ICT Strategy Essay Example

ICT Strategy Essay Example ICT Strategy Essay ICT Strategy Essay Abstract Information technology has indeed established itself as a significant component of business over the past two decades which provided one of the most functional competitive advantages. This is due to the fact of the vast utilities it offers and thus becomes available anywhere around the world. However, Nicholas Carr suggested that as information technology has grown in power and ubiquity, its competitive advantages have lost and thus it doesnt matter anymore. In this paper, it is argued that IT does indeed matter due to its wide use and necessity in contrast to Cars view. Also, it is further urge that competitive advantage has always been temporal in technological innovations and this is explained with the view of IT as multiple technologies and as a single type of technology which points out obsolete technology like IT still exists with competitive advantage and matters. Lastly, the discussion reveals that the degree of innovativeness in the IT realm is so far greater than other classification of technologies that we could not make an assumption whether or not IT will be less of a competitive advantage in the years to come. The next discussions ill be focusing on the analysis of these ideas as expressed by Nicholas Carr, and will be applied to analyzing further certain projects in a given company scenario. Introduction IT is the latest series of broadly adopted technologies, after the railroad. Due to their usefulnesss, the commonalities between the two are primarily observed in the manner that people have invested in them. A deeper look at these types of commodities will reveal that the pattern by which the similarity is competitive advantages, making us able to argue that they have the same level of supply, demand ND necessity in the market. Gradually, many companies will try to possess the same technology and provision of the same service which will eventually lead to the decline of the prices that can be offered since everybody already has it. This way, the investment made for the possession of that technology becomes a question of whether or not in truly IT provides a significant return on investment since it is now hard to Justify that the revenue company earned was in fact due to IT function, or that it has rather only become a necessity due to its pervasive use. In other word, has IT got competitive advantage or does it matter? (Carr, 2003) Cars Article Cars articles centers on the fact that to some extent, certain technologies such as IT has become less of a competitive advantage, making it a not what it had seemed when it came out as a new product. The eventual wide spread of the technology soon led to the possession of it by everyone, making the perception of its competitive advantage an obsolete thing. There are many fundamental issues in this argument which we will be tackling in the following discussions. . The widespread of technology may entail necessity. Although it is true that trains and railroads have now ceased to become a competitive advantage as compared to when it was first utilized several decades ago, this can be attributed to many factors. The functionality that is derived from trains has been already established as a useful and necessary component of businesses, especially businesses may range from those that provide shipping services of different cargo materials that needed to be transported from one place to another or the remonstration of people as done in major subways around cities as it provides a cheaper cost of transportation compared to using automobile vehicles. Thereby, we can argue that train ceased to become a competitive advantage truly because it has become so common place and thus cheaper. However, what we point out here is that the widespread nature of any technologies does not say anything about whether it matters or not. It only tells us that it has become popular, thus increasing demand because of its proven usefulness, and that points towards the argument that it does ended matter, since people now see it as a necessity that cannot be ignored since it has become so integrated with the lifestyle of human being that to ignore the necessary functions it provides is Just going to bring even more disadvantage. What Carr has only argued is that competitive advantage has diminished, but this should not in any ways lead to the conclusion that one should cease to invest in IT because the issue is not that IT has become obsolete, and therefore has lost its competitive advantage, but because it has become too necessary, that it has lost its competitive advantage. 2. Competitive advantage has always been temporal in technological innovations It is important to point out that, technology especially at the rate that it progresses today, is always an issue of determining how long it will provide competitive advantage since there is always a chance that newer and better technologies that may render that technology obsolete . This is not a new thing, and as a result, certain technologies are set aside when they have become less useful. The IT field, however is a large classification of many technologies that within homeless compete against each other. Better systems are adopted against others for their efficiency, user friendliness, and lower cost. In theory, if we view IT as multiple technologies, there are always competitive advantages in which faster and newer systems are more competitive than obsolete technologies (Millard and Porter, 1985). However, if we view IT as a whole, competitive advantage is dwindling due to ubiquity. This should not always lead to the conclusion that IT no longer matters because it is not an obsolete technology, and the answer lies in our previous argument: IT as a whole has proven to be so useful that it has become so commonplace and necessary (Meant, 2007) 3. The innovativeness in the IT realm is massive Unlike the railroad, the possibilities in the IT industry are infinite. The areas of application for an IT staff may range from creating applications for word processing, designing performance management systems for companies to implement on their operations, accounting software may be useful for accounting departments, internet utilities such as Google Docs, Google Drive, file conversion tools, social media and any other thousands of other uses. What we argue here is that the degree of usability in IT field is so huge that it has not yet fully explored to assume that it will be less competitive in the future. While Carr has successfully showed data to support his argument, it is yet early to dismiss it Project analysis The initial observations of the proposals to close down the information service department are the following: outsourcing puts the company at higher risk of losing the current information service team rather than outsourcing. 1. Project management yester The purpose of a custom developed management system is to produce a system that is fitted to the perceived needs of a particular project based on the nature of the business. Adopting an outsourced project management system may include functionalities that are not required, and hence entails cost on the company for additional IT features. What should the company do here is to re-design the project management system to add features that the company prefers to have, such as due date and resource tracker. 2. Marketing analysis system It is similar to saying that electricity has ceased to matter Just because it is now widely used. Actually, electricity has been less of a competitive advantage because no corporation nowadays can function without it. And the same argument can be made for IT. IT is slowly becoming electricity, something that organizations will always need because of its proven necessity. IT may be decreasing in its capability to provide competitive advantage, but it is certainly something, like electricity, that inevitably matters. Broader, G. (2012, 1, 19).

Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion

WHY EUROPE NEEDS A CONSTITUTION There is a remarkable contrast between the expectations and demands of those who pushed for European unification immediately after World War II, and those who contemplate the continuation of this project today- at the very least, a striking difference in rhetoric and ostensible aim. While the first-generation advocates of European integration did not hesitate to speak of the project they had in mind as a ‘United States of Europe’, evoking the example of the USA, current discussion has moved away from the model of a federal state, avoiding even the term ‘federation’. [1] Larry Siedentop’s recent book Democracy in Europe expresses a more cautious mood: as he puts it, ‘a great constitutional debate need not involve a prior commitment to federalism as the most desirable outcome in Europe. It may reveal that Europe is in the process of inventing a new political form, something more than a confederation but less than a federation- an association of so vereign states which pool their sovereignty only in very restricted areas to varying degrees, an association which does not seek to have the coercive power to act directly on individuals in the fashion of nation states.’ [2] Does this shift in climate reflect a sound realism, born of a learning-process of over four decades, or is it rather the sign of a mood of hesitancy, if not outright defeatism? Siedentop misses the mark when he complains of the lack of any profound or inspired constitutional debate on the fate of Europe, capable of seizing the imagination of its peoples. For our situation today is not comparable to that of either the Federalists or the delegates to the Assemblà ©e Nationale. At the end of the eighteenth century, in Philadelphia and Paris, the Founding Fathers and the French Revolutionaries were engaged in an extraordinary undertaking, without historical precedent. More than two hundred years later, we are not merely heirs t... Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion Free Essays on Why Europe Needs A Constituion WHY EUROPE NEEDS A CONSTITUTION There is a remarkable contrast between the expectations and demands of those who pushed for European unification immediately after World War II, and those who contemplate the continuation of this project today- at the very least, a striking difference in rhetoric and ostensible aim. While the first-generation advocates of European integration did not hesitate to speak of the project they had in mind as a ‘United States of Europe’, evoking the example of the USA, current discussion has moved away from the model of a federal state, avoiding even the term ‘federation’. [1] Larry Siedentop’s recent book Democracy in Europe expresses a more cautious mood: as he puts it, ‘a great constitutional debate need not involve a prior commitment to federalism as the most desirable outcome in Europe. It may reveal that Europe is in the process of inventing a new political form, something more than a confederation but less than a federation- an association of so vereign states which pool their sovereignty only in very restricted areas to varying degrees, an association which does not seek to have the coercive power to act directly on individuals in the fashion of nation states.’ [2] Does this shift in climate reflect a sound realism, born of a learning-process of over four decades, or is it rather the sign of a mood of hesitancy, if not outright defeatism? Siedentop misses the mark when he complains of the lack of any profound or inspired constitutional debate on the fate of Europe, capable of seizing the imagination of its peoples. For our situation today is not comparable to that of either the Federalists or the delegates to the Assemblà ©e Nationale. At the end of the eighteenth century, in Philadelphia and Paris, the Founding Fathers and the French Revolutionaries were engaged in an extraordinary undertaking, without historical precedent. More than two hundred years later, we are not merely heirs t...

Head of Budget and Management Committee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Head of Budget and Management Committee - Essay Example The vast nature of engagements entails the use of voluminous data that pose challenges in retrieval, management, and interpretation. In order to compete favorably on the fluid and complex market, Merrill Lynch should adopt a technological solution that would synchronize, harmonize, and organize data in a manner that improves on the efficiency of the firm [2]. Such a task would necessarily demand the adoption of a computerized mechanism with ultra-modern features suitable for performing a vast range of tasks in the shortest time possible. Such a system would also shield the company from the possibilities of human error. Changes in information management systems often determine the competitive advantage that one firm gets over another. The United States and Canadian corporate sectors are some of the heaviest consumers of technological innovations across the times. The rapid developments in the field of Information Communication and Technology have made it possible for businesses and mu ltinationals to exploit the synergies in the world of commerce in ways that are both responsive to the needs of the clientele and the overall mission and objectives of the organizations. The adoption of the touch screen tablet will add to the operational efficiency of the firm, which would ultimately translate into increased profits and cuts on expenses. Description and Analysis Touch screen would redefine the work environment at Merrill Lynch offices. The technology will offer a range of choices to the workers in ways that will engage them more closely and effectively with the tasks at the work place. The adoption of new working machine will require a reorganization of the office space. Studies and inquiries into... The researcher of this essay states that despite an impressive lead in the provision of legal services, Merrill Lynch’s real potential is held back by challenges of logistics arising from its continued dependence on old technologies. On this note, there is the pressing need to adopt the use of touchscreen tablets for increasing the levels of efficiency and effectiveness in the legal processes. The overarching concern revolves around the need of keeping pace with technological innovations and retaining a comfortable hold on the clientele through quality services while exploring all possible entry points into alternative segments on the market. The researcher provides a descriptive analysis on the topc of adoption of the new technologies for the company and aims to present some positive effects of it. The need to adopt new technologies at Merrill Lynch should be understood within the context of environmental factors and effects. Merrill Lynch operates an unpredictable environmen t within the American and Canadian corporate sectors. High levels of technological innovations are the key feature that defines this environment. Separate studies have associated the adoption of technology with a significant reduction of work-related stress and burnout. The researcher then sums up his study and concluds that the adoption of the technological devices at Merrill Lynch would be a positive step towards entrenching its corporate profile with regard to enhance it's performance and quality of services.

NY Times Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

NY Times - Case Study Example The New York Times suffered a 3% decline in the total revenues. This was attributed to the evolving nature of journalism into new media and the uneven economic conditions that prevail all over the world (The New York Time Company, 2012). The share prices of the company has also fallen down 23% during the last three months and closed at $6.20 on April 16, 2012 (Science, 2012). This is attributed to the fact that advertising revenues have plummeted along with the readership of print based newspapers (Kirchhoff, 2010). The New York Times faces a wide range of competitors from different fronts. In the case of print publications, NY Times and The Globe face competition from The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Economist, and The Financial Times. On the online front, the company faces competition from Google News, Yahoo! News, CNN.com, MSNBC.com, Guardian.co.uk, bbc.co.uk, CNet, iVillage and countless others. Recently New York Times, in order to face this challenge has come up with a strategy whereby they intend to diversify their revenues into the digital medium and gaining cost efficiency in all areas. In the print medium, New York Times has cut down the paper size by reducing the width of the paper by 1.5 inches (Press Gazette, 2007). The strategy is also focused on using the strong brand appeal of the company to increase circulation reviews. The last dimension of the strategy is to manage the asset portfolio in such a way that it assists the core operations of the company and also ensures a strong digital presence (The New York Times Company, 2012b). Understanding the changing media and journalism landscape, New York Times Company went through a variety of changes. They limited their online article access to twenty articles per month for normal users and provided unlimited access to digital and print subscribers only. In order to keep the brand recognizable within the web, the company

Recruitment and Army Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Army Essay 1.0 Opportunities and dangers to be considered by the Army in externalising the recruitment processes. a. Preston (2012 P.36) shows how the two-way process of recruitment ‘should be as much about the applicant finding out whether the business is right for them as about whether they are deemed acceptable by the business’. c. Having employment opportunities for the soldiers who are being made redundant will allow the knowledge and experience of ex-soldiers to remain forefront of recruitment helping recruiting the right person be more effective. An explanation by Preston (2012, P.36) tells us how if ‘appointees don’t fit then profitability is affected’; this key can show that the benefits of externalization will bring spending cuts by selecting only the right persons increasing retention. d. Being seen as ‘perverse’ is a danger because if the Army gives a bad image of high staff redundancies while spending highly on hiring this could be open to stereotypic views as Preston explains ‘Many people are deterred from entering certain professions because of general stereotypical images which exist in their society or culture’ (2012, P.38). Col Richard Kemp in the case study says how ‘previously using a civilian company was not a success’. This could have a detrimental impact upon future recruits if the civilian company cannot deliver what is expected. It will also have an  impact upon the Army’s image if it doesn’t work out the second time round. 2.0 Methods of selection and their advantages and disadvantages for selecting soldiers. Interviews – Used to understand key facts of the job and recruit for either parties and determine suitability to one another. This method is an opportunity the Army can utilize to lay out main facts of what they have to offer. It’s also a chance for the recruit to decide whether or not they are happy with the opportunities. The advantage to the Army using this method would remove unexpected expectation at an early stage reducing cost from training soldiers who realized it’s not what they thought at a later stage. The disadvantage however would be that interviews are seen as ‘too subjective to the individual and place a ‘cloud’ over an individual’s ability (Preston, 2012 P.43) Tests – Used to measure a person’s ability and aptitude relevant to the job. This Method would allow the Army to see suitability of potentials under set tests giving a further indication on whether the Army is a job the candidate is suitable for before subjecting them to full training further reducing cost at an earlier convenience. Preston (2012) also explains that this can also be a way to reduce inherent subjectivity of the interview method. This method has disadvantages of not being able to incorporate all what the Amy needs to see as some areas of the Army require more subjective tests. This can increase costs if at a later stage the applicant is found unable to cope with certain areas of the job and pulls out. Assessment Centre – Can show the applicant in certain situations relevant to the job. This shows the Army the recruits in a role play scenario or group activity which can indicate the applicant’s ability under a selection of techniques in multiple combinations. This can incorporate a more subjective assessment of the individual so it can be determined further whether the Army can offer a position to the recruit. This would help the Army in selecting those who are of correct skill level generating more quality recruits increasing retention. However the assessment centers only provide the Army with a short insight to certain scenarios as the Army is a specialized area of recruitment the individual cannot be seen faced with all possible problems the recruit may encounter as  a soldier. 3.0 Recommendations for organising induction and socialisation of newly hired soldiers to enhance retention. Induction is whereby a new recruit is welcomed into the organisation through a short term introduction to areas shown by Preston (2012, P45) like what their job description is, what’s expected of them or underlining policies and procedures. Such inductions are critical to the Army as it helps new recruits become accustomed to their surroundings and allows them to adopt the organisational culture and written rules helping them understand what is expected and what is accepted. Typical activities include group welcoming (showing videos), simple team working (to help get to know each other) and tours of the premises (to learn the surroundings). Socialisation is a long term process shown by Preston (2012) to ‘help understand in terms how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. This would be of importance to help the Army ensure the recruits are following the correct procedures and polices but also helping to keep track of the recruit’s process ensuring they are settling in and managing well. To help the activities could include meetings to see the recruit’s progression, group socialising to help with settling, appraisals to show they are doing well and promotions to help encourage further progression. To help improve retention and reduce dropouts induction techniques recommended would be having already serving soldiers at a welcome day to have questions asked and stories from first hand experiences. As documented by Harding (2011) in the case study ‘the most effective recruiters were young soldiers who had already served on operations’. This could expel any rumors and help new recruits understand the demands of Army life at an early stage. This technique would also allow the introduction of policies and procedures and what to expect. Using mentoring as a socialising technique would give recruits quantitative information based on their progression into the business and how well they are integrating into the  role. This information can be persuading for new recruits to show them they are on the right track and doing well, resulting in increased momentum and a desire to keep going. As Preston (2012) says ‘socialisation is understanding how the newcomer makes sense of the business and their role within it’. Mentoring through the early stages can keep track of the recruit and provide them with the help and support to succeed in turn, reducing dropouts and increasing quality recruits. References: Harding T. (2011) ‘Army to pay civilian firm  £1bn to recruit new soldiers’ The Telegraph 11 October [Online]. Available at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/8819327/ Army-to-pay-civilian-firm- £1bn-to-recruit-new-soldiers.html (Accessed 1 September 2014). Preston, D (2012), An introduction to human resource management in business, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Prà ©cis: From the tutor group forum discussions I have learnt that there are many views on what people have in the work place. The work place HRM polices and business cultures can be dramatically different from business to business and different people have different views on them and how they incorporate them into their working lives. Activity 2.3 shown how businesses HRM polices and culture can mix well or clash badly as such Pauls Bourne shows how that if people of a work place buy into the ‘norm’ this can sometimes override what the HRM polices state resulting in problems. However that HRM polices should be a state of first call when people need to be reminded what is truly expected of them in the place of work. All the ideas coming together has taught me to think more logically about the place I work and how the business culture is upheld through normal behaviour of people through unwritten rules up to the policies and procedures in place to help maintain a uniformed business. Reference: Bourne P, (2014) ‘Activity 2.3 HRM and Culture’ The Open University 19 November 2014 [Online]. Available at https://learn2.open.ac.uk/mod/forumng/discuss.php?d=1210164 (accessed 25 November 2014).

Urban Cultures :: essays research papers

Abstract For those of us located within the United States, we often take or granted the nornal day to day business operations. Though the United States has a mix of several distict cultures, most companies operate in the same manner. In fact, Americans often make the mistake of assuming that standard business models are the norm in other countries as well. For the corporate executive charged with creating an overseas operation, lack of local culture understanding and its influence on business methods will most likely result in greater start-up dificulties if not complete faliure. This paper hopes to develop a better awareness of various cultures and their influence on business methods and models. It will focus on the challenges in dealing with people from two different countries, Moroco and Pakistan, and offer some insight as to developing solutions to cultural differences. Literature Review Several sources of information were used in drafting this report. Due to the internet I was able to obtain current articles on both countries. Also, I even went so far as to log onto chat rooms specifically created for and attended by Pakistanis and Moroccans. There I asked questions regarding the motovations, beliefs, and values of the people from both countries. The repose was postive in that Moroccans and Pakistanis were more tham happy to answer my questions. Both parties seemed to be very nationalistic and pround of their countries. It is interesting to note that most of the people I was chating with were expatriots, most of whom are located on the United States. Though I found the chat rooms an interesting place to speak with Pakistanis and Moroccans, the information I gathered was limited. I attribute this to chat room formats that only allow a person to respond with short sentences. I later found a Pakistani chat room that allowed real time voice data transmission (www.pakiso n.com) which functioned like a two way radio. There people were able to express their thought and opinions regarding their home countries in more detail. The next couple of sections will detail the main differences between the cultures of Morocco and Pakistan. As I was conducting my reasearch on the two nations I quickly came to the conclusion that Morocco and Pakistan are more similar to each other than they are different. Though they have many commonalities, this does not mean that the challenges are any less for the international manager.

Literacies for Learning Essay

The necessity for educational institutions to equip students with the skills to cope in a rapidly changing, culturally diverse and globalised 21st century society, has led academics, such as the New London Group, to encourage educators to acknowledge the various literacy forms utilised in the new millennium (The New London Group, 1996) and to adopt a pedagogy of multiliteracies. This essay will explore the components of a pedagogy of multiliteracies and identify the transformations needed for the successful implementation of multiliteracies into educational practice. Likewise, the notion of language as a social practice which influences teaching content and assessment practices in secondary education will be examined, as will the use of multiliteracies in the teaching of the Mathematics curriculum. To understand the role of multiliteracies in pedagogy theory development, it is important to define the term literacy. Literacy is an evolving term that refers to an individualâ₠¬â„¢s ability to construct and comprehend meaning via the accepted symbol systems of one’s country or language group (Winch, Johnston, March, Ljungdahl, Holliday, 2010). These symbol systems include written and spoken language and visual information such as icons and other graphical information. While literacy was traditionally viewed as a cognitive process with a focus on reading, writing and numeracy identification, in recent years its definition has become broadened to encompass the burgeoning text types being generated via multimedia and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). These electronic text types have quickly established themselves as integral components of a diverse range of 21st century vocations and social interactions (Tan, 2006).  A pedagogy of multiliteracies encompasses multimedia and digital text forms as well as traditional written and spoken texts. Likewise, the central role of literacy in a diverse range of knowledge domains and vocations has resulted in educators being encouraged to view literacy as a vital skill underpinning successful teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. The New London Group (1996) viewed the role of design as an ever changing paradigm of three stage teaching and learning processes. The first step, ‘Available Designs’ is determining what resources are available. These resources include texts, symbols, audio and visual resources. The second step is ‘Designing’ which takes these ‘Available Designs’ and places them within a social context, such as the classroom or learning environment, and is facilitated by an individual such as a teacher. This step creates an output with new meaning for both the learning environment and facilitator. This knowledge or new meaning is known as ‘Redesign’ (The New London Group, 1996). Literacy is a social practice that is not just taught in secondary schools, it is something which is part of each individual’s everyday life. According to Anstey & Bull (2000), the way in which an individual may read the world will be strongly linked to the contexts of their own life. The NSW Department of Education and Training (2006) maintains that literacy is a skill that continues to grow and develop and is fundamental to students’ success at school as well as for the rest of their life. For literacy to be successful in schools, it is planned in collaboration with parents and teachers. This collaborative approach reinforces that literacy is inherently a social practice. This approach must include a range of social influences and practices, in order to increase student’s knowledge and skill in the real world for real purposes (NSW Department of Education and Training, 2006). As literacy development is undoubtedly a whole school and community approach, it is essential that a multiliteracies pedagogy, be utilised in the teaching of all curriculum areas. The impact of societal and cultural change is clearly reflected in the mathematics curriculum through the use of digital technologies such as graphical programs and spreadsheets. This use of technology provides numerous opportunities for the teaching of multiliteracies. Through explicit teaching and learning  experiences of digital texts, students are provided with the skills to successfully navigate and comprehend information communicated digitally. These skills can be acquired through students being provided with opportunities to access information via Internet websites. Likewise, students can use information technology to construct their own texts, thus allowing them to communicate their understanding of concepts to others. This may be achieved by encouraging students to construct texts through the use of software programs such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Visio, both of which allow students to communicate information graphically. These digital mediums allow students to acquire skills which will assist them in acquiring real world skills which they can utilise to gain and construct meaning, both in and out of the classroom. (Winch et al., 2010). Technology is an essential part of the transformations taking place in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres of contemporary society (Groundwater- Smith, Brennan, McFadden, Mitchell and Munns, 2009). Secondary school teachers need to prepare students with the skills necessary for life in a rapidly changing, technological world. In order to equip students with these skills, teachers must possess deep knowledge of relevant technologies (Treadwell, 2008). The Mathematics curriculum includes teaching of: statistics, probability, algebra, financial concepts, economics, technology, measurement and trigonometry. These strands include skills applicable to an individual’s school/work life, social life and personal life. Mathematics content areas, focus on aspects of society, reform, technology and life skills. It is important for teachers to link the social practice of literacy with the factors of a pedagogy of multiliteracies to create the best teaching environment they can (The New London Group, 1996). Walsh (2006) cites an example of successfully teaching his students literacy practices, through social relationships. Students worked in groups and were able to demonstrate specific social language structures. They were able to â€Å"enact, recognise and negotiate† in a social environment (The New London Group, 1996, p. 3) by design and re-design of Internet web pages. The created web pages were diverse, with each student using their own discourse to create what they believed the web page should contain. Prior to using multi-modal and digital literacy mediums in their teaching, it is essential that teachers be aware of cognitive and language factors in learning. The  ability to use multimodal learning, digital literacies and genres specific to each curriculum area must be carefully planned by the teacher. According to Winch et al., (2010) a multiliteracy pedagogy involves developing the ability to use language purposefully and skillfully in a range of social settings, rather than learning isolated segments of knowledge such as grammar conventions and spelling. Multiliteracy includes the use and creation of multimodal and multimedia texts (Winch et al., 2010). Multiliteracy seeks to address the rapid changes in literacy brought about by globalisation, cultural and social diversity and information technology (Winch et al., 2010). In response to these societal changes, The New London Group (1996), questioned the role of schools and outlined a need for change in literacy teaching due to key changes in three areas of life: working life, public life and personal life (life worlds). Central to these changes, was the need for schools to integrate learning with life experiences that students have both in and out of the classroom. â€Å"As these three major realms of social activity have shifted, so the roles and responsibilities of schools must shift† (The New London Group, 1996, p.18). The New London Group advocated for a change in the way, education was delivered, by enhancing the existing structures and overlaying with a new â€Å"what† and â€Å"how† of literacy teaching (The New London Group, 1996). The ‘how’ of pedagogy comes from a view of how learning is acquired, embedded and utilised. The New London Group (1996) proposed that a pedagogy of multiliteracies is a complex blend of four methods of design. The first is Situated Practice which involves learning by creating meaningful learning experiences that allow students be in an environment where the learning replicates the social use of what is being learnt. It is an environment where risks can be taken and ‘trial and error’ is used to gain mastery of skills or knowledge. It should be used â€Å"†¦developmentally, to guide learners to the experiences and the assistance they need to develop further as members of the community, capable of drawing on, and ultimately contributing to, the full range of it’s resources.† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 33). Situated Practice should be designed to motivate students to want to know, and engage students in their learning in a safe envi ronment. Assessment or evaluation is not considered part of Situated Practice. Overt Instruction is the second method of how a pedagogy of mulitliteracies is  implemented.  This involves teachers guiding and using effective teaching techniques such as scaffolding or explicit instruction to build student’s knowledge and confidence. Examination of the current secondary school’s Mathematics curriculum, (NSW department of Education and Training, 2010) reveals many opportunities for teachers and students to collaborate and engage in dialogue related to mathematical concepts which will guide and provide a scaffold for student learning. For example, the teacher makes links with prior learning, through asking open questions to the group, and uses multi-modal methods such as mathematical symbols, diagrams, charts and pictures to add to the learning. With each progression of new learning in the lesson, the teacher labels a new part of the diagram. Overt Instruction â€Å"†¦.includes centrally the sorts of collaborative efforts between teacher and student wherein the student is both allowed to accomplish a task more complex than they can a ccomplish on their own and they are conscious of the teacher’s representation and interpretation of that task†¦.† (The New London Group (1996, p. 20). Thirdly, Critical Framing focuses on the â€Å"how† of a pedagogy of multiliteracies, through the use and application of real world knowledge. This method is where assessment and evaluation of one’s self understanding can begin in relation to cultural, social, political and historical influences on what has been learned (New London Group, 1996). Teachers are able to encourage students to apply their learning in a practical sense and assess the transfer of student’s knowledge or skill. This knowledge is based on what they have previously learned, and requires students to â€Å"constructively critique it, account for its cultural location; creatively extend and apply it and eventually innovate own† and strengthen their ability to demonstrate what they have learned (The New London Group, 1996, p. 37). A mathematical example of this process is the conversion of degrees to radians. Its real life use is the calculation of the speed of a piece of machin ery. This calculation includes the formula in terms of radians rather than degrees. Finally, Transformed Practice is â€Å"where we try and re-enact a discourse by engaging in it for our real purposes† (The New London Group, 1996, p. 36).  Students need to think and learn outside their own discourse and think about how they can re-create their meaning, linking their own discourses to understand what they have learned. An example of this practice was where students were asked to plan and present a lesson including a Wiki activity and a Prezi (presentation tool) that teaches the concepts from a previous mathematics lesson. In groups, students collaboratively utilised the Internet to research topics, and create: work sheets for others to complete, interactive wiki activities, team tasks, and their own YouTube clips. The lesson included the use and creation of multimodal texts and scaffolding of existing knowledge. Students developed new knowledge through authentic multimodal texts such as image, sound, video and written text (Tan, 2006). Gunning (2002) explores the impact of reading and writing difficulties in a social stance, and highlights that poor instructions given by teachers can contribute to a student’s difficulties. Gunning’s (2002) observations and research serve as a reminder that teachers must be sure to provide the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of multiliteracies, to ensure each student has the opportunity to progress. Teachers need to evaluate their current practice and identify the text types typically used in the Mathematics content areas and consider the social needs and teaching strategies that will develop student’s literacy skills (Goos, Stillman., & Vale, 2007). In a mathematics lesson, students were introduced to the ‘Simpson’s rule’ formula. The lesson’s aim was for students to measure the area beneath a real life object, gain an understanding of what is needed to complete the formula and how the variables are calculated. Students were required to work collaboratively in pairs, discussing various ways in which measurements were taken in order to obtain an accurate result in working out the area of the object. Likewise, students were required to engage in higher order thinking, in order to formulate possible solutions to the dilemma. These experiences provided students with the opportunity to be inclusive in their learning, and consolidate their understanding of key concepts that are relevant to the lesson goals (Prain & Hand, 1999). Teacher observations and questioning during group work, guided the student’s discussions, with the teacher embracing a teaching style where multiliteracies were used. The New London Group (1996) have profoundly impacted on teaching practices, literacy research, policy curriculum and pedagogy (Mills, 2006). Gee (1991) explores  social literacy and the impact of a student’s discourse that are established outside the classroom, from their social group, f amily and cultural ties. Their view of literacy as social practice and their emphasis on incorporating the rapidly increasing number of electronic and multimodal text types in 21st century society into teaching practice represents a clear break away from the single dimensional teaching of literacy. However, for multiliteracies such as digital literacies, multimodal resources and ICT to provide best learning for students, teachers must be prepared to embrace the view that literacy is a social practice and and an essential skill underpinning all curriculum areas. Teachers also need to recognise that each lesson they teach to students provides the opportunity to develop the student’s literacy skills. In order to facilitate this change in pedagogical ideology, teachers must be prepared to evaluate their current teaching practice and adopt a more holistic approach to developing literacy skills in their students. As a consequence, students should be exposed to participative learning experiences with re al life learning outcomes. References Anstey, M., & Bull, G. (2000). Developing multiple and critical readings of text. Reading the visual: Written and illustrated children’s literature (pp. 201-214). Sydney: Harcourt. Gee, J. (1991) What is literacy? In C.Mitchell & K. Weiler (Eds.), Rewriting literacy. New York: Bergin & Garvey Goos, M. Stillman, G. & Vale,C. (2007). Teaching secondary mathematics. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin. Gunning, T. (2002). Factors involved in reading and writing difficulties. Assessing and correcting reading and writing difficulties (2nd ed., pp. 26-62). Sydney: Allyn & Bacon. Mills, K. (2006). Discovering design possibilities through a pedagogy of multiliteracies. Journal of Leading Design, 1(3), 61-72 NSW Department of Education and Training. (2010). NSW Department of Education and Training. (2007). Literacy K-12 Policy Retrieved from https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/policies/curriculum/schools/literacy/PD20050288.shtml?query=literacy+policy New South Wales Department of Education and Training. (2006). State literacy plan 2006-2008: Equitable literacy achievements for all students. Retrieved from http://www.curriculumsupprt.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/literacy/guidelinies/plan/index.htm Prain & Hand (1999) Tan, L. (2006). Literacy for the 21st Century. Retrieved from http://iresearch.osprey.url3.net/iresearch/slot/u110/litreviews/literacy4_21st_century.pdf The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. In B.Cope & M. Klantzis (Eds.), Multiliteracies, literacy learning and the design of social futures (pp. 9-37). London: Macmillan. Walsh, C. (2006). Beyond the workshop. Doing multiliteracies with adolescents. English in Australia, 41(3), 49-58 Winch, G., Johnston, R., March, P., Ljungdahl, L., & Holliday, M. (2010). Literacy: Reading, writing and children’s literature (4th ed.). Melbourne: Oxford University Press Cope, Bill and Mary Kalantzis (eds), Multiliteracies: Literacy Learning and the Design of Social Futures, Routledge, London, 2000, 350pp. | link

Modern Means of Communication Have Introduced Relevant Changes in Our Lives

As humans have a highly developed brain, new innovations in communication are created to make our living standards better. However, there has been a debate on whether such changes benefit our lives more than worsening them. In this essay, I will point out both side of view and state what I think. In this modern world, telephones are no longer the only device used to communicate with other people. For example, using new software applications like skype, is undoubtedly one of the popular ways for communication.In this way, we can surf the net and chat with our friends at the same time. Time can be more well-spent and furthermore, extra phone bills can be saved as well. Another advantage for communicating via electronic devices is convenience. For those who cannot bother going outdoors to meet up with someone, such modern technology can certainly solve their dilemma. On the contrary, others suggest that such trend of communication can make people’s social skills degenerate.As tim e passes, people tend to forget how to talk to each other naturally when it comes to the necessity of face-to-face communication. In addition, such phenomenon can increase the popularity of laziness in one’s habit. To sum up, I would admit the fact that modern means of communication can add unexpected good points to our social lives. Thus, the downsides cannot be ignored. It would be better if we remind ourselves to go out with others once in a while to regain the confidence we used to have in our social lives. Modern Means of Communication Have Introduced Relevant Changes in Our Lives As humans have a highly developed brain, new innovations in communication are created to make our living standards better. However, there has been a debate on whether such changes benefit our lives more than worsening them. In this essay, I will point out both side of view and state what I think. In this modern world, telephones are no longer the only device used to communicate with other people. For example, using new software applications like skype, is undoubtedly one of the popular ways for communication.In this way, we can surf the net and chat with our friends at the same time. Time can be more well-spent and furthermore, extra phone bills can be saved as well. Another advantage for communicating via electronic devices is convenience. For those who cannot bother going outdoors to meet up with someone, such modern technology can certainly solve their dilemma. On the contrary, others suggest that such trend of communication can make people’s social skills degenerate.As tim e passes, people tend to forget how to talk to each other naturally when it comes to the necessity of face-to-face communication. In addition, such phenomenon can increase the popularity of laziness in one’s habit. To sum up, I would admit the fact that modern means of communication can add unexpected good points to our social lives. Thus, the downsides cannot be ignored. It would be better if we remind ourselves to go out with others once in a while to regain the confidence we used to have in our social lives.

Introversion and Extroversion Essays

Introversion and Extroversion Essays Introversion and Extroversion Essay Introversion and Extroversion Essay It is quite difficult to be able to strictly define a type of personality. Because each and every one of us is distinct and unique, we all have different personalities- different interpretations. The best we can do then is to describe a characteristic with as many adjectives or what-not’s. Introversion is the same. One of the more prominent figures who studied introversion and extraversion is Dr. C. J. Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist who has been known for taking unique approaches to his studies. He says that introversion or extraversion is a product of the combination of the five factors namely: intellect; disposition; temper; temperament; and character. These factors are all independent of one another and the combination of each one constitute to a certain personality. He then identifies introverts with William James’ tender thinkers and extroverts as tough thinkers. He then paints a clearer picture: †¦introverts are rationalists and system-makers, who care little for facts and forcibly fit data into their ideal constructions in accordance with their a priori premises; [the] extravert, on the other hand, cannot construct a system, is interested not at all in the inner life of man but only in objective facts, is positivist, determinist, fatalist, irreligious and skeptic. † Jung’s description may be overbearing or presumptuous. But it gives us a more definite idea who introverts and extraverts are. From the citation above, we find that in terms of int ellect, introverts are more likely to think rationally and create systems. In terms of disposition, they are accepting of what they had learned or had been taught in the past. In terms of the last three, they have difficulty exercising direct personal influence. They are absorbed in themselves and lack enthusiasm. The extrovert is said to be â€Å"interested only in the outer world, the introvert is said to shrink from it†. 1 In other words, extraverts are those who tend to live outside of themselves, whilst introverts find comfort living within themselves. There are many reasons why the personality trait of introversion and extroversion are theorized to develop. One theory is that this type of personality stems from the combination of the five factors, as stated above. Another places emphasis on the chemical make-up of a person’s body. It is said that extraversion and introversion may be caused by the rate of release of chemicals in the thyroid gland. Introversion is caused by the lack of or decreased rate of release. Extraversion is, therefore, the opposite- the increased rate of release. With the decreased chemicals, the brain resorts to mainly cerebral cortical activity on the lower nervous functions. This increase in cortical activity lessens spinal reflexes and affective or emotional functions of the thalamus region are heightened. This satisfies the commonly accepted notion of the introvert. These theories serve as basis also for other theories such as introversion and extraversion as a hereditary trait, and that environmental factors and external conditioning contribute to this personality trait. If in fact, introversion and extraversion were hereditary, the chemical theory would support this. By inheriting the thyroid glands and other genes that code for instructions in bodily operations, we would inherit the introversion or extraversion of our parents as well. If environmental factors and external conditioning were what defined introversion, Jung’s combination of personality factors would support this. The external environment influences personality and character, thus constituting to an effect of introversion or extraversion. Another factor that comes into play in the course of our research is the importance and process of developing interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal relations are no doubted essential for human existence. Philosophers will argue the importance of interpersonal relations. From the beginning of life, we already engage in interpersonal relations. It is in our culture, as in many cultures or ways of life of animals to be social in nature- to work and exist in groups. Our parents are our first contact with individuals other than ourselves. Even before we are born, we form a relation with our mothers. As we grow older, we seek an expansion of self. We do this through relations with other members of our family, our extended family and people outside of our family. Expanding oneself and building relations with others is done through communication, in which self-presentation or impressions are key. In order to be able to communicate properly, certain universals have to be present. Such universals manifest themselves in the language of emotions. The language or expression of emotions such as anger and happiness is said to be understood worldwide. Through the analysis and observation of such emotions, relations are formed. To facilitate conversation and communication, people try to control the impressions people have of them, also known as impression management. In order to do this, they alter their physical appearance, clothing, and make-up; alter the emotions and reactions they convey to suit the desires of the one whom they are communicating or trying to associate with. They also enact certain behavior and body language to form better impressions. People may even use props to be able to achieve the impression they want to convey. We may find that for the sake of self-expansion, people may go to such great extents to manage impressions. Today, we see such methods translated through technology- most evidently through the internet. Dr. C. J. Jung cited in â€Å"The Chemical Theory of Temperament Applied to Introversion and Extraversion† by William McDougall in Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues, H. J. Eysenck ed. p. 19; London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 â€Å"The Chemical Theory of Temperament Applied to Introversion and Extraversion† by William McDougall in Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues, H. J. Eysenck ed. p. 21-23 London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 â€Å"The Inheritance of Extraversion-Introversion† by H. J. Eysenck in â€Å"Readings in Extraversion-Introversion: Theoretical Methodological Issues†, H. J. Eysenck ed. , pp. 388-404; London: Wiley-Interscience 1970 Empirical Findings From Evolutionary Psychology in The Social Psychology of Personal Relationships, William Ickes and Steve Duch, ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 2000 p. 19 The Nature of Self Expansion in â€Å"The Social Psychology of Personal Relationships†, William Ickes and Steve Duch, ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. 2000 pp. 130-137, 110-113

The Careful Writer †Deboras Pen (Cartoon)

The Careful Writer – Deboras Pen (Cartoon) Devyani Borade is the creator, and real-life version, of Debora. Her fiction, nonfiction and art have been accepted/published magazines across the world. Visit her website Verbolatry at http://devyaniborade.blogspot.com to contact her, and enjoy more of Deboras adventures.

Engineering hero of your choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Engineering hero of your choice - Assignment Example The great hero started his engineering career by being an employee with different companies located in California and in these companies he was working the projects of creating life support systems that were based on the lunar module and the development of moon vehicle. After his early career operations, he started working on the Space Shuttle program for the company named Morton Thiokol. Boisjoly is recognized as an engineering hero not only because of his work, but even because of the purpose behind his great findings which could have saved important lives and heavy capital losses. On the date of 28th January, 1986, it was decided that the Space Shuttle Challenger mission was to take place but the mission was contradicted by Boisjoly and his colleagues as the figured out that the mission would foil and result in heavy losses. He later took the matter to the people managing the company Morton Thiokol who even agreed that it would not be correct to continue with the mission and they decided to inform NASA about it. The company informed NASA about their concerns but later added that they were not completely sure that their findings will prove to be true or not and the mission was not aborted (Vaughan, 1990). As soon as the mission started taking place, all the findings of the great hero started proving correct. As soon as the shuttle was started, the O-rings started b urning and this caused the occurrence of black puff as seen on the tapes of the event. Later the shuttle started taking off, at that very moment, Boisjoly believed that he was wrong as the shuttle did not explode, but while the shuttle was in air, it exploded into pieces and proved the hero correct (Dalal, 1989). Although, Boisjoly conducted a courageous act of identifying the fault with the space shuttle and tried to save cost and life, he was looked down upon by

Gummee Glove Ltd now starting to make disabled clothing Essay

Gummee Glove Ltd now starting to make disabled clothing - Essay Example According to Disabled Living Foundation (2015), over 10 million people in Britain are disabled with 5 million of them having surpassed state pension age while over 6.9m million disabled people are in the working age (Hoskins, April 2, 2014). The figure represents 19% of the working age population is disabled. All these people have a need for clothing and apparel regardless of their position in society and the disability cuts across gender depicting the high market presence for the supply of disabled clothing. The UK market for disability is evidently large from the large number of people needing the services, and it will be an undertaking for Gummee Glove to meet an unmet need in the market. Competition in the disability clothing market is low owing to the dedication of mainstream businesses to the production of clothes for people who have no disabilities. The reason for the non-dedication to the production and sale of clothes to the disabled market is the lack of economies of scale. Businesses prefer the production of clothes for the non-disables owing to the production of millions that allows the businesses benefit from economies of scale, a thing that is not possible when dealing with the disabled market. The other reason for the lack of competition in the disabled clothing market is the need for modifications tailored for different disabled people further reducing the economies of scale, as it would require different designs and modifications for different facets of the disabled people in the community (Smith, September 3, 2012). The low competition in the disabled clothing market is evidenced by the call for inclusion by Christine Shaw, CEO Disabled Living Foundati on. She lamented the lack of enough clothes for people using wheelchairs and those with restricted movements (Burton, May 22, 2012). The Office for Disability issues stated that the disabled people make up to 20% of a business