How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior Essay

How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior - Essay Example From the essay it is clear that prior to the Internet were video games, which over time became more and more sophisticated. The social impact of video games spawned a plethora of studies on human behavior and interaction, especially regarding young people and families. As the Internet began to take hold, people began to be able to communicate and play games over long distances, in real time. It was felt that this activity interrupted family and social life. This study proposes to further examine how the internet is changing the way people communicate with each other on an everyday basis, both for better and for worse. Internet use decreases social interaction. According to a recent study by Stanford University, frequent Internet users report a drop of 15% in traditional social activities, and as much as a 25% drop in use of the phone for talking to friends. While this may be startling at first, history reflects that increased use of the telephone also decreased personal visiting and social activities. There are many variables affecting increases in social Internet use, such as savings in long distance telephone calls and less time spent in the car. This could be interpreted as social isolation if one is simply looking at the numbers and not the reasons behind the numbers. A discouraging report indicated that only 22% of Internet users of two or more years had ever made a new friend online. While this study downplayed the potential value of online friendships, it also encouraged more rigorous study in the area of balance between online communication and person-to-person communication.... 5), frequent Internet users report a drop of 15% in traditional social activities, and as much as a 25% drop in use of the phone for talking to friends. While this may be startling at first, history reflects that increased use of the telephone also decreased personal visiting and social activities. There are many variables affecting increases in social Internet use, such as savings in long distance telephone calls and less time spent in the car. This could be interpreted as social isolation if one is simply looking at the numbers and not the reasons behind the numbers. A discouraging report (Scott Sleek, 1998) indicated that only 22% of Internet users of two or more years had ever made a new friend online. While this study downplayed the potential value of online friendships, it also encouraged more rigorous study in the area of balance between online communication and person-to-person communication. A more recent study (David E. Rohall, et.al, 2002) looked for links between Internet usage and self esteem issues in the realm of person-to-person contact. Again, further research was encouraged, yet the outcome of the study was much more positive. This could lead us to believe that as use of the Internet is integrated into everyday life, a balance could create itself simply through adaptation and users' natural inclinations. These examples provide a clue as to the concerns of our society in terms of interrelationships; it is indicated that in the dawning days of the internet there was trepidation regarding how internet communication would affect person to person communication, yet research has shown that much of the communication taking place by email and chat rooms on the part of college students and others took place within the context of an already existing social

Germany's Holocaust Memorial Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Germany's Holocaust Memorial - Essay Example Then there are those who argue that the site is not Jewish enough, since it lacks obvious Jewish religious symbols (Eisenman, 2006). An advantage for having the information center within the site is to harmonize, the concept of the memorial site with individual documentation concerning the Holocaust victims and their families. Hence, visitors do not just get to express their somberness, but they get to learn more about these victims and understand how typical they were through their biographical details. Furthermore, the information center assists in the broader documentation and education of universal concerns of genocide. The downsize of the information center is that, it can be perceived as presenting a new thought of memory, discrete from nostalgia, more of a public relation gimmick. The US does not have a permanent national memorial for victims of slavery, and the genocide of American Native Indians. Currently, the proposed museum for slavery has stalled entirely, while the native Indians have the national museum of American Indians at the national mall (National Mall,

Computer Communications & Networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Communications & Networks - Essay Example However, in order to examine the processes, methods and techniques, we must first understand the TCP/IP protocol suite itself. Considering Internet Protocol (IP) first is vital because the rest of the TCP/IP suite is constructed on the IP. Likewise, it is also called as a mechanism that is incorporated for data packaging, transferring and routing via TCP/IP internetwork (Kozierok 2005). Moreover, IP is also involved in constructing and packing all data grams in a similar fashion while managing them between devices in an intelligent way. Before getting into more detail, the prime objective for having a network, internetwork and TCP/IP suits is to empower and enable networking application. For online accessibility, these applications are now operational via web browsers. For instance, anyone wants to upload pictures, multimedia contents to share with family, similarly, chatting with friends and colleagues from Internet Relay Chat (IRC) applications. In general, a common interface is no w reachable for making communication purposeful. Accordingly, student portals are now developed and considered as an efficient educational interactive interface for universities and colleges. Likewise, apart from some examples given previously, student portals are advanced application bundled with many features and applications supports education and learning activities. In the next section, we will explore networking concepts for a student portal named as ‘X-stream server’ accessed by a student from a remote location. The X-Stream Server The first section i.e. the internal semantics will focus on connectivity of a computer internally as critical components of the computer network must be examines by a holistic approach as every component contributes to the heterogeneous system (Olifer, 2005). If anyone wants to access the X-stream server from the home computer, it must be connected to the Internet. The simplest of troubleshooting steps incorporates the ‘ping†™ command. The syntax of the command will be ‘ping (space) (destination address)’, executes via command prompt. Likewise, ‘tracert’ command can also be used to give an illustration of delays from source to the router along with end to end connectivity to and from the destination (Ross 2009). However, many devices and protocols are integrated for maintaining and identifying the computer and sustaining connectivity. The first point of interest in addressing internal semantics is Ethernet. It is considered to be the most popular Local Area Network technology that is implemented globally (Ethernet. 2007). The Ethernet connects with a shared transmission medium called as twisted pair or a cable with a multi-port hub, switch or a bridge. Most commonly, an Ethernet switch or a DSL router + Switch is most common. A typical Ethernet frame comprises of six parameters i.e. Preamble, destination address, Source address, type, data and CRC (cyclic redundancy checking) . The preamble is responsible for synchronizing clock rates for the recipient and the sender. Address is usually six bytes in size and is responsible for identifying frames as per the sender and receiver address, it transmits the data in network layer protocol. However, if the match is not made, it discards the frame. Likewise, the type indicates the protocol type. Normally it

A Rainy Day Essay Example for Free

A Rainy Day Essay Benjamin alighted from the bus and made a clumsy half skip from the last step of the bus to the bus stop. â€Å"Why does it have to rain now?† he thought as he looked up at the gloomy sky. Rainwater lashed down as lightning flashed and thunder roared. It had been bright and sunny the whole day, the sudden downpour half an hour ago caught Benjamin off guard because he had left his umbrella at home. How was he going to get home in the rain? Benjamin stood waiting at the bus stop for ten minutes. The rain did not look like it was stopping. Instead, it seemed to be getting even heavier! To make matter worse, the wind had started to blow. Just then, a gust of chilly wind blew the raindrops into the bus stop, Benjamin could feel that his hands were as frozen as ice. Benjamin was getting wet even under the shelter of the bus stop. He had to squat on the seat of the bus stop to keep his leg dry. He glanced at his watch, another fifteen minutes before his favourite programme ‘Mystery Mission’ came on the television. He particularly did not want to miss the episode that day as it was featuring Pro-bot, his favourite robot. Glancing at his watch yet again, Benjamin made up his mind. He held his bag over his head, took a deep breath and ran out of the bus stop into the rain. The heavy rain drenched Benjamin the moment he stepped out of the bus stop. Feeling cold, Benjamin started shivering. â€Å"I’ll just run to the nearest void deck,† he thought as he tried to race along, splashing puddles on the way. Unfortunately, the path that Benjamin was running along was wet and slippery that he slipped and fell with a loud thud. â€Å"Ouch!† yelled Benjamin as he lay on the path. His bag had fallen from his grasp and his books were scattered about, getting wet in the rain. He sat up slowly trying to ignore the pelting rain and examined himself. Luckily, he only suffered minor cuts and bruises. He picked himself up and hurriedly stuffed his books and pencil case into his bag before limping to the nearest void deck. There, Benjamin called his mother from a public phone. Benjamin’s mother, carrying an umbrella, hurried to the void deck at once. An hour later, after a hot shower and a change of clothes, Benjamin felt much better. He mother had tendered his wound too. He sighed as he looked at his wet books which had been spread out on the table to dry. â€Å"Ahhahhahchoo!† Benjamin suddenly gave a loud sneeze. Oh no, was he coming down with a cold?

Lev Vygotsky Theories Analysis

Lev Vygotsky Theories Analysis Lev Vygotsky was a developmental psychologist born in Russia in 1896 in Byelorussia and passed away in 1934 due to Tuberculosis. Throughout his lifetime Vygotsky went from Medical school to law school, from law school to literature, and from literature to psychology. Although he was in the five percent of Jews allowed to attend a university he wasnt allowed to study to be the teacher that he desired to be. After finding an interest in psychology he began to explore child development and child psychology. He graduated from the University of Moscow with a degree in literature. According to Vygotsky the overall goal of education is to generate and lead development which is the result social learning through internalization of culture and social relationships. (The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis) Lev Vygotsky was intrigued by the relationship between learning and human development. In addition to his theories he wrote over a hundred books and articles that were all stored in a secret library and were not published until after his death. His two major recognized pieces are The Psychology of Art and The crisis in Psychology. Two of his main concepts were inner speech and the zone of proximal development. Vygotsky believed that inner speech is what guides a childs planning and other thought processes. He also believed that learning leads development and the immaturity of students conscious awareness and mastery of their thinking at a school age and sets the stage for his concept of the zone of proximal development (Education Encyclopedia: Lev Vygotsky). Vygotskys theory is called sociocultural because it focuses on how values, beliefs, skills, and traditions are transmitted to the next generation. He considered the child as a whole, and believed in a connection between culture a nd development. He believed that childrens skills and interactions varied by culture and that a child learns through family not through stages. Vygotsky thought that a large amount of learning was through play because language and development are built upon each other. When a mentor thinks that a student is ready for a new challenge and can conquer the challenge almost independently, a zone of proximal development is drawn. It is a range of learning that would be what a child can learn on its own but better with the help of someone else. Scaffolding involves encouragement and assistance in the form of advice and suggestions to aid a child in mastering a new concept (Davison). Through what Vygotsky called dialogues, we socially interact and communicate with others to learn the cultural values of our society. The sociocultural theory suggests that learning is active and constructive. Vygotsky claimed that interaction and direct teaching were critical aspects of a childs cognitive deve lopment and that a childs level of thinking could be advanced by such interaction. Language is socially based and childrens speech during age three to seven is tied to what children think. The development of language is considered to be a major principle of Vygotskys sociocultural theory. The language of a certain group of people indicates their cultural beliefs and value system. He thinks that children gradually grow intellectually and begin to function on their own because of assistance. He also says that a childs cognitive abilities increase through exposure to information that is new, interesting, and easy to understand. When children play and cooperate with others they learn what is important in their society and advance cognitively in their understanding of the world. The sociocultural theory suggests that development is a reciprocal transaction between the people in a childs environment and the child. According to Vygotsky, people and settings influence a child and in return influences the people and settings. He also suggested that children with and without disabilities be taught together, he thought isolation would hinder social Development. As a constructivist, Vygotsky believed that learning is affected by the context in which an idea is taught as well as by students beliefs and attitudes. Vygotsky felt that learning happens before development can occur and that children learn because of history and symbolism. Lev Vygotsky is considered a seminal thinker in psychology, and much of his work is still being discovered and explored today. While he was like Skinner, Pavlov, Freud and Piaget, his work never attained their level of acknowledgement during his lifetime. Part of this was because his work was often criticized by the Communist Party in Russia, and so his writings were largely inaccessible to the Western world, his early death at age 38 also contributed. Vygotsky was one of the first people to recognize and acknowledge the importance of culture and as today becomes more multicultural the sociocultural theory is helping us understand the influences on development. In conclusion, cognitive development plays a key role in learning and thinking methods of children. Vygotsky offers some incredible insight into the possible ways children learn and by using these theories it is possible to create a more conducive learning environment for each child. I believe that principles such as scaffoldi ng, co-constructed knowledge, dialogue, and cultural tools are all important components of a students knowledge acquisition. By helping students within their zone of proximal development, we offer them useful learning strategies which they internalize and utilize later. Works Cited Browne, Gordon. Beginnings and Beyond. Thomson Delmar Learning , n.d. -. Beginnings and Beyond. Thompson, n.d. Davison, Brandi. Piaget Vs. Vygotsky. Ac Associated Content 08 December 2006. Feldmen, Robert. Child Development 5th edition. Prentice Hall, n.d. Gredler, Margaret E. Education Encyclopedia: Lev Vygotsky. 10 23 2009. . K. Geonnotti, D. Passalacqua. The Educational Theory of Lev Vygotsky: an analysis. 2007. .

Welton College in Dead Poets Society Essay -- essays research papers

Dead Poets Society positions the audience to see Welton as a rigid, oppressive and destructive place. Throughout the unravelling of Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society, the audience are often faced with the reality that attendance at Welton College would be undesirable. The physical and mental stresses endured by students due to the harshness and unforgiving nature of the school is underlining in many instances. Strict and unyielding authoritarian figures compel pupils to live in a damaging and caustic world, and to be placed under immense levels of anxiety and tension. The cruel world in which our impressionable young characters are forced to live in results directly in the tragic death of Neil Perry. During the screenplay, Welton is repeatedly shown to be a school where pupils are entrapped. Religious followers of the â€Å"Empty Vessel Theory†, Welton’s authority confine students to the four walls of their school building, and to the four wall of their mind. This theory reinforces the feeling of imprisonment Neil felt before his suicide. The boys are educated by books, and rely heavily on note-taking and on the blackboard. Classrooms, illuminated by single bulbs and devoid of natural light, give definite impressions as to the students’ state of mind. The lack of luminosity illustrates the deficiency in vigour, vitality and vividness of the boys, and similarly defines the students’ attitude to school life in general – gloomy, mournful and depressed. Similarly, the boys’ faces are usually shrouded in darkness, emphasising the deficiency in cheerfulness, and in the ending of their free spirit and will. Imprisoned physically, mentally and sp iritually, the boys are unable to wander on the path to self-discovery, and instead are forced to ... ...boys are forever compelled to do as adults say. The lack of trust and love for the boys is telling in many scenes and the constant disregard for their opinions and views brings about the untimely death of a youngster driven to the edge. Throughout the screenplay, Weir proves that it is the horrendous surroundings of the boys which cause the death of Neil Perry. Young students, especially in their adolescent years, need to be supported and encouraged and to feel value in society. Welton’s authority confirm on many an occasion their inability to cater to such demands. They succeed only in quashing mental, physical and spiritual sustenance of their students. Parents, who sent their children to such an austere academy, should have thought twice. The scars inflicted at Welton last a lifetime – and drastically reduce the length of Neil Perry’s young life.

A Systematic Review on the Comparison of Avandia and Actos in Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a condition that is characterized by a chronic rise in the glucose levels of the blood.   It can lead to changes of the blood vessels of the retina, nephron, heart, nerves, etc, causing a lot of complications.Individuals, who suffer from type 2 diabetes, may or may not require insulin (as the condition primarily occurs due to insulin resistance or improper utilization of insulin by the blood cells).   In many cases, people who suffer from type 2 diabetes, are ultimately given insulin, even though the drug is not very effective in control the high blood sugar levels (Ligaray, 2008).Studies conducted in the UK effectively demonstrate that 25 % of the patients who suffer from type II diabetes require insulin within 6 years of initiating therapy with oral hypoglycaemic agents (Edelman, 2005).In clinical practice, type 2 diabetes mellitus is one of the commonest diseases that are seen.   The insulin levels may be low, defective in nature or the very utili sation of insulin by the fat, liver and the muscle cells may be hampered.   The individual may not depend on insulin for bringing back the blood glucose levels back to normal.   Ketosis seldom develops, but is common under stressful conditions (Inzucchi, 2007).Today, in the US, the screening for diabetes is usually performed in elders or high-risk individuals, and as such there may be several members of the general population who may be silently suffering from the disorder.The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the US is about 7 %, but in individuals above the age of 50 years, the incidence may be about 15 %.   Certain minority groups including the Hispanics, African-Americans, Native Americans, etc, are at a higher risk of developing the disorder.   The mean age of incidence of the disorder in high-risk populations usually occur at a younger age compared to the White American populations.   If we look at the prevalence of diabetes mellitus type 2 throughout the world, the incidence is high in Indians, Polynesians, Micronesians, Latin Americans, etc.In Australians, Africans, Aborigines, Asians, etc, the incidence is relative lower when they live in the native countries.   However, when they migrate to the US, the prevalence of the disorder is relatively higher, owing to the change in lifestyle, poor control over risk factors, etc.A great proportion of diabetic patients die from cardiac diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, etc.   Studies have effectively demonstrated that the risk for cardiac disease raises two-folds in men, and up to four folds in women (Ligaray, 2008).The main pathophysiology of diabetes is the rise in the blood glucose levels (hyperglycaemia) due to the low insulin levels in the blood, improper utilisation of insulin by the cells, defective functioning of the insulin or resistance to insulin.   The pancreatic beta islet cells may not produce sufficient amounts of insulin required by the body or several groups of cells pres ent in the body such as the fat, muscle, liver, etc, may be resistant to the action of insulin.Studies conducted during autopsy have effectively demonstrated that the beta cell mass in type 2 diabetics are reduced to about half the normal size.   The body cells find it seemingly difficult to utilize glucose resulting in lower amount of glucose transportation to the muscles, greater production of glucose by the liver and greater breakdown of fat (Ligaray, 2008).Other causes of diabetes type 2 include production of substance by the body that hamper the action of insulin, glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity.   When the individual consumes carbohydrates, there are chances that the blood glucose level would raise further, as insulin is not available to control (Inzucchi, 2007).The ability of the body to use insulin immediately to control carbohydrate and sugar level following ingestion is difficult (Ligaray, 2008).   Studies may have shown that although the insulin deficiency may be mil d, the ability of the insulin to stop an immediate rise in the blood glucose level would be absent.   When the individual suffers from mild type 2 diabetes during the initial stages, there are chances that the insulin secretion would respond to other secretogogues such as amino acids.However, in severe type 2 diabetes, the condition does not respond to other secretogogues resulting in a severe deficiency of insulin.   In individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes, there may be deposition of an amyeloid-like substance in the beta-cells of the pancreatic islets.   The beta-cells begin to malfunction following the deposition of amyloid (Inzucchi, 2007).In some of the type 2 diabetics the insulin secretion may be defective in nature.   The ability of the cells to respond to insulin is reduced and the normal response is less.The cells may not be able to use the insulin effectively to ensure utilization of glucose by the cells.   In an environment of hyperglycaemia, the cells fi nd it very difficult to utilize the insulin and the glucose.   The body finds it difficult to produce glycogen from glucose in the liver and breakdown of fats, as a result of the decreased sensitivity of the insulin.The exact reason for the poor response of the cells to insulin is not understood clearly, but scientists suggest that it has to do with the defective mitochondrial functioning and the accumulation of free fatty acids in the cells that are usually supposed to respond to insulin.   The insulin receptors in such cells may be normal, but the insulin pathways that are related to the insulin receptors may go haywire.The functioning of the glucose transporting agent GLUT may become abnormal.   Scientists also feel that the defects in insulin use and glucose transportation may be due to a genetic defect.   Obesity also increases the risk of the individual developing resistance to insulin.   The presence of free fatty acids in the body would suggest greater amount of li pid deposition in the liver and the muscles thus playing a major role in developing insulin resistance (Inzucchi, 2007).When the blood glucose levels are high, the sensitivity of the cell to insulin and the ability of the cell to utilize glucose are seriously affected.   Besides, a rise in the lipids in the blood can affect glucose metabolism, causing a raise in hepatic gluconeogenesis, and raising the free fatty acid levels.   The pancreas functions abnormally and the muscles are unable to utilize glucose effectively (Inzucchi, 2007).It may be difficult to assert whether the primary defect in type 2 diabetics is due to insulin insufficiency or insulin resistance.   Studies have demonstrated that in high-risk populations, the initial defect is primarily due to insulin resistance and a decrease in the insulin sensitivity.However, diabetes would not occur only with insulin resistance alone.   Studies have shown that frequently due to the secretory defects, the beta cells seem to get exhausted.   It may also be that chronic stimulation of the beta-cells along with the genetic defects would result in insulin insufficiency (Inzucchi, 2007).Evidence strongly supports that genetics and environmental factors both play a major role in the development of diabetes mellitus type 2 (some even suggest complex genetic factors).   Most of the forms of type 2 diabetes mellitus have been polygenic in nature, whereas maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) has been monogenic in nature.   There is a clear familial linkage seen in diabetes mellitus type 2, but there seems to be no classical Mendelian inheritance (Inzucchi, 2007).Diabetes mellitus patients are at the risk of high mortality in case their condition worsens and complications develop.   Hence, one the keys to ensure a longer lifespan in diabetes patients is effective management using drugs and medications.Studies have clearly demonstrated that diabetes patients require an aggressive, intensive and e arly intervention that would be able to identify a rise in the blood sugar level and ensure that it is brought within normal range.   One of the most difficult complications of diabetes patients would be developing is heart disease.The mortality from heart disease is quite high (70 %) in diabetics.   Besides, the costs of managing a patient suffering from diabetes and heart disease are about three times higher (Unger, 2008).Diabetes mellitus is mainly diagnosed on the basis of the plasma glucose levels.   The fasting blood glucose level should be more than 126 mg per dl of blood.   The post prandial blood glucose level should be greater than 200 mg per dl of blood (typically taken 2 hours after a meal).   The impaired glucose tolerance levels include 140 to 199 post-prandially.In diabetes, a random blood glucose test should demonstrate reading above 200 mg per dl along with the presence of symptoms of diabetes.   For the individual to be classified as diabetic, the blood glucose tests should demonstrate consistent results.   Haemoglobin A-1c is also useful in demonstrating the retrospective glucose levels, but cannot be taken as standard as there are several potential errors that may be associated with this test (Buse, 2008).