Mattel Toy Recall Essay

1. What are the main issues involved in the case? Mattel had five recalls in 2007 involving over 21 million toys. The problems were related to lead paint and poorly designed magnets. Most of the toys were made in China, which caused them to question the reliability of the Chinese manufacturers. At first, Mattel tried to put all the blame on the Chinese manufacturers as a denial tactic. They also claimed the media and government overly magnified the crisis. Mattel also failed to notify the CPSC of the defects within the time limit of 24 hours. It took them nearly a month and a half to notify the CPSC. Even though the recalls were in 2007, there were incidents/injuries reported in 2003 with children needing surgery because of the toy defects. One death was recorded. 2. Identify the major stakeholders and state how the issues in the case affect each stakeholder. Competitors: Because Mattel is such a large and trusted company that outsources, customers were nervous to trust other companies that outsourced. Who was to say they did not have the same issues as Mattel? Investors: Stocks dropped and investors lost money. They ended up suing based on allegations of failure to disclose recalls in a timely manner, and failure to have proper protocols to avoid recalls. Customers: Many children were injured and required surgery, and one child even died. Parents lost faith in Mattel and created lawsuits against them. Employees: Because of the accusations on the Chinese manufacturers, job security in China all but diminished. Job security and pay decreased in America too because of the fines from the CPSC, and the cost of the recalls. 3. How could this case be viewed from an ethical perspective? It was Mattel’s job to report the incident in a specific time limit, which they failed to do. They could have warned parents approximately a month and a half earlier, possibly saving children from painful injuries and surgeries. Mattel also put the blame on the Chinese and did not own up to their own mistakes. 4. What final conclusions or recommendations would you draw? Immediately tackle any issues or problems that arise to avoid a larger fiasco. Implement higher standards and checks to ensure the safety of the products. Follow all government statues and be sure that the outsource countries have the same or similar regulations and priorities that we hold.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors Although the term cardiovascular disease refers to a disorder of the cardiovascular system, it is usually associated with atherosclerosis, also known as arterial disease. It is considered the leading cause of deaths in the world, taking 17. 1 million lives a year. There are only a few factors that are non-modifiable, these being the persons age, gender, family history and their race and ethnicity. Although there are non-modifiable risk factors, there are multiple multiple risk factors that are modifiable that anyone can use to prevent getting any type of cardiovascular disease. These people just need to have the motivation to be able to change themselves and their lifestyles in order to better themselves and their cardiovascular system all together. There are four non-modifiable risk factors when it comes to cardiovascular diseases. The first being age. Simply getting old is a high risk factor of cardiovascular disease, the risk or heart diseases increase every decade after the age of 55. A persons gender is also important; a man has a greater chance of getting a heart disease than a pre-menopausal woman. Once past menopause though, a woman's risk is just as high as a man's. Another risk factor is a persons family history. Once a person knows that their family history has some type of heart disease in it, it indicates that their risks are higher. If a first-degree blood relative has had a coronary heart disease or stroke before the age of 55 years old for a male relative, or 65 years old for a female relative, the persons risks increases. The last non-modifiable risk factor is a persons race and ethnicity. It plays a role because it has been proven that people with African or Asian ethnicity are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases than any other racial group. There are a lot more modifiable risks than non-modifiable risks for cardiovascular diseases. The first being hypertension, which is also known as high blood pressure. This is known as the single biggest risk factor for stroke. It also plays a major role in heart attacks, but can be prevented and treated , only if the person has it diagnosed and stick to their suggested plan. Tobacco use also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, whether it being smoking or chewing tobacco. The risk is particularly higher if the person started smoking at a young age, smokes heavily and/or if the person is a woman. No matter how long that person has been smoking for, stopping can make a major difference when it comes to cardiovascular diseases. Physical inactivity is also a modifiable risk factor, obesity is a big problem in many countries and it increases the risk of heart diseases by 50%. Obesity also leads people to diabetes, which is also a risk. 1% or coronary heart diseases and 11% of the strokes worldwide are due to a high diet in fats, this is a big deal in certain countries because high diets in fats are seen everywhere. Another factor is being poor. It is normal that low income will make people's lives lean towards a stressful one, one where there is social anxiety, isolation and depression, which are all reasons why a person can get cardiovascular disea ses. When someone abuses alcohol, drinking more than two drinks a day, it increases their risks as well. There are a few other modifiable risk factors, such as taking certain medications. The only behavior that is detrimental to my cardiovascular health that I would be unwilling to change would be smoking. The reason for this is because I had tried to stop smoking before and I realized that I started gaining weight. Once I realized this I started smoking again, only because I did not want to keep gaining the weight I was gaining when I wasn't smoking. After I started smoking again I realized that if I would become hungry and I would have a cigarette, I would no longer be hungry, which would stop me from eating for a lot longer. The areas in my lifestyle that I could change or improve that would promote my heart health would first of all be my lack of physical activity. I've been wanting to start working out for a while now but never got to it. The first time I went to the gym, my body was so soar the next day that I no longer wanted to do it, but I know that soon I will have to suck it up and start going to the gym, and maybe at the time I will stop smoking because I would realize that I am getting much healthier. Another area would be the alcohol abuse. People at my age love to drink, it is something that we do on the regular because we always seem to have something to celebrate. And when we feel like having one beer, it always ends up being more then that, but that is something that I am willing to change and would love to change in return for better health. All of these would affect my heart health because they are all modifiable cardiovascular disease risks. They would make me a healthier and happier person in general because I will know that my body has changed for the better. I am planning on making these changes in the future because I know myself that I need to do this to be a much healthier person, because I know that day by day I am getting less healthy. I want to see myself as a healthy person and really believe that I am that way, and know that I am the person who did that, I was motivated enough to change myself for the better. I realized that I need to stop making excuses and I need to take action in order to become healthier and to make my risks even lower.

Gender and Culture Studies Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gender and Culture Studies - Article Example All these do not act independent from each other. Studies try to analyze and explain how they work together â€Å"how they mutually construct one another† (Collins et al 62). My goal in this paper is to try explaining the article and the different ideas being portrayed. As noted earlier, the article presents us with the insight of how race and gender are socially put together out of dysfunctional definitions of â€Å"the family†. Generally, gender and race are socially built groups rather than important and biological groups. Collins shows how these groups are formed and how idealized and often the dysfunctional images of â€Å"the family† project a hierarchy that functions in the best interest of everyone. The idealized family needs a breadwinner who is able to protect and maintain the other family members, a wife who is a stay at home mother, and obedient children. This means the public of economics and politics have no impact or influence what so ever on the private domestic sphere of women and children. But this is becoming unrealistic especially in the present day, for it is difficult for survival value for the women and the children who solely depend on the man as the provider. Discrimination on the lines of gender and race is real in the modern society as individuals use an imagined image of a certain group to create a hierarchical categorization. We use the family images to view our nation and use it in the definitions of policies. As matter of fact, the assumption that a few wealthy white men are capable of not only protecting the whole national family but also acting to the best interest of the society comes from accepting the hierarchical categorization. Deviance or protest of any kind to this assumed fact makes one ungrateful and thus conservative politicians expect that women and people of color should not only be submissive According to Collins there were six different dimensions which will be explained in terms of gender, race

A Scene in a Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

A Scene in a Film - Essay Example The anatomy of a scene is what comes in to separate the great film into becoming one that is amended in the collective consciousness of a person. Right from the outside looking in, a film comprises of a collection of many scenes that are subject to tie together. Several things help in elevating a film into becoming memorable. These may include having a great concept, a great cast, and a great screenplay. As a film writer, one requires to look at the collective scenes with objectivity and be able to know how he or she would tie it all together, thus be able to turn what may seem to be a loose connection of scenes into becoming a story. A great scene, from an individual view, is one that has the potential of highlighting itself to become the film’s greatest moment, together with having the ability to implement all the movie-making skills. This may entail employing the use of music, camera movements, acting, scripting, among many other defining roles. The key ingredient that defines a great film scene is having a striking and a cinematically beautiful image. In order to look at a movie from a critical perspective, there is a need for learning a little bit of the tools that filmmakers use in creating their products. Compared to the state of studying literature, one would require learning more about the methods of identifying similes, metaphors, and symbols. However, when it comes to studying literature, there is a need for identifying the cinematic techniques and theatrical elements and be able to learn how they may affect the audiences. These cinematic elements may include aspects of framing, angle, and camera movements while taking a shot, together with the sound and editing entailed in a film. The theatrical elements may entail aspects like costumes, props, sets, and the acting choice.  

Improving Team Performance Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Improving Team Performance - Article Example e personality indicators, the objectives being given to the teams, the leadership and most commonly the organizational culture that helps in developing competent and effective teams. A person who is professionally well developed might not have the ability to work in collectivist society and might prefer to work alone. Moreover, few of the individuals prefer to act as passive partner regardless of their professional development point of view and this emancipates problems like social loafing. Keeping in view this, personnel selection and development is of critical importance Suman (2009). This is true to an extent because the organizations in an attempt to achieve the competitive advantage and to develop individuals in a way that they can work effectively in teams and can adapt to the changing environment work towards developing such strategies or hiring such agencies that can hunt the talent desired by the organization. This gives rise to the introduction of such training and development modules that aim to develop personnel professionally. Different models have been introduced to highlight the usefulness of personality and behavioral assessment instruments. DISC model is the one that relates that individuals and situations are related in a way that their behavior cannot be predicted and understood without proper understanding of environment Suman (2009). Critically analyzing this one can conclude that employees develop themselves at strategic level only when they understand their organizations’ culture and environment. Employees can work in teams effectively only when there are clear communication channels, the decentralization that enables employees to have their say in organizations’ decision making process and the ability to adapt to the changing organizations’ environment. In addition to this, the MBTI personality type is another assessment instrument that talks about the personality types. They argued that there are 16 types of personalities and all

Fashion and style in United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fashion and style in United States - Essay Example The essay "Fashion and style in United States" explores the style and trends of fashion in the United States. The United States of America experienced varied trends in fashion over the years. In the twentieth century, the United States of America accepted African American rights as resettled into a mostly Caucasian culture, mixing the two cultures which affected fashion and the Afro got seen in mainstream America in the latter 1960s. For example, James Brown influenced afro to be a fashion statement by recording the song â€Å"Say It Loud-Am Black and Am Proud†. This got reinforced by its use in the novel and film The Commitments used statements of James Brown song in 1987 . Film and novel are forms of media that disseminate fashion. Media an especially magazine such as Flaunt portrayed American standard of life has being exceptionally high, therefore, leading the world in life and style. Many people in other countries who lead magazines and watched American films tried to cop y those fashions. American magazines and films in other countries contributed to fashion development . This has happened and happens now through; films, news and radio that have taken the influence of American culture and fashion to other regions of the world. The books and websites referenced in this essay give a clear insight into the media’s role in fashion. However, it is the printed and visual media that chronicled and advertised the changes in trends and fashions. Therefore, they must be held responsible for its dissemination. of  fashion  through America and elsewhere6.  Every decade saw  new  changes in trends of  fashion  in the United States of America. The style and  fashion  changes significantly affected the lifestyles people. The media, for example,  film  changes people’s thoughts, their talks, their behavior and  fashion  changed. For instance, The Commitments film made many African Americans  maintain  the Afro hairstyle7. Many people after the World War II lived in the United States  hence  acquiring the  fashion  and  culture. The media were the first to ensure that people got the information about  culture  and  style8. Media Media is a  broad  name for a system of tools that  are used  to communicate ideas and information over vast distances. Media can be used to  disseminate  fashion ideas and information over to many people at once. Magazine publications and films  are distributed  over large geographical locations, therefore, reaching many people at once. There are two broad classifications of media these are broadcast and print media. In broadcast media information  is transmitted  electronically, for example, in radio, television and film. Print media  alternatively  uses  physical  method  like a  newspaper  to  transmit  information. For instance, an individual may  hand  out leaflets (printed media), therefore; a few people  seeà ‚  the  information. Another person may also  put  up billboards across America so that many people see (more effective  mass  media). Media can be also be classified into  print, digital and photography. Photography spreads information in

A Contemporary Artist From The Art 21 PBS Web Site Assignment

A Contemporary Artist From The Art 21 PBS Web Site - Assignment Example The essay "A Contemporary Artist From The Art 21 PBS Web Site" discovers the Contemporary Artist in Art 21. The episodes produced in each season have different types of theme like spirituality, identity, power, and humor among others. Some of the contemporary artists featured include Sally Mann, Kerry James, and Mel Chin among others. The first season of Art21 was premiered in 2001 its seasons being produced in every two years and has been able to spread in more than fifty countries. In this context we will cover season six which is the current one in 2012 in which Ai Weiwei was interviewed. He is known to be an outspoken activist of human rights and in this episode he was featured in the theme of change. His art included photographs, sculptures and also public artworks which were about politics. . Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist born on 18th May 1957 in Beijing, China. He is one of the founders of Avant-garde art in 1978 to which the group disbanded in 1983 (Ai, 2011). He lived in United States, New York from 1981 to 1993 and studied at Parsons School of Design and also at the Art Student League of New York. He later returned to China and published three books on the new generation of artists. Ai Weiwei received a doctorate from the University of Ghent, Belgium from the faculty of Politics and Social science in 2010.He was arrested in 2011 and detained for three months without any official charges filed against him. He has received many awards which include Skowhegan medal in 2011.

Reaction paper 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reaction paper 5 - Essay Example Therefore, an alternative currency will help in restoring the confidence based on the dramatic rise in the price of gold. Additionally, the essence of gold is that no one can make more of it than what already is in the ground (Alan, Javier & Robin, 2010). As a result, this will help curb inflation. Another advantage of gold as a currency is in helping policymakers using it as a measure of investor’s concern about the fate of other currencies. Moreover, there has been increased investment in gold by new investors than before, and this has made it easier to buy and sell bullion (Alan, Javier & Robin, 2010). In addition, the gold as a currency has shown that it is not easy to be debased. On the other hand, there are arguments against the use of gold as a currency. The argument is that alternative currency will still have its own problems. For example, the Eurozone has fractured bond market while there is also no free trade on China’s renminbi (Alan, Javier & Robin, 2010). The other argument is that gold currency is prone to deflation based on its continuous rise in price. Consequently, such a high rise does not help in predicting a rise in the price of other

Bullwhip Effect in Retail Supply Chains Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Bullwhip Effect in Retail Supply Chains - Essay Example Supply chain management (SCM) then includes all the methods, systems, people, and resources that help improve processes and organisations throughout the supply chain. SCM involves close working together of all companies in the chain. Simchi Levi et al. (2004) classify SCM into two categories: configuration, which is related to basic infrastructure (hardware, software, transport, etc.); and coordination, related to the way the supply chain operates. Configuration issues include decisions on choosing suppliers, outsourcing activities, and policies for purchasing, decisions on production, site location, capacity; distribution channels, retail locations, and transportation costs and issues. Coordination issues include decisions on material flows throughout the chain, how information is exchanged, and payment systems. This shows how complex supply chain management is because it involves many functions and geographic areas. Design and execution are therefore difficult and need to be managed for the supply chain to move with efficiency. An example is shown in Figure 1 (Gereffi, 2002) for retail apparel which links cotton and synthetic fibre manufacturers, textile mills, apparel manufacturers, and retail outlets from all the five continents. If one link in this chain breaks, e.g., the container ship with the raw material supply of African cotton gets lost at sea, the whole supply chain can break down and thousands of clients of Marks & Spencer will have to party using last season's fashion. Supply Chain, Meet Bullwhip What is known as the "bull-whip effect" can be described as follows: the farther away from the customer a supplier is along the supply chain, the higher would be the difference between what is really needed from what is ordered. The term was coined by Lee et al. (1997) based on observations and descriptions made by supply chain professionals at Procter & Gamble (P&G). They noticed that whilst the number of babies and the demand for nappies were stable, the orders coming from retailers and wholesalers for Pampers deliveries, P&G's best-selling nappies brand, fluctuated dramatically. And as they went further down the supply chain, starting with the orders made by P&G from the suppliers of the components that went into a nappy - plastic, cotton, and so on - they noticed even wilder fluctuations. On a graph, they noticed that these fluctuations were similar to the way the amplitude of a whiplash increases down the length of the whip once it is cracked. Thus was born the phenomenon known as the Bullwhip Effect. Figure 2 shows this phenomenon in action, using data

THINKING HISTORICAL ASSIGNMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THINKING HISTORICAL ASSIGNMENT - Essay Example Moreover, President Wilson’s decision was primarily motivated by the Germany’s resumption of submarine attacks on passengers and merchant ships in the year 1917. As a result of subsequent attacks on unarmed passenger ships by the German army, the united states was obliged to set certain terms and conditions that would prohibit this act. This treaty is called Sussex pledge. Violation of this agreement by the German government primarily motivated the United States’ entry in World War 1. The military leadership in Germany was however convinced that resumption of unrestricted submarine warfare would enable it to defeat the British within five months, thus they went forward and violated the pledge. However, this decision was conflicted by Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg. He claimed that violation of the pledge would motivate the American government Participate in the war on behalf of the Allies and he claimed that this would result in the German defeat in the war. Thus the common memory is reinforced since the violation of the pledge resulted in United States entry into the World War 1. The U.S. propaganda with the picture of a lady was meant to motivate women to contributed money that would sustain and give support to the army. It had the following writings on it â€Å"WOMEN OF AMERICA SAVE YOUR COUNTRY Buy WAR SAVINGS STAMPS.† This message was conveyed by the treasury department of United States America. Thus, propaganda uses a technique that appeals for emotion. The propaganda was however been successful since women were not involved in the war directly so they hard to support their country’s army financially. The technique employed by the propaganda appeals for emotion thus obliging women to support the country. The propaganda was successful due to the fact that the American army received support in varied form, varying from wheat to money while on the war front. War propaganda definitely played a significant role in World War 1 for most

Pulmonary Disease or Lung Disease Essay Example for Free

Pulmonary Disease or Lung Disease Essay Pulmonary disease or lung disease is any disease or disorder that occurs in the lungs or that causes the lungs or that causes the lungs not to work correctly. Some diseases or disorders that affect the lungs are Pneumothrax, Pneumonia, Hemothorax, and Infectious Mononucleosis: Epstein Barr virus Infection. There are many signs, symptoms, treatments and medications for Pulmonary diseases. Symptoms and signs for Pneumothorax varies from patient to patient but usually includes Sudden and sharp soreness in the chest on the region where the lung is affected. Briefness of breath is a symptom depending the quantity of the lung that is collapsed there could be more or less shortness of breath. Tension in the chest around the area of the collapsed lung is a symptom or sign. Another Symptom or Sign is rapid heartbeat. Treatment for Pneumothorax is to allow the lung to heal. The quantity of the patient’s lung that is collapsed will determine whether the doctor needs to monitor the condition with X-rays until the lung re-expands to normal this can take up to a few days or a few weeks. Needle or chest tube insertion is a form of treatment when the lung has collapsed this is how the doctor will remove the air from the patient’s lung. Chest tubes are often attached to a suction device that will constantly remove air from chest cavity this suction device can be in position for a couple of hours or a few days. Video assisted thoracoscopy is a commonly used surgical process where the doctor inserts two to three tubes one tube is for the camera while the other tubes are used to close the air leak with surgical tools. Video assisted thoracoscopy usually works but if it does not a surgical process with an incision may be needed. Medications for Pneumathrax are anesthetics and analgesics which should be used if the patient is not in distress. Antibiotics after chest tube insertion may decrease complications. Coding for Pneumothorax is 512 (requires a fourth numeral). Pneumonia is an infective inflammation of the lungs (Frazier Drzymkowski, 2009). Symptoms and signs of Pneumonia can differ from patient to patient but include fever, cough, and shortness of breath, sweating and shaking chills. Other symptoms and signs of Pneumonia are chest pain that changes with breathing headaches, muscle soreness and exhaustion. Treatment for Pneumonia differ depending on how bad the symptoms and signs are and the type of Pneumonia the patient has. Bacterial Pneumonia will be treated with antibiotics. Viral Pneumonia is treated with antiviral medications, plenty of rest and plenty of fluids. Mycoplasma Pneumonia is treated with antibiotics. Fungal Pneumonia is caused by fungus and is treated with antifungal medication. There are several medications that can be taken for Pneumonia. Amoxil is an antibiotic it must be taken for the entire length the doctor prescribed to be completely treated. Bactrim is an antibiotic that is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Flagyl fights infection caused by bacteria. Zyvox fights bacteria in the body. The ICD-9-CM Code for Pneumonia is 486 (organism unnamed). Hemothorax is the accumulation of blood and fluid in the pleural cavity (Frazier Drzymkowski, 2009). The symptoms and signs of Hemothorax are nervousness, chest soreness, rapid heart rate, restlessness, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms and signs of Hemothorax are pale and damp skin weak pulse, and falling blood pressure. When treating Hemothorax the goal is to stop bleeding, get rid of the blood and air in the pleural space. A tube can be placed in the chest wall to deplete air and blood. The tube will be kept in place for several days to re-expand the lung. The blood that is lost must be replaced. Surgery may be needed to stop the bleeding. Medication for Hemothorax would be an antibiotic when tubes are in the patient’s chest. Pain control may be required in the chest area where the tube is going to inserted in the patient’s chest. The ICD-9-CM Code is 511. 8. Infectious Mononucleosis Epstein-Barr Virus Infection is also is known as Mono. Mono has many symptoms and signs they are exhaustion, weakness, uncomfortable throat, fever, inflamed tonsils, headache, irritation on skin, loss of hunger, nighttime sweats. Inflamed lymph nodes in the patient’s neck or armpits are also symptoms and signs of Mono. Mono is viral infection so antibiotics will not work to heal it. Bed rest and plenty of fluids are needed to fight Mono. Rinse your throat with lukewarm salt water to ease painful throat. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen for soreness and fever. The ICD-9-CM Code for Mono is 075. Pulmonary disease or lung disease affects all people. All Pulmonary diseases have different symptoms, signs, forms of treatment, different types of medication and ICD-9 codes.

Maintaining a Competitive Edge in Business

Maintaining a Competitive Edge in Business INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The performance of nay business nowadays is very much triggered by stringent competition due to the existence of other players in the respective industries with the iam of providing the general consuming public with products and servces which were previously made available by other suppliers. To survive such predicament, businesses execute their own set of strategies. Various operations strategies have ben identified in order to maintain their sustainable competitive edge and to establish their place in the market as against other players in the industry. In this paper, the researcher will closely analyze the case of J. Sainsbury, a leading supermarket with interests in finance in the United Kingdom. The researcher will identify the performance objectives of the entire industry and compare it with that of J Sainsbury, and analyze order qualifiers and order winners as regards to the business operation of the business. More importantly, the researcher will also give suggestions on what steps can the company do in order to maintain its sustainable competitive advantage despite the growing competition in the industry with the entry of other players and the growth of previously identified competitors. PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Performance objectives refer to a set of goals and aims specified by the company or the industry which are expected to be achieved after implementation and execution of a set of strategies which are formulated top improve the performance of the organization. The supermarket industry in the United Kingdom is very diverse and competent as each have varying strategies and tools on how they can better serve the public so that they will have an increased market share as against the other players. The key performance objectives of the operations of these supermarkets are geared towards increasing their market share and generating more profit. One of the performance objectives of the entire supermarket industry in the United Kingdom would be to increase their economic value which involves earnings in profit, creation of new customers, innovation, and the best use of available resources. Furthermore, another performance objective of operations in the industry would be imp rovement of the companies social function which entails their ability to perform the conduct of their business while reaping benefits which are beneficial to the society such as corporate social responsibility measures. One more performance objectives would be to improve its human capital which in turn will reciprocate better service in the industry. Another performance objective of the business would be helping in the growth of the nation through improving internal and external environment of the company. The last performance objective of the company would be to be able to expand operations on other areas of the business aside from food retail which has been the industrys main business. ORDER QUALIFIERS AND ORDER WINNERS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Order qualifiers refer to the characteristics various products which are offered by the company that can qualify for such products or services to be considered for purchase by the customer. On the other hand, an order winner refers to the characteristics of a product or service that wins the order or the final and most important factor which triggers the purchase. A company is said to be in a trouble if its best investments or its sustainable competitive edge is not important to the general consuming public. Order qualifiers and order winners are important for the firms products and services because eit stipulates the criteria which are identified by the consuming public and these criteria must be present in their offerings for such to be considered as a valuable option.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For instance, in the United Kingdom, when the shoppers think of which supermarket they should buy their needs, they consider these supermarkets in terms of order qualifiers. Order qualifiers would include which ones has the lowest price, highest quality of products, socially responsible business, most accessible, among other factors, nonetheless, presented with this qualifiers, the customer will choose which one to visit base on the order winner or the characteristic or final consideration which makes them choose that supermarket, normally the organizations sustainable competitive advantage. For instance, it can be assumed that what makes J. Sainsbury an order winner is its focus on quality which makes them the best in food and health as they deliver to the public a perpetually improving quality shopping experience exceeding customer expectations. THE OPERATONS OF J. SAINSBURY   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Being one of the leading supermarkets in the United Kingdom, J. Sainsbury has been continuous in providing the public with a shopping experience of the highest quality in terms of the products and services which it offers. The remaining section will discuss the operations of J. Sainsbury in line with the performance objectives in the industry which have been earlier identified.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The first performance objective identified was economic benefits. J. Sainsburys operation undeniably surpassed is economic benefits as illustrated by the profits which the company earned in the previous year. According to the companys Chief Financial Officer, they made good progress despite the challenging economic environment and their sales even soared 6% higher from the previous year which is indicative of a good economic performance. The company is also generating more than 18 million customer transactions on a weekly basis with a 16% market share. Furthermore, in terms of its social function the company also showed in its operating review its continuous emphasis of corporate social responsibility as being significant in the growth of their business. The company has made a positive difference in many communities by being able to support charities such as Comic Relief where they raised almost 10 million pounds and Active Kids where their donation almost reached 70 million pounds worth of sport equipments and other items. They have also implemented efforts to reduce to negative environmental impact of some supermarket practices such as when it comes to plastic bags. The improvement of the workforce has also been identified as a performance objective in the industry. Such has been shown by the company thorugh its efforts to improve the quality of the labor force for better service. It also continuously gives out monetary bonuses and incentives for good service performance which will motivate the employees to do better because they know that they are being recognized. Another performance objective earlier identified was being able to help in the growth of the nation. J. Sainsburys has been committed to this by providing employment opportunities which gave the citizens an avenue of earning as they work in a dynamic corporate environment. It also perpetually creates opportunities to help the unfortunates in the nation by involving in partnersh ips with different groups. The last performance objective of the industry as earlier identified would be being able to expand their operations to open more opportunities and to serve more markets. J. Sainsburys response to this objective would be improvement in its non-food sector such as sales for home and lifestyle items. They have also expanded business through their additional channels to reach more market such as going on-line. RECOMMENDATIONS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As what has been shown by the discussion above, it can be assumed that the performance of J. Sainsbury in the market is doing well. The financial performance is indicative of good business while their corporate social responsibility is indicative of how well they help the society by bringing back whatever they have earned from the public. The strategies which have been identified and formulated by the company showed success in being able to maintain its competitive advantage in the market and in being able to manage competition from other players in the industry. The increase in their net sales is indicative that they were able to manage other players and they were able to do business in a good way despite the challenges which where brought about by the global economic downturn.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To be able to maintain its competitive position in the industry, J. Sainsbury must be able to perpetually put an emphasis on its on-going strategies and how maximum benefits can be reaped from such. Competition will always be rough in an industry which is as rough as the supermarket business in the United Kingdom. Both small and big players will have continued efforts in order to outplay and compete against each other. There will be competitive efforts which will focus mainly on price as such ahs been deemed as the most important order qualifier among the general consuming public. To be able to manage such competitive strategies, J. Sainsbury must always remember that the lowest price does not guarantee the most market. Price is a big indication towards purchase, but more emphasis should be put into quality as such is more important. There is a significant need to be able to compete on price. Nonetheless, the need to compete on quality can otherwise prove to be mo re paramount among consumer concerns.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The operations strategies which have been earlier identified will help the company increase its share in the market or at least retain its current position. The researcher recommends that the company must put a continued emphasis on its efforts towards helping the community and the entire nation. The corporate social responsibility or the set of practices of every organization which are geared towards the environment should always be of paramount concern. The general consuming public is being increasingly aware of how to protect the environment. With that, the company must be sensitive towards this concern and must continue its efforts towards providing the public with an environmentally friendly shopping experience such as through the bags their use and improvement in their waste disposal practices in order to keep the environment clean. Moreover, they should also continue their efforts to help communities in which they pay back from the revenues they have earned from the public. A portion of their earnings shall be directed towards helping others by showing value to the same society which gave them the profit in the business. More importantly, it should continue to generate employment opportunities in the United Kingdom to be able to help the nation and to help improve the performance of the business by employing more competent and qualified individuals who can render excellent customer service which in the long run will translate into increased profit.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The competitive environment for supermarkets in the United Kingdom is tough. Nonetheless, with the formulation of effective individual operation strategies, the business will be able to outplay competition and survive in the marketplace as it continue on its perpetual efforts to help the public by offering them with a shopping option of the highest quality. REFERENCES: J. Sainsbury Annual Company Report (2009). Retrieved on April 29, 2010 from http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/files/reports/ar2009_report.pdf Business Studies (n.d.). Objectives of Business. Retrieved on April 29, 2010 from http://www.nos.org/Secbuscour/cc03.pdf Waterman H. (2007). UK Supermarket CSR Reports: A Comparison Using Environmental and Social Reporting Guidelines. Retrieved on April 29, 2010 from http://www.fcrn.org.uk/researchLib/theses/supermarket%20CSR%2007%20Holly%20Waterman.pdf

Prototype Theory

Prototype Theory PROTOTYPE THEORY and DEFINITIONS: THE ROLE OF BASIC FACTORS, LEARNT KNOWLEDGE and CULTURE a small-scale empirical study 1. Introduction The purpose of the present empirical research paper is to investigate how Prototype Theory works in defining categories in real life. The theory was introduced by Rosch (1975) in order to explain how semantic categories are represented in our mind. Several experiments prove the functioning of Prototype Theory, but in everyday life we often categorise instances based on our culturally bound definitions rather than based on similarity to a typical instance. Thus, this paper investigates the role of the two mechanisms through a small-scale study, aiming at finding answers to the following research questions: Are prototypes and definitions formed similarly or differently? What is the role of learnt knowledge in creating the prototypes and definitions? Do cultural factors play a role in creating prototypes and definitions? 2. Literature review 2.1. Basic concepts In this section a review of the most important concepts related to Prototype Theory will be provided. To begin with, prototype theory suggests that many mental concepts we have are really prototypes. [] (It) has been useful in investigations into how concepts are formed, [] and to what extent certain concepts can be considered universal or specific to certain cultures / languages (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p. 432). A prototype is a person or object which is considered (by many people) to be typical of its class or group (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p.432). Rosch (1975) defines it as the clearest case of a category, and Aitchinson (1984) also stresses the typicality of the prototype regarding its category. The prototype consists of a set of prototypical features, which are the attributes that are shared by most members, but by only a few non-members (Rosch, 1975), therefore are able to differentiate between categories. A category is a set of attributes that we consider as characteristics of groups of people or objects, or a number of objects that are considered equivalent (Rosch, 1978). The category plays an important role in word recognition because it can serve as the basis of identification of an object, as people often define a concept by reference to typical instances (Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 2003, p. 432). Other related concepts to prototypes are stereotype and schema. Stereotypes are beliefs about groups, i.e. the number of attributes that we consider as characteristics of certain social groups (The Cambridge Dictionary of Psychology, p. 520). There are, for instance, stereotypes based on race, ethnicity, gender or certain professions. A schema is a concept used in pragmatics to refer to a mental representation of a typical instance. Semantic processing allows people to interpret new experiences quickly and economically. (Cook, 1997, p. 86). All in all, prototypes play an important role in the cognitive processes of categorisation and word identification, which will be discussed in the following section. 2.2. Prototypes in categorisation The mental representation of a prototype is formed on the basis of several factors. First, a prototype is often described on the basis of its appearance: the size, the colour or the shape of an object can influence whether they are considered as typical instances of a category. Second, in some cases it is important what the object is capable of doing. For example, one of the most important characteristics of a bird is that it can fly, and a flightless bird is often considered as less typical. Moreover, the usage of an object often influences our judgement about the typicality of the object. Finally, the frequency of the word also defines whether we consider it typical or not, as a bird that always sings outside our windows can be judged most typical than an exotic bird that we rarely encounter. All in all, these characteristics influence our judgements of the typicality of objects with regards to certain categories (Rosch, 1978). According to another aspect, two types of attributes can define a category. Aitchinson (1987) distinguishes between identification criteria and stored knowledge, i.e. the attributes that are essential to the identification of a concept, and the attributes that we attach to the objects through our learnt knowledge of the world. In this respect the impact of ones culture is of high importance, as there is evidence that prototypes vary from language to language, and from culture to culture (Schwanenflugel and Rey, cited by Field, 2003, p.103). For instance, on the basis of its appearance, a bat could be categorised as a bird, but influenced by our knowledge we acquired in our biology lessons, we will most probably put the bat in the category of mammal. The role of the above mentioned basic factors, learnt knowledge and cultural stereotypes and schemata was investigated in an empirical study, which will be outlined in the next section. 3.  Research methods The aim of the empirical study is to answer the research questions presented in the Introduction. Research is based on data collected with the help of a questionnaire, and analysed quantitatively. 3.1. The research instrument The research instrument consisted of two basic parts. In the first part of the questionnaire there are five lists of words that participants had to evaluate on the basis of their typicality with regards to certain categories. The five lists of words were chosen on the basis of Rosch (1975, cited by Field, 2003, p. 102.), and consisted of nine words that had to be evaluated on a 7-item scale, on which 1 means the least typical, and 7 is the most typical instance. In the second part of the questionnaire participants had to define the same categories with their own words. The aim of the five open-ended items was to identify the basic attributes participants used to formulate a definition of the categories. These answers were then compared with the results of the judgements of prototypicality in the previous task, with the purpose of giving an account for the similarities and differences in the two kinds of mental operations. 3.2. Participants The research was carried out with the participation of 25 respondents. They were approached through personal contacts on the Internet. The average age of the participants is 22.4 years, and the gender proportion is almost equal (with 13 male and 12 female respondents). 4.  Results and discussion The aim of this section is to present and analyse the data of the empirical study, with the purpose of finding answers to the research questions. 4.1. The judgements of typicality The results of the judgements of the typicality of the instances of the categories are in line with Roschs (1975) findings that prove that the typicality of certain instances is evaluated very similarly by different people. Table 1 shows the order of the words within the categories: Table 1. The order of instances within the categories based on the respondents evaluation on a 1-7 scale. Furniture Bird Vehicle Fruit Woman table 6.85 blackbird 6.92 car 7 apple 7 mother 7 dresser 6.77 hawk 6.92 bus 7 orange 7 nurse 6.76 chair 6.76 sparrow 6.87 subway 6.69 pear 6.93 teacher 6.67 stool 5.61 raven 6.77 taxi 6.08 melon 6.54 actress 6.54 lamp 4.08 parrot 6.62 cart 5.77 mango 6.54 ballerina 6.23 piano 3.62 canary 6.54 yacht 4.08 fig 6.23 doctor 5.92 vase 2.39 ostrich 5.30 elevator 2 nut 3.23 police-woman 4.77 picture 2.30 penguin 4.85 ski 1.85 pumpkin 2.84 miner 3.30 telephone 1.92 bat 1.38 wheel-barrow 1.69 olive 2.30 football player 2.46 The evaluation of the prototypicality of the items seems to be based on several factors. The first factor is the appearance of the items, which influenced the judgements of prototypicilaty in the case of, for instance, the categories of bird or fruit, where the most typical instances have a lot in common with regards to physical appearance. Another aspect is the frequency of the items, that is, how often respondents encounter the given instance of the category in real life. The category of fruit is a good example for the importance of this factor, in which apple and orange were the ones being judged as most typical instances, and the less frequently consumed exotic fruits like mango or fig scored lower. Another example is the category of bird, in which the different evaluations of blackbird and canary cannot be accounted for in terms of physical appearance (they are quite similar in size and form). The frequency of the two species, on the other hand, is different, as the blackbird is a more common type of bird than the canary. A final factor in the judgement of the typicality of the objects is cultural schemata and stereotypes. The best example of the importance of cultural factors can be seen in the category of woman, where the traditionally feminine roles (e.g. mother, nurse or teacher) scored higher than the traditionally masculine professions (e.g. policewoman, miner or football player). Our culturally bound schemas are in work in the case of vehicles as well, where car and bus embody the best instance, while cart scored considerably lower. The fact that protypicality is a universal phenomenon of our minds is suggested not only by the consistency of the answers, but also by the fact that the findings are very similar to the results of the original experiment by Rosch, as summarised by Aitchison (1987, p. 53): On the bird list, sparrow, canary, blackbird, dove and lark all came out high. Parrot, pheasant, albatross, toucan, and owl were somewhat lower. Flamingo, duck and peacock were lower still. Ostrich, emu and penguin came out more than half-way down the seven-point rating, while last of all came bat, which probably shouldnt be regarded as a bird at all. Although the present research did not investigate the prototypicality of all items on the original list, the order of the items of my own study are in line with the findings of Rosch. 4.2. The definition of the categories According to the results, the definitions of categories are based on the same factors as the prototypes. Categories differ concerning whether they are formed on the basis of appearance, usage or frequency, and whether identification criteria or stored knowledge are dominant in forming the category. Table 2. The scores of the elements according to the number of their appearance in the definitions of the categories. Appearance Usage / function Frequency Experience Learnt knowledge Furniture 8 24 0 21 9 Bird 19 20 0 20 21 Vehicle 6 16 1 15 18 Fruit 17 18 0 19 19 Woman 5 7 0 10 21 The definitions of the categories were coded into numerical data: the definitions were broken down into components of meaning (based on the factors that determine prototypes, see section 2.2), and then the different components were grouped according to whether they referred to appearance or property, usage or function, or the frequency of encountering the given category. It was also decided whether the participant used world experience or learnt knowledge to formulate a definition. The results reveal that the dominance of the certain aspects of meaning in creating a definition varies from category to category. The definition of furniture is based on usage and function (e.g. an object with functions of decorating and personal use) and world experience. In the case of the category of bird, appearance (e.g. has wings) and function (i.e. what it does, for instance usually capable of flying), and experience (e.g. it can sing) and learnt knowledge (e.g. a type of vertebrates that reproduces with eggs play an equal role. Vehicle is defined dominantly according to its usage (e.g. used for the transportation of people), but experience and knowledge are both important bases of the definition. The definitions of fruit use all four aspects equally. Finally, the category of woman is defined negatively in a lot of cases (e.g. the opposite of man), and almost exclusively on the basis of learnt knowledge (e.g. has XX chromosomes and capable of giving birth). It is important to note that the frequency of encountering the category, which is an important factor in judging the typicality of an instance, does not play a role in defining a concept. 4.3. Prototype theory in the light of the results The results imply that the theoretical Prototype Theory and the everyday definitions of categories work similarly in practice. (1) Are prototypes and definitions formed similarly or differently? According to the results, the same factors (as outlined by Rosch (1978, see section 2.2.) play a role in formulating prototypes with regards to a category and in formulating a definition of the category. The mental operations that underlie the forming of stereotypes play a role in forming the definitions, although the definitions do not cover every prototypical instance. (2) What is the role of learnt knowledge in creating the prototypes and definitions? Based on the results of the study, stored knowledge determines prototypicality in the case of some categories. Attributes that we attach to the objects through our learnt knowledge of the world seem to override our world experience especially in the case of the definitions, which are most often formulated on the basis of learnt knowledge. (3) Do cultural factors play a role in creating prototypes and definitions? Cultural factors play a role in the judgement on prototypicality and creating definitions. Cultural stereotypes are at work in the case of the category of woman. Judging the prototypicality of the given social roles, cultural stereotypes and conventions determined the answers. The definition of the category of woman was defined on the basis of both biological sex and the social convention of gender. 5. Conclusion The present small-scale empirical study investigated the similarities and differences of the functioning of Prototype Theory and definitions. The results imply that the theoretical approach of Prototype Theory and the everyday definitions of categories work similarly in the practice, as the same basic factors, learnt knowledge and cultural aspects underlie the mental representations of prototypes and categories. 6. References Aitchison, J. (1987). Words in the mind. An introduction to the mental lexicon. Cambridge, MA: Basil Blackwell. Cook, G. (1997). Key concepts in ELT: Schemas. ELT Journal, 51(1), 86. Field, J. (2003). Psycholinguistics: A resource book for students. New York: Routledge. Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics (3rd ed.). (2003). Harlow: Pearson ESL. Matsumoto, D. (Ed.) (2009). The Cambridge dictionary of psychology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Rosch, E. (1975). Cognitive representations of semantic categories. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 104, 192-233. Rosch, E. (1978). Principles of categorisation. In Rosch, E., Loyd, B. B. (Eds.). Cognition and categorisation (pp. 27-48). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

socialist feminist criticism :: essays research papers fc

Socialist Feminist Criticism: You Dropped the Bomb on Me, Baby   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism and gender studies have been described as having the ability to â€Å"challenge literary and culture theory to confront the difficult task of assimilating the findings of an expanding sphere of inquiry† (Contemporary Literary Criticism 567). This area of study has taken center stage during the last fifty years, not only in our society, but also in literary criticism. Although the terrain Feminism traverses can hardly be narrowed down to one single definition, the exploration of the genre can, at times, be the most intriguing feature of the criticism itself. While feminism has undoubtedly changed the way women and gender roles are considered in society today, it has also had an impact on the way that I, too, read literature, look at American culture, and view the world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Walter Ong suggests that â€Å"‘literature’ itself is the product of—or completely wound up and ‘imbricated’ in—the social contexts out of which it grows† (CLC 461). The social contexts that exist in our society have not only affected our societal systems themselves, but also have changed the way we view our class systems, gender roles, and sexual choices. Viewing society from a Marxist perspective can also help us decipher the unspoken rules that govern us. â€Å"Not only do Marxist critics want criticism to be constantly aware of history—both present and past history—in reading and literature, they also demand that the criticism become more overtly political or†¦ ‘politically informed,’ so that it attempts, as Marx said, not simply to interpret but to change the world† (CLC 462). This intent is similar to that of the feminist genre in that both camps are seeking to change the w ay we understand the world and to eventually change the world itself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Feminism and Marxism are further intertwined if you consider the female sex as a social class of its own. In my analysis of Walt Whitman’s poem, I Hear America Singing, I commented that â€Å"by studying cultures and societies from the Marxist vantage point we are better equipped to understand the affects of social classes on our lives. The theories of Marxism provide the thinking worker with an understanding which is capable of leading him through the many events and complex processes of society, economics, the struggle of classes, and politics.† But, by utilizing these techniques in combination with those of the Feminist perspective, we are equipped with an even greater microscope under which to examine the social contexts that surround and inevitably influence us.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in In Country by Bobbi Ann Mason Essay

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in "In Country" by Bobbi Ann Mason Many Vietnam veterans suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder. Typically, such individuals have flashbacks, dreams, and are constantly haunted by their war memories. The mental stress can lead to further complications, even physically injuring or paralyzing the human body. The book In Country by Bobbi Ann Mason portrays a prime example of such a victim. The difference? The subject is a seventeen-year-old girl in the early nineteen-eighties who never saw the war. Posttraumatic stress disorder affects an estimated 30.9% of male Vietnam veterans and 26.9% of female Vietnam veterans, according to a survey by the National Center for PTSD (National Center for PTSD Online). Of these, most have marital and social problems, high arrest rates, alcoholic dependencies, and in many cases drug addictions. These issues are brought on by the terrors, stress, and moral headaches caused by the acts, such as killing, that they were ordered to commit during their service. While others are only mildly affected and manage to lead semi normal lives, others are rendered useless, unable to hold jobs, start families, or participate as active members of society as they are constantly obsessing, whether consciously or not, about the war. In Mason’s book, there are prime examples of each. Emmett, the thirty something uncle of Sam, the main character, is the second type of victim. After moving back home to Hopewell after the war, he spent a few years causing mischief with his wild hippy friends. Eventually, they left, and with the ruckus, amusement, and gossip caused by their stunts, Emmett’s spirit also died, pushing him into an ever deepening low. He is unab... ...r, Department of Veteran Affairs. Updated 1 Sept. 2003. Accessed 12 April 2004. http://www.ncptsd.org/facts/general/fs_epidemioloical.html?printable=yes Krasteva, Yonka. â€Å"The South and the West in Bobbie Ann Mason’s In Country.† Rev. of In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason. Southern Literary Journal Spring 1994:26:2:77. Mason, Bobbie Ann. In Country. New York: Harper Collins 1985. Morrissey, Thomas J. â€Å"Mason’s In Country.† Rev. of In Country, by Bobbie Ann Mason. Explicator Fall 1991:50:62. O’Brien, Timothy D. â€Å"Oppositions in In Country.† Rev. of In Country by Bobbie Ann Mason. Critique: Winter 2000:47:2:175. Stewart, Matthew C. â€Å"Realism, Verisimilitude, and the Depiction of the Vietnam Veterans in In Country. Rev. of In Country, by Bobbie Ann Mason. Fourteen Landing Zones: Approaches to Vietnam War Literature. Ed. Jason, Philip K. p. 166

My father, my hero Essay

My father is not a celebrity; he is not such a recognizable face. My father is not a national hero; he is not a multi-millionaire. My father is just an average quiet man, whom I honour and respect. My father was born in 1954, in the small South-Indian state of Kerala. He was the fourth child of my grandfather (late C.M. Thomas). My father managed to succeed well enough in classes to pursue education at Ranny College (Affiliated to Kerala University). In college, he majored in physics and soon went to Bombay, looking for a job. There he completed a financial accounting course and thus received a job offer (for secretary) in Saudi Arabia. He arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1980, vastly different from the one we see today. While in Saudi, he met my mother, who was working as a nurse in one of the hospitals there. They got married in India and started their married life in Saudi Arabia. Soon after that, he got a job offer as an accountant from one of the branches of Nissan Diesel. He has been a faithful employee of Nissan Diesel for over 20 years now. In the past 20 years, he received many awards and promotions in appreciation for his dedicated service. Presently, he is working as the manager of one the three main showrooms of Nissan Diesel in all of Saudi Arabia. My mom on the other hand, is now the ‘Deputy Nursing Director’ of one of the best private hospitals in the Kingdom. Both my father and mother, hold high executive positions and are a great help to the South-Indian community is Saudi Arabia. My father is a very respected person, both in India as well as in Saudi. In his company, he has a staff of 25 people, working directly under him. My father is a truthful and straight-forward person, who has excelled due to his very unique leadership skills. He has also been a great help/support to many friends & relatives there. I truly believe that people like him are an asset to the South-Indian community. He is an outstanding problem-solver/a troubleshooter and has always been a great help for his company. He also plays a great role in the church as an elder and as an active figure. My father has now decided to immigrate to Canada, far from the land of his memories and dreams to a new land of supposed opportunity for his children. As a role model, my father’s life and destiny is never based him on alone. He has sacrificed his own personal happiness for the well being of his children. The comfort of living in a familiar culture as a well-known figure, has been traded for the future education and happiness of his two children. In choosing this country to settle in, my father is forsaking his respectful position, higher salary and close family. In return, he will gain nothing personally besides the happiness and well being of his children. I truly honour and respect the courage that accompanies such a decision. And for this reason, my father is my hero. He is my role model.

Consequential Validity Of An Alternate Assessment For Students

The purpose of educational research workers on alternate appraisals in assorted professional instruction publications were to carry general pedagogues toward collaborative instruction by supplying analytical research to back up general instruction for particular needs pupils. â€Å" Teacher perceptual experiences and the eventful cogency of an alternate appraisal for pupils with important cognitive disablements † examines the variables of instructor perceptual experiences that may consequence the cogency of alternate appraisal in respects to particular needs pupils ( Roach, A.R. , Elliott, S.N. , Berndt, S. , 2007 ) . R.J. Kettler and the research squad stated in their article, â€Å" What do alternate appraisals of alternate academic accomplishment criterions step? that the consequences from their survey back up the adaptative behaviour, academic accomplishments, and academic enablers as steps for academic accomplishment for particular needs pupils.IntroductionMany public sc hools and private schools are exchanging their schoolrooms and schoolroom directions to collaborative learning squad attack ( CTT ) . Collaborative learning squads consist of two instructors, one general instruction instructor, and the other, a particular instruction instructor. Together, they plan their educational strategic lessons and schoolroom direction to turn to the demands of their pupils, which included pupils with particular demands. These particular demands may besides include English as Second Language ( ESL ) and/or English Language Learners ( ELL ) pupils. Some instructors are for the alteration and others are against it. To justified collaborative instruction squads ( CTT ) , many research articles were written to carry instructors that collaborative learning squads are successful. For this article, two research articles about alternate appraisal for particular needs pupils from well-established diaries were chosen to confirm or non confirm the usage of collaborative instruction squads. Although two research articles about curative appraisal will non confirm the usage of this strategic educational attack, the articles will give some penetration for or against the CTT enterprise. The first article, â€Å" Teacher perceptual experiences and the eventful cogency of an alternate appraisal for pupils with important cognitive disablements † written by Andrew T. Roach, Stephen N. Elliott, and Sandra Berndt, focused on the analysis of mensurating the instructor ‘s perceptual experience in respects to the alternate appraisal for particular need pupils. Research workers were concern about how the instructors ‘ perceptual experience affects the result of the alternate appraisal when given to particular needs pupils ( Roach, Elliott, Berndt, 2007 ) . The research workers were concern about the attitudes instructors develop when they have to take the clip and pass the alleged ‘extra energy ‘ to administrate the alternate appraisals. Alternate appraisals are given when the particular needs pupils are non able to take the academic appraisals. The alternate appraisal ( AA ) must run into the province ‘s criterions before being administer ed to pupils. In the 2nd article, â€Å" What do alternate appraisals of alternate academic accomplishment criterions step? A multitrait-multimethod analysis † from Ryan J. Kettler and the research squad were more concern about ‘what ‘ the alternate appraisal steps. They were concern about what the AA really measures in footings of academic abilities and adaptative behaviours such as societal accomplishments, physical accomplishments, etc. To happen out the ‘what ‘ , the research workers used the ‘multitrait-multimethod analysis ‘ attack to acquire the replies. The consequences from the research were that â€Å" the AA reading and math tonss may reflect a unitary concept, the AA tonss are extremely related to adaptative behaviour and academic competency and accomplishment, and all these tonss represent an unique but overlapping concepts ( Kettler, Elliott, et. al. , 2010 ) . † Before analyzing the consequences of this research, the first article about instructors ‘ perceptual experience about alternate appraisals will be discussed.Teacher Perceptions and the Consequential Validity of an Alternate Assessment for Students With Significant Cognitive DisabilitiesThe consequences of this research may bespeak little sums of fluctuations of diminution positive attitudes/perceptions toward alternate appraisals among particular instruction instructors harmonizing to the pupil grade degree. To mensurate these consequences, the research workers created the WAA ( Wisconsin Alternative Assessment ) Teacher Survey – a paper and pencil study was given to instructors ( 4th, 8th, and 10th classs ) to finish and portion their perceptual experiences refering the WAA procedure and consequences. The consequences suggested that instructors were â€Å" by and large ambivalent to slightly positive. † Some reserves about the clip required to finish the appraisal were reported but the most of import find was that the study revealed the arrested development of positive perceptual experiences about the WAA procedure as pupil class degree advanced. Harmonizing to the research consequences, â€Å" there were no extra forecaster variable accounted for a important proportion of the fluctuation in instructors ‘ response on the WAA Teacher Survey ( Roach, A.R. , Elliot, S.N. , Brendt, S. , 2007 ) . † Although the research workers mentioned assorted restrictions about this research including geographic influence, the one major failing about this research is the answerability of the instructors ‘ perceptual experiences about the AA throughout the school twelvemonth. Teachers may show their feelings at the minute while taking the study. Emotions/attitudes and perceptual experiences do fluctuate throughout the school twelvemonth and there are many variables to act upon them. To corroborate the consequences, research workers of this undertaking will necessitate to take studies throughout the school twelvemonth and a few old ages subsequently to acquire a echt read on the instructor ‘s perceptual experiences about the AA.What Do Alternate Appraisals of Alternate Academic Achievement Standards Measure? A Multitrait-Multimethod AnalysisBefore analyzing the consequences of this research, the research attack needs to be understood to understand the consequences. What is the â⠂¬Ëœmultitrait-multimethod ‘ attack? The multitrait-multimethod ( MTMM ) attack is an integrative, multivariate ( many variables ) model for research intents. Teachers can consistently garner valid information and discriminate or distinguish it in a individual survey. The research survey consisted of the followers: Multiple Traits – Academic public presentation, Academic accomplishments, Academic enablers ( â€Å" for example, societal accomplishments, survey accomplishments, motive, and battle ) are student attitudes and behaviours that facilitate a pupil ‘s engagement in, and benefit from academic direction in the schoolroom † ( DiPerna, J.C. 2008 ) Adaptive behaviour Multiple Methods – Individually administered accomplishment trials Teacher completed evaluation graduated tables This peculiar survey was more comprehensive as it focused on faculty members and non perceptual experiences and it involved many provinces, non merely one remarkable province. The consequences indicated that AAs had common measurings with the related traits like adaptative behaviour, academic accomplishments, and academic enablers, significance, instructors will construe such findings as steps of academic accomplishment peculiarly for pupils with the most terrible cognitive disablements. The instructors will merely hold to do certain to go on doing the AA measures what it suppose to mensurate and non let it to mensurate adaptative behaviour, therefore, going more and more academic ( Kettler, et. al. , 2010 ) .DecisionIt is compulsory for particular pupils to take these alternate appraisals in order to carry through the province ‘s authorization but in malice of it, instructors should go on to educate pupils with particular demands for every twenty-four hours life, as this is necessary for their endurance. Harmonizing the writers, many instructors, irrespective of the legislative attempts, in peculiar collaborative instruction squads and such, to conc entrate on answerability for pupil acquisition in the nucleus academic topics, opt to keep a hard balance between academic accomplishments and non-academic accomplishments in their schoolroom direction. The valorous attempts of schoolroom instructors to supply non-academic accomplishments for pupils of important disablements to populate successful unrecorded exterior of schools are indispensable ( Kettler, R.J. , et. al. , 2010 ) . On the other manus and based on experiences working in CTT schoolrooms, it is recommended for future research to take into consideration the possible harmful effects of personality clashing of learning squads and it effects on the pupils. In add-on, research can be done on the kineticss of learning squads in the daily operations of the schoolroom, and the kineticss between the pupils and the instructors ( separately and jointly ) in order to heighten the research workers ‘ persuasion for collaborative instruction squads in general instruction schoolrooms.

Jim Goodnight Essay

Goodnight is driven by creating a culture that is full of employee engagement and motivation. On the SAS website, Jim Goodnight is quoted as saying, â€Å"Treat employees like they make a difference and they will†. In a publication from Harvard Business Review that Goodnight co-wrote with author Richard Florida he states, â€Å"companies prosper when they harness the creative capital of their employees, as those are the individuals that are creative thinkers and generate valuable products and services. † Mr. Goodnight understands that his product is a â€Å"product of the mind,† and therefore recognizes that maintaining an environment that retains employees and keeps them engaged is a requirement to be successfully. Jim Goodnight has entrenched motivator factors into his business, while minimizing and eliminating hygiene factors for his employees. SAS uses a vertical loading management style that allows employees to be more engaged and empowered in their work. Employees draw responsibility and challenge from this management platform. SAS employees are often only two or three levels down from the CEO, Jim Goodnight, and work alongside their management writing code and setting deadlines. These factors motivate employees and displays to them that managers can be technical in nature and work alongside them â€Å"in the trenches. † Also, SAS has a strong focus on employee satisfaction and uses all possible means to minimize and eliminate hygiene factors that could cause dissatisfaction. Mr. Goodnight pays his employees a competitive salary, however, he shows his commitment through other means such as; benefits, company programs, and employee facilities. SAS understands that work life balance is a conflict that most professionals have to deal with and overcome. SAS maintains flexibility by offering services that ease this burden such as; lunch programs, unlimited sick leave, and in house childcare. The fact that SAS has never had a layoff speaks volumes to its employees about the dedication that leadership has to its employees on job security and proper staffing levels. These factors have far reaching effects on employees and families, as they recognize and appreciate these benefits. My current employer offers a package similar to the one SAS provides its employees, and I experience similar results. For example, teams are more motivated and engaged in their work with minimal turnover and low dissatisfaction with their jobs, and teams are more likely to accept additional assignments with minimal pushback. Jim Goodnight is clearly motivated by offering his employees the highest quality of work life balance possible. He believes the culture is based on â€Å"trust between our employees and the company.

VIRTUAL SCHOOLS AND THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY STUDENT

Can Virtual Schools Meet the Needs of the Twenty-first Century Student?The turning complexness of an interdependent and interrelated universe has spurred monolithic instruction reforms in the United States. Unfortunately, many say that the instruction system is non overhauling plenty to bring forth more competitory 21st century pupils. Harmonizing to the North American Council for Learning and Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills ( 2006 ) , bulk of Americans feel that the United States is dawdling behind other industrialised states in fiting pupils with twenty-first century accomplishments such as critical thought and problem-solving accomplishments, computing machine and engineering accomplishments, and communicating and autonomy accomplishments. Calls to reform the instruction system to aline with the demands of the planetary work force have prompted support for practical schooling. Reports suggest a turning credence and popularity of on-line acquisition among pedagogues, parents, and pupils. K-12 online acquisition is a new field that caters to an estimated $ 50 million market and turning over 30 per centum yearly. There are over 173 practical charter schools functioning 92,235 pupils in 18 provinces in 2007 ; 57 per centum of public secondary schools in the U.S. offer auxiliary online classs and 72 per centum of school territories with distance instruction plans planned to spread out on-line offerings in the old ages to come ( Watson, Gemin, & A ; Ryan, 2008 ) . The phenomenon of the â€Å" practical school † has generated much exhilaration. Considered by many to hold revolutionized the manner instruction is delivered and accessed in the digital epoch of the Information age, practical acquisition in the United States has roots that go manner back in the late eighteenth century. The modern precursor to the modern-day practical schools is the mail-based correspondence school, said to hold been invented in 1891 at the University of Chicago. From mail-based systems, bringing mechanisms shortly evolved to radio plans to telecasting and satellite broadcasts to the Internet-based practical schools of today. Virtual schools utilizing the Internet as medium were launched in the 1990s but its foundation established before that period. In 1988, the federal Star Schools plan was started with peculiar accent on supplying distance-education engineerings through telecommunication partnerships to little rural schools. In August 1993, a charter school was built by Horizon Instructional Systems in Lincoln, California, offering plans that include an â€Å" electronically assisted pupil learning † plan that blended home-based computing machines with satellite engineering and distance instruction. The K-12 practical school appears to hold materialized in the summer of 1995 when the Eugene, Oregon-based CyberSchool Project was launched by nine territory instructors. By 1996, the ballyhoo of the practical school took land with the constitution of the experimental WebSchool in Orange County Florida ; Cyber-School Academy in Washington State ; the Concord Virtual High School which was built through a $ 7.5 million grant ; and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What concretized the presence of K-12 practical schools is the outgrowth of big, multi-state plans such as the Florida Virtual School, founded in 1997 and the Virtual High School ( Greenway & A ; Vanourek, 2006 ) . Several surveies and researches have cited both the advantages and disadvantages of online acquisition. Researches show that apart from online larning non demoing important difference in act uponing pupil public presentation compared to traditional schoolroom direction, on-line scholars experience signifiers of isolation and hapless societal accomplishments. Some surveies have concluded that effectual execution of blend larning attacks in practical schools contribute to better academic public presentation and assessment trial tonss for pupils compared to their traditional schoolroom opposite numbers. In add-on to betterment in nucleus academic topics, surveies besides show that practical schooling provides the needful accomplishments in critical thought, originative job resolution, digital literacy, liberty and planetary consciousness to fix pupils for the twenty-first century work force. This survey aims to garner pertinent literature to find whether or non the practical school can run into the demands of the twenty-first century pupil. Purpose of the Study The viability of online acquisition to supplement traditional schoolroom direction has become undeniable in the face of increased Internet connectivity. In the United Schools, 100 per centum of the schools have Internet entree. Computer use begins at really immature ages and immature kids are now able Godheads of multimedia content ( International Council for K-12 Online Learning, 2009 ) . Integrating engineering with instruction seems merely suiting in the digital epoch of the Information age. Like all instruction reforms enterprises, the instance has been made to extol and discredit the success of on-line acquisition in bring forthing 21st century-standard instruction results. Surveies have pointed to the effectivity of on-line acquisition as â€Å" tantamount † or â€Å" better † than traditional schoolroom direction ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ; Barker & A ; Wendel, 2001 ) . In add-on, experts have come to believe that when used suitably, e-learning can take to improved pupil public presentation ( National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 ) . There are besides disadvantages cited: isolation, hapless societal development, disadvantages for pupils experience linguistic communication, hapless accomplishment in physical demonstration-focused topics such as music, physical instruction, or foreign linguistic communication ( Barker & A ; Wendel, 2001 ; B ond, 2002 ) . Exhaustive research in on-line acquisition or practical schooling is limited, as research on the subject is comparatively new and undergoing development. This survey hopes to lend to the little organic structure of research that explores the capableness of practical schools to run into the demands of the twenty-first century scholar. This survey presents relevant theoretical constructs and bing research work to give a proper rating of whether or non practical schooling efficaciously equips and prepares the twenty-first century pupils with accomplishments needed to last in the competitory and internationalized work force. Statement of the Problem The alterations spurred by the Internet and multimedia engineering has challenged the traditional apprehension on how instruction is delivered in order to efficaciously fix pupils for the demands of the twenty-first century. Virtual schools break down geographical and clip barriers that limit chances for larning. The promise of flexibleness and pupil liberty in practical schooling are believed to fix pupils for the increasing demand in job resolution accomplishments and technological expertness in the globalized work force. Research workers have pointed both advantages and disadvantages of the practical school. While it offers exciting chances for pupil battle, strictly on-line larning lacks the needed face-to-face interaction and exposure to socialisation that traditional acquisition can supply. Hence, the blended acquisition or intercrossed attack, which combines both the online experience and face-to-face direction, has found application in most schools offering online classs toda y. This survey will reexamine relevant literature in order to reply the undermentioned research inquiries: What are the demands of the twenty-first century pupil? What is the effectivity of practical schooling in bettering pupil public presentation? What is the potency of practical schooling in supplying pupils with twenty-first century accomplishments, peculiarly ( a ) critical thought and job resolution accomplishments ; ( B ) planetary consciousness ; ( c ) information communications and engineering ( ICT ) skills ; and ( vitamin D ) autonomous acquisition and authorization? Discussion This subdivision presents selected relevant surveies and theoretical constructs that explore the capableness of practical schools to run into the demands of 21st century pupils, peculiarly in bettering nucleus academic competences every bit good as alleged twenty-first century accomplishments. The Needs of the Twenty-first Century Student Aside from the academic nucleus competences listed in the No Child Left Behind Act ( 2001 ) such as English, reading or linguistic communication humanistic disciplines, mathematics, scientific discipline, foreign linguistic communications, civics, authorities, economic sciences, humanistic disciplines, history, and geographics, theoreticians list several accomplishments needed by the 21st century pupil: information, media literacy, and engineering accomplishments, larning and invention accomplishments, life and calling accomplishments, and planetary consciousness ( NACOL and Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills, 2006 ) . Information, media, and engineering accomplishments are farther subdivided into information literacy, media literacy, and information, communications and engineering ( ICT ) literacy. Information literacy is the pupil ‘s capacity to entree and measure information expeditiously and efficaciously, every bit good as appreciating the cardinal ethical issues related to information entree. Media literacy entails the capacity to understand why and how media messages are constructed and the creative activity of media merchandises using appropriate media creative activity tools. Information and communications engineering ( ICT ) literacy is the aptitude of utilizing digital engineerings ( computing machines, media participants, etc. ) , societal webs, and communication/networking tools to measure and pass on information and successfully map in a knowledge-based economic system. Learning and invention accomplishments include creativeness and invention, critical thought and problem-solving, and communicating and coaction. Creativity is the ability to make a broad scope of new and worthwhile thoughts, refinement and measuring them to better originative attempts, every bit good as the openness and reactivity to new positions. Critical thought involves abilities such as job designation, information assemblage, premises, informations reading, measuring grounds, acknowledging relationships, pulling decisions, proving decisions, retracing forms and doing judgements ( Thornburg, 2000 ) . Communication and coaction accomplishments involves the ability to joint ideas and thoughts efficaciously utilizing verbal and gestural communicating methods, listening efficaciously, and working efficaciously with diverse squads or groups. Effectiveness of Virtual Schools in Improving Student Performance Key findings gathered by educational reform organisations comparing student public presentation among on-line scholars and traditional schoolroom scholars range from â€Å" no important difference † , â€Å" equal † , and â€Å" better † results for pupils engaged in on-line acquisition. Surveies besides point to intermix acquisition or the intercrossed attack as the method that consequences to outdo pupil results. In a meta-analysis done by The U.S. Department of Education ( 2009 ) synthesising 51 on-line surveies in 2009, consequences indicate that â€Å" on norm, pupils in on-line acquisition conditions performed better than those having face-to-face direction † ( p. nine ) . Furthermore, the survey compared results of both online and blended larning attacks to face-to-face direction. The survey concludes that blended direction was more effectual than face-to-face direction and recommends execution of blended attacks. A meta-analysis conducted by Cavanaugh ( 2001 ) explored the differences in accomplishment among distance acquisition and traditional schoolroom plans at the K-12 degree. Consequences indicated that accomplishment was more or less tantamount among the two groups. The Florida TaxWatch Center for Educational Performance and Accountability ( 2007 ) cited in its concluding study of the Florida Virtual School that pupils enrolled in online classs outperformed their equals in traditional schools. In the school twelvemonth 2004-05, FLVS pupils outperformed their traditional school opposite numbers in nine out of 10s capable countries. Both groups scored 85 % in art/visual humanistic disciplines. During the 2005-06 school twelvemonth, high school pupils taking on-line classs scored systematically higher in nine out of 10s capable countries than traditional public high school scholars. The study besides indicated that FLVS pupils systematically earned higher classs, received better FCAT ( Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test ) scores, and achieved higher Markss on Advanced Placement ( AP ) exams than scholars in traditional schools. A survey on K-adult distance instruction plans conducted by Shachar and Neumann ( 2003 ) revealed a important positive consequence, reasoning that in approximately two-thirds of the instances, distance instruction scholars outperformed their traditional schoolroom opposite numbers. Cavanaugh et Al. ( 2004 ) conducted a meta-analysis aimed at comparing accomplishment in online and traditional schoolroom plans. The synthesis revealed â€Å" no important difference † in academic results and concluded â€Å" about tantamount † steps between on-line pupils and schoolroom opposite numbers. Other surveies reveal that groups of pupils larning on-line by and large achieve at degrees equal to their equals in schoolrooms. There appears to be grounds to show that when used suitably, blended acquisition attacks in practical schooling can better what pupils learn and supply them with high-quality acquisition chances ( Kearsley, 2000 ; National Association of State Boards of Education, 2001 ) . Potential of Virtual Schools in Promoting twenty-first Century Skills Unlike literature on the effectivity of post-secondary and higher-education online acquisition, there is a dearth of research that focuses on the effectivity of K-12 distance instruction in heightening learning results among pupils. Using the Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills theoretical account ( 2007 ) , the literature presents bing certification on effectivity of online acquisition in furthering critical thought and job resolution accomplishments, ICT or digital literacy, planetary consciousness, and autonomous acquisition and authorization. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Since 21st century occupations require higher degrees of job work outing accomplishments and critical thought, practical schools prepare their pupils by guaranting that they are able to appreciate relationships between abstract thoughts and practical applications in the context of the existent universe. NACOL ( 2001 ) asserts that practical schools use competency-based acquisition theoretical accounts that are effectual in heightening critical thought accomplishments. Creative job resolution is besides facilitated through group or squad activities developed routinely in online classs. The contextual acquisition theory, the acquisition theoretical account used in on-line acquisition, suggests that larning occurs merely when the scholar is able to treat newly-acquired information in a mode that makes sense to them utilizing their ain frames of mention. Since the head of course finds significance in context, it establishes connexions that has significance and seem utile. Education theoreticians assert that when acquisition is situated in the context of real-world scenarios, pupils become more motivated to larn. In add-on, pupils find more exhilaration as they represent and simulate reliable and existent real-world jobs, alternatively of abstract, out-of-context activities ( Bransford, Brown, & A ; Cocking, 2000 ; Driscoll & A ; Carliner, 2005 ) . Many theoreticians argue that the effectivity of practical acquisition is based on rules of effectual acquisition in general. Harmonizing to the acquisition theory, acquisition is enhanced or promoted on three conditions: ( a ) when pupils have active engagement in the acquisition procedure ; ( B ) when coursework is contextualized in real-life state of affairss and experiences ; and ( degree Celsius ) when deep acquisition or critical thought is facilitated through brooding activities ( Bransford, Brown, & A ; Cocking, 2000 ; Quitadamo & A ; Brown, 2001 ) . The National Survey of Student Engagement ( 2008 ) survey found that online scholars reported deeper attacks to larning than classroom-based scholars and experienced â€Å" better usage of higher order believing accomplishments, integrative thought, and brooding acquisition † ( p. 15 ) . Duffy and Cunningham ( 1996 ) assert that practical schools facilitate acquisition by utilizing engineering in making real-life contexts that engage scholars in work outing complex jobs. Using real-world state of affairss promotes deep acquisition by developing critical thought in the pupil. Online direction such as simulation promotes critical thought as it involves active and adept analysis, synthesis, and the application of information to peculiar state of affairss. An illustration of a contextualized acquisition attack applied efficaciously is illustrated by Florida Virtual School ‘s scientific discipline course of study. The school ‘s course of study is designed by and large to go around around the usage of job work outing accomplishments and real-world applications. For case, in a Geometry category, pupils are non merely taught theoretical edifice and architectural constructs. The on-line instructor required pupils to complete a undertaking utilizing real-world architectural rules. After sharing digital transcripts of designs and floor programs, pupils were instructed to pull the front position of place. Another assignment required pupils to research the constructs of incline, rise, pitch, and run by analyzing local edifices ( Florida TaxWatch, 2007 ) . The usage of multimedia in practical schools is an effectual acquisition tool that facilitates student battle. Multimedia inclusion in on-line classs finds support in basic cognitive rules of larning. Constructivism argues that larning can merely be meaningful one time the scholar is able to choose relevant information, form this information, and efficaciously makes connexions between matching readings. Furthermore, active acquisition occurs when the scholar engages in three cognitive procedures: choosing relevant words for verbal processing and choosing relevant images for ocular processing, forming words into a coherent verbal theoretical account and forming images into a consistent ocular theoretical account, incorporating matching constituents of the verbal and ocular theoretical accounts. As a consequence, Doolittle ( as cited in Hede, 2002 ) concludes that pupils have a better potency for larning from a combination of words and images than from words entirely. The usage of game s and simulations when learning on-line topics allow goal-based challenges that stimulates involvement and heightens pupils ‘ motive. In add-on, supplying tools that enable pupils to collate and footnote notes promote battle ( Hede, 2002 ) . Autonomous Learning and Empowerment The nature of the 21st century cognition economic system requires citizens to be engaged in womb-to-tomb acquisition. As a consequence, being in control of the way of one ‘s ain acquisition becomes non merely valuable but necessary in the twenty-first century. Online direction offers the needful flexibleness and convenience to finish larning units when and where a scholar desires ( McDonald, 2000 ) . Furthermore, practical schools empower scholars with self-paced and autonomous acquisition, allowing them take independently what courses to take and when. The self-paced nature of online larning benefits both pupils who are speedy scholars and those who need more clip in finishing class aims. Quick scholars are given the chance to larn at an prosecuting gait while pupils who are comparatively slow in carry throughing larning units can take their clip without being capable to stigma ( Watson, Gemin & A ; Ryan, 2008 ) . Online acquisition besides encourages pupils to put to death clip direction and pattern a higher degree of personal duty ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ) . To exemplify, Florida Virtual School pupils are able to take the rate of class completion depending on their single demands. Students are empowered to either extend or cut down their completion period from the traditional 36-week school twelvemonth. In making so, pupils are able to pull off their clip and custom-make the faculty or unit organisers provided to accommodate their demands. Flexibility in online acquisition comes with the pupil ‘s answerability to subject terminal merchandises to their teachers. Students are free to subject class assignments at any clip of the twenty-four hours in a given hebdomad but will still be capable to answerability steps. This theoretical account is really much comparable to practical offices and teleworking of today that allows flexibleness but commands high answerability and quality outlooks for the terminal merchandise. Haughey and Anderson ( 1998 ) province that online, networked acquisition has the undermentioned advantages: communicating and interaction ; immediateness ; permanency ; diffusion ; and, exhilaration. Interactive and interpersonal applications of digital engineering facilitates the displacement on how acquisition is approached. Online larning makes the move from an authority-based acquisition to one founded on find or experiential acquisition. Online larning facilitates communicating and interaction based on a learner-centered theoretical account ( Cavanaugh, 2001 ) . The learner-centered attack is the nucleus of the practical school doctrine. Learner-centered instruction in online classs necessitates increased communicating on an single footing, and frequently consequences to positive teacher-student relationships. Positive student-teacher relationships nurtured online are lined to positive pupil results, such as critical thought, motive, and dropout bar. The National Association of State Boards of Education ( NASBE, 2001 ) lists the undermentioned activities that could further communicating and coaction among pupils in practical schools: instructional resources ( on-line tutorials, WebQuests, practice/testing environments, instructional faculties, practical labs, and simulations ) ; informational stuffs ( scouts, electronic databases, mention resources, streaming picture, and digitized primary resources ) ; practical escapades such as web-based Tourss and practical field trips ; unrecorded interactions utilizing picture conferencing ; collaborative online acquisition ( e-mail, web logs, treatments, undertaking sharing, collaborative scientific discipline experiments, collaborative authorship, online books treatments, on-line writer visits, and adept treatments ; on-line aid ( proficient support, mention inquiries, mentoring, and peer tutoring ) ; sharing infinite ( practical galleries of pupil work, on-line newspapers, and collaborat ive composing countries ) . Global Awareness The world of globalisation has put force per unit area on instruction systems to set to the increasing complexnesss and demands of an mutualist universe. Education ‘s intent in developing responsible and productive citizens to fuel national growing has been supplanted as increasing competition and mutuality of a globalized universe require pupils to be educated in order to go more productive international citizens. Harmonizing to Schukar ( 1993 ) , â€Å" Children in this state must be provided an instruction that more than adequately prepares them for citizenship in the society and universe they will shortly inherit † ( p. 57 ) . The coming of globalisation has necessitated monolithic reforms in instruction. Thomas Friedman ( 2005 ) contends in his book, â€Å" The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century † that antiquity in the methods of acquisition and learning have no topographic point in the â€Å" level † and â€Å" connected † universe. Hence, digital engineering, which he attributes to the universe ‘s â€Å" flattening † , must be utilized to interrupt down clip and geographical barriers in instruction. Through it, the ascribed function to instruction as the great equaliser can carry through to a greater extent than the traditional educational methods. Partnership for twenty-first Century Skills ( 2007 ) emphasizes the importance of developing planetary consciousness in the twenty-first century pupil. Global consciousness involves the usage of critical thought and job resolution to be able to understand planetary issues, learn from and prosecute collaboratively with persons from diverse civilizations and backgrounds to further an attitude of common regard and unfastened duologue, and understand different civilizations and larning non-English linguistic communications. The purpose of planetary instruction is to develop empathy and perspective-taking among pupils as they study human struggle and cooperation, mutuality of human systems, and cross-cultural differences ( Freeman, 1993 ; Tye & A ; Tye, 1992 ) . In other words, planetary instruction serves to bring forth pupils who have a planetary position and are equipped with accomplishments, cognition and temperaments to be able to appreciate and digest the built-in pluralities in civilization, ethnicity, and faith in the globalized universe ( Gilliom, 1981 ) . There are several types of activities that practical schools launch to advance planetary consciousness and an enhanced grasp of cultural diverseness among pupils. Virtual schools teach societal surveies concepts that require pupils to make web-based research, communicate with pupils from different states or provinces, engage in collaborative undertakings, and travel on telefieldtrips ( Harris, 2002 ) . As a consequence, pupils are provided the chance for real-time interaction and collaborative acquisition with kids from diverse civilizations that the physical school can non. Merryfield ( 2000 ) provinces that when engineerings are fused with societal surveies larning, the possible to advance cross-cultural apprehensions is maximized and consciousness in subjects such as equity, diverseness, and favoritism are heightened. NACOL ( 2001 ) paperss one of the most advanced undertakings launched by Broward Country Public Schools with the aid of the Florida Virtual School that successfully fused societal surveies larning with engineering to develop planetary consciousness. In an AP and Honors American History Course, four groups composed of Nipponese and American pupils collaborated through on-line picture conferencing and email interaction to discourse World War II and Japan-US dealingss. Using a Nipponese translator, American pupils were able to interact with pupils from Achiba, Japan. Other instructional content came from a Holocaust subsister, Nipponese cantonment captive and a professor of Asiatic Studies. Throughout the class, pupils created multimedia presentations and engaged in problem-solving activities. â€Å" Face-to-face † coaction utilizing Web picture conferencing enabled heightened cultural consciousness and promoted the bridging of two civilizations. Young, Birtolo, & A ; McElman ( 2009 ) reports how on-line acquisition in the Florida Virtual School ( FLVS ) provides chances for pupils ‘ increased consciousness and grasp of planetary issues and concerns. Students are given activities runing from online forums to discourse AIDS and universe hungriness, to engagement in online nines that portion perspectives on international personal businesss and other societal issues. In 2008, staff from FLVS ‘ online newspaper News in a Click interned as editors for PEARL World Youth News where they collaborated with pupils all over the universe through Web conferencing in making and redacting the newspaper. Creative schemes utilized by online instructors besides provide avenues of intercultural coaction and duologue ( Young, Birtolo, & A ; McElman, 2009 ) . One illustration is the Global Economic Summit organized by FLVS economic sciences instructor Patty Sibson that featured a cross-curriculum treatment of planetary issues participated by around 100 scholars from different states. The activity utilised Web conferencing and originative problem-solving undertakings. Another illustration is the on-line Chinese Language class offered by the Michigan Virtual High School ( MVHS ) . The class, which meant to present Chinese linguistic communication and civilization to get downing Chinese linguistic communication scholars, ran for a semester and was taught by a qualified Chinese-speaking teacher. Using a task-based language-learning course of study, the class emphasized on heightening basic communicating accomplishments and cross-cultural, planetary consciousness and apprehension. The on-line class required self-study and practical meetings and was designed to have four chief resources: an e-textbook, a group problem-solving undertaking, Web conferencing and treatment, and a group composing activity ( NACOL, 2001 ) . Digital engineerings used in practical schools offer pupils the agencies to get new types of cognition, accomplishments, and temperaments needed to work more efficaciously and go more productive planetary citizens ( Bell-Rose & A ; Desai, 2005 ) . Digital engineerings offer many possible ways to further planetary consciousness in schoolrooms. By inculcating planetary instruction and engineering in societal surveies larning, pupils are able to appreciate the interrelatednesss of states and peoples worldwide. Liz Pape ( 2007 ) discussed how practical schools are lending in run intoing the planetary consciousness accomplishments of the twenty-first century pupil. In an online confab interview moderated by Education Sector, she explains that online acquisition schools have developed learning theoretical accounts that enable the bringing of interaction of pupils across province or national lines, such as those take parting in online schoolrooms together. In this mode, planetary consciousness and citizenship accomplishments among pupils are developed. Certain restrictions prevent practical schools from maximising the chances of pupils to develop cross-cultural apprehensions such as larning non-English linguistic communications. There is a accepted deficit of foreign linguistic communication instructors ( Cavaluzzo & A ; Higgins, 2001 ) . Furthermore, technology-based societal scientific discipline learning to develop planetary consciousness is non ever successful. There is a needed attempt upon the online instructor to originate and put to death originative schemes that could bring forth coveted planetary instruction results. Surveies have come to reason that engineering entirely does non heighten pupil results ( McIsacc & A ; Gunawardena, 2001 ) Information and communications engineering ( ICT ) Literacy The demand for technological aptitude in order to go more competitory in the twenty-first century work force is now undeniable. In the age of information, it has become a necessity for pupils to get the hang the ability to utilize engineerings to treat, analyze, and articulate information in instruction, life, or employment scenes. Since the usage of engineering in practical schools is a constitutional demand, pupils master twenty-first century engineering accomplishments to fix them for the planetary and Web-driven workplace. Some pedagogues feel the effectivity of engineering is overestimated, mentioning that presenting information engineering in schools has non achieved either transmutation of learning or larning. Research workers deduce that maximising the benefits of IT investings require more than merely presenting engineering and alining it with the course of study. They believe it requires the triangulation of content, sound acquisition rules, and high-quality instruction ( Cox et al. , 2003 ) . Several suggest that the appropriate application of digital engineering in the schoolroom puting enhances pupil outcomes. In 2003, a quasi-experimental survey was conducted by Rosas et Al. ( as cited in Metiri Group, 2009 ) on 1,274 early simple pupils in Chile whose results were compared to a intervention group that were equipped with hand-held devices with games designed to progress reading comprehension, spelling, and mathematical accomplishments. After a period of 3 months, the survey revealed that pupils who used the hand-held devices for 30 hours posted important betterments than their control group opposite numbers. A survey studies positive correlativities between the use of educational games on PDAs and public presentation in reading comprehension and mathematics. The surveies conclude that bet oning engages pupils in deep concentration and motive that leads to high attending, concentration, and self-regulation of pupils ‘ larning procedure ( Savill-Smith & A ; Kent, 2003 ) . A meta-analysis across 42 surveies conducted by Pearson et Al. ( as cited in Metiri Group, 2009 ) showed important positive consequences with the usage of practical larning engineering in primary and secondary schools. Except for foreign linguistic communication were practical acquisition revealed uneffective, consequences were consistent across class degrees and capable countries. Effectss were somewhat higher to scholars under blended acquisition plans. Decision The complex challenges that pupils face today in visible radiation of the quickly increasing diverseness of the state ‘s population, globalisation of commercialism and civilization, and detonation of the Internet and other engineerings, higher academic results and increased versatility will assist fix pupils run into the demands of the twenty-first century. The related literature reviewed indicates the potency of practical schools to adequately run into the demands of the twenty-first century pupils and contribute to heighten academic public presentation and the development of of import accomplishments needed to fix them for the work force and the planetary economic system. There are advantages every bit good as disadvantages to online acquisition, but its benefits outweigh its restrictions. Research besides points to the blended acquisition policy or the combination of online and face-to-face direction as the most ideal in run intoing demands of the twenty-first century pupil. There remains yet inconclusive grounds on whether online acquisition surpasses the quality of traditional schoolroom acquisition, but it is clear that the practical school has become a popular and necessary option for 1000000s of pupils across America. Maximum benefits of practical schools may include easing betterment of pupils public presentation in academic nu cleus topics every bit good as developing accomplishments including originative job resolution, critical thought, autonomous acquisition and authorization, and ICT literacy.