Segregation in Sports - 2029 Words

Segregation in Sports Back in 1947 racism was apparent through our country’s various laws oppressing different minority groups. Jackie Robinson witnessed this oppression during his amazing battle with segregation while being the first African American to play professional baseball. He was called derogatory names, fans threw things at him, and he had to deal with a world against him. He battled the oppression that he faced and managed to become one of baseballs greatest players and most storied heroes. He is seen as an icon of the civil rights era, and in the sporting world he is a symbol of triumph and tolerance. He was one of the first successful minorities in sports. With Jackie Robinson, people saw the beginning of the end of†¦show more content†¦During my five years of lacrosse I broke my arm, thumb and dislocated a knee (which required surgery). It is obvious that this sport is expensive and requires a wealthy family in order to play. In order to practice for the varsity team I had to buy a goal that I could shoot on, and a rebounder that bounced balls back to me (each were around two hundred dollars). This sport along with other country club sports, are extremely hard for minorities and poorer families that live in inner cities. If I did not have wealthy parents that appreciated sports, I would not have been able to play lacrosse in high school. Along with lacrosse, golf is another country club sport that is dominated by whites. â€Å"The United States itself, of course, is a white settler state on territory† (mills 28). Like most people know, whites are the majority in the United States. The majority of the golf population is white. Every part of golf costs money. Practicing on the driving range, playing eighteen holes, buying golf clubs, renting a golf cart, even buying extra balls when you loose some. Golf is a country club sport that requires copious amounts of money. Other privileges mills state include â€Å" And the purpose of this state, by contrast with the neutral a state of classic contractions, is, inter alia, specifically to maintain and reproduce the racial order securing the privileges and advantages of the full white criticize.† (Mills 14). Again, Mills talks about the advantages that white peopleShow MoreRelatedProfessional Sports And The Civil Era945 Words   |  4 PagesProfessional sports w ere segregated in the United States, just like the rest of the country was during the 1940s, but between the cooperation of two men the color barrier was broken in professional sports. The unwritten rule of not allowing blacks to play professional baseball had been standing since the 1880s. No professional sport in America at the time had any participating African Americans, yet many African Americans were participating in the Olympics. Famous African American olympians, suchRead MoreThe Importance Of Youth Sports838 Words   |  4 PagesSports, the everyday activity for youth in this generation was said to be emerged in as we rolled into the 20th century. Sport, an entertainment source for all is getting more recognized through organized youth sports. Moreover, over the time sport has become an everyday life routine for many families all over the world. Parents are enrolling their children into various sport activities to give their children an opportunity to learn something new e very day. Socialization is very important for a child’sRead MoreSports Are A Way Of Bonding. People Of All Races Are Brought1351 Words   |  6 PagesSports are a way of bonding. People of all races are brought closer together through sports. Groups will gather at games or in front of a TV to enjoy a few hours together. But things are different on the other side of the TV. In every sport athletes are stereotyped and discriminated against which puts people in groups based on the color of their skin. This form of seclusion in sports leads to segregation amongst races. In many aspects of sports African-Americans are viewed as the dominant raceRead More Jackie Robinson and The Integration Of The United States Essay1697 Words   |  7 PagesJackie Robinson: athlete, social activist, hero. These are just some of the words people use to describe Jackie. Robinson was the first person to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball, at the time officially designated a white man’s sport. The blacks and whites played in separate leagues but Branch Rickey, vice president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, wanted to integrate Major League Baseball. At this time in the 1940s the Unites States was still segregated and the Jim Crow Laws still reignedRead MoreDiscrimination in Sports769 Words   |  4 PagesDiscrimination in Sports Discrimination is defined as unequal and unfair treatment of individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex or age which results in denial of opportunities, selection or promotion. Racism, ethnic discrimination and exclusion of migrants and minorities are the most common types of discrimination in sports, along with gender and age discrimination. Women of an ethnic origin, or those coming from ethnic minorities or migrant communities, are particularly under representedRead MoreEssay on Testosterone in Sports1720 Words   |  7 Pageswhen explaining athleticism. Athletes are always looking for a competitive advantage in sports. Many athletes have turned to steroids and testosterone boosters to excel performance. Substance users have been labeled cheaters because they have an unfair advantage. Does having a naturally high testosterone level give an athlete a fair advantage? The article I chose, â€Å"Time to re-evaluate gender segregation in athletics?† by Benn ett Foddy and Julian Savelescu, aims to address that very questionRead MoreMy Year Of An Athlete870 Words   |  4 PagesAs I look back throught my years of an athlete, I have had a great opportunity to be part o awesome organizations under the directions amazing coaches. The first sport I played was t-ball. According to my parents, I was so excited about my first game, I sleep in my uniform so I would not be late to the game that was at 5 o’clock in the afternoon. It was a lot of fun, sometimes I would hit the ball and sometimes I would miss, it did not matter to me I was on the team. At the age o six I started playingRead MoreJackie Robinson And Curt Flood1237 Words   |  5 PagesAmericans love sports. Sports infiltrate culture, music, film, and even history courses in the United States. Even with this immense popularity surrounding a variety of sports in this country, one stands out as the most â€Å"American.† Baseball has long been regarded as America’s national pastime and it remains the single sport which mirrors society and pushes it forward more than any other. Football and basketball have risen to great prominence within the United States, but they cannot match baseballRead MoreThe Man Who Broke The Color Barrier, Jackie Robinson Essay854 Words   |  4 PagesBlock 1 Living Wax Museum Jackie Robinson Biography The man who broke the color barrier, Jackie Robinson. Robinson was the first African-American to play in the MLB. Robinson overcame many obstacles in his career the main ones being racism and segregation. Robinson had a 10 year career with the Dodgers. Robinson became a civil rights activist being involved in the NAACP after his retirement from baseball. Jackie has received numerous awards not only for his physical abilities but for his impact heRead MoreRacism in Sports Essay1662 Words   |  7 PagesRacism in Sports Racism is a belief that people of different races have different qualities and abilities, and that some races are inherently superior or in inferior. Racism in the form of discrimination persists in society. Racism in sports occurs in both team and individual sports around the world. Sports itself does not induce racism. Sports are meant to be a colorblind activity that adheres to the notion of fair play. Racism in sports is a problem which manifest around the world. It led

Destruction of the American Dream in Death of a Salesman...

We may have different backgrounds, but we believe in the same dream that says this is a country where anything’s possible. No matter who you are. No matter where you come from.† -- President Obama, Commenting on the American Dream The American Dream is a set of ideals in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success. It is the belief that, no matter how poor you begin life, you can achieve upward social mobility for your family and children. Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, crushes the ethos of the American Dream. Miller’s ability to portray this delusional idea through the life and relationships of Willy Loman, a typical, low income American, is exquisite. America, in 1949, was experiencing an†¦show more content†¦Im the New England man. Im vital in New England†, and Never leave a job until your sixty,† and perfect quotes form Willy that show his insecurities, and that he is not the successful businessman he claims he is. Miller uses Willy to show that although the American dream is still alive, there are those who just do not make it. Willy will not face the truth though. Willy is a failure in life, but he feels even more so because of the fact that success in the American Dream is supposed to be available to anyone. This figure has significantly affected his family, especially his sons. He consistently blames the world throughout the play, such as blaming the teacher for flunking Biff, and causing his failure at getting a good paying job. He also goes on to blame Chevrolet for the carburetor tearing up, Bernard for not letting Biff cheat, and eventually realizes it was his entire fault all along. Once he realizes this, instead of facing the truth about his failure, he commits suicide. Many would say that this heart-breaking story of Willy’s life epitomizes â€Å"moral law†. Moral law is â€Å"the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity (Tragedy and the Common Man).† Basically, it’s man drive to save his pride, or gain sort of power. There is no better example of a man struggling with moral law than Willy Loman. He not only struggles with the other characters, but with himself. His inner conflict is exaggerated in his multiple â€Å"flashbacks.†Show MoreRelated Destruction of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman834 Words   |  4 PagesDestruction of the American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman A white picket fence surrounds the tangible icons of the American Dreams in the middle 1900s: a mortgage, an automobile, a kitchen appliance paid for on the monthly - installment - plan, and a silver trophy representative of high school football triumph. A pathetic tale examining the consequences of mans harmartias, Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman satisfies many, but not all, of the essential elements of a tragedyRead MoreThe Destruction of Willy Lowmans American Dream in Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman626 Words   |  3 Pages In Arthur Millers Death of A Salesman readers are introduced to Willy, an ambitious salesman who just cant seem to get a break despite his drive. Willys life is marked by failure, and an almost stubborn attachment to the idea of striking it big. Willys life is ended by his own hands, the result of a broken dream that lead to a broken spirit. In many senses Willy represents the idea of the everyman, the average working class man trying to get ahead, t his is reflected in his attachment toRead More Comparing the Tragedies of Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman1023 Words   |  5 PagesComparing the Tragedies of Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman The tragedies Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman have strikingly different plots and characters; however, each play shares common elements in its resolution. The events in the plays’ closings derive from a tragic flaw possessed by the protagonist in each play. The downfall of each protagonist is caused by his inability to effectively cope with his tragic flaw. The various similarities in the closingRead MoreSister Carrie and the American Dream1618 Words   |  7 PagesThe American Dream is surely based on the concept of â€Å"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness† but it is above all, a matter of ambition. James Truslow Adams, an American writer and historian, in 1931 states: life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement†, which not only points towards a better standard of living for Americans but also denounces a degree of greed in the US society. Ambition not only â€Å"killed the cat† butRead MoreDeath of a Salesman by Arthur Miller688 Words   |  3 PagesThroughout the novel, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, it is very evident that the author embodies his perceptions of the American Dream through his character’s identity. We see how the life of an insignificant man unravels and creates chaos for his wife and eldest son Biff, while also seeing an unhealthy relationship develop between the two. Yet, despite the negative connotations that the novel presents to its readers, Death of a Salesman can be interpreted as a rhapsody of human nature insteadRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman Is A Tragedy In The Sense That It Displays1015 Words   |  5 PagesDeath of a Salesman is a tragedy in the sense that it displays the consequences of commitment of one s life towards an idealistic goal such as the American Dream. Willy Loman fails to see that he is an unsuccessful salesman and to escape that harsh reality, he constantly reminisces h is past. Which beg the question, is Willy Loman a tragic hero? He may not be a conventional tragic hero but he indeed had a downfall however, he wasn’t in a distinguished position to say the least. He was everybody yetRead MoreArthur Miller s Death Of A Salesman1144 Words   |  5 Pages Arthur Miller: Death of a Salesman Life for many in America are missing the same elements that â€Å"Death of a Salesman† exposed. Those element are love and direction. Many people face these struggles at some point in their life, but don’t know what to do to progress. Arthur Miller devised a style whereby he could show how your past can continuously impact on your future. Each character highlights the powerlessness of a dream to give meaning and control to human life. I disagree with someRead MoreA Tragic Fate Caused by a Society Filled with Realism Essay1068 Words   |  5 PagesMiller, born in 1915, he is the greatest realistic master in the American theatrical circles in the post world period. Modern American society is the background of his many works, which portray common mans common life, fully reflect the real features of the American society in that period. He always laid stress on the society, which he describes as a strength related to money, social moral, and relations with people, etc. Death of a salesman is Arthur Millers most famous and notable play. It is a modernRead MoreMarxism In Arthur Millers Death Of A Salesman1465 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, Willy Lowman sought to attain the American Dream, but his distorted view of Marxist control ultimately provoked his physical, material, and mental destruction. Lowman, a middle-class salesman, husband, and father of two shared the ideology of many American’s, an ideology that hard work, dedication, and likeability was attainable regardless of social class, or life circumstances. Yet, the multiple distortions Willy associated with this dream combined with regressedRead MoreThe Role Of Dreams In Death Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1472 Words   |  6 PagesEveryone has a dream, and usually that dream helps the person to strive and become a better person to achieve it. But sometimes there are people with selfish dreams, who change not by bettering themselves, but by doing anything and everything to make their dream come true. In Arthur Miller’s play, Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman is a salesman who wants to attain the American dream and struggles as a parent and in his career, which reflects an American tragedy. In the article about Arthur Miller

Procedure to Deal with Accident, Emergency and Illness Free Essays

AWARENESS OF ILLNESSES Common illnesses: †¢Looks pale†¢Dark rings around eyes †¢Quiet or irritable†¢Lost appetite †¢Has a rash or looks flush†¢Appears more tired or lethargic Serious illnesses: †¢Severe bleeding †¢Chocking †¢Unconsciousness†¢Epileptic seizure †¢Suspected fractures†¢Breathing difficulties †¢Head injuries†¢Disorientation ACCIDENT PROCEDURES Immediate action should be taken as follows: †¢Reassure the child †¢Do not move the child unless it is absolutely necessary If children are unconscious they should be put into the recovery position †¢Do not give the child any food or drink †¢Keep the child warm †¢Ensure other children in the area are not at risk of being hurt †¢assistance will be sought from one of the appointed persons responsible for first aid. †¢Parents will be contacted in the event of illness or serious accident. †¢In addition to contacting of parents an ambulance will be called if required. We will write a custom essay sample on Procedure to Deal with Accident, Emergency and Illness or any similar topic only for you Order Now †¢At the close of a serious incident the school should review its handling of the situation to see if there needs to be change to its procedures. Reporting accidents/injuries: Accidents/injuries need to be recorded in the accident books in the first aid box and a letter should be sent to parents. †¢All bumped heads should be recorded and a letter sent to parents. †¢Very serious incidents, e. g. where an ambulance is called need to be recorded on an accident report form, available in the office FIRE EMERGENCY Anyone discovering fire or smoke should raise the alarm by breaking the glass at the nearest alarm point. On hearing the alarm: †¢Direct children to walk quietly to the nearest exit and then walk quietly in single file to the assembly points on the playground. †¢Children will line up in register order. Ensure that the classroom is empty before leaving. †¢Everyone on site, children and adults, must leave by the nearest exit. †¢Two designated mem bers of staff will check the children’s toilets are empty. †¢Classes should stand still and quiet until asked to re-enter the building. †¢School Bursar or Admin Assistant will call the fire brigade and check that the medical room is empty. Admin staff will also unlock the playground gate to allow access for the fire brigade. MISSING CHILD PROCEDURE Child goes missing on the school premises †¢As soon as it is noticed that a child is missing report to the teacher responsible. Responsible teacher will organise a thorough search of the school building and grounds. †¢The register is checked to make sure no other child has also gone astray. †¢Doors and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security whereby a child could wander out. †¢If the child is not found, the parent is contacted and the missing child is reported to the police. †¢The responsible teacher contacts the Executive Head Teacher and reports the incident. †¢The E xecutive Head Teacher, with the Governing Body, carries out an investigation and may come to the setting immediately. Child goes missing on the off school premises: †¢The Group Leader must ensure the safety of remaining pupils. At least two adults must stay with them. †¢One or more adults should immediately start searching for the child. †¢The Visit Leader should contact school to alert them. †¢If the child is not found within 5 minutes, the Group Leader must contact police by telephoning 999. †¢The Group Leader should alert school that the police have been contacted and school will make arrangements to notify parents. How to cite Procedure to Deal with Accident, Emergency and Illness, Essay examples

Conceptualization and Measurement of Cultural †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Conceptualization and Measurement of Cultural. Answer: Introduction The global business and commercial framework has undergone considerable changes and experienced huge dynamics over centuries, owing to the changes in the social, economic, political, technological and demographics patterns in the international scenario. Over the years the global commercial scenario has become more integrated, inclusive and complex, much of which can be attributed to the international phenomena like Globalization, liberalization of trade and industrial sectors of different countries, technological and infrastructural innovations and other aspects (Peng 2016). These factors have enabled a considerably large and increasing numbers of businesses to expand their domain of operations from their base countries to other countries across the world. Expansion of businesses to different geographical domains, however, include incorporation of different aspects and challenges in the operational framework. Of these the primary challenges which the businesses face while setting up their operations in foreign countries are the challenges in the aspects of cultural differences, language barriers, communicational differences as well as the differences in the way of living and working of the people in the different countries (Ferraro and Briod 2017). These differences pose crucial challenges particularly in the domain of management of human resources in the company, which in turn has considerable implications on the success of the venture of the company in foreign country and the sustainability of its operations and prospects (Aronczyk 2013). Keeping this into consideration the essay tries to take into account the working of an Australian spices and condiments company, named The Naturo Condiments, and its operations in the Tokyo branch in Japan, especially emphasizing on the differences in their strategies of human resource management which they have to take in the two different operational bases in Australia and Japan. The essay tries to analyse the factors influencing the development and implementation of the human resource management strategies in their subsidiary in Japan and the reasons behind such differences in the strategic framework for Australia and for Japan. Importance of Incorporation of Cultural Differences Given the fact that the businesses in the contemporary framework are increasingly going global, cross cultural communication and management of human resources keeping into consideration the cultural differences between the different countries of operations become immensely important in the operational framework of the companies and The Naturo Condiments is no exception (Okoro 2012). Successful incorporation of cultural differences, in every aspect of their operations, especially in the management of the human resources, especially in their Tokyo branch can help them in having productive negotiations, a productive work environment and better prospects. However, to achieve the same, it is of utmost importance to analyse and observe the cultural differences which are prevalent in the companys two operational bases- their country of origin, Australia and the country where they have their subsidiary, Japan. Both of the countries in concern are rich in their own indigenous culture and lifestyle patterns which have evolved over the years and shaped up in terms of their own history, geographical location, natural resources, occupations, populations, principles of importance and mindsets (Piekkari, Welch and Welch 2014). Culture, as a whole shows the ideas, customs as well as the behavioural patterns of the residents of a society and is also a reflection of the intellectual achievement of the population of the different societies, evolved and modified with time. These aspects are thus, considerably important factors contributing to the success or failure of the cross-country business ventures and are therefore required to be analysed and c onsidered by the company in concern, especially while framing their business and operational strategies (Adekola and Sergi 2016). There have been different measures and indices developed over the years for the purpose of measuring the cultural differences and patterns in different countries. For the concerned research, the essay uses one of the most popular methods, known as the Hofstedes Cultural Dimension Theory (Taras, Steel and Kirkman 2012). With the help of the same, the essay tries to find the cultural differences between the countries in concern, Australia and Japan, with respect to six dimensions, which are likely to affect the human resource management of the concerned firm, in its subsidiary in Japan. Power Distance- The power distance index in the Hofstede framework reflects towards the distribution of power in the society and the level of acceptance of the inequality in the same by those who rank low in the aspects of power. A high value in this index indicates towards the presence of unquestioned hierarchical structure in the society where as a low value points towards the fact that in the concerned society power is more equally distributed and people have the right to question authority (Moran, Abramson and Moran 2014). As is evident from the above figure, Australia scores much lower (36) than Japan (54) in the index of power distance. In the organizations of Australia, the hierarchical construct is mainly built for convenience of the operations and the level of accessibility of communication of the superiors enjoyed by the subordinates are higher. Communication channels are also more informal and less tensed and not burdened with excessive protocols and regulations. On the other hand, there is a borderline hierarchical situation present in Japan (Warner 2014). The juniors need to maintain some distance and a level of respect while communicating with the seniors and the communication channels are also more formal. Individualism and Collectivism- This index shows the degree of integration among the individuals in a society. The societies ranking high on Individualism indicates towards the presence of individuals with direct and robust relations with their immediate family members and emphasizing on the welfare of their own and their immediate family (Triandis 2018). On the other hand, collective societies show strong integrated relations among the individuals and their extent families as well as other members of the society, with high loyalty among the in-group members. Australia, in this dimension score extremely high on individualism (90) as compared to Japan (46). This in turn indicates towards a highly individualistic culture in Australia, where people are mainly concerned about their own welfare and success and are expected to take care of themselves and their family members. In the work-front, thus, hiring and promotions are earned on the basis of capabilities and merits. Japan, on the other hand shows more collectivist trends than Australia, which in turn indicates towards the presence of a well-knit society, where individuals are concerned about each others welfare and where achievements are measured in terms of collective success of individuals in the in-groups (Mouer and Sugimoto 2013). Japanese are also seen to be more connected and loyal to the organizations in the work front and tend to be more emotionally attached to the same than the Australians. Masculinity and Femininity- A masculine society, according to this dimension, is characterized by their preference for heroism, materialistic achievements and rewards for success and assertiveness. On the other hand, a society scoring high in the respect of femininity shows strong trends of cooperation caring for the weaker sections, modesty, fellow feeling and preference towards an overall better quality of life (Hofstede, Jonker and Verwaart 2012). The score of Australia in this index is 61, which indicates that it is to some extent a Masculine society, where the individuals are driven by the ideas of competition and individual success and achievements, with the desire of becoming the winner or the best. The hiring and promotional decisions are also based on the individual success of the employees and their capabilities to achieve. Japan, on the other hand, scores 95 in this index and is one of the most Masculine countries in the global scenario (Bergiel, Bergiel and Upson 2012). However, their masculinity is not observed in the form of loudly competitive individuals due to the presence of collectivism in the society. In Japan, competitions generally take place among different groups with the objective of attaining excellence and perfection. In the workplaces also, the employees are seen to be motivated if there exist competitions among different groups and if they collectively win in different aspects (Dasgupta 2012). Japanese are also found to be excessively workaholic which is an expression of their masculinity and which also indicates towards the difficulties faced by the women workers to climb the corporate ladder. Uncertainty Avoidance- This shows the level of acceptance of new ideas and thoughts and level of experimenting and risk-taking attitudes of the societies. High scores reflect towards societies more inclined towards stiff regulations and guidelines and a tendency to go by the absolute truths and conventional flows. Low scoring societies, on the other hand, are more open and accepting towards new thoughts and ideas and there exists a free-flowing environment in the societies where there are less regulations and more ambiguity. Australia scores significantly lower (51) than Japan (92) in this context, which indicates towards the presence of a comparatively free flowing and more accepting society in the former where new ideas are easily pitched and heard and are often implemented (Matusitz and Musambira 2013). Japan is one of the most uncertainty avoiding societies, much of which can be attributed to their natural vulnerabilities which forces them to be always prepared. Life in Japan, is thus highly ritualized and people tend to prefer following conventions than experimenting new things. In the professional environment, the workers abide by strict corporate norms and etiquettes and business decisions are taken and new ideas are implemented after detailed and long-term discussion and exploration of empirical evidences (Frijns et al. 2013). Long-term and Short-term Orientation- The degree of linkage with past while dealing with present situations is reflected in this index. Low scoring societies are basically normative ones who adhere to age-old traditions and conventions, while the high scoring ones are more pragmatic in nature. Australia (scoring 21) is a normative society, giving more priorities to their traditions than on new ways of thinking. They also tend to have much lower propensity to save for future betterment. Japan (scoring 88) is considerably long term oriented, with the residents living by the virtues of good practical examples. In the commercial scenario, Japan is always seen to be investing in constant research and development, even at the cost of sacrificing short term lavish expenditures as the primary notion working behind this is that the corporate responsibility is not of making profits but of ensuring a larger contribution in the development of the future society (Stone, Luminet and Takahashi 2015). Indulgence and Restraint- As is evident from the terms, in indulgent societies people do not tend to control their own individual desires and impulses. However, in the restrained ones, there exists higher control over desire and indulgences. Australia is primarily an indulgent country (71), where the individuals are free to fulfil their desires and indulge in enjoying life, with greater optimism. On the other hand, Japan is more of a restrained society, with not much priority on leisure and fulfilment of individual desires (Beugelsdijk, Maseland and Hoorn 2015). The social norms in the society actually make the individuals feel that lavish indulging is a way of wrongdoing on the society. From the above discussion, it can be seen that there exist clear differences in the cultural differences in every aspect of human lives in Australia and Japan, which are expected to have considerable implications on the business decisions of the concerned company and can also be posing as challenges for the firm to employ and manage local employees in Japan. The company, being originally from Australia and being habituated in the Australian business environment, may face difficulties in terms of building a proper infrastructure within the human resource management domain of their subsidiary in Tokyo, Japan, due to the presence of considerable differences in the mindsets, expectations, way of working, communication and level of acceptances of the workers in the two concerned countries, which have been shown in the above discussion. Taking the above problem of concern into consideration, the only plausible way out for the concerned company, in terms of proper management of the operations in both the countries, is to incorporate the inherent institutional differences between Australia and Japan in the designing of the human resource management in these countries. The institutional differences which are to be taken into consideration are as follows: Employee relations- While designing the human resource management framework, the company needs to take into account that in Japan, employees tend to be abiding by hierarchical construct and are more comfortable in a strict corporate regulated framework, with proper dressing, talking and working (Shenkar 2012). The decision-making can also take longer time than that of Australia as it has to pass through different levels before being accepted and executed. Japanese are generally workaholic in nature and tend to thrive for excellence. The sense of community and working in groups, for achievement of combined goals is also highly prevalent in Japan than working individually, for individual achievement, which in common Australia (Brewster 2017). Reward and Recognition- One of the primary aspect of human resource management in any business organization is the structure of reward and recognition prevailing in the company, as the same has considerable impacts on the motivation of the employees and their performances, which in turn have direct implications on the performance of the organizations in the long run. In this context, considerable differences exist in the perception of rewards and recognitions by the employees in Australia and in Japan. Australia being a more individualistic society than Japan, employees tend to appreciate individual recognition and rewarding of their personal efforts more. Therefore, the organization needs to give individual attention and recognition to the workers and their achievements in their works to keep them motivated (Greenberg and Colquitt 2013). On the other hand, in Japan, the workers are not in general accustomed to individual recognition as they tend to keep the success of their groups over their individual achievements. In such scenario, rewarding and recognizing one employee exclusively may be seen as a form of separation of the same from his or her group, which can be perceived to be a selfish move and may not be welcomed by the employee himself or herself. Thus, while designing the human resource management strategies in Japan, the company needs to be more focussed on recognizing the achievement and success of the groups as a whole and rewarding the group as a whole, which in turn can help in motivating the workers in the group significantly. Work Environment- The work environment prevailing in the business organizations of Australia, there usually exists a free-flowing framework facilitating free flow of ideas and innovations and the companies also tend to be more accepting and experimenting in these aspects. However, while operating in Japan, the concerned firm needs to take into account the fact that the employees in the country are not as open and accepting or experimenting as those in Australia (Deresky 2017). Thus, they may not be easily accepting new modes of working and new work place arrangements and may only accept the same after sufficient investigation and discussion about the same. Also due to greater workaholism and desire for excellence, there may be strict competitions among the different groups. However, this is not something to be worried about as due to their mild and conservative nature, the competition is expected to stay confined to productive activities only. Career Development- Japanese workers tend to be less concerned about sole monetary benefits than their Australian counterparts. While one of the major objectives of the workers in their career development path is to earn more, the Japanese workers view development in their job roles and increased contribution to the future society as parts of their career development along with the increase in the monetary benefits (Bloom et al. 2012). These, have to be taken into consideration, by the concerned company, while designing their employees career development structure, as employee retention, motivation and satisfaction significantly depend on the same. Thus, from the above discussion, it can be asserted that there exist significant institutional differences in the corporate scenario of Japan and Australia, much of which stem from their inherent cultural diversities and differences in the overall thought process and mindset. These differences being significantly high, it is not a beneficial option for the company in consideration, to have one particular standardized Human Resource Policy framework for both the countries, because that would cause excessive over generalization and biases (Brewster et al. 2016). To keep the employees in both the countries motivated and eager to work with the organization, Naturo Condiments need to respect their diversities and incorporate the same in the human resource management framework. Conclusion The above discussion makes it evident that there exist significant cultural differences in Japan and in Australia, which have impacts on all the aspects of the life of the residents of both the countries, specifically on their professional domains. These differences lead to the creation of considerable diversities in the institutional aspects of the business organizations. Taking this into consideration, Naturo Condiments, which is an Australian company by origin, needs to take these differences into consideration while designing their human resource management framework, especially for their subsidiary in Japan. Forming country specific frameworks seem to be more plausible and profitable for the concerned organization in this aspect, than applying the same standardized policy structure on the human resource system to their operational bases in both the countries. References Adekola, A. and Sergi, B.S., 2016.Global business management: A cross-cultural perspective. Routledge. Aronczyk, M., 2013.Branding the nation: The global business of national identity. Oxford University Press. Bergiel, E.B., Bergiel, B.J. and Upson, J.W., 2012. Revisiting Hofstede's dimensions: Examining the cultural convergence of the United States and Japan.American Journal of Management,12(1), p.69. Beugelsdijk, S., Maseland, R. and Hoorn, A., 2015. Are scores on Hofstede's dimensions of national culture stable over time? A cohort analysis.Global Strategy Journal,5(3), pp.223-240. Bloom, N., Genakos, C., Sadun, R. and Van Reenen, J., 2012. Management practices across firms and countries.The Academy of Management Perspectives,26(1), pp.12-33. Brewster, C., 2017. The integration of human resource management and corporate strategy. InPolicy and practice in European human resource management(pp. 22-35). Routledge. Brewster, C., Houldsworth, E., Sparrow, P. and Vernon, G., 2016.International human resource management. Kogan Page Publishers. Dasgupta, R., 2012.Re-reading the salaryman in Japan: Crafting masculinities. Routledge. Deresky, H., 2017.International management: Managing across borders and cultures. Pearson Education India. Ferraro, G.P. and Briody, E.K., 2017.The cultural dimension of global business. Taylor Francis. Frijns, B., Gilbert, A., Lehnert, T. and Tourani-Rad, A., 2013. Uncertainty avoidance, risk tolerance and corporate takeover decisions.Journal of Banking Finance,37(7), pp.2457-2471. Greenberg, J. and Colquitt, J.A. eds., 2013.Handbook of organizational justice. Psychology Press. Hofstede, G.J., Jonker, C.M. and Verwaart, T., 2012. Cultural differentiation of negotiating agents.Group Decision and Negotiation,21(1), pp.79-98. Hofstede-insights.com (2018).Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights. [online] Hofstede Insights. Available at: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/australia,japan/ [Accessed 9 Apr. 2018]. Matusitz, J. and Musambira, G., 2013. Power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and technology: analyzing Hofstede's dimensions and human development indicators.Journal of Technology in Human Services,31(1), pp.42-60. Moran, R.T., Abramson, N.R. and Moran, S.V., 2014.Managing cultural differences. Routledge. Mouer, R. and Sugimoto, Y., 2013.Images Of Japanese Society Hb. Routledge. Okoro, E., 2012. Cross-cultural etiquette and communication in global business: Toward a strategic framework for managing corporate expansion.International journal of business and management,7(16), p.130. Peng, M.W., 2016.Global business. Cengage learning. Piekkari, R., Welch, D. and Welch, L.S., 2014.Language in international business: The multilingual reality of global business expansion. Edward Elgar Publishing. Shenkar, O., 2012. Cultural distance revisited: Towards a more rigorous conceptualization and measurement of cultural differences.Journal of International Business Studies,43(1), pp.1-11. Stone, C.B., Luminet, O. and Takahashi, M., 2015. Remembering Public, Political Events: A Cross?Cultural and?Sectional Examination of Australian and Japanese Public Memories.Applied Cognitive Psychology,29(2), pp.280-290. Taras, V., Steel, P. and Kirkman, B.L., 2012. Improving national cultural indices using a longitudinal meta-analysis of Hofstede's dimensions.Journal of World Business,47(3), pp.329-341. Triandis, H.C., 2018.Individualism and collectivism. Routledge. Warner, M., 2014.Culture and management in Asia. Routledge.

Global Environmental Issues. Essay Example

Global Environmental Issues. Paper Global environmental issues. Im going to speak about the problems of the environment which the world is facing at the moment and what we should do to protect our Earth. Nowadays, environmental problems are the most burning for the society. Air, water, land and nuclear pollution badly damage the nature. People cut down trees and destroy the habitat of thousands of animals. As a result, many species are in danger of extinction. Factories pollute our rivers and lakes with dangerous chemicals. The increasing number of cars in towns and cities has led to the growth of harmful gases in the atmosphere. There is much litter everywhere, our parks and forests are full of rubbish. Scientists believe that the problem of global warming is becoming more and more serious. The results of human activity such as acid rains, greenhouse effect and ozone layer destruction cause the changes Of the climate on our planet and destroy it. All these facts have a bad influence on our health. More and more people suffer from allergies and breathing problems. Its almost impossible to find a healthy person nowadays. People are becoming more and more aware that our planet is under threat and its all our fault. Fortunately, its not too late to love these problems. We have the time, the money and the technologies to take care of our planet. There are a number of simple things we can do if we want to help our planet. We will write a custom essay sample on Global Environmental Issues. specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Global Environmental Issues. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Global Environmental Issues. specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer For example, if we stop wasting paper and start recycling it, well save some of the millions of trees which are cut down every year. We should also stop making unnecessary car journeys to cut down air pollution. We can create parks for endangered species of animals. But the most important thing we must do is to open our eyes and act immediately. The Earth is our home and we should protect and save it for ourselves and for the future generations.

Sasha Gutierrez ANT 200 -1101 Essays - Gender Studies, Social Status

Sasha Gutierrez ANT 200 -1101 Essays - Gender Studies, Social Status Sasha Gutierrez ANT 200 -1101 10/20/16 ' ' PROFESSOR MATTHEWS R edefining gender roles in street culture E thnography by definition is the study of human races and cultures. P hillipe bourgeois "selling crack en el barrio "focuses predominately on street culture in urban neighborhoods. Chapter six in his work highlight's gender roles and the treatment of women within this culture. Along with this chapter six of the anthropology of Latin America and the Caribbean by Harry Sanabria which provides ethnographic support of women roles within their cultur es and how they begun to evolve. Street culture for a long time has been characterized my misogyny and violence towards women. As appose to just becoming victims, this behavior within street culture has motivated women to find ways to establish power and authority. Redefining previously established gender roles. Phillipe bourgeois in his chapter entitled redrawing the gender line on the street speaks about the prominence of sexual violence in urban Spanish neighborhoods or (el barrio ). G iving the idea that these are not isolated incidents but an accepted common occurrence. As a result, women have begun trying to assert themselves within the barrio as individual's with rights and powers instead of allowing themselves to be controlled. "women's roles and behavior are supposedly confined to the domestic domain while male behavior and roles properly belong in the street ( S anabria pg 156) ." ethnographically speaking with this means is women in el barrio are fighting against establish gender roles trying to make their way in a male dominated world while man strive to assert and maintain their dominance. This growing struggle for dominant has become less about gender roles and more about what gender has the power. Another obstacle woman faces while trying to establish themselves in the streets is the idea that the women of the streets inherently a bad women and thus cannot also be the kind of women to held a household . In his book Phillipe recounts the story of a women named candy who went from being a victim of domestic violence to a respected drug dealer. However, one of the things he found most odd about candy was her desire to bare twelve children while simultaneously behaving like a "macho street dealer" this for Phillipe was proof that gender roles idea were changing. Candy story represents how complex the idea of women role in street culture really is does candy stand for. Does candy stand for what all street savy street women want or does she just stand for individually liberty ? The idea of women playing both parts becoming the new normal completely redefines gender roles of the past. Sanabria description of of marianismo or what we kno w more as the ideal of a house wife is contradictory to bourgeois idea of the modern women running the streets but first-hand accounts like those from candy show that women have the desire and the ability to be both. In conclusion the ethnography of gender rules and stre et culture has shown that women gender role were subject to change in evolution. This shows that women do not always have to choose a specific role to play but that it is possible to adequately fulfil more than one role. Harry S anabria presents with factual representation of past and current gender roles while Phillipe bourgeois leaves the reader with that idea of what future gender roles for women in the steeet look like. Work cited Sanabria , Harry. "Robot Check." Robot Check . N.p ., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. Merriam-Webster . Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. /. latest _citation_text "Philippe Bourgeois - In Search of Respect. Selling Crack in El Bario ." Scribd . N.p ., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2016

Business research project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business research project - Essay Example According to Bruce (2001) until now the demand to sensitize the business teachers who are trained to enhance international field experience has been driven further and acknowledged widely. This is due to the movement of world cultures and global contacts that are increasing through international experience. In this respect, the new rule is that many businesses are increasing their diversity and enrolling their employees with challenging and unique needs to teachers that are recruited internationally. This has made managers and business employees to be agents of responsibility for global and cultural responsibility within the business. In business management, international field experience is a vital aspect to the educational professionals who prepare for natural resource and business management industries. It gives out experience which reinforces the instruction of the business management. It also gives out a chance to business students to engage and observe the application of the kn owledge that has been acquired. This means that international field experience helps employees to achieve valuable insights towards the operation and organization of agencies and businesses in different industrial sectors. In this regard, field experience that is properly supervised and pursued with enthusiasm could be of significant meaning towards business management. However, there is hardly any research that has been done concerning the relevance of international field experience on business management. For this reason, this paper proposes a study to investigate the impacts of international field experience on business management. In this study, we will hypothesise that international field experience has increased positive impacts on business management. Purpose of international field experience. Field experience is a factor which is of great importance in business management. Its main purpose has always been to give managers a business of combining the theoretical studies with an application of practical knowledge in the actual environment of work. In the business students’ academic program, field experience plays a crucial role as it gives students a room for application of the knowledge gained while in the classroom. Field work also gives students a chance to continue learning under a professional supervisor during the field work. Additionally, student interns should always undertake their study abroad responsibilities with professional and quality dedication. Student interns are also expected to be assets to the agency of placement and that they need to establish an enormous contribution due to their experience in the work. The objective of the research. This is a research work that is set out to among other things achieve one key objective. Thus, the overarching objective was to find out the impacts of international field experience on business management. The topic to be examined would be the impacts of field experience on business management. Research Questions There are three essential questions considered in this study. These questions can support the research in its objective of achieving the possible answer to the thesis. What does International field experience entail? What are the effects of such international fie

Residential School Healing and Resurgence Essay

Residential School Healing and Resurgence - Essay Example This essay declares that the list of negative consequences of residential schooling includes a loss of native language, destruction of culture, different types of chronic addictions, cases of broken families, feeling of cultural shame, interpersonal violence, inter-generational sexual abuse, and so on and so forth. This paper makes a conclusion that tthe government of Canada decided to establish the AHF or the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. It happened in March 1998, and the AHF's major concern was to address the legacy of abuse experience by Aboriginals in residential schools. However, it is not the only goal of the foundation. Other ones include promotion of healing between Canadians and residential school survivors by truth telling and acknowledgment of the mistakes made by Canadians in the past. In other words, this foundation and all of its programs are essential for Canada in terms of apologizing for the black parts of its history, and for residence school survivors in terms of having a chance to overcome the burden of the past. It has been identified that survivors of residential schooling should never be treated in isolation. Thus, practitioners taking part in the healing process encourage family, neighbours, friends, and the community at large to take part in the healing process. It is believed that a so-called collective healing is likely to enhance a strengthening of Anishinabe ethnocultural identity. This approach based on a combination of traditional and non-traditional healing practices is believed to be the most effective in terms of the problem.

Public Health Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Public Health Proposal - Essay Example For each age group, obesity poses different health problems related to specific age, routine, dietary habits and genetic makeup of the individuals (Reilly 2005). Here, obesity in children (age 0-12) will be focused and discussed in detail. It is reported that the epidemics of childhood obesity appeared in the UK in the late 1980s. In different parts of the world, the problem of childhood obesity is getting worse. Lobstein, Baur and Uauy (2004) asserted that ten percent of the school going children in the world are estimated to contain excessive body fat. Among these overweight children 25 percent are declared as obese with a considerable prospect of developing cardiac diseases, type II diabetes and various other health problems in early adulthood. The prevalence of childhood obesity is considered much higher in economically developed and established countries like the UK (Lobstein, Baur and Uauy 2004). The social impact of childhood obesity on children is also very dominant. A study conducted by Cornell University reported that obese children show lack of social skills than the normal weight children. The social exclusion of obese children provokes several personality issues like low self-esteem, isolation and lack of confidence. Researches also show that obese children are easily targeted for bullying by their peers. Due to several social issues faced by obese children their performance at school is also impacted. Low esteem, feeling of hopelessness and self-pity is usually accompanied by low performance at school and social exclusion that creates frustration and depression in children. Due to depression children become isolated, withdraw activities they used to like and lack interest in socialization and studies. The consequences of such symptoms could be disastrous in young and adult age on an individual’s personality. Parents and teachers should understand all these soc ial impacts and must help obese children to fight their obesity and

Examine The Role Of The Mental Health Nurse Social Work Essay

Examine The Role Of The Mental Health Nurse Social Work Essay Within this essay the authors aim is to explore the challenges and opportunities of integrating the Ten Essential Shared Capabilities (ESC) into the day to day running of mental health practice. The author will also take into account Values Based Practice, Recovery, Interpersonal Relationships and Service User and Carer involvement. Aswell as the 10 ESC there are a set of values which all mental health staff should follow. They are the Values Based Practice and it is about being aware of , and looking in a positive and respectful manner at peoples differences, beliefs and values regardless of status for example service user, carer, family or colleagues. (Coyte et al. 2007) There are 10 points to good values based practice which staff should adhere to. They are broken down into the following : Values Based Practice and Evidence Based Practice : The squeaky wheel principal (values only noticed if problematic), The two feet principal (evidence-based and values-based practice). Practice Skills : Awareness, Knowledge, Reasoning and Communication Models of Service Delivery : Multi-disciplinary, User Centred Partnership : Service User and the Carer working in partnership in decision making. The four main Practice Skills in values-based practice are also prominent in many if not all of the 10 ESC, all of which are required in building a working therapeutic relationship between service user and staff. Interpersonal relationships between service users and staff are very different from social relationships in that these relationships are built up on the same principles of respect, trust, good communication and understanding, but the service user, nurse relationship should be a therapeutic and helpful relationship rather than a social one (Guimon 2003). This relationship is essential in ensuring that there is a supportive and solid route of recovery established. Everyone has a different view on what recovery is and no one persons journey is the same as another. Recovery is all about initially having a belief that things can and will change. Some people may want a complete change in the way they live while others may want to return to how they lived before. Supporting recovery is all about assisting the person to live as fulfilling and positive life as possible, involving the service user and their carer and supporting them to take control of their own recovery (Scottish Recovery Network 2007). The author feels that the expertise to the mental health issues are the service user , carer and their family support structure and that this is a positive route onto their journey of recovery. The main issue that staff could come across may be if the service user does not have any of the support structure that comes from a network of family, friends and professionals or if the service user themselves does not want to involve any of the above support. This is where staff and the MDT (Multi-Disciplinary Team) may have to offer other methods or ways to support the service user on their recovery journey. Ideally, getting the service user and carer involved, by making sure that they are involved in all decision making concerning treatment would enable them to take more control of their care and treatment. However this can be challenging in that when trying to find a balance and working out what is holistically best for the service user conflicting ideas may come out, but by establishing a therapeutic relationship between the service user and staff this should help with any trust issues and enabling a better understanding and ensuring that there is a favourable outcome that can be agreed upon. The 10 Essential Shared Capabilities (ESC) are: Working in Partnership Respecting Diversity Practising Ethically Challenging Inequality Promoting Recovery Identifying Peoples Needs and Strengths Providing Service User Centred Care Making a Difference Promoting Safety and Positive Risk Taking Personal Development and Learning Working in partnership is all about building up a relationship with the service user, their family, carers and any outside services that are required to be involved in the care of the person. (Barker 2009) Staff should offer support and empower the person to enable them to have an active role in controlling their own treatment and care, with all aspects of their care being taken into account. Making sure that the whole partnership are aware of the information and advice that is available to them to enable an informed choice regarding the most suitable care is made available. Although, working in partnership sounds good in theory, all involved in the partnership are required to put in the work to ensure that it works successfully. The staff can offer services for both service user and carers but they may not agree or want to attend. If this happens then something needs to be put in place which would benefit all parties and that they all agree on, if any of the party do not want to attend or take notice of services provided then this is their choice and confirms their ability to choose. When respecting diversity it is to have an understanding of someones values, race, sexuality, age, mental health, religion and physical state. Staff need to ensure that everyone in their care are treated to proper care, treatment and support also that they are treated with dignity and respect no matter what their personal circumstances or cultural values area (Stickley and Basset 2008).

Regional Band Competition :: Example Personal Narratives

Regional Band Competition The situation was insane. Not only did I have to make time in the busy schedule of my junior year to take a few days off from school to attend the District One East High School Band Festival, but I actually had to audition to get a decent seat. Don't get me wrong; I was thrilled about attending. I just wasn't looking forward to having to make up two day's worth of schoolwork. For once, I would be attending a festival where the seating arrangement wasn't based on how fast you could sprint to the stage from your seat in the auditorium, but on how talented of a musician you were. And the music for the audition? Amazingly difficult. I knew many of the other students from other competitions and festivals, so I was familiar with their talent and ability. Based on that knowledge, I decided that I had no chance of placing higher in the rankings than, say, a jar of mayonnaise. After diligently practicing - or cramming - the night before the audition, I felt I was as prepared as I'd ever be. Out of all the pieces we were given for the audition, my friends and I had narrowed it down to a few choices that the judges would most likely pick for the try-outs. From the three or four that we picked, we determined that the hardest song was Gustav Holst's "Second Suite in F." Fortunately, this song was one that I was familiar with already from concert band. I felt somewhat confident about the audition, but managed to convince myself that I'd be ecstatic if I placed any higher than last chair. I didn't even dream of placing high enough to be selected for Regional Band. The students with the highest scores at the District festivals were chosen to advance to the Regional competition. The first night of the District Band Festival, held at Yough Senior High School, took place on the evening of January 19, 2000. Cramming seven Hempfield students and one tuba into a mini-yellow bus, which we dubbed "The Sped Sled," we trekked through the blustery winter weather to the school. Surprisingly enough, we were early, giving us all a little more time to relax, warm-up, or practice music.

Analysis of Competitive Advantage in an Absolut World Essay

Currently the fourth largest spirit brand in the world, Absolut Vodka is a subsidiary of Pernod Ricard, the world’s co-leader in spirits and wines. (Top Ten Premium Spirit Brands Worldwide 2007, 2007). Considerably young in the market, and then a part of ‘V & S Vin and Sprit’, Absolut started branding and exporting their premium blend of vodka a mere 30 years ago, in 1979, where in, began the start of the iconic ‘Absolut’ brand. History of ‘Absolut’ Though the production and export of Absolut started in 1979, the start of the story goes aback a hundred years to 1879, when in Ahus, Sweden, a young man named Lars Olsson Smith, also popularly know as the ‘King of Vodka’ revolutionized the production and purification of Vodka by a process called ‘Continuous Distillation’. He called the Vodka made through this process ‘Absolut rent Branvin’ which in Swedish means absolutely pure Vodka (Lewis, 1996). Realizing the power of the name ‘Absolut’ he registered the brand name in 1879. A hundred years passed, as Absolut vodka continued to be refined and sold in Sweden, but by the late 1970’s, it became obvious that in order to sustain the distillery, they had to export their vodka to improve sales. The American market were the biggest consumers of vodka in the western world, so it was natural that Absolut decided to start their journey in America in 1979. In five short years, Absolut Vodka found itself being available in eighteen countries and by 1985, it was number one among imported vodkas being sold in the United States. (Absolut The Story, 2004) Production – The ‘One Source’ Concept Lars Olsson Smith had transformed Swedish Vodka, which was traditionally unrefined since the invention of the continuous distillation process. Absolut has continued to produce vodka in this manner. This production of superior quality vodka involves the use of high quality raw materials. Absolut’s concept of production is the ‘One source’ concept, where in, all the raw materials have been obtained from the same, singular source. The raw material for Absolut, which is winter wheat, is cultivated in fields surrounding the small town of Ahus in southern Sweden. The water which is used comes from their own deep wells which they claim are untouched by pollution and impurities, and the vodka is distilled, produced and packaged in the Absolut’s Ahus distilleries. 50,000 bottles of Absolut that are produced everyday are shipped from the small Ahus Harbor, to consumers the world over. Every single bottle of vodka imprinted with the Absolut brand name comes from this one source, ensuring that Absolut Vodka tastes exactly the same wherever it is sold in the world (Absolut The Story, 2004). The Absolut Brand When V & S Vin & Sprit decided to export their brand of Vodka, they hired Gunnar Broman, a creative director from a Stockholm agency to help with the branding, packaging and marketing their product. After much deliberation on possible packaging, they chose a bottle design that had been inspired by an old Swedish pharmacy bottle they found in an antique shop in Stockholm (Absolut The Story, 2004). As opposed to other alcohol liquor bottles that had long necks and square shoulders, the Absolut bottle had a short neck and round shoulders. The team decided to have the label printed directly onto the bottle, which was a brilliant innovation, as it further established the quality and clarity of the product (Lewis, 1996) As observed by Giep and Moriarty (2009, p. 79), â€Å"Thanks to its cylindrical simplicity and transparency, the Absolut bottle, though solid and heavy, is elegant and utterly distinctive†. With bold and colorful typography proclaiming the brand name and a brief story about the brand, these different and distinct features made the bottle stand out, and this is how the iconic ‘Absolut’ bottle came to be. The Absolut bottle has been at the forefront of every single advertising and marketing campaign that the company has put out, and is, literally as well as figuratively the image of the brand.

10 Facts About Military Schools

10 Facts About Military Schools If you are looking at a private school for your son or daughter, military school is one option worth considering, particularly if you are looking for  a boarding school. Here are some facts about military schools to help you make that decision, including a few that may surprise you. There Are Approximately 66 Military Schools in the US There are approximately 66  military schools in the U.S., most of which serve students in grades 9 through 12. However, more than 50 of those military high schools also include junior high, typically grades six, seven and/or eight. A few schools enroll students in younger grades, but the military curriculum doesnt always apply. Most military schools are residential schools, which means students reside on campus, and some schools offer the option of boarding or day.   They Instill Discipline Discipline is the first word which comes to mind when you think of military school. Indeed, discipline is the essence of military schools, but it doesnt always refer to a negative form of discipline. Discipline creates order. Order creates results. Any successful person knows that discipline is one real secret to her success. Put a young, rough around the edges man in a military high school and the transformation will astound you. The structure smooths and refines. The program demands greatness from its participants. This environment is also a place for students looking to engage in advanced studies and leadership opportunities in a rigorous environment. The level of positive discipline prepares them for the rigors of college, careers or military involvement.   Build Character Being a team member, learning to execute orders and sacrificing ones personal needs for the good of the group - these are all character building exercises every good military school teaches its students. Service above self is an integral part of most military schools philosophy. Integrity and honor are core values to which every school commits. Students who attend military school leave with a sense of pride in themselves, their communities and their roles as good citizens of the world.   Selective Admission The idea that anybody can get into military school is simply not true. Military schools set their own individual admission requirements. In most cases, they are looking for young people who want to make something of themselves and succeed in life. Yes, there are some military schools devoted to helping troubled teens turn their lives around, but the majority of military schools are institutions with some of the highest admittance criteria around.   Demanding Academics and Military Training Most military schools offer extensive college preparatory courses as part of their academic curricula. They combine that demanding academic work with rigorous military training so that their graduates are poised to matriculate to college and universities everywhere. Distinguished Graduates The rolls of military schools are filled with distinguished graduates who have gone on to be successes in just about every endeavor you care to name. Not just in military service either. JROTC JROTC or Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps is a Federal program sponsored by the U.S. Army at high schools nationwide. The Air Force, Navy, and Marines offer similar programs. About 50% of JROTC program participants go on to active military service. JROTC provides an introduction to military life and philosophy at the secondary school level. It is an important part of most military schools programs. The instructors are usually retired officers of the armed forces. Leadership Development Developing leaders is at the core of a military schools philosophy. One of the objectives of that kind of training is to develop students leadership skills. Most schools offer carefully designed leadership programs designed to maximize each students fullest potential. A Path to the Service Academies Military schools are often seen as a path to the service academies. And, while it is true that they offer the right sort of training and experience the academies require, parents and students need to bear in mind that nominations to our nations service academies are extremely selective and limited. Only the best of the best get in. Patriotism Patriotism is at the core of military training. The history of our country and how it got to where it is in the 21st century is an important part of what military schools teach as well. Inspiring service to our nation is the mission of a military school. Resource Association of Military Colleges and Schools of the United States    Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski

Assessment Essays

Assessment Essays Assessment Essay Assessment Essay Essay Topic: Thirteen Reasons Why The function of assessment in Learning and Development Assessment can take part at different stages in Learning and Development and can sometimes be overlooked. ?  In this article, weâ„ ¢ll take a look at why we should be assessing our candidates and students, what benefits there are to assessment and some of the key principles of assessment. Why assess If you have just delivered a training session and you donâ„ ¢t assess, how can you be sure that any learning has taken place ?  Or if you are trying to work out a personâ„ ¢s level of skill in a particular area, how would you know whether their skill level is poor, moderate or exceptional without assessment ?  There are loads of reasons to assess such as: Determining level of knowledge understanding Ensuring that learning is taking place Checking progress Adhering to course criteria Providing a summary to learning It also never hurts if candidates and students know they are being assessed; itâ„ ¢s likely to increase their attention span and encourage them to ask about topics theyâ„ ¢re not sure of if they know that they will have to prove they have understood. For the person doing the assessing, assessment means they can be confident that the student or candidate has the required level of knowledge on a particular topic or competency for a certain task. ?  For the student or candidate, assessment usually means reassurance of their own level of knowledge / competency and usually a certificate! ?   How do we assess The first part of the assessment process is to sit down with the candidate and create a plan for their assessment. ?  The assessor has the responsibility of inducting the candidate onto the course and explaining: How they will be assessed What is going to be assessed Where they will be assessed When they will be assessed Depending on the course the assessor may help the candidate choose particular units that they are to be assessed on. The next step is to start performing the assessments and reviewing the candidateâ„ ¢s performance and knowledge. ?  One of the vital roles for the assessor is to collect and record evidence of their assessments. ?  If the assessor ever gets questioned on a decision it will be essential for them to back it up with their evidence, otherwise, itâ„ ¢s just the assessorâ„ ¢s word against the candidateâ„ ¢s! ?  This evidence must be judged against a set of criteria or standards to ensure that the candidate has the required level of knowledge or competency for the course. When a decision about a particular assessment has been reached, the candidate needs to be told about it. ?  This could be done in a yes/noâ„ ¢ or â„ ¢that was good/badâ„ ¢ way but it provides an opportunity for the assessor to give feedback and it would be a shame to waste it. ?  The purpose of giving feedback is to enhance learning. ?  It should focus on what the learner should do to improve rather than being critical and telling them what theyâ„ ¢ve done wrong. ?  It should always be given in a positive, non-judgemental manner. Once assessment decisions have been made, the assessor will be required to contribute to the quality assurance process. The function of assessment in Learning and Development Assessment can take part at different stages in Learning and Development and can sometimes be overlooked. ?  In this article, weâ„ ¢ll take a look at why we should be assessing our candidates and students, what benefits there are to assessment and some of the key principles of assessment. ?   Why assess If you have just delivered a training session and you donâ„ ¢t assess, how can you be sure that any learning has taken place ?  Or if you are trying to work out a personâ„ ¢s level of skill in a particular area, how would you know whether their skill level is poor, moderate or exceptional without assessment ?  There are loads of reasons to assess such as: Determining level of knowledge understanding Ensuring that learning is taking place Checking progress Adhering to course criteria Providing a summary to learning It also never hurts if candidates and students know they are being assessed; itâ„ ¢s likely to increase their attention span and encourage them to ask about topics theyâ„ ¢re not sure of if they know that they will have to prove they have understood. For the person doing the assessing, assessment means they can be confident that the student or candidate has the required level of knowledge on a particular topic or competency for a certain task. ?  For the student or candidate, assessment usually means reassurance of their own level of knowledge / competency and usually a certificate! ?   How do we assess The first part of the assessment process is to sit down with the candidate and create a plan for their assessment. ?  The assessor has the responsibility of inducting the candidate onto the course and explaining: How they will be assessed What is going to be assessed Where they will be assessed When they will be assessed Depending on the course the assessor may help the candidate choose particular units that they are to be assessed on. The next step is to start performing the assessments and reviewing the candidateâ„ ¢s performance and knowledge. ?  One of the vital roles for the assessor is to collect and record evidence of their assessments. ?  If the assessor ever gets questioned on a decision it will be essential for them to back it up with their evidence, otherwise, itâ„ ¢s just the assessorâ„ ¢s word against the candidateâ„ ¢s! ?  This evidence must be judged against a set of criteria or standards to ensure that the candidate has the required level of knowledge or competency for the course. When a decision about a particular assessment has been reached, the candidate needs to be told about it. ?  This could be done in a yes/noâ„ ¢ or â„ ¢that was good/badâ„ ¢ way but it provides an opportunity for the assessor to give feedback and it would be a shame to waste it. ?  The purpose of giving feedback is to enhance learning. ?  It should focus on what the learner should do to improve rather than being critical and telling them what theyâ„ ¢ve done wrong. ?  It should always be given in a positive, non-judgemental manner. Once assessment decisions have been made, the assessor will be required to contribute to the quality assurance process. The strengths and limitations of assessment methods Categories of assessment Assessments can be roughly categorised into three types which may be used at different stages of someoneâ„ ¢s training: Initial assessment Formative assessment Summative assessment The initial assessment is done before any training or other assessments take place to gauge a studentâ„ ¢s base level of knowledge or a candidateâ„ ¢s basic competency level. ?  A formative assessment is one that occurs periodically at interim points throughout the learning process. ?  A summative assessment occurs at the end of someoneâ„ ¢s training as a final assessment. ?   Methods of assessment There are loads of choices when making a decision on how to assess each with their own strengths and limitations. ?  Some types of assessment include: Question Answer sessions (both written and oral) Professional discussions Reflective accounts Role play and simulation Accredited Prior Learning Assignments Product evidence Self assessment Peer assessment Witness testimony Observations Written questioning can take the form of essays, short answer questions or multiple choice questions. ?   ?  Short and multiple choice questioning are examples of objective testing as there is only one correct answer. ?  This form of assessment is quick and easy to mark which means feedback can be given quickly to candidates. ?  Multiple choice questions can be guessed if the candidate is unsure so they might not be the best way to get an accurate measure of whether the candidate has understood something. ?  If more depth on short answer questions is required, essays can be used to assess understanding, literacy and high level comprehension although they take time for the candidates to complete and for the assessor to mark. Oral questioning can form a secondary or backup assessment method to check for comprehension. ?  They can be used to support theory while the candidate is practicing their skills or at work and they can be adapted or changed quickly depending on the situation. ?  Assessors should be careful not to used closed questions unless testing agreement. ?  Open oral questions should be used to draw out the information from the candidate. ?  An alternative to oral questioning would be a professional discussion where a candidate is asked to talk about a situation or subject regarding their work. ?  It allows for a more descriptive, structured assessment to take place. ?  An assessor should ensure they donâ„ ¢t lead the candidate in the discussion and that the learner has time to prepare for the discussion otherwise it may not flow very well. Role plays or simulations can be used to recreate a situation that a candidate may find themselves in so the assessor can determine how they would react and handle the situation. ?  A lot of candidates may resist role-play as they donâ„ ¢t want to make an idiot of themselves but the majority find it a beneficial experience although it doesnâ„ ¢t match the real thing in terms of emotions. ?   A simulation is useful when a situation could be considered dangerous or risking expensive resources. If a candidate has attended a previous training session or achieved an award or certificate in the past this can be used to support their other assessments. ?  Accredited Prior Learning assessment makes a candidate feel that any work they may have done in the past in this area wasnâ„ ¢t a waste of time. ?  This may however be time consuming for the assessor as they will need to validate the APL and not all of it may be relevant to the current criteria they are assessing. A project or assignment can give a candidate a purpose of what theyâ„ ¢re trying to learn and allows their creativity to flourish. ?  The benefit of this for both the assessor and the candidate is that it can cover a wide range of skills such as literacy, ICT skills, research skills and comprehension of the subject. ?  The assessor should ensure that if they give an assignment to a candidate they should make the learning outcomes clear to focus the candidate on what they are trying to achieve. Product evidence can be a useful assessment to support other methods. ?  Anything created or generated within the work environment can be used to backup other assessments. ?  This will only apply to candidates who have the ability to produce such evidence and the assessor should endeavour to check if it is the candidateâ„ ¢s own work or not. If an assessor gets a bit bored with doing the assessments themselves, they can get one of the candidateâ„ ¢s colleagues workmates or peersâ„ ¢ to do it for them. ?  This might help the candidate to get some informal feedback on their competencies or knowledge and perhaps some new ideas. ?  Of course, the assessor would need to verify the peer assessment as the colleague may not have the same standards or be aware of the criteria that are being assessed. ?  Another method which will allow the assessor to put their feet up and have a cup of tea is self assessment. ?  This encourages the candidate to reflect and evaluate their own competency and the candidate records this for their future reference (e.g. reviewing their own learning progress). ?  Depending on the candidate, they may find it hard to be objective about their own skills or knowledge. As long as some reliable witnesses are available, using their testimonies can be a form of assessment. ?  This can be used to summarise or validate a candidateâ„ ¢s competency perhaps at the end of a unit or complete course. ?  A witness would need to be checked for reliability by the assessor as they may be biased one way or the other to a particular candidate. Observations are an assessorâ„ ¢s primary assessment method for practical skills. ?  Itâ„ ¢s an opportunity to see the candidate in their natural work environment and see if the theory they have learnt is being applied. ?  An assessor needs to work out a way of recording these observations as they are the most likely form of evidence to be questioned by a candidate. ?  This is when the other forms of assessment can be used to support these observations. Educational assessment is the process of documenting, usually in measurable terms, knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs. Assessment can focus on the individual learner, the learning community (class, workshop, or other organized group of learners), the institution, or the educational system as a whole. According to the Academic Exchange Quarterly: Studies of a theoretical or empirical nature (including case studies, portfolio studies, exploratory, or experimental work) addressing the assessment of learner aptitude and preparation, motivation and learning styles, learning outcomes in achievement and satisfaction in different educational contexts are all welcome, as are studies addressing issues of measurable standards and benchmarks.[1] It is important to notice that the final purposes and assessment practices in education depends on the theoretical framework of the practitioners and researchers, their assumptions and beliefs about the nature of human mind, the origin of knowledge and the process of learning. Types The term assessment is generally used to refer to all activities teachers use to help students learn and to gauge student progress.[3] Though the notion of assessment is generally more complicated than the following categories suggest, assessment is often divided for the sake of convenience using the following distinctions: formative and summative objective and subjective referencing (criterion-referenced, norm-referenced, and ipsative) informal and formal. Formative and summative Assessment is often divided into formative and summative categories for the purpose of considering different objectives for assessment practices. Summative assessment Summative assessment is generally carried out at the end of a course or project. In an educational setting, summative assessments are typically used to assign students a course grade. Summative assessments are evaluative. Formative assessment Formative assessment is generally carried out throughout a course or project. Formative assessment, also referred to as educative assessment, is used to aid learning. In an educational setting, formative assessment might be a teacher (or peer) or the learner, providing feedback on a students work, and would not necessarily be used for grading purposes. Formative assessments are diagnostic. Educational researcher Robert Stake explains the difference between formative and summative assessment with the following analogy: When the cook tastes the soup, thats formative. When the guests taste the soup, thats summative.[4] Summative and formative assessment are often referred to in a learning context as assessment of learning and assessment for learning respectively. Assessment of learning is generally summative in nature and intended to measure learning outcomes and report those outcomes to students, parents, and administrators. Assessment of learning generally occurs at the conclusion of a class, course, semester, or academic year. Assessment for learning is generally formative in nature and is used by teachers to consider approaches to teaching and next steps for individual learners and the class.[5] A common form of formative assessment is diagnostic assessment. Diagnostic assessment measures a students current knowledge and skills for the purpose of identifying a suitable program of learning. Self-assessment is a form of diagnostic assessment which involves students assessing themselves. Forward-looking assessment asks those being assessed to consider themselves in hypothetical future situations.[6] Performance-based assessment is similar to summative assessment, as it focuses on achievement. It is often aligned with the standards-based education reform and outcomes-based education movement. Though ideally they are significantly different from a traditional multiple choice test, they are most commonly associated with standards-based assessment which use free-form responses to standard questions scored by human scorers on a standards-based scale, meeting, falling below, or exceeding a performance standard rather than being ranked on a curve. A well-defined task is identified and students are asked to create, produce, or do something, often in settings that involve real-world application of knowledge and skills. Proficiency is demonstrated by providing an extended response. Performance formats are further differentiated into products and performances. The performance may result in a product, such as a painting, portfolio, paper, or exhibition, or it may consist of a performance, s uch as a speech, athletic skill, musical recital, or reading. Objective and subjective Assessment (either summative or formative) is often categorized as either objective or subjective. Objective assessment is a form of questioning which has a single correct answer. Subjective assessment is a form of questioning which may have more than one correct answer (or more than one way of expressing the correct answer). There are various types of objective and subjective questions. Objective question types include true/false answers, multiple choice, multiple-response and matching questions. Subjective questions include extended-response questions and essays. Objective assessment is well suited to the increasingly popular computerized or online assessment format. Some have argued that the distinction between objective and subjective assessments is neither useful nor accurate because, in reality, there is no such thing as objective assessment. In fact, all assessments are created with inherent biases built into decisions about relevant subject matter and content, as well as cultural (class, ethnic, and gender) biases.[7] Basis of comparison Test results can be compared against an established criterion, or against the performance of other students, or against previous performance: Criterion-referenced assessment, typically using a criterion-referenced test, as the name implies, occurs when candidates are measured against defined (and objective) criteria. Criterion-referenced assessment is often, but not always, used to establish a persons competence (whether s/he can do something). The best known example of criterion-referenced assessment is the driving test, when learner drivers are measured against a range of explicit criteria (such as Not endangering other road users). Norm-referenced assessment (colloquially known as grading on the curve), typically using a norm-referenced test, is not measured against defined criteria. This type of assessment is relative to the student body undertaking the assessment. It is effectively a way of comparing students. The IQ test is the best known example of norm-referenced assessment. Many entrance tests (to prestigious schools or universities) are norm-referenced, permitting a fixed proportion of students to pass (passing in this context means being accepted into the school or university rather than an explicit level of ability). This means that standards may vary from year to year, depending on the quality of the cohort; criterion-referenced assessment does not vary from year to year (unless the criteria change).[8] Ipsative assessment is self comparison either in the same domain over time, or comparative to other domains within the same student. Informal and formal Assessment can be either formal or informal. Formal assessment usually implies a written document, such as a test, quiz, or paper. A formal assessment is given a numerical score or grade based on student performance, whereas an informal assessment does not contribute to a students final grade such as this copy and pasted discussion question. An informal assessment usually occurs in a more casual manner and may include observation, inventories, checklists, rating scales, rubrics, performance and portfolio assessments, participation, peer and self evaluation, and discussion.[9] Internal and external Internal assessment is set and marked by the school (i.e. teachers). Students get the mark and feedback regarding the assessment. External assessment is set by the governing body, and is marked by non-biased personnel. Some external assessments give much more limited feedback in their marking. However, in tests such as Australias NAPLAN, the criterion addressed by students is given detailed feedback in order for their teachers to address and compare the students learning achievements and also to plan for the future. Standards of quality In general, high-quality assessments are considered those with a high level of reliability and validity. Approaches to reliability and validity vary, however. Reliability Reliability relates to the consistency of an assessment. A reliable assessment is one which consistently achieves the same results with the same (or similar) cohort of students. Various factors affect reliability†including ambiguous questions, too many options within a question paper, vague marking instructions and poorly trained markers. Traditionally, the reliability of an assessment is based on the following: Temporal stability: Performance on a test is comparable on two or more separate occasions. Form equivalence: Performance among examinees is equivalent on different forms of a test based on the same content. Internal consistency: Responses on a test are consistent across questions. For example: In a survey that asks respondents to rate attitudes toward technology, consistency would be expected in responses to the following questions: I feel very negative about computers in general. I enjoy using computers.[10] Reliability can also be expressed in mathematical terms as: Rx = VT/Vx where Rx is the reliability in the observed (test) score, X; Vt and Vx are the variability in trueâ„ ¢ (i.e., candidateâ„ ¢s innate performance) and measured test scores respectively. The Rx can range from 0 (completely unreliable), to 1 (completely reliable). An Rx of 1 is rarely achieved, and an Rx of 0.8 is generally considered reliable. [11] Validity A valid assessment is one which measures what it is intended to measure. For example, it would not be valid to assess driving skills through a written test alone. A more valid way of assessing driving skills would be through a combination of tests that help determine what a driver knows, such as through a written test of driving knowledge, and what a driver is able to do, such as through a performance assessment of actual driving. Teachers frequently complain that some examinations do not properly assess the syllabus upon which the examination is based; they are, effectively, questioning the validity of the exam Validity of an assessment is generally gauged through examination of evidence in the following categories: Content â€Å" Does the content of the test measure stated objectives Criterion â€Å" Do scores correlate to an outside reference (ex: Do high scores on a 4th grade reading test accurately predict reading skill in future grades) Construct â€Å" Does the assessment correspond to other significant variables (ex: Do ESL students consistently perform differently on a writing exam than native English speakers)[12] Face â€Å" Does the item or theory make sense, and is it seemingly correct to the expert reader[13] A good assessment has both validity and reliability, plus the other quality attributes noted above for a specific context and purpose. In practice, an assessment is rarely totally valid or totally reliable. A ruler which is marked wrong will always give the same (wrong) measurements. It is very reliable, but not very valid. Asking random individuals to tell the time without looking at a clock or watch is sometimes used as an example of an assessment which is valid, but not reliable. The answers will vary between individuals, but the average answer is probably close to the actual time. In many fields, such as medical research, educational testing, and psychology, there will often be a trade-off between reliability and validity. A history test written for high validity will have many essay and fill-in-the-blank questions. It will be a good measure of mastery of the subject, but difficult to score completely accurately. A history test written for high reliability will be entirely multip le choice. It isnt as good at measuring knowledge of history, but can easily be scored with great precision. We may generalize from this. The more reliable our estimate is of what we purport to measure, the less certain we are that we are actually measuring that aspect of attainment. It is also important to note that there are at least thirteen sources of invalidity, which can be estimated for individual students in test situations. They never are. Perhaps this is because their social purpose demands the absence of any error, and validity errors are usually so high that they would destabilize the whole assessment industry. It is well to distinguish between subject-matter validity and predictive validity. The former, used widely in education, predicts the score a student would get on a similar test but with different questions. The latter, used widely in the workplace, predicts performance. Thus, a subject-matter-valid test of knowledge of driving rules is appropriate while a predictively-valid test would assess whether the potential driver could follow those rules. Testing standards In the field of psychometrics, the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing[14] place standards about validity and reliability, along with errors of measurement and related considerations under the general topic of test construction, evaluation and documentation. The second major topic covers standards related to fairness in testing, including fairness in testing and test use, the rights and responsibilities of test takers, testing individuals of diverse linguistic backgrounds, and testing individuals with disabilities. The third and final major topic covers standards related to testing applications, including the responsibilities of test users, psychological testing and assessment, educational testing and assessment, testing in employment and credentialing, plus testing in program evaluation and public policy. Evaluation standards In the field of evaluation, and in particular educational evaluation, the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation[15] has published three sets of standards for evaluations. The Personnel Evaluation Standards[16] was published in 1988, The Program Evaluation Standards (2nd edition)[17] was published in 1994, and The Student Evaluation Standards[18] was published in 2003. Each publication presents and elaborates a set of standards for use in a variety of educational settings. The standards provide guidelines for designing, implementing, assessing and improving the identified form of evaluation. Each of the standards has been placed in one of four fundamental categories to promote educational evaluations that are proper, useful, feasible, and accurate. In these sets of standards, validity and reliability considerations are covered under the accuracy topic. For example, the student accuracy standards help ensure that student evaluations will provide sound, accurate, and credible information about student learning and performance. In classrooms where assessment for learning is practiced, students know at the outset of a unit of study what they are expected to learn. At the beginning of the unit, the teacher will work with the student to understand what she or he already knows about the topic as well as to identify any gaps or misconceptions (initial/diagnostic assessment). As the unit progresses, the teacher and student work together to assess the studentâ„ ¢s knowledge, what she or he needs to learn to improve and extend this knowledge, and how the student can best get to that point (formative assessment). Assessment for learning occurs at all stages of the learning process. Researchers whose work has informed much of this assessment reform include Ken Oâ„ ¢Connor, Grant Wiggins[1], Jay McTighe[2], Richard Stiggins[3], Paul Black and Dylan Wiliam, Thomas Guskey, Damian Cooper[4] and Ronan Howe. Historical Perspective In past decades, teachers would design a unit of study that would typically include objectives, teaching strategies, and resources. An evaluation component†the test or examination†may or may not have been included as part of this design (Cooper, 2006). The studentâ„ ¢s mark on this test or exam was taken as the indicator of his or her understanding of the topic. Definitions There are a number of assessment terms that will appear in any discussion of assessment. Listed below are common interpretations of some of these terms: Assessment A working definition of Assessment for learning from a widely cited article contends: the term assessmentâ„ ¢ refers to all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged.[1] Since this seminal article, educators have differentiated assessment according to its purpose: Assessment for learning comprises two phases†initial or diagnostic assessment and formative assessment assessment can be based on a variety of information sources (e.g., portfolios, works in progress, teacher observation, conversation) verbal or written feedback to the student is primarily descriptive and emphasizes strengths, identifies challenges, and points to next steps as teachers check on understanding they adjust their instruction to keep students on track no grades or scores are given record-keeping is primarily anecdotal and descriptive occurs throughout the learning process, from the outset of the course of study to the time of summative assessment Assessment as learning begins as students become aware of the goals of instruction and the criteria for performance involves goal-setting, monitoring progress, and reflecting on results implies student ownership and responsibility for moving his or her thinking forward (metacognition) occurs throughout the learning process Assessment of learning assessment that is accompanied by a number or letter grade (summative) compares one studentâ„ ¢s achievement with standards results can be communicated to the student and parents occurs at the end of the learning unit Evaluation judgment made on the basis of a studentâ„ ¢s performance Diagnostic assessment (now referred to more often as pre-assessment) assessment made to determine what a student does and does not know about a topic assessment made to determine a students learning style or preferences used to determine how well a student can perform a certain set of skills related to a particular subject or group of subjects occurs at the beginning of a unit of study used to inform instruction:makes up the initial phase of assessment for learning Formative assessment assessment made to determine a studentâ„ ¢s knowledge and skills, including learning gaps as they progress through a unit of study used to inform instruction and guide learning occurs during the course of a unit of study makes up the subsequent phase of assessment for learning Summative assessment assessment that is made at the end of a unit of study to determine the level of understanding the student has achieved includes a mark or grade against an expected standard Principles of Assessment for Learning Among the most comprehensive listing of principles of assessment for learning are those written by the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority)[5]. The authority, which is sponsored by Englandâ„ ¢s Department for Children, Schools and Families, is responsible for national curriculum, assessment, and examinations. Their principal focus on crucial aspects of assessment for learning, including how such assessment should be seen as central to classroom practice, and that all teachers should regard assessment for learning as a key professional skill. The UK Assessment Reform Group (1999) identifies The big 5 principles of assessment for learning 1. The provision of effective feedback to students. 2. The active involvement of students in their own learning. 3. Adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment. 4. Recognition of the profound influence assessment has on the motivation and self esteem of pupils, both of which are critical influences on learning. 5. The need for students to be able to assess themselves and understand how to improve. Feedback The purpose of an Assessment for Learning (AFL) task is to provide feedback to both the teacher and learner regarding the learners progress towards achieving the learning objective(s). This feedback should be used by the teacher to revise and develop further instruction. An effective AFL method is to use a performance task coupled with a rubric. This type of assessment is fundamental in illustrating how and why such principles need to be adhered to.