Bicycle Business Trends, threats and opportunities

Bicycle Business Trends, threats and opportunities Trends Fashion, health consciousness and active lifestyle trends Statistics have indicated that bicycling is a healthy lifestyle with regard to not only cardiovascular exercise, but also a great mode of stress and tension relief. Many Americans have realized the benefits associated with bicycle industry (National Bicycle Dealers Association 2009 Para.4). It is also a fashion trend that fit and slim people are regarded to as fashion conscious.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Bicycle Business: Trends, threats and opportunities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Many people regardless of age or gender therefore see bicycling as a convenient way of achieving fashion statements with regard to their perceived fitness and body size. Subsequently, the bicycle industry has grown as more and more people take this option either as a means of transportation or, for recreation. The retail shop is evidently going to have high sal es due to these social trends which do not show signs of diminishing in the next three to five years. Student market The fact that this retail shop is located near a university is very convenient, as many students prefer to use bicycles for their transport given that most of them cannot afford cars. Additionally, it is regarded as fashionable to own certain makes of bikes, which is a very effective factor that might see this retail shop make large profits in the course of the next five years. Opportunities High fuel prices Political instability in the Middle East is a vital factor that highly affects the cost of fuel world wide. With the high cost being felt by the consumer in the recent times, consumers have found cycling not only a faster means, but also a cost saving mode of transport (Williamson Zeng 69). The bicycle industry therefore must see the opportunity in the high fuel costs which has turned about 5.2 % of the total population to cyclists. It is therefore important that the market finds convenient strategies to win more consumers as they also work effortlessly to satisfy consumer needs. Bicycle variety Additionally, the business must endeavor to stock a wide variety of bikes to cater for varied consumer needs. These include comfort, mountain, hybrid, beach cruiser, downhill, commuter and also children bicycles in order to capture the whole market. If every customer’s needs are met, then the profits will inevitably be enormous. The business can engage in offering free repair services for a specified period of time after purchase. This shall keep customers as they build business trust. The retail shop must therefore have unlimited selection of bicycles as they offer after service to customers. It is also important to note that the retail shop must stock varied brands to suit customer needs.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Clothing Among its competitors, there is no single one that offers riding clothing. Mostly, customers are referred to other shops. The retail shop therefore can take up the task of in additional to retail sale and service as their ways of generating revenue, selling gloves, shoes and riding wear to enhance service delivery. Events organizers The fact that this retail shop is the only shop that organizers riding events gives it an upper hand over other competitors. However, there is great opportunity in organizing events that cater not only for students, but those that are gender and age conscious. This will give consumers an opportunity to view the stock in the retail shop. It is also at such events that raffles can be organizers where winner are awarded with prizes such as new bicycles, free service to their current bicycles for a specified period of time or free riding gear. The organization of riding events is an opportunity that is bound to raise the profit margins. Thr eats Economy fluctuations – discretionary spending Being a small retail shop, the business will inevitably be affected by fluctuations of the economy as times become harder and harder for the consumer. Today, the unemployment rate stands at 9.1% which translates to fewer and fewer customers as a result of discretionary spending. Lowering costs of bicycles on the other hand is not a valid business decision considering the fact that this is a retail shop which makes only significant profit margins. Seasonality The market is sometimes unpredictable and has seasons. If a new make of car is produced in the market, then there are chances of shift of interest. This is bound to after the bicycle retail shop as sales will definitely go down (Bicycle Retailer Para.1). Challenges associated with seasonality go beyond profits as the retailer has to cater for other business expenditures from other sources. Competition The retail shop is at a threat facing competition pressure with r egard to price sets as other wholesale merchants are in a position to cut profits and offer large discount considerably. At this point, the retail shop is not in a position to face such competition as it deals in limited stock and very minimal capital is there for expansion. Even though other competitors are retailers, the retail shop is bound to suffer together with them, when the large merchants offer appealing discounts. Bicycle Retailer. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. 2011. 14 September 2011. www.bicycleretailer.comAdvertising We will write a custom report sample on Bicycle Business: Trends, threats and opportunities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More National Bicycle Dealers Association. Industry Overview. 2011. 14 September 2011. www.nbda.com Williamson, Peter Zeng, Ming. Value-for-money Strategies for Recessionary Times, 2009 Harvard Business Review, 69

American Lion (Panthera Leo Atrox) Facts and Figures

American Lion (Panthera Leo Atrox) Facts and Figures Name: American Lion; also known as Panthera leo atrox Habitat: Plains of North America Historical Period: Pleistocene-Modern (two million-10,000 years ago) Size and Weight: Up to 13 feet long and 1,000 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; lithe build; thick coat of fur About the American Lion (Panthera leo atrox) Contrary to popular belief, the saber-toothed tiger  (more accurately referred to by its genus name, Smilodon) wasnt the only feline apex predator of Pleistocene North America: there was also the American Lion, Panthera leo atrox. If this plus-sized cat was, in fact, a true lion- some paleontologists speculate that it may have been a species of jaguar or tiger- it was the largest of its kind that ever lived, outweighing its contemporary African relatives by hundreds of pounds. Even still, the American lion was no match for Smilodon, a more heavily built predator (only distantly related to the Panthera genus) that employed an entirely different hunting style. On the other hand, the American lion may have been smarter than Smilodon; before the advent of human civilization, thousands of saber-toothed tigers became mired in the La Brea Tar Pits in search of prey, but only a few dozen individuals of Panthera leo atrox met such a fate. Intelligence would have been a valuable trait in the competitive landscape of Pleistocene North America, where the American lion had to out-hunt not only Smilodon but also the dire wolf (Canis dirus) and the giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus), among other megafauna mammals. Unfortunately, by the end of the last Ice Age, all of these vicious carnivores occupied the same dismal playing field, hunted to extinction by early humans at the same time as climate change and a reduction in their usual prey thinned out their populations. How was the American lion related to another famous big cat of Pleistocene North America, the cave lion? According to a recent analysis of mitochondrial DNA (which is passed on only by females, thus allowing for detailed genealogical studies), the American lion diverged from an isolated family of cave lions, cut off from the rest of the population by glacial activity, about 340,000 years ago. From that point on, the American lion and the cave lion coexisted in different North American territories, pursuing different hunting strategies.

Punjabi Music Bhangra Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Punjabi Music Bhangra - Essay Example Bhangra music is a genre that was developed in the 1980s in England. It entails both folk and classical music from various western regions as well as the Punjab region of India. Some people refer to Bhangra as a kind of dance since it was earlier used as a celebratory folk dance that meant spring or Vaisakhi was nearby (David, 2011). Concerning India’s partition, members from the different partitions started to interact and mix their varied form of Bhangra. This mixture resulted in a hybrid form of Bhangra that in cooperated many different styles. Some people also referred Bhangra as a folk dance.It is dated to begin as folk dance in 11th century by Punjabi farmers celebrating forthcoming of their seasonal harvests. The various moves used in Bhangra of this form depicted how the farmers farmed their land (David, 2011). It is then that this hybrid dance emerged to become Bhangra. Later, the folk dance was popularized in the West by Punjabi musicians. Today, Bhangra dance exists in many different forms and styles including in film sound tracks, pop music, cultural shows and collegiate competitions (Clint & Jasject, 2009). Bhangra music In late 1960s and early 1970, Bhangra music was popularized greatly in the United Kingdom by many Punjabi bands. Example of music bands existing in those times were The Jambo boys, The Black mist and the Saathies. It was their success that created a fan base and inspired more new artists. (David, 2011). These bands used to get a lot of support from both Indian Punjab and the Pakistani. This led to the creation of an alternative to Hindi film music and Ounjabi folk singers Punjabi. Some artists that are still alive today include Alaap band, Apna Sangeet, Heera Group, Chiraq Pehchan and the new pardesi music machine. After 1994, some bands dissolved due to the introduction of electronic Dj loop sampling and dhol drum (Clint & Jaskect, 2009). In the 1980s (Big Bhangra) Punjabi Immigrants invented Bhangra music in the 1980s afte r taking the folk sound from their home country and started experimenting on it by altering it by using instruments from other countries. The Bhangra music quickly gained popularity in Britain and by so, replacing the Punjabi folk singers (David, 2011). This was made possible by the music in cooperating aspects of rock sounds in their music. Since rock music was popular at that time in Britain, that incorporation really assisted it to get more fans. Bhangra music by in cooperating rock sounds signaled the development of a distinctively rebellious and self conscious Asian Youth culture .That time, young Asians in Britain associated themselves more with Bhangra music as it depicted the need to want to become free from expressing themselves (David, 2011). At that time, there was wide silent rebellion by the Asians in British and they expressed it through gestures, language, bodily signification, and many ways. Such times, there was racism and the Asian people never wanted to be discrim inated nor alienated, and so Punjabi music, gave them a sense of pride and identity in such hard times. In the 1980s, some Bhangra artists sold many record labels even some made their way to the Top 40 UK chart. These times, the melody was played out using a harmonium or a guitar and the composer received as much attention from the fans like the (David, 2011). It was during this time that the very first Bhangra boy band, Sahotas, composed of 5 brothers from the UK emerged. It was evident that their music was a mixture of Bhangra, dance and rock. The Golden Star UK was one of the biggest Bhangra stars of that era. Its lead singer, Malkit was mentored by Proffessor Inderjit Singh and improved his skills in Bhangra dancing and Punjabi folk singing while in College. In 1983, from his hit song,† Gurh Naloo ishq Mitha†, he won a gold medal and later in cooperated it in his album, Nach Gidhe Wich that was released in 1984.This album was a strong hit among South Asians (David, 2 011). Another group, Alaap, led by Channi Singh,

South Africa Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

South Africa - Assignment Example We would wish the learned people to make the largest group of our tourists as they will be able to understand things easier. During the winter season, we will expect more visitors and the lodging will be paid on daily bases where the size of room taken will determine the cost. Advertising will be the common method of promotion where the internet, television, and radios will be highly used. Guests are going to spend time in our community and experience the beautiful coastal environments as well as experiencing the traditional culture. They will have a bush walk, have a look at the traditional foods and visit a midden. In addition, they will be able to have a look at the art and craft shop, museum and gallery. A sorry ceremony will also be going on and if interested they can attend. Because we will be aiming at a wide coverage, there will be wide use of travel agents. For marketing assistance, we will depend on the industry marketing corporation where we will be granted the opportunity to use the tourist planning website. On day two the visit to Cape Town city was will be conducted by the white shark eco-tourism. On day three the visit to the cultural house will be conducted by the great white shark eco-tourism. On day 4 visits to the wine lands will be guided by Afri Visita tours Stellenbosch South Africa. On day 5 the visit to Lake Sibaya and Wet Land Park would be conducted by two staff of the wet land park. On day 6 the visit to the rural areas will be conducted by Thonga beach lodge.

Investments Essay -- Investing Finances Stock Markets Essays

Investments Nearly three quarters of all U.S. households invest in the stock market. And half of all U.S. households invest in mutual funds—the nation’s fastest growing type of investment. Some investors are saving for a comfortable retirement, other’s for a child’s education. Whatever their goals, shareholders benefit from broad diversification, professional investment management, and ready access to their money. If one decided investing was a sound way to secure their financial future, their next step is to build a balanced portfolio by selecting an investment company and/or suitable investment types. While it may seem daunting—and even overwhelming—there is always someone who stands ready to help an investor. EXPERIENCE Investment Principles In my experiences in dealing with many investment companies, I’ve seen and done many tasks in helping novice and advanced investors chart a course to their financial well being. I have over two years of investment experience with the second largest investment management company in the industry, The Vanguard Group. The company I work for is an old, conservative company with many long-standing values. For example, client-focused values, competitive investment offerings, low costs, diverse fund offerings, and responsive client service. The company was founded on those reasons and continues to prove their great reputation and established lower cost concepts. However, with the changing of the times, so should the company, but in Vanguard’s case its not happening for the benefit of our clients. Vanguard uses a canned financial plan for people we consider conservative, moderate, or aggressive investors. This works in some cases but the problem that I have is every person’s situation is different than the client before. I feel each client should have individual planning based on his or her specific situation. This is a very hard task for a company that has only three offices in the U.S (Valley Forge, PA, Charlotte, NC and Scottsdale, AZ). This benefits the clients because it does lower our costs dramatically, however, it makes things difficult for us to properly plan one’s retirement to the fullest investment potential possible, in other words, making their investments suitable for each client. Practices and Products with Emphasis on Problems of the Small Investor That brings up another problem I’ve had... ...on many exchanges around the world and are continuously traded throughout the day. Thirdly, investors can choose to invest in individual bonds or bond funds. Bonds invest in long-term debt, and they typically earn the largest part of their total returns from interest payments—but they can also generate capital gains or losses. And lastly, investor can invest in mutual funds. Mutual funds are many different companies common stock lumped and managed together making one fund investment. Mutual funds have been around for 70 years and have only grown in popularity in recent years. One can invest in many different types of mutual funds, for example, stock funds, bond funds, and balanced funds. With all that to swallow, one should entrust their money to a company that offers competitive investment performance, has a well-earned reputation for integrity and honestly, and provides investors with responsive and courteous service. If an investor isn’t comfortable managing their own money, they should then consider a professional advisor, because one’s money can’t make money if it’s not invested. Bibliography Morningstar. Real Expectations For Market Returns. 2000. www.morningstar.com.

Developing, Using Organising Resources Within the lifelong Learning Sector Essay

1. Understand the purpose and use of resources 1.1 Explain the purpose of resources in teaching and learning Different types of resources are used in lifelong learning process so that the knowledge of the learners can be practiced and their learning can be progressed. The learners’ level of understanding and the areas they find difficult can be assessed and identified by providing them with the resources. Moreover, the learners with learning difficulties can be provided with differentiated tasks and additional support by providing resources. The additional explanations that are not explained by me during the class can be provided to students in detail by giving them resources. Also, a vital role is played by the resources in avoiding bias and in increasing focus in the process of learning. The main advantage of utilizing resources in the learning process is that it will make the learners actively engaged in the learning activity as the tasks provided by the resources are planned interactively. Utilising the resources in the process of learning enables learners to develop their learni ng skills and achievements. Expertise knowledge of the tutors can also be developed as preparing materials for resources provide them training as well as the understanding of effective resource materials that can be used in teaching activity. 1.2 Review the effectiveness of specific resources in meeting individual learning needs in learning and teaching contexts Strengths and individual needs of all learners have to be identified by tutors as a part of their  responsibility and the needs of the learners have to be satisfied accordingly. Learners have to be motivated and encouraged by me so that they can reach their maximum potential in their learning activity and feel inclusive in the learning environment. The weaknesses of each learner have to be identified and I have to help them strengthen their weaknesses by working together with them and support them in their learning progression. Varieties of resources are used in my learning environment in order to make sure that the needs of the learners are met and satisfied. Resources such as interactive whiteboards, PowerPoint presentations, worksheets, textbooks and hand-outs are used in my learning environment so that each learner can get the benefits out of those resources. Using interactive whiteboards and its different features make my learners stay focused and engaged in their learning activity. It draws the attention of all the learners. Certain topics can be understood by reading various textbooks that are provided to my learners. The PowerPoint presentations again draw the attention of my learners and help them understand what they are going to learn in the class every day. The worksheets given to students are a way of assessing whether learners understood the topics and the teaching methods used by me are effective. The learners and peers are always encouraged to provide feedback on my teaching methods and resources so that the effectiveness of my methods and resources can be analysed and developed. Feedback forms are often provided to my learners so that they can express how useful did they find my teaching methods and resources provided. Regularly scheduled standardised meeting are attended in order to cope up with the standards as feedbacks will be provided in these meeting on the effectiveness of the resources I use by internal verifiers and my peers. External sources such as external examiners and verifiers also who come to assess the works of my learners also provide me with their feedbacks and comments which help me to improve my skills. 2. Be able to develop and use inclusive resources 2.1 Review sources which inform resource development A teacher has to also play the role of a resource developer. A resource developer can be referred to a person who is in charge of preparing and developing resources that can satisfy the needs of learners and help them achieve their full potential in their learning activity. The duties and roles that have to be carried out by a resource developer are explained by the figure above. Individual needs of every student have to be identified and plans have to be developed in order to satisfy the learning needs of all learners. The next step is to design the resources according to the individual needs that are identified and deliver those resources to the learners. Once the task in completed by the learners the resource developer then can assess their performance which will automatically enable the resource developed to identify the effectiveness of his resources. According to the information given by Turkish online journal of education technology (2009), two student groups are surveyed where one group of students provided with the lower level of teaching resources while second group of students are provided with the higher level of teaching resources. The surveys identified that the students who are provided with higher level of teaching resources have got muc h more positive outcome comparing to the other group of students. ‘We have found that when technologies are thoughtfully integrated with a sound pedagogical vision, students’ views of teaching and approaches to learning can be positively affected.’ The LeTUS report series (2003) also shows how important it is for the teachers to understand their educational capacities and utilise and organise educational resources in their teaching environment in order to develop an organised teaching environment. It recommends that the teachers should develop and plan resources that help learners to improve their knowledge and skills in various methods rather than developing a ‘one size fits all’ types of resources. Developing resources in such a way helps the teachers to enhance their utility and professional development which will then help them to create a deeper connection with their learners to make them feel inclusive in their learning environment. The advantages of providing personalised resources either via technology or textbooks are shown and proved by many research studies and articles where all of them stress the importance of providing learners with personalised resource documents in order to help them reach their maximum potential. Downloadable resources such as PowerPoint slides, eBooks, worksheets, Podcasts and word documents that can bring many benefits in the learning environment. All these resources have their own advantages and disadvantages. Online downloadable E-journals and article are available instantly and available for free most of the times. Knowledgeable and portable information are provided by the online journals and articles. However, the information provided in these resources will not be reliable if they are not updated regularly. Another resource that can be easily used and accessed is PowerPoint which is portable as well. But, as the information given are in a point based format and brief some students might find it difficult to understand. Especially learners with learning difficulties may not find it useful. E-books are another type of resources that are portable and useful as it is has a feature of audio speaker especially when it is accessed through Kindle. However, the limitations of E-books can be its limited battery life and expensive. There is a chance that the learners might get visual issues when it is used for a long period of time. Worksheets can be downloaded online so that the time spend in preparing new worksheets can be saved and it can be easily adapted. But by easily downloading worksheets online can make the tutors very lazy and the tutors will be demotivated. The worksheets available online might not suite the requirements of learners with learning difficulties. Another problem with downloading worksheets online, it can be time consuming if the tutor has got no proper searching skills in the internet. 2.2 Explain ways in which resources can be adapted to enable an inclusive approach It is important for me as a tutor to analyse and understand the strengths and weaknesses of  each learner and identify their learning needs in order to work together with them and help them overcome their learning difficulties and weaknesses. Learners have to be constantly motivated and encouraged by me in order to make them inclusive in the learning environment and enable them reach their full potential. There were many situations where the learning resources had to be adapted according to the learning needs and requirements of each learner in my class. The resources had to be adapted and differentiated for the learners with hearing impairments, visual impairments and dyslexic students according to their personal needs. The size of the fonts has to be changed to a bigger size, the colour of font can be changed to black and relevant pictures can be used in order to meet the needs of visually impaired students so they can easily follow the slideshows. In order to make my hearing impaired students inclusive in the learning environment the Podcasts can be downloaded for them so they will be able to understand the learning outcomes and lesson plans. Local care coordinators or specially trained and qualified staffs will be carried out some assessments according to the personal circumstances of these kind of students with hearing and visual difficulties (NHS and Community Care Act 1990). Learners with weak written skills will be provided with the voice recorder so their answers can be recorded verbally. A mentor can also be arranged for them to write their work. Specially trained and qualified staff members can also be arranged in order to help them with their learning activities. Another challenge that can be faced in my teaching environment is dyslexic students. First the level of their dyslexic has to be identified and then referred to qualified specialists in order to guide them properly. The resources and their contexts also have to be personalised and modified in order to suite their learning requirements. The resources have to be simple and easy so that they will be able to understand and achieve their learning achievements. 2.3 Design resources, including resources which involve new and emerging technologies, to engage and meet the individual needs of learners in own specialist area Please refer to attached Worksheet and PowerPoint Slides. 2.4 Justify the effectiveness of own design and use of resources to engage and meet the individual needs of learners in own specialist area In order to satisfy the learning needs of my visually impaired, auditoria and kinaesthetic learners, the personalised resources are prepared and designed. Slides are prepared and provided to my learners so that they will be able to effectively follow the lesson and attain their learning targets by the end of the session. Learners who have hearing difficulties and visual impairments can be benefited by the PowerPoint presentations I provide. Lessons can be delivered to the visually impaired learners effectively by the clear and big fronts used in the slides so a clear perspective of lessons can be provided to them. Objectives of the learning sessions can be elaborated and explained effectively by presenting them in PowerPoint slides which will be beneficial to the hearing impaired and audio learners as well. In order to encourage team working skills I provide my learners with pair and group activities which will encourage them to share their knowledge and skills with each other. Group activities also motivate and encourage learners to progress in their learning targets. Personalised and different worksheets are provided to my learners with different learning needs so that I can examine their knowledge and test the effectiveness of my teaching methods. I always keep my students occupied by providing them various activities and tasks. Knowledge and level of understanding of students can be tested and examined by the adapted worksheets provided at the class which will also help them apply what they have learned. 2.5 Employ resources to engage and meet the individual needs of learners in own specialist area Please see set (SOW, Lesson plan, Self-evaluation & assessment observation) and session feedback form 3 Understand how to organise and enable access to resources 3.1 Explain ways in which resources can be classified and stored Learning resources are available in many forms in different sources and formats. There are various ways such as scanning and photocopying available  to reproduce learning resources. According to the different learning requirements of each learner resources will be amended. After amending the resources, tutors can reproduce and save those in the format of PDF or save the audio files in the format of mp3. In order to store these resources carefully a hard drive with a proper password can be used so others will not be able to access it. Ownerships of resources can be owned, reproduced and stored by an individual in different ways which is mentioned clearly in the Copyright Law 1976. Data are stored in variety of formats by different programs. Certain formats of files can only be supported by only certain programs and applications. Usually formats of file can be appeared in 3 letter format such as jpg, pdf, psd, tif, gif, ppt and doc which illustrates the different formats of files. Fi les can be stored in Adobe illustrator in different formats as follows: .ai — Adobe Illustrator, its â€Å"native† format .ait — Adobe Illustrator Template .pdf — Adobe Portable Document Format Although there are variety of file formats available to store resources, PDF can be considered as the most suitable and appropriate file format. PDF refers to Portabe Document Format which can also be called as ‘Paperless Office’. Documents can be developed and transferred without printing each files. In order to create PDF file Adobe Acrobat Reader have to be downloaded which is available for free download in the internet. Both bitmap and vector graphics formats can be represented by PDF file. Any applications can be converted into PDF formats, but unless other users have Adobe Acrobat it is impossible to edit the file. Additional it provides the option to merge files with other formats of applications and it can easily be transferred to the printing machine. Another format that is commonly used is Vector-Graphics. Files can be easily created, saved, transferred, printed and archived in the native format of the illustrator which is .ai. It has to be converted into the f ormat of EPS or TIFF file in order to transfer it to a PostScript Printer or to be able to use in a page layout program. The format that is most appropriate to save images is JPEG which has got best compression ability. Blackboard and Moodle are well-known resources that are widely used in learning environments to redevelop access and upload learning materials. Moodle platforms have got many educational aspects which stress the importance of interactive learning and inclusive learning environment. It is a useful platform for learners to access learning materials that can help in achieving their learning goals. Friendly and supportive user groups are available in the Moodle platform which can help learners to get support in their learning activities lively. Moodle platform is available to view in three different ways which are weekly view, topic view and social view. Combinations of various file formats and scheduling is available in Moodle. Different features such as chat, assignment, dialogue, choice, journals, glossary, forums, workshop, wiki and lesson are available on Moodle for the access of learners. However, it has got some disadvantages as well. The privacy of these platforms is questionable and these are very transparent. Initiative is required in terms of gathering support and it is timely. 3.2 Identify ways of sharing resources with other learning professionals Teaching resources can be considered as crucial tool in the process in teaching and learning. Formation of resources can consume more time and money when trying to connect them and present them with the use of technology. But it is not possible to carry out a teaching process without the use of teaching resources and materials. The learning needs and requirements of all learners are observed and the resources will be prepared and utilised to the maximum in order to achieve the learning targets. In order to reduce the financial burden, the financial costs of all resources can be shared among various teaching institutions. It is very common to share teaching resources between educational organisations, teaching organisations, subject fields, publishers and libraries as it provides benefits to learners and tutors. Mostly teaching resources are shared between various institutions to utilise varieties of resources available. Resources can be shared among professionals using different tech niques such as LAN (Local Area Network), VLE (Virtual Learning Environment), File Sharing and Published Journals. LAN can also be referred as Intranet which is a well-known technique of sharing resources inside the organisations. In  order to share these resources via Intranet, it is not necessary to have internet within the area and it will always have access within the organisation. Computers and systems that are connected in the LAN network will be connected with the same hard drive so that the resources can be accessed easily even without internet. File Sharing is a similar method of sharing resources thus the teachers within the institution can get access to all learning resources regardless whether it is created online or not. As different varieties of resources are available in File Sharing and LAN everyone in the organisations can be benefited by using these platforms. The individuals with learning difficulties will find it very useful as varieties of personalised resources by different resource developers and available instantly. Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) also another technique used to share resources online. It is very easy and convenient to share resources using VLE because all the learning materials and resources will be uploaded in the online portal and learners will be given the access to it which enables them to access the resources anywhere and anytime they want. But it is necessary to have an internet connection to get access to VLE. Another effective technique of sharing resources is through Published Journals. Published resources can be found in many copies whether on a newspaper, blog, textbook or magazine. For some published journal resources only a controlled access is allowed by the publishers. Valuable resources are published and shared in a large amount of numbers where the protection of the sources has not been given the importance it requires. However, this can be considered as very a valuable and useful study aid. 4 Understand legal requirements and responsibilities relating to the development and use of resources 4.1 Summarise legal requirements and responsibilities relating to the development and use of resources Development and use of educational resources need to meet several legal requirements and responsibilities. The current copyright law available in UK is Copyright Act 1998 – The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The owners of the materials will be given the rights to decide in which ways their resources can be used and controlled by other users. Areas such as  public performance, broadcast, adapting, photocopying, renting copies to public and issuing are covered by this act. The owner will be given the right to call himself as Author. When a work is created by an individual and it can be considered as original and a degree of skills will be exhibited then the person will get the rights to acquire copyrights to his work. For example, the creator of a book cannot get the rights to protect the book itself, but the content of the book will be protected by the Copyrights. Another individual will be given the rights to get some idea of some particular book to create his own work, but the content of the book cannot be directly copied or adapted. However, if an individual creates a work as a part of his job, then the copyright cannot be acquired by him, thus the company or employer who hired will have the rights to hold the copyrights of that work. An individual still can have the copyrights for his work when it is created under a commissioned or freelance work, if there is no agreement exists between the individual and the company. Regarding any infringement the proceeding can only be brought by the owner of the work or his exclusive license. Intangible assets such as literary can be obtained with certain rights using Intellectual Property Act. The areas such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, some trade secrets and industrial design rights are included in the Intellectual Property Rights which can be used by individuals and companies in order to protect their work. Majority of the countries put this law in commonplace in the late 20th century although the principles of Intellectual Property Act have been in existence over hundreds of years. Rights of processing the data on public will be determined by the Data Protection Act 1998 which is created by the UK Act of Parliament who makes most of the law in the country. Although the term privacy is not mentioned in the Act, it determines the privacy every individual has to be given with respect to processing the personal data. In simple words, an individual can have the rights to decide to which extent his personal data can be used and processed. Thus, individuals and companies have to comply with this law and keep the personal information confidential when required. Disabled people are protected by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 against discrimination against them related to employment, provision and disposal of good and services and management of premises. This act will decide provision about disables people’s employment and it will also help to  form a National Disability Council. All the above regulations have to be followed when creating and publishing the resources for educational purposes. Regardless of the learning difficulties faced by learners, the resources have to be created in a fair manner. 4.2 Review the implications of intellectual property rights and copyright for the development and use of resources It is both teachers’ and learners’ responsibility to enforce Copyrights Act 1998 and Intellectual Property Rights in the learning and teaching environment. The original authors of each resource have to be mentioned and cited in my work when using information from research materials, books, e-books, articles and journals in order to support my thoughts. The source of the information has to be mentioned briefly in my work and my learners’ work so other users will be able to refer that information when needed. The companies and organisations also have to comply with these laws. Some educational institutions will have the copyrights on their materials and work where their employees created the work and they must comply with existing law. If someone else’s work is claimed as an individual’s own work that will be called as Plagiarism and this is totally not accepted. Various books, journals, e-books and articles are used when creating resources for my tea ching. I always make sure that I have mentioned proper in-text and full referencing for the resources I used in my work. I always stress my learners on the importance of mentioning originality of the resource by citing proper referencing. My own work will be indicated with my name and my organisation’s name when needed in order to show that this resource is created by me or on behalf of my company. The original source of the information must be mentioned even though there are some adaptions made in relation to the learning needs of my students. Furthermore, it is not accepted to share the work with others when it is prohibited. When reading through materials and article to use them in my work it is important to make sure that it is acceptable to use them in my work as some books and resources do not give the permission to use them in others’ work. The permission from the owner of the work has to be obtained before using their resources. 5 Understand how to evaluate own practice in relation to  development and use of resources 5.1 Review the effectiveness of own practice in relation to development and use of resources In my teaching and learning environment resources are considered as valuable tool. Learners can be kept engaged in various class tasks and activities and they can have a clear progression in their learning with the use of appropriate resources. The resources such as worksheets, PowerPoint slides and Interactive whiteboards and used in my teaching environment. I use PowerPoint slide to give my students a view of the lesson objectives and what is going to be taught in class. The slides will be in simple and brief format. Font sizes of my slides are usually kept between 14 to 16. My learners and I find this resource very effective as it is pretty straight forward and convenient. It can be considered as an effective technique of guiding the lesson and explaining the lesson objectives. The knowledge and understanding of my learners can be examined and tested using the worksheets provided at the end of the session. The effectiveness of my teaching methods and techniques also can be assesse d using the worksheets and changes can be made to the way I teach if needed. Most of the students complete the worksheets I provide which indicates that they understand what they are being taught in my class and achieve their learning goals. 5.2 Identify own strengths and areas for improvement in relation to development and use of resources 5.3 Plan opportunities to improve own skills in development and use of resources Action Plan: development of resources (5.2 and 5.3) Strengths Areas to improve: Resources Objectives Methods used to improve By when My learners are always kept engaged by giving them varieties of challenging  activities and tasks Worksheets: For the different level of students in my class room two variety of worksheets have to be prepared for both higher ability learners and lower ability learners Develop the ability to create two varieties of worksheets for higher level of ability students and lower level of ability students. More worksheets can be obtained online and permission can be obtained from owners to adapt those materials in my class which will enable me to differentiate tasks depends on the learners’ needs 10st April 2014 At least one learner task will be included in my teaching session using the interactive white board resource Interactive whiteboard: Group activities have to be planned that can be practiced using the interactive whiteboards rather than providing activities based on whiteboards. To provide the opportunity to work with team so they can interact to share ideas for their own presentations and assignments. Online research can be done on effective ways of using interactive whiteboards to engage my learners in the learning activity and training can also be attended. 30th April 2014 My learners will be always guided properly with the learning outcomes, objectives and summary of the lesson PowerPoint: Lesson objectives have to be broken down to the different tasks that are going to be provided in the class Develop the ability to create tasks effectively for both individual and group activities so they will be aware of what they are learning More time can be spent in creating more slides in my PowerPoint presentations to make sure that all the learning outcomes and objectives are explained to my students 30 March 2014 BIBLIOGRAPHY Reece, I. and S. Walker (2007). Teaching , Training and Learning: A practical guide, Business Education Publishers, Limited Gravells A (2012) Preparing to Teach in the Lifelong Learning Sector London Learning Matters Gravells A & Simpson S (2012) Equality and Diversity in the Lifelong Learning Sector London Learning Matters A Contextual Guide to Support Success in LLN Provision: Embedded Learning. DfES (QIA 2008) Websites http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/50/introduction http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ875780.pdf http://www.inquirium.net/people/matt/teaching_as_design-Final.pdf http://laeremiddel.dk/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Quality_principles

Platos Socrates View On Civil Disobedience - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 724 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2019/05/05 Category Society Essay Level High school Topics: Civil Disobedience Essay Did you like this example? The rule of contractual was something Platos believed in and stood by it ever since the education he received along with other advantages that the state offered to its people, Platos was also like forced to agree as well to live per the laws of the state. Platos also believed in accepting and taking the benefits the benefits of the state made him some kind of subject for the state and because of this it became a result in being entitled to oblige to the states rules and to face different types of consequences that made or became an impact on him by the state. This became an explanation on the agreement that Socrates had with his decision to stay in jail and face the consequences like charges and sentences instead of just taking the chance and escape from prison (Voegelin,2000). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Platos Socrates View On Civil Disobedience" essay for you Create order Even though in his Crito, he fails to directly respond to the question of whether to obey the rules or not, his earlier arguments reveal that one as a subject of the state was entitled to obey its rules regardless of the impacts on a more personal level. Agreeing or in this case accepting to die in the hands of the Athenians by Platos Socrates wasnt a move to disapprove his earlier claims of disobedience but rather a move to show a bigger purpose like the corrupt of the Athenian democracy that kill an innocent man in their hands to protect the ignorance manner. In his arguments discussing about philosophizing, Socrates argues that he would go on to philosophize even if the courts had told him not to. This move is portrayed as his way of disagreeing that anyone is not entitled to completely agree with the laws of state. The arguments he showed when in jail prove that Platos Socrates doesnt necessarily believe that one is entitled to break the law. When one of his well known students, Crito visits Platos Socrate in prison, the student were trying to change Platos mind in attempting to escape prison and after go to his hiding spot out in exile (Benardete, 2000). Socrate was being held in prison following the decision passed by the Athenian jury stating that he was guilty of impiety because of this it became a death sentence. Crito claimed that escaping prison was the best way to be able to get out of the his trail and also including the death sentence. Crito does mention that the escape was not easy as well as facing his sentencing would be his way of upholding the injustice ruling system. Also, a big betrayal to his friend even his loved ones who fully believed in him or even the people that followed him. Critos does suggest that even if escaping from prison was something that he didnt stand for it was better than taking a sentence that is unfair. his apology, Socrates discusses the problem of civil disobedience making an argument that in any case where someone is required to take part of a role like authority, the person is forced to take up the role that was given to them. Socrates also discusses that someone should take the position that is required without even thinking about the punishment which in this case, it was either life or death at the time the gods authority is more or even equal superior comparing to authority of someone that is just demanding in their world as the time. Because of disobeying authority it resulted to becoming in disgrace and the greater the authority of those in power, the higher the resultant disgrace. Thus, Socrates provides that disobeying the gods would be more disgrace compared to disobeying the men in authority. As a result, when an individual faces orders from the gods and man that are contradictory in nature, the right move to take is to obey the divine power. Thus, Socrates in his apology argues that his death is divine as was an order by the gods and failure to follow the order would be violation of their injunction. In his response, regarding the plan to escape, Socrates provides that all the claims made by Cri to were okay and true, especially regarding the public opinion of his death. However, Socrates goes forth and argues that public opinion is entirely useless in matters that deal with the soul.