City Council Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

City Council Paper - Essay Example Motorist ought to be offer with relatively safer, smoother and structurally sound roadway system. This will reduce the traffic congestion on the road. Even though an inconvenience to the daily routines, road construction is fundamental to ensuring that the underlying motorists are offered with safer and functional roads. The pressing issue and reason for the present traffic congestion rests on the underlying want of the citizenry to understand and exercise substitute method of transportation. In progressive towns such as Bloomington, citizens with vision of future possess the capability of raising the consciousness of the status quo (Black, pp34-87). Bloomington residents have interest in the present alternative Transportation by offering bicycling community with a network of user friendly commuter lines and paths. The City Planning Department ought to be swift in offering bicycle commuter lines on under advanced tracts of land, develops an opportunity to enhance alternative transpor tation, recreation and preserving open space corridors. Nevertheless, large scale efforts demand coordination at all the prevailing levels of administrative coupled with comprehensive planning vision. The achievement of the underlying vision does not merely end at the quality of life issues. Comprehensive alternative transportation and recreation plans will promote economic advancement (Black, pp34-87). The city is aware of the inherent value that such strategy might have on the marketing Bloomington, tourism and strengthening economic advancement. The problem of sustainability of the Transportation Alternative such as bicycle paths have rise numerous and diverse interests. Sustainable development will only be achieved when Bloomington implement an effective alternative transportation strategy for its citizens. Nevertheless, the effective process of such projects that can sustain development is still skeptical. The considerable strive

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance Essay

Impact of 360 Feedback on Job Performance - Essay Example The paper tells that the 360Â ° feedback approach gathers behavioral observations from many sources within the organization and includes employee self-assessment. The individual completes the same structured evaluation process that superiors, project team members, peers, and, in many cases, external customers use to evaluate performance. Survey questionnaires, augmented by a few open-ended questions, typically are used to gather information. Then, the summary results are compared against organizational strategies, values, and business objectives. The feedback is communicated to the individual with the assistance of the company’s human resources department or an outside consultant. The present research has identified that at present, this technique is used by a growing number of firms including General Electric, AT&T, Mobil Oil, Nabisco, Hewlett-Packard, and Warner-Lambert. Usually, multisource feedback is collected for managers or supervisors, but it could be collected for an y employee, with the raters depending on the employee's role in the organization. Multisource ratings are not always collected from all possible sources. For instance, sometimes only upward ratings are collected (i.e., subordinates are asked to rate their supervisor). Multisource ratings are collected through surveys using the computer, telephone, in-person interviews, or paper-and-pencil questionnaires. The survey may be administered annually or more often.

Emerging Economy Of Russia Essay Example for Free

Emerging Economy Of Russia Essay Since Russia suffered the economic crisis in 1998, its economy has grown steadily. The growth has been attributed to investments, consumer demand, the prices of oil and cheap ruble. Since the financial crisis, Russia’s financial position has improved, with the poverty level declining and the middle class improving. The country has the third largest oil reserves in the world, thanks to the earnings from the oil exports, which have enabled it to increase the oil reserves. It also enjoys a bilateral market access agreement in partnership with the United States, with its companies involved in acquisitions and mergers at a global level in the oil, metals, telecom and the gas industries. (The economy of Russia, 2008) The aim of this essay is to describe what it has taken Russia for its economy to emerge to what it is today. Its also purposed to find out how its economy has benefited from globalization. The start of Russia’s economic growth Economics is one part of globalization, and it has been argued that it carries with it major changes in all walk of life. Anthony Gibbons said that, â€Å"globalization is an irresistible force, transforming all aspects of contemporary society, politics and the economy. † Howard says that many writers have expressed the hope that it eventually leads to the introduction of world wide western-style, democratic institutions and human rights. Concerning globalization in Russia, he says that it has had long ambient feelings about its place in the world. Russia focuses its attention towards Europe, Asia, and the Islamic world and at the same time is able to concentrate on its economy. It has been called a civilization of its own, as at times, it wants to be a civilization on its own and at others; wanting to be associated with the Western world. However, it’s clear that Russia has always wanted to be accepted in the civilized world. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Howard continues to say that Russia was far behind the race for globalization. He gives these reasons as; first, that Russia did not possess the technical wherewithal to compete with countries like India, much less those in the EU of the United States. The second reason he gives is that since the collapse of communism in December1991, the country has been so destabilized and so chaotic that the idea of its being able to join the process of globalization was wishful thinking. He says that for the past twenty odd years, Moscow has had more important priorities. Its focus was on transition, from the old communist to a new, different, and for many years undefined political and economic system. The centre of a globalized economy took second, if not the fourth or fifth, or even a lower place in its priorities. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Later on, the importance of globalization was realized in Russia. It was important, in that there was the hope of it bringing modern technology to the country. Bringing globalization to Russia was however a hard task, facing one problem after another, such as corruption, which made it expensive and hard to operate there. There was also no system of commercial laws and capitalist style work habits, both of which are necessary if a country expects to create modern, capitalist, multinational organizations and be competitive in a capitalist market. Not only did Russia have a little impact on globalization, but until recently, one could argue that the impact of globalization itself on Russia was minimal. The country was too weak and isolated, and besides that, cultural factors played a role. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) The role of the government in Russia’s economic growth When he came to power, Mikhail Gorbachev was convinced that he could revitalize the communist system-that it was not so much as the system, but bureaucratization and Stalinization that had put the country in a period of stagnation. However, Gorbachev’s efforts to invigorate the communist system ended in failure in December 1991, when the soviet’s union flag was lowered over the Kremlin to be replaced by the Russian tricolor. There was a short lived effort to create the â€Å"Commonwealth of Independent States. † (CIS) an organization that Moscow hoped would help keep the USSR together. Later on, it was realized that the CIS existed in name only, as the USSR evolved into fifteen different countries. This forced the Russian federation to go it alone. Vladmir Putin succeeded Gorbachev. He hoped to rebuild the country to the point where the rest of the world would take it seriously. He also wanted the country to have the kind of economic that other countries like India had with the United States. He made it clear that the change would be evolutionary and not revolutionary or cataclysmic as it had been before. He advocated for globalization, but only if it was in accordance to the Russian political culture. He also outlined a number of areas that he believed were important in the management of the countries economy and in the incorporation of globalization such as integrating the Russian economy into world economic structures and engaging in a battle against the economic crimes. Putin’s efforts to influence relations with other countries One of the major goals of Putin was to bring globalization to Russia. He was especially concerned in improving the relations of the country with the U. S. He made it clear that while there might be differences of opinion between the United States and Russia, he was prepared to talk. An example of efforts by the government leaders to improve relations with the U. S was the June, 2001 Foreign minister Igor Ivanov talks with the Bush administration. There were a series of exchanges between Kremlin and Washington, and the two men agreed to meet in Slovenia. The Ljubljana summit had a major, positive impact o the U. S-Russian relations, thanks largely to the personal ‘chemistry’ between the two men. Despite substantive differences, it was clear that the atmosphere between the two countries had improved. The best news however was on the issue of globalization, where President Bush announced that he would support Russia’s application to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), an action that would significantly increase Russia’s interdependence with the rest of the world. Putin put efforts to gain the trust of President Bush, as he would also lay an important role in marching Russia towards globalization. (Wiarda Howard J. , 2008) Trade in Russia After sixty years as an instrument of the state plan, trade in Russia has irrupted as one of the most volatile elements in the present economy and society. Caroline, in her book, â€Å"The unmaking of a soviet life† suggests that the post-soviet Russian economy is dominated by ‘merchant capital’ meaning that the enterprises seek profit from commerce rather than through the transformation of production. In the sphere of production, a lot of the old Soviet structure remains. What more is that the merchant capital does not evolve spontaneously into modern capitalism; rather, like the past alliance of merchant capital with feudal dominant classes, the present cliental links between Russian managers and organs of political power prevent the growth of autonomous bourgeoisie. (Humphrey Caroline, 2002) In Russia, many provinces cannot still balance their budgets. They rely on financial budgets from Moscow, meaning that very generally, money circulates through regional governmental budgets, only to certain parts of the population: key industries (power, transport), state employees (administrators, doctors, teachers), and state dependants (pensioners, invalids, war veterans). Successful traders reap this cash, giving rise to a number of support industries for the rich New Russians, as they are called, such as car-repair firms, security teams, and builders of their new houses. (Humphrey Caroline, 2002) In the historical long duration, Russian state policy towards trade has been characterized by autocratic, centralized control with a few temporary windows of quasi-free trade. Russia’s economic SWOT analysis Opportunities The World Trade Organization is an opportunity for Russia. As a member of the WTO, Russia would be in a better position to diversify and to expand its production and foreign trade. The bulk of international trade is determined by comparative advantage and trade in differentiated products, by economies of scale and by advantages in imperfect competition. Accessions to the membership in the WTO would require comprehensive commitments by the Russian government to reduce its tariffs and to provide greater market access to all of its regions. The implementation of the commitment in the medium term, prescribed by the WTO rules and regulations, would increase long-term economic flexibility within and among the international sectors. In general, the entry of Russia to the WTO would build a body of commercial law in Russia conforming to WTO standards and would foster interdependence between external and internal codes. Strengths Some of its strengths are that it is well endowed with scientists, engineers and mathematicians, as well as with a low cost and a highly motivated young labor force. The availability of such resources has been of importance in the development of Russia’s economy. Another strength of the Russian economy is the diversification of it economy, which has led to the growth of its international trade, and has made it possible to mitigate the impact of external cyclical and oil shocks. (Letiche John M. , 2007) Its massive and exploitable hydrocarbon reserves, precious metal deposits and potentially vibrant industrial base are of great importance in the growth of the Russian economy. Threats On the other hand, one of the threats to the Russian economy is the enlargement of the European Union. Although it seems to be an opportunity to the economy, Russia should not be too sure about it. There is evidence that the EU might be a threat without intending to be one. The problems have become obvious, by looking at the dependency, national identity, regional split and generally cost approaches. The EU has often been looked at by its members as a safe harbor important to reach, and this view proves to be problematic. Greece has been a victim of this, when its economic growth stagnated after joining the EU. Russia should realize that dependency, instead of cooperation is dangerous. Also, the enormous costs of the EU membership for the countries would probably endanger the economic growth of the countries. (Ledderhos Manja, 2007) Weaknesses The economy of Russia has been growing, although the growth rate has been slow. It is said that a growing economy is the best way to show the government’s effectiveness in leading the country. However, there is the danger of an obsession with the economic growth, leading to a neglect of the structural shifts and the quality of growth. An overdependence of Russia to its massive resources like oil and gas could create structural weaknesses within the economy as energy prices fluctuate like it happened in 1998. (Strengths and weaknesses, 2007) Conclusion There is no doubt that the Russian economy has undergone a big change, from the fall of communism in 1991 to the economic crisis in 1998 and the growing economy it is today. However, the government needs to watch the trends of the economic growth. The country has also welcomed globalization, hence the availability a bigger market for it products and more investment opportunities for the foreigners. This means that if the government would expose the economy more to globalization, then there would far greater markets for its oil, gas, metals and other resources. Other countries that have not had the opportunity to invest in the country would also do so. Finally, Russia should put more effort in pushing for their entry to the World Trade Organization as this will be of importance in boosting its trade opportunities with other countries. It would also result to a more or a faster growth of its economy. References 1) Humphrey Caroline, The unmaking of Soviet life: everyday economies after socialism, Cornell University Press, 20022) Ledderhos Manja, SWOT Analysis of Transition Countries in the Baltic Sea Region, GRIN Verlag, 2007, pg 17-18 3) Letiche John M. , Russia moves into the global economy, Routledge, 2007, pg 34 4) Strengths and weaknesses of the Russian economy, 3/1/2007, Russia in global affairs, retrieved on 4/1/2009 from http://eng. globalaffairs. ru/numbers/18/1090. html 5) The economy of Russia (Russia), Spain Exchange, retrieved on 4/1/2008 from http://www. spainexchange. com/guide/RU-economy. htm 6) Wiarda Howard J. , Globalization: universal trends, regional implications, UPNE, 2008

Case study of Elextra-Quik

Case study of Elextra-Quik In Elextra-Quik, the manufacturing manager, Barbara was very happy about her job of problem-solving team leader and her team did a lot of efforts to contribute companys empowerment campaign. But when they were ready to implement the new ideas, they found not only the top manager Martin, but also the middle level managers resisted the ideas. Therefore, this case leads to questions-how a company change to be a learning organisation? What can Barbara do to continue her ideas in the company? In following part, this paper will answer these questions based on three questions. How might top management have done a better job changing Electra-Quik into a learning organisation? What might they do now to get the empowerment process back on the track? According to ECU study book (2011), learning organization is an organization in which everyone is engaged in identifying and solving problems. The characteristics of learning organization are creating shared vision, team-based structure, employee empowerment, share information, participative strategy, adaptive culture and so on. In order to build a learning organization, the whole levels of company staff need to contribute. Firstly, the top management plays the most important role for transfer organization into a learning organization. They need to do a better job on introducing the plans about changes carefully and deliberately. According to Samson Daft (2009) management is the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manger through planning, organizing, leading and controlling organizational resources. So the top management is the maker of companys strategy. They guide the direction of where should company go. When there is a change within organization, some problems can not be avoided, such as resistances from lower level staff. So top management does a good job on introducing change is necessary. They need to introduce the plan in detail to make staff and middle managers to better understand the plan. They can show the evaluation about the advantages and benefits of the change to employees. With that, the plan can be accepted by everyone in the company. In Electra-Quik, Mart in needs to keep enthusiastic all the time and support Barbaras ideas in order to make Barbaras plan can be accepted in the meeting. Secondly, in the process of building a learning organization, the middle level managers and employees also play an important role. Middle level managers are the links between top management and employees; they monitor the changes, collect the feedback of changes and report the effects of changes to the top. Employees conduct the changes and provide the feedback to tops. Generally speaking, in learning organizations, participative strategy emerges bottom up as well as top down. Top management shape the vision and direction, and middle managers and employees support and believe in. They are committed to the vision and contribute to the development of strategy (Samson Daft, 2009, p.59). In Electra-Quik, middle manager should evaluate Barbaras ideas even Martin is absent for meeting and transfer the ideas to their staffs. In order to get the empowerment process back on track, Martin needs to step first. He needs to understand Barbaras ideas again and do a personal appraisal. Then on the companys meeting, he should support Barbaras ideas and support her ideas when Barbara explaining the changes. Also he needs to consult with managers and empower employees to resolve the problem, as well as providing the training. With Martins efforts, the middle managers may change their ideas to support Barbara and conduct the changes in whole organization. Also, Martin can implement self-directed teams as the solution. Self-directed team refer to a multi-skilled cross-functional group of employees who share responsibilities for producing service of product (Rockfordconsulting, N, D). In Electra-Quik, Martin may set up some self-directed teams to conduct the empowerment process, and then they can share the responsibility to get the process back on track. Question 2: Can you think of ways Barbara Russell could have avoided the problems her team faced in the meeting with department heads? Middle management jobs have undergone dramatic changes over the last two decades (Samson Daft, 2009, p.24). Many organizations were expected to downsize their middle managers and slash management levels to become more efficient and facilitate decision-making process and to better adapt to the changing environment as well. The department heads are not favor of this empowerment campaign since they are used to managing the flow of information up and down the hierarchy. But todays middle managers should be responsible for the horizontal network for now most work is organized around teams. In addition, the trend in recent years has been towards wider span of control as a way to facilitate delegation (Samson Daft, 2009, p.37). Compared with tall structure, the flat structure has a wider span of control and is horizontally dispersed, which means it has less hierarchical levels and therefore the organization is able to better respond and adapt to change. Thats why the company initiates the empowerment campaign to let employees more involved in the decision-making process and assume more responsibility and enhance the collaboration. In such a structure, it is easier to build the self-directed teams since more authority and responsibility can be delegated to lower managers and employees. However, the department heads are likely to feel anxious and even threatened by new empowerment campaign. According to Samson Daft (2009, p.373), the attempt by the top management of the empowerment usually gets the deadlock because middle managers are unable to delegate. The possible reasons can be listed as following: They are accustomed to make familiar decisions; they feel they may lose personal status by delegating tasks; they believe they can do better job themselves and they are resistant to change because the performance of each department ultimately rests with them. For Barbara Russell, she needs to consult with each department head before the meeting so as to avoid the problems. There are a number of ways that Barbara could use to resolve the problems. The leading point is that the team must identify the problems first and give their suggestions. Therefore communication plays a significant part. She should talk with department heads to be aware of what issues they want to address and how they address them. After they get the information, they can provide their support in helping them to resolve the problems. For example, the team can come up with a reward plan to encourage each department to solve their own issues and allocate some funds to assist them. The members in manufacturing team cooperate with each other very well, but the final report they presented failed to meet the expectations of the department heads. However, Barbara Russell could have avoided the problems if the top management considered building a cross-functional team at the very beginning rather than just rely on her own manufacturing team. According to Graff et al (N, D), the diverse teams can be more innovative and can develop more precise strategies and have advantages over functional homogenous teams in introducing organizational changes. According to Parker (2003), the competitive advantages of setting up a cross-functional team can be listed as following ¼Ã… ¡they may accelerate the process of problem solving; solve complex problems; more closely to connect with customers and meet their needs; they can produce more innovative ideas; members are more able to share information and facilitate the cooperation among departments. But on the other hand, we cannot neglect the barriers in building such a team since it will increase conflict and competition within the organization with diverse team members. Therefore, the trust and open communication seems significant in a cross-functional team. Question 3: If you were Barbara Russell, what would you do now? Why? If I am Barbara Russell, I will improve own leading skills and make some changes based on six elements mentioned in Figure 1. Figure 1: The web of interacting elements in a learning organization Leadership Participative Strategy Team-based Structure Open Information Strong, adaptive culture Empowered employees Learning Organization Leadership(p534) In a learning organization, as a leader of team, Barbara should focus on using personal power and empowerment to manage the team, and try to be a democratic leader to influences and motive the employees. She should learn to share and explain the company vision, facilitate teamwork, initiate change and expand the capacity of people to shape the future. As a middle level manager, she should pay more attention to try to make the team member to understand the company objectives and goals, and be a bridge of communication between employee and top management. In a learning organization, Barbara also should be a transformational leader, who can create significant change in both followers and the organization (Samson Craft, cited in bass, 1995; Devanna Tichy, 1986; EastmanPawar, 1997). Leaders in a learning organization have three distinct roles: 1) Create a shared vision 2) Design the structure 3) practice servant leadership (Samson Craft, 2009). Barbara should work to fulfill employees n eeds and goals as well as to achieve the organizations larger mission. Communication In this case, the department heads complained that changes would destroy the carefully crafted job categories, and $500 refunds would create unethical behaviors, and industrial spy because of bad communication between top management and departments. Here, the communication means two-way communication including horizontal and vertical, exchange information between departments or team. Barbara should practice more active listening skills to interpret and feedback the information and give some suggestions or recommendations to help other departments to figure out the problems. Team work Self-directed teams are the fundamental unit in a learning organization (Samson Craft, 2009). Barbara has to her roll from a traditional manager to a coordinator or consultant to control with team members in stead of control over them. Meanwhile, Barbara should understand that the jobs and objectives are based on team-based structure instead of individual input and effort. Barbara should work with other departments and subordinates as a team. Empowerment Traditionally, managers take all responsibility for the whole departments. Now in a learning organization, all employees are authorized to participate the decision making while the leadership is changing to be transformational. Barbara should change her roll to adapt the changing situation and give all team members the power, freedom to make decision and perform effectively. Also Barbara should use more personnel power and empowerment to motivate employees. Participative strategy Learning organizations have permeable boundaries and often are linked with other organizations, give each organization greater access to information about new strategic needs and directions (Samson Craft, cited in McCune, 1997). Basically, participative strategy means organization sets up the link of the whole supplier chain to share the information internally and externally. With the globalization of business, information becomes more and more important. To some extent, successful companies depend on the most updated information like lasted technology. Barbara should share the information timely and participate the whole link to get the most updated information to achieve the company goals. Culture In this case, one of important purposes of hiring new CEO is to rebuild the company culture. Top management realized the previous culture focused on hierarchy and centralization, which did not adapt the change of environment and became an obstacle to develop the company. As a leader of manufacturing, Barbara should learn and help to build the strong, adaptive culture within the manufactory, and influence other departments as well. In conclusion, Barbara should change the leadership style into democratic and transformational leader, and self-improvement of leading skills in order to adapt the learning organization culture. She has to change her roll in new culture as well, and try to be a consultant, servant and helper within the team, and improve the skills of communication to share the information in time internally and externally. Finally, the company can be successful to transfer from the traditional organization to the learning one. Conclusion Overall, learning organization is very important for todays companies. In learning organizations, all the people are committed to a vision, learn and share information. With that, the whole company will be more efficient and effective. In Electra-Quik, the paper also provide solutions for top management and Barbara to solve the problem when they conducting the changes and empowerment process.

J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings - Frodo Baggins as a Christ-Fi

J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings - Frodo Baggins as a Christ-Figure J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings has delighted readers since its publication owing to its author's skillful development of his fantastic realm and its inhabitants adventures therein. In fact, Tolkien is rightly regarded as the father of the modern fantasy genre, and it often seems all fantasy imitates his work in some way. However, as readers return to the work, it often becomes apparent that the work is more than a simple escapist journey into an imaginary world; the work represents the finest traditions in literature and rich grounding in Tolkien's study of language and mythology. Equally surprising, though, Tolkien himself admits that the series is a "fundamentally religious and Catholic work†¦"[1] To the casual reader, Middle-Earth, the setting, seems a world devoid of religious practice, Christian or otherwise. Unsurprisingly, Tolkien added that the religious aspect about which he spoke appeared "unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision," and that "the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism."[2] Therefore, an investigation into probable sources of Christian symbolism leads to questions of characterization and its most obvious target: Frodo Baggins, a Christ-figure. The protagonist of the story, Frodo Baggins is a Hobbit, a small humanoid creature, short in stature and big in appetite. As soon as Tolkien introduces him in the first chapter, Frodo's status as a Christ figure emerges: "Anyway: there was this Mr. Frodo left an orphan and stranded," gossip Frodo's new neighbors when his uncle Bilbo adopts the him.[3] immediately, Frodo possesses two important characteristic of any Christ ... ...ery land of Mordor, conquering an evil which seems far greater than himself. In doing so, Frodo makes up for carelessness of the nations of Middle-Earth who in their sloth allowed the evil to rise up, despite forewarning of the danger. In all these things, there exist clear similarities with Christ who undertakes a similar goal, vanquishing the evil of sin from the world with total selflessness, compassion, and determination. In the end, Frodo admits admirably, "I tried to save the Shire, and it has been saved†¦."[6] [1] Tolkien, J.R.R.. "To Robert Murray, S.J." 2 December 1953. The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. Ed. Humphrey Carpenter and Christopher Tolkien (Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1981) 172. [2] Ibid. [3] Tolkien, J.R.R.. The Lord of the Rings (Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston, 1954) 31. [4] Ibid, 217. [5] Ibid, 309. [6] Ibid, 309.

An Inspiration :: Personal Narrative Writing

An Inspiration â€Å"Just try it. It couldn’t hurt to try,† my high-school advertising teacher constantly reminded me. Mrs. Panarelli wanted me to apply for a scholarship given by the business department in my school. I thought about all the other applicants; I had no chance whatsoever. I decided to express my feelings to her. In doing so I noticed a solemn look come across her face. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, â€Å"I don’t want you to be intimidated by the other students, their averages, or their SAT scores; this is a very good opportunity for you.† Finally, she convinced me to apply for it. I had to write a resumà ¨, an application letter, and schedule an interview. To my surprise, this was a big deal for the business department. When going on the interview, one had to dress as if applying for a job. The amount the scholarship awarded was not very much, just enough to recognize your accomplishments in this field. Like Nicholas Gage, the author of â€Å"The Teacher Who Changed My Life,† his Ms. Hurd was my Mrs. Panarelli, â€Å"the teacher who would become my mentor and my muse† (187). Both teachers find their students’ interests and shape them to achieve the highest standings in their chosen field. With motivation and compassion, both Nicholas and I worked endlessly to prove our potential to Ms. Hurd and Mrs. Panarelli. In a myriad of ways, the teaching methods of both my advertising teacher and Nicholas’ English teacher are similar. Before I set foot into Mrs. Panarelli’s illuminated classroom, I had never been interested in majoring or even succeeding in the field of business. Advertising II, in my school, was an elective which was well known as a â€Å"time sucker,† meaning it was an easy course that would only help your average and fill up your schedule. To be honest, like every other student in the class, I did not take it seriously. However, it became serious when I was made aware of the grades I was getting. Something didn’t seem right. I was not â€Å"slacking off.† I was doing my work well, perhaps not to my potential, but I wasn’t getting the grades I expected. Many times I would look around the room at others and what their work was like, and I couldn’t believe it.

Assessment Of For And As Learning Essay

Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. Teachers’ Roles in Assessment of Learning Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide  ?a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular point in time ?clear descriptions of the intended learning ?processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill ?a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes ?public and defensible reference points for making judgments ? Transparent approaches to interpretation ?descriptions of the assessment process ?strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as  occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING Assessment for learning focuses on engaging students in classroom assessment in support of their own learning and informing teachers about what to do next to help students to progress. Assessment for learning is assessment for improvement not assessment for accountability as can be the case with summative assessments (Stiggins, 2002). The keys to Assessment for Learning (AFL) is to use a variety of assessment tools and methods in order to provide ongoing evidence to students, teachers and parents that demonstrates how  well each student is mastering the identified outcomes. This evidence is used to provide descriptive feedback to the students and to enable the teacher to differentiate the instruction to meet the needs of individual students or groups. ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING VS. ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Gregory, Cameron, and Davies (1997) outline some distinct differences between Assessment for Learning and Assessment of Learning. Educators are using these terms to help distinguish between the teacher’s role as a learning coach versus the teacher’s role of judging the extent of a student’s achievement in relation to an established standard. This assessment is considered summative and is done at the end. 1. Assessment for learning is the big deal, while assessment of learning is the done deal. 2. Assessment for learning is formative, while assessment of learning is summative. 3. Assessment for learning is supportive, while assessment of learning measures. 4. Assessment for learning uses descriptions, while assessment of learning uses scores. 5. Assessment for learning happens day by day, moment by moment, while assessment of learning happens at the end. The assertion is that neither one is better than the other, but both need to be used within a  students learning so that the student is able to understand not only the work that is being asked of them, but also how their own learning occurs. Assessment for learning is intended to be both diagnostic and formative to help students improve their learning. Four critical questions that the teacher must ask when planning for assessment for learning: WHY AM I ASSESSING? If the intent of assessment is to enhance student learning teachers use assessment for learning to uncover what students believe to be true and to learn more about the connections students are making, their prior knowledge, preconceptions, gaps, and learning styles. This information is used to inform and differntiate instruction to build on what students already know and to challenge students when their are problems inhibiting progression to the next stages of learning. Teachers use this information to provide their students with descriptive feedback that will further their learning and not as a sumamtive assessment or to report a grade. WHAT AM I ASSESSING? Assessment for learning requires ongoing assessment of the outcomes that comprise the intended learning. In most cases these are the curriculum outcomes. Teachers create assessments that will  expose students’ thinking and skills in relation to the intended learning, and the common preconceptions. WHAT ASSESSMENT METHOD SHOULD I USE? When planning assessment for learning, the teacher must think about what assessment is designed to expose, and must decide which assessment approaches are most likely to give detailed information about what each student is thinking and learning. The methods need to incorporate a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning. For example, having students complete tasks orally or through visual representation allow those who are struggling  with reading or writing to demonstrate their learning. HOW CAN I USE THE INFORMA%ON? The information collected in assessment for learning is used to report to the student and by offering descriptive, on time feedback and to provide the teacher with information to allow for changes in instruction for individual students or groups of students. ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING Assessment as learning occurs when students are their own assessors. Students monitor their own learning, ask questions and use a range of strategies to decide what they know and can do, and  how to use assessment for new learning. Assessment as learning: ?encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning ?requires students to ask questions about their learning ?involves teachers and students creating learning goals to encourage growth and development ?provides ways for students to use formal and informal feedback and self-assessment to help them understand the next steps in learning ?encourages peer assessment, self-assessment and reflection. ROLES This assessment model supports the view of today’s learners as actively involved in the learning process. Students are educated on the purpose of assignments and the outcomes they are trying to achieve. Hence the teacher and the student both have critical roles in understanding learning outcomes and modifying learning in Assessment as Learning. Teacher Ensuring assessment methods are appropriate and the purpose is clear to students ensures quality and fair assessment practices as per the Principles for Fair Student Assessment in Canada (1993). Beyond choosing the learning outcomes to be covered, the activities to follow and the assessment methods, in Assessment as Learning, the teacher engages the students in this process. In Assessment as Learning, the teacher is a guide, â€Å"Giving them [students] the tools to undertake their own learning wisely and well. † (WNCP, p. 42) Students learn to monitor their own learning and make adaptations as required. In addition to monitoring learning and guiding instruction through assessment for learning, the teacher is assessing the students’ ability to assess themselves as they learn how to assess their own learning. Teachers can follow the following model in order to practice Assessment as Learning in their classroom: (adapted from WNCP, p. 42-43) 1. Discuss the learning outcomes with the students. 2. Create criteria with the students for the various tasks that need to be completed and/or skills that need to be learned or mastered 3. Provide feedback to students as they learn and ask them guiding questions to help them monitor their own learning 4. Help them set goals to extend or support their learning as needed in order to meet or fully meet the expectations 5. Provide reference points and examples for the learning outcomes Teachers are also responsible for ensuring that students have a learning environment in which they feel comfortable and safe to learn as well as have ample time to practise what is being  taught. Student Beyond completing the tasks assigned to them by their teacher, students move from the passive learner to an active owner of their own learning. Initially, with teacher guidance and tools, students learn to monitor if they have understood the learning outcome being explored and the metacognitive process. Once the metacognitive skills have been acquired, students can independently adjust their learning accordingly and demonstrate the â€Å"self-reflection, self- monitoring and self-adjustment. † (WNCP, 2006, p. 85) Extensive and relevant modeling in the questions below can help students reach this point: 1. What is the purpose of learning these concepts and skills? 2. What do I know about this topic? 3. What strategies do I know that will help me learn this? 4. Am I understanding these concepts? 5. What are the criteria for improving my work? 6. Have I accomplished the goals I set for myself? What is self-assessment? According to Boud (1995), all assessment including self-assessment comprises two main elements: making decisions about the standards of performance expected and then making judgments about the quality of the performance in relation to these standards. When self-assessment is introduced, it should ideally involve students in both of these aspects. Andrade and Du (2007) provide a helpful definition of self-assessment that focuses on the formative learning that it can promote: Self-assessment is a process of formative assessment during which students reflect on and evaluate the quality of their work and their learning, judge the degree to which they reflect explicitly stated goals or criteria, identify strengths and weaknesses in their work, and revise accordingly (2007, p. 160). EXAMPLES OF SELF-ASSESSMENT Self-assessment can take many forms, including: ?writing conferences ?discussion (whole-class or small-group) ?reflection logs ?weekly self-evaluations ?self-assessment checklists and inventories ?teacher-student interviews These types of self-assessment share a common theme: they ask students to review their work to determine what they have learned and what areas of confusion still exist. Although each method differs slightly, all should include enough time for students to consider thoughtfully and evaluate their progress. When students understand the criteria for good work before they begin a literacy activity, they are more likely to meet those criteria. The key to this understanding is to make the criteria clear. As students evaluate their work, you may want them to set up their own criteria for good work. Help them with the clarity of their criteria as they assess their own work. Students’ observations and reflections can also provide valuable feedback for refining your instructional plan. As your students answer questions about their learning and the strategies they use, think about their responses to find out what they are really learning and to see if they are learning what you are teaching them. K-W-L (KNOW, WANT TO KNOW, LEARNED) CHART. K-W-L (Ogle, 1986) is an instructional reading strategy that is used to guide students through a text. Students begin by brainstorming everything they Know about a topic. This information is recorded in the K column of a K-W-L chart. Students then generate a list of questions about what they Want to Know about the topic. These questions are listed in the W column of the chart. During or after reading, students answer the questions that are in the W column. This new information that they have Learned is recorded in the L column of the K-W-L chart. Purpose The K-W-L strategy serves several purposes: Elicits students’ prior knowledge of the topic of the text. ?Sets a purpose for reading. ?Helps students to monitor their comprehension. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Donna Ogle asserts that KWL helps students become better readers of expository text and helps teachers to be more interactive in their teaching (Ogle, 1987). KWL charts help students to be active thinkers while they read (Carr & Ogle, 1987), giving them specific things to look for and having them reflect on what they learned when they are finished reading. In learning, metacognition involves the active monitoring and conscious control and regulation  of cognitive processes. It involves thinking about thinking, self-awareness, and self-regulation (Flavell, 1979). The metacognitive strategy of self-questioning is used to ensure that students comprehend the text. When students set their own purposes for reading, they are more motivated and active as readers. Each student has a schema, or a framework for how they view the world. Accessing a student’s prior knowledge is the first step in integrating new concepts into their existing schema. KWL charts help activate background knowledge and provide an opportunity for students to set their own learning objectives.