Web Project-Online File Storage Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Web Project-Online File Storage - Research Paper Example Today, there are a number of backup solutions available that enables us to store files in increasingly popular cloud, and so there is no reason of foregoing the routine of backing up important data. Online data is becoming the most popular method of storage despite the availability of traditional storage devices such as USB flashes, hard drivers, and DVDs. To make it simpler online storage of data method involves storing data in the Web; thus, allowing one to access his/her information from anywhere globally. The data that one is able to store ranges from all information on an individual or company’s computer hard drive, image storage, email accounts, and text files which are made available on demand through the web servers (Broberg & Buyya 2011). The greatest benefit of online storage of data as divergent to the other methods is because of the nature of the information that is being stored virtually; it cannot be damaged or lost. This is true because most of the online data storage websites have additional feature of the stored data in their backup. Even if one accidentally deletes the data stored, the same version will always be available. There are also features that allow one to replicate and adapt the files. Another advantage is that it can be easily accessed by people who travel and are unable to access their laptops. It is also convenient for those who lose their data to computer crashes or those who forget to bring data CDs (Broberg & Buyya 2011). Lastly, it allows employees and collaborators to easily log in and access data. This may conveniently serve small business saving them some money, because networking computer will not be necessary. There are a few issues that may also arise when using online storage solutions. Security is the prime concern with a great possibility of unauthorized persons getting access to the password and the user name through other methods. This is highly risky if one uses very similar password for every site.

Full Day Kindergarten Essay Example for Free

Full Day Kindergarten Essay Full day kindergarten should be mandatory and of no extra cost for all of the elementary schools. This will boost the children’s academic achievement. The children that are exposed to full day kindergarten will learn more in literacy and mathematics than those in half-day kindergarten. The students that are in a full day program get to spend more time on their math, writing, and reading activities. The full day students also get the advantage of being able to participate in gym, art, and music classes. The half-day students do not get to experience gym, art, or music class. I have seen results first hand because I chose to put my son in a full day kindergarten versus the half-day. I chose to bring my son to a school that is located in Fridley so that he could receive the benefits of the full day kindergarten. The half-day program that Blaine offers has a very undesirable schedule for parents who work. The half-day schedule for Blaine elementary school is full days Mondays, Wednesdays, and every other Friday. I think that the earlier the educational intervention begins the higher the impact and the more likely the effects will be retained. Other than the health of a child, I think that nothing should be more important than their education. Giving children the opportunity to be in a full day kindergarten program gives them opportunities that the half-day students do not receive. One of the opportunities is being able to spend more time on reading, writing, and math. The teachers also have more time to sit one on one with each student one or in small groups and work on these skills. They also have a different theme for each month that they focus on. Some examples of the themes are the solar system, U. S.  presidents, maps, and the celebrations around the world. Children also absorb things more easily when they are younger. Being a mother of a full day kindergarten student, I see the results of the extra reading, writing, and math that the teacher does with him. My son is one of the youngest in his class and he is reading at a first grade level. As for his writing, he attempt to write big words using phonics. For example, I came home one day a few months ago and he had written on his dry erase board â€Å"I see a red ladebug†. He also brought home a worksheet that he had written about his favorite fruits. On this worksheet, he had written â€Å"watrmlon†. As far as his math goes, he is always measuring things in the house with a kid’s yard ruler. The themes that they work on each month give the students the ability to know what is going on in the world around them. My son came home from school one day and told me that there was a planet that was not considered a planet anymore. I did not know this and I was in complete awe. According to Debra Ackerman, â€Å"Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. Full-day kindergarten advocates suggest that a longer school day provides educational support that ensures a productive beginning school experience and increases the chances of future school success. In both full-day and half-day programs, kindergartners spend most of their class time working on reading, language arts, and math activities, but the total number of minutes teachers devote to specific subjects differs. For example, 80 percent of full day but only about 50 percent of half-day programs devote more than 30 minutes each day to mathematics instruction. Sixty-eight percent of full day but only 37 percent of half-day classrooms dedicate at least 60 minutes to reading instruction each day. Perhaps most striking, 79 percent of full-day teachers read aloud to their students every day, compared to 62 percent of half-day teachers. Reading aloud is a critical activity in helping to develop children’s reading skills. Additional research shows children’s literacy learning is enhanced in full-day programs, as the full-day schedule provides a more intensive, ongoing, enriched language and literacy experience for the young child. † (Ackerman) Children in full day kindergarten programs score higher on their achievement test than those in half-day programs. I asked my son’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Janssen, what the average for reading was for her class. Ms. Janssen stated that the majority of her students are already in the first grade reading level as of the end of the second trimester. As said by the Indiana Association of Public School Super Intendants, â€Å"Full day kindergarten programs are associated with greater reading achievement gains during the kindergarten year than half day programs†. (Plucker, 6) The students are graded on their writing and math abilities as well. According to the Kalamazoo Public Schools reports, â€Å"The group of kindergartners advanced in 2010 to first grade at Kalamazoo Public School, where 60 percent tested at or above the 50th percentile in reading on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills last April. That’s a 7-point increase compared to Kalamazoo Public School first-graders tested in April 2009, Rice said. On the Iowa Test Basic Skills math test, 52 percent of first-graders tested at or above the 50th percentile last spring, a 12-point jump over spring 2009. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills are administered in schools nationwide and is a norm-referenced test, which means scores are based on how students perform compared to other test-takers. The Kalamazoo Public School results show that 60 percent of Kalamazoo students are in the top half of first-graders nationwide in reading and 52 percent are in the top half in math. † (Mack) Children who are in full day kindergarten have better social and behavioral effects than those who are in half-day kindergarten. When children are in school for the full day they have more time to get to know the other students. They get more time to interact together socially and they are learning while they are interacting. The students also get to go to specialists and they go with their classmates. Some of the specialists that Hayes Elementary offers are music, art, Spanish, and gym. Going to the specialist is something that the full day kindergarteners get to do and the half-day kindergarteners do not get to do. These students also get to spend more time with the teacher. This means that they will be less hesitant to approach their teacher. According to Clark, â€Å"Some researchers have examined social and behavioral effects. According to researchers, a clear relationship emerged between the kindergarten schedule and childrens behavior. Teachers rated children in all-day kindergarten programs higher on 9 of the 14 dimensions; there were no significant differences on the other 5 dimensions. Other researchers who have studied social and behavioral outcomes found that children in all-day kindergarten programs were engaged in more child-to-child interactions and they made significantly greater progress in learning social skills†. (Clark) In the kindergarten classrooms of Hayes Elementary, the students get into groups called centers. During this center time, the teacher takes a group of five students to a table to do independent reading and the rest of the students go to a center. The centers are groups of three or four students and the students get to interact socially while doing something educational. Some examples of the centers are writing center, listening center, leapster center, and art center. The writing center is where the students can write freely. The listening center is where the students put on headphones, listen to directions, and write down what they hear. The leapster center is where the students get to play a handheld learning game that integrates math, reading, and spelling in the games. Finally, the art center is where the students get to draw and color what they want. When the time is up the students clean up as groups. A full day of learning offers many social and emotional benefits to kindergarteners. As stated by NEA, â€Å"They have more time to focus and reflect on activities, and they have more time to transition between activities. When children are taught by qualified teachers, using age-appropriate curricula in small classes they can take full advantage of the additional learning time—social, emotional, and intellectual— that a full day allows. Further, research finds that children adjust well to the full-day format. † (NEA) The full day kindergarten teachers plan and use the extra time in class well. The time in class is spent differently in both the full day kindergarten and the half-day kindergarten. According to the research that the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å"The research provides evidence that time in full day kindergarten programs is different both quantitatively and qualitatively from how time is used in half day programs† (Plucker, ii). Full day kindergarten offers benefits to teachers. Teachers prefer the full day program to the half-day program. If there is a child that is struggling with something, the teacher has the ability to find time to help that student. There is also more time to finish activities. According to Ms. Janssen, â€Å"With the full day program I am able to get through four reading groups versus two reading groups in one day. With the full day program we are able to go more in depth on our unit that we focus on in class. † (Janssen) According to the NEA, â€Å"Switching to full-day kindergarten gave teachers more time to plan the curriculum, incorporate a greater number of thematic units into the school year, and offer more in-depth coverage of each unit. † (NEA) In the half-day programs there is less time for multiple activities. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Many kindergarten teachers favor full day kindergarten because they find it difficult to balance cognitive activities and affective social activities in the short kindergarten day. † (Martinez, 2) Teachers also prefer full day kindergarten because there is more instructional time than that of a half-day kindergarten program. As stated by the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, â€Å" Across all of the schools in the Indiana sample, the proportion of instructional time is similar across program types, resulting in much greater instructional time in full day programs, representing approximately 40-50% more instruction in full day programs than half-day programs†. (Plucker, ii) Teachers also have the benefit of getting to know the students and their parents better. According to Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers state that they have a chance to know children and parents better, to do more individualization of instruction, and to expand the curriculum horizontally. † (Dr. Martinez) There are so many benefits for the children. A very important benefit is that the full day kindergarteners have the opportunity to an easier transition into the first grade because they are already used to the full day schedule. The time that the students get to spend with the teacher is a great benefit as well. The extra time that is spent with the teacher is as much beneficial for the teacher as it is for the students. According to the research from Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Teachers thought children developed closer relationships and were more relaxed in the full-day program and felt more a part of the school. Teachers indicated they were able to give more individual attention to students and that children had more time to develop both academic and socialization skills. Teachers noted they could work more on the continuing development of each child and felt children showed more advancement. Teachers indicated they felt closer to the children and that they got to know both child and family better. Some indicated in the full day they felt more flexible, were more relaxed and spontaneous, and felt better prepared to meet with parents. † (Dr. Martinez, 6) The time that the students get to spend on activities is another great benefit. According to NEA, â€Å"in a study evaluating teachers’ views on full-day kindergarten, teachers reported a number of benefits for themselves as well as children and parents. Participating in full day eased the transition to first grade, helping children adapt to the demand of a six-hour day. Having more time available in the school day offered more flexibility and more time to do activities during free choice times. Having more time actually made the kindergarten program less stressful and frustrating for children because they had time to fully develop an interest in activities. Participating in  the full-day schedule allows more appropriate academic challenges for children at all developmental levels. Children with developmental delays or those at risk for school problems benefited from having more time to complete projects and more time for needed socialization with peers and teachers. † (NEA) Full day kindergarten offers more benefits to the students that are at risk and children that come from educational and economical disadvantaged homes. If the full day kindergarten programs cost money, as most do, they cost around 3000 dollars per child for the year. The 3000 dollars is charged to the parents of the child. The children that come from the educationally and economically disadvantaged homes would not be able to attend because of the cost. These children are the ones that benefit from the program the most. According to the Indiana Superintendents, â€Å"Students at or below the poverty level enrolled in full day kindergarten scored statistically significantly higher in math and reading than their half day counterparts. Poor children enrolled in full day kindergarten programs tested statistically significantly above half day pupils on reading, spatial, and verbal skills, naming colors and letters, and identifying numerals. †(Plucker, 6) Parents prefer full day kindergarten as well. I as a mother prefer the full day kindergarten program to the half-day program. One of the advantages is that I do not have to figure out childcare and who would bring my son to the childcare. Trying to figure out childcare and school between my job schedule would be undesirable. As said by Dr. Martinez, â€Å"Full-day kindergarten saves parents day-care problems, while providing children a comprehensive, developmentally-appropriate program. Parents said that children often feel more stress when they have to go from a school situation to a day-care environment, where different rules and philosophies apply. Therefore, parents favor a full-day program, which reduces the number of transitions kindergartners experience in a typical day. † (Dr. Martinez) Full day kindergarten also takes a huge cost out of many parents’ monthly budget including mine. Even though some people would be against this and say, â€Å"Why would I have to pay for your childcare? † I would say that many parents including myself pay taxes too. Their parents wanted them to have the best education that they could have gotten. Most importantly, I know that my son and many other children are getting the best out of their day while they are in school. They are having fun while they are learning. My son enjoys being in school. If he had a choice, he would go on Saturdays and Sundays. Children attending full day kindergarten spend the day learning instead of watching television or playing video games. Full-day kindergarten provides parents with better support for their children. According to NEA, â€Å"For parents who work outside the home, full-day kindergarten means that children do not have to be shuffled between home, school, and childcare. For all parents, there is more continuity and less disruption in the child’s day and more time for focused and independent learning. One study of parent attitudes found that after the second year of a full-day kindergarten program, 100 percent of full-day parents, and 72 percent of half-day parents noted that, if given the opportunity again, they would have chosen full-day kindergarten for their child†. (NEA). In conclusion, having full day kindergarten should be mandatory. There are many benefits of the full day kindergarten program. The benefits are not limited to the students. Teachers and parents also get great benefits out of the full day program. According to MaryBeth, â€Å"Research has shown that it is important to begin learning early in life. School systems that have implemented the academically based full day kindergarten are finding it to be successful. † (Calvin) If I had to choose again if a child of mine was going to go to full day or half-day kindergarten, I would not even have to think twice. A child’s education should be one of the most important things to think about. These children will be the future and they need a great education to get there. * Works Cited Calvin, MaryBeth. Expectations for Kindergarten in 2010. 3 February 2010. 3 March 2011. http://www. suite101. com/content/expectations-for-kindergarten-in-2010-a196473 Clark, Patricia. Recent Research on All Day Kindergarten. 2004. 4 March 2011. http://www. ericdigests. org/2002-1/kindergarten. html Debra J Ackerman, W. S. Making the Most of Kindergarten. March 2005. 4 March 2011. http://nieer. org/resources/policyreports/report4. pdf Janssen.

Poor Time Management Skills

Poor Time Management Skills ICBT leads in delivering Edexcel HNDs. However, recent observations showed HND Business Management students showed an increase in poor attendance punctuality, failed in on time delivery resulting in late non-delivery of assignments, the main reason identified for the negative results were, students poor time management skills. This negatively effects key stakeholders such as institute, students, parents lectures, resulting in inability of students to achieve good grades, increased stress years taken to complete the HND, reduced the practice working on deadlines, makes ICBT unable to reach its mission vision, impacts the existing positive image with Edexcel the market, fades parents goals hopes, increases pressure upon lecturers leads to demotivation as results are not achieved as expected from students. The importance of a solution was recognized, identified improving students planning organizing, prioritizing goal setting skills improves time management skills. Improving the said skills, increases students on time submission rates, capability to work on time reduces stress, enable ICBT reach its mission vision maintain good name with both Edexcel the market, reduce work load pressure incenses motivation of lecturers lead parents see their children achieving success. Introduction Established since year 2000 (ICBT, 2011) International College of Business Technology Ltd (ICBT) has become one of the most leading private sector higher education offering institute in Sri Lanka offering variety of internationally accepted study courses. It was observed most students at ICBT studies Edexcel HNDs, ICBT is most popular in delivering HNDs as ICBT was awarded by Edexcel International (The Sunday Times, 1996 2011) as the leading center for Edexcel HNDs in Sri Lanka However recent observation showed students studying Edexcel HND business management shows average poor attendance punctuality, fail to submit assignments on due dates resulting in late submissions not submitting assignments. The main reason identified for students inability to submit assignments on time poor punctuality, was students poor time management skills. Symptoms identified through observing students which led me to look into these problem was students grades achieved, on average students poor attendance, poor punctuality, students complaints on subject matters, students non-verbal expressions such as showing less interest concentration towards lectures, sleepiness, negative attitude towards lectures, talking with friends while lectures are being conducted within the class room, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The importance of identifying finding a solution to these problem was recognized upon identifying the negative effects it could have upon all key stakeholders involved such as students, parents, lecturers the institute the benefits it could bring to the mentioned stakeholders as discussed below. Improved students time management skills, will increase students ability to submit assignments on time, which could be a criteria leading to achieve high grades, reduce both stress levels enable students to complete the HNDs within the time frame of eighteen months, avoid additional payments required on on late extension re-modules of assignments. Further more achieving high grades would increase students knowledge skills levels, which would benefit in gaining building core competencies necessary when entering the job market. Also finding a solution to improve students time management skills, would increase students practice ability to mange time effectively, efficiently under pressure of work while in the university, which could be highly believed would be useful in their career life as time management is considered as a vital interpersonal skill in todays business world. Further if strategies are not implemented to improve students time management skills it would make it impossible for ICBT to reach its mission vision as identified in figure - in appendix , as ICBTs mission of enhancing quality of human resources available to the market, would be negatively effected as students poor grades, poor time management skills, poor punctuality, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ would not result in an increase of quality human resource available to the job market in the future, it would not enable ICBT to reach its vision, since poor performance of students would effect ICBTs reputation recognition in both the local international market negatively, impacting both international local market growth negatively. Also if this results in an continuation, there is an high possibility that ICBTs quality of education reputation in the private higher education could be adversely effected, resulting in ICBTs reputation recognized by Edexcel International as discussed above to de teriorate. Students ability to mange time effectively is a vital factor that could effect a child ability to meet parents goals hopes, such as seeing children passing exams with good grades on planned time frame being highly educated, having a good career a work life balance. Further good time management skills would result in not requiring to pay any additional payments to the college on late submission or re-modules resulting in less financial burden upon parents. Increase in students time management skills would increase students ability to submit assignments on time, this would enable the lecturers to complete checking the whole batches assignments on a particular day, without the need of carrying forward any due checks, putting additional pressure burden upon them. Further effective time management plays a major role in students ability to achieve a Distinction criteria other good grades, which could be a motivating factor for lecturers act as proof of lecturers high performance. As problem was identified ICBT City campus Edexcel HND business management students, area of influence or the scope of the study was identified as the collection of all the current registered Edexcel HND Business Management students at ICBT City campus. As identified discussed above how students poor time management skills effects students other core stakeholders such as parents, lecturers, the institute, the importance of finding a solution for this problem was highlighted by doing so it would not only fulfil the knowledge gap, but also bring massive benefits to all the key stakeholders as discussed below. Research Problem Why are ICBT City campus Edexcel HND Business Management students inefficient in their time management? Research Questions What is time management? What is efficiency effectiveness? What is effective time management? What are the factors influencing effective time management of students? Research Objectives Identify what is time management by reading articles other relevant documents published on time management on or before 12/09/2012 Read articles other relevant documents identify what is efficiency effectiveness why it is important to students before 13/09/2012 Identify what is effective time management by reading articles other relevant documents published on effective time management skills on or before 16/09/2012 Search relevant theories literature to identify factors effecting effective time management of students on or before 18/09/2012 Literature Review Time management involves balancing all the activities in which a person participates within the confines of the week (Canyons, 2001-2012). Efficiency effectiveness plays a vital role towards determining an individuals ability to balance manage all activities of a perticular time period. Efficiency is where time or effort is well used for a planned task efectiveness is doing the right thing. Therefore effective time management could be considerd as an individuals ability to ensure right things are done at the right time, while ensuring time effort is well used for the planned task. However factors effecting time managemnt skills of an individual is discussed below. A study done to find the relatinship between, delay the lack of ability to set daily routines associated with academic activities (Dietz, Hofer Fries, 2007) suggested that students planning is important to prevent delays in academic work, while Drucker in 1967 recognized that planning activities task does not always ensure completion of planned work, specially when time presure is high. However a study done by Gerhard in year 2007, showed that student planning is only one factor among several other factors that could effect time mangement, through results observed by both pre post training skiils observed, which focused on four criterias such as self assesment, goal setting, time mangement self regulation, which was capable to show a major increase or improvement in between students pre post self managemnt skills. According to Sandberg in year 2001, stated that effective utilisation of time would help to achive goals as planned, it is the art of arranging, organising, scheduling, budgeting ones time for the purpose is the factors that influence effective work productivity. Obi in year 2003 stated that time mangemnt involves accurately identifying tasks to be performed, planning scheduling of activities, prioritisng activities in order, allocating time to tasks according to the degree of imporatane that enhances productivity. Olaniyi in 1998 Akomolafe in 2005 argued that, there is nothing to mange in time as time is beyod human control, what individuals are capable to do is to decide what to do with the available time how well to organize activities within the available time frame. Adedeji in year 1998 also came up with a strong similar argument that supports, Olaniyis Akomolafes findings, where he sead time is an scares resource utilization of time could be achived by doing the right thing at the right time. A study done by university students in the United states (Macan, et al, 1990) identified a four factor model which effects students time managemnt skills they were setting goals and priorities, planning and scheduling, perceived control over time, and preference for disorganisation. Out of the four factors perceived control over time had shown the strongest contribution to students academic and emotional adjustment. Further Macans identification that goal setting could infleunce time managemnt was also surported by Richards in 1987 where Richardss concluded that setting life goals keeping time logs were important techniques for effective time managemnt. McCay in 1959 developed a concept for time management training programme, where the critical elements highlighted in it were, giving insight into time consuming activities, changing time expenditure, increasing work day efficiency by teaching people how to make daily planning, how to prioritise task how to handle unexpected tasks. A study done by Britton Tesser in 1991, had identified that 67% of undergraduate students find time managemnt as the most difficult task to manage 36% varience among the grades werte due to time mangemnt skills. This further highlights proves the importance of finding why and how time mangemnt skills could be improved among ICBT City campus HND Business managemnt students. Planning organizing skills Figure (Conceptual model) Time management Prioritising skills Gaol setting skills Alternative Hypothesis identified Students planning, organizing prioritising goal setting skills effects time management Planning organizing skills is the ability to manage self and/or others, and resources including time and surrounding circumstances to reach a specific goal (University of Strathclyde, n.d) Prioritizing skills is the ability to define, rank, and assign levels of importance to tasks, activities, and/or issues and deal with matters of higher importance first. Create a list of items in order in which they need to be completed or delegated. Align personnel and other resources according to priority while maintaining organizational mission, vision, and objectives. Determine matters of urgency and handle accordingly (Selection criteria examples, 2012) Goal setting is the ability of an individual to establishing specific, measurable and time targeted objectives (Objectiveli, 2012) Time management is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools, and systems that work together to help you get more value out of your time with the aim of improving the quality of your life (Time thoughts, 2004 2011), time management skill of an individual depends upon the individuals planning organizing, prioritising goal setting skills. Methodology The sampling frame would be derived from the current ICBT city campus HND Business management students registers, available from the programme coordinating office, which would give a complete list of all students registered for the course under each batch. Out of the sampling frame, a student sample would be obtained in order to conduct the research. However, HND Business management batch 38 46 would be excluded from, the survey as batch 38 has already completed the HND only awaiting for the finalised results batch 46 would be excluded, as the batch is the freshest HND Business management batch, which has started on the second week of September 2012, would not enable to gain required information. In order to avoid the sampling error study would be done to identify the most suitable sampling method to be adopted a larger sample size would be considered in the survey, than the sample size requirement calculated through the sample size calculator. Table (Operational model) Criteria to be measured Measurement unit Planning organizing Skills Ability to estimate time effort required to complete a task Ability to organize systems required resources Organize personal time to carry out responsibilities Maintain satisfactory preparation time for scheduled deadlines Capability to develop schedules timetables with clear milestones deadlines Ability to measure results milestones for self Prioritising skills Ability to identify critical task arrange tasks in logical order Establish priorities systematically differentiate between urgent, important unimportant tasks Ability to monitor or adjust priorities on a daily basis Goal setting skills Ability to set SMART objectives Criteria to be measured Measurement unit Time management skills Students attendance On time delivery, late submissions not submitted rates of assignments (University of Strathclyde, n.d) (Top achievement, n.d) To measure the relationship of the conceptual model identified in figure an operational model had been created in table above. According to the conceptual model organizing, planning prioritising goal setting skills are considered as independent variable time management skills is considered as a dependent variable. Table - (Logical link created to prove the accuracy of measuring units used in the operational model) Criteria to be measured Measurement unit Logical link to prove accuracy of measuring unit Planning organizing skills Ability to estimate time effort required to complete a task Ability to estimate the time effort required to complete particular task, would enable a student to plan in advance on future tasks help to identify how much remaining time is available towards achieving other tasks Ability to organize systems required resources Ability to organize systems resources required to accomplish an task in advance, would help students to fully utilise its separated time towards achieving the task, without the need to use that time in finding required resources systems which would save time Organize personal time to carry out responsibilities If students have the ability to organize time to carry out personal responsibilities in their lives, the separated time could be fully utilized in meeting personal responsibilities, where this would help to avoid personal responsibilities interrupting at times students are engaged in academic work. Maintain satisfactory preparation time for scheduled deadlines Students ability to maintain satisfactory preparation time for scheduled deadlines would help to avoid stress levels of students, an increase their ability to accomplish their goals as planned. Criteria to be measured Measurement unit Logical link to prove accuracy of measuring unit Planning organizing skills Capability to develop schedules timetables with clear milestones deadlines Ability to set clear milestones deadlines with the use of clear schedules time tables, would lead to student motivation also highlight the targets students have to achieve at each given time or date thereby enable to plan organize tasks Ability to measure results milestones for self Ability to measure results milestones for self, would give an students a clear personal idea on where adjustments needs to be made thereby help to plan organize tasks more accurately in the future Prioritising skills Ability to identify critical task arrange tasks in logical order Students ability to identify critical tasks would enable students to give more priority towards achieving them, among other less important tasks Establish priorities systematically differentiate between urgent, important unimportant tasks Ability to priorities systematically differentiate between urgent, important unimportant tasks, would enable a student to give more priority accordingly to urgent, important unimportant tasks. Ability to monitor or adjust priorities on a daily basis In general there is high possibility that sudden unexpected tasks may arise than expected, or an unmet task as planned, may be have to reposition into daily tasks. At a given situation, students ability to accurately monitor readjust the set plans accordingly would enable to reprioritise tasks accordingly. Goal setting skills Ability to set SMART objectives Ability to set SMART objectives would enable student to avoid underestimation or overestimation of work capabilities Criteria to be measured Measurement unit Logical link to prove accuracy of measuring unit Attendance Students attendance records Students attendance records would provide an clear understanding on students punctuality attendance, which could be count towards time management skills Assignment submission rates On time delivery, late submissions remoulded rates Students on time delivery, late submissions remoulded rates of assignments, would set a clear criteria towards evaluating time management skills, as ability to submit assignments on time mostly depends on students ability to manage time effectively Students planning, organizing prioritising goal setting skills would be measured using pre determined questioners used by researches that have been capable of measuring students planning, organizing prioritising gaol setting skills. The results obtained using the questioners would be compared against students late on time assignment submission rates, re-module rates attendance in determining if, HND Business management students planning, organizing prioritising goal-setting skills has an effect upon time management skills. Data collection plan Note Questioner attached in the appendix Data / Information required Primary / Secondary data Source of data Sampling frame Secondary data Data obtained through the programme officeof ICBT city campus Data / Information required Primary / Secondary data Source of data On time assignment, late submission re-module rate of assignment submission of students Primary data Questioners distributed among the sample students Student attendance Primary data Questioners distributed among the sample students Students planning organizing, prioritising Goal setting skills Planning organizing skills Primary data Questioners distributed among the sample students Prioritising skills Primary data Questioners distributed among the sample students Goal setting skills Primary data Questioners distributed among the sample students Sampling methods to be adopted Simple random sampling All students considered under the population will be listed in Excel software according to batch wise, in order to the student register, a sample of students would be selected using the, random formula provided in Excel in order to conduct the survey. Simple random sampling would avoid biasness in selection of students for the sample, enabling every student considered under the population to have an equal chance of being selected for the survey would thereby be capable to represent the whole population. Difficulties limitations faced in using Simple random sampling Although the list of students names are readily available at the programme coordinating department gaining access to the list may be challenging as it may require permission from a authorised personal, as the list of students names may be protected under certain privacy policies Efficiency of the programme coordinating department team influence the ability to gain information on students names list, which may influence the time required to complete the research positively or negatively The list of students names provided by the programme office may not be readily available in one single document, therefore it may be difficult time consuming to bring all data together into one single document or worksheet to create a final list from where a sample could be created. There may be a possibility that all students chosen to represent the sample may have planning, organizing, prioritising goal setting skills, or all the students chosen to represent the sample may not have planning, organizing, prioritising goal setting skills, which may create an inability in comparing the results of both kinds of students, arrive at a valid conclusion. Project plan (Gantt chart) of the research Activity completed Activity not completed X Table Task Start date Finish date Length Task dependent on Progress (Activity completed/ not completed) Comments rescheduled date if task not accomplished as planned 1 Research proposal 10/09/2012 20/09/2012 1 week 4 days Was able to complete task before the planned date 2 Prepare the questionere 13/09/2012 16/09/2012 4 days Was possible to prepare the questionere by 15/09/2012 3 Get the student names list required from the programme office 24/09/2012 27/09/2012 4 days Was able to obtain the names list on 13/09/2012 before the planned date of 27/09/2012 4 List the student population in Excel sheet use simple random sampling to select the sample students 27/09/2012 30/09/2012 4 days 3 Task Start date Finish date Length Task dependent on Progress (Activity completed/ not completed) Comments rescheduled date if task not accomplished as planned 5 Distribute questionere get the feedback from all selected sample students 01/10/2012 20/10/2012 20 days 2 4 6 Start editing, coding, data entry, data analysis of data obtained through thequestionere 21/10/2012 05/11/2012 15 days 5 7 Final research project 06/11/2012 30/11/2012 25 days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Conclusion ICBT well renowned private higher education provider has been recognized as the leading center for providing Edexcel HNDs in Sri Lanka (The Sunday Times, 1996 2011). However, it observed students studding HND Business management has shown an increase in poor attendance punctuality, fail to submit assignments on due dates, influencing all key stakeholders such as students, lecturers, institute the parents negatively. The reason identified for poor attendance punctuality, failure to submit assignments on due dates was students poor time management skills therefore imporatance of identifying finding a sollution to these problem was recognized. Through a detailed literiture, conceptual model was derived where which displayed planning organizing skills, prioritising skills goal setting skills influence students time managemnet skills, therefore the alternative hypothesis developed was, Students planning, organizing prioritising goal setting skills effects time management. Planning organizing, prioritizing goal setting skills was identified as the indipendent variable, where it could influence the dependent variable which is time managemnt skills. The operational model identified in table - lists the measurements that could be used in mesuring all the dependent indipendent variables. In order to to find how ICBT HND Businesss Managemnt students planning organizing, prioritising goal setting skills effects time managemnt, the sampling frame was identified as all the current students studing HND Business managemnt at ICBT City campus. However batch 38 46 would be excluded from the survey as batch 38 has already completed the HND batch 46 would be excluded, as the batch is the freshest HND Business management batch, would not enable to gain required information. Data collection plan in table shows the data required the sources of data collection in gathering the required details. Simple random sampling was identified as the suitable sampling method to derive the sample to conduct the survey, in order to minimise the sampling error a larger sample size would be considered in the survey, than the sample size requirement calculated through the sample size calculator. Difficulties in adopting simple random sampling method are listed on page- Table shows the project developed to conduct the research.

The Importance of Education Essay -- Personal Narratives Education Sch

The Importance of Education â€Å"Come on sweetie, you can do it!† These words have constantly been spoken to me ever since I was a child, and by my parents enforcing these words towards me they inspired me to achieve all that I am able too. In the Mexican culture there are many of us who yearn to learn new things yet there are many of our people who instead of lending a helping hand they thrust each other downward. With this key fact in mind I push myself to become an educated person with a degree so that I can prove to myself that if you want it you will get it. My family has always been very keen on education. One of my childhood memories is that of my father telling us â€Å"The only great inheritance I can leave you with is that of your education, because nobody can take that what you have learned away from you.† My mother also told us that if there came a day in which we had to leave our husbands for any type of abuse we would not be empty-handed since we could be able to support o ur self as well as our families. With my parents always asking me â€Å"how was school today,† or attending all (well not all) but most PTA meetings they showed me that they care a lot for my future. I wish to make them happy and to know that they did a good job in raising me since education is one of my top priorities. Another top priority that I believe influences me is to read, from books about magic sorcerers to Biology or chem. Textbooks, (Who knew right?) I love to explore new things and meet different people. Reading is the key element (I believe) of wisdom since it opens new boundaries to ones mind. I remember in 5th grade the new accelerated reader program was barely starting and the excitement of it was breathtaking. ( not really but i... ...assignments were this past year. My senior year my teacher was named Joanna Schmidt, she inspired us too write many different literature works. We read many Shakespearean works as well as books by Alice Walker, some of the amazing stories we were contained satire and we were asked to identify it in the different books. Gulliver’s Travels, Brave New World, and the movie Gatttica, were mainly written with satire. This was interesting to me because we had to really use our brains and analyze what the author was trying to get across to us as the reader. Now that I am in college I look forward to learning new things and I am glad that I have made in this far with an extreme amount of hard work yet my race is not over. I wish to add more inspirations to my list so that when I am older my children can look up to me for the enjoyment of learning I provide them with.

Mango Street and the Struggles to Achive the American Dream Essay

What is the american dream? Many people will answer that question by saying being successful in america. Others would say that having a nice house in a good neighboorhood, a good marriage, two kids and a golden retreiver is the american dream. Unlike these beliefs of what the american dream is for many latinos that come to this country the american dream is simply one word, survival. For esperanza her american dream is to get out of mango street. Something that she wishes for and is certain that when the time comes she will do. The house on mango street by sandra cisneros manifest all the stuggles and hardships latinos go through when they come to this country to try and achieve the american dream. Imagine going outside and not being able to read what the signs in the street say, or going to eat somewhere and not being able to get what you want because no one understands the language you speak. This is a huge struggle that all latinos face when they come here, the language barrier. Home is something that is far far away for latino immigrants. Home is family, friends, smells, food, familiar faces, the place you love. Something that most latinos don’t have when they come to america. Esperansa knows that mango street isn’t the home she wants. Longing for home is sometimes the biggest stuggle of being an immigrant. Something that esperanza has dealt with her entire life. In the story esperanza learns that achieving your dreams are very difficult speacially if you are a latino women. The first stuggle that latinos have to overcome when they come here is the language barrier. Something that mamacita in â€Å"No speak english† does not understand. Mamacita is a women who doesn’t want to change her lifestyle to the american way. She only knows a few words and like many latinos no speak english is the main thing she says. Esperanza believes that â€Å"she doesn’t comes out because she is afraid to speak english†. Many latino immigrants go through the same thing. If it’s not the financial situation, meaning that they cant afford to go to school to learn english. Or just plain embarrasment of people laughing at them if they try to speak, like when esperanza’s dad ate â€Å"hamandeggs† for his first three months of being in america because he did not know any other words. This is a barrier that holds a lot of people back. It is not easy trying to achieve the american dream without learning the language first. Esperanza associates the power of language as a way out of mango street. She views her ability to write as the freedom and ticket out of the â€Å"barrio†. Not having a place to call home is also a big struggle that latinos have to overcome in able achieve the american dream. â€Å"Home is where the heart is. † Cisneros develops this famous statement to depict what a â€Å"home† really represents. What is a home? Is it a house with four walls and a roof, the neighborhood of kids while growing up, or a unique Cleaver household where everything is perfect and no problems arise? According to Cisneros, we all have our own home with which we identify; however, we cannot always go back to the environment we once considered our dwelling place. The home, which is characterized by who we are, and determined by how we view ourselves, is what makes every individual unique. A home is a personality, a depiction of who we are inside and how we grow through our life experiences. Mamacita is an example of this. She sits home all day and reminisces, â€Å"she sings all the homesick songs about her country†, â€Å"home, home, home is a house on a photograph, a pink house†. Her husbands even goes and paints the walls of their apartment pink to ease her homesick a little but â€Å"it’s not the same you know†. â€Å"She stiils sighs for her pink house in mexico†. Or in â€Å"Geraldo no last name† a guy that no one knows. He died but no one cared because he was â€Å"just another brazer who didn’t speak english, just another wet back†. This is how alot of people think about immigrants in america. They are not good, they only come to steal real americans jobs†. People don’t understands that most latinos have family back home that they support with the little bit of money they make. â€Å"His name is geraldo, and his home is in another country, the one’s he left behind are far away will wonder, shrugh, remember, geraldo he went north and we never heard from him again†. Latino immigrants come here because this is â€Å"the land of opportnity†. Opportunities that alot of times their countries dont offer. This is why they try to make america there home as well. Something that sometimes is impossible but they have to do to live a better life. The american dream is what my parents came to this country to achieve. As latino immigrants they went through all these stuggles. The language barrier, the homesickness, and all the hardships that comes with coming to america. I still hear the stories about them living in a tiny basement apartment when they came here, and how they hardly had money to eat, how they did all these sacrifices to make my life better. For my parents the american dream was to offer their kids a better life than they had. To make it easier for me to get an education. Something that I could not do in my country. This was their american dream. Something that I am proud to say they achieved. Although mango street does show all the stuggles that latinos go through it also shows something else, esperanza, meaning hope in spanish. Hope is what many people hold on to when they come to america. Hope that they will live better lives, hope that someday they will own their own home, hope that their children will get the education they deserve. Hope, something that esperanza has and is going to utilize it and her writing gifts to make her american dream come true.

The Importance of Newspaper

Newspapers have become a daily necessity for nearly everyone, especially in the city where people have to be aware of what is happening around them. Inspite of the television or Internet giving us information on the latest occurances, most people still prefer the feel of the actual newsprint. The newspaper is indeed important as it is a powerful tool to inform the public on various issues. It has a wide coverage as the estimated number of readers is about 10 million in Malaysia alone. Important and shocking news alike are quickly known to the nation through newspaper publications. Every day, the front page news captures the attention of the public and is almost always a topic in people’s conversations. Another feature of the newspaper are the weekly or fortnightly articles written by columnists. These are the features which are able to attract a huge following of fans – people who are fascinated and interested in the writer’s stories. Special write-ups on special occasions in newspapers also help people to have a better understanding of the events. The business section of the newspaper lends a helping hand to the investors who are keen on knowing about the companies they have invested in. The comics section is a delight to the young and old alike. For the staff of newspaper companies, the journalists, especially, the newspaper is a means though which they are given a chance to voice their opinions and make their stand on many issues. For companies looking for an avenue to advertise their products, the newspaper is one of the best choices. Because of the large number of people who read the newspapers, their products will be known by many. Therefore, it can be concluded that the newspaper is important for everyone.