How May the Teacher Encourage More Learner Involvement in the Lesson

Leadership and Mentoring The WritePass Journal

Leadership and Mentoring Introduction Leadership and Mentoring Introduction ‘People make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skilful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better’. Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) What makes a good leader? Can u make a leader or do you just have to be born with the attributes that make you a good leader. Every leader is unique, due to their approaches, qualities and leadership styles. Leaders exist in all aspects of life, from head of the household to the leader of a company. Their roles maybe different but overall purpose is the same, to lead his team. Mentoring can be quite different due to the role, but often overlaps with leadership. Mentors also exist in different contexts. Mentors can exist in an academic environment, work atmosphere as well as informal setting between friends. For the remainder of this assignment we will discuss the definitions of leadership and mentoring in the context of different literature. We will be comparing these topics and contrasting the definitions. We will then be discussing the qualities of good leaders and mentors and highlighting the negative aspects which can surface. We will then apply these qualities to ourselves and analyse how we can make good leaders or mentors depending on the context. Literature Review on Leadership Due to the diverse aspects of leadership there is no set definition on leadership. Leadership is a function of knowing yourself, having a vision that is well communicated, building trust among colleagues, and taking effective action to realize your own leadership potential. (Warren Bennis). According to Max Landsberg in ‘Tools of Leadership’ (2003), leadership can be defined in five areas. Leadership is process of initiating change and then controlling that change. This highlights that leaders need to develop the organisation they are in charge of and evolve it into something bigger and better. Leadership is being creative. This reflects that leadership is about new ideas and innovation. Leadership is about being intrinsic. The ability to be interpersonal within their team, delegating responsibility to other team members and deal with people on a more personal level. Leadership should be effective. What good is a leader if no one listens to what he has to say? Leadership is developed with time. A good leader will make the right decisions at the right time, when they are needed. Fred E. Fiedler and Martin M. Chemers in ‘Improving Leadership Effectiveness’, (1984) gave a different definition. ‘the leadership role or function involves the motivation, direction, supervision, guidance and evaluation of others for the purpose of accomplishing a task.’ Fiedler and Chemers looked at different aspects of leadership. The ability of being motivational is a very important aspect of leading a team. If you can’t stimulate your team to be productive, then the existence of your team would be irrelevant. It mentions the need for direction. This outlines the importance of having a target or aim, which a good leader will have in mind when doing any task. It is only when they can visualise their goals that they can achieve it. Supervision is a very important aspect of leadership. A good leader should know what each member of their team is doing in terms of the task at hand. This can include having certain rules, principles and boundaries, which the leader must observe that their team is abiding by to maintain structure and control. It is not enough to tell your team what to do and expect it done. A leader needs to guide their team, by identifying weaknesses and turning into something positive. This is complimented by evaluating performan ce, which can indicate how a team is doing what a leader should be focussing on. Every individual will have their own interpretation of the definition on leadership, which leads to the different approaches adopted by different leaders. Authoritarian Leadership Authoritarian leaders have the opinion that their team requires direction. This quality can be seen as a positive and a negative. Authoritarian leader will provide guidance and direction when attempting to achieve goals but do not always consider the need to be lenient. According to Northouse (2009), this is a positive quality when individuals in team need supervision due to their irresponsible behaviour or laid back attitude, therefore the leader must be told what to do or not to do either by incentives or disciplinary action. This quality can also be portrayed as a negative when leaders do not give room for creativity or opinion as they are too focussed on doing tasks in their own way. Anderson (2010) indicated that this leadership approach does not give individuals to voice their opinions or ideas especially when trying to find solutions, due to the leader view that their ideas are the best. This can lead strained relationships between leaders and their teams, when individuals are not given the space to express them self, which can lead to lack of motivation. Democratic Leadership This leadership style is concerned with a trusting approach, where the leader will delegate the work and duties and trust his members to complete the task at hand. This approach allows the members to make decisions on their own initiative and encourages them to be creative. The leader has to know and trust that his team are capable and have the ability to perform. Trust is built on good communication and having a good relationship with your subordinates. This approach of leadership is very motivational as it encourages members to voice their opinion and views, whilst knowing that will be considered. This makes individuals feel valued and will increase satisfaction and self worth. However this approach has negative effects as discussed by Northouse (2009), who mentions that due to the trust element of this approach, it would not be always possible for a task to be completed when there is a time restriction, when every individual has their own way of doing things. In times of urgency a n authoritarian approach is more efficient when everyone is told what to do when to do it and how to do it. The democratic approach requires patience from the leader’s point of view to allow the team to do the task in their way. Laissez-Fair Leadership This approach of leadership is about leaders giving full freedom to their team to fully work at their own initiative, without any influence or pressures. According to Anderson (2010) the laissez fair approach is ideal when creativity is a key element of the project. It does not limit individual vision and creativity. For this approach to be effective, it is vital that each member is responsible for motivating themselves to get the job done. This can create a problem when individuals are not motivated and cannot complete the task at hand. Ethical Leadership This approach focuses on ethical aspects of a leader’s characteristics. According to Northouse (2009), characteristics such as honesty, reliability, integrity are vital elements of ethical leadership. This allows others to trust their leader and show a sense of confidence in terms of decision making. If these characteristics did not exist within a leader, their followers would not take the leader very seriously or have the same amount of respect. This could lead to a lack of authority. Ethical leaders need to have a positive impact due to their charisma and reliability. By presenting themselves as reliable, honesty and trustworthy leaders can gain confidence from others, which makes them more credible in terms of their views and decisions. Literature Review on Mentoring ‘Mentoring is a term generally used to describe a relationship between a less experienced individual, called a mentee or protà ©gà ©, and a more experienced individual known as a mentor. Traditionally, mentoring is viewed as a dyadic, face-to-face, long-term relationship between a supervisory adult and a novice student that fosters the mentee’s professional, academic, or personal development’ Donaldson, Ensher, Grant-Vallone, (2000). Mentor is taken from the Greek word for ‘male guide’, which is now used to describe someone who gives guidance. As described above the relation of a mentor and mentee is that of supervision to achieve a sense of personal development. This is also the definition given by Kogler-Hill et al, (1989) who described mentoring when an experienced member of an organisation guides a lesser experienced individual. Mumford (1997) also defined mentoring as an ‘advisory relationship’. This was broadened in the definition by Olian et al. (1988) who defined mentoring as ‘ a senior member of the profession or organisation who shares values, provides emotional support, career counselling, information and advice, professional and organisational sponsorship, facilitates access to key organisations and professional networks’. However Levinson et al (1978) described the mentor relationship to be ‘one of the most complex and developmentally important’. This was due to the fact mentoring was not a formal role so cannot be given a narrow definition but was dependant on the individual relationship and the purpose behind it. Characteristics of Good Leaders As we looked at the different types of leadership styles, they all have different qualities which appear to be vital to their role. A good leader should be competent to complete the task at hand. No matter which leadership style you choose to adopt the leader needs to have the ‘know how’ to do whatever it is they are trying to do. If they are not competent in the task how can they possibly brief their team who are reliant on the leader to guide them? A good leader needs to be confident in what they are doing. It is only when they have self belief that they can motivate their team. In times of difficulty individuals will look to the leader for assurance and guidance. If the leader is hesitant, insecure and doubting them self, how can they boost the self esteem of the people who they are leading? Bass’s Model of transformational leadership (1980’s) highlighted characteristics that a good leader should possess. These characteristics were split into four areas. Idealised Influence (Vision) Inspirational Motivation (Charisma) Intellectual Stimulation Individualised Consideration A leader needs to be influential and motivational if they are to push their team to achieve what they have set out to do. In order to be influential the leader needs to have a vision in mind, which they can then persuade their team to believe. Once the vision is shared there can be a sense of direction. In order to be influential a leader must show charisma and have a personality that shows presence. Charismatic leaders are most effective as they have a positive effect on their subordinates. However some leaders will appear to be very confident, but they will have no substance or depth in what they appear to be capable of. As the famous saying ‘they can talk the talk but can they walk the walk?’ They can give orders; makes themselves look good and take the praise for the hard work that others have put in. This behaviour is known as Pseudo- Charismatic. Good leaders need to intellectually stimulating in terms of their subordinates. They need to know how to deal with and handle different people in different situations, as everyone is different and responds in different ways to different techniques. They need to be encouraging and making people think about things that they would not usually visualise. Encourage people to think outside the box and to go beyond their usual thinking and understanding in order to be creative and solve problems. It is often said that to get respect you have to give it. This is what is highlighted when looking at individualised consideration. Leaders have to genuinely care about their team. They have to be sympathetic to their issues and well being. They have to communicate with them appropriately and effectively, whilst showing respect. Leaders should not be influences by prejudices or treat people differently. Even is individuals are different due to ethnicity, disability or any other element, leaders should turn their diversity into a positive aspect as they bring something different to the table. Be it a different experience, skill or just personality. Diversity should be embraced. Characteristics of Good Mentors In order to be a capable mentor there certain attributes they should adopt. They have to have a genuine passion of developing their mentees, as well as developing themselves. They have to be committed to the development of their mentee and communicate well and create a relationship based on trust. They have to understand their mentee’s needs and requirement, as well as their weaknesses in order to help them grow. They also have to competent in the field their mentee wants to learn about and have the relevant experience behind them in order to guide their mentee effectively. They should clarified goals which need to be targeted in order to get the mentee to exactly where they want to go. There has to be a sense of professionalism, but in good proportion. Too much professionalism can make the mentee feel intimidated so it is good to have a balance. Brockbank and McGill (2006) highlighted some general qualities, which can be seen as the most vital ones of all. Mentors need to be good listeners, if they are to guide their mentee. They should take in what exactly the mentee is trying to achieve and understand their requirements and issues. They should show compassion to their weaknesses and help them to develop them into strengths. They should give feedback in terms of constructive criticism but not so much that their mentee’s esteem is lowered. They should question their views so the mentee can think more critically about them self and challenge their own ideas in order to assist their own development.          Self Reflection There have many times where I have taken the role of a mentor, often in a work atmosphere as well as an academic environment. I work part time as a finance officer and have been in this position for the last three year. My job comes naturally to me and I am left to go about my role without any interference from management or other members of staff. Due to the increase of work load, my manager decided that it was time I employed an assistant, who could assist me with my work and take on my role when I was out of the office. So from last year I have had to train my assistant to do my job. My overall goal was to develop her into a finance officer. My first step was to create a relationship and try to understand what she was like as a person. How I could communicate with her? I arranged informal meetings with her, usually in a coffee shop. We would talk generally, so she would relax around and not feel intimidated. Then I would gradually discuss work matters. Then I would ask her to swit ch roles and explain to me how things needed to be done. She would often get things confused or wrong, but I would wait until she had finished discussing then question why she would do things in that particular way. Often when she thought about it she would realise where she had gone wrong. There were times when my assistant would get overwhelmed especially in times when there were deadlines to meet. I would realise that there was obviously issues that needed to be dealt with. So then I would listen to the issues she was facing, such as there is an issue in accounts that she could not seem to fix, or there was an issue with a client and she did not know how to deal with it. I would assist her and guide her until she would be able to do it herself. Nine months have passed now, and I have been on a three week leave. This time last year I would never be able take leave from the office, but now my assistant can pretty much fill my place when I am out of the office. There are very rarely occasions now when my assistant asks for help. I can brief her on a task and I know she would complete it to a very high standard. I took some time and did the questionnaire based on studies of Marquadt and Loan (2006) titled ‘how ready are you to be a mentor?’ I scored 145 out of a possible 150. This confirmed to me that I am a capable mentor, as I have learnt from experience. I hope that I get the opportunity to mentor other people, as this gives me the chance to develop my people skills whilst developing other peoples. References Northouse, P. (2001). Leadership theory and practice, 2nd edition, London: Sage Publications. Chemers, M.M, Fiedler, F.E (1984) Importance of leadership effectiveness, 2nd edition, New York: John Wiley sons Inc. Gold, J, Thorpe, R, Mumford, A. (2010) Leadership and management development, 5th edition, London: Chartered Institute of personal Development Brockbank, A., McGill, I. (2006) Facilitating Reflective Learning through Mentoring and Coaching.London Pask, R. and Joy B. (2007) mentoring-coaching a guide for education professionals. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Anderson, M. (2010) The Leadership Book. Canada: Pearson Education Bass, B.M. Avolio, B. J. (1996) Postscripts: Recent Developments for improving Organisational Effectiveness, Sage. Bass, B. M., Riggio, R. M. (2006) Transformational Leadership. New Jersey:   Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Meginson, D. (2006) Mentoring in Action: A Practical Guide. London: Kogan Page Ltd. Landsberg, M. (2003), The tools of leadership. London: Profile Books http://ehrweb.aaas.org (accessed 27/04/2011)

Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Finance - Essay Example People, processes and systems need to be flexible to respond to conflicts and changes in the environment. It is in this regard that this essay is written to present pertinent changes in organizational processes or systems brought about by investment to adjust to the requirements of efficiency in assuring compliance to attendance protocols of a health care organization. In a specific health care organization, attendance is being monitored by a system of logging in and out utilizing time cards that allow you to punch in and out and are needed as a basis for salary payments. In addition, an access card is used to enter buildings. The problem is many personnel are punching other employees out when they already left hours earlier. Personnel are punching other colleagues in when they never came to work. This is an on going issue and there really is no way to detect it. This system is prone to loopholes and dishonesty because as peers develop teambuilding, employees belonging in the same department or team are susceptible to connivance in relation to attendance and payment requirements. As called for in this situation, change is necessary to achieve a new and higher level of performance and efficiency – as well as to lessen the tedious system of effecting the needed monitoring schemes. Technological advancement made improvements in the system of logging in and out to ensure accurate attendance of employees. This system is called biometrics. According to SearchSecurity.com (2008), â€Å"biometrics is the science and technology of measuring and analyzing biological data. In information technology, biometrics refers to technologies that measure and analyze human body characteristics, such as fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns and hand measurements, for authentication purposes.† These have several applications including time attendance, access control, identification

The Pathophysiological Treatments of Alzheimer's Disease Literature review

The Pathophysiological Treatments of Alzheimer's Disease - Literature review Example Tau treatment has featured greatly as a means of treating the disease across the divide. New methods like stem cell treatment and gene therapy methodologies are also under research. Their effect – presently and in the future – on the AD will also be mentioned. To examine the role of the research, this study aims at reviewing the pathophysiology of the AD and examines the relevant literature on the AD. It aims at creating a review that identifies the main candidate drugs and enzymes noted to play a huge role in the treatment of AD patients. It will touch on the relevant enzymes such as amyloid hypothesis, which play a huge role in underlining the importance of preclinical treatment for AD patients. Therapeutic modifications necessary for the treatment of AD will also be reviewed. As it is well known, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the number one cause of dementia in the world. Being one of the neurodegenerative diseases, there is a need to look for ways of dealing with it. It is important to examine its pathophysiology because AD affects so many people in the world today. To tackle the issue of pathophysiology, the article will look at models and mechanisms that have been operating in the general treatment of AD across the world. Beta-amyloids are the peptides of amino acids crucially involved in the amyloid plaques in brains of patients suffering from the AD. Tau treatment involves the use of microtubule-bound protein in the treatment of AD patients. Cognitive impairment will be discussed because it is the intermediate stage that occurs as normal aging declines, based on cognitive measures. Anti-dementia drugs are important because they play a critical role in lessening the aggression of AD. This will then give way to a discussion on the therapeutic targ ets for AD modifications. Development will only occur from a proper understanding of the present treatments and the impact they have on the degeneration of brain tissues. Many researchers suggest that

The nature of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The nature of Crime - Essay Example However, an understanding of both these theories is important because they help in knowing the nature of crime. The central proposition made by the strain theory is the idea that social structures and individual situations within a society may be the causes of crimes since the strain put on the individual due to them encourages criminal behavior. This theory emerges from the work of Émile Durkheim and has been further developed by many social scientists following in his footsteps (Cullen, & Agnew, 2006). With regard to the strain which causes crime, there are two possible sources i.e. social structures and individual experiences (Miller et. al., 2002). The first one comes from the social structures which define how the needs of an individual are to be satisfied. If the social structures are inadequate, especially with regard to satisfying the needs of the middle class, then more people from the middle class may turn to crime if they see a lack of opportunities and have limited means (Miller et. al., 2002). Therefore, in this respect, the blame for criminal activity or the increased rate of crime comes from a failure of social institutions rather than individual negligence. The second strain can come from the individual since the experience of a person within society can lead him/her to a life of crime (Wikipedia, 2006). For example, if a middle class person sees enough things which lead him to desire more than his/her means then s/he may choose to do things which are illegal to attain those things (Miller et. al., 2002). Of course that person may not actually need those things for their basic survival but the creation of the need can come from their own experiences. Similar to the strain theory, the social disorganization theory also focuses on the relationship between the individual and the social setup. However, the primary focus

Service User and Carer Participation in Social Work

Service User and Carer Participation in Social Work Identify, using examples, how a professional social worker should work in such a way as to ensure user and carer participation. Consider the practice issues for working anti-oppressively with users or carers who are either a  frail elderly person and their carer. A professional social worker must approach the elderly person as an individual and ensure that individual as opposed to generic needs are assessed. In practical terms this means that the approach taken is built upon a mix of professional pragmatism and textbook rules. This manner of approach also ensures that the social worker can approach the practice issues identified in an anti-oppressive and professional manner which promotes both user and carer participation. Certainly in terms of personal reflection, and from the writer’s perspective; as a white, middle class person, integrating the theory of how one is required to engage oneself anti-oppressively, in the capacity of social worker with the pragmatics of good social skills and an ability to put a user, such as a frail elderly person and their carer at ease is all the more important where there are differences between the practitioner and the service user in terms of age, race, religion and sex to name just a few examples. Therefore promoting user and carer participation and working anti oppressively with frail elderly users is by no means an easy task. Such a task requires an understanding of models of oppression. Models of oppression mainly relate to the ‘isms’ within society such as ageism, sexism, classism, racism and many others (Williams, (2002) 1), and in the context of this question perhaps ageism and its avoidance within a user/practitioner setting is the most relevant. The professional social worker must be aware that models of oppression must be understood and applied within carer/user settings in order to promote an ethical, participatory relationship between the two (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) 14). This is because as Beckett and Maynard ((2005) 46) observe, the social worker often deals with those groups within society who are the ‘least powerful’. One classic example of this for the social worker in a practice situation could be at a juncture where a frail elderly person reaches a stage where their needs cannot be accommodated at home, and supported accommodation options for the elderly person may need to be discussed. In this instance ‘alone time’ spent between carer and the social worker and the user and the social worker can allow both to discuss the issues at hand frankly, and decide what the best way forward might be. This ensures that there is holistic user participation, as it is important that the needs of a frail elderly person are not entirely overshadowed by the input of the carer. This by no means implies that the carer should be ignored during a home visit, or should be excluded in any manner, but there will be times when it is appropriate for the frail elderly person (provided they are compos mentis) to express their viewpoint independently of those close to them (for example if they express a wish t o have arrangements made for a will). This will also give the social worker an opportunity to have some time alone with the carer, which gives the carer an opportunity to raise concerns or to discuss issues which they would perhaps not feel comfortable raising in the presence of the person who they take care of. Of course, the user participation will be important once these discussions have taken place, because a frail elderly person cannot be placed into supported accommodation without their co-operation and consent. However, it is often beneficial, where a sensitive issue should as a move between home and supported accommodation is to be broached, that a carer and a professional social worker have an opportunity to discuss the needs of the ‘user’ of the services in a setting where these issues can be spoken of frankly. This does not mean that issues should be concealed from a user or from a carer, but often in terms of facilitating anti-oppressive practice issues it i s appropriate to relate to both user and carer in different ways, and therefore it may be necessary to communicate with one or another (user and carer) separately. In this context the issue of power within society and how it relates to social inequalities must be understood. The social worker is in quite a powerful position compared to an elderly and frail service user, and therefore a professional social worker is required to appreciate how their language must be employed as a strategy to engage the service user, and carer anti oppressively, and at the same time promoting participation. To take stock of another example to illustrate this point, let us look at a scenario whereby an elderly person who is frail is hostile to interventions from a social worker. Here, the requirements for anti-oppressive techniques of care become all the more important. Difficult questions become apparent in this context. Some examples are as follows: What should one do whereby a frail elderly person has a carer who looks after their needs on a part time basis, and the social worker feels that there are issues of self neglect during episodes where the carer is not present? To take this example a little further, a scenario could arise where a frail elderly person, whose carer is not present, is being visited by a social worker. Let us imagine that the social worker wishes to gain entry to the house of the elderly frail person in order to assess their needs and the elderly person is suspicious and does not wish to allow the person in. How can language be employed in this setting to promote an ethical relationship based on anti-oppressive techniques in this scenario? A simple answer would be for the social worker firstly to explain who they are and why they wish to pay a visit to the elderly person, and secondly another strategy which could be employed would be to say to the service user (the elderly frail person); Can I come in for a Chat/some Tea?, rather then an overly formal explanation of why they are there for example ‘I have to speak to you to assess whether you are capable of looking after yourself’. This approach also empowers the service user, since they may feel more in control of the interaction, and they might also be more inclined to perceive the social worker on friendly terms. To pose another critically important question here: how should a social worker in this above outlined scenario handle a conflict which arises between an elderly user and the state where an elderly person, who lacks capacity to make decisions for themselves is self-neglecting and will not co-operate with a social worker who encourages them to move into supported accommodation? Two models of intervention may be employed here by the social worker, to deal with the conflict. One is the state intervention model, which may involve sectioning the frail elderly person and removing them into the care of an institution, and alternatively the social worker can choose to employ more moderate interventions which involve living support from voluntary sector groups (Scottish Executive (2006) Section 1.3). Which one is best always depends upon the individual circumstances of the frail elderly person, and the judgement of the individual social worker[1]. In this context, and to continue the reference to the particular example where a social worker wishes to gain entry to the house of a frail, elderly person for the purposes of assessing their needs, it is also important to remember that the social worker owes the frail elderly person some legal responsibilities. All social work practitioners, for example are required to adhere to the various codes of ethics which have been issued through the General Social Care Council, which was set up in 2001. Amongst other duties, each of the 84000 social workers and social worker students on the Social Care Register must submit to inspection by the Commission for Social Care Inspection, and are required to have their own copies of their codes of conduct; and also as of 2003, the Social Care Register requires that only registered social workers may describe themselves as social workers (to label oneself a social worker, and at the same time intending to deceive others in this respect is now a crim inal offence) (www.gscc.org.uk). Another legal responsibility which the professional service user owes to the user and to the carer is the duty not to discriminate unnecessarily against a person on the grounds of their race, ethnicity, disability, and age to give just a few examples of areas which are protected by law by anti-discrimination legalisation. Research into what practice issues are important for services users including carers and the elderly which was carried out by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust suggests that the combating of discrimination and how it can lead to an oppressive relationship between service user and social worker is very important in social work practice (Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) 14). In terms of both user and carer participation, the issue of confidentiality is of the utmost importance. This builds trust between user and the social work practitioner and also may lead to a feeling of empowerment by the service user, who is in the context of this question a frail elderly person. To refer back to the first example used in this essay (where the issue of perhaps assessing the needs and views of both carer and an elderly frail person separately has been raised); where there are issues which are quite sensitive between a carer, and a frail elderly person, it is important that the confidence of both parties are respected by the social worker. It is also important to speak to each person on their terms. One classic example of this in the context of a frail elderly person, addressing the user firstly by using their formal title ‘Miss Jones’ for example or ‘Mrs Smith’, as opposed to the use of first names is potentially an important strategy to emp loy. It is often the case that there will be a large generational gap between the frail elderly person and the social worker, and this makes to concept of anti-oppressive techniques and participation techniques all the more important. Such a generational gap may make a frail elderly person perceive the social worker as more of a threat to them, and may perhaps convey to them the impression that the social worker has little understanding of their needs and view of the world. In this sense, also good case management and record keeping (often a legal requirement for social workers) will also facilitate user and carer participation, as well as anti-oppressive practices. In conclusion therefore there are a plethora of practice issues which are pivotal in a scenario where a social worker is required to interact in a professional capacity with a frail elderly person and their carer. All of these issues are intersecting, related, and sometimes contingent upon each other. The requirements for user and carer participation and for an understanding of anti-oppressive techniques are therefore complex concepts which require a pragmatic approach, integrated with a theoretical approach on the part of the contemporary professional social worker. These arguments have been supported throughout the essay through a focus upon reflective and theoretical reasoning. Bibliography Books Beckett, C. and Maynard, A. (2005) Values and Ethics in Social Work. Publisher: Sage Publications. Place of Publication: UK. Articles Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (2006) Strategy for Social Work and Social Care. Publisher: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Place of Publication: UK. Scottish Executive (2006) The Need for Social Work Intervention. Publisher: Scottish Executive. Place of Publication: UK. Williams, C. (2002) A Rationale for an Anti-Racist Entry Point to Anti-Oppressive Social Work in Mental Health Services Critical Social Work, 2002 Vol. 3, 1. Website http://www.gscc.org.uk/News+and+events/Media+releases/Put+social+care+centre+stage+in+social+exclusion+drive.htm >>. 1 Footnotes [1] See the Scottish Executive Publication for a more in depth account of models of intervention.

Abduction and Hypothesis Withdrawal in Science Essay examples -- Scien

Abduction and Hypothesis Withdrawal in Science ABSTRACT: This paper introduces an epistemological model of scientific reasoning which can be described in terms of abduction, deduction and induction. The aim is to emphasize the significance of abduction in order to illustrate the problem-solving process and to propose a unified epistemological model of scientific discovery. The model first describes the different meanings of the word abduction (creative, selective, to the best explanation, visual) in order to clarify their significance for epistemology and artificial intelligence. In different theoretical changes in theoretical systems we witness different kinds of discovery processes operating. Discovery methods are "data-driven," "explanation-driven" (abductive), and "coherence-driven" (formed to overwhelm contradictions). Sometimes there is a mixture of such methods: for example, an hypothesis devoted to overcome a contradiction is found by abduction. Contradiction, far from damaging a system, help to indicate regions in which it can be changed and improved. I will also consider a kind of "weak" hypothesis that is hard to negate and the ways for making it easy. In these cases the subject can "rationally" decide to withdraw his or her hypotheses even in contexts where it is "impossible" to find "explicit" contradictions and anomalies. Here, the use of negation as failure (an interesting technique for negating hypotheses and accessing new ones suggested by artificial intelligence and cognitive scientists) is illuminating I. Abduction and Scientific Discovery Philosophers of science in the twentieth century have traditionally distinguished between the logic of discovery and the logic of justification. Most have conclude... ...s based on set covering model, International Journal on Man-Machine Studies, 19, pp. 443-460. C. Shelley, 1996, Visual abductive reasoning in archaeology, Philosophy of Science, 63(2), pp. 278-301. J. C. Shepherdson, 1984, Negation as failure: a comparison of Clark's completed data base and Reiter's closed world assumption, Journal of Logic Programming, 1(1), 1984, 51-79. ________, 1988, Negation in logic programming, in J. Minker (ed.), Foundations of Deductive Databases, Morgan Kaufmann, Los Altos, CA, pp. 19-88. P. Thagard, 1988, Computational Philosophy of Science, Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press. ________, 1992, Conceptual Revolutions, Princeton, NJ, Princeton University Press. ________ and C. Shelley, 1994, Limitations of current formal models of abductive reasoning, Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, forthcoming.