Lockheed management Essay Example for Free

Lockheed management Essay We examined the decision to invest in the Tri-Star project by forecasting the cash flow associated with the project for a volume of 210 planes. We also asked what a valid estimate of the NPV of the Tri-Star project at a volume of 210 planes as of 1967 would be. We found this to be -$584 M. This was clearly an unacceptable NPV for capital budgeting on the project. A break-even analysis revealed that the project reached economic break-even with the production of 275 planes at . 5 M per unit but did not reach value break-even at that level of production. Despite industry analysts predicting 300 units as Lockheed’s break-even sales point, at this level, net present value remained insufficient to cover costs at negative $274 million. If the company had performed a true value break-even analysis, management would have realized that roughly 400 Tri Star aircraft (about 67 per year for six years) costing somewhere between $11.75 million and $12 million per unit would have to be sold in order to break even. The investment decision made by Lockheed to pursue the Tri Star program was not a reasonable one. A true value analysis shows that at the production level of 210 units, the project would result in an economic loss of $584.05 million and a profit loss of $480 million. In addition to miscalculating the break-even level of production, Lockheed management overestimated the growth rate of air travel industry.

Perceptions of ESL Teachers in Taiwan

Perceptions of ESL Teachers in Taiwan SYNOPSIS This study investigates ESL program teachers experiences, perceptions, attitudes and use of classroom assessment in Taiwan. It is aimed to explore teachers understanding of classroom assessment and their assessment strategies; moreover, to examine whether there are any relationships between teachers experiences, perceptions and use of classroom assessment in private ESL schools in Taiwan. Thirty teachers across three private ESL schools were surveyed using a questionnaire. Among 30 teachers, 4 teachers volunteered to participate in the semi-structured interviews. Data collected from questionnaire and interview provides the researcher with an insight into teachers perceptions, attitudes and use of assessment methods in their classroom. The results show that ESL program teachers were positive about the effectiveness of classroom assessment and formative assessment strategies and had a tendency to use positive feedback to encourage learners to improve their language ability. Most teachers had more than 3 years of teaching experience in teaching English and placed focus on formative assessment in order to meet schools policy, learners needs, and parents demands. There is a need to do further research in such unique educational context, so-called ESL schools in Taiwan, to explore teachers difficulties and needs; moreover, to provide support, such as teachers in-service training, which may lead to benefiting learners. Aim This mixed methods research is designed to investigate ESL private school teachers perceptions, attitude and use of classroom assessment in Taiwan. Two instruments are used in this research, including a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, to explore teachers experiences, attitudes, and perceptions of classroom assessment and their own assessment strategies. Rationale and context This study has been motivated by two factors: first, in 2010, Dr. Rea-Dickins introduced the central characteristics of classroom assessment in Language Testing and Assessment (LTA) course, such as providing learning opportunities for learning or language awareness and nurturing language, which helped me to gain new knowledge about the concept of assessment for learning, in terms of formative assessment. After reading several research studies in relation to classroom-based assessment, I recognize the benefits of assessment, particular with formative assessment, and how teachers can monitor learner progress, inform teaching and support learning through using multiple assessment methods in the classroom. I have the desire to understand whether English teachers use various formative assessment methods, such as teacher and peer feedback, scaffolding and assessment to help learners enhance learning or they mainly focus on grading and recording learning progress. The second factor is related to the fact that we have relatively little knowledge at ESL private school teachers classroom assessment practice and their understanding and attitude toward assessment in Taiwan; moreover, this is an area in which it appears that may have an impact on young learners in learning English. Assessment plays a central and important role both in teaching and learning. Teachers use their own assessment practices, which may have the potential influence on their learners learning, to assess and improve learners language ability. In addition, assessment is synonymous to exams and tests for most teachers, pupils, and parents In Taiwan where traditional paper-and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"pencil assessment remained as the main source informing learners learning (Yip, 2005). Edelenbos and Kubanek-German (2004) also point out the assumption that formal testing is generally referred to the only assessment methods a teacher uses. McNamara (2000) noted that traditional paper-and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å"pencil language assessment and performance assessment are two major forms of assessment. In other words, English teachers tend to use the latter to know how their learners use their existing language knowledge related in a given context and to measure learners language ability at the end of a certain period of teaching and learning through the former. As can be seen, the notion of assessment is generally associated with testing and it seems to be under-developed in fields of applied linguistics and general education. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate how English teachers perceive the concept of classroom assessment and what assessment methods they use in their classroom in Taiwan. 1.2.1 English learning environment in Taiwan In 1997, the Ministry of Education (MOE) implemented educational reform and introduced the Nine-Year Integrated Curriculum (NYIC) which has greatly influenced the syllabus and materials design of elementary and high schools in Taiwan. One of the major changes is that pupils, who used to begin learning English in junior high schools (age 11), start to learn English as a Foreign Language in grade 3 (age 9) in elementary schools. English instructions were officially incorporated into elementary school education which brought more business opportunities on English learning and teaching due to the increasing demand for English learning. Such changing situation has also impact the age of learning English in Taiwan, where children now start to learn English at an early age. In addition, according to The Guidelines of English Learning Area in Grade 1-9 Curriculum, the new English syllabus reflects a more communicative orientation and places focus on teacher-learners interactions. It also aims to create an enjoyable learning environment to motivate learners to speak English in English classroom. This appears to suggest that teachers should use more formative assessment methods, in terms of encouraging learners to improve learning and providing more language learning opportunities to them. Furthermore, learners are expected to achieve three goals in Grade 1-9 Curriculum: To equip with basic communicative competence and apply it into real-life situations. To develop learning strategies and be able to learn language effectively and autonomously. To gain knowledge about foreign cultures and be able to respect different cultures. The adjustment in English curriculum is consistent with the current trend in research studies of English as an Additional Language (EAL). Teachers are acting as supporters to scaffold and motivate learners to enhance learning during the whole learning process. In addition, Taiwanese government empowers local schools and teachers to choose teaching materials, such as textbooks, to meet learners needs; moreover, it begins to value pupils individual differences. By doing so, teachers may be able to choose appropriate tasks and activities for their learners and focus on individual learning. As can be seen, teachers are now generally increasing the use of formative assessment strategies to assist learners learning in the classroom in Taiwan 1.2.2 Formative Assessment in language classrooms in Taiwan Generally, English teachers in Taiwan are required to correct all the errors in all students work, including worksheets, textbooks and practice books, due to the pressure from the schools and parents. Such demand from schools and parents is one of major sources of pressure for teachers in Taiwan. As can be seen, teacher feedback, particularly with written feedback, appears to be seen as one major part of teachers routine work. Huang (2006) reports that in Taiwan most English teachers use teacher feedback, as a formative assessment method, on learners grammatical errors in writing. In addition, portfolio assessment is a common assessment tool used by English teachers in Taiwan. Tsai (2004) and Wang (2002) both indicate that teachers use portfolio assessment as an instrument to assess learners achievement rather than improving learning; moreover, Wu (2007) points out that instead of using portfolios assessment in a formative way most teachers use it for summative purposes, in terms of recording each learners achievement. Furthermore, Yip (2005) reports that traditional standardized tests remain the main source of informing and measuring learners learning for most English teachers in Taiwan. As can be seen, the potential of classroom assessment may not have been identified in the language assessment literature and assessment has not reached its full potential in English classrooms in Taiwan. Organization of this research In the next chapter, literature on relevant issues involves definition and functions of classroom assessment and assessment of young learners are reviewed. Methodology of data collection and analysis and a discussion of ethical, validity and reliability issues are introduced in Chapter 3, followed by the presentation of the findings and discussion derived from the results of both questionnaire and interview data. Chapter 5 summaries the research findings and provides limitations and future research. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 5.1 Introduction This research has explored teachers attitudes, perceptions, and use of assessment in classrooms. In this chapter, limitations of the study will first be discussed, followed by Implications for pedagogy and this study. 5.2 Limitations of the study There are several limitations and problematic aspects in the methodology. First, one limitation in this research is the small size sample (N=30) which may influence the reliability of the result in relation to the correlationship between teachers years of teaching experience and their assessment methods. Size of the sample is vital  for an accurate estimate of the relationship between variables. In addition, without classroom observation, it is difficult to examine teachers day-to-day assessment practice and the whole process of assessment. Observation plays a significant role in confirming teachers interview responses with their actual assessment practice in the classroom. Follow-up interviews are also important in gaining some insight into the behavioural patterns and assessment practice of teachers during the assessment process by providing explanations of their instructional and diagnostic behavior and assessment strategies. The involvement of a larger questionnaire sample size, classroom observation and follow-up interviews may lead to increase reliability of the data and a better and completed understanding of teachers assessment practice in classrooms. 5.3 Implications for pedagogy and teacher training All 5 interviewed teachers indicate that they gain new information about assessment through meeting with teachers from the same grade, for instance, all grade 1 teachers have a meeting to discuss teaching ideas and lesson plans once a week. However, there seems to be an insufficiency level of in-service training activities for meeting the needs of ESL program teachers. Teachers recognize the importance of developing knowledge, competence, capacities and classroom assessment strategies in order to improve teaching and learners learning. This may suggest that there is a need to provide continuing professional development (CPD) and training courses to update new knowledge and information, in relation to planning for teaching, practical approaches and assessment, and more importantly to reflect on their own teaching. 5.3 Implications for further research There is a critical need for more studies to investigate ESL program teachers difficulty in implementing classroom assessment strategies in schools and their diagnostic competence, in terms of their observational and interpretative ability, during classroom teaching. Due to teachers decision-making, assessment cognition network (Yin 2005) and teacher diagnostic competence (Edelenbos and Kubanek-German 2004) are key elements in supporting and assessing learners in classrooms. Moreover, their capacities, knowledge and beliefs may have an impact on how they assess learner performance during the teaching and their diagnostic competence, including the skills they use to guess what learners want to say and the abilities to provide language samples of learners language growth, may influence the amount of language learning opportunities they provide for individual learner during the teaching and learning. Furthermore, further research is needed in exploring teachers representation and implementation of classroom assessment to reveal factors which influence teachers perceptions and interpretation of assessment. In addition, ESL program teachers use of the materials, which involve standardized and teacher made tests and a set of assessment instruments, should also be examined, in terms of the reliability and validity of teacher assessment. Finally, the scope of so-called ESL school teachers classroom assessment perceptions and strategies research should be expanded to include other Asia countries, such as Korea and China. 5.4 Conclusion The focus of this research is to investigate so-called ESL school teachers perceptions, attitudes and use of classroom assessment in Taiwan, an EFL context. A mixed methods approach is used to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, including questionnaire and interview data. This study provides a window to reveal how teachers , who aim to enhance Taiwanese learners English ability through adopting ESL curriculum and teaching materials to teach learners in an EFL context, perceive the construct of classroom assessment, their attitudes toward assessment and use of assessment methods. The results show a strong emphasis on formative, as opposed to summative, assessment practice among 30 teachers across 3 private ESL schools; moreover, the data suggests a need for CPD courses to improve teaching and learning and to prevent teachers from suffering burnout and emotional exhaustion.

Special Interest Tourism And Heritage Tourism Tourism Essay

Special Interest Tourism And Heritage Tourism Tourism Essay Special interest tourism can be defined as the provision of customized leisure and recreational experiences driven by the specific expressed interests of individual and group. (Douglas.N, 2001) In earlier days tourism word was termed as mass tourism.Mass tourism was the logical outcome of key social, economic, political and technological influences after the Second World War. Post-war was peace and prosperity, paid holidays, charter flights and cheap oil lubricated the wheels of tourism change (Po on 1993, pg 4). According to Poon( 1997) new tourism is a phenomenon of large scale packaging of non-standardized leisure services at competitive prices to suit demands of tourists as well as the economic and socio-environmental needs of destinations. Large scale packaging has been done by tour operators, airlines and multinational hotel groups who hold significant influence towards political economics of destinations and host communities all over the world. Special Interest tourism as defined by world tourism organization specialized tourism involves group or individual tours by people who wish to develop certain interest and visit sites and places connected with a specific subject. Generally speaking, the people concerned exercise the same profession or have a common hobby Special interest tourism activity includes wide variety urban, regional, well-established and newly emerging contexts. New tourism is a phenomenon of large scale packaging of non-standardized leisure service at competitive price to suit demands of tourism as well as the economic and socio ­-environmental needs of destinations. (Poon,1997) Question 2: How according to Douglas (2001), might this product be described as being complex? Author has chosen Heritage tourism as a product of special interest tourism. Heritage tourism is important for various reasons first of all it has a positive economic and social impact and helps the locals to preserve their historical monuments, museums, canals etc. And according to the study made travelers spend more money and stay more then other type of tourism http://www.indialine.com As per Douglas special interest tourism is a complex phenomenon characterized by flexible delivery, market segmentation and advances in technology affecting management and distribution. (Douglas-2001, pg3). Douglas termed it as a complex phenomenon. It might because of its effect on the current market trend and scenario or it might because of its effect on the communities who deliver the special interest tourism products. This complexity is directly linked with the communities who deliver SIT products. This complexity can be better understood by explaination by Douglas (2001) Douglas says The search for new experiences threatens current investment and provides alternative stresses on infrastructure like roads, transport systems, existing technology and accommodation, and access to sensitive natural locations. Both public and private sectors see problems with small-scale, personalized tourism traffic. (Douglas-200 1, pg 5). With increasing complexities in ones life these days, people are perpetually looking for a medium through which they get some peace of mind. This is where another science, that of meditation and spirituality comes into the scene. Meditation and Yoga are synonymous with India and Indian spirituality. Meditation is one of the most important components of Yoga, which is a mind-body therapy involving a series of exercises. http://uk.travelmartindia.com/india-culture.htm Question 3: Identify the reason for the growth of your example of SIT. Link your discussion to factors such as trends in consumer behavior and tourism industrys search for competitive advantage? The reason for the growth of heritage tourism is nothing but its the changing trend in the consumers taste. From mass tourism it is very specific segment of the tourism who wants to explore the historical aspect of the monuments etc. Heritage tourism basically attracts consumers which are really willing to know countrys historical events, battles, monuments etc. The reason for the growth of heritage tourism is increased leisure activities, high consumers. Educational tours has been organized by various institutes to heritage attractions, to encourage their students to learn more about their country past instead of reading these historical buildings, monuments on books. Media promoting the growth of heritage tourism through televisions worldwide and encouraging more more international tourists towards their countrys heritage attractions. Indias culture is like a rainbow of multiple facets which accommodates music, dance, performing arts, paintings and literature in itself which have gained recognition and fame from every comer of the world. Foreign tourist arrivals in India have grown from 6.9 percent in 2000 to 13.2 percent in 2005 for heritage tourism http://rwww.indiaenews.com, The growth of heritage tourism is directly linked with the growth of Indian economy. From mass tourism now its been specific tourism. as there is development in the country its led to the flow of tourist. Interest towards heritage tourism is very basic. As india is a place where there are many thing has happened, it is national movement, other historical movements, monuments like Taj Mahal, Mythological importance- there was Ramayana and Mahabharat kind of mythological events happened In india that automatically attracts attention of modern people to see the monuments and places. Questions 4: Who has responsibility for providing this particular type of product or service and to whom? (Note the latter requires you to examine what is the typical consumer profile of your SIT product?) It is the responsibility of the government and other intermediaries involved in tourism to make aware people about the site, places, monuments, and services and facilities at the place should be improved. The Indian tourism department looks after the publications distribution of promotional literature on India, information brochures for the tourists with the collaboration of Travel agents, tour operators, network of hotels, airlines, media, newspaper etc. The Tour operator service is to providing information related to travel to domestic or international tourists and arranging travel itineraries, hotel bookings, travel arrangement and combining all this into complete package. Sometimes, they also suggest tailor made itineraries to suite their guest requirement. These tour operators also work in close contact with various travel agents to arrange all above services. Both tour operator and travel agent work together in providing above services to a traveler in India. Tour Operators can be classified as Inbound Tour Operator and Outbound Tour Operator. Inbound Tour Operator provides services with in a country and Outbound Tour Operator arranges itineraries for travel outside a country h ttp://www.tourismdiary.com India receives largest number of overseas tourists from the United Kingdom, followed by United States, Sri Lanka, France, Germany, Canada, Japan, Australia, Singapore etc as a Heritage tourist. http://www.indiainbusiness.nic.in So not nationally it is internationally attracts the people to come and visit the places of historical importance in India. So it is the national and international both segment that has to be explored , attracted, and invited by providing better facilities, and infrastructure, and security by the government of india, state government, and other intermediaries of heritage tourism and local people too. Questions 5. Is there a link to sustainable development here? If so how? Sustainability in tourism-special interest tourism and with special reference to heritage tourism in India is not a big issue. Author believes that it is the basic facilities and infrastructural development that will keep the interest of the tourists towards heritage tourism in India. This heritage product is such kind of product of special interest tourism that is being treated as basic of tourism. People generally moves out to see the heritage properties of the country first compared to other product of specialized tourism. Sustainable tourism is an essential meaningless construct if the external context, and its effect on sustainability, are not taken into account in the planning and management of destinations and business. (Weaver-2006, pg 22) The above statements by Douglas refer to potential threats, which can disrupt the growth of wine or food tourism to a large extent. Every business should take into account external forces like climate, politics, social unrest and war before planning and making strategies. But the nature of wine tourism is self-sustaining.Wine-related tourism is therefore a significant factor in sustainable rural development, most obviously through the creation of jobs, the sale of local merchandise and the potential for creating linkages with other local business. (Douglas-2001, pg 320) Viticulture also has the capacity to provide sustainable land use in previously uneconomic agricultural areas, while tourism can help support the viability of agricultural diversification and m aximize the returns on existing viticulture. (Douglas ­2001, pg 322)

Frankenstein Versus Frankenscience Essay -- Mary Shelley Frankenstein

Frankenstein Versus Frankenscience The story of Frankenstein. A story that I, myself, have been familiar with for a good part of my life. It is most popular among horror film fanatics and becomes one of the most desired stories to be told around Halloween. Some see it as a well-told story of a man and his monstrous creation. But is there something deeper? Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein, gives light to many truths about the era of modern science. She is using Victor Frankenstein and the monster to play out the roles in a drama that can become all too real. In this paper I would like to focus specifically on the story of Frankenstein and the three integral parts; knowledge, power and the notion of a god-complex; that can be related to the modern era of science. As the story begins (in the excerpt that is to be focused on in this paper) Victor Frankenstein is telling his story. Victor is a young man who, with great determination, spends two years of his life working to create a being in the likeness of man. He decides that the nature of the being should be tall and large in stature and then, in the pursuit of ultimate success, collects the necessary items to begin his project. With these "fibers muscles and veins," he begins his work (Shelley 231). Victor is determined to create "animation upon lifelessness."(Shelley 232) And yet, he doubts. He doubts himself as being capable enough to take on such a gargantuan task. Yet, he presses on. As the years pass, Victor becomes confined to his work space. Seasons pass and family and friends are left by the wayside. His determination keeps him from giving up in a multitude of failures. It is not until one November night that Victor to life. The thought of renewing l... ...l and scary thing. It has the potential to save lives, cure diseases and, now, create new lives through the act of cloning. Humans are the ones who make these advances possible. They are the creators of science. Therefore, it is relevant to take a closer look the qualities that force humans to act a certain way. Knowledge, power and the notion of a god-complex are three qualities that can posses humans to a capacity that can be both healthy and deadly. Victor Frankenstein provided us with a scenario that can only serve to make us think about our own knowledge about science, the power we hold, and the way in which we let those qualities rule our lives. Works Cited Shelley, Mary. "Frankenstein." The Presence of Others: Voices and Images That Call for Response. Eds. Andrea A. Lunsford and John J. Ruszkiewicz. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2000. 231-235.

Using Love to Justify Sex in A Very Short Story Essay -- Very Short St

Using Love to Justify Sex in A Very Short Story    At first glance unusually normal, at second glance unusually striking, the title "A Very Short Story" reveals Hemingway's perception of a perhaps unforgotten war experience. Man went to war. He met woman. They spent many nights together. They considered marriage. He went home without her. She moved on. He moved on. The end. The story, the relation of events, is indeed short. This is not eternal spiritual love; instead, this is the animalistic, barbaric sexual act- sex and love for the sole purpose and convenience of sex itself. Then it is over.    The story begins on "ONE HOT evening in Padua" (Hemingway, 65), "hot" relating to passionate feelings, and "evening" as the perfect time for an affair. The reader can deduct from the reference to Padua, a city in northeast Italy, that perhaps the character is at war, and in fact, this is confirmed in the fourth paragraph with a reference of an "armistice" (65). The main character himself is referred to as "he", though, knowing the author's biographical history, and presence in the war, "Hemingway" is a presumable substitution. "They" (65), his war buddies, "carried him up onto the roof", they carried him because he was injured, but also, as "the others went down and took the bottles with them", very likely intoxicated. There, he and the female figure, "Luz" meet, she "sat on the bed", and "was cool and fresh in the hot night". Immediately, alcohol, guy and girl, a rather convenient bed, and a "hot" night left alone on the rooftop combine, forming a passionate love affair.    So, who is this Luz? Well, apparently, as she was "on night duty" (65), and she was the one who "prepared him for the operating table", she is a... ...ncoln Park." (66).    Man went to war. He met woman. They spent many nights together. They considered marriage. He went home without her. She moved on. He moved on. The end.    It is a short story, and it is a simple one. Simple attraction of the opposite sexes. Simple sex. Simple break up. Simple recovery. Without the talk of marriage, it resembles any animal mating ritual on the Discovery Channel.    Interesting that the story ends with the onslaught of gonorrhea, as the cycle is continued, and thus, the simple recovery transforms magically to painful consequences. Perhaps, in Hemingway's own life, the simple recovery of losing a mistress after the war transforms and somehow contributes partly to his own suicide many years later.    Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. "A Very Short Story." In Our Time. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1925.

Angry Men

Although the movie has a well written plot and moral, it is very tedious and uneventful because of its setting, situation, and pace. In a Jury room with twelve men with ranging personalities, eleven men want the Jury to be over as soon as possible so that they can continue on with their lives. The protagonist, Juror 8, sets out to change the presumed idea that the boy Is culpable and forces the careless eleven Jurors to discuss the evidence.All twelve men have their own situation and knowledge that ties in with evidences, and numerous hours have been spent for the helve angry Jurors to finally agree that the boy Is not guilty. The entire film, having a running time of 96 minutes, took over one continuous period of time and in one place, the Jury room, which made It uneventful and dull. The movie was also extremely slow. Even though the twelve characters of the film intensely fought for and against their opinion, the result was predictable.The moral of the film, that the society Is li ke a flock of sheep, Is agreeable to the general public today. The movie says a lot about human nature and character. Each of the twelve Jurors Is forced to make Individual decisions, stating their own rationale and prompt thoughts, Instead of Individuals being dominated by various people In a group. When each juror slowly changes his mind, others followed, one after another.This demonstrates that the society Is Like a flock of sheep, where people are too easily Influenced or led to following others In the flock. In other words, It shows that even the smallest things can affect our decisions (one against many). Also, even If this film might have been popular at the time It was released, (having an overall rate of 9 out of 10, also awarded and nominated for numerous awards) It Is too dated to be popular today. Movie genres such as action and science fiction are becoming favored today, as opposed to classic movies In the past.In my pollen, despite the well written plot and moral, the film was still tedious and uneventful because of Its setting, situation, and pace. The pace of the movie Is very slow, also taking place In one continuous location. Although It Is time consuming, 12 Angry Men rigorously sets out to solve the conflict ND clearly points out whether the boy who killed his father Is guilty or not. The moral of the story, that society Is Like a flock of sheep, expresses how society Is appears. 2 Angry Men By Yemeni out to change the presumed idea that the boy is culpable and forces the careless twelve angry Jurors to finally agree that the boy is not guilty. Of time and in one place, the Jury room, which made it uneventful and dull. The of the film, that the society is like a flock of sheep, is agreeable to the general public The movie says a lot about human nature and character. Each of the twelve Jurors is forced to make individual decisions, stating their own rationale and prompt thoughts, instead of individuals being dominated by various people in a group.When each that the society is like a flock of sheep, where people are too easily influenced or led to following others in the flock. In other words, it shows that even the smallest things can affect our decisions (one against many). Also, even if this film might have been popular at the time it was released, (having an overall rate of 9 out of 10, also warded and nominated for numerous awards) it is too dated to be popular today. Opposed to classic movies in the past.In my opinion, despite the well written plot and moral, the film was still tedious and uneventful because of its setting, situation, and pace. The pace of the movie is very slow, also taking place in one continuous location. Although it is time consuming, 12 Angry Men rigorously sets out to solve the conflict and clearly points out whether the boy who killed his father is guilty or not. The moral of the story, that society is like a flock of sheep, expresses how society is Angry men I believe in the beginning the 2 main Jurors who were basing their decisions on prejudice were mainly Jurors #3 and #10. Juror #3 more based on prejudices of young men, particularly because he had such a horrendous relationship with his own son, I feel like this case really hit him close to home and really affected him In a personal way. I believe he let his feelings got In the way of his logical thinking and was practically projecting the anger he had towards his son towards the young men on trial, who had been accused of a horrible crime against his father.Juror #10 was more prejudice of the young suspects race, making statements like; â€Å"You know how they are,† and â€Å"They're all the same, all born liars†. I guess In a way he could have been using reverse discrimination because he wasn't at all prejudice about the Individual or what the witnesses said during their testimonies. But I really don't believe that Juror #8 was using reverse discrimination but was pos sibly more interested and paid more attention to the small details of the case then the other jurors.He simply brought up other points that some of the other jurors didn't catch ND just couldn't think of until brought up by Juror #8. I don't think it should have been a hung jury because it's not like all of the Jurors made a decision and stuck to it, people were changing their votes, slowly but surely, therefore I don't think it should have been a hung jury. Some of the persuasive pieces of evidence are first and foremost the knife, the witness saying it was a rare knife that was one of a kind, and juror #8 went out and proved that.Another piece of evidence was the blueprint of the other man's apartment, which pretty much proved the older gentlemen would eave been able to go out and check everything he said he did. Juror # 1 aka the foreman was a pretty good leader and kept the Jury organized and as focused as possible when things got a bit too out of hand. Juror #2 was more of a sh y individual who would voice his opinion whenever he needed too. Juror #3 was a bit out spoken and was a very angry and very easily excitable person. Juror #4 was more of a quiet but confident person, and had a very serious demeanor.Juror #5 was a man who said he was from the slums but he spoke when he felt attacked or when he felt something regulatory was said about the young man on trial based on where he was raised. Juror #6 was a very respectful man, who stood up for the elderly man when he felt people were trying to intimidate the older gentlemen. Juror #7 seems Like he TLD really care about the case but more worried about the ball game which he had tickets for. Juror #8 was the one who pretty much stood up against the rest of the Jurors based on his thoughts and beliefs. He stood up for the boy when everyone else thought he was guilty.It took a lot of courage to not only stand up against what everyone else was saying, but also to sway the vote of the Jury In the opposite direc tion. Juror #9 was the older gentleman, who was fairly quiet except for when he really wanted to get his opinion in. Juror #10 was a more racist individual and really didn't like the young man on trial from the get go, saying he was â€Å"one of them† and lust basing his vote on his dislike of â€Å"them†. I don't really recall too much or juror remember that Juror #12 was a marketing agent and he seemed rather distracted from the case.I don't really feel like any of them have my style of communication, and oneself I don't even feel like it would be close to any of them. But since I had to pick one I would more than likely say Juror #8 Just because I feel like I am pretty good and looking at the small details and usually pretty good at persuading people. Answering this question is tough, especially since I literally didn't see any part of the case. If I was on the Jury I would have probably voted along with every other of the Jurors because it seems like to me the defe nse team didn't do a good Job in this case.But I loud have probably been persuaded along with the rest of them as Juror #8 would have pointed out facts that the defense wasn't able to point out. In a case like this I believe having a more than amazing defense team is way more important than if your truly guilty or not. A great defense attorney wouldn't have let any of the Jurors go into the Jury room thinking that boy had committed any type of crime, and if they thought he committed a crime right from the get go, a good defense team would have put a doubt into their mind, and make them rethink those guilty thoughts.

Good Behaviour Game Essay

Managing the classroom is an important part of efficient teaching. This research study aims to introduce the Good Behavior Game in the classroom to assess its effectiveness in the promotion of positive behavior and curtailing disruptive behavior among students. The strategy is an empirically-based group behavior management technique. Many studies have shown the usefulness of the Good Behavior Game in discouraging disturbing and disruptive behavior in students in a variety of school settings. The objective of this study is not solely to reinforce ‘good behavior’, instead it aims to reinforce voluntary control over attention and reduce the susceptibility to accidental negative reinforcement from peers in the classroom. Implementation of Good Behavior Game on the Students of First Standard Introduction Class room management is one of the most important aspects of Educational psychology and is closely related to motivation, respect and discipline. This term is used by teachers and psychologists to describe the process of running a classroom without disruption despite of disruptive behavior by the students. It also implies the prevention of behaviors that are disruptive in nature. Disruptive behavior is linked with subordinate or lesser scores on high stakes tests and low academic success overall (Wentzel, 1993). Brophy elucidates the term classroom management as a teacher’s efforts to create and uphold the classroom environment as an efficient place for teaching and learning (Brophy, 1986). Maintaining the classroom environment involves teacher’s efforts to provide activities for students that are both inside and outside of the classroom setting. This might include academic instruction, management of student interactions and supervision of student behavior (Wright, 2008). A study conducted by Merret and Wheldall advocated the point that for some teachers controlling behaviors of multiple students at the same time proves to be a difficult task. The study showed that teachers were unhappy and concerned about the level of disruptive behavior in their classrooms, because they were unaware of the knowledge of behavioral classroom management theories and strategies to address behavior in order to put into practice specific behavior modification strategies (Merrett & Wheldall, 1978). The research conducted by Wesley and Vocke showed that less than half of teacher pre-professional education programs (37%) necessitate students to complete a course designed to formally address classroom management approaches, techniques, and assessment of the methods (Jones, 1996), (Wright, 2008). Disruptive behavior projected by students is seen as a major concern while providing optimal learning and teaching environment. Many strategies and interventions have been used in order to tackle this issue and provide better class environment that is well managed. Effectiveness of behavior modification has been proven through research and behavior analytic approaches have been employed in many settings (Bellack & Hersen, 1990). These approaches address various target behaviors that include verbal, motor and combination of both motor and verbal behaviors. These approaches have been implemented in classrooms by teachers as they are the ones maintaining the environment of the class. Our research study focuses on how effective such strategies can be, when used by the teachers, to manage disruptive behaviors and maintain the protocol of the class. The stress is on the teacher as he or she is the constant variable in the classroom (teachers do not change or alter their behavior everyday) and can act as an effective behavior change agent. There is a growing need for efficient interventions that effectively deal with the behaviors of multiple students at the same time. Doing so is necessary because it ensures optimal learning and teaching environment that ultimately results in a more developed and aware students with better capability to make sense of the world around them. The Good Behavior Game The Good Behavior Game is a strategy used to manage behaviors in the classrooms that employs giving rewards to children for avoiding disruptive behaviors during instructional times. The class is divided into two teams and a point is given to a team for any inappropriate behavior shown by one of its members. The team with the lowest number of points at the Game’s end each day wins a group reward. If both teams keep their points below a predetermined level, then both teams share in the reward. The program was first used by Barrish, Saunders, and Wolf in 1969. Since then several research articles have confirmed that the Good Behavior Game is an efficient means of increasing the rate of desired behaviors while decreasing disruptive behaviors in the classroom. The Good Behavior Game sees the classroom as a community. The teacher is essential to the Good Behavior Game, because he or she determines the rules for becoming a successful student and member of the community and also sets whether each child succeeds or fails. The Good Behavior Game improves the accuracy with which the teacher delivers and the student receives these rules, and by doing so improves the teacher-student interaction and the child’s chances for success. Initiation of Good Behavior Game in classroom settings shows that the better behaved children were observed to influence and socially integrate the children who behaved less appropriately thus promoting healthy competition inside the class among students. Rationale This research aims to introduce the Good Behavior Game in the classroom to assess its effectiveness in the promotion of positive behavior and curtailing disruptive behavior among students. The strategy is an empirically-based group behavior management technique. Many studies have shown the usefulness of the Good Behavior Game in discouraging disturbing and disruptive behavior in students in a variety of school settings. The objective of initiating the Good Behavior Game is not solely to reinforce ‘good behavior’, instead it aims to reinforce voluntary control over attention and reduce the susceptibility to accidental negative reinforcement from peers in the classroom in order to develop an atmosphere of positive peer pressure, reduced inattentiveness and prevention of disruptive, disturbing and destructive behaviors in the class. Type of Experiment The study conducted includes elements of an observational study and a quasi experiment. Initially the students were observed and the frequency of desirable and undesirable behaviors occurring in the class was noted down. After the initial assessment, once the rules of the game were employed in the classrooms, the study was continued as a quasi experiment where we gauged whether the implementation of the game has any effects on the students’ behavior. Work Plan The experiment was conducted over a one month time period. The breakdown and time schedule is given below: For the first three days the classrooms were visited and the children and the teachers were observed; how the teacher deals with disruptive behavior in general, how often the students indulge in undesirable behavior, how other students react to the misbehaving students etc. For the next three weeks, the Good Behavior Game was employed in class after initial assessment with the help of the teacher. It was essential for the success of our study that the game continued at all times. Although we were not present in the school the whole time during the three week period, we visited the classes thrice a week to check up on the implementation and to observe if the game was having the hypothesized effects. We allocated two days at the end of the study to meet with the teachers and head of the school to debrief them about the study and get feedback as to how they received it and whether they, as professionals, saw any merit to implementing the game full time in their school. Good Behavior Game: Our use of the technique on First graders The school chosen to implement the study on was The City School, Kindergarten III, Gulshan Branch. The school comprised of students of the first standard. The technique was implemented in five steps. We modified the certain aspects of the Good Behavior Game: we had four groups in a class instead of two groups, the reward was given after every two weeks instead of every day and the game was played continuously through the school time instead of certain specific periods. There were two major reasons to implement the study on the first grade: First being that the first grade is a major transition for both the students and their families, that is, the first grade is generally the first place where all the children interact and that at this level behavior problem can be easily identified. Secondly, the first-grade classroom is well-suited for interventions, like the Good Behavior Game, that focuses on inculcating the role of students in classrooms. First grade is the first setting outside the home where many children learn the social and behavioral skills they will need to succeed in school. The first grade is also a good setting in which teachers can be provided with certain techniques to manage the class efficiently. Before the steps were employed in the classes a detailed observation of three days was carried out inside the classes in order to gauge the following aspects: The level and the amount of disruptive behavior; What is considered as bad or disruptive behavior; General time duration of the class; The time wasted in dealing with the disruptive behavior; Total time spent teaching every day; Attitude of the teachers and the level of student-teacher interaction. After the observation was made, the steps to incorporate the Good Behavior Game were put into action. The steps are as follow: Step One We discussed with the class teachers of the five sections if they were comfortable with employing Good Behavior Game inside their classes. The whole purpose of the study was explained to them and they were asked to decide whether the game should be played in certain periods or at all times. We explained to them that to see the hypothesized effects it should continue at all times so they agreed to implement the game full-time in their classes. The teachers were also asked how they defined disruptive behavior and what behaviors they would want to decrease in their students. Then the views of teachers and our observation were incorporated together in order to decide what behaviors are to be labeled as bad or disruptive. The list of behavior that we decided upon is: Leaving one’s seat without permission; Talking out loud during study time; Name calling; Fits of uncontrolled laughter; Speaking without raising one’s hand; Step Two The other step was to decide upon proper rewards that would be given to the winning teams. This was time consuming because the rewards should effectively motivate students to take part in the game. Thus six students from every class were interviewed about what would motivate them or push them to study harder and to avoid bad behaviors. This was an interesting part of the study as we got to know the perception of children about what they considered a gift or a reward and that how very important is it for them to win it. There were two rewards that were finally decided with the help of the teachers, students and our observation. The rewards that were decided are: Movie day Longer recess Step Three The third step was to introduce the Good Behavior Game to the class. A day before the game was to start it was announced in the assembly that a game would be starting in every section of the school. The students were told that they would be judged on the basis of their behaviors. The rules of the game were explained to the students which was and the identified bad behaviors were asked to be curtailed in order to win the rewards. The teachers were then asked to divide the class into four groups. For the sake of building camaraderie among students they were allowed to name their groups. The students were told the rules of the Good Behavior Game which were: The teams that would engage in bad or disruptive behaviors would earn a black star; In order to win the teams had to earn as few black stars as possible; If the number of stars for all the teams stays below six then they would all share the reward with the winning team. Step Four The fourth step was to put the game into effect. During those times that the game was in effect in the classroom, the teachers were asked to continue their usual instructional practices. The only change in the routine for them was to note and publicly record any black star earned by either of the teams. Teachers were given a chart to put stars on. The teachers were also asked to praise the students when they tried to avoid bad behaviors and tried to exhibit appropriate behaviors. Step Five The final step of our study was to observe the classrooms during the course of the game. Detailed observations were again made. We visited the school five times during the two weeks in which the Good Behavior Game was in action. Observations about the following were made: The level and the amount of disruptive behavior; General time duration of the class; The time wasted in dealing with the disruptive behavior; Total time spent teaching every day; Attitude of the teachers and the level of student-teacher interaction; Level of students’ interest in the game. Observations and Findings There was a noticeable drop in the level of disruptive behavior in the classroom as many students associated bad behavior with a black star, which was undesirable. While on the other hand, many students started behaving nicely to earn a golden star. Both positive and negative reinforcement was in action. The students learnt how to function as a member of a team. Level of cooperation was observed to rise within the students. It was observed that the teachers were less stressed and their moods were more pleasant when compared to before. Few children were scolded on the basis of disruptive behavior. Better academic attainment was seen, especially because teachers used the time made available for instruction and learning. Female students had much lower rates of disturbing and disruptive behaviors when compared to male students. The reward at the end of the game was seen as a major factor motivating the students to avoid engaging in disruptive behavior. The total teaching time per day in the classes increased around a good 20-30 minutes when compared to before. This happened because the time wasted in dealing with various disruptive behaviors decreased, resulting in more time available for the teacher to teach. It was observed that the age of the teacher also played a key role in the level of disruptive behavior in the classroom. The younger the teacher, the more the level of bad or undesired behavior in the class. The protocol for the discipline set by the school management was enhanced as more students tried to avoid those behaviors that were not allowed in the school rules. It was observed that after the initiation of the Good Behavior Game the environment of the class became more cheerful and students were more excited to learn. This meant that Good Behavior Game enhances the learning environment. It ensures maximum student-teacher interaction to provide better opportunities for the students to learn more openly. Good Behavior Game is more effective when compared to punishment in order to reduce undesirable or disruptive behavior in the class. Promoted healthy competition inside the classroom. Better behaved children were seen to influence and integrate the children who engaged in disruptive or inappropriate behavior. It was noticed that such classroom management technique enhances the teacher-child relationship. A student more easily identifies with his or her teacher and is less afraid to express what they think. The level of class participation increased. Students were actively engaged in learning and receptive to what their teachers taught them. Benefits of Good Behavior Game The Good Behavior Game is easy to implement and can benefit every student in the classroom. It cuts down on classroom distraction and benefits everyone and can help to create a positive and comfortable learning environment. To base the behavioral expectations for the Good Behavior Game on the school-wide expectations may facilitate students to generalize their appropriate behaviors across other settings. The Good Behavior Game is affordable and easy to put into practice. It does not involve extra class time to play. It is ideal for use in individual classrooms, throughout the school, or even throughout entire school districts. Its implementation is so easy that it can be brought into play effectively in almost every setting in the school, and even on the bus. The Good Behavior Game engages parents and caregivers in classroom activities too, so as to make sure that the effect of the game is not limited to the classroom but also other places where the children go. The Good Behavior Game works well with children whose first language is not English, which means that it can be implemented almost everywhere and that the scope of Good Behavior Game is not limited to only those children who are fluent in English. Also, the behavioral strategies in the Good Behavior Game support group based reinforcement for self-consciousness of disruption and aggression. Not only is the scope of this game limited to troublesome children but the game also extends as an effective resource for youth with special needs. Limitations Current developments in educational and psychological fields encourage positive approaches to improve children’s behavior. The Good Behavior Game remains an important tool for teachers struggling to manage classroom behavior yet the limitations remain. The study that was carried out had several limitations. The results that came out from our current observation showed that the students could have been at a good behavior because of the presence of outside observers in the classroom instead of the Good Behavior Game. Examination of the data suggested that this effect, if present, remained at a consistent level whenever observers were present in the classroom during the examination periods. However, this effect might not be present when observers were not present in the classroom, hence this effect might not be consistent throughout the study. To rectify this, future research should be implemented in a way that observations could be conducted in a less obvious method so as to give a natural and consistent result throughout the examination period. The teacher of the class thought that the preparation and involvement in the Good Behavior Game would require extra time and ingenuity and that extra burden would be placed on her, since she had also to prepare regular lessons. Due to this, the teacher was quite reluctant in helping and assisting us in the observation. Another problem, that was perhaps not as serious, concerned teacher observation of behaviors. No signaling system was used. The teacher had to become alert and talk about the behaviors in addition to continuing to conduct regular classroom activities. Spotting the target behaviors did not appear to be difficult for the teacher except when she faced the blackboard or talked to individual students. However, it should also be noted that since the teacher knew the students for a couple of months, for her, some behaviors would be quite normal and she might not have been able to identify them in an unbiased manner. Another problem that was faced was the time constraint. The observations were only carried out for six days which are inadequate to reach proper results in Good Behavior Game. Because the Good Behavior Game is typically played during instructional time, there is a decrease in disruptive behavior during this time, that is, the class is quieter so the teacher can be heard so the results might not be the ones if the game is played in another setting. Also it can be argued that classroom environment focuses on appropriate skill development rather than reductions of troublesome behavioral excesses. Conclusion Over all the Good Behavior Game is an excellent approach towards classroom management. It enables the teacher to control the level of disruptions inside the class and to engage the students in a healthy activity. During the course of our research we analyzed that the early years in childhood education matter a lot and if proper attention at this stage is not given then these behavioral problems might become ingrained in the children and result in pathology as they grow up. GBG uses the concept of reward instead of punishment which is a more efficient approach to reinforce behavior. Through this the students not only learn to avoid disruptive behavior but in the mean time also learn appropriate manners and the art of functioning in a group. References