Dramatic Tension in this final act Essay Example for Free

Dramatic Tension in this final act Essay Perplexed still, we get the impression that John Proctor wants his life but cannot stand having a guilty conscience. Elizabeth perhaps adds to his puzzlement, I want you living John. Thats sure. This is the first real emotion we have seen between them in the play. Elizabeths words finally persuades John to save himself, and as he confess Rebecca Nurse is brought in. Her presence makes John ashamed and guilty, especially when asked Did you ever see Rebecca Nurse with the devil? He is under immense pressure and when at last he is asked for his signed testimony we realise another factor as to why he took the ultimate sacrifice. Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I live and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! How may I live without my name? I have given you my soul, leave me my name! The presence of Rebecca Nurse, a saint in his eyes, the importance of his name are all important factors as to why John Proctor gives up his life, but he also realises he will die a good man. It is the one good thing he can do for Elizabeth after all the pain he has caused her. There is a dignity in what he is doing for himself, Elizabeth and his own community. He is an important figure in his society and by standing up to the corruption and being brave enough he is truly doing the right thing but not just for himself. The last act shows John proctors emotions and his own physical bodily actions in agony, but when he tears up his false testimony his can stand up straight for the first time. His death will also bring redemption from his own guilt. He has made a statement as to how un-just and corrupt their justice system was, and by leaving behind a world of prosecution and pragmatism he has become a man of principle. In act four, John Proctor decides to give up his own life rather than confess to being with the devil falsely. We encounter Proctor as a different character, a martyr, almost Christ like. Procter wavers, and at one stage he wants his life, I will have my life, but at the last minute he tears up his confession to save his integrity. Arthur Miller builds up the tension in the last act by using the interaction of characters, language and stage directions. Arthur Miller reveals a characters innermost thoughts and feelings. In comparison to Act two, when Elizabeth and John Proctors conversation had been confrontational and short plagued by the crime John had committed, in the last act when they meet for the final time, they act truly in love and this is portrayed by the stage directions given to the actors. John is described to be weak of body, but seems to be stronger here than at any other time in the play.

Deaf People And Sign Language

Deaf People And Sign Language In 2002 approximately 1,000,000 people over five years of age were functionally Deaf in the United States (Gallaudet Research Institute). Used by the Deaf and hearing impaired, American Sign Language (ASL) has its own culture, grammar rules, syntax, and is used to communicate with one another and express themselves. Despite popular belief there is not one universal sign language. There are more than seventy different recognized signed languages used in the world (Myths Facts). Next to English and Spanish, American Sign Language is the third most widely used language in the United States (Facts About Deafness). Due to the increased use of the language the Deaf community has changed of the years and allowed the Deaf to adapt to a hearing world. Deafness should be welcomed and embraced as a way of life. It is thought to have been believed that Fray Pedro Ponce de Leon (1529-1584) a Spanish monk was the first to have taught Deaf students by representing objects with signs (Deafness). The first official written down form of sign is though to have to been founded in the sixteenth century by, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Geronimo Cardano, a physician of Padua, in northern Italy, proclaimed that Deaf people could be taught to understand written combinations of symbols by associating them with the thing they represented. The first book on teaching sign language to Deaf people that contained the manual alphabet was published in 1620 by Juan Pablo de Bonet (History of Sign Language). Over 100 years after the first sign language book was published the first school for the Deaf, Virginia School for the Deaf, opened in the 1780s; however, it closed only a year after opening (Oldest School for the Deaf in the US). 37 years later the second and oldest permanent school for the Deaf (The American School for the Deaf (ASD)) in North America was founded and opened in Hartford, Connecticut by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Laurent Clerc (1785-1869), and Mason F. Cogswell (1761-1830) in 1817. (Message from the Executive Director). Soon After, Schools opened in New York in 1818, in Pennsylvania in 1820, Kentucky in 1823, Ohio in 1827, Virginia in 1838, and Indiana in 1843. Within forty years of the opening of the Hartford school, twenty had been established altogether, and, by the turn of the century, more than fifty. (Through Deaf Eyes . Deaf Life . The Formation of a Community | PBS). The American School for the Deaf is still open and running; however, Over 80% of school aged children are being educated in the public school system (Various Statistics). Over 16 million people in the United States are hard of hearing or are profoundly Deaf ( Deafness). Out of these numbers only seven percent of kids were born into hearing families. Out of 1,000 births two or three children will be born Deaf or hard of hearing (Deaf About Deafness). This creates challenges for the parents of Deaf children. How do they communicate to their children? How will their children fit in? How will they learn? What will become of their children? Some will tell parents to look into cochlear implants and hearing aids, granted the family can afford them. Others will suggest the parents learn sign language. What ever the family decides it will bring about different challenges. One of the most important things parents need to no it that Deafness is rarely genetic. Most Deaf people have hearing pare nts and will give birth to hearing children (Myths Facts). Though being Deaf can cause challenges in ones life, science and todays technology has made many advances in how the Deaf can live with less difficulty. One of the must obvious adaptions the Deaf have is Sign Language. Though it is not the same everywhere, sign has allowed Deaf to communicate with the world. One can not live without some type of communication or humanity would not function properly. American Sign Language is primarily used in North America and Canada and is thought to have been derived from French Sign Language (American Sign Language). One might wonder what happens when the Deaf go out into public, how will they communicate with hearing people? Sometimes the Deaf will have an interpreter come with them for they can communicate with those who do not know American Sign Language. Being an interpreter has become much harder than in the previous years. As of June 30, 2009, all hearing candidates for [EIPA (educator interpretation performance assessment) (Interview)] certification must have at least an associates degree, in any field, in order to take the performance exams. This requirement is expected to increase to a ba chelors degree by 2012 (Becoming An Interpreter For The Deaf). Salary outlook on Sign interpreters depends on experience and educational outlook. After passing the EIPA test one usually applies to a school district. During these five years one can take special classes for specific fields of signing (e.g. nursing or law). During this time interpreters can charge 60 dollars per hour with a minimum of two hours. After getting a degree in specialty signing one can charge 100 dollars per hour with a minimum of two hours. With constant learning, the job of an interpret is constant but very satisfying (interview). One example of this may be nursing or interpretation for theater. Most of the time the Deaf can not attend theater events for obvious reasons, they can not hear the actors! Some theaters may bring in sign interpreters for a number of shows for the Deaf can experience live theater. This also benefits the company, bring in extra business. Other companies are also trying to increase business by creating Deaf friendly deals. One example is cell phone offering texting only plans for the Deaf. Why pay for calls if you have no use for them? This works out for both parties, the cell phone companies earn business and the Deaf get instant communication. One might wonder how the Deaf can use landline phones. A device called teletypewriter allows the Deaf to use landline phones and call hearing or other Deaf people. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ When hooked up to a phone or analog jack, allows for the typing of messages back and forth between text telephones. Anybody can call in to a TTY phone (presumably to a hard of hearing or Deaf person) (Need to know what a TTY is). One might wonder how the Deaf know when the phone is ringing. Todays technology has given the Deaf a hand up on this. Today the Deaf and Hard of Hearing can now set up a light system in their house to alert them to when something, the phone is one example, is going off. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦smoke detectors, phones and alarm clocks can all be converted to feature deaf-friendly flashing lights or very loud alarms, and even vibrating mechanisms that shake the bed or buzz in the occupants pocket (Sound and Fury Deaf Culture Living with Deafness). Another way technology has helped the Deaf is in TV. Obviously they can not hear the TV, or may have difficulty in doing so. Since 1972 TV shows have been available with closed captioning allowing the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to watch TV by reading what the actors are saying by means of text on the TV screen (Sound and Fury Deaf Culture Living with Deafness). Usually the deaf can not go to the movies, but new technologies are in development that allow the deaf to have special panels to allow them to read captions during normal movie viewings. One example of this is WGBHs Rear-Window Captioning System (Sound and Fury Deaf Culture Living with Deafness). These technological advances have made life just a little bit easier for the deaf to live comfortably. Technology may be helping the Deaf but is also causing controversy. The cochlear implant was first introduced in the early 1980s and allows the deaf to hear. In simplest form cochlear implants attach to the head by the use of a magnet and send electronic messages to the nerves in the inner ear (Cochlear Implants). Though normally welcomed by the hearing, the deaf do not approve of the surgery. Most deaf people view Cochlear Implants as robbing the deaf of their personality and that they do not need to be fixed. Also the implants have been noted to be destroying deaf culture. (How Do Deaf People Feel About Cochlear Implants) Most dont see the Deaf as having a culture, but they do and it has it own rules, guidelines and rules for acceptance. The Dictionary of American Sign Language by William Stokoe, Carl Croneberg, and Dorothy Casterline was the first to bring the though of the deaf having their own culture (Deaf Culture). In Deaf culture there are rules of behavior one needs to follow in order to fit in, including: eye contact, facial and body expression, and a number of other things. If one doesnt follow them, or breaks these rules they can be seen as rude. (Deaf Culture) The Deaf have many differences in what they deem as rude and this also goes to hearing culture too. One example of this is how they great one another. While hearing normally shake hands when being introduced a lot of deaf people hug. This may come across as strange to the hearing but its quite normal in their community. Another thing wild accepted in the Deaf community is being straightforward. Hearing people tend to dance around problems or beat around the bush; however, the Deaf are very blunt or straightforward (Some Differences between Deaf and Hearing Worlds.) They do not see this as being blunt; this is just part of their culture. If one plans on being part of the Deaf community they must be prepared for this, and be prepaid to do the same. The Deaf expect this and it is not considered rude. Another thing those who are in entering the Deaf community must expect is how the Deaf use time, known as Deaf time. Before technology allowed deaf people to communicate easier the deaf would spend long periods of time together, and goodbyes were longer. This still holds true to this day. While hearing people usually have quick goodbyes the deaf are considered to have long good-byes (Some Insight on the Differences between Hearing and Deaf Culture). The Deaf have come far in a short amount of time; theyve developed a language, a culture, and found many adaptations to the hearing world. Theyve got their own way of living, and have overcome many obstacles. Knowing American Sign Language and being part of the Deaf Community is rewarding and has changed the world as a whole. It has given a voice to those who do not hear, and has opened a new world to those who have inspired to be part of it. Deafness is not a handicap, just a different way people live and should be embraced.

Ecologically Compatible Land Use Planning Methods

Ecologically Compatible Land Use Planning Methods Methodology For the purpose of ecologically compatible land use planning multiple GIS functions has been carried out. The functions carried out are integration using the model builder tool in order to come to the final results. Model Builder Model builder is an application in ArcGIS which is used for creating a model for a particular function. These models can be reedited even at later stage of analysis which makes it suitable for modifications if required thus making the work faster and results more accurate. (ESRI, n.d.) To create a model a toolbox needs to be created first. After creating a toolbox in a specific folder connection a model can be created within the toolbox. A model looks like a workflow diagram through which various geo-processing tools are connected. The output of a particular function can be used as the input for the next. By using this method the multiple analysis can be one at the same time. While using GIS during some analysis the files might get heavy and display of the output might take a long time and can even result in crashing of the system. But while using model builder we have an option for displaying only the required. Model builder is generally used when we require a large number of parameter to come results or when multiple steps are required to come to a result. In real time application we use for analysis like land suitability, hydrology, etc. In addition to all these advantage it helps the user get a visual relationship between different parameters and makes it easier to explain to a third person on how the analysis is performed thus making this one the most advanced tools in the field of GIS. Locating the villages and defining the ESZ boundary Before using the model builder multiple layers need to be created and analysis need to be performed. The first task is the marking of boundary and locating the villages that comes under ESZ. In this study there are 88 villages. These location are marked by first locating the villages using the Google Earth with the latitude and longitude given by the MoEF. These are then saved as Keyhole Mark-up Language (KML). (KML) is an XML-based mark-up language designed to annotate and overlay visualizations on various two-dimensional, Web-based online maps or three-dimensional Earth browsers. (Rouse, n.d.) Since all the village kml files are different and this has to be converted to shapefile as a single one. This is done by using the Expert GPS software which converts and combines as a single shapefile. The boundary of ESZ created by using polygon feature. A new shapefile (polygon feature) is created by using ArcCatalog inside the folder connection. Type of shapefile is chosen and title is given to the shapefile. The next step includes the defining the coordinate system for the location. In case of this location the coordinated defined as Projected Coordinate System > UTM > WGS 1984 > Northern Hemisphere > WGS 1984 UTM Zone 43N. Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and DEM Masking A Digital Elevation Model is the representation of continuous elevation values over a topographic surface by a regular array of z-values, referenced to a common datum. (ESRI, n.d.) Digital Elevation Model The DEM used for this study is of 90 meter resolution and is obtained from asterdem. In case of this study four DEMs were required in order to cover the complete area. Later this were combined and masked using ArcGIS masking tool with reference to the boundary created. Masking is used for extracting the required part of raster file with the reference of a feature class. Masking tool is found in the ArcToolbox under Spatial Analyst Tools > Extraction > Extract by Mask. Once this process is done the output is DEM after Masking This masked DEM is going to be used multiple analysis like slope, elevation, TIN model, flow accumulation, hillshade, etc. Slope Analysis The slope or gradient of a line is a number that describes both the direction and the steepness of the line. The Slope tool calculates the maximum change in value from that cell to its neighbours. Basically, the maximum change in elevation by the distance between the cell and its eight neighbours finds the steepest downhill descent from the cell. The tool fits a plane to the z-values of a 3 x 3 cell neighbourhood around the processing or center cell. The direction the plane faces is the aspect for the processing cell. The lower the slope value means flatter terrain and vice versa. The cell location with a NoData z-value, the z-value of the center cell will be assigned to the location. (ESRI, n.d.) Aspect Map Aspect map shows the direction and steepness of slope for a terrain. Aspect tool is under spatial analyst and is created using DEM. The areas that have steeper slopes are shown brighter. The aspect map is classified on the basis of direction of slope in degrees (0-360Â °). 0-22.5: North 22.5-67.5: North-east 67.5-112.5: East 112.5-157.5: South-east 157.5-202.5: South 202.5-247.5: South-west 247.5-292.5: West 292.5-337.5: North-west 337.5-359.5: North Whichever locations are flat is assigned (-1). Hillshade Hillshade is a 3D grayscale model of a surface by taking sun’s relative position to account. It shows the areas that receives sun light and that comes under the shade at a particular time. For this function the azimuth and altitude of location is required. The inputs for this function are the following: Input DEM Azimuth Altitude Scaling Z Factor Pixel Size Power Pixel Size Factor Altitude is the angle of elevation of sun (0-90Â °) and azimuth is the relation position of sun along the horizon (0-360Â °). Z-factor is the elevation of the location. The Hillshade tool comes under spatial analyst toolbox in ArcGIS. TIN Model Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) model is a digital data structure used in GIS for representation of a surface. TIN model is generated using DEM. Advantage of TIN over DEM is that points of TIN are distribute variably by using an algorithm that decides which points are more accurate for terrain representation. TIN (Scientific Software Group, n.d.) Contour Map Contours are lines that connects the points of same values. The contour model is used for study of elevation, temperature, precipitation, pollution, etc. In this study contour map is used for the analysing the elevation details. This helps in finding the areas that have less steep slopes and can be developed. Contour Map (OpenGeo Suite, n.d.) Contour map over the TIN elevation model will help is visualizing the terrains in a better manner. Flow Accumulation Flow accumulation map shows the areas that will accumulate water. In ArcGIS a raster file is created of accumulated flow into each cell. Flow direction is used as the input for flow accumulation raster. Flow accumulation comes under hydrology tool which is under spatial analyst toolbox. Usage: Cell with high flow accumulation can be used to identify stream channel. Cell with flow accumulation of zero can be used to identify ridges. Flow Accumulation Map (Stack Exchange, 2012) Basins This tool creates a raster that delineates all the drainage basins. The drainage basins are delineating ridge lines between basins. For creating the basins, the flow direction is used as the input. Even if the basin is in one cell, all the cells in a raster will belong to a basin. Basin Map (National Water Program, 2013) Road Network Road network are created using polyline feature. For this study since the area being large only the major road are mapped. Further buffers will be created in order to do the proximity analysis to find the locations that are suitable for development. Road Network Map (Anantapuramu District, n.d.) Landuse Map Landuse map is required to understand for what purpose different areas put into use. Land use map is a polygon feature. It is created using the cut polygon tool in ArcGIS. Since the area being large, in this study landuse map is prepared at a macro level. Landuse Map Delhi, 2004 (Netzband Atiqur, 2007)

National Defense: A Political Perspective Essay -- essays research pap

National Defense: A Political Perspective   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The defense of our nation has always been a strong issue throughout America’s political history. Although our nation has not existed a long period of time, our country has had to take up arms to make the world safe for democracy many times. Liberals and conservatives are also constantly up in arms over the issue of the best way to defend the country.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the foremost issues in the ongoing debate is that of a Ballistic Missile Defense program. The idea was first pitched during the tense period of the Cold War. Colin Powell, a prominent conservative, saw Missile Defense â€Å"at the time the time not as a Utopian dream but as a useful way of throwing a scare into the war planners of the Soviet Union†(Keller, 1). Typically, Republicans as far back as Ronald Reagan have embraced the idea of a â€Å"Shield† against the hostile intentions of any nation with ballistic missiles, but many remain skeptical of a technological dependence that such a system would incur. George W. Bush believes in a limited Missile Defense program, but in order to institute advanced testing of the technology, a way around the A.B.M. treaty would have to be found. This treaty was made in order to reduce the nuclear arsenal of both Russia and the United States. Conservatives generally embrace the program as a viable solution to one of the nation’s top priority’s in homeland defense.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  ...

Birth Order And The Effect On Your Personality Essay -- essays researc

Birth order and the effect it has on your personality Some parents often wonder, what, if any, effect birth order will have on their children’s personalities. Genetic factors and other influences play a significant role, but the birth order within the family plays a larger role in determining the personality of children. Countless academic studies say your place in the family is such a strong factor in developing your personality that it can have a major influence on the rest of your life. Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychiatrist and former disciple of Freud, acknowledge environmental influences such as social class, geographic origin and relationship with parents as factors in the development of personality. But it was birth order and relationship with siblings that was the single most reliable predictor of human nature (Udall). Joy Berthoud, author of â€Å"Pecking Order,† had read and been convinced by this and researched and confirmed it. â€Å"I am a journalist and wanted to stand it up myself,† she says. Hundreds of interviews later, she had her proof. â€Å"Without exception, everyone I spoke to displayed the characteristics of their position in the family pecking order.† There are many variables, she was quick to point out, dictated most notable by age gab and the gender of the children. â€Å"A girl with a sister two years her senior will be closer to the model of the second child than a girl with a brother ten years order, who might well display more of the characteristics of a first or only child† (Udall). Frank J. Sulloway, researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has studied the differences in sets of siblings throughout history. He recorded his findings in the book, â€Å"Born to Rebel: Birth Order, Family Dynamics and Creative Lives.† In almost every case Sulloway found that siblings seemed to seek different roles in the family. If the first child was feisty and active, and the second child would be significantly more likely to be quiet and sensitive and vice versa (Brazelton). Firstborns, Sulloway conclude, were likely to be more conforming and traditional, identifying with their parents’ power. In most cases, they were tough-minded and determined, driving toward success. They were likely to be responsib... ...intains, birth order is crucial ("Birth order and your child"). Birth order like every other factor in the development of the child, can and will differ from the norm for some children. You can have a child of any birth position who may or may not show the typical characteristics. â€Å"Birth order and your child.† Familylinks: At Parent and Child Guidance Center. 6 March 2001. Brazelton, Berry. â€Å"Why are siblings often so different?† The Washington Times, 4 February 2001, D1. Cook, Emma. â€Å"No more like you at home.† Independent on Sunday 12 January 1997, pp 7. â€Å"Parenting- Children.† CNN Health In-Depth. 6 March 2001. Payton, Chevonn. â€Å"Birth order may provide clues to understanding you kids.† The Kansas City Star 29 June 1999. Udall, Elizabeth. â€Å"How the family pecking order affects you.† Independent, 16 September 1996, pp 6,7. White, Donna Gehrke. â€Å"Birth order say more about your personality than many other determinants, a study finds.† The Miami Herald, 10 August 1999. Birth Order And The Effect On Your Personality Essay -- essays researc Birth order and the effect it has on your personality Some parents often wonder, what, if any, effect birth order will have on their children’s personalities. Genetic factors and other influences play a significant role, but the birth order within the family plays a larger role in determining the personality of children. Countless academic studies say your place in the family is such a strong factor in developing your personality that it can have a major influence on the rest of your life. Alfred Adler, an Austrian psychiatrist and former disciple of Freud, acknowledge environmental influences such as social class, geographic origin and relationship with parents as factors in the development of personality. But it was birth order and relationship with siblings that was the single most reliable predictor of human nature (Udall). Joy Berthoud, author of â€Å"Pecking Order,† had read and been convinced by this and researched and confirmed it. â€Å"I am a journalist and wanted to stand it up myself,† she says. Hundreds of interviews later, she had her proof. â€Å"Without exception, everyone I spoke to displayed the characteristics of their position in the family pecking order.† There are many variables, she was quick to point out, dictated most notable by age gab and the gender of the children. â€Å"A girl with a sister two years her senior will be closer to the model of the second child than a girl with a brother ten years order, who might well display more of the characteristics of a first or only child† (Udall). Frank J. Sulloway, researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has studied the differences in sets of siblings throughout history. He recorded his findings in the book, â€Å"Born to Rebel: Birth Order, Family Dynamics and Creative Lives.† In almost every case Sulloway found that siblings seemed to seek different roles in the family. If the first child was feisty and active, and the second child would be significantly more likely to be quiet and sensitive and vice versa (Brazelton). Firstborns, Sulloway conclude, were likely to be more conforming and traditional, identifying with their parents’ power. In most cases, they were tough-minded and determined, driving toward success. They were likely to be responsib... ...intains, birth order is crucial ("Birth order and your child"). Birth order like every other factor in the development of the child, can and will differ from the norm for some children. You can have a child of any birth position who may or may not show the typical characteristics. â€Å"Birth order and your child.† Familylinks: At Parent and Child Guidance Center. 6 March 2001. Brazelton, Berry. â€Å"Why are siblings often so different?† The Washington Times, 4 February 2001, D1. Cook, Emma. â€Å"No more like you at home.† Independent on Sunday 12 January 1997, pp 7. â€Å"Parenting- Children.† CNN Health In-Depth. 6 March 2001. Payton, Chevonn. â€Å"Birth order may provide clues to understanding you kids.† The Kansas City Star 29 June 1999. Udall, Elizabeth. â€Å"How the family pecking order affects you.† Independent, 16 September 1996, pp 6,7. White, Donna Gehrke. â€Å"Birth order say more about your personality than many other determinants, a study finds.† The Miami Herald, 10 August 1999.

Formation and Organization of the Athalassic Salt Lakes of Australia :: Geology Research Papers

Formation and Organization of the Athalassic Salt Lakes of Australia Preface Upon my acceptance to the Biomes of Australia 2003 program – a biologically-oriented summer experience in the â€Å"Land Down Under† that, for the 6th consecutive year, has been organized by Dr. Warren Dolphin of Iowa State University – I was presented with the task of writing a research paper on an aspect of the Australian landscape. Anxious to apply my new knowledge of geomorphology and desiring to investigate an ecosystem from the holistic perspective of an environmental scientist, I settled upon investigating the formative elements of athalassic (inland) salt lakes and how they determine the ecological structure of salt lake playas. The research summarized in this report is an assimilation of fragmented literature on the subject and represents an attempt to integrate those pieces for better clarity. I believe that my travel companions, to whom I am obligated to present this information, shall derive a greater understanding of Australian salt lake systems f rom a broad examination of the subject than from an intensely focused analysis of but a single component. Although the information that I present is indeed broad in scope, the reader must realize that it falls short of comprehensiveness. The shear volume of literature prohibits designing anything other than a series of encyclopedias to encompass the full complexity of salt lake systems. It is my hope, rather, that this paper elicits the reader’s curiosity and prompts further reading on this fascinating area. The introduction draws a necessary overview of salt lakes in basic geographic and geologic terms. Part I examines the processes of basin and lake formation, first the physical mechanisms of creation and secondly the concentration of ions within the basin. Part II explores the effects of salinity and other chemical characteristics on lake fauna. Part III explains how climatic adjustments determine the composition of vegetation in and around salt lake basins. Together, these pieces should provide some insight to a central question of this paper: What physical and chemical characteristics of athalassic salt lakes, as determined by the regional climatic and hydrologic regime, determine local ecologies? Abstract The athalassic salt lakes of Australia arose during the continent’s shift to the present arid/semi-arid climate regime. Some, such as Lake Eyre are ephemeral and hold water only after infrequent and irregular rains; others flood intermittently or permanently contain water.

New Hire Orientation: A New Approach Essay

It is the first day of your new job. After arriving, suddenly you flashback to the last time you were in this situation. A dreadful feeling comes over as you recall how boring and useless that first week was. Five days of your life you will never get back. It was so awful; the thought of turning around and leaving crosses your mind. Is this job really worth it? Little do you know that this time it will be different because you are working for Peabody Energy. They have just launched an innovative New Hire Orientation program that will leave a positive impression. Never again will the words New Hire Orientation cause drowsiness! New research has proven that there are better ways to introduce new employees to a company than have been practiced in the past (Hemsley, 2012). Seeking out the most efficient and effective programs is becoming common practice with most Fortune 500 companies. It is important that they get the biggest return on investment possible in this economy (Hemsley, 2012) . While there is no easy answer, the process of changing and implementing any training program is no easy task. The following analysis of Peabody Energy’s New hire Orientation will describe the process in which it was developed, the content, the format in which is administered, and finally the evaluation. After consulting with Katie Schaller, Learning & Development Representative at Peabody Energy, there were many considerations that had to be assessed before they started. Taking into account all of the negative baggage that is associated with a New Hire Orientation, they started with reviewing past surveys. They also interviewed subject matter experts from each department to identify the scope of information the new employees should receive about their respective areas. These responses helped guide the new program development. Objectives are important in any project. Starting out with solid list of expectations increases your chances of success by 300% (Morris, 2009). The fi rst step in the process, before creating the objectives, is to perform a needs assessment. This is critical to determine if the training is even necessary (Noe, 2013). This first step should confirm that the need is not a performance issue, that it covers the correct content, and that the expectations are defined (Noe, 2013). In this assessment, it is presumed that the new employee could not have a performance issue, they need to know certain information in order to function at the company, and a timeline and  budget were established. History In the past, the New Hire Orientation at Peabody consisted of spending three full days in a conference room going over procedures, watching videos, and trying to keep your eyes open. It lacked engagement and consideration for different learning styles. This was a simple evolution of the company growing much bigger and faster than was planned. The old traditional training for a company of 50 employees needed to be restructured for a company of thousands located throughout the world. Not only did the physical locations grow, but the spectrum of talent matches. The company employs everyone from miners who work below the Earth, to Vice Presidents who hardly see the sun. Understanding that there is some common knowledge that they all need in order to be effective on the job is important. Fifty years ago, the company had less than 100 people and operated in three states. Technology was hardly a consideration. Most of the general company information was learning on the job. Having such a sm all pool of resources, it was fairly easy to navigate policies and procedures in different departments. In 2002, the company began expanding internationally. This brought with it many new challenges. Cultural difference, communication barriers, and logistics are just a few. It was during this time of growth that the Human Resource Department created a designated person to handle the training and development. That was not exactly a strategic goal; it just happened to fall on the person who took the most initiative. As things progressed, it was evident that a universal New Hire Training program should be established. Fast forward to 2008 when Katie Schaller joined the team with her work cut out for her. She brings with her a wealth of relevant knowledge in the training and development field. Objectives It is in this context that objectives were created based on the company’s business goals. The goal is to onboard new employees and acclimate them to our current systems as quickly as possible using minimal resources. Focusing on that, the program needed to streamline the information and use technology. The first objective was to modify the content and consider separating certain aspect of the training into more specified sections. For instance, if they were hired for Information Technology, learning about the  different types of coal mined was beside the point. Sure, it would be nice to the difference between sub-bituminous and metallurgical, but not necessary in the first days of work. Basically a list of every job description was created and the common key words became the core of what the orientation should cover. Topics, such as the example about coal types, could be studied later in follow up training and development courses, like Coal 101. The next priority considered was learning styles. According to the study done by Claxton and Murrell, there are four approaches to learning style. They are personality, information processing, social interactions, and instructional methods. Matching a student’s preferred method to their learning style can improve the learning experience (Claxton & Murrell, 1987). Who doesn’t want to do that? Trying to encompass all of those facets is tricky. They used the surveys to find out what matters most to the new hires and decided upon a mixed approach to appeal to the masses. It would be a computer-based training with the option of meeting in person for certain lessons. One way to implement the social interaction element is to host on-site meetings for the group of new hires in the relevant departments they will be interacting with. This will give them the opportunity to meet key contacts as well as get to know the layout of the office (Brown & Rusnak, 2011). Feeling a sense of belonging is vital to succes s (Brown & Rusnak, 2011). Format This self-paced course is designed to provide new employees with information that they need to know and also information that they might want to know as they begin their career with Peabody Energy. It is offered online to allow participates to work at their own pace, from their own computer, with optional face to face discussions. They are asked to complete the dull tax paperwork portion prior to arrival. This ensures they are not bogged down with mundane tasks right off the bat. The remainder of the course should be finished within 30 days of his or her hire date. A network lunch is offered quarterly at the St. Louis office to begin to build a network with new colleagues, team members, and other key stakeholders within our organization. As mentioned earlier, meetings will be scheduled according to schedules, in each relevant department. This will allow hands on experience with the people they will be interacting with and how the processes work.  The learning objectives for this or ientation training are to understand Peabody’s mission, strategy, and history. Employees will become familiar with the company’s Total Rewards’ philosophy. They should understand how to navigate and utilize Peabody’s performance evaluation process. Recognizing Peabody Energy’s Leadership Pillars and how they are demonstrated on the job will be discussed. They will understand the company policies and procedures in areas such as information technology, security, human resources, and travel. Finally, new employees will learn where to go for information and find answers to their questions. Content Upon receiving their invitation via email, they can click on the hyperlink and sign in to begin at their convenience. At any time they can stop the training program and begin again from that point. There are 15 required subjects they need to pass and over 25 additional resource folders. The entire training of the required fields takes approximately 120 minutes. Katie Schaller welcomes with verbal instructions on how to navigate the training program and what is expected of them. Next is a recorded PowerPoint listing the course description and learning objectives. Following is a two minute welcome video from Greg Boyce, our Chairman and CEO. New employees then watch a company video discussing the importance of energy and how Peabody plays a part in the global market. Steve Callahan, Vice President of Corporate and International Human Resources, delivers a presentation explaining how Francis Peabody started the company in 1883, a historic timeline, and maps showing where our offices and mines are located around the world. The presentations continue in areas such as inclusion and diversity, company credit card and out of pocket expense policies, security, information technology, talent management, total rewards, travel policies, community relations, and compliance training. Each area is presented by someone from the respective department. After completing each section, the new employee concludes with a quiz. Upon completion of the entire training, a confidential survey is sent to the participants. This is to gain feedback on how the program was received and any improvements or changes that should be considered. Learning Theories The design of this training program considers several learning theories, all  of which assist in the transfer of information. The main Learning Theory used for this program is the Need Theory. This theory is designed for those who need to know something (Noe, 2013). Anyone experiencing a deficiency in knowledge uses this. Because this targets new employees, they are a clean slate to absorb all the new information before them. They will feel a sense of satisfaction by completing this program. There are levels of satisfaction that have created some controversy between Alderfer and Maslow. Alderfer seems to believe that if the higher level needs of satisfaction is are not met, that employees refocus on lower level needs (Noe, 2013). Other theorists talk about achievement and standards of excellence (Noe, 2013). Reinforcement theory was actually used by the design team when they tailored the program to the results of the recent new hire surveys. They avoided certain topics and added mo re of what was truly needed. They used past outcomes to determine future results. The Adult learning theory, or andragogy, is another approach used because all of the new employees are, in fact, adults. There are definite attributes of adults that have an effect on how they interpret information. Adults need to understand why they are there, they need to be self-directed, and they have a problem-centered approach. Among other qualities, they bring great work experiences to the table. Most obviously, Information Processing theory was used to influence in the internal processes that happen when information is obtained (Noe, 2013). There is scientific evidence surrounding these concepts that prove how attention is affected, perceptions are created, and coding is utilized for best retention (Noe, 2013). Evaluation The Peabody Energy New Hire Training Program uses a level two evaluation (Noe, 2013). The primary goal for the training is to teach new employees information (Noe, 2013). Therefore, the criterion that is being measured is how much information is retained. This section will outline the stages of evaluation that Peabody used when creating this program. Finally, suggestions for improvement will follow. The first step Peabody’s training team had to determine was what, if anything needed to be measured and how they were going to do that. During the initial needs assessment, they created a list of objectives, all of which can be measured. However, because this is a new-hire training specific to general organizational  information, a thorough evaluation was deemed unnecessary. The next consideration was to address how the information can be found later, if needed. Paper books are expensive and difficult to update. They created a file on the network where all of the training materia l can be found at anytime. This is easy to update and reference as needed. Regarding measuring the objectives, following each section is a quiz which they are able to take twice. While this is not a pass/fail test, it gives them an opportunity to absorb the information. Another measurement of success is following up the training with a survey to find out how well received it was. Finally, the cost-benefit analysis cannot be measured accurately. The information covered in this training is essential for new employees to be successful. The evaluation level being used in the new hire training at Peabody is level two. The sole purpose is to give information to the employees. The nature of the training does not lend itself to a deep evaluation. Enhancements to the program could be creativity, and incentive, and group projects (Carvin, 2011). By working in small groups and staying in touch with a mentor has many benefits such as new ideas and behaviors (Carvin, 2011). Closing Statement In conclusion, if you are ever so lucky as to have the opportunity and experience a New Hire Training like this one, you will not forget it. The program considers individual learning styles and offering choices. The needs assessment identified requirements, created objectives, and applied learning theories. New hires are passing their quizzes and giving positive reviews. Overall, the process in which Peabody Energy follows in creating and implementing their new hire orientation is second to none. All things considered, the Peabody Energy New Hire Orientation training is a comprehensive approach for all learning styles. It utilizes Power Point presentations, auditory narration by different employees in the organization, and face to face discussion. The new hire is allowed complete it at their own pace and/or meet with SMEs within the first 30 days of employment. The information is consistent among all new employees. The only suggestion would be that current employees participate in th is training so that they are up to date with company facts, policies, and procedures. References Brown, M., & Rusnak, C. (2010). The power of coaching. Public Manager, 39(4), 15-17. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/856127114?accountid=8065 Carvin, B. N. (2011). The hows and whys of group mentoring. Industrial and Commercial Training, 43(1), 49-52. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/00197851111098162 Claxton, Charles S. and Murrell, Patricia H. Learning Styles: Implica-tions for Improving Education Practices. ASHE-ERIC HigherEducation Report No. 4, Washington, D.C.: Association for the Studyof Hither Education, 1987. Hemsley, S. (2012). Academy rewards. Human Resources, , 50. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1172596169?accountid=8065 Morris, L. (2009). Getting your money’s worth from training & development. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 14(3), 105-107. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/203905220?accountid=8065 Noe, R. (2013). Employee training and development. (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Rowold, J. (2008). Multiple effects of human resource development interventions. Journal of European Industrial Training, 32(1), 32-44. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03090590810846557