Assessment in Schools Essay

1. Reasons for Assessment Diagnosis: helping young people to establish a baseline and understand their progress, strength and develop needs. Recognition and motivation: recording and rewarding learners’ progress and achievement. Standard setting: confirming levels and thresholds of achievement Differentiation and selection: enabling employers and higher education providers to understand what young people have achieved, and how individuals compare with their peers. 2. Purpose of Assessment. Selection Standards Teachers feedback Motivation Assess readiness for future learning. Preparation for life- â€Å"life is like this† Evaluate curriculum effectiveness Information to others Statement of curriculum Attainment Record of progress- over time 3. Baseline and benchmarking Purpose of baseline scheme Characteristics of a baseline scheme Chapter 4. Target Setting 6. Assessment for learning. Assessment for learning is about supporting classroom learning and teaching. It connects assessment and learning/teaching. What is assessment for learning? Assessment for learning. is part of effective planning focuses on how students learn is recognized as central to classroom practice  is a key professional skill is sensitive and constructive fosters motivation promotes understanding of goals and helps learners know how to improve develop the capacity for assessment recognizes all educational achievements Key Issue: 1. Involvement, discussion and feedback Sharing criteria Discussion Feedback Involvement 2. Planning and evidence Gathering evidence Recording personal learning plans Planning for individuals 3. Partnership Partnership with parents and pupils 7. Assessment as learning Assessment as learning is about learning how to learn. It connects learning/teaching and curriculum. What is Assessment as learning? Key issues: 1. Pupils as learners Reflection Reporting Self/peer assessment Motivation 2. Teachers as learners Developing assessment policy Interpreting evidence Collaboration 3. Management of learning Management supports Manageability 8. Assessment of Learning Assessment of learning is about gathering and interpreting the evidence. It connects curriculum and assessment. Gathering and interpreting evidence Teacher assessment is first and foremost about helping pupils to learn. Fundamental principles Developing Assessment Instruments  Application of assessment instrument Assessment as an end-of-key-stage process Management and monitoring of assessment, recording and reporting Recording and evidence Planning Reporting to parents and guardians Assessment as an ongoing process. Transferring Marking and providing feedback to pupils Using assessment information to monitor progress towards meeting targets Internal/External Assessment Grading Systems Chapter One(1) 1. Reasons for Assessment Diagnosis: helping young people to establish a baseline and understand their progress, strength and develop needs. It is a more detailed type of evaluating the learner to find out their ability, skills, level of performance, knowledge, understanding, intelligence quotient etc. Diagnosis helps the teacher to be able to find out the areas of weakness of the students and their areas of strength. It is from these that the teacher will together with the student plan on a possible course of action to taken in order to assist the students to meet the educational they may have. The teacher may select the students who need further examination by the specialist to confirm if they are faced with a learning difficulty that the teacher may not be able to diagnose. All this is done in the interest of the student i. e. to assist him/her overcome the areas of weakness and try to catch up with the rest of the students. The assessment tasks should be varied in strength to be able to find out the different abilities of the students. Recognition and motivation: recording and rewarding learners’ progress and achievement. Assessment is also carried with an aim of rewarding student according to their performance. In some schools badges are designed and made to be worn by the top achievers in particular subject area and in the overall performance at each grade or stage. The prestige that goes with walking around the school wearing such a badge motivates students to compete for the badges and feel recognized by their peers as good performers in a particular area of study say science, mathematics, languages or even in humanities and applied subjects. If one manages to win two three or more badges they are held in honour by their fellow students and given a lot of recognition both within the school and out. This recognition serves as a motivating factor for the learners to work hard to achieve in their studies and other field like in sports. Similarly, such recognition encourages students to maintain their high standards always for fear of ruining the image they may have created for themselves hence it helps in shaping their character. Unfortunately, some of those low achievers may want to be recognized in a different way hence may resort to unwanted behaviour. Standard setting: confirming levels and thresholds of achievement. Assessment helps the teacher to set standards of performance in his/her class at particular stages or levels of learning. Thus the students will be made aware of the expectation by their teachers with regard to performance hence they will strive to meet the set standard. Unless the standard of performance is set many people tend to relax and very little effort will be made to achieve the goals and objectives. The setting of standards will help to drive away laziness from among the students and the teachers. If the learners and teachers know they have a standard of performance they need to measure to, it will definitely create a sense responsibility in them. It is important to have standard of performance set and made clear both to the learners and the teacher. Differentiation and selection: enabling employers and higher education providers to understand what young people have achieved, and how individuals compare with their peers. Assessment differentiates learners at all levels whether it is the prime purpose for the assessment or not. Somehow, there those who will emerge at the top of the whole group. It is this differentiation that will determine the intake of students into the next level of their education. Most selection is done based of the assessment that has already been carried out at the previous level of study. At the end their course most of the students are usually awarded with certificates of merit. It is based on these certificates that their prospective employers base their consideration of selecting possible employees and inviting them for interviews. Generally, the higher the qualification one has, the more skill or tasks he has gone through to achieve what he has achieved. Consequently, the more the knowledge one is deemed to have acquired and therefore more competent on the job market. Thus the rating of the individuals against the performance of their peers which implies how they are likely to fair at the job market. Chapter two(2) 2. Purpose of Assessment. Assessment is carried for various reasons some of which are discussed below. Selection Institutions base their selections and admission of students on national examinations done by the students at end of level examination. Usually assessment outcomes are used to rank students in terms of performance and ability regardless of the different conditions under which they took their examinations. The institutions proceed to choose those they feel qualify to meet their requirements for enrolment into specific courses. Thus a list of prerequisites is drawn to aid the selectors choose those who fall within the already set limits. Standards The standards of an assessment are determined by the educational system of a country and the stakeholder of the education system. The standards set in the country will determine allocations from the budgetary kit at national level. For instance, to improve and maintain a high level of performance in the education sector the teacher-student ratio should be small, resource made should be available to the students especially science oriented subjects. The standards are set at the national level, then at the school level and finally at the classroom level. The standards of performance will reflect the student ability to progress on with their academics to a higher level. Teachers’ feedback Teachers use assessment to get feedback from students to enable them in the planning for further instruction to the students. The feedback help the teachers to know whether the set objectives of learning are being met or not. This means that every teacher has to carry out assessment at one time or another in the course of instructing the students for learning. They will be able to know if they are making progress, and if not what could be the possible reasons for their failure to meet the set objectives. These may mean that their means of instruction be adjusted to suit the learner educational need within the class. Motivation Feedback from assessment can be used as a motivator to the students and the teacher especially when the results indicate that positive learning is being achieved. The teacher feels that his effort have not been wasted after all while the students will feel that their efforts have been rewarded by being able to measure to the standards of the teachers or examiners. As a result both groups will set out for their work and duty with a lot of enthusiasm hence positive assessment outcome are a motivation. The parents will on the same hand feels that their funds are being utilized by their sons and/or daughters and will be motivated to make more investment. Assess readiness for future learning. Assessment helps educational planners to determine the ability of students to progress in higher education or take more specialized courses such as accounting, engineering, medicine, teaching among others. The level of performance at a particular stage will display the learner ability, skills, level of performance and interests. The outcomes of an assessment will therefore form a basis for planning courses, selection and entry point into some designated courses. Most institutions admit students basing on their performance in the terminal examinations sat at end of the previous stage or level. Similarly, selection into the courses that students wish to pursue is usually based on the performance of the examination at the on national level. Preparation for life- life is like this Assessment can be used to find out the skills, knowledge and understanding the students are graduating with. This will prepare them to face life as people with ability to transform their environment so as to be able fit in the wider society. The learners are made aware of the skills they are carrying with them into the society to face life as it really is. Evaluate curriculum effectiveness When a new curriculum is designed, the aim of curriculum planners is to be able to meet the needs of the society and those of the individual learners. Thus the purpose of assessment in this context is to evaluate the effectiveness of the curriculum being implemented to the learners and to the larger society at large. The outcomes of learning are reflected in how students handle assessment tasks presented to them by the curriculum planners and the examiners. Where the curriculum has failed to meet the set objectives, adjustments be made to it so that the predetermined objectives are met or attained. Information to others Assessment is used to obtain information to be related to others interested in education. The ministry of education, for instance, needs to make educational decisions regarding curriculum, performance of teachers, attainment of educational goals both at national and international level, allocation of funds from the treasury, performance of graduates from the education system in relation to the needs at job market among others. The educationists need to take statistics of those who graduate from the systems e. g. basing on the gender, region etc. Statement of curriculum Attainment Assessment helps assessors to get a statement of current attainment as compared to performance in the previous years. The posted outcomes can be used to find out areas that continually been showing poor performance from students e. g. science and mathematics. This statement can be used to draft proposals for future plan of improvement in the course of uplifting performance of areas showing weakness or needs. Record of progress- over time Assessment is carried out for various reasons which ever time have been state differently by different authors of various textbooks. It is important to note that the choice of the method of assessment should be made on the basis of judgment about â€Å"fitness for purpose†. Before making a decision on what to assess, how to assess and who is best fit to carry out the assessment, it is necessary to be clear why assess and achievement expected. The purposes of assessment can be grouped by: Balancing internal and external purposes There are purposes of assessment that are useful within school setting. For example, feedback to students and teachers, students grouping, curriculum improvement and individual target setting. Similarly, there are other purposes that are useful to stakeholders outside the school setting e. g. certification and accountability. This helps to evaluate the balance of assessment activities carried out within the school. In the recent past a lot of external pressure has been mounted on schools in increasing measures with regard to accountability through the publication of performance tables etc. The result has been emphasis on assessment data collection for monitoring, evaluation, marketing and accountability purposes. This may cause internal purpose to be underrated or treated as secondary to external purposes. The schools should thus be watchful of this because their aims for education of their students are unlikely to be well served if they only pay regard to external demands. Another way of viewing assessment purposes is to cluster them according to whether they have a development/learning functions or a public/accountability function. (To some extend, this clustering aligns to internal/external distinction because internal tend to have developmental whereas external tend to focus on accountability. ) TGAT’s formulation of assessment purposes After the Government announced, in 1987, its intention to introduce a National Curriculum, it first set up a Task Group on Assessment and Testing (TGAT) to advice on an associated assessment framework. TGAT’s remit was to propose a system for serving formative, diagnostic, summative purpose. The TGAT report distinguished these purpose in the following way: †¢ Formative So that the positive achievements of a student may be recognized and discussed and the appropriate next steps planned; †¢ Diagnostic through which learning difficulties maybe scrutinized and classified so that appropriate remedial help and guidance can be provided; †¢ Summative for the recording of the overall achievement of a student in a systematic way; †¢ Evaluative by the  means of the aspect of the work of a school, an LEA or other discrete part of the education service can be assessed and/or reported upon. This established two new terms- formative and summative- in the lexicon of assessment purpose. The formative/summative distinction was first used by Micheal Scrivenin 1967 in an American Educational Research Association monograph on The Methodology of Evaluation, which was primarily concerned with the evaluation of educational programmes. It proved to be a helpful distinction and it was increasingly used in a variety of contexts. TGAT used the distinction in the context of assessment of students’ learning. In the context, the formative purpose is served if evidence and judgments about students’ present learning are used to decide what teachers and learners need to do so that further progress in learning may be made. 3. Baseline and Benchmarking Purpose of baseline scheme The problem with taking output alone as indicators of schools effectiveness, even when more than one measure is considered, is that comparisons made on this basis rarely compare like-with-like. However, this has been the practice for a long time in most the education system. This is the familiar argument against the publication of league tables of ‘raw results’ that take no account of the different contexts and intakes of schools. Whilst the actual grade a student achieves will be of vital importance to him or her, aggregated results which take no account of background factors may be crude and fair measure of the relative effectiveness of the school as a whole. This is the argument for value-added measures. It is important, therefore, to collect information about input as well as output so that the two sets of information can be considered together in any judgement of school effectiveness. The intake characteristics usually considered are: Prior attainment as measured in earlier tests and examinations; Ability as measured on standardized tests; ? Prior attitudes to school; ? Gender; ? Ethnicity; ? English as an additional language; ? Special educational needs; ? Socio-economic status and aspects of home background such as single parent families. It is known that some schools achieve great things in disadvantaged circumstances but, since they start from a lower base, the socio-economic status of their intake should be taken into account when measuring their effectiveness or setting targets. It is interesting therefore that in its proposal for target setting and benchmarking, the government has indicated that benchmarks for individual secondary schools will be constructed on the basis of data on free school meals. If output measures are analyzed in relation to input, we would still expect to find some variability in results. In other words, some schools will perform relatively better or relatively worse than others with similar intakes. In order to find out what makes the difference one has to open the black ‘black box’ between input and output to investigate school processes. These process variables are likely to provide some of the answers. Since carrying out this research on a national scale will not be practicable, schools have to take the initiative to find out for themselves data in order to explain their own results and to identify areas of improvement. This is intended to form a basis for further guidance to schools. Thus the responsibility of identifying the process variables that are likely to be most relevant, lies on the shoulders of the schools. Two kinds of processes need to be considered: ? Classroom processes; ? School management processes. Characteristics of a baseline scheme In order to set appropriate targets, government, through QCA, now publishes benchmarking information. This is intended to enable schools to evaluate their own standard of performance by measuring it against standards achieved by other schools with broadly similar characteristics. Benchmark data do not set targets but, by showing what the best schools with similar intake characteristic achieve, benchmarks are expected to set challenges for less successful schools. Although there are strong arguments for grouping schools according to a variety of background factors such as those used in multi-level modeling, which takes account of student-level, school-level and ward-level factors, the government has opted for benchmarking system based on existing national data sets such as the school census (Form 7). Although schools will be placed in a group for the purpose of drawing up the benchmarks, they will not be told which group they belong to. Thus, when they receive the benchmark information from QCA they have to decide themselves which group best represents their characteristics. 4. Target Setting Section 19 of the 1997 Education Act makes a Provision for legislation to require targets to be set and published by the governing bodies of maintained schools. Setting targets to raise standards: What works A five stage cycle for school improvement in target setting has been put to use. These involve: 1. How well are we doing? This requires the school to analyze student performance and audit its teaching and management. It also calls for the analysis of data about students outcomes. To achieve this objective, the school will need to relate outcomes to intake variables of a given student to give value-added measures. However, in order to explain the patterns in performance and identify areas for action, it is necessary to collect data about processes, such as teaching and management. The statistical analysis will then be supplemented by observational data to provide evidence in relation to input, output and process indicators (perhaps in the lines of the OFSTED Framework of Inspection). 2. How well should we be doing? This requires the school to compare its own results of similar schools n order to identify strengths and diagnose weaknesses as a basis for establishing priorities for improvement. The benchmarking information to be supplied by the DFEE and LEAs is intended to help with this task. 3. What more should we aim to achieve this year? This requires the school to set clear, specific and measurable targets which focus in particular on raising standards of attainment in national tests and examinations. 4. What must we do to make it happen? This requires the school to integrate improvement targets into the school development plan through focused action planning. 5. How successful have we been? This requires the school to take action to implement the action plan and to monitor and evaluate the impact of the action against the success criteria. TARGET SETTING REQUIREMENTS The initial proposals from government indicate that regulations are likely to require schools to set targets in the following terms; a) a single target to be set for each of the three are subjects at the end of each key stage; b) these targets should be measured by National curriculum tests in English, Mathematics and Science at age fourteen and GCSE examination results or equivalent at age sixteen; c) at the end of key stage 3, targets to be expressed, subject by subject, in terms of the proportions of students reaching Level 5 and above; d) At key Stage 4, targets to be expressed in terms of the proportion of students achieving a grade C or better in GCSE English, Mathematics and Science (either single or double award, or in an individual science subject). e) An additional indicator, at key Stage 4, is likely to be the proportion of students attaining a number of A*- C and A* – G grades in GCSE. The proposal also suggested that schools and LEAs should agree or targets covering three year period in which review of results of the previous autumn term and setting targets for the following academic year by January are carried out. PROCEDURES FOR SETTING TARGETS The governments 1997 White Paper Excellence in Schools made it clear that setting school targets was the responsibility of each school’s governing body, working with senior management team. The White Paper tests sets out how the government, LEAs and schools are expected to work together. Chapter 3 paragraph 13 of the paper provides that; 1. The government sets national targets and publishes national performance and benchmark data. 2. Each LEA provides benchmarking data and guidance to all its schools to help them set targets. 3. Each school sets draft targets, taking account of the comparative data and their own previous best performance, for discussion with its LEA. 4. Schools and LEAs agree targets, covering a three-year period and subject to annual review. 5. Where, exceptionally, an LEA cannot reach agreement with a school on its targets, the LEA may invoke the early warning system. 6. The individual school targets are included within each LEA’s Education Development Plan. 7. The DFEE and OFSTED monitor and contribute to the process to ensure targets are high and ambitious enough. Strategies Directly Involving Students and Classroom Process 1. Introducing new commendation and certificate systems to reward achievement and increase motivation and self-esteem; 2. Introducing academic mentoring for borderline C/D GCSE candidates; 3. Reducing the number of GCSE subjects taken per student to encourage quality instead of quantity in performance; 4. Introducing paired reading or literacy tutoring schemes (older with younger students) to improve reading and writing skills; 5. Adopting a ‘Pacific Rim’ approach by assuming that all can succeed if they are prepared to make great efforts; 6. Instituting a ‘cardinal rule’ that students should not interfere with the learning of others 7. Giving special attention to the least motivated groups (of boys especially) by introducing a ten-hour weekly homework contract in Year II; 8. Introducing one-to-one review on a regular basis; 9. Providing a two-day residential, run by teachers and employers, for potential Year II under-achievers with the aim of improving motivation through a series of challenges; 10. Providing students with templates to help them structure their written work; 11. Providing an enrichment programme of generic skills, especially study skills, group work and exam technique. 12. Target setting for effort and attainment with individual students followed up with one-to-one review with allocated tutors. School need to realize, however, that this does not preclude them from setting other goals and targets as well. This will be important if they regard education as having wider functions, such as promoting human flourishing and participatory citizenship. Internal review through data analysis: Progress indicators. Using indicators to monitor performance and set target in primary schools Using indicators to monitor performance Involving parents. The role of the national targets CHAPTER 5 5. a. Types of Assessment Assessment is one of the most potent forces influencing what teacher should concentrate on in their teaching and what students should concentrate in their learning. Assessment sends a message to students about what is important to learn. It is with this in mind that this section seeks to discuss the various types of assessments. In an effort to classify assessment therefore, the following are some of the types of assessment. i) Formative Formative assessment is taken to refer to the process of identifying what students have, or have not, achieved in order to plan the next steps in teaching. It will usually involve the diagnosis of learning difficulties, although this is not synonymous with the kind of standardized, psychometric, diagnostic assessments, within formative assessment, the term ‘diagnosis’ usually possess a more colloquial and less technical meaning. Formative assessment is also distinguished from other forms of assessments in that it is, by definition, carried out by teachers. This is important if it is to inform the decisions teachers make in the classroom. The aspiration is that assessment should become fully integrated with teaching and learning and therefore part of the educational process rather than a ‘bolt-on’ activity. It is important to note that in formative assessment feedback is a key element with two main audiences the student and the teacher. Feedback to the student, mediated by the teacher, is particularly important because no learning can take place without the active involvement of the student. ii) Summative Summative assessment refers to the examinations that are taken by the learners at the end-of-unit or end-of-term and their purpose is to fulfill the public expectation of the schools and form of accountability to parents who have a right to know what progress their children are making. However, this poses a danger in that they assume such importance that it undermines the formative assessments that have been made on a regular basis throughout the period. Just like the giving of grades on ordinary class work can affect self-esteem in such a way as to ‘blind’ students to the substantive advice given in comments, so also can the giving of grades and marks in end-of-unit tests have similar effects. The public usually places allot of emphasis on the assessment as they seem to project what the learners have gained in the course of their studies and skills they possess and are able top demonstrate. Thus entry into higher learning institutions and specifically into particular courses is pegged on the results of summative assessments. iii) Informal Informal assessment is an assessment in which the teacher neither follows a specified timetable drawn by the administration for purpose of assessment nor predetermined questions directed to the learner. It is some kind of impromptu. The teacher in the course of performing his duty may reach a concept that requires prior knowledge of particular concepts on the part of the learner; therefore he may decide to carry out an informal assessment to determine what the learners know. Similarly, a new teacher who wants to understand the ability and level of performance of learners may decide to carryout an informal assessment. There is no general standard set for performance or attainment i. e. the administrator determines the standard as deem fit for his purpose of assessment. Thus an informal assessment is at the discretion of the person administering it. iv) Formal Formal assessment refers to the mode of assessment that follows a specified timeframe and format. Usually most of the learning activities are suspended to allow teachers time to administer the assessment to the learners. Formal assessment therefore has a set standard, to which all assessment items must adhere to. Generally, there is time set aside for which both students and the teachers know well in advance that assessment is going to be carried out. The teachers will this case prepare assessment items inline with the set standards of the particular institution in question or adapt on that has already been set by an assessment agency. The students on their part will concentrate on preparing for the assessment tasks that they are going to encounter. In most institutions this time if known as examination time. The environment is controlled so as to allow students an ample time when tackling the assessment items. For example, in most schools during this time silence is observed at all costs, students are spaced so as to allow for individual work unlike during the normal learning days when corporate work can be tolerated, teachers police the students to check on cheating by cheeky students. v) Continuous Continuous assessments are assessments that are carried out by the teacher in progressive way. The test items are drawn from what has been done in the recent past by the learner which means their strength and complexity increases with the increasing complexity in the content being taught. The teacher designs a test to suit particular content that the learners have learned at a particular level. Generally it focuses on a given concept and they are more narrow and intense in their approach. Once a learner has passed the assessment at a given level they are given chance to progress to the next level of learning. vi) Terminal As the name suggests these are tests that administered at the end of a given course, they act as a point of end into the next level or the job market. They are designed in such a way as to include a cross-section of what the learners have attained by the time they are stepping out of the education programme they have been undertaking. They are in most cases designed by an independent body external to the institution of learning in which they are going to be administered. Similarly, their marking is centralized and carried by few selected people. Grading and ranking is the done from an external point, statistics are drawn to show attainment of schools and individual student in comparison to other schools and students from other places. They are usually standardized tests and the awarding of grades is done an already established scale by the administering body. vii) Coursework While going through the curriculum every teacher would want to ascertain that the course objectives are being met every now and then. Thus where possible assignments are given to students at the end of the lesson, marked and feed back given to the students to assist in the process of learning. Cour

Ggr252 Notes Essay

To gain a better understanding of the retail and commercial activity in the Toronto area, two different types of retail will be evaluated in the following report. The character, market orientation and location of a retail space all play crucial role in contributing to the success of the business. All three aspects of the retail spheres will be carefully assessed in order to make direct comparisons between the two types of retail businesses. The two retail systems that will be contrasted includes the ancillary retail system in downtown Toronto and the Retail Strip on Spadina, south of Baldwin. Part A – Ancillary Retail (First Canadian Place) The ancillary retail system in downtown Toronto is one of the most unique retail systems in the world. It is an underground shopping center that connects all the major banks and towers in the core of the city. The specific area that we investigate is called â€Å"First Canadian Place† and it is located on King & Bay St. This geographic region is one of the most densely engaged regions in all of Canada and this is because of the large skyscrapers that are located on top of this retail center. Its primary customers are upper-middle class workers that are working in the surrounding banks and institutions. Most of the consumers are not wearing jackets and this suggests that they were able to access this center without going outdoors. This is a significant advantage because people are more willing to go to areas that are easily accessible. The retail center is easily accessible by many different types of transportation. There are two subway stations that are located within this are a and there are also buses on the street level. As well, it is very accessible by foot because the retail center is connected to many other different shopping centers in the core of Toronto. There are many different types of stores in this retail center but they are all focused on â€Å"white collars†. Most of the customers are workers in large firms and they want quick access to different types of stores. This is why there is a large amount of fast-food/food court stores that allow workers to have their lunch quickly and efficiently. The busiest time of the day for this retail center is during lunch hour and rush hours because it is very convenient for all the workers to access this center. A 15 minute pedestrian count during lunch hours (around 1:30pm) indicated that approximately 1993 people access this ancillary retail system. This system  is in private property because it is under many large skyscrapers which are owned by private firms. This system is not very easy to navigate because of the complex connections of different shopping centers. Part B – Spadina, South of Baldwin (China Town) The retail strip on Spadina, south of Baldwin (known as China Town) is a completely different type of retail center. This retail is located outside and it is very easy to navigate since the arrangement of the retail stores is not complex. The streetcar track on Spadina helps people to identify the directions more easily (North ↔ South). This area is accessible by public transportation as a result of the frequent availability of streetcars and subway. There are also parking spots on either side of the road that can accommodate for cars. The area surrounding this retail strip consists of schools, university, and small houses. There are a wide variety of stores within the retail strip, offering customers many selections to choose from. Most of the retail spaces consist of restaurants, fashion and accessories stores, and family health services. However, there are also other services being offered, such as banking services, furthermore, there are meat shop and supermarket. This retail space is considered to be public as the entire business strip is not managed or controlled as a whole by any rules and regulations. And most evidently, the retail strip itself is located on a public street. It is possible that the city planners may have designed the street and the retail area to accommodate for the needs of the surrounding residential area. However, the actual stores and their specific styles and characteristics that each retail business offers are mainly unplanned (there might be some planned aspects). In the pedestrian count that was conducted during lunch time (around 1:30pm), a total of 327 pedestrians were counted during the 15-minute count. Chinatown is geared toward the market segment of low to mid-income individuals. Thus, most of the pedestrians are dressed in casual wear and jackets (Note: stores are located outside – winter period). The majority of consumers in this retail strip are Asians who speak Cantonese or mandarin and large portion of them are seniors. Part C – Compare and Contrast After careful analysis of the above two retail spaces, many similarities and differences can be drawn. First and foremost, both business entities consist of multiple retail stores that offer a vast variety of goods and services. This allows customers to have and opportunity to be exposed to a great selection of goods and services, and also creates convenience for the shoppers. In considering the physical location and layout of the two retail spaces, it is evident that both are located where a large amount of traffic can be found. People arrive at these areas by cars, transit (streetcars in China Town/buses in First Canadian Place, subway, cars for both), and walk, etc. This brings more customers to the businesses, and also helps accommodate for large amounts of traffic, which may be created as a result of it. Therefore, in terms of accessibility, both locations are very convenient to customers everywhere because of public access. The Ancillary Retail System is located in one of the most important commercial centers in Canada. There is a large population working above this system and this allows the system to have many customers during the weekdays. The disadvantage is that workers do not work during weekends would cause the system to have less customers, or the stores in the system might not be even opened during the weekends. The major disadvantage to the retail strip is that since the strip is located outdoors, many people would not be willing to shop outdoors in the cold winter. It is possible that the number of customers in the summer would be greater than the numbers in the winter, but it is more likely that customers would prefer the PATH since the system would have the air conditioning turned on in the summer. In both of the retail areas, we can see their different layouts. In First Canadian Place, most of the food services are centralized in the food court, whereas in the retail strip there are no spe cific patterns or layouts. This might be because it is a public space and the retail center is unplanned. The two different types of retail vary in their composition. The PATH system has more chaining retails than those in the retail strip. The stores’ degree of speciality in the strip is higher, this is because the stores are independent and owned by individuals that has the freedom to decorate the store and sell as they wish, without rules and regulations. Through the evidence from my observations, I believe that the retail strip  is less managed than the Ancillary System, because of the nature of the area. The retail strip is located on a public road, the city planners at most are doing their jobs setting out this area as retail but not as much as planning each store and how many stores of different types for this strip to be successful. The Ancillary Retail though, is a planned center, the land is owned as private property, and therefore, the stores run under rules and regulations. Before the stores can open in this planned center, marketing would have been done to see if th e center can accommodate another such shop in there. I believe that everything that goes in the PATH is carefully monitored and managed by a department under its private owner. Although own is private and one is public, one is planned and one is unplanned, despite these differences, they also have many similarities that kept them both running; their styles and selections attract different kinds of customers. The different specialty stores on the retail strip would attract customers that are looking for uniqueness and those that are looking for Oriental-style cuisines, and the stores in the Ancillary Retail would provide customer with convenience to their everyday needs and quick services such as the fast food services to customers who work nearby. Overall, these two different retail areas have their own qualities that attract customers, and everyday there are changes in the market and changes are made in those types of retail everywhere to suit out changing needs.

Concept of Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Concept of Competition - Essay Example Another one is that competition causes organization to be efficient and to prosper due to the contributing role of the factors related to efficiency. This selection process is good for aggregate efficiency. Lastly, competition innovate the major source of gains in productive efficiency (Vickers 1). For further meaning of competition, different perspectives can be given attention such as that of the work of social scientists, humanists, and philosophers. Such works do not merely report any meaning in ordinary discourse. Most of them theorize, explain, explore and penetrate below the surface to uncover the features of competition. Among species and every community competition occurs where resources are in limited supply. Competition is defined as the active demand by two or more organisms for a common source as discussed by Wilson. The using up of other resources to the detriment of other organisms, whether it is not aggressive in behavioral interaction is also another perspective on c ompetition. Two modes of competition are distinguished by Wilson namely scramble and contests. Scramble competition can be defined as exploitative. The winner will be the one who uses the resources first without specific behavioral responses to other competitors. According to Wilson, competition theory is a relatively advanced field in ecological research. A competitive technique is the aggression among members of the same species with a set of behaviors. In addition, competition is a term pertaining to human affairs; and it is a warning of dangers involved in extending our use of the term (Newman 5). Economic competitions also play the role, as a neutral buyer or consumer. According to Tibor Schitovsky a person or an organization has competition if the party wants to trade with has alternative opportunities to exchange. Competitors are people or organizations that offer alternatives and similar opportunities to the opposing party or parties. When there is competition there is an ai m to pursue one’s own interest. Having competitive behavior can be as altruistic as any other kind, but a rational competitor never act on the assumption of what others are doing. Most competitors think of their own goals and are primarily motivated to develop, demonstrate and enjoy competence on their own visions. Competitions are used to overcome feelings of being separated, abandoned and unloved. It permits demonstration of each individual’s significance which gratifies each desire, assertiveness and approval and also they perform in public, assert themselves in the presence of others at the very least of their competitor (Newman 11). Competitors always aim to win for them winning is the object of the game. They want to impress their competitors, to be admired for their success. Most competition is complex in its way especially in pursuing its goal e.g. money, job, a woman’s hand in marriage. In addition, competitive impulse seeks a good fight. Competing is t he act against another human being. Competition itself often takes elusive forms example is a world class athlete producing exact performance measures to compete with the other competitors (p.11). Competition and competence are both derived from the same root. It is a desire to develop, to strive and to achieve even with the risk of defeat of failure in one direction and to strive toward a goal. A social scientist postulates that in competition the rules that can hinder a party to achieve and the rewards that can be attained can be considered equal. It usually takes the form of legitimized conflict regulated by rules. But not all competition is a pure contest in which the other competitors are prohibited to achieve their aims. Those who are legitimized

CIPD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CIPD - Essay Example letion of this session, participants would know the definition of decision making, its importance in the organization and how bad decisions can devastate an organization overnight. In the end of this session Managers would be asked to share their best and worst decisions after giving it a thought and the consequences they faced in both situations. Trainer should make notes about each participants and his / her ability to define the decisions and consequences. Each relevant example shared would add value to the participants learning. Rate the performance of the participants between 1 to 10 on the basis of their performance in the training. You have recently conducted an employee satisfaction survey on benefits provided by your employer. Based on the data you have to plan and execute certain HR interventions that can result in increased employee engagement and motivation. You have been asked to create a vision for your department. Something that should be aligned with company’s mission and values and can also predict the future and direction of your team and function. You hired an exceptional resource based on his strong credentials. You are absolutely sure that the incumbent would be a great addition to the already high performing team. On the first day of joining you get to know that your new star has had a huge argument with an existing star. You counsel them and realize that the existing differences are much too severe then you initially thought. You cannot afford to let go either of them. You have a resource whose arrival time is not according to the company policy. Even after verbal counselling and written warnings the incumbent fails to follow the rules. It is getting noticed and some team members are getting too casual with their arrival timings as well. You execute certain routine tasks every day. The tasks are all related to coordination and certain approvals are required based on the requests generated by internal customers. All these tasks are

Spanish and French Baroque Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Spanish and French Baroque - Research Paper Example Paintings of the Baroque style show a kind of dynamism, in contrast to the static mood of the Renaissance. They achieve a sense of movement by placing the composition along the diagonal, instead of the vertical. The paintings of the age were infused with the vitality and vigor, which had taken hold of Europe after the counterreformation. Landscape was treated as an adjunct to the primary figural subject and served as merely the background. In fresco decoration it appeared as an â€Å"ornamental interlude† in opposition to the main figures. The artists of the Baroque era took the landscape and â€Å"endowing it with a new grandeur† pushed the details and incidents to the realms of secondary objects. This style of painting was marked by Pastoral themes, and the artist tried to recreate Virgil’s Arcadia as the locus amoenus (pleasant place), where shepherds could lead the days in otium (leisurely) pursuits. Baroque works of art stressed upon the idea of creating ple asurable emotions but without any vulgarity, and keeping it â€Å"simple and natural’ based on the concept of les biensà ©ances (decorum). The Classical landscapes of the Baroque age painting, is marked by vast open spaces, with an architectural structure, usually a dilapidated fort or castle, which is placed there so as to â€Å"order the landscape through a symmetrical placement of geometricized forms.’ The Baroque style was practiced predominantly in Catholic countries of Europe, and so, many of the important pieces of art can be traced to Spain and France.

Group Project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Group Project - Assignment Example In addition, it tells when and where to say certain things, to use certain words and when to discuss certain topics. Thus cultural norms are important for creating the impression and picture of the group. They govern the general behaviour of members of the group. Employers may also develop a code of conduct to be adhered to by the employees. Such rules are referred to as work norms often followed at the Different organizations have different work norms. These work norms include signing of time sheets by employees at the arrival time. Some organizations require workers to hold prayer meetings before beginning to work. However, most organizations conform to a particular dressing code which restricts workers on what to put on and what not to wear. Another type of norms that can be adopted by a group is prescriptive norms. These are unwritten rules that indicate what should be done. For example expressing gratitude after a receiving a present is considered as a prescriptive norm. A study group may also consider question session before beginning revision as a prescriptive norm. A prayer session before a match for a team is also a prescriptive norm. Proscriptive norm on the other hand comprises of unwritten rules that one should not do. A group may have its own proscriptive norms. Blaming each other for football players due to a loss can be an example of proscriptive norm. Similarly, abusing each other among members of a bible study group can be another example. Norms are generally good for the group. A dressing code among workers is good because it brings uniformity to certain workers such as medical workers. This helps in easy identification and to prevent impersonification. Calling of names and blaming each other among players may bring disharmony in the team. Similarly insulting each other may lead to the breaking up of a bible study group. Norms generally are good since they help a group to achieve their set objectives. Once in a certain

Latino Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Latino Studies - Essay Example Keeping in mind of the extensive and porous border that the United States shares with Mexico, many people in the United States worried that, the violence in Mexico could extend to their country. Furthermore, Mexico, being the second biggest state in Latin America, it constitutes the largest portion of the total number of immigrants into the United States. Therefore, at first, the matter of child immigration in the eyes of the people was a Mexican issue (BBC 3). However, child migration from Honduras as well as from the other Central American nations has become a great matter of concern as the then small problem grew steadily to become a critical humanitarian condition according to President Barrack Obama. Soon after, all the discussions regarding immigration in the United States turned on to child migration into the U.S-Mexico border. The matter prompted president Obama to request for additional funds from the members of Congress to help mitigate the problem (BBC 5). There is a lot of controversy regarding the exact reasons that led to this rapid increase in child migration who mostly come from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Some people in Central America hold the false belief that children who make their way to the United States enjoy great autonomy in their lives. Many president Barrack Obama critics indict him for escalating the problem through his careless enforcement of the immigration laws of the United States (Hing para.5). Different leaders and influential people in the United States started expressing their opinions on the best ways of solving the problem. Hillary Clinton asked the Obama government to clearly, inform the Central American people that migrants of all age including children will have their way back to their respective countries. Biden, the vice president, with instructions from the government went to Guatemala to meet the Central American leaders and pass the message. With this step,

Discussion Board 8-1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Discussion Board 8-1 - Essay Example This presents a real risk especially in cases where the counselor has not found a safety shelter for the victim of abuse. Alternative shelter during handling of a case helps isolate a victim from the abusers and encourage in-depth if not complete disclosure (Jackson-Cherry, 2014). Another reason for delay relates to the dilemma that strikes counselors especially when reporting of a case is likely to lead to separation of parents of an abused. A counselor may wish to advance and find justice treatment while ensuring compactness of the family, but fears breakup of the family upon reporting. To deal with such causes of procrastination, counselors need to stick by the laws and ethics of their respective states regarding reporting of child abuse cases. Another way to avoid procrastinations of reporting child abuse due certain fears is to refer clients to other superior authorities or institutions also concerned with protection of children welfare. Alternatively, a counselor can contact a mandated reporter to report the case on behalf. Section 350 of the Hawaii State’s laws against child abuse require quick reporting of child abuse, and outlines provisions for prosecution of a counselor for late reporting of a child abuse incidence (Hawaii.gov,

An act of heroism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

An act of heroism - Essay Example If a dog from the Humane Society is adopted, it gives them a second chance. Due to the volume of stray pets left on the street, some Humane Societies still put dogs and cats to sleep. I cannot bear to think of dogs being killed, just because of human error. The human error begins when a pet is not spade or neutered. Then when a pet becomes to much or unwanted, they are turned out on the streets due to human error. So I decided to visit the local Humane Society to find a new pet. I had decided a German Shepard mix, or maybe a lab would make the best pet. In the viewing room, dogs barked and howled. All that was present on the day I went were small and medium dogs. I did not find a dog that felt right. Dejectedly I went out of the viewing room, running into a Humane Society worker. He pointed me to the ‘Big Dog’ and ‘Small Dog’ rooms down the hallway. I walked to the ‘Big Dog’ room. This room was three times the size of the viewing room. Around forty cages were lined up in four rows. German Shepards, labs, and other large dogs were in almost every cage. I walked up and down the aisles. One dog caught my eye. He looked like a fur ball sitting on a pillow. I knew if he was given a pillow, he was sick or just had surgery. No one had picked up his card. I was not sure if I could take care of a large sick dog. However no other dog caught my eye. I decided not to get the big dog. After I left the Humane Society without a dog, I felt guilty. My mind kept going back to the large white and gray fur ball. After two days, I decided to go back. If the white and gray fur ball was still there, I would adopt him. When I went back to the ‘Big Dog’ room, the white and gray fur ball was there. I grabbed his card and took it to the front desk. The worker told me this dog was in bad shape. He was an Alaskan Malamute. His fur was so matted that the workers could not tell if he was a boy or girl at first. He could not

Proving Myself to My Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Proving Myself to My Studies - Essay Example In the process of this, I was able to learn a valuable lesson as well. This lesson that I learned in high school has since stayed with me, and I have made it a point to put my best foot forward in all that I do. Of course, I know that this doesn’t mean that I will be successful in everything that I ever do in life. I will still fall at times and fail at some endeavors just as all humans do. The point is though that even when I do fail, I remember that I have been successful in the past and that if I keep going, I know I will be successful in the future. If my parents hadn’t inspired me to prove myself to them that I was a good student, I might never have learned this important lesson. In the end, proving that I was a good student to my parents showed me that hard work and effort can lead to a better life, both in terms of self-esteem and success. Such a lesson is invaluable, and one that I would not trade for anything in the world. The beginning of high school is always scary. There are new rules, new teachers, and harder classes to deal with. The first day of ninth grade, I struggled with the fear of letting my parents down again. Eighth grade had proven to be something of a disaster as my grades were far lower than my parents expected. This year, I knew that I needed to prove myself to them, to show them that I could get the grades that they believed I was capable of. When I was young, of course, it could be difficult to concentrate on what I should be doing instead of concentrating on what I actually wanted to do. With that in mind, high school was a very distracting place for me as I tried to focus on my studies. My friends were pressuring me to hang out and have fun, which I desperately wanted to do, but imagine the look on my parents’ face when I came home with a report card full of A’s was a bit more tempting than an afternoon of spending time with my friends. Â  

Power point use in work envirnoment Essay Example for Free

Power point use in work envirnoment Essay Cynthia Computer Application-205 Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Microsoft Word-Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 lead global in the development and production of software and software-related services and solutions. Initially known for home computers, Microsoft, headquartered in Washington, now offers various operating systems and software for desktop computers. This multinational company strives to help the worldwide business community improve efficiency and productivity. In recent years, this company has battled criticism concerning what some consider monopolistic, anti-competitive business practices. Despite legal setbacks including antitrust violations sanctioned by the US Department of Justice, Microsoft remains a major player in its field. In today’s business environment demands the sharing of data, mobile technology and speedy communication. Microsoft provides tools enabling business to be productive and communicate effectively regardless of location. Outlook serves as the portal for e-mail, tasks, calendar and contacts. Microsoft office line workspace, boasting online storage space, enables users to save access and share documents throughout the world. Mobile Technology like smartphones, which supply the user with advanced computing options allow you to stay connected to businesses. Microsoft office Accounting Express 2008 offers small start-up or at home businesses a resource for accounting processing and procedures. The software includes invoices, budget and finance template and profit and loss statements. Office Excel surpasses manual, paper-based spreadsheets in terms of ease of use and accuracy. Businesses confront an ever-growing number of security threats. Many businesses elect to use Microsoft Vista operating system as a measure to protect their data. Vista boasts account control, troubleshooting and diagnostic features and spyware blocker. Microsoft Security Essentials, introduce in 2009, offers antimalware solutions at no cost to consumers who use Genuine Windows-based PCs. Large business may choose Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate; Ultimate offers Bit Lockers Drive Encryption for maximum data protection. Microsoft lost its standing as the leading global software company in May 2010. Apple, once on the verge of extinction focused on innovative, new consumer products to generate growth; a popular line of hand-held devices contributed to the company’s surge in profitability. In contrast, Microsoft, despite sporadic new systems releases, primarily lies mainly on preserving the existing business. Although Microsoft remains a strong player in the market, the company continues to face stiff competition. PowerPoint is an excellent tool for employee training and online learning. Business owners and company managers can use the programs to create compelling and interactive slide shows to demonstrate new products, train new workers and help existing customers get the most out of the products they buy. In fact there are a great many advantages to using PowerPoint as an online learning tool. One of the most powerful things about PowerPoint is the fact that it can corporate animation features and clip art. Its ability to incorporate sound is another powerful benefit of PowerPoint as an online learning tool. The sound functions of this program can make the slide show more interactive and less boring, and too can encourage visitors to stay with the training. Companies can use this interactive feature of PowerPoint to overcome problems and make their training sessions compelling. PowerPoint contains a number of powerful interactivity tools that makes it easy for users to engage the attention of the entire online audience. The improvement done to Excel 2007 and Excel 2010 is the ability to group the dates in the dropdown list into years and months. That means you don’t have to create a new column to identify the years and months of each row using Excel formulas. In Excel 2010, you can customize your own Ribbon tab. It can be used as commands in one place. In this way you do not have to click from one tab to another to find your commonly used command. In the earlier years of Excel (2003 and below), sorting can only be done based on the color coding in the cell, Not only that, you can also sort the records by the font color. That’s new in Excel 2002 and 2010. Multiple conditional is not made easy Excel 2007 and 2010. In the older Excel version 2003 and below, we are to count based on one single condition. When using Excel 2003, multiple conditions sum has to be done using the formula SUMPRODUCT or combining all the conditions into one before applying the formula SUMIF to data. With the new Excel 2007, you can now easily sum up the values based on more than one condition by using the SUMIF’s fomula.

E Servicescapes On Hotel Website Information Technology Essay

E Servicescapes On Hotel Website Information Technology Essay Last chapter, the background research has been mention and present. This study is focus on testing the e-serviscapes dimension on a hotel website. Few studies on e-servicescapes have been noticed in industry and organization. One of the example is E-servicescapes of BB website . The reserch has attempted to examine the dimension of e-servicescapes as antecedents of perceived e-servicescape quality of BB website . Jeon Jeong (2009) are also attempt to measure e-servicescapes qualities of BB website and investigates dimensions of the e-servicescapes most influence customer decision making. Regarding to the research above, this study is testing the e-servicescapes dimension on the intention of using hotel website by applying the past research conceptual framework. The purpose of this literature review is to identify the related issues within the e-servicesapes on a hotel website. In order to gain a clearer and better understanding, it is definitely to explore the related literature reg arding the e-servicesape. Following that, the key aspects of this review is to measure the dependent variable which is the intention of internet browser to browse hotel website. The literature review is focused on the theoretical definition and empirical studies in regards to the areas. Servicescapes has used in the development of e-servicescapes framework. In this chapter, related theory and variables will be further explained. 2.2 Servicescapes For your information, servicescape is known as the physical environment of an organization in several different elements such as overall layout, design and dà ©cor . Bitner (1992) define servicescapes as a service packages by categorize it in three environmental dimensions, which are ambient conditions, space or function, and sign, symbols, and artifacts. First of all, ambient conditions are sensory elements which consist of temperature, air quality, noise, music, light, smell, color and so on . Next, space or function are refers to layout equipment, furnishings and others items arrangement and functionality . Sign, symbol and artifact are means to be signage, personal artifacts, style of decoration and so on . These environmental dimensions or we shall say physical elements will give impact on customers and employees. Hence leads to internal responses in cognitive, emotional, and physiological . Due to the impacts given by environmental dimensions, customers and employees behavior will be influence in order to approach or avoid certain product or service . Typology of service organizations based on variations in form and usage of the servicescape are able to categorize in three types, self service, interpersonal services, and remote services . Hotel is one of interpersonal services which include both customer and employee. As the standards of lifestyle increasing, applying servicescapes in hotel services is important. Hotel as a service organization who developing with servicescape, it is actually enhance customer satisfaction and increase in repeat business . According to Kandampully Suhartanoto (2000) research, companys image contributes value addition and increases the customer satisfaction towards the product and service provided by the company. Customer satisfaction and company image are positively related to customer loyalty . A positive perceived in cognition, emotion, and physiological will leads to positive approach behavior . Hence, an intention for customer to continuously utilize service and product of hotel will occur. 2.3 E-servicescapes on hotel website Nowadays, online retailing is steadily growth. Company or organization are adopting information technology to run business online as e-merchant . Base on the Jeon Jeong (2009) study research, a framework had been built in previous study on servicescapes and customer relationships in service organization in physical setting and on the website environment . Figure 1 depicts is the framework for environmental dimensions affecting perceived e-servicescapes: Adapted from: Jeon Jeong (2009) Figure 1: A framework for environmental dimensions affecting perceived e-servicescapes The framework shows that the four environmental dimensions of e-servicescapes are ambient conditions, design aspects, search aids slogans and functional aspects. In the context of e-servicescapes, these four dimensions will provide customers with communication cues . Perceived e-servicescapes quality and intention to use a BB website were affected by the environmental dimensions of e-servicescapes . The major vary between serviscapes and e-serviscapes is the physical and non-physical elements. Unlike servicescapes, e-servicescapes have no physical elements in Internet service environment . Dimensions between servicescapes and e-servicescapes might are similar in terms of definition, but is different in some characteristic in terms of environment . There were no physically interaction between customer and employees when service provided . In this modern area, service or sales that involve online or go through by website, the e-servicescapes may be the key factor in playing a role of representing company or organization to customers . By using internet, information provided from website is giving intangible benefits of interaction with websites . Internet also allow customer to have more choices in terms of service and product and giving opportunity to customer to compare price and features of relevant product and service through vary website . In order to survive in competitive environment, hotel companies are increasingly adopt on having an electronic distribution partner which know as online travel agencies . According to Sullivan (2005) report analysis, internet users are increasingly using search engine to get information. Besides that, demand towards usage of search engine from different websites are increase as well . No matters from organization perspective or consumer perspective, developing a hotel website has become a trend or a must in order to optimize organization revenue and fulfill customer demands . 2.4 Independent Variables 2.4.1 Ambient conditions Under servicescapes framework, ambient condition is one of the environmental dimension, it also known as one of the factor that affect human perception and respond towards environment . According to Bitner (1992), human five senses are mostly affected by ambient conditions which include background characteristic such as room temperature, lighting, noise, music, and scent. Sensory stimulation are greatly influence environments, enhance customer experience and change the nature behavior beyond human conscious . In e-servicescapes, ambient conditions influence customer perception by the website service environment . Background characteristic of website such as color, quality photos, virtual tour, music and animation effects are affecting people perceived towards the website . One of the characteristic of ambient conditions, music has be tested in research study on the role of cognition and emotions in the music approach and avoidance behavior relationship . It is found that the service quality of the organization is rated according to the preference of music . Organization which is often playing customer preferable music are offer with higher rating . Hence, a suitable music applies on hotel website might leads to intention to use the website. Rather than that, customers also use to perceive certain subject base on appearance . Website design are important in acting as website appearance . The clarity and readability of text and size of fonts use to be important for appropriate visual presentation on website . A relevant research has shown that customer perceived company or personnel base on appearance . This result shows that people are use to have a lousy perception with not appropriate appearance . By applying the result in H.Dean (2010) study, it is o bvious that quality photo and colors are playing an important role in hotel website to represent hotel image as well for the first good impression to have customers intention for further browse hotel website. Animation or virtual tour is effective in presenting information towards people . Byrne et al. (1999) state that use of picture and animations are commonly accepted. Animations appears better in presenting information . A research on dyslexia people on educating with animation has shoes that animation did a better job in presenting information . All the research above has one common which is the animation, high quality picture and website design are effective in presenting information. In short, all the background characteristic of ambient conditions is important in create intention of user to use hotel website. 2.4.2 Design Aspect Service environment are purposeful environments because it fulfill consumer needs through employee actions . Base on what have study by Bitner (1992), spatial layout are refers to the arrangement, size and shape of item such as machinery, equipment and furnishings. Functionality are the ability of the item to perform and accomplish goal . Design aspect of website is view as overall structure of the ages, layout, space and the navigational functions . Poorly design website are not able to hold customer intention to surf on it . It had been claims that website design is directly influence in turning a web browser to customer . Web users attention is hardly to get to hold on a webpage in longer time. In order to grab web users attention for longer period, it is suggested that home page should be relatively simple, clean and clear content, and hit to the point since users are not sure whether they are at the right website to obtain the information they wanted . Information overload in one page will lead to delay in viewing a home page and leads to dissatisfaction of web users . However, too little information or too simple in a web page might not able to include important content of the website . Therefore, website designer feels that it is important to be balance in website layout distribution and have to be self content in over all structure . Sum, design aspect of website in terms of layout and space usage is important in holding web users attention. 2.4.3 Search aids and Slogans According to Bitner (1992) research, sign, symbols, and artifacts are serving as explicit and implicit signal to communicate with users. They can also as labels for directional purposes and to communicate with the rule of behavior . Signage helps in playing an important part in communicating firm image to customer . For example, a well known hotel are usually been recognize by the customer with company logo or symbol. Under servicescapes perspective, these symbol and artifacts can be use to create awareness in customer mind . In online perspective, some of the features of Bitner (1992) are useful in creating awareness in company website, such as company logo and slogans. Geissler (2001) research is supporting Bitner (1992) that symbol and logo of the company manage to create customer awareness. However, due to the absence of physical environment in e-servicescape, keywords or slogan use in search aids are replace the function of signage to help customer to locate hotel website . In search engine, meta-tag are been use to help in locate website by using pop up technique . Meta-tag are useful when come to indexing, search engines use meta-tag to locate information . A past research evaluated the effectiveness of meta-tag on the improvement of data retrieval on the World Wide Web and the results shows that the keyword meta-tag did improve information retrieval . Meta-tag are also have improved the rank of the selected articles among retrieved results of information . Base on Geissler (2001) research study, it is believed that using keywords in search aids is speeding up customer in locate relevant website. Besides using keywords, catchy phrases will draw internet browsers attention on websites as well rather than using plain text . Keywords are use to locate website easily by using search engines and meta-tag. Therefore, search aids and slogan are important in hotel website in the purpose of explored itself widely in the internet for being easily located by customer. Awareness created by implementing search aids and slogan dimension will be able to grab customer intention in using website. 2.4.4 Functional Dimension The functional aspect of a website will affect customer perception towards website and intention on browsing it . Website is been recognize as a convenient, low cost and easy accessible by every medium . Accessibility 2.3.1 Intention to use website

Sleep Monitoring System Technology

Sleep Monitoring System Technology Fully equipped quilt Improve your sleep with new media and communication technology Explosion of information and advance of technology boost our life into a faster paced mode than ever before. This fast paced life increases the productivity of the whole society, but at the same time, brings healthy problems to an increasing number of individuals. Sleeping is one of the most important aspect of our daily life, as well as a critical period for fixing the damage we have done to our bodies in the daytime. However, more and more people are losing their sleeping due to the pressure comes from outside world, leading to a vicious circle to their health. The product, a quilt, introduced in this article will be devoted to improving sleep and health conditions of the group of people who have sleep disorders and potential health problems. It will make use of the known facts of health indicators and existing technologies to inform the current health condition of the user and help with getting better experience in sleeping. Health Indicator Detector There are many things that people will use every day, the one with the longest consecutive using period is our quilt. The quilt I design takes advantage of this characteristics, making use of touch-skin sensors to detect and monitor user’s health indicators in a quiet and precise way. One of the basic functions of this part is measuring body temperature. Traditional mercury thermometer will not be used, instead of it, infrared thermometer will be a better way to go. An infrared thermometer is a thermometer which indicates temperature from a part of the thermal radiation emitted by the object being measured. It can be used to help aim the thermometer, to describe the devices ability to measure temperature in a certain distance. By knowing the amount of infrared energy emitted by the object and its emissivity, the objects temperature can often be determined (Infrared Thermometer). Another basic function for this part is measuring heartbeat. Since the heartbeat’s contraction is equal to the pulse, which is how many times a minute, our arteries expand because of the increase in blood pressure originated by our heartbeat. So the heartbeat is a very vital health parameter that is directly related to the soundness of the human cardiovascular system (Microcontroller Measures). The microcontroller, fingertip will be used for measuring heartbeat. Heartbeat will pump the blood go through the body and that makes the blood volume inside the finger artery to change too. This fluctuation can be used on an optical sensing mechanism to put on the fingertip. The signal can also be used in this microcontroller to calculate the volatility, it is actually in the heart rate is magnified. (Microcontroller Measures) Both these heartbeat measuring machine and infrared thermometer two devices will be placed in a Wi-Fi environment, and the data which is collected from the user will be transmitted to the personal computer. Users can set a certain indicator, if the data exceeds the normal values, it will warning the user to go to the hospital to check their body whether they have health problems or not. Wireless Sleeping Respiration Monitor To achieve the goal of monitoring users’ respiration while sleeping, respiration sound sensor will be needed for the quilt. In addition, after detecting sleeping hazards like respiration arrest or sleep apnea, vibrate module hidden inside of the quilt will function to wake up the user to prevent further risk. The whole system consists of three major parts, monitoring and data collection device, wireless communication devices and vibrating wake-up device. Monitoring and data collection device, as known as respiration sound sensor, will sense the user’s respiration sound, reduce the noise, amplify and digitalize the signal and pass it to wireless communication module. Wireless communication device will take over the collected data, encapsulate it and then send it via either Wi-Fi connection or Bluetooth connection. Those connections are connected with a device with data processing power, our smartphones will easily serve the purpose. After processing the received data, the data processing device will inform the vibration unit whether it needs to wake up the user based on the result comparing to the data in an online database. If the vibration module receives the signal to wake up the user, it will send pulse vibration to user’s body to wake them up. The significance of the advantage is that sensors could be close to user’s nose and mouth to collect much better and precise data without interrupting or hindering the proper sleeping process. It improved the user experience by a remarkable amount from head-wearing devices with similar functions. In addition, the data is amplified and sent to user’s smartphone, a hand-held device, which increases the scalability. We could achieve more usage of the existing sensors by programming the applications on those hand-held devices, and keep them working properly and even better by distributing software/firmware updates over the internet. What if the computing devices is installed into the quilt? Users will feel hard to fall asleep because it is too heavy, and there could be hazards when the computing unit overheats over a period of intensive data processing. So using external hand-held device reduces the total weight and potential hazard of the quilt and in the meantime increase s the processing power and stability (Patent). Sleep Monitoring System There is no doubt for the importance of sleeping, but because of the quick paced and high pressure environment, we cannot have a good sleep, which will threaten our health. But with the development of advanced technology, we can use it to trace our sleeping status, to find the problems and solve it, in order to improve our sleeping quality. There are many applications exist on the phone, like in IOS platform, in the Android system and in the Windows Phone. The principle for smartphones and applications to monitor the sleep status are similar. They place an accelerometer in the phone to sense your action like turn over while you sleeping, in order to determine the depth of sleep. Of course, compare to the professional equipment, the monitor of mobile phones is not that much accurate, but the cost is much lower than other equipment. However, studies show that the radiation phone emit will affect the quality of our sleep. According to the working principle of the smartphone, an accelerometer can also be placed in the quilt, it will percept the user’s motion during sleep more precisely. There will also a small microphone in the quilt, it can record user’s fudge while their sleeping. Like I mentioned in the Health Indicator Detector, the recorder is also connected with Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, transmitted to the personal computer or application on the smartphone. Besides this, tiny speaker can also be placed with the microphone, since the system can be connected with the personal computer, user can play some white noise in the speaker, which can be used to block snoring and other unwanted sounds, leading to deeper, more restful sleep (White Noise). When the system find out the user enter a deep sleep, it will pause playing the white noise. This system can be used by anyone who even has little knowledge of scientific facts about sleeping or biology to easily track their status of sleeping. Reports could also be generated for a day, a week or a month based on the stored data in the personal computing device. It is really helpful for users to figure out what the trend of sleeping quality is like, either becoming better or worse. Additionally, the reports could be used for consulting doctors and physicians for what they need to improve their sleeping. Conclusion This quilt is not a product with totally new media or communication technology. It is a practical product with many existing technologies to provide an innovative service, and all the technologies used in this product have been used in years and are very mature in the market. However, products that can provide the similar convenience as the quilt does haven’t been found yet. Tossing and turning will not be a huge obstacle anymore for them to fall asleep with the help of white noise. Potential health hazards could also be found out be various monitoring system and data analyzing device. We can imagine that if this quilt arrives in store, it could save an enormous group of people with sleeping problems and using the media and communication technology to serve people, to help them feel better when the night comes. Citations Infrared Thermometer.Infrared Thermometer. OMEGA Engineering Inc., 1999. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. Microcontroller Measures Heart Rate through Fingertip.Instructables.com. Instructables, n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. White Noise Benefits and Uses.White Noise Cds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.Patent CN102860840A Wireless Sleeping Respiration Monitor.Google Books. Ed. Yujuan Quan, Qingnan Liu, Lei Wang, and Deming Chen. Google Patents, 09 Jan. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.

VIOLENCE IN THE MEDIA Essay -- essays research papers

Violence in the Media Violence has been a part of society ever since the days of the caves men, but only recently has television lifted its ban on the graphic depiction of violence. American children and adolescents are being exposed to increasing amounts of media violence, especially in television, movies, video games, and youth-oriented music. Video game violence, children's cartoons, and music lyrics have become increasingly graphic. In movies, action films depict vivid precise murders, rapes, and assaults; with each sequel, the number of deaths increases dramatically. Although media violence is not the only cause of violence in American society, it is the single most easily remediable contributing factor. It is these social networks that present the linkages between individual’s socialization and their actions. Violence in the media can be seen through a sociological perspective, which is the cultural transmission theory. It states that deviance is transmitted through socialization. Since the m edia is a major agent in socialization deviance could therefore be a result of the violence on today’s screen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Media is extremely important as an agent in adolescent socialization because it is this stage that prepares adolescents for roles they will have as adults. It can also be detrimental in previous stages because a 6-month-old infant spends an hour and a half in front of the TV per day. Violence plays an enormous role in influencing people’s c...

Prostituting the Constitution Essay examples -- Exploratory Essays Res

Prostituting the Constitution It has become fashionable to propose amendments to the constitution for all imaginable causes. Thus the nation's charter is endangered by a barrage of new and unworthy ideas offered up by opportunistic politicians seeking to exploit popular passions. Indeed, constitutional reform seems to be the hot topic around Washington and in the writings of both liberal and conservative journalists across the country. No longer is it suitable for legislation to follow the normal means of entering into law - ratification by both House and Senate, pending the signature of the President. Rather, this new breed of constitutional reformers seeks to undermine this very process, not to mention the Constitution itself, with their volley of proposed amendments. Proponents of such congressional reform bitterly deny that the sanctity of the Constitution is ever tarnished in the midst of their attempts to update the Constitution to reflect pressing social issues. These proponents contend that the very proposals with which they seek to indelibly stain the Constitution are comparable to those other amendments added to the Constitution in its history. In other words, current policy issues merit equal attention with amendments such as those whic h eradicated the poll tax or secured suffrage for all Americans. Whether or not there exists an equality between those problems plaguing contemporary society and those thought ageless in the eighteenth century is difficult to assess. Nonetheless, assuming that issues such as abortion, school prayer, flag burning, term limits, and the balanced budget deserve the attention that they have received in Washington, it remains to be argued convincingly that th... ...t say that the policies themselves proposed to become permanent fixtures in the Constitution are flawed. Rather, it is to say that such hysteria is merely empty symbolism, and a way to clutter the Constitution with dubious prose. For instance, there very well ought to be means to ensure that the government operates with a balanced budget, or that the rights of those who wish to pray in school are protected. However, as of yet, it has not been demonstrated that these mere issues of domestic policy warrant inclusion in the nation's most sacred document. Politicians ought to return to the Constitution with heartfelt resolve, seeking from it inspiration and guidance. The Constitution ought never to become the prostitute of two-bit politicians across the nation who, in the dire moments of reelection, call upon its sacred name to secure their own futures.

Regression Analysis :: essays research papers

Introduction Gunshot wounds; bullet caliber is increasing, a look of this increase from years 1998-2003. This data is derived from the use of larger caliber firearms in accidents, homicides and suicides. Data was collected from the measurements of bullets removed from trauma patients then submitted to a surgical pathology laboratory. This data was collected from the years of 1998 to 2002 with patient medical record number and the year obtained. Approximately 78 percent of all bullets were intact and sufficient for use in the study. Bullet fragments and pellets were excluded. â€Å"Among gun deaths in the United States, a very small fraction of all crimes are attributed to firearm accidents, firearm injuries of undetermined intent and legal intervention involving firearms. These deaths amount to 4.4 percent of the total numbers of gun deaths (25,663) in the United States during the most recent year (2000) such data are available. Of the remaining 95.6 percent of gun deaths, homicide accounted for 37.7 percent and suicide for 57.9 percent. This apparent increase in suicide by gun contrasts similar data from 1985, when homicide (44.1%) more closely paralleled suicide (51.8%) by gun.† (Caruso, RP, Swan, KG, 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The article in this paper suggest that †mortality does not increase and even seemingly decreases because care for the trauma victims has become so increasingly innovative, efficient, and comprehensive that the trauma victims, including patients injured by missiles from guns, who would have died from their wounds in the past are now survivors. † (Caruso, RP, Swan, KG, 2003)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Caliber is defined as the diameter of a missile or of the barrel for the weapon (bore) through which the bullet passes. Caliber is expressed in hundredths (two digits) or thousandths (three digits) of an inch. Preceding â€Å"caliber† with a decimal point is actually incorrect because the decimal point is redundant. Caliber implies hundredths or thousandths of an inch. Caliber can also be expressed in millimeters, divided by 25.4 equals the caliber. Thus, 9 mm à · 25.4 = 35 caliber. Conversely, caliber times 25.4 equals diameter of bullet in millimeters. Thus, a 45 caliber bullet will measure 11.4 mm in diameter as will the bore or internal diameter of the barrel of the gun designed to fire the round or the cartridge containing the bullet. Bullet, plus powder, primer, casing, and so forth, constitutes the cartridge or round. Bullet, strictly speaking, consists only of the missile leaving the end of the weapons’ barrel.

Agriculture in India Essay Essay

India ranks second worldwide in farm output. Agriculture and allied sectors like forestry, logging and fishing accounted for 18.6% of the GDP in 2005, employed 60% of the total workforce[7] and despite a steady decline of its share in the GDP, is still the largest economic sector and plays a significant role in the overall socio-economic development of India. Yields per unit area of all crops have grown since 1950, due to the special emphasis placed on agriculture in the five-year plans and steady improvements in irrigation, technology, application of modern agricultural practices and provision of agricultural credit and subsidies since the green revolution.[citation needed] India is the largest producer in the world of milk, cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric and black pepper.[8] It also has the world’s largest cattle population (193 million).[9] It is the second largest producer of wheat, rice, sugar, groundnut and inland fish.[10] It is the third largest producer of tobacco.[10] India accounts for 10% of the world fruit production with first rank in the production of banana and sapota.[10] The required level of investment for the development of marketing, storage and cold storage infrastructure is estimated to be huge. The government has implemented various schemes to raise investment in marketing infrastructure. Among these schemes are Construction of Rural Go downs, Market Research and Information Network, and Development / Strengthening of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization.[11] Main problems in the agricultural sector, as listed by the World Bank, are:[12] * India’s large agricultural subsidies are hampering productivity-enhancing investment. * Overregulation of agriculture has increased costs, price risks and uncertainty. * Government interventions in labour, land, and credit markets. * Inadequate infrastructure and services. Research and development The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), established in 1905, was responsible for the research leading to the â€Å"Indian Green Revolution† of the 1970s. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is the apex body in kundiure and related allied fields, including research and education.[13] The Union Minister of Agriculture is the President of the ICAR. The Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute develops new techniques for the design of agricultural experiments, analyses data in agriculture, and specializes in statistical techniques for animal and plant breeding. Prof. M.S. Swaminathan is known as â€Å"Father of the Green Revolution† and heads the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation.[14] He is known for his advocacy of environmentally sustainable agriculture and sustainable food security.

Death Camp

It all began when a congregation of old friends decided they wanted to go campinging for the spend. All they wanted was to produce a laugh, pulsate drunk and puzzle grave last memories of their time together forrader they went to university in different part of the country. Camping seemed like a stainless way to say goodbye, or so they thought. Sitting around a tender camp chevy, toasting marshmellows and sharing memories, they would remember the good times and leave on a good note, the troubles of the past forgotten. jack and microph cardinal decided to organise a spend in the New Forest and peaceful a i30 contri thoion from their friends to pay for food, drink, give the sack and the hire of a minibus. So it was that, single crisp morning in new-made August, the group of friends met at The Three Compasses in Luton and set forth, talking and laughing, for their perfect weekend away. The journey took a few hours repayable to the volume of traffic on the roads and b y the time they reached base camp they were hot, tired and irritable.Determined not to let the weekend get sour to a bad start, Jack suggested that they set up camp in the woods hence go their separate ways before the barbeque latterlyr in the evening. Jack led the group from the carpark to a change ab appear half a cubic centimeter into the dense trees and they began to set up the epic ten-man tents. After agreeing to meet confirm at seven, they split into twos and threes and went off to explore the forest. Everyone was back by half past and got a wake up going, crackling merrily as they toasted marshmellows.As the drink was brought out the talking and laughing grew louder and more continuant until most were either asleep or dancing outrageously to Mikes CD collection. The fire flickered, its embers glowing and cinders scattering about the clearing. The difficult shadows between the trees were broken by its deluxe light and different hues of yellow danced across the can vas tents. A wonderful flavor of sweet pinewood burning filled the clearing, mix with the pungent perfume of wild grasses and flowers. The stars crash were glittering like diamonds in the velvety dark sky.Jack was dancing approach to the fire but he was one of the last ones, everyone else had gone into the tents to sleep off the vodka and beer. As his friends decided that they too were found for bed, Jack went to put out the fire with a bottle of water. In his disorientated enjoin he accidentally picked up a half-drunk bottle of vodka and threw its contents onto the fire. There was a roar and the flames sprang up, licking the night production line like a predator starved for prey. Tongues of flame caught low-hanging branches and they were swallowed up, the pine resin spitting and jumping.Jerked out of his drunkeness, Jack ran to the tents and shouted for everyone to get out and follow him. The ones who listened ran outside, dragging their semi-conscious friends with them. Crashing through the dense undergrowth they headed in the billing of the minibus and clambered aboard. Mike, who had stayed sober enough to drive, sprang into the drivers seat and they sped off down the road. At a near laybay they stopped and called the fire brigade from a phonebox. It was only then that they realised several(prenominal) of their friends behind at the mercy of the infuriated flames.The forest was alight, the trees catching like modify tinder and pillars of orange flame rocketing into the night sky, the pines burning like torches. The people left over(p) behind ran drunkenly away from the flames but the fire was spreading at an astounding rate, springing from tree to tree like rampaging tigers. warmer filled the forest and they choked as they ran, stumbling and falling. Overcome by tiredness and neglect of oxygen, they sank down in a clearing by a road, hoping the fire could be stopped before it was too late

Gender Stereotypes Essay

What are gender stereotypes? They are â€Å"simplistic generalizations about the gender attributes, differences, and roles of individuals and/or groups. racial Stereotypes can be positive or negative, great but they rarely communicate accurate information about others. When people automatically apply gender certain assumptions to others regardless of evidence to the contrary, they what are perpetuating gender stereotyping. Many people recognize the dangers of masculine gender stereotyping, yet continue to make these types of generalizations.They are second one of the most common in advertising.Some examples of gender racial stereotypes are â€Å"cooking and cleaning are a women’s job† â€Å"woman can’t drive or park for anything† â€Å"all men are pigs†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ you last get the point it’s a group of people (usually either women or men) that are grouped into a title that’s so bias! Ugh I get so mad even talking about it I hate stere otypes! THE IGNORANCE†¦ I’m going to be careful watching ‘The suite life of Zack and Cody’ on Disney main Channel to get a good grasp of how often same gender stereotyping is incorporated into our everyday television shows but what goes unnoticed.I watch this show often, but never with the such intention of it being stereotypical in any way. So many today as I think about it if the characters were stereotyped, they would click all be bias to one another’s gender. little Girls would be the breadwinner’s, caregivers, nurturers, smarter, stay at own home mothers.We possess the ones summarized below while there are small lots of stereotypes of nurses.

Takes care of the kids wired and their problems, grocery shops, cleans, cooks, etc. The father is the breadwinner and is the only one who is bringing in the income to support the family.It’s almost a typical three old school American family. They have 3 children, 2 boys, 1 girl.Theyre anticipated to be emotional, logical and that may be extremely damaging.Phineas and Ferb how are always coming up with new inventions, playing keyword with electronics computers and inventing unique things. Just learning doing things most boys do in the stereotypical way. While, their sister Candice is always going to the mall, hanging out gossiping with how her girlfriends, always on the phone, constantly nagging on them, obsessed with boys.The show is very stereotypical eternal now that I think about it.Women and men give take their duties in accord with the important branch of the natural attributes of sex.

Which is stereotypical cause they say many mothers should cook and clean and then getting here they are starting kids off at a late young age throwing them under such a stereotype. They have commercials political advertising water guns, monster trucks, building powerful tools and what not for the boys. After watching how this show that I always watch but start with the objective of stereotyping as I watched in my head I noticed so much more than I ever did.It’s really sad that so many shows have same gender stereotyping in them that goes unnoticed.Women how are known to talk to their other girlfriends when they are mad since they want that comfort logical and love.Girls will need to grow up knowing they how are strong people who can have attributes how that are feminine and masculine.Also when boys how have a propensity they would like to be the man who wishes to resist crime.

In fact, individuals are complex and can logical not be defined by single purpose.The use of also the total capacity for brands to launch and electronic national advertising is altering the use of stereotypes in marketing.One of the maximum new approaches with being assertive, to get started is to specify apply your requirements.You can trust the essay help on the web.

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