Category: Education

According to experts in child development, human behavior is influenced by hereditary or environmental factors. Myerson said that genetics play a major role in human behavior. In other words, children are born with the propensity to behave in a certain way. On the other hand, Paris and Barnes highlighted the impact of the environment and other influencing factors that shape individual personality. However, general observations of children will reveal the interconnection between hereditary and social factors when it comes to human behavior.

Defining Nature and Nurture

The nature versus nurture issue focuses on the importance of heredity as a major factor in determining a persons behavioral tendencies (Nevid, 2009, p.324). In other words, biology plays a major role in a childs development. The idea is based on Darwins theory of evolution. Theorists like Arnold Gesell assert that child development proceeds through a series of genetically determined changes that unfold according to natures plan (Nevid, 2009, p.324). The influence of Charles Darwin on this particular era must not be underestimated. Darwins theory about natural selection highlights the impact of genetics on the development of organisms. If this theoretical framework is true, then, environmental factors cannot influence a childs behavior.

Theorists, like John Watson, proposed a different worldview. They asserted that behavior is determined by learning and experience (Nevid, 2009, p.324). In other words, they are shaped by the environment, in which they are raised (Shaffer, 2009, p.11). Watson was heavily influenced by the prevailing mindset of that era; the concept of behaviorism took root during this period. It was an idea characterized by the importance of observable behavior. If this theoretical framework is true, then, social scientists can point to social factors as the only explanation for a childs behavior. However, general observation of grade school children will show that it is not prudent to choose between genetics and social factors, as the main reason for human behavior. These two forces work together to influence human behavior.

Examples of General Observations

A casual review of childrens behavior seems to justify the polarizing view found in the nature versus nurture issue. Evidence for the biological basis of behavior is evident in the scholastic, and athletic performance of siblings. The following table provides pertinent information regarding the said observations.

Table 1. The Nature versus Nurture Dichotomy General Observations from zero age to Third Grade Students

Table 2. General Observations of Children from Zero Age to Third Grade Students and the Display of Interconnectedness of Nature and Nurture

Conclusion

Based on general observations of children, from babies to third-grade students, it is impossible to dichotomize genetics and the impact of the environment on human behavior. Heredity and environmental factors are intertwined. Therefore, hereditary factors explain the propensity to behave in a certain way. However, without the power of nurture or environmental forces, a particular type of behavior or performance will never manifest.

References

Keating, D. (2011). Nature and nurture in early child development. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Nevid, J. (2009). Psychology: Concepts and applications. MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.

Shaffer, D. (2009). Social and personality development. CA: Wadsworth Publishing.

Deafness refers to a situation whereby a person cannot hear. The persons that are hard of hearing and those suffering from tinnitus are categorized ad deaf. Deafness can be profound, severe, partial, or mild. In spite of the different degrees of hearing loss, anybody having hearing problem has the right to education and other social services (Taub, 2010). The following discussion relates to a deaf student enrolled in a university. Due to her personal and family beliefs, the student has never learned sign language. She reads lips in order to communicate. Although the student has requested very expensive adaptive equipment for use in her class, the university does not have funds to acquire the new equipment. However, there are many sign language interpreters in the university.

According to Polat (2003), hard of hearing students can be affected psychologically by change of environment. As such, learning institutions should be accommodative. Nowadays, hearing impairment does not have to be a problem for students in learning institutions considering the enactment of laws on equality opportunities and rights for all individuals. In addition, technology has enabled teaching especially for the students with disability to be easy. There are several teaching strategies that a faculty member can adopt to ensure that the student gets the best from the institution. First, the faculty member should put into consideration the problem presented, along with the laws governing provision of education to the students with disabilities. According to Bagenstos (n.d.), the faculty member and the university are not required to strain financially to accommodate a particular service in favor of a student with disability. However, the law mandates the faculty member to maintain the required standards when handling students with disability such as hearing impairments.

Thus, a faculty member is supposed to offer the student an appropriate chance to cope with the available resources and help him/her to make good use of university resources such as interpreters. With this regard, a faculty member should help the student to understand how to use sign language, as well as explain to the student the advantages of such a method in order to dispel negative attitudes the student may have about the use of sign language. The faculty member is tasked with a lot of responsibilities considering that there is a need to uphold the rights of deaf individuals and at the same time create awareness. A faculty member is supposed to offer the necessary support to ensure that the student gets used to the learning environment of the university and can use the available resources (Taub, 2010). In this case, the faculty member can offer support especially during lectures. This can be done through clear description of the course material, lecture presentation in formats such as overheads and chalkboard that are friendlier to the student. In addition, a faculty member can make the learning environment of the deaf student to be conducive by ensuring that the student is assigned to a volunteer to help in the interpretation. The application of the strategies that promote learning and self-awareness will ensure that the affected student acquires quality education without the use of the expensive equipment requested. The student gets used to the utilization of the available resources.

According to Kabasakal (2012), the use of the available resources eliminates the straining of the financial status of the university which would be against the Disability Act. Therefore, it is the mandate of the faculty member to put in place strategies that promote the wellbeing of the student in accordance with the legislations governing the education of students with disabilities.

Reference List

Bagenstos, S. (n.d.). The Americans with Disabilities Act as Welfare Reform. SSRN Journal, 3(2), 1-4.

Kabasakal, Z. (2012). The United States, Justice, and Human Rights. Journal of Human Rights, 11(3), 322-331.

Polat, F. (2003). Factors Affecting Psychosocial Adjustment of Deaf Students. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, 8(3), 325-339.

Taub, D. (2010). Media Review: Inclusion and Diversity: Meeting the Needs of All Students. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 47(2), 65-69.

Summative Assessment

The summative assessment assignment is used by instructors when it is necessary to grade the students work at the end of the course in order to conclude about the outcomes of the learning and completion of the previously set objectives. The proposed summative assessment assignment should be presented in the form of the online lesson that includes such activities and assessment approaches as the online examination with the help of the Blackboard resources (Gayton & McEwan, 2007, p. 118). From this point the summative assessment in the form of a lesson is expected to include the following elements:

1. Topic: Types of Assessments in Elementary Education
2. Objectives: Students will use their knowledge on different types of assessments in elementary education while answering the examination questions and resolving the proposed tasks.
3. Materials: Blackboard tools for examination; rubrics.
4. Introductory Part: The instructor provides online guidelines for completing the examination and rubrics according to which the examination will be assessed.
5. Main Assessment Activity: Students complete the online examination including tests, short answer questions, and essay questions with the help of Blackboard. The examination can be taken only once (90 minutes).
6. Assessment: Having checked the examination, the instructor sends the filled in rubrics and the attached feedback on the students progress and final grade to the students.

The proposed description of the short lesson plan is typical and basic to use in the online environments in order to assess the students progress and achievements with the help of the summative assessment. The assignment is summative in nature because it is the online complex examination including tests, short answer questions, and essay questions that aims to assess the students learning related to the whole course, and the final grade for the course is determined basing on the grade received for this assignment (Hanna & Dettmer, 2004). Furthermore, the proposed lesson is expected to be beneficial to students because the online assessment with the help of Blackboard tools allows students to demonstrate their knowledge in terms of answering different types of questions, without having an opportunity to use outside sources because of the limited time.

The assignment can measure the students progress in applying the knowledge on assessment types to resolving the proposed tasks and answering different test questions as well as essay and short answer questions. As a result, the students can demonstrate how they select types of assessments for using them in different situations. The proposed rubrics include the information on the number of points assigned for each task and on the expected quality of the proposed answers (ranging from Excellent  100 points to Fail  20 points). The rubrics with the attached instructors feedback on the students progress and rationale for stated points are also an effective assessment tool to provide the students with the information on their strengths and weaknesses in completing the unit of the course.

Focusing on the overall effectiveness of the proposed assessment, it is possible to state that the benefits to students are in opportunities to apply their knowledge while addressing different questions and resolving various tasks during one assessment session. As a result, the instructor and the faculty can conclude about the overall progress of the student in achieving the set goals (Boud & Falchikov, 2007, p. 400). Challenges associated with creating the lesson include the development of clear instructions for navigating the assessment by students. To predict further challenges in completing the examination, the instructor should develop and provide instructions for the students in advance to check their understanding of the assessment. In this context, such online technologies as additional video instructions and displayed guidelines can be used in order to overcome these challenges.

Assessment Planning

Theory

In their work, Palloff and Pratt (2009) propose several principles and concepts to determine and develop the effective online assessment. According to the authors, the effective online assessments are learner-centered, and they include the element of the self-reflection in comparison with the traditional assessments. Furthermore, the instructor is expected to propose the grading rubrics for all types of assignments and projects. Online assessments can also be collaborative in the nature to promote the students interactions through posting ideas and commenting on them (Palloff & Pratt, 2009, p. 102). In addition, assessments should be effective to help students in providing feedback. Such basic principles as alignment of assessments with learning objectives and clarity of assessments are also important along with the focus on the students input in developing the assessments (Palloff & Pratt, 2009, p. 102). These concepts are important to be implemented and followed while designing the online assessments because of the effectiveness of the proposed principles for motivating students and stimulating their achievements.

Thus, the focus on self-reflection is necessary to make the online learning meaningful for the student. Grading rubrics are important to set clear goals for students when they plan completing certain tasks. Collaboration is an important element of the traditional learning, and this factor needs to be addressed with the help of online assessments. Students should also be stimulated to provide feedback regarding the work of each other (Palloff & Pratt, 2009, p. 102). As a result, the proposed concepts are critical to make the assessment effective and stimulating the students further learning.

Practice

Table 1 demonstrates the assessment plan for the 100-level undergraduate course in English Writing.

Table 1. Assessment Plan for the English Writing Course (1 semester).

Such assessment types as wikis are selected because of their importance to promote collaboration in the online class. The course in English writing also requires the online submission of written assignments that can be checked by the instructor with the help of the rubrics that should be provided to the students in advance (Oosterhof, Conrad, & Ely, 2008). The online knowledge survey is important to be used during the first weeks of the course in order to determine the level of the students confidence regarding their preparation to start the course. The similar survey should also be provided during the latest weeks of the semester (Palloff & Pratt, 2009). Self-Assessment is important for students to monitor their everyday progress. These data are also important to for the faculty to propose possible corrections for the plan depending on the students posts. Peer Assessment should also be used during the online courses in order to guarantee that students promote their communication to learn from each other. Online opinion polls are important to be also integrated in the assessment strategy in order to guarantee that students have the opportunity to share their ideas on the character of assignments and comment on the other students positions.

Formative Assessment and Section VIII: Technology

Modern online technologies used for the assessment assignments are effective enough to align objectives and assessments in order to control the students learning. Different types of technologies are usually used for creating a formative assessment. These technologies include blogs, wikis, rubrics, and collaborative learning techniques (Herrington, Oliver, & Reeves, 2003, p. 60). The selection of the appropriate technology for the development of the assessment assignment significantly depends on the objective and purpose of the online lesson. From this point, such technologies as wikis are more appropriate to be used for assessing the students personal progress, when such online technologies as rubrics are actively used by instructors in order to assess assignments (Hanna & Dettmer, 2004; Palloff & Pratt, 2009). In order to control the progress of students within the online environments, formative assessments are of the great importance because they help students to control their progress in learning systematically.

Before starting the development of the assessment using the online technology, it is necessary to formulate the learning objective and focus on the performance that needs to be assessed with the help of the proposed assignment. In order to develop the formative assessment for the undergraduate course in English Writing, it is necessary to state the learning objective, determine the outcome, and select the assessment strategy among the available variants. Thus, if the expected outcome is the increase in the students awareness of their writing successes, it is reasonable to use blogging as the assessment of the students personal progress. The use of the blog allows focusing on the self-reflection regarding the success in completing specific assignments during the course (Gayton, & McEwan, 2007, p. 118). In the blog posts, a student is expected to discuss his or her progress in achieving the leaning outcomes.

While working at the blog, students receive the opportunity to integrate more materials in their work and to demonstrate their creativity. This form of the assessment is rather motivating for students because they often discuss the process of developing the blog as the creative experience, rather than the assessment (Palloff & Pratt, 2009). As a result, the level of stress for students decreases, when their motivation and focus on completing the high-quality work can increase.

Online blogs as a type of the formative assessment are important to help students reflect on their knowledge and skills and improve the English writing skills while writing informal blogs. One of the main advantages of using blogs for self-reflection is the possibility to upload new posts and thoughts at any time while using available devices with the Internet connection. These posts can be immediately viewed by peers, and they can comment on the read material (Herrington et al., 2003, p. 61). As a result, blogs are also important to promote the peer reflection in the online class.

The appropriate formative assessment to be used in the online English class should include the following components:

The Learning Objective

Students will demonstrate the effective use of blogging for reflecting on their progress in completing regular assignments in English writing.

Assessment

Blogs (online learning journals).

The Used Technology

WordPress.com

Description of the Assessment

WordPress.com is a web platform that can be used for creating blogs and websites by students and instructors for free. The instructor asks students from the online English writing class to register on the website and create their own blogs (Oosterhof et al., 2008). The instructor provides the link to the blog on WordPress.com including the step-by-step instructions and guidelines for the students on how to create their own blogs or online leaning journals (Palloff & Pratt, 2009). The blog created by the instructor also includes the rubrics for the students to evaluate their learning progress and self-reflection activities.

Students are required to follow the instructors guidelines and create their first blog posts on the topic indicated by the instructor in the guidelines. When the first blog posts are created, students post the links to them in the comments to the instructors introductory blog post. Once the links are provided, students from the class can comment on the posts of their peers. According to the rubrics and guidelines, students are required to create a post once a week, after receiving the grade on the previous week assignment. In these 500-word blogs, students are expected to reflect on their progress, received knowledge, and skills application. Students are expected to write on all thoughts that are associated with their work at the course assignments. Much attention should be paid to the personal reflection on strengths and weaknesses in completing the week assignment. Students can also add to their posts while responding to the other students postings.

Students blogs are evaluated according to the limited number of criteria because their purpose is to contribute to the students self-reflection activities. Thus, the instructor will assess the students blogging according to the following criteria:

• 10 points  The blog post demonstrates the students awareness of his or her strengths and weaknesses in completing the task as well as the complete analysis of the received grade and demonstrated success. The student responds to the comments provided by the other students to the post.
• 8 points  The blog post demonstrates the students awareness of his or her strengths and weaknesses in completing the task, but it lacks the analysis of the received grade and progress in learning the topic. The student responds only to few comments provided by the other students to the post.
• 0 points  The blog post is not written.

Example

References

Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2007) Aligning assessment with long-term learning. Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 399-413.

Gayton, J., & McEwan, B. (2007). Effective online instructional and assessment strategies. The American Journal of Distance Education, 21(3), 117132.

Hanna, G. S., & Dettmer, P. A. (2004). Assessment for effective teaching: Using context-adaptive planning. Boston, MA: Pearson A&B.

Herrington, J., Oliver, R., & Reeves, T. (2003). Patterns of engagement in authentic online learning environments. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 19(1), 59-71.

Oosterhof, A., Conrad, R., & Ely., D. (2008). Assessing learners online. New York, NY: Pearson.

Palloff, R., & Pratt, K. (2009). Assessing the online learner: resources and strategies for faculty. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

Introduction

The initial project paper provided a basic understanding of some important issues about higher education in India in comparison to the United States, in addition to recommendations for future tertiary education within the country (Singh, 2004). Having done the project, this paper, therefore, provides a summary of the entire project. With this summary, there are some of the methodologies that were applied in the research and an analysis of the research study to evaluate whether the major objectives of the study were met. The research findings were to be used as future measures to ensure that there was better delivery of high education to the Indian population.

Goals and Objectives of the Research

The research problem was in line with strengthening of higher education in India. The research study was aimed at providing the basic understanding of some of the important issues about higher education in India in comparison to that of the United States. This research was a comparative study between the education system of the United States and that one of India in order to determine some of the occurring differences and establish the recommendations to be adopted into the Indian situation. This in the long run would be appropriate in improving the quality of education and its deliverance to society (Agarwal, 2006). The major goals of the research were to determine the situation of Indias higher education in general, and how it compares with the higher education system in the United States. The objectives of the research were to determine the provision of education to society and the percentage number of people who have been able to access education. With this general information, the project to be initiated will help in deriving appropriate recommendations and measures that can be undertaken in improving the education to enable economic sustenance in India (Behar, 1992).

Methodology

In order to ensure that the necessary information collected was of much importance in coming up with appropriate results, the research study adopted a workable methodology. This involved the use of questionnaires that were open-ended in nature. The questionnaires were distributed evenly to different populations to ensure that the information obtained was not biased. Also, a number of education officials in higher institutions of learning were interviewed in order to provide the relevant information on the population that had been able to acquire education through the institution (Mukherjee, 2008). More information was obtained from the countrys higher education websites in order to understand the populations ratios of those people who had accessed higher education. There was also an objective of establishing which level the people had attained as far as university education was concerned. Using the information obtained from the National Statistics Board, it was possible to understand the education levels of the Indian Population. Information was collected through interviews, from past published information, and also from American and Indian Ministry of Education websites.

Research Findings

From the research, we were able to determine that only less than 10 percent of the 90 million youths have been in a position of accessing higher education in India (Sanat, 2006). The study was also able to give the nature and system of the education system, the number of institutions in the country, how these institutions are run, and how everything compares with that of United States Higher Education. Just to conclude, the country was found to have dubious distinction as one of the highest levels of illiteracy in the world and so it is justifiable to put appropriate measures in place to reduce illiteracy in India (Behar, 1992).

In terms of uniqueness, the study would expose the higher education system in India so that the necessary interventions can be adopted in ensuring that the increased illiteracy levels could be addressed. Having such a big population, India would require a well-managed higher education system that will ensure more and more students are encouraged and provided with higher education since that is the only way through which better lives and economic advancements can be achieved (Neelakantan, 2008). This study, will help me understand some of the major structures and methodologies through which I can comfortably handle any problem through research, and especially in my area of study.

With the study, I would hope to ensure that the truth about the system of Indian higher education is understood so that the necessary measures can be adopted in addressing some of the flaws and weaknesses of the system (India, 2008). With very high illiteracy levels, the study would make the country more focused on ensuring that more and more people are provided with higher education through change of the current policies to do with management and admission into these institutions. This will make education affordable to the largest percentage of the population (Agarwal, 2006). Having successfully finished the research study, it has been able to achieve the goals and objectives that had been initially formulated prior to the study.

Areas of Further Study

If I were to carry out this study again, there would be no much difference with the study since I had applied my very best in all the research strategies which resulted in relevant data. However, should any other individual be willing to undertake a similar study, it would be advised that he or she should adopt a course framework that would ensure that more information is obtained so that all the states of the country are implicated in the final result (Sharma, 2007). There should also be the inclusion of more time so that good results can be obtained (Harman, 1994). Also, it would be necessary that more resources and finances are allocated for the study and be able to come up with the necessary recommendations.

References

Agarwal, P. (2006) Higher education in India: The need for change. ICRIER Working Paper, 180.

Agarwal, P. (2007). Higher education in India: Growth, concerns, and change agenda. Higher Education Quarterly, 61, 197-207.

Behar, S.C. (1992). India. In Clark, B.R., and Neave, G. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Higher Education. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 304-321.

Harman, G. (1994). Student selection and admission to higher education: policies and practices in the Asian region. Higher Education, 27, 313-334.

Hasan, R. & Mehta, A. (2006). Under-representation of disadvantaged classes in colleges: What do the data tell us? Economic and Political Weekly, 3791-3796.

India, J. (2008). In Encyclopedia Britannica. Web.

Mukherjee, R. (2008). Higher education in India: An overview and opportunities for foreign participation. Centre for Policy Research: India.

Neelakantan, S. (2008). In India: No foreign colleges need apply. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 54, 22.

Sanat, K. (2006). Higher education in India: Seizing the opportunity. Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations.

Singh, A. (2004). Fifty years of higher education in India: The role of the University Grants Commission. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publishers.

Sharma, V. (2007). Indian higher education: Commodification and foreign direct investment. The Marxist, 13(2), 11.

Research works are necessary in every educational field. Scholars and educationists use different approaches to conduct their researches. A researcher should understand the issues associated with the targeted topic before undertaking his or her study. Academic studies are useful because they help scholars predict different events, behaviors, and social problems (Davies 18). Scholars undertake various studies in order to produce new models and theories. Such models are useful towards addressing different social problems. This paper describes the aspects of a research paper.

Aspects of Doing Research

Scholars must understand the major aspects of doing research. They should use appropriate methods depending on the targeted topic. A researcher can use a qualitative or quantitative method for his or her study. These two methods are effective whenever conducting different studies. Qualitative methods make it easier for researchers to understand different motivations or occurrences (Kumar 27). On the other hand, quantitative methods are useful whenever analyzing or quantifying data (Kumar 43). Some data collection methods include questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups (Davies 28). Researchers must also formulate the best hypotheses for their studies. Scholars should also use quality sources to support their discussions and arguments. Some of these sources include books, journal articles, videos, documentaries, and newspaper articles (Kumar 46).

Primary and Secondary Sources

Students can use both primary and secondary sources for their research papers. Primary sources are written by individuals within the targeted study period (Davies 48). Primary sources give accurate details of an event or scenario. They include diaries, journal articles, works of art, and speeches. A secondary source usually analyzes the issues and facts presented in different sources (Kumar 98). Some examples include books, magazine articles, and encyclopedias. Some secondary sources contain graphics, direct quotes, and pictures (Kumar 104). These sources are useful whenever undertaking different studies.

Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing

Quoting is the practice of copying texts, sentences, or data from different sources. It is appropriate to cite quoted information in order avoid plagiarism (Clough and Nutbrown 54). Students must reference or cite every direct quote whenever writing their scholarly papers. Paraphrasing is similar to quoting. However, the researcher replicates an argument or idea without using the exact words. According to Rosenshine (36), summarizing is a useful concept whenever completing a study. The practice makes it easier for a researcher to give brief descriptions of different arguments. These approaches make it easier for researchers to borrow ideas from different sources.

Citing Different Information

As mentioned above, students must cite direct quotes in order to produce professional research papers. It is also appropriate for authors and researchers to cite every paraphrased sentence (Clough and Nutbrown 83). Citations should include page numbers depending on the required referencing method (Rosenshine 29). Scholars must cite every summary in order to produce quality pieces of work.

Presenting Parenthetical Notes for Printed Materials vs. Websites

Researchers should follow specific guidelines whenever using parenthetical notes. Parenthetical notes are small descriptions placed strategically within the body of a research paper (Davies 56). Such notes acknowledge the source of the presented information (Davies 104). Writers should use a superscript number for every printed material. Scholars should also place the sources at the bottom of the page (Davies 75). A researcher might also decide to use endnotes. This means that the scholar will have to place the endnotes at the end of the research paper. The superscripts in the paper should coincide with the sources. The author should also indicate the page where he or she obtained the presented information. Parenthetical citations should be placed at the end of every quoted or paraphrased sentence (Secondary Research: Evaluating Secondary Sources par. 24). Authors should give the authors name whenever citing an internet source. The student should use the name of the website if it has no author.

Scholarly Websites vs. Common Websites

Researchers can use information and data from different websites. Such websites can offer useful ideas and concepts in order to make every research paper informative. Many institutions and organizations maintain different scholarly websites in an attempt to promote research. A scholarly website contains useful materials approved my experts in a particular field (Rosenshine 35). Such websites contained peer-reviewed journal articles and books. A good example of a scholarly websites is ProQuest. On the other hand, different individuals maintain common websites (Secondary Research: Evaluating Secondary Sources par. 32). This situation explains why scholars must analyze the worthiness of the information presented in such websites. A researcher must also make appropriate decisions about the information obtained from a common website.

Other Information for Research and Documentation

Students and researchers should be ready to complete their studies in a professional manner. This fact explains why students must be familiar with different data collection methods. Students can collect their data using questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews. Such students must also be familiar with different referencing methods or styles. For instance, students and researchers must use the American Psychological Association (APA) format for their sociological papers. Students can also use the Modern Language Association (MLA) format whenever completing tier researcher papers (Rosenshine 33). Every citation style has its unique rules and requirements. This knowledge will ensure every student produces quality research papers.

Works Cited

Clough, Peter and Cathy Nutbrown. A Students Guide to Methodology. New York: Sage Publications, 2012. Print.

Davies, Martin. Doing a Successful Research Project: Using Qualitative or Quantitative Methods. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007. Print.

Kumar, Ranjit. Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners. New York: Sage Publications, 2010. Print.

Rosenshine, Barak. Principles of Instruction: Research-Based Strategies that all Teachers Should Know. American Educator 1.1 (2012): 11-39. Print.

Secondary Research: Evaluating Secondary Sources2014. Web.

Introduction

Writing skills are influenced by the nature of the information and targeted audience. Same as writing style, length of writing is determined by the nature of the message in terms of content and the need for an in-depth explanation. This analytical treatise attempts to review improvements in my writing skills over the last five years. The analysis is based on Evan Thomas video and Unit 5 Journal.

Reflection on Thomas Video and Unit 5 Journal

As opined by Thomas, good writing skills revolve around the aspects of clarity and the use of simple language that can be understood by the targeted audience (Thomas, 2010). Therefore, unnecessary rigidity on the adherence to grammar rules is but a myth since the aim of the whole process is to communicate in a way best understood by a target audience. Clarity is the first and most important ingredient to effective communication in writing. It secures the attention of the reader and keeps the reader interested in the topic of discussion. Therefore, Thomas notes that the aim should be directed towards brevity which was a serious challenged I experienced in writing (Thomas, 2010).

As opined by Thomas, lengthy, complicated constructions, and unwieldy sentences are an instant communication barrier since they infringe effective concepts. Unwieldy sentences also bore a reader (Thomas, 2010). Brevity enables a reader to grasp the communicative idea within the shortest time possible without having to unnecessarily strain. At the beginning of the class, I used to write very long and ambiguous paragraphs. Thomas notes that occasional and exceptional long or very short paragraphs will give balance, class, and color to the piece. However, a writer is at liberty to use longer sentences especially in expertise writing and explaining complex phenomena as was discussed in the Unit 5 Journal. Therefore, a well-written document should be concise, unambiguous, and clear (Thomas, 2010).

Personal Reflection

This semester has been instrumental in developing my writing, critical, and analytical skills. I have tackled several assignments across the semester which allowed me to intrinsically display my creative and critical writing skills. The first paper I wrote was during the first week of the semester. Upon finishing the rough draft, which consisted of over thirty events, I decided to narrow down these occurrences in a second draft and introduce the aspect of flow and sentence connectivity. At the beginning of this unit, I had not acquired the skills such as accuracy, clarity, fairness, and style mentioned by Thomas as essential in the determination of an effectively written piece.

The challenges involved in collecting the relevant information alone made writing this assignment a gruel some experience. The most difficult part in the compilation of the work done in a group was the editing and selection of information to include in the final copy. At the same time, the presentation was supposed to be as short and interesting as possible to ensure that the target audience does not lose concentration. However, each of the five weeks ended with improvement in my writing skills as I began to embrace the writing tools discussed in class.

In summary, I must admit that there were a series of challenges along the way as my assignments required research and creativity in the compilation. However, being the creative and flexible person I am, I was able to improve my writing skills and minimize the research challenges. I can authoritatively describe my last assignment as a mature piece of literature consisting of well researched, properly written, and clean paper since the topic was well covered.

Reference

Thomas, E. (2010). Effective writing skills. Web.

The development of the education system in the state is based on the changes in policies, and it affects the social and cultural spheres directly. The modern education system in California seems to develop according to trends, but its development is associated with challenges in implementing such acts and policies as the No Child Left Behind Act and the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Another problem or a pressing issue is an inability to introduce innovations in this system effectively while gaining the support of students, teachers, and parents. Educators and parents also advocate for the improvement of the educational system because of the necessity to change the approaches to competency-based education and homeschooling.

As a result, all these issues influence the successes of children at school (Tough, 2013, p. 53). From this point, the pressing issues associated with the Californian education are the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act in schools, the integration of the Common Core State Standards Initiative, the lack of using technologies in classrooms, the problems with the competency-based education, and issues connected with homeschooling.

Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act Principles

One of the issues that affect education in California is the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act in school settings. The number of tests increases regularly, and teachers are expected to measure students successes equally, without much attention to students with learning problems. Those Californian schools that fail to implement the No Child Left Behind Act principles effectively focus strictly on testing and ignore many other important aspects of teaching (Duckworth, Quinn, & Tsukayama, 2012, p. 440).

While the government sets the standards, schools become blamed if students results are not satisfactory. Students demonstrating lower results also become blamed for increasing the problem group in a school and diminishing its status (Tough, 2013, p. 163). From the Christian perspective, the consequences of such approaches are negative for students because they often choose to give up any efforts to improve, and they become even isolated while taking the blame for the school failure on themselves (Duckworth et al., 2012, p. 440). These students can also be profoundly limited in educational opportunities because subjects that develop critical thinking often compose the smallest part of standardized testing.

The additional concern associated with the Christian perspective is that opportunities presented to students are still not equal, even with the focus on the No Child Left Behind Act. Students from low-income families still have trouble with education because they have to face many problems that restrict them from learning and reaching their full potential. It is one of the main causes of poor results, and policymakers should pay more attention to it.

Following the Christian principles, teachers cannot deprive students of trying to achieve higher results while studying. The improvement of the educational system and schedules in schools with the focus on the No Child Left Behind Act puts too much burden on teachers, and some of them cannot handle it while choosing the easiest path to follow (Duckworth et al., 2012, p. 441). As a result, in spite of such advantages as the provision of equal education, students with problems in learning or discriminated students cannot receive the necessary support from educators to demonstrate higher results.

Controversies associated with the Common Core State Standards Initiative

The Common Core State Standards Initiative also provokes many debates because it sets such educational standards that are often hard to meet for most of the students. California is one of the states that formally adopted this Initiative, but its implementation in the educational setting is associated with a range of problems (California Department of Education, 2015). Merely introducing a set of standards is a non-effective solution to the problem of low academic performance. The current problem of the Californian education is that educators often teach students simply to remember correct answers to standardized tests, and the level of understanding the material remains to be low. Thus, the Initiative seeks to address this issue, but the problem is in the fact that textbooks approved according to the Common Core Standards are often inappropriate (Carol, 2015, p. 183).

Teaching materials usually include guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of learning and meeting the core standards. Still, referring to the Christian perspective, the standardization associated with the Common Core State Standards Initiative is often not appropriate for managing diversity in school settings (Tough, 2013, p. 60). The reason is that teachers can oppress those students who demonstrate negative results because they decrease the overall rate according to the core standards.

From this point, the Initiative has two opposite outcomes. On the one hand, it works to change the whole process of education and determine the standards according to which it is possible to speak about education and teachers instructions quality. On the other hand, the statistics of the successes of implementing the Common Core State Standards Initiative is rather questionable because of differences in teachers and parents perception (Shanahan, 2015, p. 585). The Christian perspective is useful to explain that educators continue to discuss the Initiative as an effective strategy to improve education not only in California but also in other states, and parents accentuate the disadvantages of standardization. There are situations when students with low achievements face the prejudiced attitudes that are in contrast with Christian ethics.

Use of Technologies and Digital Learning

Huge opportunities become opened for educators with the introduction and integration of new technologies. When it comes to education, the information is better perceived by students when it is delivered on the Internet or with the help of digital resources. Students become more interested in different subjects and willing to participate in discussions with the help of various social media (Porter, 2015). Digital learning nullifies any possible social anxiety, and students become more inclined to take part in the learning process. Technology allows accessing the information much quicker. According to Porter, roughly 75 percent of the teachers surveyed said that the Internet and search engines had a mostly positive impact on student research skills (Porter, 2015, para. 13). Thus, the Internet allows students to search for required information without leaving their zone of comfort.

However, the problem is in the fact that many schools in California still lack resources for implementing technologies and using digital learning. Students should not be distracted because of using their gadgets when they learn new concepts or search for the material. Nevertheless, the use of those devices for entertaining should be prohibited during classes strictly (Tough, 2013). Children start using technologies and the Internet at a very young age, and this practice should be rewarded during classes to improve education. Still, from the Christian perspective, the problem is in the inappropriate use of the information available online. If the California education officials and parents do not protect their children from the information that could possibly harm them, the use of technologies can become a real social, ethical, and cultural issue.

Competency-Based Education

Competency-based education can also be called quite problematic. It is an extremely innovative model of education. Both students and teachers are quite interested in this model because it can change the whole process of education (Koenen, Dochy, & Berghmans, 2015, p. 2). However, there is an issue with the exact definition of competency-based education because it is relatively hard to reach an agreement on what this term actually means. As a result, it cannot be adequately adopted in Californian schools. This model is based on the concept that there are certain skills required from a student, and it does not focus on the process of learning and its effectiveness.

A student must develop task management skills, contingency management skills, and role expertise, among others. There are various methods of how students can prove their competence. Koenen, Dochy, and Berghmans state that a flexible curriculum needs a shift from supply-driven education with a fixed curriculum to demand-driven education that includes a more facilitative attitude by instructions (Koenen et al., 2015, p. 2). This fact means that students should be much more responsible for their process of learning then they are now. It is possible to assume that the shift to competency-based education is not achievable for educators in the Californian schools now. Teachers should focus on helping students with their education and not controlling them. Thus, this model is quite promising because it reduces expenses on education. However, there are still problems with adequate teaching-learning models to adopt.

Problems of Homeschooling

Homeschooling is a pressing issue of California education because most of the parents are not able to provide their children with an adequate education. Homeschooling is a choice made by parents in cases when children cannot attend schools because of diseases or disabilities. There are also situations when homeschooling is a choice for students who are challenged with psychological or physical bullying (Lubienski, Puckett, & Brewer, 2013, p. 380). As a consequence, many students suffer from depression and phobias, and parents choose to homeschool. It is important to state that such a social cause of homeschooling should be discussed from the Christian perspective.

Cases, when students are psychologically and physically oppressed at school, should be monitored and predicted by teachers. One of the steps is an education in cultural, religious, and moral issues (Tough, 2013). Still, only a certified teacher will be able to address this problem professionally. Moreover, those students who are taught at home often cannot get the proper spiritual education.

The positive feature is that parents can take full control over the teaching process and dedicate a lot of time to the education of their children, so the end results are dependent only on their efforts. Homeschooling often results in better than average reading skills of students. However, students need to master crucial social skills at schools that cannot be taught at home and could be paramount for their jobs in the future (Lubienski et al., 2013, p. 380). It is important to focus on resolving those social, faith-related, and educational issues that make parents take their children out of school. Parents want to educate their children by themselves because they do not trust the current education system or try to protect them from dangers that may happen in the school environment. Therefore, it is important to state that homeschooling can provide great results, but students attending public or private schools are more likely to enter colleges and adapt to social life.

Conclusion

California education is challenged with five pressing issues that are discussed in the paper. From this point, educational authorities need to pay attention to how technologies are used in classes, how policies and core standards are followed, and how homeschooling and competency-based educational tendencies are integrated with the focus on the Christian perspective. California Department of Education should be looking for methods to improve the current education system without introducing or provoking new problems. Nevertheless, the situation seems to get better every single year, and this positive tendency will continue, especially with the focus on resolving the most pressing issues.

References

California Department of Education. (2015). Professional standards. Web.

Carol, I. (2015). Experiencing the Common Core. Academic Questions, 28(2), 182-194. Web.

Duckworth, A. L., Quinn, P. D., & Tsukayama, E. (2012). What No Child Left Behind leaves behind: The roles of IQ and self-control in predicting standardized achievement test scores and report card grades. Journal of Educational Psychology, 104(2), 439-445. Web.

Koenen, A., Dochy, F., & Berghmans, I. (2015). A phenomenographic analysis of the implementation of competence-based education in higher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 50(1), 1-12. Web.

Lubienski, C., Puckett, T., & Brewer, T. J. (2013). Does homeschooling work? A critique of the empirical claims and agenda of advocacy organizations. Peabody Journal of Education, 88(3), 378-392. Web.

Porter, A. (2015). The problem with technology in schools. Web.

Shanahan, T. (2015). What teachers should know about Common Core. The Reading Teacher, 68(8), 583-588. Web.

Tough, P. (2013). How children succeed: Grit, curiosity, and the hidden power of character. New York, NY: HMH Mariner. Web.

Introduction

The article A Study of the Impact of Fatigue on Human Raters when Scoring Speaking Responses was conducted in 2014 by Guangming Ling, Pamela Mollaun, and Xiaoming Xi. Informed by a research gap on the impact of time-related fatigue on rating quality in language testing, these authors set out to examine the effects of fatigue on human raters scoring performance within the context of the TOEFL iBT Speaking Test. The authors succeeded in showing how rating accuracy, quality, and consistency vary across time due to fatigue-related effects.

Summary

The study employed a quantitative experimental research design to examine the effects of fatigue on human raters of audio responses by comparing rating accuracy and consistency at various time points throughout a scoring day, under shift conditions that differ by shift length and session length (Ling, Mollaun, and Xi 479). The authors consulted other sources to show that the burden placed on raters concentration and cognitive capabilities in scoring speaking responses may trigger time-related fatigue and also aggravate scoring accuracy and consistency. Overall, the findings proved that (1) scoring productivity and quality differ widely across hours irrespective of shift conditions, (2) shorter scoring shifts (e.g., 6-hours shifts and those that switch to a new speaking task every 2 hours) enjoy higher rating accuracy, greater hourly productivity, and greater rating consistency across time than longer scoring shifts, and (3) longer scoring sessions and expanded scoring length are positively associated with increased fatigue.

Critique

The main argument of the study is that fatigue occasioned by longer scoring shift length and session length affects the human raters rating quality, accuracy, as well as consistency. The writers perspective is embedded in the fact that scoring shift length and session length in language testing may indeed occasion undesirable fatigue-related outcomes. This perspective is consistent with that of other authors, who argue that exam proximity (time between cognitive tasks) has a powerful impact on performance due to cognitive fatigue (Fillmore and Pope 12). Drawing from this comparison, it can be argued that the writers ideas on fatigue are similar to those of other writers. Indeed, their ideas are effective in demonstrating how scoring shift length and session length affect the rating quality, accuracy, and consistency in language testing.

The authors do not show any bias and are qualified to write in this area based on their affiliation with the United States Educational Testing Service. Their main ideas are easily agreeable based on the experiments done in the study to prove them; however, the authors fail to discuss how other factors (e.g., regional traditions of language testing) can impact rating quality, accuracy, and consistency (McNamara and Knoch 556). Although their introduction and literature review sections are easy to understand, other areas (e.g., methodology and results in sections) seem complicated to a general reader. Additionally, although the writers use reputable sources to back their arguments, they fail to connect the available literature to their main findings in a manner that could reinforce their main contributions in the area. Overall, the study can be recommended to students and professionals who may want to understand the effects of fatigue in language testing and scoring.

Conclusion

The article is effective in demonstrating how fatigue-related factors affect the rating accuracy of human raters in language testing. Language testing and scoring professionals may find this article interesting as it provides a glimpse of ideal scoring shift length and session length for optimal productivity in rating quality, accuracy, and consistency.

Works Cited

Fillmore, Ian and Devin G. Pope. The Impact of Time between Cognitive Tasks on Performance: Evidence from Advanced Placement Exams, 2012. Web.

Ling, Guangming, Pamela Mollaun and Xiaoming Xi. A Study of the Impact of Fatigue on Human Raters when Scoring Speaking Responses. Language Testing. 31.4 (2014): 479-499. ERIC. Web.

McNamara, Tim and Ute Knoch. The Rasch Wars: The Emergence of Rasch Measurement in Language Testing. Language Testing. 29.4 (2012): 555-576. ERIC. Web.

Integrated Marketing Communications

What am I learning?

At this stage my major task is to study the process of communication, its components and relevance to marketing strategies. Communication, itself, consists of several elements:

1. sender (company), which encodes information,
2. transmission device:
3. receiver (buyer), who decodes the message and gives a certain feedback (Clow & Baack, 6).

I need to understand how these notions are connected with advertising and promotion of the product. I also need to get a better understanding of such concept as integrating marketing communications (IMC), which implies that the company should use all of its marketing communications tools and channels in order to appeal to the client (Clow & Baack 8). Another important issue to be studied is the perception of the message by the customer. I need to find answers to the question why he or she may disregard the advertisement, or why the message can be misinterpreted. The authors pay special attention to such concept as noise (the factors, which prevent the viewer from receiving the message).

Furthermore, it is of the crucial importance for me to examine the development of Integrated Marketing Communications plan. The chapter provides detailed information about information tools, recent changes in channel power, the importance of the World Wide Web as a means of sending the marketing message. In addition to that, it is vital for me to gain knowledge of how cultural differences can shape the promotional strategies of an enterprise and what should be done to reduce the costs of marketing.

Overall, I can say that the knowledge that I have acquired is of great use to me because it throws light on the psychological principles of product promotion. It will help to research this issue further and better analyze other scholarly works dedicated to the communicational aspects of advertising.

Learning strategies

First, I would like to say that I am a visual learner, and I tend to rely on graphics, tables or diagrams while learning any material. The visual aids, presented in this book have been of great assistance to me. Having read this chapter, I tried to summarize its major points in my own words. After I jotted down some brief notes, most of them were in the form of bullet points. This approach appears to be most suitable to me because it enables me to retrieve the necessary information very quickly. I do not usually overload notes with too many facts because they can detract my attention from important ideas. I am firmly convinced that the information, presented in the textbook, can only lay a good ground for further research. Therefore, I attempted to assess the implementation of IMC by various firms and find out whether this technique had proved effective. I consulted various scholarly works, examining this issue. My intention was to evaluate the practical aspects of IMC.

Finally, I endeavored to construct a hypothetical situation that would require the use of IMC approach. I needed to put myself into the position of manager who needed to promote a certain product such as mobile phone to the target audience. It required me to reach these people through all possible communication channels. Besides, I had to make up an advertisement that will appeal to a vast range of consumers and will not trigger a negative reaction. More than that, I had to take into account the fact that people, belonging to various cultures can perceive commercials in different ways, partly due to the language barrier.

I have to admit that it was only a mental exercise and I cannot say for sure that my line of reasoning was flawless; yet, this method is normally of great avail for me as it allows to translate theory into practice. As a rule, it yields good results and prepares me for more complicated tasks.

What do I still need to learn?

There are several issues, which still require in-depth analysis. For instance, Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack say that global companies tend to adapt marketing messages to the peculiarities of each country (18) and it is very interesting for me to know exactly it is done. Secondly, it appears to me that I have to get a better understanding of customers decision-making. What are the determinants that influence their attitude toward goods and services? In this chapter the scholars mention such notion as promotions opportunity analysis (Clow & Baack, 10). Therefore, it is necessary to examine its principles and the major steps which should be taken to carry out this procedure.

Defining target audience is also a very thought-provoking task. How do managers define their ultimate consumers? While explaining such notion as noise, the authors maintain that it is crucial to know habits of these people, for instance, their favorite TV channels or shows (Clow & Baack, 9). The question arises how exactly it can be achieved. In my opinion, it involves a grand-scale sociological survey but I am not quite sure.

I have frequently heard of such concept as word-of mouth advertising, which is believed to most unobtrusive and persuasive because it comes from a close person (friend, family member, colleague etc). The point is how to incorporate this form of advertising into the marketing strategies of the organization. And how can IMC contribute to it?

Finally, the most essential issue is the ways of gaining competitive advantage over other firms that produce and sell similar products. As far as I know, the overwhelming majority of enterprises do it by adopting flexible pricing policies, enlarging functionality of the product if it is possible. Yet, I would like to better evaluate the role of marketing communications and especially commercials.

Corporate Image and Brand Management

What am I learning?

The information, presented in this chapter is of great value to me as it describes the peculiarities of corporate image and brand management. In this part of the book Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack also examine the creation of value chain mechanisms. In other words, they try to show how the organizations make customers appreciate their goods and services and why they are ready to pay certain price for them. On the whole, corporate image is the way in which people perceive the firm. Having read this chapter, I learned about those factors which shape peoples attitude toward it; some of them are the quality of the product, price, the use of eco-friendly technology, corporate social responsibility and so forth (Clow & Baack, 28). Apart from that, I managed to better assess the role of outside forces which impact corporate image: they include governmental agencies, mass media, consumer associations etc. The authors have eloquently demonstrated that they can produce profound effects on the performance of the firm as well as its marketing strategies. Besides, this book provided me with valuable tips as to how corporate logos are created and how they may affect purchasing decisions of the client.

I also learned a great deal about such concepts as branding and its types like flanker brand, brand extension, co-branding etc. In this section, the authors closely examine the rationale for the use of these strategies. The third questioned discussed by the scholars is the positioning of the product. They urge the managers to give heed to the target audience, the quality of the product, its distinctive features prior to naming it (Clow & Black, 28). Despite the fact that I have already come across similar ideas, expressed by other scholars, my knowledge of this questions became more systematic after reading this chapter.

Learning strategies

This chapter is extremely informative; it virtually abounds in various facts. Hence, it is crucial to remember them. First of all, I briefly answered each of the follow-up questions. This task was rather time-consuming, yet it better helped me to systematize my knowledge of corporate image and brand management. Afterwards, I created several tables to summarize the key facts. I aimed to make a gist of the following concepts:

1. corporate image, its key elements and their role;
2. formation of corporate image, the chief determinants, affecting this process as well as main participants;
3. brand management, some of the most widespread techniques and the situation in they should be used.

The table format is very useful to me because I mostly rely on visual memory. Besides, it would be much easier to find the necessary information, if I forgot something. I believe that these notes can be of great help to me in the course of my career.

At the second stage, I consulted other sources, dedicated to this topic. I read several articles and case studies, examining the practical aspects of brand management, PR and corporate image. I wanted to familiarize myself with the best practices, adopted by leading companies. This reading also posed many thought-provoking questions to me. In particular, my attention was drawn to the peculiarities of online brand management.

Afterwards, I referred to the assignments, presented at the end of the chapter. Many of them were particularly interesting to me, namely, the evaluation of positioning strategy. The assessment of brand management techniques was also an engaging task, mostly because I was able to get a better idea of online commerce. However, I do understand that there is still much to be learned.

What do I still need to learn?

There are some aspects of corporate image creation that should be discussed more minutely; I would like to focus on such questions as the change of corporate image. It is necessary to understand how and why it should be done, or whether it is possible at all. Furthermore, I would like to inquire about those strategies that the company should adopt, if its reputation has been tarnished. Many firms such as Enron simply went out of business only due to public scandals, though their performance at that moment was more or less satisfactory. Therefore, I would like to identify those strategies that can possible save the situation. As it has been noted before, there are several players that create the corporate image; the most influential ones are mass media, customers, governmental institutions, public organizations etc. The question arises how to orchestrate these forces to benefit the company.

Finally, after reading some of the scholarly works, studying the principles of brand management, I encountered several very disputable issues: 1) multi-stakeholder approach to brand building, which means that the organizations should appeal to all stakeholders: its customers, investors, employees while creating its logo or naming the product. However, the principles of multi-stakeholder approach still need to be fully explained. Besides, I frequently came across such notion as conscientious branding. From my point of view, it implies that that any trademark should also stress the importance of CSR (corporate social responsibility). Yet, I am not quite sure that this goal can be attained by every company.

I believe that a student, who specializes in marketing strategies and advertising, should well-aware of these issues. Yet, I also realize that the research may take quite a long time.

Buyer Behaviors

What am I learning?

At this point I explore the so-called purchasing process that consists of five stages: 1) need recognition; 2) search for the product, 3) assessment of various alternatives; 4) the decision to buy, and 5) post-purchase evaluation (Clow & Baack, 88). I found out that from a marketing perspective, the most essential ones are the second and the third stages, in other words, search for the information and assessment of different alternatives. These data are very largely relevant to my understanding of buyers psychology. In addition, this chapter provides tips as to how the organization can influence customers decisions. The in-depth knowledge of these mechanisms will assist me in developing an IMC plan.

In this part of the book, Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack discuss the peculiarities of individual and corporate customers. In my opinion, students should be able to distinguish them because very often firms sell products only to large organization, and the principles of vendor selection are of great importance. I believe that the marketing manager should also be very versed in supply chain creation as it may also be an inseparable part of customers decision-making, especially if it is a for-profit organization.

Learning strategies

In order to gain better understanding of customer behaviors, one should put oneself in these peoples position. The thing is that I seldom tried to rationalize my decision-making while purchasing any product. Some of the assignments helped me to do it, especially those ones, which dealt with the use of heuristic models. I tried to remember some of my recent purchases and those steps that I made prior to buying a product or service. The managers should focus on the criteria, according to which buyers evaluate their goods. These criteria include liability, serviceable life, or price-quality ratio. So, I realized that prior to launching a marketing campaign, one should first carefully study the major characteristics of the product. On the whole, I can say that the theoretical aspects of buyers behavior are quite comprehensible, but it is often difficult to put these ideas into practice without thorough analysis of the target audience, their needs and preferences.

What do I still need to learn?

Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack postulate that the marketing plays an important role during such stages as search for the information and assessment of alternatives. I would like to know more about need recognition, particularly, whether it is possible to stimulate peoples desire to consume products. It is no secret that the members of modern community buy products not only out of necessity but out of sheer desire as well. So, one should study the techniques, used by leading corporations. At this moment, I can draw only several examples, which prove my point; one of them is automobile industry. Many car manufacturers succeeded in persuading people to buy their vehicles, though there might be no apparent need to do so. In part, people do it in effort to gain the sense of prestige, but I cannot state it for a fact. Therefore, I think that need recognition stage definitely merits more exploration.

Again, I have to emphasize an idea that target audience analysis should not be disregarded. To better illustrate my argument, I need to construct the following scenario: a certain company intends to launch a mass-scale production of cutting-edge mobile phones. How should they study their ultimate consumers? What are the methods that they should employ to predict the aesthetic preferences of these people, their financial capacity, or their purchasing decisions. It seems that these tasks cannot be disregarded.

Promotions Opportunity Analysis

What am I learning?

I am endeavoring to understand and master the main principles of promotions opportunity analysis. This chapter offers guidelines for conducting this procedure. Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack list those questions that should be asked prior to launching a marketing campaign. They urge the managers to determine whether there are any customers that are constantly overlooked by the company. They also insist that the organization must determine whether their marketing messages are fully comprehensible to a wide audience (Clow & Baack, 92). These instructions can act as a safeguard against common mistakes, made by the managers.

Furthermore, this chapter contains valuable tips for the assessment of marketing campaigns. The scholars help students to find the correlation between the investment in advertising on the one hand, and profitability of the enterprise on the other. They point out that quantitative models of assessments are not always accurate (Clow & Baack, 98). In my viewpoint, this piece of advice should not be overlooked even by experienced advertisers.

Moreover, I became more familiar with the social trends in the United States that influence the marketing strategies of the leading companies, in particular, demographical changes or transformation of gender roles (Clow & Baack, 104). Finally, the scholars make a very interesting survey that shows how buying preferences of American people have evolved in the twentieth century.

Learning strategies

I adopted several learning methods in order to acquire practical knowledge of promotions opportunity analysis. I selected one of the U.S.-based enterprises, namely Apple, and tried to determine whether marketing messages are addressed to various segments of American population. More than that, I attempted to examine how such concept as cultural diversity is handled by leading companies. Additionally, at the end of the chapter, there are various tasks, which make a student to act in the capacity of marketing manager. According to one of them, I needed to identify the benefits that consumers could derive from a product like seafood restaurant, auto insurance, soft drink or aspirin (Clow & Baack, 113). Most importantly, I needed to make a marketing message that would emphasize this benefit. I am not quite certain that my advertisements were very much appealing or impressive but at least it was a good practice.

What do I still need to learn?

In my opinion, I still need to clarify several questions: the authors eloquently demonstrate how buying preferences of American people have transformed over these years. Yet, I would like to know whether this pattern is applicable to international community. Another issue that also needs to be explained to me is how to measure ROI (return on investment) of a marketing strategy. The thing is that sales rates are affected by affected by a great number of factors such as the level of supply and demand or economic situation in the country. Therefore, it is not quite clear to me how the manager can isolate these factors, while evaluating ROI of advertising.

In this chapter the authors provide classification of the customers; it includes such categories as innovators, thinkers, achievers etc (Clow & Baack, 105). These people have their own distinctive values and priorities. So, is it possible to tailor a marketing program that would appeal to each of these categories? I have tried to search for information concerning it, but I did not found any source, directly related to this issue. Overall, I may say that the ideas, expressed by the scholars are both helpful and interesting.

Advertising Management

What am I learning?

At this point the key objective is to become proficient in theoretical and practical aspects of advertising management. In this chapter of the book the authors familiarize the reader with the main elements of a marketing campaign, such preparing a creative brief, selection of the message channel and analysis of the target audience and so forth. Moreover, the guidelines, presented in this chapter are particularly useful to the would-be advertising managers, as they show how one should or should not interact with the customer. The ability to establish a rapport with the client seems to be one of the most essential properties of a good advertiser.

I also learn about such concept as message theme and its constituent parts. Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack also provide instructions concerning the indispensible components of a commercial, for example a disclaimer (139). In my view, this knowledge is also necessary because it can safeguard the company and advertising agency against many legal conflicts. Lastly, the authors introduce the reader into the domain of global marketing. They argue that the perception of a commercial can differ from one country to another and emphasize the role of cultural assimilator who provides information about custom business and media differences in various regions of the world. I believe that these instructions can be useful to those, who plan to carve out a career in marketing.

Learning strategies

My focus was mostly on practical assignments, posed at the end of the chapter. I picked a product, namely an energy drink and prepared a creative brief. First, I needed to determine its target audience. I think that its ultimate consumers are adolescents and adults. The age range is from 16 to 30. They are split evenly between males and females. Secondly, I tried to predict their lifestyle and values. This was one of the greatest difficulties for me because people belonging to this age group can immensely differ from one another in terms of educational level, interests, artistic tastes and so forth. To be frank enough, I failed to any distinctive feature that all of them have in common. The only thing that is worth discussion is the purpose for consuming the drink. So, it seems to me that the marketing theme should set stress on the usefulness of the beverage, its capacity to restore strength. Additionally, the language of the message should be more colloquial. It should also underline the youth of these people, their ability to make a difference.

I have to admit that my assumptions may not be as accurate as possible because I should first get a better understanding of values and lifestyles model as well as of personal drive analysis. Overall, this task helped me to identify gaps in my knowledge.

What do I still need to learn?

The question that interests me most is how to solve disputes with customer. For instance, what should be done if the commercial, created by an advertising agency does not suit the client, and he/she wants it to be remade from scratch or event makes a refund? Is it possible to reconcile this conflict? Apart from that, I need to learn more about the selection schedule of advertising campaign; there are several types like pulsating, flighting or continuous schedules. It seems to me that I should know more about the peculiarities of their usage.

The authors explore such notions as VAL (values and lifestyle model) and PDA (personal drive analysis). These are the research techniques that allow to predict purchasing behavior of the customer (Clow & Baack, 140). I should be more versed in the usage of these research methods. What are the criteria to which one should pay heed while conducting either VAL or PDA? I believe that that an advertising manager should be proficient in these areas.

Advertising Design: Theoretical Frameworks and Types of Appeal

What am I learning?

While reading this chapter I primarily intended to enlarge my knowledge of the theoretical approaches to advertising, especially, hierarchy of effects model and means-end chain. The visual aids as well as the examples, given by the authors greatly assisted me and I managed to better understand these notions. However, the bulk of this chapter is dedicated to the types of appeal (humor, fear, sexuality etc) and their effects on the buyer (Clow & Baack, 154). Now I can better evaluate marketing messages, conveyed by various companies. As a student of marketing and as an average buyer, I should be well-aware of these techniques, designed to make the audience purchase products.

I also found helpful information about the peculiarities of global advertising. The authors urge managers not to forget that various types of appeal (especially appeal to sexuality) might be perceived negatively by the representatives of other cultures mostly due to the different value system (Clow & Baack, 161). To some extent, this chapter gave me deep insights into the nature of my future job. I realized that a marketing manager has to be knowledgeable in cognitive psychology, study of culture, and related disciplines.

Learning strategies

At first, I consulted several sources, examining theoretical frameworks of advertising. My goal was to learn more about hierarchy of effects model and means-end chain. Judging from several scholarly articles, I can presume that these approaches are quite compatible with one another. This research showed me how these theoretical principles are put into execution. Secondly, I needed to rationalize my perceptions of marketing messages. As a rule, I do not attach importance to this thing. I looked through various advertisements and tried to determine which type of appeal had been chosen by the creators.

Afterwards I briefly answered the questions, raised at the end of the chapter. In this way I learned more about the combination of appeals and got a more comprehensive idea of the structure of the advertisement. Practical assignments, especially the development of a means-end chain proved to be both challenging and interesting. Nonetheless, it should be noted that I failed to articulate all of the products benefits within a single marketing message. But I am not sure that it is always necessary because very often companies appeal only to one emotion.

What do I still need to learn?

At this point my greatest concern is the practical aspects of advertising design. I would like to be able to combine various types of appeal within a single message, since this strategy appears to me more effective. It is also necessary for me to become more aware of reactions, triggered by these messages. The authors stress the idea that the creators of advertisement should possess a prodigious sense of proportion. According to them, too much emphasis on humor, fear and sexuality can produce an adverse effect on the viewer. So, I would like to know more about those procedures that can predict the reaction of a potential buyer.

Besides, marketing messages can be rendered through various channels (or transmission devices) like television, print, Internet, and radio. Naturally, the most efficient ones are television and Internet because these media can combine text, graphic and audio signals. What I would like to know is how one can combine various types of appeal, if he/she can only use either radio or print, which have a more limited capacity than television or WWW. On the whole, having read this chapter I became more and more convinced that advertising design requires enormous analytical and interpretative skills.

Advertising Design: Message Strategies and Executional Frameworks

What am I learning?

First of all, I am studying the principles of selecting the message type, which can be generic, preemptive, unique selling proposition, hyperbole, or comparative advertisement (Clow & Baack, 179). The authors carefully assess the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Overall, I can argue that these instructions are most beneficial as the choice of message type can shape the outcome of the whole marketing campaign. The second question that I would like to clarify is the benefits of various message strategies which can be cognitive, affective or cognitive. They are meant to evince a certain reaction from a viewer or listener, for instance, to increase awareness, stimulate liking, and eventually make a purchase. Despite the fact that this information is mostly of theoretical nature, it has to be taken into consideration since without proper theoretical foundation one can hardly create an engaging advertisement.

Secondly, having read this chapter I became familiar with several executional techniques such animation, dramatization, slice-of-life etc (Clow & Baack, 182). The authors show how and under what circumstances each of these methods should be used. By providing real-life examples they help the reader to establish a relation between theory of advertising and practice. Now I can better comprehend marketing strategies of leading manufacturers. In addition to that, with the help of this book I managed to identify the methods of overcoming ad clutter or the presence of competitors commercial

Learning strategies

After reading this chapter, I created several tables in which I listed message types and strategies. I also summarized the peculiarities of their usage. This helped me to systematize the information of the chapter. Subsequently, I thought of my own examples that could illustrate the use of various message strategies and executional techniques. This prepared me for the follow-up tasks, which involved several activities, both interpretive and analytical.

For instance, I attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of several executional frameworks. This task proved both difficult and time-consuming because some advertisements combined many executional techniques. They were quite memorable and rather impressive. Without any of them the overall effect could have diminished. So I could not evaluate the separate contribution of each executional strategy. All in all, I should say that these assignments pointed out those areas of my knowledge that left much to be desired.

What do I still need to learn?

Almost all of the issues discussed by the authors are quite clear to me. Yet, I think that it is necessary for me to learn more about the theory of variability. It is based on the idea that the perception of any marketing message depends on the environment in which this message is placed (Clow & Baack, 188). However, I believe that I should concentrate on practical implications of this approach. How is this idea utilized by modern companies? From my standpoint, this issue definitely merits more extensive research.

Secondly, having completed some of the assignments I can say with certainty that I should pay more attention to the selection of message type and executional strategy. At this point I can say that some of my choices were far from being correct. Lastly, in this chapter, Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack describe the strategies for overcoming ad clutter. To some degree, each them can yield fruits. But they are more suitable for the needs of the enterprises with a large marketing budget. I would like to know how this problem can be solved by small businesses, whose financial resources are more limited.

Traditional Media Channels

What am I learning?

The chapter is primarily dedicated to the selection of a mass media channel through which the company can convey its marketing message to the potential customers. Kenneth Clow and Donald Baack evaluate the effectiveness of television, radio, Internet and newspapers as a means of addressing the audience. They also list the advantages and disadvantages of each media channel. I believe that this information can very useful all kinds of companies, irrespective of their size, structure or product. These guidelines are beneficial to that extent that they enable to estimate the ROI of advertising campaign.

Moreover, given current economic recession, entrepreneurs are struggling to find the best price-quality ratio when they tailor marketing programs. Having read this chapter I managed to address some of the questions which I posed to myself at the very beginning, namely, how to measure the return of investment in marketing. This question seems to be of great interest to entrepreneurs who want to measure the efficiency of a marketing strategy.

Finally, I learned more about the development of a media plan for the company. This is an indispensible skill for a would-be marketing manager. Additionally, in this chapter, the authors explain how one can choose the most suitable radio station or TV channel in order to place the advertisement. In my opinion, this information can safeguard the company against superfluous expenditures.

Learning strategies

As I have previously mentioned, the use of visual aids is an inseparable part of my learning strategy. Therefore, diagrams and tables offered by the authors turned out to be of great avail to me. With their help, the information is much easier to comprehend. This was particularly useful to me when I was studying the advantages and disadvantages of each media channel. Nonetheless, I was not sure whether I had grasped all the ideas correctly, so I proceeded to the follow-up questions some of them were particularly beneficial as they pointed out to those areas that I needed to research more carefully, particularly, the three-exposure hypothesis. One of the assignment involved the evaluation of the companys website and identification of its target market. Lastly, I constructed a hypothetical scenario that required me to select a mass media channel for a small shop, specializing in the distribution of alcoholic beverages. My assumption is that the best solution for them is to place the advertisement on billboards.

What do I still need to learn?

While reading this chapter, I came across such notion as three-exposure hypothesis. According to it, the potential buyer pays attention to a commercial only at first and second time he/she see it. The third exposure as well as subsequent ones cannot possibly alter his/her purchasing decision. I would like to determine whether this hypothesis can be in any way tested by means of empirical research. Moreover, I need to know whether leading companies take it into account when they map out the schedule of advertisement campaign. The authors raise a very important question concerning international marketing. They say that the selection of a media channel might be very difficult especially if the company operates in an unknown business environment. So it is necessary for me to understand how the company should behave in such situation. On the whole, it seems to me that many of my questions would be effectively addressed in the following chapters.

Works Cited

Clow K. E & Baack D. Integrated Advertising, Promotion and Marketing Communications. Prentice Hall, 2010.

Introduction

When a person writes an essay on a specific topic, he or she should stick to the point and try to avoid wordiness. Vague phrases that seem to make no sense are commonly considered to indicate lack of understanding of the topic. A student that makes an attempt to develop some topic should focus on the problem and describe it; introducing his/her own ideas or personal experience. The current paper contains critical appraisal of two essays, America Has Lost Its Magic and Plastic Pacific from the point of view of the content, organization, style, and correctness of these academic papers.

America Has Lost Its Magic

The first thing that should be considered is the content of the essay; when one hears the topic connected to the lost of magic in America, this person creates an image of the American dream and some magic which is claimed to be lost. Actually, this essay concerns the problem of modern cinematography and the darkness of images which are introduced instead of the fair and comic ones. The essay America Has Lost Its Magic has good content with a view to the amount of examples which are clear and understandable; every aspect is explained in an unambiguous way. As for organization, the essay does not have a frame, it has an introductory part, a scope of ideas, but it does not have a logical conclusion. The style of the America Has Lost Its Magic is appropriate taking into consideration the overall style of the paper and separate sentences. The sentences are well-structured and complete; the ideas are bright and grounded. The punctuation and grammar are correct. The whole paper is full of vivid examples which are aimed at supporting the authors ideas and suppositions. The facts and details leave no space for doubts and misunderstanding.

Plastic Pacific

This essay tells the readers about the contamination of the oceans with goods made of plastic. The problem of water and air pollution is one of the most burning issues of the global modern society; some people do care and others do not care at all. It is important to discuss such problems; students should express their opinion in essays and during debates. Those people who conduct research in the area of pollution and make decisions as for the measures that should be taken to decrease and prevent contamination of oceans should take into consideration solutions introduced by students in their essays. The Plastic Pacific has a good organization in terms of frame; it consists of an introductory part, the main body which gives the main information, and a conclusion which presents alternative solutions to the problem of plastic in the water. The introductory part of the essay contains attraction-catching phrases and a question which is answered in the body of the paper. The paper contains a great number of good examples which illustrate the problem of pollution; it shows the authors knowledge of geography and ecology. The grammar and punctuation are good as well; the sentences are well-structured, there are no incomplete sentences which are inappropriate.

Conclusion

Both essays have good content with a view to the bright examples and facts that illustrate the authors point of view. The aspects that should be corrected are contracted forms; it is better to use full forms, especially when one writes in formal style. Minor punctuation mistakes can be also found in both papers, but they do not prevent clear understanding of the ideas. The bibliography should be a part of the essays as some facts can be learned only from specialized journals or movies.