The Musicians Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness Essay Example

The Musicians Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness Essay I recently read The Musician’s Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness by Gerald Kickstein. This book was extremely helpful in reminding me how I should practice and how to treat and protect myself as a musician. In order to succeed on your musical path, practice is the only way that will get you there. In the music world, talent is important but the musical progress depends on practice more than on talent. Talent represents the potential within you but practice makes you realizes your potential. But not every way of practice will show positive progress. Throughout this paper I will discuss how to get organized, how to practice deeply, how to have a fearless performance and lastly how to recognize injury and prevent injuries. College musicians nowadays are studying music under pressure due to jury exam, recitals etc†¦People tends to take shortcuts of the correct ways to practice in order to save time because of the poor time management or not having enough time for practice due to heavy school work. Since time is already not enough, we should all practice in the correct way therefore we can get the best result in the shortest amount of time, and also the most important point, make beautiful music in the performance. There are a lot of things that I think it is really important fundamentals to know when practicing, although some are simple but in my opinion these are essential. We will write a custom essay sample on The Musicians Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Musicians Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Musicians Way a Guide to Practice, Performance, and Wellness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer First we need to know what practice really is, Yehudi Menuhin the violinist said, â€Å"practice is not forced labor; it is a refined art that partakes of intuition, of inspiration, patience, elegance, clarity, balance, and, above all, the search for ever greater joy in movement and expression. † There are five points of how to get a practice organized; the very first one is about the practice environment. Practice environment is extremely important, not only as a workplace, but also as a source of inspiration. The practice room essential varies, this list is for vocalist. 1. Music stand, 2. Notebook and pencils, 3. Electronic metronome, 4. Correct turned piano, 5. Clock (keep a record of practice time), 6. Mirror (for monitoring movement habits), 7. Audio recorder, 8. Water (drink plenty of water especially for vocalist), 9. Adequate lighting and climate control, 10. Relative quiet and privacy, 11. A room that can hear the resonance of your own voice (not a room with heavy insulation board). The second part is how to plan a productive practice session; there are couple of small areas that I think it is really important in order to plan a practice session. To work on a large quantity of music efficiently, Klickstein recommended sorting them into five zones. . New material – Divide into sections, establish interpretive/technical plan, and slow tempo. 2. Developing material – Refine interpretation, increase tempo, and memorization. 3. Performance material – practice performing, maintains memory, renew and innovate. 4. Technique – Diction, Arpeggios, scales and etc. 5. Musicianship – Sigh t reading, theory/ear training, listening/study. Now we know how to plan a practice session, let’s find out about how to schedule practice sessions, in my opinion there is also five points of scheduling practice sessions. First is practice regularly, our artistic evolution is best served by steady, the practice time does not have to be long but similar amount of playing or singing each day is essential. Second point is practice more times than long time, try to arrange several practice sessions each day, maybe start off in the morning, practice in the afternoon, and practice before bedtime. Third is taking breaks between small sessions, generally you rest ten minutes of each hour that you practice, but for vocalist should be 20~30 minutes and rest 10 minutes. Fourth point is increasing your practice time gradually, and when you increase the practice time it also needs to be consistent. The last point of how to schedule practice sessions would be living a balanced life, make practice a part of your regular life, but also make room to exercise, eat healthy foods and relax with friends. A balanced lifestyle is essential to your well-being and for a successful musician. Now we know how to practice, we need to start off with picking new pieces of music to practice, this might sound easy but in my opinion there are 3 important guidelines to choose your new music materials. First is the taste, try not to pick a piece that you have absolute no interest in, you should enjoy the music that you learn, if the piece gives you excitement it will motivate you to practice. Second is the capacity, pick a piece that the creative capacity is not too far off from your musical and technical abilities, picking a piece that is difficult will not increase your strength and skills as much. Lastly is the plan, plan out your upcoming events, and see if it is possible for the new material to be ready before the next performance. Self-Recording – Benefits of Self-Recording:1. Sharpens musicianship, 2. Prevents distorted perception, 3. Heightens practice efficiency, 4. Enhances lessons, 5. Promotes objectivity. Habits of Excellence – Your habits in the practice room is very important, because the habits in the practice room will be the habits when you are on stage. 1. Ease – choose manageable material, because the more attention you use up supervising tec hnical elements, the less room you have available for artistry. â€Å"Playing is never difficult; it is either easy, or it is impossible. –Kato Havas, violinist. 2. Expressiveness – you can only become an expressive performer if you practice expressively, really do the dynamics, and have imaginations when practicing. 3. Accuracy. 4. Rhythmic vitality. 5. Beautiful tone – make sure the standard tone is full and rich, also develop a tone that will project to the back of a hall even at the quietest level. 6. Focused attention – When you’re practicing, imagine yourself being on stage and about to begin a performance. 7. Positive attitude – There will always be challenges, get help if you need it, and proceed confidently! Essentials of Artistic Interpretation – â€Å"Notes First† should not be the first thing to do when receiving a new piece, because once the habits are formed, it is even more difficult to rework the wrong habits. 1. Capture the mood, style, and tempo. 2. Shape the dynamics. 3. Color the tone. 4. Mold the articulation. 5. Contour the meter. 6. Drive the rhythm. 7. Express the form. Mental imaging – â€Å"When I sit in Paris in a cafe, surrounded by people, I don’t sit casually-I go over a certain sonata in my head and discover new things all the time. † –Arthur Rubinstein, pianist. Physical practicing is important but without mental imaging during usual practice, performer is more likely to make mistakes in performances. In order to do mental imaging, you have to be able to hear the music without playing it, that helps musicians memorize the music with ease, rather than memorizing music forcibly by practicing over and over again without any mental imaging. Starting New Material, Singers should – 1) Speak text in rhythm. To grasp how the words and rhythm fit together, expressively speak the text in rhythm. If anything feels uncertain, speak a section three times. ) Polish diction and comprehension. If you understand the language well, you can carry out this procedure before speaking the text in rhythm. But if it is a language that you’re not familiar with, then by speaking in rhythm first you will ensure that your accents line up correctly. Lastly, recite the text in the original language â€Å"as if in a dramatic reading. † 3) Sing the melo dy on â€Å"ah. † With the rhythm, diction, and meaning clear, move on to mapping pitches. Sing expressively to the section on ah or by using other vowels. If pitches are not correctly, review the intervals then sing the section three times. When the music needs to be memorized, besides singing on ah, you should also profit from singing the melody with fixed-do solfege syllables. Performance anxiety is one of the biggest issues for all performers. Cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich said, â€Å"You must play for the love of music. Perfect technique is not as important as making music from the heart. † Sounded very easy and true but indeed it is very hard to do. Now we’re going to analyze about the performance anxiety, then we will start talking about the routines and suggestions to reduce the anxiety. Why do we have anxiety? Anxiety is a natural response to a perceived threat, when you feel the threat, adrenaline pours into your bloodstream, and this is called: the fight-or-flight response. Psychologist Stephen D. Curtis says, â€Å"The most important psychological contributor to the onset of performance anxiety is a performer’s concert for, or fear of, the outcome of the performance: that is, the performer’s thoughts become focused on an imagined negative outcome or failure. † If you’re afraid of performance, the switch of fight-or-flight response will be turn on during your performance. But this does not mean adrenaline is bad, if you can use this adrenaline to more of an excited way, this will benefits your performance, therefore, in order to reduce fight-or-flight activation, you have to manage fear. There are 3 stages of anxiety effects, it is important for performers to know what type of symptoms they might have while in these 3 stages of anxiety effect, each stage has different anxiety effects. Preperformance Effects – 1. Avoidance of practice, 2. Obsessive practice. 3. Busyness/disorganization. 4. Depression/fatigue/laziness. 5. Worry/distorted thinking. 6. Headaches. 7. Insomnia. 8. Difficulty focusing. 9. Stomach upset/loss of appetite. 10. Trouble with relationships. 11. Academic decline. 12. Substance abuse. At-Performance Effects – there are two different types of At-Performance Effects, first one is Physical/Behavioral Effects. There are 10 kinds for the first effects, 1. Trembling. 2. Cold hands. 3. Racing heartbeat. 4. Heavy perspiration. 5. Nausea/butterflies/wooziness. 6. Muscle tension. 7. Technical insecurity. 8. Rapid or restricted breathing. 9. Dry mouth. 10. Urge to urinate. The Second effect is the mental/emotional effects, 1. Fear. 2. Confusion. 3. Memory lapses. 4. Distorted thinking. . Agitation. 6. Hypersensitivity. 7. Negative self-talk. 8. Shame. 9. Anger. 10. Panic. The last stage of effect is called Postperformance Effects, and the effects are 1. Distorted thinking. 2. Shame. 3. Anger/hostility. 4. Misattribution. 5. Avoidance of practice. 6. Depression/fatigue. 7. Persistent insomnia. 8. Trouble with relationships. 9. Academic decl ine. 10. Substance abuse. Now we know the different kinds of anxiety effects and the cause of fight-or-flight response, we are going to talk about routine for preperformance, some guidelines for at-performance and routine for postperformance to reduce anxiety. The routine for preperformance is all about preparing before the performance, therefore it is a very important routine. How to prepare yourself before the performance? First you need to practice, not physically but mentally, because there’s really no point in doing any extended practice. Second, you need to rest before performance, if there’s no time for a nap, at least spend 10 minutes in a resting pose before performance. Third is meal, prepare a balanced preconcert meal is very crucial, you do not want to perform with a 10 out of 10 fullness of your stomach, or 2 out of 10 fullness either, 5 is the best fullness. Fourth is activities, a mild aerobic workout will be refreshing, and that will benefit your performance. Fifth is wardrobe and grooming, you should sort out your wardrobe and grooming days ahead of time to prevent any mistake such as only one sock or missing tie, it is never fun to find that out at the last minute. Lastly, prepare you music, instruments and gear, printed programs, music stand (if necessary), tools and spare parts just in case if a button fell off etc†¦, backstage water is extremely important for vocalist, lastly, snacks. There are couple brief points that I think are pretty important and essentials when performing on stage. Attire; make sure to match your clothing to the venue, for example, no tailcoats for evening recitals. Bowing, when the audiences are passionate, take a deeper bow than the usually bow to show your appreciation, bend no more than 45 degrees. Setting up, no need to rush for set up in the beginning, listeners also need time to settle into a mood from applauding. Performing, body language can show different elements of your performance, could be negative if it is inappropriate, therefore, recording a practice performance is needed. Handling scores, performers should prepare scores early, a loud page turn can break the music. There are 3 important points for post-performance routines, this is also important because if the performer gets the feeling in the wrong way, it can turn a person into depression. First thing for the post-performance routine is to interact and cool down, after bowing, cool down and accept your own performance. Secondly is to assess, the best way to enhance your assessment is recording, but it is best to wait a day before you go back and listen to yourself or else the performer(you) will be extra judgmental about their performance on that day. Lastly is to move ahead, after the assessment, it is time to move on, do not think too much about the mistakes of the last performance, start planning for your next practice session which is most important. I believe chapter twelve is among the most important chapters. It talks about injury prevention, causes of injury, warning signs, injury-prevention basics and lastly how to recover from injuries. Most musicians’ injuries are music related. Musicians work hard in order to maintain their abilities, but few musicians realize that over performing, practicing and teaching can trigger injuries. Most instrumentalists end up having tendonitis, which is extremely harmful as a performer because it may stop artists’ from playing for several days, which is really bad especially if they have gigs aligned for that week. It is mentioned in the book that most instrumentalists injuries are five causes: overuse, misuse, accidents, anatomical differences, and individual sensitivities. Overuse is broken down to what part of the body is overused. Musicians tend to overuse muscles, muscles can only sustain so much work before having to rest. Slight damage tends to heal overnight, but when a musician continues to work on a strained muscle it will cause trauma to the muscle which may cause permanent damage. Tendons are another muscle musicians must pay special attention to. Physicians Emil Pascarelli explains that the fluid that lubricates the tendons is used up during movement and is restored during rest. So when musicians play without taking breaks it is extremely harmful because fluid becomes depleted and friction arises between the tendon and sheath causing damage. So it is recommended throughout this book to take rest when breaking, it is wise to practice in increments. Misuse ties in without taking breaks during practice as well as having bad living habits which inhibits the instruments (voice) from resting or even as an instrument one needs to rest and not misuse or abuse their body. It is mentioned in this book that most accidents happened from musicians hauling their gear, and performance stress. Warning signs that a body sign sends out that a musician must pay close attention to are: fatigue, pain, and odd sensation. The response to these symptoms that the books gives are common sense, it suggests that one must stop what they are ding, rest and get help from a doctor or instructor. Overall I found this book to be extremely helpful. Most of the information I mentioned were common sense, but I find that people tend to forget about it because we have so much going on as students and are just trying to fit everything in a day. I would definitely recommend this book to my colleagues. Personally I found this book to be my musical bible. I now turn to this book as a reference when I need help with something when I struggle as a musician.

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative

How to Speak to a Customer Service Representative At some point, most of us make a telephone call to a companys customer service department. Whether its to place an order or a complaint, dispute a charge, or ask a question, its important to know how to communicate with customer service representatives. In this intermediate-level role-play dialogue, you will get a better understanding of how to interact with a customer service representative. Customer service calls usually follow a standard procedure. The representative will often ask for information such as your address and phone number. After practicing this role-play, you should be able to conduct these types of phone calls with what youve learned. Grab a partner and start practicing. Customer Service Representative: Hello, Big City Electricity, how may I help you today? Mr. Peters: Im calling concerning my electricity bill. Customer Service Representative: May I have your account number? Mr. Peters: Certainly, its 4392107. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, is this Mr. Peters? Mr. Peters: Yes, this is Mr. Peters. Customer Service Representative: Thank you, what can I help you with? Mr. Peters:Â  I think Ive been overcharged for the past month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Why do you think we charged you too much? Mr. Peters: The bill is 300% higher than last month. Customer Service Representative: Im sorry to hear that. Let me ask you a few questions and then Ill see what I can do. Mr. Peters: OK, Thank you for your help. Customer Service Representative: Of course, thank you for calling this to our attention. Now, how much do you usually pay for your electricity? Mr. Peters: I usually pay about $50 a month.​ Customer Service Representative: Thank you. And how much did we charge on this bill?​ Mr. Peters: $150. I cant understand why.​ Customer Service Representative: Yes, Mr. Peters. Was your usage different in any way?​ Mr. Peters: No, it was an average month.​ Customer Service Representative: Im sorry. There certainly seems to be a mistake.​ Mr. Peters: Well, Im happy you agree with me.​ Customer Service Representative: Ill contact a service representative to come out and check your meter. Whats your address, Mr. Peters?​ Mr. Peters: 223 Flanders St., Tacoma, Washington 94998​ Customer Service Representative: Whats your phone number?​ Mr. Peters: 408-533-0875​ Customer Service Representative: Im terribly sorry about the misunderstanding. Well do our best to change this as quickly as possible. Mr. Peters: Thank you for your help in clearing this up. Customer Service Representative: Of course. Is there anything else that I can help you with today? Mr. Peters: No, thank you. That would be all. Customer Service Representative: Okay. Thanks for calling, Mr. Peters, and I hope you have a good day. Mr. Peters: You too! Goodbye.

A Study On Communicative Teaching Education Essay

Finally, when we learn to pass on utilizing our mark linguistic communication we do it of course because we are involved in a context that uses this linguistic communication so we get used to talk it in a short clip non by larning grammatical regulations but, as Nunan expresses we learn a linguistic communication â€Å" as a dynamic resource for the creative activity of intending†¦ we need to separate between cognizing assorted grammatical regulations and being able to utilize the regulations efficaciously and suitably when pass oning † . ( 1989 ) When we want to larn a new linguistic communication different from the mark one there are many methods or attacks that we can utilize, all of them for the same intent: Communicate. The communicative instruction attack arises from the dissatisfaction of many pedagogues that are non happy with the audio-lingual method because grammar is difficult to larn and pupils get bored in category because they do n’t happen the existent public-service corporation of the new linguistic communication. Since the pupils were larning how to construct a perfect sentence they did n’t hold the opportunity to pattern existent communicating. This method focuses more on the purpose of communicate and less in the perfect manner to talk because the pupils have to happen one manner or another to show what they want to state. This attack uses activities that simulate existent life state of affairss and encourages the pupil to pattern the new linguistic communication speech production it and happening the manner to give significance to their words without the necessity of a perfect grammar. In these activities the pupils can work in braces or groups where they can happen feedback from their schoolmates so they feel less afraid because they find themselves in a friendly context. These activities are more interesting for the pupils because they can utilize their ain thoughts and they do n’t hold to interpret or reiterate words to larn, so they keep motivated. They can take the manner to show their thoughts based on the individual who is listening to them and besides on the context that they are working in. Besides this method is good for the instructor because there is more flexibleness to do activities that seem more like a game giving pupils a relaxed and merriment environment where they can happen replies from their couples. Besides, the appraisal of the pupils is based in measure up the ability to pass on in a right manner. A communicative schoolroom is really noisy because the pupils have to be involved in activities where they can talk and listen to their schoolmates. Besides, they can work stand up and they can be traveling so the category is non deadening. Therefore, they gain assurance and they feel comfy talking the new linguistic communication. The pupils have the duty of their ain acquisition and the instructor acts more like a usher and an perceiver. The communicative method is based on several rules. One of the most used list of rules is David Nunan ‘s ( 1991 ) which describes that: It puts accent in the communicating in the foreign linguistic communication across the interaction. It introduces existent texts in the state of affairs of acquisition. It offers chances to the students to believe about the acquisition procedure and non merely about the linguistic communication. It gives importance to the pupils ‘ personal experiences as elements that they contribute to the acquisition of the schoolroom. It tries to associate the linguistic communication learned in the schoolroom with activities realized out of it. Therefore, the pupils are larning like in the existent life from their experiences and besides from the experiences and feedback from their schoolmates. Besides, they are larning to utilize the linguistic communication in simulations of day-to-day state of affairss, so they are acquiring accomplishments to public presentation in a societal and cultural existent context utilizing a normal linguistic communication non a perfect one like the one used in books. The pupils besides learn to hold coherency when they are talking to do their sentences apprehensible and meaningful. In this sort of schoolroom the pupils work in braces or groups so they can be able to better their interaction whit other people imitating a existent state of affairs holding an interaction that allows them to negociate an discuss uncertainties. Is of import the uninterrupted usage of the mark linguistic communication, here is where the instructor acts as a proctor oversing that the pupils do n’t talk in thei r native linguistic communication in order to hold a existent pattern during the activities. The pupils does n’t hold to act in a specific manner, when a error happens the pupils are non punished, alternatively of that the instructor raters to honor the eloquence and good pronunciation. Besides, in some activities the pupils are free to take what to state and they besides can take the easiest manner to state it. Thus the pupil can develop schemes to larn and measure by themselves. Another of import point is that the pupils have the opportunity to show their feelings and emotions so they feel comfy in category because they feel they are doing an of import part for the acquisition procedure. This method uses an effort to animate the existent communicating but is non precisely the same. It ‘s of import that the pupils use what they learn in schoolroom when they are out of it. In other methods the chief purpose of acquisition is translate words and sentences and larn a perfect grammar that sometimes is sort of useless in existent life, is better to larn how to believe in the new linguistic communication so the pupils do n’t hold to interpret before speak, losing clip and eloquence. At the terminal, the significance is what matters the most. In other words what is of import is the content of the sentence, non the manner to state it. The chief technique in this method is to do activities that promote communicating between spouses. It ‘s of import to hold a desire of communicating doing inquiries and giving replies to advance duologue holding a ground or a subject to speak about. The instructor can put the subject or give the pupils freedom to take it, therefore the pupils have a communicative intent. Sometimes activities in the communicative schoolroom can look unreal because pupils are merely conceive ofing state of affairss and besides because the instructor is largely of the clip following to them which non occurs in existent state of affairss. To avoid this disadvantage, the instructor can seek to utilize more existent stuff like magazines, books, games, etc. I think that this method can be used in a learner-centered schoolroom where the most of import individual is the pupil and all the activities are focused to better the public presentation of the scholar acquiring near to existent life state of affairss. In my personal experience as pupil I have had the opportunity to experiment communicative activities and I truly like them because small by small I ‘m less afraid to talk and to do errors because if I ‘m incorrect normally I have feedback from my schoolmates or from my instructor. Besides this method makes me experience more interested in the new linguistic communication, English in this instance because I like to utilize it non merely in the schoolroom but in my existent life. I would wish to utilize this method in my categories to do them more merriment and interesting and besides to make a friendly environment with my pupils. Mentions: Wikipedia ( 2009 ) Metodo Comunicativo [ Website ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //es.wikipedia.org/wiki/M % C3 % A9todo_comunicativo gt ; [ December 2009 ] Nunan, David. ( 1991 ) . Planing undertakings for the communicative schoolroom. Cambridge Language Teaching Library [ Online Book ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.mx/books? id=NSlMZp9XkHoC A ; dq=david+nunan % 2Bcommunicative+teaching A ; lr= A ; source=gbs_navlinks_s gt ; [ December 2009 ] Harmer, Jeremy ( 1991 ) The pattern of English Language Teaching. Longman.Longman Printing New York. Hedge, Tricia ( 2000 ) Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford University Press Library [ Online Book ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.mx/books? id=VG8NuoGgKJYC A ; dq=hedge+tricia A ; lr= gt ; [ December 2009 ] A Study On Communicative Teaching Education Essay Finally, when we learn to pass on utilizing our mark linguistic communication we do it of course because we are involved in a context that uses this linguistic communication so we get used to talk it in a short clip non by larning grammatical regulations but, as Nunan expresses we learn a linguistic communication â€Å" as a dynamic resource for the creative activity of intending†¦ we need to separate between cognizing assorted grammatical regulations and being able to utilize the regulations efficaciously and suitably when pass oning † . ( 1989 ) When we want to larn a new linguistic communication different from the mark one there are many methods or attacks that we can utilize, all of them for the same intent: Communicate. The communicative instruction attack arises from the dissatisfaction of many pedagogues that are non happy with the audio-lingual method because grammar is difficult to larn and pupils get bored in category because they do n’t happen the existent public-service corporation of the new linguistic communication. Since the pupils were larning how to construct a perfect sentence they did n’t hold the opportunity to pattern existent communicating. This method focuses more on the purpose of communicate and less in the perfect manner to talk because the pupils have to happen one manner or another to show what they want to state. This attack uses activities that simulate existent life state of affairss and encourages the pupil to pattern the new linguistic communication speech production it and happening the manner to give significance to their words without the necessity of a perfect grammar. In these activities the pupils can work in braces or groups where they can happen feedback from their schoolmates so they feel less afraid because they find themselves in a friendly context. These activities are more interesting for the pupils because they can utilize their ain thoughts and they do n’t hold to interpret or reiterate words to larn, so they keep motivated. They can take the manner to show their thoughts based on the individual who is listening to them and besides on the context that they are working in. Besides this method is good for the instructor because there is more flexibleness to do activities that seem more like a game giving pupils a relaxed and merriment environment where they can happen replies from their couples. Besides, the appraisal of the pupils is based in measure up the ability to pass on in a right manner. A communicative schoolroom is really noisy because the pupils have to be involved in activities where they can talk and listen to their schoolmates. Besides, they can work stand up and they can be traveling so the category is non deadening. Therefore, they gain assurance and they feel comfy talking the new linguistic communication. The pupils have the duty of their ain acquisition and the instructor acts more like a usher and an perceiver. The communicative method is based on several rules. One of the most used list of rules is David Nunan ‘s ( 1991 ) which describes that: It puts accent in the communicating in the foreign linguistic communication across the interaction. It introduces existent texts in the state of affairs of acquisition. It offers chances to the students to believe about the acquisition procedure and non merely about the linguistic communication. It gives importance to the pupils ‘ personal experiences as elements that they contribute to the acquisition of the schoolroom. It tries to associate the linguistic communication learned in the schoolroom with activities realized out of it. Therefore, the pupils are larning like in the existent life from their experiences and besides from the experiences and feedback from their schoolmates. Besides, they are larning to utilize the linguistic communication in simulations of day-to-day state of affairss, so they are acquiring accomplishments to public presentation in a societal and cultural existent context utilizing a normal linguistic communication non a perfect one like the one used in books. The pupils besides learn to hold coherency when they are talking to do their sentences apprehensible and meaningful. In this sort of schoolroom the pupils work in braces or groups so they can be able to better their interaction whit other people imitating a existent state of affairs holding an interaction that allows them to negociate an discuss uncertainties. Is of import the uninterrupted usage of the mark linguistic communication, here is where the instructor acts as a proctor oversing that the pupils do n’t talk in thei r native linguistic communication in order to hold a existent pattern during the activities. The pupils does n’t hold to act in a specific manner, when a error happens the pupils are non punished, alternatively of that the instructor raters to honor the eloquence and good pronunciation. Besides, in some activities the pupils are free to take what to state and they besides can take the easiest manner to state it. Thus the pupil can develop schemes to larn and measure by themselves. Another of import point is that the pupils have the opportunity to show their feelings and emotions so they feel comfy in category because they feel they are doing an of import part for the acquisition procedure. This method uses an effort to animate the existent communicating but is non precisely the same. It ‘s of import that the pupils use what they learn in schoolroom when they are out of it. In other methods the chief purpose of acquisition is translate words and sentences and larn a perfect grammar that sometimes is sort of useless in existent life, is better to larn how to believe in the new linguistic communication so the pupils do n’t hold to interpret before speak, losing clip and eloquence. At the terminal, the significance is what matters the most. In other words what is of import is the content of the sentence, non the manner to state it. The chief technique in this method is to do activities that promote communicating between spouses. It ‘s of import to hold a desire of communicating doing inquiries and giving replies to advance duologue holding a ground or a subject to speak about. The instructor can put the subject or give the pupils freedom to take it, therefore the pupils have a communicative intent. Sometimes activities in the communicative schoolroom can look unreal because pupils are merely conceive ofing state of affairss and besides because the instructor is largely of the clip following to them which non occurs in existent state of affairss. To avoid this disadvantage, the instructor can seek to utilize more existent stuff like magazines, books, games, etc. I think that this method can be used in a learner-centered schoolroom where the most of import individual is the pupil and all the activities are focused to better the public presentation of the scholar acquiring near to existent life state of affairss. In my personal experience as pupil I have had the opportunity to experiment communicative activities and I truly like them because small by small I ‘m less afraid to talk and to do errors because if I ‘m incorrect normally I have feedback from my schoolmates or from my instructor. Besides this method makes me experience more interested in the new linguistic communication, English in this instance because I like to utilize it non merely in the schoolroom but in my existent life. I would wish to utilize this method in my categories to do them more merriment and interesting and besides to make a friendly environment with my pupils. Mentions: Wikipedia ( 2009 ) Metodo Comunicativo [ Website ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //es.wikipedia.org/wiki/M % C3 % A9todo_comunicativo gt ; [ December 2009 ] Nunan, David. ( 1991 ) . Planing undertakings for the communicative schoolroom. Cambridge Language Teaching Library [ Online Book ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.mx/books? id=NSlMZp9XkHoC A ; dq=david+nunan % 2Bcommunicative+teaching A ; lr= A ; source=gbs_navlinks_s gt ; [ December 2009 ] Harmer, Jeremy ( 1991 ) The pattern of English Language Teaching. Longman.Longman Printing New York. Hedge, Tricia ( 2000 ) Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford University Press Library [ Online Book ] Available from: A ; lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //books.google.com.mx/books? id=VG8NuoGgKJYC A ; dq=hedge+tricia A ; lr= gt ; [ December 2009 ]

Developing a new set of performance appraisal processes and measures Essay

Developing a new set of performance appraisal processes and measures - Essay Example The senior management should as much as possible prevent unsatisfied employees after the performance appraisal process. There should be a good way to determine the best way how to let employees understand what the company exactly perceives about their actual performance. There should be correct and exact criteria for performance appraisal that are not susceptible to bias or one-sided in its approach when they are put into application. This is to ensure that the entire process of performance appraisal program is controlled by the management that is far beyond the issue of unfair treatment. Management should give skills empowerment program for its employees. This is one of the ways in which employees are set to another level of standard and this is also a way how the management expects them to achieve specific level or standard. Learning and growth strategy is another important goal of the management to be executed prior to the actual performance appraisal process. This is to ensure th at employees are given the exact idea that the management expects them to grow and thus performance appraisal is just one of the effective ways for such measurement. In this way, employees will not recent about how they are being evaluated considering that there is a significant basis why they should be evaluated. In fact, the management could express its learning and growth strategy as a way of investing in its human resource. The management should emphasised that investing in its employees and particularly in its human resource is a good start to emphasise the significance of performance appraisal. However, employees should not view this as only a way of maximising company’s profit or financial performance. Rather, it should be viewed as integral part of how an organisation should find for its corporate success. This should be widely understood by employees and that their performance is an integral part of the entire corporate performance in the achievement of goals. Finall y, the management should create a good working environment for its employees. In this way, there is always a good reason for its employees to believe that they are giving their time at the right place. This should be integrated in the performance appraisal system. This is one of the good ways to ensure corresponding success in any attempt to evaluate corporate performance as far as the human resource is concerned. B. Recommendations Success of new performance appraisal process should be evaluated based on the detailed concept of employee-employer relationships. There are many things that an employer should understand about employees because each one of them has specific needs that could motivate them at some point. Feedbacks should be given in a way that it promotes neutral impact on both the management and its employees. This is to ensure that the employees are able to grasp the genuine intention of the management for giving feedbacks. Employer must be able to create significant un derstanding about both external and internal factors of the business environment. In this reason, there is always a good chance to take a better look at how employees perform their tasks and manage to do them based on the firm’s expectations. Firm should be able to evaluate first its expectations. In this way, there is always a good chance to concentrate on what really benefits the organisation. However, this does not mean that the entire process

The Challenges Faced by Logistics Organisations in the UAE Dissertation

The Challenges Faced by Logistics Organisations in the UAE - Dissertation Example This research study aims to study and analyse the challenges faced by transport organizations in the UAE. The financial crisis created many economic problems for various business sectors in Dubai that includes the supply chain and logistic sector. Therefore this research will discuss the adverse effects of global financial crisis and its implications to transport industry in Dubai as a whole. On a positive a report by Business Monitor International (2011) cites Frost and Sullivan (2010) who consider UAE as a growth market for freight and logistics. Their study found that the Emirates’ logistics market is set to generate record revenues this year, and will continue to grow over the medium term as a result of its concerted effort to place itself at the centre of the global freight forwarding network. But there are challenges galore due to constant threats to supply chains in the region with the talk of war in the region as well as due to overcapacity and a drop in demand continu ally threatening to push down rates and impinge on profits. The UAE’s primary ports are forecast to grow over the medium term, though at a slower rate than before the economic crisis. The air and logistics sectors in the UAE are continuing to grow at a rapid pace, with more logistics companies relocating their hubs to the country, and national air carriers continuing to expand and post improved results. 1.1 Academic Relevance: It is important to study the topic due to its academic relevance. Supply chain and logistic are key industries in the UAE and act as the life blood of business in the UAE, with little manufacturing base. The major chunk of Dubai’s economy is based on logistic industry and problems arising in this industry may have serious implications on the business... UAE is collectively known worldwide as a regional hub that serves numerous multinational organizations by facilitating and providing much needed economic, social and technological infrastructure. Similarly, on the other hand, Dubai as a city is known globally as a financial hub of the Middle East. In the last two decades or so, Dubai has transformed itself significantly to construct state of the art infrastructure in almost every field and discipline. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who is the current ruler of Dubai and also the Prime Minister of UAE, Dubai has focused on bringing reforms in education, health, hospitality, real estate, transport, logistics and in the overall economy. Unlike Abu Dhabi that is dependent on oil and gas resources for revenue generation, Dubai’s economy is based on different clusters which include trading, shipping, logistics, banking, real estate, construction and most importantly tourism. Since the research is based on highlighting issues related to supply chain; trading, shipping, transportation and logistics activities will be discussed primarily. Dubai which is the business hub of Middle East is strategically placed to serve China and other industrial nations with regards to importing goods. Dubai as a city is one of the biggest importers of Asian goods in Middle East and therefore is also classed as a re-exporting hub of Middle East and North Africa.

Types and Significance of Evaluation of Training Program Essay Example for Free

Types and Significance of Evaluation of Training Program Essay Types and significance of evaluation of training program INTRODUCTION Training is vital for any and every organization. With the changing socio-economic and technological relevance of training, the definitions, scope, methods and evaluation of training program have also changed. One of the earlier classic definitions of training is ‘bringing lasting improvement in skills in jobs’. The present day definitions take a multi-dimensional perspective enveloping the needs of individuals, teams, organizations and the society. The steps in the training program development are planning, programme implementation, and programme evaluation and follow-up. The evaluation of any training system helps measure the’ knowledge gap’, what is defined by Riech as ‘the gap between what the trainer teaches and what the trainee learns’. Evaluations help to measure Reich’s gap by determining the value and effectiveness of a learning programme. It uses assessment and validation tools to provide data for the evaluation. Evaluation of training systems, programmes or courses tends to be a demand of a social, institutional or economic nature. A training program is not complete until you have evaluated methods and results. A key to obtaining consistent success with training programs is to have a systematic approach to measurement and evaluation. Training Evaluation Approach Evaluation methods should be determined based on the goals of the training process and should meet the demands of the various stakeholders involved. Every organization has multiple stakeholders and not everyone within the organization has the same information needs. Typically, organizational stakeholder groups include the training department, employees and business units. Their information requirements fall into two categories: whether the competencies have been learned and whether the learning has been applied toward improved performance. DEFINITION * Goldstein (1993) defines evaluation as the â€Å"systematic collection of descriptive and judgmental information necessary to make effective decisions related to selection, adoption, value and modification of various instructional activities†. * Kirkpatrick (1996) defines evaluation as determination of the effectiveness of a training programme. Evaluation of training as any attempt to obtain information on the effects of a training programme, and to assess the value of the training in the light of that information. * According to Van Dyk et al. (1997), definitions of evaluation have several implications: †¢ Evaluation is an ongoing process. It is not done at the end of course only. †¢ The evaluation process is directed towards a specific goal and objectives. †¢ Evaluation requires the use of accurate and appropriate measuring instruments to collect information for decision making. †¢ Evaluation is a form of quality control. Evaluation is not only concerned with the evaluation of students but with the wider training system as a whole. TYPES OF EVALUATION 1) Formation evaluation Formative evaluation Provides ongoing feedback to the curriculum designers and developers to ensure that what is being created really meets the needs of the intended audience. Formative Evaluation may be defined as any combination of measurements obtained and judgments made before or during the implementation of materials, methods, or programs to control, assure or improve the quality of program performance or delivery. * It answers such questions as, Are the goals and objectives suitable for the intended audience? Are the methods and materials appropriate to the event? Can the event be easily replicated? Formative evaluation furnishes information for program developers and implementers. * It helps determine program planning and implementation activities in terms of (1) target population, (2) program organization, and (3) program location and timing. * It provides short-loop feedback about the quality and implementation of program activities and thus becomes critical to establishing, stabilizing, and upgrading programs. ) Process evaluation Process evaluation provides information about what occurs during training. This includes giving and receiving verbal feedback. Process Evaluation answers the question, What did you do? It focuses on procedures and actions being used to produce results. * It monitors the quality of an event or project by various means. Traditionally, working as an onlooker, the evaluator describes this process and measures the results in oral and written reports. * Process evaluation is the most common type of training evaluation. It takes place during training delivery and at the end of the event. Most of you probably have done it in one form or another. The question we try to answer is What did you do? * Following is a sample list of the kinds of information collected to answer this question: * Demographic data (characteristics about participants and their physical location) * What was taught; how long it took * Whether or not the objectives were met * Who did what to whom, and when 3) Outcome evaluation Outcome evaluation determines whether or not the desired results (e. g. , what participants are doing) of applying new skills were achieved in the short-term. Outcome Evaluation answers the question, What happened to the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of the intended population? * Specific and observable changes in behaviors that lead toward healthier or more productive lifestyles and away from problem-causing actions indicate a successful program. * For example, a successful project is one that is successful in causing a higher percentage of students to use condoms when†¦. This project would produce both outcomes and impacts. Outcome evaluation is a long-term undertaking. * Outcome evaluation answers the question, What did the participants do? * Because outcomes refer to changes in behavior, outcome evaluation data is intended to measure what training participants were able to do at the end of training and what they actually did back on the job or in their community as a result of the training. * 4. Impact evaluation Impact evaluation determines how the results of the training affect the strategic goal e. g. health promotion g oal of reducing the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Impact Evaluation takes even longer than outcome evaluation and you may never know for sure that your project helped bring about the change. The focus is on changes that have occurred in key social indicators which are used to gauge the levels of problem occurrence. * Examples of impacts are reduction in the incidence of HIV/AIDS; increase in condom use among students * Impacts occur through an accumulation of outcomes. Impact evaluation is meant to answer the question, How what did was taught in the training affect the problem? (Think back on the problem statements you developed. * Impact evaluation tries to measure whether or not training has affected the initial problem you identified. In other words, an impact evaluation is meant to assess the extent to which what was learned is making a difference at the community level, or targeted groups, or beneficiaries of the intervention Though this type of evaluation usually tak es a long time and costs a lot of money, it is the type that really focuses, for instance, on assessing whether or not there has been a reduction in the incidence and prevalence of specific problems in the community. * The idea here is that the impact of training will hopefully be far reaching and make a difference in peoples lives. Need for Evaluation Since evaluation is an integral part of the whole process of training and development the details have to be conceived much before the actual training activity; rather-than its ritualistic tagging at the end of training. The trainer should be fairly clear of: How to evaluate What to evaluate When to evaluate Answers to these questions are dependent on the need for evaluation. Why Should A Training Program Be Evaluated? * To identify the program’s strengths and weaknesses. * To assess whether content, organization, and administration of the program contribute to learning and the use of training content on the job. To identify which trainees benefited most or least from the program. * To gather data to assist in marketing training programs. * To determine the financial benefits and costs of the programs. * To compare the costs and benefits of training versus non-training investments. * To compare the costs and benefits of different training programs to choose the best program. P rinciples of Evaluation Schuman, E. A. describes evaluation as an integral part of an operating system meant to aid trainers/ training managers to plan and adjust their training activities in an attempt to increase the probability of achieving the desired action or goals. In order to integrate training practices with business policy and objectives evaluation has to be based on sound principles such as: 1. Trainer/ Evaluator must be clear about the purpose of evaluation to be able to set the standards and criteria of evaluation. 2. For an objective evaluation, the methodology and criteria of evaluation should be based on observable and as far as possible measurable standards of assessment which have been agreed upon by the evaluators and the users of the training system. 3. Evaluation has to be accepted as a process than an end product of training. 4. As a process, it has to be continuous. The ‘one-spot’ assessment cannot guide trainers for improving subsequent programmes, therefore it has to begin before the actual training activity and end much after the conclusion of visible training activity. 5. The training objectives should be an outcome of overall organizational goals to permit tangible evaluation of training results. 6. Evaluation data should be directive rather than conclusive. It must be comprehensive enough to guide trainers in the collection of information that will enable them to comment on current training effectiveness and to improve subsequent training. . A good evaluation system is tailor-made and should provide specific data about its strength and weakness. Generalizations drawn from one training activity may be in-applicable for training across different levels and to meet different standards. Besides, they should refrain from using single instances for conclusions and generalizations. 8. A good evaluative system should provide sufficien t scope for self- appraisal by the trainer/ evaluator. 9. The Evaluative data should try to balance quantitative and qualitative information. 10. Role of the evaluator needs tone based on sound working relationship with the participants, trainers, senior line managers and policy makers. Normally a researcher or a fresher is attached to the trainer to carry out end of the course evaluation. This evaluator may have the expertise of developing and designing-evaluative tools and techniques but it would be insufficient in promoting utilization of evaluation results. Evaluator’s acceptance by the participants and interpersonal sensitivity and trust for frank sharing of feedback is a must. This would modify their role as one of giving and receiving feedback rather than just receiving feedback. They have to be proactive than argumentative. 11. Effective communication and coordination are essential. Training and evaluation plans should be discussed so that there is commonality of purpose amongst the trainers, the evaluators and those sponsoring the trainees. 12. Reporting system of evaluative data should be simple, clear, adequate and available for interpretation. It requires the, evaluator to be sensitive to the feelings of the guidance, has to be tactful and honest. As far as possible terminology used should be concise and free from jargons. 13. Realistic targets must be set. A sense of urgency no doubt is desirable but deadline that are unrealistically high will result in poor quality. 14. Finally, a trainer who is sincere about training, evaluation would always insist on complete, objective and continuous feedback on the progress and deficiencies of training to be able to maintain the momentum of the training Programme, its evaluation and subsequent improvement. Benefits of Evaluation †¢ Improved quality of training activities Improved ability of the trainers to relate inputs to outputs †¢ Better discrimination of training activities between those that are worthy of support and those that should be dropped †¢ Better integration of training offered and on-the job development †¢ Better co-operation between trainers and line-managers in the development of staff †¢ Evidence of the contribution that training and development are making to the organization. Kirkpatricks Four-Level Training Evaluation Model The four levels of Kirkpatricks evaluation model essentially measure: 1. Reaction of student what they thought and felt about the training 2. Learning the resulting increase in knowledge and/or capability 3. Behavior extent of behavior and capability improvement and implementation/application 4. Results the effects on the business or environment resulting from the trainees performance Level 1 Evaluation Reactions This level measures how participants in a training program react to the training. Every program should at least be evaluated at this level to answer questions regarding the learners perceptions and improve training. This level gains knowledge about whether the participants liked the training and if it was relevant to their work. Negative reactions reduce the possibility of learning. Evaluation tools: †¢ Program evaluation sheets †¢ Face-to-face interviews †¢ Participant comments throughout the training †¢ Ability of the course to maintain interest †¢ Amount and appropriateness of interactive exercises †¢ Ease of navigation in Web-based and computer-based training †¢ Participants perceived value and transferability to the workplace This type of evaluation is inexpensive and easy to administer using interaction with the participants, paper forms and online forms. Level 2 Evaluation Learning Level 2 evaluations are conducted before training (pre-test) and after training (post-test) to assess the amount of learning that has occurred due to a training program. Level 2 evaluations assess the extent learners have advanced in knowledge, skills or attitude. Level 2 evaluation methods range from self-assessment to team assessment to informal to formal assessment. Evaluation tools †¢ Individual pre- and post-training tests for comparisons †¢ Assessment of action based learning such as work-based projects and role-plays †¢ Observations and feedback by peers, managers and instructors. Level 3: Behavior Level 3 involves the extent to which learners implement or transfer what they learned. This level differentiates between knowing the principles and techniques and using them on the job. Potential methodologies include formal testing or informal observation. This level of evaluation takes place post-training when the learners have returned to their jobs and is used to determine whether the skills are being used and how well. It typically involves contact with the learner and someone closely involved with the learner, such as the learners supervisor. Evaluation tools: †¢ Individual pre- and post-training tests or surveys Face-to-face interviews †¢ Observations and feedback from others †¢ Focus groups to gather information and share knowledge. Level 4 Evaluation- Results This evaluation measures the success of the training program in term that executives and managers can understand such as increased production, increased sales, decreased costs, improved quality, reduced f requency of accidents, higher profits or return on investment, positive changes in management style or in general behavior, increase in engagement levels of direct ports and favorable feedback from customers, peers and subordinates. Methods of Evaluation of Training Programs: It is extremely important to assess the result of any training program. The participant must be made aware of the goals and objectives of the training program and on completion of the training program, they should be asked about the impact of the concerned training program. Evaluation of any program is a difficult task and more so of a training program. The first step toward evaluation of a training program is to define the goals and objectives of the training program. These goals and objectives should be stated in such format so that they can be measured statistically. Also both the trainer and the trainees most be well acquainted with their role in the training Program In the evaluation of any training program. The first requirement is to collect valid and reliable data. The required data can be collected by using the fowling techniques. (12) 1. Self assessments answer sheets. 2. Question confronted by the trainees. 3. Assessing the collected information and observation. 4. Final result based on earlier information plus the new data Each method of data collection has its advantages and disadvantages. Which need to taken into Consideration? The merits and demerits of each method are as follows. Merits of Self Assessment: 1. The cost factor is quite low. 2. Data can easily collect. 3. Time consumption of the trainer and trainee is negligible. 4. Outside interference is completely avoided. 5. Effective relationships develop between the trainees. 6. Well designed answer sheet can produce healthy results. Demerits of Self Assessment: 1. Self assessment is basically self evaluation which can be based of biased responses. The assessment must have enough reliability so as to draw right conclusion in regard to individual assessment. . The responses given by the trainees can be based on misrepresentation or misinterpretation of the questions asked. Thus self assessment questions should be small and easy to understand . in addition . no information should be sleeked which will embarrass the trainees. 3. The information provided by the trainees cannot be evaluated in terms of their correctness. All the trainees do not prefer to gi ve the required information lest it may be used against at any point of time. All these problems can be easily solved. Self assessment is basically adhered to by all the training programs. However what is important to consider is to make proper effective use of this technique as the trainees provide valuable information which the trainer can use to formulate training strategy. The second requirement for evaluating a training program is concerned with the evaluation of the training program when part of the training program has been completed. The time factor must be decided before the program is initiated and the evaluation criteria must be determined before the training program begins. The first evaluation will give adequate information to the trainers whither the program moving toward write direction. At the same time trainees will be able to assess the value of the program in terms of its needs and usefulness. It is extremely important to realize whether the trainees have understood the need and importance of the training program. As this stage adequate data should be collected from the trainees to make proper evaluation of the training program. The collect data, interview and questionnaire methods can be most effective. Interviews can be conducted by seeking information face to face, by means of telephone, or by other strategies like group discussions etc. Each of these methods has its own merits and demerits. Merits of Interviews: 1. Face to face interviews ensure some response, if any responses need to be clarified. The trainer can do so instantly. Similarly if the trainees want any clarification, the same can do immediately. This helps in ensuring correct information. 2. As far telephone interviews are concerned though there is lack of personnel touch. The trainee does not feel the pressure of the interviewer to give answers that suit the trainer. The trainer can answer all those question that are complex in nature. These answers have far more validity as the responses are without any pressure. Demerits of Interviews: 1. The interview is a lengthy and costly process as it requires trained and skilled personal to get results that are reliable. 2. Another important drawback is the possibility of the trainer being involved in the interview. 3. Data collected through interview methods may be out of date and hence difficult to interpret. A primary survey was done using a detailed questionnaire as a tool. The survey helped in establishing an understanding f all the four levels of evaluation – reaction, learning, changes and results. The survey used the entire population of participants who attended the training programs of the Institution over the selected three years. The institution on an average trained 3000 participants every year from across the country in its 100 training programs per year. The questionnaire had three main parts – I. Personal details to build the profile of the pa rticipants; II. ‘Effectiveness of Program’ was studied with key questions on whether the objectives of rural development were met within the program. The participants were asked to rate the program content and design on the basic inputs of knowledge, skills and attitudes. III. ‘Professional relevance of training’ was evaluated with key questions asking how relevant the program content was for meeting the local needs and whether there was enough practical application which could be used for working or transferring the knowledge to functionaries further down the line. It also probed whether the learning could be shared with other colleagues in the organization and lastly whether the course had helped in the organizational performance. Merits and Demerits of Questionnaire Questionnaires in one form or another do appear in all kinds of research and surveys. Hence it is extremely vital that the questionnaire is framed with utmost care so that it measures the variable inexactly the way it has been designed for. Once the initial design has been properly framed, a pre _ test must be conducted to find out whether the questions mean the same thing to the trainer and the trainee if found inappropriate the questionnaire should be redesigned and a pilot survey should be conducted. If found appropriate. Full survey should be conducted and if found inappropriate the questionnaire should be redesigned again. The reliability and validity of the questionnaire should be properly evaluated before going in for full survey. In regard to collection of data. It may be observed, â€Å"As with any method of data collection it is vital to plan how the data is to be collected. However with this method, since it does not usually involve the design of some sort of formal survey instrument such as questionnaire. It is all too easy to leap straight in without a plan. This can lead to a considerable waste of time and without a plan. This can lead to a considerable waste of time and even worse the wrong data being collected-so the message is plan and design your desk research in the same way as you would any more formal survey. † Database: In the first instance, the database of 9000 participants was cleaned for missing names and incomplete addresses. The questionnaire was then posted to all the participants together with a stamped self-addressed envelope. Three reminders were also posted over a period of three months to the trainees who had not replied. Questionnaires were also posted to e-mail ids wherever available. The replies received were tabulated in the SPSS format and analyzed. BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE TRAINING EVALUATION * Lewis and Thorn hill, (1994) state that evaluation results that do not reflect positive changes or positive results may be a function of an incorrect decision to conduct training. This decision may have been taken higher in the organization’s hierarchy. Companies fail to do training evaluations correctly and thus do not obtain valid business or performance results (Sims, 1993). * According to Mann (1996) the question of what to evaluate is crucial to the evaluation strategy. The failure of training programme evaluations can be attributed to inadequate planning or design, lack of objectivity, evaluation errors of one sort or another, improper interpretation of results and inappropriate use of results and lack of sponsorships and lack of budget (Abernathy, 1999;Goldstein, 1993; Sims, 1993). ISSUES OR DILEMMAS IN EVALUATING TRAINING PROGRAMS A. Perceptions and attitudes of learners about evaluation. For example, trainees seem to respond best to evaluation when: The instrument or technique is clear, sensible, agreed on (or expected), well-planned, and integrated in the training design; and they understand the purpose of evaluation and see it as part of the training process. B. Is learning measurable, Observable? Can we measure or â€Å"objectify† the important leanings? C. Is training cost effective? Example: Does it increase roductivity, reduce absenteeism, lower turnover? D. Confidentiality and other uses of evaluation Ethical uses? E. Who can really measure adult learning but the learner? F. Systems-level evaluation of programs: The pilot phase The model phase The institutionalization phase FOLLOW UP: A COMPONENT OF EVALUATION A. Evaluation of Training on the Job Behavioral change Results of application B. Help in Practical Applications External services such as coaching consultancy Help by superiors and colleagues C. Further Personal Development On-the-job Further training courses D. Liaison with Former Participants Personal contacts Associations Information and conferences Alumni peer mentor in. Assessing the costs and benefits of training To conduct a thorough evaluation of a training program, it is important to assess the costs and benefits associated with the program. This is difficult to do but may he important for showing top management the value of training for the organization. For example, in one case, the net return of a training program for bank supervisors was calculated to be $148,400 over a 5-years period. Generally, a utility model would be used to estimate the value of training (benefits minus costs). Some of the costs that should be measured for the training program include needs assessment costs, salaries of training designers, purchase of equipment (computers, video, handouts), program development costs, evaluation costs, trainers’ costs (e. g. , salaries, travel, lodging, meals), facilities rental, trainee wages during training, and other trainee costs (e. g. , travel, lodging, meals). It is important to compare the benefits of the training program with its costs. One benefit that should be estimated is the dollar payback associated with the improvement in trainees’ performance after receiving training. Since the results of the experimental design will indicate any differences in behavior between whose trained and those untrained, the HR professional can estimate for that particular group of employees (e. g. managers, engineers) what this difference is worth in terms of the salaries of those employees. Another factor that should be considered when estimating the benefits of training is the duration of the training’s impact-that is, the length of time during which the improved performance will be maintained. While probably no programmes will show benefits forever, those that do incur longer-term improved performance will have greater value to the organization. Conclusion The Evaluation of any training program has certain aims to fulfill. These are concerned with the determination of change in the organizational behavior and the change needed in the organizational structure. Hence evaluation of any training program must inform us whether the training program has been able to deliver the goals and objectives in terms of cost incurred and benefits achieved. The analysis of the information is the concluding part of any evaluation program. The analysis of data should be summarized and then compared with the data of other training programs similar nature. On the basis of these comparisons, problems and strength should be identified which would help the trainer in his future training programs.

Minimum of Two and Human Relationships :: English Literature

Don’t be a twit Clive. Minimum of Two presents a bleak view of human relationships. Discuss in relation to three stories. â€Å"Minimum of Two† demonstrates a bleak view of human relationships, however there are a few hopeful ones. The boy and the boy’s friend show negative and pessimistic relationships. Jerra and Rachel show a plain relationship at first, however it turns more optimistic during the end. The girl and the mother have a negative damaging relationship, which does not change. All these characters demonstrate a desolate view of relationships at some stage in the novel. The boy and the boy’s friend show a plain, windswept relationship. The boy’s friend and his girlfriend travel up the coast together to his mother’s holiday house. The boy is quiet and doesn’t want to lose his friend. He follows them wherever they go and doesn’t want to accept that things are different, â€Å"he swears things are the same†, No Memory Comes†. The boy has been friends with him nearly his whole life, and doesn’t realise that his friend his moving on. The boy knows that his relationship with his friend is becoming distant. The boy is trapped in the past and terrified that things are changing. He is going to have to let go of the past, but he does not want to be separated from it. The boy and the boy’s friend showed a very ordinary relationship, that was not going to last. In the start of the novel Jerra and Rachel do not show a very optimistic relationship, however it turns out hopeful during the end. They argue a great deal and are quite distant. Jerra has a difficult lack of family support, yet he tries to keep everything together, â€Å"too many things had gone against them†, â€Å"Forest Winter†. Their relationship was very quiet and there was not a lot of communication, so Jerra decided to have a baby in order to bring them closer together. After the baby Rachel became silent, â€Å"having the baby had muted her†, ‘Forest Winter’. Rachel also felt sad and pessimistic after she had been raped, however she finds the courage to overcome this in â€Å"The strong one†. At the end of the novel when Rachel has the baby, they become very close and Jerra does not want to lose Rachel or Sam. At this point it is shown that Jerra cares and has feelings for Rachel, â€Å"I love you†, ‘Blood and Water’. Rachel and Jerra have their ups and downs, however in the end they look forward with desire and more confidence. The mother and the daughter show a very sad and unhopeful

Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy

Angelica Carlos English 4 19 March 2012 Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy Throughout human history, â€Å"animals have occupied a central position in theories concerning the ontology and treatment of sickness and disease† (Serpell 16). Animals have played a major role in the lives of humans in ways that have affected our entire being and survival. Countless amounts of people, animals, and time have been put into bringing AAT all over the world; as a result, five other countries have adopted this form of therapy.The volunteers and workers of Animal Assisted Therapy have pushed to bring an exciting new therapy to children and adults all around. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a familiar method of treatment and rehabilitation in many diseases and conditions, where the animal becomes an important â€Å"behavioral facilitator†, causing improvements in the behavior and health of the patient. â€Å"Numerous authors and medical professionals point to its importance and in p articular that the positive feedback between the patient, the animal, and the therapist reduces many symptoms, and improves the quality of life† (Yeh 2005).The history of Animal Assisted Therapy can be traced back to the 9th Century. It is a goal-oriented intervention in which an animal that meets the criteria becomes an integral part of the treatment process for patients. The benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy far outweigh the risks, and should be used and recognized as an effective form of therapy. AAT in a natural environment brings about the encounter between a patient and an animal, which elevates the motivation and strength of the individual. The therapist-animal-patient trio establishes such mechanisms which increase the level of communication. It enhances motivation, the driving force that heals† (Journal of Psychology 44). The patient learns to experience himself/herself in relation to others, and to better perceive truth and reality. Pressure from school can e xacerbate medical and psychological pathologies in kids. â€Å"The use of Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities maybe [a] useful tool which could be offered in school counseling† (Chandler 2000). If AAT is offered in schools, it could bring in students who are too scared and embarrassed to talk about their problems. The presence of an animal can facilitate a trust-bonding relationship between therapist and client† (Chandler 2000). The bond between client and therapist is essential because without a connection no progress will be made in the recovery of the patient/client. Additionally, â€Å"Animal Assisted Therapy interactions are goal directed, individualized to the patient and has documented progress† (Bloomquist). The purpose of AAT is to develop checkpoints and make a patient’s recovery fast and fun. With the goals in mind, it is easier to track a patient’s progress.Animals keep the patient in check; â€Å"positive psychologic al and psychosocial [and physiological] benefits have been linked to the presence of animals. Reductions in blood pressure, heart rates, and stress levels, as well as increases in emotional well-being and social interaction are benefits from the human- animal bond â€Å"(Jorgenson 1997). Animals become more aware of possible problems and act as caretaker. â€Å"Animals can be aware of internal states, and so they can alert individuals of impending seizures [and any other health emergencies]† (Granger).We accept animals as potential healers and major contributors to our health, happiness, wellness, and vitality. The effectiveness of AAT â€Å"has gained wide spread support and application over the past few decades† (Connor 2000). The therapy involves special training for the animals to work with patients. The Delta Society defines Animal Assisted Therapy as a targeted intervention in which an animal complying with specific criteria represents an integral part of the th erapeutic process. Animal Assisted Therapy has physical, mental, educational and motivational effects on the participants. From the physical point of view, the therapy improves the fine motoric abilities, the use of the wheel-chair, and the maintenance of equilibrium when standing. †(Zasloff 1994) Certain animals can improve the development of motor skills that the patient is missing. â€Å"In the mental health area, it improves attention, concentration, and self-esteem reduces anxiety and loneliness, improves verbal interaction, and develops recreation and leisure abilities. †(Zasloff 1994) AAT promotes cognitive development in a patient, which is an important for normal societal function. â€Å"Educationally, it improves vocabulary, as ell as long and short term memory. Motivationally, the presence of an animal increases the desire for joining in group and social activities, and improves interaction with others. It is applied both in groups and individually† (Z asloff 1994). The use of various animals is not uncommon in animal-assisted therapy: dogs, cats, birds, horses, dolphins, rabbits, lizards, and other small animals. However, dogs are the most frequently used animals because of their training and sociability skills. â€Å"Many times children will tell things to an animal that they feel uncomfortable telling to an adult or therapist† (Bloomquist).Animals give off a relaxing feeling and allow the child to feel more comfortable and open. The child will be more trustworthy of the animal and can talk about anything without feeling judged. Every human has a story to share, and the animal is just easier to share it with. People in hospitals all share one hope, and that is for a fast recovery through any means necessary. â€Å"In some hospitals, canine-visitations are enabled for patients afflicted with chronic diseases, including the participation of medical staff, animal owners and veterinarians† (Lefebvre 2006).Animal visita tion boosts morale in nursing homes, hospitals, psychiatric wards and even prisons. The faces of these people become lit up when the animals comes to visit. Almost instantly the participants forget where they are and the pain they are in. â€Å"Dogs and owners are familiarized with hospital rules, which require mandatory documentation on the dogs in terms of vaccinations, and the control of behavior and temperament. Trainers [receive] advice and instruction on how to conduct a therapy group† (Barker 1998). When a dog comes for a visitation, all rules and regulations are set into place to conduct a safe therapy session.Even though dogs are the preferred animal for hospital visitations, â€Å"cats are often used for therapeutic purposes, as are birds. Some authors discovered that group meetings held in premises with caged birds have better patient attendance, more involved participation, and better results compared to the appropriate control group who stayed in premises withou t birds†(Barker 1998). Bigger animals, like dogs, can be intimidating to patients, so smaller animals are used as alternatives to elevate the amount of people who come to the sessions and participate.In horse-assisted therapy observations are made on the effects on the neuromuscular system of the patient caused by the mechanical influence of the horse walk. Specific to the horse therapy is that the patient continuously receives impulses from the horse walk, which lead to a relaxed perception of the body, equilibrium, and coordination of movement. â€Å"Humans and horses walk very similarly, when a person is sitting on top of a walking horse, the body goes through the same movements as if he/she was walking by him/herself. † (Beiry 437).Children with motor skill issues can participate in equestrian therapy to develop an identical walking sensation. The similarity between the two is astonishing. This is particularly significant in motoric deficiencies caused by hereditary lesions, such as cerebral paralysis in children. The very process of fitting the horse with saddle and harness, and acceleration in riding, improve the coordination of arms and shoulders, and sharpen the perception of one's body and one's self, which leads to improved strengthening of independence and resolve. All of this leads to better communication in the family, and improved work skills and quality of life â€Å"(Yeh 2005). Comparatively, â€Å"Hippotherapy has been used successfully with one-sided paralysis and other problems with asymmetry† (Beiry 352) Hippotherapy is another term for equestrian therapy and has worked wonders on patients who suffer through paralysis. â€Å"Benefits of Hippotherapy include increase in flexibility, balance, and arm and leg strength. † (Beiry 352-54). The development progress is one-hundred percent in terms that children and adults developed fine tuned motor skills that were otherwise non-existent.Development of leg and arm streng th is seen in people who participate in Hippotherapy the patient develops the strength and confidence to walk on their own. Equally, â€Å"in the presence of a horse, there are other influences on the patient, such as visual, auditory, olfactory, and tactile. The warmth of the horse and the touch during grooming act positively on the patient. Such therapeutic meetings are practiced 2 to 3 times per week† (Yeh 2005). It has been observed that during horse riding, the rider experiences a unique interaction with the animal with which he shares a relationship and space.A communication is therefore established, resulting in gratification and motivation, which in turn alleviates pathologies. In the same fashion, â€Å"animal visitation and therapy in critical care helps motivates patients by reminding them that there is life outside the walls to which in time, they’ll return†(Connor 40). AAT allows for people to develop an outgoing/positive outlook on life, despite th e fact that they are confined. â€Å"Critical care nurses use AAT to relieve patients stress during [procedures]† (Connor 52).Certain procedures that a patient must endure cause an immense amount of pain, but with the animal there, a patient can focus on the animal and ignore the pain almost completely. In a unique way â€Å"AAT reduces anxiety levels of institutionalized patients† (Connor). Institutionalized patients are often if not always in a constant fear, but with an animal present during their therapy session, the patient can relax and worry less. With an animal there patients develop a â€Å"willingness to be involved† (Connor). Patients become more eager to participate. They know that participating will allow them to pet the animal.In turn, patients will develop an eagerness to participate in society. Florence Nightingale, founder of modern nursing, once wrote â€Å"A small animal is often an excellent companion for the sick. † Animals will never leave a person because of a disease or a disability. No matter the situation, an animal will say by your side. â€Å"Animals serve to buffer and normalize an aging person’s sense of social isolation† (Journal of Psychology). Never does an animal pass judgment on someone, nor reject someone for being different. Animals only provide unconditional love to all young and old.Because patients can become lonely, bored in hospitals, so the animal visitations are something to look forward to. â€Å"AAT provides patients with entertainment and social interaction† (Abdill 8). Patients can have fun while experiencing the beneficial parts of the therapy. It brings entertainment to people in hospitals, homes, and even prisons. â€Å"Animals smooth all kinds of social interactions† (Abdill 79) Patients who go through AAT learn how to interact with other people. The more people who work with an AAT animal, the easier it is to talk to others.Although AAT has been acknowl edged by many medical professionals, some still doubt the validity of Animal Assisted Therapy. Some families tend to stay away from AAT because of the cost. â€Å"AAT cost three-thousand to five-thousand dollars† (Baxter). Cost should not be the one thing that prevents a person from partaking in AAT. Most facilities offer free sessions to any person who wants to get involved in AAT. Skeptics will also say that AAT is not an effective form of therapy. â€Å"AAT is for a purely recreational purpose† (Baxter) The therapy allows for development in physical and cognitive function.To further their point, people who oppose the use of AAT mention the danger it brings to the animals as well as the patients. The danger they see with the animals is aimed at DAT or Dolphin Assisted Therapy. â€Å"Removing dolphins from the wild results in separation from their families† (Baxter). Also stated is that DAT often results in the â€Å"deaths and/or injuries of many dolphinsâ₠¬  (Baxter). Experts have acknowledged the separation a dolphin can feel, so they put those dolphins in tanks with other dolphins so they could form their own family. Only a small amount of dolphins die while participating in DAT.The dolphins are given one-hundred and ten percent of attention and care. Furthermore, AAT employees â€Å"[limit] the time an animal is ‘on duty’ and keep the animal safe from accidents and/or aggressive behavior†(Granger 230). Safety of both patient and animal is the top priority during each therapy session. Rules and regulations are set in place for safer sessions and visits that are both fun and productive. In addition, opponents will say that AAT may be â€Å"physically hazardous to the body†, and there have been â€Å"multiple reports of children injured† (Baxter). On rare occasions children are injured, but at the fault of the AAT supervisors.Very rarely is the fault placed on the animal. However, â€Å"patients an d animals participating in these programs require special care in order to avoid transmission of infectious diseases associated with pets, hypersensitivity and accidents during their visits† (Jofre 2005). To prevent accidents, animals are thoroughly screened and tested before being approved for training to become an AAT service animal. There are many different roles an animal plays in someone’s life. A person who is living with a disability can have their day brightened up by the touch of an animal. Animals can become the very thing you need.They adapt to the persons needs. â€Å"Animals can sooth the emotionally distressed and relieve physical pain† (Graham). These service animals can make a person healthier and happier just by being by their side. One will never feel alone when beside and animal; â€Å"animals provide a valuable relationship that serves such functions as companionship, tactile stimulation, safety and nonjudgmental emotional support† (Gra ham 50). â€Å"Many individuals will thrive from the positive attention they will receive from a companion animal† (Graham). Individuals feel loved and adored by the animal which in turn makes the person strive to be a better person.The feeling of pride from an animal can feel a whole in somebody who is empty inside. â€Å"Animals are tools for therapy because they can make people feel safe and loved when they have been deprived of social interaction or hurt by other people† (Granger). People who are denied from emotions are more reserved. Animals can bring the trust back to a person who has no real reason to trust anyone. When an animal is brought into a room, the faces of everyone present glows. The benefits of AAT are so great that some believe in animals more than they do doctors. Animals are windows to our souls and they understand people better than some doctors do.It is as though animals know exactly what people need when they need it most. It is obvious that an imals bring so much into the lives of the people who need most. AAT has advanced a great deal in the last years. Beginning in the days of the Romans, people have relied on animals for a number of things such as, farming, transportation, hunting and lastly, companionship. In the twenty first century, people are still relying on animals for mental and physical healing, even though modern medicine has come so far. The medical field has and continues to grow with leaps and yet the four legged furry friend is still needed and wanted above all else.

Physical Education Essay

Sport is an important part of today’s society and plays a large role in many people’s lives. Now more than ever, sport events dominate headlines and athletes have become national heroes. The question is, does sport merit this kind of interest and attention? From a social standpoint, sport plays a positive role in uniting people from different social backgrounds in support of their favourite team. This can aid people’s understanding and tolerance of each other. However, just as sport unites people so it can divide them, as is often demonstrated by crowd violence at football matches. As far as education is concerned, sport is an important part of every child’s schooling, as it plays a big role in both their physical and mental development. It teaches children how to work as a part of a team and cooperate with others, while at the same time improving physical condition. The only drawback to this is that children who are less able to perform well in sport are likely to feel inadequate in comparison to their more gifted classmates, which may affect their self-confidence. From an economic point of view, sport can be very profitable, as it attracts a lot of sponsorship and advertising. On the one hand this creates revenue for the sporting industry which allows for improvement and expansion. On the other hand large sums of money are often paid to event organisers to promote products such as cigarettes, which are harmful to one’s health. In my opinion, sport should be used as much as possible to encourage people to lead a more healthy and peaceful life instead of being used to promote unhealthy products. We live in jet age. Life has become so easier than ever before. With advancing technologies our lives have become comfortable. But in today’s world under the spell of technology we are ignoring our health. Even kids rather than going out and playing with friends prefer watching television ,playing computer games,or surf the net. Playing Sports keeps us physically fit and mentally alert. It keeps us healthy which is the most important thing of all!! as it is indeed equal to all the wealth in the world,for you may have money but if you have not got health to enjoy it what is its use ? We have variety of sports to choose from like Basketball, Tennis , Football, Cricket, Swimming etc. Besides sports not only helps us to be physically fit but it also teaches us the values of discipline, loyalty , teamwork, hard-work and honesty which helps us to play the bigger game of life! A true sportsman celebrates victory and accepts defeat with a smile. To him winning is not important but giving his 100% is! But in today’s competitive world studies are given more importance. A child doesn’t get enough time to play because of constant pressure of studies and his parents to perform better and better. Hence children ,parents and teachers must understand the importance of sports and give the child enough time to play as we all know very well that â€Å"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! † All work and no play make jack a dull boy. Nowadays many schools have forgotten this precious saying. The school sports should be made compulsory for every child as apart from studying we need recreation time to relax and take a break. many students decide they want to show case their talents at an early age. With the proper guidance and teaching, there are many benefits of sports like education, moral support and responsibility, sense of discipline, cooperation etc. which a student needs to learn to become a perfect man . There has been a latest trend of video games of which children are getting addicted. This is very bad because such activities make the children lazy & inactive as they sit gazing at the computer or television. Physical education and school sport is a crucial Is this essay helpful? Join OPPapers to read more and access more than 470,000 just like it! get better grades part of a well-rounded primary school education. The main goal of physical education for young children is to give them the skills and knowledge necessary to keep their bodies healthy as they age. In order to keep children engaged and motivated, the physical education activities must be fun and highly interactive. However, creating an enriching environment can be challenging for schools and teachers. it is also important to keep the rules of the game in mind to play sincerely. by playing games one also learns to develop his or her behavior towards even unknown people but . there has also been a problem about the availability of grounds so the government must look into this and ensure each school has a ground for its students. Therefore games are utmost necessary in the school curriculum

The Human Genome Progect essays

The Human Genome Progect essays Begun in 1990, the U.S. Human Genome Project is a 13-year effort coordinated by the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health. The project originally was planned to last 15 years, but effective resource and technological advances have accelerated the expected completion date to 2003. Project goals are to; identify all the (approx) 30,000 genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA, store this information in databases, improve tools for data analysis, transfer related technologies to the private sector, and address the ethical, legal and social issues that may arise from the project. In June 2000, scientists announced biologys most stunning achievement: the generation of a working draft sequence or the entire human genome. In addition to serving as a scaffold for the finished version, the draft provides a road map to an estimated 90% of genes on every chromosome and already has enabled gene hunters to pinpoint genes associated with more than 30 disorders. One insight already gleaned from the sequence is that, even on the molecular level, we are more that the sum of our 35,000 or so genes. The human genome contains 3164.7 million chemical nucleotide bases (A, T, C and G). The average gene consists of 3000 bases, but sizes vary greatly, with the largest known human gene being dystrophin at 2.4 million bases. Almost all nucleotide bases are exactly the same in all people. However, the functions are still unknown for over 50% of discovered genes. From the research done in the human genome project we now know how genes are arranged, the human genomes gene-dense urban centers are predominantly composed of the DNA building blocks G and C. In contrast, the gene-poor "deserts" are rich in the DNA building blocks A and T. GC- and AT-rich regions usually can be seen through a microscope as light and dark bands on chromosomes. Genes ...

Professional and Academic Skills Development Assignment

Professional and Academic Skills Development - Assignment Example I normally set time to reflect on whatever I have learnt during the day (in the evenings) and at the end of the week. Depending on what I have experienced, I ask myself if i liked the experience or not and how the experience or theory applies in real life. After reading an article on the hierarchy of needs, I reflected on the author’s arguments and realised why people consider security as a matter of priority in life as opposed to gaining wealth. You were asked to work in groups of 3 or 4, to pick a topic and to find relevant references from four different sources (e.g. newspaper, journal, internet and book). Please list the references below, using the correct form of Harvard reference for each. I have learnt that teamwork is important when undertaking major tasks especially. Through teamwork, people get to learn from one another. It is important to appreciate other people and be a keen listener for teamwork to be a positive and enjoyable experience. In order to be effective when a member of a team, i need to learn how to appreciate people’s cultures. This way I will be able to understand their world views and appreciate why they act or speak the way they do. Giving a presentation before a multitude of people first normally hits me with tension. In order to overcome my tension, apprehension and fear, I did my research on the subject I had to present thoroughly. That way, my confidence grew as I knew that I had great ideas to present. I also encouraged myself that my group members and audience wished to see me succeed. I will take time to write and rehearse mock speeches so as to be more comfortable in public speaking. I learnt a lot from the library tutorial. I learnt how to search sources using various criteria for example with the author name or title. I also learnt the various sources that I may use for my research including books and journals. I am currently confident that my library skills are sufficient. What did you learn from