Final Report Essay Example for Free

Final Report Essay Information need not be passed down through physical means like mail or newspapers. It can be done through SMS (short messaging service), a phone call or even an email. Underlying such great inventions is the use of electronic devices to transmit and receive signals. Due to the demand for faster and larger data flow, complex systems such as Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA) have been developed. This project is confined to the fundamental concepts used in digital communication. These key concepts include sampling, quantization and frame synchronization. The circuit designed is meant for one-way dataflow. It supports transmission by one user from any analog input. Hence, it is not necessary to select between multiple analog inputs using the frequency-division multiplexing technique. In transmitting wirelessly, a laser and photodiode are used instead of antennas. This choice is made because it is complex to build a Frequency Shift Keying (FSK) circuit. Without FSK, an antenna would need to be 75km long in order to transmit a wave of 4 kHz. 1. 2 Problem Identification In this project, a laser pointer is used to transmit analog signal wirelessly. In order to realize digital transmission, the analog signal must be converted into digital form using a Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) encoder. Before the signal can be decoded at the receiver end, frame synchronization must be achieved. Hence, a training sequence must be sent to synchronize the receiver and transmitter. Next, a Digital Phase Locked Loop (DPLL) is needed to lock on to the transmitted signal and generate clocks at the receiver end. In the final stage, the digital signal is converted back to an analog signal. This signal is then played through a speaker. 1. 3 Constraints Availability of Manpower Our main constraint lies in the shortage of manpower. Due to the complexity of the DPLL Circuit and Training Sequence Identification Circuit, more members should be allocated to these two subgroups. However, this is not possible as our group consists of only eight members. This constraint will be addressed in the implementation section of this report. Components The design of any combinational logic circuit is confined to the availability of chips (gates). In this project, we are not provided with AND and NOR gates. Hence, knowledge of Boolean algebra will aid us in realizing any logic with the universal NAND gate. In addition, the design of logic circuits also depends on the space of breadboard. Hence, minimizing the number of chips used takes higher precedence over the simplicity of design. This is to achieve compactness on the breadboard. Time A short time frame of seven weeks is given to build a laser communication system. Apart from building the prototype, our group must submit design and final reports for grading. Hence, it is critical that all group members adhere to the schedule. Further, since there are no extra lab sessions provided for testing and debugging, subgroups must build the circuits before going for the lab session. . System Design 2. 1 Project Requirements 1. 2. 048 MHz Master Clock, 64 KHz Bit Clock and 8 KHz Frame Synchronization: with rising edges aligned. 2. Clock signals into PCM encoder, training sequence generator and multiplexer. 3. Coder and decoder chips are needed for analog to digital conversion and digital to analog conversion respectively. 4. Model the photodiode as a voltage source. 5. Yield minimal noise in the photodiode circuit. 6. DPLL: Determine the value of K, N, M and constant phase difference between local clock and data sequence. 7. DPLL: Design a divide by N Counter. 8. Frame synchronization must be achieved. 9. Training Sequence must be generated. 10. A D flip-flop is required to switch training frame to data frame at the correct instance. 11. A logic circuit must be implemented to identify the training sequence at the receiver end. 12. Implement a â€Å"Divide by 8† counter to yield 8 KHz Frame Synchronization Receiver from the 64 KHz Bit Clock. 2. 2 Design of System The system consists of two functional components. They are the transmitter and receiver. In the discussion of this system, the transmitter side will be first discussed followed by the receiver end. 2. 3 Design of Transmitter The transmitter consists of several sub-blocks. These sub-blocks include the clock and counter networks, training sequence generator, switch, encoder and the laser link. 2. 3. 1 Clock and Counter Networks In this system, 2. 048MHz Master Clock (MCLK), 64 KHz Bit Clock (BCLK) and 8 KHz Frame Synchronization Signal (FSYN) are required. BCLK and FSYN are required by the training sequence generator and multiplexer (MUX) switch respectively. The encoder chip requires MCLK, BCLK and FSR. As such, the breadboard layout shown in Figure 1 is adopted. Figure 1: Breadboard Layout (Transmitter) Master Clock (MCLK) The Master Clock (MCLK) is obtained from the signal generators available in the lab. As a high speed clock is needed by the PCM encoder to function, the value of 2. 048 MHz is chosen. MCLK provides the timing signal to synchronize the other clocks in the system. In this manner, the rising edge of the generated BCLK and FSR will coincide with MCLK. Bit Clock (BCLK) The Bit Clock (BCLK) frequency is 64 KHz. This is generated by inputting MCLK into the Counter (74HC191) followed by a D Flip-flop (74HC74). BCLK is required because the frequency of bits generated by the encoder is 64 KHz. The BCLK allows the bit stream to be synchronized with the clock network. Frame Synchronization Signal (FSYN)

Insurance Company Case Study and Analysis

Insurance Company Case Study and Analysis This Life Insurance Company Ltd. is one of the famous insurance companies in India offering various effective life insurance policies. This Life Insurance Company Limited is often known as Tata AIG Life. This Life is a joint venture of the Tata Group and American International Group, Inc. (AIG). Offers many standard custom made life insurance policies. It is one of the oldest and leading business group of India. Tata group has a long association with Indias insurance sector being the largest insurance company in India prior to the nationalization. American International Group INC is leading US board International insurance financial service organization this Life Insurance Company Limited or this insurance company brings to you a wide choice of life insurance policies for individuals, small and large business industries and for ventures. Apart from these, the company also provides additional life insurance coverage to assure the clients an insurance policy designed for them. The Tata Group holds 74 % stake in the insurance venture with AIG holding the rest 26%. Tata AIG Life provides insurance solutions to individuals and corporate sectors. This Life Insurance Company received license for operating in India on February 12, 2001 and started its operations on April 1, 2001. CEO of TATA -AIG is Mr. Ian J. Watts Joydeep K. Roy, the alternative channels. The various life insurance policies and services offered by the Tata AIG Life include:- For individuals: Life Health First MahaLife Gold Life Invest Assure Plus Life Invest Assure II Life Health Protector Life Invest Assure Care Life Invest Assure Gold Life Health Investor Life Invest Assure Extra Life Plus Life Shubha Life Life Easy Retire Life Assure Security Growth Plan Life Assure Money Saver Life Raksa Life Assure Golden Plan For Children: Life Assure 21 years Money Sanchay Life Assure Career Builder Life Star kid Life Invest Assure Plus Life Assure Educated at 18 Retirement Plans: Life Nirvana Life Easy Retire Life Invest Assure Gold Corporate life insurance products offered by this Life Insurance Company Ltd:- The Tata AIG Life Insurance Company Limited also offers various corporate life insurance products that include Group Pension Employee Benefit Workplace Solution Credit Life THE CASE American Insurance group in USA will have a bearing on its business in India, particularly its insurance business which it is running in collaboration with Tata. However sources in the industry say that policy holders are not required to worry as the financial condition of insurance subsidiaries of AIG in India is quite stable, and they are able to meet all the liabilities emerging out of claims from their policy holders. Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) has also expressed its concern over the recent developments in the United States financial markets. AIG, which is one of the leading insurance group of US, has asked financial assistance from the Federal Reserves. AIG is operating in both the life and non-life insurance sectors. In a statement IRDA said that reports of life insurance and general insurance companies promoted by Tata and AIG as on March 29, 2008 indicated that both companies have satisfactory solvency position which suggests that they have enough assets which is capable of meeting their liabilities. IRDA further clarified that life and general insurance companies promoted by Tatas and AIG are companies registered under the Indian Companies Act and are restricted by the provisions of the Insurance Act . From the reliable sources we found that policy holders should wait for clarification before taking any decision. AIG in USA has a solvency issue but in India there is no liquidity issue due to the intervension of IRDA. So there may not be a problem in the Indian insurance market. Though in many countries, policy holders are in a hurry to cancel their policies, but in India there is no need to take such steps. Thus Industry experts said that there is no need to worry and policy holders should keep their insurance policies intact. This companys general insurance is among the top 5 general insurance companies of the world and has earned a net premium of RS.812 in 2008-09. This company is also one of the leading primary sectors and has earned a yearly premium of Rs.970 corer. Solution of the case One of the officials Tata said that if AIG is not able to survive in the USA is forced to file for insolvency, Tata will buy out the 26% share of AIG in both the companies and the customers interest will remain safe. Then find some other foreign company and sell that 26% to them. So IRDA took the decision that they will seek a new promoter incase Tatas buys out the share or not the policiers interest will remain unaffected. But later on the matter settled down and AIG somewhat regained its lost position and thus Tata decided not to buy off their shares and till date they are continuing their insurance company together. Conclusion In India the insurance market was suffering before but now it has regained its lost status. But still now Life Insurance Corporation of India acquires 64% share of the entire insurance holders followed by ICICI prudential which has only 9% approx. of the market. Tata AIG has almost a negligible Insurance market share which is less than 2%. So they need to work a lot in order to establish their hold in Indian market.

Metamorphosis of the Letter A in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Metamorphosis of â€Å"A† in The Scarlet Letter Six Works Cited In Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, the meaning of the letter "A" changes throughout the novel. This change is significant as it indicates the personal growth of the characters as well as the enlightenment of the townspeople. When the novel begins, the letter "A" is a symbol of sin. As the story progresses the â€Å"A† slowly transforms to a symbol of Hester’s strength and ability. By the end of the novel, the letter â€Å"A† has undergone a complete metamorphisis and represents the respect that Hester has for herself. The letter "A," worn on Hester's bodice, is a symbol of her adultery against Roger Chillingworth. This letter is meant to be worn in shame, and to make Hester feel unwanted. "Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment . . ." Hester is ashamed of her sin, but she chooses not to show it. She committed this sin in the heat of passion, and fully admits it because, though she is ashamed, she also received her greatest treasure, Pearl, out of it. She is a very strong woman to be able to hold up so well, against what she must face. Many would have fled Boston, and sought a place where no one knew of her great sin. Hester chose to stay though, which showed a lot of strength and integrity. Any woman with enough nerve to hold up against a town which despised her very existence, and to stay in a place where her daughter is referred to as a "devil child† is a very tough woman. The second meaning that the letter "A" took was "able." The townspeople who once condemned her now believed her scarlet "A" to stand for her ability to create beautiful needlework and for her unselfish assistance to the poor and sick. "The letter was the symbol of her calling. Such helpfulness was found in her- so much power to do and power to sympathize- that many people refused to interpret the scarlet 'A' by its original signification." At this point, many the townspeople realized what a godly character Hester possessed. "Do you see that woman with the embroidered badge? It is our Hester- the town's own Hester- who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comforting to the afflicted!" The townspeople soon began to believe that the badge served to ward off evil, and Hester grew to be quite loved amongst the people of the town.

The Relationship Between Two Itinerant Workers in Of Mice and Men :: John Steinbeck, Literary Analysis, Analytical Ess

John Steinbeck’s ‘Of Mice and Men’ focuses on the relationship between two itinerant workers: George and Lennie. The average itinerant worker moved from place to place to find work, travelling alone. They led very lonely lives, and the majority had no family and didn’t belong anywhere. But George and Lennie travelled together, the simple desire for company and friendship; as well as their dream binded John Steinbeck’s main characters together. George and Lennie’s dream is to live on a farm with a bit of land and a few animals; somewhere that they can call their own. John Steinbeck based ‘Of Mice and Men’ on the American Dream, which was thought to be every man’s goal in American in the 20th centaury. People wanted to feel fulfilled and respected, to belong somewhere and feel safe, happy and content. The dream was rooted from The Wall Street Crash of 1929 that was followed by The Great Depression in the 1930’s. Many p eople lost their jobs and were forced to travel to different places to find work. ‘Of Mice and Men’ shows just how unachievable and unrealistic this shared dream really is. The title of the book is based upon a line from Robert Burns poem ‘To a Mouse’ it quotes â€Å"The best laid plans of Mice and Men will always go astray† suggesting that however much you plan and however hard you work things can always go wrong. George and Lennie are photographic opposites of each other. George Milton is a small, trim, determined man with defined features and a sharp mind. Lennie Small is huge and shapeless with a childlike mind (slightly mentally retarded) but very physically strong. The two men are held together by their dream (the American Dream to have their own place and be their own masters. As they sit by the river Lennie convinces George, in a childlike manner to tell him about their dream of their own little place. â€Å"Come on George. Tell me please George. Like you done before.† Although George seems reluctant we can tell that he enjoys talking about the dream from this quote: â€Å"George’s voice became deeper, he repeated his words rhythmatically as though he had said them many times before.† This quote also tells us that George and Lennie discuss their dream a lot. Lennie interrupts, his enthusiasm overriding his self-control; again demonstrating his childlike mind and how frequently they must discuss their dream for him to remember the details when he so often forgets other things.

A View That Could Change the World Essay examples -- Reflective Writin

A View That Could Change the World The overall purpose of education is to broaden students’ knowledge and understanding of the material studied and also their perspectives and views. Education should never end, but should be an ongoing process in which it is built upon by adding new information and new ideas to previous knowledge and past experiences. Another essential part of learning deals with the students’ social development. It is vital for students to learn how to interact with their peers and adults and also how to behave in a way that is acceptable and suiting to the â€Å"norm.† This combined with learning the material given creates a formula for success in today’s society. The reason education is so important is because education brings success in today’s society. The more education, the more success, the better the job. You have to have some basic knowledge of what should have been learned early in your education to get any kind of job. Another reason education is important is for your own reasoning. You can take what you have learned to come to conclusions about your own personal beliefs and you can use what you have learned to defend your beliefs. In a sense, knowledge is power. A good aspect of education is it is something that can be achieved and can not be taken away by anyone. As a future teacher, I plan to give my students a well-rounded education. I plan to use different teaching techniques to relay information in a way that will be suiting to each students learning style. One of my goals is to have a developmentally appropriate curriculum where my students can learn on their level. I do not think anyone should be left behind; teachers should make every effort to help... ...tential it is important for them to be placed in an optimal evnironment. Since the child’s environment plays such a role in their learning experience I agree with Maturationists in the importance of considering how the environment will affect each student’s learning. After receiving my degree in early childhood special education I plan to teach in the public school system until I retire. Possibly after a few years of teaching I will go back to school myself to receive a masters degree. From observing in the public school system I have seen a glimpse of what it will be like when I have my own classroom. Although I know that teaching can be a lot of work it also comes with many blessings and rewards. When I weigh the pros and cons of teaching I find that the good far outweighs the bad and I look forward to teaching the children of America.

Pre Activity Health Screening and Customer Care

Explain the reason why pre-activity health screening is necessary Pre activity health screening is used to highlight health problems that may be aggravated by physical exercise. A fitness instructor can then assess and prescribe the correct fitness plan for the individual. Screening takes place in the form of a questionnaire and physiological measurements. Some health risks looked for by taking part in pre activity health screening are shown by Woolf, May (2006), categorised by risk factor.The first category is known as ‘primary risk factor’s’ which include high cholesterol and high blood pressure. These problems are related to some of highest risks to health such as heart attack when completing exercise . The ‘Secondary risk factor’s’ that may be aggravated by exercise include obesity that is indicated by a body mass index of over thirty kg/m2 and physical inactivity indicated by a failure to reach the minimum fitness standard required. The la st category is ‘non modifiable risks’ that is made up of factors that can not be helped such as age and a family history of heart disease.Someone over the age of fifty is also considered to be a factor in this category. When an individual has completed a health screening questionnaire they may then be asked to take part in further tests in the form of physiological measurements. A persons body mass index may be taken by dividing their weight by height. This can tell a fitness instructor whether the individual is over weight which would need consideration when an exercise plan was produced.An individuals blood pressure may also be taken as a high reading is considered a high risk factor contributing to coronary heart disease. Another test that may be carried out would be the weight to hip ratio which measures distribution of fat around the body. If the person has more weight around the abdomen it is known as ‘apple shaped’ and is related to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Completing pre activity health screening is becoming increasingly important for the fitness industry as the need for their services becomes more opular. The evidence shown suggests that health screening has the potential to save lives through diagnosing health problems that may be aggravated by certain physical activity, however a different kind of activity may be appropriate. Although health screening questionnaires are good for highlighting health risks the physiological measurements taken after are vital to further help both the instructor and the individual to diagnose health problems. (405) Q2) Discuss and analyse Reshma’s results.Your analysis should identify whether or not the results fall into healthy ranges, and discuss the implications of this with a particular focus on the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Reshma’s PAR questionnaire showed that she answered ‘no’ all the questions, however she admitte d to smoking ten cigarettes a day which is putting her at risk of serious health problems and is classed as a ‘primary health risk’ leading to coronary heart disease (Woolf May 2006). A number of physiological measurements were then taken. Reshma had a blood pressure which read 140 over 100 millimetres of mercury.Andy Russel explains that the first reading is systolic pressure which is a contracting heart and diastolic pressure is the heart relaxed. The average reading should be between 100 to 140 over 60 to 90 (mmhg) (The Open University 2008). A reading over 130 and 85 provides more risk of coronary heart disease in middle aged people . (Vasan et al 2001). Reshma then had her resting heart rate measured at 90 beats per minute. According to Netfit (2009), the average heart beat of a women of 48 years old should be between 74 and 77 and anything over 84 BPM is thought to be poor.Stress is one cause of a rapid heart beat and regular exercise would lower heart rate consid erably. Reshma has a body mass index of 30. 5 which is calculated by dividing weight and height. Marie Toms explains that healthy people have readings between 19 and 24 and that anything over 30 is classed as obese (The Open University 2008). Reshma is putting herself at a higher risk of coronary heart disease and other risks such as cancer. Regular exercise would help Reshma lower her BMI and make her a lot healthier. Reshma’s waist to hip ratio was a reading of 1. 0.As Sharky and Gaskill (2007) suggest, the safe limit for women is between . 75 and . 8 which shows Reshma is in further danger of health problems which could be reduced by regular exercise. Reshma’s body fat percentage is shown at 33%. This reading is taken in 4 measurements with a calliper from the arm and back. According to Family education (2010), the average body fat percentage for a women of between 20 to 50 years old should be between 17 to 27 %. Reshma is clearly over the safe limits of body fat an d combined with her other measurements is putting herself at serious risk.The evidence shows that Reshma is at higher risk of cardiovascular disease due to her results. Physical activity can reduce these risks and with regular exercise participation, Reshma would be considerably healthier. If Reshma stopped smoking she would decrease her chance of health problems even more. (402) Q3) Outline how physical activity could have a positive effect on Reshma’s health. If Reshma began a fitness plan she would see dramatic improvements to not only her physical health but her mental health too.Improvements to the efficiency of the vascular system and metabolic changes would increase better health both physical and mental health by reducing stress. Sharky and Gaskill (2007), describes the Vascular system as having many tasks in the body which include carrying blood with oxygen, hormones and food to the cells of the body. The system can be made more efficient when a person takes part in physical activity by reducing blood clotting in narrow coronary arteries. This is achieved by the arteries being made larger and educing the risk of blockage due to plaque in the heart therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. A notable change of the system for Reshma would be that of blood pressure being reduced when regular exercise is carried out. Another benefit of physical activity on the system would be that blood volume increases by 10 to 15 percent and in doing this will lower Reshma’s heart rate over time. The metabolic changes to the body when participating in physical activity contribute to many factors in helping Reshma become healthier.Blood lipids including high cholesterol and triglycerides can be a factor of coronary heart disease. Important metabolic changes would be seen with an increase in fat metabolism because exercise burns fat and increases muscle which further helps to reduce fat. The metabolic changes are significant to Reshma as the metabolism of fat would help to lower her body mass index and would further contribute to a lower waist to hip ratio and body fat percentage. Physical activity not only helps physical health but can also improve mental health.Reshma has high blood pressure due to a busy lifestyle. Hendrix and Hughes(1997) states that regular exercise contributes to good health by lowering diastolic blood pressure and reducing stress. Exercise is also thought to be the best form of stress management because it not only reduces the risk of physiological problems but can also reduce anxiety and depression through its relaxing abilities. These factors would lower Reshma’s blood pressure to an acceptable level. When it comes to Reshma taking part in physical activity the benefits to health are endless.A more efficient vascular system and metabolic changes improve physiological factors in the body and improved mental health reduces the stress leading to a lower blood pressure and a better overall lifestyle. (39 9) Task 2 Q 1) What legislation governs health and safety in a sport and fitness facility, and how might these relate to this accident. The main legislation in the sport and fitness sector is the ‘Health and Safety Act Ect 1974’ . This act is known as a Statute Law which means it is provided by parliament and contains a number of acts that relate to all health and safety topics in an industry.The Child Protection at Work in Sport Unit may also be interested in Luke and Fiona’s case. As Heany and Goody (2008) suggest, the Health and Safety Executive governs a lot of the health and safety aspects in the sport and fitness sector through ‘The Health and Safety Act ect 1974’. The act protects the health and safety of people at work but it also provides health and safety for visitors to a facility. An important Factor in the case of Luke and Fiona could be ‘The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999’ which states that an empl oyer should carry out a risk assessment including risks to people not in his employment.A court may then ask if an appropriate risk assessment was carried out in preventing such injury happening to Fiona. The Child Protection at Work in Sport Unit, which is part of the ‘National Society for the prevention of cruelty to children’ may show concern because they may ask why Luke took Fiona into the gym in the first place As the sport and fitness sector grows in stature, the ‘Health and Safety Executive’ becomes more important in the guidance it gives in the of running the industry. (252) Task 2 Q2) Discuss whether or not Luke or his 14 year old Fiona would have a case for negligence against the facility.Explain the reason for your answer. Before a verdict of negligence is awarded a court will use the ‘law of tort’ which takes into account many factors. Jane Goody (2008) describes the law of ‘Tort’ as being a French word for a wrong and that the law makes a defendant protect someone from harm and owe a person a duty of care. The court must prove this by showing the defendant owed the person a duty of care, that the duty of care was broken and that the person received injury due to a breach to the duty of care. Negligence is further explored by using other laws such as ‘Occupiers liability’ and the ‘Reasonableness test‘.These are of much importance in the case of Luke and Fiona When it comes to Luke and Fiona the receptionist does not owe a duty of care because although she let Fiona into the premises, she did not let her into the gym. However the Fitness Instructor did owe Fiona a duty of care because he did not ask for any form of identification. In doing this he broke that duty of care and it could be said, he then breached that duty of care when she was injured. Occupiers liability is the law that gives the occupier of a property or land, the responsibility to make sure such land or pro perty is safe for people to enter.The notable law in the case of Luke and Fiona is that of Occupiers law of 1984 which states that land should be safe even for trespassers. (Jane Goody 2008). Fiona was classed as a trespasser as she entered the gym without permission but the owner still had to make it safe for her as a trespasser. However, the law then becomes more important in the case of Luke and Fiona because even though the defendant has a duty of care to make a facility safe for all, the law changes if the claimant is a child who should have been under the care of an adult.The court may then say that Luke was being negligent for taking Fiona into the gym and it was his responsibility to look after her especially as she should not have been there in the first place. The reasonableness test takes into account whether a defendant acted in a reasonable way in the circumstance and also takes into account any different behavior by the defendant or the claimant, the size of the risk a nd whether injury could have been prevented. Special qualifications held by the defendant are also taken into account (Jane Goody 2008)In the case of Luke and Fiona it could be said that the gym instructor was being unreasonable in not asking Fiona for any identification. In other aspects the instructor could have acted in a reasonable way because Fiona fell over and no equipment was involved however the situation would change if Fiona slipped on a wet floor or fell over equipment because it should have been checked and deemed safe by the instructor. The evidence shows that a case of negligence could be successful in many factors but the law of occupiers liability may lead to an unsuccessful claim .The gym instructor broke his duty of care to Fiona by not asking for identification . Occupiers liability shows that although Fiona was trespassing she had a right to safety, however an award may be reduced or lost because Luke was being negligent in taking Fiona to the gym. 566) .Bibliog raphy 1 & 2) Woolf, May (2006), study topic 3: Minimising the health risks of physical activity in E112 Introduction to Sport, Fitness and Management study guide, Milton Keynes, The Open University. 3) The Open University (2008) E112 Introduction to Sport, Fitness and Management DVD, Milton Keynes, The Open University. ) Vasan et al (2001) ‘Hypertension and Stroke’ in Fitness and Health (6th edn) Sharky and Gaskill (2007), Leeds, Human Kinetics. 5) Netfit (2009) ‘Resting Heart Rate’ (online). Available from: Http://netfit. co. uk/fitness/test/resting-heart-rate. htm (accessed 17th January 2010). 6) The Open University (2008) E112 Introduction to Sport, Fitness and Management DVD, Milton Keynes, The Open University. 7) Sharky, B. J. and Gaskill, S. E. (2007) Fitness and Health (6th edn), Leeds, Human Kinetics. 8) Family Education (2009) ‘Fat Percentage Chart’ (online), Available from: Http://life. familyeducation. com/weight/body-image/46748. tm l (Accessed 17th January 2010). 9) Sharky, B. J. and Gaskill, S. E. (2007) Fitness and Health (6th edn), Leeds, Human Kinetics. 10) Hendrix and Hughes (1997) ‘Activity Minimises Stress’ in Sharky and Gaskill (2007) Fitness and Health (6th edn), Leeds, Human Kinetics. 11) Heany and Goody (2008) ‘Physical Activity and Health and Safety’ in E112 Introduction to Sport, Fitness and Management Study Guide, Milton Keynes, The Open University. 12) Goody,M. (2008) Negligence: ‘Legal Frameworks of Health and Safety’ in Oakley, B. and Rhys, M. (eds) The Sport and Fitness Sector: An Introduction, London, Routledge/Milton Keynes, The Open University.

Our Strengths and Weaknesses in Terms of Our Attitudes/Values, Skills and Knowledge

Social work has been one of the most important pillars for the growth of human society. The role played by social workers cannot be downplayed as it is vital for human growth and development.Like in any other professional, human service work is founded on some important principles which guide them in their work. Most important of these principles are our attitude and values, skills, and our knowledge. Human help work is diverse in its expectation and therefore the individual strength and weaknesses in these pillars leads to specialization in one of its diverse areas.Therefore understanding our strengths and weaknesses in attitudes and values, skills and knowledge is important to help us understand the area that we can service successfully. This paper will review different strengths and weaknesses in these pillars and come up with strategies to cope with any weaknesses.Strengths and weaknesses of attitude and valuesPatience is an important virtue in human help work. It is not always t hings will go as expected. We might want change but they may be coming very slow. We make two steps ahead but our clients take us three steps backward.   The old adage goes patience pays, and indeed it is true.   One of my strength with patience is that at the end we achieve what we want though at slow pace. However I find it difficult to wait for the long time that this solution will take. I always become frustrated when I can’t achieve what I want. To overcome this weakness, I always engage in other kind of activities like raisin funds to get a break out of the routine. (Brown, 2004)I have a great weakness when it comes to empathy. In many situation I have found it difficult to put myself in someone else situation not matter what I want. I have realized that empathy is a long path I trend daily with no destination.   I always try to be sensitive to other peoples situation and try to do the best I can to help them.Self awareness is a great virtue that guides me in my w ork. In most situations I have been caught in situation where I am supporting what I don’t believe in.   However self awareness has helped me to trend emotional laden topics like rape and suicide with ease. It has helped me to grant individual freedom to make choice. I always try to do the best I can to assess a situation before I support or oppose it.In most situations I have found out that am not sure of what will happen in any situation.   Social work is complex and dealing with special groups is very demanding. No one is sure of the formula to use to get the desired results. Although I am prepared for any eventualities, I always have fear of negative results. I try to overcome this weakness by developing a positive mind that everything will go as expected.The aim of any social work is to bring a change through capacity building. This factor helps social workers to direct their energy towards areas which empower their clients to lift them from their present situation. However I am always faced by frustration when clients don’t understand where they are going and what they want. To overcome this I talk with the clients on what they want and together we discuss how to go about it.Openness mindedness helps social workers to tap more knowledge from others. I have always listened to others to gain more knowledge. I always open my mind to receive more information from other people. However I have a problem towards gender equity and stereotypes that I always side with women.I have decided to attend a course of gender in order to get more insight on this issue and change my pattern of thinking on men and there relationship to women. Lastly when everything weighs on my shoulder, I find sharing light moments with my clients as one of the most influential thing. This helps me to relax and at the same time understand them.Strengths and weaknesses in skillsLike in any other profession, skills are very vital for any social worker. A social worker needs different skills depending on the situation at and. Active listening is important as it helps to understand the situation and get the emotion surrounding the words. A careful scrutiny of individual in their surrounding will tell whether they are in deed saying what they mean or not.These are two important skills that I have applied in my social work to understand my clients well. However I have a weakness in listening to others as I tend to get very emotional. In such situation I try my best to reserve my words as I listen to others or I talk to them later when my emotion subsides. Getting as much information about the clients one can is also important to understand them and their behavior.In order to raise my skills I always try to attend conferences that are about social work from where I can learn diverse skills on human relations. In situation where I can’t get enough information about the clients, I search more on their background by visiting their homes. However it is e ven hard to get more information from their homes especially when parents are not cooperative. (Doe, 1998)Sharing information with other social worker has helped me to gain more knowledge about the clients. This helps to write an evaluation of every client and understand them well. Keeping the records creates continuity for the social worker who will take over. In my work, I have always done my best to build relationship with the clients in order to help them however some like teenager have emotions that break every relationship built over time.However I try to understand them and build from a collapsing relationship to form a cohesive bond.   When it comes to dealing with clients, it is difficult to negotiate for their contracts or to construct action plans for them. Something they ought to be left to carry out their own duties the way they want. But mutual guidance especially for teenagers is important to give them direction. One of my weakness in this area is that I have tried micromanagement in many cases having a hand in every thing client are doing.While this helps things to roll out as planned, it is seen as authoritarian. To avert this I have at times delegated my roles to others who can handle it effectively.   To ensure the plan is rolling out as expected monitoring and evaluation is needed to elicit a feedback.   Since am not competent in this area, I would rather hire a professional who can provide unbiased feedback and propose improvements to be made. (Taylor, 1999)