An Environmental Analysis Of Yongin Farmland In Korea Tourism Essay

An Environmental Analysis Of Yongin Farmland In Korea Tourism Essay Yongin Farmland, opened in 1976, was the first amusement park in Korea, managed by Joong-Ang Company, subsidiaries of Samsung. The 3700-acre attraction began as an agricultural center to demonstrate how mountainous land could be used productively for growing food product. Yongin Farmland opened a Motor-Park in late 1993 but loss in the first year. Samsung want to improve the customer satisfaction level at Farmland, and develop the plans for Farmlands expansion. Question: Should Samsung invest in such an aggressive expansion plan for Farmland? Is the theme park industry was an attractive industry for investment? We will start this discussion to analyze the theme park industry using Porters 5 Forces : Internal Rivalry: Since globalization, and also theme park visitors also come from other country, foreign Theme Park has also be the competitor for Farmland. There are so many big player in the world, North America with Walt Disney company is the largest (revenue in 1988 grew from $2.042 B to $3.4 B. There are also Time Warners Six Flags, Paramount. Europe has Alton Towers UK, Walt Disney, Parc Asterix and Big Bang Schtroumpf in Franc. Walt Disney segment: there signs of declining profitability in the U.S. operations, since the market was maturing and the competition was getting more intense. But Tokyo Disneyland, the Japanese operation, was growing and profitable. Asia: Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea, Ocean Park in Hongkong, Jaya Ancol Dreamland with Dunia Fantasi in Jakarta. China has Beijing Amusement park, with 2,000 per cent increasing revebue between 1990 and 1993. Korea: Lotte World, started in 1989, the worlds largest indoor theme park with adjoining hotel, dept store, shopping mall, folk village and sport centre. Seoul Land, located near Seoul at Kyungkido, ranked 23rd in the Top 50 theme parks worldwide A number of theme park were investing heavily in upgrading facilities and extending theme parks services. Periodically added new attractions or renovated existing ones to draw repeat customers. Leading theme park companies, such as Walt Disney Company, charged huge licensing fees. They were very selective in choosing joint ventures in other country. In this industry, its difficult to differentiation, other can copy. The competition is high intense. Threat from internal rivalry is HIGH. Entry: Theme park industry required a large-scale investment; usually required over 50 acres of land and cost could be very high, $50 M up to $3 B (this take 50 % of investment). Its also need amusement machinery (20-30 per cent of investment) and working capital requirements took the rest. Periodically need addition new attractions or renovated existing ones to draw repeat customers Æ’Â   more investment. This industry need economic of scale of higher profit. This industry has a high exit cost since high investment. Need high level of special knowledge. Government regulations were quite strict because of the extensive land use, and the potential for serious accident. A typical period required for arranging government for a theme park could be as high as two to five years (depending on the country) We can say, the entry barrier is quite high, so the threat from new entrance is quite low. Buyer The buyers are families, young adults, corporate groups and tourists. Tour operators and government tourist promotion boards also a buyer. Most of them only come to theme park in the particular season. Customer satisfaction is their need to attract a repetition, but there are so many players, and the buyer is very easy to switch. No need cost to switch to other theme park, the customer always need a new experience. Threat from buyer is HIGH. Supplier Power There were fewer than 10 suppliers who were capable of developing quality machinery, such as DOGO of Japan, HUSS of Germany, and ARROW of the US. They are worked globally; the industry can ask a custom designed. There were a large number of suppliers for the smaller machines, could be manufactured domestically. Sega Japan and Simex Canada is for special stimulators for amusement. Those suppliers are competing each other, can manufactured domestically and its a advantage for industry, so threat from Supplier is LOW. There is exception for software; sometimes, software in the industry was not easily available. In this case, Farmland will go it alone. Substitutes and Complements Consumer can substitute a visit to theme park with other modes of entertainment, something new, different, cheaper, or more convenient such as free admission parks and beaches, camping trips, video movies at home. No switching cost. Threat from substitute is medium to high, since actually the substitute is not in the same comparative with theme park industry. P.E.S.T.E.D Politic Government regulations were quite strict because of the extensive land use, and the potential for serious accident. Economic Booming Korean economy Social: Increasing demands for leisure attractions. Customer satisfaction was a critical issue Æ’Â   to draw repeat customers Technology Special stimulators for amusement purpose using proprietary technology. Software, need a high licensing fees. Virtual Reality (VR) was increasingly becoming a highly lucrative mas-market entertainment phenomenon. Environment Demography The traditional appeals are preteens, teens, and young adults. But changing demographics push to think in term of broader market, particularly families, corporate groups and senior citizens. There 5 major markets: Local family, mostly on weekend Childrens group (school, churches, scout), summer weekdays The evening market, teens and young adults, comes from concert and romancing at night Corporate Group Tourists SWOT Analysis + Internal Strength Farmland had the highest growth rate within Korean industry SAMSUNG image is a big company. Master plan includes some new park and new facilities, will continue with luxury hotels, golf courses, will give a high class resort. Mountain resort gives a fresh connotation. Weaknesses Farmland is 60 km from Seoul, during peak hours, it took as long as 2 hours to drive Farmland have more or less enough parking for the time being, but if we are going to expand, this will be a major bottleneck our customer satisfaction levels were lagging behind the key competitor, Lotte World External Opportunities The government has plans to bring the subway up to Yongin, Farmland would have a subway terminal Æ’Â   a lot of convenience to our customer Since we will build some new infrastructure, like a water park, we can invest on the newest amusement technology that can be a new challenge to the customer. Threats Walt Disney Corp. were not interested for joint venture with in Korea. Farmland had to go it alone to provide software for theme park Korean nature, work 5 Â ½ days a week, working days the travel time is long. They will not be so keen to travel on a Sunday or on holiday if the traffic is heavy. Expanding Farmland will take over more of the land mass available in the Yongin valley. Potential flooding. STRATEGY YES, Samsung invest in such an aggressive expansion plan for Farmland. We need to do many things in our strategy in order to make this as a profitable industry. According to expanding Farmland, we have to consider how we compensate the people around there since potential flooding in the surrounding region. If there is not compensation, there will be a potential threat to our company. Accessibility of the park location is a key success factor in theme park industry, so we need to make a good relationship with government according to government plan to bring the subway up to Yongin. About pricing, we will switch to Pay-one-price scheme. We have to increase our customer satisfaction levels. We also need to change the Farmland name with other name to provide a better image of the company that can attract people with something different experience. Once they come to theme park, we will provide a high quality experience to draw repeat customers. Repeat business is very important to our survival. If we dont satisfy our customers, they will not come back and we will not have any business left. We have to create something that can be our distinctive. With our master plan, Farmland will be the South Koreas largest theme park. With new investment, we can invest on the newest amusement machinery technology that can be a new challenge to the customer. We need to build a corporate image, to make Farmland as a world class resort complex. We will build our head office located where our products are, not manage Farmland by remote control. About recruitment, we need more service oriented people, more female workers, even we will face a high turnover, it will good since fresh blood always brings in fresh ideas so we would able to preserve some dynamism in our organization. What we want to build is a destination resort town and residential community where people can come, relax and enjoy themselves in a low-stress environment. For 180,00 Samsung employee, this will give a place to come and be proud of. This can bring a good spirit to all Samsung employee.

Concepts of Creativity and Critical Thinking

Concepts of Creativity and Critical Thinking Thinking Creatively, Thinking Critically (Group 3) Abstracts These days, people often use the phase of â€Å"Think out of the box†. Hence it related to term â€Å"creative thinking† and â€Å"critical thinking†. So, what are those term means? Why it is important to have these thinking skills? How does those kind of thinking fit in modern education benefit and does it benefit students especially? This paper will introduce to the creative and critical thinking not as definite, but to give an idea on what is it about. Next, apply it in Hong Kong context. 1.0  Introduction Its not easy to give an exact definition of creativity and critical thinking. Both aspects have varying of elements which have effects on the flow of the thinking. For creative thinking, lots of researchers came out with their own definition based on their findings. Gardner (1993) defines creativity as ‘the ability to solve problems and fashion new products and to raise new questions’. However, this definition does not cover the whole term of â€Å"creative†; creative is much more than that, but yes, it is a gist for others to branch out more on the term. Thus Gruber Wallace (1999) say that a creative idea ‘must be new and must be given value by some external criteria’ followed by Robinson (2001) describes creativity as ‘imaginative processes with outcomes that are original and of value’. Once the creative thinking has taken place, hence it leads to the next part which is critical thinking. When someone has use their creative thinking, critical thinking comes in and evaluates ideas to narrow down the focus made by creative thinking and pick idea where it is the most relevant and or have potential to succeed (Ruggiero, 1999). Encouraging students to think critically involves, among other things, helping them to distinguish opinions from facts, to evaluate evidence, and to avoid shallow and illogical thinking. This approach is very important in helping to avoid (by recognizing) manipulation, which in turn can allow intellectual independence and creativity to flourish (Browne Keely, 1993; Mayfield, 1997; Paul, 1995). According to Meyers (1986), he gives out four elements which are needed in learning environments to encourage the development of critical thinking. First and foremost, the stimulation of students’ interest. It is required for the students to taken li ke in a certain topic for them to study deeper in it. Student’s with interest is much better in developing their critical thinking. Secondly, the creation of meaningful discussion. Based on their liking, the students are more comfortable and confidence to talk about it. Thirdly, the exposure to the thoughts and views of others. In this session, the students will hear various opinions and feedback from others. They will learn how to react and give comments to those who agree or disagree with their opinion. Lastly, the fostering of a supportive and trusting atmosphere. These kind of discussion is giving out positive vibes in student for their development in critical thinking. They can gain more confidence and hence helps their mind to become more mature and open to other perspective and out of their comfort zone. 2.0  Combination of Critical and Creative Thinking The combination between two types of thinking namely critical and creative thinking had been research by many researchers in the world. According to Julie (2008), he stated that in education in order for the student to adapt with a changing world , he or she must change way of thinking different from the past. The benefits of this combination has been point out by many research such as can boots up student to take time to generate many ideas and argument , to ask penetrating questions and recognize the validity of arguments (Julie ,2008). 2.1Difference between Critical and Creative Thinking According to Fisher ( 2002 ) , he has listed possible term to differentiate critical and creative thinking based on figure 1. According to this figure, the tendency for the people to think critical is more on left brain and think creative on right brain. Kendra (n.s) stated that the right brain has more abilities in expressive and creative task while in the left brain is more to asking that involve logic, language and analytical thinking. But , according to Julie ( 2008 ) , in order to encourage the student to think creative and critical , an approach that can combine critical and creative thinking needed to implemented instead just focussing only the distinction. 2.2  Critical and Creative Thinking in Problem Solving Julie (2008) stated that the benefits of critical thinking is it can help student to figure out and evaluate information that can be found via internet and mass media due to function of left hemisphere of the brain that has logical and analytic qualities ( Adam . ns). In addition to, creative thinking also has benefits in which this type of thinking can improve student’s academic performance if the student can identified their creative abilities. In order to combine both creative and critical thinking, one of the approaches that can help student is using problem solving technique. Problem solving technique can be defined as a process in which we perceive and resolve a gap between a present situation and a desired goal, with the path to the goal blocked by known or unknown obstacles (William, n.s).According to King (2014) , to conduct problem solving technique , there are seven step that need to focus such as analyse the problem , imagine the solution , plan solution , apply the solution , evaluate the solution , improve the solution and implement the solution. 2.3  Critical and Creative Thinking in Level of Learning Bloom’s Taxonomy had been develop by Benjamin Bloom in order to increase higher forms of thinking in education, such as analysing and evaluating concepts, processes, procedures, and principles, rather than just remembering facts (rote learning). According to Julie (2008), bloom taxonomy consist of three domain namely affective (feeling, preferences and values) , psychomotor (physical and perceptual activities and skills) and cognitive (thinking , evaluating and synthesizing information). Julie (2008) stated that, bloom taxonomy (figure 3) consist of six categories or level which represented in a triangle. The first level which the largest section at the base in the triangle is called Knowledge. According to bloom, in education level 95 % of test question only test the student to think at this basic level. For example in the classroom setting, the question is more likely to ask â€Å"what is the definition of ..? †. According to Leslie, the verb that related to this level are define recall, memorize and know identify. The second level is known as comprehension which involve interpretation and classification of ideas. In this level, it more focusing on ability to create or interpret meaning from material such as report recognize, describe discuss and differentiate. For example question that related such as ‘which is the best answer..?’ and more like question in multiple choice exam. The third level is application which also can be defined as using l earned material in new situation. In this level, it more focusing to use learned material in new and specific solution.. In the classroom setting, the student will be test on question such as â€Å"how would you show your understanding of ..?†. The fourth level is analysis. Analysis can be defined as ability to differentiate material into component parts and present the relationship between those part. For example, the question that related to this level such as â€Å"what inferences that can you make from†. Synthesis which places in level five can explain by construct the ability to put ideas together to form new ways that unique, innovate and creative. The question such as â€Å"Can you predict the outcome if ..?† can be used in synthesis level. The last level is Evaluation in which the level more focusing on ability to conduct judgement and critique the worth of ideas based on reviewing and evidence. For example in the classroom , the question such as â€Å" Do you agree with the action / outcomes † can be used to understanding of evaluation level. 3.0 Malaysia Education System Generally, Malaysia education system is divided into two; pre-tertiary and tertiary education. Pre-tertiary that includes primary and secondary education is regulated under Ministry of Education (MOE) whereas tertiary education is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE). Figure 4 According to Figure 4, primary education begins at age of seven and lasts for six years, referred to Year 1 up until Year 6. Students are promoted to the next year regardless of their academic performances. Furthermore, most students who had completed their primary education are admitted to go to secondary education. As secondary education lasts for five years, referred to as Form 1 to 5. As stated at Figure 4, secondary education are divided into two levels which is from Form 1 to Form 3, are known as Lower Secondary whereas Form 4 and Form 5 are known as Upper Secondary. The government have provides 11 years of primary and secondary education to students. After successful completion of 11 years of study, students are given the option to continue their studies in post-secondary schools to get a pre-university qualification (such as Matriculation programme) or further their study at higher level institution. 3.1  Gifted Education in Hong Kong Figure 5 The three-tier of gifted education framework was adopted in 2000. Based on this figure, the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) stated in Education Commission Report No.4 that Hong Kong should develop a school-based programme in mainstream schools. Hong Kong Academy of Gifted Education (HKAGE) has come up with these policy where they want to develop the potential of gifted students by providing them with opportunities to receive education at appropriate levels. According to Figure 5, here are the explanations; Level 1: A:To immerse the core elements advocated in gifted education i.e. High-order thinking skills, creativity and personal-social competence in the curriculum for ALL students; B:To differentiate teaching through appropriate grouping of students to meet the different needs of the groups with enrichment and extension of curriculum across ALL subjects in regular classrooms. Level 2: C:To conduct pull-out programmes of generic nature outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for a homogeneous group of students (e.g. Creativity training, leadership training, etc.); D:To conduct pull-out programme in specific areas (e.g. Maths, Arts, etc.) outside the regular classroom to allow systematic training for students with outstanding performance in specific domains. Level 3: E:The HKAGE collaborates with tertiary institutions and other educational organizations / bodies to provide a wide and increasing range of programmes for exceptionally gifted students To cater the educational needs of gifted students, they advocate the following guiding principles: Nurturing multiple intelligences is a requirement of basic education for all students and should be part of the mission for all schools The needs of gifted children are best met within their own schools though it is recognized that opportunities to learn with similarly gifted students are important. Schools have an obligation to provide stimulating and challenging learning opportunities for their students The identification of gifted students should recognize the breadth of multiple intelligences Schools should ensure that the social and emotional, as well as the intellectual, needs of gifted children are recognized and met. 4.0  Conclusion The students must be given the motivation to think, the time to develop ideas, and the collaboration and support to encourage creative and critical thinking. Connecting ideas, seeing the similarities and differences, and the most important, be flexible and curious in thinking are the important aspects that education needs in teachers and students. References 1. Huitt, W. (1992). Problem solving and decision making: Consideration of individual differences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Psychological Type, 24,33-44.Retrievedfrom http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/papers/prbsmbti.html 2. Sicinski, A. Visual Thinking Magic The Evolution of Extraordinary Intelligence :Creativity: Merging the Left Right Brain  http://www.visualthinkingmagic.com/creativity-left-right-brain 3. King. Thoughtful Learning Blog :Teaching Innovation and Problem Solving  http://thoughtfullearning.com/blogpost/teaching-innovation-and-problem-solving (Accessed 2014-04-22 ) 4. Forrrester , J.C. 2008. ThinkingCreatively;Thinking Critically. Asian Social Science 5.  https://www.justlanded.com/english/Malaysia/Malaysia-Guide/Education/Introduction 6. http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/major-level-of-edu/gifted/hong-kong-development/introduction.html

Essay on the Flying Motif in Song of Solomon :: Song Solomon essays

Importance of the Flying Motif in Song of Solomon    Throughout literature it has been common for authors to use allusions to complement recurrent motifs in their work. In Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon, Milkman learns that his desire to fly has been passed down to him from his ancestor Solomon. As Milkman is figuring out the puzzle of his ancestry, he realizes that when Solomon tried to take his youngest son, Jake, flying with him, he dropped him and Jake never arrived with his father to their destination.    It seems quite probable that Morrison drew from the Daedalus/Icarus Greek myth. Daedalus was a well-known architect and engineer in Athens. King Mines invited Daedalus to Crete to build him a labyrinth, and when it was completed, Mines jailed him within it. In order to escape, Daedalus built two sets of wings - one pair for himself, and the other for his son, Icarus- using wax and feathers, which they used to fly off from Crete. On their journey to Athens, Icarus decided to try to challenge the sun, even though his father had warned him that if he got too near to the sea his wings would dampen and fall apart, or if he got too close to the sun, the wax in his wings would melt, and he would lose the ability to fly. Ignoring Daedalus' warnings, Icarus flew too high and the sun melted the wax that held his wings together. Icarus fell into the Aegean Sea and died.    Solomon, a slave, had been a leader when he worked in the cotton fields in the South. One day he decided to fly back to Africa with his youngest son, Jake, leaving behind his wife Ryna and their twenty other children. Black lady fell down on the ground Come booba yalle, come booma tambee Threw her body all around Come konka yalle, come konka tambee...(303).    This verse of the popular children's song which Milkman heard in Shalimar, Virginia, was referring to Ryna's sobbing, an event which also led to the naming of Ryna's Gulch where it is rumored that Ryna's spirit moaned night and day alike for Solomon's return. When Solomon is flying, however, he drops Jake- also the name of Milkman's grandfather- and unlike Icarus in Greek mythology, Jake survives his fall.    Milkman's desire to fly mirrors one of the foremost fantasies of any child or dreamer.

Terrorism Essay -- essays research papers

Terrorism is the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment thereof, in the furtherance of political or social objectives". This definition includes three elements: (1) Terrorist activities are illegal and involve the use of force. (2) The actions are intended to intimidate or coerce. (3) The actions are committed in support of political or social objectives. The main topic here is Terrorism and Foreign Policy. The two terms that are going to be discussed is how the war against terrorism is expanding and how American President George W. Bush misnamed his National Security Strategy. In his State of the Union address, President Bush threatened to expand the war on terrorism to countries that are developing weapons of mass destruction and nations that are â€Å"timid in the face of terror.† The president singled out three nations, North Korea, Iran, and Iraq as the â€Å"axis of evil† and that he might take military action to pre-empt the threat from their weapons of mass destruction. Although such rhetoric may simply be sabre rattling to intimidate those nations, the possibility of an expansion of the war is a real and dangerous possibility. But those three countries hardly constitute an organized alliance against the United States, as did the much more dangerous collaboration among Japan, Germany, and Italy during World War II. In fact, Iran and Iraq hate each other. And despite North Korea’s continued harbouring of a few members of the Japanese Red Army, North Korea has not actively sponsored terrorist attacks in many years. Although North Korea, Iran, and Iraq are developing (or have acquired) weapons of mass destruction, so are many other nations. According to the Pentagon, 12 countries have nuclear weapons programs, 13 nations have biological weapons, 16 countries have chemical weapons and 28 nations have ballistic missiles. Is the president prepared to attack all of those nations? What if North Korea, Iran, or Iraq has already sent intelligence opera tives or terrorists to the United States with weapons of mass destruction to lie in wait in case a strike is needed in retaliation for a U.S. attempt at regime change? Iran or Iraq might do the same to Israel. The fact is that the United States must live with an increasing number of nations that have acquired weapons of mass des... ...tegy promulgated by President Bush in September 2002 does just the opposite. It prescribes a global security strategy based on the false belief that the best and only way to achieve U.S. security is by forcibly creating a better and safer world in America's image. A better approach would be a less interventionist foreign policy. It is too late to stop al Qaeda from targeting America and Americans. The United States must do everything in its power to dismantle the al Qaeda terrorist network worldwide, but the United States must also avoid needlessly making new terrorist enemies or fuelling the flames of virulent anti-American hatred. In the 21st century, the less the United States meddles in the affairs of other countries, the less likely the prospect that America and Americans will be targets for terrorism. In sum, an apparent widening of the current war designed to enhance U.S security could have the opposite effect. http://www.workersparty.org/expanding-war-against-terrorism.html http://www.asiasource.org/asip/bello.cfm http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/01/29/bush.speech.txt/index.html http://www.afa.org/magazine/oct1999/1099edit.asp http://www.dsausa.org/news/director.html

Everyday Use Analysis Essay

â€Å"Everyday Use† is a short story by â€Å"Alice Walker†, it is a disdainful short story. A story about two sisters and a mom, that the two girls are totally different. Also teaching to stand up for what you want. This story is about a mom and a girl called Maggie that they live alone because the older sibling moved out. In the story Maggie and the mother have not seen how much Dee has changed in over six years. Dee in the short story sees that her sister Maggie and her mother have not change throughout these six years not a bit. In the story Dee and Maggie are examples of foil characters. Maggie is the very shy and polite one out of her and Dee. Maggie was the character that lived with mama, during the story it says that Maggie was burned in a house fire. This character is a character that would just blend into the background because of how shy she was, she wouldn’t talk to much; so she would rather just blend in with the surroundings. Maggie was a foil character because her and mama didn’t change nothing throughout the six years that passed, while Dee did change a lot; throughout those six years. Maggie is a good hearted kid, she would rather let Dee have the quilts that were promised to her, instead of fighting over them. Dee is sisters with Maggie in this story, she is the character who is very impolite, or that does things her way. Dee is the only educated character; it says in the short story that she left so that she could be educated. Dee is noticed as a character that does whatever she wants, and have it go her way. One example is that, Dee wears a brightly colored, yellow-and-orange, ankle-length dress that is inappropriate for the warm weather. This shows that she would wear anything she wants even if its inappropriate in any way. In the story mama wouldn’t let Dee have the quilts, and she became furious. This another example that she is very stubborn, because in the end she keeps the quilts. In this story i learned that being generous and polite will get you farther in life, but if you’re stubborn, and impolite you won’t get as far in life.

Issues Facing Education Essay

This article points out the varying trends in higher education. In the current learning dynamic, one has many options. Some can pursue a more traditional education by way of a four year university or do what the students enrolled in this course are doing; seeking education by way of the Internet. Colleges, universities and educational opportunities in general have evolved throughout history. To save myself and my readers from a long history lesson, I will narrow it down to the last few decades. If you look back to our parents, or even grandparents generations, you can see there has been a transition not only in curriculum, but also in how we receive our education. We are able to further our educations despite not being able to physically be in a classroom. Bill Gates predicted that â€Å"place-based activity in college will be five times less important than it is today. † (Aoun, par. 1). The author points out that higher learning is available to many that would not have the opportunity due to location, careers, or another important aspect; sufficient funding. For example, students can attend larger colleges by way of satellite locations, online learning opportunities, overseas and international opportunities and still have the option to decide between many degrees. The main point of the article is not that one is better than the other or will eventually replace the other. Instead, these added variations are an enhancement to today’s educational opportunities. I completely agree with the author’s perspective that just because one chooses an alternate path to pursue higher education, it does not mean that the end state of one is better than the other. Bill Gates is right to have faith in the ability of online education to empower new generations of students to advance their educations. But if past is prologue, online education will remain a component of–not the answer to–the diverse system that has cemented the leadership of American higher education in the world (Aoun, par. 16). It is through technological advancement and the evolution of education that someone in my position is able to serve in the military ull time, maintain a family and still have the opportunity to attend college. If education would have remained a â€Å"brick and mortar† institution, I would have to wait until my service was complete which would limit my career opportunities in the future. The evolution of education can only be seen as beneficial to today’s society, economy and to the advancement of our culture as a whole. I feel this article would be very useful in a research essay due to the fact that the author does not take a biased approach to the issue. He does point out the very different aspects, good and bad, of different ways education is offered and the additional activities that may or may not be present during place based learning. I don’t necessarily agree that the lack of peer to peer contact, school spirit, or community activities involved with campus life will make a person more or less successful. Throughout our lives we are faced with diversity, new opportunities, new ways of thinking and the chance to learn from different experiences. Lifelong learning is about opening yourself up to all of these things no matter whether it’s for a degree or for personal enrichment.

High Stakes Testing Essay

Tests are a very important tool for measuring achievement; therefore, they should be part of a system which provides equitable learning access to all students. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) which requires states to develop accountability systems and provide assessment of the students’ performance in order to receive federal funding accordingly has led to the necessity of implementing large-scale testing. The goal of using these types of tests can be considered praiseworthy if – the tests are designed in such a way that all students are tested on a curriculum they have had a fair opportunity to learn (especially racial and ethnic minority students or students with a disability or limited English proficiency) – the tests are scored properly, taking into account that the test scores of those students with limited English skills should be interpreted in accordance with those limitations – the tests are used appropriately. For example, a test that has been validated only for diagnosing strengths and weaknesses of individual students should not be used to evaluate the educational quality of a school. The public schools of North Carolina, for example, carry a very high-stakes accountability program known as â€Å"The New ABCs of Public Education. † which has had a major impact on curriculum, instruction, assessment, and school personnel throughout the state. The program requires: End-of-Grade Tests (3-8 and 10), End-of-Course Tests (on Algebra I, Algebra II, Biology, Chemistry, Civics & Economics, English I, Geometry, Physical Science, Physics, U. S. History, NCCLAS ), Tests of Computer Skills, Competency Tests, Writing Assessments Grades 4, 7, and 10, IDEA ® English Language Proficiency Tests. Each North Carolina school, as well as any school in any other state has to give itself an annual report card, with assessment results broken down by poverty, race, ethnicity, High Stakes Testing 2 disability, and English-language proficiency. In this way, the race for more and better information about school performance sets off. More attention should be paid to the quality of data educational authorities receive as it is a fact that there are schools which are painting a picture prettier than reality, thus misleading authorities, taxpayers and what is even worse, keeping students trapped in low quality institutions. Under NCLB, if schools fail to make adequate yearly progress on state tests for three consecutive years, students can use federal funds to transfer to higher-performing public or private schools, or to obtain supplemental education services from providers of their choice but this could not be possible if the low-quality institutions they attend remain invisible under misleading reports of pretended excellence. In many districts, raising test scores are the most important indicators of school improvement so teachers feel the pressure to ensure that test scores go up. Knowing that schools that fail for four to five consecutive years may face state takeovers, have their staffs replaced, or be bid out to private management some teachers narrow the curriculum and teach only what is covered on the test. There are many issues that should be taken into account when it comes to evaluating high stake assessment. One of them is the reliability of high stake tests which is definitely at risk when large subject domains (mathematics, language arts) are measured with relatively few questions and a narrow focus on skills and knowledge. Major decisions like getting a diploma or being promoted to the next grade require a balance of information including in-class performance, interviews, observation, projects, and class work. Perhaps the most important critical claim is that standardized tests do not measure critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and other similar important aspects of intelligence. Students who are perfectly intelligent can perform poorly in high-stakes testing, and this can have serious consequences for the student as well as his or her school. High Stakes Testing 3 In my opinion, the first of the three most important issues in high stakes testing is the type of test used. Large-scale high-stakes testing programs are primarily focused on serving the goals of norming and selection rather than student mastery of content and problem-solving (Pellegrino, Chudowsky, & Glaser, 2001). These two types of testing are almost impossible to reconcile. A second issue of great importance is assessment of learning versus assessment for learning (Stiggins, 2002) There is a distinction between high-stakes testing (assessment of learning) and the formative assessment techniques that teachers may use throughout the year to foster learning (assessment for learning). In the case of the former, the goal of the test is to measure what students know or can do. In the case of the latter, the goal of the test is to provide information that will improve student learning. The third most important issue is, in my opinion, the test / curriculum adjustment. Appropriate assessments measure the objectives set out at the classroom level and at the same time reflect curriculum (or content) that has been selected to reach the specified objectives. To sum up, any decision about a student’s continued education, such as retention, tracking, or graduation, should not be based only on the results of a single test, but should include other relevant and valid information. The classroom is the realm of the teacher. State tests do not tell teachers how to teach, they suggest what should be taught, so there is no reason why students cannot learn how to think critically, solve problems or develop their creativity. State tests are taken at the end of the year or course, so teachers have the opportunity to diagnose their students’ needs and work on their improvement so that by the time they sit for the tests they can feel confident and succeed as expected. It is only fair to use test results in high-stakes decisions when students have had a real opportunity to master the materials upon which the test is based and this cannot be achieved without an active and professional teacher.