The Political Parties Of The United States - 940 Words

As we all have known, our world has changed so much. It has been struggling and improving a countless times until now to achieve this peaceful society. For example, the World War one and two, or the Civil War which happened in many countries including the U.S. At first, people may think these fights are unnecessary because nothing can compare to a human being or an individual life, but we cannot accomplish this community without any of them. These wars gave people a definition about human perspective and helped individuals realize that they all have a different mind and different belief that they need to follow. Therefore, there are a couple hundreds of political parties have been created for people to joint in the U.S. Each party has a particular rules and goals that they need to aim. In fact, Republican and Democracy are the two biggest parties in this country. However, there are also many interesting other political party, and one of them is The Canary Party which was establish in the Spring of 2011. In recent human history, mankind has created and witnessed unprecedented changes in the balance between nature and technology. With the advent of the industrial revolution, technological progress has led to profound improvements in human health and quality of life. Important benefits such as improved sanitation and clean water have combined to reduce human mortality and extend the lifespan. As The Canary members recognize these benefits, they also know that technology worksShow MoreRelatedThe United States Political Parties849 Words   |  4 PagesElmer Eric Schattschneider said (1995) â€Å"political parties created democracy, and . . . democracy is unthinkable save in terms of parties†(pg.3). A political party is a group of voters organized to support certain public policies(Dictionary.com). The aim of a political party is to elect officials who will try to carry out the party s policies. The United States political parties are what many would claim to be the center of the nation s political system, and among the many that believe that wouldRead MoreThe Political Parties Of The United States1183 Words   |  5 Pages There are two major political parties in the United States, the Democrats and the Republicans. The Democratic symbol is a donkey they got this from the colonial times when andrew jackson kept being called a donkey so he started to use it, and we have used it ever since. The republicans got their symbol from Nast. Nast invented a famous symbol the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that Nast that had ran in Harper s Weekly in the year 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion s skin, scaring awayRead MoreThe Political Parties Of The United States Essay1304 Words   |  6 PagesMany people, including the United States, thinks the US is the greatest democracy; but many other countries question whether they are or not because the US democracy only tolerates two political parties. In the 2014 presidential election, there were 52 political p arties that ran during the election. Some examples of the main stream parties were the Libertarians, Green, Constitution, and Reform Parties (Tormsen, 2015). Other parties included the Blue Enigma, Marijuana, NSA Did 911, etc. Although thereRead MoreThe Political Party Of The United States2029 Words   |  9 PagesGroup Report There have been several changes that have happened in the United States for the past 20 years. Firstly, the powers of presidents have been expanding at the expense of both branches, mostly in the Congress. The presidents have been using their executive orders to bypass the Congress from time to time. Follow by the interest group; the social issue such as abortion has been a big controversial topic among pro-life group and pro-choice group and the issue has been settled down by PresidentRead MoreThe Political Party Of The United States Of America1590 Words   |  7 PagesThe nature of the political party system in the United States of America, the oldest democracy in existence, is that the majority party rules. In essence, of the two major contemporary political parties that has a preponderance of votes wins the majority seat or as it is called â€Å"the winner takes all system† and the party that loses takes the minority seat and gets little to no power in the political arena . As a result, there is no representation for any other political party as long as the DemocratsRead MoreEssay on Political Parties in the United States797 Words   |  4 PagesPolitical Parties in the United States There are numerous political parties in the United States and they all have no strict requirements for membership. That means whatever group you want to belong to you can. There are also no membership lists that are maintained. Some of the ways to determine party affiliation comes from voting surveys and public opinion polls. The majority of voters in America consider themselves to be Democrats. Party identification does not mean that who is youRead More Political Parties in the United States Essay2450 Words   |  10 PagesPolitical Parties in the United States When the founders of the American republic wrote the U.S. Constitution in 1787, they did not envision a role for political parties in the governmental order. Indeed, they sought through various constitutional arrangements such as separation of powers, checks and balances, and indirect election of the president by an electoral college to insulate the new republic from political parties and factions. In spite of the founders intentions, the United StatesRead MoreCreation Of The United States And Political Parties2153 Words   |  9 PagesAn Age to Reflect: Creation of The United States and Political Parties Jonah Grier History 100 3/24/16 American history is filled with ups and downs. Starting out with only 13 colonies, America forcibly removed themselves from the one of the strongest empires in the world. Battling against political reform, the subtraction of resources from the motherland, the debt accrued by colonists, and the bank wars, America struggles to create a self-sustaining country. Forced Founders: Indians, DebtorsRead MorePolitical Parties Of The United States : The Democratic And Republic Parties915 Words   |  4 Pages There are two main political parties that dominate politics in the in the United States: The Democratic and Republic Parties. It turns out that these two political parties are opposed to each other on a wide range of issues that affect American public life. Unfortunately, many Americans are unaware of these differences between the two parties and tend to vote their officials into office in an uneducated manner. This often results in the political gridlock that often characterize government businessRead MoreWhy The United States Needs Political Parties3191 Words   |  13 PagesLanguage and Composition February 23rd, 2015 Why the United States Needs to Add More Political Parties American politics have been divided for years by two political parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. These two parties are the two major parties in America and they are the ones that run the American government and decide what is best for the citizens of the United States. On the surface it seems like a great idea to have two parties that each have different views and can represent both

Difference Between Faith And Knowledge - 1561 Words

I enjoyed reading Pascal’s wager so much that I decided to write my paper on him. I’m going to dig deeper into his background and answer key questions like what is the relationship between faith and knowledge? Is faith in god justified? Why? How? In matters of faith and relationship with God, is the question of the existence of God even relevant? Why or Why not? I am going to answers these key questions in the upcoming paragraphs. I will briefly explain the argument of Pascal’s wager and the reasoning behind it. Is there a God? Should I believe in God? People think about this question everyday. Pascal is famous, among other things for his wager argument. It was a groundbreaking theory at that time. It’s basically a risk vs†¦show more content†¦I will continue to defend Pascal’s argue that if you look at the bigger picture, it’s better to believe in God than it is not to believe. Pascal wanted us to make a choice. He was a mathematic ian and physicist. He developed the rules for probability, which we still use today. Which makes a lot of sense because Pascal basically paved the way for gambling. We will answer an important question, What is the relationship between faith and knowledge? Knowledge is both objective and subjective. Knowledge is attained through reason, faith is belief based without evidence, something that cannot be seen. Everything we know is a matter of perception. Science and history is a great example of knowledge and the bible is an example of faith. It makes me think back to one of our earlier classes that we were talking about Locke’s argument that we are born with a â€Å"blank sheet of paper† ideas and knowledge come to us through our experiences and senses. Descartes on the other hand believed that we are born with ideas/knowledge and you use experience to remember them. My view is that the relationship between faith and knowledge is that you should have faith only in know ledge, which you could then attain enlightenment through that because knowledge is wisdom. The older you get, the more wisdom you received. Pascal goes on to mention on page 357, â€Å"Who then will

Attrition Rate of Online Learning Free Essays

string(191) " to learn independently from anywhere at any time, and to construct and acquire learning at their own pace, online education provides many advantages for students beyond the classroom walls\." WHAT INFLUENCES ONLINE CLASSES HIGH ATTRITION RATE by Lora Hines Bachelor of Science in Business Education December 1984 College of Education A Research Paper Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Science in Education Degree Department of Workforce Education and Development In the Graduate School Southern Illinois University – Carbondale December 1, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS ChapterPage I. INTRODUCTION †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. We will write a custom essay sample on Attrition Rate of Online Learning or any similar topic only for you Order Now . 1 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 1 Statement of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 6 Research Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 Significance of the Problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 7 II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦.. 9 Demographics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 10 Best Practices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 16 Student Characteristics†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 24 III. CONCLUSIO NS AND RECOMMENDATIONS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 32 Summary †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 32 Findings . †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 33 Recommendations†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 38 REFERENCES†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 41 VITA†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦52 AN ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER OF Lora Hines, for the Master of Science degree in Workforce Education and Development, presented on December 1, 2011, at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. TITLE: WHAT INFLUENCES ONLINE CLASSES HIGH ATTRITION RATE MAJOR PROFESSOR: Glen Blackstone Online education programs have grown tremendously in the past 10 years. From 1991 to 2006, online enrollments have grown from virtually 0 to over 2. 35 million students. Over 3. 5 million students, or roughly one in every six, were enrolled in at least one online course during the fall of 2006. By 2015, 25 million post-secondary students in the United States will be taking an online class. Universities worldwide are providing some type of online learning by developing courses that are available to both on-campus and off-campus students. Online education is no longer in its infancy. Students, parents, educational institutions, government, and businesses are concerned with the quality of online education. This study focuses on quality and the relationship that exists between student satisfaction and faculty effectiveness. At issue is the question of whether â€Å"faculty effectiveness, as perceived by learners, plays a significant role in learner satisfaction† (Rehnborg, 2006, p. 1). This study reveals that students of varying age, gender, and other demographics value education differently. These differences vary among completers and non-completers, and both groups note differences in the way their instructors implement instructional practices. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Background There are many definitions for online education. These include virtual education, Internet-based education, and Web-based education. For the purpose of this research, the definition of online education is based on Keegan’s (1988) definition of distance education. (a) the separation of teachers and learners which distinguishes it from face-to-face education, (b) an educational organization which distinguishes it from self-study and private tutoring, (c) the use of a computer network to present or distribute educational content, and (d) the provision of two-way communication via a computer network in order for students to benefit from communication with each other, teachers, and staff. Keegan, 1988, p. 4) Kaufman (as cited by Bates, 2005) suggests that there have been three generations of distance education. The first generation used one primary technology-print. The second generation integrated print and other multimedia such as video tapes, television broadcasts, and other forms of broadcast media. The third generation of distance education gave birth to online education. Online education is characterized b y the use of the Internet or video conferencing to create two-way communications, connecting students and instructors. Bates (2005) describes this communication as more equally distributed between students and instructors than in the past. In other words, while students and instructors are still separated geographically, they now have a greater ability to communicate with each other than in past generations. Students have progressively gained the ability to dialogue and use critical thinking skills rather than simple comprehension (Kaufman, 1989). Online education is well established as a viable means of education in both the corporate and academic environments, and it has taken a remarkable pace. A survey undertaken in 2001 of online education instructors conducted by the National Education Association (NEA) indicated that 72% of online learning instructors have a positive opinion about online learning. They believe more students can be reached, learning can be customized and flexible, and interaction can increase among students (Focus, 2001). Online education programs have grown tremendously in the past 10 years. From 1991 to 2004, online enrollments have grown from virtually zero to over 2. 35 million students (Allen Seaman, 2006). Based on reports by over 2,200 colleges and universities, Allen and Seaman estimate growth in post-secondary online education to be more than 10 times that of other post-secondary markets. Over 4. 6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2008 term; a 17 percent increase over the number reported the previous year (Allen Seaman, 2010). The 17 percent growth rate far exceeds the 1. 2 percent growth of the overall student population. More than one in four higher education students now take at least one course online. By 2015, 25 million post-secondary students in the United States will be taking an online class. While that happens, the classes that are taken physically on campus will plummet, from 14. 4 million in 2010 to just 4. 1 million 5 years later, according to a new forecast released by Ambient Insight; a market research firm (Nagel, 2011). Universities worldwide are providing some type of online learning by developing courses that are available to both on-campus and off-campus students. Online education is no longer in its infancy (Palloff Pratt, 2003; Samarawickrema Stacey, 2007). Students, parents, educational institutions, government, and businesses are concerned with the quality of online education. Online or not online has been an ongoing debate, not only for how to preserve the value of human relations but also how to deliver course content. In a traditional or face-to-face classroom, communication and human connections are great assets for knowledge acquisition within a learning community (Allen Seaman, 2010). When a course moves online, communication lines are altered. Non-verbal communication cues disappear, and since students converse at different times, spontaneous interaction is impossible. Even with webcams in which students and professors can see and hear each other, interactions are not the same as in a face-to-face classroom. However, taking into consideration that online education allows students opportunities to learn independently from anywhere at any time, and to construct and acquire learning at their own pace, online education provides many advantages for students beyond the classroom walls. You read "Attrition Rate of Online Learning" in category "Essay examples" We live in a changing population since more and more students entering college have grown up in today’s digital world, they possibly are â€Å"digital natives† whose brains could potentially be wired differently from the previous generation (Prensky, 2001). Draves (2002) lists ten reasons why online learning is more popular and, in his opinion, why it is better, cognitively, than in-person learning: †¢ You can learn at your own peak learning time of day. †¢ You can learn at your own speed. †¢ You can learn faster. †¢ You can interact more with the teacher and other participants. There are more topics and subjects online. †¢ Participants come from around the world. †¢ You can learn from the foremost authorities and experts. †¢ Online learning is less expensive and thus more accessible. †¢ Internet links provide more resources. †¢ You can form a virtual community. Courses taught in an online format hold many challenges for the learner and educator alike (Howell, Williams, Lindsay, 2003). Challenges include the need for computer literacy and navigation skills, greater electronic connection capabilities, and concerns over isolation. Within online classes students must not only learn the course material, but also the technology skills needed to participate in class. The online learning format places the burden on students to initiate the learning process, and assume primary responsibility for the learning experience. It is likely that in this tremendous movement toward online education, faculty members will be pushed to provide more Web-based courses for both their on-campus and off-campus students. Faculty members are concerned with the quality of online courses they are developing and teaching. While the 2000 NEA survey indicated a highly positive opinion of online courses, the faculty members expressed deep concern that online courses take more work, are more technologically challenging, and require more training and mentoring to develop and teach than traditional face-to-face courses (Focus, 2001). Maddux (2004) suggests that the increased competition for universities to offer online courses has caused campus administrators to put forth numerous online courses as rapidly as possible. Many professors, according to Maddux, are less than a technologic expert and find themselves under pressure to produce these courses. Faculty complain that with their workload they do not have time to get adequate training and support from those on campus that provide it. Only 19 percent of institutions with online offerings report that they have no training or mentoring programs for their online teaching faculty. The most common training approaches for online faculty are internally run training courses (65 percent) and informal mentoring (59 percent) (Allen Seaman, 2010). Of the 10 biggest myths about synchronous online teaching, faculty training focuses on technology tools and educational best practices and is of major concern to the professors (DeMaria, Bongiovanni, 2010). Various research studies have found a higher percentage of students taking online courses tend to drop those courses when compared to students taking traditional courses (Frankola, 2001; Oblender, 2002). Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70-80% (Tyler-Smith, 2005, Flood 2002. One major reason to study student satisfaction is completion rate of non-traditional students versus traditional students. . Some educators suggest that the high drop rates should â€Å"disqualify online education as high-quality option to traditional education† (Distance Education, 2001 as cited by Diaz, 2002, para. 1). Researchers cite numerous reasons for attrition in both online and face-to-face courses. Students have work, family, and social commitments. Others lack the commi tment of time or technological skills necessary to persist in the online environment. Other reasons aside, this research paper focuses on quality and the relationship that exists between student satisfaction and faculty effectiveness. At issue is the question of whether â€Å"faculty effectiveness, as perceived by learners, plays a significant role in learner satisfactions† (Rehnborg, 2006, p. 1). Institutions retrieve student end-of-course data from students who persist and complete online courses. A review of the literature reveals a large quantity of material on faculty effectiveness, with numerous recommendations and conclusions drawn from that student end-of-course data. There is relatively little data available from course non-completers. A 1991 study indicated that 75% of colleges and universities use the end-of-course questionnaire as a method of evaluating the effectiveness of their instructors. Though some doubt the validity of student end-of-course questionnaires, most accept the fact that they are useful in providing a measurement of the instructors’ teaching ability and directly reflect the satisfaction level of students (Ramsden, 1991). Statement of the Problem With student diversity changing, higher education institutions are finding that it is necessary to meet the needs and demands of our nontraditional students. However, with the growth of distance learning, rates of attrition have increased significantly (Parker, 2003). Some have reported attrition from eLearning as high as 70-80% (Tyler-Smith, 2005, Flood 2002. ) Carr stated, however, that many higher education administrators believe that the completion rates of non-traditional students are 10-20% higher in online learning. Research Questions The research questions for the paper were: 1. What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? 2. What affect do best practices have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rate? 3. What affect do student characteristics have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rates? Significance of the Problem Online courses are generally the first format of course offerings to fill up during registration. Since many online courses have a high withdrawal rate, it would be beneficial for students to be placed in a course format most conducive to their learning (Dutton, Dutton, Perry, 2002). The identification of characteristics associated with successful online students could provide the necessary information for teachers and admissions personnel to suggest or discourage a student from registering for an online course. A student mistakenly placed into a course may encounter more difficulties and have reduced changes for success compared to an appropriately placed student. With improved technology, students may find it more convenient to take classes online in order to meet their educational needs. Changes in the student population as well as the delivery of the online course at the university may present challenges. Many interconnecting factors contribute to the numbers of students who drop out of distance education courses, many of which are beyond the institution’s control (Rovai, 2002). Rovai (2002) pointed out that this learning-sharing connection among students could provide the learner with a feeling of support from their fellow students. Rovai’s (2002) research also suggested that there might be a possible connection between the sense of community and increased motivation resulting in increased cognitive learning. If individual circumstances affect the ability of a student to continue in an online course and if various curricular delivery and instructional methods contribute to variable outcomes, then the development of online delivery should be researched to determine the best way to serve the needs of the student enrolled in an online course. CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE The advances in telecommunications and the saturation of computers into almost every home in American has drastically changed the way we communicate, the way we store and retrieve data, the way we do research, and the way we socialize. These changes in our day-to-day lives have also obliged us to rethink the way we deliver education. Public, private, and proprietary institutions have come under intense pressure to develop educational systems that are independent of time and place. Within the past 0-12 years, the growth of online course has increased tremendously. The proportion of institutions with fully online programs rises steadily as institutional size increases, and about two-thirds of the very largest institutions have fully online programs, compared to only about one-sixth of the smallest institutions. Doctoral/Research institutions have the greatest penetration of offering online programs as well as the highest overall rate (more than 80%) of havi ng some form of online offering. (Allen Seaman, 2006, p. 2) Along with this growth comes the need to ensure courses are developed with some universal structure and the need for instructors to teach these courses using the best practices in the field. Student attrition is also under the microscope. The government, educators, parents, and students want assurances that online education works as well or better than its traditional face-to-face counterpart. One must understand the background and the best practices and issues that relate to student needs and satisfaction in online education. The literature review will discuss these relevant issues. What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? An extensive reading of the literature reveals that face-to-face instruction includes courses in which zero to 29 percent of the content is delivered online; this category includes both traditional and web facilitated courses. The remaining alternative, blended (sometimes called hybrid) instruction is defined as having between 30 percent and 80 percent of the course content delivered online. A course where most or all of the content is delivered online with typically no face-to-face meetings is considered an online course (Allen Seaman, 2010). Universities want to improve graduation rates and attract non-traditional students by increasing online offerings (Allen Seaman, 2007; 2010). According to the Allen and Seaman’s report, online students may not share the same demographics as traditional higher education students, thus, instructors need to understand the challenges of distance learning when designing online learning experiences. The shift towards offering more online courses will continue to affect higher education institutions in ways that are not yet understood. The benefits (e. g. , convenience for institutions, instructors, and students) and the challenges (e. g. , student retention) need to be balanced to ensure that students’ outcomes of online courses are comparable with those in traditional face-to-face courses (2010). A continuing question that the researcher must consider is among those studying online education has been the issue of student retention. Online courses typically attract students who might otherwise have not been able to attend traditional on-campus instruction, either because of work, family or other obligations. This difference in the nature of the student body has made the direct comparison of the online and face-to-face very difficult. If students tend to drop out of online classes because of work or family responsibilities, does that accurately reflect the nature of the course or the nature of the student (Allen Seaman, 2010)? In a study completed by Dutton, Dutton Perry (2002), the purpose was to determine how online students differ from traditional students? There were two major categories studied. The first class of information related to the external, observable characteristics of the students. These include such things as age and gender, work, academic and childcare commitments commute distance and previous computer experience. The second information category contains preferences or considerations that are less easily observable by an outsider but may have influenced the student’s choice of online versus lecture format. Using the demographic data that Dutton, Dutton Perry (2002) gathered from the student records, it appeared that the gender played little role in the choice format. However, it is clear that older, non-traditional students prefer the online class. The average age of an online student’s age compared to a lecture student was more than five years greater. Nearly two-thirds of the lecture class was less than 22 years old while the same proportion of online section was older than 22. The study also determined that full-time students preferred the lecture course and the part-time students preferred the online. On average the study determined that the online students had greater outside responsibilities and that they live farther from campus. In his dissertation, Bangurah (2004) compared students with passing grades in traditional and online courses. Student’s grades were compared across courses where the same instructor taught both online and traditional formats. Within this study, 3,601 students participated and Bangurah (2004) found that in each course and context, mean GPA’s were highest among traditional students. He also noted females who were enrolled in web-based courses outnumbered their male counterparts by nearly two-thirds. This ratio of female to male students was not found within the traditional course setting. The claim that â€Å"the demographic differences between online and traditional students has been duly noted† (Diaz, 2002, p. 1) has mixed implications. For instance, while Gibson and Graff (1992) and Thompson (1998) concluded that online students are generally older, have a higher GPA, and have completed more credits than traditional students. There are several unidentified assumptions. First, these demographic characteristics portray a trend rather than a fixed number. Observing online education over time has indicated that students are getting younger and demographic populations are shifting (Allen Seaman, 2010). The Instructional Technology Council (Allen Seaman, 2010) has reported that in 2008, 52% of students were considered traditional age; whereas, only 46% of students were considered traditional age in 2006. The second assumption is that methods of identifying online students are universal. What constitutes an online student from a traditional student may vary from institution to institution or from course to course. Lastly, demographic characteristics vary largely across the United States and should be taken into consideration when applying theory to practice. For instance, Iowa’s minority population constitutes only 9. 4% of the student population and was ranked the fifth lowest state in terms of diversity in 2007. Thus the number of students represented by any one ethnic category is likely to be very different than population numbers from other states and vary highly from states outside of the Midwest (Iowa Department of Education, 2008). The research should consider the question of student performance and how it has also been further reviewed along lines of gender (Price, 2006; Yates, 2001). Whereas, reviously women were presumed to have an online disadvantage due to access (Kirkup von Prummer, 1997) or family commitments (Wolf, 1998), studies have shown that enrollment is greater among females in online courses and females may in fact be more successful in the online setting (Price, 2006). In her study, Price (2006) sought to uncover gender differences in female and male students who are enrolled in online courses. In order to do so, she compared the same course in both a traditional and online setting. From 2002 to 2004, 1,991 students participated in the study from the Open University. Two questionnaires were utilized to demonstrate course experience and academic engagement. From her study, Price (2006) was able to conclude that women were more likely to outperform their male counterparts in online course settings. In Aragon and Johnson’s study, they found no significant difference in characteristics of age, ethnicity or financial aid eligibility of students enrolled in online classes. Once again, they found that gender had significant association with completion and non-completion in online courses. Their findings were that females completed at a higher rate than male students in an online but not face-to-face courses (2008). Additionally, it is worth noting that the thought that online instruction is eliminating many of the barriers to education for all students in general and indicated through student interviews (2008). The interviews determined that the self-reported reason for non-completion of an online class was personal and time constraints which accounted for 34% of the reasons for non-completion of their online courses, compared to 100% of the reasons given by the face-to-face students (Aragon Johnson, 2008). Online students often outperform traditional students when success is measured by the percentage of students that attain a grade of â€Å"C’ or above, overall classroom performance (e. g. , exam scores), or student satisfaction (Diaz, 2000). When comparing the characteristics and success of online and traditional students, Diaz found that online students received twice as many â€Å"A† grades, while traditional students received twice as many â€Å"D† and â€Å"F† grades in a general health education class. The online students were also more satisfied with multiple aspects of their course as demonstrated by their responses to an 11-question satisfaction survey. While online students generally fared better in overall grades and grades on exams, they also dropped the course more frequently: a 13. 5% drop rate for online students versus a 7. 2% drop rate for traditional students. As Diaz noted, â€Å". . . it seems very clear that students who enroll and persist in an online course will fare at least as well as their on-campus counterparts† (p. 95). While the use of surveys in conjunction with empirical data can often provide a more complete picture, surveys as a sole means of predicting student success and learning has been less than successful (Hall, 2008). Employing two different survey instruments, Hall (2008) attempted to uncover which instrument would be the most accurate in determining online student success. Two hundred and twenty-eight students participated in the study which encompassed three regional community colleges in the Midwest. These students were all enrolled in at least one online course in the following areas: business, computer information services, criminal justice, and early childhood development. Hall (2008) found that the class categories were a better predictor of student success than either of the two survey instruments. In fact, the surveys showed little than 8% accuracy in predicting final grades for these students. If online students typically possess characteristics that research has linked with academic success (e. g. , older age and more academic experience), why are they less successful in terms of persisting in a class for the full term? One possible answer is that we may have mistakenly defined â€Å"drop rate† as a characteristic synonymous with â€Å"academic non-success. † However, I believe that many online students who drop a class may do so because it is the right thing to do. In other words, because of the requirements of school, work, and/or family life in general, students can benefit more from a class if they take it when they have enough time to apply themselves to the class work. Thus, by dropping the class, they may be making a mature, well-informed decision that is consistent with a learner with significant academic and life experience. This explanation would be consistent with their demographics while calling into question the idea that these students are academically unsuccessful or possess inferior academic abilities. In act, a case could be made that many of the students who earn â€Å"D† and â€Å"F† grades would be better served by dropping a class. By doing so at the appropriate time, some might increase the likelihood of a successful academic career. For example, they would obviate the need to retake a course immediately, and dropping the class would not adversely affect their GPA, perhaps helping them to avoid academic probat ion. (Diaz, 2000, p. 3) What affect do best practices have on non-traditional (online) students? An extensive reading of the literature reveals numerous significant approaches to improving online courses. One method is determining what may contribute or detract from a student’s success in an online course is to take a customer/business approach to the question. In other words, what is the business doing and what is the business doing that is satisfying the customer? This approach would lead researchers to look at central themes of investigation in determining the factors that contribute to or detract from student success. First the researcher must determine what aspects students perceive are important to producing success in online learning. In the customer/business approach, it is a given that a satisfied customer is the end-point from which one works backwards to build a successful business. The literature indicates that student perceptions, attitudes, and satisfaction (Biggs, 2006; Clayton, 2004; Valasidou Makridiou-Bolusiou, 2006) are almost certainly key in the development and instruction of online courses. According to Pearson and Trinidad (2005), hearing from students is essential to learning about what works and where improvements should be made in the future. It is the business/customer model applied to online education. Secondly, the research should consider how educators are conducting their online courses. The scholarly literature reveals that researchers are finding several central factors related to student perceptions and the methods instructors are using to teach and design their courses. Palloff and Pratt (2003) concisely define these factors as (a) instructor support, (b) a sense of community, and (c) an appropriate use of technology in the online setting. However, there continues to be instructor support as well as a sense of community in the traditional classroom as well. Instructor Support The foregoing conclusion for a number of years in education is that the greater the amount of instructor support, the more successful students will be in understanding and achieving the learning objectives of their courses. Sahin (2007), and Valasidou and Makrdiou-Bousiou (2006) all agree and suggest that a major predictor in online courses is instructor support. In the online environment, students have come to expect instructor support. As an example, data from a qualitative study conducted by Motteram and Forrester (2005) revealed that students have more or less unwittingly come to believe that because of the nature of online learning as being any-time and any-place, instructors are available on a 24-7 basis, able to respond at any hour. Students not only expect instructional support, they expect it in a more expedient manner than the face-to-face student. Another example that indicates students want and need instructor support comes from a study by Ice, Curtis, Phillips, and Wells (2007) who conducted research from Spring 2004 through Summer 2005 with 26 master’s level students and 8 doctoral students in online courses to determine if there is value in using asynchronous audio feedback in grading student work. The researchers were attempting to determine what effect, if any, the use of audio feedback might have on increasing students’ success in online courses. In this study, five research questions were posed to determine (a) whether students preferred audio or text feedback, (b) to what degree audio feedback is an effective replacement to the interaction that takes place in a face-to-face course, (c) how audio feedback improved a sense of community, (d) in what manner is perceived learning impacted by the use of audio feedback, and (e) what relationship exists between audio feedback and student satisfaction. The results concluded that students believed that asynchronous audio feedback gave them more insight into what the instructor was trying to onvey, students experienced an increased feeling of involvement, the instructor was perceived as more caring, and content retention improved (Ice, et al, 2007). Again, a major finding of this research revealed that instructor support and involvement created what students described as a caring attitude, and this caring is a key to students’ satisfaction and, ultimately, their success in the online course. Leners and Sitzman (2006) undertook a study with online nursing students by seeking their voice in defining what online caring meant. The research revealed the same conclusions that many other studies ( Irlbeck, 2008, Keengwe, Kidd, 2010) with online students have reported. What students defined as caring was the method and degree to which the instructors interacted with students and the timelines of the communication. Instructor support was, again, a key to student satisfaction. The body of literature exists in large quantities with reference to research studies revealing that both practitioners and researchers agree: Interaction between students and instructors is an important predictor of student satisfaction in online courses. One of the major findings that Chickering and Gamson (1987) in Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education is just as true in online education today. It is good practice to encourage contact between students and instructors. Whether referred to as instructor, tutor, mentor, teacher or technician, students expect support and are more satisfied when they receive support from that individual. A Sense of Community Next to contact between instructor and student is the contact that emerges within what has become known as the learning community. That community represents interaction from instructor to student and from student to student. Research conducted by Motteram and Forrester (2005) suggests that students’ relationships with fellow students emerged as a prime need in online courses. When taking an online course, students often voice feelings of solitude and the fear of learning alone. A need for interaction with other students is just as apparent in the online environment as it is within the face-to-face classroom. According to Garrison and Anderson (2003), social presence has become highly important in online education. Social presence is defined as â€Å"the extent to which students can project their presence online when communicating in the textual milieu in the absence of visual or verbal signs† (Motteram Forrester, 2005, p. 284). Kazmer puts forth that when students come into an online classroom they are really performing for each other, for themselves, and for the instructor. In the absence of visual and verbal cues that are normally found in the face-to-face classroom, students create for themselves an identity, and they need a variety of diverse media for interaction to articulate these online identities (2004). Community within the adult online learning environment may be even more important than with traditional-aged students. A great body of research highlighted by Malcolm Knowles’ (1990) theory of andragogy reveals that one way adults learn is by comparing past knowledge and experiences with current experiences. Stilborne and Williams (1996) further advance the need for community in online education when teaching adult students by suggesting that providing a means for interaction and encouraging adult students to share their knowledge is essential to their style of learning. Adult students have a lifetime of knowledge and experience to share, and finding a sense of community brings this to life. University administrators have known for some time that when students are involved in the campus community, attrition decreases. Eastmond (1995) sensed that an increased dropout rate among online students is directly related to the reduction or elimination of social and visual cures lost in an online course format; conversely, increased online community reduces the attrition rate (Rovai, 2002). Diaz (2002) and Carr (2000) report that attrition is up to 10% higher in online courses than the face-to-face counterpart. As a course design strategy, the use of learning communities has helped reduce this attrition (Diaz, 2002), and when students persist, they become more successful in their learning and persevere to graduation. Not all students are looking for community within online courses, however. Some studies indicate that students do not necessarily desire a sense of community (Brown 2001). In some cases, Brown learned that students simply do not wish to participate or engage in community building, while others participate based on availability of time. Other studies have indicated that students feel they are risking academic rigor if they participate in social relationships or class community building. Based on these views, Liu and Ginther (n. d. ) undertook exploratory study to determine, among other things, if students feel a sense of community in online courses and if that sense of community added to the learners’ engagement and perceived learning and satisfaction. Their conclusion was that there are many positive relationships between sense of community and student satisfaction and perceived learning. No specific agreement between students and instructors emerged, however, on how community building should be undertaken. This led the researchers to further suggest that community building in online courses may not be as intuitive as the advocates of online community might suggest. In other words, community building needs to be intentional; it may not just happen. Analysis and synthesis of the literature explains several things regarding online learning communities. Many students feel that social presence in an online course is essential to reducing their feelings of aloneness and solitude while other students opted for online learning because of the solitude. Still others do not participate in community building for lack of time or fear of lagging behind academically. It may be difficult to distinguish among these groups of students, but a number of instructors and researchers believe that a sense of community helps with retention and, in cases of adult students, adds significantly to the learning and knowledge acquisition process. Diaz (2002) characterized this notion of community by suggesting that good practice would encourage cooperation and discussion among students. The literature illustrates that this principle is present in the online environment as well. Developing community will most likely require concerted design and effort on the part of the instructor. Use of Appropriate Technology Interaction among the participants in higher education, instructor to student and student to student, is generally accepted as fundamental (Liu Ginter, n. . ). This interaction is also considered a condition to student satisfaction (Garrison Anderson, 2003) and decreased attrition (Rovai, 2002). Therefore, as previously presented, just as a sense of community and human interaction are both expected in the face-to-face context, they are expected as well in an online learning environment. The question then becomes, what is the appropriate technology that should be implemented to best facilitate interaction and sense of c ommunity? The two primary forms of technology that have emerged within online courses are asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Hines Pearl, 2004). Synchronous, or real time, interaction requires that students participate at the same time. Asynchronous, or delayed time, interaction does not require students to simultaneously participate (Rose, 2006). Synchronous. Branson and Essex surveyed educators and found that instructors mostly used synchronous communication for holding â€Å"virtual† office hours, brainstorming, community building, dealing with various technical issues, and one-on-one tutoring. The shortcomings of synchronous communications is in the logistics of getting the students together online at one time, students not participating in the faster paced chats because of poor typing skills, and less reflection time for students in formulating their answers (2001). As Hines and Pearl put it, â€Å"Synchronous chats have the advantages of providing a greater sense of presence and generating spontaneity† (2004, p. 34). Synchronous communication, however, is difficult since students may be separated by immense geographic time differences. Maushak and Ou (2007) conducted a study to examine how well synchronous interaction facilitated collaboration among graduate students in their group work. The researchers concluded that students regarded the synchronous interaction with an instant messaging system as beneficial in collaborating on group projects and as very helpful in creating a sense of community. There was not a sense that synchronous interaction would be the appropriate method for communicating full class discussion meetings. Asynchronous. The use of asynchronous interaction lies more in the form of discussion forums whereby students are allowed more time for reflection, where archiving of the discussion can take place, and where all students have the opportunity to participate at a more leisurely rate. Referred to as threaded discussions, these forums generally begin with the instructor or moderator submitting a question for discussion. Students then read the question and comment on it and the threads builds (Palloff Pratt, 1999). Many educators report more in-depth and thought provoking discussion taking place with asynchronous online interaction (Branson Essex, 2001) than occurs in face-to-face classroom discussions. Dede and Kremer concluded that the forums produced richer, more inclusive discussions among students but are more time consuming to mediate and generally do not provide much social interaction (1999). A synthesis of the literature shows that educators have always felt that discussion adds value. Knowledge that participants supply is often thought to add as much value to the discussin as that of the instructor (Addesso, 2000). Knowles (1990) contends that in adult learning the value added by each student is of utmost importance. Physical anonymity in online threaded discussions, according to Sweeney and Ingram, can draw out inquisitiveness, decrease inhibition, and help to bridge the gender gap, thereby increasing interaction (2001). The analysis of the literature draws the conclusion that literature regarding appropriate use of technology in online courses reveals that it is essentially content specific. Asynchronous and synchronous interaction are not mutually exclusive, but asynchronous interaction seems to provide for a higher level of academic and intellectual communication while synchronous interaction appears to be more useful in building a sense of community in the online environment. What affect do student characteristics have on non-traditional (online) student’s attrition rates? An extensive reading of the literature reveals numerous significant approaches to improving online courses. Vincent Tinto 2008), has stated that a wide range of studies have been conducted over the last 30 years that provides definitive data as to what affects high attrition rate. As a result the university administrators have reviewed the findings and implemented a variety of changes, many in student affairs, in order to reduce the attrition rate (Tinto). However, online instruction is here to stay, and the number of online courses has increased, as have the number of conflicting discussions that have attempted to define reasons and solutions for high attrition rate among online classes (Tyler-Smith, 2005). Online students face different issues relating to high attrition rate than do their traditional face-to-face counterparts. As Rovai (2002) stated, online students seem to have very different challenges in which to overcome when attempting to complete an online course which may involve personal distractions, variations in technological abilities, learner readiness, feelings of alienation, the instructor, and fellow students. The research will follow these factors and determine the affects these variables have upon attrition rate in the online world. Personal Conflicts Adult students have often indicated that they were unable to attend a traditional class due to conflicts with work, geographic, or family commitments and found that online classes were more suitable to their schedule. Online courses have been designed by the educator with flexibility in mind, as the student can work at their own pace and schedule without time constraints of the face-to-face class (Galusha, 1997; Kim 2004). However, due to work commitments as well as family, many still find completion of online course restrictive (Galusha). Many administrators believe that high attrition rate is due to the fact that online learners are traditionally older and maintain a busy work and life schedule, causing students to drop classes more often (Carr, 2000). In Carr’s research he observed that many professors noted that they frequently lose students due to work, marriage, divorce, and pregnancy’s. Carr referenced one student’s observation that older students have more clearly defined goals and seems to be comfortable working independently, rather than a younger student more ikely to drop the online class. In a study conducted by Kemp (2002), factors such as â€Å"resilience, life events, and external commitments† (p. 67) were studied to predict online attrition rate. Questionnaires were administered and compared to student records in order to determine if there was a correlation between these three factors. It was determined that resilience and work commitments were significant among the finding s, but they were not conclusive due in part to an inadequate method of accumulating data and the length of the study. Parker (1999) observed and stated that many studies of attrition focus on a single factor as the cause for high attrition rate among online courses. Diaz (2002) believes that research be conducted in order to determine the varying reasons for students to drop online courses, as did Kerka (1995) who believes that students that drop online courses should not be lumped into one category, but should be grouped into several in order to recognize the seriousness of non-completion. One should not assume that the student is dropping the class because of academic problems. Since online learners are found to be more mature and experienced, it is assumed that the reason in dropping the class results from careful reflection. Due to outside influences, it may be better for the student to successfully complete the course at a later date (Kerka). Variations in Learning Readiness According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2003) online learning presents itself with a tremendous presence in higher education which creates a greater demand for exploring learner readiness and student perceptions of online learning. More specifically, research directs the literature review to an investigation of learner readiness, on-screen reading speed and comprehension, followed by typing speed and accuracy. With the dramatic increase of online learners, successful identification of learner readiness has become a priority (Shilwant Haggarty, as cited in Watkins, 2005). Profitt (2008) discusses the need for an institutional, pre-assessment requirement, tailored toward learner readiness. The assessment results would not only present information to advise the college and potentially at-risk students, but would also alert students, who would in turn, use the results for self-evaluation and make the decisions if they are a good fit for online learning. However; Harrell (2008) states â€Å"There could be students for whom face-to-face is a better fit, but the online environment is their only option† (as cited in Profitt, 2008, p. 27). Based on the documented learner readiness assessment, at risk students may then contact the institution of higher learning and seek xtra orientation or support services to help prevent an unpleasant online learning experience. Hsu and Shiue along with other researchers have studied individual learner readiness as a reason one might drop an online course (2005). This is a reflection of Knowles theory of andragogy, whereby the assumption of adult self-concept is made that he or she has reached a level toward self-directed learning (Kno wles, 1998). Parker (1999) approved the Internet as a method for providing the â€Å"opportunity for the self-directed learner to go where no person has gone before† (p. 1). Parker believes that in order for learning to be successful, instructional media should be carefully selected. In doing so, the online learner should take an online learner readiness quiz that assesses the ability of the student and the potential for success in an online course. READI indicates â€Å"the degree to which an individual student possesses attributes, skills and knowledge that contributes to success in online learning† (Readi. info, 2010). As noted by Willis Lockee (2004) a determination of goodness of fit of online learning of a potential student should be assessed prior to the initiation of the distance learning commitment. Technological Abilities The revolution of technology and the rise of the Internet age has increased the ease and accessibility to learning for the online student, thereby, allowing a greater opportunity for the autonomous learning which can be defined as â€Å"self-planned, self-organized and self-assessed learning† (Peters, 2000, p. 9). Osika and Sharp (2002) concluded that without solid technical skills, students may have a difficult time succeeding in Web-based learning environments. Through a survey of faculty at a midsize regional commuter campus in the Midwestern United States, an inventory had been established of the minimum technical competencies faculty members believe students should possess to be successful in Web-based instruction. Additionally students at the same university were surveyed to determine how well they thought they met the minimum competencies outlined by the faculty. What was found confirmed the faculty’s concerns that students often did not possess the technical skills required to be successful in a Web-based course. Osika and Sharp (2002) concluded that even though students are exposed to technology at a much earlier age, â€Å"this does not mean they are technically competent with the skills required to be successful with Web-based instruction† (p. 324). Muse conducted a study whereby looking at students reasons for dropping a course. He reported that many of the students found difficulties managing the software, falling behind in their course work and became frustrated and anxious, therefore, dropping the class. Today many universities have technical support that will provide guidance to the students so that they do not fall behind. Over half of the faculty in Osika and Sharp’s (2002) study listed computer skills such as the ability to use the basic hardware on a computer, prepare word processing task, use the Internet, and send and receive e-mails, which is a prerequisite for online instruction. Students that were polled in their study claimed that they had the ability to access the Internet and word processing, but when asked specific questions about their competency levels, they were unable to do so (Osika and Sharp). However, perceived ability, on the part of the student and instructor, may not actually meet levels of competency. Muse (2003) conducted a similar study that looked at reasons for dropping an online class. They study found that the students that had difficulties with managing the software (Blackboard, Moodle) fell behind in their assignments, therefore, making them feel anxious and frustrated. Feelings of Alienation In order for online students to succeed, they need to feel as if they are part of a â€Å"larger school community† (Galusha, 1997, p. 4). This is indicative of the lack of communication that may exist in distance education, more specifically to the lack of interaction among staff, students, materials and services. In a study, Meyer (2001) observed that the student and teacher lack interaction as the Internet does not allow for it, which commonly occurs in the classroom. The feeling of alienation may give students even more reasons to drop out of the online course. Administrators conveyed that students identified that one problem in taking an online course is lack of personal interaction which they desire, but do not receive with online instruction (Carr, 2000). One student quoted by Carr, â€Å"†¦you don’t have direct contact on a regular basis with your instructor,† (p. A39) and in order to succeed, the student must possess a level of confidence that does not require immediate feedback. Galusha (1997) also reported the lack of confidence that is required when there is a lack of immediate feedback. This is troublesome for the student, and the lack of contact was specifically identified as an area that affected the success of online students. Rovai and Wighting (2005) addressed the issue â€Å"alienation and low sense of community† (p. 101) and the relationship of student attrition in their research with a sample of graduate students at a private university in Virginia. They felt that the study yielded â€Å"a valid predictive and explanatory tool for researchers concerned with the welfare and persistence of students in higher education programs† (p. 108). Rovai and Wighting stated that, the high quality experiences that students receive in the classroom improve student retention, therefore, these findings should be considered when developing an online class. Rovai and Wighting advised that there needs to be additional research to identify how to foster community in an online classroom in order to lower attrition, particularly among diverse cultures. CHAPTER 3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary The literature review summarized that online students have a great number of deterrents to completing an online course (Carr, 2000; Galusha, 1997; Kerka1995). Some of these deterrents include family, employment, finances, technology, instructor communication, feelings of isolation, and procrastination (Kerka, 1995). Instruction is an identifiable problem that can affect the performance of a student. There may be a problem of communication between instructor and fellow students, as well as technological difficulties on the part of the student and instructor. Rovai (2003) states that early intervention with reference to the identifiable problems stated above will better meet the needs of the students. Student’s performance suffers when there is a lack of personal contact among the instructor and fellow students. Therefore, there is a breakdown in communication that must be enhanced when students are taking an online class. How does one enhance communication? There can be exchanges between the student/instructor through emails, virtual office hours, message boards as well as telephone communication. There is an importance among student and instructor services for online classes. Floyd and Casey-Powell (2004) recommended five student areas that are in need of development for online learner. â€Å"Orientation, development, support, transition, and evaluation are areas that the instructor and or university must provide. † Orientation should be given at the beginning of the online class. The instructor should develop those skills with the students through making assignments, and requiring students to log on to the course a number of times during the week. Colleges, such as John A. Logan College offer an orientation class to their students at the beginning of each semester. They also provide support for online students. There needs to be a gradual transition into the online course, as well as mid-term evaluation and an end of semester evaluation so that the instructors can learn from those evaluations. The curricular design of the online class can provide the instruction in a meaningful manner. The course welcome or introduction should include an overview of the course establishing boundaries for the course. This would also be the time that the instructor establishes a learning community. Findings What similarities and differences, in terms of demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), are present in non-traditional (online) students attrition rate? According to Allen and Seaman’s report, online students may not share the same demographics as traditional higher education students, thus, instructors need to understand the challenges of distance learning when designing and creating an online learning experience (Allen Seaman, 2010). Universities want to improve graduation rates and attract non-traditional students by increasing online offerings (Allen Seaman, 2007; 2010). The shift towards offering more online courses will continue to affect higher education institutions in ways that are not yet understood. The benefits (e. g. , convenience for institutions, instructors, and students) and the challenges (e. g. , student retention) need to be balanced to ensure that students’ outcomes of online courses are comparable with those in traditional face-to-face courses (Allen Seaman, 2010). Using the demographic data that Dutton, Dutton Perry (2002) gathered from the student records, it appeared that the gender played little role in the choice format. However, it is clear that older, non-traditional students prefer the online class. The average age of an online student’s age compared to a lecture student was more than five years greater. Nearly two-thirds of the lecture class was less than 22 years old while the same proportion of online section was older than 22. The study also determined that full-time students preferred the lecture course and the part-time students preferred the online. On average the study determined that the online students had greater outside responsibilities and that they live arther from campus. We need to close the age gap, and encourage young students to take online classes. Advertisement is the key to promoting online classes. Full-time students should be encouraged during advisement to take online classes. However, at the same time, advisors must screen potential online students in order to provide proper placement of each individual student. It may be best to first introduce the traditional lea rning through hybrid classes. This gives them the best of both worlds. What affect do best practices have on non-traditional (online) students? One method is determining what may contribute or detract from a student’s success in an online course is to take a customer/business approach to the question. First of all, a determination of what is being done correctly, and what is not. This approach would lead researchers to look at central themes of investigation in determining the factors that contribute to or detract from student success. Secondly, the researcher must determine what aspects students perceive are important to producing success in online learning. In the customer/business approach, it is a given that a satisfied customer is the end-point from which one works backwards to build a successful business. The literature indicates that student perceptions, attitudes, and satisfaction (Biggs, 2006; Clayton, 2004; Valasidou Makridiou-Bolusiou, 2006) are almost certainly key in the development and instruction of online courses. According to Pearson and Trinidad (2005), hearing from students is essential to learning about what works and where improvements should be made in the future. It is the business/customer model applied to online education. There needs to be more communication between the instructor and student. An instructor might assign group work, which will allow the student to get to know their fellow students, which will enhance the learning experience for the online student. Secondly, the research should consider how educators are conducting their online courses. The scholarly literature reveals that researchers are finding several central factors related to student perceptions and the methods instructors are using to teach and design their courses. Palloff and Pratt (2003) concisely define these factors as (a) instructor support, (b) a sense of community, and (c) an appropriate use of technology in the online setting. However, there continues to be instructor support as well as a sense of community in the traditional classroom as well. Instructor Support In an online environment, students have come to expect instructor/technical support. Educational institutions should provide online support through orientation, and staff support. A Sense of Community The student needs a sense of community. This is established through a good rapport with the instructor. The instructor needs to establish assignments that will bring the fellow students together through projects, discussion board assignments, and creating an environment where as the students may share their knowledge. Developing community will most likely require concerted design and effort on the part of the instructor. Use of Appropriate Technology The two primary forms of technology that have emerged within online courses are asynchronous and synchronous interaction (Hines Pearl, 2004). Synchronous, or real time, interaction can occur through vi How to cite Attrition Rate of Online Learning, Essay examples

Reception Or End Point Signal Transmission â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Reception Or End Point Signal Transmission? Answer: Introducation Antennas: these are devices that propagate electromagnetic signals to or from electronic circuits using either conducting wires or conducting apertures. These devices are usually at the forefront of signal reception or end point of signal transmission. Furthermore, based on their design structure and propagation pattern, antennas are usually classified into three major categories; directional antennas, semi-directional antennas and Omni-directional antennas. Now, directional antennas usually propagate signals in one specific direction which improves their gain and directivity properties. Example Yagi Uda (Yagi) and Horn antenna. Semi-directional antennas, on the other hand, have their transmissions restricted in certain directions. Examples; patch and panel antennas. Finally, Omni-directional antennas that propagate signals in all directions. Example cellular antennas (MIT, 2004). Yagi antenna serving either as a directional or semi-directional antenna, Yagi antenna is one of the most common antenna used in the market having the ability to propagate RF waves in specific direction facilitated by high gains. Applications; Televisions set receivers. Strengths High gains that facilitate long distance transmission. Good directivity because of the design that focuses signals in one specific direction having a high gain. Simple to design and install, as they are made of simple metallic rods(radio-electronics, 2017). Horn antenna another good example of directional antennas but with higher gains and directivity levels. Due to these attributes, horn antennas are used to propagate electromagnetic signals with high frequencies i.e. UHF (Ultra-high frequencies ranging from 300MHz to 3 GHz). In addition to this, horn antennas are designed with a horn like structure where a significant aperture flares out at the end of the device. Application, transmission of microwaves signals.Horn antennas are designed with the attributes of gain and directivity in mind. This outcome is facilitated by their aperture structure that improves their gains tremendously. Secondly, horn antennas can operate with a wide range of frequencies and bandwidth. Requires extended lengths to operate effectively. Complex to design and install(Rouse, 2017). Cellular antenna the only Omni-directional antennas considered in this case, thus has the ability to propagate RF signals in all directions. However, this ability limits its gains and directivity outcomes (Carr, 2012). Nevertheless, its convenient for mobile devices thus is used in portable gadgets such as phones, tablets and even vehicles.For their size and design structure, cellular antennas have optimal boosting capability. Secondly, they are able to operate in all directions.Cellular antennas have minimal gains. Moreover, they have a short coverage distance. Future prospect for medium and long-distance application In this context (coverage distance) directional and sometimes semi-directional antennas are the best for the job as they focus the signal being transmitted (received) to the appropriate destination (source). Therefore, the future of wireless technology will rely on the same devices to accomplish the goal of transmitting RF signals across medium sized distances and beyond. However, these antennas maybe modified to fit the need for smart systems where the structure and design of Omni-directional antennas maybe incorporated(Carr, 2012). Multiple access protocols/techniques Multiple access techniques provide the users with the ability to use common communication channels to transmit their signals. These techniques help to optimise the available bandwidth which helps in resources allocations. Therefore, regardless of the technique adopted (CDMA or FDMA), the objective is always the same, that of sharing a common radio spectrum (corps, 2000). Furthermore, the same technique will enable users to share the capacity of communication channels while operating in different locations. In addition to this, the operational structure of the said techniques is always designed to avoid interferences, an outcome that designates the mode of transmission used. Type 1: CDMA (Code division multiple access) In this technique, unique pseudo codes are used to share the communication channel among the signals or users involved. In terms of operation, these codes are used as unique identifiers for the signals found in the communication channel, thus they act as identification tags. Now, these tags are usually attached at the onset of communication before, the signals are propagated into the channel being used. At the reception stage, the tags (codes) are again used to separate the signals thus transforming the signals into unique components as initially transmitted. A good example of this technique is the IS-95 standard, a CDMA standard that uses 64 Walsh code to transmits multiple signals under a common channel(corps, 2000). Type2: FDMA (Frequency division multiple access) as the name suggests, FDMA uses an array of frequency channels to transmit multiple signals on a common channel. Now, to start the transmission process, the frequency channels chosen must be unique i.e. non-overlapping to avoid signal interference either during transmission or at the reception stage. However, unlike the codes of the CDMA, the reception can fail to know the frequencies being used as the channel is usually segmented by the frequency channels chosen. Example; the technique is used in GSM communication where a 25MHz frequency channel is usually divided into 124 carrier sections. CDMA FDMA The frequency is common throughout the transmission process irrespective of the signals considered. The communication channel is split into different sections based on the frequency. Users/signals are uniquely identified by pseudo-codes. There are no unique identifiers used to signify the user/signals as unique channel segments are used. For effective communication, the receivers must know the codes of the transmitting devices. This attribute is not necessary for FDMA. For every signal transmitted, the receivers will only detect the necessary code while identifying the rest as noise Reception of signals is based on the frequency channels chosen. - FDMA will use filtering to eliminate interferences e.g. noise The overall concept is based on unique identification codes. A narrow range of frequency band is used. (Zahra, 2015) References Carr, J. (2012). Directional or Omnidirectional antenna? Joe Carr's Radio Tech-notes, Retrieved 14 August, 2017, from: https://www.dxing.com/tnotes/tnote01.pdf. corps, W. (2000). FDMA vs. TDMA vs. CDMA. Connecting Wireless, Retrieved 14 August, 2017, from: https://wirelessapplications.com/pdf/lf/FD_TD_CDMA.pdf. MIT. (2004). Chapter 3: Antennas. MIT, Retrieved 17 August, 2017, from: https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/electrical-engineering-and-computer-science/6-661-receivers-antennas-and-signals-spring-2003/readings/ch3new.pdf. radio-electronics. (2017). Yagi Antenna / Yagi-Uda Antenna. Antennas and propagation, Retrieved 14 August, 2017, from: https://www.radio-electronics.com/info/antennas/yagi/yagi.php. Rouse, M. (2017). Horn antenna. Research gate, Retrieved 17 August, 2017, from: https://searchmobilecomputing.techtarget.com/definition/horn-antenna. Zahra. (2015). FDMA-TDMA-CDMA. Multiple access techniques in wireless communication, Retrieved 16 August, 2017, from: https://www.slideshare.net/SammarKhan2/fdmatdmacdma.

Statement of Intent free essay sample

It is noteworthy to mention that XX is well reputed and the only international university in the country. The well designed course curriculum along with associated lab works of XX drove me towards depth study of all basic modules of electrical engineering. The practical essence of theories always inspired me with newer lines of thinking. The industrial attachment after the end of my third year left a huge impact on me as witnessed the practical phenomenon of electrical engineering. Two weeks training at HAY, one week training at JAZZ and one week training at POP made me more inquisitive than ever before.Besides the core Electrical Engineering subjects also studied power and energy related subjects like study of these subjects helped me to get an A thorough insight at power system engineering. This is also an immersing sector in our country with a lot of available scopes to work on. The technical challenges encountered in expanding a new sector provided motivation to adjoin myself in research work on power sector. We will write a custom essay sample on Statement of Intent or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the bachelor degree I chose to work on sustainable form of electricity. My undergraduate thesis topic was WWW.As sustainable electricity or energy security, environment pollution, and the climate change are now key challenges before the world community, the main objective of my thesis was to give a brief idea on electricity sustainability, nuclear power and discussed about a sustainable diversified energy mix suitable for Bangladesh where nuclear power plays the major role. Alongside my academic work, I am very much active in co-curricular activities. During my study in XX was involved in organizing a number of seminars, presentations on a range of technical topics and technical tours. Organizing such programs through teamwork assisted me to hone my leadership and interpersonal skill. But the greatest advantage of being involved in these activities was that developed the ability to multicast effectively. Darts University of Applied Sciences distinct niche in Power Engineering research encourages me to apply into its International Master of Electrical Engineering (MIMES) program. Its ongoing projects and researches in my field of interest are fascinating to me. There are some specific reasons why think this program and my future career plans are confluent.The first reason comes from my deep personal interest to research works. I have come from an underdeveloped country. Though XX provides an excellent research background for an engineering student, it lacks highly sophisticated research facilities and proper Industrial collaboration. I believe that the state-of-the-art research facilities, research centers and laboratories of Darts University of Applied Science will provide me the opportunities to implement my undergraduate knowledge into some apposite empirical researches. The second reason is derived from my liabilities to my country.Bangladesh is a developing country which is now on the brink of a major social and economic change. During this period my country will require a number of experts on Power System and Energy because right now my country is struggling to meet her Energy demands. I want to contribute my knowledge and expertise in these fields so that the people and my country can avail the advantages of my expertise in these fields to its full extent. The MIMES program, believe without any doubt, will prepare me appropriately and adequa tely to make some significant contribution to my neutron. The third reason is the social and intellectual benefits of this graduate program. Darts University of Applied Science provides a fascinating cosmopolitan milieu where the students from different cultures and disciplines can share their thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and views. Am sure that this sharing of insights will broaden my cerebral and social capabilities to a great extent. Among many prominent technology universities, I chose Darts University of Applied Science because it is one of the biggest technology universities in Germany and it is peccadillo in technology and engineering.It is among the top ranked universities of the world. Interdisciplinary subjects and seminars, subjects regarding engineering have motivated me to apply for this subject. My aim in seeking admission to Darts University of Applied Science is to avail the advantages of securing the best of knowledge and the opportunity of the best academic facilities in the world. I believe Darts University of Applied Science is the perfect place for me where my potential will be flourished.It will test my abilities to the highest limit ND provide me the best combination of knowledge and professional guidance in the field of Germany became my first choice for masters due to a number of reasons. Firstly, lots of positive feedback from other students who are currently studying in Germany. In Germany there are about 370 institutes of higher education, and around 200 universities of the applied science. Germanys federal structure and the cultural sovereignty of each federal state ensure that the country boasts a wealth of different cultural institutions and a vibrant cultural scene.

Leaders of the American Revolution

Leaders of the American Revolution The American Revolution began in 1775 and led to the rapid formation of American armies to oppose the British. While British forces were largely led by professional officers and filled with career soldiers, the American leadership and ranks were filled with individuals drawn from all walks of colonial life. Some American leaders, such as George Washington, possessed extensive service in the militia, while others came directly from civilian life. The American leadership was also supplemented by foreign officers recruited in Europe, though these were of varying quality. During the early years of the conflict, American forces were hampered by poor generals and those who had achieved their rank through political connections. As the war wore on, many of these were replaced as competent and skilled officers emerged. American Revolution Leaders: American Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling - noted brigade, division, and department commanderLieutenant Colonel Ethan Allen - Commander, Green Mountain Boys during 1775 attack on Fort TiconderogaMajor General Benedict Arnold - noted field commander, famously changed sides in 1780 becoming one of historys best-known traitorsCommodore John Barry - noted naval commanderBrigadier General George Rogers Clark - Conqueror of the Old NorthwestMajor General Horatio Gates - Commander, Northern Department, 1777-1778, Southern Department, 1780Colonel Christopher Greene - Commander at Fort Mercer, Battle of Red BankMajor General Nathanael Greene - Commander, Continental Army in the South (1780-1783)Commodore John Paul Jones - Key American naval commanderMajor General Henry Knox - American artillery commanderMarquis de Lafayette - Noted French volunteer in American serviceMajor General Charles Lee - Controversial American field commanderMajor General Henry Light Horse Harry Lee - noted Americ an cavalry/light infantry commander Major General Benjamin Lincoln - Commander, Southern Department (1778-1780)Brigadier General Francis Marion - The Swamp Fox - Noted guerilla leaderBrigadier General Hugh Mercer - American general killed in 1777Major General Richard Montgomery - Promising American general killed at the Battle of QuebecBrigadier General Daniel Morgan - Key commander at Saratoga and CowpensMajor Samuel Nicholas - Founding Officer, US Marine CorpsBrigadier General Count Casimir Pulaski - Father of the America CavalryMajor General Arthur St. Clair - Commander at Fort Ticonderoga, 1777Major General John Stark - Victor of BenningtonMajor General Baron Friedrich von Steuben - Inspector General, Continental ArmyMajor General John Sullivan - Division Commander (1776-1778), Commander, Rhode Island (1778), Sullivan Expedition (1779)General George Washington - Commander in Chief, Continental ArmyMajor General Anthony Wayne - Daring American commander who saw extensive service American Revolution Leaders - British Major John Andre - British spymasterLieutenant General John Burgoyne - British commander at the Battle of SaratogaGovernor Major General Sir Guy Carleton - British Governor of Quebec (1768-1778, commander-in-chief in America (1782-1783)General Sir Henry Clinton - British commander-in-chief in America (1778-1782)Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis - British commander in the South, forced to surrender at the Battle of YorktownMajor Patrick Ferguson - inventor of the Ferguson rifle, commander at the Battle of Kings MountainGeneral Thomas Gage - governor of Massachusetts, commander-in-chief in America (1775)Vice Admiral Richard Howe - Commander, North American Station (1776-1778)General Sir William Howe - British commander-in-chief in American (1775-1778)Admiral Lord George Rodney - British naval commanderLieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton - noted British cavalry commander

Why study world religions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why study world religions - Essay Example People throughout the world are loosing the fellow felling and togetherness which has been one of the main cornerstones of every religious saying. All the religions have been part of quite a few recent developments throughout the world. Also many are trying to use religion, for their vested interests, as it basically encapsulates a soft corner in every people’s life for meeting their own needs. Religious traditions are adaptable in nature. Religion is not only a process which encourages thinking about God but also to follow the religious maxim in every day’s life (American Academy of Religion, â€Å"Why Study Religion?†). World religion can be divided by different names such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam or Jainism among others. The names of the religion can be different but the message that every religion tries to provide to the people of the world are almost the same. Every religion tries to pass on the message of love, sacrifice, togetherness, and truthfulness. Religion has a major influence on the way a person approaches and also responds to any experience in life. Each and every religion of the world has different valuable aspects which can be used to benefit human life. World Religion can be varied in terms of their ideas and also the way a person has to follow those ideas, but there are certain aspects which are the same in all the religions like ‘high God concept’, traditional or primitive religious beliefs, religious expressions and experiences, rituals, the idea of divine beings, and sacred personages (Quartz Hill School of Theology, â€Å"An Overview of the World s Religions†). In the process of studying different forms of religious sensibilities, Hinduism, Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Judaism, Christianity and Islam can be looked at. Religion over the years has been one of the most significant influencing factors in the human life. People throughout the world face challenges every day in various aspects of life

Freedom of Speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Freedom of Speech - Essay Example ould help to uphold certain values such as truth, to involve ordinary citizens in political-decision making, to strengthen the community, for self-fulfillment of the individual, to help check abuse of governmental power, to promote tolerance and to create a more robust community (Introduction to the Free Speech Clause). The Supreme Court has been more protective of political speech compared to other commercial speeches. For example, the first amendment does not give rights to individuals to lie about other people (First Amendment: Speech). The expression of artists and the use of symbolism are also protected under the first amendment (Camp, 2005). However the first amendment provides protection only to a lesser extent to commercial speech, defamation, speech that would be harmful to children, those broadcast on radio and television and speech given by public employees. On the other hand the freedom of speech offers no or limited protection to obscenity, child pornography, speech that advocates the use of force or law violation or causing panic, true threats like fighting words, sedition, blackmail, perjury and those which solicit to commit crimes (Camp, 2005; Cohen, 2008). In addition to having its reservations in providing protection to speeches, the first amendment has incorporated time, place and manner restrictions to speeches that enjoy a very elaborate protection under the first amendment. These would be upheld if the speeches are not sufficiently justifiable, or are tailored in a way to suit governmental interest or if they do not leave open other alternative channels of communication. While music is acknowledged as a form of communication and expression, which enjoys complete protection under the amendment, the Court has placed volume restrictions for outdoor music. The amendment also provides rights to a city to place â€Å"zoning restrictions on adult theatres and bookstores†, despite them being fully protected by the amendment, if the goal is to prevent

The Level of Employee Engagement and Organisational Performance in the Dissertation

The Level of Employee Engagement and Organisational Performance in the Nigerian Public Secto - Dissertation Example And if yes, then how does employees’ engagement relate to employees’ performance, i.e. positively or negatively? This study aims at investigating the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance with particular reference to the Nigerian Public Sector, i.e. Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and National Information Technology Development. In order to conduct this study, the researcher made use of primary research and obtained information related to employees’ engagement level and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and NITDA’s performance through survey questionnaire and interviews. The researcher selected 150 respondents for survey and interviewed 10 managers. The results obtained in this study show that there is a positive relationship between employees’ engagement and organizational performance. Moreover, it has also been concluded that the employees working in Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and NITDA are highly engaged and t his high level of employee engagement has translated into improved organizational performance. Keywords: Employee Engagement, Organizational Performance, Motivation, etc. ... harts - Descriptive Findings 46 Figure 2: Scatter plot - Regression Analysis 48 List of Tables Table 1: Descriptive Findings – Demographics Attributes 36 Table 2: Descriptive Findings – Statements Related to Employee Engagement 39 Table 3: Descriptive Findings – Statements Related to Employee Engagement 42 Table 4: Findings from Regression Analysis 47 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1. Background to the Context The term ‘employee engagement’ can be argued to be a comparatively new in managerial practices, as it emerged in the last decade (Bhatia, 2011). The concept of employee engagement can be elaborated as the degree of employees’ commitment towards attainment of organizational goals and objectives. Engagement of employees can also be regarded as the sense of responsibility developed in employees in relation to their contribution and performance for overall betterment of organization (Schaufeli & Solanova, 2007; Exec, 2007). In the fast changing co rporate world of today, it is strongly felt by the organizations that employees are their assets and it is due to this reason that organizations in general and management in particular have started give importance to the concept of employee engagement (Bhatia, 2011; Adi, 2012). However, the question arises whether employees’ engagement has something to do with the performance level of employees? And if yes, then how does employees’ engagement relate to employees’ performance, i.e. positively or negatively? This study thus attempts to explore this relationship between these two aspects of employees’ behavior in organizational context. 1.2. Research Aim This study aims at investigating the relationship between employee engagement and organizational performance with particular reference to the Nigerian Public

New Look Is Privately Owned Fashion Retail Company Marketing Essay

New Look Is Privately Owned Fashion Retail Company Marketing Essay For this Report it was requested to analyze the company New Look. To recognise the key issues those have an influence on the company to perform to its best, and to make recommendations for these. As a group tasks were divided; each person was assigned to analyze an influential issue and make recommendations for the information it had gathered. For the recommendations to be pleasing and realistic research had to be done. Resources such as: the internet, the companys website, website electronic resources, books, magazines, and general knowledge. For proof measures references were added for realistic purposes and avoid plagiarism. After finding the key issue an in-depth analysis of internal and external environment were conducted in which the New Look was operating. On doing the analysis next step was to decide the strategy options for resolving the issue faced by New Look. The major findings found in this case study based on the questions were: the standardised approach New Look as a company uses and whether it worked well. This research was carried out by analyzing reports and articles based on the strategy. It was found that the strategy worked well so far. Other factors are like the acceptance of New Look into developing countries such as India and the reason behind the frequent targeting from Non-tariff barriers. The organization is lacking knowledge on recognizing the number and nature of competitors in the fashion retail industry which could affect, directly or indirectly, business in the future in the form of decrease in revenues and closure of outlets. Research was done to understand adaptation of Polycentric approach in emerging economies. In the report success was achieved by finding the issue, analysing it and then giving the recommendations on it. All the findings and research conducted has been put in systematically in this report. INTRODUCTION Background New Look is a privately owned UK based Fashion retail company, and offers clothing, footwear, and accessories for men women. The company started its operation in 1969, and opened its first store in Taunton, UK and in 1988 its also spread its wings and entered French market and in 1995 opened its first store in Scotland. New Look was purchased and taken private by a private equity consortium in 2004 for GBP 700 million. In 2000 New look sold its French stores to French company Mim in return for 51% stake in company and then in 2003 it acquired remaining 49% share. Now it operates over 650 stores in U.K and has subsidiaries in France. Its manufacturing took place in over 1000 factories in 45 countries which include Europe Asia. Now in 2006 company have opened number of trial stores in Belgium and now looking forward to expand in Netherlands, Luxembourg, Eastern Europe, Middle-East and Asian Markets (www.newlook.com). Nature, Size, and Structure of the Market According to google news, New look is the UKs third largest womens retailer store. It is increasing range of its menswear to cope with the competition. According to Wrigley, New look is worth now between  £1 billion and  £1.5 billion. Company is keeping on penetrating its business in the UK. It has purchased 34 stores from the Littlewoods chain owned by retail group Associated British Foods. New Look is looking to boost its retail space to 2.4 million square feet by March 2006 from 1.6 million square feet last year. Market Segment, Nature of Competition New Look faces intense competition in the UK market. Because of its investment in design technology and low prices it keeps them ahead of competitors. Company is now focussing on menswear and children wear. By the end of 2005, New Look plans to extend its menswear ranges from 14 to 30 stores and is also planning to extend its fashion ranges to cater for children under nine (www.newlook.com). New look have strong working relationships with its suppliers and they are treated like their partners and even share the same values on Trust, ethics, quality, speed and ambition. Company deals with most up to date international fashion trends for both Men Women at low prices. KEY ISSUE FACING COMPANY Main Key Issue As a research on New Look proceeds, the group unanimously agreed that the global expansion can be the key issue for New Look Group. This was later confirmed with the course tutor. Explanation The decision was made on the basis of comparison of profits with major rivals (e.g. Gap Inc), slow growth in profits, emerging economies of India and China, and the boom in online shopping. Graph below shows the slow increase in profits to the year 2005. As many companies are rapidly going globally and making India and China their primary targets, it is urging New Look to react to this trend. According to the history of new look, they do have ambition to go global and they have started opening stores in France from 1988 but that strategy fails. In the report, we will analyse internal and external environment of new look and how they can manage to enter in different market segments globally with low risk of failure. Methodology After doing all our research, I found out that the major issue the company is facing to expand globally in order to cope with intensely increasing competition in the UK which is reducing profits. Its time now for New Look to think about expanding globally in order to increase sales and profits. To make it effective, we need to analyse the tangible and intangible resources which ensures expansion is feasible. It makes no difference whether they target their neighbour markets or the foreign market as New Look cant afford to fail in any of their global markets due to the fact that New Look is not a public limited company (PLC) so its got no shareholders to invest in them. New Look might consider other options such as outsourcing etc to reduce capital investment. In the report I aim to analyse the environment under which company is operating and look up for the strategies which will help them to overcome any potential threats in the global markets. After critical analysis of environment, we will be able to identify companys major strength and weaknesses and the potential opportunities and threats globally. Because of the nature of the business, I will have to look each market individually and provide options for mode of entry in each market. Initially, for each given option for the target market, I would advise company to test the option prior to make final decision. However, I will provide analysis evaluation for each given option in this report with the use of latest material available. . AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this essay is to investigate the internal external strategies of the business environment for NEW LOOK group. To achieve this aim I have planned to use Porters five forces and the PESTEL tools to analysis the intensity of the external environment and financial ratios to calculate whether or not the strategies are successful. Finally I will use a SWOT analysis to be specific and critical in our conclusion. ANALYSIS OF EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT The external environment is often referred to as the macro environment. The external environment is often out of a businesses control none the less businesses use tools to achieve their goals. The external environment is divided into three major areas: the general, industry, and competitor environments as shown in figure below: GENERAL ENVIRONMENT PEST Analysis Political factors Government sometimes have direct control or influences to greater or lesser extent over legislation and regulations, this covers laws that influence employment, consumers protection, health and safety at work, contract and trading, trades unions. (Business Strategy, David Campbell). Chip PIN is the new, more secure way to pay with credit or debit cards in the UK. Instead of customers using their signature to verify payments, they will be asked to enter a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) known only to them. Chip PIN is the biggest change to the way we pay since decimalisation. It is part of a global programme to tackle the soaring levels of plastic card fraud (BBC News). Economical Factors Governments usually set policy concerning these of taxation and expenditure in the country. With an increase of the grey market who have more disposable income due to the fact that there is a boom in the housing market a lot of these elder generation are now selling out from 3 to 4 bedroom houses in to smaller houses as a lot of there kids have grown up and moved out. There for this market has more disposable income then before, therefor new look should give more emphasis on this market then they have done previously Social Cultural Factors The cultures of countries in which a business operates can be of particular importance. The culture of a country consists of the values, attitudes and beliefs of its people. These in turn, will affect the way individual act and behave when dealing with certain product and services. In order for new look to go global they would have to consider the religious and cultural issues that will differ In different country such as Saudi Arabia were the grater number of the population would be offended by seeing a female in a mini skirt so there for new look should also conceder making different styles of clothing for different countries e.g. for Saudi Arabia less reviling clothes Technological Factors With the introduction of the internet and the success of it uses new look should provide a bigger emphasis on providing the merchandise on the internet such as ordering, reserving and selling on the internet., in order to increase there market share and compete with other online retailers. With the introduction to new and better technologys British fashion chain New Look is investing in new technology to help combat potential theft and the possible loss of stock worth  £4 million, according to a media report. New look is aware of the technological influence that involve developing and understanding that effects changes in their company. For new look technology is vital for competitive advantage, this is a major drive of globalisation for their company. New look produce good quality cloths and the best at a reasonable price, because technology has improved new looks production processes and deliver their service through its catalogue and via the Internet this has developed their information and communication technology. Industry Environment PORTERS FIVE FORCES To analyse New Look external environment, a business tool known as Porters five forces will be used. Porters Five Forces helps the marketer to contrast a competitive environment. These forces can be neatly brought together in a diagram like the one below: Porters five forces in accordance with New Look The Threat of new entry New Look has been established for almost a 37 years and has a considerable amount finance should the worst happen. At the moment they face competition from already established competitors for e.g., Debenhams, HM (datamonitor.com). For a new entrant to be a threat they would need to offer something different apart from trendy clothing and newer technology. New Look also face competition from new fashion stores being opened and to have the advantage over New Look would need to have better location and a wider selection of clothing including accessorise. Threat of Substitute Products New Look branch out in to five main areas these are women wear, menswear, children wear, footwear and accessorise. This means they are active in five different markets and to reduce the pressure of competition allow other companies to franchise there products or services allowing them to have a substantial amount of control. Threats from already established competitors come from Debenhams, HM, Top- Man, MS, Next and Claires. Bargaining Power of Buyers Generally the bargaining power of Buyers is low because the customers understand that they are paying Reasonable prices for up to date fashion clothes and services. However for the fashion retail market they have a considerable amount of choice so its important for New Look to get the service right to keep loyal customers and attract new ones. Power of suppliers Suppliers are also essential for the success of an organisation. Raw materials are needed to complete the finish product of the organisation. Suppliers do have power. This power comes from: If they are the only supplier or one of few suppliers who supply that particular raw material for this point the power of the supplier is low because there are several other suppliers that will sell to them. If it costly for the organization to move from one supplier to another also known as switching cost. Again on this point New Look has the upper hand because there are many suppliers that will want to sell there good to them. This means that the powers that the suppliers have over New Look and other major fashion producers around the world are under constant pressure to supply at lower prices in order not to loose a major client. Competitive Rivalry New Look group face intense competition from other well known fashion brands producers such as Debenhams, HM, Top-Man, and MS and NEXT; therefore compete through price wars in order to attract customers. Debenhams is a competitor because they make high levels of fashionable clothing selling different types of brands such as, John Rocha, Jonh Richmond, and variety of accessorise including gifts, home accessorise, electrical appliances. Also another competitive rivalry for New Look is Top Man. The reason it is competitive rivalry is because they are similar to New Look as they also offer fashionable up to date clothing at reasonable prices. They also sell their own brand of clothing like New Look. The barriers that affect this market to new entrance are havig the money to set up the business in terms of human resources, machinery and location. Finding a supplier for fashionable clothing wont be difficult for new businness. Almost half of sales are in Women wear. A quarter of sales are dedicated to Menswear and Children wear, with other items constituting the remaining sales.. COMPETITOR ANALYSIS Competitor analysis focuses on each company against which a firm directly competes. Four dimensions given below helps the firm prepare an anticipated response profile for each competitor. According to datamonitor.com, The New Looks top competitors are Associated British Foods plc, Debenhams PLC, Marks and Spencer Group PLC, Matalan PLC, NEXT PLC, Arcadia Group Limited. Some of the above mentioned competitors have already strong presence in some of the Global Markets. They are described below: Primark Stores Ltd is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods plc (ABF) Primark targets young, fashion-conscious under 35s, offering them high quality, fashion basics at value for money prices. Almost half of sales are in Women wear. A quarter of sales is dedicated to Menswear and Children wear, with other items constituting the remaining sales. Debenhams is a leading department stores group. Debenhams has a strong presence in key product categories including women wear, menswear, home wares, health and beauty, accessories, lingerie and children wear. A unique mix of exclusive own brands, including Designers at Debenhams, and third-party brands helps differentiate Debenhams from its competitors. In addition Debenhams has 30 international franchise stores in 14 countries outside the UK and Ireland, with a further 15 franchises scheduled to open by the end of the 2008 financial year. Debenhams is also extending its customer reach by making direct sales through its internet website. Marks and Spencer is a UK retailer of clothing, foods and home ware. It operates through both wholly owned stores and franchise stores. It has over 450 stores in the UK. The company is structured into four main operating divisions: food, clothing, home and international. The clothing division offers womens wear, mens wear, lingerie and childrens wear and footwear. The international division operates eight wholly-owned stores in Hong Kong as well as 198 franchise stores in 30 territories around the world. Matalan is a retailer of discount fashion and home wares. Matalan sells name-brand and private-label apparel for men, women and children, as well as some household products, at discount prices. The company operates primarily in the UK. Matalan sells discount fashion and home wares through its network of out of town UK stores. Matalans product range includes home ware, ladies, mens and childrens clothing, and footwear. Arcadia Group is a clothing retailer that operates approximately 2,000 stores throughout the UK, mainly in urban areas. It also controls over 200 franchised stores in about 30 countries worldwide. Arcadia operates eight store banners: Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Top Shop, Top Man, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Wallis and Outfit. Each brand targets a distinct market. As well as its eight shopping banners, the company also operates a complementary catalogue and online shopping business through its Dial Home Shopping unit. All the competitors have strong intentions to expand in the UK market as well as globally. As described above, they are targeting new markets and entering some the markets through acquisitions. It is affecting New Look because expansion is increasing their profit potential and they are making prices more competitive in the UK markets.. However New Look does hold an advantage over its competitors. According to Mintels consumer research the average age of the New Look customer is slightly older than at most specialist chains, but Next and Gap also record above average penetration figures in the 35-44 age band. For New Look this reflects its move to become more of a family fashion destination in its bigger stores. Price points are pitched low to attract young, less affluent women who want fashion but are restricted by tight budgets. New Looks combination of low prices and fashionable merchandise pitched at the younger end of the market is absolutely right in current conditions. The company has invested heavily in design facilities and producing a distinctive and unique handwriting is what is setting it apart from competitors this investment has made it a competitive edge on its competitors. And the retailer is moving towards being a distinctive fashion brand- with an attractive price tag attached to it. New Look faces some very competitive times. But it is well-established, has an excellent brand name and a considerable following. It should be one of the survivors. New Looks combination of low prices and fashionable merchandise pitched at the younger end of the market are the major plus point for the company. Delivering product with current market fashion with low price tag keeps New Look strong. Competitors are strong in online stores. Although a selection of products and their prices are featured on the New looks website, it is not transactional and customers are urged to visit their nearest store and see the full range. Before analyzing internal environment of New Look, the serious intention was given to context of Internal Analysis which is Global Economy, Global Mind-Set, and Analysis outcome. Analysis of Internal Environment The internal environment is divided into several stages as shown in figure below: Resources According to google news, New Look is a developed brand name and the group itself is a 3rd largest retail clothing company in the UK. It manufactures its products in 1000 manufacturing plants in 45 countries all over the globe which contributed to a large portion of companys physical resources. They have developed their organizational resources to manage, plan, and control their stores and manufacturing plants effectively. They own all of their stores in the UK and their subsidiaries in France which are their main fixed assets. It owns technological resources in the form of registered trademark, copyrighted designs. New Look has a reputation in producing latest design by the use of latest technology. It is investing in new technology to help combat potential theft and the possible loss of stock worth  £4 million, according to a media report. They have high calibre staffs which are the valuable assets of the company. They have focussed deeply on customer services by operating most of their women wear, menswear, and children wear stores separately. It is keen on employing key people in its board of members to increase the value of intangible human resources e.g. Phil Wrigley, Richard Lapthorne. By the combination of all above resources they are becoming more innovative in developing new designs and brining new ideas to attract more customers e.g. in 2005, their first national brand campaign New Look, The New Now was launched nationwide in-store with product, signage, POS and window displays. Customers are invited to become part of the New Look window display with the launch of the ultimate window shopping experience; customers will have their picture taken through the store window by a simple press of a button and their face then becomes the face for the mannequin. By making the effective use of all resources New Look can able to produce high quality and durable products. Capabilities New Look is effectively allocates and schedule for all its time and resources. They have very highly competitive human resource system which makes sure they select best people they want. It can be varied from store staff to the high management people. Because of their target market among the teens with unique fashion design with economical prices with effective marketing policy leads to brand promotion, high quality customer services and innovation merchandising. Core Competencies The company manufactures its products in 45 countries which increase rivalry among its suppliers which can act as a source of competitive advantage as they will produce durable products on cheap prices. They have developed a unique transport system which connects all 1000 factories which deliver all the manufactured garments to the company on time. This system is difficult to imitate for competitors and they can use it as a source of competitive advantage in order to operate globally. As far as outbound logistics concerned, they have developed such a system inside their business that it has to become one of their core points. They apply strict rules and regulations on outbound logistics and give good rates to the outsource company so that it becomes vital point for their business to deliver the product on time. New Look supply chain starts from the getting of raw materials and finished at the end products available for the customers in their stores. They have experts from buying raw materials and despatching them to warehouses where it goes through the manufacture processing and where quality control is assured. Then the finished product despatched to the market and the way its market is completely unique. They have expertise designers from very high reputative and innovative people which are meant to be made for designing. New Look have their designers from Turkish company called Saide which has a high reputation in giving new designs with a good quality product. They have unique style of marketing their product through prints, electronic, store promotion and through various schemes which attract lot of customers. In September 2005, New Look launched its first national brand campaign, New Look, The New Now. The New Now is designed to amplify New Looks ability to release affordable of the moment fashion onto the high street with most products hitting the stores within six weeks of the initial vision. Key Success Factors New Look target value-conscious customers who are aged 15-24 and tend to come from lower socio-economic groups. New Look set up its own sourcing arm in Turkey as a joint venture with Global Textiles, part of the Saide Group, in order to speed up its fast fashion even more. As well as economical cost, they highly focussed on innovative designs which make their products successful. The company has doubled the number of designers working on new ranges to 22 and has also strengthened its buying and merchandising team. Effective marketing strategy is one of the key factors which make them successful in the UK. SWOT ANALYSIS Strengths New look is a powerful retail brand. It has a reputation for value for money, convenience and a wide range of products all in one store. New look is a global fashion brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services. It has 650 stores in the UK and over 50 stores in France. A focused strategy is in place for human resource management and development. People are key to new looks business and it invests time and money in training people, and retaining a developing them. Weaknesses The organisation is dependant on a main competitive advantage, the retail of cloths. This could make them slow to diversify into other sectors should the need arise. Since new look sell products across many sectors (such as cloths, shoes and accessories), it may not have the flexibility of some of its more focused competitors. New looks logo has a very feminine look to it such as the use of the colour of the logo witch is in pink and the style of the logo which does discourage a lot of the single male to go and shop because they think it is only for the female shoppers Opportunities New look is becoming global and they are taking there trades to other countries such as India, where the younger generation are adopting a more of a westernise fashion and we see a lot of this in Indian bollywood films. With the introduction of the internet a wide access of the internet new look should think to sell more of there products over the internet witch would reduce more costs as thee will not need as many more employees. New products and services that can be retailed in their shops, such as Fair Trade products. New Look has the opportunity to expand its global operations. New markets for fashion retail such as India. Co-branding with other manufacturers of fashion, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services both have potential. New locations and store types offer new look opportunities to exploit market development. Threats New Look being one of the biggest fashion retailer means that they are a target for competitors to improve on. New look being a global retailer means that they are exposed to political problems in the countries that they operate in. New Look is exposed to the international nature of trade. It buys and sells in different currencies and so costs and margins are not stable over long periods of time. Such an exposure could mean that New Look may be selling at a loss. This is an issue that faces all global brands. Online retailers are a threat as they are often able to sell at a cheaper price than shops WHAT I FOUND AFTER ASSESSING METHODOLOGY? After assessing the methodology, it was found that New Look should expand its business globally. New Look has to be very cautious and careful while expanding its business and keeping in mind all the pros and cons which are vital in any expansion of the business. Therefore, they must follow reasonable set of rules before stepping into new market. The methodology discussed in section 3 is one of the courses of actions available to the company. If the company follow this as explained in section 4, 5 and 6 they can make successful expansion across the globe because of the opportunities available in the global market. Although there are some threats of new rivals, cultural and geographical differences but keeping in mind the big picture in a strategic long run business plan expansion can become one of the strongest strength of the company. LIST OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS After analysing the external and internal environment of New Look Group I am able to make some suitable options. As the clothing industry has intense competition all over the globe, I have to split options according to each segment. They are outlined below: Option 1) The best mode of entry in India and Middle East is through Franchising because of Government regulations and competitive market. Many companies have entered through franchising and they were been successful. Option 2) As the New Look lacks the investment of shareholders, they should make cautious approach to North American market as they will face high competition but early returns on investments are implausible. Presence through e-commerce is moderately attractive but this will have positive effect on overall image of the company. Option 3) Openings of stores in Far East is attractive but geographical locations needs to be given importance as access to logistics will be limited. Option 4) According to the findings I have made, we conclude that New Look has high profit potentials in European Markets and they need to invest more in new stores throughout Europe. ANALYSIS OF POTENTIAL OPTIONS Strategic Options Analysis Evaluation Consistency Suitability Validity Feasibility Business Risk Appeal to Shareholders Option 1 Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Option 2 Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Option 3 Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Option 4 Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- Æ’- EVALUATION Evaluation of the project report After initial test been done, company should launch full expansion in the target market/country. Evaluation and maintenance of sales revenue needs to be done and if the expansion is successful than they should target 2nd attractive market and so on. Future recommendations Technology New Look can use the latest technology available in mechatronics to made products more cost effectively to compete in global markets. E-commerce They need to introduce online shopping as much of their rivals already have a strong online presence. Going online with their sales will also cut down on money spent on shops, distribution, transportation, staff and other sundries. The customer when buying something online also pay money for shipping so there is added cost to the company. It is expected in the next 15 yrs 70% of all retail businesses will be done online so implementing this is not only beneficial but very necessary. E sale will help them to move from only high street presence to thousands of customer homes. Stock market In order for New Look to expand globally, they need a strong investment in the company. The best way to have this is by allowing investors to invest in the company. To make it attractive they need to register on the stock exchange. Whit there growing profits they can expect to command a good price for there stock. Doing this