You (Yes You) Can Become an Influencer

If you’re a good writer, you probably already have an impressive portfolio that shows off your skills and a solid set of clients that give you consistent work. However, there’s one potentially lucrative attribute that you may not yet have: influence. Free Actionable Bonus: Free Actionable Bonus: Want to create better content for social media? Get the complete guide to building a social media strategy and creating content for social, plus 6 awesome examples to inspire your next post. Influencers add significant value for clients within their field of expertise and are in high demand. In addition to their knowledge, they add credibility and can increase the reach of content with their network. Influence, in a word, is power. It’s not easy to build up influence and a loyal following, but it might not be as hard as you think. Combining these key strategies, along with persistence, will help get you there. See and be Seen It may sound obvious, but having a powerful social media presence is important for becoming an influencer. You need to be active on multiple social media channels, adding thoughtful and valuable contributions with each post. This requires you to both listen to what others are saying and engage. Using your own content is important, but you also need to add value by answering questions, adding relevant comments and sharing your opinions on the posts on others to really get noticed. Pay special attention to LinkedIn – it’s a great place to post longer-form content and tends to be a hub for influencers and thought leaders. One of the most effective ways to develop a reputation in your field and boost your social media following is to maintain an active blogging presence. If you don’t currently have a blog, there’s no better time to get one started in a niche you’re passionate about. You don’t have to jump right into an aggressive posting schedule. Start off with a post a week and ramp up as you get accustomed to the routine. The important thing is to be consistent – posting consistently one to five times a month will get you twice the clicks per post. While creating and sharing content on your own social media channels will help you get noticed, you’ll get even better results if you also partner with other key influencers in your field. Ask them if you could interview them for your blog or, even better, pitch an idea for a guest post. Guest posting gives you the chance to reach a whole new audience and cements your reputation as an expert, so it’s important to make these posts unique and high-quality. Take Advantage of Tools Automation and analytics tools can help you grow your following in a big way by allowing you to deliver better, more timely content. Want to deliver a steady stream of valuable content to your Twitter following? Try using a solution to automate your postings and stay on top of your schedule. Analytics tools are also invaluable for would-be influencers. Digging into stats on your various social media platforms can help you figure out what’s working and what isn’t. For example, Socialbakers and Visual Marketing Index are free tools that analyze your Instagram presence and can identify your top-performing hashtags, most-liked posts, most-commented posts and more. When you have this information at your fingertips, it’s easier to give your audience what they want. Connecting with other influencers will help you become an influencer yourself. You may already know of influencers in your field who can help you. Make an effort to promote and share great content by these people. If they return the favor, be sure to thank them and use the opportunity to start a conversation. You won’t always get a response, but if you keep trying. You’ll build up some valuable relationships. Consistency Is Key Knowing some of the essential steps to becoming an influencer is important, but it’s only half the battle. Consistent effort is necessary to build up a social media following and develop influence. You don’t want the kind of following that can pop up overnight – you want an engaged, loyal following that values the knowledge and insights you have to share in your specialty. This will make you a highly sought after writer for companies looking to reach more in their industry and increase their credibility.

TERM PAPER OUTLINE

TERM PAPER OUTLINE Any term paper outline is the best reliable compass throughout the whole writing. Here an individual arranges the whole set of elements, he is prepared to discuss in his term paper. In many cases, a person has to do it on his own. But if you need a professional assistance and term paper outline, we are ready to help. The practical application of the initial idea of term paper outline creation is here as a major assistance for you to stay focused.  It is highly important to stick to selected points in your term paper. Whenever, a tutor can request you to submit your working term paper outline, you should be fully ready to present it. He or she will probably evaluate ways you are likely to develop in your thesis. Due to his educational experience, your tutor will be able to see the direction your paper is taking. If necessary, you can revise, modify and reframe the initial version of your term paper outline. For example, you discover new material and find new ideas to become a part o f your term paper. TERM PAPER OUTLINE Term paper outline is a form of a structure to follow. The benefit of having a term paper outline is often underestimated. Imagine if you were to have a complete blueprint of a house, a strict guideline to follow. Wouldn’t you want the same guideline for your own life? If you were to know that the decision that you will make will definitely bring you a success in whatever you do. Wouldn’t you want that? But anyway, a term paper outline is a source of a clear term paper structure that you will only benefit when used. Arrange the major points and sub-points you wish to discuss. Take a look at the completeness of the structure and do some add-ons at the end.   You may think that following a guideline meaning a term paper outline is challenging is not going to get you anywhere. Use your creativity as much as you want and apply the logic of an outline. Introduction presents main idea or the term paper’s purpose. Acquaint the reader with the issue or topic and suggest a thesis statement. Body will include body paragraphs, points and their supporting facts or arguments moving on to possible existing or imaginary yet possible solutions. Conclusion sums up the points you made to support the idea or term paper’s purpose. All done!

An Investigation on the Impact of Personalisation on Both Social Work Essay

An Investigation on the Impact of Personalisation on Both Social Work Practice and Service Users - Essay Example To achieve this, three social workers and two service users who are in receipt of Direct Payments will be interviewed in the process of this study. The interviews are primarily considered for an understanding of the impacts that the philosophy of personalization has on such social workers. Carr, S (2009), stated that â€Å"Personalisation is about meeting the needs of individuals in ways that work best for them. It includes prevention, early intervention, and self-directed support where service users are in control of arranging and managing their own support services. In the context of mental health services, personalization accommodates mental health promotion and maintenance: having choice and control over one’s life contributes to wellbeing.† Thus the concept or the philosophy of personalization stresses on the needs of individuals and tries to deal with those needs such that the individuals can be benefitted for their social causes and services through the needful support. The concept of personalization was formally designed by individuals from the field of information technology. According to Ferguson, I (2007) Charles Leadbeater, a former journalist and founder of personalization, worked for the Financial Times and Channel Four Televisions. Leadbeater has no social work background but works for think tank Demos, and his writings on personalization have become extensively influential. According to his ‘Social Work Review in Scotland on Personalization and Participation’ (2005) he emphasized that â€Å"Personalisation reconnects social workers with the goals and values underpinning the profession....putting users at the heart of services, enabling them to become participants in the design and delivery.....†. To brief the above statement it can be said that Leadbeater mentioned Personalisation being originated from social work values and good person-centered practice where an individual’s

Marketing Plan for R200 Revola Smart Phone Research Paper

Marketing Plan for R200 Revola Smart Phone - Research Paper Example They are also data enabled However, the smart phone models that are currently available in the market have several deficits. Storage memory is limited because the in built memory is limited and has a provision for just one microSD memory card slot. Due to the multitasking on the smart phone battery life is really reduced requiring one to keep recharging frequently. A majority of smart phones are recharged from an electric circuit which may be a barrier if one is not in a position to access electricity. Touch screen smart phone models have high sensitivity and easily damaged when in contact with dust and water. There is a potent market for the product R200 smart phone since consumers have raised concern that besides the great technological configuration of the regular smart phones, they are easily damaged. The introduction of a gadget that resolves this deficit would seal the gap in the market. Introduction Revola is a communication company dealing in the manufacture of such products like mobile phones, computer chips and operating system software. It a medium sized company considering its capital base and the market share in the communication industry. Revola has developed a smart phone R200 series to meet the current market need. This marketing plan describes our market share and the strategies we are applying to get customers and create a reliable revenue flow (Keegan et.al 200). ... solve these challenges with the advanced technological feature that it possesses .This phone has 4GB in built memory, and two microSD memory card slots creating the capacity to hold a wider file capacity. The model uses a solar battery with a longer life. Besides its ability to utilize electric energy, the battery can also be recharged by solar energy. This saves on the inconveniences that a low battery can have and also on energy consumption. Dust and water proof technologies have also been incorporated reducing the risk for damage incase of contact (Keegan et.al 200). The company intends to generate revenue for the development of our smart phones by having a public offer of our company shares in the stock market to increase our capital base by shareholder funding. The company intends to offer consultation services to other manufactures who deal in the market of some of our other products such as computer chips and operating systems software (Viardot 200). In the initial stage of th e smart phone business, we look forward to stock revenue and consultation returns to form a large part of our revenue flow (Hartline and Ferrell 200). Current Marketing Situation and market description The current global technology revolution has created a tremendous market for information gadgets such as the R200 smart phones. The coming up various social sites has encouraged dynamic socialization creating a greater market for gadgets that are portable and able to access the internet. People need smarter ways to plan and manage their daily activities and a mobile gadget with these provisions such as the R200 smart phone make the ideal example (Hartline and Ferrell 200). The company’s ideal target customer group includes the business class who has to manage a number of daily activities

Revelation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Revelation - Essay Example For instance, God makes it plain for Perpetua and her companions in a vision [where God reveals Himself to Perpetua as a feeding Shepherd] that it was God’s will that He delivers them from the persecution, but through martyrdom. This idea of God using not-so-pleasant experiences, circumstances and occurrences is also exemplified in Genesis 15:12-16. In His relationship with Abraham, God reveals that Abraham’s descendents are to be oppressed as slaves in another land [Egypt] for 430 years (Class notes, 45). In both cases [Perpetua’s and Abraham’s], there are very unfortunate circumstances that God permits, for purposes only He can understand. This is in total contrast to what some modern day televangelists tout in their ‘name-it-claim-it’ doctrine, to the effect that all Christians should have a good life, health and ample financial repository as long as they had faith. Perpetua’s martyrdom and the revelation that God gives Abraham concerning his descendants suffering in Egypt echo St. Paul’s charge that those who will live godly lives shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Again, the revelations in the martyrdom of Perpetua and her companions and in God’s relation with Israel in the wilderness also find a point of similarity. Contrary to the wrongful postulation of the average mind, Even as God allows Perpetua and her companions to undergo martyrdom, He is still a Shepherd to Perpetua and her companions. The intimation herein is that with God as the Shepherd, He delivered Perpetua through [and not from] the persecution (Natgeotv.com, 32nd minute and Class notes, 2). Therefore, God’s deliverance and care surpasses man’s idea of deliverance. Even as someone like Perpetua is tortured, she is given grace, divine resolve and protected, just as Jesus promises that not even a strand of His children’s hair shall be lost during persecution. The same is similar to the revelation God gives to the Israelites in the

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay There are several significant concepts which are used when managing the workplace in changing business environment. The workplace environment becomes more complex in which the complexity of interactions, relationships and processes often makes difficult to understand. In the organization, managers are required to be effective in organizing, decisive, and maintain good relationship with employees (Kimball 1997). According to the case analysis, practise of empowerment is used as the new tool by Becker for the hotel to be more effective and implement the capacity of employees to make decisions and to be innovative in the working environment. On the other hand there are certain situations where employees were not familiar with change in the management. Focuses on issues and problems of implementing empowerment within the organization. Motivation refers to the forces acting on and coming from within a person that account, in part, for the wilful direction of ones efforts towards the achievement of specific goals (Dennis Michael) According to the case, in the past Regency Grand Hotel was one of the most prestigious hotels in Thailand and the employees enjoyed working. Example: The hotel provided good welfare benefits and good salary rates to the employees. End of the year employees were given a salary increment regardless of the hotels overall performance. This could be due to personal relationships to build a more close relationship with the employees. Employees were motivated and they enjoyed working with the current general manager. Motivation theories are very important in the corporate world. Primarily motivation theories are divided into two types. (Dennis Michael) Theory 1: Content theory This focuses on identifying the specific factors that motivate people internally which contributes to strengthen and direct the behaviours of employees within the organization. (Dennis Michael) Content theories focus on specific factors that motivate people. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y and Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory will be discussed linked to the case. 3.1 McGregors Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor proposed two different motivational theories. Managers tend to believe one or the other and treat their employees accordingly.   Theory X states that employees dislike and try to avoid work, and must be coerced into doing it. Most workers lack ambition and value job security more than anything else. According to the case the employees were rewarded with a yearend bonus regardless of the hotels overall performance, may be due to lack of motivation which the manager saw in his subordinates to work within the organization. Due to that we can identify that employees were satisfied and job security was ensured and also for it to become a prestigious hotel the efficiency of the fellow employees would have been a reason. 3.2 Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory According to Herzberg, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist in the corporate world. Hygiene factors could cause an employee to become unhappy with their job. Lack of motivation could bring out job dissatisfaction such as pay, job security, and physical work environment. On the other hand Motivation can increase job satisfaction by providing recognition for their achievements and more responsibilitys. Change Internal and external factors affect the organization towards the complexity and changing situations. Mostly, people do not accept and understand the benefits in changing the management. Organization needs to consider the internal and external factors in implementing a new strategic management. It is important to develop strategy to help employees learning about the change (Cameron Quinn) Managers are also required to develop good communication within its employees since people may come from different cultural background, skills, age, and gender (Holden 2001). These differences will create barriers in communication based on different values and perceptions. The effective management of workplace in organization requires an understanding of leadership and motivation in managing the workplace on performing the job and being motivated to do so. (Holden 2001) In the case with the change of ownership there will be a change in the organizations business practises. Its important that the existing employees are aware of the change and that they should adopt according to the change. For that there should be trainings, workshops organized by the management in order to make them understand about the change. Without effective diagnosis, managers may believe that the problem is significantly different than it is, and the change alternative may be ineffective in resolving the problem. (Dennis Michael) In organizational development one should recognize; The need for change Diagnose problems Develop change alternatives Implementation of change Reinforcement of change Evaluation of change Implementing further change actions 4.1 Delegating authority When delegating authority Becker did not explain properly what are the responsibilities of the employees. As stated in the case he did not give a criterion to differentiate minor and major issues which arose in the organization. Proper organization structure was not implemented. 5. Culture   According to the case the Regency was able to merge with a large American chain that was very keen on expanding its operations into Thailand. With the new ownership the current general manager decided to take early retirement. There is nothing more valuable than local knowledge or understanding culture of a particular organization when merging with an organization. It is important to be aware of the culture and business practices especially when changing ownership with a different country. Organizational culture is referred to, a code of attitudes, norms and values and the way an individual thinks. It determines how we see ourselves and how we see the world. Culture can be either right or wrong inherited about individual behaviour. Organization culture affects the way strategy is determined, how goals are established and how the organization operates. (Marie Roger, 2008) With the retirement of the current general manager a new general manger from the US was appointed to the Regency. According to the case, John Becker the newly appointed general manager has 10 years of management experience in the hotel industry and was selected because of his previous success. The case states that in his previous achievements he took over organizations with poor profitability and poor morale and managed to succeed in achieving desired objectives. Organizational culture can be different from one country to another. The success of an organizational culture has to do with external and internal factors (Marie Roger, 2008). With the change of the ownership one should identify the cultural variations from one organization to another or from country to country. Considering the culture in Thailand and in the US the business practices can be completely different there can be a cross cultural affect within the organization. Cross culture explains the behaviour of people in organizations around the world and describes and compares organizational behaviour across countries and cultures seeking to understand and improve the interaction of its subordinates (Adler, 2002: 11). Identifying organizational culture 6.1 Corporate Culture in the US The worlds third largest country both in size and population, the United States is a nation moving forward rapidly and successfully with its unique cultural diversity. Today, the US is considered to have the strongest and most technologically powerful economy. (Communicaid Group Ltd. 2009) In the US people are more work oriented where individualism and equality are two main important aspects in the US corporate culture which has a significant effect on their business etiquettes (Cameron Robert). In the US performance is more important and individuals will be rewarded according to their achievements this is why individualism is important in the US. American business culture is task oriented. Paying attention to guidelines and rules dictated by business policies, laws and procedures is important in the US. 6.2 Corporate Culture in Thailand Thai people are mo re relationship oriented when doing business. International business practices are widely accepted for Thai business person. In general, Thais are naturally friendly and open-minded; however, there are some practices and values to be considered (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) Thai business people can accept new ideas quickly. Thai people are calm and quite. Thais take confrontation extremely seriously. In the west you loosing temper may be familiar and accepted where in Thailand its not accepted. There is nothing worse than an upset, impatient employer who is making demand on Thais. Acting this way will serve no purpose other than alienate. (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) 6.3 Cross Culture (United States Thailand) According to the research carried out its clear that from one country to another their business practises diverge. Culture in one country can be different from one another. What is suitable in the US will not be applicable in Thailand. Certain practises used by Becker will not be applicable in Thailand. His success in previous organizations can be a failure in the Regency. Understanding organizational culture at all levels is important because the culture points out both appropriate and inappropriate behaviours of the employees. According to the case Becker wanted his employees to think out of the box. He expected the employees to be creative, innovative and to make judgments to satisfy guest needs. Throughout my research I identified that being innovative and creative will help to achieve organizational goals. The culture Becker previously worked is a culture based on innovation and creativity. With his new placement in a different country (culture) he implemented the same theory assuming he will succeed. Contrary to the culture in Thailand and the US, the existing employees were used to a different organizational culture from the culture Becker worked previously. According to the case, under the previous management the responsibilities of the employees were to ensure that the instructions from their managers are carried our diligently and conscientiously. Innovation and creativity were discouraged. Indeed, employees were punished for their mistakes and discouraged from trying out ideas that had not been approved by management. As a result, employees were afraid to be innovative and to take risks. This can be due to the normal organizational culture carried out in the industry in Thailand. We assume that they were more task oriented. Team work was not encouraged and individual achievement was encouraged. An organizations culture also determines the way in which employees are rewarded. (Business Management Group, Inc) But without considering the performance of the employees everyone was rewarded with a yearend bonus. Because of this there can be dissatisfaction and un-equality among employees. Management tends to focus on a dominant source of motivation, such as pay, status, or opportunity for personal growth and achievement. The accessibility of management and the ways in which decisions are made are reflections of an organizations culture as well. (Business Management Group, Inc) Empowerment Empowerment can be defined as a term used to express the ways in which employees can make independent decisions without consulting their superiors. Employee empowerment can begin with training and converting a whole company to an empowerment model. Conversely it may merely mean giving employees the ability to make some decisions on their own (Murrell   Meredith) According to the case Becker is a strong believer in empowerment. He believes empowerment increases employee motivation, performance and job satisfaction. He expects employees to go beyond guidelines and make work more effective. According to Becker employee empowerment has always been a successful tool for him in the corporate culture. He believes that by introducing empowerment to the new organization will replicate his previous success in the industry. Implementing empowerment might not work in the new place where it will be difficult to change ones perception and employees will not like to deviate from his/her believes, attitudes and routines. Since empowerment is new to the existing employees they might not understand what Becker is expecting unless he should provide certain trainings to educate his subordinates. On the other hand empowerment will encourage the employees to be innovative, creative and make judgments. Managers believe when they delegate jobs, they are empowering their employees; empowerment is more than simple delegation. It is giving the employees the authority, training and resources to make decisions within defined boundaries. Through these actions, employees gain the power and potential to both grow and strengthen the company  (Weiss, W. H.) Existing employees at Regency had to go through administrative control which result more bureaucratic procedures in the organization. The front-counter employees needed to seek approval from their manager before they could upgrade guests to another category of room. The front-counter manager would then have to write and submit a report to the general manager justifying the upgrade With Beckers implementation of empowerment, the employees will have to follow his instruction if not there will be a contradictory between the employees and the general manager. In the previous management employees were punished for mistakes and they did not have the freedom to be innovative or creative or make decisions on their own. With Beckers new plan the employees might hesitate to adopt directly according to the change if relevant training and briefing isnt done appropriately. So Becker should communicate fully in order to build confidence among the fellow employees. 7.1 Advantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Gives more freedom for the employees to be innovative, creative and make decisions End output will be more effective More flexibility within the organization Motivated employees creates a good working environment 7.2 Disadvantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Fear about job security when the lower level employees in the organization have power/authority the existing managers will have a fear of losing their jobs. Employees might use the power un-necessarily There will be more people involved in the decision making process which might take more time and disagreement will rise resulting divergence. (Murrell   Meredith) Problems and symptoms Employees had lack of confidence High employee turnover rates within the organization due to delegation of authority With the implement of the new plan Becker did not monitor the progress of the new plan implemented Becker did not have alternatives if the plan of implementing empowerment failed Becker failed to identify/study the corporate culture of Thailand didnt study the culture before implementing new tools to the organization he is not a good consultative leader Assumptions were made without any prove based on personal judgement Employees who displayed initiative and made good decisions in satisfying the needs of the guests rarely received positive feedback from the superiors Becker did not take in to account the feedback he got from several managers the body language (nodding their heads) meant a disagreement to some extent Delegated authority without considering the impairment which will occur within the organization Proper organization structure was not implemented employees didnt know to whom they should report. Lack of organizing, planning and controlling Solutions 9.1 Having alternatives Empowerment is not the only tool to motivate employees in the corporate world.   By using performance appraisals, superiors can praise and recognize the employees at Regency who displayed good innovative and good decisions to satisfy customers. Employees like been appreciated and like to hear the superiors say that they have done a good job. Reward systems for their accomplishments such as incentives, salary increments, yearend bonus for good performers and promotions can be used to motivate employees rather than only using empowerment. A manager should always be transparent and should not be biased when evaluating ones performance. 9.2 Conduct research When implementing a new plan one should always study the culture and identify the need for change. According to the case, Regency was a profit making organization and the need for change was not necessarily important. Without studying the culture Becker implemented empowerment in to the organization based on his personal judgements. To motivate employees at Regency, Empowerment was not the appropriate tool. If prior research was conducted Becker would have introduced different tools to motivate employees. Its very important understand that corporate culture can vary from one country to another. 9.3 Conduct Trainings With the implementation of empowerment employees at Regency was not aware of what exactly they should do and was afraid to be innovative and to take risks due to the bureaucratic procedures conducted by the past management. In order to build confidence in employees, trainings, workshops such as Employee Performance Management trainings can be conducted to educate them about how important empowerment is to succeed in the corporate world. 9.4 Observe the employees By observing the employee superiors can identify what employees should stop doing, what employees should continue doing and what employees should start doing and write reports about relevant employees in order to be more effective and achieve desired goals. 9.5 Have a proper organization structure Becker had lack or planning, organizing and monitoring. He did not monitor after implementing the new plan. Once a new plan has been implemented its important to monitor the progress to see whether it has been effective throughout the organization structure. Close relationship with the employees According to the research Thai people are more relationship oriented so its important that Becker should have a more close relationship with the subordinates. Having meetings at least twice a week is important in order to build up a good relationship. Its important to listen to your subordinates. Active listening guarantees that the other party understood him or her. It is a necessary part of any exchange to motivate employees. 9.7 Decrease employee turnover To decrease employee turnover in future superiors existing should consult ex-employees and discuss the reasons for leaving and make decisions to avoid turnover in future and try to maintain a lower number of employee turnover within the organization. Implement better hiring decisions to fill in the existing gaps. 9.8 Keep employees up-to-date Its important to keep the employees informed about all changes that may affect them. When implementing tools within the organization its important that you make them aware about every single rule and regulation in order to avoid stress and un-efficiency. Recommendation Considering the above solutions the most appropriate recommendation is to first identify the difference between organizational cultures and when implementing new business practises its important to train and provide sufficient information to the employees in an organization. Conclusion The purpose of this report was to diagnose the problems in this case using organisational behaviour concepts and recommend solutions to overcome or minimise the problems and symptoms in this case. There are several solutions identified in order to minimise the problems and symptoms occurred during the implementation of empowerment at the Regency. Using several organizational behaviour concepts to diagnose the problems at the Regency, such as motivation, organizational culture, employee empowerment, crosses cultural effect and change. The report found out that what may be applicable in one culture will not always be applicable/suitable in a different organizational culture. Empowerment was not effective in Thailand though it was effective and gave excellent results in the US. There are a number of contradictory findings among different authors and therefore due to a lack of clear findings at this stage it is not possible to definitively state whether empowerment is the only method of motivating the workforce. Monitoring the progress once a new plan is implemented will greatly increase efficiency and productivity within the organisation. Having alternatives will have a great deal to do with the organizations progress and how it handles the various unexpected situations such as employee turnover and low profitability. Planning, organizing and monitoring the organization are important tools in order to succeed.

Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Education Teaching Essays

Philosophy of Education Educating children profoundly affects their lives and influences the life of anyone who comes into contact with those children. Education provides a foundation for a child to base the rest of his or her life on. Without a solid education, it becomes impossible for an individual to provide for themselves and their family. Also, well-educated people can make decisions that benefit both their own interests and the interests of society as a whole. In this paper, I will address my personal opinions and philosophy about education. First, I will address the nature of the student. Next, I will examine the nature of knowledge, followed by the purpose of public education, and method. Finally, my paper will conclude with a discussion of the curriculum areas that are most important in elementary school. Additionally, I will relate my views to pragmatism and progressivism, and to Plato?s teaching, three valuable theories regarding education. No two students are exactly alike. Nevertheless, they do share one fundamental characteristic -- every student has the ability to learn. The ancient Greek philosopher Plato believed that a student?s learning ability is determined entirely by genetics. According to Plato, people are either golds, silvers, or bronzes. The golds are the smartest and the bronzes are the slower learners. I don?t really agree with this philosophy. Yes, some children are naturally intelligent and others are not. But natural ability is not the only factor to consider. Students differ on their level of motivation regarding learning. Some students will settle for a ?C? while others push themselves to get an ?A.? Others are perfectly happy with failing grades. Motivation, or lack of it, can be blamed on one of two causes: environment and genetics. Some feel that a child?s desire to learn is most influenced by their home environment. Genes have also been blamed for a child?s longing to l earn. I feel that both factors play a role in how a child approaches education. In a home where education is strongly emphasized, a child is probably going to want to learn. However, this is not always true.

Administration considerations for reliable and valid assessments

Reliability and validity in assessment are of crucial importance.   Issues in administration can have a significant impact on the reliability and validity of assessment results and the inferences that are made about students’ performance based on these results.It is essential therefore that proper techniques of administration be adopted in ensuring that the integrity of assessments is preserved and that the inference made about students’ performance are indeed reliable and valid.Administration considerations will differ based on the nature of the assessment, whether it is formal or informal. For formal assessments there are usually pre-established guidelines for the examiner to oversee the administration of the assessment instrument. It is important that the examiner familiarize him/herself with the proper techniques of administering the specific test so that the reliability and validity of the test can be ensured and preserved.While the assessment may not require for mal training to develop competence the test administrator must understand the protocols of the test, understand what is expected of the students, and follow correct and exact procedures during test administration to ensure that equal and fair conditions are provided for all students.McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) caution that â€Å"measures administered by untrained testers produce highly questionable results that must be considered invalid† ( p. 90). It is therefore essential that examiners are comfortable with all exam procedures and follow these explicitly to avoid invalidating the results produced from such tests.Additionally the tester must also be sensitive to the needs of the students during assessment. The examiner cannot â€Å"praise, prompt or give information† (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 94). Examiners must understand correct protocol during test administration. Certain practices should be avoided.The examiner should refrain from confirming or correcting (McL oughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 95) students’ responses during the test as well as they should avoid coaching students in order to elicit correct responses. Depending on the purpose and nature of the test the examiner may be permitted to repeat oral items for students.The examiner should also encourage students to complete or respond to all items on the test and may use questioning during tests to encourage students to respond to items. Evidently the ability of the tester to adequately preside over the test is a very critical issue in ensuring that test results are valid and reliable.The test administrator sets the pace and the outcome of the test pivots around his/her ability to ensure transparency. By ensuring that the tester is adequately prepared for the test the possibility of incorrect administration procedures will be avoided.The test environment should also be such as provides an atmosphere in which the students can work successfully. As McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) indicate , â€Å"this environment can influence test performance† (p. 90).The test environment should be as comfortable as possible for all students, with good ventilation, adequate and comfortable seating for each student where necessary, adequate space for writing, appropriate lighting, comfortable temperature, minimal external disruptions, minimal distractions such as a view through a window, passersby, other individuals passing freely in and out of the examination room or other visual distractions such as posters.Additionally the examiner has to ensure that all material required for the test are present including material students will need to complete test items.While it is ideal that the test environment is free of all these encumbrances, all these conditions do not have to be satisfied to ensure the validity and reliability of the test. In some instances some aspects of the environment, though they are not at their optimal levels, may not affect students’ performance.How ever, it is difficult to determine how students’ performance will be affected by the environment and thus the examiner should attempt to ensure that the setting is as close to ideal as possible. The examiner could also exercise discretion during test administration to determine if the location of the exam needs to be changed or the exam discontinued completely because of environment. It is not far fetched that a well-prepared environment becomes inappropriate at some point during the exam.Based on the reaction of the students the examiner could determine if the distractions or disruptions are sufficient enough to affect student performance. These provisions ensure that, as far as possible, no external factors negatively impact student performance and that students are adequately provided with the right tools with which to reap success.Another consideration is the preparation of the students for the test. Students should be adequately informed of the time, date, location and p urpose of the test as well as be aware of what exactly is required of them.The time of day is of extreme importance. Researches have been conducted to determine the time of day that will produce the optimal results for students. Recently Hansen, Janssen, Schiff, Zee and Dubocovich (2005) found that students were more vigorous during the evening than in the morning and thus were in a better frame of mind to complete tests.It is difficult, however, for examiners of standardized test to have any impact on the time of administration since often the examining body has a preset time for completion.Another administration consideration is the rapport between the students and the examiner. McLoughlin and Lewis (2005) recommend that the examiner familiarizes him/herself with the students and help them   feel at ease with the examiner. The examiner should also explain the purpose of and orient them towards the test. This includes describing test activities, length and difficulty of the test. The examiner should also inform students of proper exam protocol, informing them how to ask for assistance during the test as well as explain to them any timing signals that may be given. The examiner should encourage students to ask questions about aspects of the test administration that they are uncertain about.Adequate provisions should be made for students to have a break, if possible, during a lengthy test so as to â€Å"ward off fatigue† (McLoughlin & Lewis, 2005, p. 99). These practices would ensure that students know what is expected of them before the test begins so that no time is wasted during the test.The procedures for administering informal classroom assessment are much the same. The classroom teacher should ensure that students are adequately prepared for the test, are aware of the test objectives, are given adequate time to complete it and that no unfair assistance is provided to any student.Also the teacher should make sure the environment is conducive to tes ting with convenient seating and minimal opportunity for cheating. Additionally in administrating certain types of assessment such as observations and interviews, the teacher has to ensure that the objectives to be tested are clearly laid out, with clearly outlined criteria for scoring so that bias is avoided and each student is scored fairly.The use of rating scales, rubrics and checklists help to ensure that assessment is focused and that the correct behaviors are being observed. However at times a teacher may later find that these instruments do not adequately measure all the attributes and that certain key attitudes are not catered for.This is one disadvantage with rating scales and checklists, if a student displays a positive behavior that is not outlined in the rating scale no provision is made for it and the child is disadvantaged.The purpose of assessment is to ensure that each students has an equal chance of performing at their best in the test and thereby demonstrate to th e examiner whether or not they possess certain skills, knowledge or attitudes.Therefore once the examiner adopts these administration considerations the possibilities of measurement error are diminished and test administration conditions will have minimal, if any, negative effect, on student outcome. Students will therefore be able to meaningfully demonstrate their knowledge, skills and attitudes to the teacher. ReferencesHansen, M., Janssen, I., Schiff, A., Zee, P. C. & Dubocovich, M. L. (2005). The impact of school daily schedule on adolescent sleep. Pediatrics, 115, 1555–1561.McLoughlin, J. A. & Lewis, R. B. (2005). Assessing students with special needs. (6th ed.). NJ: Prentice-Hall/Merrill.

Marx in Soho Essay Example

Marx in Soho Essay Example Marx in Soho Essay Marx in Soho Essay Marx in Soho is written by Howard Zinn, a historian, about the life of Karl Marx. Zinn wrote the play to show a rare perspective of Marx as a husband and father to his wife and children (Welchel 2009). The play portrays Marx as defending the principles of communism. The play reminds the audience that capitalism without a conscience will always bring about a revolution. Communism is a system of political and economic organization in which property is owned by the members of the community and all share in the common resources and wealth acquired (Ebrey et. l. , 2005). It is a socioeconomic structure that promotes a society that has no class and state. Communism was also said to be the bloodiest form of regime since the people are ruled by fear. If they try to oppose the communist government, death awaits them. The government keeps the people in line by murdering those who dare question its leaders. The people were forced to work hard and they were intimidated to do so. Karl Marx was re garded as the father of communism. He criticized the dominant form of government during his time which was capitalism. Capitalism encourages competition among the people and gives rewards unequally. He argued that capitalist nations allowed the few wealthy people to amass a great fortune while the masses seemed to work harder with little reward for their efforts (Ebrey et. al. , 2005). The rich kept the resources for themselves, often denying the poor of an equal opportunity. In his Communist Manifesto, he spoke of a new social order that would eradicate the inequality of wealth among the people. He theorized that no one would possess anything more than the other. The rich would be forced to yield everything they had in excess to the poor. Poverty and starvation would no longer exist under this new social order. Karl Marx founded the ideal that after a revolutionary struggle, it would be a victory for the working class or the proletariat and a communist society could be established wherein everything produced by the people belongs to the whole community. Karl Marx and his ideologies of communism spread in the Soviet Union. One of the economic policies of Stalin is collectivisation. It is a bloody and violent battle between two cultural groups that are radically different from the other. Collectivisation was nothing more than just a campaign of destruction and violence with the objective of dominion over the peasants. Stalin imposed a tribute for the peasants to pay for the exported grains of the state, buy food for the Red army and the cities. Collectivisation involved the gathering of important resources such as labor and grains (Viola 1996). This also allowed the state to subject the peasants with their endless demands for political and administrative control. For the accomplishment of state goals, the state saw to it that the culture and freedom of the peasants will be eliminated. Acculturation was forced upon the peasants (Boobbyer 45). For the peasants, the imposition of collectivization as an economic policy was the end of their freedom and their world as they know it. The peasants tried to resist the policy and the repression that they felt. They spread a rumor throughout the countryside and invented an ideology of their own. This would help in weakening the legitimacy of the Communists. The peasants called the Soviet Union as the Antichrist (Viola 1996). The revolution of the peasants against collectivization was one of the most serious events in the history of the Soviet Union after the end of the Civil War in Russia. The resistance of the peasants has shown that they are separate and different from the state during collectivization. The peasants united and joined forces to defend themselves and their culture. They were a community that works for their survival. Their economy, culture and lifestyle were being threatened by the state. The women of the peasantry proved themselves to be capable of leading the revolution. This is the result of the effect that collectivization had on women. Their economic interests were being threatened especially their livestock and their backyard farm. It also affected the way they take care of the family and children. The peasants were united in their political goal during the implementation of collectivization. The solidarity born out of shared oppression and assault on the peasant economy became the foundation for the resistance. The Revolution in 1917 resulted in the reinforcement of the peasant culture. It also further strengthened the bond within the community. The peasants suffered tremendous losses during the civil war but it also brought the revitalization of their community. They were involved in a massive social leveling wherein the percentage of the poor decreased to 25% from a high percentage of 65% in the middle the 1920s (Viola 1996). Marx in Soho is an analysis of Karl Marx’s ideas and how they are relevant in today’s society. The play presents the ideals of communism with a brilliant touch by Howard Zinn. Communism is a big part of the history of society and letting the people of today learn what it is becomes an important learning experience. References Boobbyer, P. (2000) ‘The Stalin Era’, Routledge Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, Walthall, Anne and Palais, James. (2005) Pre-modern East Asia: to 1800: a cultural, social, and political history, Houghton Mifflin Viola, P. (1996) ‘Peasant Rebels Under Stalin: Collectivization and the Peasant’, Oxford University Press Welchel, E. (2009) ‘Reading, learning, teaching Howard Zinn’, Peter Lang

law and society essays

law and society essays The function of law in a society is more or less universal. It acts as a deterrent to control the evil and treacherous behavior of humans, to maintain discipline and imposes restrictions on some freedom. We live in a chaotic and uncertain world. Without an orderly environment based on and backed by law, the normal activities of life would be lacerated with chaos. Law is a social norm, the infraction of which is sanctioned in treat or in fact by the application of physical force or by a party possessing the socially recognized privilege or so acting. It provides a society with order and predictability, resolving disputes, protecting individuals and property, providing for the general welfare and protecting individual liberties. Law and the predictability it provides cannot guarantee us a totally safe world, but it can create a climate in which people believe it is worthwhile to produce, venture fort, and to live for the morrow. It prevents the state of nature, which would be total anarchy had there been no laws. Societies today are more complex and interacting. Maintaining good order and discipline have far reaching implications on a societys prosperity. Laws are in acted daily through out different societies for the protection and security of individuals, property, businesses and states. It permits an orderly, peaceful process for dispute resolution and provides us with the programs to establish and enable corporately, what would be impossible, or at least prohibitive, to do as individuals. Laws should be designed to protect the individual personal and civil rights against those forces, which would curtail or restrict them. Some examples of this are freedom of speech, religion, the press, the right to a fair trail and the freedom from cruel and unusual punishment. In the United States the respect for the law is paramount and disobedience to the la ...

History of economics summary of obama's speech Essay

History of economics summary of obama's speech - Essay Example The country maintained its figure by beating at the moon, but here has come up new challenges with varying difficulties to test ‘whether this nation would endure’ (remember Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address). As Craighill reports in Washington Post, 84 percent of speech-watchers responded positively to Obama’s speech. With regard to investment policy, Obama said that he would propose a new investment budget which aims at innovations in clean energy technologies and heavy reliance on nuclear power in order to meet the challenge of exceeding dependency on fossil fuel (McGreal). The most potential aspect of Indian as well as Chinese model of investment he finds is their genuine concern in education especially in math and science. â€Å"Over the next ten years, nearly half of all new jobs will require education that goes beyond a high school degree† he reminded. He also reminds the Republicans who are skeptical about huge investments that â€Å"cutting the d eficit by gutting our investment in education and innovation is like lightening an overloaded airplane by removing its engine†. Obama intended to ensure the Republican support as he said they were at the moment to determine ‘if government’s growth is left unchecked and unchallenged’.

The Crusades Saladin Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Crusades Saladin - Research Paper Example The paper "The Crusades Saladin" discusses The Crusades Saladin. Besides heavy casualties, the expeditions influenced its participants in their various aspects of life to adopt new mannerisms, foods, cultural outlooks, learning, and weapons. The Born á ¹ ¢alÄ Ã¡ ¸ ¥ al-DÄ «n YÃ… «suf ibn AyyÃ… «b in 1138, Saladin emerged as a powerful and most influential Muslim sultan of his time. During his reign, Saladin led troops in wars geared at regaining holy lands such as Jerusalem, which were lost during earlier battles. This was achieved by conquering and unifying warring factions before defeating King Richard I of England in the Third crusade. As such, Saladin is regarded as a great leader for his role in uniting and leading the Muslim world into crusades such as the battle of Hattin through to the Third Crusade. This paper illustrates the life of á ¹ ¢alÄ Ã¡ ¸ ¥ al-DÄ «n YÃ… «suf ibn AyyÃ… «b with regard to his rise to power, leadership, and crusades. Saladin’s heritage is subject to debate among historians who fail in consensus on his paternal family origins. Some describe him as a Kurd while others illustrate an Arab and Turkish ancestry. Saladin’s father, Najm ad-Din Ayyub was a warden at Tikrit fortress after rising in prominence as a wealthy Kurdish chief and a noble Muslim before Saladin was born. For this reason, Ayyub developed administrative skills that made him useful to the then ruler. Tikrit was a significant city as a scholars centre to both Christians and Muslims. The thirst for power and wealth saw Ayyub assist a rival leader.... However, the thirst for power and wealth saw Ayyub assist a rival leader, Imad ad-Din Zangi Lord of Mosul, after his defeat by offering them refuge in Tikrit. Similarly, Shirkuh, Saladin’s uncle was accused of murder, which forced Ayyub and his family to flee with his family on the same night the Saladin was born (Nicolle 10). In 1139, Saladin's family moved to Mosul where Zangi received them and proceeded to appoint Ayyub as the commander of his fortress in Baalbek, Syria as acknowledgement of his help. Saladin spent most of his early life in Baalbek following his father’s military career, which would later play a critical role in nurturing his leadership skills. Saladin’s early childhood education focused on religion, ethics, and culture, which involved learning Arabic, poetry, grammar, and formal prayers (Burhan). In addition, Saladin studied the Koran and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad as demanded in accordance to Islamic traditions. Over time, he was mai nly interested in learning Islamic principles concerning Christians and Jews owing to the prevalent barbaric crusades in Jerusalem. This interest can also be attributed to the day he was born as his family was exiled following the murder of a Christian by his uncle. Saladin failed to understand how Islam called for noble treatment of Christians and Jews even as they were involved in massacres in Jerusalem, in the name of crusades. In spite of the controversy surrounding the ill treatment of Muslims by Christians, Saladin was guided by Sufism, which sought for a higher spiritual life and closer intimacy with God. With great influences such as his father and uncle, Saladin grew up in a cultured environment of Damascus where he completed his education. It is indicated that Saladin got