Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan Essay Example for Free

Comprehensive Classroom Technology Plan Essay Introduction For many schools across the country there have been many studies on what type of communication is best for students, teachers, and parents going into the 21st century. Many school districts have chosen the (CMC) technology which is the Computer mediated communication and it has dramatically changed the ways for students to interact with their professors, especially for communication outside of the classroom (which is better choice pg1). For my future classrooms this along with the phone and paper is my preferred communication method of choice. Class Website From many studies students who are older prefer asynchronous communication such as email can effectively help students in solving problems outside of the classroom. Recently synchronous communication such as a virtual office hours using online chat was also widely used in the class room. (Which is a better choice page 9) For a school website to exist the schools must first follow these four objectives. 1: An introduction to who the school is. 2: An interface of outside resources 3: Publisher of good works 4: A Data resource. (Tech Trends vol 49 num. 6 pages 1.) Most schools already have websites that display this information however what would need to be created is simply a white board that parents and faculty members who are involved with the kindergarten level can access. White board A whiteboard is simply a website that parents and faculty members alike can log onto and check what is happening in the classroom as well as grades. For kindergarten I propose that this whiteboard would have a white page with buttons at the top that will take them to different links. These buttons are laid out in a simple tool bar layout. |Teacher |Student List |Grades |Work for week |School Calendar |Current curriculum |Classroom policies and | |Contact Info. . | | | | | |procedures | Tool Bar Buttons A: Teacher contact info. This will have my contact information and the hours I am available as well as my vision and mission statement. B: This will have the student’s names that are listed in my class as well as their parents Emergency contact information only visible to faculty. C: Will list the current grades for each subject for the quarter or semester that we are currently in. D: This will have any subjects or work that we are working on for the week so that parents can visually see what we are doing in class. E: This will have a classroom calendar will subject time slots as well as break schedules, lunch times, and other time slots as needed F: This will have my classroom curriculum for the semester and will be constantly updated as it changes G: To me it is important for parents to know the behavior system that you as a teacher put into place as well as any school policies regarding anything from parent –teacher conflict ,kids misbehaving, lunch procedures, etc. All of this involves the webmaster for the school simply using basic html web creating code to create. The information that is based on the website is simple text with minimal visualization. Email/phone The other form of communication that I would have my parents use would be email system as well as phones. Most parents who are in the current age of computers and 21st technology are familiar with how to email and use smart phones as well. I would use this system to keep parents informed in any behavior issues as they occur. The phone system would be not only an emergency behavior contact system but also an important communication tool for any parent to contact me. Technology hindered parents Now there are parents out there who may be ESL parents that are not familiar with how to access the whiteboard or email. For these parents I would suggest sending out monthly handouts that explain A: How to use the white board and email. B: my contact information as well as the schools. C: Since I am pretty fluent in computers I would also try an hold a 1hour class free to parents a month to show them not only the benefits of technology but how to access our whiteboard for student and classroom information. Of course C is based on the amount of computers that our school district has provided us because as we all know some rural schools are still not able to provide a computer lab. How would I setup communication for this school? Non Computer lab school. For a school that doesn’t have a computer lab or website I would revert back to the old fashion way of creating a folder for my students to take home every Friday that would encompass all the information that would be normally available on the website. School Website security Since I am a teacher obviously computer security would be the webmasters job. However I would ask parents to join the schools computer website by creating a username and password so that they would have access to the resources available on the classroom whiteboard as well as the schools website. Faculty For the white board I would ask my fellow teachers to setup a development team to keep the specific kindergarten audience in mind. They would submit a design as to what appropriate sites, cultural analysis, content organization for a culturally responsive website, as well as development of the site and constant site evaluation. (Tec trends Vol 49, number 6 pg. 35) Eventually after the site was created and used for a year I would ask the development team to go back and perform an analysis to see how convenient the site use was for parents and faculty. Then I would ask this analysis information to be passed around to other schools as well as school districts in hopes that it would spread across the state as well as country. I would recommend using all of this analysis with the website http://teacher. scholastic. com/homepagebuilder/ to build the whiteboard and website for all schools. Conclusion As you can see my vision for communication for the 21st century framework not only includes technology of old (paper, phones) but a computer mediated  communication website that provides all the details of myself as a teacher plus the classroom information for my class. This type of technology will help not only the student to parent communication about what is going on in class but also the parent to teacher communication about my vision and mission statement as a teacher. I believe a white board is what every classroom should have in education for classroom of the 21st century References. Author A: Lei Li1Author B: Finley, John1Author C: Pitts, Jennifer1Author D: Rong Guo1 (2010). Which is a better choice for student-faculty interaction: synchronous or asynchronous communication? Journal of Technology Research; Sep2010, Vol. 2, p1-12, 11p, 5 Charts Author A: Miller, Susan1Author B: Adsit, Karen I. 2, 3 Author C: Miller, Ted4 (Dec 2005) Evaluating the Importance of Common Components in School-Based Websites: Frequency of Appearance and Stakeholders Judged Value. TechTrends: Linking Research Practice to Improve Learning; Nov/Dec2005, Vol. 49 Issue 6, p34-40, 7p, 5 Charts Author A: Walters, Marlenel Author B: Fehring, Heather2 (2009) An investigation of the incorporation of Information and Communication Technology and thinking skills with Year 1 and 2 students. Australian Journal of Language Literacy; Oct2009, Vol. 32 Issue 3, p258-272, 15p, 1 Black and White Photograph, 6 Diagrams, 1 Chart Website: http://teacher. scholastic. com/homepagebuilder/

Types Of Peripheral Devices

Types Of Peripheral Devices What is Information Technology (IT)? Information Technology can be known as being the study, design, development, implementation support and management of any computer based information systems. This relates particularly to software applications and computer hardware. Information Technology deals with using electronic computers and software to convert, store, protect, process, retrieve with security or transmit any information. Everything from data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, software design, database design and management and administration of systems is included in the term of information technology. Information Technology is very important and useful in our daily life and many fields. In 21st century is known as Information Technology era, whereby computer is an important device in many fields. During the past, users are only using desktop which the size of the monitor is big, thick, and cannot carry everywhere but in 21st century computer are designed with more thinner and small size. Furthermore, laptop and notebook also being release with easy carrying and convenience to bring everywhere. Besides that, previously users are using diskette to store their document and data, which provide limited space for users to store their documents. However, nowadays many different types of storing devices are produced like external hard drives, thumb drive, rewritable CDs, and so on. These storing devices are able to allow users to store more of their document and data, even provide more space for users to store media file such as songs and videos. Define Question 1 What are peripheral devices? Peripheral devices are the devices that are connected to a computer internally such as CD-ROM or internal modem and external scanner, printer and Zip drive. They can be externally such as keyboard, mouse, printer, and external modem. Answer for Question 1 There are several types of peripheral devices such as monitor, mouse, keyboard, scanner, webcam, speakers and printer. One of the types of peripherals device is monitor. Monitor is a display device that is packaged as a separate peripheral. Some monitors have a tilt-and-swivel base that allows users to adjust the angle of the screen to minimize neck strain and reduce glare from overhead lightning. Monitor is the most important piece of equipment necessary for a user to operate the machine. The monitor displays the computers user interface and open programs, allowing the user to interact with the computer, typically using the keyboard and mouse. Monitor controls permit users to adjust the brightness, contrast, positioning, height, and width of images. Previously, the computer monitor was built using cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which made them rather heavy and caused them to take up a lot of desk space. Nowadays, monitor is built using LCD technology and is commonly referred to as flat screen displays, A mouse is a pointing device that fits under the palm of your hand comfortably. Generally, users use mouse to move the pointer on the screen to an object such as button, a menu, an icon, a link, or text. The mouse is the most widely used pointing device on desktop computers. With a mouse, users control the movement of the pointer, often called a mouse pointer in this case. A mouse connects to a computer in several ways. A newer type of mouse, called an air mouse, is a motion-sensing mouse that allows users to control slide shows, media players, and objects by moving mouse in predetermined directions through the air. Air mouse is similar like a remote control. Many types connect with a cable that attaches to a serial port, mouse port, or USB port on the system unit. A wireless mouse is a battery-powered device that transmits data using wireless technology, such as radio waves or infrared light waves. Some users prefer a wireless mouse because it frees up desk space and eliminates the clutter of a cord. A keyboard is an input device that contains keys users press to enter data and instructions into a computer. Desktop computer keyboards typically have from 101 to 105 keys. All computer keyboards have a typing area that includes the letters of the alphabet, punctuation marks, numbers, and other basic keys. Keyboards for smaller computers such as notebook computers contain fewer keys. Many desktop computer keyboards also have a numeric keypad on the right side of the keyboard. Keyboards are also often have a WINDOWS key(s) and an application key. When pressed, the WINDOWS keys display the Windows Start menu, and the APPLICATION key display an items shortcut menu. Most of todays desktop computer keyboards are enhanced keyboards. An enhanced keyboard has twelve or more function keys; it also has a set of arrow, two ALT keys, and two CTRL keys. Function keys, which are labeled with the letter F followed by a number, are special keys programmed to issue command to a computer. The command associated with a function keys may vary, depending on the program with which users are interacting. Modern keyboards also come equipped with special buttons located outside the normal keys that control volume, email function, and the computers main media player. Keyboards are connected either through a hard wire or via a USB adapter. An optical scanner usually called a scanner. A scanner is a light-sensing input device that reads printed text and graphic and then translates the result into a form the computer can process. Scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages, and similar sources for computer editing and display. Scanner translates images of text, drawings, and photos into digital form. The images can then be processed by a computer, displayed on a monitor, stored on a storage device, or communicated to another computer. Scanner usually comes with software, such as Adobes Photoshop product, that lets users to resize and otherwise modify a captured image. There are four types of scanners which are flatbed, pen, sheet-fed, and drum. A Web cam, also called a PC video camera, is a type of digital video camera that enables a home or small business user to capture video and still images, send e-mail with attachments, add live images to instant messages. The term webcam is a combination of Web and video camera. Webcams have the ability to broadcast live images over the Internet, make video telephone calls, or chat rooms. During a video telephone call, both parties see each other as they communicate over the Internet. Webcams connect through a hard wire or through a wireless connection via a USB adapter. In some modern laptop and netbook computers, small webcams are built the top of the screen. Webcams can be also used for video chat sessions with other user. Instead of broadcasting the video on the Web, users can set up a video chat session with one or more friends and have a conversation with live audio and video. Examples of video conferencing software include CUworld, Live Meeting, and WebEx. The speaker receives audio input from a device such as computer or an audio receiver. Speakers are one of the most common output device used with computer systems. Speakers are transducers that convert electromagnetic waves into sound waves. This input may be either in analog or digital from. Analog speakers simply amplify the analog electromagnetic waves into sound waves. A speaker systems ability to accurately reproduce sound frequencies is a good indicator of flow clear the audio will be. The sound produced by speakers is defined by frequency and amplitude. Speakers typically come in pairs, which allow them to produce stereo sound. This means the left and right speakers transmit audio on two completely separate channels. By using two speakers, music sounds much more natural since our eras are used to hear sounds from the left and right at the same time. High-fidelity stereo sound is becoming more important as computer and communications technologies continue to merge. A printer is a device that converts computer output into printed images, accepted text and graphic output from a computer and transfer the information to paper. Personal computer printer can be distinguished as impact or non-impact printer. Early impact printer worked something like an automatic typewriter, with a key striking an inked impression on paper for each printed character. The best-known non-impact printer is the inkjet printer, of which several makes of low-cost color printers are an example, and the laser printer. The inkjet sprays ink from an ink cartridge at very close range to the paper as it rolls by. The dot-matrix printer was a popular low-cost personal computer printer. Its an impact printer that strikes the paper a line at a time. The laser printer use a laser beam reflected from a mirror to attract ink (called toner) to selected paper areas as a sheet rolls over a drum. Define Question 2 Storage device is a device which allows users to save and store their data and files permanently and can be delete if necessary. Every computer stores applications software and system software. A computer locates an operating system in storage, usually loads it into memory (RAM), and hard disk. When a user issues a command to start application software such as a Web browser or a word processing program, the operating system locates the program in storage, such as on a CD, loads it on memory, DVD, and hard disk. In addition to programs, users store a variety of information and data on mainframe computers, notebook computer, desktop computer, smart phones, and Tablet PCs. Answer for Question 2 There are several types of storing devices which are available such as primary storage, secondary storage, hard disks, external hard drives, USB flash drives, smart cards, compact disc re-writable (CD-RW), and online storage. Primary storage is also known as memory, main memory, internal memory, or RAM (for random access memory. It is working storage that holds data for processing, instructions (the program) for processing the data, and processed data (the information) that is waiting to be sent to an output. Primarys storage is in effect the computers short term capacity, determining the total size of the program and data files it can work on at any given moment. Primary storage, which is obtained on RAM chips, is also temporary. Once the power to the computer is turned off, all the data and programs within memory simply vanish. Secondary storage consists of devices that store data and programs permanently on disk or tape. Secondary storage is nonvolatile- that is, data and programs are permanent, or remain intact when the power is turned off. A storage medium, also called secondary storage, is the physical material on which a computer keeps information, instructions, and data. A hard disk is a storage device that contains one or more circular, inflexible platters that magnetically store information, instructions, and data. Home users used hard disks to store music, digital photos, videos, e-mail messages, presentations, web pages, databases, spreadsheets, and documents. Current personal computer hard disks have storage capacities from 160GB to 1 TB and more. The system unit on most notebook and desktop computer contains at least one hard disk. Hard disk is read and writes storage media. Users can write and read on hard disks any number of times. An external hard drives is separate free-standing hard disks. It connects with a FireWire port or USB port on the system unit. USB hard drives commonly use the USB 2.0 interface because it supports data transfer rates of up to 480 Mbps. USB 1.1 only supports transfers of up to 12 Mbps, which would make the hard drive seem slow to even the most patient users. External hard drives are exactly like the hard drive on any computer, except they are outside of the computer. Fortunately, external hard drives can be daisy chained which means they can be connected one after the other and be used at the same time. This allows for virtually unlimited amounts storage. Firewire drives may use either Firewire 400 or Firewire 800, which support data transfer rates of up to 400 and 800 Mbps respectively. External hard drives are a great backup solution because they can store an exact copy of another hard drive and can be stored in a safe location. A USB flash drives also known as thumb drives or pen drive, is a flash memory storage device that plugs in a USB port on a mobile device or computer. With a USB flash drive, user easily transfers music, picture, document, and video from one computer to another. USB flash drive is the premiere way store data in a compact and portable fashion. Early flash drives could store only a few megabytes of data, but modern flash drives can store several gigabytes of information. Current USB flash drive has storage capacities ranging from 256 MB to 64 GB and data transfers rates of about 12 MBps. Since they are small in size but have large storage capacities, flash drives have replaced most previous portable data storage mediums such as removable hard disks like Zip disks and floppy disks. Because they have a built in USB connection, flash drive also do not require a special disk drive to be used. Instead, they can be used on any computer with a USB port, which nearly all modern computers have. A smart card is a card which is similar in size to an ATM card or credit card. When users insert the smart card in a specialized card reader, the information on the smart card in read and, if necessary, updated. Smart card stores data in a thin microprocessor embedded in the card. Uses of smart cards include storing vaccination data, medical records, identities information, and other health care information. Besides that, smart card even can storage a prepaid amount of money, like for student purchases on campus; tracking information such as customers purchases or employee attendance and authenticating users such as for building access or Internet purchases. CD-RW is stands for Compact Disc Rewritable. A CD-RW is an erasable multisession disc users can write on multiple times. CD-RW allows users to write and rewrite information, instructions, and data. Many personal computers today include a CD-RW drive as a standard feature so that users can burn their own discs. The process of writing on an optical disc is called burning. To write on a CD-RW disc, users must have CD-RW drive and CD-RW software. Furthermore, CD-RW disc can create audio CDs. Users can save and record their own music on a CD. Online storage is a service on the Web that provides hard disks storage to computer users, for free or for a minimal monthly fee. Online storage allows users to store large video, audio, and graphic files on an Internet hard disk instantaneously, instead of spending time downloading to a local hard disk. Moreover, users can view time-critical data and images immediately while away from main office or location; for an example, doctors can view x-ray images from another office, home, hospital, or while on vacation. Conclusion and Recommendation In conclusion, Storage holds information, instructions and data, which includes music, videos, pictures and documents for future use.

Comparing Two Views of Gay Marriage Essay -- Compare Contrast Comparis

In their works â€Å"Let Gays Marry,† by Andrew Sullivan and â€Å"Leave Marriage Alone,† by William Bennett, they both talk about the subject of same sex marriages. They both believe that marriage is based off of tradition. However, they debate on if these marriages should be allowed and if they are proper. Sullivan goes on to prove he believes same sex marriages are proper because traditionally it is based off of the principle of love. Bennett proves his point by saying that the conventional ways are the tradition. Andrew Sullivan says that love is the reason people marry one another. No matter the race, creed, or gender love is a strong bond that few people are lucky enough to find. (Sullivan p.25) This country believes in equal rights and opportunities. With this being true all people should be able to choose whom they love and get to marry. Homosexuals do not seek special treatment but an equal and full part in America. (Sullivan p. 25) In a society that always talks of equal rights and opportunity, is it right for the country to condemn these people because they are different in their beliefs of sexuality? One of the conventional ideas as to why people of opposite sex marry is because of procreation. What about all of the married couples who do not have children? Should they not be able to be married? (Sullivan p. 26) Sullivan says that over the years the definition of marriage has changed several times. It has been amended or changed to the times. Women in the marriage were on ce legal property to their husbands, and at one time only people of the same race could marry. (Sullivan p. 26) Should this instance be any different? In his essay, â€Å" Leave Marriage Alone,† Bennett states that marriage is a sacred trad... ...adition. The authors both disagree on what tradition is but they believe that the contract of marriage is based on tradition. Everyone has the right and freedoms to do what he or she pleases. However, there are boundaries. Tolerations for groups are one of the great things this country offers as opposed to other countries. How the judgment of a 4,000 year old tradition versus the tradition of marrying for love is ruled, the country will have to wait. No special treatment is expected or wanted. Equality for all is what is being asked for here. To honor tradition and follow the heart is all that both sides want. Works Cited Gruber, Sibylle, ed. Constructing Others Constructing Ourselves. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2002. Sullivan, Andrew. â€Å"Let Gays Marry.† Gruber 25-26 Bennett, William. â€Å"Leave Marriage Alone.† Gruber 29-30

How the Lack of Education During the Great Depression Affected Southern Society :: essays research papers fc

During the Great Depression receiving an education was becoming more and more difficult for southerners. From not being able to afford the required supplies needed, to not being able to pay the tutions, many people found it nearly impossible to attend school. The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird written by Harper Lee shows how the lack of education in society during the Great Depression affected Southerners lives, not allowing them to change their futures for the better.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The public school system changed drastically during the Great Depression. Society started to notice the changes during the years of 1930 and 1931, when conditions were at their worst. Many students did not have the right clothing, supplies, and textbooks because parents could not afford the costs. The price of school supplies ran from $1.00 for a pen to $3.85 for a pair of shoes (Editors of Time-Life 29). In To Kill A Mockingbird, Scout’s teacher, Miss Caroline, asked one of her students where his lunch was. He then explained that he did not have a lunch because his parents could not afford it. â€Å"He didn’t forget his lunch, he didn’t have any. He had none today nor would he have any tomorrow or the next day. He had probably never seen three quarters together at the same time in his life† (Lee 20).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In addition, student’s schoolwork and progress began to decline due to undernourishment. Many children were not able to stay in school because there was not enough money to keep the schools open. A third of a million children were out of school during the Great Depression (Farrell 14). Also, children of poor families dropped out of school because they felt obligated to help support their family financially. In To Kill A Mockingbird Scout describes the Ewell family, who only attends school the first day of every year because their family is poor: They come the first day every year and then leave. The truant lady gets’em here ‘cause she threatens ‘em with the sheriff, but she’s give up tryin’ to hold ‘em. She reckons she’s carried out the law just getting’ their names on the roll and runnin’ ‘em here the first day. You’re supposed to mark ‘em absent the rest of the year (Lee 27). In cases like these, the purpose for leaving school was to help out the family with chores like tending to the farm and crops.

Psychology & Religion: The Spirtual Side to Counseling Essay -- essays

Abstract: In today’s society the field of psychology and the study of religion have hardly ever set will with one another. New information is being composed about the two fields working together, this paper is a brief description of those ideas and thoughts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The psychological study of religion in the United States illustrates tensions and opportunities that exist between psychology and religion. It also demonstrates the multifaceted views taken by psychologists as they address areas of living that have personal implications. Following the early period, American psychology’s push toward behaviorism resulted in the neglect of spiritual matters. The reductionism methods of behaviorism left little room for matters of faith, or for any other theoretical constructs that were not measured directly. Consequently, psychology left religion for other topic that were considered to be more scientific and several decades of neglect ensued. Psychologist’ interest in religion resumed in the 1950’s. Gordon Allport’s (1950) attempt to describe the role of religion in people’s experience began his indelible mark on the field, and to this day his Intrinsic-Extrinsic distinction in religious motivation r emains the most influential approach in psychological studies of religion in the United States. In the years since then, several developments have combined to suggest, according to the traditional view of psychology of religion, that the fields is experiencing a resurgence of interest. These include the establishment of professional journals giving an outlet to psychological study of religion, and the apparently increasing availability of college classes focusing on psychology of religion.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychologists who study religion, however, address â€Å" an object whose reality can be received only in the state of faith† (p.32). the act of belief is critical to religious knowledge and experience. In psychology, skepticism is an enduring value, but in religion it is an intermediate step on the pathway to belief. This sets up a tension between psychology and religion, which results in psychologists having low rates of religious activity, when compared to other scientific and academic groups (Richards & Bergin, 1997). The methods and assumptions favored by psychology have appeared to be incompatible wi... ...terest to psychologists. It also challenges the psychologist’s ingenuity to conduct research on constructs that cannot easily be studied experimentally. At a more abstract level, the link between psychology and religion helps psychology maintain its historical connection with philosophy. As psychologist seek to employ the techniques of the natural sciences, the psychology of religion reminds us that our roots are in philosophy, and that the assumption we make regarding our subject matter have important implication for our science. Bibliography   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Baston, C.D. (1996) You take the high road. The International Journal for the Pyschology of Religion, 6, 159-164.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bergin, A.E. (1980). Psychotherapy and religious values. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 48, 75-105. Hood, R. W. Jr. (1999, November). American Psychology of Religion and the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Wulff, D. W. (1998) Rethinking the rise and fall of the psychology of religion. In A.L. Molendijk and P. Pel (Eds.), Religion in the making: The emergence of the sciences of religion, (pp.181-202). .

Research And Ethics Essay

Conducting a qualitative research is not an easy task. Aside from considerations regarding gathering data, looking up literature and other sources related to the study, and such, researchers engaged in qualitative studies should also consider ethical issues in order to provide results that are not only reliable and valid but also acceptable in terms of morality and standard principles. For qualitative researches to exhibit the qualities of ethically accepted studies, they should comply with certain principles and guidelines. These principles and guidelines include simple yet socially acceptable rules such as respecting the rights and human dignity of other people, providing research results that are highly beneficial and contributive, adhering to fairness and equality, and presenting the truth and nothing but the truth. (Gonzales-Perez, 2007) One specific ethical issue in qualitative research is exploitation. This is a highly significant matter because it is related to the researcher’s relationship to the participants. Researchers should always respect participants avoiding exploitation, such that researchers do not impose power over them. (Gonzales-Perez, 2007) For instance, a researcher takes advantage of the vulnerability of child or female participants by imposing power and authority and drawing from them personal and sensitive information that violates the privacy of human beings. (Gonzales-Perez, 2007) Exploitation does not meet the responsibility of researchers over the security and welfare of the participants. Personal and sensitive information that will be presented in the research obtained from exploitation will not make the research study ethically or morally acceptable, annulling its reliability and validity as a research case. (Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research, 2008) Another ethical issue is the researcher’s responsibility to inform participants of the true nature of the research. This is based on the founding principles of qualitative research which states that the researcher should always protect participants from harm. Researchers should be able to inform participants of events that will follow the research process, such as the processes, operations, requirements, and such, in order for both the participants and the researcher to become aware of possible risks or threats. Considering the health of a participant is one possible consideration. For instance, the research study focuses on the effect of food to mood or emotions. The participant should be informed of the process, as a standard operating procedure, in order to determine problems, such as food allergies, and such. In addition, researchers should also obtain consent from participants before continuing the operation of the research process. This is one of the major responsibilities of the researcher as an advocate for human rights and dignity in terms of personal safety and wellbeing. In doing so, harm and catastrophes will be avoided. (Gonzales-Perez, 2007) The third ethical issue concerning qualitative research is misrepresentations of information covered by the research study. Opportunities for misrepresentations will not make the research study valid and reliable, simply because its content is open to many interpretations and points of view. The purpose of the research process is to provide information that is clear and direct, stating facts that represent the preciseness of data. Misrepresentation defeats this purpose. This violates ethical standards and guidelines because misrepresentations hold risks and threats, especially if data or information is interpreted in the wrong way. (Gonzales-Perez, 2007) Imagine a research study focusing on health practices that will protect the safety and wellbeing of the patients. Suppose the research study concludes with suggestions that will assist health care professionals in caring for their patients. If the information is interpreted wrongly, health care professionals might commit mistakes that will endanger the lives of their patients. Abiding by ethical issues and considerations, when conducting qualitative research, is highly important. Following ethics in qualitative research determines the nature and quality of the results and the research itself – whether it is acceptable, conducted in good faith, and is beneficial to the public. Researcher should always keep in mind that they are highly responsible for the results, whether desirable or undesirable, that might arise from the research study. Therefore, following ethical standards and guidelines is a must in order to go about the research process in a correct, accurate, and appropriate way. Resources Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research. (2008). Retrieved October 18, 2008, from SA Health Info. Website: http://www. sahealthinfo. org/ethics/ethicsqualitative. htm Gonzales-Perez, M. A. (2007). Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research. Retrieved October 18, 2008, from The Community Knowledge Initiative. Website: http://www. nuigalwaycki. ie/admin/documents/Ethical_Issues. pdf

Business Statistical Analysis Scenario Essay

A GMC manager recently noticed that there is a production difference between the early shift and the late shift. The manager would like to determine why there is a difference in production between the shifts and asked for research on the issue. The research team came up with the following research question: Is there a reason for the different production levels between the day and evening shifts. Our team has come up with the following two null hypotheses: H0 – There is a significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. Ha – There is no significant difference in employee productivity between shifts due to worker age. In order to accomplish this, we need to find the average number of errors along with the standard deviation. By doing so, we can set up a confidence interval to see if the late shift is truly doing better when it comes to quality. If they are, we can make the nomination that the manager has the late shift supervisors provide guidance to the early shift supervisors. There are various statistical reports that outsource the relationship between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable. Here we will realize how GMC will translate the organization problem into a statistical problem, provide a solution to the problem statistically, and then translate the statistical solution into an actionable solution for the company. Literature Review General Motors realized that to stay competitive a number of changes would have to be made starting with production efforts. Based on economic  uncertainty and gas price volatility, adjustments were made to accommodate the needs of the population interested in purchasing vehicles during times of uncertainty. After the fall of the three leading automotive giants, coming back would have to be well thought-out and cost beneficial to the consumer. GM got to work. Production in most plants was one shift, Monday – Friday, 8 hours per-day. At one facility adding a third shift let the plant produce more than 26,000 vehicles within three months, more than it had previously done when it produce 20,000 vehicles. Before incorporating a third shift the plant had approximately 3,300 workers who averaged fewer than 14,000 vehicles per month (Funk, 2011). In another plant that focused on the production of only one vehicle, this plant employed eight hundred production workers who were a one- shift, eight hour Monday-Friday production facility. Another GM plant that makes the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade add a third shift and 800 new jobs was created, the assembly plant employed approximately 2,500 hourly and salaried employees and operates two production shifts. In 2011, the plant produced nearly 270,000 vehicles. â€Å"Demand for full-size SUVs remains stable.† The third shift enable the Assembly plant to meet market demand for the current generation of full-size SUVs and provide relief for employees who have worked extensive overtime since the fourth quarter of 2009. The installation of new tooling and equipment required to build GM’s new line of SUVs limited vehicle production in 2013. A third shift will provide the plant needed production capacity during this transition time (Funk, 2012). There was a time when working a straight day-shift was enough to meet the production demands for General Motors products, however with the versatility and the types of vehicle’s being produced third shift help to meet and exceed demand and provide relief for employees working extensive overtime. Many years, companies have pursued to advance worker output and labor settings. One approach is substitute toil schedules, which comprise flextime, work division, and a compacted workweek. Sleep-related aids are mainly supportive for the salaried period; insufficient sums of nap reduce work output and general well-being. Statistics shows consistent amounts of sleep Improved performance and alertness in the workplace. Therefore, we propose creating work-sleep equilibrium, comparable to work-life stability, as a standard for planning and refining work plans. Prolonging operational times outside nine periods per day did not effect in equal growths in GMC manufacturing. Production increased as working hours increased. According to the survey 1977 Quality of Employment, the impact of unusual toil plans on workers’ personal time has resulted with: Fewer periods in household parts.  Advanced plans of particular forms of struggle among family life besides work. One of the amendments is the decision by GMC to implement twelve-hour work days for all Union employees. This decision did not do well with the Union because most were used to working 8-hour days with weekends off. GMC decision is based on new lines and the demand to cope up with production forecasts. This forecast demands the organization to switch to a 24/7 hour operation. Union employees disagree, as they have a feeling that working 12-hour days will lower their morale. They view the alternative schedule as time that they will be missing from their family. While there has been deep research on the subject of scheduled overtime on the productivity of construction labor, there is little research available that looks at the efficiency, or lack of efficiency that is associated with work accomplished on the second shift. In 2008, Hanna, Chang, Sullivan and Lackey in the Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, looked at why and how shift work impacts worker productivity, and they attempted to find a relationship between the length of shift work and resulting efficiency. Their objective was to quantify the effects of shift work on labor productivity. Their results showed the potential of shift work can be both beneficial and detrimental to productivity. Small amounts of well-organized shift work can perform very effectively in response to schedule compression (p.203), but the study also showed that prolonged use of a second shift can lead to a negative impact on efficiency and productivity. The author addresses the attitudes of workers as it relates to the question of productivity of the employee’s in the U.S. automobile industry. Norsworthy and Zabala (1985), attempt to explain the effect on direct labor efficiency (a measure of labor productivity) and product quality of industrial relations performance, as measured by grievances, disciplinary actions, absenteeism, contract demands, negotiations length, and the climate of industrial relations. Their finding state grievance rates are associated with low productivity of production workers which results in high unit costs of production. The study also â€Å"offers strong exhibit that the benefit of improving workers behavior can be enormous† (p.557). The line between labors policies and workers can lead to improved worker attitudes and a rise of productivity. Shift work is the way of life for those who work within the manufacturing industry. Depending on what type of schedule workers on required to be on can have an effect on employee risk or costs to the company. In a report done by Circadian, who specialize in workforce solutions, having those that will be doing the labor work for that manufacturer involved in the decision making with respect to what type shift schedule they are on can go a long ways in having happier, more productive workforce. A resounding message throughout the reports was that one of mostly commonly seen things that affect such things as errors during particular shifts was fatigue. Research methodology Efficiency is an integral requirement in the workplace as it encompasses proper input, output, and high returns for the company (Anderson, 2013). An analysis conducted at GMC, a manufacturing firm, has revealed some inconsistency in the levels of productivity resulting from the activities of its workforce. The early shift workers or employees have posted better output and results more than the late shifts. Two main hypotheses have been supplemented to explain this anomaly. First, the disparity has been linked to machine failure but this has been ruled out due to the routine upgrades and checks, which are usually done on the machines. Secondly, employees in the late night shift may be under-performing as they are making a higher quality product, which takes more time. Management believes there are discrepancies in the quality and quantity of work being produced. Our team was brought in to conduct data analysis to solve and/or assist with the decisions to be made. After listening to their concern the following two variables were developed: Population and Size Collectively, the early and late night shift is composed of 385 employees with twenty in each shift. The population selected for this research activity will be the members of the workforce involved in the early and late night shifts of the company. Target Population and Justification The target populations are the employees who are involved in both the late and early shifts. Their involvement in the research process is based on the fact that they are involved in the activity or area where a problem has been identified in GMC. The equal representation of the employees in the research’s sample size is meant to ensure uniformity in the findings and the recommendations channeled or communicated to the company’s management (Anderson, 2013). Sampling Method The sampling will be conducted through observation and a survey actualized through the administration of a 5-question questionnaire. One research officer will be expected to carefully observe the activities of workers who are part of the early shift while another one will observe the same number of employees in the late night shift. The observation process will be conducted randomly over a 2-week period, with emphasis on the motivation levels of the employees, their input and subsequent output. To supplement the observation process, questionnaires will then be given to employees involved in the analysis process. The questionnaire will contain 5 questions which are listed below: 1. Age: 20-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 >55 2. Sex: F M 3. How many years have you worked nights? 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 >20 4. Do you feel management is available to assist with your needs? Yes No 5. Are all the tools and supplies necessary for your jobs accessible? Yes No The two sampling techniques will be pivotal in establishing the problems, which are leading or contributing to the company’s low levels of productivity. Random Sampling Technique used and Justification The research will use the simple random sampling technique to obtain people who are supposed to be involved in the study. The rationale behind using the random sampling method is the fact that it gives all the members of the population an equal opportunity to be involved in the research process. The use of this random sampling technique leads to the elimination of bias in the research process thus enhancing the credibility and integrity of the study’s findings and subsequent recommendations (Oliver, 2010). Protection of Human Subjects The 384 employees involved in the research or study process will be protected by ensuring the anonymity of their responses, comments, and conduct on the company’s premises. Where necessary, alphabetical numbers will be assigned to the various subjects involved in the research process. This will prevent any cases of victimization or witch-hunt, which may result from the remarks communicated by the employees. Data Collection As mentioned earlier, the data will be collected through the observation and survey methods. The survey will be conducted using a 5-question questionnaire as shown above. Data or information collected from the analysis process will be recorded into the soft copy format and then stored in the researchers’ Drop Box account. This is an online information storage service, which is preferred for its top-notch security measures (May, 2011). The secure storage of the data will make certain that it cannot be tampered with to influence the recommendations that are meant to be obtained from the findings. According to Anderson (2013), password protection where cloud or online storage is involved is integral, Drop Box provides this option to all its users. Only authorized individuals will be allowed or able to access the data stored in this online service. Challenges Faced It was difficult and time consuming to reach all the selected employees as some ware available only during night shift. The researchers had to work at night. Descriptive Statistics Interpretation Employees Early and Late Shift 384 employees from the early and late shift were randomly selected. The sample size was 192 employees being selected from each shift. Random sampling was conducted to afford all of the 384 employees an opportunity of being selected and to eliminate bias. Their ages ranged between 20 and 55 years, with variations of plus or minus 19 years. One half or more of the employees were 37.5 years of age or older. The middle half of those selected fell between 28 and 47 years. The most frequent age was 37 years. Their ages were considered to help gage motivation, maturity, and productivity of the employees on both shifts. Interpretation of the results Employees with the least experience (0-5 years) work night shift with those with much experience work (over 20 years) day shift. From the results it’s clear that experience is not affecting productivity. Notably, employees with working experience of 11-15 years’ work day shift. This implies that most night shift workers are youth while those for day shift are aged. This is supported by the number of years night shift employees have spent in the company (Less than 5). Results and Findings Age Almost seventy-eight percent of the workers were between the ages of 26-45. 15.8% were between 20-25, 36.4% were from 26-35, 31.2% were from 36-45, 14% were from 46-55 and only 2.6% were over 55 years of age. Sex Just over twenty-five percent (25.2%) of workers sampled were women and the remaining 74.8% were men. We did not tie worker gender to which shift the worker was employed. Years of Experience The majority of workers selected had either less than 5 years of experience (36.4%) or between 11-15 years of experience (28.6%). Of the 140 workers with less than 5 years of experience, 30% worked day shift and 70% worked night shift. Of the 110 with 11-15 years of experience, 70% worked day shift and 30% worked night shift. See Appendix B for further details. Management Availability and Resources Almost ninety percent (89.9) of workers sampled felt that management was available to assist with any problems and 80% felt they had the required tools to perform their job successfully. Conclusion Team B’s research was not able to show a specific correlation to productivity based on age. There is however, a difference in productivity between the two shifts. Our research appears to show that the day shift, with a larger percentage (65.1%) is more productive and that the decrease in production at night could be related to less experience. Recommendations The management should mix the young employees with the aging ones in both the day and night shift. This does not necessarily need to be a permanent change in shifts but by moving some of the more experienced workers around they can aid in the mentorship of the lesser experienced workers. Doing this can speed the development of those with less experience in order to strengthen the respective shift if management decides alter the shifting in the future when significant ground has been made with evening out the productivity of both shifts. Area for further study Further study should be done to tie and evaluate the impact of age on productivity. Management could also look at better working conditions as an indicator of productivity. Lastly, look age and experience of the employees across the two shifts and how to better mix the levels of both. References Anderson, N. G. (2013). Practical Process Research & Development (Revised ed.). San Diego: Academic Press. Basu, C. (n.d.). Examples of independent variables in business. . Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://www.scribd.com/doc/141597585/Scienc Boudreau, N. S., & McClave, J. T. (2011). Student’s Solutions Manual, Statistics for Business, 11th edition, Boston, MA: Prentice Hall. Davis, W., & Aguirre, A. (2009). Shift Scheduling and Employee Involvement: The Key to Successful Schedules. Retrieved August 7, 2014. Lankford, W. M. (1998, June 21). Changing Schedules: A Case for Alternative Schedules of Work. Career Development international, 3.4, 161-163. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from Miller Library. May, T. (2011). Social Research Issues, Methods and Process (4th ed.). Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: McGraw Hill, Open University Press. Oliver, P. (2010). Understanding the Research Process. Los Angeles: SAGE. Staines, G. L., & Pleck, J. H. (1984). Nonstandard Work Schedules and Family Life. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69(3), 515-523. doi:10.1037/0021-9010.69.3.515. Takahashi, M. (2012, March 13). Prioritizing Sleep for Healthy Work Schedules. Physiological Anthropology. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from Miller Library. Taylor, E. (n.d.). Dependent and independent variables Retrieved August 1, 2014, from http://de.cyclopaedia.net/wiki/Dependent_and_independent_variables. Hanna, A.S., Chang, C., Sullivan, K.T. and Lackney, J. A. (2008, March). Impact of Shift Work on Labor Productivity Contractor. Journal of Construction Management, 134(3), 197-204. Norsworthy, J. and Zabala, C. (1985). Worker Attitudes, Worker Behavior, and Productivity in The U.S. Automobile Industry, 1959-1976. Industrial & La bor Relations Review, 38(4), 544-557. Robert Schoenenberger, 2011, General Motors Sets Overtime Shift for Lordstown to Meet Growing Chevrolet Cruze demand. Retrieved from http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/08/general_motors_sets_overtime_s.html GM News. 2012, GM to Add Third Shift, 800 Jobs at Arlington Assembly, http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2012/Jun/0622_arlington.html