Network Security setup Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Network Security setup - Research Paper Example WAN domain is a necessary domain especially when connecting with remote users. In Richman investments, it means connecting with several branches in places such as Atlanta, Georgia, Cincinnati, Ohio, and even Los Angeles, California from the headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona. In order to ensure security at this domain, it is recommended to ensure proper addressing schemes, proper protocol selection and enhanced encryption of communication equipments. In Richman investments, the database software, operating system, client-server applications, and data stored in the organizations center and their hardware is collectively under this domain. Security measures necessary at this stage is proper authentication, quality network design, authorization, node security, and accounting are an imperative security considerations at this domain. Other security measures that can be implemented within the company’s IT infrastructure includes eliminating single point of failure, improving security access to sensitive data and ensuring that there is data backup in servers outside the main data centre.

Dominos Pizza Essay Example for Free

Dominos Pizza Essay The legend of Domino’s Pizza dates back to December, 1960 with the purchase of a small pizza shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan by brothers Tom and Jim Monaghan. The brothers bought the restaurant from friend Dominick DeVarti for USD500 cash and assuming the stores USD8,000 debt (Dicke, 1992). Neither Tom nor Jim had the intention of making the restaurant business their career, but rather saw the opportunity as a part-time venture to help cover the cost of their studies at the nearby University of Michigan. By June the store was earning a profitable USD400 a week but briskly fell off when students at the University went home for summer. Faced with the prospect of a slow phase, Jim sold Tom his half of the business in 1961 and changed the name from Dominick’s to Domino’s. The same year, Tom decided to quit school to devote more time to the business. Aware of his lack of experience in pizza making and operations and management, Tom spent much of his time visiting many similar pizzerias around the state acquiring advice on operations and recipes. By the mid 60’s, Tom had restructured the interior of the store, rearranged all areas and systems, ultimately improving the flow of work in all facets of the operation from order-taking to delivery. â€Å"Monaghan’s system was reminiscent of those developed by the managers of White Castle Hamburger in the 20’s and the McDonald brothers in the 40’s† (Dicke, 1992). The implementation of this system formulized the production process as a unified whole, and included the standardization of materials, clever and thoughtful placement of equipment, and detailed division of labor; all geared to achieve the continuous production of its limited product line. By 1967, Domino’s emphasis on uniform quality and rapid delivery proved a successful system for operating a pizza shop and therefore provided opportunity for expansion through franchising. 3. HISTORY IN MALAYSIA The company landed in Malaysia in September 1997. Launched by its founder, Tom Monaghan himself, Domino’s Pizza became an overnight sensation. It was so well-received that Domino’s Malaysia’s commissary was recognised in the Annual Domino’s International Audit as the Best Commissary in Asia Pacific. 4. PRODUCTS [pic] Exhibit 4. 1 Domino’s Pizza Customer Benefit Package Domino’s Pizza offers a wide range of meals to its customers. They offer variety of pizza, pasta, side orders and beverages. They have 5 unique pizza crusts i. e. Classic Hand Tossed, Crunchy Thin Crust, Cheese Burst Double Decker, New York Crust and Extreme Edge to satisfy Malaysian customers’ appetite. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] Exhibit 4. 2 Domino’s Pizza 5 unique Pizza Crust Domino’s Pizza also offered numbers of topping such as Ultimate Hawaiian, 7-Meat Wonders, Meatasaurus, Prawn Passion, Chicken Perfection, Tuna Extreme, Prawn Sensation, BBQ Chicken, Aloha Chicken, Extravaganza, Classified Chicken, Plain Cheese, Beef Pepperoni, Chicken Pepperoni, Classic Chicken, Flaming Tuna, Meat Mania, Seafood Delight, Spicy Sambal, Spicy Sausage, Tuna Temptation, Vegie Fiesta and Vegie Galore. Domino’s Pizza also allowed their customers to customize their pizza by offering 2 options i. e. Make Your Own and Half Half. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic] Exhibit 4. 3 Domino’s Pizza delicious Specialty Pizza Customize Pizza Domino’s Pizza comes with 3 Signature Pizza Sauces such as Domino’s Signature Sauce, Spicy Sambal Sauce and Top Secret Sauce. [pic] [pic] [pic] Exhibit 4. 4 Domino’s Pizza signature Pizza Sauces. Domino’s Pizza also serve varieties of side orders such as Chicken Wings BBQ, Chicken Wings Hot Spicy, Spaghetti Bolognese, Chicken Lasagna, Creamy Custard Puff Desert, Garlic Twisty Bread, Garlic Cheese Onion Rings, BreadStix, Banana Kaya Desert, CinnaStix Icing and Chocolate Lava Cake. Domino’s Pizza also offers Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fruit Tree Fresh Apple Aloe Vera for its beverages. The above products are considered primary goods for Domino’s Pizza and these products will ensure that Domino’s Pizza customer’s needs of foods will be fulfill. Domino’s Pizza has introduced its Unique Selling Preposition (USPs) which includes:- 1. 30-Minutes Delivery Guarantee! Dominos is the only pizza company that guarantees customer’s order will arrive within 30 minutes or Domino’s will give its customer a free Regular Pizza voucher; 2. Product Satisfaction Guarantee Dominos guarantees satisfaction! Their pizza and side orders are guaranteed to be hot, fresh, and great tasting when they arrives at customer’s doorstep, otherwise Domino’s will replace the product or refund customer’s money. 3. 15-Minute Take-Away Guarantee Dominos guarantees customers will receive their Take-Away orders within 15 minutes or Domino’s will give them a free Personal Pizza voucher. 4. Free Delivery No extra charges for delivery to customer’s doorstep. Domino’s Pizza also introduced discount coupons for its customers’ future purchase. This method is really works for Domino’s Pizza where they tie-up their customer with the attractive offer for future purchase. This will also create loyalty among Domino’s Pizza customers. Domino’s Pizza also allowed their online customers to pay their orders using credit card where previously they only accept cash payment for the online purchase. The above services can be considered as peripheral services where it will benefit Domino’s Pizza customers and will add confident for the customers to choose Domino’s Pizza rather than other Domino’s Pizza competitors such as Pizza Hut and Papa John. [pic][pic][pic][pic] Exhibit 4. 5 Domino’s Pizza Unique Selling Prepositions (USPs). Further to the above Domino’s Pizza also obtained a Halal Certification for all its products from Jabatan Kemajuan Islam, Malaysia (JAKIM) which will add more confident to Domino’s Pizza current and future customers. 5. VALUE CHAIN [pic] Exhibit 5. 1 Domino’s Pizza Value Chain It is important to consider how a customer need drives Dominos to create the product. The customer need that drives the entire value chain is the need for a dependable take away restaurant, reasonably priced hot quality food and variety that suits the local palette. Dominos has focused on these key customer needs throughout the value chain, and has not allowed any digressions in this area unlike other competitors who have evolved a mixed model of full service restaurants and takeaway outlets, or a hybrid combination of both. This has diluted their strengths in the segment Dominos focuses on Takeaway / Home delivery. Its global operational model allows for lean stores, well-trained staff and flexibility at a country level to customize menus to suit customer tastes. Operational requirements have prompted the use of technology to make the customer experience more enriching, it has a history of firsts – they were the first to use TV as a distribution channel, an online tracking system that allows customers to track the pizza order and a proprietary point of sale system. A combination of the Company level strategy and the Operational Strategy has resulted in Dominos having a reputation for reliability and consistent pizza quality – these strategies have ensured that Dominos continues to meet its customer needs. 6. OPERATIONS STRATEGY. Dominos operations strategy mainly focuses on the providing high service quality to the customer: 1. Minimize operations cost: To minimize the operating cost by improving the efficiencies and process at the stores. 2. Strategic store locations to facilitate the delivery service: To leverage the strategic location of the store in order to facilitate quick service to the customer and maximize the revenue. 3. Production oriented store designs: To utilize the production oriented store design in order to facilitate efficient production and quick service to the customer. 4. Efficient order taking, production and delivery: To execute an efficient operational process that includes order taking, pizza preparation, cooking, boxing and delivery. 5. Use of Domino’s PULSE point-of-sale system: Use of Domino’s PULSE system to improve operating efficiencies, provide corporate management with easy access to financial and marketing data and reduce time consumption and expenses. 6. Product and process innovations: To promote an innovative culture that increases both quality and efficiency. 7. A focused menu: To maintain a focused menu that is designed to present an attractive quality offering to customers, while minimizing order errors, and expediting the order taking and food preparation processes. 8. A comprehensive store operations evaluation program: To utilize a comprehensive store audit program to ensure that stores are meeting both as the expectations of the customers. The Performance Prioritizing would help Dominos in prioritizing its operational strategies based on the order-winning criteria and the current issues it faces in relation to the competition. 1. Excess zone – Dominos invests in promotional strategy to a greater extent as compared to other food chain outlets. It offers many discount coupons to attract customers. Discount offers do help to some extent in attracting customers but too many discount and promotions tend to lower the brand image. So Dominos need to cut down some expenses in that section which will not affect its sales. 2. Appropriate zone – Dominos has got an excellent unmatched home delivery service through which it stays ahead of its rivals. The ? 30-minute luxury? of Dominos has given the brand a strong image among the customers. This gives Dominos a clear balance between its competitors and customers. 3. Improve zone – Dominos need to improve its product quality in order to maintain reputed. It needs to emphasize on the pizza quality and prioritizing all aspects that relate to the customer. For example, Pizza Hut specifies the calories consumption in each pizza. This reflects the brand concern for the customer. So Dominos should also initiate some measures which would foster the â€Å"emotional connection† to its customers. 4. Urgent action zone – In order to increase the service to customers, Dominos should ensure speedy delivery of pizzas to customers. For this, Dominos need to work on its existing process design. There should be enough space and staff for service and extra machines to handle any machinery failure during peak periods. 7. REFERENCES 1) http://www. wikipedia. org 2) http://www. dominospizza. com. my Discount Coupon for future purchase Free Delivery Service Credit Card payment for online orders 15-Minutes Take-Away Guarantee 30-Minutes Delivery Guarantee Pizza Side Orders Beverages.

Leonardo Da Vinci :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leonardo Da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, engineer, and naturalist. He was born in Vinci, Tuscany and was the son of a notary. He studied painting with Verrocchio in Florence. He worked at Ludovico Sforza’s court in Milan as an architect, military engineer, inventor, theatrical designer, sculptor, musician, scientist, art theorist, and painter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leonardo wanted his paintings to express the laws of light and space and of sciences like anatomy, botany, and geology. He often accompanied condemned criminals to their execution to study the expressions on their faces and he dissected thirty cadavers to perfect his knowledge of anatomy. He was fascinated with the dynamic movement to be found in nature. He was considered a genius and a very handsome man and is still thought of as on e of the most gifted men in the human race.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the things that fascinated everyone about him was the enticing smile he painted on the faces of some women. It was called â€Å"more divine than human† and seemed to move before our eyes. The mystery of the smile is most often associated with the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous images, but it first appeared 20 years before in the angel from The Madonna of the Rocks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several theories as to whose smile cast such a spell on Leonardo. One of them is Cecilia Gallerani, who was celebrated for her beauty and was painted by Leonardo when she was seventeen. However, no one knows where that portrait is. It is said that he painted her again as Lady with an Ermine and then as the angel in The Madonna of the Rocks. He seems to have loved the painting of the angel so much that he kept it for himself and painted another one.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another theory is that, previous to Leonardo, painters outlined their figures, so that they stood away from the background in stiff, immobile poses. He deliberately omitted outlines, blurred and softened the corners of the eyes and mouth, blending light into shadow, giving life to his figures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lastly, during the Renaissance, well-born maidens were carefully schooled to â€Å"charm†. Women were advised to close their mouths from time to time at the right corner with a suave movement, and open it slightly at the left as if you were smiling secretly and perhaps Leonardo was just painting the way a thousand well-born ladies smiled in his day.

Attrition Rate of Online Learning

WHAT INFLUENCES ONLINE CLASSES HIGH ATTRITION RATE by Lora Hines Bachelor of Science in Business Education December 1984 College of Education A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Science in Education Degree Department of Workforce Education and Development In the Graduate School Southern Illinois University – Carbondale December 1, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS ChapterPage I. INTRODUCTION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Statement of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 Significance of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.. 9 Demographics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Best Practices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16 Student Characteristics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 24 III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 32 Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 32 Findings . †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 33 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 38 REFERENCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 41 VITA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦52AN ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER OF L ora Hines, for the Master of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development, presented on December 1, 2011, at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. TITLE: WHAT INFLUENCES ONLINE CLASSES HIGH ATTRITION RATE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Glen Blackstone Online education programs have grown tremendously in the past 10 years. From 1991 to 2006, online enrollments have grown from virtually 0 to over 2. 35 million students. Over 3. 5 million students, or roughly one in every six, were enrolled in at least one online course during the fall of 2006.By 2015, 25 million post-secondary students in the United States will be taking an online class. Universities worldwide are providing some type of online learning by developing courses that are available to both on-campus and off-campus students. Online education is no longer in its infancy. Students, parents, educational institutions, government, and businesses are concerned with the quality of online education. This study focuses on quality an d the relationship that exists between student satisfaction and faculty effectiveness.At issue is the question of whether â€Å"faculty effectiveness, as perceived by learners, plays a significant role in learner satisfaction† (Rehnborg, 2006, p. 1). This study reveals that students of varying age, gender, and other demographics value education differently. These differences vary among completers and non-completers, and both groups note differences in the way their instructors implement instructional practices. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background There are many definitions for online education. These include virtual education, Internet-based education, and Web-based education.For the purpose of this research, the definition of online education is based on Keegan’s (1988) definition of distance education. (a) the separation of teachers and learners which distinguishes it from face-to-face education, (b) an educational organization which distinguishes it from self-study an d private tutoring, (c) the use of a computer network to present or distribute educational content, and (d) the provision of two-way communication via a computer network in order for students to benefit from communication with each other, teachers, and staff. Keegan, 1988, p. 4) Kaufman (as cited by Bates, 2005) suggests that there have been three generations of distance education. The first generation used one primary technology-print. The second generation integrated print and other multimedia such as video tapes, television broadcasts, and other forms of broadcast media. The third generation of distance education gave birth to online education. Online education is characterized by the use of the Internet or video conferencing to create two-way communications, connecting students and instructors.Bates (2005) describes this communication as more equally distributed between students and instructors than in the past. In other words, while students and instructors are still separated geographically, they now have a greater ability to communicate with each other than in past generations. Students have progressively gained the ability to dialogue and use critical thinking skills rather than simple comprehension (Kaufman, 1989). Online education is well established as a viable means of education in both the corporate and academic environments, and it has taken a remarkable pace.A survey undertaken in 2001 of online education instructors conducted by the National Education Association (NEA) indicated that 72% of online learning instructors have a positive opinion about online learning. They believe more students can be reached, learning can be customized and flexible, and interaction can increase among students (Focus, 2001). Online education programs have grown tremendously in the past 10 years. From 1991 to 2004, online enrollments have grown from virtually zero to over 2. 35 million students (Allen & Seaman, 2006).Based on reports by over 2,200 colleges and unive rsities, Allen and Seaman estimate growth in post-secondary online education to be more than 10 times that of other post-secondary markets. Over 4. 6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2008 term; a 17 percent increase over the number reported the previous year (Allen & Seaman, 2010). The 17 percent growth rate far exceeds the 1. 2 percent growth of the overall student population. More than one in four higher education students now take at least one course online.By 2015, 25 million post-secondary students in the United States will be taking an online class. While that happens, the classes that are taken physically on campus will plummet, from 14. 4 million in 2010 to just 4. 1 million 5 years later, according to a new forecast released by Ambient Insight; a market research firm (Nagel, 2011). Universities worldwide are providing some type of online learning by developing courses that are available to both on-campus and off-campus students. Online education is no longer in its infancy (Palloff & Pratt, 2003; Samarawickrema & Stacey, 2007).Students, parents, educational institutions, government, and businesses are concerned with the quality of online education. Online or not online has been an ongoing debate, not only for how to preserve the value of human relations but also how to deliver course content. In a traditional or face-to-face classroom, communication and human connections are great assets for knowledge acquisition within a learning community (Allen & Seaman, 2010). When a course moves online, communication lines are altered.Non-verbal communication cues disappear, and since students converse at different times, spontaneous interaction is impossible. Even with webcams in which students and professors can see and hear each other, interactions are not the same as in a face-to-face classroom. However, taking into consideration that online education allows students opportunities to learn independently from anywhere at any time, and to construct and acquire learning at their own pace, online education provides many advantages for students beyond the classroom walls.We live in a changing population since more and more students entering college have grown up in today’s digital world, they possibly are â€Å"digital natives† whose brains could potentially be wired differently from the previous generation (Prensky, 2001). Draves (2002) lists ten reasons why online learning is more popular and, in his opinion, why it is better, cognitively, than in-person learning: †¢ You can learn at your own peak learning time of day. †¢ You can learn at your own speed. †¢ You can learn faster. †¢ You can interact more with the teacher and other participants. There are more topics and subjects online. †¢ Participants come from around the world. †¢ You can learn from the foremost authorities and experts. †¢ Online learning is less expensive and thus more accessible. â⠂¬ ¢ Internet links provide more resources. †¢ You can form a virtual community. Courses taught in an online format hold many challenges for the learner and educator alike (Howell, Williams, & Lindsay, 2003). Challenges include the need for computer literacy and navigation skills, greater electronic connection capabilities, and concerns over isolation.Within online classes students must not only learn the course material, but also the technology skills needed to participate in class. The online learning format places the burden on students to initiate the learning process, and assume primary responsibility for the learning experience. It is likely that in this tremendous movement toward online education, faculty members will be pushed to provide more Web-based courses for both their on-campus and off-campus students. Faculty members are concerned with the quality of online courses they are developing and teaching.While the 2000 NEA survey indicated a highly positive opinion of online courses, the faculty members expressed deep concern that online courses take more work, are more technologically challenging, and require more training and mentoring to develop and teach than traditional face-to-face courses (Focus, 2001). Maddux (2004) suggests that the increased competition for universities to offer online courses has caused campus administrators to put forth numerous online courses as rapidly as possible.Many professors, according to Maddux, are less than a technologic expert and find themselves under pressure to produce these courses. Faculty complain that with their workload they do not have time to get adequate training and support from those on campus that provide it. Only 19 percent of institutions with online offerings report that they have no training or mentoring programs for their online teaching faculty. The most common training approaches for online faculty are internally run training courses (65 percent) and informal mentoring (59 percent) (All en & Seaman, 2010).Of the 10 biggest myths about synchronous online teaching, faculty training focuses on technology tools and educational best practices and is of major concern to the professors (DeMaria, & Bongiovanni, 2010). Various research studies have found a higher percentage of students taking online courses tend to drop those courses when compared to students taking traditional courses (Frankola, 2001; Oblender, 2002). Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70-80% (Tyler-Smith, 2005, Flood 2002. One major reason to study student satisfaction is completion rate of non-traditional students versus traditional students. . Some educators suggest that the high drop rates should â€Å"disqualify online education as high-quality option to traditional education† (Distance Education, 2001 as cited by Diaz, 2002, para. 1). Researchers cite numerous reasons for attrition in both online and face-to-face courses. Students have work, family, and social commitments. Others lack the commitment of time or technological skills necessary to persist in the online environment.Other reasons aside, this research paper focuses on quality and the relationship that exists between student satisfaction and faculty effectiveness. At issue is the question of whether â€Å"faculty effectiveness, as perceived by learners, plays a significant role in learner satisfactions† (Rehnborg, 2006, p. 1). Institutions retrieve student end-of-course data from students who persist and complete online courses. A review of the literature reveals a large quantity of material on faculty effectiveness, with numerous recommendations and conclusions drawn from that student end-of-course data.There is relatively little data available from course non-completers. A 1991 study indicated that 75% of colleges and universities use the end-of-course questionnaire as a method of evaluating the effectiveness of their instructors. Though some doubt the validity of student end-of-cour se questionnaires, most accept the fact that they are useful in providing a measurement of the instructors’ teaching ability and directly reflect the satisfaction level of students (Ramsden, 1991). Statement of the ProblemWith student diversity changing, higher education institutions are finding that it is necessary to meet the needs and demands of our nontraditional students. However, with the growth of distance learning, rates of attrition have increased significantly (Parker, 2003). Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70-80% (Tyler-Smith, 2005, Flood 2002. ) Carr stated, however, that many higher education administrators believe that the completion rates of non-traditional students are 10-20% higher in online learning.Research Questions The research questions for the paper were: 1. What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? 2. What affect do best p ractices have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rate? 3. What affect do student characteristics have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rates? Significance of the Problem Online courses are generally the first format of course offerings to fill up during registration.Since many online courses have a high withdrawal rate, it would be beneficial for students to be placed in a course format most conducive to their learning (Dutton, Dutton, & Perry, 2002). The identification of characteristics associated with successful online students could provide the necessary information for teachers and admissions personnel to suggest or discourage a student from registering for an online course. A student mistakenly placed into a course may encounter more difficulties and have reduced changes for success compared to an appropriately placed student.With improved technology, students may find it more convenient to take classes online in order to meet their ed ucational needs. Changes in the student population as well as the delivery of the online course at the university may present challenges. Many interconnecting factors contribute to the numbers of students who drop out of distance education courses, many of which are beyond the institution’s control (Rovai, 2002). Rovai (2002) pointed out that this learning-sharing connection among students could provide the learner with a feeling of support from their fellow students.Rovai’s (2002) research also suggested that there might be a possible connection between the sense of community and increased motivation resulting in increased cognitive learning. If individual circumstances affect the ability of a student to continue in an online course and if various curricular delivery and instructional methods contribute to variable outcomes, then the development of online delivery should be researched to determine the best way to serve the needs of the student enrolled in an online co urse. CHAPTER 2REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The advances in telecommunications and the saturation of computers into almost every home in American has drastically changed the way we communicate, the way we store and retrieve data, the way we do research, and the way we socialize. These changes in our day-to-day lives have also obliged us to rethink the way we deliver education. Public, private, and proprietary institutions have come under intense pressure to develop educational systems that are independent of time and place. Within the past 0-12 years, the growth of online course has increased tremendously. The proportion of institutions with fully online programs rises steadily as institutional size increases, and about two-thirds of the very largest institutions have fully online programs, compared to only about one-sixth of the smallest institutions. Doctoral/Research institutions have the greatest penetration of offering online programs as well as the highest overall rate (more t han 80%) of having some form of online offering. (Allen & Seaman, 2006, p. 2)Along with this growth comes the need to ensure courses are developed with some universal structure and the need for instructors to teach these courses using the best practices in the field. Student attrition is also under the microscope. The government, educators, parents, and students want assurances that online education works as well or better than its traditional face-to-face counterpart. One must understand the background and the best practices and issues that relate to student needs and satisfaction in online education. The literature review will discuss these relevant issues.What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? An extensive reading of the literature reveals that face-to-face instruction includes courses in which zero to 29 percent of the content is delivered online; this category include s both traditional and web facilitated courses. The remaining alternative, blended (sometimes called hybrid) instruction is defined as having between 30 percent and 80 percent of the course content delivered online.A course where most or all of the content is delivered online with typically no face-to-face meetings is considered an online course (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Universities want to improve graduation rates and attract non-traditional students by increasing online offerings (Allen & Seaman, 2007; 2010). According to the Allen and Seaman’s report, online students may not share the same demographics as traditional higher education students, thus, instructors need to understand the challenges of distance learning when designing online learning experiences.The shift towards offering more online courses will continue to affect higher education institutions in ways that are not yet understood. The benefits (e. g. , convenience for institutions, instructors, and students) and the challenges (e. g. , student retention) need to be balanced to ensure that students’ outcomes of online courses are comparable with those in traditional face-to-face courses (2010). A continuing question that the researcher must consider is among those studying online education has been the issue of student retention.Online courses typically attract students who might otherwise have not been able to attend traditional on-campus instruction, either because of work, family or other obligations. This difference in the nature of the student body has made the direct comparison of the online and face-to-face very difficult. If students tend to drop out of online classes because of work or family responsibilities, does that accurately reflect the nature of the course or the nature of the student (Allen & Seaman, 2010)? In a study completed by Dutton, Dutton & Perry (2002), the purpose was to determine how online students differ from traditional students?There were two major cate gories studied. The first class of information related to the external, observable characteristics of the students. These include such things as age and gender, work, academic and childcare commitments commute distance and previous computer experience. The second information category contains preferences or considerations that are less easily observable by an outsider but may have influenced the student’s choice of online versus lecture format. Using the demographic data that Dutton, Dutton & Perry (2002) gathered from the student records, it appeared that the gender played little role in the choice format.However, it is clear that older, non-traditional students prefer the online class. The average age of an online student’s age compared to a lecture student was more than five years greater. Nearly two-thirds of the lecture class was less than 22 years old while the same proportion of online section was older than 22. The study also determined that full-time students preferred the lecture course and the part-time students preferred the online. On average the study determined that the online students had greater outside responsibilities and that they live farther from campus.In his dissertation, Bangurah (2004) compared students with passing grades in traditional and online courses. Student’s grades were compared across courses where the same instructor taught both online and traditional formats. Within this study, 3,601 students participated and Bangurah (2004) found that in each course and context, mean GPA’s were highest among traditional students. He also noted females who were enrolled in web-based courses outnumbered their male counterparts by nearly two-thirds. This ratio of female to male students was not found within the traditional course setting.The claim that â€Å"the demographic differences between online and traditional students has been duly noted† (Diaz, 2002, p. 1) has mixed implications. For instance, while Gibson and Graff (1992) and Thompson (1998) concluded that online students are generally older, have a higher GPA, and have completed more credits than traditional students. There are several unidentified assumptions. First, these demographic characteristics portray a trend rather than a fixed number. Observing online education over time has indicated that students are getting younger and demographic populations are shifting (Allen & Seaman, 2010).The Instructional Technology Council (Allen & Seaman, 2010) has reported that in 2008, 52% of students were considered traditional age; whereas, only 46% of students were considered traditional age in 2006. The second assumption is that methods of identifying online students are universal. What constitutes an online student from a traditional student may vary from institution to institution or from course to course. Lastly, demographic characteristics vary largely across the United States and should be taken into consideration when applyi ng theory to practice.For instance, Iowa’s minority population constitutes only 9. 4% of the student population and was ranked the fifth lowest state in terms of diversity in 2007. Thus the number of students represented by any one ethnic category is likely to be very different than population numbers from other states and vary highly from states outside of the Midwest (Iowa Department of Education, 2008). The research should consider the question of student performance and how it has also been further reviewed along lines of gender (Price, 2006; Yates, 2001). Whereas, reviously women were presumed to have an online disadvantage due to access (Kirkup & von Prummer, 1997) or family commitments (Wolf, 1998), studies have shown that enrollment is greater among females in online courses and females may in fact be more successful in the online setting (Price, 2006). In her study, Price (2006) sought to uncover gender differences in female and male students who are enrolled in onli ne courses. In order to do so, she compared the same course in both a traditional and online setting. From 2002 to 2004, 1,991 students participated in the study from the Open University.Two questionnaires were utilized to demonstrate course experience and academic engagement. From her study, Price (2006) was able to conclude that women were more likely to outperform their male counterparts in online course settings. In Aragon and Johnson’s study, they found no significant difference in characteristics of age, ethnicity or financial aid eligibility of students enrolled in online classes. Once again, they found that gender had significant association with completion and non-completion in online courses.Their findings were that females completed at a higher rate than male students in an online but not face-to-face courses (2008). Additionally, it is worth noting that the thought that online instruction is eliminating many of the barriers to education for all students in general and indicated through student interviews (2008). The interviews determined that the self-reported reason for non-completion of an online class was personal and time constraints which accounted for 34% of the reasons for non-completion of their online courses, compared to 100% of the reasons given by the face-to-face students (Aragon & Johnson, 2008).Online students often outperform traditional students when success is measured by the percentage of students that attain a grade of â€Å"C’ or above, overall classroom performance (e. g. , exam scores), or student satisfaction (Diaz, 2000). When comparing the characteristics and success of online and traditional students, Diaz found that online students received twice as many â€Å"A† grades, while traditional students received twice as many â€Å"D† and â€Å"F† grades in a general health education class. The online students were also more satisfied with multiple aspects of their course as demonstrated by their responses to an 11-question satisfaction survey.While online students generally fared better in overall grades and grades on exams, they also dropped the course more frequently: a 13. 5% drop rate for online students versus a 7. 2% drop rate for traditional students. As Diaz noted, â€Å". . . it seems very clear that students who enroll and persist in an online course will fare at least as well as their on-campus counterparts† (p. 95). While the use of surveys in conjunction with empirical data can often provide a more complete picture, surveys as a sole means of predicting student success and learning has been less than successful (Hall, 2008).Employing two different survey instruments, Hall (2008) attempted to uncover which instrument would be the most accurate in determining online student success. Two hundred and twenty-eight students participated in the study which encompassed three regional community colleges in the Midwest. These students were all enrolled in at least one online course in the following areas: business, computer information services, criminal justice, and early childhood development. Hall (2008) found that the class categories were a better predictor of student success than either of the two survey instruments.In fact, the surveys showed little than 8% accuracy in predicting final grades for these students. If online students typically possess characteristics that research has linked with academic success (e. g. , older age and more academic experience), why are they less successful in terms of persisting in a class for the full term? One possible answer is that we may have mistakenly defined â€Å"drop rate† as a characteristic synonymous with â€Å"academic non-success. † However, I believe that many online students who drop a class may do so because it is the right thing to do.In other words, because of the requirements of school, work, and/or family life in general, students can benefit more from a class i f they take it when they have enough time to apply themselves to the class work. Thus, by dropping the class, they may be making a mature, well-informed decision that is consistent with a learner with significant academic and life experience. This explanation would be consistent with their demographics while calling into question the idea that these students are academically unsuccessful or possess inferior academic abilities. In act, a case could be made that many of the students who earn â€Å"D† and â€Å"F† grades would be better served by dropping a class. By doing so at the appropriate time, some might increase the likelihood of a successful academic career. For example, they would obviate the need to retake a course immediately, and dropping the class would not adversely affect their GPA, perhaps helping them to avoid academic probation. (Diaz, 2000, p. 3) What affect do best practices have on non-traditional (online) students? An extensive reading of the litera ture reveals numerous significant approaches to improving online courses.One method is determining what may contribute or detract from a student’s success in an online course is to take a customer/business approach to the question. In other words, what is the business doing and what is the business doing that is satisfying the customer? This approach would lead researchers to look at central themes of investigation in determining the factors that contribute to or detract from student success. First the researcher must determine what aspects students perceive are important to producing success in online learning.In the customer/business approach, it is a given that a satisfied customer is the end-point from which one works backwards to build a successful business. The literature indicates that student perceptions, attitudes, and satisfaction (Biggs, 2006; Clayton, 2004; Valasidou & Makridiou-Bolusiou, 2006) are almost certainly key in the development and instruction of online courses. According to Pearson and Trinidad (2005), hearing from students is essential to learning about what works and where improvements should be made in the future.It is the business/customer model applied to online education. Secondly, the research should consider how educators are conducting their online courses. The scholarly literature reveals that researchers are finding several central factors related to student perceptions and the methods instructors are using to teach and design their courses. Palloff and Pratt (2003) concisely define these factors as (a) instructor support, (b) a sense of community, and (c) an appropriate use of technology in the online setting.However, there continues to be instructor support as well as a sense of community in the traditional classroom as well. Instructor Support The foregoing conclusion for a number of years in education is that the greater the amount of instructor support, the more successful students will be in understanding and achi eving the learning objectives of their courses. Sahin (2007), and Valasidou and Makrdiou-Bousiou (2006) all agree and suggest that a major predictor in online courses is instructor support.In the online environment, students have come to expect instructor support. As an example, data from a qualitative study conducted by Motteram and Forrester (2005) revealed that students have more or less unwittingly come to believe that because of the nature of online learning as being any-time and any-place, instructors are available on a 24-7 basis, able to respond at any hour. Students not only expect instructional support, they expect it in a more expedient manner than the face-to-face student.Another example that indicates students want and need instructor support comes from a study by Ice, Curtis, Phillips, and Wells (2007) who conducted research from Spring 2004 through Summer 2005 with 26 master’s level students and 8 doctoral students in online courses to determine if there is val ue in using asynchronous audio feedback in grading student work. The researchers were attempting to determine what effect, if any, the use of audio feedback might have on increasing students’ success in online courses.In this study, five research questions were posed to determine (a) whether students preferred audio or text feedback, (b) to what degree audio feedback is an effective replacement to the interaction that takes place in a face-to-face course, (c) how audio feedback improved a sense of community, (d) in what manner is perceived learning impacted by the use of audio feedback, and (e) what relationship exists between audio feedback and student satisfaction. The results concluded that students believed that asynchronous audio feedback gave them more insight into what the instructor was trying to onvey, students experienced an increased feeling of involvement, the instructor was perceived as more caring, and content retention improved (Ice, et al, 2007). Again, a majo r finding of this research revealed that instructor support and involvement created what students described as a caring attitude, and this caring is a key to students’ satisfaction and, ultimately, their success in the online course. Leners and Sitzman (2006) undertook a study with online nursing students by seeking their voice in defining what online caring meant.The research revealed the same conclusions that many other studies ( Irlbeck, 2008, & Keengwe, & Kidd, 2010) with online students have reported. What students defined as caring was the method and degree to which the instructors interacted with students and the timelines of the communication. Instructor support was, again, a key to student satisfaction. The body of literature exists in large quantities with reference to research studies revealing that both practitioners and researchers agree: Interaction between students and instructors is an important predictor of student satisfaction in online courses.One of the ma jor findings that Chickering and Gamson (1987) in Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education is just as true in online education today. It is good practice to encourage contact between students and instructors. Whether referred to as instructor, tutor, mentor, teacher or technician, students expect support and are more satisfied when they receive support from that individual. A Sense of Community Next to contact between instructor and student is the contact that emerges within what has become known as the learning community.That community represents interaction from instructor to student and from student to student. Research conducted by Motteram and Forrester (2005) suggests that students’ relationships with fellow students emerged as a prime need in online courses. When taking an online course, students often voice feelings of solitude and the fear of learning alone. A need for interaction with other students is just as apparent in the online environment as it is within the face-to-face classroom. According to Garrison and Anderson (2003), social presence has become highly important in online education.Social presence is defined as â€Å"the extent to which students can project their presence online when communicating in the textual milieu in the absence of visual or verbal signs† (Motteram & Forrester, 2005, p. 284). Kazmer puts forth that when students come into an online classroom they are really performing for each other, for themselves, and for the instructor. In the absence of visual and verbal cues that are normally found in the face-to-face classroom, students create for themselves an identity, and they need a variety of diverse media for interaction to articulate these online identities (2004).Community within the adult online learning environment may be even more important than with traditional-aged students. A great body of research highlighted by Malcolm Knowles’ (1990) theory of andragogy reveals that one way adults learn is by comparing past knowledge and experiences with current experiences. Stilborne and Williams (1996) further advance the need for community in online education when teaching adult students by suggesting that providing a means for interaction and encouraging adult students to share their knowledge is essential to their style of learning.Adult students have a lifetime of knowledge and experience to share, and finding a sense of community brings this to life. University administrators have known for some time that when students are involved in the campus community, attrition decreases. Eastmond (1995) sensed that an increased dropout rate among online students is directly related to the reduction or elimination of social and visual cures lost in an online course format; conversely, increased online community reduces the attrition rate (Rovai, 2002).Diaz (2002) and Carr (2000) report that attrition is up to 10% higher in online courses than the face-to-face counterpar t. As a course design strategy, the use of learning communities has helped reduce this attrition (Diaz, 2002), and when students persist, they become more successful in their learning and persevere to graduation. Not all students are looking for community within online courses, however. Some studies indicate that students do not necessarily desire a sense of community (Brown 2001).In some cases, Brown learned that students simply do not wish to participate or engage in community building, while others participate based on availability of time. Other studies have indicated that students feel they are risking academic rigor if they participate in social relationships or class community building. Based on these views, Liu and Ginther (n. d. ) undertook exploratory study to determine, among other things, if students feel a sense of community in online courses and if that sense of community added to the learners’ engagement and perceived learning and satisfaction.Their conclusion was that there are many positive relationships between sense of community and student satisfaction and perceived learning. No specific agreement between students and instructors emerged, however, on how community building should be undertaken. This led the researchers to further suggest that community building in online courses may not be as intuitive as the advocates of online community might suggest. In other words, community building needs to be intentional; it may not just happen. Analysis and synthesis of the literature explains several things regarding online learning communities.Many students feel that social presence in an online course is essential to reducing their feelings of aloneness and solitude while other students opted for online learning because of the solitude. Still others do not participate in community building for lack of time or fear of lagging behind academically. It may be difficult to distinguish among these groups of students, but a number of instructors and researchers believe that a sense of community helps with retention and, in cases of adult students, adds significantly to the learning and knowledge acquisition process.Diaz (2002) characterized this notion of community by suggesting that good practice would encourage cooperation and discussion among students. The literature illustrates that this principle is present in the online environment as well. Developing community will most likely require concerted design and effort on the part of the instructor. Use of Appropriate Technology Interaction among the participants in higher education, instructor to student and student to student, is generally accepted as fundamental (Liu& Ginter, n. . ). This interaction is also considered a condition to student satisfaction (Garrison & Anderson, 2003) and decreased attrition (Rovai, 2002). Therefore, as previously presented, just as a sense of community and human interaction are both expected in the face-to-face context, they are expected a s well in an online learning environment. The question then becomes, what is the appropriate technology that should be implemented to best facilitate interaction and sense of community?The two primary forms of technology that have emerged within online courses are asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Hines & Pearl, 2004). Synchronous, or real time, interaction requires that students participate at the same time. Asynchronous, or delayed time, interaction does not require students to simultaneously participate (Rose, 2006). Synchronous. Branson and Essex surveyed educators and found that instructors mostly used synchronous communication for holding â€Å"virtual† office hours, brainstorming, community building, dealing with various technical issues, and one-on-one tutoring.The shortcomings of synchronous communications is in the logistics of getting the students together online at one time, students not participating in the faster paced chats because of poor typing skills , and less reflection time for students in formulating their answers (2001). As Hines and Pearl put it, â€Å"Synchronous chats have the advantages of providing a greater sense of presence and generating spontaneity† (2004, p. 34). Synchronous communication, however, is difficult since students may be separated by immense geographic time differences.Maushak and Ou (2007) conducted a study to examine how well synchronous interaction facilitated collaboration among graduate students in their group work. The researchers concluded that students regarded the synchronous interaction with an instant messaging system as beneficial in collaborating on group projects and as very helpful in creating a sense of community. There was not a sense that synchronous interaction would be the appropriate method for communicating full class discussion meetings. Asynchronous.The use of asynchronous interaction lies more in the form of discussion forums whereby students are allowed more time for re flection, where archiving of the discussion can take place, and where all students have the opportunity to participate at a more leisurely rate. Referred to as threaded discussions, these forums generally begin with the instructor or moderator submitting a question for discussion. Students then read the question and comment on it and the threads builds (Palloff & Pratt, 1999).Many educators report more in-depth and thought provoking discussion taking place with asynchronous online interaction (Branson & Essex, 2001) than occurs in face-to-face classroom discussions. Dede and Kremer concluded that the forums produced richer, more inclusive discussions among students but are more time consuming to mediate and generally do not provide much social interaction (1999). A synthesis of the literature shows that educators have always felt that discussion adds value.Knowledge that participants supply is often thought to add as much value to the discussin as that of the instructor (Addesso, 20 00). Knowles (1990) contends that in adult learning the value added by each student is of utmost importance. Physical anonymity in online threaded discussions, according to Sweeney and Ingram, can draw out inquisitiveness, decrease inhibition, and help to bridge the gender gap, thereby increasing interaction (2001). The analysis of the literature draws the conclusion that literature regarding appropriate use of technology in online courses reveals that it is essentially content specific.Asynchronous and synchronous interaction are not mutually exclusive, but asynchronous interaction seems to provide for a higher level of academic and intellectual communication while synchronous interaction appears to be more useful in building a sense of community in the online environment. What affect do student characteristics have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rates? An extensive reading of the literature reveals numerous significant approaches to improving online courses . Vincent Tinto 2008), has stated that a wide range of studies have been conducted over the last 30 years that provides definitive data as to what affects high attrition rate. As a result the university administrators have reviewed the findings and implemented a variety of changes, many in student affairs, in order to reduce the attrition rate (Tinto). However, online instruction is here to stay, and the number of online courses has increased, as have the number of conflicting discussions that have attempted to define reasons and solutions for high attrition rate among online classes (Tyler-Smith, 2005).Online students face different issues relating to high attrition rate than do their traditional face-to-face counterparts. As Rovai (2002) stated, online students seem to have very different challenges in which to overcome when attempting to complete an online course which may involve personal distractions, variations in technological abilities, learner readiness, feelings of alienat ion, the instructor, and fellow students. The research will follow these factors and determine the affects these variables have upon attrition rate in the online world.Personal Conflicts Adult students have often indicated that they were unable to attend a traditional class due to conflicts with work, geographic, or family commitments and found that online classes were more suitable to their schedule. Online courses have been designed by the educator with flexibility in mind, as the student can work at their own pace and schedule without time constraints of the face-to-face class (Galusha, 1997; Kim 2004). However, due to work commitments as well as family, many still find completion of online course restrictive (Galusha).Many administrators believe that high attrition rate is due to the fact that online learners are traditionally older and maintain a busy work and life schedule, causing students to drop classes more often (Carr, 2000). In Carr’s research he observed that man y professors noted that they frequently lose students due to work, marriage, divorce, and pregnancy’s. Carr referenced one student’s observation that older students have more clearly defined goals and seems to be comfortable working independently, rather than a younger student more ikely to drop the online class. In a study conducted by Kemp (2002), factors such as â€Å"resilience, life events, and external commitments† (p. 67) were studied to predict online attrition rate. Questionnaires were administered and compared to student records in order to determine if there was a correlation between these three factors. It was determined that resilience and work commitments were significant among the findings, but they were not conclusive due in part to an inadequate method of accumulating data and the length of the study.Parker (1999) observed and stated that many studies of attrition focus on a single factor as the cause for high attrition rate among online courses . Diaz (2002) believes that research be conducted in order to determine the varying reasons for students to drop online courses, as did Kerka (1995) who believes that students that drop online courses should not be lumped into one category, but should be grouped into several in order to recognize the seriousness of non-completion. One should not assume that the student is dropping the class because of academic problems.Since online learners are found to be more mature and experienced, it is assumed that the reason in dropping the class results from careful reflection. Due to outside influences, it may be better for the student to successfully complete the course at a later date (Kerka). Variations in Learning Readiness According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2003) online learning presents itself with a tremendous presence in higher education which creates a greater demand for exploring learner readiness and student perceptions of online learning.More specificall y, research directs the literature review to an investigation of learner readiness, on-screen reading speed and comprehension, followed by typing speed and accuracy. With the dramatic increase of online learners, successful identification of learner readiness has become a priority (Shilwant & Haggarty, as cited in Watkins, 2005). Profitt (2008) discusses the need for an institutional, pre-assessment requirement, tailored toward learner readiness.The assessment results would not only present information to advise the college and potentially at-risk students, but would also alert students, who would in turn, use the results for self-evaluation and make the decisions if they are a good fit for online learning. However; Harrell (2008) states â€Å"There could be students for whom face-to-face is a better fit, but the online environment is their only option† (as cited in Profitt, 2008, p. 27). Based on the documented learner readiness assessment, at risk students may then contact the institution of higher learning and seek xtra orientation or support services to help prevent an unpleasant online learning experience. Hsu and Shiue along with other researchers have studied individual learner readiness as a reason one might drop an online course (2005). This is a reflection of Knowles theory of andragogy, whereby the assumption of adult self-concept is made that he or she has reached a level toward self-directed learning (Knowles, 1998). Parker (1999) approved the Internet as a method for providing the â€Å"opportunity for the self-directed learner to go where no person has gone before† (p. 1).Parker believes that in order for learning to be successful, instructional media should be carefully selected. In doing so, the online learner should take an online learner readiness quiz that assesses the ability of the student and the potential for success in an online course. READI indicates â€Å"the degree to which an individual student possesses attributes, skills and knowledge that contributes to success in online learning† (Readi. info, 2010). As noted by Willis & Lockee (2004) a determination of goodness of fit of online learning of a potential student should be assessed prior to the initiation of the distance learning commitment.Technological Abilities The revolution of technology and the rise of the Internet age has increased the ease and accessibility to learning for the online student, thereby, allowing a greater opportunity for the autonomous learning which can be defined as â€Å"self-planned, self-organized and self-assessed learning† (Peters, 2000, p. 9). Osika and Sharp (2002) concluded that without solid technical skills, students may have a difficult time succeeding in Web-based learning environments.Through a survey of faculty at a midsize regional commuter campus in the Midwestern United States, an inventory had been established of the minimum technical competencies faculty members believe students should possess to be successful in Web-based instruction. Additionally students at the same university were surveyed to determine how well they thought they met the minimum competencies outlined by the faculty. What was found confirmed the faculty's concerns that students often did not possess the technical skills required to be successful in a Web-based course.Osika and Sharp (2002) concluded that even though students are exposed to technology at a much earlier age, â€Å"this does not mean they are technically competent with the skills required to be successful with Web-based instruction† (p. 324). Muse conducted a study whereby looking at students reasons for dropping a course. He reported that many of the students found difficulties managing the software, falling behind in their course work and became frustrated and anxious, therefore, dropping the class. Today many universities have technical support that will provide guidance to the students so that they do not fall behind.Ove r half of the faculty in Osika and Sharp’s (2002) study listed computer skills such as the ability to use the basic hardware on a computer, prepare word processing task, use the Internet, and send and receive e-mails, which is a prerequisite for online instruction. Students that were polled in their study claimed that they had the ability to access the Internet and word processing, but when asked specific questions about their competency levels, they were unable to do so (Osika and Sharp). However, perceived ability, on the part of the student and instructor, may not actually meet levels of competency.Muse (2003) conducted a similar study that looked at reasons for dropping an online class. They study found that the students that had difficulties with managing the software (Blackboard, Moodle) fell behind in their assignments, therefore, making them feel anxious and frustrated. Feelings of Alienation In order for online students to succeed, they need to feel as if they are pa rt of a â€Å"larger school community† (Galusha, 1997, p. 4). This is indicative of the lack of communication that may exist in distance education, more specifically to the lack of interaction among staff, students, materials and services.In a study, Meyer (2001) observed that the student and teacher lack interaction as the Internet does not allow for it, which commonly occurs in the classroom. The feeling of alienation may give students even more reasons to drop out of the online course. Administrators conveyed that students identified that one problem in taking an online course is lack of personal interaction which they desire, but do not receive with online instruction (Carr, 2000). One student quoted by Carr, â€Å"†¦you don’t have direct contact on a regular basis with your instructor,† (p.A39) and in order to succeed, the student must possess a level of confidence that does not require immediate feedback. Galusha (1997) also reported the lack of confi dence that is required when there is a lack of immediate feedback. This is troublesome for the student, and the lack of contact was specifically identified as an area that affected the success of online students. Rovai and Wighting (2005) addressed the issue â€Å"alienation and low sense of community† (p. 101) and the relationship of student attrition in their research with a sample of graduate students at a private university in Virginia.They felt that the study yielded â€Å"a valid predictive and explanatory tool for researchers concerned with the welfare and persistence of students in higher education programs† (p. 108). Rovai and Wighting stated that, the high quality experiences that students receive in the classroom improve student retention, therefore, these findings should be considered when developing an online class. Rovai and Wighting advised that there needs to be additional research to identify how to foster community in an online classroom in order to l ower attrition, particularly among diverse cultures. CHAPTER 3CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The literature review summarized that online students have a great number of deterrents to completing an online course (Carr, 2000; Galusha, 1997; Kerka1995). Some of these deterrents include family, employment, finances, technology, instructor communication, feelings of isolation, and procrastination (Kerka, 1995). Instruction is an identifiable problem that can affect the performance of a student. There may be a problem of communication between instructor and fellow students, as well as technological difficulties on the part of the student and instructor.Rovai (2003) states that early intervention with reference to the identifiable problems stated above will better meet the needs of the students. Student’s performance suffers when there is a lack of personal contact among the instructor and fellow students. Therefore, there is a breakdown in communication that must be enhan ced when students are taking an online class. How does one enhance communication? There can be exchanges between the student/instructor through emails, virtual office hours, message boards as well as telephone communication.There is an importance among student and instructor services for online classes. Floyd and Casey-Powell (2004) recommended five student areas that are in need of development for online learner. â€Å"Orientation, development, support, transition, and evaluation are areas that the instructor and or university must provide. † Orientation should be given at the beginning of the online class. The instructor should develop those skills with the students through making assignments, and requiring students to log on to the course a number of times during the week. Colleges, such as John A.Logan College offer an orientation class to their students at the beginning of each semester. They also provide support for online students. There needs to be a gradual transitio n into the online course, as well as mid-term evaluation and an end of semester evaluation so that the instructors can learn from those evaluations. The curricular design of the online class can provide the instruction in a meaningful manner. The course welcome or introduction should include an overview of the course establishing boundaries for the course. This would also be the time that the instructor establishes a learning community.Findings What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? According to Allen and Seaman’s report, online students may not share the same demographics as traditional higher education students, thus, instructors need to understand the challenges of distance learning when designing and creating an online learning experience (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Universities want to improve graduation rates and attract non-traditional students by increasing onli ne offerings (Allen & Seaman, 2007; 2010).The shift towards offering more online courses will continue to affect higher education institutions in ways that are not yet understood. The benefits (e. g. , convenience for institutions, instructors, and students) and the challenges (e. g. , student retention) need to be balanced to ensure that students’ outcomes of online courses are comparable with those in traditional face-to-face courses (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Using the demographic data that Dutton, Dutton & Perry (2002) gathered from the student records, it appeared that the gender played little role in the choice format.However, it is clear that older, non-traditional students prefer the online class. The average age of an online student’s age compared to a lecture student was more than five years greater. Nearly two-thirds of the lecture class was less than 22 years old while the same proportion of online section was older than 22. The study also determined that full -time students preferred the lecture course and the part-time students preferred the online. On average the study determined that the online students had greater outside responsibilities and that they live arther from campus. We need to close the age gap, and encourage young students to take online classes. Advertisement is the key to promoting online classes. Full-time students should be encouraged during advisement to take online classes. However, at the same time, advisors must screen potential online students in order to provide proper placement of each individual student. It may be best to first introduce the traditional learning through hybrid classes. This gives them the best of both worlds. What affect do best practices have on non-traditional (online) students?One method is determining what may contribute or detract from a student’s success in an online course is to take a customer/business approach to the question. First of all, a determination of what is being done correctly, and what is not. This approach would lead researchers to look at central themes of investigation in determining the factors that contribute to or detract from student success. Secondly, the researcher must determine what aspects students perceive are important to producing success in online learning.In the customer/business approach, it is a given that a satisfied customer is the end-point from which one works backwards to build a successful business. The literature indicates that student perceptions, attitudes, and satisfaction (Biggs, 2006; Clayton, 2004; Valasidou & Makridiou-Bolusiou, 2006) are almost certainly key in the development and instruction of online courses. According to Pearson and Trinidad (2005), hearing from students is essential to learning about what works and where improvements should be made in the future.It is the business/customer model applied to online education. There needs to be more communication between the instructor and student. An instruc tor might assign group work, which will allow the student to get to know their fellow students, which will enhance the learning experience for the online student. Secondly, the research should consider how educators are conducting their online courses. The scholarly literature reveals that researchers are finding several central factors related to student perceptions and the methods instructors are using to teach and design their courses.Palloff and Pratt (2003) concisely define these factors as (a) instructor support, (b) a sense of community, and (c) an appropriate use of technology in the online setting. However, there continues to be instructor support as well as a sense of community in the traditional classroom as well. Instructor Support In an online environment, students have come to expect instructor/technical support. Educational institutions should provide online support through orientation, and staff support. A Sense of Community The student needs a sense of community. Th is is established through a good rapport with the instructor.The instructor needs to establish assignments that will bring the fellow students together through projects, discussion board assignments, and creating an environment where as the students may share their knowledge. Developing community will most likely require concerted design and effort on the part of the instructor. Use of Appropriate Technology The two primary forms of technology that have emerged within online courses are asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Hines & Pearl, 2004). Synchronous, or real time, interaction can occur through vi

Prejudice †Montan 1948 & Snow Falling on Cedars Essay

The conventions of the concept, ‘prejudice and hatred are never right in a just society’ are explored in Larry Watson’s 1993 fictional novel, ‘Montana 1948’ and also in the film, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’, directed by Scott Hicks. Specifically, the two compositions delve into this notion by mainly focusing on the prejudices that are placed on those who are not of the Caucasian race. For example, in ‘Montana 1948’ the Indians are discriminated against and American-Japanese citizens are victimized in ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’. These prejudices are similarly portrayed in both texts; however there are also some contrasting features. Varying techniques such as changing from present to past text to emphasise the continuous use of memory, various panning shots and most importantly, dialogue, are all used to convey that prejudice and hatred are never right in a just society. In ‘Montana 1948’, written by Larry Watson, we are instantly introduced to David, the narrator of the story. David immediately reveals that the story will be told as a memory; he establishes this in the first sentence of the prologue, â€Å"From the summer of my twelfth year I carry a series of images more vivid and lasting than any others of my boyhood and indelible beyond all attempts the years make to erase or fade them†. This is written in past tense which instantly shows the audience that story is a memory of David’s. The sentence also creates an element of mystery as David mentions he has attempted to forget the summer of his twelfth year. After instantaneously establishing the importance of memory in this novel, Watson then begins to weave racial prejudices which are the other key feature in the composition. â€Å"A young Sioux woman lies on a bed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is the second sentence of the prologue and by using the word ‘Sioux’ makes the audience aware of the underlying racial issues about to become apparent. As the story continues, we are made aware. We find that the story is set in a small community, Bedrock, which has a nearby reservation filled with Sioux Native Americans. The story is set in 1948 and is told from David’s perspective; however this constantly changes from present to past tense, which emphasises that the composition is a memory. With this fluid, constant conversion, the story is given more depth and the audience is provided with more information to truly understand every aspect of the focal story. Language used in the text; mainly colloquial within the characters’ dialogue portray the issues of prejudice. We are given the impression that David likes the Indians and thinks of them as equals; especially since David talks of his love for Marie and his fondness of Ollie. However, not everybody feels this way. **We are also made aware of the Indians status within society due to the language and dialogue used throughout the text. â€Å"My father did not like Indians†, â€Å"We want them white† and â€Å"little squaw† highlight such language conventions.

Women in the Workforce essays

Women in the Workforce essays Cohn, L. (2000, February 15). Tucked away in the latest "Economic Report of the President" is a slew of statistics describing the contribution women have made to the supercharged U.S. economy. The annual report, released in mid-February by President Clinton's Council of Economic Advisers, says that "the progress made by women in the paid labor market has been one of the most important economic changes of the 20th century." Petroff-Tobler, L. (2002, September 15). Among the factors contributing to women's entrance into the workplace were propaganda, economic necessity, and a general sense of patriotism and duty to their country to contribute in whatever way they could. Propaganda relating to the assimilation of women into the general workforce was a major tool used to manipulate the people's view of what was appropriate and necessary for women to do. Undoubtedly more important than the fact that women now had more opportunity is the effect that these new opportunities had on the psyche of America's women. In a group of collected letters, women speak of rationing, war bond rallies, salvage campaigns, blood drives, civil defense work, planting and harvesting victory gardens, Red Cross work, and hostessing at United Service Organization, but the underlying feelings regarding these newly acquired responsibilities and freedoms seem to be the most useful aspects of these letters. It can be gathered fr om these that most women were proud of their new accomplishments and enjoyed the new senses of self-reliance and confidence instilled in them through their jobs. They found new capabilities that they were not aware of. Unfortunately, they were unaware of the reality that soon the war would end and things would go back to the way they were before WWII to an extent. Men's return home at the conclusion of the war brought bad tides for women despite their rejoicing at their relatives and friends return. Th...

Tough Guise Essays

Tough Guise Essays Tough Guise Paper Tough Guise Paper In the film Tough Guise, featuring Jackson Katz it touched on the topic violent males or violent masculinity. Jackson Katz reviewed that about 86 percent of armed rob berries, 90 percent of murders, 99 percent of rapes and 98 percent of violence on women are all committed by men. When we talk about violence in America, whether its mass shootings in the r ell world or violence in our movies, media and video games, were almost always talking a bout violent auscultation. Says Jackson Katz from the Tough Guise video. Also (Katz,2014) in the video it says that the statistics tell the story, the overwhelming majority of violence ilk e; sexual assault, mass shootings, murder, and domestic violence resulting in physical injury, is committed by men and boys. ( Katz,2014) . Now (Katz,2014) this is not because all men are violent. Most men arent, or dont mean to be. Most of these crimes take place because these boo yes were taught that they needed to be violent to be mas culine. This is not the boys fault, it is the way our society is. They see males taking the lead role all over our society. I feel that boys and you Eng men learn early on that being a scalded man mean you have to take on a tough guy imam GE. Men are basically taught to only show the world a certain part of themselves, they are not allowed to show their emotions. (Katz, 2014) All for this dominant culture that has defined being manly as; being physically strong, powerful, physically intimidating, independent, in con troll, and that they an scare people. Also Katz says, If they are athletic or muscular they are see n as the top dog. All of these traits are seen as guidelines to be a real man that is respected. The e media nowadays is showing our culture that being violent is equivalent to being masculine. I would disagree with this topic. I understand fully that if you see something everyday you tend to feel that, that is the way of life and how you should also act. Howe ever also feel that you should know what is right and what is wrong. Therefore if you see a man rutting another male or female to get what he wants you shouldnt take that has, that man bee Eng masculine. You should instead take that as being wrong. Therefore I believe that violent masc. linty is not a taught behavior but a chosen behavior with that excuse.

Understanding a Mystery in Different Types of Writing

Understanding a Mystery in Different Types of Writing A mystery purveys the element of shock and awe. We explore hidden paths or explore the unknown until we discover the truth. A mystery is usually presented in the form of a novel or a short story, but it could also be a non-fiction book that explores uncertain or illusory facts. Murders in the Rue Morgue Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is usually recognized as the father of the modern mystery. Murder and suspense are evident in fiction before Poe, but it was with Poes works that we see the emphasis on using clues to get to the facts. Poes Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) and The Purloined Letter are among his famous detective stories. Benito Cereno Herman Melville first serially published Benito Cereno in 1855, and then republished it with five other works in The Piazza Tales the next year. The mystery in Melvilles tale starts with the appearance of a ship in sad repair. Captain Delano boards the ship to offer assistanceonly to find mysterious circumstances, which he cant explain. He fears for his life: am I to be murdered here at the ends of the earth, on board a haunted pirate ship by a horrible Spaniard?Too nonsensical to think of! For his tale, Melville borrowed heavily from an account of the Tryal, where slaves overpowered their Spanish masters and tried to force the captain to return them to Africa. The Woman in White With The Woman in White (1860), Wilkie Collins adds the element of sensationalism to the mystery. The discovery by Collins of a young and very beautiful young woman dressed in flowing white robes that shone in the moonlight inspired this story. In the novel, Walter Hartright encounters a woman in white. The novel involves crime, poison, and kidnapping. A famous quote from the book is: This is a story of what a womans patience can endure, and what a mans resolution can achieve. Sherlock Holmes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) wrote his first story at the age of six, and published his first Sherlock Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, in 1887. Here, we learn how Sherlock Holmes lives, and what has brought him together with Dr. Watson. In his development of the Sherlock Holmes, Doyle was influenced by Melvilles Benito Cereno and by Edgar Allan Poe. The novels and short stories about Sherlock Holmes became enormously popular, and the stories were collected into five books. Through these stories, Doyles depiction of Sherlock Holmes is amazingly consistent: the brilliant detective encounters a mystery, which he must solve. By 1920, Doyle was the most highly paid writer in the world. The successes of these early mysteries helped to make mysteries a popular genre for writers. Other great works include G.K. Chestertons The Innocence of Father Brown (1911), Dashiell Hammetts The Maltese Falcon (1930), and   Agatha Christies Murder on the Orient Express (1934). To learn more about the classic mysteries, read a few of the mysteries of Doyle, Poe, Collins, Chesterton, Christie, Hammett, and the like. Youll learn about the drama, the intrigue, along with the sensational crimes, kidnappings, passions, curiosities, mistaken identities, and puzzles. Its all there on the written page. All of the mysteries are designed to baffle until you discover the hidden truth. And, you may come to understand what really happened!

Flu Vaccination- Benefits and Contra-indications Research Paper

Flu Vaccination- Benefits and Contra-indications - Research Paper Example Active immunity allows the immune system to recognize infected bacteria or viruses as soon as the body comes in contact with them and triggers the production of anti-bodies to tackle them. Vaccination against diseases resists the spread of harmful illnesses in a society, contributing towards a healthy environment. Influenza, more commonly known as Flu, is a respiratory illness that is contagious and is characterized by symptoms like fever, body ache, coughing, sneezing and cold. It can become an epidemic because of its viral nature and once initiated, it is imperative to contain the spread of this disease through proper medication and vaccination. Flu vaccination is generally an annual vaccination program that encourages individuals to ensure protection from the attack of influenza through the year. Since influenza is of several types, it ensures protection against the most major kinds of this disease. It generally offers protection from two strains of type influenza A (H1N1 and H3N2) and one strain of type influenza B. This vaccine can be administered through vaccine injections called flu shots, or through inhalation. Flu vaccination is not mandatory but encouraged in many countries by their respective health ministries. It is more commonly given to young children, pregnant women, elderly, or individuals with health conditions that make them susceptive to such diseases.

Define the Word ( not asking dictionary definitions) Assignment - 1

Define the Word ( not asking dictionary definitions) - Assignment Example Hence, sublime is like a documentary, which has a collection of the art, music, technology, nature, lifestyle and culture of the America. Such include the technological and natural changes as represented by the artists in different forms. As used in the readings, representation means a depiction of ideas in visual arts and literature. Such include the depiction of ethical concerns of the Americans in literature. Thus, representation provides a unique form of non-verbal communication where pictures, images and literature act as the key substitutes of imagined or remembered things in America (David, 1986). Representation gives meaning and a sense of appreciation of the things, which individuals in their current state are not able to perceive or see. It is vital for representation to occur throughout in artwork to ensure that people can have an actual depiction of the things, which they cannot see in their current physical

CNET article reviews and reflections Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CNET article reviews and reflections - Essay Example Google plan is to make the region open for business since with increased circulation of information Africa will become more viable as market. In retrospect, Google has worked in Africa on the mobile platform; in 2009, it allowed cellphone users in Uganda to get information of weather and sports through text queries. It has also collaborated with France mobile to cut down the cost of SMS services in the region. In my opinion, this is a progressive move, and it shows that Google as a company is capable of combining a profit making venture with its social responsibility of ensuring Africa is opened to the world in terms of telecommunication. Furthermore, it will have indirect impacts by forcing the telecommunication companied to lower their SMS costs because of competition from Google. Ultimately, while Google will stand to make a tidy profit, it has considerably increased Africa’s networking potential. The space shuttle endeavor, which has been in orbit 25 times since it was constructed two years ago, is set to take its valedictorian flight perched on the back of a jet. This is to give the public a chance for one last viewing before it takes its place in the museum. The endeavor is set to fly across Houston landing in Ellington refuel at the Field Army Airfield in El Paso White sands then proceed to S Francisco, NASAs Ames Research Center, Sacramento until it is finally returns to California on a three days trip. The endeavor, was commissioned in 1978 to replace the challenger which was destroyed in a takeoff accident, after that, it made 24 more trips many of them to assemble the international space station. The first ever trip by a spaceship through a metropolitan area. It is a complex process which is going to involve a sizeable team of engineers, who will be ensure the route used is the best possible, without too much disruption. It is going to involve a lot of restructuring and moving

Learning plan 1500 work(assignmnet 2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Learning plan 1500 work(assignmnet 2) - Essay Example It encompasses the preoperative phase, preanaesthetic checkup, psychological support, explanation of the procedure, nausea and vomiting prophylaxis, preparation of the patient, pain relief, postoperative monitoring, and postoperative care. Thus this should also involve nursing care in the preoperative phase and late postoperative phase (Riley and Peters, 2000). A patient who intends to receive surgical care, in most cases surgery is the last resort. Where alternatives are available, these patients usually go through nonoperative measures, until a stage reaches when the surgeon advises surgery. Surgery although very sophisticated in the present era of technological advancement, is a mutilative procedure, and consequently, most patients have apprehension about the procedure. The patients who present are usually patients with general surgical conditions, such as, appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hiatal hernia, inguinal hernia, intestinal diseases, thyroidectomy, so on and so forth. Before the surgery, the surgeons undertake investigations for fitness of anesthesia, and they explain in detail about the procedure. A preanesthetic checkup is done. On the day of surgery, the patients are advised to remain in empty stomach, and they are given certain preoperative medications (Willman and Johnsson, 1994). Research has suggested that nursing can play important roles in both pre and perioperative care. Preoperative apprehension and anxiety have been attributed to be playing important roles in incidence of perioperative nausea and vomiting, which can be very distressing and may even continue into the immediate postoperative phase leading to aggravation of postoperative pain and discomfort (Malen, 1986). Nurses through their empathic communication skill cam assess this situation, and they can explain the situation with greater detail with an attempt to answer all the

How does Arthur Miller Utilise the marriage of Elizabeth and John Essay

How does Arthur Miller Utilise the marriage of Elizabeth and John Proctor to reflect the events that unfold in Salem in his play The Crucible - Essay Example The play opens in the home of Reverend Parris where the night candle still burns in the breaking morning light and is symbolic of the new beginnings for the town and its people. Yet, these beginnings are filled with tension and mistrust. People are gathering and something is amiss. Act I opens at the preachers home and the characters introduced are a cross section of Salem. The characters are infused with the fear and paranoia that runs through the room. John Proctor still has feelings for his mistress, Abigail, while the towns girls are flirting with the sin of dancing. John Proctor is in the room and we learn he is married when he scolds his housekeeper to return home where "my wife is waitin with your work" (22). Proctor also reports that people are streaming into town and comments that "The towns mumbling witchcraft" (22). Another sign of new beginnings is Proctors past affair and attraction for the young girl Abigail, and his newfound commitment to his wife. When Abigail assumes that Proctor has come to see her, she is in disbelief when he replies, "Abby, youll put it out of mind. Ill not be coming for you more" (23). The use of the nickname Abby instead of the more formal Abigail indicates a familiarity that Proctor still carries with him in his heart. The language is stark and utilitarian reflecting an almost biblical tone that signifies the religious roots of the problem. The town of Salem is undergoing a significant change, while Proctors marriage is also evolving. In respect to the action in the town, and the accusations of witchcraft, Proctor wishes to remain uninvolved in the same way he wishes to remain uninvolved with the young Abigail. Just as witchcraft is perceived as a deep-rooted evil for the town, so is Proctors past affair an issue of trouble for his marriage. Yet, he cannot hope to remain aloof from the

The Political Economy of Japan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Political Economy of Japan - Essay Example His paper highlighted the remarkable transformation of Japanese business practices. Japanese corporations have adapted the "Choose and Focus" strategy which "enabled Japan's leading corporations, previously diversified to an exceptionally high degree, to become leaner, more nimble, and more competitive at home and in the global economy" (Schaede 2008). They did this by shedding non-core businesses and by repositioning for leadership in targeted technologies. This strategy was said to be completely opposite to Japan's previous industrial architecture but it has surprisingly created fresh market opportunities both for start-up enterprise and for foreign investors (Schaede 2008). It has challenged existing companies out of mediocrity and complacency, through series of mergers, acquisition and hostile take-overs (Schaede 2008). More importantly, this transformation was observed to have been rooted in the component and material industries rather than in consumer products (Schaede 2008). G enerally, the more lean Japanese business has proven to be an effective and competitive strategy and this is the fundamental transformation that the author is talking about. Another social scientist, T.J Pempel mentioned about fundamental transformation in the Japanese economy. It is our goal in this paper to examine if what T.J Pempel refers as a fundamental transformation is the same as that of Schaede's. Pempel mentioned at least three changes in Japan, things with regard to its political system, to its economy and to its international relations. In the political arena, the noticeable internal fragmentation of the Liberal Democratic Party, its loss of a parliamentary majority and executive control, and the introduction of a new electoral system for the Lower House of the Diet has spelled the end of the party (Pempel, 1998). Second of these changes is the economic slowdown of the once forward-heading economy. These economic turnaround from an unrelenting success was brought by the collapse of both the stock and land prices, five years of almost zero growth, international downgrading of the Japanese bonds and the collapse of numerous financial institutions among others (Pempel 1998). He also mentioned the changes in international relation, with particular focus on an apparent sibling rivalry with the United States primarily triggered by the economic competition. This competition was sh own in series of trade and market disputes. Since the paper of T.J Pempel was written a decade before that of Schaede, we can say that they are talking about different scenarios and different type of transformation. But, it is analytically obvious that the Japanese transformation mentioned by Ulrike Schaede had its origin in the political, economic and international relations changes by Pempel. Therefore, they are not mutually incompatible arguments but are complimentary. In fact, the 2008 paper of Schaede is a support to the premises of Pempel, revealing that Japan was able to move forward from the transformation that it experienced a decade ago. The fundamental business transformation of Japan was a