Importance of Monitoring Assessment Record keeping and Reporting

Importance of Monitoring Assessment Record keeping and Reporting Over the course of the previous 30 years assessment has been a major focus of educational discussion and research. It is generally accepted that assessment is a vital part of a teachers role which needs to be carefully considered. According to Kellough and Kellough (1999, p. 417), Teaching and learning are reciprocal processes that depend on and affect one another. Thus, the assessment component deals with how well the students are learning and how well the teacher is teaching. Haydn (2009 cited in Capel et al 2009 page 329) defines assessment as all those activities which are undertaken by teachers, and others, to measure the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Although this is a fairly broad definition, it does allude to the wider importance of assessment. Assessment is used to measure teaching and learning and to inform future practice by individuals on various levels related to education: Pupils to identify current achievement, attainment and areas for progression. Parents / carers can identify and aid student progression; additionally understanding individual and school performance compared to national standards. Teachers to identify areas of strength and weakness in their pupils skills and knowledge, thus informing planning, providing work of an appropriate challenge, covering the national curriculum and ensuring progression. Senior Leaders / Governors to identify schools areas of strength and areas of development with regard to national standards and additionally to local issues and demographics thus informing the school development plan. Government can use a variety assessment data and statistical testing to measure school performance, identifying good / best practice or areas which may need closer monitoring and support. The assessment process clearly provides an extensive range of uses for many people associated with education and schools. It is important to break the assessment process down into two widely accepted strands, assessment of learning (AOL) and assessment for learning (AFL). AOL is characterised by the use of tests, targets and exams whereby pupils receive a fixed mark, grade or exam result (e.g. the end result of a GCSE exam) (ONeill Ockmore, 2006). In comparison, AFL is concerned more with the process of collecting information from pupils so that both they and the teacher can identify the current stage of learning taking place and therefore highlight what needs to be done next for learning to continue (Assessment Reform Group, 1999; 2002). The purpose of AOL is to report on the achievement and attainment of pupils at a given time or stage within their learning (Harlen 2007), the term summative assessment is commonly used. Summative assessment refers to measuring the total sum of learning at a given point in time. It uses end of topic, end of key stage or end of qualification assessments to provide data which can be used to assess learning or to compare performance to national standards. These comparisons can be in different areas such as comparison to peers (normative assessment), pupils past achievements (ipsative) or set criteria (criterion referenced e.g. National Curriculum level descriptors) (Riding and Butterfield 1990). Clearly, assessing achievement encompasses ipsative assessment, assessing pupils progression form previous grades and assessments to their most recent activity. This can be done at the student, school and LA level. Students can record end of unit grades to understand and identify their own progression made (this can be linked to AFL); the school and Local Authority (LA) can use the assessment as performance indicators i.e. has the child made appropriate 3 levels of progress, is the school adding value to the child. Adding value can be an important factor; even though a child may not compare well to national averages, the child may have made significant progress in particular areas showing great ipsative improvements. For a school in a deprived area with fourth generation unemployment (such as my second school) this can show teachers, students and LA that progression and improvements are being made, even if these improvements are not reflected in the schools exam results or league tab les. Normative assessment is the assessment of a student compared to their peers (Browning 1997). Normative assessment is used frequently by many in education: by schools to place students in pathways / sets, by teachers to differentiate work and provide challenge and by LA / Government to compare schools and groups of students. Normative assessment does require students to be taking the same assessment. Potential problems arise via alternative / vocational qualifications or teacher judgement and discretion of which tests students in their class may sit if the assessment is not a school-wide focus or policy. Criterion referenced assessment is a common feature of most summative / AOL tasks now employed. Students are marked and ranked against a given criteria, a set benchmark; this may be a mark scheme for a GCSE or National Curriculum level descriptors correlated to specific year group for key stage 3 (National Curriculum testing). Criterion referenced assessments are believed to be much fairer and more objective than normative assessment (Dunn et al 2002) as all students are measured against the criterion given. This however provides some positive and negative features for those involved; teachers will become familiar with content to cover allowing adaption of teaching and experimentation to find best practice and hopefully improve learning. Students should be aware of standards and expectations that they must meet (linking with AFL) allowing for focus and attention to be paid to particular areas. Both teachers and students can familiarise with grade boundaries and nature of questions as ked. Finally at a LA or Government level an objective comparison can be made from school to school, town to town or demographic to demographic. Unfortunately the positives can have a negative aspect. Teachers and students may teach and learn to the test resulting in a poor understanding of the subject but excellent grades being attained by coached pupils. This can lead to inaccurate or insignificant comparisons being made by LA or Government and incorrect inferences being made. Coaching or teaching to the test is somewhat of a topical issue within keys stage 2 and 3 education; with many schools choosing not to entre students into Standard Assessment Tests (SATS) at the end of key stage 2 and 3 because of aforementioned issues. As mentioned coaching for a test can provide weakness in subject knowledge resulting in overinflated expectations of a pupils ability causing problems for teachers and senior leaders. Firstly teachers will have to retest or find true baseline information allowing for effective provision and challenge of work; later difficulties can be created due to students having over estimated predicted grades or potential. This is an obvious concern for senior leadership as school results may be affected by a child not achieving potential, a potential which may be unrealistic before intervention and provision. For senior leaders at key stage 2 and 4 the figures could produce a rather insignificant league table of results affecting reputation and i ntake. Such problems are trying to be resolved with alternative forms of testing. The Middle Years Information System (MidYis) test is now commonly used. Midyis tests are sat with no prior preparation and are designed to test ability and aptitude for learning rather than achievement (http://www.cemcentre.org/midyis). The tests are available for students at the end of key stage 2 and 3 and have good correlations with attainment. The test measures a whole host of skills including reading, writing, maths, perception and skills such as visualisation, block counting and spatial awareness. As no prior preparation is involved, teaching to the test is removed. Many schools now deploy assessment points throughout the year to monitor progression of pupils. There are many ways of collecting this data to monitor progression. Some schools may use the discretion of the teacher to produce a level based on their professional judgement; this can be done for academic ability / achievements and also personal qualities such as effort level. Additionally data can be produced from blanket assessments across faculties for particular year groups; or again with discretion of teachers to provide an assessment for their particular classes. Both rationales have merits and drawbacks to be considered before advancing with a particular methodology. Indeed at key stage 4, summative assessments are mainly produced by or with reference to qualifications being studied by pupils. Qualification boards provide the criteria to judge students objectively within cohorts studying the same qualification; however differences in qualification expectations are vast. There is great provision set aside for young people in an attempt to ensure every child can achieve, make a positive contribution and ultimately develop and become employed. Depending on demographics and catchment the provision made by the school will vary greatly. A more affluent catchment area consisting of employed families with a higher regard for education is more likely to encourage academic achievement and qualifications, such as triple award science and GCSE qualifications; providing a more academic qualification base instead of a more skills, practical base. From limited experience these differences have been apparent; with a more affluent lead school offering a wider ran ge of academic qualifications and GCSEs compared to a more deprived second school which provided a whole host of alternative qualifications such as BTEC, OCR National or applied GCSEs. Indeed this reflects engagement and choice from students but also shows the judgments which must be made by schools to match students to appropriate qualifications and assessments. Due to the nature of KS4 assessment teaching to the test is not an option. Skills based, practical qualifications often involve students producing evidence of meeting benchmark standards or gaining experience. The more academic qualifications ask questions in a variety of ways, including open questions, forcing students to understand their subjects. There is some discrepancy and controversy in data being produced at the end of key stage 4 due to GCSE equivalent qualifications. Schools currently use equivalents as a part of the data produced for Key stage 4 A-C grades; with many arguing that equivalents do not have the same rigour as GCSEs, an issue currently being reviewed at Government level by Professor Alison Wolf on behalf of the Department of Education. The data being produced at the end of key stage 4 via summative assessment plays a vital role in school performance. RAISEonline provides analysis of school and pupil performance data with aims of allowing school to better self evaluate, provide common data analysis for schools, LA, inspectors and school improvement partners and better support teaching and learning; it will enable schools to examine context, attainment and value added data explore hypotheses about pupil performance and moderate pupil targets (https://www.raiseonline.org/About.asp). The subjects mainly covered by RAISEonline are English, Maths and Science with some information on all GCSE subjects at the end of Key Stage 4. The document can provide a comparative of the school relative to national standards not only on attainment but also context and demographics. It is possible to see percentage of pupils on free school meals indicating deprivation, looked after children, percentage of pupils from ethnic backgrounds or that has Special Educational Needs status; all of which bring about varied challenges for schools. This allows schools to be put into to context in terms of pupils, catchment and demographics. Additionally prior attainment can be considered. Those schools with a higher than average number of pupils achieving a level 4 (on average) and a lower than average achieving a level 5 at the end of Key Stage 3 will find it more difficult to achieve a higher percentage of A-C grades (as with second school experience). This may result in more intervention being made for a larger number of students on C/D borderline to help increase attainment levels. RAISEonline uses an average point score (each level given an equivalent number to allow for statistical testing) to provide a picture of the attainment of pupils of all abilities. This can be used as mentioned above or it can be used to identify groups which may need more assistance e.g. a high score for GCSE points but low A-C points would suggest many students received qualifications for GCSE or equivalents but only managed 4 or less and not 5. This may suggest that middle ability students need to be extended further to achieve a C or that equal opportunities could be better promoted as other schools on average attain more C grades. At the lead school, average point score for English, Maths and Science is consistent with the national average however A*-C score is higher, this may suggest that middle ability students are focused on more for the core subjects with optional subjects being better resourced and focused to achieving higher grades. The final piece of RAISEonline data I will consider is the Contextual Vale Added (CVA) score. CVA is a prediction of attainment that accounts for pupil background, prior attainment, demographical or situational difficulties (as mentioned). If a school has a high CVA score (as with second school) it would suggest that the school is making very good progress with students, this may not be reflected in the average point score for A-C grades; but catchment area of pupils will limit that potential. If a school is very high in CVA it would suggest that the pupils are making more progress than predicted compared to national average. If this is not the case, further investigation can be complete to determine areas which need more attention and support to raise attainment, thus affecting the school development plan; an area which should continually evolve with the use of RAISEonline data. Over the next few months and years RAISEonline itself is likely to be adapted and evolved as current gove rnment reviews will change how schools and education is measured. The aforementioned Wolf Review will focus on vocational qualifications to determine which are sufficiently rigorous and useful to students and economic society. The recently released White Paper The Importance of Teaching is set to change how schools are measured; with an inclusion of Science to English and Maths as a floor target. The paper also outlines the importance of GCSEs and the movement away from vocational qualifications; rendering such vocational or alternative qualifications as obsolete and ineffectual. Within the exploration of summative assessment, there have been improvements in my knowledge of the range of assessments (Q12 appendix 2), which have incorporated the assessment requirements for those who I need to teach and their qualifications (Q11 appendix 1). The range is vast and importance must be placed on suiting the student to the qualification, considering rigour of qualification, strengths of the student and their aspirations. This is particularly important for student attainment and achievement and also school performance. Due too much of the data generated in summative assessment being used to provide data for statistical analysis (Q13 appendix 3); its importance must not be undervalued. Having accurate information on student ability, school context and issues can only serve as a benefit for teachers, a benefit which should be maximised. The information can be used coherently as part of the teaching and learning process, raising standards and levels of attainment. The second strand of assessment, Assessment For Learning (AFL), is very different to AOL. AFL is more concerned with the process of collecting information from pupils so that both they and the teacher can identify the current stage of learning taking place and therefore highlight what needs to be done next for learning to continue, rather than assess the learning taken place Assessment Reform Group, 1999; 2002). The term formative assessment is commonly used in place of AFL being described by Bell and Cowie (2001) as assessment which is intended to enhance teaching and learning. An analogy of making soup describes the difference most clearly; when a soup is being prepared, the cook tastes the soup, adjusting amounts of ingredients and determining what needs to be added, this is formative assessment. When the soup is served and tasted by customer that is summative assessment (Guskey 2000, cited in Lund and Tannehill 2010 p86). AFL is usually an informal process, entrenched in all facets of teaching and learning (Black et al 2003). As figure 1 illustrates, formative assessment can be best described as an ongoing process that interlinks with other elements such as planning, teaching and learning (Casbon and Spackman, 2005) Figure 1. The plan-teach-learn-assess cycle (cited Bailey, 2001 p141) The cycle illustrated reflects the relentless approach needed by teachers to meet best practice. Assessment must be used in order for the teacher to glean understanding of ability and set appropriately challenging work. This clearly links to planning to organise such work, allowing effective teaching and progressive learning. As teachers glean this knowledge of the group, they often require baseline data to assist their own judgments. Diagnostic Assessment (DA) is often used; it involves teachers assessing pupils progress against a given criteria (a potentially summative task), allowing them to become informed about their next steps in planning for effective learning (a largely formative task). There is debate over DA forming a part of formative assessment, summative assessment or being an individual, separate entity. In my opinion, due to its very nature of ascertaining previous knowledge, strengths, weaknesses and skills to inform planning, it is a part of the assessment for learni ng process. Indeed the DA may be an overlapping area of the 2 strands of assessment; completed in a more summative or formative way, largely depending on teaching style and preference. Upon completion of DA, the continual cycle mentioned above will become an inherent focus for the teacher. As emphasised by ONeill Ockmore (2006), assessment should not be viewed as a separate entity, but rather an imbedded principle as the other elements are dependent on this to develop and progress effectively. Using the levels ascertained in summative or diagnostic assessment, the teacher can then enhance learning and future attainment. An influential paper by Black and Wiliam (1998) Inside The Black Box; raising standards through classroom assessment showed formative assessment to have a pivotal role in raising standards, particularly when students are actively involved in the assessment process; and the results of assessments are used to inform planning. This information is invaluable to teachers. As mentioned via the learning cycle assessment is vital to inform planning and thus facilitating effective teaching and learning. By incorporating students into the process, focusing o n quality of learning and feedback, educational and learning standards can be raised. Additionally, Black and Wiliam (1998) explored developmental areas for improvement; providing some indication of evidence to support particular improvements of formative assessment methodology; indicating that the process requires further developments. The Assessment Reform Group (ARG) attempted to provide such developments; as a follow up to Inside The Black Box, the ARG produced Assessment For Learning: Beyond The Black Box (1999) identifying five key factors in effective AFL: providing effective feedback to pupils; actively involving pupils in their own learning; adjusting teaching to take account of assessment results; recognise the influence of assessment on pupil motivation and self-esteem, both vital to learning considering the need for pupils to be able to assess themselves and to understand how to improve. In practice, for educators, the factors clearly allude to facilitating understanding of what good learning or work is to students; they can therefore identify their stage of learning, areas to develop and how to improve. The ARG (1999) also provided risk factors with regard to assessment, factors which undermine the AFL process and should be avoided, these include; having an emphasis on quantity and presentation rather than valuing quality of learning; lowering confidence / self-esteem by concentrating on judgements and thus not providing advice for improvement; providing feedback to serve managerial / social purposes rather than helping pupils learn more effectively; working without a sufficient understanding of pupil learning needs. Building on the ARGs work and their own work in developing formative assessment Black and Wiliam et al (2002) produced Working Inside The Black Box; Assessment For Learning In The Classroom; hoping to pick up where they had left off and further develop AFL pedagogy under four main headings: Questioning To develop educators questioning skills, asking pertinent questions, allowing thought and response time for students, having follow up activities that are meaningful, and finally, only asking questions for which the teacher requires information or that the students need to think about. These are fairly simple points and a concept which can be considered and introduced to teaching practice quickly and efficiently; improving teaching and learning with a fairly immediate effect. Peer and Self Assessment Criteria for evaluating learning must be shared with and be clear to pupils; thus facilitating a clear overview of the aims of the work and what it means to be completed successfully. Pupils should be taught the habits and skills of self and peer assessment so that students can keep in mind the aims of the work and assess progress as they proceed. This will hopefully allow pupils to develop learning in a unique way which cannot be achieved in any other way. Practically this means sharing learning objectives and outcomes of lessons and activities and making self and peer assessment a common process. Revisiting aims of learning and assessing success can then be used to guide learning both for the teacher and by the student, promoting independence. Feedback Through Marking Written tasks should encourage pupils to develop and show understanding of key features of the subject studied. Written feedback should identify areas of strength, improvement and how to make that improvement; additionally providing opportunity for the improvements to be made. And finally to be effective, feedback should stimulate thinking to take place. In an area often rushed, it is clearly invaluable for teachers to consider their comments. Providing effective feedback empowers the student and allows for independent improvement; indeed, opportunities for learners to make the improvements are vital. The effective feedback concept is one which can be closely linked to peer and self evaluation. Having a consistent approach with clear criteria, making assessment and feedback a habitual process, will assist all feedback to be thought about and considered by the learner. Formative Use Of Summative Tests Summative tests should be seen to be a positive part of the learning process. Pupils should be engaged in a reflective way of the work they have done to revise effectively. This may and should involve students setting and marking questions within given criteria, to help them understand how the assessment process works and ways to improve. This can be linked closely to peer and self assessment and effective feedback once again promoting self ownership to students. It is imperative that teachers consider the formative assessment process and apply principles effectively and frequently. Teaching and learning goes hand in hand emphatically underlying the need for an open, clear process, which involves the student to think and consider at every possible opportunity. At the lead school many different activities have been engaged as part of the formative assessment process; many of which reflect the aforementioned principles and features of AFL. There is however a clear scope for improvement; especially in providing a transparent criteria for students to understand in completing their work. This does not reflect coaching to the test as mentioned in summative assessment, more of an understanding of what is expected to classify excellent work and how expectations can be met. To improve practice it is important to habitually employ the features of good AFL technique; this will assist students in becoming very aware of the learning process and their own learning needs whilst allowing teachers to facilitate the learning to maximal effect and efficiency. Within my exploration of AFL there have been vast improvements to my pedagogy and practice of assessment. The formative assessment process has immense importance to ensure effective teaching and learning (Q12 appendix 2). The AFL process can encapsulate all other forms of assessment to make the purpose more beneficial to the student; enhancing the learning cycle and thus teaching and learning. Statistical data and national information (Q13 appendix 3) can be used to inform the AFL process; likewise AFL can be used to enhance the summative process. In my opinion, AFL is one the most important aspect of classroom practice. It will allow further knowledge of students and ability, both by the student themselves and the teacher; leading to better planning, teaching and learning. This can only better serve the student and facilitate improvements in attainment. An area for development at the lead and second school was the recording of AFL. Formative assessment can provide a far more holistic picture of a child, the learning journey and performance comparatively to summative assessment. It removes individualised responses to the test condition and pressure felt at the time. Additionally, recording the formative assessment process enables teacher reflections of the learning taken place; ensuring all range and content is covered whilst facilitating better planning and enhancing the active learning cycle. This is an area which has little focus but could play a vital part in best practice for teaching and learning. A particularly important area for me is to ensure improved links between the formative and summative process. The summative process must be used in a more engaged, learning centred way stimulating thought and encompassing more AFL ideology. Thus making the learning journey more meaningful and enjoyable for students; hopefully promoting confident, motivated, independent, life long learners; of which all reach their full potential. In conclusion, all forms of assessment have merits and advantages. It is however the skill and knowledge of the teacher, in selecting the best suited assessment for the task, student ability and aims of learning which is most vital. The assessment process for the student must be transparent and informed allowing for though and reflection thus facilitating higher standards and superior learning. Appendices Appendix 1 Q11 Know the assessment requirements and arrangements for the subjects/curriculum areas in the age ranges they are trained to teach, including those relating to public examinations and qualifications. Appendix 2 Q12 Know a range of approaches to assessment, including the importance of formative assessment. Appendix 3 Q13 Know how to use local and national statistical information to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching, to monitor the progress of those they teach and to raise levels of attainment.

Caught in the Net (the Internet, that is) :: Personal Narrative, essay about myself

"Hello. My name is Kim. I'm an online-aholic." There. I've said it. I guess I've been addicted for quite some time now, but I have just begun to realize it. My first interaction with the "Net" began when I was only 15 years old. My dad was the computer coordinator at our school, so he wanted to try Internet access at home before installing it at school. We became America Online members in 1993. None of my friends had e-mail back then. My relationship with e-mail started like a Romeo/Juliet conspiracy. I experimented with the Net on the sly at night when the rest of my family was sleeping. That's when I first created my own screen name. Although I was too young to drive, the locked doors of adolescence were suddenly flung open before me. I could be social in the evening rather than hang out with my family-the typical family that every adolescent wants to escape from. Hanging out in chat rooms became a nightly ritual. I quickly found friends who would meet me there, give advice for my adolescent problems, and discuss things such as dating, theater, religion, morals, and entertainment. I began to form emotional attachments with these new friends. In fact, I maintained two online relationships for over two years. Raul is a Hispanic teenager living in one of the roughest cities in our nation, Compton, California-the filming location of the 1991 movie Boyz 'N the Hood. I met Raul in a chat room one night. He sent me an instant message in the middle of a discussion about religion and asked what I believed. My subsequent chats with Raul seemed to have an impact on him and helped me to grow in my own faith. I occasionally took Raul's questions to my preacher or Bible teacher when I needed further explanation. For Raul's 18th birthday, I sent him a Bible that I bought with my paper-route earnings. Raul and I wrote each other for two years, and then Raul had to sell his computer. I haven't heard from him since. Brian is a middle-aged high-school theater teacher in Bowie, Maryland. He answered one of my message board posts about an upcoming audition for our school's performance of The Sound of Music. I was 17 years old at the time and greatly desired a part in the musical. Brian had expert advice for how to nail the audition, and as a result I was cast in the role of Maria. Caught in the Net (the Internet, that is) :: Personal Narrative, essay about myself "Hello. My name is Kim. I'm an online-aholic." There. I've said it. I guess I've been addicted for quite some time now, but I have just begun to realize it. My first interaction with the "Net" began when I was only 15 years old. My dad was the computer coordinator at our school, so he wanted to try Internet access at home before installing it at school. We became America Online members in 1993. None of my friends had e-mail back then. My relationship with e-mail started like a Romeo/Juliet conspiracy. I experimented with the Net on the sly at night when the rest of my family was sleeping. That's when I first created my own screen name. Although I was too young to drive, the locked doors of adolescence were suddenly flung open before me. I could be social in the evening rather than hang out with my family-the typical family that every adolescent wants to escape from. Hanging out in chat rooms became a nightly ritual. I quickly found friends who would meet me there, give advice for my adolescent problems, and discuss things such as dating, theater, religion, morals, and entertainment. I began to form emotional attachments with these new friends. In fact, I maintained two online relationships for over two years. Raul is a Hispanic teenager living in one of the roughest cities in our nation, Compton, California-the filming location of the 1991 movie Boyz 'N the Hood. I met Raul in a chat room one night. He sent me an instant message in the middle of a discussion about religion and asked what I believed. My subsequent chats with Raul seemed to have an impact on him and helped me to grow in my own faith. I occasionally took Raul's questions to my preacher or Bible teacher when I needed further explanation. For Raul's 18th birthday, I sent him a Bible that I bought with my paper-route earnings. Raul and I wrote each other for two years, and then Raul had to sell his computer. I haven't heard from him since. Brian is a middle-aged high-school theater teacher in Bowie, Maryland. He answered one of my message board posts about an upcoming audition for our school's performance of The Sound of Music. I was 17 years old at the time and greatly desired a part in the musical. Brian had expert advice for how to nail the audition, and as a result I was cast in the role of Maria.

Overview of Martin Luther’s Christian Liberty Essay

Martin Luther’s pamphlet, Christian Liberty, describes his feelings towards the Church. He did not agree with what the Church did. For example, the church had too many restrictions. Meaning that you could not practice another religion. Also, the Church had indulgences, which are supposed to be where if someone sinned, they would go to the church and pray, and have the church forgive you. But the idea of indulgences to the Catholic Church was if you sinned, then you were to pay a certain amount of money and then your sin would have been forgotten. Luther thought the Church should be about faith, not all about power and money. In the pamphlet, Luther believes that faith nurtures the body and soul. He believed that the Church did not believe in that. Luther eventually broke away from the Church for several reasons. Some reasons were how the Church made people pay for their indulgences, how that they had too many restrictions, and how the Church had so much power and how they abused it. Luther stated in his pamphlet, â€Å"From this anyone can clearly see how a Christian is free from all things and over all things so that he needs no works to make him righteous and save him, since faith alone abundantly confers all these things.† Luther in this sentence is saying how things such as indulgences are not needed to make him a better Christian, but if a man has enough faith, it alone will do the job. Luther also states that for preachers not to preach only about repentance, but also about the faith of the religion. The criticism that Luther has towards the preachers was that they abused authority that they don’t preach commandments and promises, and they don’t work solely out of serving one’s neighbor; they do it seeking their own profit. Luther was also angry with priests who use the word of Christ to make people dislike Jews. He believes that they should pray for the people and teach the people by example. Martin Luther’s solutions took the middle course and faced up too how, â€Å"They want to show that they are free men and Christians only by despising and finding fault with ceremonies†. What Luther meant by this was that the religious ceremonies done was not how they used to be; now they entail only the power that the Church has among the people. Luther believed that you should join a church and do as they say not to gain righteousness, but out  of respect for them. He said this by, â€Å"I will fast, pray, do this and that as men command, not because it is necessary to my righteousness or salvation; but that I may show due respect to the pope, the bishop, the community, a magistrate, or my neighbor.† Martin Luther believed of three powers or benefits of faith. One was that Christians are free from the land. If we honor God, he will honor us. He will see us as righteous and truthful people. Faith writes the soul with Christ. Christian soul therefore has all the good characteristics of Christ. Also Luther believes that faith gives us freedom. He states this by writing, â€Å"It is clear, then, that a Christian has all he needs in faith and needs no works to justify him; and if he needs no need of works, he has no need of the law; and if he has no need of the law, surely he is free from the law.† Since we are not perfect on earth, works help keep us moving towards our goal of perfection. Do works freely, only to please God. This is said by, â€Å"however, we are not wholly recreated, and our faith and love are not yet perfect, these are to be increased, not by external works, however but of themselves†. Through work, think only to benefit others. Faith is active through love. Luther stated this by, â€Å"we should devote all our works to the welfare of others.† â€Å"But works, being inanimate things, cannot glorify God, although they can, if faith is present, be done to the glory of God.† What Luther is stating here is if you have enough faith, then you can make the presence of God true. Because works don’t lead to righteousness, but with faith works can be done to the glory of God.

The mass media Essay Example

The mass media Essay Example The mass media Essay The mass media Essay In my presentation I want to deal with these questions. One fact is that the sphere of influence of media is spreading out. But does the increasing offer of information really gives us a more varied spectrum of opinions or has the flooding of news rather a degenerated and stun effect on our opinion. Is independent and critical journalism always possible at all?  The mass media is often called the mouthpiece of public opinion. This is again essential for social-political communication. Consequently the media can be seen as a producer of the general public. The quality of a democracy depends basically on the way how the society communicates, which means how the process of forming an opinion is carried out. The mass media are playing an essential role when forming an opinion in a democracy.  The word mass media includes all technical methods if multiplication and dissemination which produce the process of mass communication. This means in detail institutions like the press, radio and television.  And for most people these are the main sources of social information.  Therefore the media shall inform and create an quite exact image/copy of reality. But when we observe todays media, especially the yellow press we might come to the view that they carry some events to far and not very realistic. The notion of press freedom developed as a principle during the wave of democracy of the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Some fundamental points are regulated through the basic constitutional law, that everyone has the right to express his opinion in public as long as it doesnt offend against the regulations for protection of the youth and the personal honour. Moreover has everyone the right to make a correction if something wrong was told. The philosophy behind that is that information about different opinions will or want to help us to find the truth. It guaranties control and correction because there is a mutual process of arguments and counterarguments. So we could ask if the mass media is the forth authority or do they only have the task to control? Maybe they are only a catalyst of interests.  We could describe the public forming of an opinion as a theatre in which the media is writing or maybe directing the play. But on the other hand we could say that they only perform the role as an stage owner who rents his stage for big money to interesting actors. A good example for this point of view is the BILD-Zeitung. Who dont know the famous and at the same time notorious Bildzeitung. It doesnt matter who you ask everyone knows this newspaper. They are working with big letters and much pictures. The publishing in such a way is founded in America. They are the pioneer of screaming and scare bannerlines. The headlines are designed with strong statements in an emotional background. Everything is personalized. In a more and more technical world they search for something personal and on the other hand they dont have to read so much because the information is already filtered in short articles. They want to attract the reader with emotional, scaring or shocking headlines or pictures. The more effect it has on the reader, the better it is. The actors in that play are public figures, athletes and politicians. The one who brings the highest circulation gets the biggest part of the side and it doesnt matter if they destroy/ruin a life as long as they sell their newspaper. And one important factor is almost not decisive: the truth. The behaviour of the media during the war in Iraq is frightened. They swamped us with information which were faked. They showed us scenes in which they bombed a city, but it was only an unoccupied house somewhere in the desert. Therefore the question comes up, when do we know that its the truth, that its real. Can we discover it at all And who are the persons which remove the stitches I dont know and I fear we will never know  When looking back in the history the main goal of communication is the understanding of every single individual. Through the development into the days of the internet , it is getting more and more difficult to reach a consensus within the society. The globalization of the communication increases the alienation of everyones as well as the communication determines everyones life. As a single person it is quite impossible to influence the global stream of communication or to keep them under control.  Especially when we hear what occurs in Italy, it might bring us to the opinion that even though we would like to change something we havent the power to do so. Because while some European lawmakers fret about Silvio Berlusconis conflict of interests, his government is pushing through legislation which will allow his business empire to take an even bigger chunk of Italys media. Berlusconi effectively controls 90 % of the Italian TV market via his family interests in private broadcaster Mediaset and his influence over state-broadcaster RAI in his capacity as Premier. His family holding company Fininvest controls the nations largest publishing company Mondadori and its biggest film distributor, Medusa, while his brother Paolo runs one of the countrys most widely sold newspaper, Il Giornale. Other family interests include an indirect stake in Telecom Italia and a host of other interests.  The size of Mr Berlusconis grip on business and political power prompted protests from left-wing members of the European Parliament last week when the Premier outlined Italys plans for its presidency of the European Union.  For the Berlusconis, expansion into other media areas is banned at present, but if the media bill becomes law, there will be no limit to the number of media any firm can own.  So who can defend against such a development? Its an objective fact that for example parties try to have an influence on the media.  Some people say that the institutions of the mass media are important to contemporary politics. But do they keep this opinion if this is all handled through one person?  In the West elections increasingly focus around television, with the emphasis on spin and marketing. Democratic politics places emphasis on the mass media as a site for democratic demand and the formation of public opinion. The media are seen to empower citizens, and subject government to restraint and redress. Yet the media are not just neutral observers but are political actors themselves.  Contrasting with this is a liberal tradition which sees the mass media as essential to the development of democracy. The mass media is seen, in this view, as helping to secure rights of citizenship by disseminating information and a pluralism of views.  By this process public opinion forms and influences government. The media are seen as essential to the operation of a public sphere of open debate. The press constituted a public sphere in which an open political debate could take place. But this is a fallacy if politicians control/manage the media.

Business environment The WritePass Journal

Business environment Introduction Business environment IntroductionInternal Environment:Macro EnvironmentPolitical EnvironmentThe Socio-Cultural EnvironmentThe Technological EnvironmentMicro EnvironmentCustomersEmployeesSuppliersShareholdersMediaCompetitorsExternal EnvironmentMain FactorsChanging External EnvironmentBusiness and CompetitionSocial Environment and ResponsibilityConclusionBibliography Related Introduction generally th it is to be   understood by saying business environment is that circumstanse where business runs   or do its operations generally business environment can be divided in tow sectors one of them is external environmentswhich is known as PESTEL to academics another is internal environment which is more familiar as SWOT. Business environment show two kind of environment of business. Richman Copensaysthat the most important two part of business environment is External environment and internal environment. Lanworthington and chrisbritton say two kind of environment are Macro and micro environment of business environment. Internal Environment: Business has got an internal environment that was first identified by French physiologist Claude Bernard (1813–78), Adrian palmer Bob Hartley rightly said Micro environment and Macro environment is the part of internal environment. Richman and Copen, mention that Primary Activities and Support Activities are the part of internal environment. Macro Environment It is to be understood by macro environment is the outer elements of the business such as political, economical, social and so on, for most of the cases business has no control on macro environment. Political Environment Political environment has an important impact on the business. Political environment is not stable and can change quickly. The political environment in which the firm operates (or plan to operate) will have a significant impact on a companys international marketing activities. The greater the level of involvement in a foreign markets, the greater the need to monitor the political climate of the countries business is conducted. Changes in government often result in changes in policy and attitudes towards foreign business. Adrian palmer Bob Hartley explain Political environment include PEST Political System: The basic role of a political system is to integrate the parts of a society into a viable functioning unit, bringing together people of different ethnic or other backgrounds and allow them to work together to govern themselves. Political systems are founded upon political policies, which are established by combining different points of view that are articulated by key constituencies, such as politicians, businesses, or other special-interest groups.1.Totalitarian state, 2.Democratic State Economic forecast: Business is a micro economic unit. The only function of economic forecasting is to make astrology look respectable. John Kenneth Galbraith US (Canadian-born) administrator economist (1908 2006) Social forecast: The term Social Forecasting is not a recent addition to business vocabulary. The use of social forecasting stems from recognition that social pressures are becoming an increasing determinant for the success of any organization. The various indicators indicate that the society will be experiencing a total change in next few years. Some of these changes have to be anticipated and must be incorporated in any long-range plans of an organization. Economic forecasting is essentially concerned with modelling how people behave using financial criteria as a means for maximising welfare. It is dependent on certain assumption of people behaviour. Elements for social forecast is1.Identification of important phenomenon, 2.Selection of phenomena for deeper study, 3.A system of measurement, 4.A time-scale Technology: Information technology refers to the management and use of information using computer-based tools. It includes acquiring, processing, storing, and distributing information. Most commonly it is a term used to refer to business applications of computer technology, rather than scientific applications. The term is used broadly in business to refer to anything that ties into the use of computers. The Socio-Cultural Environment This is perhaps the most difficult element of the macro-environment to evaluate, manifesting itself in changing tastes, purchasing behavior and changing priorities. The type of goods and services demanded by consumers is a function of their social conditioning and their consequent attitudes and beliefs. Core cultural values are those firmly established within a society and are therefore difficult to change. They are perpetuated through family, the church, education and the institutions of society and act as relatively fixed parameters within which marketing firms are forced to operate. Secondary cultural values, however, tend to be less strong and therefore more likely to undergo change. Generally, social change is preceded by changes over time in a society’s secondary cultural values, for example the change in social attitude towards credit. As recently as the 1960s, personal credit, or hire purchase as is sometimes known, was generally frowned upon and people having such arrangements tended not to discuss it in public. Today, offering instant credit has become an integral part of marketing, with many of us regularly using credit cards and store accounts. Indeed, for many people it is often the availability and terms of credit offered that are major factors in deciding to pu rchase a particular product. The Technological Environment One example of how technological change has affected marketing activities is in the development of electronic point of sale (EPOS) data capture at the retail level. The ‘laser checkout’ reads a bar code on the product being purchased and stores information that is used to analyze sales and re-order stock, as well as giving customers a printed readout of what they have purchased and the price charged. Manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods, particularly packaged grocery products, have been forced to respond to these technological innovations by incorporating bar codes on their product labels or packaging. In this way, a change in the technological environment has affected the products and services that firms produce and the way in which firms carry out their business operations. So technology, has an great impact   business its potential for the business to updated with the technology all the tme Micro Environment Customers Organizations survive on the basis of meeting the needs, wants and providing benefits for their customers. Failure to do so will result in a failed business strategy. Employees The main element of micro environment is employees because it the force which move other resources of the organization, they have the controlling power of mobility. Suppliers su Figure 1Micro Environmental Factor/Stakeholder Analysis Supplier got the bargain power , that is why they are potential to the business. The have the power of controlling demands.   Good relationship with supplier may facilitate business development. Shareholders Share holders for the public limited company and private limited company`s are important, because by law they are the partial owner of the organization, as result the got the voting power to select the governing comity those who run the business on their behalf. Media Positive or adverse media attention on an organizations product or service can in some cases make or break an organization. Consumer programmers with a wider and more direct audience can also have a very powerful and positive impact, forcing organizations to change their tactics. Competitors Business rivals are need to be consider in business environment, because their strategic plan promotion and policy affects the organization. External Environment A business does not function in a vacuum. It has to act and react to what happens outside the factory and office walls. These factors that happen outside the business are known as external factors or influences. These will affect the main internal functions of the business and possibly the objectives of the business and its strategies. Main Factors The main factor that affects most business is the degree of competition – how fiercely other businesses compete with the products that another business makes. The other factors that can affect the business are: Social – ultimate’s buyer, households and communities behave and their beliefs. For instance, changes in attitude towards health, or a greater number of pensioners in a population. Legal –new legislation in society affects the business. E.g. changes in employment laws on working hours. Economic –economy affects a business in terms of taxation, government spending, general demand, interest rates, exchange rates and European and global economic factors. Political – changes in government policy might affect the business e.g. a decision to subsidies building new houses in an area could be good for a local brick works. Technological – rapid pace of change in production processes and product innovation affect a business. Ethical – what is regarded as morally right or wrong for a business to do? For instance should it trade with countries which have a poor record on human rights? Changing External Environment Markets are changing all the time. It does depend on the type of product the business produces, however a business needs to react or lose customers. Some of the main reasons why markets change rapidly: Customers develop new needs and wants. New competitors enter a market. New technologies mean that new products can be made. A world or countrywide event happen e.g. Gulf War or foot and mouth disease. Government introduces new legislation e.g. increases minimum wage. Business and Competition Though a business does not want competition from other businesses, inevitably most will face a degree of competition. The amount and type of competition depends on the market the business operates in: Many small rival businesses – e.g. a shopping mall or city centre arcade – close rivalry. A few large rival firms – e.g. washing powder or Coke and Pepsi. A rapidly changing market – e.g. where the technology is being developed very quickly the mobile phone market. A business could react to an increase in competition (e.g. a launch of rival product) in the following ways: Cut prices (but can reduce profits) Improve quality (but increases costs) Spend more on promotion (e.g. do more advertising, increase brand loyalty; but costs money) Cut costs, e.g. use cheaper materials, make some workers redundan Social Environment and Responsibility Social change is when the people in the community adjust their attitudes to way they live. Businesses will need to adjust their products to meet these changes, e.g. taking sugar out of children’s drinks, because parents feel their children are having too much sugar in their diets. The business also needs to be aware of their social responsibilities. These are the way they act towards the different parts of society that they come into contact with. Legislation covers a number of the areas of responsibility that a business has with its customers, employees and other businesses. It is also important to consider the effects a business can have on the local community. These are known as the social benefits and social costs. Conclusion The topic was about Business Environment. Topic gives a brief of Internal and external environment and some critical analysis of them. Different  Ã‚   issue stand base of topics. How business environment run? what r the process?   What   based on business environment? These were the assignment was about.    Bibliography Drucker, Peter. Managing the nonprofit organization, New York: Harper Collins, 1990. Frumkin, Peter. Philanthropic leverage. Society, Volume 37, p40, Transaction Publishers, September 2000. The business and marketing environment / Adrian Palmer and Bob Hartley London; New York: McGraw-Hill, c1996.   Xiii, 340 p.: ill. ; 25 cm. Bib ID- 2721834. articlesnatch.com Boone, L., Kurtz, D. 1992. Contemporary Marketing. Fort Worth, TX: Dryden Press. Developing Your Strategic SWOT Analysis. Austrainer. 1999. austrainer.com/archives/1397.htm. (5 Dec. 1999). Ferrell, O., Hartline, M., Lucas, G., Luck, D. 1998. Marketing Strategy. Orlando, FL: Dryden Press. SWOT Analysis- Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. PMI- Plus, Minus, Interesting. 1999. mindtools.com/swot.html. (5 Dec. 1999). Swoting† Your Way to Success. BHC. 1999. bradhuckelco.com.au/swot.htm. (5 Dec. 1999).

Paraphrasing my BSAD Capstone assignment (Strategy Implementation) Essay

Paraphrasing my BSAD Capstone assignment (Strategy Implementation) - Essay Example Changing the mission statement is very essential as it plays a very critical role in the creation of a business image. Another thing that it needs to do is working on its statement of values and maintaining it. In addition, it is essential for the corporation to prepare a list of strategies that would enhance its success. For it to be in a position of identifying the dangers that it could encounter, there needs to be an organizational structure together with a backup plan to save the situation in case the structure fails. The company should utilize a system of behavioral control and the employees should be given incentives and rewards to motivate them. Lastly, the company should address the ethical issues about it by planning for the existing legal issues. The name Stilsim means the enthusiasm that is felt in the industry. We have an extensive knowledge concerning the people and this shows how our company is recognized within the marked as well as the community. Our name, just like us, is very different. However, we have three offices located in central Ohio and our workforce there consists of several registered associates who offer flexible staffing yearly to our clientele’s accounts. We have vast experience in this field that goes for about 25 years, which gives use awareness regarding the present challenges, hence we supply you with staffing and service that can be able to sufficiently meet those challenges. Factors that the company values mostly include quality customer service, Integrity, honesty, personal excellence, mutual respect, openness and continual self improvement. We focus on our customer and cliental and our top priority ensuring that they are provided with the best of the services. We can boast of respecting our clients, employees and shareholders and love offering the best results. We also provide our employees and clients with out handbook and brochures which contains all the fundamental information about us so as to make them

Hispanic Gangs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hispanic Gangs - Essay Example During a time of recession, this information sheds more light on the impact crime has on our society. Combined with the very real struggle law enforcement agencies face to retain employees and maintain budgets, the report signals a very serious factor degrading our communities." (US Crime Affects Economy, 13 March 2009). "There are about 500 Sureo Hispanic gangs in Los Angeles County representing over 50% of the gang memberbership. They are more geographically distributed throughout the region and are found in significant numbers in the San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley, the Beach communities, Long Beach, Compton and South Los Angeles." (Hispanic Gangs in Los Angeles, 13 March 2009). The 18th street gang is very popular when it comes to Hispanic gangs in LA. The number of members of this gang range between 8000-15000 gang members. It is believed that this gang originated from the Clanton 14 street gang, the gang is further subdivided into 5 parts in order to ensure a better functioning of the gang. Most of the members belonging to this gang are of the Mexican origin and it was initially decided that only Mexican citizens would be allowed to join this gang, this was however altered later on. The gang does not have a central leader and it is fair to say that it is loosely structured. There is no leader to lead the gang and to take care of the smooth functioning of this gang. The members of this gang function individually; they however join hands when a rival gang attacks their gang. The members of this gang are easily identified by the tattoos on their body. Every gang member has the tattoo of no 18 on their body in order to make the identification process easier. "Some estimates of the 18th are as low as 8,000 members. The notoriety of the gang is based on four distinct barrios, three near downtown Los Angeles west of the Staple's Center and the 110 Freeway, and one in the West Adams area." (18th Street Gang in Los Angeles County, 13 March 2009). The no 18 is displayed with the help of a tattoo and it is usually in roman numbers. There is another tattoo that is mutually exclusive to this gang. Most of the members have the tattoo of BEST on some part of their body or the other. The word indicates that their gang is the best in the vicinity or may be the best in the world. The gang members have to follow strict rules in order to be gang members, they are restricted from making use of any hard drug like crack cocaine. If the gang members violate the rules of the gang, they are usually beaten up for 18 seconds for minor offences and executed for serious breach of the rules. The 18th street gang recruits young children and this practice is really bad in short term as well as long term. Thus this gang is often called Children's Army because of their practice of recruiting young children. The gang members expertise in drug trafficking, making illegal documents, exchange of arms and other serious criminal activities. US lead in terms of the financial loss incurred by a country because of criminal activities. There are so many gangs in the US which operate depending on the area