Solar Water Heating Systems

Solar Water Heating Systems Solar energy is the source of energy which is now in use all over the world. Different companies and researchers are introducing new ways and method to use the solar energy. The consumption of petrol and natural resources are not only harmful to the environment but they effect the economic situations as well so it is necessary for every country and for every body to have alternative sources of energy. That is why developing countries are specially putting efforts to enhance the use of solar energy. Other different sectors like house hold usage and car industry is also doing research to get as many benefits from the solar energy as possible. Solar energy is also used for swimming pool heating systems. These systems are so flexible that they could both be used indoor and outdoor swimming pools. These systems could be installed both in the cold zones as well as in the hot zones. Solar based systems are electronically controlled and different sensors are installed in the system to keep the temperature of swimming pool at adjustable temperature rage. If the weather is hot sensors will allow the water to bypass without heating into the swimming pool and if the weather is cold sensors direct the valve to control flow. Solar systems are also used in under earth heating systems to store hot water for the home usage. The aim behind this project is to design the solar heating system which can effectively improve the use of solar energy. The system should be cost effective in such a way that it could be easily used in homes. The efficiency of heating system should more than normal systems used in market. System should be differentiated into the parts in such a way that it could be used in many ways. If some body wants to use the system in automatic configuration or in manual configuration both could be easily installed and operated. The system could be easily adjusted in hybrid mode means either to run on electric power or solar energy. The whole system could be configured automatically in such a way that a simple lay man could also use the system by studying the manual. All parts of system should be easily available in the market and should be cheap that if some one wants to replace any of the part he could easily get the part and install in the particular place. The system should not work in such a way that if one part is not operating whole system should not stop its working although certain parameters would definitely disturb in that case for example if the heat sensor is not working properly the temperature of water could raise but will not exceed too much as fixed level is programmed in controller to stop the system. 2. HISTORY The solar energy was explored in 1950. The background of use of solar energy is linked to space technology. The need of energy system was felt for the satellite system, because for the continuous source of energy the solar energy was considered to be the best possible solution in the space. In early era the solar energy was used with the help of black pans. As the black color absorbs maximum heat so the black pots and pans were used to heat water. The solar cell possibly can convert small part of sun light into the energy. The best rate of efficiency of solar cells is 180%. Most wide use of solar energy systems is water heating, cooling system and energy for space technology. 3. SOLAR ENERGY Solar energy is the energy radiated from the sun. The solar is related to the sun. The components of solar energy are light from the sun and also the heat from the sun. The sun is providing energy to the humans and other creature from very long time. The technological innovations are occurring day by day and the use of solar energy is increasing according to the technological innovation. There are so many parts on the earth where the day times are longer and sun remain 16 ours in whole of 24 hours. Heat in those areas is so strong that lot of energy could be extracted out from the sun light and heat by using special equipment and advance technology. As the power resources and oil resources are getting scarce on the earth every country is in the search of finding the new resource of power generation that could replace the use of oil and gas. Every country is striving to achieve fruitful results before the oil resources obsolete. They are also trying to use the secondary solar resources of power which are wave power and wind. The solar energy used by human being is very small as compared to total energy daily falls on the earth. The solar energy absorbed by the earthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ atmosphere in one hour is more than the total energy used by the whole world in one year. According to the facts and figure it is around 3,850,000 EJ per year which is absorbed in the earth atmosphere. 4. CATOGARIES OF SOLAR ENERGY There are two basic categories of solar energy one is the active solar energy and other is the passive solar energy. Active solar energy means the extraction of solar energy form the photovoltaic cell and after solar cells electrical energy is generated and used for different purposes. Other category is passive solar energy and it is used by orienting the buildings in certain directions and from light dispersing properties. Hybrid forms of energies are also used in many areas where the solar and other sources of energies are used alternatively. 5. DESCRIPTION The core of sun is the main source of solar energy, where the fusion reaction is occurring every time and huge amount of energy is released and the estimated amount is 3.86 x 10^26 joules per second. The part of energy which the earth receives is 174 PW of all solar radiations. Thirty percent is reflected back towards the space. 6. BENEFITS OF SOLAR ENERGY The solar energy has many benefits and these are almost uncountable. Some of these are under mentioned. It is the source of energy which is in huge quantity and there is no point of scarcity because the all the systems on the earth are inter-dependent. Every living creature is dependent on the light and energy of the sun. Plants can not grow without the sun light and human and animals can not survive without the plants and sun light. Solar energy is not like other sources of energy which is harmful to the atmosphere and living creature. It is environment friendly and solar cells do not release any remnants in the air. Solar sells are very cheap and therefore solar energy is the cheapest energy and requires no maintenance cost for the long time. Solar energy is self sufficient for the household and for some other activities and does not require any dependence on other resources. 7. USES OF SOLAR ENERGY With the advancement of technology and research on the solar energy has magnificently increased the use of solar energy in different sectors. Industry is also trying to cash this resource of cheap energy in its different sectors. The example of the industrial use is installing the solar panels at the remote sites where other power sources are not available and hung cost is required to establish power generating stations on those sites industries establish solar energy units and setup with relatively less cost and use the energy for different applications. Power stations and power lines are tried to be installed on the place where there are significant number of people living around because without this the price of installation could not be achieved. But in case of solar energy the small setup could be installed even for one home in the remote areas. And this installation does not require very huge amount to be spent. In telecommunication sectors it is tried to provide service at each and every corner although it is not possible but companies install lot of sites to strengthen the network connections. So the sites where no power lines are available solar energy systems are installed to give power to the remote sites. Solar energy is also used for the signaling purpose for the transportation and for the offshore navigation light houses. Solar system is also used as hybrid fuel system in the cars. Lot of companies is manufacturing hybrid fuel system cars like corolla hybrid. In case of any problem the car could be directly switched to the solar based energy system. Solar energy is also used in the home appliances and researchers are doing research to efficiently use solar energy. In many countries solar energy is water heating system and sewerage treatment plants. The roofs of buildings are made of solar cells and energy is stored in the batteries. 8. METHODS OF STORAGE Normally solar energy is tried to collect and use at the same time. In certain conditions where the hybrid systems are installed solar energy is stored for the use at appropriate time. As the solar energy is non-constant form of energy and it is stored. It is available only for the certain duration of time and for the other time stored energy could be used. The most common method of storing solar energy is batteries. Large batteries are attached with the solar panels with the help of charging circuitry to store the charge. These batteries are of two types 1. Nickel cadmium 2. Lead acid batteries Lead acid batteries are cheap and for the storage purpose these batteries are mostly used. But there life time is less than the nickel cadmium batteries, these batteries discharge more electricity. Zeolite mineral is also used to store the solar energy. Natural zeolites could be used to store energy instead of synthetic zeolites. Water and stones are the short duration methods of energy storage. Energy obtained from the sun is directly given to water and stones using certain mediums and used according to needs in short period of time. Another method of storing solar energy is latent heat storage method. In this method nitrates and sulphates are used to store the energy for the longer period of time. Another system is under earth heat storage system and is usually used in homes for heating water. 9. THERMOSOLAR ENERGY The word thermo solar is self explanatory and means the heat from the solar energy. This is the type of energy consumed in heating the water for the homes and swimming pools. The energy is also used for the climatization of plants and for other applications. 10. HEATING SWIMMING POOLS A huge amount of energy is needed to heat up the water of swimming pool. One of the applications of solar energy is also heating the swimming pool water, although people are also using other methods to warm the water of their swimming pools. But according to the new technological innovation solar energy is tried to be used for this purpose. Because most of the swimming pools in homes and restaurants are located in open environment where solar light can easily reached so it is feasible to install any solar energy conversion system near the swimming pool. The following solar heating system is similar to the designed work. All the blocks are integrated to make one perfect system. Filters are perfectly designed and placed accurately to block dirt. The solar panel is placed right above the heat exchanger to provide maximum heat to the pipes. Valves are accurately controlled to direct the flow of water in the desired direction. Sensors are also placed right near the heat exchanger to sense the heat of exchanger and give the signal for rotation of solar panel. Other sensors are exactly placed in the water to detect the temperature of water and give the signal to programmable logic controller for panel rotation and water flow. Figure .Solar heating system The old traditional methods of heating swimming pools are expensive and inefficient. Lot of energy resources is wasted in heating swimming pools these resources are natural gas and electricity. Another risk associated with such system is electrocuting. The heating systems based on electric power are very risky if the people jumping into the swimming pool without checking. These systems are not only dangerous to humans but also to the environment. The pollutants release by such systems effect the environment badly. Modern methods of heating swimming pools include the option of retaining the heat into the water by using different sheets and blankets which can store heat for long time. But in case of non sunny days it is difficult for this system to heat the pool water. Keeping in view this condition other sources are alternatively used for heating purpose. The average temperature needed for heating the pool water is nearly 78 degree Fahrenheit. 11. PARTS OF HEATING SYSTEM The heating system based on the solar energy consists of different parts and these individual parts integrate to make one system and provide cost effective solution for heating. These systems are also given the temperature control facility; user can vary the temperature of water in the pool by just adjusting the thermostat. The main integral parts of solar heating system are as follows Solar collector Solar collector is the part of heating system which consists of solar cells and the heater integrated with it. The pipes for the flow of water are also attached with the solar collector. So the energy is dissipated by the solar collectors in the form of heat and this heat is directly transferred to the water. The water is then circulated through the pipes and through the filter and is controlled by different valves. Solar collectors are also of different types and manufactured according to the weather conditions. These are unglazed and glazed UV inhibitors. For enhancing the life of solar collector in the area where use is 24 hours unglazed collectors are used. Figure . Heat exchanger Filter The function of filter is to purify the water before pumping in to the pipes of solar collector where the water is warmed. These filters are so efficient that they remove all debris from the water before pumped up. The filters are fitted at the start where the water is pumped because before entering into the whole system all the dirt should be removed from the system or no dirt should enter the system because this dirt could be damaging and cause blockage in the pipes. The life span of filter depends on the dirt in the water and it varies from area to area. The areas and pools where the dirt in the water is more filters should be changed in less time. Pump The pumps are performing the main function of flowing water from one point to the other. Pumps take the water from the swimming pools and after passing through the channels pump again into the swimming pool. This water is heated up. These pumps are given power supply from the solar panels. The idea is kept in view that not huge energy should be lost in this system. So the 12V pumps are usually used to drive the whole system, because the purpose of these pumps is to flow the water at normal pressure. Pumps used in system ensure the maximum heating quality by regulating the water flow. Flow control valve The flow control valves are used to control the proper flow of water through the pipes and through the channels linked with the solar collectors. The process of flow control is very important because if the water is not properly controlled to flow through the channels and pipes of solar collector and heating section lot of heat could be wasted in the air. These flow valves could be automatic and direct the water in the particular direction by opening and closing. Heat sensors are also installed in some system to detect the temperature of water and according to the temperature flow s controlled. The sensor sends the signal to the controlling unit by detecting the temperature. And controlling unit is used to divert the direction of water flow using pump. Bypass capability is also installed in some system using the flow valves. If the temperature of water in the swimming pool is equal to the temperature of water in the collector, water passes directly into the swimming pool. The flow control valves and other electronic controls are done with the help of programmable logic controllers which would be discussed further in detail. Figure . Structural diagram 12. PLC CONTROL Plc control is very important in term of controlling all the heating systems of swimming pool. The directions of solar panels are needed to be changed after the certain time and which movement of sun to gain maximum energy from sum, so different type of motors is installed to move the solar panels. The solar panels are moved according to the program written in the PLC and all the program is based on the outputs of sensors installed in swimming pools and near the heating system. The motorized valves are also controlled using PLC. The PLC controls the direction of flow of water by opening and closing the valves by taking specific input from the sensors. The movement of solar panels is at two axes but in the circular way. The system could be installed in two different modes. 1. OPEN LOOP SYSTEM In open loop systems different sensors are giving signal to the programmable logic controller. These sensors include the voltage sensors which are installed to detect if solar panels are giving maximum output voltage or not. The voltage level is given to the analog to digital converters and the digital signal is given to the up-converter chip which converts the digital signal voltage level to the controller compatible. The example of this process is the sensors operate from 0-5 volt range. This voltage level is given to the analog to digital converter which converters the analog signal in digital data. The voltage level of these data bits are also from 0-5 volts. The operating and detecting voltage of programmable logic controllers is 24V. So the data bits are converted in to 24V signal level. Programmable logic controller detects the data and rotates the solar panel by using the motor installed to rotate solar panels. In this way maximum energy is gained and water is heated in the s wimming pools. 2. CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM In the closed loop system different sensors are also giving feedback to the programmable logic controller for more precise direction of movement towards the sun. Some sensors are also installed in water to give feed back to the PLC that water is over heated or cold. One of these sensors is PT100. This sensor is normally used to detect the temperature of water. The resistance of sensor varies with temperature from 100 to 150 ohm for rise in temperature from 0 to 100 degree centigrade. The PLC continuously monitors the feedback and controls the whole system. Figure . Temperature sensor 13. FUTURE ASPECTS With the growing trend of resource saving and production of energy the solar energy system are developing rapidly. Researchers and scientists are manufacturing new and new systems to get maximum results and efficiency from the solar based energy systems. Developing countries are keenly observing new sectors where solar energy systems could be used. The companies involved in solar energy sector are developing home based application. These applications are full or partially dependent on the solar energy. These systems include heating systems and power supply of homes. The power supply needed for home require medium power consumption so large solar panels are sufficient to full fill energy needs for small homes. Many countries are developing hybrid cars which are based on solar energy and hybrid fuel system. European countries are putting maximum effort to spread the solar energy systems so that people could rely more and more on such systems. They are also trying to lower down the pollutants by using such system as solar energy is environment friendly.

Robert Frost :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nature is all around us and we are bound by it unpredictable transformations. Robert Frost finds the beauty of nature, yet is quite aware of its fickleness. Nature is a mundane detail that we rarely take time to appreciate and sometimes take for granted its tendency to constantly make the world beautiful. In many of Frost’s poems about nature, he recognizes the beauty of nature, but is also bewildered and sometimes saddened by its continuous change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frost’s poem, â€Å"Nothing Gold Can Stay†, portrays the idea of nature being a life force throughout all of time. Nature is constantly showing us her beauty, but he reminds us that from each day to the next, nothing can be a permanent fixture all the time. In â€Å"A Boundless Moment,† Frost is so attracted to nature’s cycle, that he defies what nature ought to do, by creating a leaf that is clinging on to a tree, but the reader knows that this cannot be and soon it will fall off like the rest of the leaves. We do not know when, but this abnormality cannot continue, it must change.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Desert Places† shows more of Frost’s emotions and deals with the natural progression of life. When the narrator realizes that the snow is covering all of the ground he becomes aware that nature is no longer alive or present in his midst. Frost is saddened with this idea of death and expresses the true loneliness of life. â€Å"Spring Pools† portrays this same image of death, but it is almost a continuation to â€Å"Desert Places,† because it provides hope with the â€Å"snow that melted only yesterday.† It considers the better aspects of life and that being the end of a cold winter, and the beginning of a beautiful spring. The regeneration of the world is wonderful, and provides the insight that nothing lasts forever without going through a series of changes and constant growing and maturing.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening† is a much happier and more upbeat poem. This poem is about stopping to enjoy life or as the adage goes, ‘stopping to smell the roses.’ â€Å"But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.† The speaker in this poem was a very busy man who always had obligations to fulfill and places to go. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening is the opposite of â€Å"Desert Places.

Vertigo and Its Treatment :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Vertigo and Its Treatment In our everyday lives, we almost take for granted this idea of balance or equilibrium that is maintained within our bodies. In general, no real thought processes are required. It is only when something is disturbed within our balance system that one is able to take notice of changes in the equilibrium. There may be several different factors that cause a disturbance to our bodies. One major area pertains to dizziness. Dizziness is found to be "the chief complaint in 8 million physician visits a year" (1). Vertigo is one type of dizziness, causing illusions of movement, that is being researched more and more today because of its widespread symptoms. In order to better understand vertigo, it is first necessary to look into where equilibrium and movement are maintained within the body. Equilibrium in our bodies is coordinated primarily by the brain, specifically at the brainstem, located in the neck area. The environment provides the information necessary for the equilibrium center to determine which position to place the body in. There are three main places in which information is received: the eyes provide visual information, the ears provide vestibular and auditory information, and the articulations provide proprioceptive information. In general, the eyes help position the body according to different horizontal angles in relation to the ground. The ears allow the body to acknowledge any type of movement, such as acceleration or deceleration, by registering various sounds (1). Movement is also processed in parts of the brain, as well as in the ears. The frontal lobes of the brain initiate and coordinate the planning of movements . The basal ganglia, in the ears, add control and fluidity to movements, and the cerebellum processes information from and to the rest of the body. Vertigo is a classification under dizziness that results in a spinning sensation or illusion of movement. (Many people who experience dizzy sensations often do not have vertigo, but instead, are found to have the common lightheadedness). Vertigo arises from disturbances in the vestibular system or neural structures such as the cerebellum, the brain stem, and the proprioceptive fibers along the spine. Symptoms of vertigo include "an unsteadiness sensation when walking, rotary sensations, a sensation of being afloat on the air, feeling of a hollow space in the head, etc" (2). Some autonomic symptoms such as sweating, nausea, and vomitting are found to accompany vertigo attacks (3).

A Game of Polo with a Headless Goat Essay

Eating disorders are a world-wide problem. There are many types of eating disorders. There are programs out there to help people with eating disorders. With so many types we must understand the differences by looking at each type, how it affects teenagers, and what influence the media has on this issue. Eating disorders come in many different types. One of these is anorexia. Anorexia is a serious disease which causes a severe lack of eating. The proper name is anorexia nervosa.Anorexia nervosa causes people to lose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height. Persons with this disorder may have an intense fear of weight gain, even when they are underweight. They may diet or exercise too much or use other ways to lose weight. Their self-esteem is usually overly related to body image. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001401/) Anorexia nervosa has many warning signs that can tell someone if they have a problem. Someone may refuse to eat certain foods/food categories and deny their hunger all together. A person may develop â€Å"food rituals† in which they arrange foods in a certain way, excessively chew, eat in a certain order, etc†¦ One may withdraw themselves from their friends, family, or society. They may frequently make a comment about being â€Å"fat† or â€Å"overweight† despite their weight loss. (http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/anorexia-nervosa) Another type of eating disorder is bulimia nervosa. Bulimia is an illness in which a person binges on food or has regular episodes of overeating and feels a loss of control. The person then uses different methods — such as vomiting or abusing laxatives — to prevent weight gain. Many (but not all) people with bulimia also have anorexia nervosa. The purging of food usually  brings a sense of relief. ( http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001381/) One form of an eating disorder is binge eating. Binge eating is an eating disorder in which a person eats a much larger amount of food in a shorter period of time than he or she normally would. During binge eating, the person also feels a loss of control. Some causes of binge eating include genes, such as having close relatives who also have an eating disorder. Depression or other emotions, such as feeling upset or stressed. Unhealthy dieting, such as not eating enough nutritious food or skipping meals. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0003749/) Some symptoms of binge eating are, eating large amounts of food in a short period, for example, every 2 hours. A person is not able to control overeating, for example is unable to stop eating or control the amount of food. A person may keep eating even when full (gorging) or until uncomfortably full. Sometimes a person feels guilty, disgusted, ashamed, or depressed after eating so much. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0003749/) Some treatment can be done for people with a binge eating problem. The goals are to lessen and then be able to stop the bingeing incidents. Be able to get to and stay at a healthy weight. Get treated for any emotional problems, including overcoming feelings and managing situations that trigger binge eating. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0003749/)

Simple Linear Regression Model

This article considers the relationship between two variables in two ways: (1) by using regression analysis and (2) by computing the correlation coefficient. By using the regression model, we can evaluate the magnitude of change in one variable due to a certain change in another variable. For example, an economist can estimate the amount of change in food expenditure due to a certain change in the income of a household by using the regression model.A sociologist may want to estimate the increase in the crime rate due to a particular increase in the unemployment rate. Besides answering these questions, a regression model also helps predict the value of one variable for a given value of another variable. For example, by using the regression line, we can predict the (approximate) food expenditure of a household with a given income. The correlation coefficient, on the other hand, simply tells us how strongly two variables are related.It does not provide any information about the size of the change in one variable as a result of a certain change in the other variable. Let us return to the example of an economist investigating the relationship between food expenditure and income. What factors or variables does a household consider when deciding how much money it should spend on food every week or every month? Certainly, income of the household is one factor. However, many other variables also affect food expenditure.For instance, the assets owned by the household, the size of the household, the preferences and tastes of household members, and any special dietary needs of household members are some of the variables that influence a household’s decision about food expenditure. These variables are called independent or explanatory variables because they all vary independently, and they explain the variation in food expenditures among different households. In other words, these variables explain why different households spend different amounts of money on food.Foo d expenditure is called the dependent variable because it depends on the independent variables. Studying the effect of two or more independent variables on a dependent variable using regression analysis is called multiple regressions. However, if we choose only one (usually the most important) independent variable and study the effect of that single variable on a dependent variable, it is called a simple regression. Thus, a simple regression includes only two variables: one independent and one dependent. Note that whether it is a simple or a multiple regression analysis, it always includes one and only one dependent variable.It is the number of independent variables that changes in simple and multiple regressions. The relationship between 2 variables in a regression analysis is expressed by a mathematical equation called a regression equation or model. A regression equation, when plotted, may assume one of many possible shapes, including a straight line. A regression equation that g ives a straight-line relationship between two variables is called a linear regression model; otherwise, the model is called a nonlinear regression model. Simple Linear Regression Model This article considers the relationship between two variables in two ways: (1) by using regression analysis and (2) by computing the correlation coefficient. By using the regression model, we can evaluate the magnitude of change in one variable due to a certain change in another variable. For example, an economist can estimate the amount of change in food expenditure due to a certain change in the income of a household by using the regression model.A sociologist may want to estimate the increase in the crime rate due to a particular increase in the unemployment rate. Besides answering these questions, a regression model also helps predict the value of one variable for a given value of another variable. For example, by using the regression line, we can predict the (approximate) food expenditure of a household with a given income. The correlation coefficient, on the other hand, simply tells us how strongly two variables are related.It does not provide any information about the size of the change in one variable as a result of a certain change in the other variable. Let us return to the example of an economist investigating the relationship between food expenditure and income. What factors or variables does a household consider when deciding how much money it should spend on food every week or every month? Certainly, income of the household is one factor. However, many other variables also affect food expenditure.For instance, the assets owned by the household, the size of the household, the preferences and tastes of household members, and any special dietary needs of household members are some of the variables that influence a household’s decision about food expenditure. These variables are called independent or explanatory variables because they all vary independently, and they explain the variation in food expenditures among different households. In other words, these variables explain why different households spend different amounts of money on food.Foo d expenditure is called the dependent variable because it depends on the independent variables. Studying the effect of two or more independent variables on a dependent variable using regression analysis is called multiple regressions. However, if we choose only one (usually the most important) independent variable and study the effect of that single variable on a dependent variable, it is called a simple regression. Thus, a simple regression includes only two variables: one independent and one dependent. Note that whether it is a simple or a multiple regression analysis, it always includes one and only one dependent variable.It is the number of independent variables that changes in simple and multiple regressions. The relationship between 2 variables in a regression analysis is expressed by a mathematical equation called a regression equation or model. A regression equation, when plotted, may assume one of many possible shapes, including a straight line. A regression equation that g ives a straight-line relationship between two variables is called a linear regression model; otherwise, the model is called a nonlinear regression model.

My experience, role and learning support Essay

In accordance to the ethical guidelines written by The British Education Research Association (BERA, 2004), the names of the children and school, where used, have been changed in order to maintain confidentiality and anonymity. My role (Hancock et al. , 2013 p1) States that â€Å"the practice of learning support as carried out by teaching assistants has developed considerably in recent times†. In the nursery I work along side two higher level teaching assistants and the nursery teacher. At this stage of school life, the majority of learning is through play, so we encourage the use of structured, well thought out fun educational games and play either in small groups or on a one to one basis, I carry out structured activities i. e. drawing, writing, crafting and reading, either on a one to one basis or with a small group of usually 4-6 children. I help identify any child or children that may benefit from further one to one help, through keeping well informed observation notes (KU1. 1) (KS3. 1) (PPS4. 3) In my role as classroom assistant in year one, my role is very similar to that of the classroom assistant, Margaret Verrecchie, in reader book 1 (Hancock et al. , 2013, pg4) A classroom assistant) I work along side the teacher and one teaching assistant. I help the teacher in the classroom, prepare resources’ for the session and offer the children extra support with reading and writing, it depends on what the teacher wants and needs and on what she asks me to do. Each day is different, and my duties vary accordingly. (PPS4. 3) (KS3. 1) As a midday supervisor, I work along side 10 other midday supervisors, supervising the children in the dining area and other parts of the school during the lunch time break. I help the children with a variety of tasks such as cutting up food, unwrapping of pack lunches and help teach good eating habits, After the children finish eating, we go to the playground, or if it’s wet play, a classroom, where I supervise the children at play. I ensure pupils keep out of areas that are out of bounds, deal with misbehaviour, reporting any problems that I’m unable to resolve to my duty manager, I attend to all pupils who are sick or injured, ensuring they receive the appropriate medical attention, reporting all accidents in the accident report book, I am aware of my responsibilities under the child protection legislation, reporting any concerns I may have to my senior supervisor or child protection officer. I enjoy this role as it allows me to see the children in a more relaxed environment, giving me the invaluable opportunity to get to know the children, on a more personal level, getting to know their personalities outside of the classroom. As lunchtimes are a great opportunity for the children to burn of f some steam, I try to encourage the children to take part in lots of physical activities like skipping and hoopla hoops. (PPS4. 3) I can personally relate to the parent helper in the (The Open University, 2013) E111 DVD sequence –Pam Crawford is a parent helper with a son who is special needs statemented, In the sequence, Pam states that she originally started to volunteer mainly to support her son, but along the way she decided that being a teaching assistant was what she wanted to be, so started a college course to train to become a qualified teaching assistant, which is exactly the same as why I am doing this course. Framework I provide a varied and broad array of duties and tasks on a daily basis in support to the pupils, the teacher, the school and the curriculum, through performing activities on a one to one basis or as part of a team with my work colleagues. Although they do tend to regularly overlap each other, I offer the four levels of support as suggested in the DfEE framework. (PPS4. 3) To support the pupils I encourage them to act independently in an appropriate way, to interact with each other and engage enthusiastically in all the classroom activities. I try to establish a good relationship with all the pupils, acting as a good role model, being aware of and responding appropriately to all individual needs. I supervise and support all the pupils ensuring their safety and make sure they have access to learning at all times. I help them to develop their skills in listening, to express their feelings and ideas, help them to understand, describe, select and retrieve information, show them ways in which to help with problem solving, communication etc. I also attend to all pupils’ personal needs including social, health, physical, hygiene, minor first aid and general well being. To help support the teacher, I prepare the classroom as and when needed for the lessons then clear everything away at the end of the lesson. I also help display pupils work around the classroom; I keep records as and when asked to do so by the teacher. I also support the teacher by managing pupil behaviour, reporting all difficulties appropriately, to the relevant member of staff. I also gather and report and information to and from parents or careers at the end of the school day and I provide administration duties as and when the teacher requires. To support the school I participate in any training and learning activities and any performance development meetings as and when required, I contribute to the overall ethos of the school, I am aware of and support difference and ensure all pupils have equal access to opportunities to learn and discover and to be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person. To help support the curriculum I help prepare and maintain equipment/resources as directed by the teacher and assist the pupils in their use, also supporting the pupils in using basic ICT as directed by the teacher. I support the pupils in respect to national and local learning strategies e. g. literacy, numeracy, early years as directed by the teacher and help pupils understands instructions that have been given by the teacher. Previous interests and experiences I enjoyed school and took part in lots of school activities like the school productions and the school summer floats at carnival time, I also learnt to play the flute which gained me a place in the school orchestra. I was confident and never had problems making friends, although I did struggle with my school work, but I never let it beat me, I always strived to do my best. I have always been able to take the initiative and have a positive and adaptable personality. I find it easy to fit in with my surroundings and work well as part of a team or on my own. Since leaving school, I’ve worked for various companies, big and small. I’ve been a company administrator for a large company, which built up my confidence working as part of a team which encouraged me to be more efficient with my time as I had to work to strict deadlines, gaining knowledge on company policies and procedures and improving my ICT, and communication skills. I was also a care worker for a care agency where confidentiality was paramount; I went to client’s homes to perform various duties from personal care to shopping and housework. It’s through this job that I learnt skills to encourage people to be independent and carry out simple instructions/tasks. It’s also through this job that I learnt the importance of confidentiality and to keep completely accurate, up to date client observational records. I have three children of my own now and the experiences gained from being a mother, on top of the experiences gained from previous employment and my current employment, has enabled me to make the clear decision that I would like to pursue a career as a teaching assistant as I feel that the skills I’ve gained through life are all relevant to a teaching assistant’s role and skills that I have acquired for life. Key theories and concepts Both Piaget and Vygotsky were instrumental in forming a scientific approach on cognitive development in children. Jean Piaget was one of the first psychologists to reveal that children reason and think differently at different periods in their lives. Piaget considered development went through four stages: Sensori-motor: Pre-Operational: Concrete Operational and the formal Operational stage. The Sensori-motor period (0-2 yrs) is the first stage, as the infants interactions are based on exploring their environment through their senses and abilities, such as grasping and sucking, this also includes practice play as the infant is able to repeat actions continually, but with no intention. The pre-Operational stage (2-7 yrs) is where children’s language is rapidly developed, allowing them to express themselves. They start to use pretend play and parallel play which means children are talking but it is not directed at anyone in particular. The Concrete operation (7-11 yrs) and Formal Operational (11-adult) periods are the third and fourth stages. These are not usually considered in early childhood education but they are still equally important as they are able to think realistically and logically about situations and understand their world (Pulaski. 1980) Vygotsky believes children’s learning of new cognitive skills is guided by an adult or a more skilled child, such as an older sibling, who structures the child’s learning experience, a process Vygotsky called scaffolding. To create an appropriate scaffold, the adult must gain and keep the child’s attention, model the best strategy and adapt the whole process to the child’s developmental level. Vygotsky used this term to signify tasks that are too hard for the child to do alone, but can manage with guidance. Children do seem to follow a certain internal structure, for example grasping and touching, but not all children learn in the same way or at the same pace. A classic example of Vygotskys scaffolding theory can be seen with my two sons, the youngest that at the time was in nappies wanted to use the big toilet like his big brother, so as suggested by Vygotsky, my eldest son used the scaffolding technique. Vygotskys ideas have important educational applications, like Piagets, Vygotskys theory suggest the importance of opportunities for active exploration. But assisted discovery would play a greater role in a Vygotskian classroom than in a Piagetian class: The teacher would provide the scaffolding for children’s discovery, through questions, demonstrations and explanations. To be effective, the assisted discovery processes would have to be within the zone of proximal development of each child (Bee and Boyd, p38. (2009) Cognitive learning is not just internal but also external. Piaget believed that developmental growth was learned in stages. Vygotsky believed that learning was a social and progressive process that did not start or stop at a certain stage or age. A child’s activity plays a key role in the way they learn. I believe that both these theories go hand in hand and that the environmental factors do influence learning behaviours. Training needs My overall aim is to become a qualified teaching assistant, for primary school aged children, which I will gain through completing this course and with the ongoing training I am receiving at work. I aim to develop a better understanding of the ways in which children learn and be more involved in the planning and preparation of lessons. Even though I am a valued member of staff, I still feel that I need to develop my relationships further with professional bodies. I feel I also need to develop my leadership skills further, in order for me to improve my effectiveness in leading pupils through a class activity.

Accountant

How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 2. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous ob, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 3. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 4. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. . How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double- loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 6. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial roblem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 7. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime 8. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than session. 9. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the me to develop my competitive edge or not. 0. How comfortable are you working long some potential risks and problems that I found. 11. How eager are you to keep on youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 12. Can you deal with the income 13. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 14. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self- reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 15. Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous Job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 16. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 10 hours per day and to work overtime on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 7. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and self-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 18. Can you deal with the ncome volatility that you will be facing during the first few months? I have no financial problem preventing me from accepting a Job if the income is low at the beginning. I worked as a no pay intern during the first two months in my previous job. Since I am still young, I never put salary as the top priority in searching for a Job. The thing I concern more is whether this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 19. How comfortable are you working long hours to achieve success? Working overtime or extra hours will not be a problem for me, because I used to work 0 hours per day and to work overtime to finish some special tasks in my previous job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 20. How eager are you to keep on learning to stay ahead of the curve? I am more than happy to learn in the work place because I value the process of continuous improvement. As long as I was instructed to handle something new in my previous Job, I felt excited and satisfied. The double-loop learning process benefits me from applying new knowledge and techniques to work-related areas and elf-reflecting the aspects that I can improve. In addition, I am actively pursuing academic success outside work place. For example, I am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 21 . Can you deal with the income volatility that you will be facing this Job can help me to develop my competitive edge or not. 22. How comfortable are to finish some special tasks in my previous Job. Sometimes, I spent my personal time on resolving some potential risks and problems that I found. 23. How eager are you am the youngest CMA candidate in my CMA session. 24. Can you deal with the edge or not.