass signifikan yang hendak diuji iaitu 1 % atau pada P & A ; gt ; .01. Kemudian uji hipotesis mengenai populasi pekali korelasi P menggunakan sampel pekali korelasi r. Selain itu jadual taburan T boleh digunakan dalam ujian ini. Apabila n – 2 merupakan nilai darjah kebebasan. Hipotesis nul merupakan pekali korelasi additive di antara dua pembolehubah yang kosong, ? = 0. Hipotesis alternatif boleh menjadi: Pekali korelasi additive di antara 2 pembolehubah yang kurang daripada kosong, ? & A ; gt ; 0 Pekali korelasi additive di antara 2 pembolehubah yang lebih daripada kosong, ? & A ; lt ; 0 Pekali korelasi additive di antara 2 pembolehubah yang tidak sama dengan kosong, ? ? 0 Catat hipotesis nul: ( ? merupakan pekali korelasi populasi ) Holmium: ? = 0 ( Pekali korelasi additive adalah kosong dalam populasi ) H1: ? & gt ; 0 ( Pekali koralsi additive adalah positif dalam populasi ) bermaksud satu hujung ( Apabila kita menguji H1: hanya korelasi positif wujud di mana Iowa adalah mustahil bagi korelasi negative wujud ) ( Selain itu, kita harus menguji H1: ? ? 0, apabila kami ingin menguji korelasi kedua-dua atau negative iaitu ujian dua- hujung ) Langkah 5: Pilih fungsi taburan yang perlu digunakan. Taburan populasi untuk kedua-dua pembolehubah adalah normal. Oleh itu, kita boleh menggunakan taburan T untuk menunjukkan ujian tersebut adalah pekali korelasi linear. Langkah 6: Menentukan kawasan penolakan dan bukan penolakan Aras signifikan adalah 1 % . Melalui hipotesis alternatif, kita dapat mengetahui ujian itu adalah hujung kanan. Oleh itu Kawasan pada hujung kanan taburan T = 0.01 df = n – 2 = 80 – 2 = 78 Melalui taburan T, nilai kritikal bagi T adalah 1.292. Kawasan penolakan dan bukan penolakan untuk ujian ini adalah seperti di bawah: Langkah 8: Membuat keputusan Nilai bagi ujian statistik T = 0.016 is adlah kurang daripada nilai kritikal T = 1.292 dan Iowa jatuh di kawasan yang bukan penolakan. Oleh itu, kita menerima hipotesis nul dan membuat kesimpulan bahawa tiada hubungan additive yang signifikan, di antara TPTMK dengan FPTMK.DAPATAN KAJIANKeputusan Khi-kuasa dua menunjukkan bahawa tiada hubungan di antara jantina dan kawasan khas. ( X2= 3.3, P & A ; gt ; 0.05 ) . Sampel ujian-t yang berpasangan dijalankan untuk menilai jikalau terdapat hubungan di antara FPTMK dan TPTMK, FPTMK dan KPTMK serta TPTMK dan KPTMK. Keputusan menunujukkan bahawa min bagi FPTMK ( , SD= 8.9314 ) adalah signifikan dan lebih besar daripada min bagi TPTMK ( , SD=6.853 ) , t ( 158 ) =44.6329, P & A ; gt ; 0.025. Ini menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan di antara FPTMK dan TPTMK di kalangan guru. Keputusan ini juga menunjukkan bahawa min bagi KPTMK ( , SD=6.293 ) . Ujian-t di antara FPTMK dan KPTMK T ( 158 ) =51.7703, P & A ; gt ; 0.025. Ini juga menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perbezaan signifikan di antara FPTMK dan KPTMK di kalangan guru. Keputusan ujian-t di antara TPTMK dan KPTMK adalah T ( 158 ) =6.7902, P & A ; gt ; 0.025. Ini juga menunjukkan bahawa terdapat perbezaan yang signifikan di antara TPTMK dan KPTMK di kalangan guru di daerah Gombak.KESIMPULANKesimpulan yang boleh dibuat daripada analisis empat inferensi adalah khi-kuasa dua menunjukkan bahawa tiada perhubungan di antara jantina dan bilangan tahun mengajar. Manakala kesemua keputusan ujian-t menunjukkan bahawa terdapat hubungan di antara jantina dan pengalaman mengajar. Tambahan pula, keputusan kesemua ujian-t tak bersandar yang utama iaitu Tahap Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi Oleh Guru-Guru Sains ( TPTMK ) , Faktor-faktor Yang Mempengaruhi Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( FPTMK ) , Kelebihan Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi oleh Guru dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran Sains ( KPTMK ) ada menunjukkan perkaitan antara satu sama lain. Pekali korelasi Pearson di antara tiga pembolehubah ( TPTMK, FPTMK, KPTMK ) menunjukkan bahawa tidak terdapat hubungan additive yang signifikan di antara mereka. Berdasarkan pada keputusan analisis yang di perolehi, di sarankan adalah baik sekiranya tahap penggunaan teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi oleh guru ditingkatkan. Ini secara tidak langsung akan membantu parity guru meringankan beban guru-guru di sekolah dan Iowa juga akan memberikan kesan baik terhadap pelajar. Guru-guru baru juga harus menjalani kursus pra-pratikum di mana mereka perlu didedahkan kepada Pendekatan Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi dalam Pengajaran Sains. Manakala guru-guru yang sudah berada dalam perkhidmatan atau guru yang berpengalaman, boleh didedahkan kepada Penggunaan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi melalui kursus pendek atau kursus dalaman. Umumnya, Iowa boleh dikatakan bahawa ramai guru yang berpengalaman secara semula jadi mempunyai banyak pendedahan dan motivasi untuk membangunkan profesion pengajaran mereka. Walaubagaimanapun, kepercayaan ini boleh menjadi persoalan dalam konteks fakta dimana kebolehan dan kecemerlangan seseorang individu boleh meningkat melalui insiatif sendiri atau pembangunan serta keazaman untuk memperbaiki diri sendiri. Oleh itu, ia boleh diringkaskan kepada realiti bahawa Iowa bergantung kepada diri guru itu sendiri untuk menyedari dan meningkatkan kemahiran pengajaran sendiri untuk menjadi guru yang inovatif dan kreatif.RUJUKANCoakes, S.J. , et Al. ( 2008 ) . SPSS Analysis Without Anguish. China: John Wiley & A ; Sons Inc.Green, S.B. , et Al ( 1997 ) . Using SPSS for Windowss: Analyzing and Understanding Data. New Jersey: Prentice HallMann, P.S. ( 2007 ) . Intoduction Statistic 6th Edition. New Jersey: John Wiley & A ; Sons Inc.Norusis, M.J. ( 1997 ) . SPSS Guide to Data Analysis. New Jersey: Prentice Hall

30+ Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin Terms

30+ Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin Terms 30+ Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin Terms 30+ Cryptocurrency and Bitcoin Terms By Daniel Scocco Most of us heard or read stories about cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin, blockchain and so on over the past few years. Few of us, however, understand what those terms mean. Given that those technologies are probably here to stay, writers and readers alike would benefit from a basic understanding of the terminology involved. Below you will find an initial list with 32 terms. We plan to update it as new ones appear. 1. Bitcoin Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency. It is the first and most famous cryptocurrency, having being launched in 2009 by an unknown person or organization under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The main goal of Bitcoin is to create a currency that doesnt rely on a central authority or government, as this feature should give it many benefits, including lower transaction costs. When it was launched the cost of one Bitcoin was only a couple of cents, and late in 2017 the price of one Bitcoin skyrocketed to almost $20,000, crashing after a couple of months to around $7,000. This meteoric rise and fall contributed to increasing the interest in this cryptocurrency around the world. 2. BTC Each cryptocurrency has a 3-letter symbol that is used to designate it on trading platforms. This is similar to the symbols used on stock exchanges to designate specific companies and stock. BTC is the symbol of Bitcoin. 3. Blockchain This is the core technology behind Bitcoin and most other cryptocurrencies. Some people argue that this innovation has more value than Bitcoin itself, because it can be used on countless future projects. The basic idea is to organize all the transactions of a system (i.e. Bitcoin payments) into blocks, and then to connect those blocks in a chain using cryptography. The cryptographic functions ensure that all the transactions on the blockchain are valid, and anyone can check this information, as it is public. On top of that it is impossible to remove or change past transactions, making the system secure. An alternative way of seeing the blockchain is as an open, distributed digital ledger. 4. Cryptocurrency A digital currency which relies on cryptography to validate transactions, removing the need to have a trusted central authority reporting which transaction is valid and which is not. Bitcoin is the most popular one but today we have over 1000 cryptocurrency projects on the market. 5. Altcoin A nickname given to all cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin, derived from â€Å"alternative coin.† Bitcoin was the only cryptocurrency on the market for many years, and that is why when new ones appeared they received this nickname. 6. ICO Acronym for Initial Coin Offering. This event happens when a crypto project launches its currency or tokens in the market, allowing the first investors to purchase them. The process is similar to an IPO, where a company offers its shares to the public for the first time. Notice that when you invest in an ICO, however, you are not buying equity from that project. Instead, you are buying the coins or tokens of such project, and investors do so hoping that such coins will increase in value over time. 7. Ethereum Currently Ethereum is the second largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization. The goal of this project is to allow programmers to easily create smart contracts (see below) as if they were writing a simple computer software. 8. Cryptography The study of strategies and technical implementations to guarantee the privacy and integrity of information exchanged between two or more parties. For example, if you want to send a message to a friend and want to make sure that only him will be able to read it you could substitute each letter on your message with a specific number or symbol. Only the person in possession of the substitution table (i.e. your friend) will be able to revert the list of numbers or symbols into the original message. Cryptography appeared thousands of years ago due to the need of private communications in military contexts and during wars. 9. Decentralization This is perhaps the most important characteristic of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency projects. By not having a central authority (i.e. by being decentralized) cryptocurrencies have advantages over fiat currencies and other payment methods. Those advantages include a limited monetary supply (which can make the value of the cryptocurrency increase over time) and, in theory, lower transaction costs. 10. Wallet Software that allows you to store cryptocurrency, and to send and receive payments. 11. Hot wallet A cryptocurrency wallet that is connected to the Internet. It can be a web application or a mobile application. A hot wallet gives you more convenience, because you can instantly send and receive payments using it. That being said they are less secure because hackers can try to gain access through the Internet. 12. Cold wallet A wallet that is not connected to the Internet. You can install such software on a USB drive, for instance. Cold wallets are not convenient to use but they are much more secure because the hacker would need physical access to try compromising the wallet. 13. Private key A private key (i.e. a sequence of randomly generated characters) is what allows you to spend the cryptocurrency funds in your wallet. It is like a password that you need to make payments and send funds from your wallet. If you lose it you will not be able to access your funds, and theres no way to recover it. 14. Network confirmation Remember that Bitcoin (like other cryptocurrencies) is a decentralized digital currency, so there is no company or central authority confirming if a given transaction is valid or not. The Bitcoin network itself will confirm each transaction. Each node (see below) will check each transaction and confirm or deny its validity. The larger the number of confirmations a transaction has, the higher the probability that it is valid. Currently, with six confirmations you have 99.9% of certainty that the transaction is valid. 15. Node A computer which is connected to the Internet and runs the software of a given cryptocurrency. Nodes are responsible for validating transactions and packaging those transactions inside new blocks on the blockchain. In other words, it is the network of nodes that keeps a cryptocurrency running. 16. Light node It represents a computer running a light version of the cryptocurrency software which offers a limited amount of features, usually including payment verification. Some cryptocurrency projects allow light nodes to exist with the goal of increasing the total number of nodes available, possibly increasing the efficiency of the network and reducing the time to validate transactions. 17. Full node A computer running the full software of a cryptocurrency project, which includes all the transactions (and therefore all blocks) ever registered for this particular cryptocurrency. Running a full node is the only possible way to verify a transactions without relying on a third party. 18. Consensus Since cryptocurrencies don’t have a central authority determining which transactions are valid and which are not and in which order they took place, the network of nodes, relying purely on software and algorithms, needs to reach an agreement regarding those factors. Such an agreement is called network consensus. 19. Token Cryptocurrencies were originally developed to be used as electronic cash. Over time, however, people realized that the same technology (i.e. blockchain) could be used for other purposes, most notably smart contracts (see below). Units of those crypto projects that aim to have functionality beyond those of a digital currency are usually called tokens. 20. Security token This is a subcategory of tokens which usually represent real-life assets like company shares, real estate and so on. Security tokens are expected to make buying, selling and trading those assets much more efficient, even though they are subject to more regulation than other crypto projects. 21. Smart contract A digital contract that gets automatically executed by software upon its completion. Suppose you want to make a bet with a friend about whether or not it will rain tomorrow. You could use a smart contract for such a bet. Both you and your friend would deposit the money into a temporary Bitcoin wallet, and the software itself would verify whether or not there was rain on that specific day. The software would then transfer the money to the winning party. As you can see, using a smart contract has some advantages, as it can give more security to both sides as well as impartiality when evaluating the results. 22. Mining As explained above, network nodes are responsible for validating individual transactions. Once there are enough outstanding transactions a node can create a new block on the blockchain by solving a cryptographic challenge. The node that first solves such challenge will get rewarded a certain amount of units of that cryptocurrency (e.g. on the Bitcoin network nodes get rewarded Bitcoins for adding new blocks). The process of validating transactions and adding new blocks to the blockchain is called mining. This nickname was created because it is through this process that the amount of Bitcoin in circulation increases, similar to what happens with precious metals like gold. 23. Miner A person, group of people or company involved with mining a specific cryptocurrency. 24. CPU Acronym for Central Processing Unit. This electronic component is the brain of the computer, being responsible for carrying out logic and mathematical operations. If you are a miner, the more CPU power you have available the higher the chances that you will be able to solve the cryptographic challenges when mining Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. 25. GPU Acronym for Graphical Processing Unit. This is a special purpose component in computers which is responsible for processing graphics. Some cryptocurrency projects have algorithms that allow for GPUs to be used in the mining process more efficiently than CPUs. 26. Satoshi Satoshi Nakamoto is the name of the person or entity that originally released the Bitcoin paper and software. Satoshi is also the name of the smallest unit of Bitcoin, representing one hundred millionth of a single Bitcoin. 27. Fork This is a software development term that also applies to cryptocurrency projects. When a fork happens, the current source code of the software is copied and used to start a new, independent version of the software. Usually a different team of programmers is responsible for the new version, and they carry out the fork because they want to have the autonomy to make modifications and/or improvements that the previous development team didn’t agree with. In the cryptocurrency world the most famous case is Bitcoin Cash, which was forked from the original Bitcoin in 2017. The developers behind Bitcoin Cash wanted to increase the size of the blocks on the Bitcoin blockchain, so that they could contain a larger number of transactions and thus be more efficient. Since the Bitcoin development team didn’t agree with this modification, the fork took place, practically creating a rival to Bitcoin. 28. Exchange An online platform where users can exchange one cryptocurrency for another. Some exchanges also allow users to exchange crypto currencies for fiat currencies and vice versa. 29. Stable coin A cryptocurrency which is backed by a fiat currency (e.g. the US dollar) or a commodity (e.g. gold). The idea behind stable coins is to provide liquidity and security for users who wish to temporarily sell their cryptocurrencies without removing their funds from the exchange. 30. Tether The largest stable coin in the market with a market cap of around $2 billion. 31. Double spending A type of financial fraud or attack. It involves spending the same amount of money twice, hoping that the second entity receiving the payment will not realize or not be able to verify that the money has already been spent on a previous transaction. This type of attack has happened with smaller cryptocurrency projects, however there is no confirmation of this attack happening with larger projects like Bitcoin or Ethereum. 32. 51% attack Since cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin do not have a central authority, it is the consensus of the network nodes that determine which transactions are valid and which are not. If a malicious user controls 51% of the network nodes he might be able to validate his own fraudulent transactions. The larger the number of nodes in the network, the harder it is to make this attack, and so far none of the popular crypto projects has suffered from it. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! 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