Catholic School Acccreditation responses Assignment

Catholic School Acccreditation responses - Assignment Example Students are assigned projects and reports, and given exams. To measure the effectiveness of student achievement of the SLEs and curriculum standards, all students present a Graduate Culminating Precis. This report summarizes how they have achieved each SLE. The school further ensures that each student is making acceptable progress toward the achievement of SLEs and curriculum standards. Every once a semester, teachers complete an evaluation. This is done based on a common rubric and using a form that lists SLEs and descriptors for each of them. Students are also given the opportunity to evaluate themselves (St. Joachim School, 30). Technology has further been integrated into the learning process. All classrooms are equipped with Promethean Boards to enhance the process of leaning. Classes also have regular access to the computer lab. There is also the availability of the Zingy Learning program which is an online science program used by the school’s science department. Furthermore, the school has an account with the Madera County Office of Education which gives teachers access to various online teaching resources. To determine how effectively students are making acceptable progress, teachers assess students through a variety of methods. These include; oral questioning, class discussions, exams, reports and projects. To implement plans to assist students, discussions are held during faculty meetings. Implementation is based upon making adjustments to the curriculum. Other strategies include making accommodations such as changing student’s seat, tutoring and modifying assignments and testing. Annually, teachers evaluate the results of the IOWA. On a regular basis, the school assesses programs used to support disaggregate groups and ensure acceptable progress for all students. Each year brings a different culture with strengths and areas of growth. To accommodate these changing trends, an evaluation

Terrorism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Terrorism - Research Paper Example Terrorist attacks bring mass casualties, have a strong psychological pressure on the great mass of people, involve the destruction of material and spiritual values that are beyond recovery times, sow out a discord among nations, provoking a war, mistrust and hatred between social and national groups, which are sometimes impossible to overcome during the whole generation. According to Ronczkowski â€Å"The Department of Defense defines terrorism as â€Å"†¦the calculated use of violence or threat of violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.†2 To better examine the question we should speak a little about the history of terrorism. Over its long history, terrorism appeared as a variety of guises, terrorism and terrorists have been existing for more than fifteen hundred years - in many countries there were St. Bartholomew’s Nights and Sicilian Suppers, enemies - real or perceived - were destroyed by the Roman emperors, the Ottoman sultans, the Russian Tsars, as well as by many other, and each country has at least one ‘hero’. Terrorists always existed. ... A combination of religious fanaticism and political terrorism can be traced in the actions of sicarius: they saw something joyful in martyrdom, and believed that the Lord will come to his people and save them from the torments and sufferings after the overthrow of a hated regime.3 The representatives of the Muslim sect who killed caliphs, prefects, governors and even the rulers also adhered to the same ideology: they were destroyed by the King of Jerusalem Conrad of Montferrat.4 The murder was a ritual for sectarians; they welcomed martyrdom and death for the sake of ideas and firmly believed in the advent of a new world order. It is important to continue that terrorism as a massive and politically significant phenomenon is a result of rampant ‘deideologization’, when certain groups begin to question the legitimacy and rights of the state in society, and this justifies their transition to terror to achieve their own goals. According to Lawless we see that â€Å"terroris m is an international crime and as such requires the international community to act in the prevention of terrorism and the sanction of individuals perpetrating acts of terrorism†.5 Various criminal groups commit terrorist acts to intimidate and destroy rivals to influence political powers in order to achieve the best possible environment for their criminal activities. Everyone may become a victim of a terrorist act - even the one who does not have the slightest relation to a conflict that spawned a terrorist act. The level of terrorism and specific forms of its manifestations are, on the one hand, the measure of public morality, and on the other hand – the measure of effectiveness of state and society to address the most pressing issues, in particular for the prevention and suppression

Benefits And Disadvantages Of Internet Banking

Benefits And Disadvantages Of Internet Banking This chapter will review the e-banking system in Malaysia and review the relevant literature on consumer perception towards e-banking. In addition, this literature review also considers the discussion of customer satisfaction and loyalty towards internet banking. 2.1 Benefits and Dis-advantages of Internet Banking 2.1.1 Benefits of Internet Banking Bu using internet, clients can access to their accounts doing transaction or access to other services with cost reduction and more convenience because online bank are operation 24hours per day, 7days per week. Furthermore, banks able to expand their market penetration internationally and offer personalized online services like clients able to check their account balances and monthly statement by login to the secure website of the bank, make payments, and transfer funds to other accounts. The speed of online banking transaction is generally faster than ATM processing speeds. Internet banking also provides advantages likes flexibility, individually and mobility which is a brand new distribution channel for clients to make on-line transaction. The improvement of internet protection through security technologies such as automatic log-off, firewalls, encryption, monitoring tools and authentication to ensure clients trust on internet banking (Banking Info, 2007). Table 1 are the benefits arise are summarized by Thulani et al.(2009) in their research paper on various study of internet banking. Benefits Related literature Cost Reduction Bradley and Stewart (2003), Rotchanakitumnuai and Speece (2003), Jayawadhera and Foley (2000), Nath et al 2001, Al-Sukkar and Hasan (2005) and Singh (2004), Corrocher (2002),Chang (2003), Sullivan and Wang (2005). Increased customer base Bradley and Stewart (2003), Jayawadhera and Foley (2000), Jen-Her Wu et al 2006 and Singh (2004), Corrocher (2002). Enable innovation and development of non-core business services Jayawadhera and Foley (2000), Nath et al. (2001), Karem (2003), Corrocher (2002), Chang (2003). Marketing and communication Jayawadhera and Foley (2000), Karem (2003), Corrocher (2002). Increased consumer loyalty and satisfaction Jen-Her Wu et al 2006 and AL-Sukkar and Hasan (2005), Nath et al. (2001). High profit consumers Jen-Her Wu et al 2006 and AL-Sukkar and Hasan (2005), Nath et al. (2001). Ability to attract new consumers AL-Sukkar and Hasan (2005). Table 1: Benefits of Internet Banking Source: Thulani et al. (2009) 2.1.2 Dis-advantage of Internet Banking AL-Sukkar and Hasan (2005) and Singh (2004) had identify the disadvantages of develop internet banking. They stated clients have to pay indirect cost as some of the internet banking systems charge money on browsing connectivity on personal computer. Moreover, cash are not available through internet. Customers are unable to withdraw cash or deposit cash by using internet banking. They also emphasize on security concerns, the issue of security concerns may delay the clients adoption of internet banking. Before using internet banking, applicant required to go through some procedure in one of the bank branch, especially the clients want to open a joint account. Some of the clients not familiar to internet browsing, they have to go through tutorials to familiarize with the navigation tools. Unfortunately, clients require re-familiarizing the navigation tools to access their account once banks update and upgrade their online system. Last but not least, trustworthiness is the most difficult yet most important issue face by clients. They always wonder whether the transaction or payments have been proceeding to another account accurately. 2.2 Aspect that Influence Consumer Perception towards Internet Banking The financial institutions have been use the Internet as an alternative way in order to provide services and interact with their customers. The electronic banking (e-banking) is no exception. Three of the most important characteristics of financial services to extend e-banking are: High availability, Scalability, and Security. (Antovski and LJ, 2001). According to them, high availability also can define in reliability, availability and serviceability. The e-banking are design for easy and continuous service to customers. Yibin and MU (2003) also stated the three improvements of the system infrastructure which are to build-up the reporting services for online transaction, improve the e-payment system, and improve the telecommunications infrastructure and other forms of electronic transaction. Factors such as the speed of transactions or the cost of using the Internet have little impact on an individuals final decision. After setting up better system infrastructure through Web, the new delivery channel can highly recommended to clients by giving guarantee on security, privacy and trust of Web system to minimize barrier. The adoption of electronic banking forces consumers to consider concerns about password integrity, privacy, data encryption, hacking, and the protection of personal information (Benamati and Serva, 2007). The following research provided the analysis on different aspect that will effect customer perception towards internet banking. 2.2.1 Electronic Security (E-Security) Electronic security is a tool or process designed to restrict entry or prevent unauthorized access to a systems information assets or is a risk-management (Thomas et al., 2002). Mueller (2001) stated that e-security prevents the hacker and others from accessing customers information, security pin number or credit card number. Thomas et al. (2002) highlighted e-security adds value to a naked network. As Internet is a new distribution channel for banking system, it require to providing sufficient security to maintain trustworthiness of clients towards the internet. Any inexpedient of security in Internet usage may lead to increase fear and desperate among the clients and bar them to use the banking system as their private information being hacked. Thomas et al. (2002) stated that although technology offer a new distribution channel for financial institution but it creates opportunities for crimes to be committed very quickly. A criminal can use the tools available on the Web to hack database on internet and steal personal hidden identities in seconds. This is why e-security must be taken very seriously. However, Raigaga (2000) stated that some banker has delay the online banking service due to the security concern. Consumer perceptions of security are measure through the operations and processes of encryption, protection, verification and authentication. The mechanisms of encryption, digital authentication, firewalls, protection, filtering routers, and personal identification numbers influence the internet customers perception towards security and might increase the confidence and trust of consumer. E-security is one of the important factors to be stressed. Most of the customers refuse to use internet banking as the alternative way to carry on transaction and payment because they afraid of losing their private information and data on hacker. 2.2.2 Trustworthiness Trust is considered as a strategic variable in current marketing (Selnes, 1998). Meanwhile, the development of internet banking brings new challenges, this lead to an increase of motivation in bank to provide a better service. Bank image will might slightly improve if clients able to enjoy better service. Bank image and consumer trust are significant influence the individual behavior (Ratnasingham, 1998). Bank image and customer trust are significantly affect individual behavior and their level of perception (Ratnasingham, 1998; Rexha et al., 2003; Lehu, 2001; Ba, 2001). Since the online banking give a higher level of risk to the clients, so Gefen et al. (2003) stated that trust is an important aspect to take note when doing internet transaction because it determines the nature of businesses. The issue of trust arises when risk is involved. Trust is the main factor being concern because bank and clients are physically separated from each other and there is a large number of suspicious about the e-security over the Internet. Generally, customers distrust and worries about the reliability of internet banking even the e-security system is good. Apart from this, Chellappa (2002) also emphasize on trust will be favorably influence with the increase in perceptions of security in EC (Electronic commerce) transactions. Furthermore, clients lack of confidence on the e-security is the main obstacle prevent e-banking is being developed further. As William Pitt, the eighteenth century British statesman once said,confidence is a plant of slow growth. Nexhmi et al. (2003) believe that trust and commitment are key relational mediators in the development of customers within the banking industry. According to them satisfaction will have a role in development but a more important element is to maintain close bank-customer relationship. Overall customer satisfaction with the bank will be directly related to the level of trust within the relationship. 2.3 Consumer Satisfaction and Loyalty Towards Internet Banking. For offline environments, it is common knowledge that quality of services and products is a key determinant of customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (Caruana, 2002; Cronin and Taylor, 1992; Kelley and Davis, 1994; Parasuraman et al., 1988). The quality of services delivered through a Web site has become a more significant success factor than low prices or being the first mover in the market space (Mahajan et al., 2002; Reibstein, 2002; Shankar et al., 2003). Research by Patricio et al. (2003) goes one step further to measure service quality of various banking services through different delivery channels, including the electronic and traditional channels. They have found that perceived service quality with one delivery channel has an impact on how another channel is perceived. Moreover, Fassnacht and Ko ¨se (2007) found that high electronic service quality in web-based services had an important role in building overall customer trust for the service provider. Furthermore, Jean-Michel (2003) notes that customer is most important in designing, providing and evaluating the level of service quality. Customers past experience with the service is one of the factors that influence them to use Electronic banking for transaction. According to Vohra (2002), electronic banking makes it easier for customers to compare banks services and products. This can increase competition among banks and allow banks to enter into new markets by overcoming resistance and thus expand their geographical boundary. Banks operate websites through which customers are not only able to inquire about account balances, interest, and exchange rates but also conduct a range of transactions. Shailey et al. (2003) therefore notes that understanding customer requirements and meeting their demands and expectations is becoming a challenge. However, acceptance of this new technology has not yet been found to be equal in all parts of the globe indicating a lack of a common generalizability. Ramayah et al. (2002) suggest that users will eventually lose interest in using Internet banking if they feel that it is not useful to use Internet banking even though the system is rather easy to handle. One of the most important discussions was carried out by Machauer and Morgner (2001), who defined four clusters of German bank consumers. These were transaction oriented, generally interested, service oriented and technology opposed groups. In another study in Singapore, Liao and Cheung (2002) found that individual expectations regarding accuracy, security, transaction speed, user-friendliness, user involvement, and convenience were the most important quality attributes in the perceived usefulness of Internet-based ebanking. Among these, the first five determined the willingness of consumers to use of Internet based banking. According to Zorayda Ruth B. Andam (2003), 42% of respondents said they had access to computers and 7% said they had access to the Internet. Therefore, it can be perceived that this large variance has been found due to security obstacle in Asia and the emerging markets. This may be one of the greatest reasons why people do not initiate online banking or open inve stment accounts. Then, we might draw our concerns on perceived service quality and indeed, access to high quality services and products is another crucial concern. Apparently, there may also be a preference for personal contacts with the banks. customer satisfaction and customer retention are increasingly developing into key success factors in e-banking. http://www.mpexpert.com/images/stories/storydoc/Measuring_the_quality_of_ebanking_portals.pdf Sathye (1999) investigated the adoption of online banking by Australian consumers and argued that the intention of Internet banking in Australia is significantly influenced by variables of system insecurity, awareness of service and its benefits, ease of use, and availability of infrastructure Meanwhile the importance of the Internet to users banking needs relates to the advantages that accrue to the users of the technology in question. As adoption and the usage of the Internet banking services increases, a certain maturation point will be reached in the following years (Mà ¤enpà ¤Ãƒ ¤, 2006). Academicians also take a different stance in the theories they adopt when exploring consumer adoption of electronic banking (Laforet and Li, 2005). This study shows that only protected transaction, have significant impact on consumers perception about e-banking security, followed by service quality and regulatory frame work issues. This study offers an insight into e-banking in Malaysia. http://www.academicjournals.org/ajbm/pdf/pdf2009/Jun/Haqua%20et%20al..pdf African Journal of Business Management Vol.3 (6), pp. 248-259, June 2009 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBM ISSN 1993-8233  © 2009 Academic Journals

Essay --

Mrs. Elvira Medeiros went on to explain that as professionals it is our responsibility to concentrate on cognitive, physical, and social-emotional learning. I then asked her how she believes that the teachers of Creative Kids are able to achieve this goal, she said, â€Å"Our goal for all individuals (children) to attain knowledgable information in order to continue the developmental growth process through academically prepared lessons that will undoubtedly challenge every individual and promote development.† The teachers and children of Creative Kids Preschool and Day Care is not a familiar place for me as a professional setting. I have visited this school before only because my Aunt is teacher and caretaker for these children. The reason for my visit was a family matter however, the most recent visit was a professional/academical matter. I was able to sense that Creative Kids Preschool and Day Care provides a â€Å"home† and nurturing environment where children can feel safe and are free to enjoy the activities provided to them on a day to day basic with the help of teachers. While speaking with a few of the other teachers I could sense the amount of positive energy that they display for their kids and how they interact with the children. It almost made me want to change into the Education field. Key word, almost. During story time, I must say it was a bit difficult to capture the children’s focus because they just had play time. Therefore, they were a bit rowdy, which is normal for children. Thankfully, the teachers were able to quite the children within the matter of minutes. They did that by turning off the lights, for the children that usually means quite time. If that does not work the first time they use the 1, 2, 3 Method to qui... ...elt while applying for jobs as an Athletic Trainer. A few more questions that I asked Mrs. Medeiros was what drew her to working with children and she explained, â€Å"As a mom, children will always be a part of my life regardless when all my children grown up to be adults and get married.† Her comment about her children growing up and getting married was very touching because that is something my mother would also say. I suppose it is mothers instinct or intuition to feel this way. I intend on visiting the children of Creative Kids Preschool and Day Care due to there welcoming spirit towards me. The teachers were more than gracious towards me and suggested that I visit again for story time. Due to the children’s participation and involvement of story time, the teachers believe that it would contribute the development of the students comprehension and associative skills.

November and Mid Term Break Poem Analysis

Mid-Term Break†, by Seamus Heaney, is a free-verse poem that portrays the event in which the speaker, who came back from boarding school, deals with the loss of a younger brother. In this poem there are several important themes such as time, age, family, pain, love and most of all death. This poem takes the audience along on the speaker’s journey to accepting his little brother’s death. The author used a number of imagery to depict the themes of the poem. In these imageries, Heaney challenges not only the audience’s visual imagery but as well as auditory, olfactory as well as emotional imagery.For example: â€Å"Counting bells knelling classes to a close†, â€Å"the corpse, stanched† and â€Å"candles soothed the bedside. † Throughout the poem, Seamus Heaney only used simile once to compare the coffin to a cot, â€Å"He lay in the four foot box as in a cot. † The poem is organised with three lines per stanza in which there are no specific rhythm or rhyme pattern. However the last word in the poem rhymes with the last word in the stanza before. Seamus Heaney’s choice of words in this poem is what made the poem so special.The phrase â€Å"it was a hard blow† and the line about the cooing baby bring certain awkwardness to the poem. Also the word â€Å"soothed† brings a certain warm feeling to the poem. However this word is besides words that are associated with mourning and death such as â€Å"bedside†, â€Å"candles† and â€Å"Snowdrops† These choices of words bring the audience on a emotional rollercoaster. Moreover, the author’s choice of words once more highlighted the last line. Heaney used alliteration, assonance and repetition to add further emphasis on the â€Å"four foot box† Which suggests how important this line is to the core of the poem. – The poem ‘November' By Simon armitage is about how a man , the speaker, copes with the loss of a family member, not through death but through age.The speaker and a man named John (probably a friend) have taken John’s grandmother to a nursing home. They know she will not come back out of the home. When they leave the old lady, they drive back to John’s house and drink alcohol, to cope with the emotions of the situation. The poet tries to lift John out of his depression. As with all poetry, the poem captures the interest of the reader through its exploration of human feelings and motivations.The choice of ‘November’ as the title is effective in that this is clearly the winter of the grandmother’s life, which is drawing to its close. There is little, if anything, that is attractive about the month of November: the weather is bad, and certainly not picturesque, and the dismal and dank darkness which we associate with the month reflects the feelings experienced by the poet and John in the light of the old lady’s decline. In Stanza 1, th e effects of ageing on the grandmother are shown by the way she walks: she takes four short steps to every two taken by the poet and John.Stanza 2 shows the genuine affection and care John lavishes upon his grandmother, making sure that she has all she needs, as well as mementoes of home â€Å"family trinkets†: he is trying to cater for her emotional, as well as her physical, needs. The obvious closeness of the relationship is reflected in the fact that he â€Å"pares† his grandmother’s nails – quite an intimate act for a grandson to carry out. However, the old lady has degenerated into an object, as John wraps her in the rough blankets.The reference to the old lady’s â€Å"incontinence† provides the reader with a clear indication of her helplessness, and why she has had to go into a nursing home. Stanza 3 begins with a play on words, â€Å"It is time John. † this could mean that it is time to leave the old lady, or that it is the pas sage of time and hence the ageing process which has brought things to their current situation. The stanza focuses on the lack of quality of life of old people: they are drained of colour, their bodies show signs of ageing â€Å"slack breasts† and â€Å"baldness† and they are losing their mental faculties â€Å"stunned rains†.The loss of ‘normal’ human attributes and capabilities is brought home by the poets’ shocking reference to â€Å"these monsters†. Stanzas 4 and 5 concentrate on the aftermath, emotionally, of leaving the grandmother in the home, no doubt John’s main feeling being one of guilt, and the final stanza is an attempt to lift the emotions of the reader and of John by giving a message of expediency, but one which is positive for the younger men.The poem is written in free verse and contains little rhyme. The poem is constructed of six stanzas, the first five of three lines each, the last of only two lines. The first three stanzas focus on the nursing home, leading up to a crescendo at the end of Stanza 3 with â€Å"these monsters. † throughout these stanzas, the poet is reassuring John, despite feeling repulsed by the images of the elderly in the home.Both Poems are effective in their exploration of the emotions of sadness and guilt felt by relatives and friends when the passing years lead to a loved one losing all sense of dignity and quality of life. The choices of language and literary devices are very appropriate and served their purpose. In November, the speaker tells of the loss of a family member, not through death, but through age, using brutal language to put the point across while Mid Term break attempts to do the same, in a more bitter sweet way.

Letter from George Essay

I’m sorry I haven’t written to you in a long time but a lot of things have happened since I last wrote, unfortunately its bad news this time. It all started when Slim and Curley came in the bunkhouse arguing one night. Then Curley turned to Lennie and says â€Å"what you laughing at†, and then he started lashing out at Lennie and smashed him in the nose. I couldn’t stand it anymore Lennie wouldn’t fight back so I told him to â€Å"let him have it†. Lennie caught Curley’s punch, then he crushed it and he wouldn’t let go. When he let his fist go it was flattened, not a bone was left unbroken in his hand. I was sure Lennie and I were going to get canned but Slim saved our skins. He told Curley that if he told anyone what happened and get us canned, we will tell everyone then he would get the laugh. That was good of Slim. I was all right at this point, I was happy, I thought if Lennie play and I our cards right and keep clean for a month we will get our fifty bucks each and get that ranch with old Candy. I started to believe our dream could really happen. All the lads and me were playing horses shoes late Sunday evening. I heard shuffling footsteps from the barn, I looked and saw Candy making his way towards me. His body language said every thing, when he looked at me I felt that something was wrong. He came to me said quietly â€Å"you better come to the barn†. When I saw Curley’s wife lying there dead the painful thought going though my mind that I had no other solution to this problem but assume that it was Lennie and knew that was what Candy was thinking. At this point the dream was over for sure of a little ranch. I knew this was the end of the road for Lennie. I knew Curley would want lynch him so Candy and I discussed what we were going to do. I went to the bunkhouse and got Carlson’s gun, while Candy went to get the boys. My memory flicked back to the night Carlson shot Candy’s dog. I went to the barn and heard how they were all planning how they going to get him, Slim reassured me that it was the only way. The others went of all armed; they all went the opposite way to where Lennie should be. I knew he would be by the river where we slept a few nights ago, I told him if he ever got into trouble to go there and wait for me. Sure enough he was there, looking at him made me shiver about the thought of my duty ahead. Lennie expected me to be angry with him but I told him visualise the dream of the imaginary ranch and how the rabbits would hop around and there soft hair. When he looked away I ended his life hoping he was going to a better place. As his lifeless body hit the ground it set a feeling guilt that was unimaginable. I looked at my right hand, which held the gun I throw it away in disgust. I’ve moved on now people, just don’t care about ranch hands. Best of luck Tom perhaps life will treat you better than Lennie and I.