The Use of Portfolios to Measure Classroom Performance as an Alternativ

The Use of Portfolios to Measure Classroom Performance as an Alternative to Mandated Testing â€Å"Teachers teaching to the test† has become an ongoing issue among grade schools around the world. Teachers are changing the curriculum to revolve around standardized testing hoping to ensure good grades on this test. They are obsessed with doing this in order to gain a good reputation for the school and are throwing curriculum out the window. Requiring students to take these mandated tests to evaluate how much knowledge they gain throughout the year is not necessarily accurate. But limiting the students’ absorption of knowledge to strictly the test is not teaching students to think critically. Almost everyone who disagrees with mandated testing have come to a conclusion that the main alternative to this issue is to assess students’ learning growth by the use of portfolios. Observing how students perform in the class room should be measured by critical thinking exercises and portfolios that are a reflection of what they are actually learning. Portfolios are a great collection of what is ...

How Effective Are Celebrity Endorsements

How effective are Celebrity Endorsements Ever since the start of commercial radio in the 20’s and the since the first silver screen entered the market, broadcasting messages by celebrities has been a tool employed to endorse products. †Just about every star was associated with one sponsor’s product he or she plugged. †(1). Over the years celebrity endorsement became an essential part of marketing (more than 25% of television ads feature celebrities)(5), for the endorser it became an easy way of generating an income while for the endorsing company it became a guaranteed way to reach a wide segment of potential clients.With the cost of celebrity endorsement deals reaching astronomical highs, one has to address the effectiveness of such expenditures on a company’s marketing plan and whether the economic result justifies the high cost associated with it. A better understanding to the aspects of celebrity endorsement is imperative in analyzing its worthine ss; it starts with the nature of the endorser and with a main question of â€Å"who is a celebrity endorser? † A celebrity endorser is defined as â€Å"an individual who enjoys public recognition and who uses this recognition on behalf of a consumer good by appearing with it in an advertisement† (2).It is not the just the TV or movie stars, it encompasses people from the world of sports, politics and business among other fields. The role also varies from endorsing a product in an explicit mode as in â€Å"I endorse†, implicit mode as in â€Å"I use†, imperative mode as in â€Å"we should use† ,co-present mode in which a celebrity appears with the product and the cases where the endorser is an expert in the range of the product manufacturing or usage. No matter what role the celebrity takes â€Å"to persuade the target audience and push them towards purchase†(3) is the key factor in the success of the campaign.Various psychological researches produced two main models that endorsers fall into the credibility model (4) and the source attractiveness model (4). The Credibility model ties the success of the endorser by how trustworthy and how much knowledge and expertise he portrays to the viewer while the source attractiveness model relates the success of an endorser by his or her physical appearance behavior and how much can the viewer relate to him or her. Few variations to the two main models exist however one role stays consistent with any model we explore and that is the persuasive role that the celebrity has to play.In addition to the different models a celebrity endorser might fit into a cultural categorization applies when identifying endorsers as well. Observing various different endorsements ads it becomes evident that certain celebrities represents certain classes in society and are meant to target that class. Celebrities targeting upper class audience are different than the ones targeting middle class and lower class, while celebrities targeting one gender or one age group are different than the other. The same differentiation applies to lifestyles, demographics and behaviors if the targeted market.It becomes evident that choosing a successful endorser requires careful attention to be paid to the target audience and to the endorser to ensure compatibility. This compatibility becomes the base of a successful endorsement campaign. Consumers have become aware and accustomed to a marketers approach, they understand the intentions of a marketer and subconsciously raise a wall to block his attempt at reaching them, and it’s a natural defense mechanism that a person uses when feeling pressured to purchase or associates the attempts of a marketer to pervious experiences.And while the average consumer is learning to block marketers, fascination with movie stars and celebrities has always increased and reached all time highs with the introduction of reality TV. Now potential consumers are int erested and have access to every minor detail in a celebrity’s life for the most part, this fascination opens the door to a different relationship that is built between a consumer and a celebrity. A celebrity is no longer just an idol but they become an everyday advisor in the sense of fashion, lifestyle and even relationships.This bond that is created between the viewer and a celebrity helps understand the effectiveness that endorsements have where marketers have failed. The celebrity builds character in the eyes of the public and that character carries on into the product he is endorsing, and even though a part of the persuasion has to exist in the product itself, but a celebrity uses his status and the character he has built to gain credibility and likeability among the target audience.This character the celebrity transfers to the product is known as the â€Å"meaning â€Å"(2). The transfer of the meaning to the product goes through three stages. The first stage is in f inding the celebrity with the desired meaning that they want to carry to the product this requires casting from the wide world of celebrity endorsers. The second stage is choosing which celebrity embodies the meaning the marketing campaign requires for the product, this stage is subject to expense restraints and availability.After deciding on an endorser stage three is the most complicated stage as in this step the endorser has to be able to transfer that meaning into the product, they have to make this meaning â€Å"available to the consumer in a material form†(2), this stage allows the consumer to accept the meaning they are given and accept the product and you use is a tool to build their own character. These three steps not only transfer the character of the endorser to the consumer but form a bond with them and the satisfaction from the product will add value to future endorsements.All these added values become part of the character of each endorser and that becomes the determinant in his or her success. The consumer is influenced by the character the endorser transfers into the product in two distinct methods, identification and internalization. Identification is defined as the attempt of a consumer â€Å"to believe the meaning or image portrayed by a celebrity endorser† (6), while internalization is defined as the acceptance of a consumer of an idea that conforms to â€Å"his or her values or belief systems† (6) when introduced by an expert.Differentiating between those two methods would determine further the method of pairing the right product with the right endorser. An expert endorsing a product that requires higher consumer involvement or that is considered highly valued or technological seem to have better success then a celebrity endorsing the same product. This result is due to the fact that products requiring higher involvement by the consumer to use or products with higher value require a higher level of understanding for t he product explaining why internalization is more effective.In return a celebrity endorsing a product requiring less consumer involvement or a product that is presented by the image it portray would have a higher success than an expert endorsing the same product. This is explained by understanding the nature of appeal of these products, with a high emphasis put on image and emotional association which is highlighted by the likeness to the celebrity endorsing. All consumers purchasing a product understand that with their purchase a certain level of risk is involved and only when the return they expect themselves earning is higher than the perceived risk will they commit to a purchase.Various studies were performed (6) to understand the nature of nature of perceived risk by the consumer and the effect of the endorser on it. The results are important to analyze, as understanding how to lower the perceived risk will serve towards more successful product sales. Studies(6) indicated that an expert endorser of a higher technological product (a computer served as the product for the study) succeeded in reducing the perceived risk by the consumer, while celebrity endorser reduced the perceived risk by consumers towards a low technological, peripherally processed product (clothing served as the product for the study.Even though there are other risks that remain beyond the effect of the endorser such as financial risk however choosing the right endorser has a direct effect on the result of the marketing campaign and impacts part of perceived risk by the consumer towards the product. These studies draw a wider picture of how not only should we evaluate the endorser by the consumer’s attitude towards them but also by their effect on reducing the risk related to a product that a consumer considers in its evaluation.Now that the selection process of an endorser and the guidelines followed in order to insure their effectiveness is explained we turn our attention to how we evaluate their effectiveness on two main goals of a marketing campaign, brand recognition and sales. Brand recognition and branding has evolved from traditionally being viewed as a marketing function to being viewed as â€Å"heart of the business activity† (7).It became an essential asset that has to be managed and its performance evaluated in terms of marketing efficiency and asset valuation. To create value in branding a company has to create a unique and strong brand association among consumers. The consumer’s role in creating a strong brand is essential since the higher the awareness between consumers to the product the more valued a brand becomes thus resulting in equity brand measured by consumer perception rather than quantitative figures.The stronger the relationship a consumer has with a brand the stronger a brand is and this concept of brand-consumer relationship is explained by examining how a consumer achieves self consistency by purchasing products the y perceive as a reflection of themselves this is defined as the â€Å"image congruence hypothesis† (7) in which consumers compare their perceptions about product to their own values and choose the one closest. 1. Ted Sherman, â€Å"History Of Celebrity Endorsement† (July 2010) 2. Grant McCracken, â€Å"Who is the Celebrity Endorser?Cultural Foundations of the Endorsement Process† Journal of consumer research , (December 1989) 3. Colleen Bee, Scott A Jones â€Å"Who is trying to Persuade me? Exploring consumer Interpretations of Endorsement based Advertising â€Å" (December 2007) 4. Hovland, Carl I and Walter Weiss (1951-1952), â€Å"The influence of Source Credibility on communication effectiveness† 5. 6. Dipayan Biswas and Abhijit Biswas, â€Å"The Differential Effects of Celebrity and Expert Endorsements on consumer Risk Preception†(June 2006) 7.

Topic of Your Choice Common Application Essay Tips

The 2019-20 Common Application gives you unlimited options for your essay thanks to the Topic of Your Choice option. This is the most popular of all essay options, and in last years admissions cycle it was used by 24.1% of all essay writers. The guidelines are deceptively simple: Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one youve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. With the addition of this prompt, you now have no restrictions on the topic you explore in your essay. Having so much freedom can be liberating, but it can also be a bit overwhelming to be confronted with unlimited possibilities. The tips below can help guide you if you choose to respond to the topic of your choice option: Make Sure Options 1 Through 6  Arent Appropriate Weve rarely seen an admissions essay that doesnt fit into one of the first six Common Application essay options. Those prompts already provide you with an incredible amount of latitude; you can write about your interests, an obstacle in your life, a problem youve solved, a time of personal growth, or an idea that captivates you. Its hard to imagine many topics that dont fit into any of those broad categories. That said, if you feel your essay fits best under option #7, dont hesitate to go for it. In truth, it probably doesnt matter much if you write your essay under option #7 when it could fit elsewhere (unless the fit with another option is blatantly obvious); its the quality of the essay that most matters. No one is going to be rejected by a college for using option #7 when option #1 would have also worked. Dont Try Too Hard To Be Clever Some students make the mistake of assuming that Topic of Your Choice means that they can write about anything. Keep in mind that the admissions officers take the essay seriously, so you should too. This doesnt mean you cant be humorous, but you do need to make sure your essay has substance. If your essay focuses more on a good laugh than on revealing why youd make a good college student, you should rethink your approach. If a college is requesting an essay, it is because the school has holistic admissions. In other words, the college will evaluate you as a whole person, not a mere  matrix of grades and test score data. Make sure your essay gives the admissions folks a more complete picture of who you are. Make Sure Your Essay Is An Essay Every now and then a budding creative writer decides to submit a poem, play or other creative work for essay option #7. Dont do it. The Common Application allows for supplemental materials, so you should include your creative work there. The essay should be an essay; non-fiction prose that explores a topic and reveals something about you. Reveal Yourself in Your Essay Any topic is a possibility for option #7, but you want to make sure your writing fulfills the purpose of the admissions essay. The college admissions folks are looking for evidence that youll make a good campus citizen. Your essay should reveal your character, values, personality, beliefs and (if appropriate) sense of humor. You want your reader to end your essay thinking, Yes, this is someone who I want to live in my community. Be Careful if Submitting an Essay Youve Already Written Prompt #7 gives you the option of submitting an essay youve already written. If you have an appropriate essay, great. Dont hesitate to use it. However, the essay does need to be appropriate for the task at hand. That A essay you wrote on Shakespeares  Hamlet  is not a good choice for the Common Application, nor is your AP Biology lab report or Global History research paper. The Common Application essay is a  personal  statement. At its heart, the essay needs to be about you. It needs to reveal your passions, your approach to challenges, your personality, what it is that makes you tick. Most likely, that amazing paper you wrote for a class does not fulfill this purpose. Your grades and letters of recommendation reveal your success at writing essays for classes. The Common Application essay serves a different purpose.

Public Opinion On The Obamacare Act - 1203 Words

Ajibola Yinka PO 326- Politics and public policy Adriana Buliga-Stoian 20th November, 2015. PUBLIC OPINION What is/are Public Opinion? Public opinion is an important aspect of democracy. ThisS is the view(s) commonly held among the general public. These are sets of attitude that shapes a group which either helps improve the quality or efficiency of an issue or agenda. The article puts forth its thesis as the influence of systematic issue attention cycle which strongly influences public attitude and behavior concerning most domestic problems. The public engage in election and choose their representative/leader, therefore; they have the right to voice out their opinion on certain issues. Public opinion is a form of political participation.†¦show more content†¦The first stage is the Pre-Problem age. This occurs when some highly undesirable social condition exists but has not captured much public attention even though some groups might be aware of it. Traits arising from this stage are that the interest groups declare a problem. The second stage is the alarmed discovery and euphoric enthusiasm. Here, the public suddenly becomes both aware of and alarmed about the evils of a particular problem. The discovery is accompanied by the society’s ability to solve the problem or do something effective within a short span of time. Traits arising from this issue is that public experience negative consequences of unhealthy environment e.g. Flooding. The third stage is Realizing the cost of significant progress. It consists of gradually spreading realization that the cost of solving the problem is very high indeed. Engaging in this will not only take a lot of money but also requires major sacrifices by large groups in the population. A major trait at this stage is that it has high cost clause and involves many sacrifices. The fourth stage is the gradual decline of intense public interest. The third stage becomes gradually transformed into the fourth stage. There is a gradual decline in the intensity of public interest interest in the environmental problem. As more r ealize how difficult it is and how costly, some people could get discouraged

Immigrant Children and U.S Education - 1257 Words

Aware of the free education provided by the United States government to any school age children, immigrants both legal and illegal continue to be attracted to the United States, migrating in an attempt to provide better opportunities for their families and themselves. As the number of illegal immigrants living in the United states continues to rise and the percentage of illegal immigrant households which consist of children also continues to rise, it is important for the American government to examine the effect that these illegal children are having on the United States public education system. How educators and policymakers address the increasing diversification of the population will ultimately determine the stability of communities in†¦show more content†¦with out proper management of immigrant children in the school system, these underachieving schools will take the blunt force of the student population increase and due to lack of resources and funding the schools have, the schools will continue to strip the students of their equality to opportunity. As the immigration population continues to increase â€Å"immigration has become the determinate factor in population growth.Show MoreRelatedThe Face Of Education And The Changes It Has Undertaken Throughout History1425 Words   |  6 PagesThe face of education and the changes it has undertaken throughout history in the U.S. is a constant flow that thus alters the fabric of the American society. 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Resistance in denmark Essay Example For Students

Resistance in denmark Essay The occupation of a country subjects both the people and the invaders to a strange game of mutual suspicion: The occupier acts like a new owner and wants the tenants to behave and pay the rent on time, but those invaded feel violated they know the country, by right, belongs to them, and while they cannot physically throw the occupiers out, they may well want to resist the invaders terms. Perhaps, if the invader finds the game is not worth the effort, he will leave. Or perhaps he will start killing uncooperative tenants. But the game gives one major advantage to those occupied: They will define the extent to which they are going to cooperate. And the offender, ironically, will have to defend his ill-gotten gains. The Danish resisters took the offensive against German occupying forces. Through symbolic and cultural protests, they asserted their right to govern their own lives, and that strengthened public morale which inspired bolder resistance. Through strikes, defiance at work sites, and damage to physical property, nonviolent resisters attacked the economic interests of the invaders. Through underground publishing, an alternate network of communication was established, to subvert the lies of the occupiers propaganda. By involving so many civilians in strikes, demonstrations, and other forms of opposition, Danish resisters forced the Germans to stop violent reprisals and suspend curfews. They denied the Nazis their prime goal, on which other objectives depended: making the fact of occupation normal. By definition, a successful military invasion gives the occupier superiority on the ground and in the air, in the ability to use physical force and violence. Despite that, when a military invader loses control of what the people read and believe, of when and if they work, of how they spend their money when the occupiers are constantly on the defensive, as they try to maintain their position their ability to command events is detached from their ability to use violence. War contorts the history of the nations it touches, but it also exhibits the greatness of their peoples. The Danes challenged the most barbaric regime of the modern period and did so not with troops or tanks but with singing, striking, going home to garden, and standing in public squares. Yet the power they brought to bear in resisting the Nazis did not come only from these things. It came first from the essential decision that tens of thousands of them made, to refuse the terms they were offered by their tormentors and it came from the underground movement they built and the strategy they used, to fling that decision in the face of their enemy and constrict his ability to fight. Thanks to the civic solidarity that had nourished the resistance, Denmark emerged from the war in good condition. Allied authorities found that Denmark could not only feed itself but had surplus food to export to the rest of Europe. The Danes had withstood German occupation without undergoing many of the rigors experienced by other Europeans held down by the Nazis a dividend of having resisted without violently tearing their society apart in the process. Some Danes were disappointed that more of their countrymen did not, like many Norwegians, Greeks, or Serbs, pick up guns and fight their occupiers at every depot, pier, and airfield, but the watery lowlands of Denmark were not ideal maneuvering ground for armed partisans, and by the time the Germans were pressed on all fronts in Europe, the Danish resistance had imposed a different but discernible cost on Nazi capabilities. The Danes proved that however dreadful the opponent faced by those using nonviolent action, if resistance is resilient and imaginative, military sanctions are not enough to stamp out a popular movement and violent reprisals may only harden the opposition. Knowing the Germans wanted normalcy in Denmark, the Danish resistance worked to deny them that, and it refrained from magnifying any disruption to the point of prompting overwhelming repression or endangering the lives of many civilians. If the Nazis, the cruelest killing machine in the centurys history, could be kept off balance by Danish schoolboys, amateur saboteurs, and underground clergymen, what other regime should ever be thought invulnerable to nonviolent resistance?

A SOOT Analysis Essay Example

A SOOT Analysis Paper This paper will explain the element of environmental scanning and describe the internal and external environment of Home Depot; summarizing the competitive advantages and current strategies they employ. The strategic management process has four different components: Environmental scanning, strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and evaluation and control. Before an organization can begin strategy formulation, it must scan the external environment to identify possible opportunities and threats and its internal environment for strengths and weaknesses (Wheeled Hunger, 2010). A SOOT analysis is an effective tool for organizing these factors. The internal factor of environmental scanning consists of a companys strengths and weaknesses. An easy way to analyze these factors is to create an Internal Factor Analysis Summary, (BIAS) table [see Exhibit 2] or BRIO framework (Value, Rareness, Immutability, and Organization). Where the internal environment deals with strengths and weaknesses, the external environment is about opportunities and threats. These factors can be analyzed using a STEEP Analysis or PESTLE Analysis [see Exhibit 3]. When scanning the external environment, many variables need to be considered; natural environment, societal environment, task environment, and industry analysis. The natural environment consists of wildlife, weather, and other resources that from nature that can be used to satisfy our wants and needs. There are four factors included in the societal environment scanning process: economic forces, technological forces, political-legal forces, and socio-cultural forces. These factors can affect long-term decisions made by the company. Task environment includes the stakeholders and is within the industry. We will write a custom essay sample on A SOOT Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A SOOT Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A SOOT Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Industry analysis is the in-depth examination of the natural, societal, and task environments. HOME DEPOT SOOT ANALYSIS (see Exhibit 1) STRENGTHS Home Depot is the worlds largest do-it-yourself home improvement retailer, making them a common household name. There are more than 2,200 locations in four different countries. Having such dominance in the DID market enhances their brand awareness. The Home Depot developed strategic product alliances directly with industry-leading manufactures to deliver the most exclusive assortments to customers (The Home Depot USA Inc. 2012). Many top of the line product names are sold at Home Depot. Their employees are put through a very thorough product knowledge training, which includes cross-training for other departments. This knowledge allows them to teach free classes about home improvement to customers in their free How-To-Clinics, offered at every store on Saturday and Sunday. Undertaking home improvements or remodeling is cheaper than hiring a contractor or handy man. To help save customers money, Home Depot offers guaranteed low prices. If it can be found cheaper somewhere else, they will match that price. The company generates enough revenue to stay on top of technological advances. They spent $60 million in 2010 on new hand-held devices that will help employees stock shelves, access inventory, check out customers from nap. Where in the store, and many more helpful capabilities. WEAKNESSES Some of the bigger products sold at Home Depot are too expensive for the customers to buy, especially when they will use the product only a few times. Employees who have a l dont care attitude do not pay attention during training and are not able to accommodate customer needs. The turnover rate or Home Depot is very high and very expensive. OPPORTUNITIES Many opportunities are available for Home Depot in attaining the attention of customers in other markets. They are considering seeking the professional business customer market. Expanding to new countries could be a huge move for the company. The market of home improvements is not going anywhere, leaving a wide opportunity for Home Depot. THREATS When the economy is low, customers do not spend as much money, especially on home improvements. A decrease in the housing market and competition from Loses, or a new company, pose a big threat to Home Depot. PESTLE Analysis This analysis organizes the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal environments of Home Depot. POLITICAL Home Depot knows that the actions in politics affect daily business operations. They actively participate in the political processes and encourage employees to do the same. The company has a Political Activity and Government Relations Policy that sets the standards for participation in the political process. ECONOMIC The Home Depot Foundation is a charitable organization that provides resources to help improving, repairing, and refurbishing homes. Volunteer employees help communities by partnering with nonprofit organizations to enhance the lives of those in need. The foundation also helps veterans who face financial and physical hardships. They have donated $80 million to this cause. Lastly, the foundation awards community impact grants once a year. SOCIAL Home Depot is dedicated to making communities around the world better. They have launched many social campaigns that promote education, safety, and job assurance. The Foundation has volunteers that help teach and build within local communities. TECHNOLOGY Technology has a significant role in the success of a business. Home Depot is able to spend millions of dollars updating their technology by turning their resources in capabilities. Staying current with the latest technology available keeps the company on top ahead of their competition. LEGAL Home Depot follows all laws administered by the state and Federal governments. The company adheres to a business code of conduct and ethics, corporate governance guidelines, political activity, and a government relations policy. Following these procedures guides the company in making good and legal decisions. ENVIRONMENTAL Home Depot is dedicated to making communities a better place for enervation to come (The Home Depot USA Inc, 2012). The company follows a set of environmental principles that promote resource conservation, responsible packaging, and much more. Providing sustainability leadership, Home Depot is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering their carbon footprint. COMPETITION Home Depots main competition in the home improvement market is Loses, Sears, and Ace Hardware. Product pricing is a big factor in competition. Part of the companys competitive strategy is to guarantee low prices. This strategy effectively brings in customers to price match. Another strategy is to have well-trained employees, from management to cashiers. Home Depot outranks all competitors by using their bargaining power against suppliers, and staying on top of the latest technology, allowing the stores to Offer low priced merchandise.