Econ 561 Profit Analysis Question 2 LO3 Essay Example for Free

Econ 561 Profit Analysis Question 2 LO3 Essay 2-8(Key Question) With current technology, suppose a firm is producing 400 loaves of banana bread daily. Also, assume that the least-cost combination of resources in producing those loaves is 5 units of labor, 7 units of land, 2 units of capital, and 1 unit of entrepreneurial ability, selling at prices of $40, $60, $60, and $20, respectively. If the firm can sell these 400 units at $2 per unit, will it continue to produce banana bread? If this firm’s situation is typical for the other makers of banana bread, will resources flow to or away from this bakery good? Total Profits = Total Cost – Total Revenue Total Cost = Presource * Qresource and Total Revenue = Price * Qsold Total Cost = ($40 * 5 units of labor) + ($60 * 7 units of land) + ($60 * 2 units of capital) + ($20 * 1 unit of entrepreneurial ability) = $200 + $420 + $120 + = 0. Total Revenue = $2 * 400 loaves of banana bread = $800. Total Profits = $800 $760 = $40. The firm will continue to produce as it is earning economic profits. If this firm is typical of the banana bread industry, more resources will flow toward banana bread as other potential firms are attracted to the economic profits in the industry. 2-9 (Key Question) Assume that a business firm finds that its profit it greatest when it produces $40 worth of product A. Suppose also that each of the three techniques shown in the table on page 43 will produce the desired output. Resource Units Required Resource Price per unit of resource Technique 1 Technique 2 Technique 3 Labor Land Capital Entrepreneurial ability 4 a.With the resource prices shown, which technique will the firm choose? Why? Will production entail profit or losses? What will be the amount of profit or loss? Will the industry expand or contract? When will that expansion end? b.Assume now that a new technique, technique 4, is developed. It combines 2 units of labor, 2 of land, 6 of capital, and 3 of entrepreneurial ability. In view of the resource prices in the table, will the firm adopt the new technique? Explain your answer. c.Suppose that an increase in labor supply causes the price of labor to fall to $1.50 per unit, all other resource prices being unchanged. Which technique will the producer now choose? Explain. d.â€Å"The market system causes the economy to conserve most in the use of those resources that are particularly scarce in supply. Resources that are scarcest relative to the demand for them have  the highest prices. As a result, producers use these resources as sparingly as is possible.† Evaluate this state ment. Does your answer to part c, above, bear out this contention? Explain. (a)The firm will choose technique 2 because it produces the output at the least cost ($34 compared to $35 for techniques 1 and 3). Economic profit will be $6 (= $40 $34), causing the industry to expand. Expansion in this industry will continue until prices decline to where total revenue equals total cost of $34 and no additional firms will want to enter the industry. (b)The firm will adopt technique 4 because its cost is now lowest at $32. (c)The firm will choose technique 1 because its cost is now lowest at $27.50. (d)The statement is logical. Increasing scarcity of a resource causes its price to rise. Firms ignoring higher resource prices will become high-cost producers. Firms switching to the less expensive inputs become lower-cost producers and earn higher profits than high-cost producers. The market system, therefore, forces producers to conserve on the use of highly scarce resources. Question 9c confi rms this: Technique 1 was adopted because labor had become less expensive. 2‑10(Key Question) Some large hardware stores such as Home Depot boast of carrying as many as 20,000 different products in each store. What motivated the producers of those individuals to make them and offer them for sale? How did producers decide on the best combinations of resources to use? Who made these resources available, and why? Who decides whether these particular hardware products should continue to be produced and offered for sale? The quest for profit led firms to produce these goods. Producers looked for and found the least-cost combination of resources in producing their output. Resource suppliers, seeking income, made these resources available. Consumers, through their dollar votes, ultimately decide on what will continue to be produced.

My Personal Code Of Ethics Philosophy Essay

My Personal Code Of Ethics Philosophy Essay After taking this class I sit here and wonder. Am I the only one who has never realized how much ethics plays such a large part of the world today? I have always known that most businesses that I have worked in have a code of ethics but I did not realize why they have it. Until now after being in this class I have been looking at how ethics not only needs to be a part of a business but how it is such a large part of society in itself. For me I did not know how many different parts of ethics there are but how they play make me look at whats going on in the world today in an ethical way. Society today is full of chaos because it seems those that are younger than me have a whole different outlook on the world or is it that they dont know about how ethics plays a part in their lives. For example: During this quarter when at dinner I would sit with my teenage son and ask what does he knows about ethics and he looked at me like I was crazy. So I said to him do you think that you follow a code of ethics at school and he said yes. What do you think they are I ask? Well we have to follow rules, and have to respect the teachers by listening to them and doing the work they give us. By having this conversation with him at dinner we would talk about how there are ethical meanings that relate to his answers. I proceed to tell him how he basically has a social contract. David Gauthier contract theory is to show self- interested individuals should favor a minimally cooperative moral system (Waller, 2005, p. 68). He still did not understand so I used an example that I think I remem bered from school and that was Audi does not through his book bag at Mr. Lucabaugh and Mr. Lucabaugh listens completely to his response. Then I said basically the code of ethics at your school uses a contract theory because you agree to respect and listen to your teacher and your teacher agrees to respect and listen to you. He finally got it. With what is going on in the world today from the economy, the war, and what is happening in Libya if we as a society did not have any ethical beliefs there would be so much chaos that society would self destruct. A perfect example of this would be Libya and their leader Omar Gaddafi. This is similar to the second reflection paper that I wrote for this class. When I wrote that paper Egypt was in chaos and now it is Libya who is in a war of all against all (Waller, 2005, p. 64). In Libya the people are not only protesting against their leader Moammar Gaddafi and want him to step down. Gaddafi to me is defiantly using Dostoyevskys challenge which is using the utilitarian calculation by getting much pleasure at the cost of his people (Waller, 2005, p. 55). Could it be that Gaddafi needs to have a social contract with himself and that according to Thomas Hobbes our natural tendencies are toward murder and mayhem (Waller, 2005, p. 66) and he is out for himself. Gaddafi is an individual an d universal egoist. On one hand he wants for his country what will benefit him. He has been quoted as saying I will die a martyr (Metro, 2011) and on the other hand he says that he does not need help from any other countries and that they should stay out of Libya and the happenings with his country and people. Many countries have different outlook on this issue and most of it is because of cultural relativism this is how one culture has different value from another. This could be an example of America and Libya. For American culture we value people and the fact that we have free speech and that everyone should be free compared to Libya where the people their do not have the same rights of free speech and really are not free because if they go against their government they could die. Having ethical beliefs or morals in society is a positive thing because it helps control the chaos that would be if there were none. Ethical beliefs should also fall into individuals as well. If the individual person does not have ethics then how would they be able to socialize in an acceptable manner? Everyone has different ethical beliefs whether it is based upon religion or their culture or it could be based upon gender. Many people follow the Ten Commandments and that is their moral and ethical belief system and believes they were created to help control chaos and keep some order of peace in the world or within themselves. As a society we also have the Constitution of America which many people follow that as their code of ethics. And then many people will tell you that ethics and morals are passed down from generation to generation within the family. It does not matter what you believe or were they came from but that we may not be aware of the importance of them and how they rela te to our lives. In the Bible one of the Ten Commandments is You shall not steal now imagine if no one in the world has any morals or ethical beliefs. Everyone would be stealing from one another and no one would have anything that they could call their own. But by people having some type of ethical beliefs a majority of people do not steal because it would be against their code of ethics or moral beliefs. Immanuel Kant basic principle of ethics is Categorical Imperatitive says always act in such a way that you could and will act (Waller, 2005, p. 22) which is basically saying do unto others as you would have them do to you . So if you want to be treated well then you should treat others well. If people did not have this ethical belief to follow then there would be more people in the world that only look out for them and have no consideration for others. This could also be related to virtue ethicist Aristotle who says that virtuous person is not one that does the right act but one who consistently does the right act and for the right reason (Waller, 2005, p. 98). You might ask what does this have to do with individual ethical belief well if you think about it. Because people who do not steal have made it a habit not too and for that they consistently do the right thing. Another example could be as babies most of us were taught not to hit someone because that is not right and it could be against the morals of your family not too. So we eventually grow up that the right reason not to hit someone is because you would not like that to happen to you. When it comes to ethics many people do not relate it to critical thinking. Critical thinking can play a large role when it comes to ethics because when people start having conversations about anything that can be ethical it can turn into a heated argument or if they do not like what they are hearing they will use the red herring fallacy. Red herring fallacy is what they call a common argument trick (Waller, 2005, p. 2). For example: You and I are having a discussion about the war and I do not agree or like what you are saying so I change the conversation by saying I see, did you know that the Red Sox won the game yesterday. If more people take on the charity fallacy which is to be charitable or generous toward the positions and argument we oppose (Waller, 2005, p. 4). The perfect example of would be you are having a conversation about the war and how they agree with it and you listen to them and calmly respond yes but. As people get older and our minds get more developed we realize that men and women are not only physically different but emotionally different as well. Women become more act utilitarian because we want to increase pleasure and decrease suffering for everyone compared to men who become more rule utilitarians look at the act. It is known that women are more emotional and think differently from men. For many women care ethics plays a large role in morals. Care ethics emphasizes on the importance of affection, friendships and relationships (Waller, 2005, p. 119) which is for most women the core of their feelings. A good example of this could be a couple goes out to dinner and while walking to the restaurant the wife wants the husband to hold her hand and the husband does not want too. This is the women wants to feel some type of affection and the guy does not. Another example would be a guy usually does not care if he doesnt talk to some of his friends were it would really bother a women because her friendships are important in her life. I decided to go into this class with an open mind and by doing so I can actually say that I look at ethics in a much different perspective. I dont think I have ever really thought about ethics other than my own beliefs or corporate ethics. I realized how I never really looked at my ethical beliefs and how they may not be the way I think that I live my life. By this I mean the teacher used a scenario about a little girl and someone was going to kill her if I did not lie. For me I do not believe in telling a lie or getting lied to. As the teacher continued with the different scenarios and I kept saying I would not lie, he finally said over the brake really look at yourself and what you say or respond to things even the smallest of things and see if you lie. So I did just that and low and behold he was right. . I am finding that it is hard to live 100 percent ethically on my beliefs. As I was writing this I am trying to think about myself and what how the different parts of ethics fit into my life and can say that I am an act utilitarian because I do go through life wanting to not only have maximize pleasure but the people involved in my life and try to minimize the suffering of people involved in my life which is a hard thing to do. For someone whom I may be in a relationship whether a friend or on a more intimate level I can understand the social contracts that we share that we try to be as honest as possible to each other agree to not to cheat on each other even though tendencies may take us elsewhere. I also believe that we all must do what is in the best interest for each so that could make me follow the universal ethical egoism theory. When I think of virtue ethics, I think about myself and what or how I think of individual character. Many people say that I am kind, caring and very considerate person. That always think about other people and how I can help them. This would be because my moral belief is that I treat others as I like to be treated. So if you want respect then you have to give respect. But I also think about how I feel when I help someone which would be the care ethics part of my beliefs. . I myself know that I am consistently kind to people and care very much for people in my life but also for the elderly, kids and pets and I do this for the right reasons and that would be because it makes me feel good about myself. Without ethics whether personal or for society in a whole the world would not be able to function in order and there would be chaos beyond control. Everyone has ethics whether they are taught them in the home, from the bible or from government itself makes everyone a better person or country. For me taking this class has defiantly made me look at myself and what I honestly think and how I much of an ethical individual person I am. I also know that as we get older me ethical beliefs can change. I have also learned that even though we may not agree with other peoples beliefs we should be open about them and are able to have conversations with bringing anger or disagreements in them. Reference Page Metro. (2011, February 22). Gaddafi: I will die a martyr. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from Metro: http://www.metro.us/newyork/international/article/781278gaddafi-i-will-die-a-martyr Waller, B. N. (2005). Consider Ethics Theory, Readings and Contemporary Issues. New York: Longman.

The Capitalist Future: A Consequence of Calvinist Annunciation :: essays research papers fc

The Capitalist Future: A Consequence of Calvinist Annunciation In his work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Weber predicts that the future will be a world of "mechanized perfection" devoid of "religious and ethical meaning." In this world modern capitalism becomes a self sustaining system no longer needing the Calvinist religious impetus that had inspired the work ethic. Weber argues that the future will be a capitalistic society, where the proletariat and the bourgeoisie alike, will not be driven by religious motivation, but instead by a constant struggle to benefit from the system. He reasons that this future of the capitalist society is a direct consequence of the teachings of Calvinism. The Calvinist work ethic of 'living to work' forms the core of modern capitalism. This ethic originated from the Calvinist doctrine of predestination and the notion of a transcendental God. Predestination decrees that God has already picked out who those "predestined into everlasting life" (100) and those "foreordained to everlasting death" (100). Calvinists also believe that God, a distant "grand conception" (164) who is "beyond all human comprehension," (164) is unreachable. Both these beliefs together eliminated any possibility of appeasing God through service or sacrifice. The answer to the question whether believers were the chosen or the damned could thus neither be influenced nor known. If, however, one turned his work into a 'calling,' restricting any desire to wasteful pleasure, he could experience a feeling of assurance that he is indeed a member of the Elect. Calvinism preached this ascetic ethic of hard work and complete absence of frivolous waste of money and time. As a result, the work ethic of the population shifted from 'working to live' to 'living to work.' Traditional capitalism which relied on the "greedy maximization of profit in a one-shot enterprise," (14) became the rational modern capitalism, a continuous cycle involving the constant "productive investment of capital." (172) The Calvinist teachings demanded honest dealings in business, steady production and sales, and continuous savings and reinvestment which no doubt led to phenomenal business growth and success. Weber illustrates in the following quote: "When the limitation of consumption is combined with the release of acquisitive activity, the inevitable practical result is obvious: accumulation of capital through ascetic compulsion to save." (172) This "diligent and frugal" (175) attitude made people richer and "material goods gained an increasing and finally an inexorable power over the lives of men." (181) The dependence on external goods went from the "light cloak which can be thrown aside at any moment" (181) to a necessity, or as Weber puts it, an "iron cage." (181) The so called acetic lifestyle now led to an increased

The Development of Janes Character from Passionate Child to Independen

The Development of Jane's Character from Passionate Child to Independent Woman Jane's character changes immensely throughout the course of the novel. In Victorian England, there were distinctive boundaries of social classes and I intend to study Jane's social elevation, from a destitute orphan to that of a beloved wife. When Jane was a child her parents died and she was sent to Mr Reed, her late mother's brother. "my own uncle - my mother's brother in his last moments he had required a promise of Mrs Reed that she would rear and maintain me as one of her own" Her uncle died and she was left with Mrs Reed and her three cousins who all despised her. They only looked after her because of the promise to Mr Reed. It was typical in Victorian England for an orphan to stay with relatives because if they didn't they would be sent to the workhouse. They would either be loved or despised - like in Jane's case. Jane was a spirited child who was not afraid to stand up to Mrs Reed or John Reed. She was isolated and explains how unloved and ill treated she was at Gateshead "if anyone asks me how I liked you, and how you treated me, I will tell them the very thought of you makes me sick" Jane is a brave, little girl and tells things as they are. She accepts how badly she was treated and lets Mrs Reed know this just before leaving to go to school at Lowood. When Mr Brocklehurst visited her at Gateshead, she was forceful and told him directly "Psalms are not interesting." This action was not typical of others in Victorian England, as they would not have answered so bluntly. Jane Eyre leaves Gateshead and attends Lowood School, she forms alliances with Helen Burns and Miss Temple, and she becomes a much .. ...character it helps to focus and underline the thoughts and feelings of the writer without feeling embarrassed, instead it allows the writer to get their opinions into society through another means other than themselves. However, I do not believe that the whole novel is feminist because a Victorian woman's aspiration was to marry and in the end this is what Jane ends up doing. The period when Jane is at school is when she learns to control herself and become more "Victorian", but again in contrast to this, it has been suggested that Miss Temple and Jane were more than just friends up until the point when Miss Temple got married. It seems to me that sections of the novel do point to being 'feminist', trying to get men and women on equal terms, whereas some sections are more typical in the way that they represent Jane and a more usual 'Victorian' manner.

Bombs :: essays research papers fc

A bomb is a container filled with an explosive, incendiary matter, or gas that can be dropped, hurled, or set in place to be detonated by an attached exploding device. It may range in design from a homemade device used by terrorists, assassins, or clandestine raiders to a sophisticated weapon of war. The original bomb, an ancestor of the hand-thrown GRENADE, was a simple container filled with black powder (see GUNPOWDER), which was set off by a fuse lit by the thrower. In the 16th century, the Dutch invented a more sophisticated version, the MORTAR bomb, a round iron container filled with black powder that was set off when a fuse was ignited by the detonation of a propelling charge in the base of the mortar tube. By varying the length of the fuse, the bomb's time of detonation could be adjusted; thus, a bomb could burst in air. These bombs were predecessors of the ARTILLERY shell fired from a field gun with rifled bore. In the 20th century the aerial bomb became the most important adaptation of the weapon. Its construction is similar to that of the artillery shell. The conventional aerial bomb consists of an explosive or chemical agent in a container, one or several fuse-and-igniter mechanisms, and external fins for directional stability. Bombs dropped from high-performance aircraft have an advanced aerodynamic shape. The ultimate category of bomb is that utilizing nuclear material as the explosive ingredients--the ATOMIC BOMB, HYDROGEN BOMB, and the NEUTRON BOMB. 20th-Century Military Use The advent of the airplane in warfare led to the development of new types of bombs. The first massive aerial bombing took place in 1915 when German zeppelins carrying more than two tons of bombs began dropping "terror from the skies" on the British Isles. In the early stages of World War I, airplane pilots had their hands full just flying, and bombing was relegated to observers who merely tossed small bombs over the side. Aircraft engineering advanced, however, so that by 1918 multiengine bombers had become a reality and 450-kg (1,000-lb) bombs were in production. The next major step in the development of aerial bombing took place on July 21, 1921. Gen. Billy MITCHELL, a champion of military airpower, was finally allowed to test his theory that aircraft carrying bombs could sink major naval units, a theory that naval officials had considered ridiculous. On that date, in the first of three such demonstrations, the captured German dreadnought Ostfriesland was sunk in minutes by U.S. Army Air Corps bombers dropping 900-kg (2,000-lb) bombs. Warfare had been revolutionized; seapower was in jeopardy. During World War II, aerial bombardment was perfected. Massive raids, first by Germany and then by the Allies, demonstrated the devastating power of the conventional aerial bomb. Bombs :: essays research papers fc A bomb is a container filled with an explosive, incendiary matter, or gas that can be dropped, hurled, or set in place to be detonated by an attached exploding device. It may range in design from a homemade device used by terrorists, assassins, or clandestine raiders to a sophisticated weapon of war. The original bomb, an ancestor of the hand-thrown GRENADE, was a simple container filled with black powder (see GUNPOWDER), which was set off by a fuse lit by the thrower. In the 16th century, the Dutch invented a more sophisticated version, the MORTAR bomb, a round iron container filled with black powder that was set off when a fuse was ignited by the detonation of a propelling charge in the base of the mortar tube. By varying the length of the fuse, the bomb's time of detonation could be adjusted; thus, a bomb could burst in air. These bombs were predecessors of the ARTILLERY shell fired from a field gun with rifled bore. In the 20th century the aerial bomb became the most important adaptation of the weapon. Its construction is similar to that of the artillery shell. The conventional aerial bomb consists of an explosive or chemical agent in a container, one or several fuse-and-igniter mechanisms, and external fins for directional stability. Bombs dropped from high-performance aircraft have an advanced aerodynamic shape. The ultimate category of bomb is that utilizing nuclear material as the explosive ingredients--the ATOMIC BOMB, HYDROGEN BOMB, and the NEUTRON BOMB. 20th-Century Military Use The advent of the airplane in warfare led to the development of new types of bombs. The first massive aerial bombing took place in 1915 when German zeppelins carrying more than two tons of bombs began dropping "terror from the skies" on the British Isles. In the early stages of World War I, airplane pilots had their hands full just flying, and bombing was relegated to observers who merely tossed small bombs over the side. Aircraft engineering advanced, however, so that by 1918 multiengine bombers had become a reality and 450-kg (1,000-lb) bombs were in production. The next major step in the development of aerial bombing took place on July 21, 1921. Gen. Billy MITCHELL, a champion of military airpower, was finally allowed to test his theory that aircraft carrying bombs could sink major naval units, a theory that naval officials had considered ridiculous. On that date, in the first of three such demonstrations, the captured German dreadnought Ostfriesland was sunk in minutes by U.S. Army Air Corps bombers dropping 900-kg (2,000-lb) bombs. Warfare had been revolutionized; seapower was in jeopardy. During World War II, aerial bombardment was perfected. Massive raids, first by Germany and then by the Allies, demonstrated the devastating power of the conventional aerial bomb.

CTLLS Understanding Assessment in Education and Training Essay

Assessment is the act of appraisal, assessing or evaluation of the achievement of a student on a course (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006). Similarly, Gravells (2013) defined assessment as the act of judging something or the process of observing students behavior samples and drawing inferences about the abilities and knowledge of the students. Educational assessment, on the other hand, is the process of documenting beliefs, attitudes, skills and knowledge usually in measurable terms. The educational assessment can focus on the learning community, individual learner, the education system, and the institution. When the teachers are doing assessments, they look at the behavior of the student’s by using variety of types of assessment in order to get the most accurate of the overall progress of the students (SQA, 2014). The purposes of types of assessment used in education and training Individual assessment-this is conducted prior intervention or instruction to establish the basis from which the individual growth of the student can be measured. The purpose of this type of assessment is to know the skill level of the student about a project and in helping the teacher in explaining the material more efficiently (SQA, 2001). Formative assessment- this is carried out throughout the project or course in general. The purpose of formative assessment is to aid learning and provide the teacher with the feedback of the work of the students (SQA, 2014). Summative assessment- this is carried out at the end of the project or course generally and are evaluative in nature. The purpose of summative assessment is to assign a course grade to the students and to summarize everything the students have learnt and in finding out if they understood it well. Diagnostic assessment- the purpose of diagnostic assessment is to improve the experience of the learner and their achievement level (SQA, 2014). Informal assessment- these result from the day-to-day spontaneous observations of the teachers of how the students perform and behave in class. The purpose of informal assessment is for the teacher to learn important insights into the abilities, inabilities and misconceptions of the students that might not be accurately represented through other formal assessments (SQA, 2001). The effectiveness of assessment methods used in education and training in relation to meeting the individual needs of learners Observation- formative peer observation helps in the improvement of teaching (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006). Summative peer observation, on the other hand, involves evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching used for tenure, promotion and merit of decisions. Peer classroom observations are effective because they offer insights regarding improvement of the individual needs of the learners and in improvement of teaching. Moreover, the teachers will gain new perspectives and ideas about teaching through observation from their colleagues. This will improve the ability of teaching (Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols, 2006) questioning- it is one of the assessment methods used by teaches naturally daily in classroom in testing whether the learners have, understood, learnt and progressed ultimately against the defined learning objectives at the start of the session (Gravells, 2013). Tests- these are undertaken while the learning of the students is taking place with the purpose of improving learning and teaching of the individual students. They are effective since it capture the progress of the student in a program or in the institution (SQA, 2001). Professional discussion- it provides a holistic approach when conducting knowledge assessment and understanding. The method is useful and effective in determining the performance of the candidate and also the candidates’ abilities in decision making and analysis. SQA (2001) asserted that professional discussion method is one of the best ways of testing reliability and validity of the candidates evidence Witness testimony- it is one of the most reliable evidence resources if the witness is authentic. It is effective and a useful tool in helping in authentication of the evidence that the claim of the candidates have produced (SQA, 2014). Assignment- this is a problem solving exercise having clear structure, guidelines and specified length. According to Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006), assignment is specifically suited to the learning outcomes assessment concerned with application of the learning skills and the knowledge and understanding related to a situation involving management of tasks. Assignment is effective as an assessment method since its development is relatively straightforward. It can also access a wide range of both practical and cognitive competencies, furthermore, it provides the candidates with a good opportunity of demonstrating initiatives. Lastly, Gravells (2013) stated that it can be used in integrating assessment across units and outcomes. Case study- according to SQA (2014), it consists of an event description normally in a text, electronic recording or a picture that concerns real situation. The case study is then followed multiple instructions prompting the candidate to analyze the situation, identify core issues and make conclusions before making suggestions or decisions on the course of action. Case studies are effective because it provides good opportunities for the learners to exercise skills in decision making and problem solving. Moreover, it allows the learners to demonstrate skills in time management, information gathering and analysis. Projects- this is an essay substantially written, treating issue or subjects in depth in a formal and methodological manner. The project is always based on literature research for the subject or even original research. Project assessment methods are effective in testing the ability of the learners in applying knowledge critically, evaluating evidence from different sources and drawing valid conclusions from the evidence and finally presenting their ideas in a coherent and clear report (SQA, 2001). Moreover, projects are effective since they allow scope for self-expression, and tests skill of higher order. The internal and external assessment requirements and related procedures of learning programs Internal and awarding organization’s requirements The school setting or a learning institution accepts the drive of improving teaching by making sure that the assessment serve the teaching purpose, and that the teaching is not negatively affected by assessments put in place for accountability. According to Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006), successful teaching is grounded on evidence and are produced by learners during the activities of learning and in assessments, that shows whether; a learner has understood and learned and is capable of applying in different situation despite many attempts of learning and teaching, a learner has not yet understood and showed achievement a learner is ready for learning teaching and learning have not yet been successful Record keeping According to Gravells (2013), the assessors need to keep their assessment records they have undertaken on the learners. It is necessary to keep records because it allows tracking of the learners’ progress. Moreover, the external and internal verifiers will use the records in helping them in selecting sample decision of assessments for review. Lastly, the records can also be usd when monitoring the quality assurance activities in the school center. Learner tracking Learners tracking as a related procedure of learning program is significant to the assessor in thinking about the leaner during the assessment. According to SQA (2014), in tracking the learner, the assessor need to reflect on the following questions on the way of involving and tracking the learner in the process of assessment. This encourages a sense of ownership to the process of learning: Does the process of assessment match the knowledge acquisition sequence, and skills development in the training/learning program? Have the assessor avoided excessive assessment by making a consideration on the learners’ workloads in across and within subjects? Have the assessor reduce over assessment by finding opportunities of combining the assessments? Can the assessor identify instances of evidence that are naturally occurring? Is the required time for assessment realistic? Have the assessor considered using the e-assessment? Monitoring progress In the educational system, it is very important to know the extent of the progress towards objectives, aims and levels, and therefore the assessment concentrate often on finding out how much have been learnt by the learners. This is either done formally or informally. According to SQA (2001), in worst cases, this assessment type intensifies focus on the accountability disregarding the teaching quality. Johnson, Mims-Cox, & Doyle-Nichols (2006) indicated that if there is a lot of pressure of achieving targets and to showing progress to the parents, it is likely that the teaching will imitate assessment. Gravells (2013) asserted that this is when the assessment negatively influences teaching. Quality systems They monitor progress of the learners and the assessment and are presented as a tool of improving teaching. This suggests that identifying reasons and remedies is practically the same as identifying gaps. At best, quality systems provide profile that use fine grained on common curriculum, and offer activities for remediation that are online (SQA, 2001). The ways in which minimum core elements can be demonstrated in assessing learners.Minimum core according to SQA (2014) is a way in which the tutor imbedding the functional skills to the learners such as English and mathematics. This can be achieved in different ways such as use of electronic white board activities that promotes ICT skills and English and allow students to a more present approach. Similarly, handouts can be used to ensure the learners have a direction and quantity in learning. The effectiveness of my own assessment practice The most significant factor in meeting the learners’ needs is understanding their individual learning requirements and needs. In my assessment practice, this has been my foundation for achievement especially the classroom environment. Currently in my practice, I have a group of 30 students, and therefore individual assessment of each and every student needs an understanding of each individual need and support for them to achieve the set objectives. My assessment has been effective since I have used multiple assessment methods such as observation and professional discussion hence allowing my students to achieve maximally and holistically. Moreover, my assessment practice has been effective because my rate of course completion is high, student satisfaction is excellent and the direct feedback I get from the industry has been positive. Moreover, I believe my assessment method is excellent because I do keep personal records of my resources and the instructional strategies I applied during my practice that were either useful or not useful. Lastly, I do participate in the informal and formal assessment and moderation in addition to undertaking professional development such as the PD program which I hope will help me in building continuous improvement in my practice. Areas for improvement in your own assessment practice Currently in my practice, there are also some areas that needs improvement. During my practice, I always ensure that I have enough resources in meeting the learners’ needs and for each of the units they learn. The first area that needs improvement is development of new resources and the learning processes since the resources available are limited. The organization where I practice need to put proper measures of ensuring that the resources are available for proper learning and assessment of the learners Secondly, I believe I need to improve on adopting the online and digital method of assessments like the e-assessments. This is because of their reliability compared to other methods. Moreover, e-assessment is easy to use where there are many learners. Moreover, it is easy to make comparison of the assessments results from different learners than using observation method in conducting the assessments. I also think that I should involve my students more in the assessment process than before, and monitor their skill development and progress. This is because the learners are involved in the training because they want to develop knowledge and skills that is needed to compare their training course, get the credentials and then apply their skills in their places of work. Conclusion In conclusion, the essay report discussed the research carried out on assessing learners in education and training. It discussed the purposes of different types of assessment, and analyzed the effectiveness of different assessment methods in relation to meeting the individual needs of the learners. Moreover, I identified the internal and external assessment requirements and related procedures of learning programs. The report also analyzed the ways in which minimum core elements in assessing learners can be demonstrated. Finally, the report reflected on what I have done and presented an evaluation that reviewed the effectiveness of my own assessment practice, taking account of the views of learners and others. Furthermore, it identified areas for improvement in my own assessment practice. References Gravells, A. (2013). The award in education and training. Los Angeles, California: SAGE. Johnson, R. S., Mims-Cox, J. S., & Doyle-Nichols, A. (2006). Developing portfolios in education: A guide to reflection, inquiry, and assessment. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications. Scottish Qualifications Authority. (2001). Guide to internal moderation for SQA centres. Glasgow: Scottish Qualifications Authority. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCIQFjAA&url=http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/ProfessionalDiscussion.pdf&ei=VlqiVKuqGoOAzAOPs4CQCw&usg=AFQjCNEmQ0k81HwhkjtiYiU__r2ft3ZbZA&sig2=UQ4WNDtx642VM1OKCk6wUA&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZGUScottish Qualifications Authority. (2014).Internal Assessment, External Assessment, and Assessment for Learning — a think piece for those involved in developing assessments. (2014, January 1). Retrieved December 30, 2014, from http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjAB&url=http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/25GuideToAssessment.pdf&ei=VlqiVKuqGoOAzAOPs4CQCw&usg=AFQjCNHimFgXezPk-X8HlGSKZW94HkSMiA&sig2=iFz8zIK5iTW2A_b17JdJqQ&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZGU Source document

An Analysis of Developing American Literature Essay

An Analysis of Developing American Literature â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† by Washington Irving and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† by James Fennimore Cooper demonstrate several distinct American characteristics. Irving focuses on New York’s Hudson River while discussing the settings of â€Å"Rip Van Winkle. New York is probably the most identifiable state in the U. S. and is recognized by its Statue of Liberty welcoming foreigners into its prideful country. While Irving discusses nature’s beauty in similar ways in the U. S. by giving a page description on a simple frozen lake in Somerville. In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† the three main American characteristics in these short stories are: power of nature, value of the common man, and growing nationalism. Nature can be a powerful concept. In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† there is a lovely description of the Hudson River which opens the story. â€Å"Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson must remember the Kaatskill mountains. They are dismembered branch of the great Appalachian family, and are seen away to the west of the river swelling up to a noble height and lording it over the surrounding country. In â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† there is a similar description. â€Å"Large flocks of wild geese were seen passing over the country, which hovered, for a time, around the hidden sheet of water, apparently searching for a resting-place; and then, on finding themselves excluded by the chill covering, would soar away to the north, filling the air with discordant screams, as if venting their complaints a the tardy operations of Nature. † Nature is very important to Washington Irving and James Cooper. Along with nature, also present is the value of the common man. Values had certainly changed when Rip awoke from his century nap. In a state of confusion, he yells, â€Å"Alas gentlemen,† cried Rip, somewhat dismayed, â€Å"I am a poor quiet man, a native of the place, and a loyal subject of the King- God bless him! † People around Rip thought what he was acting treasonous. Values of America had changed and now included the concept of voting. Along with American values, came values of nature represented in â€Å"The Slaughter f the Pigeons†. â€Å"It‘s better for you, maybe, Billy Kirby,† replied the indignant old hunter, â€Å"and all them that don’t know how to put a ball down a rifle-barrel, or how to bring it up again with a true aim; but it’s wicked to be shooting into flocks in this wasty manner†¦Ã¢â‚¬  We must not waste what we are given in this world, and we must embrace change as well. As long as that change is bettering us as American citizens as shown in â€Å"Rip Van Winkle†. There is also a sense of growing nationalism embodied in both stories. In Irving’s short story there is a sign hung in honor of General Washington representing the good that he‘s done for the country. â€Å"The red coat was changed for one of blue and buff; a sword was held in the hand instead of a scepter; the head was decorated with a cocked hat, and underneath was printed in large characters. † Nationalism by definition is having pride in one’s country. Whether pride be in local government or in nature itself, in â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons,† Leather-Stocking believes that all life is valuable in this country. â€Å"Put an end, Judge, to your clearings. Ain‘t the woods His work as well as the pigeons? Use, but don‘t waste. Wasn‘t the woods made for the beasts and birds to harbor in? †¦Ã¢â‚¬  In â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† and â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† the three main American characteristics in these short stories are: power of nature, value of the common man, and growing nationalism. They are each represented in distinct ways but clearly show the importance of America and its impact on the Western Civilization that we know today. Whether stressing the importance of government change for the better in â€Å"Rip Van Winkle† or holding true to nature in â€Å"The Slaughter of the Pigeons† we all hold a part in the shaping American society. The real task is holding the past with one hand while reaching for the future with the other and never letting one side pull too hard.