Labor and employment issues in the hospitality industry in San Research Paper

Labor and employment issues in the hospitality industry in San Francisco - Research Paper Example The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires hospitality employers to provide heath care coverage for its full-time employees. The Act provides that employers with more than 50 full-time employees or full-time equivalents must provide heath care coverage for its employees. Such an employer will be subject to tax if one or more of its enrolls for cover through a state exchange and qualifies for a premium tax credit or a subsidy because the employer does not provide minimum cover or provides cover that does not meet minimum value or is inappropriate. The tax for the employer, in this case, ranges from $2000 to $3000 for every employee who is not covered. Hospitality employers with more than 50 employees must, therefore, provide minimum essential coverage in order to avoid these taxes. The tax liability can adversely affect the operations. In order to ensure that employees have the appropriate cover, it is essential for the employer to determine if it's employees are full-time employees. The Act provides that a full-time employee must work for at least 30 hours a week and should have worked at least 130 hours in the preceding month. This implies that both hourly and non-hourly employees qualify as full-time employees if they meet the criterion. Additionally, the IRS provides the use of the look back or stability period. Under this method, an employer will need to look back at a period of three to 12 months and if the employee worked an average of 30 hours per week then the employee qualifies as a full-time employee.

Teaching and Learning Policy Essay Example for Free

Teaching and Learning Policy Essay Learning is a dynamic process which begins at the time of conception and continues for the rest of our lives. At stages along this learning journey we partake in formalised learning in which we may interact with other human beings who may take on the role of teacher. This invariably happens within the confines of a school. The school being the environment designed to help pass on the knowledge, skills and qualities required as preparation for adult life. Our school is a section of a partnership involving pupils, families, the local and extended communities and school staff that give all the opportunity to develop each child’s formal learning and to promote everyone’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development . In this way our school is pivotal in the formation and preparation of opportunities, responsibilities and experiences for life. This policy is for all teaching staff, Governors, parents, members of the community and appropriate outside agencies, including OFSTED, to appreciate our drive for high expectations and our strategies for ensuring that teaching and learning are effective. It sits alongside all other curriculum and management policies including the policy for ‘Performance Management’. It should also be read in conjunction with OFSTED documents and other relevant information including â€Å"The Code of Conduct for Teachers† that will drive our standards forward. Making a Difference Much work has been done on how pupils learn and multiple intelligence theories. This policy considers how as practitioners we can motivate all to ensure effective learning. Research suggests that there are many ways to ensure that effective learning takes place within the different learning environments that a child may encounter within a school. All staff have the ability to make a difference and all must consider the following: †¢ There is no one right way to teach, but teachers and TAs enhance their  effectiveness when teaching is purposeful, efficient, clear, structured and adaptive. Good teaching takes into account all aspects of assessment, prior learning and the individual needs of each child. †¢ High expectations are paramount †¢ Good teaching involves more than exposition and arranging activities; the nature of the interaction is carefully designed, with differentiation matched closely to pupils’ actual abilities and needs. †¢ Good teaching is where the pupils are given opportunity to extend their ability to take charge of their own learning. It is where teachers establish active links to enhance pupils’ learning styles. †¢ The effective learning environment is orderly, stimulating, attractive, safe and supportive. †¢ The effective teaching atmosphere encourages learners to value and draw on their own experience †¢ Good lessons are carefully planned and involve pupil participation as often as possible. They have pace, good questioning strategies and opportunity for reflection. †¢ Learning to learn entails increasing scope for pupils to use their initiative and to develop a capacity for independent work according to age range. †¢ Effective teaching occurs when pupils are given opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they are taught. †¢ Effective learning design allows pupils to summarise what they have experienced and reflect carefully †¢ And effective teaching is complemented by fair discipline, positive reinforcement, and explicit formative feedback. Every member of staff must consider their professional characteristics and reflect and analyse how each pupils’ learning can be enhanced in preparation for the future. It is the role of all staff to dissect their teaching to ensure outstanding teaching and learning opportunities for each child. Monitoring Of Teaching and Learning Monitoring is a regular feature of our school and has become embedded into the culture and working life of our school life .It enables all to have an accurate picture of performance and developments in learning. It is a positive attribute in moving the school forward. Monitoring will occur in a variety of forms :- †¢ Regular monitoring of lessons as part of Performance Management. †¢ Monitoring of lessons as part of specific school initiatives and developments. This will include in-depth monitoring of the core subjects. †¢ Half termly classroom monitoring on working environments and pupils’ learning. †¢ Half termly monitoring of planning and assessment files. †¢ Half termly monitoring of pupils’ books by SMT and appropriate co- ordinators. †¢ Weekly monitoring of books as part of phase meetings. †¢ Weekly light touch monitoring on specific subjects to increase our overall effectiveness and efficiency. Monitoring will positively support teaching staff through :- †¢ Improving individual and team performance †¢ Expanding skills, knowledge and insight for all †¢ Providing a supportive working environment for all †¢ Improving communication that results in improved learning opportunities for pupils. †¢ Identifying individual, team and school needs. †¢ Developing individuals monitoring skills as part of the school’s effectiveness and efficiency. Monitoring is about accountability and will give all the opportunity to discuss positively and staff will be given feedback on lesson observation and scrutiny of their planning and pupils’ work. Written feedback will include a summary of agreed actions to be put in place for the following round of monitoring. Monitoring of lessons, planning, pupil’s work and associated self reviews will provide the basis for the School Development Plan and the vehicle from which Governors and all other interested agencies can gain on the effectiveness of our school. Induction of New Staff To ensure that all new staff have a successful induction and immediately enhance the learning of pupils, the school will allocate a member of staff to work alongside the new member. School procedures and expectations will be discussed and the opportunity to set out the professional needs of the  member of staff will be formalised. Appropriate professional development will be instigated and expectations set. Continued Professional Development Effective CPD is a planned progress. It will be the systematic and progressive improvement of competencies across the school. It is about the meeting of individual and the school objectives and therefore is intrinsically linked with the Performance Management policy, the School’s Development Plan, pupil performance and the needs of the individual. CPD will be designed to meet the individual’s immediate and future needs, it will give a structure to each person’s career development whilst having an impact on pupils’ learning However, each person must take responsibility for reviewing and fulfilling their own needs and school will hold each accountable for developing their own potential. The individual therefore must continually assess their needs and discuss issues with appropriate senior managers. The SDP for each school academic year is available for all working or involved within school. It gives the direction for the school and will indicate how CPD will be organised. Each individual’s performance management objectives will reflect the needs of school and the individual. Planning, Preparation and Assessment Planning, preparation and assessment time is organised so that teachers can work with appropriate colleagues. It gives opportunity for the termly and weekly plans to be scrutinised, assessment of learning analysed and the learning needs of the pupils met. Each phase leader will organise the sessions so that each teacher can maximise the time available. During the sessions the following will occur:- †¢ A selection of books will be scrutinised to ensure marking, presentation and that progress is consistent and of high quality. †¢ Work is analysed and assessment drives the next planning. †¢ The needs  of groups including DSEN and Gifted and Talented pupils are discussed and appropriate planning is put in place. Differentiation is put in place. †¢ Target setting is put in place, monitored and updated. †¢ IEPs are updated as appropriate and new IEPs written at the relevant times. †¢ The needs of staff are discussed and information, as required, passed on to the SMT. †¢ Teaching and classroom practise are discussed †¢ Relevant plans and information is prepared for TAs †¢ The sessions will also discuss resources and ICT All teaching members of staff are given specific details on the formats for planning and the layout of files. These will be scrutinised at phase meetings and by the SMT and co-ordinators throughout the school year to ensure corporative effectiveness. The different forms of assessment are dealt with in the Assessment Policy. All teaching staff must use the information and apply the knowledge to their teaching. Assessment must be consistently used to drive teaching and learning forward. Within this, target setting must be active with all pupils understanding their targets and how they can achieve them. Parents must also be updated of their child’s targets using the school’s pro- formas. Targets must be displayed in classrooms and within the pupils’ books for core subjects. Marking and Feedback to Pupils. The Marking Policy deals with marking issues in detail. Teaching staff must be up to date in marking and marking must give clear indications of how the pupil can move forward appropriate to age . Comments must be positive and opportunity must be given for pupils to act on comments and work on issues that have arisen. Marking will be scrutinised at phase meetings, whole staff meetings, through coordinators monitoring and by the SMT. Pupils will be asked through interviews and in monitoring whether marking and feedback has improved learning. Resources Regular audits of resources are to be carried out by coordinators and phase leaders prior to each block of work is undertaken. Within this remit is the organising of school visits and appropriate visitors to enhance the curriculum and learning opportunities. Pupil Premium, the grant to provide increased opportunities for pupils and to improve learning and reduce gaps between groups of pupils, will be used in part to fund these enhancements. The Pupils’ Voice As stated, good learning is facilitated when pupils have the opportunity to take charge of their own learning. Pupils have a voice and at all keystages staff must give credence to pupils and include them in the planning and delivery of lessons. By monitoring of planning and through discussions with pupils, the SMT will look for this. Prior to specific blocks of work, appropriate to age, pupils will be given time to consider the work ahead and give input. To ensure that every child has the opportunity to gain the range of learning skills to prepare them for life, teaching staff’s planning must show that within lessons pupils have ownership of their learning through teamwork, problem solving, research etc. The Role of Governors The Governing Body of is given at each full governing body meeting and at appropriate sub committee meetings details of monitoring and the review of performance and attainment across the school. As part of its role, the Governing Body will scrutinise our results from monitoring, assessment and internal reviews and ensure that our approaches are consistent and promotes our drive for excellence. Each Governor is linked with a specific area of school and will be in termly contact with co-ordinators to ensure they are fully briefed on teaching and learning. Co-ordinators of core subjects will report to governors termly to again ensure accurate information is passed on. From this the Governing Body will be active in teaching and learning across school. Informing Parents To ensure effective learning for our pupils, parents have to be an informed and active partner. Courses are run throughout the year to update parents on our teaching techniques and strategies so that they can support learning at home and help with homework. Termly Parent feedback sessions are held to update parents on their child’s attainment and progress. At these sessions parents will be given written information on their child’s targets and next steps. They will be given their child’s levels for the core subjects and how this compares to national statistics. For DSEN up to date information will be given and discussed. IEPs will be available for parents to sign and remark on. Yearly school reports will be issued in the summer term and will accurately reflect on the child’s attainment and attitudes. It will also give targets for the next academic year and how parents can support their child. Informal discussions will also take place throughout the year as required to keep parents informed. The Parent Support Adviser is available to help liaise with parents. The PSA will also arrange parent courses to upgrade the parents’ own skills in core subjects, these will have a direct positive effect on pupils’ learning as seen from past experience. Outside Agencies Walsall Children’s Services support school through a variety of important vehicles. The School Improvement Officer will routinely meet with staff and discuss improvement, initiatives, data and monitoring of teaching. Officers will also oversee teaching and learning and support school with CPD issues. Other outside agencies such as Walsall Business Partnership will be used to support the curriculum and maximise learning opportunities for pupils. The school works with local schools and local communities also to improve learning opportunities and inspire pupils.

The 3 Horizontally Enhanced Pigs :: essays research papers

The 3 Horizontally Enhanced Pigs Once upon a time there lived three pigs. Together they owned a very popular restaurant, "Pork Boys." Each of the pigs made different burgers for different people. The first pig, Hamm was trying to watch his weight so he made Veggie Burgers. The secound pig named Pork Chop made his burger with special High protein cheese and fat free thousand island dressing. The third pig, Bacon, made the grease burger with three slabs of beef, four pieces of(turkey) bacon, five different cheeses, super fat secret sauce, grease on the side, and your choice of any bun except whole wheat. "Flash!!! This just in. There have been reports of Richard Simons sightings in the area so head for high grounds and hide your oldies cassetes. This is not a test, I repeat not a test." "Hamm, lock the doors!" " I'm on it Bacon." Bamm! Bamm! He was there, Richard Simons pounding on the window, "Let me in folks and together we can get rid of those stormy thunder thighs." "Leader of the Pack." All of the sudden the customers began to dance to the hypnotic music. Hamm tried to fend it (Ricard Simons) off with his Veggie Burger but than he realized that the Burger was not Fatty enough so he to began to dance. Pork Chop in fear of his life lobed his burger into the beasts mouth. " High protien cheese and non-fat dressing can not harm me. Ha, Ha, Ha!" Pork Chop then was thrown into the trance and uncontrolably began to dance the watusi. Is this the end of the line for the pigs? Will the pigs be covered in a blanket of exercise instead of panecake... But wait look over there could it be, yes it is Big Bacon Boy! "Baa Baa Baa," a trumpet sounded in the background. "Ha, Ha Richard it is the end of the line for you. You are not wanted in

Little thing Essay

Of the five poems I have selected beforehand, I happen to choose the poem â€Å"The Pebble†. It took me awhile to choose which poem to talk about but somehow, I keep coming back in reading this poem. I favour this poem compared to the other four because of the simplicity it implies. It starts off with the title which gives out a plain imagery of the thing that will be talked about. The poem struck me in the way that it talked about a very little thing. A thing that is often taken for granted. Nobody would actually pay much attention to a pebble. Usually, the pebble is just an add-on to an aquarium or a little thing to beautify a garden. Even so, be it in an aquarium or a garden, the object of concentration is not the pebble. But in this poem, the pebble holds the main attraction. My attention was taken away by the description given to a pebble. And as to how the poem unfolds, the comparison and contrast of a pebble and that to a person was stated plainly, but not directly though. Often times we think of a use for a certain thing and eventually we talk about it or write about it. In any case, we share that what is important. So, in the case of this poem, a pebble never seemed to be something important. Most of the time, people don’t seem to bother about anything regarding a pebble. A poem expresses the emotions of a writer and usually in the state of turmoil. What is captivating about this poem is that there isn’t much of a turmoil expressed in words for this. It describes what a pebble is, how a pebble could be and compared it as to how a person could feel. I feel a certain depth in this poem, though I doubt if I could eventually express that depth. I somehow could feel that this poem has something more than what it is giving. The problem is just that I’m still trying to measure up the feeling conveyed by this poem. Somehow, I have a strange idea of being able to fathom what the poem holds, but because of its vividness, I’m having a hard time grasping the concept it implies. Such ironic feelings are extracted from my mind but I’m trying though to put it into words. The poem has an intrinsic impact on me. I don’t have much of an idea of the author but as I read the poem over and over again, and internalize it somehow, I gain knowledge to the truth it may imply. With how I describe it, the poem may seem to be a prayer, but actually, it’s not. It’s not everyday that we read a poem which is presented so simply. I just have a feeling that the writer wrote this according to how he perceives the truth of the pebble. A pebble which is a little stone that eventually could last longer than any other thing. Part four The Pebble is a very interesting poem. From the title itself, it projects a literary piece about simplicity. As we have seen pebbles and grasp a meaning of this thing, it is an object that is pretty much of little value. But this thing has been often times used as an instrument for symbolism. It doesn’t actually become the symbol, but yet, it is used as a contributor for the statement of the symbol. Like the ripples on the water, to make the ripples, the pebble is used as the object that is thrown to create the ripples. But in this situation, the impact was made by the pebble but the symbol was the ripple. Interpretation of the Poem At the start of the poem, the pebble is described as a perfect creature. It is here that we can see that the object has been given the traits as that of a person. Attributing the perfection that the writer is talking about for the pebble would be on its physical aspect. The physical description of pebbles which are often perfectly oval in shape with a smooth surface, having no cracks or lumps, would suit the description of excellence or perfection. In comparison to a person, a perfect creature would then be one without cracks or perhaps loopholes and one who doesn’t have any lumps. Perfection in our own view would be that of someone who doesn’t possess any frailties, errors and does all things without mistakes and stands as clean as ever. But as the writer proceeds with the poem, it mentioned that it could only be equalled to itself and is aware of its limits. A perfect thing that cannot be compared by anything except itself and has limits, were the descriptions emphasized by the poet. Still, this has been compared to that of a person. Perfection does not imply that the person has no limits. With this description then, we could imply that in perfection, it is being and doing something flawlessly but in the range of one’s limits. Often, when we talk about perfection, it is in comparison already to supreme beings or gods. But the poet has stated that what could be compared to one creature would not be anyone else, but only with it. Indeed, the concept of uniqueness has been unfolded. As the poem proceeds, it has been defined by the author that the meaning this object holds, is the meaning it holds from the time it has been made. â€Å"A pebbly meaning† would mean the identity that this object holds and whatever that is, that is the true meaning of the thing. Same goes if related again to a person, that the definition or meaning of who we are is the self. It is not somebody else that hold the meaning of our life, but it is our self, the one with us from the beginning, that defines what we are. Another idea of the â€Å"pebbly meaning† would be the concept of a pebble which is not of great significance but just possesses the simplicity that it is as an object. It is not a big rock that could smash something smaller or a stone which may be small but definitely holds weight. It is not a mountain that shows greatness just by looking at it. It is emphasizing a pebble, small, perhaps insignificant, and does not hold much weight. But as we ponder on the purpose as to why it exists, it holds more than what it is actually letting us see. The poem describes further that the pebble is one thing that doesn’t have a specific characteristic that would be intimidating and though it is unique and different, it stands with its uniqueness without any other factor that might entice anybody. As all other things or people would need more than what they have, like they would go for enhancing the appearance or develop any form of attractive facilities for others to see or witness, the pebble sticks with what it has. Despite the simplicity or plainness it holds, it still has its dignity and pride. It is contradicting to the idea that without pride is simplicity. Being simple does not mean that one does not hold any value of himself. It doesn’t also mean that there is no regard for the self. Instead, inside that simplicity, an aura of pride and dignity emanates. It’s just that people don’t get to see it because they are more aware of the obvious things. As the poem proceeds, the writer was somehow humbled down to the value of the pebble that in the changing world, struggling all the time for attention and importance, the pebble or anyone that could be related to a pebble, simply sits quietly and wait. In the end, all the others vanish, and it’s just the pebble that remains. Those who do not live such complicated lives could eventually see all that is happening and live longer than most of the people. Conclusion The poem is written as a realization in life. Often times people would prefer to have the symbol of a mountain, or something powerful and bigger. This is so because of how we see our life, we prefer to have the control especially when we are not in control in reality. We want to be in power when in reality we are weak and helpless. Our symbols tell what we really are and it’s has always been the opposite of what we are. In this poem, the concept of simplicity and the awakening of humility are emphasized. Simplicity is held in the object of the pebble. The object of no complications and the writer is in the point of using this imagery to a person’s life. The awakening of the humility is expressed in the last two stanzas of the poem where the writer has gone to see the impact of a pebble and how it absorbs everything there is without complaining. This is a contradiction to people where complaining has been made a hobby and dissatisfaction always a companion. Before going to the point of appreciating, people tend to complain, grumble and then when the worse has come, perhaps, mellow down and bear with the idea of appreciating something. The poet has created a very good concept of life. The poem written is also expressed the same way as that of the idea it intends to convey. Simplicity indeed is beauty and only few have seen it.

MBA career

It is always a major life decision to choose to return to college and obtain a graduate degree. Throughout my career I have been setting goals for myself that I could accomplish with the skills and organizational abilities that I already possessed, always looking for the next step in a successful career, but at this point in my life it has become apparent that I cannot accomplish the goals that I have set for myself without first returning to college and obtaining a Masters of Business Administration, and of all of the colleges that I have researched Rice University has the one program that best fits my needs and my goals is the MBA program in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. An MBA would help me develop the skills necessary to succeed in starting and managing my own business, and eventually expanding my business internationally, and the MBA program at Rice University would help me add to the repertoire of skills that I have developed through my current work experience and allow me to grow into the leader and manager that can accomplish great things in the world of business. When I began my career in my current position as Operating Manager at Marble Slab Creamery in Houston, Texas I became instantly aware of the potential for growth that existed within the company as a franchise. In fact, Marble Slab Creamery encourages entrepreneurs who want to think outside the box, who wish to become business owners and managers, and who have a vision for the expansion of the franchise. This vision can only be accomplished with the proper leadership qualities, accountancy training, and business management skills that I can gain through an MBA program, and the MBA program at your university fits the needs that I have for having a successful career as a franchise owner and investor. My goal after obtaining my graduate degree from Rice University is to join the franchise of Marble Slab Creamery and open my own business within the United States as a way of jumping into the role of business owner and manager. Following that, my ultimate goal is to bring Marble Slab Creamery international, opening stores in my native China. There is a great deal of economic growth happening in China, and especially within cities there is a great market for expanding American businesses, like restaurants and stores, and millions of potential customers who are seeing economic growth not only in their country and communities, but within their own households. My understanding of both Chinese and American culture will become an asset because it will help me successfully develop a business plan and follow my goals for long-term overseas investments. Marble Slab Creamery has the potential to become a successful and popular store in China, and it is my hope that after developing the skills, abilities, and leadership growth that I can gain from the MBA program at your university I can move forward in my career and bring Marble Slab Creamery global. By doing so, I hope to be able to gain more financial support from the successful expansion of Marble Slab Creamery to invest in other, bigger business projects, both here and in China. My life and work experiences have allowed me to develop into a strong business and operating manager. My ambition, drive, work-ethic and ability to think outside the box are all assets that are important in accomplishing a great deal in business, both in the United States and internationally. By obtaining a graduate degree from your institution I will be able to build upon the foundation of my own abilities to become a successful business manager, investor, and owner. My strengths will also contribute to the strong environment present at Rice University, and I believe my experience will bring a great contribution to the academic environment and to my fellow students in the MBA program. Â  

Mother of Invention essays

Mother of Invention essays Necessity is the mother of invention... or is it? The real mother of invention is not necessity, but curiosity. From the discovery of electricity, the invention of the light bulb, car, airplane, and air conditioning to Global Positioning Satellite systems curiosity has been the reason behind the invention. One of the greatest discoveries ever was the discovery of electricity. Ben Franklin has been given the most credit for the discovery of electricity. Before the legendary kite experiment in 1752 electricity was a known force of nature, but it had not been thoroughly studied. Even after that Franklin did not know what potential his discovery of electricity had. It is said that he once tried to kill a Christmas turkey with electricity, but accidentally made contact with the current and received a nice shock. As time progressed Franklin created more and more electrical devices including the battery and the lightening rod (Thinkquest.org). These inventions were discovered through theories and hypothesis that Franklin thought might be true and he tried them and they worked. All of these things are nice, and today people probably would have difficulty living without them, but at the time in the mid-1700's people had no need for electricity. There is another wonderful invention called the incandescent light bulb. Thomas Edison was a professional inventor. He wanted to see if he could create a better way to light a home that with candles or lamps. And so Edison invented the incandescent light bulb. Edison tried to come out with an invention every ten days. This invention came about in October 1879 (Thomas Edison birthplace Museum). Although people wanted another way to light their homes they did a fine job by using torches and lamps. They had a want for something better, but not a need for a light bulb. The invention of the air conditioning unit is a very popular one here in Phoenix. This again was not a necessity; ...

Discovery of the Higgs Field Behind the God Particle

Discovery of the Higgs Field Behind the God Particle The Higgs field is the theoretical field of energy that permeates the universe, according to the theory put forth in 1964 by Scottish theoretical physicist Peter Higgs. Higgs suggested the field as a possible explanation for how the fundamental particles of the universe came to have mass, because in the 1960s the Standard Model of quantum physics actually couldnt explain the reason for mass itself. He proposed that this field existed throughout all of space and that particles gained their mass by interacting with it. Discovery of the Higgs Field Though there was initially no experimental confirmation for the theory, over time it came to be seen as the only explanation for mass that was widely viewed as consistent with the rest of the Standard Model. As strange as it seemed, the Higgs mechanism (as the Higgs field was sometimes called) was generally accepted widely among physicists, along with the rest of the Standard Model. One consequence of the theory was that the Higgs field could manifest as a particle, much in the way that other fields in quantum physics manifest as particles. This particle is called the Higgs boson. Detecting the Higgs boson became a major goal of experimental physics, but the problem is that the theory didnt actually predict the mass of the Higgs boson. If you caused particle collisions in a particle accelerator with enough energy, the Higgs boson should manifest, but without knowing the mass that they were looking for, physicists werent sure how much energy would need to go into the collisions. One of the driving hopes was that the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) would have sufficient energy to generate Higgs bosons experimentally since it was more powerful than any other particle accelerators that had been built before. On July 4, 2012, physicists from the LHC announced that they found experimental results consistent with the Higgs boson, though further observations are needed to confirm this and to determine the various physical properties of the Higgs boson. The evidence in support of this has grown, to the extent that the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Peter Higgs and Francois Englert. As physicists determine the properties of the Higgs boson, it will help them more fully understand the physical properties of the Higgs field itself. Brian Greene on the Higgs Field One of the best explanations of the Higgs field is this one from Brian Greene, presented on the July 9 episode of PBS Charlie Rose Show, when he appeared on the program with experimental physicist Michael Tufts to discuss the announced discovery of the Higgs boson: Mass is the resistance an object offers to having its speed changed. You take a baseball. When you throw it, your arm feels resistance. A shotput, you feel that resistance. The same way for particles. Where does the resistance come from? And the theory was put forward that perhaps space was filled with an invisible stuff, an invisible molasses-like stuff, and when the particles try to move through the molasses, they feel a resistance, a stickiness. Its that stickiness which is where their mass comes from. ... That creates the mass.... ... its an elusive invisible stuff. You dont see it. You have to find some way to access it. And the proposal, which now seems to bear fruit, is if you slam protons together, other particles, at very, very high speeds, which is what happens at the Large Hadron Collider... you slam the particles together at very high speeds, you can sometimes jiggle the molasses and sometimes flick out a little speck of the molasses, which would be a Higgs particle. So people have looked for that little speck of a particle and now it looks like its been found. The Future of the Higgs Field If the results from the LHC pan out, then as we determine the nature of the Higgs field, well get a more complete picture of how quantum physics manifests in our universe. Specifically, well gain a better understanding of mass, which may, in turn, give us a better understanding of gravity. Currently, the Standard Model of quantum physics does not account for gravity (though it fully explains the other ​fundamental forces of physics). This experimental guidance may help theoretical physicists hone in on a theory of quantum gravity that applies to our universe. It may even help physicists understand the mysterious matter in our universe, called dark matter, that cannot be observed except through gravitational influence. Or, potentially, a greater understanding of the Higgs field may provide some insights into the repulsive gravity demonstrated by the dark energy that seems to permeate our observable universe.

Driver Education Key Vocabulary for English Learners

Driver Education Key Vocabulary for English Learners Many ESL speakers and learners are required to take driver education courses to obtain their driver license from the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). In the United States, each state DMV provides a different written test (for example the California DMV has a different test than the Florida DMV or the NY DMV). International driver licenses also sometimes require a written test. The key vocabulary provided is based on a standard DMV written test and is broken up into categories such as Nouns (Persons, Types of Vehicles, Dangerous Situations, etc.) Verbs, and Descriptive Phrases. Study these keywords to help you or your classes better understand driving manuals and driver education courses. Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Nouns Persons bicyclistdriverofficerpassengerspedestrianspoliceman Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Types of Vehicles and Car Parts bicyclebrakechainsequipmentheadlightslightsmirrormotorcyclepickup trucklicense plateseatsignalssteeringtirestow trucktruckvehiclewindshield Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Dangerous Situations accidentalcoholcollisionconvictioncrashdangerdrugsemergencyevidencefoghazardinjuryinsuranceintoxicantslawsoffensereactionriskwarning Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Driving arrowdistanceDMV (Department of Motor Vehicles)documentDUII (Driving while Under the Influence of an Intoxicant)guideID (Identification)identificationinstructionlicensespeed limitmovementpermitprivilegeregistrationrestrictionsrequirementssignsspeeding Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Roads crosswalkcurvecurbdistrictdrivewayexitfreewayhighwayintersectionlanepavementrailroadramproadwayroundaboutroutesidewalkstop lightsstop signtraffic lights More Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Verbs approach a roadavoid an accidentbe alert while drivingbrake a car (step on the brakes)change laneschange lanes, tirescheck, look into mirrorcrash into somethingcross a roaddamage somethingdrive a car, drive defensivelyenforce a lawexit a roadfollow a car or vehiclehit a car, an objectinjure a personinsure  a vehicle or carmerge onto a roadobey a layobtain a permit or licenseoperate a vehicleovertake a car or vehiclepass a car or vehicleprotect passengersreact to a situationreduce speedrefuse to take a testride in a carshow identificationsignal a turnskid on the roadspeed (drive above the speed limit)steer a car or vehiclestop a car or vehicleturn a car or vehiclewarn another driverwear safety beltsyield to (oncoming) traffic Key DMV Driver Education Vocabulary: Descriptive Words (Adjectives) and Phrases amber lightsapproaching car or vehiclebehind somethingcommercial vehicleconvicted driverdisabled passengerflashing lightshazardous situationinterstate freewayintoxicated driverlegal documentlicensing departmentmanual transmissiononcoming trafficone-way streetout-of-state license plate, driverpedestrian crosswalkposted signprohibited by law, movementrecreational vehiclereduced speedreplacement tirerequired by law, equipmentsafety feature, seatslippery roadsteering wheelstraight roadsuspended licensetwo-way streetunsafe driving, driver, vehiclevalid drivers licensewarning signals, lights

Total Quality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Total Quality Management - Essay Example TQM has become part of the organizational culture within the operational environment of the business organization. For instance within the administrative setup of the prison organization, a number of departments interact on a daily basis. As much as a manufacturing or a service organization produces and sells a product for profits, the prison is an organization that delivers a service to the community though the community might not pay directly for the service. Theoretically the concept of TQM has three major principles such as satisfaction of the customer; satisfaction of the supplier; and continuous improvement. The first and major principle of TQM is to satisfy the customer who purchases the product or service. In fact customers always seek value for money when they buy a product or service (Stasiowski, & Burstein, 1993). Thus there are main sub categories under the first principle, i.e. users, company philosophy, internal customers and chain of customers. In the first instance user of the service can be different from the purchaser and therefore both the user and the customer must be satisfied. In the case of the prison management the service rendered to the society at large by efficiently managing the prison would be articulated in terms of the benefits that accrue to the society through such efficient management. For instance a continuous improvement in the quality of the service means that troubles and tribulations of all stakeholde rs including prisoners themselves would be reduced.In the internal organizational context of a prison quality improvement of service would reduce stress on employees and the general administration would improve to reduce the burden on the management. Thus the second sub-principle is centered on repeat sales to customers under TQM. In the prison management context, TQM enables the management to reduce internal conflicts that arise from friction between the management and prisoners. This must be the philosophy of the prison organization.Internal customers' satisfaction is the next sub principle under customer satisfaction is very important in the context of the prison management because managers onwards act as internal customers of services provided by employees. Minor offenders who are spending very short terms in the jail can be enrolled to provide their labor in respect of some services. For example gardeners and office peons are often those minor offenders who might be paid or not for their service (Pilgrim, & Smith, 2000). Customers of such service are primarily the departmental heads such as the meals department. The head of the meals department might co-opt the services of prisoners to clean and cut vegetables, fish and meat. Thus departmental heads might be satisfies with such labor if the latter is performed under efficient management conditions.TQM refers to the chain of customers as a sub category under the main principle of customer satisfaction. In the context of the prison management it is possible to discuss about the existence of an element of customers who purchase prison produce such as handlooms, farm products and agricultural produce made by prisoners. However it depends on the nature of the prison and the prisoners. For example murder convicts and similar major offenders are less likely to be employed on

Middle East in the 18th century Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Middle East in the 18th century - Term Paper Example The Balfour Declaration was issued by the British government in November 2, 1917. The Balfour Declaration was as a result of several simultaneous political events that emanated during the First World War. The events include: British philosemitism, Britain’s military requirements during the First World War, Zionists diplomatic activities, and foreign policy and imperial interests of the British. Other scholars argue that the Balfour Declaration came as a result of the Winter of 1916 to 1917. The Zionists were seeking the support of their aims from the British because they saw no future without the declaration of the support by the British (Gutwein 338). The aim of the Zionists was very clear since 1896 and all what they wanted was to be allowed to form a publicly and legally secured home for the Jewish people that were in Palestine. Other than security, they wanted assurance. This means that the Zionists wanted to create an autonomous Jewish state within Palestine. The same sentiments to allow Jewish Zionists aspirations were echoed by a prominent American Zionist, Hon. Louis Brandeis in 1915. The declaration was beyond the protection of the small Jewish community that lived in Palestine; it was to protect the Jews all around the world (Rifkind 24). The Sykes-Picot Accord was declared on May 16, 1916. The accord was negotiated by the French diplomat Francois Georges-Picot and Briton Mark Sykes in November 1915. It was a secret agreement between the governments of France and Britain in defining their influence in the post-World War 1 and their control of the Middle East. The boundaries that were drawn in the accord still remain in the present border between Iraq and Syria. In the accord, Britain was given control of the Iraq, and Jordan areas and a small region around Haifa. France was given control of the northern Iraq, Lebanon, South-eastern Turkey and

Multinational firms are a force for progress‟. Discuss Essay - 1

Multinational firms are a force for progress‟. Discuss - Essay Example This report seeks to clarify this debate by evaluating the work of other researchers. Following the literature work of other researchers, relevant theories including Neo-Classic theory and Global reach has been discussed. Finally the analysis has been done to reach on a conclusion. Multinational companies have been a force for a century and one group of people believe that these companies have their root in the British East India Company of the 18th century; whereas, the other group believe that root of these companies is in 17th century Dutch (VOC) Verenigde Oost Indische Compagnie (Hijzen & Swaim, 2008). The point of Hijzen and Swaim highlights the point that multinational firms have been a force for a century now and their emergence is not a recent phenomenon. It is interesting to note that most of the researchers do agree that multinational firms are a force. A general argument is that inward investments made by multinational firm is a force for political, social and economic progress of the state for improving the rights of people however, this approach is limited because of various governments are very repressive (Kuhn). Multinational firms appear to exert powerful force in the developing country especially in the provision of health and safety and they are even more influential than governments and local cultures (Ladou, 1996, pg. 363-366). Multinational companies not only influence the host countries but they have a strong impact on both home and host states. Japan and United States are two major countries which are either the home countries or sources of FDI in the world, therefore, the role which MNEs are playing in both of these countries are directly influencing the decisions of policy makers and private sector leaders (National Academic Press, n.d., pg.16). The strong influence of multinational firms is insisting the governments to regulate the operations of these giants. Economic regulation of multinational world is a

SEO Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SEO - Research Paper Example AVG representatives professionally practice aggregation, where, they collect most relevant content about information security in a single post and then address the almost all the available solutions to data vulnerabilities. Goal is brand that is widely excelling in the advertisement of football topics. This is in the industry of sports, particularly, football. To be precise, through the application of aggregation and chronology as its content curation styles, the company has been successful to market itself to a very large number of clients all around the globe. As aforementioned earlier, aggregation is about active collection of most relevant data about a topic into a single post while chronology entails laying out a particular set of information or topic on the basis of historical timeline (DeMers, 2014). In this sense, Goal applies aggregation by collecting the most up to date football information and dispense on its web pages. Additionally, the company further provides information regarding occurrences of different football topics over a certain period of time, thus, acting as a key source historical data about

Naturalistic Observation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Naturalistic Observation - Research Paper Example The mother stands up while looking at the child and laughs. The father, on the other hand, frowns at what he reads. He later looks at his watch and continues with his reading. The child takes a stick from the ground and strikes the water. Later, he strikes the fishes as well, and giggles. He then decides to climb up the pond to sit on its edge. The mother holds the child in an attempt to put him down from the pond's edge. She says, "Let's go, don't get yourself dirty with those mosses and unclear water, and don't strike the fishes, they'll get hurt. Now, behave yourself and get down." The mother takes the stick from the child, but the child struggles as the mother tries to put him down from the edge of the pond. This hypothesis is chosen because of the dominant feature of the mother looking after the child on the latter's possibility of getting hurt or getting dirty while the father entrusts this task to his wife and proceeds with reading a newspaper. The above interaction exhibits the correctness of the hypothesis that the mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This is supported by the mother's non-verbal behavior on the actions of the child, such as looking at him while he approaches the pond, smiling, laughing, getting the stick from his hand, pulling him away from the pond, and turning to her husband when the child resists to obey. ... The child does not say anything as he allows his mother to put him down. His eyes are on the fishes and stands still as he watches them. Both hands are on the edge of the pond. 2. 0. Hypothesis Based on the observed verbal and non-verbal behavior, the hypothesis drawn is: The mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This hypothesis is chosen because of the dominant feature of the mother looking after the child on the latter's possibility of getting hurt or getting dirty while the father entrusts this task to his wife and proceeds with reading a newspaper. 3. 0. Counting the Verbal Behavior of Participants in the Setting: In supporting if this hypothesis is correct, counting the verbal behavior of participants in the setting is undertaken. The mother uttered the following lines during the verbal observation: 1. "Lester is so hyperactive, Hon. Just look at that boy." 2. "Hey, kiddo! Be careful!" 3. "Let's go, don't get yourself dirty with those mosses and unclear water, and don't strike the fishes, they'll get hurt. Now, behave yourself and get down." 4. "Look at what Lester is doing, and this kid will mess his shirt up!" On the other hand, the father uttered only the following lines during the same verbal observation. 1. "Oh, yeah." 2. "Just watch the fishes, and don't climb up the pond!" The above interaction exhibits the correctness of the hypothesis that the mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This is supported by the mother's non-verbal behavior on the actions of the child, such as looking at him while he approaches the pond, smiling, laughing, getting the stick from his hand, pulling him away from the pond, and turning to her husband when the child resists to obey. On

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication Research Paper

What is the role of celebrity endorsement in media communication - Research Paper Example Different researchers have different definitions for celebrity and celebrity endorsement. For instance, a celebrity is a name that requires no additional identification. Stars are recognized wherever they go and they are acknowledged with some awe and excitement. In most cases, whatever the celebrities do have a public value. Celebrities are often perceived as material for entertainment and media communication. Celebrities can also be described as persons who enjoy public acknowledgment and uses this acknowledgment in courtesy of a brand appearing in the advertisements. One of the recent definitions describes a celebrity as a person whose name has a profit generating value, attention –getting and interest riveting that originates from the high level of public interest and attention (Gupta 12). Celebrity is usually associated with individuals who are of the public eye and who have a high profile in the society; this can be in the entertainment industry, sports among others. These people can be used to promote products, ideas, services or organizations (Canning and West 3). Celebrities are named whose reputation connects producers and consumers through a product with which they are linked. Sometimes celebrities become familiar and famous once they appear in an advertisement. The ideal characteristics of a celebrity include trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, likeability and particular associations that bring out product relevancy. Celebrity endorsement is a trend that has developed over some decades. Celebrity endorsement is a situation whereby celebrities use their names in advertising a product or a service for which they may be or may not be the expertise. It is a method that has been widely used a media communication tool, in promoting a consumer products and services. Celebrity endorsement is one of the communication method applied by marketers in building a harmonious image between the consumer and

Naturalistic Observation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Naturalistic Observation - Research Paper Example The mother stands up while looking at the child and laughs. The father, on the other hand, frowns at what he reads. He later looks at his watch and continues with his reading. The child takes a stick from the ground and strikes the water. Later, he strikes the fishes as well, and giggles. He then decides to climb up the pond to sit on its edge. The mother holds the child in an attempt to put him down from the pond's edge. She says, "Let's go, don't get yourself dirty with those mosses and unclear water, and don't strike the fishes, they'll get hurt. Now, behave yourself and get down." The mother takes the stick from the child, but the child struggles as the mother tries to put him down from the edge of the pond. This hypothesis is chosen because of the dominant feature of the mother looking after the child on the latter's possibility of getting hurt or getting dirty while the father entrusts this task to his wife and proceeds with reading a newspaper. The above interaction exhibits the correctness of the hypothesis that the mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This is supported by the mother's non-verbal behavior on the actions of the child, such as looking at him while he approaches the pond, smiling, laughing, getting the stick from his hand, pulling him away from the pond, and turning to her husband when the child resists to obey. ... The child does not say anything as he allows his mother to put him down. His eyes are on the fishes and stands still as he watches them. Both hands are on the edge of the pond. 2. 0. Hypothesis Based on the observed verbal and non-verbal behavior, the hypothesis drawn is: The mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This hypothesis is chosen because of the dominant feature of the mother looking after the child on the latter's possibility of getting hurt or getting dirty while the father entrusts this task to his wife and proceeds with reading a newspaper. 3. 0. Counting the Verbal Behavior of Participants in the Setting: In supporting if this hypothesis is correct, counting the verbal behavior of participants in the setting is undertaken. The mother uttered the following lines during the verbal observation: 1. "Lester is so hyperactive, Hon. Just look at that boy." 2. "Hey, kiddo! Be careful!" 3. "Let's go, don't get yourself dirty with those mosses and unclear water, and don't strike the fishes, they'll get hurt. Now, behave yourself and get down." 4. "Look at what Lester is doing, and this kid will mess his shirt up!" On the other hand, the father uttered only the following lines during the same verbal observation. 1. "Oh, yeah." 2. "Just watch the fishes, and don't climb up the pond!" The above interaction exhibits the correctness of the hypothesis that the mother is more attentive to the behavior of the child than the father is. This is supported by the mother's non-verbal behavior on the actions of the child, such as looking at him while he approaches the pond, smiling, laughing, getting the stick from his hand, pulling him away from the pond, and turning to her husband when the child resists to obey. On

Pharmacology in nursing-Psychiatric disorder Assignment

Pharmacology in nursing-Psychiatric disorder - Assignment Example On the other hand, FGAs have less efficiency and adverse side-effects characterized by extrapyramidal side-effects. In spite of their efficiency, SGAs also have their own side-effects such as weight gain and the ability to increase vulnerability to diabetes. As such, treatment of depression and psychosis requires careful consideration of various factors, such as age, pre-existent conditions, and polypharmacy among many other factors before making a choice of the treatment drug. In addition to making a choice on the antipsychotics applicable, medical practitioners also have to consider the possibility of incorporating non-pharmacologic approaches such as psychotherapy for youth with difficult-to-treat depression. Additionally, issues of patients using herbal medications, such as St. John’s Wort, have to be advised appropriately to avert potential harm and side-effects from polypharmacy. This paper critically reviews the use of antipsychotics in the treatment of psychosis and de pression. It also briefly highlights the use of psychotherapy and alternative medicine-St. John’s Wort. ... that vary in severity, and these may include schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, drug-induced psychosis and psychotic depression. Psychosis affects approximately 3% of the United States (U.S) population, with 1% of the cases being schizophrenic (Lehne, 2012). On the other hand, depression is a mood disorder condition characterized by feelings of sadness, anger, loss, frustration and aversion of activity. These are common feelings, but actual clinical depression is a situation in which these feelings occur often and cause interference on day-to-day activities. The condition may also elicit other behaviors such as overeating, which could finally lead to obesity. Epidemiologic statistics show that depression is prevalent in the most developed nations, with U.S. being the leading nation. Lifetime prevalence differs greatly from 3% in Japan to as high as 17% in the U.S. Populations in most nations experience depression at a rate ranging between 8% and 12% (Lehne, 2 012). The treatment of psychosis and depression has for a very long time relied on antipsychotics as the first line of treatment. In addition to the pharmacological approach, family and cognitive behavioral therapies have also been recommended for long-term treatment. The use of antipsychotics has in the past presented mixed reactions among users and still continues to present a dilemma in the treatment of psychosis and depression. Notably, the challenge appeared in 2004 and 2005 when the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recommended a â€Å"black box warning† on antidepressants used to treat depressed and psychotic adolescents (Ho, 2012). A â€Å"black box warning† is any alert that appears on the insert of any prescription and warns against adverse effects of using a certain drug. In the

Swu Balay Alumni Management System Essay Example for Free

Swu Balay Alumni Management System Essay The hospitality industry is one that is primarily focused on customer satisfaction. For the most part, it is built on leisure or is luxury-based, as opposed to meeting basic needs. Hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines and other various forms of travel, tourism, special event planning, and restaurants all generally fall under the realm of the hospitality industry. Exceptional service is usually very important for all of these businesses. Customer satisfaction usually leads to consumer loyalty, which helps to ensure the success of a company in the hospitality industry. A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning or climate control. The cost and quality of hotels are usually indicative of the range and type of services available. Front-of-the-House operations are known so because these operations take place in front of the guests. Thus, these operations are related either to direct interaction with the guest or they are being conducted in front of the guest. The front office activities start from the time a guest calls or sends in a request for reservation/ accommodation. Staff of the front office department starts interacting with guest by taking in, guest information and reservation request, leading to confirmation of reservation and finally to the handling of guest on arrival and guest check-in. Check-in activity is a must for both, a guest with reservation or a walk-in-guest, i.e., one is without prior reservation. Due to the enormous increase in tourismworldwide during the last decades of the 20th century, standards, especially those of smaller establishments, have improved considerably. Hotels are independently assessed in traditional systems and these rely heavily on the facilities provided. Today, most of the Hotels provide goods and services using computer system. It helps to perform task in an easy way with less time consumed. Some companies are become fully automated while others strive for the similar setting. Computer programmers develop things like computer system that the rest of us could use. The computer programmers tell the users what to do. They make programs that users can easily used or understand. The advent of new technology gave rise to easy and hassle free interaction between and among humans. Whether it is in business, science or whatever task a person takes on the quality and speed of carrying it out are enhanced with automation at the core of this efficient today, many systems have used an automation process like using computer system, due to the efficient and accuracy. â€Å"Hotel Front Desk System† is a transaction processing and management system. In this system there are more advantages rather than a manual way of doing the task. Interaction and individual stimulation have always been linked to the technological availability of the time and place. With the transition to an information-based society, computers and transactions have evolved from manual transaction. One of the solutions or alternatives to the problems that a hotel is facing, a system was being developed which can edit, delete, filter, monitor and store and secured the records of the customers. Indeed, Information Technology provides Hospitality solutions in delivering sophisticated services that differentiate the company from competitors and create a personalized experience for each guest. This comprehensive suite of solutions helps hotel owners and operators to achieve customer satisfaction. With this, the researchers believe that for a rising business like the SWU BALAY ALUMNI, which will soon provide accommodation business to cater the school’s stakeholders and community needs to have a good front desk system that will help run the operation easier in terms of accommodation process involving its clients and guests. The researchers want to know the reasons of hotel in using manual reservation and conduct a study towards the topic because they notice some of the hotel still use manual reservation. The study will emphasize the effects of using manual reservation and how a computerized reservation will be substituted, which can be later on applied to that of the proposed SWU BALAY ALUMNI. Therefore, the researchers purported to find out how to increase the number of customer using computerized reservation. Front Desk system is a transaction processing system that solves the problem encountered during the manual Hotel Reservations and transactions. The computerized Front Desk System aims to simplify the manual Hotel Reservation fastest and accurate. The system match staff schedules to optimal service levels, control costs, and rapidly adapt to changing conditions. Accuracy and efficiency can never be a question, since in both the operators and customers, time is important, with this integration fast and reliable service is optimized. It also allows your managers to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time taking care of guests and solving other issues on the property. Other than that, these solutions can ensure your staff and operations are running at peak performance. Youll be able to identify sales trends, product and inventory costs, compare similar locations, and evaluate performance against established budgets and targets thus, ensuring organization within the company operations. Furthermore, added feature that promotes great customer experience like seasonal discounts and privileges offered to loyal or lucky patrons. The system once implemented it will solve the most common problems that the Hotel Reservation encounter. In the hospitality industry, labor is one of the largest expense items. This kind of management system that is fast, efficient, and user-friendly, cuts of the burden of too much labor and expense of manual work. With the skills and knowledge of the Researchers the possibility of establishing this system is vivid. Definitely, SWU BALAY ALUMNI needs this system in order for the business to grow and to be successful. Purpose and Description of the Study The purpose of the study is to be able to have efficient control and maintain organization in the flow and process of the following aspects of operations: * Reservation Hotel reservations are made in real time and immediately after booking. It will help to manage a collection of data in the hotel. Moreover, you can add, change, and cancel bookings. * Booking * Booking is the actual confirmation of payment one by a customer upon check in or accommodation of the room * Profiles Upon reservation and booking, must have a guest profile to attach it. Guest Profile contains main information about a Guest. Guest Profile has type of Individual, Company, Corporate, Travel Agent, or other Source of a Hotel Reservation and Booking. You can search, view, update or cancel a created reservation. If a reservation has been cancelled, then you can re-activate it if the Guest comes back. Reservation can be in Pending status such as putting in Waiting List if Room is not yet available. It can be taken off the Waiting List and accepted when Room becoming available. Many options can be applied to Reservation to tailor your needs. Profile in Hotel Management System listing the multiple addresses and phone number capability for each profile. It means that if any error happens during the transaction or key in data the system can read and detect with very fast. It’s to avoid the duplication while doing the transaction and the customer profile can be saving for long lasting. Other than that, with the profile, the management can see and sort out the special customer who has the membership or club number and tracking them. With this way, customer might be have the special rates and can get the privilege. For the unlimited credit card numbers, guest can use many types of credit card in the hotel to make a payment which this system giving various types to pay. This system also can give more advantage where they can see the outstanding history statistics for past and future stays. It’s to avoiding the fraud in falsifying data and loss. Customer have many advantage when they come to the hotel who has implemented the hotel reservation software because they no need to make a registration each time come to the hotel because the profile customer are save and have a protection and privacy. * Rate and Discounts Control Every hotel has their own rates to attract the customer to come to their hotel. This is the strategies to ensure the hotel always get the customer and to maintain their profit. In the Hotel Management System, the inventory control very useful because it can show to us the unlimited room classes and rooms types that the hotel has. This inventory can helps the management hotel to see their marketing also the performance in daily, weekly, monthly even yearly. These modules also can helps to arrange the rate plans by see the market price and see the rates in the multiple currencies. So that every customer or foreigner can search the hotel booking by see the currencies price. These modules also can keep change and negotiated rates by following the versatile tax calculations and chain cross sell capability with schedule. In the rooms and rate management and restrictions, the Hotel Management System can helps where they can manage the room with following the rate. If there have any restriction, that means the rooms was ordered or already reserved by the individual, group or others. So that, they cannot enter or reserve that rooms until the cancellation done. For more looks forward, this system giving the ability to open or close room types by rate, property, room class, etc. For those was booking the hotel, they no need to worried because this system has unlimited number of guarantee. To those had give the deposit before enter the rooms, they can get it back when they check out because the system save who pay for the deposit and if any cancellation, they must follow the policies to ensure the safety between hotel and customer. Besides that, the reservation system lets you set up rate structures for individual properties, groups of properties, or for chains. Multi-level rate and inventory controls make inventory management easier and increase profitability. Rates and room types can be automatically restricted based on percentage occupancy, minimum stay through, arrival date, and more. Agents can use the hotel reservation system to easily determine best available rates for any length of stay. To maximize property revenues, these hotel reservation computer systems also support interfacing to major yield management systems. * Administration The Hotel administrator is responsible for the reception of guest as well as internal communications of the hotel services. The post of administrator is related to the guest reception service or, as it has been recently called, front office service. * Reporting The reporting system provides a number of standard reports. System reports may be generated automatically and may be run daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or manually upon request. Reports include expected arrivals, reservation, property forecast, total booking activity, stay activity, monthly and daily booking activity summary. property detail, agent activity, automatic allotment release and delivery queue purge. * PMS Interface CRS offer Two-Way Interface that allows the CRS to communicate with and exchange information between the CRS central database and the Front Office PMS (Property Management System) at each property. The Two-Way Interface includes features that are allowed the CRS and PMS to work with the same information despite differing data structures and values. What interface to a web-based PMS offers: Control all reservations coming from different sources in a single control panel/extranet Property Management System helps you distribute your rooms optimally to different online channels you work with since with PMS you can easily check the resource of your reservations. You can easily analyze how much each sales channel contributes to your revenues and identify the most efficient channels. With Property Management System, hoteliers receive instant alerts containing information of your reservations: length of stay with check-in and check-out dates, number of guests, room type, price and rates, personal information of customers, billing and etc. Main advantage of a web-based PMS is its communication ability to CRS as well as to hotel website booking engine and other online sales channels. Objectives of the Study The study aims to create a Hotel Front Desk System for SWU BALAY ALUMNI. General Objective This study aims to solve the problems encountered and to change the manual reservation and hotel processes and transactions. Specific Objectives Specifically the proposed system will guide to do the following objectives: a) To create a computerized system that will manage the records of the following entities: * Guests * Staff * Rooms * Reports b) To create a computerized system that will manage tasks for Housekeeping. c) To create a computerized system that will provide substantial Sales Reports and Inventories. d) To create a computerized system that will manage and control on Room rates Scope and Limitations of the Study This study mainly focused on providing retailing business application using computerized system that enables businesses to track services and aims to provide accurate and reliable process on every transaction especially in a hotel front desk management. This study looked into a better impact of using technology today on how it affects our daily lives especially for being the customer. With this study, it can help our beneficiaries to know the differences of using manual system to a computerized generation today, prioritize is to prove and to give them the right information. Furthermore the proposed Front Desk Hotel Management System for SWU BALAY ALUMNI limits itself in the following aspects: Room Reservation, Room Bookings, Room Maintenance and Housekeeping, Staff and Customer Profiling, Administrative Control, Reporting, and Billing. However, this project is limited only in giving discounted rates for Southwestern Alumni and stakeholders. Furthermore, reservations can only be conducted in two ways either walk-in or via phone call. Thus, online reservation is not possible. The system is not capable of managing both payroll, laundry, restaurant, bar, gym and other facilities and amenities offered of the hotel..

Mrs Mallards Experience of Freedom in The Story of an Hour by Kate Cho

Mrs Mallard's Experience of Freedom in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin In "The Story of an Hour", Mrs Mallard, who has a heart attack is the main protagonist. Like any ordinary women, she is a normal housewife who depends on her husband. The news of her husband's death gives her freedom and sets her free from restraints, marriage and a lifetime of dependency. Kate Chopin uses several techniques to create the image of how freedom affects Mrs Mallard. At first, Mrs Mallard is shocked by the news which is shown in "She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister's arms." and "When the storm of grief had spent itself she went away to her room alone." These describe her immediate response and tell that she is so shaken by the news that she weeps at once and goes away alone. Chopin uses some special diction like "sudden", "wild abandonment" and "storm of grief" to indicate that the news is very abrupt and unsettling. These words create an unexpected and tense atmosphere which helps to plot the unpredictable emotions of Mrs Mallard. Meanwhile, Chopin uses personification to say that the news is a sudden attack to Mrs Mallard which strengthens the shocking emotion of Mrs Mallard. This can also be found in "She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her..." This says that Mrs Mallard is so confused and jolted that she sobs helplessly as Chopin uses "motionless" and "sob" which is a physical manifestation of an emotion to tell that Mrs Mallard is stunned and feeling disbelieving. Concurrently, Chopin use... ...s Mallard is now really enjoys life which is reinforces in "Feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory." as it suggests that Mrs Mallard is stimulated and is being confident and proud by the trophy. Here, Chopin uses fascination diction "feverish triumph" and a simile" like a goddess of victory" to reflect Mrs Mallard's emotion which create a very strong image of exultant which shows that she becomes optimistic to life and proud or even pride of herself. Chopin plots this to contrast to the ending "She had died of heart disease-- of joy that kills." which makes a dramatic ending and marks the climax of the story. Works Cited: Chopin, Kate. ?The Story of an Hour.? From Roberts and Jacobs' Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Sixth Edition, p. 392.

Why the British Government decided to colonise Botany Bay :: essays research papers fc

â€Å"Why did the British Government decide to colonise Botany Bay? In the evaluation of why Britain colonised Botany Bay, Australia, one can draw on many conclusions. When the First Fleet arrived at Botany Bay in January 1788, little did they realise that for years to come historians would be contesting the real reasons as to why the British Parliament planned to establish a colony in Botany Bay. The Botany Bay debate, as it has been known to be called, began among historians in the 1950’s when Geoffrey Blainey said that it was colonised for strategic motives#. These motives included such plans as there was a plant nursery to be established on Norfolk Island and Australia was to become a flax farm and a market garden that was to be surrounded by goal walls; there had been a failure of the growing of flax and pine on Norfolk Island, this at first had been very promising; and that flax and timber were vital to Britains economy as explained by the British Politicians in many letters. Along with Blainey’s argument came another debate, this being that Botany Bay, was colonised as it was a good outpost for trading purposes. The traditional view in the debate was that Botany Bay was the chosen place for the convict population and it is this traditional view that my argument will follow. The idea of establishing a colony in Botany Bay started with the â€Å"Matra’s Proposal†# in August 1783. Matra’s idea was that there was a possibility of a new colony of the Americans who had remained loyal to Britain during the War of Independence, this idea being rejected by all. Botany Bay was then seen as a solution to the ever growing number of filled rotting convict hulks along the River Thames and the overpopulated goals. The proposal for the establishment of the new colony being â€Å"Heads of Plan†# addressed the effective disposal of the convicts to the new colony. With Britain continuing to send convicts to Australia for many decades, the cost involved in transporting the convicts would be greatly decreased and it would be better than dealing with the problem of the overcrowded hulks and goals in England and the costs associated with feeding the convicts etc. Up until 1776 Britain had been transporting convicts to the American colonies but this practice was stopped with the outbreak of the American War of Independence.

Sentences and Proposition

â€Å"Sentences, originally, is a term of grammar and linguistic. It's introduction into logic is a recent innovation and it still seems strange to many to find the word sentences where propositions might have been expected. â€Å"(Alonzo) Basically, propositions have been taken to be sentences that can be true or false but can never be both. This shows that sentences when they meet some conditions will become a proposition. One major distinction between sentences and propositions is that, a sentence cannot be a bearer of truth value while the proposition does so. This is because propositions have logical connections which enable us to deduce whether it is true or false. Sentences in the kinds of questions, exclamations and the like can not be taken as propositions. Example; What is your name? We can not tell whether this is a true or false sentence. A sentence(proposition) will convey truth when it expresses a proposition, that is, when a sentence has a reference and it is meaningful. The presence of the reference in a proposition will enable us to connect it with our ideas or beliefs outside our mind in order to ascertain their truth value. This differ from a sentence which may not have a reference , example, keep quiet! In a proposition like, PHIL 402 students went to Cape Coast last thursday,it is clear what the reference is and with the meaning of the proposition, you can tell whether it is a true assertion or a false one. Thus, propositions and sentences, they have been used interchangeably, but for the philosophers, they are different terms referring to different things. Simply, a sentence that has a reference and is meaningful expresses a proposition. REFERENCE: Alonzo Church(1956) â€Å"Propositions and Sentences† The Problem of Universals, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press.

Market Revolution

The worldwide presence of the United States of America in terms of a gigantic political and economic power, as we see it today, is a result of the creative and relentless efforts of many political geniuses. After the War of Independence, the country was thrown in a state of depression and the late 17th century era marked a period of instability. The country had war debt of millions of dollars, negative speculation for foreign investment was inevitable, the army was negligible, the navy fleet was almost non-existent, relationship with England had severed and the Congress was unable to impose taxes until a proper law and order system was in place. Heavy adjustments to the political and economic regulations were required to drive the country out of the financial crisis. It were only through the relentless vision and efforts of Alexander Hamilton, the First Secretary of Treasury and Thomas Jefferson, the First Secretary of State, that a new political and economic ideal for the country was created and later, a stage was set for   full scale development of the American society and economic growth to all parts of the world. Similar article: Rise of Political Parties in the 1790s In a revolutionary era marked by political battles and public discord, these symbolic figures provided different, yet talismanic views of the power of government and enterprise in shaping the political and economic orders of the country that has enabled the rulers of the future to legitimatize their decisions for sustainable development. 2. THE FEDERALIST APPROACH: ALEXANDER HAMILTON Hamilton believed that the revival of the economy and subsequent growth depended on the creation of a strong central government that was increasingly proactive in the affairs of the country. He believed that a central, energetic government will not only be able to supersede the powers of the individual states in order to provide national stability but also provide a common framework for effective development and unionization of the big country. He denied the notion of self-interest, which he believed was prevalent in the political structure and destructive for the nation. His philosophy of centralizing the national economy was a product of his political stance. Hamilton believed that a structure of public credit facilities, immediate repayment of foreign debts and responsibility of states war debts, establishment of a new bank and protection of young industries were essential to promote business and develop competitive industries. Public credit facilities were to be financed through issuing government securities like bonds which can be used to settle the domestic debt and extended towards the industrial and manufacturing sector. The government should take over the responsibility of the debt incurred by the individual states during the war since the war was fought for the independence of the entire nation and â€Å"A national debt attaches many citizens to the government who, by their numbers, wealth, and influence, contribute more perhaps to its preservation than a body of soldiers† (Finseth). A banking structure with diversified branches will help the national government to carry out its basic functions like collecting taxes, financing debt and issue payments, issuing currency and generating income through interest on loans. A structure of no-tax for interstate commerce and protective tariff on imports will protect and promote national competition and young firms. Through his notion of a strong economic plan for a mechanized society, Thomas Hamilton gained support of a number of Congressmen and formed a Federalist Party in 1792. 3. THE REPUBLICAN APPROACH: THOMAS JEFFERSON In contrast to Hamilton’s view of an orderly mercantile economy, Thomas Jefferson advocated an agrarian economy, based on individual rights and a limited, decentralized government. He feared that the system proposed by his counterpart threatened the majority of the population who were agrarian laborers and resembled the British economic system. This would result in an emergence of tyranny against such a centralized rule. Jefferson compounded on a weak government structure because he believed that a proper government will not only restrict the liberty of individuals but also limit itself from creating individualism. He emphasized this concept in one of his political writings: â€Å"rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add ‘within the limits of the law’, because law is often but the tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of the individual† (Appleby). Thomas Jefferson reject Hamilton’s proposal of setting up a national bank, fearing that such a bank would serve the rich at the expense of the poor people and emphasize federal powers over state powers. In response to the Federalist movement, Jefferson formed the Republican Party in 1792 along with James Madison to oppose the policies of the Federalists. 4.THE MARKET AND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION The influences set forth by the two politicians shaped the constitution of the country and paved way for a rapid development of the economy from 1815 to 1860. In 1792, the king of France was overthrown and a republic was established. France attempted to extend its powers throughout Europe and Britain was trying to curtail it. This resulted in Napoleonic Wars, of which the United States was a major victim in terms of foreign relations. The victory of the Republican Party in 1800 resulted in the nomination of Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States. This event marked the first significant change in American politics. After the War of 1812, Jefferson realized that his vision of an agricultural market economy was incompetent with the competition in global markets. This led to the adoption of a policy of expansion and competition for power in the global economy. The Industrial revolution had begun in the 1700s in Europe and was marked by new inventions and efficient methods of production. This revolution spread to the United States and local inventors came up with unique ideas to mechanize the agriculture sector and spur new industries. Cotton gin was a notable invention which revolutionized the cotton industry by creating new industries, promoting inter-commerce relations between the West and the East and exports. Manufacturing of shoes, woolen clothing and machinery were also expanding. By 1860, almost a third of the country’s income came from the manufacturing sector. The concept of agrarian labor was transformed to that of a wage worker who was paid to run the automated machines in the factories. Most of the urbanized industries were located in the South, whereas the agricultural sector was primarily located in the South. Government provided social capital in the form of national roads, waterways and railroads. These initiatives enabled the nation to establish a firm base for rapid industrialization that followed. Financial industry diffused with new scheme through which some investors made wealth and others lost their savings. Protective tariffs were imposed to sustain the growing industries and bank branches were set up in every city. Rapid development also attracted a great deal of domestic and foreign investment. 5. CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRANSFORMATION The market and Industrial revolution had several consequences, including religion and reform, for the American Society in the eighteenth century. In the north, Evangelicalism or individual holiness, emerged in the new republic and was the â€Å"grand absorbing theme of American religious life† (Religion and the American Republic 7). Progressive and conservative religious forces often differed in terms of religious opinions with the former advocating a mass dedication to the materialism of the market society. Reformism, as a result was an opposing view to that of the individual revivals. Nevertheless, the underlying belief was that â€Å"religion was a necessary spring† for the government to operate efficiently and people believed in â€Å"a close association between Religion and Patriotism† (Religion and the American Republic 7). Societies and communities sprang up with a clear objective of devotion towards the removal of social evil and re-enlightenment of the individual soul as a result of the energy created from the evangelical movement. The six largest societies created during 1826-1827 were the American Education Society, the American Board of Foreign Missions, the American Bible Society, the American Sunday-School Union, the American Tract Society, and the American Home Missionary Society (Religion and the American Republic 7). WORKS CITED: 1.   United States History, The Formation of a National Government, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: http://countrystudies.us/united-states/ 2. Finseth, Ian. The Rise and fall of Alexander Hamilton, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/ham/hamilton.html 3. Religion and the Founding of the American Republic, Retrieved on Mar 10, 2006 from: Market Revolution The Market Revolution AP U. S. History The impact of the Market Revolution was the dawn of new markets in land, labor and produce. It ultimately changed American society and reflected a turn away from agrarian ideals through various changes in business, transportation, and society. Overall, the Market Revolution impacted the nation through different regions; the northeast became industrial, while the south relied on farming. The Northeast was booming in industrial growth from the Market Revolution.With the new textile mills, there were many jobs and the economy was on the rise. However, two of the biggest ways the Northeast was able to improve was with its improvements on transportation and various innovations. For example, in 1825 the Eerie Canal was created by Dewitt Clinton and set the stage for faster and easier transportation for goods and people. Also, with New York growing into one of the nation’s largest cities, there were various railroad networks that linked major ci ties. Lastly, the Northeast region was also improving with the creation of companies.For example, in 1813 Francis Cabot Lowell created the Boston Manufacturing company created the first large scale manufacturing cities in the United States of America (Lowell, Massachusetts). With this company, Lowell was also able to create 6,000 jobs by 1836. Because of these important improvements, the Market Revolution industrialized the Northeast and definitely set it apart in comparison to the Southwest region. While the Northeast was improving vastly on industrialization, the South was concentrated on their growth of farming.Even though, the South lagged in the growth of industrialization and urbanization, they had just as fast growth in their economy. It was Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gin that made slaves last longer and the production of cotton much faster. For example, cotton growth went from around 75,000 bales in 1800 to over 2 million bales in 1850 with the improvements on producing cotton. Because of the faster production of cotton, the South was able to export to Europe and the Northeast for an advantageous profit. Even though the South obviously had most of their growth due to cotton, they were still able to improve technologically wise.They did have factories and large ports and harbors. For example, the Mississippi transportation helped businesses export across the country with the advances of the steamboat. Thus, having a similar growth in transportation in comparison to the north. From 1815-1860, the Market Revolution was able to have growth in both the Northeast and the South regions and even though they had many differences, the regions were brought together with their booming economies. The large improvements in farming and industrialization were able to shape America into a powerful and wealthy country.

Constructing On Constructivism The Role Of Technology Education Essay

AbstractionA complementary relationship exists between engineering and constructivism, the execution of each one profiting the other. Constructivism is a philosophy saying that larning takes topographic point in contexts, while engineering refers to the designs and environments that engage scholars. Recent efforts to incorporate engineering in the schoolroom have been within the context of a constructivist model ( e.g. , Richards, 1998 ) . The intent of this paper is to analyze the interrelatedness between constructivism and engineering as revealed by empirical research. The instances include a assortment of surveies in a assortment of scenes – instructor instruction, on-line acquisition, and K-12 instruction ; constructivist schemes include collaborative and concerted acquisition methods, prosecuting in critical and brooding thought, rating through electronic portfolios, and a critical expression at emerging instructor functions within constructivist paradigms. Success has be en reported in the development of constructivist class faculties utilizing engineering as cognitive tools, profiting both pupils and module. However, many instructors do non utilize constructivist patterns, and those who do are non wise in their choice of engineering usage ( Rakes, Flowers, Casey, & A ; Santana, 1999 ) . Technology needs to be viewed in a 3-dimensional position: semiotic, epistemological, and matter-of-fact, enabling the â€Å" building of cognition † by scholars through a procedure of socialization.Introductionâ€Å" Once cognizing is no longer understood as the hunt for an iconic representation of ontological world, but, alternatively, as a hunt for suiting ways of behaving and thought, the traditional job disappears. Knowledge can now be seen as something that the being builds up in the effort to order the as such formless flow of experienceaˆÂ ¦ † von Glasersfeld ( 1984, p. 39 ) The usage of computing machine engineering to back up acquisition has been hard to document and quantify ( Clark, 1994 ; Russell, 1999 ) , go forthing the function of computing machines in the schoolroom unstable. In the past decennary, a sudden revival of involvement was markedly observed in the schoolroom usage of technological inventions, along with the increased usage of the Internet and other digital engineerings ( Reiser, 2002 ) . The field of Instructional Design and Technology, excessively, saw the development and outgrowth of alternate attacks, such as cognitive and constructivist theories, that deviated aggressively from traditional patterns, such as behavioural theoretical accounts. New accents, like electronic public presentation support systems, web-based direction, and knowledge direction systems, non merely agitate the cognition base of the field, but besides widened its skyline across concern and industry, the military, wellness attention and instruction, worldwide ( Reiser, 2002 ) . Enterprises, such as located larning theory and constructivism presented fresh attacks to convey about reforms in the spheres of public instruction and higher instruction ( Anderson, Reder & A ; Simon, 1996 ; Brown, Collins & A ; Duguid, 1989 ; Jonassen, 1999 ; Reiser, 2002 ) . To understand the potency of engineering execution in heightening the teaching-learning procedure, the impact of constructivism on schoolroom patterns has been studied by many research workers ( e.g. , Black & A ; McClintock, 1995 ; Richards, 1998 ; Brush & A ; Saye, 2000 ) . Other research workers have suggested that constructivist schemes exploit engineerings for greatest impact in larning ( e.g. , Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . A complementary relationship appears to be between computing machine engineerings and constructivism, the execution of each one profiting the other. Constructivism, derived chiefly from the plants of Piaget ( 1970 ) , Bruner ( 1962, 1979 ) , Vygotsky ( 1962, 1978 ) , and Papert ( 1980, 1983 ) , is both a philosophical and psychological attack based on societal cognitivism that assumes that individuals, behaviours and environments interact in mutual manner ( Schunk, 2000 ) . Constructivism is a philosophy saying that larning takes topographic point in contexts, and that scholars form or construct much of what they learn and understand as a map of their experiences in state of affairs ( Schunk, 2000 ) . More late, research workers ( e.g. , Lave, 1990 ; Saxe, Guberman & A ; Gearheart, 1987 ) have presented more qualitative certification of larning in context. Technology, harmonizing to Jonassen, Peck, and Wilson ( 1999 ) refers to â€Å" the designs and environments that engage scholars † ( p. 12 ) . The focal point of both constructivism and engineering are so on the creative activity of larning environments. Likewise, Hannfin and Hill ( 2002 ) depict these larning environments as contexts: in which knowledge-building tools ( affordances ) and the agencies to make and pull strings artefacts of understanding are provided, non one in which constructs are explicitly taughtaˆÂ ¦ a topographic point where scholars work together and back up each other as they use a assortment of tools and larning resources in their chase of larning ends and problem-solving activities ( p.77 ) . The intent of this paper is to reexamine the research on the integrating of engineering in the schoolroom, foregrounding the connexion between constructivism and engineering. The focal point is on the constructivist position of larning as an active procedure of building instead than geting cognition, and direction as a procedure that supports building instead than pass oning cognition. The reappraisal is followed by a series of instance surveies, stressing constructivism and engineering ‘s relationship. Finally, deductions for instructors and instructor pedagogues are presented.Review of Related LiteratureIn order to understand larning within a constructivist model, as an activity in context, the whole acquisition environment must be examined. However, the broad diverseness of constructivist positions makes the task really complex and beyond the range of this paper. These positions normally emphasize the function of the instructor, the pupil, and the cultural embeddedness of ac quisition ( see for example, Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Honebein, Duffy, & A ; Fishman, 1993 ; Simons, 1993 ) . Using these commonalties as guidelines, this reappraisal outlines the relationship of constructivism with engineering by looking at ( a ) engineering as cognitive tools, ( B ) constructive position of the thought procedure, and ( degree Celsius ) the function of the instructor in engineering enhanced environments. Technology as Cognitive Tools A cardinal premise of constructivism is that larning is mediated by tools and marks ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Ezell & A ; O'Keeffe, 1994 ) . â€Å" Culture creates the tool, but the tool changes the civilization. Participants in the civilization appropriate these tools from their civilization to run into their ends, and thereby transform their engagement in the civilization † ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996, p. 180 ) . The computing machine is an example of mediational agencies that has facets of both tool and mark. The computing machine ‘s function in instruction has been mostly viewed as an instructional tool and for supplying a richer and more exciting acquisition environment ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Jonassen & A ; Reeves, 1996 ; Taylor, 1980 ) . However, by concentrating on the scholar, the function of engineering can back up new apprehensions and capablenesss, therefore, offering a cognitive tool to back up cognitive and metacognitive procedures. For i llustration, an electronic exchange plan between pupils of a category in the U.S. with a similar schoolroom in Northern Ireland shared multiple cultural positions through images, narratives, letters and multimedia plans ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . The experience was enriching, increasing their apprehension. Further, clear uping the function of engineering in acquisition, Duffy and Cunningham ( 1996 ) province: Technology is seen as an built-in portion of the cognitive activityaˆÂ ¦.This position of distributed knowledge significantly impacts how we think of the function of engineering in instruction and preparation, the focal point is non on the person in isolation and what he or she knows, but on the activity in the environment. It is the activity – focused and contextualized- that is cardinal†¦ The procedure of building is directed towards making a universe that makes sense to us, that is equal for our mundane operation ( pp. 187-188 ) . Therefore, the undertaking of the scholar is seen as dynamic, and the computing machine makes available new larning chances. The position of engineering as cognitive tools is besides shared by other research workers ( e.g. , Jonassen, 1994 ; Jonassen & A ; Reeves, 1996 ; Lajoie, 2000 ) . The traditional position of instructional engineerings of direction as conveyers of information and communicators of cognition is supplanted with active function the scholar plays in larning with engineering. Technologies, chiefly computing machines, help construct cognition bases, which will â€Å" prosecute the scholars more and ensue in more meaningful and movable knowledgeaˆÂ ¦ Learners map as interior decorators utilizing the engineering as tools for analysing the universe, accessing information, interpretation and forming their personal cognition, and stand foring what they know to others † ( Jonassen, 1994, p. 2 ) . Technological tools such as spreadsheets, databases, adept systems, picture conferencing and others can be used by pupils to analyse capable affair, develop representative mental theoretical accounts, and so transcribe them into cognition bases ( Jonassen, 1994 ; Jonassen & A ; Carr, 2000 ; Jonassen & A ; Reeves, 1996 ) . An illustration is the development of fake microworlds and games by kids utilizing Logo scheduling. Logo scheduling has evolved since the early text-based medium conceived by Seymour Papert and his squad at MIT in the 1970 ‘s, to a well easy, digitized format. Kafai, Ching, and Marshall ( 1997 ) gave an introductory preparation plan to fifth and sixth grade pupils one hebdomad before the design undertakings. The Logo version included support for modern computing machine characteristics like multimedia, sprite life, sounds, films, and pigment tools. Harmonizing to Kafai and her co-workers ( 1997 ) , the multimedia package proved to be a good context for pupils to larn through coaction and undertaking direction. The interaction between squad members, the flow of thoughts and loud thought encouraged the kids to experiment and happen alternate ways for planing and work outing jobs. For illustration, the pupils worked on different characters separately, but so worked together to inc orporate all the characters, and in debugging ( Kafai et al. , 1997 ) . Cognitive tools do non prevent the usage of computing machines to increase productiveness for larning. Off-loading insistent undertakings and lower order undertakings to cognitive tools frees cognitive resources for deeper thought ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Jonassen, 1999 ) and reduces mistakes. Harmonizing to Swain and Pearson ( 2001 ) , instructors and pupils must be educated to utilize the computing machine as a productiveness tool, every bit good as a tool for acquisition, research, networking, coaction, telecommunications, and problem-solving. Using computing machines as a productiveness tool is one of the six National Educational Technological Standards ( NETS ) ( hypertext transfer protocol: //cnets.iste.org/ ) for instructors which states that instructors will â€Å" utilize engineering to heighten their productiveness and professional patterns † ( Morrison, Lowther, & A ; DeMeulle, 1999 ) . Constructive position of â€Å" Thinking † The procedure of thought in constructivist paradigms requires higher-order accomplishments, diging deeper and harder into content and context ( Black & A ; McClintock, 1995 ; Jonassen, n.d. ; Manzo, 1998 ; Swain & A ; Pearson, 2001 ) . Traditional schooling, harmonizing to Manzo ( 1998 ) , really discourages constructive believing with ends of conveying bing cognition that conflicts with any existent effort to bring forth new apprehension. â€Å" Constructivist thought combines both the critical and originative rational procedures. It can be practiced by promoting critical analysis in activities. Schools, instructors and pupils can be conditioned to swerve away from traditional schooling regimen to promote constructive thought † ( Manzo, 1998, p. 287 ) . Cognitive tools, along with constructivist larning environments, usher and activate cognitive acquisition schemes and critical thought ( Jonassen, 1994 ) . Cognitive tools help in cognition building and non knowledge reproduct ion. The cognition constructed by the scholars reflects their comprehension and construct of the information. To exemplify, when pupils build cognition bases with databases, they need to analyse the content sphere and engage in critical thought. Black and McClintok ( 1999 ) emphasis the importance of reading as being cardinal to knowledge and acquisition. Their design of Study Supported Environments ( SSEs ) based on constructivist design rules called Interpretation Construction Design ( ICON ) focused chiefly on the interpretative building of reliable artefacts in the context of rich background stuffs, and crossing across different Fieldss of survey. Their survey showed that in add-on to larning specific content, pupils were able to get generalizable reading and debate accomplishments. For illustration, in learning 6th grade antediluvian history, a plan called Archaeotype A © was used that presented pupils with a in writing simulation of an archeological site. Students who worked collaboratively in groups, had to delve up artefacts through simulation, observe and mensurate them in fake research labs, and eventually through a procedure of reading and debate, arrived at the apprehension of general rules behind what they were making. In a follow-up rating survey, it was found that there were important additions in the interpretive and debate accomplishments of pupils who had participated in the survey against a control group ( Black & A ; McClintock, 1999 ) . Brooding thought, that requires careful deliberation, is besides encouraged by constructivists ( e.g. , Kafai et al. , 1997 ; Swain & A ; Pearson, 2001 ; Walker, 2000 ) . Metacognition, or the self-monitoring and self-denial of the acquisition procedure, is emphasized. New cognition which is composed is added to old representations, modifying them in the procedure. This normally requires external staging in the signifier of people, books, or engineerings such as computing machines. Swain and Pearson ( 2001 ) recommend the pattern of brooding thought by instructors to measure their engineering usage. They stress the importance of certification of brooding ideas to find the extent and quality of personal versus instructional utilizations of engineering, organisation and execution of environments and activities. Jonassen ( 1994 ) describes technological tools as â€Å" rational spouses † and â€Å" powerful accelerators † in the procedure of acquisition, â€Å" scaffoldin g the all important procedures of articulation and contemplation, which are the foundations of cognition building † ( p. 5 ) . The Role of the Teacher in Technology Enhanced Environments The function of the instructor as a facilitator is seen as most of import in a constructivist context ( Witfelt, 2000 ; Richards, 1998 ) . Within a constructivist schoolroom, the instructor engenders societal and rational climes, where collaborative and concerted acquisition methods are supported. In parallel, technology-enhanced schoolrooms tap constructivist schemes ( Jonassen, 1999 ) , set uping problem-based undertakings where pupils actively construct cognition, associating knew cognition with old cognition. In non-traditional schoolrooms such as the open/global schoolroom ( Walker, 2000 ; Witfelt, 2000 ) , the function and duties of the instructor have changed. The instructor, as an agent, has to invariably update information and engineering for doing learning reliable and relevant. For illustration, while developing a class faculty for instructors and taxonomy for instructor competences in the usage of educational multimedia, Witfelt ( 2000 ) observed that it was of import to unite several theories such as constructivism, postmodernism, situated intelligence and multiple intelligences. However, the theoretical model would be constructivist in nature with the instructor presuming the function of the facilitator, supplying an environment for self-generated research, understanding the societal and collaborative nature of acquisition, assisting kids concept cognition and initiate problem-based, project-oriented work. With this passage in functions and duties, Witfelt ( 2000 ) listed new in structor competences in constructivist contexts that include supervisor makings, protagonist and facilitator of pupils ‘ work, adviser and subject-matter expert, galvanizer and encourager, supreme authority at group treatments, critic in mobilising greater attempt when aims are non being met, and judge to better general larning capacities of pupils.Case StudiesAfter analyzing the literature on engineering integrating and constructivist rules, a complementary relationship between engineering and acquisition within a constructivist model seems sound and advantageous to instructors and scholars. To exemplify these rules discretely, model instances are presented that reflect the doctrine established above. Teacher-trainees at Winthrop University in South Carolina undertook a meaningful technology-based activity to carry through literacy ends ( Richards, 1998 ) . They developed an electronic portfolio around a literacy-related subject, including informations, contemplations and critical responses, which they shared with their equals and other pedagogues. The extract of engineering was helped by implementing constructivist-based activities, such as coaction and cooperation in a group, prosecuting in job resolution and building possible solutions to social quandary, and pass oning the deeper processing of content and the critical development of literacy accomplishments and schemes ( Richards, 1998 ) . Student perceptual experiences were determined through formative and summational appraisal methods. Students responded positively toward achievement of concerted and collaborative acquisition, the engineering constituent maps and the relevancy of the activities to future callings in schools. However, they recommended that more clip be provided for treating thoughts and synthesising them in the portfolio. Research conducted at the Open University, U.K. besides demonstrated a positive relationship between constructivism and engineering integrating ( Walker, 2000 ) . A distance-learning class was developed maintaining in head the experiential and constructivist positions of larning. The intent was to assist pupils in a distance-learning class learn in better and more effectual ways, to be active scholars, building their ain apprehension. Assignments and appraisals were besides oriented towards constructivist ends. Their attempts culminated in a new paradigm of class development. A study of all the pupils who completed the class and took the scrutiny revealed that the bulk felt that they had improved their acquisition accomplishments to a considerable extent. A follow-up study was undertaken the undermentioned twelvemonth. These findings revealed a high proportion of positive responses to inquiries sing the continued usage of contemplation to better assignments, based on teachers ‘ feedback and rating standards. However, pupils were less positive about their usage of contemplation in general. These pupils like those described above ( Richards, 1998 ) struggled with maintaining and utilizing contemplation efficaciously. Students were non the lone donees of the mixture of constructivist schemes with engineering tools. Harmonizing to Richards ( 1998 ) and Walker ( 2000 ) , the development of class faculties based on constructivist patterns and the integrating of engineering were besides good to the module, as they had to be after and revise to incorporate engineering so that pupils could be helped to go more capable and mature scholars.Deductions for PracticeThese instances have important deductions for instructor pedagogues and instructors. In the country of instructor instruction, Kim and Sharp ( 2000 ) observed that the planning of instructors consistent with constructivist patterns was extremely variable with most preservice instructors cognizing really small about the effectual integrating of engineering in instruction. Since instructors tend to learn as they were taught, it is indispensable that both preservice and inservice instructors must be exposed to constructivist-based direction, which wo uld so ease the development of learning schemes consistent with recent reform motions ( Kim & A ; Sharp, 2000 ) . An exposure to constructivist learning methods and coincident multimedia acquisition experiences influenced the planning of constructivist behaviours and extract of engineering ( Kim & A ; Sharp, 2000 ) . Technology may besides act upon teacher pattern to integrate constructivist rules. Rakes, Flowers, Casey and Santana ( 1999 ) study that as the sum of engineering available, the degree of engineering accomplishments of the instructors, and the usage of engineering increased, the usage of constructivist schemes in the schoolroom besides appeared to increase. â€Å" Technology can supply the vehicle for carry throughing constructivist instruction patterns † ( Rakes et al. , 1999, p. 3 ) . So, increasing the accomplishment degrees of instructors with respect to computing machines and supplying extra chances for instructors to incorporate engineering into lessons may promote the usage of constructivist behaviours. Availability, skill degree and usage may non, nevertheless, warrant purposeful usage of engineering nor constructivist rules. Rakes et Al. ( 1999 ) reported many instructors concentrated on the drill and pattern type of package, pretermiting basic computing machine accomplishments development, or dealt merely with presentation accomplishments and Internet resources. These research workers recommended concentrating on staff development and preparation in engineering usage and constructivist patterns that moved beyond literacy accomplishments to turn to more thoroughly application and curriculum integrating issues. When turn toing the function of the instructor in constructivist paradigms, there should be no misconstruing sing the importance of the instructor. Yet, many instructors feel uncomfortable with the deficiency of a chiseled content and the displacement of venue of control to the scholars ( Brush & A ; Saye, 2000 ; Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . Making suited contexts is non simply supplying scholars with resources and allowing them discover things for themselves, but forming resources in such a manner to breed cognitive disagreements in the heads of the scholars, animating them to larn how to larn through a procedure of coaction and defendable apprehensions ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . As a facilitator of acquisition, the instructor is non ineffective and on the out of boundss. On the contrary, the instructor is free to utilize a assortment of constructivist schemes, such as coaching, mold, and scaffolding, to help each scholar ( Collins, Brown & A ; Newman, 1990 ) . Scaffolding may include support from other persons and artefacts, every bit good as the cultural context and history that the scholars bring to the environment. Scaffolding, nevertheless, does non intend guiding and learning a scholar toward some chiseled end but back uping the growing of the scholar through cognitive and metacognitive activities ( Hannafin, Hill & A ; Land, 1997 ) . Therefore, the instructor assumes the function of a manager and ensures common apprehension of the positions of the scholar. In utilizing collaborative and concerted groups, the instructor must be careful in guaranting that they are non merely schemes for acquisition, but means to advance dialogical interchange and reflexi veness ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . As Morrison, Lowther, and DeMeulle ( 1999 ) competently suggest, â€Å" Technology and a constructivist attack need non be at odds with each other. If we change our position of computing machines from simply a agencies to present direction to one of a tool to work out jobs, so the reform motion can act upon the usage of engineering, and engineering can act upon the reform of instruction † ( p. 5 ) .DecisionConstructivist positions assert that acquisition is the active procedure of building instead than passively geting cognition, and direction is the procedure of back uping the cognition constructed by the scholars instead than the mere communicating of cognition ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Honebein, Duffy & A ; Fishman, 1993 ; Jonassen, 1999 ; ) . Truth is determined by the viability of the scholars ‘ apprehension in the existent universe, where viability is culturally determined. The constructivist model seeks to understand multiple positions, and challenges the s cholars ‘ thought ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Jonassen, Mayes & A ; McAleese, 1993 ) . It examines the societal beginnings of buildings, whereby it acknowledges larning as a procedure of socialization. Therefore, the survey of societal and cultural procedures and artefacts becomes a cardinal issue. Context is a dynamic whole including the person and sociohistorical facets ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ; Ezell & A ; O'Keefe, 1994 ) . Thinking is ever dialogic, linking heads, either straight or indirectly. The indirect or semiotic agencies are the marks and tools appropriated from the sociocultural context ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . Within this displacement in focal point from the objectivist to the constructivist context sphere, engineering can play an built-in portion in the acquisition environment ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996 ) . â€Å" The profusion of the engineering permits us to supply a richer and more exciting ( entertaining ) larning environmentaˆÂ ¦ our concern is the new apprehensions and new capablenesss that are possible through the usage of engineering † ( Duffy & A ; Cunningham, 1996, p. 187 ) . By incorporating engineering with constructivist methods, such as problem-based acquisition and project-based acquisition, scholars are more responsible for and active in the acquisition procedure ( Grant, 2002 ) . Additionally, mundane applications, such as word processors and spreadsheets, become powerful instruments for reliable acquisition. Constructivism offers flexibleness to instructors to individualise larning for each pupil while utilizing engineering tools to augment cognitive and metacognitive procedures.SubscribersAloka Nanjappa is presently a doctorial campaigner, Instructional Design and Technology, Department of Instructional Curriculum and Leadership, University of Memphis, Tennessee. She was Assistant Professor in a college of instruction, affiliated to the University of Bombay, India, learning Experimental Psychology, Educational Technology, and Methodology of learning Mathematicss. She has besides taught in the K-10 and undergraduate degree ( Zoology ) in India. Aloka was late awarded the Outstanding ID & A ; T Graduate Student Award by the University of Memphis, Tennessee. Her research involvements lie in teacher instruction with a focal point on engineering integrating in the schoolroom. Michael M. Grant is an Assistant Professor at the University of Memphis in the Instructional Design and Technology plan within the teacher instruction section. His most recent research has focused on suiting single differences and constructionism. He has worked with both preservice and inservice instructors on incorporating engineering.