The Block Cave Mining Method

The Block Cave Mining Method Block caving is a large-scale underground mining method applicable to the extraction of low-grade, massive ore bodies. With the amount of literature available on block caving this report identifies the need to provide a simple understanding of the process. Understanding a production process of a block cave mine is an important aspect before getting involved with technical aspects of the mine. This report attempts to give an introduction into the production process of a block cave mine and also an understanding about block caving. The document has been split into four chapters, Chapter One gives a basic understanding of the method and highlights the considerations that have to be made before the implementation of a block cave mine. Chapter Two gives an introduction into the production process involved in a block cave mine by taking into account four major levels involved in production. The production process has been described in the form of a flow chart for simple understanding of the process. Chapter Three outlines the significance of production control and production management in order to increase productivity of the mine. Chapter Four outlines some of the safety and risks involved in a block cave mine and the necessary precautions to be taken in order to increase safety. This report has been intended to provide a simple understanding of the block cave mining method and the production process involved. This report is advocated towards a layman in block caving in view of getting an impression about the block cave mining method. Chapter One Introduction 1.1 Block Caving Block caving is an underground mining method applicable to the extraction of low-grade, massive ore bodies with the following characteristics: large vertical and horizontal dimensions, a rock mass that will break into pieces of manageable size, and a surface that is allowed to subside. These rather unique conditions limit block caving to particular types of mineral deposits. Block caving is used for extracting iron ore, low-grade copper, molybdenum  deposits, and diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes. 1.1.1 Block Caving Method A large slice of material is blasted at the base of the ore body which creates an instability within the orebody, inducing the breakdown and mobilization of ore to the production level through the breakdown of ore and waste due to the natural pattern of breakages, development of stresses in the active caving area, and the low strength of the rock mass. The size and shape of the undercut depends on the characteristics of the rock mass. Excavations are created at the production level at base of the orebody to draw out the broken material. A large amount of development expenditure is required to set up the facilities to break the lowest level of the ore body, and all the broken rock is extracted out of the block cave through a system of drawbells. Once the caving is initiated, operating cost of the block cave is very low comparable to the operating costs in open pit mining. Once caving is initiated, production can be ramped up until the production rate is almost equal to the caving rate. The undercut is advanced in the horizontal plane to create greater areas of caving for increasing the production.   Rock breakage occurs only in the caving areas, induced by undercutting, and has low drilling and blasting cost; some amount of blasting may be required at the drawpoints1  to break some of the large rocks coming through the drawbell, especially during the initial stages of draw. Most block caves these days are highly mechanized with large number of large LHDs (load-haul-dump machines) working at the lower levels, though smaller orebodies can also be caved and extracted using gravity draw systems with orepasses2  and slushers3. The development of a conventional gravity flow system of block caving involves Figure Conventional Gravity Flow System http://technology.infomine.com/reviews/BlockCaving/assets/images/BlockCaving1.jpgSource: Infomine Block Caving A spot where gravity fed ore from a higher level is loaded into hauling units A vertical or inclined passage for the downward transfer of ore A mechanical drag shovel loader an undercut where the rock mass underneath the block is fractured by blasting; drawbells beneath the undercut that gather the rock into finger raises4; finger raises that draw rock from drawbells to the grizzlies; a grizzly level where oversized blocks are caught and broken up; a lower set of finger raises that channel ore from grizzlies to chutes for train loading the finger raises are arranged like the branches of a tree, gathering ore from a large area at the undercut level and further channeling material to chutes at the haulage level; and a lowermost level where ore is prepared for train haulage and chute loading. When LHDs are used, the development required is considerably less complex and involves Undercut Levelhttp://www.edumine.com/xcourse/xblock101/docs/figures/images/10002x.jpg Extraction LevelSource: Infomine Block Caving 4 Steeply sloping openings permitting caved ore to flow down raises through grizzlies to chutes on the haulage level an undercut where the rock mass underneath the block is fractured by blasting; drawbells constructed between the undercut and extraction levels; an extraction level with drawpoints at the base of drawbells; and an ore haulage system to collect, crush and transport the ore out of the mine. Underground Mining Methods Unsupported Artificially Supported Pillar SUpported Shrink Stoping Bench and Fill Stoping Room and Pillar Sublevel Mining Longwall Mining Sublevel and Longhole Open Stoping Block and Panel Caving VCR Stoping Cut and Fill Stoping 1.1.2 History of Block Caving Late 19th century:  precursor to modern block caving developed in the Pewabic iron ore mine, Michigan, USA Early 20th century:  the block caving method developed in the USA for iron ore and then copper mining in the western states 1920s:  block caving started in Canada and Chile Late 1950s:  block caving introduced into southern African diamond mines and then chrysotile asbestos  mines Late 1960s:  LHD vehicles developed for underground mining 1970:  LHDs used with block caving at El Salvador mine, Chile 1981:  mechanised panel caving introduced in the primary ore at El Teniente mine, Chile 1990s:  planning of the new generation of block caves with larger block heights in stronger orebodies (e.g. Northparkes, Palabora) 2000s:  planning and development of super block caves under existing open pit mines (Grasberg, Chuquicamata, Bingham Canyon) and at great depth (Resolution Copper) http://www.edumine.com/xcourse/xblock101/docs/figures/images/10003x.jpg Source: Infomine Block Caving 1.2 Management Organizational Chart Mine Manager Technical Services Superintendent Technical Services Superintendent Mine Superintendent Human Resource Logistics Electrical Mechanical Cave Development Cave Production Ventilation Projects Geo-Technology Geology Survey Long Term Planner Short Term Planner Design The organizational chart might differ based on the requirements of a specific mine. 1.2.1 Managerial Responsibilities: Mine Manager is responsible for the overall management, direction and coordination of the mine and related operations. Mine Managers are also intended to provide the technical leadership in the area of underground mine engineering.   The focus of the Mine Manager should be on the following subjects Ensuring underground mining activities are conducted in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and environmental standards Complying with all safety requirements Observing all company policies and procedures Assisting with the development of production targets Ensuring production targets are met or exceeded Developing schedules, budget and ensuring these are controlled and managed effectively Monitoring production results on a progressive basis and preparing monthly progress and variance reports Maintaining effective working relationships with Contractors, Suppliers and Service Providers, and ensuring adherence to contractual requirements Developing a sense of continuous improvement Ensuring appropriate training programs are in place to meet safety and production requirements Maintaining knowledge of current statutory requirements and industry best practices and ensuring compliance at all times Interphases with other managers and superintendents as part of the management team Reviewing mining methods Implementing optimisation programs where appropriate Managing manpower levels to achieve their performance 1.3 Parameters to be considered before the implementation of cave mining Twenty five parameters that should be considered before the implementation of any cave mining operation are set out in Table 1. Many of the parameters are uniquely defined by the orebody and the mining system. No. Parameters Considerations 1 Cavability Rockmass Strength Rockmass Structure In situ stress Hydraulic radius of orebody Water 2 Primary Fragmentation Rockmass strength Geological structures Joint/fracture spacing Joint condition ratings Stress or subsidence caving Induced stress 3 Drawpoint Spacing Fragmentation Overburden load and direction Friction angles of caved particles Practical excavation size Stability of host tockmass Induced Stress 4 Draw Heights Capital Orebody geometry Excavation stability 5 Layout Fragmentaion Drawpoint spacing and size Method of draw 6 Rockburst Potential Regional and induced stresses Rockmass Strength Structures Mining Sequence 7 Sequence Cavability Orebody geometry Induced stresses Geological environment Influence on adjacent operations Rockburst potential Production requirements Water inflow No. Parameters Considerations 8 Undercutting Sequence Regional stresses Rockmass strength Rockburst potential Rate of advance Ore requirements 9 Induced Cave Stresses Regional stresses Area of undercut Shape of undercut Rate of undercutting Rate of draw 10 Drilling Blasting Rockmass strength Powder factor Rockmass stability Required fragmentation Height of undercut 11 Development Layout Sequence Production Drilling and blasting 12 Excavation Stability Rockmass strength Regional and induced stresses Rockburst potential Excavation size Draw height Mining Sequence 13 Primary Support Excavation stability Rockburst potential Brow stability 14 Practical Excavation Size Rockmass strength Insitu stress Induced stress Caving stress Secondary blasting 15 Draw Method Fragmentation Practical drawpoint spacing Practical size of excavation 16 Draw Rate Fragmentation Method of draw Percentage hangups Secondary breaking requirements 17 Drawpoint Interaction Drawpoint spacing Fragmentation Time frame of working drawpoints No. Parameters Considerations 18 Draw Column Stresses Draw-column height Fragmentation Homogenity of ore fragmentation Draw control Height-to-base ratio Direction of draw 19 Secondary Fragmentation Rock- block shape Draw height Draw rate-time dependent failure Rock-block workability Range in fragmentation size Draw control program 20 Secondary Blasting Secondary fragmentation Draw method Drawpoint size Size of equipment and grizzly spacing 21 Dilution Orebody geometry Fragmentation range of unpay ore and waste Grade distribution of pay and unpay ore Mineral distribution in ore Drawpoint interaction Secondary breaking Draw control 22 Tonnage Drawn Level interval Drawpoint spacing Dilution percentage 23 Support Repair Tonnage drawn Point and column loading Secondary blasting 24 Extraction Mineral distribution Method of draw Rate of draw Dilution percentage Ore losses 25 Subsidence Major geological structures Rockmass strength Induced stresses Depth of mining Source: Laubsher Chapter Two -Production Process 2.1 Block Cave Mining System In a Block Cave Mine there are four major levels that contribute to the production of the mine. The levels that have been taken into account here are Extraction Undercut Haulage Ventilation In a natural progression of a block cave mine the infrastructure that need to be built before the start of caving includes Primary access to the production levels (ramps and shafts) Extraction level excavations Haulage and Ventilation level excavations; and Crushing and ore transport facilities. While most of these excavations need to be created before the start of caving operations, construction of some extraction, haulage and ventilation level drifts can be planned just in advance of actual caving operations. Each of these levels is given a brief introduction and the production process for each level are outlined from collecting data from different sources. The information flow in the form of a flow chart is provided for ease of understanding the process. The information flow chart provided is implemented from personal experience and its objective is to provide an impression on the production process of an underground block cave mine. 2.2 Extraction Level The extraction level is the main production level in a block cave operation. All the ore from the block cave is drawn through draw points at the extraction level and then transferred to haulage level through a system of ore passes or a fleet of LHDs. Since this is the main production level, it is developed and supported to counter the stresses and displacements that can be expected during the life of the drawpoints at the level. The arrangement of drawpoints, drawbells and other excavations on the extraction or production level is referred to as the extraction level layout. The development of the extraction level and the drawbells creates two types of pillars. The major apex is the shaped structure or pillar above the extraction level formed between two adjacent drawpoints but separated by the extraction or production drift. The minor apex is the shaped structure or pillar formed between two adjacent drawbells on the same side of the extraction drift. The drawpoint spacing, the drawpoint width, and the distance between the undercut and extraction levels are all designed based on the fragmentation expected within the block cave. The ground support installed in the excavations at the extraction level is based on the characteristics of the rock mass and the expected stress levels at different locations. 2.2.1. Drawbells The ideal shape of the drawbell is like a bell, so that ore can flow to the drawpoint. However it is a compromise between strength and shape. The major and minor apexes must have sufficient strength to last out the life of the draw. It needs to be established how much influence the shape of the drawbell has on interaction. It has always been an empirical point that shaped drawpoints improve ore recovery as the ore should have better flow characteristics than a drawbell with vertical faces and a large flat top major apex. The time consuming operation is creating the drawbell. The undercut technique also determines the shape of the major apex and importantly the shape of the drawbell. The draw rate from the drawbells is an important factor in that it must provide space for caving; also it must not be too fast to create a large air gap and possible air-blasts. If the draw rate is too fast seismic activity will occur. Production must be based on this value and not rely on economic factors such as short term return on investment that ignores long term consequences. There is also the fact that a slow draw rate will mean improved fragmentation. 2.2.2 Extraction Level Production Process Planning Design Equipment/People Decision Making Ground Support Drawbells Drifts Ground Support Development Pathways Ventilation Ventilation Blast Hang ups Drawpoint Undercutting Secondary Blasting Ore Removal LHDs Ore pass full Ore Pass Haulage Level Secondary Ore pass Crusher 2.3 Undercut Level The process of undercutting creates instability at the base of the block being caved. Block cave mining is based on the principle that when a sufficiently large area of a block has been undercut by drilling and blasting, the overlying block of ore will start to cave under the influence of gravity. The process will continue until caving propagates through the entire block surface or to the open pit above, unless a stable shape is achieved. The purpose of the undercut level is therefore to remove a slice of sufficient area near the base of the block to start the caving of the ore above. The undercut level is developed at the base of the block to be caved. The caving of the block is initiated by mining an undercut area until the hydraulic radius of the excavation reaches a critical value. As the broken ore above it will collapse into the void so created. Vertical propagation of the cave will then occur in response to the continued removal of broken ore through the active drawpoints. The horizontal propagation of the cave will occur as more drawpoints are brought into operation under the undercut area. 2.3.1 Undercutting Undercutting is the most important process in cave mining. As not only is a complete undercut necessary to induce a cave, but the design and the sequencing of the undercut is important to reduce the effects of the induced abutment stress. It is essential that the undercut is continuous and it should not be advanced is there is a possibility that pillars will be left. This rule which is often ignored owing to the problems in re-drilling holes, results in the leaving of pillars resulting in the collapse of large areas and consequent high ore losses. The undercut technique also determines the shape of the major apex and importantly the shape of the drawbell. Care must be taken that there is no stacking of large blocks on the major apex as this could prevent cave propagation. 2.3.2 Undercutting Techniques Conventional The conventional undercutting sequence is to develop the drawbell and then to break the undercut into the drawbell. Henderson Technique The Henderson Mine technique of blasting the drawbell with long holes from the undercut level just ahead of blasting the undercut reduces the time interval in which damage can occur. They have also found it necessary to delay the development of the drawbell drift until the drawbell has to be blasted. Advance Undercut The advance undercut technique means that the drawpoints and drawbells are developed after the undercut has passed over, so that the abutment stresses are located in the massive rock mass with only the production drift. 2.3.3 Undercut Level Production Process Design Planning Development Equipment/People Decision Making Ground Support Ventilation Drifts Pathways Undercutting Ore Removal Haulage Level LHDs Crusher Muck Removal LHDs Ore Pass Waste Dump 2.4 Haulage and Ventilation Level The haulage and ventilation levels lie below the extraction level. They need to be developed with adequate excavations to handle the quantity of broken ore and ventilating air streams required for the designed production rates, equipment and manpower employed within the block cave. Facilities for storing, crushing and conveying the broken ore to the mill need to be developed at the haulage level. The larger excavations required for the crushers, ore bins and conveyor transfer stations need to be located outside the zone of influence of the stresses due to the block cave, and adequate ground support will need to be installed to ensure that the excavations are stable during their expected life. The excavations and levels must be placed far enough apart so that there is limited interaction between numerous excavations created to move the ore from the production level to the milling facilities at the surface. 2.4.1 Haulage Level Much of the development of the infrastructure for a block cave operation is completed during the pre-production stage though some haulage lines and ventilation drifts and raises may be deferred to later in the life of the block cave. Scheduling the development of haulage and ventilation drifts needs careful planning so that the required facilities are in-place well in advance of their requirement. Though there is some flexibility in the development of these levels since they are different elevations and lie below the extraction level, the preliminary layouts need to be prepared so that the flow of materials, ore and ventilating air can be integrated without interruption as the block cave progresses. 2.4.2 Ventilation Level Ventilation Levels are normally developed between the haulage and the extraction levels. During the development phase air is streamed through the undercut and extraction levels to the working faces and exhausted through the raises to the ventilation level. During production, air is coursed through the extraction level and exhausted through the ventilation raises to the exhaust side of the ventilation level. Additional air is provided at the working areas through ventilation raises which connect to the intake of the ventilation level 2.4.3 Haulage Level Information Chart Scoop Ore Removal Haulage Level Haul Distance Optimization LHDs Crusher Figure Haulage Level Information Chart 2.4.4 Ventilation Level Information Chart Auxillary Ventilation Intake Raise Exhaust Raise Fresh Air Exhaust Air Drifts Pathways Fans/Vent Ducts Chapter Three Production Control 3.1 Departments in a block cave mine involved in Production Control Design Planning Geology Geo-technology Ventilation Maintenance Cave Development/Production Survey Construction Electrical Mechanical Human Resource Safety In a Mine Environment each and every department plays a crucial role to keep the Mine running and to meet the production targets. Problems associated with these departments no matter how small they may be contribute damage in their own way to dampen the production. Production planning for block cave operations can be complex. The factors to be considered include geotechnical constraints, cave shape, draw point development sequence, draw point productivity, production block limits such as loader capacity and ore pass capacity and variable shut-off grade mining costs. The nature of the problem also changes during the life of a cave from initial production build up to final closure. Overall objective for production planning should be to maximize productivity, some of the aspects of production planning include Minimum/Maximum tonnage per period Maximum total tonnage per draw point Ratio of tonnage from current drawpoint compared with other drawpoints. Height of draw of current draw point with respect to other drawpoints Percentage drawn for current draw point with respect to other drawpoints Maximum tonnage from selected groups of drawpoints in a period. 3.2. Production Control Major Concerns 3.2.1 Fragmentation Rock fragmentation is the fragment size distribution of blasted rock material, in caving operations fragmentation has a bearing on Drawpoint spacing Dilution entry into the draw column Draw control Drawpoint productivity Secondary blasting/breaking costs Secondary blasting damage Primary Fragmentation Caving results in primary fragmentation which can be defined as the particle size that separates from the cave back and enters the draw column. The data to be considered for the calculation of the primary fragmentation is In situ rock mass ratings Intact rock strength Mean joint spacing and maximum and minimum spacing Orientation of cave front Induced stresses Secondary Fragmentation Secondary fragmentation is the reduction in size of the primary fragmentation particle as it moves down through the draw column. The processes to which particles are subjected to, determine the fragmentation size distribution in the drawpoints. The data to be considered for the calculation of the primary fragmentation is The effect of fines cushioning Draw strategy and draw rate Rock block strength Shape of fragments Frictional properties of fragments Column height Fragmentation is the major factor that determines productivity from a drawpoint. Fine material will ensure high productivity. 3.2.2 Draw control Draw control is one of the major concerns that need to be optimized in order to increase productivity of the mine. Geomechanical issues related to draw control have played a dominant role in efforts to reduce stress and improve fragmentation and reduce dilution. Draw control is the practice of controlling the tonnages drawn from individual drawpoints with the object of Minimising dilution and maintaining the planned ore grade. Ensuring maximum ore recovery with minimum dilution. Avoiding damaging load concentrations on the extraction horizon. Avoiding the creation of conditions that could lead to air blasts or mud-rushes. The following have to be considered for draw control strategy in order to maximize productivity, Any factors observed during the start of caving that will influence the planned caving and drawdown processes. Control the draw from the first tonnage into the drawpoint. Define the potential tonnages and grades that will be available from each drawpoint. The draw control system must be fully operational. Confirm that the planned draw strategy is correct. The recording and analysis of the tonnages drawn, this important aspect is often not treated with the required respect. Managing the draw by following the adopted draw strategy. Define how the control is to be monitored, maintained and audited. Planning for how the draw column would behave with time. An estimation of the remaining tonnages and grade for future production scheduling and planning. Personnel must be aware of the definition of isolated drawpoint. Ensure the drawpoints are clearly and correctly identified underground. There must be reporting system to record and describe why allocated drawpoints have not been drawn. Ensure secondary breakings are done effectively and efficiently. Develop standard procedure for close drawpoints. Draw control is what block caving is about, the reasons for and the principles of draw control must be clearly understood by all operating personnel. Preparation of orebody must be done in a sound way so that preventable problems do not hamper the draw control. 3.2.3 Secondary Breaking Irrespective of the method of primary blasting employed, it may be necessary to reblast a proportion of the rock which can then be handled by the loading, hauling and crushing system. There are four types of problems that cause a need for secondary breaking, High hang-ups are where a large fragment lies across the entrance to the draw bell up to 19m above the footwall. This type of hang up is very rare though, and it is more common that this will only occur up to a distance of 5 m above the draw point floor. Rock jumble is where several ore fragments of rock smaller than two cubic meters form an arch in a drawbell. This is found to occur especially in the troat of the drawpoint. Low hang up is a large fragment of over two cubic metres hanging in the troat or on the floor of a draw point clocking the flow of ore. Draw point oversize is any large fragment over two cubic metres on the floor of a draw point and effectively prevents loading by LHDs. Some of the techniques that are in use for secondary breaking are as follows, Concussion blasting Drill and blast Emulsion secondary blasting Robust hydro fracturing breaking system There are many products on the market today that promise effective secondary breaking of both hang-ups and boulders, including cone packs, the quick draw system, the boulder buster and the penetrating cone fracture technique. In order to choose a secondary breaking method with respect to productivity the following need to considered and evaluated, Explosive quantities Labour and Equipment requirements Fragmentation Safety 3.3 Significance of Production Management

Evaluating the Main Theories of Counseling Essay -- Counseling/Therapy

This essay will attempt to highlight and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the three main theories of counselling within the module covered this term. The three approaches in discussion are psychodynamics, cognitive behavioural and humanistic. The psychodynamic theory originated from Sigmund Freud, a medical doctor and philosopher (1856 - 1939) founded in the 1900s. Freud developed his ideas whilst working as a psychiatrist in Vienna, collecting information from his patients such as feelings, thoughts and early childhood experiences. The psychodynamic theory focuses on the unconscious mind. Freud’s credence is that different mental forces operate in the mind. The unconscious mind can be described as being like an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg represents the part of the mind that is conscious, everyday thoughts. The iceberg just below the water’s surface represents the pre conscious, thoughts and information that can be retrieved easily. And finally the base of the iceberg is the unconscious part of the mind where fears, traumas and bad experiences are contained, almost impossible to retrieve. Freud argued that slips of the tongue are repressed expressions made by the person unknowingly. The term used for this is a Freudian slip. Freud emphasized that early childhood experiences are important to the development of the adult personality, proposing that childhood development took place over five stages; oral, anal. Phallic, latent and genital. The phallic stage is the most important stage which contains the Oedipus complex. This is where the child (age 4 - 6 yrs) posses the opposite sex parent and wants rid of the same sex parent. Freud argued that if the conflict is not resolved in childhood then it could cause ... ... objectively discoverable facts. This essay has discussed the three main approaches in counselling, looking at both strengths and weaknesses of each. It is evident that every theory is embedded in historical and cultural issues. Although the three approaches have the same initial focus, to enable clients to make conscious their personal meanings and bring them into a place of awareness. It is clear that there is no right or wrong approach, each has contributed to science and society. Works Cited PENNINGTON, D ( 2002) , Introducing Psychology: Approaches, Topics and Methods MALAN, H, D, ( 1979 ) , Individual Psychotherapy and the science of Psychodynamics, Oxford GROSS, R, ( 2005 ), Psychology, The science of mind and behaviour, London. Piotrowski, NA 2005, Psychology Basics, Salem Press, eBook Collection, EBSCOhost, viewed 25 August 2011.

Language and Communication Essay

Choosing a college is one of the most difficult choices you can make in regards to your career and there are many facets which need to be looked at when making that decision. Since we have a similar career path, I wanted to take the time to share with you the many different reasons why I chose Western Governors University as my college of choice. Credited certification courses, online access, flexible scheduling, expediting graduation date, and cost were all major factors I considered when I chose WGU. Information Technology certifications many times can still be a requirement that employers look for, even if you have a degree, as I know, it is also one of your major concerns. WGU offers industry certifications as a part of their course curriculum, which is one of the only colleges to do this. They include many of the different types of certifications depending on your learning track like Microsoft, CIW, CompTia, and Oracle. By incorporating them into the courses it enhances your resume, not only by the ability to declare your education but also that you have certifications that showcases your knowledge within the information technology industry, giving you an edge. Having an outstanding online program with easy access to the certification and course material was another advantage of choosing WGU, which is another concern you raised due to your current travel demands with your job. The online presence offered by WGU is the best that I have seen and having used it for the last year, and I know firsthand its quality and accessibility. Whether I am in the hotel, a rest stop, or having lunch at work I can access all my program information. Furthermore, they utilize Pearson, Task Stream, course mentorship, online communities, and workshops and have an extensive online library. The online dashboard outlines your entire degree program, course descriptions, emails, course contacts, degree tracking, and financial aid information. Overall the quality of the online functionality is the best, and will help ensure your experience is a great one. By having a well laid out online degree program not only assists you gaining, access but also actually helps you stay on track with flexible scheduling. With a busy work schedule, I am not bound by offsite classrooms, conference calls, or online live classes which can be mandatory for some schools; I pick the time to work on my education. Having this flexibility is key as I move forward in my current job meeting its demands, and meeting my education demands as well. Whether it is before work, lunchtime, after work, or weekends it is up to myself to find the time when it allows. Also, meeting the demands of an active family life can be very difficult to manage. With on-demand materials, when you want them, you can maintain a normal family lifestyle. To be empowered with flexibility of scheduling your classes online, along with a dynamic, robust education platform, make Western Governors a clear choice. Even though flexible scheduling is an import aspect of WGU when considering a college, the power to expedite your graduation date is just as important. When you sign up with WGU, you select your courses that match your degree program and can control what semesters you would like to take at that time. Once you have completed all your courses for a semester, you can still take additional courses within that semester. By utilizing the pre-assessments within the online dashboard, you can pre-qualify what you know about the course and move forward with the test, completing the whole course in days rather than months. This is great if the course is on something you have already established industry knowledge in the work place. Another great aspect is that if you already have certifications that you have earned, you can get credit for it, thus fulfilling a credit course. Being able to expedite your graduation is a huge value in saving your time, efforts and, most importantly, costs. College tuition has been on the rise over the years, and choosing a school that provides a top knowledge education, that is credited, sums up yet another reason for choosing WGU. They have a unique cost-cutting education system where you pay by the semester, not by each credit. So as you complete each course and then add more within that semester, you can actually reduce your overall cost for that degree. There are also savings found when you do not have to take additional certification classes and tests outside of your normal tuition, because it is all included. Another cost saving piece is that the school provides all the course materials for free, the books for each class is provided electronically. You save on commuting, as well as room and board which can also add to the bottom line of your education costs. The value of going to WGU for a top quality education is an undeniable benefit to you and your family, and should be a major factor in your decision. The decision to go to school or going back to complete your education can be a daunting task and one not to be taken lightly. But with your own research, you will find out what I have, that WGU is the best answer to your quest for success. With the certification built into the program, it just makes sense not to duplicate learning tracks. Online access gives you the resource to control your education and gives you a wider, flexible schedule to work with. Expediting your graduation date can only speed up and increase career opportunities. Finally, the cost comparison between a campus college verses an online education at WGU will give you the sense of value for the money spent well. Western Governors University is one of the fastest growing, premier online schools, providing a great education in a timely manner and results that will enhance your career.

Free Essays on Womens Role In Confucianism And Taoism, Within The Patriarchal Society Of China

Women’s Role in Confucianism and Taoism, Within the Patriarchal Society of China China is an extremely patriarchal society. The female is generally viewed as weak, dark, and subservient whereas the male is viewed as strong, hot, and dominant. Confucianism encourages this patriarchal society by placing the woman in a servant-like role. Contrary to Confucianism, Taoism places the woman in a mysterious, natural form. Although Confucianism and Taoism have opposing views of woman, they also have some similar ideologies. Confucianism describes the relationship between husband and wife to be a master/servant relationship. The male’s role is to protect his wife while the wife’s role is to serve her husband. Confucians live in a partilocal society where the wife moves into the husbands’ home. The wife is to practice selfless virtue and serve her husband. â€Å"Let a woman modestly yield to others; let her respect others, let her put others first, herself last. Should she do something good, let her not mention it; should she do something bad, let her not deny it. Let her bear disgrace; let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her. Always let her seem to tremble and to fear.† (EWBR 193)Contrastingly, in Taoism’s Tao te ching, the female versus male roles are to be an equality of opposites. There is harmony amongst the sexes. There should be balance, not victory over each other. The two sides depend on each other for existence; there is complimentary dualism. The woman is viewed as positive, the essence of creativeness and potentiality for the eternal. Although very opposite in the roles of women in society, Confucianism and Taoism have similar general views of women. The woman is looked at as weak and soft and is associated with the earth where the male is strong and hard and is associated with heaven. These views are analogous yet the meanings behind them are very different. In Confucianism, the Ear... Free Essays on Womens Role In Confucianism And Taoism, Within The Patriarchal Society Of China Free Essays on Womens Role In Confucianism And Taoism, Within The Patriarchal Society Of China Women’s Role in Confucianism and Taoism, Within the Patriarchal Society of China China is an extremely patriarchal society. The female is generally viewed as weak, dark, and subservient whereas the male is viewed as strong, hot, and dominant. Confucianism encourages this patriarchal society by placing the woman in a servant-like role. Contrary to Confucianism, Taoism places the woman in a mysterious, natural form. Although Confucianism and Taoism have opposing views of woman, they also have some similar ideologies. Confucianism describes the relationship between husband and wife to be a master/servant relationship. The male’s role is to protect his wife while the wife’s role is to serve her husband. Confucians live in a partilocal society where the wife moves into the husbands’ home. The wife is to practice selfless virtue and serve her husband. â€Å"Let a woman modestly yield to others; let her respect others, let her put others first, herself last. Should she do something good, let her not mention it; should she do something bad, let her not deny it. Let her bear disgrace; let her even endure when others speak or do evil to her. Always let her seem to tremble and to fear.† (EWBR 193)Contrastingly, in Taoism’s Tao te ching, the female versus male roles are to be an equality of opposites. There is harmony amongst the sexes. There should be balance, not victory over each other. The two sides depend on each other for existence; there is complimentary dualism. The woman is viewed as positive, the essence of creativeness and potentiality for the eternal. Although very opposite in the roles of women in society, Confucianism and Taoism have similar general views of women. The woman is looked at as weak and soft and is associated with the earth where the male is strong and hard and is associated with heaven. These views are analogous yet the meanings behind them are very different. In Confucianism, the Ear...

Piaget Theories Essay

Piaget Theories Essay Free Online Research Papers People all over the world, through every generation, have watched in awe as infants that lack any real ability blossom into emotional, social, intelligent children. Many have wondered how it is that infants make this amazing transformation but few have moved past their wonder into a search for answers. Even fewer have found answers to these questions that are so profound that they have shaped how the world views childrens developmental processes. Jean Piaget is one of those few; he has shaped our understanding of the journey that children make. It is our desire to discover, explore, play with, and share Piagets theories in this essay. At the outset of researching Piaget, we hoped to gain knowledge of who he was as a person, but his work is so compelling that history remembers Jean Piagets work rather than Jean Piaget the man. The only item that we found regarding Piaget as a person was â€Å"The children favored being tested by Piaget in preference to anyone else, because he had an easy and informal manner, and really seemed interested in their responses. His behavior was a big change from the standard testing methods of that time, in which the answers were the only thing of importance. I believe that Piaget had strong inter-personal skills, as he was able to interact well with others and put them at ease.(www.users.muohio.edu) Without the benefit of obtaining personal knowledge regarding Piaget we will remand our information in this regard to historical fact. Piaget was born in 1896 in Neuchà ¢tel, Switzerland and in his childhood developed many scholarly interests including the study of mollusks, sea shells and animal life. Piaget pursued these interests in earnest, writing his first scientific paper at age 10 regarding his observations of an albino sparrow. Quite an impressive accomplishment! It was to be the first of hundreds of papers and over 60 books that Piaget would write on various fields of scientific study. These early interests in animal life proved to be a lifelong pursuit and led Piaget to obtain a degree in zoology from the University of Neuchà ¢tel in 1918 at the age of 22. Seeking to broaden his areas of study, Piaget moved to Zà ¼rich and under the tutelage of Carl Jung, explored the field of psychology. Having developed an interest in this field, Piaget once again moved; this time to Paris to study at the Sorbonne with Alfred Binet. It is all well and good to know the history of Piagets life but up to this point in his history there was nothing that would tie him to the study of children. Finally, we arrive at our destination, the question of why Piaget studied children. He found his impetus in work that he did evaluating the results of childrens intelligent tests and he was intrigued to find that children consistently failed at certain questions at certain ages. And that was that, he was hooked and shifted towards studying children in an effort to find the origins of knowledge, otherwise known as epistemology. People choose careers of interest everyday and in most cases; it is of little consequence to the world as a whole when they do so. Piagets career choice in contrast, was to have deep and lasting effects on what we know about how children learn. Through many years of observation and interaction with children Piaget formed theories that based childrens cognition on their interaction with the world at large. To us, this means play; because that is the main way in which children interact with the world. To say that Piagets major contribution to the world of child development is that they play would be an oversimplification and would do him a disservice so we will elaborate. According to the website Open Learn (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk) Piaget played a central role in the development of the view that play may be of crucial importance in childrens cognitive development. Piagets theories about learning emphasized the need for children to explore and experiment for themselves. For Piaget, play was a means by which children could develop and refine concepts before they had the ability to think in the abstract. Play was something that older children who have developed abstract thinking no longer needed. This gives us an overview of part of Piagets theory but we must explore the stages set forth in the theory to obtain a better understanding. Piaget observed various stages within a childs journey towards higher levels of cognition as follows: Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years): Child is purely a physical being and has no ability to understand or reason. All reactions that the child has are reflexive, meaning that there is no thought to them. Physical actions that occur naturally during this time expand the range of responses of the child through assimilation. Assimilation is a term that describes taking external stimulus and internalizing it and simplifying it to fit categories already developed in the childs head rather than creating new categories as necessary. During the latter part of the sensorimotor stage the child has learned that people and objects continue to exist outside of their line of sight, a concept called object permanence. This is demonstrated in the good old game of peek a boo. Children act surprised when a person disappears behind their hands and laugh when they reappear. Even as adults we would be quite entertained or frightened if we truly believed that a person had actually disappeared! As the book Theo ries of Childhood states â€Å"This is the first burst of the joy of learning† (pg. 65). As you can see, this explains the necessity of play as a tool of learning in the sensorimotor stage when children are purely physical beings and have no concept of anything abstract. Physical stimulation is the most valid form for children under two years of age to learn. Therefore, without play a child would not learn much in the first two years of life and their progression into other stages of cognitive development would be adversely affected. Preoperational Stage (2-7): The preoperational stage is so named because one of the major functions that a child is lacking it the ability to mentally â€Å"apply the operation of identity† (Martin Fabes 2009) which is to ascertain that a shape can be reversed back into its original shape. Through symbolic representation, children begin to be able to mentally assign representations to objects and people. Although the child can represent things mentally, they have yet to obtain the ability to form abstract thoughts. Children in this stage are egocentric and cant understand the world as others might see it. To prove egocentrism, Piaget developed a test in which children sat in a chair and looked at three mountains of progressively increasing heights with a stuffed animal sitting in a chair directly across from them. The child was then asked to view the mountains from the stuffed animals vantage point and to state which view the stuffed animal saw. The child would most often res pond that the view that the stuffed animal saw was that of their (the childs) original vantage point. Another key point in development comes when childrens understanding begins to expand through accommodation. Accommodation occurs when new information is taken in and existing ideas or categories are changed, accommodated, to fit that information. In previous stages of development children do not change their ideas to fit external information; they assimilate the information to meet preexisting categories. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11): Piaget theorized that in this stage children begin to use logic and reasoning. Abstract reasoning becomes possible which allows children to problem solve using an ever growing set of symbols. Children gain the ability to form concepts of their own accord and to accept concepts that demonstrate logic and reasoning. The ability to perform conservation tasks is formed. One of the methods that Piaget used to prove conservationism was to set out two rows of the same type of coins for children to explore. The rows of coins contained the same number of coins but one row was spaced differently, creating the illusion that it contained more coins. A child that has not reached the concrete operational stage when asked which row had more coins would respond that the row with the greater spacing has more coins. When a child reaches the concrete operational stage and understands conservationism would respond that both row had an equal number of coins. This type o f experiment aids in development by taking an abstract idea and making it real to the child. We propose that this would aid in bridging the gap from abstract theory by introducing symbolic play. Those coins act as symbols that a child can learn to understand which would eventually lead to children using symbols in their own mind to bring to life abstract ideas. Formal Operational Stage (12+): In this stage of cognition children come very close to the reasoning and logical abilities of an adult. Children do not require concrete symbols to form reasoning and instead use a process of deductive thinking, in which they use logic to deduce outcomes. Children are now able to think hypothetically and abstractly. In addition children can now think in terms of future developments, including their own future life possibilities. The information listed above is a broad overview of Piagets theories and explores some of the key elements and events of cognition in childhood. Piaget spent a good portion of his life dedicated to this study and made many more discoveries than we are able to mention here. One additional piece of information that should be considered in regard to the stages of cognition is that A chief tenet of Piagets theory is that these stages do not vary in order, cannot be skipped, and should not be rushed. (www.nndb.com). what a wonderful way to state that a child should progress in their own time without undue pressure to perform. Now that we have introduced Piagets theories of cognition we are free to explore how they interface with play and social and emotional development. To begin with we should note that â€Å"Play is NOT the same as learning; cognitive development requires both assimilation and adaptation, while play is assimilation without accommodation.† (www.uwgb.edu). While we agree that play is not learning, we would like to propose that it facilitates learning by guiding children through real life experiences which they can begin to use as symbolic representations of different scenarios. This is evidenced in the following quotes from Piaget regarding play: â€Å"It is primarily affective conflicts that appear in symbolic play. If there is a scene at lunch, for example, one can be sure that an hour or two afterward it will be recreated with dolls and will be brought to a happier solution. If the child has been frightened by a dog, in a symbolic game things will be arranged so that dogs will no longer be mean or children will become brave† (www.uwbg.edu) â€Å"Initially imbued with play symbolism but tend later to constitute genuine adaptations or solutions to problems and intelligent creations† ( www.uwbg.edu) In a module regarding Piaget, Weber State University (WSU) (www.weber.edu) sets forth some compelling demonstrations that endorse Piagets belief in play. Included in those demonstrations are that children use play to overcome egocentrism through repeated social interactions which allow the child to become conscious of others needs, interests and goals. In addition â€Å"assimilation and accommodation are both included in the interaction which unites the individual child to the environment and the childs reality. The give and take in play and imitation is one way that the child learns about the childs world.† Children can use play to understand symbols, a good example of this is dress up, when children play dress up they are using physical symbols to play out their inner world. In our view, one of the most important things that WSU sets forth is that play gives children first hand experiences and we believe that experience creates understanding beyond what can be spoken. The senses are attached to memory; touch, taste and smell in particular create lasting impressions and concrete memories for children, which they can use in the journey towards assimilation and accommodation. Anyone that has ever spent any length of time with a child knows that you can talk to them until you are blue in the face without transferring understanding; but show a child something and they will grab that new knowledge and run with it and build on it. The last subject that we have to explore is how Piagets theories addressed social and emotional development. We must remember Piagets background at this time and understand that cognition, particularly the origin of knowledge, was Piagets attraction to studying children. In this being Piagets focus, we find that he did not place any great emphasis on the topics of social and emotional development. There is some evidence that Piaget believed that social development was gained through the stages that he theorized. For example, the website Education.com states â€Å"Although Piaget (1962) felt that play has a primary role in the child’s development, he placed little emphasis on play as a factor in the child’s responses to the social environment. Nevertheless, he saw a role for peer interactions within play for social-cognitive development. More specifically, play interactions helped children understand that other players have perspectives different than their own. Play, f or Piaget, provides children with opportunities to develop social competence through ongoing interactions. (www.education.com) The absence of emphasis on social and emotional development has been cause for some to be critical of Piagets work. We must agree that to discount the emotional and social development of a child is to have only part of the story. We believe that analyzing children as whole beings would be greatly advantageous and may have enhanced Piagets theories. That being said, we recognize and respect that Piagets passion was the origin of knowledge, not of emotion or social relations and we are grateful that this passion compelled him to make advances in the field of child development that had not been explored previously. The lack of depth in these areas has given rise to some criticism of Piagets work. Indeed, there are several areas that modern research has found that Piaget may have improved upon, such as better distinguishing competence versus performance and further exploring the stages of development in relation to necessary milestones for development. In closing, we find that Piaget was a pioneer in child development studies and that his research has had profound and lasting effects on our understanding of children and on our interactions with them. Indeed, this is strongly stated in a quote from an anonymous scholar that stated â€Å"assessing the impact of Piaget on developmental psychology is like assessing the impact of Shakespeare on English literature or Aristotle on philosophy – impossible.† We have found that this sentiment is widely felt and we too, employ this as our view. Sources: users.muohio.edu/shermalw/honors_2001_fall/honors_papers_2000/duffey.html http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=397481section=1.2.3 Discovering Child Development; 2009, Carol Lynn Martin Richard Fabes nndb.com/people/359/000094077/ uwgb.edu/hughesf/Theories%20of%20Play.htm http://departments.weber.edu/chfam/4990a/Theoryplay.html education.com/reference/article/play-social-emotional-development/ Research Papers on Piaget Theories EssayEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenStandardized TestingInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseResearch Process Part OneThree Concepts of PsychodynamicGenetic EngineeringRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Islamic architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Islamic architecture - Essay Example The early Islamic architecture was inspired by and reflected both secular and religious and secular styles. However, with the increase in the industrial development, and the increase in population, the contemporary Islamic architecture has transformed and has forgotten its traditional / cultural roots. The objective of this research is to identify and study the islamic architecture from the past to the present. With the help of examples from the post-islamization era and the contemporary urbanized Islamic world, the research will compare the transformation of the Islamic architecture. What are the major features of the contemporary Islamic architecture? Are they in alliance with the features of the past era? Does the present features reflect the tradtion and culture of Islam and traditional Islamic architecture? In order to conduct this research, the study will primararily be based upon online data banks, books, and online Islamic Architectural archives. It will also utilize help from past researches and studies on the subject. However, it is not feasible to travel to the mentioned Islamic architectures for the purpose of this research. Architecture is considered as an important element of an culture, society, or religion. From the foundation of Islam to present day, the Islamic architecture has witnessed huge transformations and serious changes in its design and features. These transformations are increasing day by day and the the traditional Islamic architecture is losing its charm and may become obsolete. Keeping this situation in mind, there is an avid need of study / research that can assess and evaluate the reasons behind the changes and transformations of the new concepts and designs being introduced in the Islamic architectural world. In order to conduct this study, the qualitative research methodology willbe utilized.

How the civil rights movement affected Greensboro NC Research Paper

How the civil rights movement affected Greensboro NC - Research Paper Example The extent of the segregation was very significant that it was even evidenced among the dead with the bodies of the whites and those of blacks required to be buried on different cemeteries (Greene 43). These laws humiliated the African Americans and they started the path to rejecting the laws in the 1930s although the impact was minimal until the nineteen 1960 when the protests and Civil Rights movements became a national issue. In 1960, a series of events were evidenced in North Carolina that played a significant role towards the beginning of Civil Rights Movement with the events gaining national recognition. These events include the Greensboro Sit-in as well as Ku Klux Klan Versus Communist Workers Party in 1979 among others. Other groups that played a significant role towards Civil Rights Movements in North Carolina include the HBCU evidenced in A&T and Bennet proving vital in the struggle of integration throughout the region. Before embarking on the one of the events that occurred in North Carolina to spark the Civil Rights Movement in the region, it is important to note that those events received sponsorships from various organizations. The sponsorships ensured the activities of the civil rights movements remained energize and effectively organized while also remaining focused (Greene 129). These groups includes The Congress Racial Equality that is associated with sponsoring Freedom Rides through 1961together with black as well as white bus riders in Greyhounds and Trailways buses who challenged segregation among others. Inspiration was also drawn from civil rights leaders among them Doctor Martin Luther King JR who advocated for non-violent as well as peaceful protests. The first major event during the year 1960 refers to the Greensboro Sit-ins that played a significant role in provoking all sorts of emotions across the nation as they received national wide focus and remain a significant part of the American civil