How Technology Has Affected Teaching

How Technology Has Affected Teaching The unknown is full of fear. Technology can be a scary thing. Teaching can be a mind-blowing thing. If one is, the combination of all three is something that is only seen in schools today. Teaching with technology is a paralyzing fear that all teachers face on some level. With only a few hours available outside of the classroom, training is not available to all teachers. Such fear of the unknown and unavailable training, cause many teachers to reject technology on a wide scale. There has been technology the dawn of time. Technology 200 years ago meant nothing to do with electricity. It could be simply as a lever and pulley system for automatic door opening at Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson. Technology has always scared people as it is something new and unfamiliar to them. What people see as fancy technology today will only be a thing that the next generation is used to and feels is old. When the printing press was first invented by Johann Guttenberg the aristocracy was afraid of what the new machine would mean for the disseminating of information amongst the people. In the end they learned how to use it and took advantage of its abilities themselves. Adaptations have been made and new technology has been invented since, but the principle is still the same. Copy machines, fax machines, and scanners all use the same idea behind the machine. If you ask a student today to use a typewriter to write their paper and then type another copy for themselves they would look at you like your crazy. They would either write it on a computer and just print another copy or run to a copy machine. When it comes to finding the information that they use in their papers, students in the past decade have turned to the internet in increasing numbers. Students in college feel that libraries are a place to access the internet and a quiet place to study, not to look up information in the books that are on the shelves. The Dewey Decimal system in cataloging books has gone to the way side in favor of online version of texts that students can access. In its early stages, the internet was more or less just a collect of text based documents without the capability to display images or video files. Just as with any technology, the internet continues to evolve. With websites such as YouTube ©, Facebook ©, and Twitter © teachers have a wide variety of places to look up information and supplements to their lessons. However some sites have been criticized for the information they contain. Wikipedia is one site that when it first started was a place to allow people to post information about any topic that people could then look up all in one place. But along with new topics, people were changing the information that was already on the site with incorrect information. It was not until the death of actor Heath Ledger that the creators of the often cited source began to change how information was updated. While the site still allows most information to update without review, information about persons of high interest and information ab out government policies and laws must be approved before they are posted online. The majority of teachers do not think about technology they use on a daily basis. From their cars to get to school or their smart phones to access their email from parents, teachers use technology and the internet to make themselves a better educator. Problem Statement There is not much research available to how the internet has affected researching in teaching. While there is a plethora of information on teacher perspectives of technology and an abundance of articles dealing with the internet in schools, not much information is available to how teachers have changed their teaching style in dealing with any kind of research their students conduct. There is a varying degree to which teachers approach the internet now. From subject to subject, students are faced with different styles. If there was guide for all classes, students would be able to go to each class and know how to conduct research in a proper manner that all their teachers would accept. Research Statement In this phenomenological study, I will interview for Northern Virginia high school teachers on how the research process changes for them with the growth and availability of the internet. Significance of the Study With more and more school systems pushing for teachers to use technology, some teachers are weary in how it affects their students. The No Child Left Behind Law has forced teachers to address how they introduce material to their students. While the internet has been used by students to conduct research, it now the teachers that have become the students in an attempt to understand what their students are looking up and how they can use it in their classroom. But how has the internet changed how teachers address research? This study is seeking to determine to what extent a variety of teachers have done in an attempt to address their student quest for an education. Chapter 2 Review of Literature The unknown is full of fear. Technology can be a scary thing. Teaching can be a mind-blowing thing. If one is, the combination of all three is something that is only seen in schools today. Teaching with technology is a paralyzing fear that all teachers face on some level. With only a few hours available outside of the classroom, training is not available to all teachers. Such fear of the unknown and unavailable training, cause many teachers to reject technology on a wide scale. Technology in the Classroom Honey, Culp, and Craig (1999) gave a perspective in a paper they presented at a national conference, on where technology and educational research are heading. Based on their research, they found three main factors that made them think differently. The first dealt with the nature of technological elements. The second was the kinds of things that were being asked in research. The third one they mentioned was how the research itself was being done. The main focus of their research was Union City, New Jersey. In 1989, the school was failing almost all of the standards that the state uses to judge schools on their performance. In fact they only passed eight of the 52 that are stated. To face these, they went through a massive overhaul including extending class periods and increasing the in-services required for its teachers. Amongst these improvements, computers were added to each classroom to assist in learning. All of these as well as those in the local city office building, libraries, and others were joined by computer. After a few years of studying this school system, they determined that the technology that was brought in had the largest impact on the students. It bolstered several successes including those with creativity and the whole language approach. While new teachers are familiar with this information, Ertmer, Addison, Lane, Ross, and Woods (1999) examine what teachers believe the role of technology should be in the classroom. This study focused more on the elementary school level. Even with increased technology including smart boards and one if not more computers available in each room it is still hard for teachers to feel comfortable working with the new fancy equipment. While some felt that they did not want to teach with technology, some just felt that things were fine and nothing new had to be done. They found that the teachers they interviewed, observed, and surveyed mentioned on some level that technology supported what they were doing in the classroom. Some made references to the use of technology in regards to how it enhances their current curriculum, but any use beyond that is not being used. There were minimal references to any emerging technologies. One teacher described that she found that students were more likely to work in pairs and groups on assignments. When the eight teachers were asked what were their reasons were for using technology, student benefits were near or at the top of all the lists. While there were a number of other benefits, some of the teachers mentioned that several metaphorical barriers were present. They found that time was a big factor in how much technology they use. While once programs and other equipment is running, it makes several things run faster and smoother, the time it takes to make sure it runs properly can out-weigh the benefits. While the teachers faced the barriers, they found several ways to work around them through local college and community support. One of these ways is in parental support for teaching children about technology earlier. Bergen (1999) interviewed an 8th grader on how she views technology in the classroom. Kristen, the student, was raised on computer that were manly used for games that were made to be educational only. While she was in elementary school, a new computer lab was built and allowed her access to more programs. However, it was not until middle school that she was able to use computers more to help with reports and find icons to place in reports. They also found that many teachers were starting to increase use of technology as more and more attention was brought on individualism and the diverse programs available encouraging students to work harder. It is up to the individual teacher to foster creativity and help their pupils become better students. In a U.S. Department of Education study (2005), teachers were asked on their perspectives on technology available to them. Technology that could reach beyond the classroom ranked at the top of a list of technologies teachers felt were the most useful for them. Computers that had internet access were 68% the most essential amongst all teachers. Based on their 2000-01 survey, only 57% felt that the technology that they had was sufficient. That is just within the school. Only four percent said the same thing when it came to technology in the individual classroom. While this number has increased over the past five years, it is still lower than what most principals and school district wish they could do. A new wave of technological scare is the cell phone as Burns and Lohenry (2010) discuss in regards to their use in the classroom. With several schools now having policy against cell phones, more and more students are actually having them and secretly using them in the classroom. While it is essential to keep and maintain order in the classroom, student that were surveyed said that they would be more into the lesson if they were going to be able to use their cell phone. A number of professors at the college level have started to allow students to use their cell phones for texting while in class as long as have them on silent or vibrate. Phone calls and texting during a test is still off limits. Mason, Berson, Diem, Hicks, Lee, and Dralle (2000) take on the role of discussing how technology can be used to help prepare social studies teachers. They discuss how teachers are trained in college how to use technology to further their learning, they are often more knowledgeable or willing to learn newer techniques. In a recent National Center for Education Statistics study, 95% of schools and 63% of classrooms are connected to the internet. These schools have made use of the digital archives that many schools are creating to help with social studies research amongst students. One of the issues Mason et al (2000) bring up is the accessibility of inappropriate information. This is taken care of by a number of technological programs that prevent certain sites from being accessed. Some of these include peer to peer sites that allow the trading of music illegally. This is to help students stay on task while also keeping the school safe from legal action. Several programs are discussed that are accessible through online sources that students and teachers use alike to help within the classroom. While technology is important to use, its just as important as training to use it properly. Social Studies of course is not the only subject that is taught. Mathematics is one of almost all schools core subjects as it is used in most other classes. The Wang et al. (2008) article discusses about how effective technology can be in early learning environments. Their study was one of the first on early learning. Many studies deal with middle school and higher levels, while this study dealt with pre-school. While the lessons and the printed materials are still for a younger age, kids were seen using digital cameras, digital microscopes, and digital video recorders. They focus on the supports and what technology can mean to kids. In the age when electronic toys are the strong majority of the market, kids are introduced to electronics at a very young age. They recommend kids be introduced to the proper use of technology at a young age and that all children get an equal and fair access. Li and Ma (2010) take a different approach from the mathematics class point-of-view. They argue that since computer technology had become more popular that is undeniable that its role as an important tool for learning. They discuss some of the encouraging figures including their study in how mathematic scores have increased when teachers use technology. They actually argue that more research is needed to be done from a mathematics point of view. Uses of Internet in the Classroom While the internet is a form of technology, it takes it to a whole new level. The information available to students and teachers is astronomical and some of that unknown is scary to them. Scheuerell (2010) discusses some of the fears of allowing students to use the internet. Some fear that it will make more students work alone. Video games and other electronic devices have forced more students to seclusion. While this is true, they provide evidence that while the student might be at the computer for game console alone, they are often using the internet to play with others via voice-enabled communications. The internet is also used for video chatting which can enable students in different locations to collaborate on assignments. Scheuerell explains that students do better on assignments, even online ones, when they are tasked with interpreting what they have learned, more than just looking up information. They feel that they are part of the work and that it is just not some kind of busy work. Cooperative learning can be done even on a local network and not the full internet. Many colleges and universities have local networks that allow students to use multiple computer s to work on a project and then send to each other. The students that were observed and discussed in the article were tasked with creating a webpage about local history in Missouri. Fear can also be used to welcome in the internet. Bonk (2010) explains that it might take a catastrophe to have how people look at schools in regards to the internet. He goes on to say that Katrina enabled many high school and college students to take classes online from other states and other universities. Indiana University High School is an example of how the internet can be used as a virtual high school. Students who attend this 21st century high school range from rural students to pregnant teenagers. The coursework that is done is the same that would be done at a local school, but for those that are unable to attend on a daily basis for a number of reasons this increases the chance that the student does not get frustrated. Bonk developed 10 methods that are available today. These include e-learning and blended learning to real-time mobility and portability. Digital books, as is discussed, are another step in using new technology in the classroom. With the iPad and Kindle, studen ts are able to access their books all at once, instead of carrying them around in a backpack or in their locker. These devices, especially the iPad, have several other uses including display programs and teaching programs that interact with the students and are more than just words in a textbook. With these, teachers can have an assignment tailored to each individual students needs without having to write or print out several directions or discuss individual directions out loud in front of the entire class. How can all these fears be relieved? Frye, Trathen, and Koppenhaver (2010) discuss the different needs that are met by using internet workshops and blog entries. Internet workshops are when teachers create a research based activity that students use to make a report on a subject. One of the top sites they mention teachers send students to is Delicious.com. Teachers are able to help guide students by creating social bookmarks that other students can use to help them, which cultivates the cooperative learning skill. They go into detail on how the internet workshops are built and designed by teachers to use it for more than just the one class, but available for multiple classes the student might have. The other topic they touch on is how the internet is used to keep up-to-date information available. Web-logs or blogs for short, are used along with internet workshops. Teachers can use blogs as journal entries for academic reasons and keep an accurate, detailed record of what the student( s) have been doing. It is not just teachers that need to know how to safely navigate these new technologies. Hardacre (2010) surveyed a number of students on various ways of communicating on the internet. In the early part of the 2000s a strong majority of student said they used MySpace compared to Facebook. Now the numbers have reversed. More and more teachers have begun using Facebook and other internet services to connect with their students. Libraries are increasing the number of computers and other technologies students can use to access the internet. Laptops are the top choice both amongst students and libraries to buy if they had money. But even if you relieve the fear of the use, the ability to use it could be difficult to come by. In the Technology Counts (2010) article, the topics of the problems in using and creating wireless networks are discussed. Connection issues have plagued wireless networks. From people not seeing a signal to slow speeds, wireless has its issues. The article states that if it is difficult for students to connect to a wireless network, they become frustrated; some even more so than what they would have been with paper texts. Networks are also expensive to create. With the number of people who would be accessing them, a good, professional level network is needed to accommodate the bandwidth. These can cost up to $125,000. That is just for the initial costs. A server administrator is needed to maintain and fix issues that arise. While a current staff member can serve this post, it is a full-time job that requires constant maintenance. They also discuss the benefits such as using smart phones to help alleviate some of the issues that the networks have. When the internet is used to such a large extent, that students need the internet to do their research and just function in school. Shiveley and VanFossen (2009) provide an explanation to how much the internet is actually used in the classroom. This literature review provides many sources as references, but states that there just is not much research out there for actual use in the classroom. Most of the material states what it should do and how it should help, but it does not provide detailed information on what teachers are specifically doing in class using the internet. They go on to discuss how in the social studies classroom, the attitude toward the internet is as a source of information only. Many teachers even limit the amount that a student can use as many false sources are on the World Wide Web. The full potential of the internet is not often realized by teachers who are afraid of false information. With many different programs and classroom materials available including WebQuests1 social studies teachers need to learn how much their curriculum can benefit from the internet. Mossbarger (2008) discusses the why the internet has actually become an addiction to some and should be included in textbooks. In his meta-analysis, Mossbarger mentions that more and more children are relying on the internet for social interaction and fail to see or understand the consequences. His data concludes that there are a few textbooks that deal with students and this addiction. The more attention, Mossbarger argues, that is brought to this, the more resources that will become available to treat it. Ratzan (1994) discusses how the problems faced in the earlier stages of the internet are still relevant today. One advantage of working with the internet environment is that things change quickly. One disadvantage of working win the internet environment is that things change quickly (p. 62). He discusses some of the different sources that are available including email and several types of books. These would all be available for students to do research on as a number of free sites are mentioned. There are a number of these that are geared primary toward a particular subject. Gayton (2008) explains the uses of teaching business in regards to the internet. All three of the teachers observed and interviewed, in a interpretive anaylsis found several flaws within uses of the internet. Most demonstrated and stated that the time it takes to create a lesson using the internet is too time consuming for their intended purposes. While being observed, each teacher was engaged in several poor teaching habits in regard to undirected usage. Gayton recommends that teachers, not just business ones get adequate training in use of technology and internet abilities and integrate them into their curriculum as its proven to have a positive impact on their students achievement. Most of the research available today comes from the public school sector. But with an increasing number of students attending private schools, thanks in part to school vouchers and school accountability, the internet has become a hub of information that these parochial schools have begun to incorporate. Gibbs, Dosen, Guerrero (2008) provide examples on how technology is used at the private school level, outside the money and restrictions of the public school systems. Their surveys concluded that while a few teachers use technology in different ways, for the most part Catholic school teachers used it very little. There is no church doctrine restricting what technology can be used, just on what information can/should be accessed. An overwhelming number of teachers, who used technology, use it to contact parents, presentations, and develop electronic portfolios of students work. They concluded that teachers used it as a preparatory instrument, but not as a teaching tool (p. 189). But after all is said and done, what is the current hot topic? Online universities have sprung up but as Doyle (2009) explains online high schools and colleges that were supposed to be used almost exclusively never took off like the industry hoped for. Despite universities like University of Phoenix, founded in 1976, which took online classes to a new level, it has not been until recent years that a larger push for people to take classes while not on a college campus. Singh, Mangalaraj, and Taneja (2010) discuss not just online universities but online classes in general. Research shows that online classes can be as effective as traditional classroom-based courses when appropriate technologies are used and sufficient interactivity is present (p. 299). They talk about the benefits of different programs that are available to students and teachers in these online courses. Remarks about each, whether they are good or bad are included in each of their research tables. This perspective allows teachers to see what programs are being used, where to find them, and how they can be applied to their classrooms. Conclusion Many teachers fear of technology and the internet stems from either a lack of training or fear of the unknown. The articles discussed are a combination of the positives and negatives. Some mention the benefits that teachers have learned from and used in their individual classrooms while others talk about the struggles and lack of training teachers have received to learn the potential of the internet. And while teachers might have a mind set against the internet, some students use their cell phones to access not only the world wide web but to text others. Some even use the technology to an unsafe level of addiction to such materials. Technology is ever changing and if we expect our students to change, then teachers to learn and understand it. The degree to which teachers use the technology is something only they can decide. Technology is all around us. Subjectivity I have always been surrounded by technology. My father is a computer system engineer since before I was born. We always had a computer. It might not have been the newest but we could always learn how to work with technology. Once I started doing research in school, I went to our computer at home. But when I was in school, I still had to use physical books. Most teachers I had did not have email or use the internet at all. So most of my research started on our computer but ended in books. Now that I am in college I have seen how teachers change how they allow students to do their research. Writing a literature review today is made a lot easier as articles are being published online or copies of them made available. Using laptops, desktops, and my iPod to access my emails and library resources have allowed for the literature review to be compiled. Chapter 3 Introduction The purpose of this study is to determine to what extent the internet has changed teachers perspectives on students conduct research in their classrooms. This chapter lists the procedures for the study while talking about the sampling strategies used to solicit volunteers. It also includes the design, measurement and instrumentation, data collection, limitations, and data analysis. Research Questions These questions were ever changing. In the preliminary stages, articles were abundant and research questions were being revised on a daily basis. After completing the literature review, the following questions were finalized through careful scrutiny. How has research changed with the internet? What are the struggles that students face while doing research? And to what extent is the internet used in all aspects of the classroom? Procedures The focus of this phenomenological study is on teachers in the Northern Virginia area. Interviews will be conducted to analyze the significance the internet has had on how these teachers view it in regards to how their students conduct research. Sample The sample for this study will be four teachers in Northern Virginia. The teachers will come from various subject areas with a varied amount of teaching experience. Permission as been granted from Liberty High School, Bealeton, VA (Appendix B) and Kettle Run High School, Nokesville, VA (Appendix C). Teachers will not be solicited based upon gender. A mix of public and private schools will be used. Design The research design is a collection of answers based upon responses to interview questions. The questions will be grouped together and discussed in regards to the answer of all the subjects at the same time. Data Collection The data will be collected by individual interviews, recorded on a digital voice recorder, with each subject. See Appendix A for a listing of the interview questions. Interviews will be conducted both at the school of each subject, per approval from the principal (Appendix B C) as well as other locations as needed to facilitate the needs of each subject. Each participant will have signed a copy of the Informed Consent Form (Appendix D). Each interview will be transcribed into a document. Some data may also be collected by follow up interviews, email, and phone calls. The additional data will be transcribed as well. Copies of any additional information subjects are willing to provide will be attached as an appendix. Data Analysis The data will be analyzed for answers to specific questions and a summary of each answer will be included. Subjects will asked to correct any information collected upon being provided a copy of the transcript. After all the data is compiled, each subject will be provided with a copy of all interpretations and asked to give feedback. This is to be used a check for validity. Ethical Issues See Appendix E for Institutional Review Board forms. Monitoring Subjectivity To help keep track of any possible subjectivity in my research, I will be writing a journal entry, in a Word document for each day that I work on my research. I will include a copy of my journal entries as Appendix E after my research is complete. Validity Measuring validity can be a tricky subject. According to Maxwell (2005) the two main threats to validity are research bias and reactivity. Researcher bias can be addressed in several ways including keeping a journal of activities throughout the research process (appendix F). In reactivity, I will conduct my research in the most comfortable location for my subjects. Conducting the interviews away from a school setting is one method of reducing the influence the interviewer has. My main methods of checking validity will be to give each subject a copy of their interview transcript and to give each participant a copy of the final paper to check for inaccuracies of both. Implications/Significance/Contributions Implications in this research are that teachers have changed their ideas on research. If no changes exist with the changing technology, the implication that there is could be offensive to come teachers. Significance is that this research can prove technology and the internet has changed the way teachers allow students to conduct research. contribution is that a compilation of thoughts and changes that have been made, if any, could be invaluable to teachers and administrators as the this research will cover teachers of all years of teaching experience as well as across all subjects Limitations This study was a based in a single area of the United States and thus had a certain number of limitations. The findings of the study were limited to four teachers in Northern Virginia. The teachers were personally asked to participate in the study. Another limitation would be the number of years the teacher has been teaching. While it is part of the design it is a limitation based on the interaction of materials used in the classroom in recent decades. While public and private school teachers participated, home school teachers were not interviewed. This prevents from getting a possible perspective on a section of teachers that rely on technology and the internet in their classrooms heavily.

How the Sonnet Form is Associated with Love and Ardent Expression :: Sonnets Love God Essays

How the Sonnet Form is Associated with Love and Ardent Expression God’s Grandeur is a sonnet associated with the environment and obviously, God. It is an Italian petrarchan sonnet, where there is a noticeable split in the poem which makes up the octave and the sestet. The first four lines of the octave, describes a natural world through which God’s presence runs through like an electric current, becoming at times noticeable is flashes. A metaphor is used to emphasise God’s Grandeur as an electric force. Gerard Hopkins suggest that there is some kind of force not to our attention, which builds up a sort of tension which can be both positive or negative. God’s presence could also be described as a rich oil, which when tapped with a enduring pressure, builds up to a greatness. These comments are stated in the poem, ‘It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil’. It is clear to the reader from this point that the love being expressed here is very much towards God, his presence, and the natural world surrounding us. After the poet, Gerard Hopkins, suggests the fact of God’s presence in the world, he then asks the reader to ask themselves why humans fail to take note of God’s powerful authority. The word ‘rod’ in this poem represents God’s grand authority. The image of electricity also subtlety returns in the fourth line, where the ‘rod’ of God's punishments calls to mind the lightning rod in which excess electricity in the atmosphere will sometimes disappear. The stressed syllables in the fourth line also reinforce to the reader the question which is being asked here by Hopkins. For example, words such as ‘Crushed, why, not’ all contribute to the powerful rhythm, which helps put the question across more efficiently. This all contributes in helping the poet convey such a strong ardent expression, which is needed greatly in order for the full effect of the poem to show. In the next line, the strong, falling rhythm of ‘have trod, have trod, have trod,‘ recreates the sound of marching footsteps in emphatic onomatopoeia. The message here is of what man has done to the environment, God’s environment, by using it over the years for various means of transport. The onomatopoeia and alliteration here helps to put the message across because the tension increases by a large amount, resulting in a more exciting and powerful climax. The word ‘and’ is used often and the start of lines to compound something which is trying to be said. It helps put across the message more efficiently because the same word is being continuously ’drummed’ into the reader ’And all is seared†¦And wears man’s smudge’ etc.

Impement and Monitor Marketing Activities Essay

Executive Summary The marketing plan reviewed in this report is for BBQ fun 2009. BBQ fun aims to be e leading outdoor†lifestyle retailer, catering to the growing need for furnishing new and renovated dwellings in the greater Brisbane area. The assortment offer of BBQs, outdoor furniture and BBQ accessories will position BBQ fun as best in class for outdoor†lifestyle retailing. BBQ fun will reinvent the way people shop for outdoor†lifestyle products. BBQ fun will build its reputation on offering the fullest assortment of products possible in their chosen fields, incorporating both local and imported goods with products sold on easy to manage long†term payment plans. Our after sales service and three†year guarantees will find traction with a market dominated by low†quality items. Strategies and Tactics BBQ fun will be operating with an advertising budget of $250,000 for the year. The advertising program will target: †¢Local letter†box drops †¢Radio advertisement and †¢Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazine Stakeholders Briefing regarding their implementation roles Board of directors: the board of directors are required to approve the hence they will be briefed on details of the plan through a presentation conducted for them and also informing them their roles in the implementation process. Human resource staff: in order for the human resource staff to conduct the recruitment and training they will be informed through a report including need for recruitment, training based on the marketing plan which would be used to brief the stakeholders as well. Finance staff: these staff will need to set a separate cost centre for the budget associated with the marketing plan. A written request for a budget allocation, or similar, would be used  to brief this stakeholder group. Managers: managers will be informed of any possible impact of the marketing activities on their departments through a meeting with the marketing department, which would include new products and services. Marketing and non–marketing personnel briefing Objectives: †¢Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years †¢Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 16,000. †¢Establish brand recognition in Brisbane so that at least two in three people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months’ time. Marketing department will have direct roles in relation to the implementation and hence they will require significant details about the overall plan as well as each of the strategies and the related tactics. Sales staff will need overview of the plan and the strategies or tactics to be used and will need detailed information of the activities that will affect them, such as new special offers/pricing or changes to sales processes. Staff directly responsible or accountable for activities listed in the action plan section of the marketing plan, an individual action summary will be used to record relevant information for later use in measuring their performance or contribution to the marketing plan. Performance Measures BBQ fun will adopt balanced scorecard approach to measure the performance will enable BBQ fun to monitor and manage overall business strategy by looking at the drivers of current and future success for the organisation. It will focus on the link between the marketing plan and the four critical areas of the business operations namely customer, financial, internal business processes and learning and growth. Sales personal will have a performance measure relating to the overall goal of BBQ fun which will be increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years. Marketing personnel will have performance measures that relate to overall marketing activities which is deliver all marketing campaigns on time and within budget. Prioritised list of marketing strategies  activity descriptiondeliverablesresources needed Local letter†box dropsLeaflets designed, printed and distributedCannon’s consultants Finances- $150000 Personal for distribution Radio advertisementRadio advertisement developed, slots booked and aired on radio.Cannon’s consultants Finances-$280000 Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazineDesign and print coupon inserts, tie up with magazine and distribute in the local area.Cannon’s consultants Finances- $150000 Communication and team building strategies Before the commencement of the project a team meeting was be held with each team member present where they were provided with a summary of the overall project action plan with the goals and objectives detailed in a schedule timetable detailing implementation and points of measures. They were also provided with detail each team member’s area and tasks of responsibility. An interactive discussion was also initiated to discuss any issues of concerns. A half an hour will be scheduled on Monday morning of each week to monitor the overall campaign progress, discuss individual tracking and highlight any unexpected issues that need attention. During the initial meeting each and every employee will be made clear of where they fit in the organisation structure, their responsibilities and accountabilities. It was decided to organise a staff party at the completion of each milestone. Strategies for monitoring marketing activities and analysing performance The whole project will be monitored on a Gannt Chart which will illustrate the start and completion dates of each self-contained stage in the project. The chart will reveal the process sequence and highlight the dependencies of some processes on other processes. Week 1 Date:Week2 Date:Week 3 Date:Week 4 Date:Week5 Date: distribution Leaflet printing Inserting graphic enhancements Develop leaflet for letter box drops A separate Performances analysis will be conducted for each activity in following manner Task 2 Monitoring and implementing promotional activities A regular review of all the marketing activities is being conducted based on the Gannt chart to keep track, so that evaluation of any issue of concern can be carried out as soon as possible. †¢The regular review revealed that 70% of the people in the target market recognise the BBQ brand and what it represents, †¢sales growth target of Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years has been achieved †¢gross profit margins are still 48% Monitor Product pricing and distribution decisions Product attributes: BBQ, outdoor furniture and BBQ consumables. Product benefits: easy manage payment plan. Product usage: All the products can be used in day to day household Product users: people residing in new dwellings, people renovating and people replacing their old BBQ. Product competitors: The Yard, BBQ’s R Us, Outdoorz. Product distinction from competitors: †¢BBQfun’s credit offer is backed by a top tier bank. †¢Imported products make up 33% of the assortment. †¢The three†year guarantee is unique in the market place. †¢Broadest possible range in chosen fields. Product classes: quality, fashionable and unique outdoor-lifestyle. Monitoring results against targets in the marketing plan Monitoring marketing performance is being done by looking at what has happened and why considering the results and how do they compare with our goals? To find the reasons for why it happened its being looked into by checking: Were the marketing efforts put in right direction? Was there any specific activity that contributed the most to boost the results? What part of the marketing plan did what? Monitoring process will be as follows Establishing standardsAchieving total sales of $11,000,000, Gross profit of 5,500,000 with a marketing expense of 180,000 by the end of 2009 Measuring performanceSales target of $11,000,000 has been achieved but the gross profit is $5,280,000 which is less by $220,000 Proposing measures to correct deviations from the standardSource a new manufacturer from overseas to provide products at cheaper prices hence increasing the gross profit margin. Monitoring marketing revenue and costs against budget Monitoring of marketing revenue and costs against allocated budgets is being carried out by analysing and recording variations. Detailed revenue versus expenses for all marketing decisions, will include, timelines involved in accomplishing the required goals and objectives. Budgets will clearly layout the spending requirements for †¢each decision †¢breakdowns by month †¢Breakdowns by year. It will be determined how sales vary between regions and where the resources are going. Marketing managers will analyse the information containing: †¢how marketing costs are spread †¢where the money is being spent: ï‚ §Is it on product development, promotion or customer research? †¢standards of how much should be spent on marketing †¢how much money needs to be spent on marketing in order for the organisation to be competitive †¢what results should be expected to result from marketing spending: †¢Is the revenue generated from marketing meeting budget expectations? †¢Are costs within budget? †¢Does analysis identify variations? Recording variations in revenue and cost against budget The budget figures for the revenue and cost would be compared with the actual figures and the variances will be recorded in revenue and cost variance template outlined below ItemBudgeted $Actual $Variance % Total sales11,000,00011,000,0000 Gross profit5,500,000$5,280,0004 Expenses Direct mail40,00040,0000 Magazine advertisement110,000110,0000 Radio Promotions30,00030,0000 Total180,000180,0000 Task 3 Section A Implementing marketing strategies and tactics Overview of the marketing activity to be implemented I am involved in implementing the following marketing activities for BBQ fun; †¢Direct mail †¢Magazine advertisement †¢Radio Promotions Strategies and Tactics BBQ fun will be operating with an advertising budget of $250,000 for the year. The advertising program will target: †¢Local letter†box drops †¢Radio advertisement and †¢Magazines with coupon inserts in the BrisNews magazine Stakeholders Briefing Board of directors: approval of the board of directors is required hence they were briefed on details of the plan through a presentation conducted for them and also informing them their roles in the implementation process. Human resource staff: in order for the human resource staff to conduct the recruitment and training they were informed through a report including need for recruitment, training based on the marketing plan which would be used to brief the stakeholders as well. Finance staff: This staffs was required to set a separate cost centre for the budget associated with the marketing plan. A written request for a budget allocation was used to brief this stakeholder group. Managers: managers were informed of all possible impact of the marketing activities on their departments through a meeting with the marketing department, which included new products and services. Roles critical to the success of the marketing plan activities RoleResponsibilities Board of directorsProvide approval for the plan and its implementation, make available all resources required for implementation and monitoring of the plan. Human resource departmentProvide with all human resources required to complete the tasks to meet the requirements of the plan Finance staffMake available pre-approved finances as and when required by the plan Line managersTo accommodate any impacts by marketing plan and working around it Marketing managerPrimarily responsible for marketing activities and has the authority and responsibility over all company activities that affect customer’s satisfaction. This is in addition to his other responsibilities. Radio companyTo develop in conjunction with marketing manager the advertisement and air Printing houseTo design and print promotional material in conjunction with marketing manager distributorsTo distribute the promotional material Briefing of marketing and non-marketing personnel To brief all marketing and non-marketing personnel individual meetings with these groups were organised and their roles and responsibilities and performance measures were discussed and a written statement of same was provided to them. The documents used to brief the stakeholders were used again for briefing purposes. Prioritised list of the marketing strategies and the resources required for their implementation The following is the prioritised list of the marketing strategies and the resources required for their implementation: strategiesresources retain existing customers by providing excellent after sales service and three years guarantee on the productsTrained customer service representatives, good quality service centres to confirm with guarantee Develop customer base by providing wide range, quality and unique productsWell-equipped research and development department to develop wide ranging, quality and unique products Generate business through new customers by conducting advertisement and promotion activitiesContracts with Printing house, radio stations and magazines Evaluation of Communication and team building strategies Before the commencement of the project a team meeting was be held with each team member present where they were provided with a summary of the overall project action plan with the goals and objectives detailed in a schedule timetable detailing implementation and points of measures. They were also provided with detail each team member’s area and tasks of responsibility. An interactive discussion was also initiated to discuss any issues of concerns. A half an hour will be scheduled on Monday morning of each week to monitor the overall campaign progress, discuss individual tracking and highlight any unexpected issues that need attention. During the initial meeting each and every employee will be made clear of where they fit in the organisation structure, their responsibilities and accountabilities. It was decided to organise a staff party at the completion of each milestone. Pricing: While BBQfun will price at comparable prices for comparable quality, it will not be cheap. We pus h value over cheap and back this up with a three year guarantee. Distribution: BBQfun products will be distributed through a chain of retail stores which customers can access easily via the large car parking arrangements. Advertising and promotion: The most successful advertising will be ads and inserts in the Brizzy as well as a PR campaign of informational articles and reviews also within the Brizzy. Promotions will take the form of in store entertainment and competitions with prizes to exotic overseas destinations. Customer Service: BBQfun’s philosophy is that whatever needs to be done to make the customer happy must occur this investment will pay off with a  fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. Strategies for monitoring marketing activities and analysing performance The performance was analysed by comparing the current collected data with the set goals and determining whether the following goals are being achieved. Timelines: were all the actions completed within stipulated time frame Resources: were all the resources used efficiently and effectively. Costs: did the cost of implementing activities stayed with in the developed budget Sales: did the campaign achieve the desired sales figures. A brief feedback form was circulated to all appropriate personnel weekly for all employees to note customer satisfaction, events or problems that need to be addressed, as they happen each day. Employees were required to record action taken when customers aren’t satisfied with products or services. A summary of these internal feedback containing relevant comments on improving customer satisfaction (or solving customer problems) were circulated each week to all employees to inform, educate, and improve total organisation problem–solving for customers. This assisted in improving communication. Surveys were sent to customers to gather their input on how well BBQ fun is satisfying their needs. A monthly or quarterly review with specific customers to determine: †¢summary of sales information compared to previous years †¢Current customer service problems, detailing what they were and steps that were implemented to resolve the issues. †¢customer service improvements summary The entire campaign was monitored on a Gannt Chart which illustrated the start and completion dates of each self-contained stage in the project. The chart revealed the process sequence and highlighted the dependencies of some processes on other processes. Section B Current progress of the marketing activities against the marketing plan and overall objectives Monitoring and implementation of promotional activities against communication objectives in the marketing plan communication objectivesImplementation  to position BBQ fun as the premier outdoor†lifestyle store in the greater Brisbane area, commanding a majority of the market share within five years In addition to radio promotion and magazine advertisement, direct mail campaign was one way to communicate directly with the consumer. BBQ fun also used ads and inserts in Brizzy magazine. communicate that BBQ fun offers the widest,  most exotic, easy access outdoor†lifestyle products in Brisbane Direct mail campaign was one way to communicate directly with the consumer. BBQ fun also used ads and inserts in Brizzy magazine. create customer awareness regarding  their services offered Grassroots PR campaign. This campaign invited people from Brizzy for lunch to get articles writte n about BBQ fun into the news  develop that customer base BBQfun’s did everything to make customer satisfied, this investment payed off with a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. work toward building  customer loyalty and referrals BBQ fun’s did everything to make customer satisfied, this investment payed off with a fiercely loyal customer base that is extremely vocal to their friends with referrals. Monitoring of product, pricing and distribution decisions against organisational policy and the objectives of the marketing plan Marketing objectivesDecisions †¢Increase sales from $15 million per year to $20 million per year in the next three years †¢Increase our loyalty customers list from 10,000 to 16,000. †¢Establish brand recognition in Brisbane so that at least two in three people recognise our brand in a random survey taken in 18 months’ time.Product: The product will be wide ranging, quality and unique. It offers the house proud customer a different option from the cheap mass produced offer prevalent in the market. New products will be developed on a regular basis in line with changes in customer taste which is targeted at every 12 months. The plan for product testing is to engage market research firms. Pricing: All products/services were competitively priced relative to comparable high†end outdoor†lifestyle lines. While BBQfun priced at comparable prices for comparable quality, it will not be cheap. We push value over cheap and back this up with a three year guarantee. Distribution: BBQfun products were distributed through a chain of retail stores which customers can access easily via the large car parking arrangements. Easy to access stores with extensive choices in our chosen fields, that are sold on an easy to manage payment plan with a three†year guarantee are the keys to our customer’s needs and wants. Monitoring results against targets in the marketing plan Monitoring marketing performance was done by looking at what has happened and why considering the results and how do they compare with our goals? To find the reasons for why it happened its being looked into by checking: Were the marketing efforts put in right direction? Was there any specific activity that contributed the most to boost the results? What part of the marketing plan did what? Monitoring process will be as follows Establishing standardsAchieving total sales of $11,000,000, Gross profit of 5,500,000 with a marketing expense of 180,000 by the end of 2009 Measuring performanceSales target of $11,000,000 has been achieved but the gross profit is $5,280,000 which is less by $220,000 Proposing measures to correct deviations from the standardSource a new manufacturer from overseas to provide products at cheaper prices hence increasing the gross profit margin. Monitoring marketing revenue and costs against budget Monitoring of marketing revenue and costs against allocated budgets is being carried out by analysing and recording variations. Detailed revenue versus expenses for all marketing decisions, will include, timelines involved in accomplishing the required goals and objectives. Budgets will clearly layout the spending requirements for †¢each decision †¢breakdowns by month †¢Breakdowns by year. Recording variations in revenue and cost against budget The budget figures for the revenue and cost were compared with the actual figures and the following variances were recorded in revenue and cost variance template outlined below ItemBudgeted $Actual $Variance % Total sales11,000,00011,000,0000 Gross profit5,500,000$5,280,0004 Expenses Direct mail40,00040,0000 Magazine advertisement110,000110,0000 Radio Promotions30,00030,0000 Total180,000180,0000 Section C Evaluating and improving marketing performance Processes used to regularly assess marketing performance against objectives Evaluation of marketing performance was done by gathering information measuring customer reactions. This enabled us to analyse and gather invaluable information. This information was used to improve the targeting of our marketing activity. Further valuable information was gained by periodically assessing customers’ feelings and opinions of the organisation and how well their needs are being satisfied, which is collected by customer feedback survey. The information was gained by analysing: †¢customers’ feedback †¢Key focus of appeal? †¢Success in appealing to our targets †¢improvement suggestions available †¢product features promoted †¢benefits of the product promoted Interview questions 1.Overall, are you very satisfied with the way BBQ fun performed on this occasion? 2.BBq fun’s service representatives (CSRs) are well trained. 3.Did service representatives (CSRs) adhere to professional standards of conduct? 4.How often do you typically use the product? 5.How did your Product performed? 6.Overall, how satisfied were you with your new Product? 7.Have you ever contacted customer service? 8.If you contacted BBq fun’s customer service, have all problems been resolved to your complete satisfaction? 9.Considering only your most recent purchase experience, how likely would you be to recommend the purchase of this product to a friend or colleague? Changes in business practices required to meet changing customer requirements 1.In addition to closely located retail stores an online store should be set up for the convenience of the customers. 2. To create provision for providing possible franchise as there has been lot of request for the same. Improvement plan ActionResponsibilityTimeframe Engage information and technology company to discuss, develop and host the retail storeIT Manager31/07/2010 Work out a complete business plan to make available opportunities for offering franchiseBoard of directors and Chief financial officer31/07/2010 Memo To: board of directors, finance department, human resource department, IT department and Marketing executives. From: John Smith, Marketing Manager Date: July 1, 2010 Subject: Changes to the Marketing Objectives Dear All It is to inform all that based on the analysis of the customer feedback process the following recommendations are suggested: ActioncostAdditional revenue Start online retail store$15000.00$45000.00 annually Engage in franchising opportunities$3000.00$5000.00 fixed monthly and 10% of the net profit A detailed modified marketing plan to reflect the actions recommended is attached here with for your kind perusal. You will be informed when a meeting to discuss the details will be organised shortly. Section D Self-reflection Strategies and tactics Direct mail: direct mails contribution was also substantially big. Magazine advertisement: returns from this form were not that high Radio Promotions: worked really well and got the expected revenue even though the cost was substantially higher Team leadership skills Respectful As a quality team leader I was respectful to all team members. A respectful leader I empowered them by encouraging them to offer ideas about decisions that affect them. This informed team members that the i respect their input and opinions. Fair I treated all my team members fairly. I was consistent with rewards and recognition, as well as disciplinary action. I ensured all team members receive the same treatment. Delegation I shared leadership through delegation. Delegating certain tasks to team members allowed me to focus on improving workplace functions and production. Confidence I was confident in my abilities, as well as confident in the abilities of my team members. I was secure in the decisions I made that affected my team. I also reassured team members of my authority within the organization. Integrity I was honest and open with his team members. I gained the trust of team members because I did what I said. I did and treated others, the same way I want myself to treat. Appendix 2: Workplace evidence Individual action summary Team memberJohn Smith Objective:To develop, get it printed and distribute Leaflets in local letter-box drops Description of activities: †¢Design and Develop leaflet †¢Collect quotes for printing †¢Place order for printing †¢Arrange man power for distribution of leaflets †¢Receive printed materials †¢Execute distribution Deliverables:†¢Final design of the leaflet †¢Collecting quote and placing order for printing †¢Receiving printed leaflets †¢Actual distribution of the leaflets Timeframe:01/07/2009 to 31/07/2009 Resources required:Designers, printers, $40,000 Review date:15/07/2009 Reviewed by:Mark BoerDesignation:Vice President Marketing Signature: Dated: 30th June 2010 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN I have immense pleasure in stating that it should go without saying that John Smith is a remarkable marketing talent, with an eye for not only growing his traditional business, but also seeking out opportunities in to expand the business. John has always taken his role seriously and is passionate about his results. Beyond his passion on driving performance, Leif is a natural leader, and fights hard for his beliefs. He’s at his best in a group environment, and is consciously proactive at getting full involvement of all other team members to derive the best results possible. He has a very effective personal style, and will be looked to for continued executive leadership with our Marketing efforts. I have the deepest personal and professional respect for John, and sincerely belief he will bring his unique energy, optimism, passion, and tireless creativity to your class and classroom. He has my highest endorsement. If you have any questions about this recommendation or my endorsement of Leif, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will gladly try to help.

Pros and Cons of Spartan Culture - 887 Words

PROS 1st- A positive aspect of the Spartan Code was the idea to train their young beginning at a young age, by giving power to the state to control the youth. This allowed many of the children to have an equal opportunity in the situation given although they did not have many options. They could all be taught the same concepts, and this would create more unity among the people which was very important, although the method by which they took action upon this was somewhat controversial. 2nd- A very beneficial act to society was the idea of teaching lessons by experience and hands on activities. An example is the action of showing their soldiers that drinking was something that should be compelled, by showing what it can†¦show more content†¦The statement of equality was only limited to a small population of regular children, and showed to be very unfair to the rest of the population. 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