Prayer Reflection On The Prayer - 1057 Words

Prayer is an openness to God. It is a means of being in a continual relationship with God. This prayer reflection report was based on praying earnestly for seven leaders who seemed in need of God’s leading in their roles. The seven leaders chosen were from the following backgrounds: pastors, departmental heads and school administrators. These leaders seem to lack Divine wisdom, vision, empathy and humility. The only solution to see a transformation in leadership is to pray fervently for leaders. â€Å"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availed much† (James 5: 16). The prayer journal activity was inspirational. As a first year, special education teacher, initially the feeling of failure seemed inevitable. Administrators and chairperson did not seem to understand how the true sense of mentoring instead they treated all first-year teacher as experts. Furthermore, the special education department seemed unprepared and unstructured at the beginning of a new school year. Eminently, the only solution to this chaotic situation was to pray for an intervention of Divine wisdom for administrators and departmental heads. On the other hand, church members appeared contentious and consistently made unconstructive criticism against the Pastors. Pastors were leading without listening to members’ concern. With God being the center of worship, members and pastors should endeavor to be united inShow MoreRelatedPrayer 750 Word Reflection Of Prayer1000 Words   |  4 Pages Evening Prayer 750 Word Reflection Prayer has been a part of the life of the Church from the very beginning. In Acts 2:42 Luke tells how the Christians â€Å"devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers†. In Acts 3:1 Paul tells of Peter and John going to the temple ‘at the hour of prayer’. The first Christians through remembrance, thanksgiving and prayer linked their daily lives to the story of God. While people offered prayer individuallyRead MoreThe Reflection Of The Prayer1054 Words   |  5 PagesEvery night before I fall asleep I say the Serenity Prayer. The prayer is one of my most treasured comforts and makes me feel like I have a clean slate very 24 hours. It allows me to exhale the toxic worries I have acquired throughout the day and leaves me refreshed and lighter. The prayer comes naturally to me: addressing God, asking for inner peace, and moving on to tell Him about my day until suddenly I am deeply, happily asleep. There is only one issue: I do not believe in God. From a youngRead MoreA Reflection On The Prayer Room1545 Words   |  7 Pagesatmosphere of Sunday morning Mass was unable to reduce the number of enthusiastic Christians, who were excitedly waiting for Mass. At the corner of the magnificent crowded Church, there was a relatively tiny gloomy room, called a prayer room. Genuflecting in the prayer room, I was emotionally and physically fatigued after spending the whole night before, confessing my intolerable guilt to God—my ridiculous infatuation with my brother’s friend. Surely, the chemical attraction between two ordinaryRead MorePrayer By Thomas Keating, Contemplative Prayer1515 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Contemplative prayer is a conversation initiated by God and leading, if we consent to a divine union. It is the way to pure faith.† Unlike with vocal prayers, in which we call out to God asking for things we need, with contemplative prayer our role is to allow God to be God. In other words, God directs Contemplative prayer, His grace opens our hearts and minds to the His presence inside us. Consequently, contemplative prayer begins with a centering prayer, which is a silent prayer that preparesRead MoreTheology: God and Prayer Essay1143 Words   |  5 PagesReflection Paper: Prayer and Character Development Twila S. Cooper Theology 104 November 16, 2012 Professor White INTRODUCTION The purpose of this paper is to reveal a direct correlation between prayer and character development. It is crucial that Christians fully understand this tool that has been put in place in order for us to be able to communicate with the Lord, our Creator. Praying and communing with the Lord leads to and builds not only a stronger relationshipRead MorePrayer Is An Essential Discipline Of The Christian Faith1228 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Prayer is an essential discipline of the Christian faith. History and cultural differences show us that many people engage in many different ways and techniques to pray and communicate with God. How do you find the right way for you? Summarise your original understanding of the discipline before the course started Having been a Christian for many years I thought that I had a fair knowledge of what it meant to pray. I was amazed and humbled by the idea that through Jesus’ restorativeRead MorePrayer in School Essay example1375 Words   |  6 Pagestoday are without school prayer, most schools have replaced prayer, with a Silent moment of reflection. Also, the assumption if there is a God or not is a big question as well. I think prayer should be re-instated into schools, because children should be able to express religion freely. I also feel that lack of discipline; youth pregnancy, dropouts, and violence in schools are other issues that can be more controllable if there were religious classes and school prayer. Public schools exist toRead More A Visit to A Mosque In America Essay1206 Words   |  5 Pagesis a fountain in front of the Mosque and a second fountain inside the vestibule. These fountains have come from as far away as Egypt, Syria and Saudi Arabia and are merely for decoration though in older times fountains were used for washing before prayer. Upon entering the Mosque, I enter into a vestibule with a decorative fountain in the middle and a hallway to each side lined with a shelf for shoes. Shoes are not worn in a Mosque because it is a place of worship to Allah, the Arabic word forRead MoreThe Themes Of African American Literature1345 Words   |  6 Pagesopinions and form a creation that is a reflection of what they believe. These creations, both literature and paintings, can contain certain topics that are quite alike. Ellis Wilson, and African American artist, created a painting that exhibits the theme of spirituality in his painting Prayer in the Field. This theme can be linked to at least three works from African American literature that broadens the way readers and spectators of art see spirituality. In Prayer in the Field, it is not difficult toRead MoreSpiritual Leader Peter At The Prison Gate930 Words   |  4 Pageswas not a dream. Realizing this he said, â€Å"The Lord has sent his angel and saved me from Herod and from what these people had planned to do to me. Peter was a leader in the church, so he had prayed for God to work things out. They were constantly in prayer. Once he was freed with the leading of the angel Peter took a visited to the home of Mary. While a group of people were gathered there praying, he knocked, and a servant came to answer the door. When she realized who it was, rather than open the door

Common Chromosomal Abnormalities Associated With Autism

Five other gene disorder that contributes to autism are (1) EN2 (Engrailed 2) involved in cerebellum development. (2) GABR (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid Receptor) regulates brain cell migration. (3) OXTR (Oxytocin Receptor) participating in the response to stress and social skills. (4) RELN (Reelin) involved in neuronal migration in the developing brain. (5) SLC6A4, a serotonin transporter gene† (Johnson, Giarelli, Lewis, Rice, 2013). As a result of all the researches done several chromosomal loci have been shown to be linked to Autistic Spectrum disorder including those at 2q24-2q31, 7q22-7q31, 7q34-7q36, and 17q11-17q21. Structural chromosomal changes involving deletions and duplication at 7q11, 15q11-15q13, 17p11.2, 22q11.2, and 22q13 have also been associated with forms of autism. However, the most common chromosomal abnormalities currently associated with autism include the fragile X mutation, other sex chromosome abnormalities, and abnormalities of 15q11-q13. â€Å"Evidenc e has shown that duplications of 15q11–q13 have led to higher risks of Autism Spectrum Disorder and developmental and cognitive deï ¬ cits† (Flashner, Russo, Boileau, Leong, Gallicano, 2013). Chromosome 15q11-q13.1 region is subject to genomic imprinting, which is an epigenetic process that results in monoallelic gene expression. Duplications lead to autism and are usually maternal in origin. Deletion of the maternal allele of chromosome 15q11-q13 cause Angelman syndrome (AS) a neurodevelopmental disorderShow MoreRelatedAutism Spectrum Disorder ( Asd )909 Words   |  4 PagesAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that is characterized by abnormalities relating to social, behavioral, cognitive and language skills. The genetic architecture of ASD is comprised of a variety of rare mutations. These mutations include monogenic conditions involving autistic symptoms. Furthermore, single nucleotide variants and de novo copy number variants add to disease susceptibility. Inherited Factors Related to ASDs Autosomal recessive loci areRead MoreA Research Study On Autistic Spectrum Disorder802 Words   |  4 Pagesof ASD dates back to the year 1908 when the word autism was first used to describe a subset of withdrawn schizophrenic patients. The word autism was then used again in 1943 when American child psychiatrist Leo Kanner, M.D., published a paper called â€Å"Autistic Disturbance of Affective Contact† describing eleven socially isolated children who displayed the same desire for sameness and aloneness describing their condition as early infantile autism (Autism Speaks, 2013). A year later German scientist namedRead More The Etiology of Autism Essay1704 Words   |  7 PagesThe Etiology of Autism Autism is a syndrome that is characterized by the impairment of social interaction skills, verbal and nonverbal communication, and a decreased interest in participating in a variety of activities. In 1943, Kanner, the man who is attributed with the identification of this disease, hypothesized that autism might be a biological disorder as opposed to a psychological one. Numerous studies have been conducted supporting Kanner’s hypothesis. These studies have ranged from examiningRead MoreThe Characteristics Of Autism Spectrum Disorders ( Asd )949 Words   |  4 Pages 1. What are the characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? As described in the textbook, there is a broad range of characteristics associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). One of the first characteristics noted with ASD is language deficits, or using language in â€Å"odd† ways. As stated in the textbook, â€Å"Children with classic autism may be nonverbal. Alternatively, they may have significant language difficulties, so that their language may consist primarily of echolalia or delayedRead MoreEssay on Understanding Persons with Intellectual Disabilities1518 Words   |  7 Pages It is important to understand the terms that are associated with intellectual disabilities. The first term is disability. Disability is an individual performing which includes physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual mental illness impairments, and various types of chronic diseases. The next term involves intelligence. This term is the ability to think logically, reason out problems, prepare, understand difficult ideas, examine intellect ually, and the ability to determine quickly and or acquireRead MoreEffects Of The Pregnancy On Children1731 Words   |  7 Pagesdecisions about their pregnancies. Nuchal translucency screening tests are used to determine the probability of the fetus having chromosomal abnormalities (Gottfredsdà ³ttir, Bjà ¶rnsdà ³ttir, Sandall, 2009). Due to these technological advancements, there have been many debates raised in regards to terminating or continuing with the pregnancy if tests indicate abnormalities. In this paper, I will discuss he mental effects of the mother in both abortion and continuing cases, the physical effects in bothRead MoreEssay about The Etiology of Autism1313 Words   |  6 Pagesof 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder, â€Å"ASD† (Nirv, Shah 2011). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, up to six out of every 1,000 children may be diagnosed with some form of autism. In addition, boys are four times more likely than girls to have autism. This means that as many as 1.5 million Americans today are believed to have some form of autism. Unfortunately, the numbers appear to be increasing rapidly. Autism is a disability that frequentlyRead MoreThe Treatment Of Speech And Communication Disorders995 Words   |  4 Pagesindividualized evaluation. Sensory integration is a common treatment program used by occupational therapists. To evaluate the outcomes of the patient, the occupational therapist ensures that the goals set are being met, and makes changes to the treatment plan if needed (AOTA, 2017). Occupational therapists treat a variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Down syndrome is known as a chromosomal defect due to a full or partial extraRead MoreAutism Essay1222 Words   |  5 PagesAutism Spectrum Disorder Essay What is ASD? The term Autistic Spectrum Disorder covers a wide range of conditions, including autism and Asperger syndrome that are characterized by impaired social interaction, communication difficulties and restricted, stereotypical and repetitive activities and interests. Autistic spectrum disorder is a developmental disorder that is usually diagnosed in childhood. Children and adults with this condition have a wide range of intelligence. Some have learning disabilitiesRead MoreDetecting Fetal Abnormalities Through Ultrasound2205 Words   |  9 PagesDetecting Fetal Abnormalities Through Ultrasound Birth defects can have life threatening consequences for the fetus. Many birth defects can be detected during pregnancy by an ultrasound. Some of these abnormalities include abdominal wall defect, orofacial cleft, anencephaly, and down syndrome. Although at this time ultrasound is the safest way to observe a fetus, risks are still associated with it. Ultrasound An ultrasound is a test that sends sound waves into the woman’s abdomen

Technology in Education Free Essays

Software Support Tools According to Rogers (2008), â€Å"the landscape of the classroom is being transformed, with technology becoming a driving force† (p. 92). In today’s classroom there are numerous software support tools available to enhance learning and cater to the needs of all learners. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now Roblyer and Doering (2010) presented six categories of software support tools. They listed these as: material generators, data collection and analysis, graphics, planning and organizing, research and reference, and tools for the content areas. Material generators are software tools that are used for making instructional materials such as posters, brochures, quizzes, tests, rubrics, puzzles, worksheets, games, awards, and IEPs for special education students. Many teachers regard these tools as essential to the day-to-day operation of the classroom. Wellert (2008) stated that the use of games allow teachers to directly cater to the learning style needs of the visual and tactile learners, and that games can expedite the learning process when constructed with the different learning styles in mind. Data collection and analysis software tools allow teachers to collect information about their students and closely monitor their performance and progress throughout the year. According to Roblyer and Doering (2010), the electronic grade book is preferred by many teachers because of its special feature to analyse data from tests and print reports based on the information given. Student information systems (SIS) help teachers keep account of students’ data such as attendance and test scores. Roblyer and Doering also referred to computerized testing systems which offer benefits such as immediate feedback of results. Additionally, it allows students to take tests on screens or scanned sheets. According to the authors, these simplify test scheduling because everyone does not take the test at the same time. Graphic tools consist of draw/paint programs, image editing tools, charting/graphing tools, and clip art animation, sound, video, and font collections (Roblyer Doering, 2010). These allow teachers and students to create, illustrate, modify, and combine drawings, illustrations, clip art, pictures, charts and graphs. They also give students the opportunity to create their own designs and show them on paper or screen. Additionally, teachers and students can insert these into documents and reports to give a more professional look. Catchings and MacGregor (as cited in Roblyer Doering, 2010) believed that these programs aid in the development of students’ visual-verbal literacy and creativity. Planning and organizing software tools entails outlining and concept mapping, software, lesson planners, and scheduling and time management tools. Outlining tools assist students in outlining their story ideas and help them to get their stories started, while the other tools help teachers organize their time and prepare for instruction. Research and reference tools such as electronic encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries help facilitate research. Electronic atlases and maps are useful in the classroom because students get to see and learn information being taught, and are especially helpful because they are interactive. Wellert (2008) stated that students need to have active participation and involvement in lessons that include technology. Furthermore, student engagement is vital to ensure motivation during the learning process. Finally, the last category of software support tools put forward by Roblyer and Doering (2010) is content area tools. These support teaching and learning in the different content areas. Multimedia Multimedia refers to multiple media or a combination of media. Media can be still graphics, and photographs, sound, motion video, animation, and or text items along with products used to communicate information in multiple ways. Multimedia impacts the classroom in various ways. For example it increases motivation as it offers a variety of options for the user and encourages the learner to be proactive. For students who might not be strong in written expression but have visual aptitude, multimedia offers flexible learning modes. It also fosters the development of creative and critical thinking skills as it opens up creative avenues for students to apply higher thinking skills.. For those who struggle with organizing and presenting information, multimedia offers improved writing process as students are equipped to create characters and linking dialogue to it rather than simply creating a lengthy story. Creativity is encouraged by this process. The use of multimedia also decreases the time it takes to present lengthy presentations as information is presented in chunks as oppose to monotonous reports. According to Mayer and Moreno, 1998; Moreno and Mayer, 2002 (as sited in Roblyer and Doering, 2010) learners exhibited greater comprehension and retention of learned materials when pictures were accompanied by spoken words rather than by written words. They observed that the â€Å"split attention† effect was consistent with a model of working memory that had separate visual and auditory channels. As oppose to chalk and talk which rarely engage students, the use of multimedia encourages interaction and positive immediate feedback. Students are prompted when answers are incorrect giving them the option to correct their answers. Multimedia also provides easy navigation with clearly defined procedures. It is learner controlled for those who are less experienced as well as those who are advanced in technology. Color is also used to bring certain elements to the learner’s attention. Utility provides assortment of functionalities and features necessary to accomplish their instructional tasks, while usability deals with the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the user. Aesthetics on the other hand, represents elements of design which enhance or heightens the learner’s experience as oppose to just satisfying the pedagogical or instructional objectives. In addition (Lavie Tractinsky, 2004; Wilson, 2005), research on emotion suggests that aesthetically pleasing objects positively influence our emotions which in turn help students to actively process material. Commercial multimedia products include instructional software such as tutorials, drills, simulations, instruction and problem solving tools. It also includes interactive storybooks and eBooks for toddler’s right up to adults. There are digital libraries, Google books, listening to books online, Grimm Fairy Tales as well as Clifford Interactive Storybooks. In addition to these, these products include reference materials such as Encarta (Encyclopedia), Almanacs, Atlases, newspapers and newsletters, collection of development resources like Clip art, Audio clips, Video clips and Animations, all of which can be used for learning. When producing power points and graphics, fancy fonts and animation can all be incorporated. Multimedia tools also provide editing systems which allows the polishing of the end product. The question about how to effectively integrate support tools, multimedia, and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, this question can be answered by simply choosing the right tools to meet specific needs of the audience being taught. It is no longer debatable whether or not these tools are relevant, but which tools are relevant for what and who is being taught. Hypermedia According to (Roblyer and Doering, 2010), Hypermedia is also known as â€Å"linked media†. It is a system in which information stored in various media is connected, often through the internet. Most multimedia products are also hypermedia products. There exist a synonymous connection of their uses and alternative purpose. The ability to get information using multimedia tools, from one media element to another, makes them hypermedia. There are six kinds of hypermedia formats, such as: commercial hypermedia software, presentation software, video production and editing systems, hypermedia design and development software, virtual reality environments and Web 2. 0. Hypermedia has been impacting the educational system in many ways. Students are able to attend classes in the comfort of their home. Teachers are able to peruse through a wide variety of activities to effectively and efficiently deliver lessons. Hypermedia is geared at providing multiple channels by which students are able to learn and process information. It has been stated by researchers that students who learn through verbal and visual means are better able to solve problems in comparison to those who learn only through verbal means. In using hypermedia in the classroom, it saves time. Students and teachers are able to search through multiple types of information in a short length of time, with little or no cost. It can be stressful and frustrating for those who are not fully equipped with the skills of navigating. Users can also use hypermedia to add, modify or share information. The software is designed to be easy to use and understand. The programs available can incorporate video and audio of CD’s and DVD’s on the web. This creates a merger of both concepts which can realize learning at its maximum relative advantage. In considering Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, we can integrate support tools multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning. This can be done in various ways. Software programs that supports tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, instructional games and problem solving can all be incorporated using an interactive approach. Students as well as teachers are motivated to learn and present information. According to Edyburn (as cited in Roblyer Doering, 2010), the accessibility capabilities of special needs students are often challenging. Special programs are provided along with software for these students, but in order to use the programs, one must be especially skilled. Roblyer and Doering (2010), further stated that in order for hypermedia to be used effectively, some hardware are needed in order for the software to function, such as: computer with keyboard, mouse and monitor, digital cameras, scanners, video digitizers, camcorders and other video output, microphones and audio speakers. Financial resources are necessary for this system to take place. Adobe Flash Reader has become the standard for creating interactive web based animation and other software tools. Flexible learning modes exist but teachers must carefully select programs that promote higher order thinking, which are few in the case of reading and language. The response based methods are critical and students are able to use their creativity to access information. Students can also make the distinction between various texts and think critically about which is appropriate and applicable. Teachers are able to assess students based on the outcome of assigned projects while challenging them to learn independently at times. Students use the Web 2. 0, and presentation software such as Microsoft Power point Presentation to deliver work the way they understand. Hypermedia helps students to generate new ideas, raise the bar for creativity and independence and thus provide a, variety of sources which students can use to understand and interpret information, thus reaching their highest potential relative advantage. Factors Influencing the Effective Integration of Technology Gorder (2008) stated that integrating technology is not about having technology available in the classroom, but more about how teachers use technology as a tool for learning. To effectively and successfully integrate support tools, multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, certain factors need to be considered. Franklin (2008) outlined four factors that influence the integration of technology: availability and access to technology, teacher preparation and training, good leadership, and time. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (as cited in Franklin, 2008), the availability of classroom technology correlates to teacher use of computers. This means that when more computers are available in the classroom, teachers tend to incorporate more activities involving technology. While the average elementary classroom in the United States has two computers (NCES, as cited in Franklin, 2008), classrooms in Belize are yet to experience that luxury. Access to computers in Belizean elementary schools is very limited, often through a computer lab. Oftentimes many of these computers are outdated, or not working. The lack of hardware and software tools do very little to promote the use and integration of technology in education. Teacher preparation and training is also an important factor in the effective integration of technology. Franklin (2008) indicated that teachers who feel better prepared to use technology are more likely to have their students use technology than teachers who feel unprepared. With the advent of numerous new technological advances, more experienced teachers are feeling unprepared to face the technological world. The NCES (as cited in Franklin, 2008) reported that only one third of elementary teachers in the United States felt they were well prepared to use technology in the classroom. Gorder (2008) referred to this as a change from educating students for the industrial age, to one of educating students for the technological age. This change will require teachers to become students again, seeking assistance from fellow teachers as well as from their own students. In light of this change, Ash (2007) felt that for teachers to implement technology effectively in the classroom there needs to be some form of professional development. Ash reported that in order to meet the professional development needs of teachers, some school districts have encouraged teachers to form on-line learning communities with their colleagues where they can seek technology advice, share resources and tips. Additionally, Ash suggested having a technology specialist on staff to assist teachers with new technology as well as to provide training for teachers in the form of after school training and workshops. Pitler (2006) said that most importantly teachers need to be provided with ongoing technology professional development. Ash (2007) believed strong leadership is required to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning and considered the principal as the key factor to ensuring the successful integration of technology into the school curriculum. Hope and Stakenas (as cited by Gosmire Grady, 2007) suggested three primary roles for the principal as technology leader: role model, instructional leader, and visionary. They stated that principals themselves need to have a good working knowledge of technology tools and be able to use these for their own administrative and managerial duties. When principals have a good working knowledge of technology they are more committed to its importance in teaching and learning and tend to impart this to their teachers (Franklin, 2008). Furthermore, principals are the instructional leaders of the school and are primarily responsible for overseeing technology integration. As a result, principals need to have a good knowledge of technology hardware and software to be able to acquire those that best fit the needs of their school. Hope and Stakenas emphasized that the most important thing is for principals to have a vision for technology in their school. They need to have a clear understanding of how technology will be used by teachers and students to better facilitate teaching and learning. Franklin concluded that principals who provide strong leadership â€Å"help create a climate in which experimentation with technology is looked on with favour and given encouragement† (p. 55). Finally, the fourth factor that influences the integration of technology is time. Franklin (2008) believed that for technology integration to be effective it is necessary to provide the time for teachers to learn, practice, and plan how they will integrate technology into the curriculum. She stated that this might, at times, require teachers to be released from their regular classroom duties in order to facilitate this experience. Apart from the time teachers need to learn and plan for technology, students also need time to use technology. Franklin indicated that time needs to be placed in the daily schedule when students will be using technology. Schacter and Fagnano (1999) also suggested several practices to aid in the successful implementation of technology in the classroom. These include: (a) getting students involved in discussions and debates where they will be required to work with a team to evaluate their work, as well as the work of others, (b) allowing students to analyse situations and think independently through self reflection and thought, (c) getting students to design programs that encourage critical thinking, judgement, and personal involvement, (d) using project-based learning activities, (e) engaging students in contextualized and meaningful projects, and (f) teaching students how to use computers to design projects. The authors emphasized that the effective use of technology increases students’ learning, understanding, achievement and motivation as well as develops their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Conclusion Hence, it is clear that in order to integrate technology into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, it is not just about having the technology and being knowledgeable about its use and benefits, but also about having a vision and plan of how technology will be integrated into the school curriculum and providing the necessary training for teachers. Pitler (2006) stated that all the new technologies in the world will not impact student achievement if the school does not have a clear vision of how and why they will use the technology. It is important to understand that the acquisition of technology alone will not improve the quality of instruction. Day (2010) emphasizes that â€Å"the fundamental determinants of instructional quality have always been the course content, the teachers, the learning activities in which the students are engaged and the students themselves† (p. 49). How to cite Technology in Education, Essay examples Technology in Education Free Essays Nowadays, the technology has become essential in people’s daily life because it makes human beings’ lives more colorful. In the same way, technology also changed traditional education in many ways. For example, technology makes education more efficiency, more interesting, and more flexible. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in Education or any similar topic only for you Order Now However, it also has negative effects in education. Technology makes education more efficiency. Students use smartphones in their daily lives, which is providing some ways to let student have access to internet, and therefore making things such as checking their email in palm of their hand. Technology make education more interesting. For example, â€Å"prezi† have the same functions as power point, but it looks more interesting because it has more animations to show you ideas when you make presentation. Which makes a presentation more visually appealing. Now prezi is used at some of university, for instance,Oregon state university and Dwight school and also elsewhere in primary education and higher education. Prezi can achieve that a group present a same presentation, but allow students present their knowledge in different learning styles. (http://en. wikipedia. rg/wiki/Prezi) Technology also make education more flexible. Not everyone has the schedule that fits to enroll a traditional school to take a class. Some people will take online classes, which gives them access to get degree they want. And more and more people are earning their degrees online, by doing this, they can further their education, and are open to more opportunities as well. Although, technology can be convenient for people with special needs, it also have the negative effects in education. For example, technology makes it easy, fast, and convenient to type or write an essay. The downfall to this is that student’s handwriting skills are reduced, due to the fact that students rely on technology too much. And other negative points for technology in education is easy to make students distracting when they use technology products (smart phone or laptop) on class. Students cannot put 100% attention on teacher, they will spent too much time on twitter or facebook. In conclusion, education become more efficiency, interesting, and flexibly, however, there also are negative effect because of technology. But, there are more benefits than limit, so technology push forward education develop quickly. How to cite Technology in Education, Essays

Analyze the Market Environment of Blackmores †Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Analyze the Market Environment of Blackmores. Answer: Introduction: The importance of business strategy in ensuring organizational success cannot be overstated. It should be noted that even if an organization works towards the accomplishment of a pre-determined set of objectives, it will fail to achieve the same, if its objectives are not backed up by effective strategies. An organization that lacks an organized, strategic approach towards its business problems will fail to sustain itself in future. While often mere management of business activities are being confused with business strategies, it is important to note that business strategies help an organization to distinguish itself from competitors, rather than merely conducting business. Thus, any effective business strategy adopted by a company enables it to explore a variety of business opportunities beyond its standard business practices. Blackmores, founded more than eighty years ago, is being deemed as ne of the most trusted and valuable healthcare brands of Australia. Founded by Maurice Blackmore, the company ensures the health and well-being of its consumers, by offering a mixture of the goodness of traditional herbs and the latest, scientific knowledge of nutrition. The company, since its inception, has not only been able to expand beyond Australia, in New Zealand and selected parts of Asia, but it has also grabbed and maintained its position for eight long years as the Australias Most Trusted Brand for vitamins and supplements. However, since a last few months, the organization has been encountering a sharp decline in its sales (approximately 26%), and hence it would be important to critically examine its strategies, and recommend new strategies for its future growth (Donaldson 2017). Discussion: Key Concepts of Business Strategy As discussed before, a strategy is like an action plan that helps a company identify its long-term objectives, and help them guide resource utilization in order to achieve long-term sustainability in future. However, before setting the business objectives, and adopting an innovative strategy, it is important to analyze the business environment of the organization. Hence, a SWOT Analysis of Blackmores is being conducted, as follows: SWOT Analysis: Strength: The company is operating in the Australian health industry, that considering the huge number of old people in Australia, shows a general trend of higher profitability (53%) (Brandt et al. 2014). Despite being a pharmaceutical company, it offers a diverse range of products- nutritional oil, weight management products, as well as health and skin care products. Huge brand recognition in the Australian market. Weakness: It requires incurring huge expense in the field of research and development activities. 85% of its business operations take place in Australia, and the companys over-reliance on the domestic market can be troublesome (Johnson 2015). The vitamins and supplements produced by the company are considered discretionary spending, and thus many people might not invest in these products. Opportunity: The company can expand globally, and especially the Asian market has huge prospects for it. The economy of Australian market is expected to grow, and thus its domestic market will benefit from the growth. It can acquire some of the leading health care companies of countries like China, which enjoy opportunities for R D activities. Threat: Encounters tough competition from companies like Cenovis, Natures Own and Microgenics. The increase in labor cost. The pharmaceutical industry of Australia is witnessing the arrival of new entrants. In order to assess and analyze the external business environment of Blackmores Limited, it is equally important to assess and analyze the business environment of the company through the PEST Analysis as follows: PEST Analysis: Political Factors The shift to a Liberal government in Australia clearly implies lower taxes and deregulation that can favor the growth of the company in Australia. The political and financial instability of Malaysia and Thailand can pose a threat to the growth of the company. Economic Factors The Mining Bloom of Australia had a huge negative impact on the economy of Australia. Thailand however, is the fourth richest nation enjoying the second largest economy of South East Asia. Social Factors In the South East Asian region, improvement in overall standard of living can hinder the business growth of the company. Australia has a huge elderly population, making its consumers compelled to buy more and more of vitamins. Technological Factors There is a good scope of R D activities in Asian countries, especially Malaysia and China. People are more interested in online shopping that the company is yet to develop in future (Reid 2014). As it can be seen from the above table, despite its strong brand reputation, Blackmores is encountering problems in retaining its position, owing to huge competition from rival products, confined market and its over-dependence on the Australian economy. Just like the external business environment, the internal business environment of an organization also deserves special mention. Hence, he internal environment of the organization is conducted below: Internal Analysis of Blackmores: Senior Managers Quality: One of the major reasons why Blackmore has been able to achieve competitive advantage over other organizations, is that it the company hires senior managers who are highly qualified and experienced in the field of business administration. With a strong brand marketing strategies, the managers has helped the company achieve a remarkable sales growth of nearly $350 million last year (Evans 2015). The experienced business leaders have helped the company diversify and expand, invest in BioCeuticals and transform its cost profile. Resources: Goodwill and brand recognition are the two of the most important assets of the organization. It has already been awarded as the most trusted brand in Australia for vitamins and supplementary products. Since it offers nutrition products to its consumers, it is able to gain competitive advantage over the artificial medicine suppliers. Besides, the human resources of the company have equally played an important role (Page 2014). Besides, the essence of innovation underlying each strategic decision of the company, such as the development of a new recyclable polypropylene pack for larger bottles of capsules and tablets has also helped the company achieve sustainable growth. Capabilities: The most important capability of Blackmores lies in its R D capabilities. It not only refines its products and creates new ones, but at the same time, Blackmores joint venture with a research team at the Southern Cross University places it at the forefront of research and development (Blackmores 2017). Strategy Options needed to be Adopted by Blackmores: A very important component of business strategy is the set of strategic goals and objectives that the organization should set up for it. Each organization has a distinct mission and vision that helps it understand the important strategic goals that it intends to achieve over the coming year as well as in future. While the Mission Statement of the organization states that the company intends to achieve its competitive growth by providing the best quality products to its consumers, its Vision Statement claims its dedication to adopt a holistic approach to consumer health and well-being. Being drive by its vision, Blackmores has been able to achieve competitive growth over its competitors, simply because it does not offer artificial medical products, but rather introduces a more herbal and natural approach to health care provision. However, the unflinching standard of quality as achieved by the company needs to be communicated to the audience in an effective way. Blackmores has usually been focused on traditional marketing strategies, and does not have a strong online presence (Tsimonis and Dimitriadis 2014). Since the company is deciding to venture into new markets of Asia, it should try its best to attract consumer attention by creating an impactful presence on social media sites. Instead of limiting itself to English marketing strategies, it should also opt for local language marketing as well. Another important strategic option available to the company that can facilitate its corporate growth is the diversification of its product range. It should also build new sources of revenue. Hence, although the company produces a variety of vitamin products, minerals and nutritional products, it should try to expand its business by producing new products such as baby care products, skin care products, chest and respiratory healthcare products as well as cough syrups and baby soaps. It s evident from the above environmental analysis that companies like Cenovis, Natures Own and Microgenics offer throat-cut competition to Blackmores, and hence in order to sustain itself, it must necessarily diversify its products (Grant 2016). Besides, an improvement in the healthcare in South East Asian region has also led to the reduced dependence of the consumers on vitamin producing companies. Hence, in future, the company may also consider the idea of investing in medical equipments and diagnostic products. The product differentiation is also an important business strategy that can help a company ensure long-term sustenance in a market. While a consumer is confused while making choice between similar products, a minor variation in one product can make him choose it over the other. Although the Asian market has emerged to be a huge revenue generating market for Blackmores, the company has been encountering tough competition from companies like Amway. For example, Amway in the Chinese market is the leading healthcare industry, and with its portfolio of diverse products it has been able to gain competitive edge over other brands, including Blackmores. Hence, Blackmores, in order to gain its competitive edge over Amway, it must offer innovation in its products. The company can achieve this, by making its vitamin tablets available in a variety of flavors such as strawberry and vanilla that can appeal to the young consumers. Besides, in the local as well as the foreign market, the company sho uld introduce innovative marketing campaigns. For example, it may donate money and free vitamins to the impoverished people. As a CSR strategy, it will help the company earn greater brand recognition among the masses in a new market, while also revealing their responsible approach to business, that will help them capture the attention of foreign consumers more easily (Kang 2014). International Growth Options for Blackmores: The foreign expansion policy of any company helps in enhancing its profit generating capacity, ensuring its sustainability in future. Although Blackmores enjoys a strong presence in Australia as well as in 11 markets across the Asia-Pacific region, the company needs to expand further, considering higher competition and the need for greater global recognition. While the company enjoys more or less impressive presence in the Australian and Asian markets, it can benefit considerably by expanding in Africa. The value of the African pharmaceutical market was worth $20.8bn in 2013, and is expected to reach approximately $US60bn by 2020, and thus it will be easier for Blackmores to engage in different research activities for further innovation. It is estimated that by the year of 2013, 1.1 billion Africans will be of working age, and the change in the lifestyle will lead people to suffer from non-infectious diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular conditions, that will in turn be benefi cial for companies like Blackmores (Banalieva, E.R. and Dhanaraj 2013). However, in order to permeate the African market, the company can merge with Australian start-up healthcare firms, such as ClaimSync and MobiSure. The chief advantage of investing in Africa lies in the fact that the African healthcare market is yet to be explored by other healthcare brands, and hence establishing a dominance over the market, can help it gain competitive advantage. Conclusion: The business strategy of an organization can help it achieve long-term sustainability as well as immense business growth in future. Although Blackmores is already a company that has been able to achieve much recognition in the market, it should consider the strategic options stated above. It should not only diversify its product range, but it must also expand itself in new markets. However, along with its international expansion policy, it must ensure that the employees, especially the expatriate employees are sufficiently trained, so as to conduct business in a foreign business environment. References Banalieva, E.R. and Dhanaraj, C., 2013. Home-region orientation in international expansion strategies.Journal of International Business Studies,44(2), pp.89-116. Blackmores. (2017).2014 Natural Leaders Report. [online] Available at: https://www.annualreports.com/HostedData/AnnualReportArchive/B/ASX_BKL_2014.pdf [Accessed 18 May 2017]. 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