Ray Douglas Bradbury Essays - Mars In Fiction, Free Essays

Beam Douglas Bradbury Essays - Mars In Fiction, Free Essays Beam Douglas Bradbury Beam Douglas Bradbury was conceived in Waukegan, Illinois on August 22,1920. He was the third conceived child of Leonard Spauldling Bradbury and Esther Marie Moberg Bradbury. In the fall of 1926 the Bradbury family moved from their home in Waukegan to Tucson, Arizona. Be that as it may, their remain there possibly went on until May of 1927 when they moved back to their unique residence. Bradbury started composing his own writing on butcher paper when he was 11 years of age. Beam and his family moved again moved to Tucson, Arizona and back to Waukegan, Illinois again in 1932. This fast development was started when Leonard Bradbury was laid off from his activity introducing phone lines, just to be rehired later in the year. In 1934 the Bradbury family moved once more, however this chance to Los Angeles, California. Beam went to secondary school in Los Angeles. He graduated in 1938, completing his proper school vocation. Bradbury concluded that so as to further his instruction, he would go through his days at his typewriter and his evenings at the library, perusing. Since he required an approach to bring in some cash to get by, Ray took an occupation selling papers on Los Angeles city intersections. His first distributed story was ?Hollerbocher?s Dilemma,? which was imprinted in a novice fan magazine in 1938. In 1939, Ray distributed four issues of Futuria Fantasia, his own fan magazine, where he contributed a large portion of the distributed material. Bradbury?s first paying gig, was ?Pendulum,? which was distributed in Super Science Stories in 1941. At long last in 1942 he found his unmistakable style of a great many compositions ?The Lake.? By 1943 he had quit any pretense of selling papers, and started an all day work as an independent compose for some periodicals. In 1945 the magazine Best American Short Stories, chosen Bradbury?s short story ?The Big Black and White Game,? to show up in an issue of the magazine. Bradbury?s most noteworthy distributed works up until the present include: Dark Carnival in 1947, The Martian Chronicles in 1950, Fahrenheit 451 out of 1953, and many short stories, screenplays, expositions also, sonnets which are too various to even think about naming. Beam Bradbury?s composing has been widely praised and proclaimed as the absolute most persuasive media in the Science-Fiction type. So far is his lifetime Ray has gotten the O. Henry Memorial Award, the Benjamin Franklin grant in 1954, the Aviation-Space Writer?s Association Award for best article in an American Magazine in 1967, the World Fantasy Award for lifetime accomplishment, and the Grand Master Award from the Science-Fiction Journalists of America. Likewise his energized film about the historical backdrop of flight, Icarus Montgolfier Wright, was named for an Oscar, and his teleplay of the Halloween Tree won an emmy. By and by, Ray Bradbury lives in San Diego, California, where he despite everything composes and gives addresses. The Martian Chronicles The book of Bradbury?s creation that I read was the Martian Accounts. At first, I was charmed by Ray Bradbury?s usage of extravagantly clear settings. Each annal happens during an alternate month and year, masterminded in sequential request, from January 1999 to October 2026. Since the story ranges over a significant stretch of time, there are a few areas where the occasions happen. The significant settings of the story include: Ohio, an unassuming community close to the rocket platform, an enormous desert on Mars, with channels, that is a harbor to the ?dead urban areas,? a town on Mars which is the home of Yll and Ylla , the Martian arrival site close to one of the channels, a Martian crazy refuge, a town, that appears to be practically fanciful in a sense, since it is the recollections of the flight team anticipated onto the Martian scene, a gear shop, and a city encompassed by country ranch territory, that has just one house left standing. These settings are utilized as a gadget to move the novel along from every individual story to the following. I feel that this was an intriguing idea, in light of the fact that there are no principle characters in the book. Be that as it may, there are principle characters inside each annal. Ylla is the first Martian presented in the book; she is amicable, kind, and has an friendly character. James Stupple demonstrated in his book The Past,

Google in China Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Google in China - Article Example Just as of late, the state has built up a firewall framework that obstructed various destinations bolstered by Google. From the organization, the issue isn't an inner issue and they cuts off are completely utilitarian. In any case, the Googlespokeswoman didn't give a lot of data on the issue. On various events, Googlehas created instruments that could empower clients in china get to their administrations however they have since been countered. The issue is significant in the business division since the web is a significant factor. For organizations they would be required to think about advertising options. Moreover, the organizations are required to screen their data gave through their web stages. Reviewers ought to guarantee they screen the substance offered through online types of assistance to limit sanctions dangers. Bookkeepers are influenced since they ought to create ways that they could showcase their administrations or speak with customers. Controllers are additionally required to give particulars to business on how well they could rehearse moral and right web

Risk Assessment of Sangrafix Video Design Company

Hazard Assessment of Sangrafix Video Design Company Presentation SanGrafix is an innovatively situated organization that utilizations front line advances in planning of portable and PC stage games with showcase direction. Because of the requesting idea of the gaming business, the organization has chosen to play out a hazard evaluation to guarantee they reliably keep on fulfilling the client needs without breaks in administration conveyance. Making sure about of their system resources is planned for guaranteeing they stay serious in their creations. Point of the security strategy The hazard evaluation procedure can now and then be a straightforward procedure for example taking note of a danger in a secret word recorded on a note or some opened way to the delicate server farms or rooms and looking to address it. In any case, at times, chance appraisal can be an intricate errand that may require a gathering of security evaluation individuals and months to completely do the appraisal relying upon the multifaceted nature of the organization and the affectability of the system advantages for be ensured (Davenport, 2013). A huge situation may incorporate various areas, complex system, different exercises, a wide scope of exercises and assets that must be assessed. In chance evaluation, you dont need to apply complex systems administration strategies as the predominantly you need to figure out how to apply information efficiently to create precise and helpful information. Moving toward a hazard evaluation task without a predefined technique could prompt squandering of assets, reiteration of steps, low outcomes or in a most pessimistic scenario missing the basic data. The official administration of SanGrafix Company is entrusted with the duty of evaluating all dangers of injury and medical problems that may result from the utilization of the companys assets to both the representatives and clients of their products and enterprises. Fulfilling this guarantees the organization meets the administration lawful necessities and giving proper precautionary measure measures to decrease these impacts (Harrington, 2014). Hazard appraisal is a nitty gritty examination of the different components that may introduce chances in the business condition. Medical problems and mishaps present unfavorable impacts to the business as they can bring about jeopardizing of lives or harm to business items and different yields. This can along these lines lead to lawful suits and expanded protection costs. Hazard evaluation serves to address these issues and make a more secure workplace for all the representatives and clients. The most significant factor in this kind of appraisal is the assurance of the perils present in working spots and deciding their essentialness for example power in the workplace is a gigantic peril to the representatives however in the event that appropriately ensured the hazard it presents to the workers gets inconsequential. There are five stages associated with hazard appraisal of the working environment condition; Taking a voyage through the work environment and to improve comprehension of the considerable number of procedures associated with the work environment and distinguishing conceivable potential perils. Conversing with different workers can help give bits of knowledge through sentiments on how mishaps have happened previously. Choosing the influenced parties because of a given potential danger and to what degree is the hazard hurtful. The looking into group ought to examine who is especially in danger for example new workers, students and hopeful moms. Notwithstanding this people in general in type of clients who are inexperienced with the general design of the organization is in danger of being influenced. The hazard appraisal group ought to assess on the presence of enough measures to counter these risks for example using precautionary measure signs. For each hazard set up what are the preventive and defensive estimates set up by the administration to guarantee chance is diminished. The appraisal mulls over the lawful prerequisites on wellbeing and security of the law. Other than this, the appraisal group should discover extra estimates that can be executed to help the current measures for example defensive garments and watchman rails for risky spots (Harrington, 2014). Recording of the discoveries of the evaluation group showing all the risks checked on and the proposals to the administration on the most proficient method to manage them. The discoveries ought to likewise assess the influenced casualties and what perils are yet to be taken care of whose criticalness is sensibly low. The last advance is for the surveying of the discoveries and usage of the suggestions given by the appraisal groups. The group ought to likewise address the future treatment of new apparatus or work technique usage that may introduce dangers considering a hazard free workplace. Hazard Assessment Methodology As we have just settled there are various methodologies through which a group can do a hazard evaluation process. Notwithstanding, every one of these methodologies need to guarantee they have; Distinguished the potential dangers/perils Distinguishing of the fundamental hazard Surveying of the current control measures Assessment of the dangers Execution of extra control measures Recording of the evaluation discoveries Checking and audit Educating regarding the capable bodies The distinguishing proof of accessible risks can be accomplished through perceptions, meeting the representatives or through firsthand experience by working there. Extra information can be accumulated through discussion of information sheets (COSHH), working environment reviews, risk den sheets, guidance manuals and mishaps/medical problems information. The primary spotlight ought to be on the risks that are fundamentally unsafe. In SanGrafix, the machine administrators, individuals from the workplace staff, people in general and upkeep faculty are in danger of general work risks. Uncommon consideration ought to be committed to handicapped staff as they are at the most elevated hazard, solitary specialists, unpracticed laborers and fleeting staff. The appraisal group ought to break down the sufficiency of the present control methodology and further make a positioning framework to decide the remaining danger (Hallikas, 2010). Assess the hazard The hugeness of a hazard is estimated by the probability and the seriousness of its effect. Here is a positioning framework for the dangers arranged by centrality Almost certain Impossible Conceivable Likely Certain There ought to likewise be a damage or effect seriousness positioning framework Insignificant wounds for example scratches Minor wounds for example cuts Significant wounds ( a physical issue that could require seven days to mend for example crack) Significant wounds for example removals Demise These two rankings will be utilized to give the leftover positioning of the hazard as Low, medium or high. In the event that the hazard is low, at that point it tends to be skipped as it presents an immaterial risk. Medium and elevated level dangers must be moderated to guarantee that the potential hazard is diminished to worthy levels. SUNGRAFIX PROCESSES Related RISKS Focuses OF THE RISK Dangers Assessment CONTROL MEASURES Game structure treatment - speedy survey of the intended interest group and arrangement of novel highlights Evaluating of this dangers is time and human asset escalated which means costs Dangers of the thought getting taken. Clients Organization the board The thought being taken could in all probability influence the companys tasks as it works in a serious industry. Circle your structure treatment to the biggest conceivable number of clients for testing and gather some input. In the event that the outcome is sure, at that point advances to the formation of demos can work out. Game primer plan talking about the games substance, conduct, and rules in a subjective way given theã‚â current circumstance. Missing of basic procedures Creation division The quality appraisal of the item can uncover weakness that could bring about extra expenses The structure stage is imperative to the item and can't be decreased as this could introduce antagonistic impacts. Primer plan generally takes 5 to 10 weeks for the planner, and an extra 10 to 30 hours for the others engaged with conceptualizing. Last plan the past archive re-compose of items highlights . Regardless of whether we plan well or follow the prescribed procedures a few structures will simply fall flat. That is the idea of business Structure division Neglecting to catch the item highlights could influence the promoting systems however thorough counter checking can resolve the issue soã‚â sway is probably not going to occur Knowing ahead of time the parts that are expendable takes into account the group to have the option to convey in time. Plus, the unsafe parts that are cut can be booked for some other time, so that on the off chance that it should be taken out, so the groups time and exertion wont have been squandered. The item particular subtleties how the execution of highlights embraced in the last plan will be finished. additional time, additional expenses, in the most recent long periods of creation also, Postponement of definite conveyance. . Plan office These is likely if the group doesnt follow their timetable endeavors ought to be committed to guaranteeing the item determination is as reasonable as could be expected under the circumstances and careful The realistic book of scriptures decides the look and feel of the games props, maps, characters, and so forth. The presence of the game ought to be in accordance with the predefined vision. Structure division Client acknowledgment of the games is exceptionally reliant on the graphical feel consequently ought to be organized. Testing of the model to get client input and execution of the client criticisms into the plans. The intelligent screenplay Absence of User - association Plan office Clients expect an intelligent game in spite of the fact that its improbable to happen it impactsly affects client acknowledgment Accommodate a path through which clients can interface with the framework for example with discoursed and execution of the storyline into the item. Dissemination Disappointment of conveyance or poor treatment of items Flexibly office These can bring about significant effects in declined client fulfillment Taking a shot at improving help conveyance as

An Insider’s Perspective On Graduate Admissions

document.createElement('audio'); http://media.blubrry.com/admissions_straight_talk/p/www.accepted.com/iv-with-carol-drummer.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | Download | EmbedSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Android | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | TuneIn | SpotifyIf you could pick one person to provide insight into graduate admissions, who would it be? A dean of admissions, of course! Applicants, rejoice! The guest on this week’s show is a former dean of graduate admissions who has reviewed and signed off on over 45,000 applications. Tune in to our enlightening conversation with Carol Drummer for an insider’s perspective on important graduate admissions questions: Who should go to grad school? How to show fit in an application? How to get accepted even with grades that are nothing to brag about? 00:01:25 – Featured Question: Does â€Å"element X† equal automatic rejection? 00:04:58 – Carol’s route to graduate admissions via a wine and cheese party. 00:09:47 – The formula for calculating if grad school is right for you. 00:15:01 – Differences in applying for different specialties/ fields and showing fit in your application. 00:21:36 – How even an applicant with non-impressive stats can impress the adcom. 00:25:05 – The #1 application killer. 00:27:35 – Best way to approach the SOP: Tell a story! 00:32:55 – Advice for selecting a strong recommender. 00:35:36 – What to do when your recommender says, â€Å"You write it, I’ll sign it.† 00:39:28 – When helicopter parents hover over grad school applicants. *Theme music is courtesy of podcastthemes.com Related links: †¢ Carol Drummers Bio Page †¢ â€Å"What Next†¦.† Is Graduate School For You? †¢ Making Friends with the GRE: How To Overcome Test Anxiety and Perform at Your Best †¢ Kisses of Death for Your Grad School Application Related shows: †¢Ã‚  Admissions Straight Talk: Interview with Dr. Drew Appleby †¢Ã‚  To GRE or Not To GRE? That Is The Question †¢Ã‚  Is a PhD a Good Idea? †¢Ã‚  Non-Academic Careers for PhDs: A Talk with Dr. Paula Chambers †¢Ã‚  Which Graduate Schools Should You Apply To? Leave a Review for Admissions Straight Talk:

Globalization A Western Perspective - 3291 Words

Washington consensus, often interchangeably used with neoliberal policies, has become a rod of dissatisfaction among anti-globalization. In theory, neoliberal policies seek to industrialize Latin America through western ideas and structure under the policy of â€Å"one size fits all†. Late development theory states that not all development will follow the same path as their predecessors. Each country accounts for its own history, culture, trajectory and variables for development. Globalization while it has workers for western countries, it has not been the rightful path for newly developing countries to undertake with given set of policies as underlined by Washington consensus. Between the 1930s and the later 1970s most of the countries in†¦show more content†¦The transformation consisted of urbanization, informal employment, urban inequality, poverty and rise on crime. This transformation supported the idea of the relationship between economic policies of neo-liberalism and the resulting patterns of urbanization (Portes Roberts, ’05). Portes and Roberts theorize that the change in growth in population in the city lost intra-attraction of the big cities was due to the complex of factors that may have brought the end of ISI. However this does not discard that the relationship between open markets and the transformation of urban system is caused by neoliberal changed in the system. Policies since the 1980s is based on the premise of â€Å"globalization works†, in the sense that as the world economy becomes more globalized, as national economies becomes more intergraded into one-to-another, and as governments withdraw from changing rela tive prices set in global markets, economic performance improves. On this version of the theory, the evidence supports western interest and ideals. (Ravenhill). Globalization allows outsourcing of both manufacturing and services. â€Å"Business broke off their supply chains and looked for cheap labor sites† (Cohen and Centeno ’06). Globalization at the level of outcomes increased hugely, globalization ideas haveShow MoreRelatedGlobalization Is An Increasingly Present Phenomenon, Which1007 Words   |  5 PagesGlobalization is an increasingly present phenomenon, which influences almost everyone’s life to a certain extent. Our world is more connected than ever, and not just from an economic point of view, but from social, political, technological, and cultural as well. Globalization can be defined, analysed, tackled many ways, but this essay seeks to briefly define globalization, introduce the convergence - diversity debate, and examine the different types of organizational strategic perspectives in ChinaRead MoreThe Impact Of World Music On Music And Culture1168 Words   |  5 PagesJongseok Kim Ethnomusicology 25 Professor Ruskin 24 October 2014 Paper 1 The following readings from Bohlman, Byrne, and Fairley emphasize world music and globalization. According to Bohlman, world music is music people face ubiquitously, and includes popular, folk and art music practiced by either professionals or amateurs; it may be Western or non-Western, acoustic, electronic, and so on. Bohlman notes that world music can be marketable, profane, or sacred, and that musicians may highlight genuinenessRead MoreIntroduction Globalization960 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Introduction Globalization is an ongoing process integrating economies, industries, markets, cultures, societies and policies around the world. Whether globalization is good or bad is a question that people around the globe are constantly debating over. The answer depends on which part of the world you stand on, for globalization have different impacts on every ‘participant’. The Good The good side of globalization is that it promotes open markets which allows businesses to communicate effectivelyRead MoreWestern Leadership And Global Expansion769 Words   |  4 Pagespractices from the west, as well as the one from the east. However, in this case, western leadership has played a major role in issues related to global expansion despite challenging conditions within the working environment. Undoubtedly, the world is expanding rapidly, and at the same time shrinking in some aspects that have made national borders increasingly irrelevant. In fact, global expansion has been used by western leadership to increase large scale transfer of systemic meaning, culture, and tradeRead MoreImpact of Globalization on Non Western Culture Essay1387 Words   |  6 PagesImpact of Globalization on Non Western Cultures Examples of Globalization’s Impact Globalization is far reaching in this day and age. Globalization is the worldwide flow of goods, services, money, people, information, and culture. It leads to a greater interdependence and mutual awareness among the people of the world (Tischler, 2011, 2007, p. 430). One non-Western culture that has been impacted by globalization is China. An example of the impact of globalization on China is their economy. 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Many people support the ideology of globalization and believed it made the world a better place for global population by turning the whole globe into a well-connected village. However, the critics of globalization claim it made our world worse tha n ever before in the history, diminishingRead MoreGlobalization: An Ideology of Western Elitists? Essay examples1229 Words   |  5 PagesGlobalization, both as an ideology and process, has become the dominant political, economical and cultural force in the 21st century (Steger, 2002, 6). As a social and economic concept, globalization has its roots in neoliberalism which advocates: the primacy of economic growth, free trade to stimulate growth, a free market, individual choice, reduction of government regulation, and global social development based on a western model (Steger, 2002, 9). Although globalization is not a new concept,Read MoreGlobalization and Culture Essay1217 Words   |  5 PagesGlobalization simply defined is the intensification of global interactions. The case studies we have studied depict two of the main types of globalization. Economic Globalization, which is the production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods and tangible services, and Cultural G lobalization, the exchange of materials and symbols that represent facts, meaning values and beliefs. When Globalization occurs it usually has a major impact on indigenous cultures. Optimists or â€Å"champions† stateRead MoreGlobalisation -for Good or Evil847 Words   |  4 Pagesa case against globalisation, integrating both the ‘Western’ local perspectives’ Globalisation fundamentally describes the increasing interconnected nature of the world due to massive rise in economical, political, social and cultural exchanges between different countries around the globe. (Mejà ­a-Vergnaud, 2004) One significant advantage of globalisation is rapid economic growth for both the western and local nations. It has allowed western nations to penetrate into new markets and tap on cheaper

Mad Men Influencing Minorities of the 1960’s Essay

â€Å"Mad Men† is a television show about life in the 1960’s. The show’s setting is in the work place taking place during the 1960’s. The show depicts how men and women are working together at an advertisement agency. The main character is Don Draper and he is an executive for the advertisement agency. Don Draper has many secrets that threaten his job and his household. (â€Å"Mad Men: Plot Summary.†) During the show â€Å"Mad Men† women are treated differently this happens because men in the 1960’s were sexist towards women whether it be at home or at the work place. Is â€Å"Mad Men† more about how minorities were treated or is it really about the life of Don Draper? (Julia Baird, 195.) In the show â€Å"Mad Men† men are depicted of having dominate roles at†¦show more content†¦In the advertisement company a woman character (Peggy) is a wonderful writer, but is plagued by being a woman in the work place and she has to work harder and longer to receive a promotion. She notices that she is more accomplished than a man coworker who has the same job. The secretaries knew they were not wanted because the company needed secretary work, they were needed to be servants to their male coworkers by bringing them food and drinks. Through advertisements women were targets because a poll showed that women bought more than men. For example when the advertisement company was studying the thoughts of women and lipstick the men studying the women only put the attractive women’s ideas down and did not count the women’s ideas who were not as attractive as the other women in the study. At home women are supposed to be the perfect wife taking care of her perfect children, but Don’s wife does not actually do anything of the sort. She has a housekeeper who does everything for her, such as cook, clean, and take care of the children making sure they behave correctly. Since the housekeeper take s care of everything for Don’s wife, his wife is unhappy with nothing to do. She feels worthless and lonely. While her husband goes out and cheats on her routinely. (â€Å"Mad Men: Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Sexuality, and Class†.) Don who has been cheating on his wife regularly is not seen as scandalous in that era. (â€Å"Mad Men:Show MoreRelatedFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 Pagesmoney From multiple study paths, to self-assessment, to a wealth of interactive visual and audio resources, WileyPLUS gives you everything you need to personalize the teaching and learning experience.  » F i n d o u t h ow t o M A K E I T YO U R S  » www.wileyplus.com ALL THE HELP, RESOURCES, AND PERSONAL SUPPORT YOU AND YOUR STUDENTS NEED! 2-Minute Tutorials and all of the resources you your students need to get started www.wileyplus.com/firstday Student support from an experiencedRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesand permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458, or you may fax your request to 201-236-3290. Many of the designations by manufacturersRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 PagesOxford University Press, 1974. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 0-226-52130-3 (pbk.) 1. Motion pictures—Semiotics. 2. Motion pictures— Philosophy. I. Title. PN1995.M4513 1991 791.43 014—dc20 90-46965 C1P The French edition of Christian Metz s Essais sur la signification au cinema, volume 1, was published by Editions Klincksieck in 1971,  © Editions Klincksieck, 1968. ÃŽËœThe paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences-PermanenceRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesbuilt-in pretests and posttests, focus on what you need to learn and to review in order to succeed. Visit www.mymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. 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C.F.G. â€Å"We must not cease from exploration and the end of all exploring will be to arrive where we begin and to know the place for the first time.† T. S. Eliot To Ann whose love and support has brought out the best in me. And, to our girls Mary, Rachel, and Tor-Tor for the joy and pride they give me. Finally, to my muse, Neil, for the faith and inspiration he instills. E.W.L Preface Since youRead MoreMarketing Management 14th Edition Test Bank Kotler Test Bank173911 Words   |  696 Pagesprice. Answer: FALSE Page Ref: 10 Objective: 3 AACSB: Analytic skills Difficulty: Moderate 95) A distribution channel includes distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and agents that display, sell, or deliver the physical product or service(s) to the buyer or user. Answer: TRUE Page Ref: 11 Objective: 3 Difficulty: Easy 96) The task environment of a firm consists of demographic, economic, natural, and technological environments, as well as the political-legal system and the social-cultural

New Firm Registration And The Business Law - Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss about the New Firm Registration And The Business Law. Answer: Introduction To form a company limited by liability in Ireland, a series of steps need to be followed. It can be mentioned to Robert that a company limited by liability is one in which the members of the company are not fully liable for the loss sustained by the company law. Their liability is restricted to the value of shares held by them in the company. The rules governing the operations of a company limited by liability are stated in the Companies Act 2014. Advice to be given to Robert regarding formation of the company The establishment of a company in Ireland is a complicated process and there are several steps involved in the formation of a company. Companies can be of several types depending on the nature of the company. However in this report, the steps involved in the formation of a limited liability company will be discussed as Robert intends to open a Limited Liability Company. The essential requirements for the formation of a limited liability company are: Deciding a name of the company Deciding the type of company to be formed Constitution of the Company Setting up the registered office of the company Appointing the directors of the company Appointing a company secretary Raising the capital Determining the shareholders of the company Company Name The name of the company must be unique to prevent raising confusion in the minds of the people about its similarity to any other company. Certain words such as insurance, group and bank cannot be used in the name of the companies unless special permission is obtained for the use of these words in the name of the company. It is to be stated that the use of names which are considered offensive by the state are also prohibited. The use of non descriptive words in the name of the company is not counted. Company type The type of company intended to be formed by Robert in this case is a company limited by liability. It is to be mentioned that a accompany limited by liability is a company in which the members can be held liable for the debts of the same only to the extent of the value of their shares. It can be said that a limited liability company is one, which has both the characteristics of a corporation and sole trader (Bourne 2016). Constitution of the Company It is to be mentioned that the rules and guidelines of forming a company is governed by the Companies Act 2014 (Irishstatutebook 2017). The Act states that in order to incorporate a company certain documents such as the Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association must be filed with the Companies Registry Office. According to section 21 of the Companies Act 2014, the companys constitution should be delivered to the Registrar along with statement in prescribed form containing the name of the first directors of the company, name of the person to be appointed as the first secretary of the company, name of the persons appointed as the first assistant and deputy secretary of the company, the address of the registered office of the company and the place where the central administration of the company would be carried on. The statement to be submitted to the registrar must be signed by or on behalf of the every subscriber of the companys constitution (Klapper and Randall 2015). It must also have the signature of the ever director and secretary. Registered Office of the company The registered office is the official address of the company. It can be aid that the company must be located within the territory of Ireland. However, the trade address of the company is different from the registered office. Directors The directors of the company re appointed to run the company on behalf of the members of the company. The primary directors of the company are the members who establish the company initially. The minimum number of directors to be appointed for private companies is one as stated by the section 128 Companies Act 2014. The appointment of directors subsequent to the formation of the company is generally decided in the annual general meeting by a resolution passed by the members. Company Secretary It is to be mentioned that an Irish Company must have a company secretary who will be in charge fulfilling the statutory obligations of the company. The responsibilities of the Company secretary include maintaining the books of the company and ensuring that the annual returns of the company are filed on time. It is to be noted that the company secretary can e director as well as a separate person Authorized Share Capital and Issued Share Capital Authorized share capital is the amount of shares that a company can call upon if required. However the issued share capital is the actual amount of capital that is raised by the payment by the shareholders for the shares allotted to them Shareholders It can be mentioned that the share holders are the owners of the company as they contribute to the raising of the capital. The number shares allotted to share holders and the total value of the same represent their proportionate ownership in the company. The minimum of age of a shareholder must be 18. The details of the shareholders are required to be registered with the Company Registry Office. Limited Liability Company As stated earlier the company which Robert wishes to form is a Limited Liability company. It can be said that a company limited by liability means the shareholders of the company are liable for the debts only to the extent of the value of shares (Hannigan 2015). It can be noted that the a Limited Liability company can avail the pass through feature of taxation just as any partnership firm or sole trader at same time limiting the liability of the members to the value of their shares held by them. A limited liability company does not consider paying taxes or sustain the losses as it acts as a separate legal entity (Haldane 2015). The burden of taxation is borne completely by the owners. The owners have to express the profits of business and the losses incurred by the business in their income tax return statements. There are several advantages and disadvantages of limited liability companies. Advantages The members of the company are liable for the debts only up to a certain extent and do not have unlimited liability Such companies have the freedom of choosing the form of distributing their profits Such companies do not need to comply with legal provision for conducting meetings Pass-through taxation principles are applicable to such companies. Disadvantages Such companies have limited life span and are dissolved by the death of the members or bankruptcy Such companies cannot go public Although the complexities and the paperwork involved for the formation of such companies are lesser than a corporation but they are subsequently more than a sole proprietorship Therefore, to start a company limited by liability the aforementioned steps must be followed by Robert. It can be stated that Robert must consider the advantages and disadvantages of Limited Liability Company prior to forming the company Pharmacy 4 U Ltd. Ways to ensure that the ownership Pharmacy 4 U Ltd remains with Roberts family. It is to be mentioned that the company intended to be formed by Robert is a limited liability, company therefore the company cannot issue shares to the public for raising the capital of the company. It can be noted that the majority of the shares of the company should be held by Robert to prevent the passing of control of the company to anyone else outside his family. It is to be noted that ownership in Limited Liability Company is determined by either percentage of shares and by membership units. Unlike a corporation a Limited liability company has the power to distribute the ownership interests of the company to any member it pleases regardless of the amount of shares held by the member (Shepherd and Ridley 2015). A limited liability company has the power to create special voting rights for its members. While forming a company limited by shares the owners must determine the type of membership and the contribution of the same. An operating agreement is a contract which specifies what operations would be conducted by the limited liability company (Tricker and Tricker, 2015). The operating agreement will also include buy-sell provisions and buyout provisions which will in turn govern the transfer of ownership. It can be stated that buy sell agreements generally specify methods of how to place a value on the business and its membership interests. The aforementioned agreement can also place restrictions on membership of the company and can state the methods for recalling the shares from the members who wish to depart from the company. In this case Robert must clearly review the details of the operating agreement of the company he intends to create. It can be mentioned that to avoid the transfer of control of the Company Pharmacy 4 u Ltd, Robert must ensure that none of the shares of the company is issued to outsiders as the same would give them certain control over the affairs of the company. According to section 105 of the Companies Act 2014, it can be sated that the company Pharmacy 4 U Ltd can acquire its own shares to prevent the distribution of shares to outsiders. However such acquisition of shares would made of the profits of the company as stated by Section105 (2a) of the Companies Act 2014. Conclusion Thus to conclude, it can be said that the essential requirements as stated in the Companies Act 2014 need to be followed precisely for the formation of a limited liability company. It can be said that a company limited by liability is easy to be formed as the documentation involved in the formation of such a company is less complicated than a corporation. In this case, it can be sated that the company Pharmacy 4 U Ltd can acquire its own shares to prevent the distribution of shares to outsiders. Reference Act, C., 2014. The Companies Act 2014. Bourne, N., 2016.Bourne on company law. Routledge. Haldane, A., 2015, May. Who owns a company?. InSpeech, University of Edinburgh Corporate Finance Conference, May 22nd. Hannigan, B., 2015.Company law. Oxford University Press, USA. Irishstatutebook.ie. (2017).Companies Act 2014. [online] Available at: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2014/act/38/enacted/en/html [Accessed 1 Dec. 2017]. Klapper, L., Love, I. and Randall, D., 2015. New firm registration and the business cycle.International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal,11(2), pp.287-306. Shepherd, C. and Ridley, A., 2015.Company Law. Routledge. Tricker, R.B. and Tricker, R.I., 2015.Corporate governance: Principles, policies, and practices. Oxford University Press, USA.

Lying Explored in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Essay Example

Lying Explored in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Paper Mendacity is a system that we live in. Liquor is one way out and deaths the other.[1] This quote by Tennessee Williams is expressed throughout one of his best-known works, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and the theme of mendacity permeates the entire play. Mendacity is a term that refers to lies, hypocrisy and deception that the Pollitt family uses to escape from falsehood. The overburdened circumstances of the family crisis reveal hidden truths that were being held by the characters in the play. Brick drinks in order to escape mendacity and lies, the Pollitt family, except Brick lies to Big Daddy about his terminal cancer and Big Daddy himself is Brick drinks in order to escape mendacity and lies. The alcohol helps him cope with issues he has bottled up inside and eases the pain he inflicts on himself by denying the nature of his relationship with Skipper and his culpability in Skippers self-destruction and death. Brick confesses to Maggie that alcohol is the only way he can obtain peace of mind and says, The click in my head when Ive had enough of this stuff to make me peaceful (1.33) Brick feels responsible for Skippers suicide because he rejected him after he confessed his feelings for Brick. During hisfirst real discussion with Big Daddy, Brick spits out his disgust with mendacity. He is repulsed with the fake life he has been living when his friendship with recently deceased Skipper was misinterpreted as dirty. However, Big Daddy states that Bricks disgust with mendacity is really disgust withUh-hu. Anyhow now!-we have tracked down the lie with which youredisgusted and which you are drinking to kill your disgust with,Brick. You been passing the buck. This disgust with mendacity isdisgust with yourself. You!-dug the grave of your friend and kickedhim in it!- before youd face truth with him! (2.127) Big Daddy genuinely lov

The Companys Strengths Through the Implementation of Its Strategic

The Companys Strengths Through the Implementation of Its Strategic The Companys Strengths Through the Implementation of Its Strategic Approaches – Case Study Example ï » ¿ Hansgrohe AG is a 109-year old company that has built a solid reputation in the sanitation sector as a leading innovator in kitchen and bathroom fixtures, particularly mixers, showers and shower systems. The company prides itself in creating original products that aim to define a more functional, more comfortable and more beautiful state of the art for bathroom appointments and fixtures. Hansgrohe products are visible in prominent prestige projects among which are the giant luxury cruiser â€Å"Queen Mary II†, in Terminal 5 of Heathrow Airport in London, and in the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest man-made structure ever built. Other sites include the Chancellor’s office in Berlin, New York’s Yoo luxury apartments, and the Masdar City Institute of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi. The Company was founded by Hans Grohe in Schilltach in 1901. Water as an element has always been a passion for the founder, as well as a commitment to accuracy, craftsmanship, and the meticulous working style attributed to his orientation in the Black Forest. These are values with which he imbibed his Company are the defining features that have made Hansgrohe the internationally renowned company it is today. Hansgrohe is a private shareholding company and is therefore not listed for public trading in the stock market. Its shareholders are Masco Corporation (USA) which has 68 percent ownership in the company, and the rest (32 percent) is controlled by the Klaus Grohe family. Staying private is part of the management control and adherence to the standards of Hans Grohe that have defined the Company since its inception. With a nominal capital of â‚ ¬ 61 million, the Company realized its most recent sales revenue of â‚ ¬ 668 million and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of â‚ ¬ 110 million. Profit realized for the year amounted to â‚ ¬78 million, for a net profit margin of 12 percent, at a time when the financial crisis has rendered double digit margins, let along positive profit, a rarity. The Company has four brands by which it showcases its creativity and innovativeness. Its mother brand, Hansgrohe, has made a mark in innovative excellence in fittings in showers. Its second brand, Axor, is known for its exclusive designer collections for individual bathroom solutions. A third brand, Pharo, arrives at wellbeing solutions for the bathroom, and finally Pontos is renowned for its grey water recycling systems for the sustainable handling of resource water. The various brands showcase the Company’s strengths through the implementation of its strategic approaches, namely (1) innovation jump, (2) global speed and channel management, (3) productivity, (4) internationalization and streamlining of business practices, and (5) organizational development and reinforcement of management teams. In the assessment of its annual performance, Hansgrohe’s productivity was seen to have increased by +1% with a reduction in working capital by -12%. It was also determined that sales revenue per employee increased to â‚ ¬ 218,000, which is attributable to the positive results of the Company’s personnel incentive programmes as well as streamlining efforts that eliminated unnecessary costs and expenses. In the emerging markets, the Company’s sales increased by +12%, redounding to an overall contribution of international sales amounting to 80 percent of the Company’s total revenues. Of the total sales figure, 34 percent is attributable to the introduction of new products with significant innovative features. Hansgrohe has emerged from its humble beginnings and is now a multinational corporation with ten production facilities in three continents, as well as sales companies and support locations in 36 countries. Its worldwide presence in the sanitation industry is distinguished by innovative products and excellent support service (Hansgrohe website).

The Grocery-Store Purchase Situation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Grocery-Store Purchase Situation - Essay Example First, she recognizes either a problem or an opportunity. Perhaps she is checking the stocks of grocery items that she plans to buy and finds out that she is running out of food for her pet. There she recognizes the problem, where the decision-making for the purchase of pet food starts. Â  Depending on her level of involvement in choosing the brand of pet food, as well as the perceived risk of the decision outcome will determine how she would deal with the problem. If she is not actively involved in searching for information to solve her problem, this is what is more likely to happen: perhaps she would first look into the evoked set, those brands which she knows well and is choices for her to meet this problem. In any way, her decision would only be based on a small set of brands that she knows, aside from her loyalty brand for she is not actively involved in searching for information to solve her problem. Â  Perhaps, it has been the custom for her to buy a certain brand of pet food, and she sees that her pet is very satisfied with it—so she just buys another pack of that brand. Since the brand meets her expectation, she continues to buy it and writes it down on her shopping list. She has just taken the ‘habitual path’ of brand decision-making in this case, as the purchase decision is out of habit. Â  There are other instances where this kind of decision-making varies.

Quality Assessments Design Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Quality Assessments Design - Assignment Example (No) (review only) (minimum progress) (progress meets objectives) Detail on Assessment instruments: B1: Writes comprehensive reports - assessment by essay The essay assessment item will be developed as follows: Instructions: A new training course has been designed for dyslexic students on the subject of food science. A range of adapted teaching aids has been designed and the course has been taught as a pilot during one college term of eight weeks. The course contents alternates between theory and practice of food science and students are expected to gravitate towards careers in food science or related fields such as catering, restaurants or factory food processing. Write an essay in the form of a report at the end of the pilot course period which details the different criteria for success and their relevance (15 marks), describes 5 results that might reasonably have been accomplished during the course (15 marks) and describes 3 future steps will be for the students (12). As a guideline, make the assumption that your report will undergo close scrutiny by a college committee dealing with new training courses, this committee being composed of individuals from a variety of different backgrounds who each have their own expectations as to what the report should cover. Time for this essay: 2 hours Total possible marks: 42 Assessors scoring guidelines: Score each essay in the following way: Look for evidence of understanding of the structure and flow of a report Avoid marking down for errors in spelling or grammar unless this renders any part of the essay unreadable or nonsensical Look for a wide range of points considered in the essay, corresponding to the varying profiles of the members of the committee referred to in... A new training course has been designed for dyslexic students on the subject of food science. A range of adapted teaching aids has been designed and the course has been taught as a pilot during one college term of eight weeks. The course contents alternates between theory and practice of food science and students are expected to gravitate towards careers in food science or related fields such as catering, restaurants or factory food processing. Write an essay in the form of a report at the end of the pilot course period which details the different criteria for success and their relevance (15 marks), describes 5 results that might reasonably have been accomplished during the course (15 marks) and describes 3 future steps will be for the students (12). As a guideline, make the assumption that your report will undergo close scrutiny by a college committee dealing with new training courses, this committee being composed of individuals from a variety of different backgrounds who each have their own expectations as to what the report should cover. You are required to present module 1 of the course "Soil Mechanics" to a class of students. You will have access to a whiteboard and appropriate markers that you should use to demonstrate effectiveness during your instruction.

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement Essay Example for Free

21st Century Technologies and Their Relationship to Student Achievement Essay The Holy Grail in education today is to link an educational strategy, program, initiative or technology to student achievement. There are numerous organizations advocating for Technology Literacy, Information Literacy, 21st Century Learning Skills, and any number of other titles for literacy in a modern context. In all sectors of human society, the technology of the 21st Century has revolutionized and enhanced our way of life. From medicine to the military and from business to the arts, the technologies of today have made our lives better. It is not surprising then, that the public expects technology to have a similar revolutionary effect on education. After all, the biggest advancements of the last 20 years have been in the realm of information and the tools of human knowledge; this is Education’s back-yard. Yet, when people look at our schools they see many classrooms that seem to have been immune to these advances. There are obstacles that education faces in implementing a 21st Century approach to education not the least of which is finding a definition and a clear picture of what it really looks like and whether it will be more effective for students. Costs to implement technology-rich programs quickly seem prohibitive when scaling to an entire school system, particularly so in a state that lags the nation in educational funding. Teachers are our biggest asset and are known to be the single largest influence on student achievement the district can provide, so professional development is crucial and fundamental. The measure of success, the CSAP, is a paper and pencil test which will be unable to measure all the positive effects technology can have for student learning. Indeed, a 20th Century test method will be unable to properly assess (and may even inhibit) the skills development of a 21st Century learner. And then, are we just about the content and helping students master it, or is education about something more as well? Therefore, making the case that investment in technology will increase student achievement can be fraught with pitfalls and obstacles. To attempt to tackle this issue, the authors of this paper will review quality research and commentary in an array of areas where technology-related tools and strategies have been implemented with positive effects for students. A strict filter of studies that produce higher test results will not be used because of the limitations current paper and pencil tests have in assessment of 21st Century skills. In addition to improved assessment performances, the reader is encouraged to consider the context of a global workplace and education’s duty to prepare students to thrive in a highly digital, interactive knowledge workforce. Research that shows increased student achievement on assessments, studies that point to ways education can successfully prepare students for a modern workforce and our own experiences in Littleton Public Schools shall all be considered positive correlations between technology and student achievement in this paper. The Challenge Inherent in Determining the Effectiveness of Technologies via Research The following is an excerpt that addresses a gestalt view of technology and its correlation to student achievement: When we try to determine the effectiveness of educational technologies, we are confronted by a number of methodological and practical issues. First, we need to remember that technology is only one component of an instructional activity. Assessments of the impact of technology are really assessments of instruction enabled by technology, and the outcomes are highly dependent on the quality of the implementation of the instructional design. According to Roy Pea, director of SRI Center for Technology in Learning in Menlo Park, California, the social contexts of how technology is used are crucial to understanding how technology might influence teaching and learning. Educational technologies cannot be effective by themselves. The social contexts are all-important. This means more attention should be paid to the teaching strategies used both in the software and around it in the classroom, and to the classroom environment itself. It is a recurrent finding that the effects of the best software can be neutralized through improper use, and that even poorly designed software can be creatively extended to serve important learning goals. There are also a host of methodological issues to confront. First, standardized achievement tests might not measure the types of changes in students that educational technology reformers are looking for. New measures, some of which are currently under development, would assess areas, such as higher order thinking skills, that many believe can be particularly affected by using new technologies. There is also a need to include outcome measures that go beyond student achievement, because student achievement might be affected by students attitudes about themselves, their schools, the types of interactions that go on in schools, and the very idea of learning. Another consideration is pointed out by the U. S. Office of Technology Assessments Teachers and Technology: Making the Connection: Technological changes are likely to be nonlinear, and might show effects not only on student learning, but also on the curriculum, the nature of instruction, the school culture, and the fundamental ways that teachers do their jobs. Coley, 1997). Instant Response Systems Data-driven decision making is an educational approach that requires educators to decide on instructional strategies and activities based on what they know about how well students have grasped a concept. Whereas before, this might be done with mini quizzes, homework or performances at the chalk board, today’s technologies provide another avenue. Using handheld devices in Modesto City Schools classrooms, teachers can pose questions to students who use wireless remotes for real-time responses. Such engagement enables the teachers to immediately determine if students are grasping concepts and decide whether more time is needed on a topic or whether the group can move on. Item banks of standards-aligned questions make teacher’s jobs easier in developing such review materials (Hines, 2005). Another similar technology is the graphing calculator which can be used in math and science classrooms to enable every student to participate and have the power of a modern computing tool. Classrooms that make use of the graphing calculator exhibit better questioning and feedback behaviors; goal-oriented instruction becomes more attainable and more common; activities result in better student engagement and students tend to demonstrate more collaborative learning behaviors (Whitehurst, 2003). In Littleton Public Schools, a definitive interest is rising for these technologies as several classroom sets are deployed in schools across the district. Results are largely anecdotal and preliminary, but math coordinators are seeing the Texas Instruments graphing calculator as a valuable tool that will reach beyond just math class. Technology Education Littleton Public Schools has a strong tradition in the realm of technology education. Our Middle and High Schools are all equipped with curricula that introduce a wide array of technologies to students. LPS technology education students and teachers have won national recognition for their work. A relatively small amount of research has been done on students’ understandings of design and technology concepts, or technical knowledge. This limited research sometimes makes it difficult to capitalize on such an ever evolving subject as Technology Education. The findings from the Australian study state that an increasing awareness of students’ understandings of design and technology concepts can have an impact on the teaching and learning of design and technology in elementary schools similar to that experienced in elementary science education (Davis, Ginns, McRobbie, 2002). Called Career and Technical Education in Virginia, CTE correlations to curricular areas have been documented on a state web site (http://www. valinkages. net/) and are considered a key component to preparing students for End-Of-Course tests. A study was conducted in 2002–2003 on Illustration and Design Technology coursework, an example of CTE student performance on Standards of Learning (SOL), the Virginia equivalent of CSAP tests. The results showed that 78 percent of CTE students passed the mathematics SOL test while only 72 percent of non-CTE enrolled students pass the test (Dyer, Reed, Berry, 2006). Authors on the subject advocate for providing students with opportunities to synthesize their learning in other subjects in technology-related programs. The opportunity to apply and reinforce learning from content areas in technology programs is essential if learning is to be meaningful to students (Lewis, 1999). In our own experiences in LPS, we find that the Technology Education courses generate excitement and interest for learning among both male and female students which must have an impact on their learning. Recent research has shown that Technology Education courses appeal to both genders equally (McCarthy Moss, 1994). Although girls appeared to enjoy required technology education courses, they were less likely to continue taking such courses as electives(Silverman Pritchard, 1996). Certainly motivation and application of knowledge help to improve student achievement. And while recent results do not conclusively prove that these courses impact student achievement at a higher level than other programs we implement in schools, it would be imprudent to think that these programs do not have a very positive effect. This is one of the limitations of research on students: it is almost impossible to create a true control group. When asked, students currently enrolled in LPS Technology Education courses reported their thoughts of technology to include: computers, iPods, video games, music media, email, and tools in general. Recent legislation supports the concept that education’s technology initiatives need to go beyond thinking about computers. Rather, Technology Education is about teaching innovation; providing opportunity for practical application of knowledge gained in school; mastery of abstraction and problem solving. Technology Education programs at LPS include a broad scope of tools that human beings use to master their environment including manufacturing, construction, power and energy, communication, transportation, and biotechnology. While research that clearly correlates higher student achievement on standardized tests is lacking, the skills that students learn in such courses clearly match what employers, from engineering firms to manufacturing companies, indicate they seek in their applicant pools. Simulations and Video Games â€Å"Dad, did you know that a Prefect in ancient Rome was both a firefighter AND a policeman? † was a question that arose from the back of my (Dan Maas) car during a long road trip with my son, Calvin. He described, in quite accurate detail, the pantheon of Roman gods, the basic elements of Roman society and then abruptly ended the question and answer period that arose from his initial question so he could fend off the Carthaginians. How did he know they were Carthaginians? â€Å"Hannibal always attacks with elephants† was his reply. The boy had learned all this about Rome playing a video game at age five. Video games have long been the bane of the parent and teacher’s existence, but there’s something here that may be of some use to us. Some have picked up on the possibilities. A multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) is a kind of video game. Schools like Harvard University are creating MUVEs that are patterned after video games with a few critical differences. Video games typically have goals like collecting points, defeating enemies or gathering gold. On the other hand, MUVEs have the goal of learning. By creating virtual environments, problems can be posed, research can be collected, theories tested and outcomes achieved. One MUVE example begins with an outbreak of a disease in a small town that players must investigate, determine the pathogens involved, develop theories on how o treat the illness and test methods to resolve the crisis. The simulation is highly visual, interactive, and highly engaging to the students. See   Studies show that children whose teachers use technology for simulations and application of knowledge tend to develop higher order thinking skills and tend to score higher on tests like the National Assessment for Educational Progress. Conversely, technology use that focuses on drill-and-practice tends to correlate to lower performance (Archer, 1998). In another pilot, students who participated in computer-assisted literacy instruction earned higher scores on a Stanford Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory and on a Test of Written Spelling (Bottege, Daley, Goin, Hasselbring, Taylor, 1997). In a 2005 study on a gaming system called an Intelligent Tutoring System, results showed increased educational interest and motivation among students. Students showed statistically significant gains educationally, but of particular note was the very significant effect on students who had performed poorly previous to the pilot (Virvou, Katsionis, Manos, 2005). When one thinks about games, it seems as if there is a clear opportunity for using this tool for advancing educational skills. Students solve problems, learn languages and master virtual world rules while playing video games for entertainment. This pattern was examined in a Newark, New Jersey study using Lightspan educational video games where 47 pre-school age children played 40 minutes per day for 11 weeks and demonstrated significant gains over the control group on the Wide Range Achievement Test R-3. The scores for spelling and decoding were significantly improved for the experimental group over the control while no significant difference was detected in math (Calao Din, 2001). The Pokemon video game is also interesting to consider. By the time the first draft of this document is completed for the Board of Education, the country will celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday. His children’s books help young people to learn to read by creating simple, repetitive language constructs that reveal patterns to students and help them improve their decoding and phonic awareness. He even made up nonsense words to press the student’s phonetic ability. Pokemon has many similar traits. Text on the handheld game appears in small, five word chunks that only proceed when the reader is done. The reading is meaningful in that comprehension is required to solve the puzzles of the game. And the story line is filled with imaginary creatures with made-up names†¦ each phonetically accurate. Did the makers of Pokemon intend to create a game that might help children learn to read or did the creators use phonics to create the English language equivalents of their native Japanese? Who knows, but perhaps this game, or something like it, could be helpful. In speaking informally at several buildings in LPS, students at the middle level indicated that they would check out educational video games to play on their home gaming systems. Could video games, tuned to education by eliminating violence and other objectionable themes, become a new tool educators can use to engage students both during and after school? More research is certainly warranted but the existing results and intuitive logic leads one to think that there is promise here. At-Risk/Intervention An ever present emphasis in education is how to intervene for students with at-risk characteristics. We see educational and economic gaps forming for students at-risk and our public system is always focused on closing gaps and providing bridges for students. Can technology-integrated interventions be part of the answer? In a recent study published by North Carolina State University’s Meridian, journal on middle school technology, students repeating eighth grade were isolated into a focused 27-week program that used hypermedia, online resources and Power Point as integrated technologies. Students demonstrated statistically significant gains (29 percentile points) in reading and language arts. Additionally students demonstrated marked improvements (23 percentile points) in writing performances (Little, 2006). Within LPS, the Center for Online Studies is a partnership with Arapahoe Community College (ACC). Students come to ACC to take online coursework supplied by Class. com and supervised by a certified teacher. The students enrolled have had difficulty succeeding in their traditional high schools and reported to the Board of Education in January, 2007 that the program has made a difference in their academic pursuits. The principles in use here that are making this first year program a success are having a quality content source, a certified teacher and a supportive learning environment. 1:1 Initiatives One-to-one computing is an industry term of one computing device allocated to one person. This essentially is an initiative to end shared computing resources based on the idea that such learning tools are so essential that every student needs one all the time. This view is something akin to the status that textbooks have enjoyed for some time. When the public hears about classroom textbooks, meaning students can’t take their own book home, there is usually concern or even outcry to increase the resource. Proponents of 1:1 computing believe that the 21st Century represents a time when that status held by textbooks transfers to the computer. Indeed, if we are to shift from paper-based learning materials to electronic sources, a 1:1 initiative of some sort of computing device will be a pre-requisite. Some school districts and even states have begun to explore this concept. In Maine, a state-wide initiative began nine years ago to provide every seventh grade student with a laptop. The program is called the Main Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) and it is having an impact on teaching and learning in their public schools. After five years, researchers reported that teachers were more effective at helping students meet state standards. Also students were more motivated, learned more, and mastered concepts to deeper levels. Finally, students appeared to be learning new skills for the 21st Century (Lane, 2003). Further research into the MLTI project showed that students who had used laptops in 7th and 8th grade, but no longer had school supplied laptops in 9th grade reported that the quantity and quality of their school work had dropped since losing access to school-provided laptops (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). A 1:1 project is the initiative in Henrico County, Virginia which began in 2001. Prior to the project, 78 percent of the district schools were accredited based on the student achievement on the Virginia Standards of Learning test. By the end of the school year in 2003, all schools had earned accreditation meaning that a satisfactory percentage of students passed the state test (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). In Canada, a 1:1 effort entitled the Wireless Writing Project begun in 2002 started in Peace River North with 6th and 7th grade students. In pre and post-test results on writing assessments, researchers found that the percentage of students who met or exceeded the performance standards of the test increased from 70 percent to 92 percent (Pitler, Flynn, Gaddy, 2004). Another 1:1 initiative is underway in New Hampshire where initial results reflect other studies of similar efforts. Students and teachers are demonstrating increased technology use across the curricular areas. Student engagement and motivation is improving and student-teacher interactions are on the rise. Initial reports of teacher judgment of student achievement (that is, basing achievement on grades rather than standardized tests) indicate that students are doing better than before (Bebell, 2004). In our own experiences in LPS, we see classrooms with laptop access achieving a 1:1 ratio for the class period exhibiting much improved academic behaviors. Working in this manner, students demonstrate a tendency to return to previous homework and revise, edit and reuse to far greater degrees than the classroom teacher was accustomed to seeing. Students more often compare their writing samples with peers and seem more likely to collaborate. Using blogs, wikis and other online tools, students expand on the usefulness of word processors by working collaboratively and ubiquitously. Collaboration through Technology A strong theme through the research and observations in this paper is how technologies are used to improve student achievement and general practices. This section is dedicated to the art of collaboration and how various tools allow people to reach across distances and through time like never before. iPods and other MP3 playing devices have opened up a very convenient and powerful pathway for information to be produced, accessed and archived. San Diego State University is leveraging this technology in science teacher preparation. Podcasting is a method of recording digital audio and video files and posting them online for others to access. This method can be used to bring distant experts to students, provide opportunities to review material at leisure, grant unprecedented access to students to research material and extend the learning opportunities for students well beyond the classroom. Surveys of pre-service science teachers who used iPods and podcasting in their preparation reported time savings, increased interest in subject matter, and declared that they would use podcasting in their own teaching methods in the future (Yerrick, 2006). The presence of global networks, the affordability of a wide array of information technology and the reality that connected people create an integrated whole have drastically impacted how we work, and learn today. Learning theories of the previous century including behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism were developed, prior to the current way our lives are organized, as a result of technology. Siemens proposes a new theory of learning based on the new human condition: Connectivism. In this view, knowledge resides in people and on devices. Learning and knowing rest on diverse opinions from a wide array of sources. Learning becomes a process of connecting nodes of information. Continual learning is maintained by nurturing connections. Learners find connections between different ideas, fields of study, and basic concepts. Being current is of paramount importance. And decision-making is actually a learning process, meaning choosing what to learn and being able to deal with the shifting nature of information. Learners must become comfortable with the reality that what is considered correct today might be proven wrong tomorrow. This theory of learning represents a massive shift in thinking: that learning is not an individual pursuit, but is a collaborative, dynamic and never-ending activity (Siemens, 2005). In LPS, the blog and the wiki has become a fascinating collaborative learning tool. In a Language Arts classroom, students no longer just check out a book, write some sticky-note annotations, and have one-at-a-time discussions prompted by the teacher. Rather, students copy Macbeth from a web resource into a word processor and annotate electronically, keeping their work on personally owned USB memory keys. While some students discuss a scene with the teacher, others are free to blog commentary on the topic of verbal discussion or other interests in the subject-matter at hand. Suddenly, a dozen conversation threads are happening all at once and the teacher only has control of one. The participation rate of students has risen and students return to the blog after school to continue their dialog. Students report that the conversation via blog makes them more reflective and yet more confident because of the lack of a public speaking component to the classroom discussion. In one discussion, the number of postings became so frequent over a short period of time that the free blogging service shut down the account because the activity resembled a malicious electronic attack on the blog server. A wiki supporting another Language Arts class is being used to connect students to young people in other countries like South Korea. Students reading Arabian Nights have opportunities to share their insights with others from around the United States and even in foreign countries. Other opportunities include the use of SKYPE for toll-free calls around the globe to other connected classrooms and instant messages allowing free-form, high speed conversation on topics of study. And in a Foreign Language classroom, chat and Voice Over IP systems allow students to practice their second language acquisition with their teacher, with each other, and even with students outside the classroom. The lesson is that the art of collaboration has no boundaries today. Time and space are no longer the limiters they once were and the list of technologies in this section only scratches the surface of what is available. And like the learning theory of Connectivism points out, this too will change. Education must take note and prepare students to succeed in an environment that thrives on collaboration while constantly changing and improving the tools that support it. Word Processing and Writing For decades now, research has been conducted on the effect word processing has on writing skills for students. In a 1997 study, Owston and Wideman cite a considerable body of work on this topic as part of their research project that studied 3rd grade students using word processors for writing. They concluded in their own study that use of word processors that were readily available to students and were an integrated part of their daily activities resulted in considerably higher quality and quantity of writing as compared to a similar student group without access and support for such tools (1997). In a more recent qualitative study, the use of word processors with seven 3rd grade students over a six week period led to significantly more creative, more comprehensive and improved style. This study of five girls and two boys also reported higher motivation to work with the writing process as compared to paper and pencil methods (Beck Fetherston, 2003). In LPS, Anne Smith reports that students are more engaged when using classroom laptops. The students take advantage of the ease of use to manipulate text to show various sentence structures. While these studies definitely point to improved writing volume and quality from young students, research also suggests that young students need to be exposed to handwritten learning as well, which has been a point of discussion for some time. An article by Balajthy et al points out that students need a diverse writing experience and that word processors should be part of the experience rather than replacing handwritten work (Balajthy, McKeveny, Lacitignola, 1986). At this developmental level, the various tools for writing are most effective for learners when they are used in an integrated approach with the overall instructional program rather than taught separately (MacArthur, 1988). There are studies that show little or no impact of word processors on the quality of student writing, however, a meta-analysis in 1993 showed that these studies tend to have a number of limitations not the least of which is the use of text-based word processors rather than the Graphical User Interface (GUI) systems in use today. Additionally, the analysis revealed that such studies often involve students who have sporadic access to the technology and were not accomplished with the tool (Bangert-Drowns, 1993). The process of mastering writing is very important and there is research that shows how emphasis on writing skills positively improves student achievement across the curriculum. Writing Across the Curriculum initiatives have over twenty years of professional practice and anecdotal evidence to support this claim. Strong research has been hard to come by, however, to truly evidence the effects. One of the biggest obstacles is the ability to truly have a strong control group for any study as such would require a population of students who did not use writing as part of their learning process (Railsback, 2004). Some studies have been able to document positive effects. In a 1992 study, Van Allen was able to conclude that school-wide efforts in Writing Across the Curriculum in five middle schools over a five year period resulted in better writing and better overall student achievement on assessments (1991). What we have found essential in LPS is to have students write frequently and in a variety of forms including wikis and blogs as well as word processors. We wish to note here that we must be careful about using research that is old, even though some of it is unavoidable. The technology tools of today are very different than when computers first entered schools. As an example, the word processing research from the 1980s may not be completely irrelevant, but the software of today bears so little resemblance to the software of the late 1980s. In addition, increased student (and teacher) familiarity with these tools will also have an effect on the impact these tools have on achievement. A key question is How do we measure the impact of tools that change so quickly that by the time you measure their impact, the tools have changed? In other words, by the time most research is done (and published in reputable sources), the technology has changed so much that the research loses at least some of its relevance. This will be a significant hurdle to overcome. In a comprehensive peer-reviewed report, Bangert-Drowns conducted another meta-analysis with Hurley and Wilkinson on the impact of writing across the curriculum in 2004. This analysis, which reviewed 48 studies, produced three major findings. First, writing for learning produced positive effects on school achievement in the studies reviewed. The second finding was that grade levels, minutes per task, and writing prompts had significant impact on results. The study found that programs implemented in Grades 6–8 actually had reduced performances, possibly due to the loss of time on the more differentiated content covered at the secondary level. Longer tasks also depressed results perhaps for similar time constraint issues and motivational issues among students. The use of writing prompts concerning students’ current understandings and confusion were very effective while prompts for personal writing showed no effect. The third finding concerned the length of treatment. The analysis revealed the intuitive conclusion that students who have longer exposure to writing for learning strategies experience a cumulative effect that is very positive (2004). The research continues today and can be seen in an article published in Education Week on February 14, 2007, where the National Assessment of Educational Progress has been piloting a computerized test for assessing writing. This move recognizes the research that is showing how students write more often, of better quality, and with more consistency (between both genders) when using these writing tools. And preliminary results are showing that students tend to write better on the tests when using the word processor (Cavanagh, 2007). What can be drawn from these studies is that writing, being an active learning process, has been shown to positively impact student achievement in all subject areas. It can also be stated that students who have ample access to word processing in conjunction with skillful instruction in a school that is emphasizing Writing Across the Curriculum can be reasonably expected to produce higher achievement results. Streaming Video In four Los Angeles public schools, a study was conducted on the effectiveness of United Streaming video in supporting 6th through 8th grade mathematics achievement. Students were pre and post-tested to provide the source data for the study which revealed that the experimental group using streaming video outperformed the control group by 4. 7 percent among sixth grade students. This differential was shown to be statistically significant. Eighth grade students showed a more modest 2. 2 percent advantage which still registered as significant (Boster et al. , 2004). In LPS, the same United Streaming resources were secured for all schools at the beginning of the 2006–2007 school year. Additional digital projection and speaker equipment was provided to schools along with a concerted orientation effort to help teachers access and use the material. Prior to the introduction of United Streaming video, the Internet connection for the district was peaking at 26 megabits of demand. Within two months of the introduction of United Streaming, the peak demand had reached 100 megabits which represented the maximum throughput the connection was able to sustain. This 400 percent increase in Internet demand was traced directly to streaming video services requested by the schools demonstrating the value teachers immediately saw in this technology. Today, LPS is deploying a locally hosted server to present the streaming video to meet the growing demand for both quantity and quality of the content. Laptops for Teachers The following is an observation of technology use at Lenski Elementary School by Assistant Director of Instructional Technology, Boni Hamilton. As part of the Technology Grants from Plan for Social Excellence (www. pfse. org). schools provided laptops for teachers in the first year of the three year grants. PFSE didnt collect hard data about the impact, but at Lenski Elementary School, I saw firsthand the effects on teachers and instruction. Some observations: 1. Teachers who had been least confident about their technology skills increased their confidence and competence with technology skills to equal that of the more tech-savvy staff members within four months. While the classroom teachers had regular access to technology skills when they co-taught in the lab and so were fairly confident with technology skills, the non-classroom staff such as specialists received training only when it was scheduled for the staff. This was too infrequent to give them the level of competence they needed. The portability of the laptops allowed the specialists to get help from peers, family members, and friends. A couple of teachers even signed up for computer classes outside the school because they finally had computers they could take home and practice on. One teacher who had been only moderately comfortable with technology learned how to make tables in MSWord and began showing everyone on staff she became the staff expert. 2. Teachers improved in their trouble-shooting skills. Trouble-shooting is difficult to teach because problems happen at inconvenient times and are hard to reproduce during a training session. However, when teachers were carting their laptops home and had problems, they had to solve the problems themselves. They either used family members to help or they fooled around until it did what they wanted. Because they knew the computers could be restored, they no longer worried about what would happen if they took a risk and pushed a button. 3. Teachers grew more relaxed about problems. Before laptops, teachers often got stressed when some technology failed. As they learned to problem-solve laptop problems, they had less tendency to get up-tight when something went wrong. They were then able to think about problem-solving strategies, consult a peer, or cart the laptop to a computer coach for help. 4. Teachers increased the level of student use of technology. As teachers gained confidence, they became more willing to risk using computers in the classroom. It wasnt as scary to let kids try projects on classroom computers because they trusted that either they or their students could solve problems. 5. The demand for student computers in classrooms has increased dramatically annually. Even though teachers felt their classrooms were too small to handle clusters of computers, six months after they received laptops, they made room for computer clusters because they began to depend on computers to enable students to continue projects, collaborate on learning, and practice skills. The number of desktop computers in classrooms went from an average of three per room to an average of five to six per room. Lenski also bought two 15-computer laptop carts, but demand was so heavy that the school added two more carts in the following year. Then the librarys demand for computers increased so dramatically that the school had to buy a fifth cart. In the third year of having laptop carts, teachers are now complaining that there are too few carts available for the library and 16 classrooms (Grades 2-5). 6. After three years of having laptops, most teachers opted to return to desktop computers. There seemed to be several causes for this: 1) They purchased home computers and found they could use USB drives to cart files; 2) The school had enough wireless laptops for student use that teachers could get on a laptop; or even borrow one overnight, if they needed; 3) They preferred larger screens, faster processors, and standard mice. Based on these observations, I advocate strongly for giving teachers experience with laptops before buying laptops for students. Concluding Remarks The following is a summative commentary from Karl Fisch, Edublog Nominee and Finalist for the Best Blog of 2006: Were not going to find a whole lot of really good research to support this at this time. I can summarize what the research generally says. The use of technology in appropriate ways has a small, positive effect on student achievement. It also has a larger, but still small, positive effect on student and teacher motivation, engagement and satisfaction. Thats about it. But I would strongly argue that to a certain extent this is missing the point. I would also suggest that many of our current practices are in direct contradiction to what the research says we should do, but we do them anyway because its convenient for the adults. How come nobody is demanding to see the research to support those practices? But I digress. ) I do not think that if we infuse technology into our schools, even putting in a 1:1 program at the high schools, that we will see student achievement as we currently measure it skyrocket. I think we may see a small positive effect, with possibly a slightly larger effect among those students who typically have not done very well in our schools. But the basic problem with looking for research that supports growth in student achievement is that by necessity research has to look at fixed, testable content to try to determine growth. Now Im not saying that content knowledge isnt valuable, it is. But I think the skills and abilities and habits of mind that ubiquitous access to technology would help us develop in our students are ones that are really hard to measure. How do you measure creativity? Or the ability to collaborate with others, both in the same room or across the planet (or beyond)? Or the ability to take in information from an almost inexhaustible supply, synthesizes it, remix it, and then produce something that is of value to others? How do you measure imagination? How do you measure the ability to function in a flat, globally interconnected, technology-enabled, rapidly changing world? How do we measure the ability to learn how to learn? To know how to adapt, to reinvent yourself over and over again to meet the needs of a world that is changing at an exponential pace. How do you measure the ability to function in a world where all of human factual knowledge will be available practically instantaneously? Knowledge is good. Having content knowledge is necessary, but not sufficient, to be successful in the 21st century. The research at best is only going to tell us about content knowledge. The power of the technology is to transform teaching and learning as we know it. To make it more student-centered, more individualized (yet also more community-based), more relevant, more meaningful. It allows each student to connect to each other, to the world, to knowledge, to learning, in the way(s) that works best for that student. I guess I fear we are asking the wrong questions . . . Where does all this leave us? And what use does this document provide? Clearly, more research is needed, but our efforts can no longer await the coming of comprehensive research studies. Not having solid research behind us will not be an adequate excuse for failing to prepare our students for the 21st Century. Therefore, we must be on the constant look-out for research that will help us light the way while we move ahead in the modernization of our public schools and our methods. We must become students of our own society and allow our own observations and action-research to influence our decisions. We must model for our students the creativity and risk-taking that will be defining characteristics of the next age. In short, educators must come out of the comfort zone, release some control and join the wave of seemingly chaotic global empowerment. Daniel Pink describes the next age of society which might give us some clues. He defines an age by the type of worker that is most commonly found among the population. During the Agricultural Age, the common person was some sort of farmer. During the Industrial Age, it was the factory worker. And during the Information Age, which he describes as beginning in the 1960’s, it was the Knowledge Worker. But the end of each age is preceded by an out-sourcing and off-shoring of the common worker prompting the rise of the next age. So what does Daniel Pink suggest is next? The Conceptual Age. This economy maintains the necessity of strong left-brain skills (reading, writing, math and science) while adding the right brain skills (aesthetics, intuition, value and play). Daniel Pink would advise us to continue our left-brain pursuits, but introduce the richness of meaning and value. It is no longer sufficient to create a well engineered product; now the product must be appealing as well (2005). References: http://www.bc.edu/research/intasc/PDF/NH1to1_2004.pdf

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy :: BSE Prion Mad Cow Disease

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) BSE is a disease found in cows that contaminates the brain. It kills many cattle each year because there is no known cure. Humans can be infected by a disease called Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease and sheep can be infected with a disease called scrapie. There is no known treatment for any of the Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy, including CJD. In order to prevent this disease, the beef is inspected before coming into the United States. Without antibodies, a microscope is the only other way to confirm the cow as being infected. Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, other wise known as mad cow disease is â€Å"an infectious degenerative brain disease occurring in cattle† (www.dictionary.com). Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy is one of many Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy’s (TSE) in animals. Humans can not be infected with BSE but if they are exposed to contaminated meat, then they are at risk of being infected with Creutzfeldt - Jakob disease (CJD). CJD is very rare and as well as BSE, cannot be treated because there has been no cure found. Figure one shows the death rate of humans infected with CJD. (BSEInfo.org July 27, 2006) Figure one BSE mainly occurs in the brain but experiments have been conducted and found it to be â€Å"in the spinal cord, and in the retina of the eye. The BSE agent may also be present in the small intestine, tonsil, bone marrow, and dorsal root ganglia (lying along the vertebral column)† (US Food and Drug Association, September 24, 2004). Once the cow is infected, the brain tissue takes on a sponge-like appearance under a microscope. This is how the disease got the name Spongiform. (Mad Cow Disease, Andrew Simmons) BSE is spread throughout the brain by important proteins called prions. The prion folds itself incorrectly which leads other prions that encounter the false protein to fold as well. Spreading in the brain then occurs. Figure two shows how the brain would look when mad cow disease is present. These infected prions are extremely difficult to destroy, resulting in no possible cure. Figure Two There are several ways to tell of a cow is infected with BSE. An adult cow may take from two to eight years to first show signs of being infected but others can take a short time. The symptoms for infected cows are â€Å"anxiety, nervousness, and initial hyperactivity followed by lethargy† (Ratzan 10). Also cows experience pain in their horns, horn sockets and ears when they are infected.