Human Resource Management Essay - 3492 Words

Introduction Working in corporation or large companies is very popular nowadays because large companies are often with the large scale, huge capital and professional operation. Human resource has significant role in the organization. Human resource management is concerned with the people dimensions in management. Since every organization is made up of people, acquiring their services, developing their skills, motivating them to high level of performance, and ensuring that they continue to maintain their commitment to the organizational objectives. This is true regardless of the type of organization government, business, education, health, recreation, or social action. Getting and keeping good people is critical to the success of every†¦show more content†¦It can be seen as proactive because of their continuous development and functions to improve the company workforce. Human resource management is the type of management where almost everybody in managing position can play apart in traini ng and development. Personnel management can be describe as reactive. The reason why I would say this is because of the way they operate. An example of this would be that they respond to demands and concerns as they are presented. Personnel management could also be seen as a independent way of managing. It is a sole responsibility of the organization. Personnel management is a traditional approach of managing people in the organization. Human resource management is a modern approach of managing people and their strengths in the organization. Personnel management focuses on personnel administration, employee welfare and labor relation. Human resource management focuses on acquisition, development, motivation and maintenance of human resources in the organization. Personnel management assumes people as a input for achieving desired output. Human resource management assumes people as an important and valuable resource for achieving desired output. Under personnel management, personnel function is undertaken for employees satisfaction. Under human resource management, administrative function is undertaken for goal achievement. Under personnel management, job design is done onShow MoreRelatedHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management1140 Words   |  5 Pagesa business efficiently? Human Resource Management (HRM). Human Resources is the solid foundation that practically oversees the entire organization, whether its managing employees to surveilling the progress of every single department. There are six principle functions that Human Resource take into account: employee relations, recruitment, compliance, compensation and benefits, training and development, and safety (policies/regulations). Over time Human Resource Management has taken a new role intoRead MoreHuman Resources Management And Human Resource Management2123 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The study of human resource management becomes a major topic of the science of management at the beginning of 20th century and keeps attracting researchers’ attention (Merkle, 1980). The new models of human resource management derive from the advance of management theories and the accumulation of practices and experiences. With the development of global economy, the economic situation of each country deeply affects the world and becomes closely connected. In addition, the needs of customersRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management1138 Words   |  5 PagesHuman Resources Management Hilti continues to grasp on success and expand globally, but their path weren’t always well defined. The company began in 1941 and historically they’ve kept to traditional strategies when it came to recognizing human resource requirements. In the early 2000’s, the company established a new set initiatives, aimed at doubling revenue and operating profits. Hilti also recognized that this type of growth would require invigorating ideas to employ human resourcing requirementsRead MoreHuman Resource Management And Human Resources Management941 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resources Management is one of the most important aspects of any organization, whether it be non-profit, not for profit, or profit. Human Resources Management is what makes it possible for a manager to be able to focus on their work and tasks at hand and not have to deal with lots of unneeded interpersonal activities. They are in charge of correctly evaluating the candidates that the managers will have to work with for the duration of the candidate’s stay. They are responsible for makingRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management835 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resource Management â€Å"They humanize the brand and help workforce communities thrive† (Who). A human resource management position may be the job for you. Every business and enterprise has a human resource manager, including Starbucks, Disney and even Apple. This job includes planning and coordination, organization, consulting employees and to oversee the work and employees. All the schooling and stress that comes along with this occupation pays off in the end with an enjoyable job. HumanRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management1398 Words   |  6 Pages Human Resource Management Overview Tanya Phillips Dr. Andrea Scott, PhD HSA 320, Strayer University October 31, 2016 Human Resources Management Overview Human resources (HR) is the different kinds of clinical and nonclinical responsibilities for public and individual health involvement. The benefits and performance the system can deliver depends upon the knowledge, skills and motivation of those responsible for providing health services. Human resource managers don’t directlyRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management2534 Words   |  11 PagesIn most cases managers look at human resource management as an expense to a company rather than a source of benefit to the company however, research has proved that human resource management practices can be of greater value. Valuable decisions such as whom to recruit, what package to offer, the training necessary for the new recruits and how to assess employee performance directly affects the employee motivation and as such do affect the ability of the employee to provide products which the consumersRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management95 8 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resource Management Overview As we all know when it comes to every business and organization that is out there, they all need help from Human Resources to continue to help the company grow. What is human resource management? Well Human Resource Management is the overall process that deals with how Human Resources manages their employees as well as different issues that can come across within the organization. Human Resource Management are in charge of different tasks including recruiting asRead MoreHuman Resources Management : Human Resource Management820 Words   |  4 PagesHuman Resources Management Proper Planning is one of the most important aspects of human resource management. Without proper execution of plans, the particular needs of an organization that are the responsibility of human resources will not be reached, and therefore, will fall short of what is necessary for meeting the goals of an organization (DeCenzo, Robbins Verhulst 2013).There are many facets a human resource manager must be familiar with in order to run an organization. The functions of humanRead MoreHuman Resource Management : Human Resources Management1264 Words   |  6 Pagesand research with my family, I decided to go into human resource management, specifically in a hospital. Many people questioned and often said â€Å"Why human resource management?† My answer, I chose human resource managers because I believe they are a vital part of a hospitals success. They make the plans, they direct the staff and they coordinate how people work together and where they need to be. Throughout this paper , I will describe human resource managers- what they do, what are the requirements

Mobile Communication and Computing

Question: Discuss about theMobile Communication and Computing. Answer: Introduction This study is aimed to review the technologies those have been utilized to develop an English Tutorial Mobile Application. On the other hand, this study also focuses on the reason of selecting these technologies while developing this app. Discussion Review of the Selected Technology and Justification of Selecting the Technology The English Tutorial App is the mobile application that would provide the platform to the students for improving their English. Therefore, in order to develop this app, several latest technologies have been used. Two types of technologies have been utilized for developing this particular app. several significant front end and the back end technologies have been utilized to develop this English Tutorial App. Front End Technologies As per the front end technologies, these technologies are simply the user interfaces which are operated by the users (Charlan and Leroux 2011). Hence, in case of this English tutorial app, the Android and the IOS operating system, PayPal, NFC and other front end technologies of a smart phone can be utilized as the front end technologies during the development of the app. The functionalities of this app can be operated with the help of 4G, 3G, 2G as well as the Wi-Fi communication technology (Nigam 2014). On the other hand, Camera and the speaker of the smart phones are very important while attending the online tutorial sessions. Near Field Communication or NFC is the short range of wireless connectivity standard that can also be used as the telecommunication technologies while operating this app (Holla and Katti 2012). With the PayPal services, the clients or the users can do their monetary transaction while operating this particular tutorial app. Back End Technologies Back End Technologies are very important in software design. Therefore, in case of the development of this particular tutorial app, the back end technologies have played the role of build block of the app (Tracy 2012). In case of the Back end or the serve end technologies, cloud storage, database as well as the servers are the major technologies which have been utilized for implementing this app. the cloud storage can provide the scope to the users for storing the digital data in logical pools and it has also become the physical storage spans for the servers of this tutorial app. It also ensures the data availability as well as accessibility (Charlan and Leroux 2011). The servers of the app also significantly accept and respond to the requests of the clients. In case of this tutorial app, the application server, cloud server and the database server are the most technologies those can effectively respond to the client request (Nigam 2014). On the other hand, as per the databases for the implementation of this app, the relational database technology such as SQLite has been utilized to implement the database for this tutorial app. Conclusion From the study discussed above, it can easily be stated that the selection of mentioned technologies have been effective as these advanced technologies have huge demand in developing mobile application. Reference List Charland, A. and Leroux, B., 2011. Mobile application development: web vs. native.Communications of the ACM,54(5), pp.49-53. Holla, S. and Katti, M.M., 2012. Android based mobile application development and its security.International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology,3(3), pp.486-490. Nigam, S., Sybase, Inc., 2014.Deploy anywhere framework for heterogeneous mobile application development. U.S. Patent 8,769,553. Tracy, K.W., 2012. Mobile Application Development Experiences on Apple s iOS and Android OS.Ieee Potentials,31(4), pp.30-34.

Kelly Couch Essays (316 words) - Characters In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet

Kelly Couch February 19, 1997 Character Journal Period 1 Hamlet - Act 4 I have been questioned over and over again, in many different ways by these to 'friends', Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, about the placement of Polonius. I plan on never telling them this, for they need not know. They are only pretending to be my friends now, as the king has been sending them on information journeys to me. Now, I will speak to the king, Claudius, as he requests. Once again, I am questioned about the place of the dead Polonius. This time it is the king though. I don't want to tell him, yet I finally decide to hint to him. I say his body can be found, "up the stairs into the lobby." Claudius then tells me that I am to be sent to England immediately. I continue to fool him with my 'mad' routine and then leave. Now, being escorted by Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, I learn that Fortinbras is planning to fight the Poles over some land that is completely invaluable. Later, after some thought, I conclude that he is fighting more for honor than anything else, something I have forgotten completely in myself. Now, I realize that I MUST finish what I have barely started. I must kill Claudius and will allow no other thoughts then the death of him to enter my mind, or I will be wasting my life. Pirates attacked the ship headed for England that I was aboard and I told them that if they took me back to Denmark, I would do 'good' for them. I have written 3 letters; one to Horatio, one to Gertrude, and one to the king as well. In the letter to Horatio, I have explained what has happened and requested that he deliver the 2 letters to the king and queen. The Kings letter tells of my return to Demark and all that has happened.

How to Write an Analytical Essay on Macbeth

How to Write an Analytical Essay on Macbeth Writing an Analytical Essay on Macbeth Why write about Macbeth Beginning an analytical essay on Macbeth How to write an outline How to write a thesis for an analytical essay on Macbeth How to write an introduction Tips on how to write an introduction and thesis Writing body paragraphs Tips on body writing How to finish an analytical essay on Macbeth Tips on conclusion writing Tips on revision Analytical essay on Macbeth Why write about Macbeth The centrality of writing about Macbeth is to exhibit how an unconstrained desire can be a destructive force. Writing about Macbeth outlines how ruinous over-ambition or ambition can be. Macbeth, seemingly an aristocrat, is driven to actions and thoughts which are inherently averse to his nature and in the end causes his destruction alongside Lady Macbeth, his wife. ‘Macbeth’ deals with power and kingship and the accountability brought with power. Writing about Macbeth is fundamental in that as it demonstrates that when appropriately established power is ousted by noxious means, appalling penalties can follow. Beginning an analytical essay on Macbeth To start an analytical essay on Macbeth, the author needs to present some form of claim or argument about what he/she is dissecting. Analytical essays typically focus on how the poem or book was composed, for example, how specific topics in the story present themselves or how the utilization of metaphor or similitude brings about a precise meaning to the story. In short, analytical essays require one to examine the smaller sections of the piece to explain the larger picture. To write an analytical essay on Macbeth, the writer needs to review any thought or fact: connections that can be linked, thus formulating concepts and utilizing events to support it. How to write an outline A ‘plan’ or ‘blueprint’ for your essay is called an outline. An outline aids in sorting one’s arguments and thoughts. An appealing outline makes conducting research and later writing your essay somewhat simpler. Your outline page is comprised of: Paper Title Thesis Statement Major arguments/points shown by Roman numerals Supporting your key points, shown in Arabic numerals The Roman number I is the writer’s ‘Introduction.’ In the paper’s introduction section, tell the reader your paper’s purpose and what it intends on proving (your thesis). The final roman number is the conclusion; there one summarizes information presented to the reader. Sample Outline I. Introduction A. Sentence to catch the reader’s attention B. One-two sentence proclamation (thesis statement) II. Body A. First Paragraph B. Second Paragraph C. Third Paragraph III. Conclusion A. Thesis Restatement B. Insightful sentence closing How to write a thesis for an analytical essay on Macbeth To do it correctly, the essay writer should sum their idea into one sentence or two. The thesis statement should display the paper’s topic and show the reader what the article is about and thus aiding in keeping the argument focused and guides the writer. How to write an introduction The introduction is designed to grab the reader’s attention along with giving an idea of the essay’s focus. Start with a redherring/attention grabber. This includes: Surprising information which must be provable and correct. Dialogue which does not substantially have to identify the speakers; however, the reader must understand points made. Anecdotes which are stories that illustrate a point. Summary information; one to three sentences expounding your topic. Tips on writing an introduction and thesis Be as specific and exact as possible. Indicate your paper’s purpose, however, evade sentence structures like â€Å"my essay’s purpose is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Avoid burying your thesis statement late in the paper. Avoid clichà ©s. Provide relevant and helpful information. Convince the reader your essay is worth reading and their time. Writing body paragraphs Naturally, body paragraphs develop the paper’s main idea in a series of sections. When writing body paragraphs, the writer’s chosen topic must be outlined, explained, and argued. All main ideas written in the outline make the body paragraph. Tips on body writing Begin by writing down your key ideas in sentence form Write down your supporting points for your chief idea that is, paraphrases and quotations from sources and facts (findings and statistics from conducted studies) Ensure you tie the facts you state back to the paragraph’s main idea (Analysis) Your transition from paragraph to paragraph should be fluid Explain your argument’s importance How to finish an analytical essay on Macbeth Finishing the analytical essay is simple once the framework is known. To conclude, three main sectors are taken into consideration. They are a transition from the body’s last paragraph, a rundown of the essay’s points and thesis statement, and finally, a closing statement that wraps everything up. Tips on conclusion writing Make it short. Answer the ‘So what’ question showing your readers the substance of your essay; show your reader the meaningfulness of your essay. Redirect your readers this is done by giving them something to think about. Synthesize rather than summarizing; don’t repeat things stated in your thesis. Challenge the reader by posing a question. Tips on revision Utilize your grammar check, spell-check, and check your spelling. Keep your format simple. Include clear transitions, markers, and citations. Include evidence and support for all main points. Ensure the essay’s intent is shown not told. Analytical essay on Macbeth I. Introduction ‘Macbeth’ is a play highlighting a breakdown in relationships between individuals Lady Macbeth and Macbeth. Lady Macbeth and Macbeth start the play showing an alluring relationship, however, as the plot advances; Macbeth’s aspirations drive him to commit regicide alongside other murders hence their relationship weakens and dissolves. This breakdown drastically impacts the play. Lady Macbeth’s longing for power prompts her enthusiasm in controlling Macbeth’s activities. Conversely, she loses control which ends in her tragedy. II. Discussion Ambition is typically what drives most towards progress, however, in Macbeth, it drives Macbeth towards his ruin. Ambition is a quality craved by many; however, through Macbeth, it is shown as an attribute that isn’t so positive. Macbeth proves that aspiration was a noteworthy constituent in his demise. Macbeth made it so effortless for the witches to help annihilate him. The witches noted his ambition was his weakness thus making it effortless for them to plan Macbeth’s destruction. Macbeth’s desire to have the witches stay on and continue with their prophecy shows his ambition and strives for power which the witches instantly spotted. Initially, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth adored each other: when Macbeth writes Lady Macbeth a letter naming her his â€Å"dearest partner in greatness,† this signifies that he views her as her equal. Lady Macbeth’s mind starts working after reading Macbeth’s letter. Lady Macbeth’s statement ‘shalt be’ uncannily mirrors the Witches prophecy. The breakdown of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relationship results from various deeds, most obviously King Duncan’s murder. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth respond differently. Macbeth is overcome with regret and remorse he knows sleep no more. He has interrupted sleep showing how tense he is with the crime. The guilt he experiences shows disallows him to sleep. Contrary, Lady Macbeth reacts differently. She is practical and calm, instructing him to rinse his hands. She openly says â€Å"water will clear us off this deed† showing her buoyancy that the water will drain away the guilt. Lady Macbeth calls the shots in their relationship since Macbeth is too weak. Lady Macbeth questions Macbeth’s manhood and bravery, and affection between them diminishes. The mental suffering Macbeth and Lady Macbeth go through following the murder is another factor that adds on to their relationship’s breakdown. After being crowned king, Macbeth makes known his discontent. â€Å"To be thus is nothing, but being safely thus.† Macbeth has the idea that Banquo will be crowned and dreads its fulfillment. Similarly, Lady Macbeth is equally disappointed when she expresses that their desire has gone without content. Still, the pair is uncommunicative at this point. III. Conclusion From act one, Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to complete a detestable deed that led to what his alleged fate was, even though none said King Duncan had to be murdered for the prophecy to manifest. After that inhuman deed, victims of Macbeth’s paranoid personality typically followed. Macbeths ambitions mainly driven by greed, insecurity, and hopelessness greatly impacted Macbeth fate toward death. Macbeth’s ambitions drove him downwards as being a deplorable hero in Shakespeare’s enthralling play.

A Brief Summary of the Second Great Awakening

A Brief Summary of the Second Great Awakening The Second Great Awakening (1790–1840) was a time of evangelical fervor and revival in the newly formed nation of America. The British colonies were settled by many individuals who were looking for a place to worship their Christian religion free from persecution. As such, America arose as a religious nation as observed by Alexis de Tocqueville and others. Part and parcel with these strong beliefs came a fear of secularism.   Key Takeaways: The Second Great Awakening The Second Great Awakening took place in the new United States between 1790 and 1840.It pushed the idea of individual salvation and free will over predestination.It greatly increased the number of Christians both in New England and on the frontier.  Revivals and public conversions became social events that continue to this day.  The African Methodist Church was founded in Philadelphia.Mormonism was founded and led to their settlement in Salt Lake City, Utah.   This fear of secularism had arisen  during the Enlightenment which resulted in the First Great Awakening (1720–1745). The ideas of social equality that came about with the advent of the new nation trickled down to religion, and the movement to be known as the second Great Awakening began about 1790. Specifically, Methodists and Baptists began an effort to democratize religion. Unlike  the Episcopalian religion, ministers in these sects were typically uneducated. Unlike the Calvinists, they believed and preached in salvation for all.   What Was the Great Revival?   In the beginning of the Second Great Awakening, preachers brought their message to the people with great fanfare and excitement in the form of a traveling revival. The earliest of the tent revivals focused on the Appalachian frontier, but they quickly moved into the area of the original colonies. These revivals were social events where faith was renewed. The Baptists and Methodists often worked together in these revivals. Both religions believed in free will with personal redemption. The Baptists were highly decentralized with no hierarchical structure in place and preachers lived and worked among their congregation.  The Methodists, on the  other hand, had more of an internal structure in place. Individual preachers like the Methodist bishop Francis Asbury (1745–1816) and the Backwoods Preacher Peter Cartwright (1785–1872) would travel the frontier on horseback converting people to the Methodist faith. They were quite successful and by the 1840s the Methodists were the largest Protestant group in America.   Revival meetings were not restricted to the frontier or to white people. In many areas, particularly the south, blacks held separate revivals at the same time with the two groups joining together on the last day. Black Harry Hosier (1750–1906), the first African American Methodist preacher and a fabled orator despite being illiterate, was a crossover success in both black and white revivals.  His efforts and those of the ordained minister Richard Allen (1760–1831) led to the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) in 1794. The revival meetings were not small affairs. Thousands would meet in camp meetings, and many times the event turned quite chaotic with impromptu singing or shouting, individuals speaking in tongues, and dancing in the aisles.   What Is a Burned Over District? The height of the Second Great Awakening came in the 1830s. There was a  great increase of churches across the nation, particularly across New England. So much excitement and intensity accompanied evangelical revivals that in upper New York and Canada, areas were titled Burned Over Districts- where spiritual fervor was so high it seemed to set the places on fire.   The most significant revivalist in this area was the Presbyterian minister Charles Grandison Finney (1792–1875) who was ordained in 1823. One key change he made was in promoting mass conversions during revival meetings. No longer were individuals converting alone. Instead, they were joined by neighbors, converting en masse.  In 1839, Finney preached in Rochester and made an estimated 100,000 converts. When Did Mormonism Arise?   One significant by-product of the revival furor in the Burned-Over Districts was the founding of Mormonism. Joseph Smith (1805–1844) lived in upstate New York when he received visions in 1820. A few years later, he reported the discovery of the Book of Mormon, which he said was a lost section of the Bible. He soon founded his own church and began converting people to his faith. Soon persecuted for their beliefs, the group left New York moving first to Ohio, then Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois where they lived for five years. At that time, an anti-Mormon lynch mob found and killed Joseph and his brother  Hyrum Smith (1800–1844). Brigham Young (1801–1877) arose as Smiths successor and led the Mormons away to Utah where they settled at Salt Lake City. What is the Significance of the Second Great Awakening?   Following are significant facts to remember about the Second Great Awakening: Sources and Further Readings Bilhartz, Terry D. Urban Religion and the Second Great Awakening: Church and Society in Early National Baltimore. Cranbery NJ: Associated University Presses, 1986.  Hankins, Barry. The Second Great Awakening and the Transcendentalists. Westport CT: Greenwood Press, 2004.Perciaccante, Marianne. Calling Down Fire: Charles Grandison Finney and Revivalism in Jefferson County, New York, 1800–1840. Albany NY: State University of New York Press, 2003.  Pritchard, Linda K. The Burned-over District Reconsidered: A Portent of Evolving Religious Pluralism in the United States. Social Science History 8.3 (1984): 243–65. Print.Shiels, Richard D. The Second Great Awakening in Connecticut: Critique of the Traditional Interpretation. Church History 49.4 (1980): 401–15. Print.

Define Learning From the Perspective of Consumer Behaviour Theory Essay

Define Learning From the Perspective of Consumer Behaviour Theory - Essay Example The proponents of this theory do not focus on the learning process but on the response of individuals to external stimuli.) this theory is also referred to as the stimulus response or vicarious theory. The classical and operant conditioning approaches try to explain this theory. According to classical conditioning, the stimulus is responsible for the response observed while for instrumental conditioning, the converse is true. When the classical conditioning is applied to consumer theory, the product brand triggers a response from the consumers that is desirable and enforces the desire to buy. This theory tries to achieve a particular response from unrelated stimuli, thus forming the basis of branding. The operant conditioning asserts that individuals will always act with reward in mind and avoid stimuli that result in punishment. This means that every behavior with pleasant results has a very high change to be repeated. Cognitive theory This theory explains learning based on the info rmation gathered and mentally processed in response to an actual problem. Even though there is no universally agreed theory on learning, the process is clear: learning happens, either intentionally or accidentally. For intentional acquisition of knowledge, the individual must have clearly sought the information through objective research. However, accidental learning just happens to find the individual. This is where advertising is most efficient in achieving (Evans, Jamal, & Foxall, 2006). The marketer is always interested in how the buyers learn as this information gives them an advantage in how they handle them. They always want to influence customer behaviour and this stems from the ability to teach the buyer their responsibility as consumers, the product of choice and its attributes. This is made effective through marketing and advertising (Lantos, 2010). The product of National museums of Australia is information. Its role is clearly defined and serves to inform the public on the Australian heritage and culture (National Museum of Australia, 2003-2010a). The first marketing communication strategy employed is that of accelerated information. The brand utilises its website as its online tool for advertising its activities and products. Its main product is information where it sells the Australian history and lifestyle. This is conducted through seminars, exhibitions and publications. The use of images of traditional Australians is an application of behavioural theory learning where the images invoke a conditioning of ‘our heritage’. Art galleries and buildings of national relevance derive the same effect. The individual is drawn to the article by the image and can open the article to acquire the information on the artifact or the classic architectures. The brand has journals, periodicals and e-news releases to ensure their position is maintained to be the first to point the consumer to the right direction. The brand shapes the perception of th e consumer on what forms part of the Australian culture and where they should visit (National Museum of Australia, 2003-2010a). Market target and segmentation is the other tool observed on the website. The aspect on segmentation is shown in this site that segments article to suite different markets. The brand is enhanced by

Barnes and Noble vs Amazon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Barnes and Noble vs Amazon - Essay Example Amazon goes global Bezos, who invented Amazon Company, has been always fought against negative predictions, which outlined that the Company should have bankrupted in 2001. Jeff Bezos claims that he is a very happy person and he likes managing his personnel. Bezos readily takes risk and he thinks that it is important to avoid risk in any enterprise. Amazon had a challenging situation and a difficult financial situation in 2002 showed that it suffered $3 billion operating losses. Currently Amazon plays a leading role in online market practices. Starting from 1994 book sales market was not overcrowded by the competitors. Amazon gained one of the leading roles in the market at that time (Isckia 334). Jeff Bezos has always been focused on sales increase, but not only financial gains interested him, but also a high-level satisfaction of the customers gained. Advertising in printed media and on TV were the most saving tactics for Bezos and his company. Innovative practices of many businesse s are on the way of their fast development and Amazon illustrates their ability to be a sound competitor in the modern market of book sales. Nowadays Amazon is providing â€Å"wider selection, lower prices and fast, reliable delivery† (Joshi & Yermish 2000, p. 18). ... Bezos has been always focused on long-term profit gains and he did not focus on near-term profitability.  An individual-centered approach was chosen by Amazon as the most reasonable policy. It was very important for products' differentiation and price policy to pay attention for every individual. Amazon was on the way of innovative development. Thus, it took into account opportunities opened by the Internet. Products availability on the web was one of the main concerns for the Company. In the result of Company's going virtual, it has experienced the following positive changes: traffic improved goods availability on the web; Amazon promoted a market share; financial losses of the Company were decreased; cash flow operation was significantly improved; profitability was one of the main concerns for the company; Amazon gained a position of a profitable business. Amazon can be distinguished by the following factors: â€Å"price, selection, availability, convenience, information, discov ery, brand recognition, personalized services, accessibility, customer service, reliability, speed of delivery, ease of use and ability to adapt to changing conditions† (Kargar 2004, p. 102). Currently, retail sales of Amazon are rather diverse: from selling DVDs, videos, electronics, camera and photo items, cell phones and services, tools and hardware, software, video games, kitchen and house ware products (Whittaker 2004, p. 24). It is possible to claim that Amazon exceeds the limits of a traditional book seller. Initially this Company intended to occupy a position of a successful bookseller, but with a course of time the world's leading position in different spheres of trade were occupied by Amazon too. Jeff Bezos shows a

Privatizing of Social Security Essay Example for Free

Privatizing of Social Security Essay In â€Å"Privatizing Social Security,† the author discusses the importance of privatizing social security. The author gave a brief overview of the history of social security and explained what he thinks is wrong with the system. Although the author explained the benefits of privatization, his views come off as a bit simplistic because he oversimplifies the social and economic problems that are associated with privatizing social security. In the article the author discusses how the social security trust fund will be in financial difficulty by the year 2018 if the retirement age, tax laws, and other laws associated social security do not change. The author states that the social security financial crisis will arise when the government has to pay the trust fund with treasury notes, which has led him to believe that privatization is the answer to saving the system. Although the author argues that privatization is the answer to social security crisis, it is not the best solution because it will lead to social and economic problems in the future. The main problem with the author’s argument is that he believes that privatization will allow social security funds to grow, since people will be investing their money rather than simply contributing to the fund. However the author fails to take into account that most people lack education to successfully invest money, which threatens their future economic security. The author also fails to consider that investing social security funds is the equivalent to gambling because markets rise and fall and people could potentially lose substantial amounts of retirement money if they cash out during an economic downturn. Although the author made valid points to support privatization, such as changing laws associated with social security, the author should not simplify the costs of privatization because privatizing is a gamble, which takes the security out of social security.

Judith Wrights Poetry :: essays research papers

In what way is Judith Wright’s poetry a worthwhile study for Australian students? Judith Wright is a respected Australian poet is also known as a conservationist and protester. Her poetry has captured the most amazing imagery of Australian Culture. For Australian students to understand their own culture and history it is necessary to study the best poetry and Judith Wright’s poetry is definitely some of the best. Her achievement in translating the Australian experience into poetry led in her best work to a rich inheritance of lyricism and directness. Through stories told by older workers on the property she learnt of the pioneers' part in both the destruction of the land and the dispossession and murder of the aboriginal people. The sense of fear she felt at invasion enabled her to understand, at some level, how the Aborigines would have felt. Judith Wright wrote about many things in her poems, which are necessary for Australian students to be taught which apply to learning about Australia. Australian culture is something Judith wrote about very strongly and this shows through her poem Bora Ring. Bora Ring is about the Aborigine culture and how it has been lost by the invasion of Europeans. ‘The hunter is gone: the spear is splintered underground; the painted bodies a dream the world breathed sleeping and forgot. The nomad feet are still.' This is an incredible paragraph extracted from Bora Ring. This poem depicts perfectly of the European invasion of Australia. It shows how the traditions and stories are gone, how the hunting and rituals are gone and ‘lost in an alien tale’, the Europeans being the aliens. This poem also describes that it seemed as if the tradition of Aborigines was ‘breathed sleeping and forgot’. These are powerful words Judith Wright used to show how they Aborigines were quickly invaded and ‘forgotten’. This poem is an excellent example of why Australian students should study her poetry. Australian relationships are depicted perfectly by Judith in these poems, ‘Woman to Child’, ‘Woman to Man’, ‘Brother and sisters and then ‘Remembering an aunt’. All of these poems show Australian relationships through Judith Wright’s views. Brother and sisters is basically showing of how people get old. ‘..and now their orchards never would be planted’, ‘..John each night at ten wound the gilt clock that leaked the year away’. In the last paragraph this poem suddenly hits the reader because you are brought into the poem.

Patient Self Determination

Patient Self-Determination Act Project Scott Betzelos, Remedios C. Lazaga, Emelin Tan, Maya C. Richardson HCS/578 – Ethical, Legal, and Regulatory Issues in Health Care November 28, 2011 Susan M. Kajfasz Patient Self-Determination Act Project – Advance Directives Congress enacted the Patient Self-Determination Act, a healthcare policy, as part of the Omnibus Reconciliation Act signed by President Bush in 1990. The act went into effect in 1991(Nathanson, 1997). According to Nathanson (1997), the law intends to protect the patient’s right to make his or her own decisions through advanced directives. Advance directives designate another person to make decisions for him or her should a patient lose his or her decision-making capacity. The Medicare and Medicaid programs established a requirement that health care providers must acknowledge the law through the implementation of written policies and procedures that illustrate the patient’s rights (Nathanson, 1997). Therefore, it is the responsibility of the health care professional to comply ethically and legally according to the policies dictated by the organization. Nathanson (1997) interpretation of the law asserts that the patient must receive advice and written information about advanced directives illustrating his or her right to accept or refuse medical treatment. The Patient Self-Determination Act requirement ensures that health care professionals receive education and training that is appropriate and in subordination with the specific laws, regulations, organizational policies, and procedures. The Act requires each state to furnish health care providers and agencies with a description of the law. The Act also requires providers to give their patients information through various forms of media such as the policy of Concerned Home Care, Incorporated, (Concerned Home Care, Inc, 2011). How does this agency’s policy influence your professional work? The Advanced Directive Policy creates a unique physician patient relationship by placing the patient at the center of the health care decision-making process from the onset of the relationship. The patient has an inherent right to â€Å"accept or refuse medical treatment† through the formulation of an Advanced Directive. Through this policy the hysician-patient relationship begins with discussions that center on the desires of the patient rather than the processes of the health care provider. The Agency’s policy mandates that physicians, nurses, and other health care providers â€Å"provide the patient with written information regarding Advance Medical Directives and ask the patient if he/she has prepared an Advan ce Directive; either a living will or durable power of attorney. † Advance Directives allow patients to implement specific boundaries for treatments at the beginning of the clinician-patient relationship. Pre-existing advance directives also empowers patients because it allows family members to speak on their behalf in the event that they become incapacitated or unable to render decisions on their own. A patient’s medical wishes were often preempted for the application of intensive and invasive treatments of the past. Advance Directive Policies changed this standard of care and gave patients the opportunity to determine their own treatment plan. The initiation of Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Orders is an early example of Advance Directives. Later developments embrace the inclusion or exclusion of specific treatment medications, invasive procedures, and care maps that can impact patient longevity in the event that complications from disease arise. Written Advance Directive Information protects the patient from personal bias of staff members. The policy states â€Å"the staff member is not authorized to give the patient advice about advanced directives,† and â€Å"shall refer the patient to the Advanced Directive Questions and Answers section of the admission packet and also shall inform the patient to seek further information from the physician. This further advances the discussions between the physician and the patient ultimately ensuring that the desires and expectations of the patient remain central to the care map. Advanced Directive decisions â€Å"require open communication between the patient and the health care team† (Burkhardt & Nathaniel,  2008, pp. 242-243). The Agency is also required to rais e awareness of Advanced Directive within the community by including â€Å"Advance Directive information in its presentations,† either â€Å"in presentations made directly to the community members or in presentations made to other providers and/or other organizations. Enhanced discussions regarding Advanced Directives, end of life care and the patient’s desired plan of treatment becomes part of the heath care provider’s relationship during an office or in home. The creation of open and honest lines of communication stimulates healthy discussions and strengthens the bond between providers and patients. In fact the term â€Å"physician-patient relationship† has forever changed with Advanced Directive policies. It is more fitting that the terminology reflects the fact that patients have greater control over their care. Thus the term should be â€Å"patient-physician relationship,† placing the patient at the center of the health care continuum. As the patient centered relationship continues, the past â€Å"passive position† that makes it difficult â€Å"to remain intellectually and emotionally in control of your own experience† will continue to progress placing patients first and normal operating procedures second (Ashton & Richards,  2003, p. 7). What are the effects of the increasing technology of patient confidentiality and data security on health care organizations? Health care organizations face an enormous task of maintaining the privacy of their patients with the onslaught of new technology. This task involves ensuring that employees have policies and procedures to follow when using new technology to access protected health information (PHI), faxing PHI, and using the Internet. Health care organizations and health care providers have the responsibility of implementing a patient’s Advance Directives. However, new technology can give way to digression to past behaviors and the paternalistic attitudes of some clinicians may result in disregarding a patient’s Advance Directives. Some clinicians may believe they know what is best for the patient because advances in technology often raises hope that a provider can positively impact or alter a patient’s current medical condition (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2008). According to Miller and Tucker (2009), the use of electronic medical records (EMRs) could reduce America’s annual health care bill by $34 billion through higher safety and efficiency but only 41% of hospitals in the United States have adopted its use. Concerns over effectively protecting patient privacy and the cost of securing information have prevented the widespread use throughout the industry. A prime example of the fruition of security concerns is the downfall of the Santa Barbara County Care Health Data Exchange in 2007 (Miller & Tucker, 2009). The state mandated privacy filters but the system still failed. New technology requires privacy protection devices to protect PHI. This may force health care organizations to increase the rates of medical record use just to keep financially afloat. Conclusion The creation of Agency policies has impacted the physician-patient relationship effectively giving the power to control the course of treatment to patients. In essence, physicians have become advisors in the presence of Advanced Directives, yielding to the desires of patients and their families. The provision of care changed with advances in technology. Information sharing and dissemination requires physicians and other health care providers to successfully navigate between their new role as advisors and their commitment to ensure the best delivery of care to their patients. Melding the two provides the best guarantee that patients will have both their wants and needs met maximizing the opportunity for positive health outcomes. References Burkhardt, M. A. , & Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethics and issues in contemporary nursing (3rd ed. ). Mason, OH: Delmar Cengage Learning. Concerned Home Care, Inc. , (2011). Concerned Home Care Policy and Procedure Manual Harbor Beach, MI. : . Miller, A. R. , & Tucker, C. (2009). Privacy protection and technology diffusion: The case of electronic medical records. Management Science, 55(7), 1077-1093. Nathanson, M. D. (1997). Home Health Care Law Manual (5th ed. ). Gaithersburg, MD. : Aspen Publication. Appendix I: Advance Directives for Concerned Home Care, Inc. [pic]

Financial Report for Sole Traders and Partnerships Essay

Sole traders: According to Peterson and Plowman : â€Å" As sole proprietorship is a business unit whose ownership and management are vested in one person. This individual assumes all risk of loss and failure of the enterprise and receives all profits from its successful operation†. A sole trader describes any business that is owned and controlled by one person, although they may employ workers, e.g. a newsagent’s shop. Individuals who provide a specialist service like hairdressers, plumbers or photographers, are also sole traders. Sole traders do not have a separate legal existence from their owner. As a result, the owners are personally liable for the firm’s debts, and may have to pay them out of their own pocket. This is called unlimited liability. Advantages * The firms are usually small, and easy to set up. * Generally, only a small amount of capital needs to be invested, which reduces the initial start-up cost. * The wage bill will usually be low, because there a few or no employees. * It is easier to keep overall control, because the owner has a hands-on approach to running the business and can make decisions without consulting anyone else. Disadvantages * The sole trader has no one to share the responsibility of running the business with. A good hairdresser, for example, may not be very good at handling the accounts. * Sole traders often work long hours and find it difficult to take holidays, or time off if they are ill. * Developing the business is also limited by the amount of capital personally available. * There is also the risk of unlimited liability, where the sole trader can be forced to sell personal assets to cover any business debts. Partnerships: Partnerships are businesses owned by two or more people. A contract called a deed of partnership is normally drawn up. This states the type of partnership it is, how much capital each party has contributed, and how profits and losses will be shared. Doctors, dentists and solicitors are typical examples of professionals who may go into partnership together. They can benefit from shared expertise, but like the sole trader, have unlimited liability. A partnership can also have a sleeping partner who invests in the business but does not have dealings in the day to day running of the enterprise. Advantages * The main advantage of a partnership over a sole trader is shared responsibility. This allows for specialisation, where one partner’s strengths can complement another’s. For example, if a hairdresser were in partnership with someone with a business background, one could concentrate on providing the salon service, and the other on handling the finances. * More people are also contributing capital, which allows for more flexibility in running the business. * There is less time pressure on individual partners. * There is someone to consult over business decisions Disadvantages * The main disadvantage of a partnership comes from shared responsibility. * Disputes can arise over decisions that have to be made, or about the effort one partner is putting into the firm compared with another. * The distribution of profits can cause problems. The deed of partnership sets out who should get what, but if one partner feels another is not doing enough, there can be dissatisfaction. * A partnership, like a sole trader, has unlimited liability. Source taken from http://www.bbc.co.uk

Vegetation, Weather and Climate, and Political and Economic essays

Vegetation, Weather and Climate, and Political and Economic essays What is Vegetation? Vegetation is the Earths plants, and vegetable structures. If you live on land you see some type of vegetation every single day, even if you are going to work or school, even playing football. What is Weather and Climate? First, Weather is the condition of the atmosphere with regard to temperature, moisture, etc... As most of us know rain is a part of weather as well as snow, hail, and wind. If you feel it outside thats weather. Second, Climate is the prevailing weather conditions of a place or region. Such as, Central Texas climate is hot and dry with not very much rain. There are all sorts of climates, like, tropical climates, cold climates and etc... Most people dont have any clue what Political and Economic Resources are. Well if you dont you are about to find out. P.E.R. is everything that has to do with business, or human interaction with each other. It even can show the population of a town. P.E.R. is how people make a living, and also what their salary is. But what do these have in common? Or how would they be affected by each other? If we have less vegetation in an area there tends to be less people and resources in that area. Also if you are in the lumber business your sales may go down due to supply and demand. Also if there were fewer trees there would be less houses being built and a lot more people that are homeless. If it did not rain enough than people may be out of water eventually and there would also be less vegetation in some parts of the world. Weather can also effect if people get to work on time, or if they make it to work. Weather can even destroy where you work. With our economic system and our automobiles, at the rate we are going we are causing the ozone to get thinner and thinner. This will eventually cause global warming. Making the temperatures drastically higher. If we keep cutting down the rainforests we will have less o...

Sicilian Phrasebook

Sicilian Phrasebook GREETINGS Bon giornu. Bona sira.Good evening. Bona notti.Good night. Addiu.Good-bye. Comu si senti?How are you? Bonu, grazii, e Lei?Fine, thanks, and you? Unn cà ¨ mali.Not bad. Piaciri di canuscirvi.Pleased to meet you. GETTING ALONG Parra inglisi? Iu unn parru sicilianu.I do not speak Sicilian. Ma capisciu si parra chià ¹ lentamenti.But Ill understand if you speak more slowly. Mi capisci si parru inglisi?Do you understand me if I speak English? Cà ¨ nessunu cca ca parra inglisi?Does anyone speak English here? Comu si dici in sicilianu...?How do you say in Sicilian...? ASKING FOR DIRECTIONS Mi po diri comu si va a ...? Quantu si ci metta a [town name] di cca?How far is [town name] from here? Quantu si ci metti in machina?How long does it take by car? Mi po mustrari na carta unna mi trovu?Can you show me on the map where I am? Gira sinistra.Turn left. Gira destra.Turn right. Jiti rittu rittu.Go straight ahead. Faciti un giru cumpletu.Make a U-turn. Jiti à ´ primincruciamentu.Go to the first intersection. Unn à ¨ luntanu.Its not far. È vicinu.Its nearby. Si ci metti cincu minuti a pedi.Its a five-minute walk. TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION Pi favuri, unna à ¨ u benzinaiu u chià ¹ vicinu? Pi favuri, mi metta deci litri di benzina.Ten liters of gas, please. Mi volcontrollar a pressioni dà ® gummi?Would you check the tire pressure? Unna pozzu parcheggiari?Where can I park? Cà ¨ un parcheggiu ca vicinu?Is there a parking lot nearby? È un parcheggiu liberu?Is this a free parking lot? ON THE BUS Quali autobus devu prenniri pi jiri à ¢ Quattru Canti? Unna à ¨ a firmata?Where is the bus stop? È chistu lautobus pi San Fratellu?Is this the rigth bus for San Fratello? Un biglettu, pir favuri.One ticket, please. Devu scinniri a...I have to get off at... Mi po diri unna devu scinniri?Can you tell me where to get off? AT THE TRAIN STATION Quannu à ¨ u prossimu trenu pi Missina? Vogghiu un bigliettu di andata e ritornu.Id like a round-trip ticket. Un bigliettu sulu di andata.One-way ticket, please. Un bigliettu di prima classi, pi favuri.First class, please. A chi ura arriva u trenu di...?At what time does the train arrive from...? Chi à ¨ direttu o espressu?Is it a local or an express? Mi po dari un orariu?May I have a timetable? Da quali binariu parti u trenu?From what platform does it leave? U trenu parti dà ´ binariu...The train leaves from platform... U trenu pir Catania parti a...The train for Catania leaves at... È trenu cu prinotazzioni ubbligatoria.You need a reservation for this train. FOOD AND DRINK agneddu antipastu mistumixed antipasto baccalarudry salted cod bivannidrinks calamarisquid cicirichickpeas ducisweets fasolibeans panibread pipipepper pumudamuritomatoes sasizzasausage u primufirst course u secunnusecond course vinu biancuwhite wine vinu russured wine SHOPPING Comu Le pozzu sirviri? Vogghiu sulu dar un occhiata.I just want to have a look. Vogghiaccattarun capeddu.Id like to buy a hat. Unna à ¨ u camerinu?Where is the fitting room? Pozzu cangiari na vota accattatu?May I return this? Faciti anchi modifichi cca?Do you make alterations here? Pozzu pagari cà ¢ carta di creditu?Can I pay with my credit card? Non accettamu carti di creditu, sulu contanti.We do not accept credit cards, only cash. Mi poincartari u me acquistu in pacchettu regalu?Can you gift-wrap my purchase? Tuttu ntà ´ negozziu à ¨ in saldu.Every item in the store is on sale. È troppu granni / nicu / lungu / curtu.Its too large / small / long / short. SERVICES Mi po puliri sti cammisi, pir favuri? Quannu sarannu pronti i causi?When are the pants going to be ready? Mi bisogninu pi sabatu.I need them by Saturday. Devu pagari ora o quannu i vegnu a ritirari?Should I pay now or when I come to pick them up? Eccu a so ricevuta.Here is your receipt. Vulissi tagghiari i capiddi.I would like a haircut. Vulissi un tagghiu curtu.I would like my hair short. Vulissi sulu na spuntata.I would like my hair trimmed. Faciti anchi massaggi cca?Do you also do massages? MONEY Unna à ¨ a banca a chià ¹ vicina? Quannu apri / chiudi a banca?When does the bank open / close? Unna pozzu truvari un Bancomat?Where can I find an ATM? A quantu sta u dollaru oggi?How much is the dollar today? Chi tassa ci mittiti sà » cambiu esteru?What is your fee on currency exchange? Accitati carti di creditu?Do you accept credit cards? AT THE BEACH Unna pozzu affitari una sdraia? A chi ura devu ristituiri a sdraia?At what time shall I return the deck chair? Chi voli diri a bannera russa?What does the red flag mean? Quantu pozzu natari a largu?How far am I allowed to swim here? Unna pozzu accattari na buttighia dacqua nta spiaggia?Where can I buy a bottle of water on the beach? È chista na spiaggia pubblica?Is this a public beach? HEALTH Pozzu vidiri un dutturi, pi favuri? Chiamati lambulanza!Call an ambulance! Unn mi sentu bonu.I dont feel well. Mi sentu malatu.I feel sick. Mi fa mali a testa.I have a headache. Mi fa mali a panza.I have a stomachache. Haiu un allergia.I have an allergy. Cercu na farmacia.I am looking for a pharmacy. Mi po diri unna à ¨ a farmacia chià ¹ vicina?Where is the nearest pharmacy, please? Devu pigghiari sta pinnula cu acqua?Should I take this pill with water? EMERGENCIES Latru! Aiutu!Help! Lassami in paci!Leave me alone! Vattinni!Go away! Mi scipparu a cullana!They snatched my necklace! Haiu bisognu di un interpetri.I need an interpreter. Cà ¨ un dutturi cca?Is there a doctor here? Focu!Fire! Chiamati i pomperi!Call the firemen! MEASURES centimetru chilometrukilometer chilukilo litruliter metrumeter DAYS OF THE WEEK luneddà ¬ marteddà ¬Tuesday mercoleddà ¬Wednesday gioveddà ¬Thursday venerddà ¬Friday sabbatuSaturday duminicaSunday MONTHS OF THE YEAR jinnaru fivraruFebruary marzuMarch apriliApril maggiuMay giugnuJune lugliuJuly agustuAugust settembriSeptember ottubbriOctober novembriNovember dicembriDecember TIME Chi ura à ¨? È luna.It is one oclock. Sunu id dui.It is two oclock. Sunu i dui e menzu.It is two-thirty. Sunu i dui menu un quartu.It is a quarter to two. THE FOUR SEASONS primavera estatisummer autunnuautumn invernuwinter THE WEATHER Chi tempu fa? Fa friddu oggi.Today it is cold. Fa cauru.Its warm. Chiovi.Its raining. È na bedda jurnata.Its a gorgeous day. Nun chiovi, ma fa ventu.Its not raining, but it is windy. È nuvulusu.Its cloudy. Quanti gradi fa fora?How many degrees is it outside? Rumani ci sar una timpesta.Tomorrow there will be a thunderstorm.

E-government users identification Research Proposal

E-government users identification - Research Proposal Example Therefore all organizations strive to develop a comprehensive information system that would promote and accelerate the organizational aims and objectives in a manner that would help it to achieve higher level of efficiency and organizational growth which would offset a competitive advantage over their rivals. The e-governance based on information system with its wide variety of database, comprising of canonical and non canonical types of information, is not only complex by nature but also highly sensitive for its confidentiality. Thus, security of user identification and login become vital ingredients of an effective e-government. The proposal would help identify and evaluate the various elements of e-security and measures that would help protect the risks of breach of information in the e-government of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is prominent country of the South East Asia with Islamic culture. It is a vast land of arid desert and hot climate. In the last 30 years, it has undergone tremendous transformation in almost all areas of public concern vis-Ã  -vis health, education, transport, environment and infrastructure development (Saudi Arabia, 2006) Network of roads, application of technology for improving public health and local economy have been the key areas of development. It has state of the art hospitals, education centers, universities and tourists attractions and recreational facilities. The oil and gas mining has been the major source of wealth creation that has been well utilized to improve the socio-economic status of 22.6 million population. The e-governance, would therefore, greatly facilitate transparency and improve and improvise the management of government departments for optimal outcome. In the last three decades, Saudi Arabia has seen tremendous changes in its socio-economic development processes. The oil mining has greatly improved

Osmoregulation In Kidney Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Osmoregulation In Kidney - Assignment Example Water is passively transported across the cell membranes in reaction to ionic concentration changes. An increase in Na and K ions in the cells generate a concentration gradient resulting in increased water uptake through the process of osmosis. Similarly, the consequence of decreased ionic concentration results in water loss from the cells. Therefore, the rate of water gain or loss is regulated through specific hormones that are involved in the alteration of excretory ducts to water permeability and Na flow across the membranes. Urine is more concentrated than blood and has an osmolality of 1200 mmol/L while blood has 300 mmol/L. Renal osmoregulatory mechanisms are involved in the conversion of this osmolarity. Accordingly, human urine can be as hypo-osmotic as 50 most/L or as hyperosmotic as 1200 mm/L (Eastwood, 2009). The remarkable ability of the kidney to produce hyper/hypo-osmotic urine through osmotic gradient maintenance is largely dependent upon specific arrangement and coope rative efforts of the loop of Henle and collecting tubules in renal cortex and medulla. Juxtamedullary nephrons maintain a high osmolarity in kidneys and the countercurrent mechanisms of Vasa recta and loop of Henle are responsible for maintaining evident osmotic gradient between cortex and medulla. The filtrate passes from the cortex to the medulla in descending tubule of the loop of Henle where major amounts of the water are reabsorbed through osmosis, thus increasing the osmolarity of the filtrate.

Strategy Business Information and Analysis Essay

Strategy Business Information and Analysis - Essay Example Interesting fact is that, porter five force analyses is an integrated component of the "outside-in" approach hence discussing porter five forces for soft drink industry in the first two sections will create silhouette for the critical evaluation "outside-in" approach to strategy formulation for organizations with the help of existing literature. Part 1 According to Deichert et al (2006), global soft drink industry is dominated by Coke and Pepsi for years but these two giants have understood the importance of diversifying product portfolio into noncarbonated beverages in order to achieve sustainable growth rate. Soft drink industry can be analyzed with the help of cumulative growth rate, market size and overall profitability. According to Datamonitor (2008), market value of soft drink industry will touch a value of more than $500 billion by the year 2014. Soft drink industry contributes almost 50% of the non-alcoholic drink industry Datamonitor (2008). Currently, the industry is growi ng at pace of more than 5% and it is expected that the market volume will cross 500,000 million litres within next couple of years Deichert et al (2006). According to the research report of Datamonitor (2008), although global soft drink industry is growing at a steady pace but it will decelerate in near future due market saturation and stagnation of market price. In such context, five force analysis soft drink industries will help the study to identify forces such as substitute products, suppliers, buyers, rival sellers and intra firm competitiveness which are shaping the industry. Diagrammatic representation of five forces in soft drinks industry can be explained in the following manner. (Source: Wheelen and Hunger., 2000 and 2006) Force 1- Competitive Rivalry According to Deichert et al (2006), competitive threat is the strongest among all other forces in soft drink industry. The market is saturated due to presence of many players such as Coca-Cola, Cadbury Schweppes, Pepsi Co etc ; high degree of saturation in the industry has decreased scope for existing players to differentiate in the product portfolio hence they extensively focus on price competition in order to attract customers. Rivals in the industry such as Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are strong global presence and access to huge amount of both financial and non-final resources, which has further decreased the scope companies in the industry to achieve resource based advantages as mentioned by Rumelt (1986). Having top selling brands in the kitty doesn’t ensure competitive advantage in the industry, for example, Coca-Cola owns 80% of top selling brands such as Sprite, Coca-Cola, Fanta, Diet Coke but it had achieved lower sales revenue in comparison PepsiCo during 2004-05 in USA and UK market Deichert et al (2006). According to Deichert et al (2006), advertising and marketing strategy plays vital role in the industry. For example, in some cases, rivals use competitive advertisings in order to nullify relevance of other companies among customers. Force 2- Threat of New Entrant

Competency Based Assessments in Education

Competency Based Assessments in Education Chapter 4 Literature Review on Competence-based Assessment 4.1 Introduction In this chapter, the researcher discusses the literature on competence-based assessment. The first part examines the purposes, the interpretations of competence-based assessment (CBA), the critical attributes of CBA and the issues related to competence. The second part looks into the implementation of CBA around the world and later focuses on the implementation of CBA in Malaysia. 4.2 Competence-based Assessment: An Overview The era of the knowledge -economy and globalisation requires not only individuals who possess a sound understanding of specific subject matter but also those who have relevant industry-related skills and interpersonal skills. These attributes and capabilities are necessary for learners to acquire in order to function well in todays complex and global societies (Baartman et al., 2007). Furthermore, acquisition of complex competences (Baartman et al., 2007) has to be developed in the future human capital through purposeful, effective, learner-centred and competence-based programmes (Baartman et al., 2007) in order to prepare students to meet the needs of tomorrows world. The report of the United States Department of Education Secretarys Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, the so-called SCANS Report (McNabb, 1997), made clear that students must be ready to function in collaborative settings, interpret complex requirements, and exhibit self-directed, self-assessing behaviour on the job. This means that employers would want more from the graduates than just entry-level job skills which would help develop a nation progressively in accordance to its political and social needs. The relationship between learning and assessment (discussed in Chapters X and Y) means that assessment should take account of political and social purposes (Broadfoot, 1996). Different vocational and educational training programmes from school level to university level have been introduced to prepare and equip individuals to fit into the labour market. One such programme is Competency-Based Education (CBE) with the emphasis on assessment (competency-based assessment) being seen as key to the success of its implementation (Tillema et al, 2000; Frederiksen, 1984; Baartman et al., 2007). 4.2.1 Purposes of Competence-based Assessment Any forms of assessment s including CBA would usually have one or more of three basic purposes to diagnose learning;, to select students for particular provision; to certificate achievements (Carless et. al., 2006; Freeman Lewis, 1997; Ecclestone, 1996; Rowntree, 1987). CBA has been utilised by schools, training colleges and industriy for two main purposes; to measure competencies (McNerney Briggins, 1995) and to certificate (International Labour Organisation, 1996). 4.2.1.1 CBA for Measuring Competence Measuring competence is one of the main purposes of CBA.Generally, the reason for the implementation of CBA is to determine that learners have sufficient knowledge and skills to contribute effectively to the work force(Canning, 2000; Ecclestone, 1997; Kerka, 1998; LPM, 2002; McNabb, 1997). However,according to Hyland (1994), as competence-based education is found to be seriously flawed and ill-equipped to deal with education and training beyond the basic skills., CBA apparently could can be used to measure limited aspects of competence but Hyland (1994). He believes that its influence on training and education for future generations will be actively damaging as it could can only produce individuals who would function without much learning, knowledge and understanding of anything. He attributes this to a This is due to its highly instrumental philosophy thats combined with a narrow and uncritical behaviourist psychology. (Hyland, 1994). Thus, its qualifications resulting from CBA are viewed as basically reliable as indicators of all the most elementary skills and abilities (Armstrong, 1995). The issues of competence in CBA will be further discussed in section 4.4. 4.2.1.2 CBA for Certification It is asserted claimed that CBA provides learners with opportunities to achieve qualifications that relate to required performance in the workplace (Erridge Perry, 1994). Ecclestone (1997) indicates that NVQs, which primarily employ CBA, represent an explicit commitment to creating wider access to accreditation and better levels of achievement. She argues that Tthis could be made possible by severing links between attendance in learning programmes, and the formal assessment and accreditation of outcomes, and by promoting the accreditation of prior learning in which NVQs subsequently serve as serious challenge to traditional assessment approaches (Ecclestone, 1997). For instance, a trainee in a plumbing courseplumber would have the opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in plumbing at certain level. He/she would then achieve the qualifications and certification that relate to the required performance of a plumber in the real life workplace once he/she has complet ed the assessment of at the at particular designated level. Nevertheless, CBA is at the same time, argued to be conceptually confusing, empirically flawed and lacking in meeting the needs of a learning society (Chappell, 1996; Ecclestone, 1997; Hyland, 1994;). This may be the results of the use of confusing language or jargons, the decreasing credibility of the competency standards on how they reflect industry standards (Kerka, 1998) and the indifferent implementation of CBA across the industries due to employers ignorance about the its nature and the purpose. of it (Hyland, 1996). 4.2.2 Definitions and Interpretations of CBA There is a wide range of interpretations and definitions given to CBA. In this discussion, CBA the interpretation of- CBA is looked atinterpreted in terms of three different aspects; the assessors roles, the learners responsibilities and the learning outcomes that are based on predetermined criteria. Figure ____tries to reflect the interedependence of these elements.The relationships of the interpretations of these three aspects are as shown in Figure ____. Adapted: Griffin Nix, 1991; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995; Hager, 1994; Elliot, 1994; Cotton, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996) In the assessors perspective, CBA consists of the simple process of seeing, collecting, gathering,and obtaining evidence, and the further process a more complex as well as subjective process of judging and interpreting the evidence of competence demonstrated by learners (Rowe, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995; Hager, 1994; Griffin Nix, 1991). The assessors have to observe gather and judge the evidence of an individuals competence against the specified standards. This means that the assessors have to be very careful in their actions of gathering evidence of competence and they have to decide when it is considered sufficient, based on their expert judgment. For example, when a student successfully builds a drywall framework, the assessor has to gather evidence of competence not only from the product which is the framework but also from the process and the preparations before the student begins to work on it such as work schedule, list of materials and equipment to be u sed, and the like. The assessor then has to use his/her expertise in this area to determine whether or not the evidence of competence gathered is adequate to say that the student has acquired satisfactory competence in building the drywall framework. McNnerney Briggins (1995) state that CBA is the process of identifying the competencies which are the underlying characteristics that lead toof successful performance be this by may it be among a group of employees, typically by department, job category or hierarchical level. CThey say that a list of competencies that is tied to one corporate culture is usually used tobecome associatede with exemplary performance (McNerney Briggins, 1995)ers. They further relate CBA to its training basis where the focus is on who the successful performers are rather than on what people do. This means that it does not just include training in jobs which rely heavily on psychomotor skills, such as manual labour and traditional hourly production work but also involve performing decision-oriented jobs (Mcnerney Briggins, 1995). The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) (2001) stresses the process of seeing whether or not an individual has the necessary skill and knowledge they need to be awarded a Scottish Vocational Qualifications as the key factor in CBA; emphsising the need for assessors to be expert . This undoubtedly requires the assessors to have even thorough knowledge and skills in the fields they are assessing in order to make good and fair judgments. This means is due to the fact that the athat assessors have to assess and collectconsider evidence of competence in terms of knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes (Rowe, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995) displayed diferentially in authentic contexts by learners in the context of a selected set of real life professional tasks which are of different levels (Hager, 1994). The process of gathering evidence from observable performance is later followed by the more difficult process of making judgment that may be very subjective (Pedd ie Wilmut, Macintosh, 1997). Despite the difficulty in making judgment based on evidence gathered, assessors have to determine whether or not the competency has been achieved by learners (Victoria Curriculum and Assesssment Authority (VCAA), 2001). It is the assessors responsibility, then, to decide if learners performances meet the pre-determined criteria. Thus, assessors have to equip themselves with relevant skills and use appropriate mechanisms in making fair judgments so that the problem of subjectivity among assessors is reduced. Furthermore, assessors have to assess learners ability to apply a particular knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a specific context according to a required performance standards (New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), 2002). In other words, assessors themselves have to be extremely knowledgeable and skilful in the art of observing and collecting evidence of competence that come in various tangible and intangible forms. The process of gat hering evidence from observable performance is later followed by the more difficult process of making judgment that is inevitably very subjective (Peddie Wilmut, Macintosh, 1997). Despite the difficulty in making judgment based on evidence gathered, assessors still have to determine whether or not competency has been achieved by learners (Victoria Curriculum and Assesssment Authority (VCAA), 2001). It is the assessors responsibility then, to decide if learners are considered to be competent in a particular context at a particular level based on their performance whether or not it meets the pre-determined criteria. Thus, assessors have to equip themselves with relevant skills and use appropriate mechanisms in making fair judgments so that the problem of subjectivity among assessors is reduced. In addition to assessing and making judgment on students performance based on evidence gathered, assessors would also have to give constructive and supportive feedback to students on their performance and work (Ecclestone, 1996; Sadler, 2009). The assessors would have to point out the strengths and weaknesses as well as the improvements that could be made in the future (Sadler, 2009). Sadler (2009) further proposes that feedback should be given in a manner that would be able toenables educate students to assess and be able to evaluate their own work and give feedback to themselves as well. He suggests that students shcould be taught to monitor the quality of their productions and make adjustments as necessary while they are actually engaged in doing it. In From the learners point of view on the other handperspective, CBA is the platform for them to demonstrate competencies and learning outcomes (Elliot, 1994). These competencies will range from simple constructed responses to comprehensive collections of work over time in very different contexts.Elliot further asserts that CBA requires learners to demonstrate competencies and learning outcomes in performance assessment which vary in terms of simplicity and complexity such as from simple constructed responses to comprehensive collections of work over time, all of which are then judged . Learners are expected to be deeply involved in the assessment process and they areto be aware of the specified criteria that they have to meet as well as the standards of performance that are expected of them right from the beginning even before the assessment is conducted. Theoretically, tThis allows learners to take charge of and control over their own learning outcomes and success by preparing them selves well in advance. In other words, learners would have the autonomy for in their own learning, as CBA canould promote individuality and personal development (Ecclestone, 1996). The learners responsibility includes demostrating the It is also here in CBA that learners have to show their ability to apply theoretical knowledge and procedures, in addition to their understanding ofbeing able to describe the theories or even point to appropriate theoretical knowledge (Cotton, 1995). In demonstrating competence Cotton further elucidates that learners also have to express wise use of common sense in the public by demonstrating good physical, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills with mindful decision- making; that suggests the multiple intelligence described by Gardner (1985). In other words, learners have to demonstrate their abilities in all the three psychological domains of psychomotor, cognitive and affective learning (ANTA, 1998). Similarly, the Australias National Training Auth ority (ANTA) (1998) considers CBA to be a platform for learners to display their skills, knowledge and experience in accomplishing specific tasks as required in the workplace or to obtain a credit towards a qualification in the vocational and education training (VET). A Both the assessors and learners have one thing in common: to focus on and that is the set of learning outcomes that can be derived from an assessment. Learning outcomes cover diverse range of areas including personal qualities, various forms of knowledge and skills (Ecclestone, 1996). In this case it is the evidence of competence that learners have to demonstrate and which the assessors have to observe for and make judgments on, has to meet specified criteria. Thus, CBA consists of specified set of both the general and specific outcomes that assessors, learners and third parties can make reasonably objective judgments with respect to learners achievement or non-achievement of these outcomes (Wolf, 1995). CBA then certifies learners progress based on the demonstrated achievement of these outcomes while the assessments may not be necessarily tied to time served in formal educational settings. The emphasis is on the outcomes specifically, multiple outcomes, each distinctive and separ ately considered which should be specified clearly and as transparent as possible for assessors, assessees and third parties to understand what is being assessed and what should be achieved (Wolf, 1995) . This definition encapsulates the key-features of CBA as it has been developed and promoted for the vocational, technical and professional education and training in the UK while at the same time it signals the American origins of much of the debate (Wolf, 1995). The demonstrated performance that provides evidence of competence has to be at least of the minimum required quality in the real life workplace environment. These are the predetermined criteria set in CBA which are generally based on endorsed industry benchmark or competency standard (ANTA, 1998). The emphasis on outcomes and transparency is not only peculiar to the competence-context but it is also an essential characteristic of criterion-referenced assessment. The emphasis on what learners can actually do and the beneficia l effects of clear criteria on teaching and learning (Glaser, 1963; Popham, 1978) are argued to meet the competence-based literature where in England in the early years of the implementation of CBA, such system was referred to as criterion-referenced approach (Jessup 1991: 167). Jessup (1991) further underlines that what people actually learn from an education and training system and how effectively, as the key factor to measure its success. Thus, CBA is considered a criterion-referenced interpretation of assessment (Nuttall, 1984; Ling, 1999) where individuals are given an award after achieving the pre-determined standards (Cotton, 1995). This critical attribute of CBA will be discussed further in section 4.3.2. 4.3 Critical Attributes of Competence-based Assessment The following section discusses the two learning theories associated with CBA and the nature of its criterion-referenced assessment. 4.3.1 Learning Theories Associated with Competence-based Assessment Learning in the psychology and education contexts is a the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values, and world views acquisition and enhancement through ones integrated employment of cognitive, emotional, and experiences (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995). How this process works is explained variously. Learning as a process focuses on what happens when the learning takes place and the explanations of what happens constitute learning theories. In other words, learning theories are attempts to describe how people and animals learn, and they help uncover the inherently complex process of learning to our understanding. Hill (2002) explains that learning theories have two main values. The first is to provide adequate vocabulary and a conceptual framework in to interpreting examples of observed learning; and the second. Next is to suggest the right directions to look for solutions to practical problem instead of providing the solutions. Learning theories are therefore, the basis for any form of educational assessment (Gipps, 1994) and the theories most commonly associated to with CBA are the behaviourism and, more recently, the constructivism. These two theories will be discussed as CBA essentially involves observable aspects of learning and learning as a process for construction of new knowledge. Although the cognitive theory which looks beyond behaviour to explain brain-based learning is important, the need for it in CBA is not that apparent or crucial. Thus it is not included in the discussion. 4.3.1.1 Behaviourist Learning Theory Behaviourism is a theory of organism (may it be an animal or human) learning that only focuses on objectively observable behaviours and discounts mental activities (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999) with the assumption that a learner starts off as a clean slate (i.e. tabula rasa) and is essentially passive, responding to environmental stimuli (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997) in the acquisition of new behaviour (Chowdhury, 2006). Learning according to the behaviourists takes place as the result of a response that follows on a specific stimulus and that behaviour is shaped through reinforcement (Kerka, 1997). By repeating the Stimulus-Response (S-R) cycle the learner is conditioned into repeating the response whenever the same stimulus is present and thusbehaviour can be modified and learning is measured by observable change in behaviour (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999). Theis emphasis on stimulus-response pairing (Murphy, 1999; Chowdhury, 2006) and the rejections to of structuralism (Kerka, 1997) reflected behaviourisms positivistic philosophical base, as the analysis of the human condition relies on only verifiable observations of behaviour and not on untenable mentalistic constructs (Kerka, 1997). Furthermore,Accordingly most human behaviour could can be understood as basic reflexive learning mechanisms or laws that operate on ones experience within the environment (Kerka, 1997). As the approach is seen to be more operational and practical in nature, it has dominated education.n, in which Tthe teacher disseminates selected knowledge, measures learners passive reception of facts, and focuses on behaviour control and task completion (Kerka, 1997). These views of the behaviourists and the learning characteristics that can be found in the education setting are summarised in Table___. Generally, conditioning has been identified in experiments by behaviourists to be a universal learning process. There are two different types of conditioning, each yielding a different behavioural pattern: Classic conditioning occurs when an instinctive reaction responds to a stimulus (Comer, 2004). Essentially, animals and people are biologically wired so that a certain stimulus will produce a specific response. As such, learning process takes place when two events that repeatedly occur close together in time are associated in a persons mind to impulsively produce the same response. The most popular example is Pavlovs observation that dogs salivate when they eat or even see food where food is unconditioned stimulus and the salivation, the unconditioned reflex (Comer, 2004; Chowdhury, 2006). Pavlovs theory of classical conditioning is considered a foundation of learning theories to the behaviourists. According to Pavlovs experiment, when some neutral stimulus, such as the ringing of a bell, is combined with the presentation of food and is repeated for a period of time, the dog salivates with the ringing of the bell, even though food is not given. Hence, the ringing of the bell acts as the conditioned stimulus while salivation is the conditioned response or reflex (Dembo: 1994). The result of this experiment led to the formation of Pavlovs classical conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would ordinarily produce such a response. Behavioural or operant conditioning occurs when a response to a stimulus is reinforced. Basically, operant conditioning is a simple feedback system: If a response to a stimulus is rewarded or reinforced, then the response is likely to take place in the future. Similarly, when a particular behaviour is rewarded, that behaviour is repeated as shown in the experiment conducted by B.F. Skinner using reinforcement techniques to teach pigeons to dance and bowl a ball. B.F. Skinner based his theory upon the idea that learning is a function of change in overt behaviour where these changes in behaviour are the result of an individuals response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment (Chowdhury, 2006). According to Skinner, a reward or punishment will either strengthen or weaken a voluntary or automatic behaviour (Skinner: 1968). Ever since its introduction, the reinforced techniques have gone through series of enhancement and have contributed tremendously in training and teaching. The most important aspect of Skinners contribution to training is the significance attached to the desired behaviour to be emitted in certain environment. In order for the trainer to ensure the right behaviour is reinforced in the trainees, the trainer should have the clear idea about the terminal behaviour of the trainees, and should closely follow the trainees to appropriately reinforce correct responses. This is the purpose of programmed instructions including competence-based training in its early years of implementation which was based on this theory of reinforcement (Burns, 1995). . As the emerging learning theory of the early 1900s, behaviourism provided the final found ation for social efficiency as learning which is seen objectively consists of the formation of links between specific stimuli and responses through the application of rewards ( Wirth, 1972 ). The emphasis on the need of objectivity leads to extensive use of statistical and ma thematical analysis. Despite all the remarkable contribution s the learning theory has to offer , the extreme focus on objectivity has totally ignored the significant role the mind play in shaping ones behaviour. Men are treated more like robots or machines than human beings as their thoughts and feelings are not taken into consideration. They are expected to demonstrate desired behaviour through the use of reward and punishment neglecting other factors that may have an influence on the change in behaviour. Thus, the behaviourist theory of learning is lacking in utilizing the full potential of the mind in moulding essential behaviour and in constructing new knowledge . Assessment in Behaviourism Assessment, according to behaviourism, is a test (the stimulus) for which the answer (the response) is conditioned In accordance to the behaviourist learning theory which focuses on the stimulus-response cycle to attain observable conditioned behaviour, assessment in the behaviourism also applies the same concept. Thus, t he test item is the stimulus, the answer is the response and a learner has to be conditioned to produce the appropriate response to any given stimulus ( (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999). NSince the emphasis is on the response that is observable, no attention is paid to any model of the thinking process of the learner which might intervene between stimulus and response. Consequently, the distinctions between rote learning and learning with understanding is not considered as teaching is a matter deliveringof delivering the appropriate stimuli while learning is a matter of repeating the appropriate response, which will be rewarded. is what matters the most in which teaching is by repetition and then rewarding the appropriate responses. As such, a test composed of many short, atomised, out-of-context questions, and teaching to the test, are both consistent with this approach (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997). Likewise, some forms of CBA which has always been associated to thewith behaviourist theory can be seen to assess, atomistically. applied the atomistic but not out of context approach. The assessor who is an observer ticks off a checklist of predetermined criteria whenever a learner has performed a series of discrete observable tasks. The criteria are the stimuli, the accomplished tasks the responses and learner has to be conditioned to demonstrate the ability to meet the criteria successfully. Although this approach to assessment may developstestify to learners ability to perform observable tasksbehaviours, it does not pay much attention to the theoretical knowledge and understanding (Ashworth, 1992) as the role of the mind is considered insignificant in delivering the required behaviour. While assessing competent observable performance is vital, assessing knowledge and understanding is just as important as it is an essential aspect of competence without which an assessment is lacking in credibility or construct validity (Ashworth, 1992). A valid assessment method should be able to measure what it is supposed to measure which in this case (Watson, 1994). Given the extensive discussion in Chapter ? on the idea of competence, both the observable performance behaviour and underpinning knowledge are aspects of competence that should be assessed and measured. People who understand are those who have clear mental representation of the situation with which they are confronted and are able to deal with it creatively and imaginatively using the acquired knowledge which acts as an interpretive resource for them (Ashworth, 1992). Thus, it is insufficient to assess ones competence just by looking at the performance while ignoring the aspect of knowledge and understanding. It is unfortunate then, if such an assessment method should produce people who are like robots in a factory; they couldwho can perform a job or a task efficiently and effectively but they do not have any understanding of what they were are doing. As the approachCBA also emphasises personal competence within competence concentrates on an individual demonstrating competent performance ((Wolf, 1995), traditional notions of CBA have allowed an and emphasises on personal competences, it leads to one being individualistic perspective whilst lacking ignoring the very necessary in the abability of being able to work as a team player to work as a team whereas team work is essential in performing relevan t aspect of a job in the actual workplace (Ashworth, 1992). As a result, theis behaviourist view of CBA has eventually shifted to the constructivist belief as discussed in the following section.weakened. Despite all the remarkable contributions the learning theory has to offer, the extreme focus on objectivity has totally ignored the significant role that the mind plays in influencing ones behaviour. People are treated more like robots or machines than human beings as their thoughts and feelings are not taken into consideration. They are expected to demonstrate desired behaviour through the use of reward and punishment neglecting other factors that may have an influence on the change in behaviour. 4.3.1.2 Constructivist Learning Theory Constructivism is a theory of learning that has roots in both philosophy and psychology (Doolitle Camp, 1999) founded on the premise that learners actively construct their own knowledge, meaning and understanding of the world they live in by reflecting on their experiences (Doolitle Camp, 1999; Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997). Learners learn by doing rather than observing and by bringing prior knowledge into a learning situation (Epstein Ryan, 2002; Carvin, date?) in which they must critique and re-evaluate their understanding of it until they can demonstrate their comprehension of the subject (Carvin). Furthermore, learners need to analyse and transform new information or problems in their minds based on existing knowledge and understanding where these abstract thoughts evolve from concrete action (Murphy, 1999). Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting their mental models to accommodate new experiences. TBasically, the theory of constructivism rests on the notion that there is an innate human drive to make sense of the world by building cognitive structures which include declarative knowledge (know that facts, concepts, propositions) and procedural knowledge (know how techniques, skills, and abilities) (Murphy, 1999). These two components of knowledge have been discussed in depth in Chapter 3. Moreover, learning is a matter of personal and unique interpretation which takes place within the social context and is of useful to the learner as intrinsic motivation emerges from the desire to understand and to construct meaning (Billet, 1996). However, dispositions such as attitudes, values and interests that help learners decide, are often neglected in this theory (Murphy, 1999) making it incomprehensive and insufficient in a way. Philosophically, the essence of constructivism relies on an epistemology that stresses subjectivism and relativism, where personally unique reality resulted from the concept that reality can be known through experience although it may exist separate from experience (Doolitle Camp, 1999). Hence came four essential epistemological tenets of constructivism (Von Glasersfeld ,1984; 1998; Doolitle Camp, 1999); Knowledge is the result of active cognizing by the individual ; Cognition is an adaptive process that functions to make an individuals behaviour more viable given a particular environment; Cognition organizes and makes sense of ones experience, and is not a process to render an accurate representation of reality; and Knowing has roots both in biological/neurological construction, and in social, cultural, and language-based interactions (Dewey, 1916/1980; Garrison, 1997; Larochelle, Bednarz, Garrison, 1998; Gergen, 1995). Thus, constructivism acknowledges the active role learners play in the personal creation of knowledge, the importance of both the individual and social experiences in this knowledge creatio Competency Based Assessments in Education Competency Based Assessments in Education Chapter 4 Literature Review on Competence-based Assessment 4.1 Introduction In this chapter, the researcher discusses the literature on competence-based assessment. The first part examines the purposes, the interpretations of competence-based assessment (CBA), the critical attributes of CBA and the issues related to competence. The second part looks into the implementation of CBA around the world and later focuses on the implementation of CBA in Malaysia. 4.2 Competence-based Assessment: An Overview The era of the knowledge -economy and globalisation requires not only individuals who possess a sound understanding of specific subject matter but also those who have relevant industry-related skills and interpersonal skills. These attributes and capabilities are necessary for learners to acquire in order to function well in todays complex and global societies (Baartman et al., 2007). Furthermore, acquisition of complex competences (Baartman et al., 2007) has to be developed in the future human capital through purposeful, effective, learner-centred and competence-based programmes (Baartman et al., 2007) in order to prepare students to meet the needs of tomorrows world. The report of the United States Department of Education Secretarys Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills, the so-called SCANS Report (McNabb, 1997), made clear that students must be ready to function in collaborative settings, interpret complex requirements, and exhibit self-directed, self-assessing behaviour on the job. This means that employers would want more from the graduates than just entry-level job skills which would help develop a nation progressively in accordance to its political and social needs. The relationship between learning and assessment (discussed in Chapters X and Y) means that assessment should take account of political and social purposes (Broadfoot, 1996). Different vocational and educational training programmes from school level to university level have been introduced to prepare and equip individuals to fit into the labour market. One such programme is Competency-Based Education (CBE) with the emphasis on assessment (competency-based assessment) being seen as key to the success of its implementation (Tillema et al, 2000; Frederiksen, 1984; Baartman et al., 2007). 4.2.1 Purposes of Competence-based Assessment Any forms of assessment s including CBA would usually have one or more of three basic purposes to diagnose learning;, to select students for particular provision; to certificate achievements (Carless et. al., 2006; Freeman Lewis, 1997; Ecclestone, 1996; Rowntree, 1987). CBA has been utilised by schools, training colleges and industriy for two main purposes; to measure competencies (McNerney Briggins, 1995) and to certificate (International Labour Organisation, 1996). 4.2.1.1 CBA for Measuring Competence Measuring competence is one of the main purposes of CBA.Generally, the reason for the implementation of CBA is to determine that learners have sufficient knowledge and skills to contribute effectively to the work force(Canning, 2000; Ecclestone, 1997; Kerka, 1998; LPM, 2002; McNabb, 1997). However,according to Hyland (1994), as competence-based education is found to be seriously flawed and ill-equipped to deal with education and training beyond the basic skills., CBA apparently could can be used to measure limited aspects of competence but Hyland (1994). He believes that its influence on training and education for future generations will be actively damaging as it could can only produce individuals who would function without much learning, knowledge and understanding of anything. He attributes this to a This is due to its highly instrumental philosophy thats combined with a narrow and uncritical behaviourist psychology. (Hyland, 1994). Thus, its qualifications resulting from CBA are viewed as basically reliable as indicators of all the most elementary skills and abilities (Armstrong, 1995). The issues of competence in CBA will be further discussed in section 4.4. 4.2.1.2 CBA for Certification It is asserted claimed that CBA provides learners with opportunities to achieve qualifications that relate to required performance in the workplace (Erridge Perry, 1994). Ecclestone (1997) indicates that NVQs, which primarily employ CBA, represent an explicit commitment to creating wider access to accreditation and better levels of achievement. She argues that Tthis could be made possible by severing links between attendance in learning programmes, and the formal assessment and accreditation of outcomes, and by promoting the accreditation of prior learning in which NVQs subsequently serve as serious challenge to traditional assessment approaches (Ecclestone, 1997). For instance, a trainee in a plumbing courseplumber would have the opportunities to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in plumbing at certain level. He/she would then achieve the qualifications and certification that relate to the required performance of a plumber in the real life workplace once he/she has complet ed the assessment of at the at particular designated level. Nevertheless, CBA is at the same time, argued to be conceptually confusing, empirically flawed and lacking in meeting the needs of a learning society (Chappell, 1996; Ecclestone, 1997; Hyland, 1994;). This may be the results of the use of confusing language or jargons, the decreasing credibility of the competency standards on how they reflect industry standards (Kerka, 1998) and the indifferent implementation of CBA across the industries due to employers ignorance about the its nature and the purpose. of it (Hyland, 1996). 4.2.2 Definitions and Interpretations of CBA There is a wide range of interpretations and definitions given to CBA. In this discussion, CBA the interpretation of- CBA is looked atinterpreted in terms of three different aspects; the assessors roles, the learners responsibilities and the learning outcomes that are based on predetermined criteria. Figure ____tries to reflect the interedependence of these elements.The relationships of the interpretations of these three aspects are as shown in Figure ____. Adapted: Griffin Nix, 1991; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995; Hager, 1994; Elliot, 1994; Cotton, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996) In the assessors perspective, CBA consists of the simple process of seeing, collecting, gathering,and obtaining evidence, and the further process a more complex as well as subjective process of judging and interpreting the evidence of competence demonstrated by learners (Rowe, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995; Hager, 1994; Griffin Nix, 1991). The assessors have to observe gather and judge the evidence of an individuals competence against the specified standards. This means that the assessors have to be very careful in their actions of gathering evidence of competence and they have to decide when it is considered sufficient, based on their expert judgment. For example, when a student successfully builds a drywall framework, the assessor has to gather evidence of competence not only from the product which is the framework but also from the process and the preparations before the student begins to work on it such as work schedule, list of materials and equipment to be u sed, and the like. The assessor then has to use his/her expertise in this area to determine whether or not the evidence of competence gathered is adequate to say that the student has acquired satisfactory competence in building the drywall framework. McNnerney Briggins (1995) state that CBA is the process of identifying the competencies which are the underlying characteristics that lead toof successful performance be this by may it be among a group of employees, typically by department, job category or hierarchical level. CThey say that a list of competencies that is tied to one corporate culture is usually used tobecome associatede with exemplary performance (McNerney Briggins, 1995)ers. They further relate CBA to its training basis where the focus is on who the successful performers are rather than on what people do. This means that it does not just include training in jobs which rely heavily on psychomotor skills, such as manual labour and traditional hourly production work but also involve performing decision-oriented jobs (Mcnerney Briggins, 1995). The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) (2001) stresses the process of seeing whether or not an individual has the necessary skill and knowledge they need to be awarded a Scottish Vocational Qualifications as the key factor in CBA; emphsising the need for assessors to be expert . This undoubtedly requires the assessors to have even thorough knowledge and skills in the fields they are assessing in order to make good and fair judgments. This means is due to the fact that the athat assessors have to assess and collectconsider evidence of competence in terms of knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes (Rowe, 1995; Ecclestone, 1996; Mcnerney Briggins, 1995) displayed diferentially in authentic contexts by learners in the context of a selected set of real life professional tasks which are of different levels (Hager, 1994). The process of gathering evidence from observable performance is later followed by the more difficult process of making judgment that may be very subjective (Pedd ie Wilmut, Macintosh, 1997). Despite the difficulty in making judgment based on evidence gathered, assessors have to determine whether or not the competency has been achieved by learners (Victoria Curriculum and Assesssment Authority (VCAA), 2001). It is the assessors responsibility, then, to decide if learners performances meet the pre-determined criteria. Thus, assessors have to equip themselves with relevant skills and use appropriate mechanisms in making fair judgments so that the problem of subjectivity among assessors is reduced. Furthermore, assessors have to assess learners ability to apply a particular knowledge, skills, attitudes and values in a specific context according to a required performance standards (New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA), 2002). In other words, assessors themselves have to be extremely knowledgeable and skilful in the art of observing and collecting evidence of competence that come in various tangible and intangible forms. The process of gat hering evidence from observable performance is later followed by the more difficult process of making judgment that is inevitably very subjective (Peddie Wilmut, Macintosh, 1997). Despite the difficulty in making judgment based on evidence gathered, assessors still have to determine whether or not competency has been achieved by learners (Victoria Curriculum and Assesssment Authority (VCAA), 2001). It is the assessors responsibility then, to decide if learners are considered to be competent in a particular context at a particular level based on their performance whether or not it meets the pre-determined criteria. Thus, assessors have to equip themselves with relevant skills and use appropriate mechanisms in making fair judgments so that the problem of subjectivity among assessors is reduced. In addition to assessing and making judgment on students performance based on evidence gathered, assessors would also have to give constructive and supportive feedback to students on their performance and work (Ecclestone, 1996; Sadler, 2009). The assessors would have to point out the strengths and weaknesses as well as the improvements that could be made in the future (Sadler, 2009). Sadler (2009) further proposes that feedback should be given in a manner that would be able toenables educate students to assess and be able to evaluate their own work and give feedback to themselves as well. He suggests that students shcould be taught to monitor the quality of their productions and make adjustments as necessary while they are actually engaged in doing it. In From the learners point of view on the other handperspective, CBA is the platform for them to demonstrate competencies and learning outcomes (Elliot, 1994). These competencies will range from simple constructed responses to comprehensive collections of work over time in very different contexts.Elliot further asserts that CBA requires learners to demonstrate competencies and learning outcomes in performance assessment which vary in terms of simplicity and complexity such as from simple constructed responses to comprehensive collections of work over time, all of which are then judged . Learners are expected to be deeply involved in the assessment process and they areto be aware of the specified criteria that they have to meet as well as the standards of performance that are expected of them right from the beginning even before the assessment is conducted. Theoretically, tThis allows learners to take charge of and control over their own learning outcomes and success by preparing them selves well in advance. In other words, learners would have the autonomy for in their own learning, as CBA canould promote individuality and personal development (Ecclestone, 1996). The learners responsibility includes demostrating the It is also here in CBA that learners have to show their ability to apply theoretical knowledge and procedures, in addition to their understanding ofbeing able to describe the theories or even point to appropriate theoretical knowledge (Cotton, 1995). In demonstrating competence Cotton further elucidates that learners also have to express wise use of common sense in the public by demonstrating good physical, interpersonal and intrapersonal skills with mindful decision- making; that suggests the multiple intelligence described by Gardner (1985). In other words, learners have to demonstrate their abilities in all the three psychological domains of psychomotor, cognitive and affective learning (ANTA, 1998). Similarly, the Australias National Training Auth ority (ANTA) (1998) considers CBA to be a platform for learners to display their skills, knowledge and experience in accomplishing specific tasks as required in the workplace or to obtain a credit towards a qualification in the vocational and education training (VET). A Both the assessors and learners have one thing in common: to focus on and that is the set of learning outcomes that can be derived from an assessment. Learning outcomes cover diverse range of areas including personal qualities, various forms of knowledge and skills (Ecclestone, 1996). In this case it is the evidence of competence that learners have to demonstrate and which the assessors have to observe for and make judgments on, has to meet specified criteria. Thus, CBA consists of specified set of both the general and specific outcomes that assessors, learners and third parties can make reasonably objective judgments with respect to learners achievement or non-achievement of these outcomes (Wolf, 1995). CBA then certifies learners progress based on the demonstrated achievement of these outcomes while the assessments may not be necessarily tied to time served in formal educational settings. The emphasis is on the outcomes specifically, multiple outcomes, each distinctive and separ ately considered which should be specified clearly and as transparent as possible for assessors, assessees and third parties to understand what is being assessed and what should be achieved (Wolf, 1995) . This definition encapsulates the key-features of CBA as it has been developed and promoted for the vocational, technical and professional education and training in the UK while at the same time it signals the American origins of much of the debate (Wolf, 1995). The demonstrated performance that provides evidence of competence has to be at least of the minimum required quality in the real life workplace environment. These are the predetermined criteria set in CBA which are generally based on endorsed industry benchmark or competency standard (ANTA, 1998). The emphasis on outcomes and transparency is not only peculiar to the competence-context but it is also an essential characteristic of criterion-referenced assessment. The emphasis on what learners can actually do and the beneficia l effects of clear criteria on teaching and learning (Glaser, 1963; Popham, 1978) are argued to meet the competence-based literature where in England in the early years of the implementation of CBA, such system was referred to as criterion-referenced approach (Jessup 1991: 167). Jessup (1991) further underlines that what people actually learn from an education and training system and how effectively, as the key factor to measure its success. Thus, CBA is considered a criterion-referenced interpretation of assessment (Nuttall, 1984; Ling, 1999) where individuals are given an award after achieving the pre-determined standards (Cotton, 1995). This critical attribute of CBA will be discussed further in section 4.3.2. 4.3 Critical Attributes of Competence-based Assessment The following section discusses the two learning theories associated with CBA and the nature of its criterion-referenced assessment. 4.3.1 Learning Theories Associated with Competence-based Assessment Learning in the psychology and education contexts is a the process of acquiring knowledge, skills, and values, and world views acquisition and enhancement through ones integrated employment of cognitive, emotional, and experiences (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995). How this process works is explained variously. Learning as a process focuses on what happens when the learning takes place and the explanations of what happens constitute learning theories. In other words, learning theories are attempts to describe how people and animals learn, and they help uncover the inherently complex process of learning to our understanding. Hill (2002) explains that learning theories have two main values. The first is to provide adequate vocabulary and a conceptual framework in to interpreting examples of observed learning; and the second. Next is to suggest the right directions to look for solutions to practical problem instead of providing the solutions. Learning theories are therefore, the basis for any form of educational assessment (Gipps, 1994) and the theories most commonly associated to with CBA are the behaviourism and, more recently, the constructivism. These two theories will be discussed as CBA essentially involves observable aspects of learning and learning as a process for construction of new knowledge. Although the cognitive theory which looks beyond behaviour to explain brain-based learning is important, the need for it in CBA is not that apparent or crucial. Thus it is not included in the discussion. 4.3.1.1 Behaviourist Learning Theory Behaviourism is a theory of organism (may it be an animal or human) learning that only focuses on objectively observable behaviours and discounts mental activities (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999) with the assumption that a learner starts off as a clean slate (i.e. tabula rasa) and is essentially passive, responding to environmental stimuli (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997) in the acquisition of new behaviour (Chowdhury, 2006). Learning according to the behaviourists takes place as the result of a response that follows on a specific stimulus and that behaviour is shaped through reinforcement (Kerka, 1997). By repeating the Stimulus-Response (S-R) cycle the learner is conditioned into repeating the response whenever the same stimulus is present and thusbehaviour can be modified and learning is measured by observable change in behaviour (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999). Theis emphasis on stimulus-response pairing (Murphy, 1999; Chowdhury, 2006) and the rejections to of structuralism (Kerka, 1997) reflected behaviourisms positivistic philosophical base, as the analysis of the human condition relies on only verifiable observations of behaviour and not on untenable mentalistic constructs (Kerka, 1997). Furthermore,Accordingly most human behaviour could can be understood as basic reflexive learning mechanisms or laws that operate on ones experience within the environment (Kerka, 1997). As the approach is seen to be more operational and practical in nature, it has dominated education.n, in which Tthe teacher disseminates selected knowledge, measures learners passive reception of facts, and focuses on behaviour control and task completion (Kerka, 1997). These views of the behaviourists and the learning characteristics that can be found in the education setting are summarised in Table___. Generally, conditioning has been identified in experiments by behaviourists to be a universal learning process. There are two different types of conditioning, each yielding a different behavioural pattern: Classic conditioning occurs when an instinctive reaction responds to a stimulus (Comer, 2004). Essentially, animals and people are biologically wired so that a certain stimulus will produce a specific response. As such, learning process takes place when two events that repeatedly occur close together in time are associated in a persons mind to impulsively produce the same response. The most popular example is Pavlovs observation that dogs salivate when they eat or even see food where food is unconditioned stimulus and the salivation, the unconditioned reflex (Comer, 2004; Chowdhury, 2006). Pavlovs theory of classical conditioning is considered a foundation of learning theories to the behaviourists. According to Pavlovs experiment, when some neutral stimulus, such as the ringing of a bell, is combined with the presentation of food and is repeated for a period of time, the dog salivates with the ringing of the bell, even though food is not given. Hence, the ringing of the bell acts as the conditioned stimulus while salivation is the conditioned response or reflex (Dembo: 1994). The result of this experiment led to the formation of Pavlovs classical conditioning in which an individual responds to some stimulus that would ordinarily produce such a response. Behavioural or operant conditioning occurs when a response to a stimulus is reinforced. Basically, operant conditioning is a simple feedback system: If a response to a stimulus is rewarded or reinforced, then the response is likely to take place in the future. Similarly, when a particular behaviour is rewarded, that behaviour is repeated as shown in the experiment conducted by B.F. Skinner using reinforcement techniques to teach pigeons to dance and bowl a ball. B.F. Skinner based his theory upon the idea that learning is a function of change in overt behaviour where these changes in behaviour are the result of an individuals response to events (stimuli) that occur in the environment (Chowdhury, 2006). According to Skinner, a reward or punishment will either strengthen or weaken a voluntary or automatic behaviour (Skinner: 1968). Ever since its introduction, the reinforced techniques have gone through series of enhancement and have contributed tremendously in training and teaching. The most important aspect of Skinners contribution to training is the significance attached to the desired behaviour to be emitted in certain environment. In order for the trainer to ensure the right behaviour is reinforced in the trainees, the trainer should have the clear idea about the terminal behaviour of the trainees, and should closely follow the trainees to appropriately reinforce correct responses. This is the purpose of programmed instructions including competence-based training in its early years of implementation which was based on this theory of reinforcement (Burns, 1995). . As the emerging learning theory of the early 1900s, behaviourism provided the final found ation for social efficiency as learning which is seen objectively consists of the formation of links between specific stimuli and responses through the application of rewards ( Wirth, 1972 ). The emphasis on the need of objectivity leads to extensive use of statistical and ma thematical analysis. Despite all the remarkable contribution s the learning theory has to offer , the extreme focus on objectivity has totally ignored the significant role the mind play in shaping ones behaviour. Men are treated more like robots or machines than human beings as their thoughts and feelings are not taken into consideration. They are expected to demonstrate desired behaviour through the use of reward and punishment neglecting other factors that may have an influence on the change in behaviour. Thus, the behaviourist theory of learning is lacking in utilizing the full potential of the mind in moulding essential behaviour and in constructing new knowledge . Assessment in Behaviourism Assessment, according to behaviourism, is a test (the stimulus) for which the answer (the response) is conditioned In accordance to the behaviourist learning theory which focuses on the stimulus-response cycle to attain observable conditioned behaviour, assessment in the behaviourism also applies the same concept. Thus, t he test item is the stimulus, the answer is the response and a learner has to be conditioned to produce the appropriate response to any given stimulus ( (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997; Doolittle Camp, 1999). NSince the emphasis is on the response that is observable, no attention is paid to any model of the thinking process of the learner which might intervene between stimulus and response. Consequently, the distinctions between rote learning and learning with understanding is not considered as teaching is a matter deliveringof delivering the appropriate stimuli while learning is a matter of repeating the appropriate response, which will be rewarded. is what matters the most in which teaching is by repetition and then rewarding the appropriate responses. As such, a test composed of many short, atomised, out-of-context questions, and teaching to the test, are both consistent with this approach (Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997). Likewise, some forms of CBA which has always been associated to thewith behaviourist theory can be seen to assess, atomistically. applied the atomistic but not out of context approach. The assessor who is an observer ticks off a checklist of predetermined criteria whenever a learner has performed a series of discrete observable tasks. The criteria are the stimuli, the accomplished tasks the responses and learner has to be conditioned to demonstrate the ability to meet the criteria successfully. Although this approach to assessment may developstestify to learners ability to perform observable tasksbehaviours, it does not pay much attention to the theoretical knowledge and understanding (Ashworth, 1992) as the role of the mind is considered insignificant in delivering the required behaviour. While assessing competent observable performance is vital, assessing knowledge and understanding is just as important as it is an essential aspect of competence without which an assessment is lacking in credibility or construct validity (Ashworth, 1992). A valid assessment method should be able to measure what it is supposed to measure which in this case (Watson, 1994). Given the extensive discussion in Chapter ? on the idea of competence, both the observable performance behaviour and underpinning knowledge are aspects of competence that should be assessed and measured. People who understand are those who have clear mental representation of the situation with which they are confronted and are able to deal with it creatively and imaginatively using the acquired knowledge which acts as an interpretive resource for them (Ashworth, 1992). Thus, it is insufficient to assess ones competence just by looking at the performance while ignoring the aspect of knowledge and understanding. It is unfortunate then, if such an assessment method should produce people who are like robots in a factory; they couldwho can perform a job or a task efficiently and effectively but they do not have any understanding of what they were are doing. As the approachCBA also emphasises personal competence within competence concentrates on an individual demonstrating competent performance ((Wolf, 1995), traditional notions of CBA have allowed an and emphasises on personal competences, it leads to one being individualistic perspective whilst lacking ignoring the very necessary in the abability of being able to work as a team player to work as a team whereas team work is essential in performing relevan t aspect of a job in the actual workplace (Ashworth, 1992). As a result, theis behaviourist view of CBA has eventually shifted to the constructivist belief as discussed in the following section.weakened. Despite all the remarkable contributions the learning theory has to offer, the extreme focus on objectivity has totally ignored the significant role that the mind plays in influencing ones behaviour. People are treated more like robots or machines than human beings as their thoughts and feelings are not taken into consideration. They are expected to demonstrate desired behaviour through the use of reward and punishment neglecting other factors that may have an influence on the change in behaviour. 4.3.1.2 Constructivist Learning Theory Constructivism is a theory of learning that has roots in both philosophy and psychology (Doolitle Camp, 1999) founded on the premise that learners actively construct their own knowledge, meaning and understanding of the world they live in by reflecting on their experiences (Doolitle Camp, 1999; Murphy, 1999; Kerka, 1997). Learners learn by doing rather than observing and by bringing prior knowledge into a learning situation (Epstein Ryan, 2002; Carvin, date?) in which they must critique and re-evaluate their understanding of it until they can demonstrate their comprehension of the subject (Carvin). Furthermore, learners need to analyse and transform new information or problems in their minds based on existing knowledge and understanding where these abstract thoughts evolve from concrete action (Murphy, 1999). Learning, therefore, is simply the process of adjusting their mental models to accommodate new experiences. TBasically, the theory of constructivism rests on the notion that there is an innate human drive to make sense of the world by building cognitive structures which include declarative knowledge (know that facts, concepts, propositions) and procedural knowledge (know how techniques, skills, and abilities) (Murphy, 1999). These two components of knowledge have been discussed in depth in Chapter 3. Moreover, learning is a matter of personal and unique interpretation which takes place within the social context and is of useful to the learner as intrinsic motivation emerges from the desire to understand and to construct meaning (Billet, 1996). However, dispositions such as attitudes, values and interests that help learners decide, are often neglected in this theory (Murphy, 1999) making it incomprehensive and insufficient in a way. Philosophically, the essence of constructivism relies on an epistemology that stresses subjectivism and relativism, where personally unique reality resulted from the concept that reality can be known through experience although it may exist separate from experience (Doolitle Camp, 1999). Hence came four essential epistemological tenets of constructivism (Von Glasersfeld ,1984; 1998; Doolitle Camp, 1999); Knowledge is the result of active cognizing by the individual ; Cognition is an adaptive process that functions to make an individuals behaviour more viable given a particular environment; Cognition organizes and makes sense of ones experience, and is not a process to render an accurate representation of reality; and Knowing has roots both in biological/neurological construction, and in social, cultural, and language-based interactions (Dewey, 1916/1980; Garrison, 1997; Larochelle, Bednarz, Garrison, 1998; Gergen, 1995). Thus, constructivism acknowledges the active role learners play in the personal creation of knowledge, the importance of both the individual and social experiences in this knowledge creatio