Improving Critical Thinking Skills For Elementary Students

Improving Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary Students Amber Lynn Taylor COE 501-Introduction to Research and Evaluation in Education Summer 2015 Dr. Pamela Hodges Kulinna Improving Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary Students It is essential for students in elementary school to acquire the skills that will allow them to be better critical thinkers. School and Classroom Context My school starts at K4 (having the ability to educate 4 year old students in Kindergarten) and continues to educate children through their 12th year through a virtual charter school out of Pennsylvania. There are 10,389 students enrolled. Of those, 9% are American Indian/Alaska, 1.2% are Asian, 8.2% are African American, 2.7% are Hispanic, 4.5% are Multi-Racial, 83% are White, and 0.6% are Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Out of our students, 53.5% are female and 46.5% are male. We currently have 2.5% of our students being served in a gifted program. Our dropout rate is at 3.5% which I believe to be fairly good considering many students come to us after dropping out of their original school. We serve 0.07% as English language learners and 14.57% receive Special Education Services. Overall we have an economically disadvantaged percentage of 24. We do offer Title 1 services to students that are in need. Currently, 100% of our classes are taught by highly qualified teachers in their field. Our school has not done so well in particular in the areas ofShow MoreRelatedPersuasive Speech : School Officials Should Focus And Advocate For Visual And Music Art Based Programs1516 Words   |  7 Pagespresentation is to persuade my audience that school officials should focus on and advocate for visual and music art based programs, making them a continued part of the school curricula because such programs facilitate the learning process for all students and should never be eliminated. Also, art based programs provides a well-rounded education and levels the playing field for at risk youths that are socioeconomic disadvantaged. Reports conducted points to improvement in mathematics, science, andRead MoreA Research Paper on Remedial Program1649 Words   |  7 PagesEFFECTS OF REMEDIALPROGRAM ON THE READING LEVELS OF SOME GRADE ONE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS Cebu Normal University October 2010 Mimieluz B. Patià ±o Venus Calinog Erlinda P. Inot Research Abstract Research Abstract TITLE:EFFECTS OF REMEDIAL PROGRAM ON THE READING LEVELS OF SOME GRADE ONE STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AUTHORS: Mimieluz B. Patià ±o Venus Calinog Erlinda P. Inot SCHOOL: Master of Arts in Education with the field of specialization in English Language Teaching STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMRead MoreTeacher Professional Development and Student Achievement Gains1468 Words   |  6 PagesTeacher Professional Development and Student Achievement Gains The achievement of students results from the work of knowledgeable, experienced, and skilled teachers. Therefore, there is a need to improve the knowledge and skills of teachers to ensure that the achievement of students is possible. Investment in education must include allocation of funds and time for professional development of teachers in elementary education. There are many options in developing the skills and knowledge of teachers. TheRead MoreTeaching Methods Academic Achievement And Influence Attitudes911 Words   |  4 Pagesmaster s thesis, Atatà ¼rk ÃÅ"niversity, Erzurum. Alhileh Nofal (2007). The effect of the web quest strategy on improving the critical thinking and achievement of educational sciences faculty (UNRWA) Students’ in the teaching of thinking course. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(2), 161-175. Auditor, E., Roleda, L. (2014). The WebQuest: Its impact on students’ critical thinking, performance, and perceptions in physics. International Journal of Research Studies in Educational TechnologyRead MoreCareer Development Of The Healthcare Industry971 Words   |  4 Pagesreturning to school after decades away to complete their degrees to be competitive in their industry, gain valuable skills, or even change careers. While enjoying a successful career in healthcare for more than three decades disqualifies me as a typical new graduate, growth, development, and career mobility requires an attitude and commitment of being a lifetime learner. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Without doubt, technology and innovation have touched nearly every industry; however, nowhereRead MoreDon t Worry, It s Of A Mexican Restaurant With Her Monolingual Daughter1346 Words   |  6 Pagestongue. Little does the daughter know, but her mother is not only fluent in English—but in xenophobia as well. Many Americans see no point in bilingual elementary education because they view math, reading, and appeasing the system to be of higher value. However, learning a foreign language in elementary school takes advantage of the human critical period for language acquisition, meets other countries in their education systems—catching the United States up with the rest of the developed world, andRead MoreStrategic Plan For East Noble School Corporation1370 Words   |  6 PagesEast Noble School Corporation is located in Kendallville, IN. The corporation consists of one high school, one middle school, and five elementary schools. The current Strategic Plan for ENSC is f or the years spanning 2013 to 2017. The ENSC Strategic Plan has three main goals: 1. East Noble School Corporation will expand students’ educational experiences with diverse learning opportunities to ensure preparation for their successful future. 2. Establish the culture of community ownership in EastRead More Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Learning Development2109 Words   |  9 Pages Critical thinking and problem solving are skills required to increase the growth in children’s learning and development, especially if our goal is to prepare a community of effective life-long learners. Researchers find that the definitions of each of these skills vary among the education community, but the necessity of student acquisition of these skills is demanded in the learning process. Critical thinking and problem solving offer an extensive, fundamental skill to the educating of childrenRead More Educational Philosophy Statement Essay1327 Words   |  6 Pagesthe people it is aimed for, which is the students. Over the last few years, I have developed a philosophy that I strongly believe in, because it has proven itself to me, and I want to prove it to others. The philosophy I have developed is that education is t he key that opens the doors of opportunity and every student needs to understand the opportunities that await them with an education no matter who they may be. First, who are the students? The students are a group of individuals who lack knowledgeRead MoreResearch Summary : School Supplies In The Classroom1517 Words   |  7 Pagesthe instructor’s wallet themselves Elementary school teachers spend more money on school supplies for their students than middle school teachers 81% of schools lacked Common Core materials for reading, and 64% of schools lacked Common Core materials for mathematics Connection This can be directly connected to my campaign for change as I can use this information to estimate which students in public schools need school supplies the most. I have learned that elementary school teachers spend more money

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 1341 Words

Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is set in Nigeria during the 1890’s. The novel focuses on the clash between Nigeria’s white government and the culture of the Igbo people. Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan, by Bruce Feiler, covers Feiler’s journey to Japan to teach English and American culture for a year in the 1980’s. Throughout each novel, the reader is presented many different elements of each societies beliefs and culture. The central conflict surrounding each novel involves one unique, isolated, culture attempting to keep its traditions in a time where Western culture is demanding a change. Things Fall Apart and Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan, discuss the effect of two unfamiliar cultures on each other when cohabitation takes place. Things Fall Apart deals with tension about whether or not change should be accepted over tradition. Okonkwo resisting the new political and religious orders shows the tension change provides. He f eels that the new orders are not manly and that he himself will not be manly if he consents to join them. In some way, Okonkwo’s intransigence to the new orders revolves around his placement among society. His sense of self-worth is dependent upon the traditional hierarchy by which society places him. Okonkwo is placed at the top of the hierarchy, and if he were to embrace Christianity, he would then be on the same level as the outcasts of society. Many of the clan’s outcasts were inspired to embrace Christianity as aShow MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1415 Words   |  6 Pagesbook Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe does just that. This book should be taught in schools because it shows the values and traditions of Achebe’s Igbo culture, persistently teaches life lessons throughout the book, and shows the darker reality of European colonialism in Africa. Chinua Achebe is known as one of the most influential and famous authors to ever write. Chinua Achebe originates from an Igbo background and he expresses that through his writings very well including Things Fall ApartRead MoreThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe1324 Words   |  6 Pages Chinua Achebe chose to write his novels in English to reveal a deep response of his people to colonisation and to make that response understood to people all over the world. Things Fall Apart was written in English to teach people worldwide of the struggles he faced and the people of Nigeria faced growing up. Many authors and critics have written about Achebe’s ‘Things fall apart’ adding their valued opinion on what he was trying to say and his decision to write in English. In the followingRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe Essay1203 Words   |  5 Pages who took their land for monetary gain. This was a dark period of time for Africans that live there. The U.S. Civil War and The Great Depression both can be related, in this instance, to how down their people were because of what happened. Chinua Achebe said it best, â€Å"I would be quite satisfied if my novels...did no more than teach my readers of their past...was not a long night of savagery from which the first European acting on God’s behalf delivered them†(qtd. in â€Å"Morning Yet† 45). In theRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1452 Words   |  6 Pagesassume control over the Roman Empire. However, imperialism in Africa remained a recorded element from 1750 to 1945. This paper visits how control and changes were influences over the Africans during this time period as seen through Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart. (UKEssays, 2015) Europe was experiencing a few financial and political changes that forced the major European forces to investigate abroad regions to add to their resources during the seventeenth century. In order for the EuropeanRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe2361 Words   |  10 PagesThings Fall Apart Book Critique Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a historical fiction novel describing the life of Okonkwo in a Nigerian village succumbing to European ways, in order to portray Achebe’s view on imperialism. It was chosen for us to read by our teacher because it describes imperialism and its effects in an Ibo village of Nigeria. It also shows the treatment of natives by the Europeans and how the natives reacted. Things Fall Apart is useful to our course of studies because itRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe1265 Words   |  6 PagesThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is markedly relevant to our current course of studies in World History, as it tells a story based on European Imperialism in Africa. Coming off the heels of our Imperialism unit, this post-colonial novel provides very helpful context on different civilizations’ perspectives throughout the Age of Imperialism; aside from analyzing death tolls, descriptions of conflicts, and names of countries, it was previousl y hard to envision what life was actually like during thatRead MoreThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe 735 Words   |  3 PagesThings fall apart. Achebe. Ernest Gaines once said, â€Å"I write to try to find out who I am. One of my main themes is manliness. I think Im trying to figure out what manliness really is.† Indeed, every society or culture has its own understanding of an ideal man. Even though these characteristics are different in various parts of the world, the significance of masculinity can never be overestimated. â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe is considered as one of the best examples of a riseRead MoreThings Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe692 Words   |  3 Pagesthe way to go. Through commercial trading Islam spread into Igboland, and this led to more Igbo people leaving the Igbo way of life for another, whether it be Islam or Christianity which divide the country in two. In the novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe British colonialism and the migration of Muslims to Nigeria led to the change in the faith, social and economic changes in the Igbo society. Traditional Igbo faith believes that there is only one creator or god known as ChinekeRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe897 Words   |  4 PagesIn the novel, â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe the Igbo tradition revolves around structured gender role. Everything essential of Igbo life is based on their gender, which throughout the novel it shows the role of women and the position they hold, from their role in the family household, also planting women crops, to bearing children. Although the women were claimed to be weaker and seemed to be treated as objects, in the Igbo culture the women still provided qualities that make them worthyRead MoreThings Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe Essay1851 Words   |  8 Pageschoice and styles are critical not only to the reader’s understanding of the text but to his appreciation as well. How language is effectively manipulated in their writings enhances the reader’s valuing of the works. The selected novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a representation of Igbo culture and their language. It explores the life of an Igbo tribe at the time of when colonization hit Africa. It could be considered as a post-colonial text, as the protagonist of the story and the other

A Summary of the Libertarian Party Platform

Like most political platforms, the Libertarian party platform is vague and abstract. It also tends to be a little bit utopian in its approach, and this can make it difficult to ascertain where the party stands on specific issues facing the country at any given time. Libertarian Party Platform Fiscal policy:  The Libertarian party opposes taxation in pretty much all forms, and it deals with the revenue loss by opposing entitlement programs across the board. This means that people keep more of what they earn, but it also means that there is no social safety net. Ambitious, sweeping proposals — such as universal pre-kindergarten and universal health care — are obviously not compatible with this objective.Corporations:  The party would eliminate all federal subsidies to private corporations, as well as all antitrust laws.Public services: The Libertarian party would like to eliminate the U.S. Postal Service. It wants to transfer all government services, from public schools to landfills, to private ownership.Property rights:  The party would restrict the public domain to immediate public use and sell or give away most public property to private owners.Criminal justice: It would eliminate all anti-drug laws and legalize prostitution, as well as end random pol ice roadblocks.Free speech:  The party would abolish the FCC and allow private ownership of broadcast frequencies. It opposes all restriction of free speech, including that in the name of national security.Church and state:  The Libertarian party calls for reduced IRS regulation and monitoring of tax-exempt churches.The Second Amendment:  The party strongly opposes all gun control, as well as regulation of alternative weapon technologies, such as mace and tasers.  The draft: It calls for the abolition of the Selective Service System and amnesty for any citizen who has ever resisted the draft.Reproductive rights:  The Libertarian party is pro-choice. It opposes all federal funding of abortion and most federal entitlements for women who choose to carry their pregnancies to term, including the child tax credit. it opposes involuntary or fraudulent sterilization.LGBT rights: The party opposes the dont ask, dont tell doctrine. It believes that marriage is a private contract, an d as such, it should yield no government benefits regardless of the gender of the partners.Immigrants rights: The Libertarian party argues that borders should be open but surveilled. Everyone who does not pose a threat to public health or national security should be allowed to enter the country legally. It would deny all federal benefits to undocumented immigrants.

The Most Famous Pieces Of Music - 1100 Words

Austria Research Paper Introduction Austria is a very beautiful place with kind people and a very good history in music. It is often known as the music capital because of the musical geniuses who have worked there, including Beethoven, Mozart and Strauss(biography). Some of the most famous pieces of music were written in Austria including Silent Night and Edelweiss. Austria is located in Europe and its capital is Vienna(Austria). Austria has one of the most stable economies in Europe. Austria has unique qualities such as its geography, history, culture, economy, and its current events. Geography, Climate, and Location The climate, geography, and location in Austria is unique. In the East, there are hot summers and moderately cold†¦show more content†¦She was an archduchess, and a Holy Roman Empress. Joseph II was another important leader. He was also a Holy Roman Emperor who tried to strengthen the Habsburg empire with his enlightened reforms, but his people opposed his changes very fiercely(biography). Austria had multiple big wars, but one of the wars they fought in was the war of the Austrian succession. It began on August 16, 1740. Frederick II of Prussia invaded Silesia, one of Habsburg’s richest provinces. His armies defeated the Austrians at Mollwitz in April 1441 and overran Silesia. This proved what the other European countries believed, that Silesia could not defend themselves. This ensured that the war would become general. Within a month, France had constructed an alliance with Bavaria and Spain and, later, with Saxony and Prussia agains t Austria. Maria Theresa derived her main support from Britain fearing that if France took Hegemony in Europe, the British colonial and commercial empire would be insupportable(britannica). Austria declared independence by concluding the Austrian State Treaty with the Four Occupying Powers. Culture Austria have a very kind culture. They have nice holidays, they have a functioning government, and they have good food. Some major holidays in Austria are Three Kings day, Easter, All Saints Day, St. Nicholas day, and Christmas. Three King’s day is a celebration that most Christians celebrate, but only a

Paying Student Athletes Free Essays

Imagine this; Mr. Perfect, a highly successful college football student-athlete, is shattering every record once held in the sport. He is on the cover of ESPN and SI magazine. We will write a custom essay sample on Paying Student Athletes or any similar topic only for you Order Now His face is plastered on televisions nationwide. Everyone knows his face and name. He has all the fame that he dreamed of, but he has no money. NCAA rules state that no student-athlete can obtain a job. His full ride scholarship, after classes and books, barely leaves him with money to take care of necessities. An alumna of the school and huge fan helps him out and gives him $500 as a gift. The NCAA finds out and Bam! The school is hit with fines and can’t compete in any bowl games for two years, so much for the undefeated season. Also, he is banned from the sport in any NCAA regulated school. Mr. Perfect, being a sophomore, has one year left before he can enter the draft. Now, instead of being a sure shot first round draft, he may drop to third round at best. That’s millions of dollars lost because of a $500 gift. The team suffers, the school suffers, and he suffers. Incidents, such as the one above, happens every now and again in college sports. College athletes are not allowed to accept gifts, obtain jobs during the school year, or use their image and likeness in any way for monetary gain. This leaves many student athletes well known, yet well broke. Many student-athletes, especially those who play sports that generate millions of dollars in revenue, wonder why they can’t be compensated for their efforts. Student athletes should be compensated to help support their living expenses while attending college. College football and basketball produces the most revenue than any other college sport. According to Gibson (2013), â€Å"College basketball and football together generate more than $6 billion in annual revenue†¦two years ago, the NCAA and CBS/Turner Sports agreed on a $10. 8 billion deal to broadcast March Madness basketball games until 2024. † With all the monies that are generated from these sports, not one cent has been paid out to the student-athlete. Montopoli (2013), reports that the top university’s athletes are being denied $6. 2 billion from 2011-2015 and that combined the athletes had a fair market value of roughly $2 million above their college scholarships. That is highway robbery and unfair to the athletes who risk everything on the football field or basketball court. College coaches, some of which are averaging about three to four million per year, are making more than the athletic director and even the president of the university while the student-athletes are putting their health and safety on the line with nothing in return. Imagine struggling to buy clothes and shoes, walking to practice, to see Coach Richman pulling up in a Bentley. With the revenue that’s being generated, many injured student-athletes could use a part of it to help pay for treatment. While the NCAA requires the student-athletes to have some type of insurance, unclear standards and confusion as to the conditions of the insurance, leaves the student-athlete responsible for most, if not all of the medical bills (Peterson, 2009). Some colleges, mostly the major division 1 colleges, pay for injuries while the student-athlete is attending college. After college, the athlete is left fending for his/her self. An injury to the student-athlete can void their scholarship as well. Scholarships are renewed year to year. Therefore if an athlete is injured severely, his/her scholarship may not be renewed, leaving the student with unpaid tuition and medical bills. Also, colleges input loopholes so the medical payout is not detrimental. There are documented cases in which the college labeled the conditions an â€Å"illness† and not a sports-related injury, which left the student-athlete in debt with medical bills. A similar case like this happened to a Colgate University crew member (Peterson, 2009). Ignorance to the consent forms being signed has proved detrimental to the student as well. Now imagine that injured student-athlete at home with a pile of medical bills, no longer attending the university that he once adored, playing a video game that’s using his image and likeness. He wonders why he can’t receive a share of the monies profited from the sell of the game. He’s not alone. Many student-athletes do not know that they sign away their right to profit from their image or likeness when they enter into NCAA sports. In fact, the very same rights that the student-athlete releases are now owned by the NCAA and its licensees. Meaning, the NCAA and its licensees can do whatever it feels with your image and likeness to turn a profit for them. Former college athletes recently put together a federal class-action lawsuit against the NCAA stating that the use of their image or likeness is infringing their rights. Also, stating that the NCAA forces the athletes to sign away their rights in order to play college sports. This happens year after year due to the fact that college athlete are not properly informed of their legal rights. A survey was taken and according to Wolverton (2011), 97 percent of respondents liked being featured in video games, and two-thirds believed that the way the NCAA and video-game companies used their image or likeness was fair. But only 33 percent believed that their athletic scholarship was sufficient payment for the use of their image or likeness. If these student-athletes don’t know what they are signing the outcome could be critical. Now the college athlete can’t be in a commercial, sell any memorabilia, be paid to attend or speak at functions or anything that would result in the athlete earning a little cash to make ends meet during the academic year. He/she has basically become a slave to the NCAA. These student ‘slaves’ are being misguided under the ‘free ride’ scholarship. As a matter of fact, a Division 1 athletes winds up having to pay about $3,000 in school related expenses not covered by grants-in-aid, Associated Press (2010). That is just school related expenses, now factor in personal expenses and the number could easily double. With room and board, parking fees, etc. being covered by the student-athlete, the result of this can lead to multiple athletes risking everything to obtain money from anywhere they can. Sports agents feed off of this urge and capitalize on the opportunity to have a star student-athlete in their pocket. In conclusion, paying the student-athletes a small amount of the profit can have a huge benefit. Athletes will be able to take care of personal and school expenses. Also, they will be hesitant to accept monies from an outside source which can result in suspensions or infractions. If an agreement can’t be reached with student-athletes receiving a stipend, the athletes should be able to market themselves through commercials or in any other way that they can benefit from the use of their image or likeness that’s not negative. With the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice that these student-athletes invest into their sport, some form of financial compensation should be awarded to them. How to cite Paying Student Athletes, Essays

Comparing The Giver and Farenheight 451 comparison Essay Example For Students

Comparing The Giver and Farenheight 451 comparison Essay compare contrast essays Comparing The Giver and Farenheight 451 Here are two societies. One is the society in The Giver; there is no war, crime, and hunger. Every person has a job although the job is assigned by government. Another society is the one in Farenheight 451. Firemen are people whose job is to hunt down and burn books in the society. Both of the two societies are not normal. There are some similarities and differences between The Giver and Farenheight 451. First, there are main characters that have similar characteristics in two societies. In The Giver Jonas does not easily accept rules of the society since he wanders between the truth and rules of the community. Montag, the main character in Farenheight 451, is a book-burning fireman. One day he decided read the books which he burns. As a result, he steals some books and hides them in his home in violation of the rules of the community. Secondly, people in both of the two societies do not think the past seriously because the past has just passed. In The Giver people do not want to remind of a little dead boy in their mind. Also, people in Farenheight 451 do not read a book since the book such as biography of David Carperfield makes people remind of the past. However, an impression people can get from those two forms are quite different since one is a written book whereas the other is film. Written words have obvious and clear meanings so that readers can have crystal clear feelings. For example, in The Giver the readers may be able to feel clear meaning of the paragraph, He was not starving, it was pointed out. He was hungry. No one in the community was starving, had ever been starving, would ever be starving (p.70), since it is written in words. While, film Farenheight 451 cannot have those same effects on the audience since it carry its theme on a screen. It cannot describe the details like The Giver. Here is another difference between The Giver and Farenheight 451. The Giver, almost all the information is carried to people by the Givers memories since people could recognize other societies by books even though there are some ordinary books in every house. On the other hand, in Farenheight 451, there is only TV and no books since books are considered as something which makes people unhappy and guilty, so people are banned to have books in their home. That is, books make people melancholy because there are some ideas in those books like philosophy or sociology. Finally, when some people who committed a crime or violated some rules are punished, the people in the society in The Giver cannot know how they are to be punished. And there is only one word, release, meaning the punishment. On the other hand, in the film, Farenheight 451, the people could see the scene of punishment by TV. Both the societies in The Giver and Farenheight 451, were the ones under controls and there is no freedom to the people in the societies. While I compare and contrast these two societies, I feel grateful to have freedom such as I can buy books, read them, and do study which I want. Reference Lowry, L. (1993). The Giver. New York, NY: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. .

Infectious Disease Prevention and Management -myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theInfectious Disease Prevention and Management. Answer: Analysis Of The Risk Factors For The Spread Of Infectious Disease In The Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, 2018 Gold Coast environment in relevance to infectious disease The XXI Commonwealth Games (2018) is scheduled in Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, and will be the fifth Commonwealth Game hosted by Australia. The game start on April 4th, and has provisioned the accommodation of 6600 athletes and officials in the form of an athletes village comprising of 1252 houses, 1170 apartments and 82 townhouses in Southport. As a result, there will be an enormous influx of people (athletes, audiences, dignitaries) in the city, and therefore increasing the chances of introducing infectious disease into the community. If not checked and controlled properly, a potential outbreak scenario can ensue due to the influx, and can jeopardize the public health as well as the health of the visitors. It is therefore vital to identify the diseases most prevalent in the city, and the diseases that can potentially be favored by the environmental conditions of Gold Coast. Identifying the pathogenicity and etiologies of these communicable diseases can allow the implementat ion of preventative measures to control disease outbreaks/spreads. Gold Coast has a humid subtropical climate. The winters are warm (average of 25 to 29 degree Celsius) and hot and humid summers (average 23 to 27 degree Celsius with 106% to 121 % humidity) (Surfers Paradise Forecast, 2017). This can provide a good sustainable environment for different kinds of pathogens that exists or can be introduced to Gold Coast. Currently, the Gold Coast environment has seen the prevalence of different types of infectious diseases like diseases borne of contaminated food or water, diseases carried by mosquito (like Dengue), Viral Zoonotic Disease (like Australian Bat Lyssavirus or Q fever), Influenza, and infections (like meningococcal disease). Tick borne disease like Lyme disease has shown several incidences in Australia (Tick Borne Diseases | Gold Coast Hyperthermia Dr Craig Thompson Integrative GP, 2017). Some of the more relevant diseases in Gold Coast are Mosquito Borne diseases (like Dengue and Zika), and Influenza. As per Gold Coast Bulletin (August 26th, 2017), have reported an increased number of Influenza infections, with teenagers between 10 and 19 years being at the highest risk Statistics from Gold Coast Hospital Health Services shows a 20% increase (520 cases in a week) in the incidence of Influenza (Coast fully sick as flu numbers soar, 2017). Similarly Mosquito borne disease like Zika, have also been reported before. Presumably the Aedes aegypti (Dengue mosquitoes) can pick up the Zika virus from an infected traveler, and spread it (Zika virus | Queensland Health, 2017). Infrastructure related to infection control and management The infrastructure applicable to/ associated with Infection Control and Management Plan (ICMP) enables better management of communicable diseases, and its treatment. The infrastructure can be comprised of an Infection Prevention Team, Long Term Care Facilities and Hospital Surveillance of Health Associated Contagion. ICMP is a standard design aimed for reduction or prevention of infectious diseases in regards to healthcare services for patients, healthcare professionals working in the facility as well as individuals who can get infected in the facility. The declared healthcare facilities includes public hospitals, blood banks, occupational therapists, dental clinic, pathology laboratories, podiatry clinic, acupuncturists, specialist practice clinic, physiotherapists, speech therapists, pharmacies, hyperbaric medicines, aboriginal healthcare services, dermatology service, pharmaceuticals, nursing service, optometrists, correctional service, diabetes educators, radiological and diagnos tic imaging services, stem cell transplant service and Chinese medicines. Infection control program involves components like basic measures for infection control; education, training of healthcare workers; protecting the health of people through the processes of immunization; health hazard identification and risks mitigation; conducting routine activities and practices and effective work practices; surveillance; monitoring of incidence; investigation of outbreaks; research and controlling infections in specific situations (Poff, Browning, 2014). An Infection Control Committee acts as a forum for sharing information and allows a multidisciplinary input and help, and should include representatives from a wide variety of professions like management, healthcare workers, pharmacies, clinical microbiologists, housekeeping, sterilization services, maintenance and training services. They should be able to review and commend surveillance and prevention activities, identify scope of intervention from surveillance data, promote better health practice and assess the existing practice standards, ensuring proper training of staff in the domains of infection control and management. Quarantine Centers are applicable in conditions to stop further spread of the disease, by isolating the infected cases from non infected individuals. The quarantine centers will allow a safe study of the remedy and treatment, while ensuring safety for the population and health workers (Drazen et al., 2014). Vaccination protocols can allow preventative measures, providing protection to healthcare providers and to public. The vaccines help to build up immunity against diseases, and therefore is an important measure of disease prevention and managing (Vaccines, 2017). Surveillance allows proper reporting of infection incidences. Infection investigation done in accordance of CDC definition, can allow effective identification of the prevalent diseases, and thereby formulate a control. Major infectious diseases of concern and their relevant etiology and epidemiology. Influenza: Also called the flu is caused by influenza virus. This ailment is characterized by symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, muscular pains, coughing, and fatigue. Flu can be caused by different strains (A, B or C) of the Influenza virus. Flu cases in Australia are mostly caused by strains A and B. Out of these 2, only Influenza A is known to have caused pandemics. The spread of the virus can be in 3 different ways: direct transmission (when mucus from the infected person directly contacts the mucosa of the healthy person), airborne transmission (caused by inhaling droplets of moisture containing the virus), and through contaminated objects/ vehicles. Children are generally more prone to infection than adults. Estimates show that an average of 13,500 hospitalizations and 3,000 mortalities in Australia each year due to influenza. The worst affected are the patients suffering from chronic conditions like lung disease, asthma, cardiac disease, kidney disease, blood disorder, obesity and endocrine dysfunction (Colds and flu statistics, 2017). Surveillance reports from Australia in 2017 also provide the following information: The infections reached its peak activity in mid August. The confirmed cases of infection, reported to NNDSS (National Notificable Diseases Surveillance System) being 2.5 times compared to last year. The currently dominant strain of influenza virus, prevalent in Australia is the type a strain. The highest incidence of infection have been found among adults aged 80 and above, and the second highest incidence among children between 5 to 9 years. Even though in 2017 the number of mortality cases due to influenza showed an increase and is consistent with the rise in the reported cases and not necessarily due to an increased severity of the disease (List of notifiable conditions | Queensland, 2017). The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing estimated a total of 231,645 laboratory confirmed cases of influenza in Australia in 2017 (till November) (Immunisation Coalition, 2017). Figure 1: Statistics for Influenza in Australia; source: (Immunisation Coalition, 2017) Dengue: This disease is spread by mosquitoes, and caused by the Dengue Virus pathogen. The typical symptoms associated with the disease are fever, headache, nausea and painful joints. The symptoms can often develop into acute symptoms that are life threatening like hemorrhagic fever, bleeding, low platelet count, leakage of plasma, and shock that can cause acute low blood pressure (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). A sudden onset of fever is a characteristic of dengue. Infection course can be divided into three discrete phases: febrile, critical and recovery. During the first phase- the febrile phase, a high fever occurs (typically above 40 degree Celsius) associated with muscular pain and headache lasting for a week. Nausea and vomiting are also common apart from rashes and flushed skin. The fever can be biphasic, and shows frequent relapse. The critical phase starts as the fever goes down, and there can be leakage of plasma from the blood vessels which can last for a couple of days, causing fluid accumulation in the thoracic and abdominal cavities and can also cause dehydration, loss of fluid, reduced blood to organs, and bleeding from the Gastro Intestinal tract. A dengue shock can ensure due to these conditions, and can be fatal. The recovery phase occurs next, and is evidenced by the reabsorption of the fluids back into the circulatory system. The improvement can be associated with a lowered heart rate, itching and peeling of the skin. A fluid overload can also occur due to the increased volume of blood, and can affect the brain causing seizures. The disease is spread by the mosquito Aedes aegypti, and the virus has 4 different strains (1, 2, 3, and 4). Infection with one strain of the virus can cause immunity to only that strain, thereby still exposing the individuals to infections by the other strains in the future ("Department of Health | Australian Influenza Surveillance Report and Activity Updates", 2017). The mosquitoes bite by the day, and the disease has an incubation period of 3-14 days. The majority of the mosquito borne disease in Gold Coast is caused due to the salt marsh mosquitoes. Freshwater bodies created due to heavy rainfall also provide the ideal breeding grounds for the mosquitoes. High tides exceeding 1.6m in the Gold Coast Seaway also triggers the breeding of the mosquitoes, thereby increasing the prevalence of mosquito borne diseases ("City of Gold Coast | Mosquitoes", 2017). However, reports from January 2017 shows a record high number (in 20 years) of reported cases of dengue in Australia (Butt, 2017) Currently, the mosquito causing dengue is only found in the North, Central and Southwest Queensland. Outbreaks have occurred each year in Queensland, and the outbreaks generally start when an individual is infected with the virus while travelling overseas, and thereby introducing the pathogen into the country ((Faddy, Viennet, Flower McBride, 2017). As per WHO there were 662 laboratory conformed cases of Dengue in Australia, as of July 31st, 2017 (World Health Organization, 2017). This shows a reduction in the reported cases compared to previous years. Figure 2: Reported cases of Dengue; source: (World Health Organization, 2017) Infectious disease health services capacity and critical control points The health services for Infectious disease control ensure proper prevention of communicable diseases and prevent disease outbreaks. The service policies provide critical control points to check the outbreaks/spread of disease by analyzing the mode and path of infection. These control points are: Immunization: This is the process of aiding an individuals immune system to recognize a pathogen or immunogenic, building an immune memory of it. Immunization saves approximately 2-3 million lives every year from preventable diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, rubella, polio, mumps, pneumococcal diseases, tetanus, Pertussis, measles, hepatitis B and Haemophilius influenza type B. The vaccination program can involve strategies like: vaccination for all children, documentation of all vaccinations, free vaccinations and revaccinations incase of outbreak of diseases (Immunization, 2017). In addition, compulsory vaccination can also be implemented against certain diseases that shows prevalence. Screening: It allows identification of individuals who have been infected or exposed to the pathogen. It allows the treatment to be commenced in a timely manner, manage the co morbidities with more affectivity, help to reduce high risk behaviors for the disease, identify the necessity for any compulsory treatment plans. A quick and successful identification can also lower the rate of transmission thereby improving the success rate of disease management. Legal Framework and Mandatory Disclosure Laws: Penalizing non compliance to public health orders or for behaviors that can cause risk to public health allows prevention of activities that can jeopardize health of the public, and ensure personal responsibilities related to health. The laws also ensure compliance by healthcare providers to adhere to the strict protocols and methods that can foster well health of the population, and prevent outbreaks (Chen, Levonyan, Reinhart Taksler, 2014). Isolation/Quarantine: In case of serious outbreaks, it is often challenging to identify the correct source and the carriers. Due to this evacuation and closure of public places can be helpful to stop the spread of the disease. A proper quarantine protocol, combined with decontamination practices can ensure the safety of the people, in particular the economically vulnerable (Drazen et al., 2014). Role of transport access in affecting risk of infectious disease transmission: Infectious diseases can be transmitted by various methods, and therefore public health services aims to minimize transmission of the diseases. Enteric diseases can spread through water or food, and contamination of water supplies can result in diseases like diarrhea, jaundice and cholera. Diseases like Dengue, Malaria, Yellow Fever or Zika Virus are spread by mosquitoes. Prevalence of mosquitoes can hence be associated with prevalence of the diseases borne by them. Similarly, diseases like Influenza can be spread by direct or indirect contact, or by mucosal discharge, as does common cold and small pox. As we understand that a huge influx of people are likely to occur during the commonwealth games, 2018, there will be an elevated risk of retransmission of diseases during that time. Overcrowding can also elevate the risks of influenza spreading out of the country and diseases like Dengue and Zika entering the country from foreign individuals (Rahman, Harley Plummer, 2017). Therefore it is of utmost importance that the mode of transmission of these diseases be understood clearly, and proper precautionary and intervention measures be used to prevent their outbreak or to contain them. Preventing access to the vehicles of the disease can in effect prevent the spread, and ensure the continued protection of public health and foster a general well being among the public. References: Butt, C. (2017).Dengue fever cases hit 20-year high in Australia.The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 13 November 2017, from https://www.smh.com.au/national/health/dengue-fever-cases-hit-20year-high-in-australia-20170112-gtqq5b.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Symptoms and what to do if you think you have dengue.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA: https://www. cdc. gov/dengue/symptoms. Chen, D. L., Levonyan, V., Reinhart, S. E., Taksler, G. B. (2014).Mandatory disclosure: Theory and evidence from industry-physician relationships. Working paper, mimeo. City of Gold Coast | Mosquitoes. (2017).Goldcoast.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 15 November 2017, from https://www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/environment/mosquitoes-4095.html Coast fully sick as flu numbers soar (2017).Coast fully sick as flu numbers soar.Goldcoastbulletin.com.au. 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