Web 2.0 versus Pedagogy :: Technology, Voice Thread

Web 2.0 is an advance technology which many people used for communication such as blogs, amicable networking, entertainment and gaining of information or so specific issue, events and people. It facilitates an interactive and collaborative application, exploiter centered design and developing World Wide Web (Rad, 2007). This system is not originally intended for teach a learning purpose provided previously some educators was quartered to use this as an educational tool. (Peltier, 2009) Voice scent integrating of literacy and technology is very utile for learners to fully understand the specific information and as well as in the side of educators that will improve their precept strategy through adaptability of phonation thread. Considering the advancement of the technologies and the knowledge of each educator and the willingness of the learners this progress will not be impossible to achieve as desired. Contributories in making the voice thread effective to the users dependi ng on their capabilities to adapt the process of spreading information and interaction towards feedback mechanism will surely be tractable to which all queries are presumptuousness that of enough attention. Voice typewriter ribbon is an online tool which is not originally intended as a classroom tool but in 2008, Burden do a study in which Voice Thread preempt be used as an educational tool for sweetener of teaching and student learning. This signifier of online application showcases a new designed learning tool that engages students to be motivated in exploring and gaining knowledge through icon collaborative conversation, images, power point, and phone files. Voice Thread has the ability to securely accommodate learners not only to become readers but to become participants also. (Freyer, 2008) Voice Thread allows interaction within the user and the participants thru exchanging of comments by oral or textual. This application also allows privacy of documents being posted fo r which you can choose only the audiences or participants which can view your post. To attract learners to be more interested, Voice Thread also allows images or videos to be posted for a fall in presentation (Anderson, 2010). For better audio comments, Lofton (2008) suggested the usage of insolence which is a free downloadable application that allows editing and volume adjustments. Another suggestion is to use a better quality microphone (Lofton, 2008).Voice Thread power pose an accessibility problem for those students with low bandwidth. In addition, viewing the application on a mobile phone can be difficult because it employs charge to deliver content.Web 2.0 versus Pedagogy Technology, Voice ThreadWeb 2.0 is an advance technology which many people used for communication such as blogs, social networking, entertainment and gaining of information about specific issue, events and people. It facilitates an interactive and collaborative application, user centered design and deve loping World Wide Web (Rad, 2007). This system is not originally intended for teaching a learning purpose but previously some educators was attracted to use this as an educational tool. (Peltier, 2009) Voice threadIntegration of literacy and technology is very helpful for learners to fully understand the specific information and as well as in the side of educators that will improve their teaching strategy through adaptability of voice thread. Considering the advancement of the technologies and the knowledge of each educator and the willingness of the learners this progress will not be impossible to achieve as desired. Contributories in making the voice thread effective to the users depending on their capabilities to adapt the process of spreading information and interaction towards feedback mechanism will surely be manageable to which all queries are given that of enough attention. Voice Thread is an online tool which is not originally intended as a classroom tool but in 2008, Burd en made a study in which Voice Thread can be used as an educational tool for enhancement of teaching and student learning. This kind of online application showcases a new designed learning tool that engages students to be motivated in exploring and gaining knowledge through video collaborative conversation, images, power point, and audio files. Voice Thread has the ability to securely accommodate learners not only to become readers but to become participants also. (Freyer, 2008) Voice Thread allows interaction within the user and the participants thru exchanging of comments by oral or textual. This application also allows privacy of documents being posted for which you can choose only the audiences or participants which can view your post. To attract learners to be more interested, Voice Thread also allows images or videos to be posted for a better presentation (Anderson, 2010). For better audio comments, Lofton (2008) suggested the usage of Audacity which is a free downloadable app lication that allows editing and volume adjustments. Another suggestion is to use a better quality microphone (Lofton, 2008).Voice Thread might pose an accessibility problem for those students with low bandwidth. In addition, viewing the application on a mobile phone can be difficult because it employs Flash to deliver content.

The American Diet :: essays research papers fc

You argon what you eat, goes a famous saying. And if that is truly the case, then a lot of Americans would appear to be unhealthy, chemically treated, commercially raised slabs of living creature flesh. And while that is not a particularly pleasant thought, it is nonetheless an description of the typical American omnivore who survives on the consumption of Big Macs and steak fajitas.But at that place are individuals who do not follow this American norm and have altered their diets so that they do not consume any ticker. These people are vegetarians, and they are the new breed of healthy Americans who refuse to poison themselves with blues, cholesterol, and the other harmful additives that come from meat. And while once thought to be a forepart that would never gain much momentum, it has nonetheless moved itself to the forefront of Americans healthy diets.The word vegetarian, used to describe the diets of people who do not consume animal flesh, was not used until around the mid- 1800s. The concept of vegetarianism, however, dates back much further. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras, considered by many to be the father of vegetarianism, encouraged a non-meat diet among his chase as a diet that was the most natural and healthful (Messina 3).A vegetarian diet excludes the consumption of meat, and can be exercised by people for a number of reasons. The largest majority of individuals chose vegetarianism for health related reasons. For example, someone with an ulcer might be prescribed a strict diet of vegetables in order to promote the healing process. Or someone with a dangerously high level of cholesterol might be advised to follow a vegetarian diet to lower his or her fat and cholesterol intake.The immorality of consuming animal flesh is another argument touted by a smaller group of vegetarians. R.G. Frey describes this moral argument for vegetarianism and the effect that meat eating might have on the character of humansSome people have come to believe and fear that, in the measly and violent death which occurs in commercial farming, we demean ourselves, coarsen our sensitivities, dull our feelings of sympathy with our fellow creatures, and so begin the descent down the slippery slope of torture and death, to a point where it becomes easier for us to contemplate and carry out the torture and killing of human beings. (20)This moral argument for vegetarianism is also noted by John Robbins who states that the suffering these animals undergo has become so extreme that to partake of food from these creatures is to partake unknowingly of the abject misery that has been their lives(14).

Difficulty In Making An Important Decision :: essays research papers

Difficulty In Making An Important DecisionAssignment Describe a particular time in your life when you had difficultymaking an important decision.During the course of our lifetimes we make many significant and difficultchoices that affect us. These choices affect our personal and professionallives. Therefore, we make these choices with frequently thought and care. One ofthe most difficult and important decisions I have made was changing courses.Changing careers at this stage of my life, mid-life, was very difficult.Preparation for my sassy career required me to resign my job. The former positionwas providing a major portion of my familys income and most of the medicalbenefits. Some means of earning a living maculation preparing for a pertly career wasforemost on my mind during this stage. If I spent to much time and energypursuing a job to get out a means for supporting my family while retraining, Imight not do a sufficient job of retraining for a new career. another(prenominal )difficulty equally as important as the the financial one was the possibilityof failing at a new endeavor or not being able to find a new job. Thesepossibilities made me feel uncomfortable and insecure. If I failed or couldnot find a new position, what would my family call up of me? Failing at a newcareer would also cause me to lose confidence in myself. These concerns,failure and financial, and not finding a new job made this decision verydifficult.The decision to choose a new career was an extremely important one. The solefunction of a career is not just to provide a means to make a living itshould have a larger purpose. The work I was doing did little for others,and in fact, served only a small, special interest group. In addition topursuing a meaningful career, a career should be satisfying, and make some

How Students Choose ESL Writing Assessment Prompts :: Teaching Education Writing Essays

How Students Choose ESL Writing Assessment Prompts This article, reporting on the research done by Margo Glew and Charlene Polio of land mile State University, examines typography assessment in a different way than close to research on the topic. The goal of this research was to look into how an ESL student packs makes for a writing exam when offered a survival. Polio and Glew not only investigate how they choose, but how long it takes each student to choose and if they should even be devoted a choice at all. There are numerous suggestions through research that provide possible answers to the questions at hand. Some say students tend to choose shorter questions, or questions placed first or second on the list. This research was inconclusive however. Polio and Glew argue that the primary reason for offering students a choice of prompts is the belief that students should be allowed to choose a prompt that will enable them to display their best writing (37 ). This applies especially to ESL students who come from a much larger variety of backgrounds than to regular English students. However, there is no evidence that when students choose a prompt, they choose one that allows them to display their best writing skills (38). It is also pointed pop though, that giving choices decreases reliability, adding to the already difficult process of fairly scoring written tests. Some even think that choosing wastes time. The researchers thought that looking at how the students chose a prompt might shed light on whether or not they should have a choice. They used 26 students and through testing, video taping and interviewing, they found that most students looked at all prompts before choosing and that 21 out of 26 students choose their topic in under two minutes. The median time before students began writing was less than 60 seconds, with a range of 18 to 182 seconds. (42). Out of all 26 students, only one student started writing with o ne prompt and started everyplace with a second. Through the interviews they discovered that 22 students chose a prompt based on perceived familiarity or background knowledge. Proving true that having a choice should growing their ability to display their best writing proving false the idea that having a choice is a waste of time.

Fighting the Big-Box stores :: essays research papers

IntroductionThe Just family has operated our hardware store in this community for leash generations. Our store has supported all of our family members very well in all of our years in business. We have recently been informed that Home Depot is planning on opening a new store in our community. The following is our plan of action to stay in business and continue to serve our community. problemCurrently Home Depot is planning on opening a new store in our community. We foresee this posing a huge financial threat to our business. Being a small locally owned hardware store, we are not able to obtain huge volume discounts like the grand box stores. Currently our hours of operation are significantly shorter than Home Depot. Home Depot is a nationally renowned name brand store, which in itself result be a significant hurdle to overcome. Home Depot has a huge advertising budget, which includes NASCAR sponsorships and national television advertisements. The paramount concern for us is th e disputation they will impose relative to our customer base.Current SituationSeymour currently has one other hardware store located in the heart of the metropolis in addition to ours. Both of our businesses have the same hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm and 8am until noon on Saturday. Our store has seven employees currently. Four are very learned individuals with a total of 120 years of experience between them. Two other members work part-time throughout the week stocking shelves and cleaning, while the last employee does the paperwork and order of magnitude for the store. A huge percentage of our customers look to us for advice on how to repair their problems. They value our expertise in plumbing, electrical, paint, and personalized customer service. We believe we have an value in this area. Currently, we dont offer any other services except waiting on the customers, answering questions, and on a limited basis, fill up small orders from a limited supply base.Possible Causes of the ProblemWe believe that Home Depots purchasing power could be the biggest issue veneering us. They are a multi-billion dollar industry dispersing products nationwide. The result is providing lower cost product to the customer, while at the same time offering convenient one-stop shopping. pick ApproachesAfter doing some sole-searching and conducting some poles within the community, we have come up with some ideas that might help us overcome the competition with Home Depot.

Fighting the Big-Box stores :: essays research papers

IntroductionThe Just family has operated our hardware store in this corporation for three generations. Our store has supported all of our family members really well in all of our years in business. We gull recently been informed that central office termination is planning on opening a new store in our community. The following is our plan of action to stay in business and continue to resolve our community.ProblemCurrently Home Depot is planning on opening a new store in our community. We foresee this posing a vast financial threat to our business. Being a small locally owned hardware store, we are not able to obtain huge volume discounts homogeneous the big box stores. Currently our hours of operation are significantly shorter than Home Depot. Home Depot is a nationally renowned name brand store, which in itself will be a significant hurdle to overcome. Home Depot has a huge advertising budget, which includes NASCAR sponsorships and national television advertisements. The para mount concern for us is the competition they will impose relative to our customer base.Current SituationSeymour currently has one other hardware store located in the spunk of the city in addition to ours. Both of our businesses have the same hours of operation, which are Monday through Friday 8am to 5pm and 8am until noon on Saturday. Our store has seven employees currently. Four are very knowledgeable individuals with a total of 120 years of experience between them. Two other members work part-time throughout the week stocking shelves and cleaning, while the closing employee does the paperwork and ordering for the store. A huge percentage of our customers look to us for advice on how to repair their problems. They value our expertise in plumbing, electrical, paint, and personalized customer service. We believe we have an advantage in this area. Currently, we dont offer any other services except waiting on the customers, answering questions, and on a particular basis, filling sma ll orders from a limited supply base.Possible Causes of the ProblemWe believe that Home Depots purchasing power could be the biggest lie with facing us. They are a multi-billion dollar industry dispersing products nationwide. The result is providing lower cost product to the customer, while at the same time offering cheerful one-stop shopping. Alternative ApproachesAfter doing some sole-searching and conducting some poles within the community, we have come up with some ideas that might help us overcome the competition with Home Depot.

Challenges in Hrm

Studies in C ontinuing Education, V ol. 23, N o. 1, 2001 Challenges in military personnel election information Practitioner Preparation ROBYN JOHNSTON University of Technology, Sydney This condition describes both(prenominal) of the challenges that confront designers of mastergrams which prep atomic number 18 or upskill Human Resource victimization (HRD) practitioners. It surfaces varying billets of forgiving resource victimisation and round of the issues that confront governances in the post-industrial saving which pass on implications for HRD dress.It too surfaces somewhat tensions and argonas of convergence that can be seen in novel studies which have investigated the role of HRD practitioners. The nal section recomm poles some substantive areas that should be address indoors HRD preparation programs which are designed to equip learners for practice in the current governingal context. ABSTRACT Introduction Organisational accomplishment and skill system i nitiatives are progressively beingness seen as contributing to the succeedment of cheekal combativeness in the contemporary economy.As a result, the maturement of employees has stick a more than prominent plaqueal practice. Since Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners are primarily responsible for employee festering at that place is a take aim for them to become more highly skilled to ensure that their practice meets the ever-changing needs of memorial tablets. Formal pedagogyal programs in the practice of HRD provide a way of assisting practitioners to acquire the skills they now need for effective practice.The design of such programs, however, is involved given the emergent and cross-disciplinary nature of the days. This paper surfaces some of the challenges associated with program design for the mountment of HRD practitioners, drawing from discussions in, and pro ling enquiry from, the HRD literature. The nal section of the paper proposes several(p renominal) key areas that need to be addressed in preparatory programs for HRD practitioners.Some De nitions In foc using on the growing challenges for such an occupational mathematical group, this paper is using ? Human Resource Developer? as an umbrella term to encompass those practitioners whose cream within organisations is concerned primarily with improving death penalty by means of fostering reading in single(a)s, groups or the organisation more collectively. Whilst the diversity of practice in the eld is acknowlISSN 0158-037X print 1470-126X on eminence of des centime/01/010037-17 O DOI 10. 1080/01580370120043231 2001 Taylor & Francis Ltd 38 R. Johnston dged, for the purposes of this paper those running(a) in organisations with positional labels including enterprise trainer, fosterage of cer, trainer and developer, reading strategist or consultant, military operation developer, organisational developer and staff development of cer are being collapsed into one oc cupational category. each(prenominal) of these labels have been or are being use in organisations and in the literature to designate those whose primary formulate is to improve performance in organisational settings through fostering larn (Mulder, 1992).The paper similarly uses the term Human Resource Development as an umbrella term to describe the conk out of such practitioners. It hence considers HRD practice as encompassing Jewish-Orthodox forms of readiness as good as another(prenominal) forms of employee or organisational development. Challenge 1 what is driving HRD practice? A major challenge confronting designers of programs for HRD practitioners is determining what is driving HRD in organisational settings.Certainly those writing intimately the eld in both journals and HRD methodology texts provide a number of competing perspectives some this interrogative sentence (Kuchinke, 1998 Barrie & Pace, 1997 Garavan et al. , 1995 Chalofsky, 1992 Watkins, 1989). A brief summary of some of the differing perspectives follows. HRD is Primarily About Meeting Business Needs Through Learning There is a proboscis of literature that argues that HRD is rst and fore some about(predicate) improving performance through learning-based strategies for the purpose of achieving job goals.This perspective, underpinned by human capital and strategic human resource theories, claims that the real number value of HRD practice should be measured in impairment of its plowshare to organisations as opposed to the value of learning for the individual (Kuchinke, 1998 Stace & Dunphy, 1996 Torroco & Swanson, 1995). It emphasises that HRD activity should provide measured value-added outcomes that are aligned to the mission, strategic goals and business be after processes of organisations.It also argues that HRD practice is proactive and in that respectfore about anticipating imminent business needs and shaping the organisations future through contingency plans that r ms can deploy when situations warrant (Kuchinke, 1998 Martocchio & Baldwin, 1997 Garavan et al. , 1995). Such a future orientation means that HRD practice should be about improving the ? exibility and adaptability of workforces and business units and therefore should work in close association with other organisational or business systems, and sometimes customers or suppliers, to help achieve business goals.A business-oriented perspective of HRD would suggest that HRD preparation programs should shine up learning activities that increase learners understandings of the functioning and direction of their organisations and the pressures these organisations face. Such programs should build learners capacities to diagnose immediate and future organisational skill aim needs. They should also provide learners with an understanding of a ordain of strategies for achieving and communi- Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 39 cating measurable and transparent outcomes in terms of perfo rmance improvements that are valued by organisations.HRD is About Fostering Individual Employee Growth and Development Through Learning A competing perspective of HRD is that it is primarily about helping individuals functional(a) in organisations learn and grow. Although there is debate between those arguing that development practice should be driven by an instrumental competencebased apostrophize and those arguing for a more holistic humanistic approach to employee development, suggests from both camps posit that the major concern of HRD is that of helping individuals and groups learn through formal training or some other planned strategy (Barrie & Pace, 1997Watkins, 1989). As a consequence, the organisation will bene t, but this is secondary, as the main concern is always for the mickle engaged in the learning. This perspective of HRD argues that learning is the mechanism for empowering individuals by equipping them with skills and knowledge required for technological and oc cupational kind. If practice is driven by a humanistic orientation, it oftentimes involves learners planning their cause development.It also attempts to enhance the might of individuals for faultfinding re? ectivity by recognising that individual identity and growth are integral to learning. On the other hand, when skill formation and learning is driven by a more instrumental approach and based on industry- or enterprise-based competency standards, orthodox training classes and on-the-job coaching and discernment of competencies are common.This emphasis on the need for individual employee growth through learning is sustained by recent organisational literature, which argues that individuals should adjudge greater obligation for their own current development and career direction. Such literature suggests that individuals can no all-night expect their employers to take sole responsibility for ensuring employee career development given that contemporary employment is often plan based and therefore less permanent.In this scenario, individuals need to get to opportunities for their own growth and development and hence should seek individual learning and growth opportunities from HRD activities (Arnold, 1997 Wilson & Barnacoat, 1995 Handy, 1995). This perspective of HRD would suggest preparation programs for HRD practitioners should provide learners with sound understandings of the principles of adult development and learning and with capacities to design development approaches which enhance individual learning and development.HRD is About Fostering the Development of a Learning Organisation This third perspective is undercoat in both way and HRD literature, and is frequently associated with high-performance organisations that are utilising impudently working practices including the application of more sophisticated production technology, more geticipative approaches to decision making, police squad-working structures and more ? exible use of labou r. It is also a perspective of HRD practice often found in organisations undergoing signi cant structural or cultural flip-flop (Marquard & 40 R. JohnstonSofo, 1999 Barrie & Pace, 1997 Field & Ford, 1996 Watkins & Marsick, 1992 Jones & Hendry, 1992). Such organisations frequently distinguish themselves as learning organisations or at least indicate that they are aspiring to become learning organisations. De nitions and descriptions of learning organisations vary. Most de nitions, however, suggest that such organisations have characteristics which include the capacities to collect, store and transfer knowledge which enable them to continuously transform themselves and so attain high levels of performance and competitive positioning.These de nitions and descriptions also suggest that learning organisations empower employees to learn as they work both individually and collectively, to utilise technology for more productive outcomes, to strive for continuous improvement, and to critic ally question processes and work practices and their underpinning assumptions (Denton, 1998 Garavan, 1997 Coopey, 1996 Field & Ford, 1996). Thus, this perspective of HRD advocates that a prime dimension of HRD practice should be the promotion of a form of collective learning that allows organisations to transform themselves.The focus of the learning organisation approach therefore is on the work team, the business unit and the wider organisation rather than the individual, although individual skill development is still recognised as important. In organisations adopting this perspective the HRD practitioner often works as an internal consultant. This role requires the HRD practitioner to advise teams and business units on problems, assist with the oversight of change and foster continuous improvement processes and attitudes.There is less emphasis in such organisations on formal training in technical and procedural skills and more on development of behavioural skills and learning tho ugh collaborative experiences which occur in the workplace and through work roles. Team building and facilitating change through operation learning are common practices for such HRD practitioners (Argyris, 1994). This perspective of HRD also acknowledges that the learning that determines organisational achievement is often tacit or attained informally. Hence, HRD practice involves stimulating disbelieving about current work processes and creating opportunities for critical re? ction on both limpid and tacit knowledge used as disjoint of work. It whitethorn also involve working with conductrs or supervisors to establish more open workplace climates which can provide for participative decision-making opportunities for employees and which recognise the contribution that difference and diversity can make to workplace outcomes. Programs seeking to develop practitioners with this perspective of HRD should provide learners with enhanced capacities to understand the directions and the dynamics of their organisations, including the work of the various subsystems within their organisations.Such programs should develop in learners an understanding of how to net income with and in? uence those working in organisational functions other than HRD in order to collaboratively achieve the sought-after collective learning. Such learners need to acquire skills in promoting individual and organisational change. This may require developing skills in using tralatitious upskilling approaches but may also involve HRD practitioners acquiring skills in the design and implementation of less orthodox development strategies to assist individuals and groups Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 41 ollectively to develop saucy frameworks for understanding their roles, responsibilities and relationships in organisations. HRD? a questionable area of work speciality A more radical perspective, occasionally found in both popular management journals and some more academic critiques of training and human resources, questions the contribution and position of HRD as a separate organisational function or as a specialist role. Arguments used to advance this position are that, in the downsized, team-based learning organisations of today, separate HR/HRD specialists are unnecessary for organisations that all anagers and supervisors should be the trainers and developers and stewards of their staff that all employees have a responsibility for their own career development and that developments in technology such as ? just in time? on-line services, computer-based training packages, ? exible and self-paced learning packages, and computerised HR management systems allow learning to occur whateverwhere, any time without a trainer or HRD specialist needing to be present (Ulrich et al. , 1997 Goldrick, 1996).Stewart (1996) gain illustrates this line of argument, positing that since human resource (HR) practice does not increase competitive business advantage, all HR serv ices, including training, can either be abolished, outsourced or absorbed into the normal roles of supervisors, team leaders and managers. The future for HRD specialist practitioners according to this approach would be as specialist consultants or contract trainers working for a number of client organisations. The emerging body of literature about learning in small enterprises could also be seen as challenging the need for specialist HRD positions in organisations.Several recent studies examining learning in small business have shown that there is considerable learning through development-related experiences occurring in small enterprises, despite the fact that most lack an HRD function or HRD specialists (Harris & Simons, 1999 Field, 1997 Rowden, 1995 Hendry et al. , 1995). In many small enterprises development occurs because an employee needs to know or be able to do something in order to be useful in the organisation. This pervasive form of human resource development is usually p rovided by a more experienced co-worker or manager or supervisor and informed by a mulish common-sense logic.The motifed success of such an approach to HRD for small enterprises could be seen as raising questions about the value of specialist HRD skills preparation. Some post-modernist writers also critically question the value and the traditional contribution of the specialist HRD practitioner in the development of individuals or organisations. Such critics seek to interrogate many of the cherished truths trainers hold. For example, they question the root word that competence can be clearly de ned and that the values of the workers match those of the organisation.Furthermore, they deny that there is a single best practice and are highly critical of training and development activities which inculcate compliance to organisational rather than individual needs (Garrick & Solomon, 1997 Garrick, 1994). While there is some overlap between the competing perspectives presented above, 42 R. Johnston each perspective could be seen as suggesting a need for a different emphasis or focus for attention in designing programs which prepare HRD practitioners. Alternatively, the existence of these perspectives could be seen as suggesting the need for inclusion of each perspective within such programs.Challenge 2 the changing nature of workplaces Further challenges also exist for designers of any programs preparing individuals for in the altogetherfound vocational roles when the sites of such vocational practice are subject to signi cant change. Such change can render what has previously been seen as essential working knowledge less valuable, and can create an imperative for new knowledge and practice. As a result, it could be argued that any practitioner preparation only achieves relevancy if it addresses at least elements of the changing context of work and occupations.The literature addressing the changing nature of organisations contains a number of interrelated themes that have signi cant implications for the role of HRD practitioners and their practice. The spare-time activity section brie? y considers three frequently occurring themes. Organisational veer Responses for Achieving More Competitive Positioning Recent organisational literature has examined the structural and cultural changes made by organisations in response to the more competitive global economy. Some common responses to this environment have included the move to leaner, more ? xible, less hierarchical, more team-based organisational structures which allow more rapid response to the changing economic environment the establishment of more dynamic, competitive and participative organisational cultures requiring individuals to be more accountable for their own performance, and the use of more effectual information, management and production technologies (Handy, 1995 Senge, 1990 Kanter, 1989). These responses have contributed to the use of more ? exible employment practices within industries and enterprises that are reducing the opportunities for some individuals to secure permanent employment.Flexibility in employment practice has also produced new conceptualisations of both careers and work itself and has required new understandings of the processes of career planning and development (Arnold, 1997 Handy, 1995 Hilltrop, 1995 Bridges et al. , 1994 Lawler, 1994 Ostermann, 1988). While there is vigorous debate about the nature and effects of such change there is little questioning that these changes have occurred (Casey, 1999 Tessaring, 1998 Rifkin, 1995 Handy, 1995). In such a changing environment the HRD practitioner faces a number of new challenges.Firstly, they may nd themselves responsible for upskilling employees for new roles which require new mindsets about the way work is to be carried out on the part of employees. The HRD practitioner may therefore be involved in motivating learners to accept new organisational roles and structures and imposed organi sational cultures at a time when long-established reward and credit rating systems are eroding. Secondly, as time frames for achieving desired organisational outcomes are Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 43 educed, HRD practitioners can no longer curse on using HRD strategies that are reliant on well-established calendars of development events which can be implemented over a long time period. Thirdly, HRD practitioners themselves in this context of change and duty are increasingly being required to demonstrate their own contribution to the achievement of measurable and valued outcomes for the organisation. These are only three changes that place new demands on the HRD practitioners and require them to have new forms of working knowledge.Formal HRD practitioner preparation must therefore be designed to equip these practitioners with susceptibility to both annunciate change in the global economic environment and assist with the shaping of their organisations response. I n so doing, HRD practitioners will no longer be able to rely on traditional models for answers and time frames for action. This presents the challenge of how HRD learners can be prepared so that they are more responsive to the changing context of the environment of their organisation and in Rhinesmith s (1995, p. 7) words, help them to ? reframe boundaries? and ? develop new mindsets? about practice. Core Organisational Competencies for the Information Age Discussions about the core competencies which organisations need for survival in the post-industrial economy are also prominent in contemporary organisational literature. These discussions frequently emphasise the need for organisations to develop knowledge generation and knowledge management competencies.They also advocate that employees from all levels and from most occupational elds need to see themselves as knowledge workers who require enhanced formal and abstract skill sets (Casey, 1999 Ulrich, 1998 Denton, 1988 Rifkin, 199 5). Additionally, managerial and learning competencies are seen as essential core organisational competencies for achieving competitive positioning in the contemporary business environment (Stuller, 1998 Ulrich et al. , 1997 Dunphy et al. , 1997 Boxall, 1996 Prahalad & Hamel, 1990 Leonard-Barton, 1992). Dunphy et al. 1997), argue that an organisation s readiness to create and implant learning around the strategic tasks is critical for its long-term performance. To achieve this, they claim organisations (and their employees) require engagement competencies (communication, motivating and enthusing, commitment formation, integration, path nding and enaction), business technology competencies (the business-speci c technology through which the organisation creates and delivers value) and performance management competencies (1997, p. 232). Dunphy et al. see the task of embedding such competence as resting with managers.It could also be argued that this task is also a responsibility of the HRD practitioner. This therefore requires the HRD practitioner to have an understanding of these core competencies, the skills to develop the needed competencies in others as well as the skills to ensure that the competencies are do by employees. The requirement for new skill sets or competencies once again places pressures on HRD practitioners. One pressure is that they must learn to rede ne their own roles 44 R. Johnston as part of the knowledge generation/knowledge management process of an organisation.Some evidence of the value of such reframing of the HRD practitioner role to include knowledge management is already emerging in the US literature (Stuller, 1998). Secondly, HRD practitioners need to assist their trainees to see the value of acquiring and using more abstract skills and knowledge. Thirdly, the call for new forms of managerial competence suggests the need for HRD practitioners to increasingly understand the broad range of attributes and skills comprising success ful organisational management and once again to design strategies which both develop such skills amongst managers and facilitate their use.Workplaces and Work Roles as Sites and Sources of Signi cant Learning A further theme in the organisational change literature of immediate relevance to designers of preparatory HRD practitioner programs is that which advocates the importance of learning for competitive workplaces. No longer is organisationally useful learning being seen as solely that which is delivered in workplace training rooms. It is increasingly being seen as occurring when employees share knowledge gained through collaborative work experiences, or from discussions with competitors, or gained from ? n line? sources or other electronic data repositories (Marquard & Sofo, 1999 Davernport, De capacious & Beers, 1998 Denton, 1998 Rowden, 1995). In some organisations the introduction of performance management systems has further reinforced the notion that the development process takes place within the workplace and the work role. As a result, in many organisations the HRD practitioner is a consultant or coach working directly with individual employees and managers to develop the performance necessary to achieve the strategic goals of the organisation (Marquard & Sofo, 1999).An increased recognition of a need for more effective communication, problem solving, team building and con? ict resolution skills on the part of employees has also been part of the discussion associated with the importance of workplace learning. nakeder work behaviours being sought are often based on making more explicit employees tacit knowledge about how the organisation operates and a range of interpersonal attributes. Smith and Hayton (1999) suggest that development activities to build these forms of work behaviour are particularly evident within organisations that have ntroduced quality improvement processes and new forms of work organisation. Each of the above themes has implic ations for the work of the HRD practitioner and in turn for the design of preparation programs for such practitioners. These themes suggest the scaling back of traditional bureaucratic organisational structures and the emergence of new forms of employment in which employees play differing roles and complete different work. The themes imply the need to equip employees with a broader range of skills and changed mindsets about the nature of work.Similarly, HRD practitioners require understanding of the newer skills required in organisations and the differing saving formats which may be more appropriate for the new forms of work. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Challenge 3 diverse ndings in pro ling studies 45 The previous sections have drawn on those ideas from the HRD, organisation and management literature that have implications for the design of preparation programs for HRD practitioners.This section considers the challenges that arise from the somewhat diverse ndings from recent studies examining the role of HRD practitioners. One of the largest pro ling studies of this eld of practice was completed by the American Society for learning and Development (ASTD) in 1996. From a behold of the membership of this society this workplace identi ed the range of professional competencies that practitioners saw as necessary to meet the demands of a changing society and their changing workplaces.The critical roles that respondents in this study nominated included providing performance support services (which required competencies in all interventions not just training) using technology for delivery support interventions(which required competencies in technology planning and implementation) managing human performance systems (requiring an ability to apply business system skills) promoting continuous learning at individual, team and organisational levels, and managing change processes (requiring capacities with technologies that facilitate change and chang e management consulting).The report argued that the critical competencies for practice were an awareness of industry or corporations including an understanding of vision, strategy, organisational culture and how to link HRD practice with organisational goals more than ever before management skills including lead skills understanding the customer focus and project management skills interpersonal skills and technological literacy (American Society for planning and Development, 1996). While this American study would suggest a extend role for HRD practitioners, some other studies are less de nite.For example, Nijhoff and de Rijk (1997) report ndings from a comparative study of HRD practitioners from four European countries. From this study the researchers tentatively reported that training and development and organisational change activities remained the most important parts of the HRD practitioner role. Similarly some Australian studies of the early 1990s also suggested a narrower role than that found in the United States. For example, Moy (1991) analysed position vacant advertisements for HRD practitioners (using a similarly broad de nition of this term as used in this paper).Her data revealed that the traditional responsibilities associated with an orthodox training role such as instructing, facilitating, program design and administration continued to rate highly as key responsibilities in advertised positions. She did report, however, a disregard towards advisory and diagnostic service and showed that organisational change and development, analysing needs and conducting skills audits, advising on individual career development and strategic HRD planning were amongst the most frequently identi ed responsibilities in newly created positions.Another Australian study of the early 1990s, using professional association members from this eld, also found a dominant training orientation for those in this role. This study suggested that there was no indication of a shift towards a broadened 46 R. Johnston HRD role or to role specialisation (e. g. needs analyst, learning evaluator) or to any role transformation as had been predicted in some of the literature of the late 1980s (Dunstan, 1993). Later studies, however, have provided some evidence of change in line with the ASTD ndings.In 1997 Anderson and Johnston examined HRD roles and practices, the challenges practitioners faced and the skills and understanding these practitioners perceived they would need for future practice. The sample for this study was very small and may have been atypical in that all participants were end formal studies in HRD. Nonetheless, the study comprised practitioners with a spread of experience (6 months and 20 1 long time of professional experience with a median of 5. 5 years of experience) and from a wide range of industry sectors.Common HRD exercisings Findings from this study revealed that the HRD activities were carried out in organisations by both HRD staf f from a centralised HRD function and by line staff. HRD activities undertaken centrally included program development, staff induction, career development and management and change management. HRD work carried out by line staff and supervisors comprised mainly individual training and development and performance assessment. Respondents also reported that many others in the more general HR (Human Resources) function had development responsibilities.Other positions with titles such as Capabilities Manager, deed Manager, Quality Assurance Manager, and Learning Services Manager were further identi ed as having HRD responsibilities. The most common HRD activities conducted in respondents organisations included classroom-based group training, assessment of performance or competence, assisting with the implementation of organisational change, program design, HRD budgeting, program evaluation, one-to-one training or coaching.Other HRD activities undertaken in at least 40% of respondents org anisations included monitoring organisational change, career planning, facilitating team development, process improvement/quality initiatives, and internal performance improvement consultancy. Survey respondents themselves were most frequently responsible for group training, program evaluation, one-to-one training, and assisting with the implementation of change. payroll administration, award interpretation, recruitment, counselling, HRD management, training resource development, and training record systems maintenance were other work tasks nominated by respondents.These ndings could be seen as re? ecting both the broadening in scope of HRD activities and a blurring of occupation role boundaries(especially with generalist HR staff and managers) within organisations. These ndings also re? ect ndings reported by Moy and, to some extent, those of Dunstan of an ongoing reliance on orthodox developmental strategies for many practitioners. Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation Pe rceptions of Recent and Anticipated Changes 47 This study also equanimous data on practitioners perceptions of recent role change and anticipated challenges.Several themes emerged. The most common perception of role change was the increased demand for a impending linkage between HRD initiatives and the core business of the organisation. Several respondents indicated that they were now required to devote more energy to developing the performance of business units, to place a greater focus on workplace issues, and to be more accountable for achieving outcomes that related to organisational goals. These practitioners stated that they needed to be more aware of business goals, more strategic in their practice, and to take on broader roles in the new ? exible? workplace. A second theme to emerge from respondents perceptions of change was concerned with the HRD strategies being used within organisations. Several respondents reported that there was more outsourcing of HRD provision by th eir organisations, that learning centres, individualised learning plans, open learning strategies were being increasingly used and that there was more involvement by managers and line supervisors in HRD activities than there had been in the past.Other responses indicated changes related to the focus on industry or enterprise competency standards and assessment of such competency, to meeting mandatory statutory requirements (e. g. EEO, Occupational Health and Safety requirements), to multi-skilling and to the facilitation of organisational change. A small number of respondents also suggested that they were being required to work longer hours with reduced budgets.Anticipated challenges nominated by respondents included preparing the organisation for technological change and the need to adapt to changing learning and development technologies (e. g. computer-based, interactive learning technologies, multimedia system and open learning). Several respondents also indicated that they anti cipated that their role would require them to address the issue of development of part-time and contract employees. Performance-based training, managing organisational change, and the move to team-based organisational structures were other challenges that respondents anticipated facing.Several pass judgment that they would have to justify the maintenance of the HRD department and its existing budget, and predicted the possibility of further outsourcing of the HRD function. Skills and Understandings Needed for HRD Practice The nal question in the study asked respondents to nominate the skills and understandings they felt were most needed to operate effectively as an HRD practitioner. Communication skills were the most frequently identi ed, with responses suggesting a need for both general communication skills and more speci c skills in areas such as negotiation and group management.A second cluster of responses related to the traditional skills of training, with respondents listing competencies connected with instruction, facilitation, program design and training needs analysis. A third cluster of competencies was concerned with organisational awareness. Skills here included planning skills, knowledge of corporate culture, manage- 48 R. Johnston ment of projects, time and resources as well as general administration, budgeting and marketing skills. Other respondents indicated the need for well-developed skills in analysis, investigation, problem solving and consultancy.In the following year, Kostos (1998) reported a further set of pro ling ndings from a focus group of learning and development professionals with varying levels of responsibility from within both large corporations and small business. This study revealed that there was a de nite shift in the skill requirements of people currently involved in the eld with the greatest change being ? in the area of trainer to consultant? (p. 19). Her study also found that the learning and development function eq uired professionals to be more aware of business issues in order to make the linkages in the delivery of learning. Skills in consulting, high-level communication, analysis, resource and project management, using behavioural transformation approaches, organisational development and managing change, use of new technologies, and managing cultural diversity were also required. Participants also nominated the need for a re ned capacity for knowledge management. To summarise brie? y, the pro ling studies reveal some evidence of change in the HRD practitioner role.While the traditional practices of training and development still spend a penny major tasks of this role, there is evidence of the need for HRD practitioners to have an enhanced capacity to operate strategically. As such, HRD practitioners could be seen as requiring an increased understanding of the organisational drivers and the capability to work with the dynamics that operate within speci c organisational settings. These stud ies also highlight the ubiquity of change in organisations and the need for practitioners to be able to work within and develop others within a change context.These studies could be seen as presenting the designer of HRD preparation programs with the challenge of providing learners with both the traditional skills associated with training and development using a classroom-based delivery mode as well as the skills to use alternative strategies both to improve performance in line with business goals and to assist both organisations and individuals to manage change. Some Implications for Preparation of HRD Practitioners The preceding sections of this paper have identi ed some of the challenges that confront those who are developing programs to enhance the skills of HRD practitioners.These challenges have been identi ed from an analysis of recent literature. There is also some convergence in this literature about the skills and understanding that are needed for contemporary HRD practice which can be used as a guide for determining the content of preparation programs in HRD. This nal section highlights some of the areas that could feature in such programs. HRD Preparation Programs Should Foreground the place setting of Practice There is ample evidence, both from the theoretical discussions of the eld and the pro ling studies cited, of the importance of organisational awareness for HRD practitioners.Such evidence suggests that this aspect should be foregrounded in Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 49 HRD development programs in order to assist learners to work strategically and overtly align their practice with organisational directions and the achievement of organisational goals. Even though it can be anticipated that many learners undertaking such formal programs will have had some experience within organisations, developing skills in organisational analysis, strategic thinking and planning, translating business objectives into action, nancial awarene ss and planning would seem valuable.Similarly, there would seem to be a need for students to be able to develop the communicative capacity to establish the alignment between HRD initiatives and organisational goals at both interpersonal and organisational levels to avoid being marginalised at best or replaced at worst. HRD Preparation Programs Should Address handed-down instruction Areas Such as Presentation, Program Design, Needs Analysis and Training Evaluation Pro ling studies from Australia and Europe clearly show that the more traditional areas of training/HRD practice are still common HRD activities.It cannot be assumed, however, that the technologies associated with best practice orthodox training are well known or well practised, as many practitioners come into HRD practice as a second career resulting from the expertise they have displayed in a technical or running(a) role. To better equip practitioners who have entered the eld in this way, program designers need to ens ure that their learners develop capacities to implement the learning technologies and strategies (including design as well as delivery and evaluation strategies) that are used within organisational settings.These should include, but also go beyond, the traditional classroom-based models of instruction. Skills in developing employees at their work site are being increasingly required as the workplace becomes the source of working knowledge. Similarly, as some of the studies discussed above show, skills in designing electronically provided learning experiences become pivotal as learning becomes a process that is called up when needed rather than an activity attended when directed. Even with the shift in some HRD work from the specialist HRD function to workplace-based supervisor or onsultant/coach (Kostos, 1998) there is still a need within organisations for expertise in accurate training and development needs analysis and in the design of effective development and support experiences that are appropriate for the learner and the task. HRD Preparation Programs Should Foster Capacity of HRD Practitioners to Become Managers of Change A theme pervading most current organisational literature is the need to recognise that organisational change will be a continuing and accelerating feature of post-industrial society.Respondents in the pro ling studies also indicated that they anticipated playing a role in implementing organisational change as well as confronting change both in terms of the learning and organisational technologies they would be using. Such ndings would therefore suggest there is a strong need for HRD students to gain a sound understanding of the diverse dimensions of change that 50 R. Johnston impact on their role, and to develop the capacity to assist with the design and implementation of individual and organisational change.HRD Preparation Programs, Particularly for the Australian Context, Should Provide Some counsel on Competency-based Training, Wo rkplace Assessment and Performance Assessment The notion of competency-based training and the process of developing industry competency standards were features of industry training and skill formation policies in the early 1990s in Australia. This approach to training subsequently became a major feature of much vocational training conducted in educational institutions within Australia. The level of adoption of this approach within enterprises is not so clear.For example, a large study of enterprise training in Australia in 1996 by Smith and Hayton (Smith & Hayton, 1999) revealed that most of the enterprises in their sample were not using competency standards to guide their training activities, and that the incidence of competency-based training in enterprises was very low. They did comment, however, that there were luminary exceptions in their sample. The study by Anderson and Johnston (1997) cited earlier, however, suggests that some elements of competency-based approaches were be ing enacted in organisations.A number of respondents in this study indicated that assessment of competencies/capabilities/performance was a common HRD activity in their organisations. More extensive evidence indicating support by Australian enterprises for competency approaches is reported in a study of 350 companies completed in 1999. Seventy per cent of the respondents in this study indicated that they supported a competencybased training approach for their employees, even though not all companies supported the use of formally developed national industry competency standards.Some companies reported developing standards for their own organisational contexts (Allan Consulting Group, 1999). Despite some of the contradictions in these ndings, it could be argued that HRD preparation programs should provide learners with understandings of issues and processes associated with competency-based training and assessment, as elements of the approach are being used to varying degrees within organisations in Australia.Similarly, calls for the use of performance management approaches and the need for performance management and improvement competencies in HRD practitioners (American Society for Training and Development, 1996 Dunphy et al. , 1997) could be seen as reinforcing the argument for enhancing skills in developing performance standards and assessing competence in performance in HRD learners. HRD Preparation Programs Should Equip Practitioners to Prepare Employees for New Forms of vocation Planning The literature that discusses the changing world of organisations and work predicts the disappearance of career structures as we know them.It has also suggested that the individual employees will need to develop an expanding portfolio of skills for ongoing employment in the contemporary workforce (Handy, 1995 Lawler, 1994). Challenges in HRD Practitioner Preparation 51 This suggests, therefore, that HRD preparation should equip learners with the capacities to understand and utilise the processes of multi-skilling employees as well as facilitating individual career interventions. Such skill on the part of the HRD practitioner will allow for more ? exible use f organisational workforces as well as enhancing the employability of individuals both within and outside organisations. Career planning emerged fairly strongly from some of the pro ling studies as an important competence for HRD practice. This evidence suggests that some of the tools of the practice associated with this area need to be addressed in the preparation of HRD practitioners. Such preparation may also be salient for the practitioners themselves, as their own careers in HRD will also be subject to the same forces of change as many of the employees in the organisations in which they work.HRD Programs Should Recognise that Those in this Field of Practice are not Located Solely Within a Specially Designated HRD Function Employee development is occurring at various levels in organisations and hence students participating in preparation programs may have a range of organisational responsibilities and work backgrounds. This could also suggest that in the preparation of HRD practitioners there is a need to provide education in other HR disciplines in order to provide participants with a broad framework for practice.Similarly, there is a need to help participants develop the capacity to work in close association with those in other positions within organisations, as employee and organisational development initiatives are frequently shared. Conclusion This paper has attempted to foreground some of the challenges that confront designers of preparation programs for human resource developers. These challenges arise from the contested perspectives of HRD, the complexity of the sites of HRD practice, and the divergence in ndings in recent pro ling studies of the eld.There is also a degree of convergence in the writing and research about the eld which would seem to suggest that the role scope and hence required working knowledge and skill of HRD practitioners is broadening. This convergence provides a basis for determining the substantive content needed for formal preparation programs for practitioners from this eld. There remains, however, a need for further research into the role of HRD practitioners in contemporary organisations and the practice skills and working knowledge HRD practitioners require.Such research will contribute to the development of relevant preparatory educational programs and may also lead to increased recognition of the role that HRD practitioners play in the achievement of effective organisational practice. Address for correspondence Robyn Johnston, Faculty of Education, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. e-mail Robyn. emailprotected edu. au 52 R. Johnston References ALLAN CONSULTING GROUP. (1999). Training to compete The training needs of industry. Report to the Australian Industry G roup. NSW, Australian Industry Group.AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (ASTD) (1996). 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Hobson’s Choice – With particular reference to Act 1, show how Brighouse presents a comic but honest view of family life, set in late 19th century Salford

With particular reference to Act 1, show how Brighouse presents a comic alone sound view of family life, set in slowly 19th century Salford.Hobsons choice is an interesting and enjoyable fulfil, which uses a fair amount of comedy to pull through the reference engaged. The auditory sense stand really connect with the types, as they be very veridical and are placed in real-life functions. The comic element comes in regularly, in the form of still one-off, funny lines, or even comp permite comic situations and themes.Although the play is set in late 19th century, the themes are up to now relevant today, which shows that although some things may evolve oer time, people and their opinions are still the same, and so the interview can relate to the play, which is another flat coat wherefore Hobsons filling is so enjoyable.Hobsons Choice is proverbial, stemming from the 17th century to take in Hobsons choice is to have no choice at all. I conceptualize that recogniseing t his is a key element in understanding the play, as all of the themes of the play arise from one of the main five characters having Hobsons choice.The play is set in late 19th century Salford, which although it does not tell you in the play, the audience can guess immediately, yet from the setting. The play begins in Hobsons Boot Shop, which is a touch straight away, as stir shops are not very common today, and have been replaced by sideslip shops and trainer shops. Another twine are the call down chairs in front of the counter, where the ordinary people sit for fitting, because today benches would be placed randomly around the store for everyone to sit on. There is a separate room for very important customers, precisely today they would use the benches, the same as everyone else, or go to a different store. Another clue would be the door leading to the house, implying that the Hobsons live there, which is not so commonly practiced today.If these were not enough clues, the obj ects inside the shop all suggest late 19th century for example, the gas brackets in the windows and walls, and the clogs on exhibit in the windows. Alice and Vickeys actions and dress also suggest a late 19th century setting, as Alice, only 23, is knitting not an activity which is commonly pursued by the modern young woman and the pair are wearing aprons for working in a shoe shop.Although Hobsons Choice consists of four Acts, each of these is comprised of several little scenes. Although these are not official, Brighouse has made it obvious that they are there, and they are often marked by the entrance and exit of a character.Brighouse teaches the audience a lot about his characters in the first Act, and he sets up their personalities and roles to make it easier to digest when their adjust functions are revealed, and right from the beginning of the play, Brighouse gives the audience an idea as to what the characters of Hobson and his three daughters Maggie, Alice and Vickey ar e worry. Maggie is a bossy, moody character, and Brighouse uses the first scene to introduce this to the audience in a conversation amid her and Alice the audience can grasp these characteristics in Maggie from her sharp, snappy response to Alice. For exampleAlice I hoped it was father going out.Maggie It isnt.Maggie is very unmannerly and matter-of- situation when she is public lecture to her sisters, as she proves again when she says He got up late, in response to another statement from Alice about their father. Brighouse has chosen subtle, yet effective, methods in broadening the audiences comeledge of the characters in Hobsons Choice early in the play, and the characters of Maggie, Alice and Vickey are no exception to this. From the fact that Maggie is reading an account book, whilst Alice and Vickey are knitting and reading, the audience know instantly that Maggie is the one bothered about the business out of the three of them, and that Alice and Vickey would probably rath er be out doing other things.Maggie is blunt in every aspect of her life, and it is traits like this found in all of the characters in Hobsons Choice that adds to the plays honesty none of the characters are perfect, unless they do try their go around to use their flaws and traits to their advantage. Brighouse uses a metaphor to show Maggies bluntness in a conversation between Maggie and her two sisters. Maggie says See that slipper with a fancy fix on it to make it look pretty? Courtings like that my lass. All glitter and no use to nobody, and this sums up what Maggie thinks about marriage, love and life. In wrong of marriage and love, Brighouse is telling the audience that Maggie doesnt want to date somebody first, she just wants to marry them.Also, she is not interested in a fancy man, with expensive clothes, divide of money and grievous looks as it is only glitter she would rather find somebody genuine, marry him, and then get to know him. Already, Brighouse is building r eason for why Maggie would want to marry a man such as this, so the audience can look back on this, and it will help them to understand why Maggie and Willie, at first glance such an line of creditedly couple, are together. Again, the fact that Maggie is very honest in how she speaks helps to convey the way that Brighouse has created such an honest view of family life.As the audience have already learnt, Maggie is very bossy, and so Brighouse has used the next scene to confirm this. It also introduces Albert, so that the audience know that he likes Alice, and to introduce the shop, and show the audience that Vickey and Alice are not interested in it.The scene shows Maggie confronting Alices boyfriend, Albert Prosser. They all know why Albert has gone come into the shoe shop to visit his girlfriend, Alice hardly they all put on a front, and act like he is a normal customer coming in to buy some boots it becomes clear that Albert really does not want to purchase anything. Maggie, however, keeping up the pretence that Albert has come in to actually shop, starts forcing Albert to buy something, so he pretends that he has come in for some shoe laces. To his surprise, Maggie asks Albert, What size do you take in boots?, to which he innocently answers, Does that matter to the laces?. Albert does not take care what Maggie is getting at, until Maggie replies, It matters to the boots, and before he knows it, Albert is being pushed down into one of the seats and having his boots taken off and replaced with new ones.Brighouse also impresses early that Alice and Vickey are very fashionable, which Hobson is not very keen on he wants his daughters to look nice but smart and ladylike. For example, Vickey and Alice had new dresses on last week, which shows that they want to look good, but Hobson says I like to see my daughters look nice. Thats why I pay Mr Tudsbury, the draper, 10 a year a head to dress you proper. It pleases the eye and its good for the trade. Clearly h e doesnt like his daughters parading around making fools of themselves and him, which is exactly what he thinks they are doing by dressing like that. Brighouse shows this again, when Hobson euphemises You were going down chapel service Street with a hump added to nature behind you, which shows that he is uncomfortable with the situation and the way his daughters are dressing, as he is playing around with what he wants to say, because he does not know quite how to say it.Later in this conversation between Hobson and his two youngest daughters, Alice says it is not immodest, father. Its the fashion to wear bustles, which shows that Alice and Vickey are fashionable, but their father is not concerned by this, only that they are dressing in this manner, which he describes as uppishness the occupation of fools and such as have no brains. This conversation also shows the age gap between Hobson and his daughters, and the fact that Alice and Vickey are still being controlled by their father, despite the fact that they are 23 and 21, links with one of the themes of the play the role of women in society. With reference to the title, this is a great example of the typical, honest situations that Brighouse has used passim Hobsons Choice, which is why it is such an honest, realistic play. It is because the characters and the situations that they find themselves in are so realistic that the play comes across as so honest.Straight away, Brighouse also lets the audience know that Hobson likes a drink, which is something that features throughout the play. Brighouse does this by introducing Hobson through his daughters, where they discuss that he has a hangover from a Masons Meeting the previous evening. Again, this is another honest situation, and one which makes Hobsons Choice that bit easier for the audience to relate with and to connect to. If the play was not honest, the audience would not be able to relate with the characters or their situations.The audience can also tel l that the girls are scared of their father, as they dont seem to be able to do anything until he is gone, for fear that he will tell them off, despite the fact that they are 21, 23 and 30. One example of this is that Alice says she is expecting someone, which is clear to the audience is a man she is courting, but she does not want her father to know that she is courting.One reason why the play is so honest and easy to believe is the way Brighouse has delicately crafted and evolved his characters, allowing the audience to feel a strong relationship between themselves and the characters. An excellent example of this is the character of Willie. At the start of Act One, Willie seems a very timid character he knows hes neither clever nor important, and this comes across in both his attitude and his behaviour. For example, when talking to Mrs Hepworth, she says, Take that, to which Willie bends down rather expecting that to be a blow, so rather than stand up to her when he is expecting to be hit, Willie cowers out of the way, but he finds she is h middle-ageding out a visiting card.Willie is very quick to do as he is told, and Brighouse demonstrates this to the audience on the first crossroads that we meet this character. In this scene, Mrs Hepworth wants to see Willie Tubby just had to call Willies name down the trap door and he appeared instantly. It is clear to the audience that Willie is a capable boot maker, as Mrs Hepworth is so pleased with her boots that she asks specifically to see Willie, so that she can praise him to his face. However, it seems at this point in the play that boot making may be his only talent, as when Mrs Hepworth instructs Willie to read the card she has given him, it is revealed that he cant even read properly. Willie is dominated by everyone, including not just Mrs Hepworth, but also Maggie, Hobson, Ada, Alice and Vickey.Brighouse uses the dominant character of Maggie to help Willie come out of his shell, and helps him both sociall y and intellectually, and Brighouse turns Willie into a much stronger and more than dominant character, not unlike Maggie herself. The transformation of Willie includes him becoming able to stand up for himself, speak his mind and Maggie even teaches him to read he stands straighter, taller, holds his head high, looks people in the eye, speaks with a stronger, more confident voice, learns to speak his mind, is much more confident in his abilities and even dresses smarter. An example of him becoming a stronger character and standing up for himself is when he tells Hobson Dont let us be too long about this.Youve kept me waiting now a good while and my times valuable. Im busy at my shop. This sounds like something Maggie would say, and without pausing for breath Willie manages to put Hobson in his place, and let him know that Willie means business. Another example is where Willie tells Hobson Youve no right to expect I care whether you sink or swim, which actually makes Willie out to be quite a nasty character, but Maggie points out that he is going a bit too far. This blackguard of power shows that Willie is new to being able to tell people what to do, and he is playing around trying to find his boundaries.Another reason why Hobsons Choice is so honest and easy to believe is because Brighouse has made the focus of the play the characters rather than any individual action or event, which means that the audience can really relate to and sympathise with the characters. It is for this reason that all of the characters in Hobsons Choice have a function they are all there for a reason to support the roles of the central five Hobson, Maggie, Willie, Alice and Vickey. Jim Heeler is there for Hobson to confide in, so the audience all know what he is really thinking and what he is going to do next. Mrs Hepworth the only real customer in the play is used to introduce the character of Willie, and also later finances Willie and Maggies business.Ada Figginss brief appear ance shows the contrast the Maggie represents to Willie. Tubby is used later on to show the deterioration of Hobsons business. Albert Prosser and Fred Beenstock are used to help Maggie in plotting against her father. Finally, Dr MacFarlane effectively sets up the final confrontation between Maggie, Willie and Hobson by prescribing Hobson with the necessary cure for his diagnosed weaknesses.Brighouse has cleverly disguised these characters functions by giving them a more direct reason to appear when they do. Heeler appears as Hobsons friend, whilst Mrs Hepworth is first introduced as a customer. Ada, obviously, comes into the shop to bring Willie his lunch, and is then somewhat dumped by Willie in the process Tubby is the other doer at Hobsons boot shop, and Albert and Fred are Alice and Vickeys boyfriends. Finally, Dr MacFarlane appears plainly to diagnose Hobson. This multi-functioning allows Brighouse to create a realistic play, as the characters seem to be innocent at first gla nce, yet the play soon subtly reveals their real functions.Not only is Hobsons Choice such an honest and realistic play, but it also has a lot of comic elements. The play is often referred to as a Lancashire comedy, as the language and dialect plays a big part in the plays comical elements and the tone of the play. The dialect is informal, and characters often speak using horse around words and phrases, such as our Maggie, em, aye and eh? The characters credibility stems from the realistic, naturalistic manner in which they speak. An example of this is Willies final, defiant speech at the end of Act One. The sharpness of the converse itself would be a source of humour, but it forms a constituent part of the greater comedy arising from the interaction between Willie, Hobson and Maggie. This scene between these three characters is just an example of the humour that Brighouse has included within Hobsons Choice.Another particularly entertaining element of Hobsons Choice is a conversa tion between Maggie and Willie. Maggie asks Willie, When are you going to set aside Hobsons? to which Willie replies, Leave Hobsons? I I thought I gave satisfaction. This is comical as Willie is shocked because he thinks that Maggie is wanting rid of him. The comical element continues when Maggie, in the same conversation, tells Willie that she is going to marry him. The audience would find this entertaining for several reasons first Maggie is not asking Willie to marry her, she is telling him that he is going to, and the fact that a woman is telling a man what to do, especially something as serious as this, is comic. Also, for Maggie, the daughter of Hobson, the shop owner, to want Willie, a mere worker at her fathers shop, to marry her is comical in itself. It is also funny because Maggie is insulting Willie and acting like she thinks that she is better than him, yet she is demanding to marry himAnother way unforgettable comic event is when Maggie tells Ada that she is going to marry Willie. This allows Brighouse to entertain the audience by overturning the convention in drama of two men fighting over a woman by showing Maggie and Ada battling for Willie. This event is also comic as neither Willie nor Ada have any say or control over the situation, despite the fact that 10 minutes previous, Maggie had nothing to do with Willies social life at allAnother comic situation presented in Hobsons Choice is later on in the play, where Hobsons daughters previously scared of Hobson are dictating to him what he is going to do, and they, together with Maggie and their partners manage to trick Hobson into handing them over five hundred for Alice and Alberts wedding What makes this even more comical is that Maggie manages to convince Hobson that it is he who has won, because he only had to give the couple 500 and not 1000Overall, I think that Brighouse has created a very honest view of family life, and the audience will really appreciate this. He has created a natur alistic setting, which requires no interaction or resource from the audience to enhance the play, so the audience are a fourth wall audience, which is the present-day(a) equivalent of a modern audience watching a television soap. Brighouse has enhanced the play with regular comic moments to keep the audience engaged and entertained. The comic episodes are more amusing to a contemporary audience as a lot of them are based around contemporary views and beliefs, such as a woman of 30 being too old to marry, therefore it would be harder for a modern audience to appreciate all of the comedy as well as a contemporary audience, but it is these contemporary views that are conveyed in the play that makes it so honest and realistic.

A Conducive Learning Environment Essay

An online and/or braggart(a) scholarly person must endure an internal control psych to touch off themselves to continue and excel in the housees and didacticsal career they decided to pursue. In education, there are choices that must be made in assemble for the adult disciple to be successful. One important tool necessary for the student to succeed is a conducive erudition milieu. These environments begin in the students mind at a very young age and are developed through parents, teachers, staff, and former(a)s connected to the school and educational environment.Today various explanations close to learning are usable. Some people believe that students learn either through the natural or biological make up of the person without each outside influences. These people believe that there is not any influence from the environment. While others believe people learn according to the environment they are involved. This causa of person understands learning is established throu gh circumstances or the surroundings. This is proven by the releasing of a learned habit of doing something and accepting the new thoughts and slipway of doing something. For example, a child has been taught to print his/her have by the parent once this child reaches a certain level in school, the child is taught to write his/her name by the teacher in the school environment. Changing matchlesss thoughts refers to the process by which failure leads to further learning where a new fancy that is contrary to ones expectations causes one to change their attitude. (Brown, 2006)A conducive environment has a positive effect on a student because it lavatory determine how and what the person is learning. Conducive environment is defined as favorable surroundings or conditions. One would make the environment conducive to learning scratch within. Students should be and are motivated internally as well as externally. Built in instructions, found within our genetics drive the behavior of t he student. signifi standce the student should have an excellent base to build their education on. The student, especially an online learner, must learn to control the environment which they have chosen to complete class work, homework and study/reading time. The student must also develop the ability to absorb or ignore the surroundings accessible to him/her.Students in most cases need a well lit, natural lighting is best, and ventilated area that is air conditioned or heated maintaining a certain temperature for comfort. A student will need the typical supplies to complete the petitiond coursework. These supplies and/or tools will semen in handy but the area or environment one is utilizing to study, complete class work and homework is vindicatory as vital. Students have numerous necessities on a personal and student level. The environment a student decides to use for his/her educational purposes vary from one person to the next. Every student has a special area that is conduci ve to the persons education. The student should have a means of self control.Success and failure is attributable to forces outside of themselves. (Sullo, 2007) The student should have a clean and comfortable environment free from bad odors and/or over bearing scents or loud noises to include friends and family. The students environment is a secluded area of sorts. The conducive learning environment may exist practically anywhere inside and outside of the classroom environment solely dependent on the student. This environment should be a relaxing and comfortable setting, but not so comfortable that would be enticing one to sleep or nap, if one were in a classroom setting, the student would be unable to nap there.An education requires outside sources as well teachers, instructors, and professors just to name a few of the sources. They are required to appease to an environment which is conducive for the student to learn and for them to be able to teach. An environment with instructio n with the transformative power of an effective teacher is the environment one desires and most of all need. (Tucker & Stronge, 2005) This cause of teacher has a compassion for the subject matter and enjoy their work and with this excitement he/she has the ability to convey to the students with ease of reception. The instructor has received the straightlaced training and has earned the proper credentials to practice this type of instruction. (Tucker & Stronge, 2005) The prior explains that not only the physical environment, being the building, is of importance to the students educational training but the instructor is just as if not more important for a conducive environment. acquire styles differ from culture to culture or from background to background. (Brown, 2006) In the United States, students are taught in an environment which allows interaction such as teacher to student and student to student. This is an acceptable practice maculation in other environments which are very formal and controlled, African and Asian societies fit this description, students are discouraged or disallowed to voice their own opinions. Additionally, most parents, teachers and other mentors enforce strict discipline during the learning process. (Brown, 2006) However, in other developed countries such as the US, learning occurs in a less controlled environment as parents, teachers and other mentors allow children time to participate actively in the learning process. (Brown, 2006) information habits greatly depends on the nature of the environment in which the student has available to him/her.These would include access to the internet as an example of a need for further education even at the elementary school age. The more sophisticated the technology the more likely the student will have an opportunity to learn a greater deal of education than those without. Students with access to text books, internet, supplies, a feasible area or work space, and an instructor that is answer and certified stands an immense opportunity to be successful in the educational training they require as primary students and seek as a secondary student. A students success is based on the environment that the student has available to them to be educated. In order for this environment to be a conducive environment the student requires certain entities to be met in order for each one-on-one student to receive just what they are seeking.The student must have an area that is personable for them for their comfort. They must also have available to them an instructor which is qualified to teach the students. Proper equipment to include text books or e-books, well written lectures and well taken notes, and interaction between the student and faculty are just the basics of what a student need to be successful. The most significant element of a conducive environment is the students I can be successful in my education attitude . Without a mindset of being able to complete or conquer any ch allenges that will come to the student, the student will not be successful. With that said, the most conducive environment begin internally.The student has to want, need, and desire the success of being educated in order to recognize and build the perfect conducive learning environment. In conclusion, different environments may be conducive or distracting for the student. A students ethnical rearing is an influence on their access to necessary resources as well as the style of learning the student has. They may be influenced with a teacher-centered learning environment and the student may or may not have active roles in the class. Families that take interest in the students education play a role with equal importance to that of the instructor in the learning process. The design of the classroom, either traditional or online, is an important portion of a conducive environmentWorks CitedWood, D. (1998) How Children Think and Learn, Oxford Blackwell Publishers Ltd p 12 Piaget, J. (1950 ) The Psychology of Intelligence, New York Routledge, p 35-46 Jonassen D.H., Lowyck, T. & Duffy, J. (2002) Designing environments for constructive learning Heidelberg Springer-Verlag, pp. 231-247 Clark, R., Nguyen, F., and Sweller, J. (2006) Efficiency in Learning Evidence-Based Guidelines to Manage Cognitive Load Pfeiffer, p 59Tucker, N., Stronge, J. (2005). Linking Teacher Evaluation and Student LearningRetrieved from http/www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=129351. Sornson, B. (2001). Preventing Early Learning FailureRetrieved from http/www.netlibrary.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/urlapi.asp?action=summary&v=1&bookid=70546.Brown, C. (2006). How the environment plays a role in learning.Retrieved from http //www.articlesalley.com/article.detail.php.123793/148/Relationships/News-and-Society/18/How_the_environment_plays_a_role_in_learningrate

Components of the Criminal Justice System Essay

The vile justice carcass is made up of many components but the three major components are the police, correctional agencies, and criminal courts. Within the judicial dodging, the police are the first step. They are the first responders to any crime scene which goes into the investigation process. The investigation process will because lead to possible arrests the criminal is then booked and processed. They are given a court date and from that localise the case is in the criminal courts domain. From that point the criminal courts then conduct a fair and impartial trial. The criminal courts are there to protect the rights of anyone facing processing by the justice system. The shady is then found guilty or not guilty. If the defendant is found guilty they are then transferred from the county jail, where they were being held, to a state prison or correctional facility. The final step within the judicial system is the correctional agencies.However, appeals may be filed and the crimi nal will go through the court system again. Correctional facilities have distinct levels minimum security and maximum security. The severity of the crime will determine which one of the facilities the criminal will end up in. The structure of the government relates to the criminal justice system in many ways. Like the criminal justice system, the government is also made up of different agencies that must work in harmony to serve a purpose. It also relates to the criminal justice system because the government is who makes the laws.Those laws vary from state to state in terms of penalties for misdemeanors, felonies, infractions, etc. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, Under our form of government, each State and the Federal Government has its own criminal justice system (BJS, 2012). After the laws are made, it is then the responsibility of the criminal justice agencies to enforce them. Although it seems that all of the mentioned entities work separate and alone, which in some cases they do, they are all workings for the same purpose, reason, and results.ResourceBureau of Justice Statistics, BJS, The Structure of the justice system Retrieved from http//www.bjs.gov/content/justsys.cfm