Game Theories Essay Example for Free

Game Theories Essay In â€Å"Game theories†, Clive Thomson contrasts the differences and similarities between the real world and that of the gaming world, through his depiction and analysis of the economics in both environments. To further drive Thomson’s insight, As a group we discussed two main points that are integral in understanding his perspective on the matter. One, the idea of an â€Å"economical pure model,† a scenario that is present in the gaming world as all individuals are born equal. Two, corruption- the idea that venality exists, and can exist the same way in the gaming world. The existence of both of these topics solidifies Thomson’s claims and can be explored through various examples and scenarios. As Smith states, â€Å"people inherently prefer a free market and the ability to rise above others,† a market that is non-existent as the world offers no â€Å"truly level playing field. † As individuals, we are born into an unpredictable environment that varies immensely between people. Whether the variation occurs in status, finance or cultural demographic, it’s impossible to create a baseline where we can interpret all as equal. â€Å"Capital was inherently unfair and those with power would abuse it,† thus there is no â€Å"pristine world† that exists. However, the gaming world offers individuals with the opportunity to begin as equals. There is no advantage to birth in this surreal world, and thus creating â€Å"the world’s first egalitarian polity. This ideal world is enjoyed by the millions of gaming fanatics who enjoy the undoing of â€Å"all the inequities in society,† something which can only be dreamt about in our world today. Ironically, the corruption that exists in our reality is also mirrored in the gaming community. Players can create businesses within the game, whether clean or dirty, a player can acquire currency through their endeavours. For example, certain individuals within the highly popular simulation game ca lled The Sims Online, a player developed a chain of brothels which led to sizeable profit in gaming currency. Another created a mafia that had the ability to red flag other players and eventually push them to be blacklisted leaving them isolated from other fellow gamers. Through the gaming worlds creation of an egalitarian polity we are shown the existence of an economic pure model in a surreal environment. Corruption that exists in society today is also equally present in the gaming world, that which is produced by the player. Both of these topics were openly discussed and used to further empower Thomson’s contrast of both worlds.

Suicide in Northern Canada: A Sociological Perspective

Suicide in Northern Canada: A Sociological Perspective Suicide in Northern Canada: A Sociological Perspective from Two Contrasting Views Joel Ontiveros I. Introduction A growing suicide problem has plagued an indigenous community in northern Canada. Different indigenous communities have had a spike in suicide and attempted suicide due to many social and economic issues. In this essay, I aim to contrast two sociological perspectives of Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx in relation to how and why the native population in northern Canada is having a suicide crisis. II. Suicide in Northern Canada In the Pimicikamak Cree Nation in northern Canada there have been six deaths from suicide within the first months of 2016. In addition to these there have been one hundred and forty attempted suicides within the same indigenous community. According to the New York Times article, [a] Wave of Indigenous Suicides Leaves Canadian Town Appealing for Help, author Liam Stack claims that this wave of suicides is attributed to a faulty relationship between the Canadian government and the native community. The area residents live in extreme poverty and have an unemployment rate of eighty-five percent. Moreover, the native communities poverty leads to a sense of alienation from the non-native southern Canadians who live a more comfortable life. The community and other native communities in northern Canada receive no government investments and do not have access to employment. In addition, there are no hospitals and mental health institutions for hundreds of miles away from the communities. The community, only [has one] fill-time mental health worker [who] has no medical or psychological training, just a bachelors degree in social work.[1] Stack claims that the lack of government cooperation with the communities and trauma from colonialism is what led up to this epidemic. In retrospect, the natives were forced into an alien culture and were stripped of their ancient culture. III. Solidarity and Anomic Suicide From a historical point of view, Emile Durkheim would argue that the spike in suicides in northern Canada is a result of the historical transformation from a more primitive mechanical society to [a] more organic society.[2] Durkheim claimed that a mechanical society is attached together by the common duty that everybody merely does the same type of things. In a mechanical society, all individuals would have a job to fulfill, such as hunting or gathering. This mechanical solidarity would result in individuals having a place in society and feeling a sense of belonging. It is evident that before the Americas were colonized, the natives lived in a mechanical solidarity system that consisted in every individual having a role. These determined roles focused on the collective and did not emphasize individualism. In contrast, once a society has a larger amount of people with more interaction, what Durkheim termed dynamic density, then that society will convert to an organic solidarity, Addit ionally, a division of labor is a factor in this social paradigm. The society becomes more efficient in production because the division of labor demands that the majority of individuals become specialized at a certain task. He believed that anomie happens in an organic society, which is defined as A sense associated with organic solidarity, of not knowing what one is expected to do; of being adrift in society without any clear and secure moorings.[3] Indeed, the native population in northern Canada has become a victim of organic solidarity. The lack of government resources and jobs leads individuals to feel alienated. These individuals do not have a place in modern society because of the lack of jobs and the improper assimilation that was inhumane in the first place, and did not fully incorporate the natives into the European Canadian society. In Durkheims book Suicide, he argued that people a more likely to kill themselves when they do not know what is expected of them.[4] He created categories of suicide that explain why suicide happens. One of his four types of suicide is termed anomic suicide, which he defined as: People are more likely to kill themselves when they do not know what is expected of them, where regulation is low, and they are largely free to run wild. This mad pursuit is likely to prove unsatisfying and, as a result, a higher percentage of people in such a situation are apt to commit this type of suicide.[5] It is evident that the general suicides in northern Canada can be linked to anomic suicide. The individuals do not have access to jobs or resources and live in a society that constantly promotes individualism. The lack of not knowing what to do with oneself, could lead to many existential dilemmas that repressed societies must confront. IV. Class Conflict In a contrasting sociological view, one could link a spike of suicides in northern Canada to the alienation of individuals from class conflict. Karl Marx argued that under capitalism, individuals become alienated from their family, friends, and coworkers, because of a constant conflict between the workers and capitalists. The workers or proletariat have a subsistent wage that merely lets them survive, the majority of natives living in northern Canada do not even have jobs because of an 85% unemployment rate. The natives could be labeled as the lumpenproletariat, or individuals that are below the workers, who may be constantly unemployed. While the lumpenproletariat is below the workers, they still are affected by the clash between the proletariat and bourgeoisie. The capitalists are constantly seeking ways to take advantage of surplus wages, which causes a conflict between the workers. The exploitation of surplus value leads to less resources for communities such as the northern nati ve Canadians. The lack of resources due to exploitation can be compounded with Durkheims organic solidarity, and anomic suicide to highlight the spike in suicides. Additionally, bourgeoisie dominant ideology dictates what norms/mores are to be assimilated by a community. These assimilations have created a cultural genocide for the indigenous population. V. Conclusion The indigenous of northern Canada have seen a spike in suicide because of anomic suicide and the sense of not belonging or knowing what to do in an organic solidarity paradigm. The rise in suicide can also be linked to the class conflict between the capitalists and the workers. Although, the majority of the natives are unemployed, they still are affected by the dominant ideology which dictates the norms that they were forced to assimilate. [1] Cite article pg 2 [2] Book pg 15 [3] Book pg 20 [4] Pg 22 [5] Pg 22

AOL and the Family :: Web Internet Computers Essays

AOL and the Family The first things that usually come to mind when the American Online symbol is seen is the company’s slow connection, the tied up phone lines, instant messaging, and its monthly fees. Despite the many faults associated with the symbol, this, however, does not stop many from turning to the company’s services when a fast, protected, and reliable web surfing experience is required; And its mainly due to AOL’s commitment to providing services that appeal very much to the family unit. Although â€Å"family† is not usually the first thing that comes to mind when the symbol appears, it is the family oriented services and resources that people expect when dealing with the company in one form or the other. In addition to the other associations with the AOL symbol, the idea of â€Å"family† is another meaning that is closely connected with the symbol because America Online’s family oriented services and resources make it the most widely u sed Internet Service Provider (ISP) out there on the market today. One of the key aspects of a family unit is safety, more specifically, protection. Similar to the world, the Internet is not a safe place. There are many things out on the Internet that parents do not want their children to be exposed to, nor do they want to be exposed to the garbage that is floating around on the Internet. America Online is an ISP company that is protecting families and ensuring that they are not exposing themselves to some of the questionable information out on the Internet today. With resources such as AOL Neighborhood Watch, and AOL Keyword, families are able to receive information about protecting their password, avoiding computer viruses, and spotting frauds and schemes (Gau). In addition, children’s online safety is a primary concern of American Online. An American Online feature that permits parents to select the appropriate levels of online participation for their children is the Parental Controls, and it is used by a majority of AOL p arents to monitor their child‘s daily access to the Internet (Gau). Access to such important tools and features enables members and non-members that try out the company’s services for the first time, to perceive the AOL Company as a â€Å"family† company when the symbol appears on billboards, in magazines or in television commercials.

Careers in the Operating System Field Essay -- Information Technology

The significance of the role of the Operation System (OS) in the overall Information Technology employment sector cannot be undervalued. Indeed, it is hard to talk about technical skill-sets or the practical application of such skill-sets without at least some underlying understanding of their context within a computer operating system environment. From hardware specifications and requirements, user technical support, system administration and security, to software development and system implementation, operating systems are an integral part of the information technology and computing world in all its aspects, and it is difficult to form a concrete demarcation between specialized careers in this industry and the concept of the computer operating system. Probably the most common thought of career position within the information technology arena that garners the most OS-centric job description specifics is that of the system administrator or network administrator. A system administrator is a person employed to maintain and operate a computer system or network for a company or other organization. The duties of a system administrator are wide-ranging, and vary widely from one organization to another. Sysadmins are usually charged with installing, supporting, and maintaining servers or other computer systems, and planning for and responding to service outages and other problems. Other duties may include scripting or light programming, project management for systems-related projects, supervising or training computer operators, and being the equivalent of a handyman for computer problems beyond the knowledge of technical support staff. Unlike many other professions, there is no single path to becoming a system administrator. Few co... ...roblems, I have found that the creative outlet offered by developing applications is much more satisfying to me in terms of my personal career development. I plan to re-enter the software application development job in the very near future, following graduation from RVCC. References The Enterprise Systems Staff (2006, August 8). 2006 ESJ Salary Survey, Part 1: Salaries Grow for All IT Staff Positions. Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://esj.com/enterprise/article.aspx?EditorialsID=2052 The Salary Wizard Basic Report(2006, September). Retrieved November 10, 2006, from http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_IT10000135.html Salary Survey Report Job: Computer Technical Support Specialist(2006, November) Retrieved November 11, 2006, from http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Computer_Technical_Support_Specialist/Salary

Essay --

Consumerism, the key tool of social manipulation is considered a child of globalization and represents a set of beliefs, and values that owning material goods is placed very high on the list of priorities. Earlier value system through which we concluded what people really need in life is slowly replaced by the advertisements that people dictate what is fashionable . We no longer know who lives the way he wants to live , and who lives according to " rules " and norms of what is proclaimed in the media . Without adequate personal value system , the question is how our needs may indeed be real and not subject to consumerism . Simply put , today's society has become a consumer society in which no one is happy and by spending money people are trying to fill their lives with joy , a feeling that they are strong , powerful and lead their life the way they want . Is it really so , or is it all a well organised illusion in the minds of marketing professionals ? Consumerism became a force in only a few decades. It started to move the social and economic development of the world , and the only question is in which direction . When talking about this concept , it is certainly not new , but dates back to ancient Mesopotamia , and the first hint of today's practices come in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Britain, where the middle class wants to copy their idols at royal functions. Buying only out of necessity becames not important. More important is to have the things that the rich one has. Consumerism has its roots also in the British society of the time after war. Shopping and enjoying financial freedom was at that time in Britain a relaxation for men who returned from the battlefield . The thought they deserve to make up for los... ...British people. Routine that teaches that it is not important to know , but it's important to spend. People spend seeking acceptance in the community, knowing that society rejects those who do not want or do not have nothing to spend. Thus , it appears that the thesis " money can buy happiness " is slowly becoming a reality . This is supported by the fact that all the greater importance is placed on material goods and the value system of the people changed . It is interesting , however, that although obsessed with consumerism and supplied with money , the British are not the happiest people in the world . Statistics show that the happiest people are in Pakistan , Bangladesh , Vietanam and even Kosovo, where everyone has the time for their families and themselves. However, the modern man is not worth as much as his knowledge, but as much as he has and he can spend.

The Key Personal Development skills and experience

There are many cardinal accomplishments that this programme provided and gave me as come oning through it. Some of the accomplishments and experiences that I believe that I have obtained from making this Young Enterprise Graduate Programme are listed below: – Team working consisted of taking portion in identifying and holding on the squad ‘s aims. Me as an single agreeing with each squad members undertakings and working efficaciously with others. I did this by back uping them to make the ends for the whole group. Problem work outing where jobs were being identified and analysed. Furthermore, taking solutions and implementing processs suitably. Communication had to be made by me and team members efficaciously to hold on aims and processs. I took portion in meetings, treatments and successfully interacting with clients and co-workers. Furthermore, bring forthing clear concise written work and presentations by utilizing appropriate and profession ICT techniques. Selling and Gross saless accomplishments were earned by making and transporting out a market research program. Then placing client mark groups and developing the appropriate selling attack. Furthermore, I choose the appropriate selling and gross revenues schemes to sell and administer to aim groups. Operationss accomplishments were achieved by keeping systems to run into quality criterions and measuring environmental impact. Besides puting up processs to run into operational marks and developing rating systems. The Finance experience was achieved by me when transporting out a fiscal audit and choosing schemes to better fiscal public presentation. I recorded fiscal information utilizing ICT every bit suitably as possible. Directing and Managing was developed by negociating with others and act uponing the results of the company. By pull offing a complex set of undertakings in an unsure environment and directing persons, squads or undertakings to accomplish agreed marks. Furthermore, pull offing co-workers, concern advisers, stakeholders, clients and constructing effectual relationships. Leadership was a hard accomplishment to accomplish for me because at times it was required to draw the company together in times of crisis and some co-workers did n't understand why. Furthermore, I encouraged co-workers to accomplish their full potency in the manner they contributed to the company ‘s overall public presentation. Learning was a accomplishment which was achieved throughout this programme from understanding cardinal larning penchants by prosecuting it in much more effectual ways. Furthermore, I improved my ability to larn from everyday of this programme experience. I have besides placing personal acquisition solutions and demands. I believe that throughout this twelvemonth my communicating accomplishments, concern thoughts and protocols were developed and strengthened. My experience was gained in working in a squad based civilization. This was like in a concern administration which involved planning, committedness, administration and flexibleness to accomplish consequences. First I disbelieved about the faculty importance to my degree class and was non precisely fascinated approximately working as portion of a squad. However I was incorrectly after the first twosome of hebdomads I got to cognize my squad members much more. I frequently wonder if I had n't taken the faculty, I would hold passed the chance of meeting and doing five new strong friends. Some issues which I had were to lodge up for others whenever there was an statement traveling to organize as I thought it would be better to screen it out by speaking non reasoning. As I started to develop my strength and ability to publish clear and concise direction in a considerate mode during meetings and understanding our concern I believed we could go a successful concern. Belbin ‘s theory indicates to me that I am a â€Å" company worker † who is socially oriented, instead than mild sensitive with the ability to react to people and in any given state of affairs. Maslow ‘s hierarchy of demands is a theory in psychological science that states people in life. Maslow identified â€Å" A hierarchy needs as one degree becomes reasonably, or partially, pleased the net becomes stronger † [ 1 ] I got to cognize everyone better and felt more comfy in the supportive environment once we settled down. I motivated squad members without fright as one of the elements of SCHEINIS larning civilization provinces larning to back up squad work at that place must be a shared beliefs that co-operation will be needed that it will work and besides shared belief that all people can and will larn fiting McGregor ‘s theory. [ 3 ] [ 5 ] Our wise man we met was called ‘Malcolm ‘ he had a concern and one of our group members gave him a call and we arranged a meeting with him. We got the SWOT analysis and thoughts down on what we are looking into to go a concern. After a few more meetings we were told that our wise man could non see us any longer as his concern was at hazard. I set myself a personal end and it was to actuate others and guarantee all squad members participated in puting ends. Harmonizing to Locke ( 1968 ) ends affect motive [ 1 ] . Challenging but accomplishable ends motivates † persons have basic demands or possible which, when displeased stimulates manners fixed towards fulfillment. I researched and studied as I was committed to larn and accomplishing high-quality Markss. â€Å" Specific ends motivates extra than ill-defined † known group roles as each group members had peculiar functions and responsibility. I developed my interpersonal and communicating accomplishments by e-mailing squad members over the Christmas vacations and complimenting them on the undertakings that all of had done before the vacations even though we had no wise man. Furthermore, we got a electronic mail sing us acquiring a new wise man from one of the Enterprise staff called ‘Andy ‘ . â€Å" Contribution in puting ends is appealing † each member of the group set an single end as to animate and remain on path. â€Å" Significant consequences of earlier period piece is important to motive † When Christmas passed we started to acquire our concern program ready for passing in on the 6th February 2010. I noticed that none of our group was go toing the talks as they were busy with coursework ‘s and other faculties. We met with Andy and talked things through and what we have so far. It was noticed that we were really far behind through the faculty besides Andy tried to set up a new wise man for our group. If I was in control I would hold got the full group together and divided the parts that needed making together every bit. However as our group was in this meeting with Andy merely three of us were present, two were on their manner and 1 could n't do it. In this meeting the subdivisions were n't divided every bit and when asked who would wish to make certain parts some of the group members were n't at all interested. It eventually came to the decision that everyone had something to make except one member who had no undertaking but to assist other members get at that place undertakings done. This member was a ready to hand individual who did n't acquire involved at all when asked for their aid. Finally, the group held another meeting to inquire this member for aid to complete the undertakings off and manus in our concern study. We met our new wise man she was called ‘Debbie ‘ she helped us understand and cognize what was to be put into a concern study. Time was against us and we merely had less than a hebdomad left to complete the study. I feel one time once more that if the group was managed decently this would hold non happened at all. Luckily we got a hebdomad extension from our coach. Even though this extension was set still some members were n't at all fuss. Merely if I reported or filled in a subject signifier and told the coach affairs would hold been addressed much decently. However this was non thought of and felt that I would the individual to fault if I told off the certain members After passing in the study on the 15th February 2010 merely three members came to manus it in. Now we as a concern started to acquire prepared for the presentation. When speaking about presentations two of the members opted out. They did n't desire to show at all, I felt really angry and thought good this is what you have to accept in a concern. I experienced throughout this faculty the existent experiences and worst of being in a existent life concern. After practising and showing the presentation it was the twenty-four hours to show. The group and I were so amazed with the group after we delivered our presentation and were able to answer to the whole inquiries from both the witnesss and the panel of Judgess. I felt our corporate attempt had paid away and was proud of our work. I was given our classs two hebdomads subsequently which was on the 17th March. I noticed that none of my squad members attended merely I did even though I was a few proceedingss tardily for the talk nevertheless, I was able to pick up the feedback. I gave the group a text message informing them of the consequences of past public presentations which motivated me into making the following undertaking. Maslow theory encourages feedback ; I learnt about past success and can follow the behavior once more. In the terminal the original end of a united and solid group was achieved. Plain rules of actions were received by all members of the group. When a member had a job, there was ever person to speak to and a sense of togetherness ran through the group. The features characteristics that stood out at the terminal were many. First, the ambiance was informal and relaxed and this helped persons to show their sentiments without holding to concern about being judged by their members. Each member listened to each other and the struggle of thoughts was brought usefully into the unfastened. Decisions were normally reached by an understanding so that everybody or the bulk were pleased by the consequence. Finally, direction was non merely set aside to the chosen caput, but was shared when suited so that the full group felt a sense of value about themselves within the group. At this phase the group was more effectual and cohesive to a big extent. There was a important development in the personality of persons and an betterment. One issue which concerned us was when one member seemed to experience demoralized. This state of affairs was understood by the remainder of the group so it was discussed by hence deciding it demoing that we had grown from a group of persons and into a group.Future ApplicationIt has been truly gratifying making this faculty as rather a batch of it was new. A batch of its qualities and utile accomplishments will be taken off from this faculty and class. As making this class it has given a strong foundation for the ability to be able to work independently. Furthermore, working as portion of a squad and besides holding gained superior communicating accomplishments by concentrating on reassigning understanding, from one individual to another with the lower limit of misinterpretation. After finishing this faculty I have become extremely motivated and am a originative person. I now have an appetency for cognition and apprehension. Furthermore, I am a gifted and active individual with necessary practical and theoretical formal cognition in Engineering. I am able to convey a record of teamwork and leading, and strong analytical accomplishments which will enable me to execute magnificently in the concern universe. I have refined my analytical, communicating and job resolution accomplishments both inside and outside the academic environment. My recent experience as a company sectarian has taught me the importance of working with a item orientated attack and made me accustomed to bring forthing consequences while working under force per unit area. I am confident that my quantitative accomplishments will enable me to be highly effectual in concern development. This faculty aid fix me for interview as group presentation was 30 % of the faculty. Showing in forepart of audience and expecting designated inquiries. I will be utilizing this chance as a practise for a summer arrangement. From the group presentation I have gained, commercial consciousness, penetration of the field and self assurance. It helped in developing my accomplishments on package tools as I took the function of seting slides on PowerPoint. The construction and layout of presentation was formal accurate, elaborate and valuable. I surely could non hold done this wholly on my ain as an person. Boots The Chemist Company uses cross- functional squads to work on jobs stuck in the conventional administration. A endowment wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win title. The effectivity of squad work was surprising. I am more cognizant of consistence, truth meeting marks and deadlines in concern universe. I will wish to set all the accomplishments and cognition acquired into practise. When I complete my grade I am believing of traveling into the concern facet of telecommunication technology which is decidedly an option for me. I could work in gross revenues or in the selling sector. Am interested in making a postgraduate grade such as Masters in concern disposal ( MBA ) this will edify me more and I will hold the makings required. The work of McMclland ‘s acquired need theory ( 1985 ) proposed that some of import demands are non inherited but are learned. Most often surveies are the demands for accomplishment, association and power. Peoples with strong demand in these classs are frequently found in the function of enterpriser, squad co-ordination and top directors of big hierarchies. Team work is the cardinal component to success in a concern universe. Overall Young endeavor graduates programme has enabled me to be a end orientated single with clear vision of future aims, ability to listen and use effectual communicating accomplishments. It helped me as an technology pupil to develop positive attitudes and accomplishments necessary for personal success, practical accomplishments, employability, and lifelong acquisition. It encouraged me as an person in deriving an understanding the potency of future employer besides sing self-employment and concern creative activity as possible future calling options. This faculty gave me the chance to gain more approximately myself as a natural squad participant with desire for a hereafter and lament to larn every bit good as willing to work hard in a fast traveling disputing with a supportive environment. I am good at making invention solution to accomplish ends. There is a great trade of accent on ego directed acquisition in the faculty. This faculty has been a great experience as I have enjoyed the undertakings developed accomplishments for the universe of work.

Learning Styles and Strategies Essay

* Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it–discussing or applying it or explaining it to others. Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first. * â€Å"Let’s try it out and see how it works† is an active learner’s phrase; â€Å"Let’s think it through first† is the reflective learner’s response. * Active learners tend to like group work more than reflective learners, who prefer working alone. * Sitting through lectures without getting to do anything physical but take notes is hard for both learning types, but particularly hard for active learners. Everybody is active sometimes and reflective sometimes. Your preference for one category or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. A balance of the two is desirable. If you always act before reflecting you can jump into things prematurely and get into trouble, while if you spend too much time reflecting you may never get anything done. How can active learners help themselves? If you are an active learner in a class that allows little or no class time for discussion or problem-solving activities, you should try to compensate for these lacks when you study. Study in a group in which the members take turns explaining different topics to each other. Work with others to guess what you will be asked on the next test and figure out how you will answer. You will always retain information better if you find ways to do something with it. How can reflective learners help themselves? If you are a reflective learner in a class that allows little or no class time for thinking about new information, you should try to compensate for this lack when you study. Don’t simply read or memorize the material; stop periodically to review what you have read and to think of possible questions or applications. You might find it helpful to write short summaries of readings or class notes in your own words. Doing so may take extra time but will enable you to retain the material more effectively. SENSING AND INTUITIVE LEARNERS * Sensing learners tend to like learning facts; intuitive learners often prefer discovering possibilities and relationships. * Sensors often like solving problems by well-established methods and dislike complications and surprises; intuitors like innovation and dislike repetition. Sensors are more likely than intuitors to resent being tested on material that has not been explicitly covered in class. * Sensors tend to be patient with details and good at memorizing facts and doing hands-on (laboratory) work; intuitors may be better at grasping new concepts and are often more comfortable than sensors with abstractions and mathematical formulations. * Sensors tend to be more practical and careful than intuitors; intuitors tend to work faster and to be more innovative than sensors. * Sensors don’t like courses that have no apparent connection to the real world; intuitors don’t like â€Å"plug-and-chug† courses that involve a lot of memorization and routine calculations. Everybody is sensing sometimes and intuitive sometimes. Your preference for one or the other may be strong, moderate, or mild. To be effective as a learner and problem solver, you need to be able to function both ways. If you overemphasize intuition, you may miss important details or make careless mistakes in calculations or hands-on work; if you overemphasize sensing, you may rely too much on memorization and familiar methods and not concentrate enough on understanding and innovative thinking. How can sensing learners help themselves? Sensors remember and understand information best if they can see how it connects to the real world. If you are in a class where most of the material is abstract and theoretical, you may have difficulty. Ask your instructor for specific examples of concepts and procedures, and find out how the concepts apply in practice. If the teacher does not provide enough specifics, try to find some in your course text or other references or by brainstorming with friends or classmates. How can intuitive learners help themselves? Many college lecture classes are aimed at intuitors. However, if you are an intuitor and you happen to be in a class that deals primarily with memorization and rote substitution in formulas, you may have trouble with boredom. Ask your instructor for interpretations or theories that link the facts, or try to find the connections yourself. You may also be prone to careless mistakes on test because you are impatient with details and don’t like repetition (as in checking your completed solutions). Take time to read the entire question before you start answering and be sure to check your results VISUAL AND VERBAL LEARNERS Visual learners remember best what they see–pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words–written and spoken explanations. Everyone learns more when information is presented both visually and verbally. In most college classes very little visual information is presented: students mainly listen to lectures and read material written on chalkboards and in textbooks and handouts. Unfortunately, most people are visual learners; this means that most students do not get nearly as much as they would if more visual presentation were used in class. Good learners are capable of processing information presented either visually or verbally. How can visual learners help themselves? If you are a visual learner, try to find diagrams, sketches, schematics, photographs, flow charts, or any other visual representation of course material that is predominantly verbal. Ask your instructor, consult reference books, and see if any videotapes or CD-ROM displays of the course material are available. Prepare a concept map by listing key points, enclosing them in boxes or circles, and drawing lines with arrows between concepts to show connections. Color-code your notes with a highlighter so that everything relating to one topic is the same color. How can verbal learners help themselves? Write summaries or outlines of course material in your own words. Working in groups can be particularly effective: you gain understanding of material by hearing classmates’ explanations and you learn even more when you do the explaining. SEQUENTIAL AND GLOBAL LEARNERS * Sequential learners tend to gain understanding in linear steps, with each step following logically from the previous one. Global learners tend to learn in large jumps, absorbing material almost randomly without seeing connections, and then suddenly â€Å"getting it.† * Sequential learners tend to follow logical stepwise paths in finding solutions; global learners may be able to solve complex problems quickly or put things together in novel ways once they have grasped the big picture, but they may have difficulty explaining how they did it. Many people who read this description may conclude incorrectly that they are global, since everyone has experienced bewilderment followed by a sudden flash of understanding. What makes you global or not is what happens before the light bulb goes on. Sequential learners may not fully understand the material but they can nevertheless do something with it (like solve the homework problems or pass the test) since the pieces they have absorbed are logically connected. Strongly global learners who lack good sequential thinking abilities, on the other hand, may have serious difficulties until they have the big picture. Even after they have it, they may be fuzzy about the details of the subject, while sequential learners may know a lot about specific aspects of a subject but may have trouble relating them to different aspects of the same subject or to different subjects. How can sequential learners help themselves? Most college courses are taught in a sequential manner. However, if you are a sequential learner and you have an instructor who jumps around from topic to topic or skips steps, you may have difficulty following and remembering. Ask the instructor to fill in the skipped steps, or fill them in yourself by consulting references. When you are studying, take the time to outline the lecture material for yourself in logical order. In the long run doing so will save you time. You might also try to strengthen your global thinking skills by relating each new topic you study to things you already know. The more you can do so, the deeper your understanding of the topic is likely to be. How can global learners help themselves? If you are a global learner, it can be helpful for you to realize that you need the big picture of a subject before you can master details. If your instructor plunges directly into new topics without bothering to explain how they relate to what you already know, it can cause problems for you. Fortunately, there are steps you can take that may help you get the big picture more rapidly. Before you begin to study the first section of a chapter in a text, skim through the entire chapter to get an overview. Doing so may be time-consuming initially but it may save you from going over and over individual parts later. Instead of spending a short time on every subject every night, you might find it more productive to immerse yourself in individual subjects for large blocks. Try to relate the subject to things you already know, either by asking the instructor to help you see connections or by consulting references. Above all, don’t lose faith in yourself; you will eventually understand the new material, and once you do your understanding of how it connects to other topics and disciplines may enable you to apply it in ways that most sequential thinkers would never dream of.