Bbmdoc.233

CHRIST UNIVERSITY Hosur Road, Bangalore Department of Management Studies Course Plan-2012-2013 Subject/Code: Organizational Behaviour/BBM 232 |Name of the faculty | Email | |Dr. Jain Mathew |[email  protected] in | |Mr. John Paul |john. [email  protected] in | |Ms.Mary Thomas |mary. [email  protected] in | |Ms. Vinita Seshadri |vinita. [email  protected] in | INTRODUCTION To provide students with thorough knowledge in theory and concepts of organizational behavior, also to equip them to address the contemporary changes related to the behavior and performance of people in organizations today.Teaching and learning approach Each week's teaching sessions will comprise: Four- Hour lecture including student centered activity During which you will be introduced to the topic for that week. It is important to note that the coverage of each topic during the lecture will be incomplete unless you read the references provided and attempt the tutorial questions that cover that topic. It is important to note that for each topic a set of objectives is given and it is your responsibility to ensure that you meet those objectives.Recommended text books Stephen Robbins, Timothy A. Judge, Seema Sanghi, Organizational Behavior, 13th Edition Pearson Education, Journals Human Capital MBA Review HRM Review ICFAI HR HBR Review Case Folio Lecture Schedule: 1. MODULE – Introduction to Organizational Behaviour 1. 1 Objectives †¢ Understand the importance of interpersonal skills in the workplace. †¢ Describe the manager’s function, role and skills. – Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Nature, importance and purpose of organizations |1 |Discussion | | | | | | |Nov 5 – Nov 10 | | | | | |Managerial Skills by Robert Katz |2 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Management Roles by Mintzberg |3 |PPT; video showing various roles | | |Effective versus successful Managerial Activities|4 |Group discussion and reflections | | |- | | | | |Luthan’s study | | | 1B. 2 Objectives: On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Define Organization Behaviour †¢ Trace the historical roots of organization behaviour †¢ Explain OB Model †¢ Identify the major behavioral science disciplines that contribute to OB †¢ Identify the challenges and opportunities managers have in applying OB Concepts Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Introduction to Organization Behaviour – OB Model|1 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | | | | | |Nov 12 –Nov 19 | | | | | |Challenges in handling OB |2 |Group discussion and reflections | | |Contribution from other disciplines |3 |Concept Mapping | | |Case Study |4 |Use as a tool to explain how to approach OB case | | | | |studies | 1+. 2 Reference Prerequisite readings – Chapter 1 Stephen Robbins, Timothy A. Judge , Seema Sanghi , Organizational Behavior, 14th Edition Pearson Education 2. MODULE – II Personality 2. 1 Objectives: On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Define Personality, describe how it is measured and factors that determine n individual’s personality †¢ Identify Personality Traits relevant to OB and it’s applications in the workplace |Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning & Determinants of personality |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Nov 20 – Dec 4 | | | | | |Theories of personality: Type and Trait theory |2 |Activity: ‘Favourite Personality’ | | |The ‘Big Five’ Personality Traits |3 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Experiential Exercise: Big Five Personality |4 |Questionnaire | | |Trait | | | | |Myers-Briggs Indicator |5 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Psychoanalytical theory |6 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Erickson’s personality |7 |Lecture (C/PPT); Handout | | |Group Activity9-+ |8 |Write up on various personality +-+traits of famous | | | | |personalities | | |Case Study |9 |Case discussion/Written Analysis | 2. 2 Reference: Prerequisi te readings –Ch. 4 Stephen Robbins, Timothy A. Judge , Seema Sanghi , Organizational Behavior, 14th Edition Pearson Education 3. MODULE- III Learning Meaning of learning –– Learning theory of Organisational Behaviour-Classical- Operant conditioning- Cognitive- Observation Theory 3. 1 Objectives: On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Define and understand what is Learning †¢ Four theories which explains how learning takes place †¢ Learning principles which needs to be observed in any training programme †¢ Its impact on individual behaviour and organization Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning of learning |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Dec 5 – Dec 21 | | | | | |Learning process |2 |Discussion | | |Classical conditioning |3 |Lecture (C/PPT) & video | | |Operant conditioning |4 |Lecture (C/PPT) & video | | |Cognitive Theory |5 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Social Learning Theory |6 |Group discussion – ‘Role Models’ | | |Group Activity |7 |Presentation on videos depicting various learning | | | | |styles/skits | | |Principles of Learning-Reinforcement and |8 |Lecture (C/PPT) | |Punishment | | | | |Learning Curve |9 |Discussion | | |Case Study |10 |Case discussion/Written Analysis | 3. 2 Reference: Prerequisite readings – Chapter 9 K. Aswathappa, 9th edition, OB-Himalaya Publishing House / Chapter 4- Kavitha Singh-OB Text and Cases-Pearson Education / Chapter 4-OB- Hellriegel & Slocum- Thomson 4. MODULE- IV Attitudes Meaning, Characteristics and functions- Components-the ABC Model- Formation of attitude Meaning, Charecteristics, Components and Formation of attitudes. Change in attitude- Barriers to change- How to minimize the barriers. 4. 1 Objectives On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Contrast the three components of an attitude †¢ Discuss attitude and attitude formation †¢ Relate attitude to behaviour Week |Topics |Hour |Me thodology | | |Meaning, Characteristics and functions |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Jan 2 – Jan 12 | | | | | |Components-the ABC Model |2 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Cognitive Dissonance; Job |3 |GroupDiscussion | | |Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction | | | | |Formation of attitudes- Changing attitudes |4 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Barriers to change, How to minimize the barriers |5 |Video | | |Case Study |6 |Case discussion/Written Analysis | 4. 2 Reference: Prerequisite readings – Ch 3 Stephen Robbins, Timothy A. Judge , Seema Sanghi , Organizational Behavior, 14th Edition Pearson Education 5. MODULE – V – PERCEPTION Meaning and definition – Need, Factors influencing perception, perceptual consistency, Context and definition,. 5. 1 Objectives: On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Understand importance and factors contributing for perception †¢ Understand the concepts in perceptual Organization Understand factors contri buting towards the interpretation of data |Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning, nature and importance of Perception |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Jan 21 – Jan 31| | | | | |Factors influencing perception |2 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Experiential Exercise 1 |3 |Story telling based on pictures | | |Perceptual Process |4 |Group discussion | | |Interpersonal perception 5 |Video | | |Case Study |6 |Case discussion/Written Analysis | 5. 2 Reference Prerequisite readings – Chapter 6 K. Aswathappa, 9th edition, OB-Himalaya Publishing House 6. MODULE –VI Group Behaviour and Group Dynamics 6. 1 Objectives: On completion of the module you would be able to: †¢ Analyse the different stages of group formation and development. †¢ Differentiate formal and informal groups. †¢ Know the factors that increase or decrease group cohesiveness †¢ Differentiate between groups and teams. †¢ Discuss the conditions for building successful teams. Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning and types of groups |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Feb 1 – Feb 12 | | | | | |Formation of groups |2 |Activity + Reflection | | |Characteristics of Groups (Size, Norms, Status, |3 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Roles) | | | | |Characteristics of Groups (Cohesiveness, |4 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Groupthink, Groupshift) | | | | |Group decision making |5 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Groups vs Teams |6 |Discussion | 6. 2 Reference: *Aswathappa –Ch. 14 and 15, Organizational Behavior (Text, cases and Games), 9th Edition, Himalaya Publication 7. MODULE – VII Leadership 7. 1 Objectives: On completion of this module you would be able to: †¢ Differentiate Leadership and management. †¢ Leadership styles and their impact on followers. †¢ Transformational leadership, women as leaders and charismatic leadership are emerging issues in leadership. Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning, concept and Differences wit h managers |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Feb 13 – Feb 23| | | | | |Leadership Styles |2 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Managerial Grid; Situational Leadership (Hersey &|3 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Blanchard) | | | | |Tannenbaum and Schmidt; Path Goal theory |4 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Transactional, Transformational & Charismatic |5 |Presentations by students | | |leaders | | | | |Communication: Meaning and importance, barriers |6 |Discussion | 7. 2 Reference: *Aswathappa –Ch. 18, Organizational Behavior (Text, cases and Games), 9th Edition, Himalaya Publication 8. MODULE – VIII Motivation 8. 1 Objectives: On completion of the material you would be able to: †¢ Identify major content theories of work motivation Explain the major process theories of work motivation †¢ Understand theories of motivation and evaluate their applicability today |Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Meaning and Concept of motivation |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Feb 25 – Mar 4 | | | | | |Content Theories of Motivation – Two factor |2 |Presentations by students | | |theory, Theory X & Y | | | | |Alderfer ERG Theory; McClleland’s need |3 |Presentations by students | | |classification | | | | |Process Theories- Vroom’s Expectancy Theory, |4 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Porter-Lawler theory | | | | |Case Study |5 |Case discussion/Written Analysis | 8. 2 Reference: Prerequisite readings – Chapter 11- K. Aswathappa, 9th edition, OB-Himalaya Publishing House / Chapter 6- Stephen Robbins, Timothy A. Judge , Seema Sanghi / Chapter 8- Fred Luthans- OB- 9th Edition Mc Graw Hill. 9. MODULE-IX- Organizational Change 9. 1 Objectives: On completion of the module you would be able to understand †¢ The nature, level, need and types of change. †¢ The reasons for change in organization. †¢ The reasons why people resist change in organization. †¢ The change process. Week |Topics |Hour |Methodology | | |Nat ure and Levels of Change |1 |Concept Mapping | | | | | | | | | | | |Feb 25 – Mar 4 | | | | | |Types and Forces for Change & Lewin’s Model for |2 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Change Management | | | | |Change Process ( Six Stages) |3 |Lecture (C/PPT) | | |Resistance to change (RTC) and methods dealing |4 |Discussions | | |with RTC | | | 9. 2 Reference: *Aswathappa –Ch. 22, Organizational Behavior (Text, cases and Games), 9th Edition, Himalaya Publication Continuous Internal Assessment CIA 1 – Mid Semester Examinations for 2 hours and 50 marks CIA 2 – Comprising of the following 3 components of 10 marks each: i) Article Review – The student will be required to read a specified article and present the review in the following format †¢ Name of the Author, Year of Publication, Title of the article †¢ Objective of the study †¢ Methodology adopted – o Sample (Technique and size) o Tools o Analysis †¢ Findings of the study †¢ Recommendations of the author (ii) MCQ test. (iii) Case analysis – The case must be analyzed in the following manner †¢ Critical analysis o Key facts in the case o Central problem in the case o Theoretical concept it relates to †¢ Answer the Questions †¢ Recommendations/Suggestions + Conclusion CIA 3 – Comprising of the following 3 components of 10 marks each: (i) Written Case analysis of a comprehensive case following the format specified above. (ii) MCQ conducted through LMS (iii) Class participation evaluated through Q, Activities,

Christian Education Essay

I. The Definition of Education 1. We affirm that in its most basic meaning, education is the triune God teaching His truth to mankind. (Genesis 1:27-31; Psalms 19:1-9; 94:8,9; John 1:1-9). We deny that education is solely mental or physical activity associated with learning the thoughts and experiences of other human beings. (Psalm 119:99). 2. We affirm that education is the action or process by which a person comes to know and use God’s truth, and the education is learning to think God’s thoughts after Him and to see things as He sees them. (Isaiah 55:8,9; John 5:19,20). We deny that education is merely the action or process by which a person acquires knowledge or skills. 3. We affirm that education is lifelong and that it incorporates every thought, experience, and activity of man. (Deuteronomy 6:7-12; 11:18-20; Isaiah 29:24; Matthew 9:13; 24:32; Mark 13:28; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 14:31). We deny that education is confined to formal schooling in traditional classroom settings or to tutorial relationshi ps. (Matthew 5:1-48; 6:1-34; 7:1-29; 11:29) II. The Purpose of Education 4. We affirm that the purpose of education is both to reveal God and to bring students into conformity with His revealed will. (Luke 24:27; John 7:17; 14:21, 23,24). We deny that the sole purpose of education is to accomplish human perfection and understanding of the material world. 5. We affirm that the ultimate goal of education should be to orient human beings Biblically toward the knowledge of God, humanity, and the rest of God’s creation, in order to prepare them to take their places in family, Church, and society to the glory of God and in the service of Christ’s Kingdom and their fellowman. (2 Kings 22:8-23:26; Malachi 4:4-6; Matthew 20:26-28; Acts 16:30-34). We deny that the ultimate purpose of education should be human self-development and self-fulfillment. (Acts 2:37-47). III. The Nature and Role of God in Education 6. We affirm that God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things and is the Source of all truth. (Genesis 1:1-27; Psalm 55:22; 119:151; 121:1-8). We deny that human beings, society, or the external world are sources of truth in and of themselves. (Psalm 14:1). 7. We affirm that God created, sustains, and will consummate all things through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, education must focus on the Person of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 1:3; Colossians 1:15-17). We deny that â€Å"education† that omits reference to Jesus’ role in this world is education at all. (John 14:6). 8. We affirm that the Holy Spirit of God teaches and enlightens every believer in Jesus Christ and leads that person into all truth. (John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13).We deny that human beings can find or understand all truth through human effort alone. (Romans 3:11,12) 9. We affirm that the existing personal God has communicated truth to all mankind through personal revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ and through propositional, verbalized revelation of Himself in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. (Genesis 15:1; 17:1; Exodus 3:2-15; Isaiah 6:1-8; Mark 9:7; Luke 3:22; 24:27; John 1:1,2; 12:28; Acts 9:4,5; Hebrews 1:2,3). We deny that the individual person is capable of learning all truth from within himself or from human teachers and secular learning materials. (John 7:15,16; 1 Timothy 6:3-5) IV. The Nature of Truth and Reality in Education 10. We affirm that truth is what is known to God about Himself and all of His creation, and that it is absolute, eternal, and objective. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalms 25:10; 57:3; 119:142,151). We deny that truth is solely what is known to one or more individuals or to mankind collectively, and that is relative, temporal, or subjective. (Romans 1:25; 3:3,4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) 11. We affirm that the existing, personal-infinite God has chosen to reveal truth to us both through special revelation, which is communicated to us by means of the Bible and God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and through general revelation, which is communicated to us by means of His rational and nonrational creation; and that education should entail the pursuit of learning, which is derived from all of these sources of revelation. (Genesis 1:28; 2:19,20; Daniel 4:37; John 1:14,17; 14:6; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 1:1,2). We deny that truth is found only in human beings, in nature, or in a combination of the two, and that a person’s sole purpose in education should be to attain learning apart from God’s revelation. (I Kings 17:24; 1 John 2:27). 12. We affirm that in God’s design all of the particular elements of the universe are united into a meaningful whole; that it is one purpose of education to help learners to find relationships among these elements and, thus, to find their meaning; and that Biblical revelation is the ultimate criterion for this meaning. (Genesis 1:1-31; Psalm 19:1). We deny that the particular elements of the universe exist without rationality, order, and meaningful relationships derived from the Supreme God. (Genesis 3:1-24) 13. We affirm that true reality originates with God and is spiritual and eternal, as well as material and temporal, and that the content of education is complete when it includes all true reality. We deny that true reality originates with mankind; that it is limited to what is material and temporal; and that the content of education is complete when it is limited to the study of material reality. (I John 2:27). V. The Content of Education 14. We affirm that freedom of inquiry is central to man’s innate desire for truth, and that all truth is God’s truth. Therefore, we encourage inquiry into all fields of knowledge not forbidden in the Bible. (John 8:31,32; 2 Corinthians 3:17). We deny that public and private schools ought to restrict freedom of investigation into religion by teachers and students so long as that investigation does not interfere with the legitimate duties of teaching and learning. 15. We affirm that freedom of inquiry and academic freedom have a legitimate place in the pursuit of truth and in the framework of the learning and teaching process. (John 8:32,36). We deny that academic freedom implies the right to disobey or contradict the Scriptures as the embodiment of God’s truth in this world, or to violate a contractural agreement with an employer. (James 3:14; 5:19) 16. We affirm that all curriculum content must be integrated with and interpreted by God’s truth as revealed in the Bible. (John1:9; Romans 1:20; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). We deny that there is any real separation between secular and sacred truth, and that secular learning should be treated in isolation from God’s revealed truth. (Philippians 4:8,9). 17. We affirm that scientific investigation is a valid and necessary means of studying the universe and of discovering its orderly operation. (Genesis 1:14; Psalms 19:1,2,4,6,7,8; 104:19; Daniel 2:21; Matthew 16:2,3; Luke 21:25,26). We deny that scientific investigation is incompatible with any truth revealed in the Bible, and that science education may rightly reject or ignore all non-empirical sources of truth. (Romans 1:19,20) 18. We affirm that God is the Author of all true ethics; that true ethics is based on absolute truth and unchanging principles of right and wrong, as revealed in the Bible; that there are ethical absolutes that apply equally to all people everywhere; and that one purpose of education should be to help students to discover these unchanging Biblical standards of right and wrong and to reflect on the logical consequences of departing from these standards. (Exodus 20:1-17; Deuteronomy 7:7-11; Matthew 5:17,18; Romans 1:19,20). We deny that students should be taught that neutrality with regard to ethics is either possible or desirable in any sphere of human activity; that people can choose what is right behavior for themselves without regard to the absolute standards of moral behavior revealed in the Bible; that ethics is situational; and that ethics can properly be based on the assumption that truth and morality are relative and changing. (Deuteronomy 28:14,15; 30:8-10; Matthew 5:19,20; Romans 1:25-32; 2 Thessalonians 2:4, 10-12; 2 Timothy 3:2,70 4:3,4). VI. The Nature and Role of the Learner 19. We affirm that a human being has worth because he has been created in the image of God. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 8:29,30). We deny that a person has worth merely because he exists or because he says it is so. (Psalm 33:16; 53:1-3; Proverbs 12:15; 14:9). 20. We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God and is, therefore, in need of development in the spiritual areas of existence as well as in the intellectual and physical areas, and that true education of the whole person must include attention to all three aspects of human life. (Genesis 1:26). We deny that human beings are merely higher animals without soul or spirit, and that any education that addresses only the intellect and body, while ignoring the spiritual aspect of human beings, is appropriate to their nature. 21. We affirm that, though we are created in the image of God, because of the fall of Adam we are born sinful and need to experience salvation through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ in order to r each our full potential. (Romans 5:8,10). We deny that we are born perfect and uncorrupted, and that we are inherently good by nature and in need of education alone to achieve our highest potential and to attain a state of fulfillment. (Romans 3:10-12,23). 22. We affirm that education must include the consideration of sin as a fact of human behavior. (Acts 2:38; Romans 1:28-32; 3:23-25; 6:23). We deny that textbooks and curricula should ignore the fact of sin or rebellion against God in human behavior. (Luke 3:7,8; Romans 6:12) 23. We affirm that people who are restored to a proper relationship with God must receive instruction from the Word of God—the Bible—concerning the rights and responsibilities of this privileged position, and that providing such instruction is one of the most important responsibilities of education. (Proverbs 9:9). We deny that people can learn the rights and responsibilities of the Christian life without studying the revelation of God’s truth in the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:14,15) 24. We affirm that students have the responsibility to attend to and to apply effort to a learning task. (Proverbs 23:12; Colossians 3:23; 2 Timothy 2:15). We deny that students are absolved from cooperating with a teacher and from exercising personal effort to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13; 6:4-11; 13:4; 20:4) VII. What Education Should Produce in Learners 25. We affirm that education ought to cultivate in students the four basic skills of cognition, communication, imagination, and valuation. (2 Corinthians 10:5; Ephesians 4:29; Philippians 4:8,9). We deny that complete education can occur without attention to these four skills. (2 Timothy 2:15,16; 3:13; 4:3,4). 26. We affirm that education ought to promote development of the learner in at least three areas, viz., spiritual and moral growth, academic growth, and personal and social development. Examples of specific results in each area follow: 26.1 In spiritual and moral growth, learners should: (Psalm 143:10; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 2:16; Colossians 3:23; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; 2 Timothy 3:16) 26.1.1. consider the Bible God’s inspired Word and develop attitudes of love and respect toward it. 26.1.2. know the basic doctrines of the Bible. 26.1.3. have a desire to know and obey the will of God as revealed in the Scriptures. 26.1.4. make a decision to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 26.1.5. develop an understanding of a Christian’s role in the Church. 26.1.6. develop the mind of Christ toward right and wrong conduct. 26.1.7. develop self-discipline and responsibility bases on submission to God and all other authority. 26.1.8. develop a Christian world view. 26.2 In academic growth, learners should: (Philippians 4:8,9; Colossians 2:23; 3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16,17) .26.2.1. reach their full academic potential. 26.2.2. gain a thorough command of the fundamental processes used in communicating with others, such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. 26.2.3. develop a thorough comprehension and command of science and mathematics. 26.2.4. develop an appreciation for and understanding of the humanities. 26.2.5. develop the use of good study habits. 26.2.6. pursue independent study and perform independent research. 26.2.7. be able to reason logically. 26.2.8. use critical thinking and Biblical criteria for evaluation. 26.2.9. develop good citizenship through understanding and appreciating the Christian basis of freedom, human dignity, and acceptance of authority. 26.2.10. develop understanding of and appreciation for God’s world and man’s responsibility to use and preserve it properly. 26.2.11. develop an appreciation of the fine arts through study and personal expression. 26.2.12. develop physical skill and coordination through participation in physical education and athletic activities 26.3. In personal and social development, learners should: (Isaiah 54:13,14; Matthew 6:19-21; 19:4-6; John 13:34, 35; Romans 8:14-17,31,32; 1 Corinthians 6:13,15,19,20; 7:10-16; 9:27; Ephesians 1:3-6; 5:15,16,22-33; 6:1-4; Colossians 2:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:8-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-13; 1 Timothy 6:10,17; Hebrews 13:5) 26.3.1. develop a healthy personality based on properly understanding and accepting themselves as unique individuals created in the image of God. 26.3.2. learn to respect others because they are also made in God’s image. 26.3.3. become contributing members of society, realizing the interdependence of one person on another. 26.3.4. appreciate time as a God-given commodity and the individual’s responsibility for using it effectively. 26.3.5. develop a Biblical view of work and the prerequisite attitudes and skills for success in employment. 26.3.6. develop Biblical attitudes toward marriage and the family. 26.3.7. develop physical fitness, good health habi ts, and wise use of the body as the temple of God.26.3.8. develop a Biblical attitude toward material things. VII. The Nature and Role of the Teacher 27. We affirm that a teacher is a presenter of God’s truth and a guide to its discovery by students through the ministry of God’s Holy Spirit. (Isaiah 30:20,21; Jeremiah 3:15; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11,28-31; Colossians 1:28,29). We deny that any teacher can, without the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, guide others adequately to an understanding of God’s truth. 28. We affirm that a teacher who is a good example in the spiritual realm must consciously and deliberately have accepted Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord. (1 Timothy 4:11,12). We deny that a teacher who denies Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord can be a suitable example in spiritual matters. (2 Timothy 3:5-7). 29. We affirm that a teacher is one who models the learning process by being a seeker of God’s truth as revealed in the Bible and by applying that truth to his own life. (Ezra 7:10; Jeremiah 29:13; Luke 6:40). We deny that a teacher should avoid seeking God’s truth or should seek the truth solely in ways others than through the Bible and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and God the Father. 30. We affirm that teachers must know the content or subject matter to be taught. (Luke 4:4,8,12,16-22; 1 Timothy 6:2-5). We deny that it is possible to teach adequately without a thorough knowledge of the subject matter to be learned by students. (1 Timothy 1:7; 2 Timothy 2:1,2). 31. We affirm that teachers must create conditions that result in learners’ desire to learn. (Luke 2:46,47,49,52). We deny that it is possible to produce adequate learning in students who are not motivated to learn. (Proverbs 5:12,13,22,23) 32. We affirm that verbal communication used by teachers must be understood by and have the same meaning for both teachers and learners. (Ephesians 4:29; 2 Timothy 1:13). We deny that it is possible for teachers to produce adequate learning in students when they use language or ideas outside students’ daily life and language. (Ephesians 4:29) 33. We affirm that teachers must teach what is unknown through what is already known by learners. (Mark 11:12-14,20-24). We deny that it is possible for learners to learn adequately that which is not based on previous learning or experien ce. (Matthew 6:26-31). 34. We affirm that teachers should give students the opportunity to produce in their own minds the ideas or truths, and to become skillful at performing for themselves the acts or skills, to be learned. (Luke 9:1,2,6; 10:1,9,17). We deny that teachers should require students to acquire knowledge or skills without encouraging original thinking and applications of what they learn to other situations. 35. We affirm that teachers should confirm and test learning by review, repetition, and practical application, where necessary. (Luke 24:44; John 21:15-17). We deny that learning is adequately established generally by having students go once through a learning experience and then be tested for a mark or grade. (Matthew 14:15-21; 15:32-34). IX. Methodology of Education 36. We affirm that there is a variety of teaching and learning methods that may be appropriate for specific curriculum content with a particular learner or group of learners. A limited list of examples follows: 36.1. Demonstration (Matthew 6:9-15: Mark 6:41) 36.2. Involvement of students in learning (Mark 6:7-12) 36.3. Discipline and correction (Mark 11:15-17; 2 Timothy 3:15) 36.4. Discovery (Mark 14:66-72)36.5. Familiar Illustrations (Luke 6:4) 36.6. Individualized instruction (John 3:2-21; 4:5-26; Luke 19:1-8) 36.7. Lecture, formal teaching (Luke 6:20-49; 1 Timothy 4:13) 36.8. Memorization (2 Timothy 3:15) 36.9. Practice (Matthew 10; Luke chs. 9,10; 1 Timothy 5:4) 36.10. Questions and answers (Matthew 16:13-18; Luke 6:39) 36.11. Repetition (Matthew 16:21; 17:22,23; 20:18,19; 26:1) 36.12. Review (Luke 24:44) 36.13. Small group activity (Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 6:7-12; Luke 10:1-11) 36:14. Visual aids (Matthew 22:19-21; Luke 13:19) We deny that there is one teaching method that should be used consistently to the exclusion of others. 37. We affirm that learning is most effective for all learners when more than one instructional modality is used, such as visual, auditory, and kinesthetic modalities. (Matthew 14:27-33). We deny that learning is effective for all learners when one instructional modality is used exclusively. X. Responsibility for Education ROLE OF PARENTS 38. We affirm that God entrusts children to their parents for their nurture and education; that parents have both a right and a duty to raise their children in a manner consistent with Biblical standards of responsible moral conduct; and that parents have the right, therefore, to educate their own children at home or to delegate the task to schools. (Deuteronomy 4:9; 6,7; 11:19; Proverbs 6:20,21; Ephesians 6:4) We deny that civil government or any other entity has legitimate authority to supersede parents in the nurture and education of their children, and that governing agencies have legitimate authority to compel students to attend public schools. (1 Timothy 5:4)39. We affirm that parents have both a right an a duty to teach their children about biological reproduction and sexual health and morality. (Genesis 35:22; 49:4; Leviticus 20:10-21; Deuteronomy 6:6,7; 22:22-30; 23:17; Proverbs 6:20-29) We deny that civil government on any level has legitimate authority to usurp parents’ responsibility to teach children about sexuality and reproduction or to establish mandatory sex education classes for children. ROLE OF SCHOOLS 40. We affirm that it is a schools’ responsibility to assist and to cooperate closely with parents in every aspect of a student’s education. (Mark 9:17-27). We deny that schools have no responsibility to assist and to cooperate with parents in the education of their children. 41. We affirm that it is the responsibility of the schools to be sensitive to the wishes and values of parents with respect to the content and methodology of their childrens’ education. (Philippians 3:5,6). We deny that it is the right of schools to decide arbitrarily and unilaterally what values system shall be the basis for the content and methodology of their students’ education. 42. We affirm that a school is an extension of the home, existing to supplement parent’s primary responsibility to educate their children. (Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3:4,5). We deny that schools have the right to supplant parents’ primary responsibility to educate their children.

Luxury Market in China Essay

China is positioned to become the world’s largest luxury market in five years and a study by Datamonitor reported China’s luxury goods market was worth $9. 4billion by the end of 2009, which accounted for 27. 5% of the world’s luxury goods market. [1] They also predict that by 2015, China’s market will be valued at $14. 6billion. The main driver of this growth in the luxury gods market is the extreme wealth creation that China has experiences in the past ten years as its GDP has grown 10% annually on average, which is three times more than the global GDP. Investment Week quotes a recent World Wealth Report by Merrill Lynch Cap Gemini stating that there are 477,000 Chinese millionaires and China is also leading the world with the number of billionaires (Investment week. [2]) The combination of the staggering growth of the Chinese economy creating such great private wealth and the political and social evolution China has gone through over the last 30 years has created a tidal wave of opportunity for luxury retailers. Politically, China has gone through many changes over the last thirty years that has primed the economy and citizens for a surge in individualism and the pride in the ability to afford and purchase luxury goods. In 1976 Mao Zedong passed away and in 1979 the One Child Policy was introduced and applied by China’s new leader, Deng Xiaoping. China’s population was growing at an alarming rate and in order to curb this growth rate, Chinese were limited to having one child per household. Fast-forward thirty years and these only children, who have been raised by 6 parents, has created a â€Å"little emperor† mentality where their every desire it met, and is recently being satiated by Western goods. They now have buying power and they are spending it on high priced goods. The choices and options available today are a stark contrast to the limitations their parents experienced thirty years prior in a vastly different political time. Socially, China has always been a country deeply embedded in traditions such as gift giving, saving face and the respect for the hierarchal society. These traditions all stem from â€Å"guanxi,† the all-important notion of relationships, which is what drives business and social status. The culture of relationships is paramount for being successful in China so the combination of mass wealth and the traditions all surrounding Guanxi has attributed to the exponential growth of the luxury market in China. Although the Chinese have been known to be a culture of saving, the tides have shifted and the 20-30 something’s have created a society of excessive spending due to extravagant purchases to support their new tastes as well as these traditions. The new breed of buyers are young and are embracing their freedom to purchase in their capitalistic society, which is a far cry from their parents socialist upbringing. Therefore both social and political changes have created this perfect storm of excess, which is fueling the luxury good market in China and for many years to come. Mao Zedong, the leader of China from 1949 until his death in 1976 is still regarded as a controversial figure but his rule and communist policies molded the beliefs of many parents and grandparents living in China today. Under Mao’s rule there was no individualism and consumption was controlled. Mao is regarded as a great leader in China as he is thought to have laid the groundwork for China becoming the great power that it is today as a result of his leadership of the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution. While he did create the building blocks for present day China, he has been compared to communist leaders like Hitler and Stalin. He urged citizens to reject capitalism and even at one point â€Å"proposed the Socialist Education Movement (SEM) in an attempt to educate the peasants to resist the temptations of feudalism and the sprouts of capitalism that he saw re-emerging in the countryside. †[3] The citizens living in these times are now parents and while their lifestyles are very conservative, they are raising children in a very different political environment. Their children didn’t have a communist ruler and therefore have different views on modesty and consumption. While there is still a strict focus on studying and discipline, the focus on success and showing that you are successful has been morphed into an obsession with Western brands showing pride in ones accomplishments. Even as young children the Western culture is quite alluring, with children asking to be rewarded for good grades by going to McDonalds as we were told by one of the speakers. Today in China, people are who they wear. Even as Nicole from LVMH mentioned, the Chinese are obsessed with showing that they are wearing designer brands that you will see some wearing clothes and sunglasses with the tags still on them to show who the designer is. These â€Å"nouveau riche† are the products of parents who didn’t have any choices and now they are embarrassing their freedom to chose. Forbes reported â€Å"the average Chinese luxury consumer will spend roughly 11% of her income on luxury handbags along. †[4] They also go on to say that these consumers are â€Å"highly educated and highly motivated to identify products that will complement his or her individuality and rising power. †4 Parents of these kids weren’t allowed to have individuality, but now their children are not only wanting it but also seeking it with huge spending power. Spending 11% of your income on a luxury bag shows the emotional and mental bond to these luxury items. In the US simply to qualify for a loan for a mortgage, your total debt can’t be more than 45% of your income. To think that a quarter of that goes towards handbags alone not even included likely purchases like luxury cars, wines etc makes me think if this type of spending is going to be sustainable for the Chinese market. In China, there were many nice cars, but I didn’t think that perhaps these people are driving cars they can’t afford. I am used to the United States where living on credit is a way of life, but this takes it to a whole new level. The millionaires are able to afford this, but if a middle class person is spending such a high percentage of her income on something like handbags, its going to create an economy where nobody can afford to buy a house and retirement is never attainable. One of the Bentley students that sat with us at lunch mentioned that she wanted to buy a house but that she couldn’t without her parent’s financial support due to the 50%-70% down payment required. She and most young people are lucky that their parents have saved and will be able to help them, but for those in the younger generation who aren’t saving won’t be able to help their kids and there might be a whole future generation who can never afford to own property. These younger generations parents grew up in a communist and socialist society, where there isn’t the ability to care about status, but status and luxury has now become the currency in China. The millionaires in China are younger with an average age of 39. [5] These young millionaires enjoy showing their status with nice things from great bottles of wine, cars to handbags. They are achieving success and are looking to reward themselves with nice things, which also shows status among their peers. A report on the watch market, mentioned that men â€Å"need a watch of a certain quality to be part of the social circle. †[6] The need to show status and create a sense of belonging in a social group has become so apparent that retailers are taking notice and even creating products specifically for the Chinese buyer. Mercedes Benz is even making a car with a longer wheelbase for the Chinese businessmen who are chauffeured around and need to have more room in the back which is a big difference from the rest of the world where carmakers are creating smaller cars that consume less energy and are more economical. [7] The retailers and manufacturers of world are taking note that the new Chinese buyer is very different from their parents given all of the political changes of the past few decades. While the political changes are one factor in the shift of buying trends, policy has also been a great factor and one specifically is the One Child Policy, which was introduced in 1979. This policy has created what many call, the â€Å"Little Emperor† society as a result of one child being raised by 6 parents (on immediate and two sets of grandparents. ) These children have grown up being catered to and supported by six people and now their wants and needs are changing, as they get older. Where as their parents likely gave them the best they could afford, these 20 and 30 something’s are becoming obsessed with Western brands, which cost a premium. Even with a 30% import tax, individuals who grew up getting what they wanted are buying these Western luxury brands, at times spending their entire months salary on a handbag. Although their parents had a culture of saving, this new generation tastes for highly taxed Western goods to show status has greatly changed this cultural norm. For this generation to keep up with their friend, they have forgone the notion of saving in replacement of a life full of luxury goods with no savings. I spoke to Mico about this on the bus and she mentioned that her friends spend all of their money on luxury goods and there’s now a saying in Chinese that means that you spend all of your money that you make that month. She mentioned that buying fakes is a faux pas and that they only buy the real things, which is what leads to them spending all of their money. She noted that this was very different from the upbringing of her parents who were brought up saving almost 40% of their money. In the popular market that we went to in Shanghai, there were almost no Chinese in there and when we asked Mico if she went to the market to get knockoffs, she said that knockoffs’ were â€Å"so three years ago. † It quickly became apparent why That is there where Chinese people in the markets; they are in the real stores buying the real thing. In the streets it was quite apparent that everyone had designer bags and clothing on, but this was mainly in Shanghai, Beijing and Hangzhou. In Xi’an there was still a feeling of communism, everything was still grey and there weren’t many people sporting their designer clothes. The opportunity right now is in the 1s tier cities and many retailers are trying to expand to the 2nd and 3rd tier cities. The opportunity in China purely based on the enormous populations in these cities. The first focus for the retailers were the tier 1 cities and now the 2nd and 3rd tier cities will be paramount for companies to sustain this continued growth. While political changes have made way for the change in buying and spending trends of young Chinese buyers, tradition has maintained an important part of the culture across all generations of Chinese and the luxury market surge has been fueled by these traditions. Guanxi, the focus on relationships as part of the Chinese culture has many components, one of which is the value of gift giving as a sign of respect. Gift giving is a huge part of Chinese culture, most prominent around the Chinese New Year, but a very large part of life socially and professionally year round. According to the authors of the book â€Å"The Cult of the Luxury Brand,† â€Å"quanxi†¦is the single biggest factor spurring the growth of luxe in China. †[8] When you give a gift to someone in China, it means you are thanking him or her for helping you but also solidifies your â€Å"guanxi† with them and continues the future relationship. Luxury items are now raising the bar in gift giving as recipients truly appreciate the luxury gifts and merchants have reported â€Å"frantic levels of spending† 8 all at once by shoppers who are looking to purchase gifts for their business partners and friends. The culture of saving face plays into this as well since the more luxurious the gift, the better. If you are looking to show great gratitude and â€Å"save face† then you will purchase a luxury item as a gift. In business face is extremely important so even Western brands are also learning this culture of gift giving, as they know the importance of partners in their business so they are making sure to take care of them by giving great gifts. In addition to the culture of gift giving that has fueled the luxury market growth, the culture of hierarchal respect has also attributed to this. Many Chinese of the younger generation believe that luxury products â€Å"mark where you have traveled up to but they also give you permission to continue succeeding. †[9] In a culture where you are competing with so many people and success is so important, it’s easy to see how luxury products represent achieving a certain social status and also denotes the fact that you will stay in that status. As Nicole from LVMH was speaking to us she noted that there are usually 40-50 students in each classroom. Students from an early age learn to be one in a large crowd, but as they get older and look to prove to the world what they have accomplished, and they use designer goods to reflect their status. The irony of this is that one would think that after growing up being one in a crowd, one would think that they would want to show status and individuality, but the items they purchase to show their status is exactly what their peers have chosen, which is likely a Louis Vuitton handbag. For instance, although it was quite conducive to the weather, when we were in China, every single person had Ugg boots on. In the US while Ugg is a popular brand, there are many more brands being worn, as there are many more tastes expressed by individuals. It was very interesting to see that there was a proliferation of a small number of brands, namely Louis Vuitton, as I came to quickly realize that the Chinese want to wear brands that are recognizable. While they are moving towards a more individualistic society, their tendency to be one of a group is still quite prominent. They do value the luxury brands to show status, but their need to be part of a group, albeit a high status group, is still quite unmistakable in the sea of Gucci and Louis Vuitton purses that were worn like a badge of honor by the women of China. The trip to China was quite eye-opening form the perspective of a Westerner who is used to a more modest lifestyle with an abundance of variety. The flashy cars and purses were immediately apparent from Beijing through Shanghai, but as I sit here thinking about the political and social changes that China has gone through in the past few decades, I only with I was smart enough to somehow capitalize on this. China is a fascinating country to visit given its great history and culture that is evident today, but it’s also great to have visited a country that is still going through many changes and evolving at such a rapid rate. While the rest of the world is clearly evolving, China is doing so at an exponentially quicker rate than most and that was quite clear with the sea of cranes in every city putting up buildings everywhere. I do believe that culture will always be a part of the Chinese people and lifestyle, but it will be interesting to see when this locomotive of luxury obsession begins to ebb or if China will meet its own credit crunch in the coming years given the drastic change in spending habits that the younger generations have adopted. [1] â€Å"Chinese appetite for premium products growing despite slowing economic activity. † Datamonitor July 20010, English ed. : 16. Print. [2] Andrea Gerst and Scilla Huang Sun, â€Å"China’s passion for luxury goods increases,† Investment Week, September 6, 2010. [3] â€Å"Cultural China,†http://history. cultural-china. com/en/46H9449H13452. html [4] Evelyn Rusli, â€Å"What Chinese Shoppers Want,† Forbes, March 8, 2010. [5] Andrea Gerst and Scilla Huang Sun, â€Å"China’s passion for luxury goods increases,† Investment Week, September 6, 2010. [6] Florent Bondoux, â€Å"Luxury watches find booming market in China,† Media, September 10, 2009, 17. [7] â€Å"Lengthened Mercedes-Benz E-Class to hit Chinese shores† http://www. benzinsider. com/2010/04/lengthened-mercedes-benz-e-class-to-hit-chinese-shores/ [8] â€Å"China Luxury,† http://app1. hkicpa. org. hk/APLUS/0710/p24_29. pdf [9] â€Å"Is China’s Luxury Goods Market a ‘Pot of Gold’ for Marketers? † Knowledge at Wharton, assessed July 27, 2007, http://english. cri. cn/2946/2007/07/27/199@254317. htm.

Freedom of Women to choose the right of Abortion Term Paper

Freedom of Women to choose the right of Abortion - Term Paper Example The United States law had legalized the practice of legal abortion since the year 1973. â€Å"Abortion was legalized in 1973 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that during the first trimester, a woman has the right to decide what happens to her body. This landmark decision rested on the "right to privacy" which was introduced in 1965. In addition, the Court ruled that the state could intervene in the second trimester and could ban abortions in the third trimester. However, a central issue, which the Court declined to address, is whether human life begins at conception, at birth, or at some point in between† (Kathy Gill). From the Bible, there are no such terminology referred to as abortion, but there are many verses related to the concept of giving birth and the growth of the fetus in the womb of the woman. God is the sole creator and we admit it. But still the choice of giving birth or not remain the sole decision of the mother even if it is a rebellion against the superior power. From an Islamic point of view, there is belief that killing a child might bring poverty to the family as well as a lack of trust in God and as a failure to raise up a child and providing him with education and all satisfying his basic needs. Again there is no term abortion mentioned in the Holy Quran. In the past, women who needed to have an abortion always had to think harder and ask herself several questions. Is it legal and moral? Will she be punished religiously or legally for such an act? Will the society condemn her for doing it? Are her causes for performing an abortion right and rationalized? In this era, the women are gaining much more rights and now even their ideas have evolved and the answers they give are very challenging. Under the statement of Roe V. Wade in 1973, any woman has the right to abort a fetus, taking control of

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The Effects of Patriarchy on the Lives of the Women - Essay Example Maxine Hong’s tale, ‘No Name Woman’, has an even more glaring depiction of the Chinese patriarchal culture’s expectations of women. Hong, at one point, states that her pregnant aunt, whom nobody ever mentioned by name, could not possibly have been the sole woman to choose to give up everything for some sexual intimacy. Hong states that it is more likely that some strange man simply commanded her to do so; and she had no right to refuse him because she was brought up to have no will of her own (Hong, 3). This is a startling revelation that shows how women were socialized to be virtual slaves to the whims of men. China’s patriarchal system did not allow its women to develop any sense of individuality. In Isabel Allende’s ‘An Act of Vengeance’, it is Senator Anselmo Orellano himself, who, through his thoughts, when being attacked, reveal the dark strain of misogyny that can only be supported by a patriarchal society that views women as the property of men. When he first sees the rabblerousers coming, Senator Orellano locks his daughter Dulce Rosa in the furthest room on the patio. This effectively stops her from hiding in secret places where she may have suspected the men would not know to check. When near death, Senator Orellano then begins to imagine that, once they are finished with him, the attackers will proceed to the room where his child is hidden and â€Å"carry out their duties† (Zapata, 18).

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Criminal justice - Assignment Example Of course, there is a general societal consensus that certain things are wrong and should be discouraged or criminalized, but for proponents of the Nanny State, the government should seize control of actions and issues where there is no consensus and unilaterally impose its view of morality on these issues. Why is this happening more and more these days? Many experts believe that in an increasingly complex world people are more willing to turn over power to the government in order to make their own lives easier. There is a sense the world can be and should be completely ordered and that government is the right body to do this. This is an unfortunate state of affairs as it tips the important balance between liberty and order far to the side of order. There are so many examples of this way of thinking that it is hard to know where to begin. One of the most shocking examples from recent years is the following headline: â€Å"Chicago Prohibits Foie Gras.† In 2006, Chicago city council voted to ban the delicious appetizer foie gras from the city’s restaurants. Proponents of the ban said the production of foie gras was inhumane. Opponents had a different view. "Government shouldnt be dictating what we eat," said the chef at one French restaurant. The Mayor too was unhappy. "We have children getting killed by gang leaders and dope dealers," he said. "We have real issues here in this city. And were dealing with foie gras? Lets get some priorities."1 These opponents are right. In an era where people expect to be coddled and protected from everything that could possibly harm, they are allowing things as personal as menu choice to be dictated by the government. If an individual does not like to eat foie gras no one will forc e them to eat it; but the Chicago city council went a step further by eliminating this choice completely and limiting the rights of those who do like foie gras. The Nanny State continues to expand, rolling

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Trace the scientific Method in a Primary Scientific Article Assignment

Trace the scientific Method in a Primary Scientific Article - Assignment Example The final step includes monitoring the blood glucose every week for five weeks (American Chemical Society, 2010). The experimental design consists of a control group that is made up of a control group that comprised of 11 mice given regular water. The treatment group comprise of 10 laboratory mice that were fed on diluted coffee. The independent variables are diluted water and regular drinking water. The dependent variables are the mice and the blood glucose. The outcomes indicate that drinking coffee may prevent the growth of high blood sugar as well as enhance insulin responsiveness in the laboratory mice. The conclusions suggest that caffeine is a very effective antidiabetic compound in coffee (American Chemical Society, 2010). The test subjects and the treatment were important and appropriate because the issue of concern in this study was to test if coffee could reduce the level of blood glucose. Therefore, it was paramount for one group to be fed with coffee and the other with regular water. The restriction of the conclusion drawn by the study is that it does not specify the quantity of coffee drank by each mouse in the control group. Therefore, it difficult to conclude which amount of diluted coffee is suitable to suppress diabetes. This research is important because it gives a comprehension of how the caffeine in the coffee is assumed to lower the blood glucose. The caffeine is ingested hence causing amelioration of hyperglycemia and also enhances fatty liver. As a result, coffee puts a suppressive impact on hyperglycemia through the improvement of insulin reactivity (Yamauchi et al., 2010). Horio, F. (2010). Coffee and caffeine ameliorate hyperglycemia, fatty liver, and inflammatory adipocytokine expression in spontaneously diabetic KK-Ay mice. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 58(9),

TQM in United Airlines Essay Example for Free

TQM in United Airlines Essay The notion of Total Quality Management has paved the way for many businesses to adapt to the ever changing demands of the market. Because of this principle, many large companies such as United Airlines have already involved TQM to back up their goals in maintaining superior customer satisfaction by providing the best product packages and services.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Why does an organization need to implement a customer targeted quality principle? Basically, the answer to this question will only divert in a single approach, to increase profitability. Of course, a business entity needs to strengthen its capacity to maintain a high level of business function. In order to do this, it should have at least a permanent group of client parameters which will support its operations for a long time. For a company, every aspect of its operations in the business primarily depends on how the customers influence its performance in the market share. That is why maintaining a group of customers longer than expected will sustain stability for the organization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the aspect of maintaining a customer base, the company should know that it needs to involve the direct approach in satisfying the requests of the customers. It should be able to support the needs of the clients as well as to satisfy their demands for a good service. Apparently, an excellent form of customer satisfaction predicts the level of customer retention a company may achieve (Kotelnikov, 2008). If the customers get quality products and services, then most likely they will have a good relationship with the brand. Thus, the company will get credit for such attention and will be able to strengthen its grip in the market.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Essentially, TQM has long been implemented by companies which are involved in the service sectors. The main reason for this is that business owners know that customer satisfaction can help produce larger profit generations when they are fulfilled with the services they need. Of course, this does not only involve the delivery of services but the functional rendering of quality service. For United Airlines, the value of quality has a direct contribution on the perception of the customers towards how the company projects its image to the commercial market. This ideal has let the air company to implement certain measures that will help it achieve the overall client-based satisfaction for many years of its operations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For United Airlines, the company has implemented a strategic TQM principle to make way for full customer satisfaction for its services. Since the organization is involved in the service sector, it has delegated its approach to sustain a better condition of flights to all of its passengers. This goal intends to keep the airline company operate at the maximum levels of quality while capturing a large share of margins in the airline industry segment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In order to help the company structure its TQM aspect, it has defined a 12-point customer satisfaction system. This format was established to help the organization be reminded of what their primary goal is aside from profitability (United Airlines, 2008). The list contains the most significant approaches that United Airlines can complete for customer satisfaction principles. Lowest Airline Rate – United Airlines’ quality service does not come only in the aspect of direct physical interactions. It also provides an economic fundamental to achieve customer satisfaction. The company offers some of the lowest air fare rates to various destinations. This approach in quality management helps boost the company sales in terms of satisfying the clients about financial considerations. There are also special discounts and privileges for passengers who are going to buy airline tickets in bulk or during holiday seasons. This extends customer service in economical ways. Customer Information – As part of the TQM principle of UA, one very good approach of the company is to send important messages and info about the status of flight schedules. Of course, if something is predicted to become a delaying factor of the operations, then the passengers should be made aware of it in order for them to adjust personal schedules. This will give the clients a perception of reliability and become more confident of the airline’s operations. Baggage Delivery – United Airlines employ the service fundamentals of on time delivery of baggage for optimum customer satisfaction. The airline employs responsible and efficient staffs in order to take care of the passenger’s baggage for scheduled delivery per flight. Baggage Limit – in addition to baggage delivery, the company also provides a fair structure when it comes to identifying baggage limitation principles for each of its passengers. Reservations – The Company provides the option for the customers to have a seat reserved to them or to cancel it. This helps the customer to involve a thorough decision making approach about his trips. Ticket – In cases when seats are requested to be cancelled, the company also provides an option for its passengers to have a ticket refund. This can optimize the trust of the clients to the company as part of the customer satisfaction program. Special Passengers – One of the distinct quality management of United Airlines is its capability to accommodate passengers with varying needs. It is very likely that flight operations will attend to passengers with disabilities. In this aspect, the company has designated facilities and personnel who will cater to the needs of these special clients. Customer Needs – On the part of basic customer needs, the company also employs a service commitment to help passengers get the things they need. A refreshing on flight drink or a very good TV program on board are just some of the customer satisfaction service offerings. Customer Treatment – United Airlines also instructed its personnel to treat denied passengers with optimum respect. They are also provided with the information of the case why such acts are necessary based on the situation. Current Flight Info – The staff of the airline also makes it a point to disclose information about other flight concerns such as cancellation policies, itineraries and technical aircraft configurations. Coordination – The Company also employs the use of coordination techniques for regional operations so that it can easily manage customer service needs in very efficient ways. Since the company is involved in cross-continent operations, it is advantageous for it to have an open communications with airports and air facilities in different countries. This makes it possible for the company to customize its services based on passenger nationalities. Customer Inquiries – One last customer service principle of United Airlines is its direct, simple and timely response to customer questions and inquiries about the operations of the airline. As a matter of fact, it is one of the pioneers in the airline industry which enable their clients to ask questions using different channels such as telephone, internet and mobile phones.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For a company to maintain its optimal business operations, it should have the necessary capability to address the organization’s needs both internally and externally. In the internal matters, it would be appropriate to select a leadership who can inject principles towards quality management. This does not only involve schemes of profitability immediately in the market scope but should also address the long term possibility of growth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For United Airlines, the leadership principles employed by its administration has provided so many advantages for the organization. Because of the formulation of the 12-point customer satisfaction system, the admin was able to capture the true needs of the passengers when it comes to reliable and efficient airline operations. The leaders very well know that having a business in the service sector demands a direct approach towards the impressions of the clients. If they will receive a very good service with all the aspects of quality, then most likely they will get the worth of their money. And if they experience these benefits, then it is not impossible for them to stick with the company as their major airline service provider. In the light of economic recession, Airline customer satisfaction falls while one of the reasons can be attributed to customer satisfaction (Boston, 2008). However, with United Airline’s TQM principle, it is less likely to experience client related dilemmas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increasing the capability of the business towards economic strengthening goes beyond effective investment processes. Although it may be important to allocate the funds in the most diversified and profitable ways, the creation of TQM principles will ultimately predict how the organization will sustain long term market presence. In order for the business to flourish exponentially, it should always look at how its major clients will be affected with the use of business principles related to quality. References Boston. 2007. Airline customer satisfaction falls. Bsoton.com-Business. Retrieved January 23, 2008 from http://www.boston.com/business/globe/articles/2007/05/15/airline_customer_satisfaction_falls/?rss_id=Boston+Globe++Business+News. Kotelnikov, V. 2008. Customer Satisfaction. Ten-3 Business E-coach. Retrieved January 23, 2008 from http://www.1000ventures.com/business_guide/crosscuttings/customer_satisfaction.html. United Airlines. 2008. Customer Commitment. United Airlines Inc. Retrieved January 23, 2008 from http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,1506,00.html.

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay

Information Communication Technology ICT Has Revolutionized Education Essay In the following Research, the main aim is to investigate the Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Information communication Technology in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in which the participants of the learning process would obtain when the facilitators incorporate new aids into the process of teaching. We are going to focus our investigation in the effects of using information communication technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. The reasons for this investigation are: To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to the facilitators, to point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing in the target language, to determine the advantages and disadvantages that Technology of information offers to Students and to suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. According to our objectives if teachers put into practice these technological aids in their programs and the advantages that those aids could have for the benefit of students and teachers too. As matter of fact, this research would help students as well as teachers to be more connected and more collaborative in a world that is constantly changing, is more creative and very demanding. Nowadays it is not a matter of getting good grades by the part of the students, but to be engaged and achieve high standards of excellence in order to be able to compete later on with increasing digital learners who have already acquired technology, and this technology has become a tool in their daily life activities. Thats why those digital learners around the world are nowadays more aware of what is happening in their surroundings because technology has revolutionized our lives, as Pope Benedict XVI said on January 25th, These (new digital) Technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavor to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities, especially those who are most disadvantaged and vulnerable. (2009) . Hypothesis The Students who use ICTs in English Pronunciation acquire a better proficiency that the students who dont use them. Statement of the Problem Despite the progress that has been made to develop effective methods for the instruction of a second language such as, brainstorming, guest speaker, report-back sessions, role playing, case studies, small group discussions all of this are still focus in a classroom based learning environment. A great number of students feel insecure when it comes to carry out a conversation in English. The traditional methods are not focusing enough in teaching pronunciation to students; as a consequence many students are not able to fulfill the requirements of an appropriate pronunciation once they have finished the whole program. Students are not prepared enough to deal with the challenges posed by an increasingly competitive society. It is required to come up with new strategies and ways in order to give effective response to the exigencies of the world. It is strongly necessary to provide the learner with the level of competence and pronunciation is definitely one of the most important aspects to be taken into consideration. A great number of facilitators are not willing to break the paradigms and implement new teaching aids in their teaching programs which would help students to improve their proficiency and at the same time their performance at any given time. As a consequence, a great number of students, once they have finished the whole program are not able to fulfill the requirements and they cannot vie with other professionals in the same field just because they were not taught according to the new standards in Education. Justification We decided to lead this research because we have noticed that the use of Information communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation has become a new trend around the world and we have noticed that those technological resources will empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance. As a matter of fact, we have observed that the language school really needs to make some progress in this aspect and offers a standard education program according to the needs of the global community. The world is constantly changing and ICT has become part of it. It has engaged great part of human activities, work, science, health, and education can ´t be apart from it. Information Communication Technology (ICT) offers new paradigms and patterns for teaching. The new generation is demanding for students to be incorporated, to foster the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT). We have perceived that there is a gap in the bridge of the teaching process, so it has been required to integrate ICT in order to fulfill the exigencies of the modern curriculum. The decision of conducting this research is because Pronunciation is essential in a language learner and we have noticed that ICT can empower students for a more effective pronunciation performance at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Pronunciation is of core significance because it is important to be understood by others when speaking. Purpose To determine the advantages and disadvantages of Using ICT in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo and to foster facilitators to apply this new approach to their teaching process, so that they can contribute in the development of students knowledge more effectively. Significance We consider essential to develop this research because we have noticed that the use of Information Communication Technology at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo in order to teach English pronunciation in the whole English program is not reasonably competent. The main sources to teach such important skill are only the chalk, board and radio if it is used. While other undergraduate institutions are quite ahead in the use of technological resources such as TV, radio, slides in PowerPoint, online courses and labs. Consequently, with this research we want to highlight the importance of using these sources so that the corresponding authorities can take this into account and to allot funds to implement these core techniques. Objectives General objective To determine the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. Specific objectives 1. To identify the age and sex of the population under studied. 2. To identify the Technology of information that the Language School provides to facilitators. 3. To point out the common mistakes students make when pronouncing. 4. To determine the advantages and disadvantages that information Technology offers to Students. 5. To suggest the usage of Technology of information at the Language School. 6. To determine the attitude of the facilitators and students toward the use or implementation of ICT in the teaching process. Research question What are the advantages Modern Languages Students majoring in English at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo obtain by using ICT in acquiring English Pronunciation over the ones who do not use these Technological tools? Scope of the Topic We are going to limit our research to the effects of the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. In the 2012-2 semester when this investigation will be performed at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We will take into consideration the limitation that Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo Modern Languages School is going through with a minimum budget intended to technological sources. Definition of Terms Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo: It is a public university located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It was founded in 1538. Currently, the university holds eight schools which are: Engineering, Arts, Humanities, Economic and Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Architecture, Agriculture Sciences, and Law and Political Sciences . ICT: These acronyms stand for Information Communications Technology or Information and Communication Technology, usually abbreviated as ICT, is often used as an extended synonym for information technology (IT), but is usually a more general term that stresses the role of unified communications, and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers, middleware as well as necessary software, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to create, access, store, transmit, and manipulate information. In other words, ICT consists of IT as well as telecommunication, broadcast media, all types of audio and video processing and transmission and network based control and monitoring functions . Pronunciation: It is the way in which a language or a particular word or sound is pronounced . Student: A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. Language School: Is a department belonging to the Humanity Faculty founded in July 1957 which offers two careers, Modern language major in English and Modern language major in French . Antecedents In our research paper about the Effects of using Information Communication Technology (ICT) in Teaching English Pronunciation to Students of the Modern Language Program at Universidad Autà ³noma de Santo Domingo. We found out that many investigators have been talking about this topic since twenty years ago General Overview In this chapter, we detail the history of computer and internet which are the main focus of our investigation. It starts with the cave drawings 30,000 years ago and continues with the advances of mathematics and science which helped to develop what we know today as computer and internet. After that, we describe how these tools were incorporated in education and the conclusions of different studies about the use of technology in the teaching and learning process. The world keeps on changing with every rotation it makes round the sun. Just a decade ago, students were taught with pens, pencils, black boards, notebooks, and chalks. But nowadays, all that have become history which no one wishes to remember. Light pens and boards, PDF notes, CD rooms have been replaced, and even as you are reading this, the world is advancing rapidly with respect to ICT technology as even computers and laptops are gradually leaving the scene for new technological devices, such as IPods, cell phones, headsets, etc. In consideration of these developments, it becomes imperative for the wise teacher to instill knowledge in students of this dispensation, utilizing fully, the facilities and opportunities availed by ICT Technology to pedagogy. This is because if teachers dont, not only will the students continue to find it difficult to assimilate (having been acclimatized to the easy-ICT world). Hence, it is unequivocal to state that every teacher needs to pull in ICT into their curriculum and methodology, or lose the interest of the 21st century student. Putting this into consideration, below is the history of ICT that for everybodys good it has increased the effectiveness of education in English pronunciation and other disciplines. History of ICT More than two decades ago, information communication technology (ICT) has been being used in schools around the world. The objective of introducing these technological resources has been to enhance and satisfy the huge demand of new generations. Due to the great increase of technology and the innovation of the World Wide Web (Internet) in 1980, schools and universities noticed the importance of information communication technology (ICT) to increase their students abilities and competence in this new digital era. Certain advances have been made in the educational system to provide students with personalized tools in order for them to fulfill their current needs. As Sunkel G. said the general perception has been that they would increase levels of educational attainment by introducing changes in teaching and learning processes and strategies, adapting to the needs of the individual students (Sunkel, 2006) . Information Communication Technology (ICT) at the beginning was not designed for educational purposes; however, after discovering its great effectiveness in different fields and in daily activities it has been transferred to the educational field. According to Watsons (2001), ICT have revolutionized the way people work today and are now transforming education systems. This is the reason why information communication technology is gaining ground in todays world . Everything started 30,000 years ago B.C in the Paleolithic Era, information communication technology started with the cave drawings near France and Spain as the first manifestation of communication among different groups of people. These drawings were painted for the purpose of art Work, and created as meaningful part of religious ceremonies; this was a meaningful advance in the history of ICT . In 510 B.C, Pythagoras a Greek citizen founded an academy where he used to teach mathematics and physics; he came up with one of his masterpiece the Pythagoras theorem that later on helped in the development of mathematics and in daily life activities but his teachings and speeches were in an oral way because at that period of time no advances were made in order to capture his teachings. As matter of fact written communication has always been important for the development of communication, the most important records are written on paper thats why China noticed the necessity and made an important contribution to humanity with the invention of the paper. According to (Twede, D. 2005) paper as we know is originated in china in 105 A.D. the earliest process known is attributed to Ts ai Lun. The manuscript transcription in 382 was an important step on the development of written communication . They were written as a way of transmitting beliefs, stories or knowledge to futures generations and cultures, they recorded the most important aspects of that era where only oral communication was used . Later on Johannes Gutenberg a German inventor introduced the Printing Press to Europe in 1450, he was the first man to use a movable type and suddenly change the history, and until that time monks and academics had the opportunity to acquire the information and were the only empowered to spread the knowledge. From that moment on more and more common people were able to buy books and also acquire information and teach their kids at home. One of Gutenbergs pieces of art was the first bible printed on a movable type also known as the 42-line Bible . In 1600 Public Education was a big step in North American society thanks to the advances that were made throughout time; it was a huge leap for the development of humanity because it gave equal rights to each person to acquire at least a decent education. The first public school in the American colonies was the Boston Latin School, students studied Latin and Greek and the elementary subjects like (Lecture, writing, reading) so forth and so on . A year later in 1700 marked the beginning of a new revolution in the teaching field because some of the first low tech devices were introduced to the teaching process as an example of these were the black board a great innovation for teachers in order to show students in a visual way what they were saying, also the chalk board slates or (writing slates) was another device that even today is very useful for divers in order to communicate under water. In 1700 a slate was very useful in school in order to practice math exercises. In 1800 Books or as Robert Darnton called them in his book What is the History of Books the social and cultural history of communication by print, were introduced for the first time in the teaching field as an innovation . Audiovisual Age Education has developed rapidly with the introduction of technology and the audiovisual resources to the teaching learning process. The audiovisual age started with the invention of the film and the sound recording in 1910. (Comenius 1632) lessons should proceed from easy to complex at a slow and deliberate pace; acquisition of new material began through the senses . The beginning of the audiovisual age marked the parameters of a new platform in the education field it was focused in the implementation of new ways of communication for example the radio created in 1910 is considered the first mass media, (Spiker 1996) radio connects individuals across geographical, cultural, and political devices. It was immediately introduced into education through special children programs to develop their listening and speaking skills, as soon as these programs become popular the radio started increasing its production . Another advance into education was the film strip projector in 1930; it was implemented in the educational system to display in the classroom frames of a strip on which images were printed, in this way students could visualized what they were been taught for their teachers. Likewise the filmstrip projector the overhead projector in 1940 was introduced to the classroom facilitating the interactive environment for teachers and students, because of the easy way teachers can prepare lectures and students can prepare notes before a lesson. Information Age (1960) The information age started in the latter part of the twentieth Century and the beginning of the twenty- first Century with new and challenging advances that demanded more from users as David S. Alberts and Daniel S. Papp stated in their book Complexity and change are the two defining characteristics of the Information Age. Our successes as individuals, families, organizations, communities, and societies will depend more than ever upon our abilities to adapt, in near real time . in this particular period of time appeared some of the most outstanding Technologies of all times for example: Television was one of the most remarkable inventions during the Information age, built 1960 by several people at first moment to entertain population but little by little was introduced as a great device for teaching purposes. Ten years later in 1970, videocassette recorder (VCR) and video home system (VHS) tapes were the new booms in the 70s because with these new devices you could record and play back peoples favorite TV programs. U-Matic was one of the first VHS tapes introduced by Sonic in 1971 to consumers and also for teaching purposes, it was very ground-breaking because in that way students for the first time had access to authentic recorded material which they could review over once and once again . In the 80s the audiotape came as the radios complement for teachers to replay or record authentic materials that later on were destined for teaching purposes; in those years audiotapes were very popular for the listening skill. Computer Age (1990) According to TechEncyclopedia (2002) computer is a general-purpose machine that processes data according to a set of instructions that are stored internally either temporarily or permanently . computers were conceived from arduous years of investigation and failures. Two of the most outstanding pioneers among others in the Mechanical Era of computers (1623-1945) were Blaise Pascal and Charles Babbage, Blaise a mathematician with the help of other colleagues designed a calculator that was able to add, subtract, multiply and divide. On its side Charles Babbage probably designed the first multi-purpose or programmable computing device in 1823 but never completed. To get to the computer age or the age where computer was first introduced to education that means 1990 many things had to happen, in order to mention some of these events for example; First Generation Electronic Computers (1937-1953), Second Generation (1954-1962), Third Generation (1963-1972), Fourth Generation (1972-1984), Fi fth Generation (1984-1990) in the fifth generation computers were more manageable and achieved a high superiority in processing besides they were more stable than their first prototypes. Computers were introduced as tool in order to help teachers perform more difficult tasks and also to present authentic materials to students for them to be competitive in a more demanding world. 1995 The Digital Age 1995 Information Exchange 2000 The Interactive Age The Role of ICT in Education The increasing presence of technology in all areas of human life leads to consider technology as an element of extraordinary importance in our society. Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are the cultural and technological events of great scope and expansion of the recent centuries, they are present in all areas of human life, and education is not excluded from this process. They were implemented in the educational systems in the early nineties, since then they have provided access to a great amount of information (Wagner et al 2005) says that  ´Ã‚ ´ICTs ´Ã‚ ´ are currently being used widely to aid education in many developing countries, and it appears that there is an increasing demand for their use in education by policymakers and parents in developing countries . The integration of ICT in education has become a priority in developing countries, because digital technologies can enhance the teaching process through innovation in teaching materials and teaching methods making more effective the learning process. Also because the challenges of education are increasing and requiring an effective learning with the implementation of new instructional strategies, according to students ´ needs. ICTs have had a major impact on education; some of these impacts are related to the need to make a change in education ´s methodology, and in its teaching-learning purpose. It is that a new methodology is required to introduce the technology in the academic field, thus achieving the transformation of educational system. ICTs have provided the educational field new pedagogical possibilities, expanding the resources of acquiring new knowledge. With the incorporation of ICT by students and teachers in the teaching-learning process is facilitated the collaborative learning due to ICT provides learners and professors tools such as chat, email, blogs etc. Which motivate the active participation in the classroom. According to Buckingham D. in his Handbook of New Media: Students Edition expressed that computers bring about new forms of learning which transcend the limitations of older methods, particularly linear methods such as print and television, and it is children who are seen to be most responsive to these new approaches: the computer somehow releases their natural creativity and desire to learn, which are apparently blocked and frustrated by old-fashioned methods . With the incorporation of computers, projectors, Internet, into the teaching-learning process it is noticeable the motivation students feel when they use them because they are projected to improve the quality of education through the diversification of contents and methods, promoting experimentation, innovation and learning stimulation. Since ICTs were introduced into the educational field they have given a new approach for those teachers who based their classes only on the green board practices and scheduled classes year after year following a monotonous curriculum. As ICTs enter the socio-cultural setting of schools, they may trigger changes in the activities, curriculum and interpersonal relationship in the learning environment, and is reciprocally affected by the changes they cause (Demiralslan and Usluel, 2008) . The use of ICTs into education look for changing old patterns of teaching focusing primarily on students in an interactive environment for learning encouraging motivation and communication methods; allowing students a greater autonomy in learning, in addition to overcoming the barriers of time and space. The rapid use of ICT in the education system makes expectations to grow about the potential of ICT and its contribution to improving the teaching learning process. ICTs have brought significant changes in our lives and especially in the education. Many schools and universities have been associated with these changes offered by technology and integrated them into its educational system to implement the changes required by the contemporary world. New tools, technologies, and skills allow innovations to be introduced to the teaching-learning process and education to continue the rapid advances and progress exposing students to new technological challenges. Advantages and Disadvantages of ICT Digital devide Advantages ICT Help to better prepare students for the constantly grow of technology. One of the most important reasons for using ICTs in the classroom has been to better prepare the current generation of students where ICTs, particularly computers, the Internet and related technologies, are becoming more and more ubiquitous:  Ã‚ ¶ Greater efficiency throughout the school.  Ã‚ ¶ Communication channels are increased through email, discussion groups and chat rooms  Ã‚ ¶ Regular use of ICT across different curriculum subjects can have a beneficial motivational influence on students learning of pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Students are generally more on task and express more positive feelings when they use computers than when they are given other tasks to do.  Ã‚ ¶ Computer use during lessons motivates students to continue using learning outside school hours.  Ã‚ ¶ Higher quality lessons through greater collaboration between teachers in planning and preparing resources.  Ã‚ ¶ More focused teaching, tailored to students strengths and weaknesses, through better analysis of attainment data  Ã‚ ¶ Improved pastoral care and behavior management through better tracking of students  Ã‚ ¶ Gains in understanding and analytical skills, including improvements in pronunciation.  Ã‚ ¶ Development of writing skills (including spelling, grammar, punctuation, editing and re-drafting), also fluency, originality and elaboration.  Ã‚ ¶ Encouragement of independent and active learning, and self-responsibility for learning.  Ã‚ ¶ Flexibility of anytime, anywhere access (Jacobsen and Kremer, 2000)  Ã‚ ¶ Development of higher level learning styles  Ã‚ ¶ Students who used educational technology in school felt more successful and more motivated to learn and have increased self-confidence and self-esteem  Ã‚ ¶ Students found learning in a technology-enhanced setting more stimulating and student-centered than in a traditional classroom  Ã‚ ¶ Broadband technology supports the reliable and uninterrupted downloading of web-hosted educational multimedia resources  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to address their work to an external audience  Ã‚ ¶ Opportunities to collaborate on assignments with people outside or inside school Disadvantages of ICT One of the major barriers for the cause of ICT not reaching its full potential in the foundation stage is teachers attitude. According to Hara (2004), within the early years education attitudes towards ICT can vary considerably. Some see it as a potential tool to aid learning whereas others seem to disagree with the use of technology in early year settings. Blatchford and Whitebread (2003:16), suggests that the use of ICT in the foundation stage is unhealthy and hinders learning. Other early years educators who are opposed to offering ICT experiences within the educational settings take a less extreme view than this and suggest that ICT is fine, but there are other more vital experiences that young children will benefit from, (Blatchford and Whitebread, 2003). In theory some people may have the opinion that the teachers who had not experienced ICT throughout their learning tend to have a negative attitude towards it, as they may lack the training in that area of the curriculum. Another important drawback to using ICT in schools is the fact that computers are expensive. According to the IT learning exchange (2001), in most schools ICT will be the single largest curriculum budget cost. This may be seen as a good thing but on the other hand there will be little money left over for other significant costs. ICT Tools incorporated in the Teaching Process The world that we are living today has turned in a global village because the physical distance existing among humankind is getting closer, and closer due to the technological changes. These changes or technological advances such as the computer and the internet has changed the whole world quite a lot and more when this technological advances are used in education. After the internet invention a lot of websites and software have been created to develop the way people learn languages, giving them, thousands of alternatives no matter how far they are from one another, just by having a computer an Internet connection they can have access to many education sites. In this section we are going to present a series of website used for teaching English and teaching English pronunciation such VoiceThread, Manythings.org, Fonetiks.org, BBC Learning English, Learners TV so forth and so on. These sites are specifically used for teaching, learning English and English pronunciation. VoiceThread in the Classroom VoiceThread is especially beneficial within the classroom. Teachers and students are using VoiceThread as a storytelling tool, a deep thinking tool, a research tool, an expository communication tool, and even an assessment tool (Dyck, 2007). VoiceThread has brought storytelling to the 21st century and allows stories to be shared around the world. VoiceThread is a collaborative, multimedia slide show that holds images, documents, and videos and allows people to leave comments in 5 ways. Through the use of comments, VoiceThread creates an interactive environment in which individuals can share common interests and ideas. It can also be used as an assessment tool for examining others opinions and as a tool for teachers. Businesses, teachers, and students use VoiceThread. It provides a creative outlet for students and encourages the sharing of ideas. But the uses of VoiceThread are not limited to storytelling. VoiceThread has unlimited possibilities in which it can include voice, type, doodling, unlimited slides or just a simple slide. It can include pictures or typed documents. It can be embedded or exported to other destinations and multiple identities can be created under one account. This is great for teachers who can establish one account and have kids use multiple identities to create and comment. VoiceThread can be used to collect information as well by uploading a simple slide and evaluating comments. Not only can VoiceThread be used as a creative outlet but it can also be used to learn more about others experiences and views. VoiceThread makes it possible to examine the thinking of others through pictures, text, doodling, and voice. VoiceThread is an online album that other VoiceThread users can directly comment on using voice, writing, video, and drawing. VoiceThreads can be used to share information, start a discussion, receive feedback, or simply tell a story. The basic VoiceT