The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Use of Computers in Tertiary Education

The ability to utilise information technology at the tertiary level has many disadvantages, but on the other hand the drawbacks could leave many persons asking if society benefits? Education is a very suitable medium for social mobility as on transcends the various classes, strata and levels of education. This is one option in order to achieve some measure of financial freedom. This statement implies that anyone must embrace, straddle and overcome the establish levels in an education system.That is from the informal learning one experience from birth to the formal early childhood to the elementary level then secondary and eventually the tertiary level. In this twenty-first century of many technological advances, it is absolutely essential that consideration be given to the acquisition, implementation, utilisation, and function of information technology through the use of computers at the tertiary level of education. This development of computers provided tertiary educators and studen ts with a new dimension to challenge their capabilities, explore new horizons in learning and exploit the system that existed.Both constituents met their requirements and demands of tertiary level studies in the form of output in producing documents for presentation, preparing papers for submission, acquiring information for research, keeping of records and just knowledge for development with just a click. The advantages that present themselves to the student signals â€Å"Studying†¦. made in heaven†, easy access to reliable information, no note taking, implying full attention on the lecture or activity. Storage of information is not bulky.As students embraced the technological age, presenting their coursework papers in a legible manner, with little grammatical and spelling errors, lecturers who were not computer savvy were scrambling to acquire the necessary skills to match the students. Note taking and reading of textbooks, even the buying of textbooks are becoming rar e, all information is read off a screen. The acts of carrying around bulky textbooks are a thing of the past. Flash drives, CD’s, small hand held devices have taken over. Slowly traditions are being broken and the computer is becoming the students learning tool.They are buying memory sticks instead of books. Lecturers on the other hand utilise the technology to make presentations to class, keep records, communicate with students via e-mails, receive and give assignments and information through the computer. This made students feel that attendance at lectures was not a necessity as they could get the lecture on the Internet any time. One of the main advantages pertains to the effective use of limited resources available in tertiary institutions. Any lecturer would agree that the contact time with students is the least time involved in a course.In a learning environment undergoing rapid transformation, it is not surprising that teaching methods have also been changing. Lecturer s have to get with the times. As a part of the process of adapting to changing student demands, lecturers have had to consider new ways of delivering course content. A very practical example of this is the close relationship, technologically, that the lecturer and student develops. Course content and lecturers are sent directly to each student via e-mail or made available on a website.The disadvantages of this intensive mode of teaching signal the observer that there is a significant loss of social skills, study skills and data. No longer do students sit together in the same room, they could be miles apart but communicating through teleconferencing or videoconferencing. Data could be loss in the blink of an eye or the flick of a switch. A conscious effort must be made to back up and save information already acquired. The integrity of exams and one’s information could be questioned as all information can be so easily shared.It also found that the assumption that Academic Staff make, that students already have computer literacy skills, is often erroneous. We must take into consideration the student who suffers from technological anxiety, most times they are in the older age bracket and are not computer literate. Then there are the students who are economically challenged and find it difficult to access a computer. The prolonged use of computers pose serious health risks in repetitive eyestrain, lower back pain and computer vision syndrome.The user must take frequent breaks and purchase equipment to deal with correct posture. Despite the stated disadvantages, the use of computers in tertiary level studies is here to stay. Lecturers can track students, disburse information, keep records, recycle course content, store exams and revision exercises, communicate with students at any time of the day, not only during class contact time, with just a click. While students use this flexibility to maximise their study and personal time.

Boy Oh Boy

Boy Oh Boy Boy Oh Boy Boy Oh Boy By Maeve Maddox This sentence in a newspaper feature about Civil War hero David O. Dodd, got me thinking about the word boy: Dodd is lionized in these parts as the â€Å"Boy Martyr of the Confederacy† although â€Å"Teen Martyr† would be a more accurate sobriquet for a young man who was only a year short of being old enough to be drafted into the Rebel army.† Dodd was 17 when Union troops occupying Little Rock hanged him in 1864. The word boy to refer to a 17-year-old seems a valid choice to me. Boy has been in the language since 1300. More than one etymology has been argued, but its origin is uncertain. Its earliest use in English was with the meaning â€Å"male servant† or â€Å"slave.† Note: Before boy came to mean â€Å"a male child,† the word girl was used to refer to young people of either sex. A speaker who wanted to refer to a â€Å"male ‘girl’† used the expression â€Å"knave girl.† Both words, boy and girl, had taken on their present meanings by the 1400s. In the British colonies and in the American South, boy was used to refer to non-white servants, regardless of age. Today, of course, such usage is considered to be extremely offensive. In France, until fairly recently, the usual term for summoning a waiter was garà §on, â€Å"boy,† but nowadays, serveur is the masculine term for â€Å"waiter.† Apart from its general meaning of â€Å"a young male, (usually below the age of puberty, or still in school),† boy occurs in a great variety of idioms that refer not just to male human beings of any age, but to dogs as well. Oh boy! Depending upon context and intonation, this exclamation can denote delight or dismay. For example, â€Å"Oh boy! I’ve won the lottery!† or, â€Å"Oh boy, you’re in trouble now. That’s my boy! A parent, proud of a son, might say this in approval of some accomplishment. Old boys’ club/old boys’ network: network of social and professional connections that perpetuate favoritism in government and other sectors. The expression originated with the British â€Å"public school† system. (In the U.K., â€Å"public schools† are elite private schools attended by the children of the wealthy.) Male graduates of exclusive schools were called â€Å"old boys.† Because of connections forged in school, these â€Å"old boys† went on to occupy highly placed jobs in government and commerce, helped by a previous generation of â€Å"old boys† who made up a segment of insiders. By extension, the expression can be used to refer to any kind of favoritism that makes advancement difficult for outsiders. There’s a good boy! An expression pet owners use with male dogs. Sometimes it is phrased as a question: â€Å"Who’s a good boy?† Down, boy! This expression is used to address a dog that is jumping on someone. By extension, it is used humorously to a man who reacts with interest when introduced to a good-looking woman. Our boys in uniform: Men serving in the military, regardless of age. Now that women are more visible in the military, the expression is not as common as it once was. Boys’ night out: A weekly social outing for friends, limited to men. Boys will be boys: An expression of resigned acceptance uttered when men do something despicable that is considered to be characteristic of age or sex. Send a boy to do a man’s job: to ask someone young, ill-equipped, or inexperienced to do difficult or complicated work. Usually in negative contexts, as â€Å"Never send a boy to do a mans job.† boy next door: Unlike most â€Å"boy† expressions, this one has a corresponding one for women: girl next door. The expressions denote a stereotypical personification of a young, unspoiled, admirable character whom one might safely fall in love with. boy king: Tutankhamen is often referred to as â€Å"the boy king.† Boy can be used in a descriptive sense with any noun: â€Å"boy wonder,† â€Å"boy genius.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:36 Adjectives Describing LightCapitalization Rules for Names of Historical Periods and Movements15 English Words of Indian Origin

Workplace Bullying Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Workplace Bullying Research - Essay Example According to the website 'bullying at work' although bullying often lacks a focus, bullies are deeply prejudiced but at the same time sufficiently devious to not reveal their prejudices to the extent that they contravene laws on harassment and discrimination. The workplace bullying is defined as "a person is bullied or harassed when they feel repeatedly subject to negative acts in the workplace, acts against which the victim may find it difficult to defend themselves" Einarsen et al (1994) cited in Lewis et al (2005). The choice of the technique by which data is gathered depends upon the choice of the researcher and the requirements of the research or investigation. Although there is no particular data collection technique which can symbolized as ideal for every situation, there are a variety of data collection techniques that can be considered for being used. Data in social sciences are attained in either formal or informal settings and evolves verbal (oral and written) or non-verba l acts or responses. The combination of the two types of responses results in the four major forms of data collection. These being: observational methods; survey research; secondary data analysis; qualitative research, Punch (2005). Different methodologies like surveys, field observations, interviews are being used in Social research studies. Such studies are often conducted through a combination of data collection techniques to ensure a maximum validity of the data collected. The method selected depends on the resources available and the nature of the phenomenon under investigation. However, there had never been a consensus on the best technique or method that can be termed as scientific. Malcolm (1996) In this respect, the motive behind the concern with the attempt to identify the scientific method is that as Malcolm points out "most philosophers of science have argued that method used is the only guarantee that knowledge obtained is valid, reliable and thus scientific. By employing the correct method[s], the scientist may be sure that their findings are true, repeatable and generalisable." Social research is defined by Malcolm (1996) as "the process of investigation that defines something as being research, rather than being driven by more abstract concerns." While he describes research as a "methodical investigations into a subject or problem. To research is to seek answers that involve understanding and explanation, whereas the credibility of its outcomes will rest heavily upon the conduct of the investigation." In this respect, Frazer (1995) argues that "careful research delivers valuable findings." 3.0 Research Methodology: Hammersley (2006) highlights two areas where philosophy can make an important contribution to social science. These areas are methodology and value relevance. Methodology is concerned with clarifying both the aims and means of research. While value relevance is related to values that frame social science inquiries so as to make them relevant to human concerns. In terms of methodology, Hammersly draws a basic distinction between methodology as technique and methodology as philosophy. Methodology as a technique, on one hand, portrays research as the deployment of particular methods and procedures, those that are taken to be scientific. On the other hand, methodology as a

History of Art and Visual Culture 1400 - 1900 Essay

History of Art and Visual Culture 1400 - 1900 - Essay Example Conversely, the Visual Art is regarded as a form of intellectual and cognitive learning skills and experiences. For example, the construction of the circle, rectangular drawings, and painting composition procedures are described to be having ability of demanding high judgment values from the painters. The body entombment was presented in its original size, shape, kind and color complying with the law of nature. In addition, the measurements and the proportions of the living creatures that were around d the death served as a point of reference in making the Entombment justification to be a real event (Zirpolo, 2008). However, death body manifested itself when the limbs and other parts of the body could not be able to perform any duty of life function. Nevertheless, apart from the color, size, function and the kind composition abilities evaluated, individual confirming dignity of the entombed body was addressed. For instance, the clothing used in the death event presented type, functio n and dignity, a factor that was very essential in the ancient painting. The Raphael entombment picture was pleasing and appealing; it had a mixture of old men and youths without indicating a virtual emptiness. Additionally, the attitude and gestures were not appearing in the entombed feature as the mourners were in full control of the entombed movement activities (harmony in accordance with the action). The entombment emotions were presented moving in different directions presenting grief and anger.

Financial Management Coca-Cola Company Research Paper

Financial Management Coca-Cola Company - Research Paper Example Current liabilities can be defined as the liabilities which have to be met during the year or in other words those obligations which have to be met in a year are termed as current liabilities (Bragg, 2011, p.39). Therefore the current liabilities have to be managed properly by every company. The current liabilities are met by current assets. Current assets are those assets which can be transformed into cash within one year. These are the short term assets which are held by the company to meet its short term obligations. The liquidity position of the company is determined by the current assets and the current liabilities. To determine the liquidity position of the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, the current ratio and the quick ratio has been calculated. Current ratio signifies that the current liabilities of the company are backed by how many current assets. It is calculated by dividing the current assets be the current liabilities (Investopedia-a, n.d.). The current ratio of Coca-Cola Company is 1.12 while the current ratio of PepsiCo is 1.43. This signifies that each dollar of current liability of Cocacola Company is backed by $1.12 of current assets where as each dollar of current liability of PepsiCo is backed by $1.43 of current assets. To assess the capacity of the companies for meeting the day to day expenses the quick ratio has been calculated.... The quick ratio of PepsiCo is 1.19 while that of Coca-Cola Company is 0.93. The PepsiCo had more working capital that is $3815 million than the Coca-Cola Company which has only $582 million in 2009. Therefore it can be said that the liquidity potion of PepsiCo is stronger than that of the Coca-Cola Company. Hence the PepsiCo is in a better position to meet its current liabilities that the Coca-Cola Company. Overall performance The overall performance of the Coca-Cola Company and the PepsiCo has been analyzed by using the financial ratios and studying the income statement and the balance sheet of both the companies for the year 2009. For judging any company through its financial statements, three types of statements are very important. One is the cash flow statement, second one is the balance sheet and the third one is the balance sheet. Income statement shows the various revenues earned by a company and the related expenses incurred during a financial year. The net income which is us ed to judge the profitability of the organization is also assed in the income statement (Loth, 2010). The balance sheet of the company shows the financial position of that company on a given date. It also reveals the way in which the company is levered (Investopedia-b, 2010). The operating profit of PepsiCo has increased by 15% in 2009 where that of Coca-Cola Company has increased by 124%. The net profit of the former has also increased by 15% where as that of the latter increased by 116%. Investments The profitability position of the company is very important to be assessed by the investor before making any investment in the company. By analyzing the profitability position the investor can judge the financial

Information processing Essay Example for Free

Information processing Essay Discuss how information processing varies between individual, team and racquet athletics.  Sport contains mainly perceptual motor skills so it is important to select the correct skill for the situation. The process used to select the correct skill is called the information processing system or the DCR process, because we Detect information, Compare it with previous experiences and then react.  Welford said that all information is taken in as stimuli through our senses. It is then stored in the short term memory before being sorted, if the stimulus is relevant to the current skill then it is stored in the short term memory where it is compared to previous experiences in the long term memory. Then a decision is made as to what action to take based on this comparison. The action that was performed and the outcome from this action are then stored in the long term memory for future reference. Welfords model is shown below:  This model makes a performer react in the way that they do to a situation but there are many factors that can influence what action the performer decides to take. These include; time available, number and intensity of stimuli, experience, anticipation, fitness and motivation of the performer. The effect these factors have on a performer will vary from individual, racquet and team sports.  The time that you have available to process the incoming stimuli differs in each sport. For example in rugby, which is externally paced, you have a small amount of time to process the stimuli and make a decision because there are usually many defenders around you. Tennis players also have very little time to react because the ball is usually travelling at a high speed and if they dont make a decision and return the ball they will lose the point. However in golf, an internally paced sport, the player can take as long as they need to make a decision because there ar e no opponents directly around them. There are three main types of stimuli that enter the sensory input these are;  Vision: is where a player will react to a visual stimulus such as the position of the ball or an opponent. These stimuli are easier to detect and react to if the stimulus is brighter. For example in tennis the ball is bright yellow which makes it easier to see. But there are also unwanted stimuli such as ball boys moving or crowd movements these stimuli are obviously irrelevant but they are still initially taken in which slows down the whole process. In an individual sport there are fewer visual stimuli for example in a 100m race the only real visual stimulus is where the finish line is in relation to you. Audition: this is all stimuli that are heard, for example when a team mate calls for the ball in rugby. Auditable stimuli are hard and processed easier and faster if they are loud and clear. There are also irrelevant auditable stimuli such as crowd noise these will slow down the information processing model.  Proprioception: this is made up of three components;  Equilibrium: this is an awareness of your body position and balance. We can tell if we are about to fall over and where we are in relation to objects. Team sports are more likely to have an uneven playing surface which means that your balance will have to be constantly adjusted as you are running. But in individual and racquet sports the playing surface is fairly constant with the exception of golf, where a stance may have to be altered to adjust to the surface. Kinaesthesis: this is where the body senses the muscle movement and contraction it is sometimes known as muscle memory. It is if the movement feels right to the performer. It is developed through practice and experience one example would be a conversion kick in rugby the player may take there step away from the ball in the same way they usually do but they may just feel that they are not in the right place. It doesnt apply as much in team games as in individual and racquet sports apart from set plays.  Tactile sense: this is the feeling of pressure this is important for all sports. It can be affected be the weather conditions because cold weather affects our ability to feel effectively. The short term sensory store is where all information is stored for a split second before it is processed. All relevant and irrelevant information is stored in here before it is replaced and lost. This does not differ between sports only what enters it does.  The perception stage is where all the information that has come from the short term sensory store is processed. This is when irrelevant information is thrown away and useful stimuli such as where the ball is, is kept to make a decision and stored in the STM. This will vary between individual, racquet and team sports because of the amount of stimuli. In team sports there are more stimuli so it takes longer to sort through whereas there are relatively small amounts of stimuli in individual sports so it wont take as long to sort them out. It also differs depending upon whether the performer is experienced or not as it will be easier for a expert to sort through the stimuli because they have more experience. We sort through the st imuli with selective attention and take only the important pieces of information because only around 7-10 pieces of information can be stored in the STM. The information passed on from the perception stage is then stored in the STM. Because only 7-10 pieces of information can be stored an experienced player may chunk information together so that the position of all players is one piece, but a beginner may not be able to do this so each player may be a separate piece. Team sports would be much more affected because of the amount of information so not all stimuli can be stored so a poor decision may be made but less poor decisions will be made in an individual or racquet sport because there is less information. The LTM holds information on movement patterns and the results of using them in certain situations and can hold them for a lifetime. Team sports have many memories but individual sports may have less.  The decision making process is where whats happening now (in the short term memory) with what has happened previously (in the long term memory). In the LTM the performer will be looking for similar situations and actions and their outcomes. This makes team games decision making process a lot longer because of the vast amount of information and possible actions to take. Whereas in an individual sport there is much less information and less possible actions. The motor output is the performance of the chosen skill. One example may be for a badminton player to put in a drop shot because the opponent is at the back of the court. The action is referred to the muscle movement in the LTM. The action and its consequences are then stored in the long term memory for future reference.  Individual sports, because they are individually paced, make them the simplest in the IP model. Also because there are fewer stimuli there is a shorter reaction time which gives the performer more time to carry out the IP model which should result in a better decision. Racquet sports are externally paced due to the fact that there is an opponent; this means that there is less time for the performer to react. There are some irrelevant stimuli which will slow down the IP model which means it takes longer to decide than in an individual sport but not as long as in a team sport because there are fewer possibilities for what action to take.  Team sports are externally paced which reduces the time available to react. Also there are much more irrelevant stimuli in team sports, this will lengthen the IP. The IP will also be lengthened due to the complexity of most team games because there are more situations and possible responses to choose from. Bibliography Advanced PE for Edexcel Heinemann by F. Galligan et al.

Hitler Invading The Soviet Union History Essay

Hitler Invading The Soviet Union History Essay During the summer day of July 22nd, 1941, Adolf Hitler attacked the largest country, geographically, in the world, Russia (Hitlers Invasion and Russia). The people of Germany thought that Hitler was insane if he wanted to actually invade the Soviet Union (Hitlers Invasion). Three army groups attacked Russia on June 22nd 1941. Army Group North, led by von Leeb, Army Group Centre, commanded by von Bock and Army Group South commanded by von Rundstedt (Trueman, Barbarossa). Russia was defended by four army units. Though Russia had a large army, the purges had wiped out a considerable part of the armys senior commanders (Trueman, Barbarossa). Hitlers forces initially won many battles and had many victories against the Russians (Trueman, Barbarossa). However, these victories soon turned bad due to several crucial mistakes that Hitler let slip. Hitler should not have attacked Russia because of his failure to anticipate the abilities of the Red Army, the weather of Russia, and his faulty lea dership during the operation. The German Armys failure to anticipate the abilities of the Russia Red Army was one of its key reasons for failure. The Red Army was able to mobilize twice as many troops as the Germans had initially estimated (Barbarossa). The Russians were able to replace their fallen armies far quicker than the Fuehrer had expected and therefore the German Army had to halt in order to get more supplies (Barbarossa). This contributed to Germanys encountering of the Russian Winter. Furthermore, the Russians were prepared to lose hundreds of thousands of men and were prepared to sacrifice equipment as shown in their victory at Kursk (Kursk). The Russian Army also proved its ability to replace its soldiers quickly allowed it to repair losses in the Army while the German Army lost people while its resources were lagging behind (Stalingrad). The Soviets also proved very skilled in raising and training many new armies from the different ethnic populations of the far flung republics. (Barbarossa). This al lowed them to survive the critical six months of the battle even if they had poor equipment and training. According to Operation Barbarossa, the German army had problems with their infantry throughout the conflict while Russia had a well numbered force. Though the German army won many victories, this gave the Russians some advantage. With these kinds of crucial underestimations, the Germans became under-supplied and their forces began to progressively weaken. In addition to the tactical failures, the German control also underestimated the leadership of the Soviet Union. The Germans thought that the Soviet government was completely ineffective (Barbarossa). With this belief the Germans hoped that the government would collapse from the attack. This, however, did not happen. This made it harder for the Germans who were anticipating a short battle that was to end by fall of 1941 (Barbarossa). The Germans failure to anticipate the Russian potential was one of their key factors in losing the Russian Invasion. Another crucial factor that became an obstacle for the Germans was the Russian winter. Hitler had prepared for a quick war, in turn; he failed to prepare well to wage battle during the harsh Russian winter (Barbarossa). The temperatures dropped to 50 degrees below the zero (Stalingrad). Entire divisions died from the brutal temperatures (Russian Winter). The equipment and vehicles that they had froze (Barbarossa). This significantly affected Operation Barbarossa due to the large losses. The German offensive was slowed to a crawl because of the numeral failures that were inflicted by the Russian winter (Russian Winter). When winter struck, the German troops lacked the winter equipment needed and the rations that the Army required (Stalingrad). German weapons malfunctioned in the cold. Lubricating oils were unsuitable for these temperatures, leading to engine malfunction and misfiring weapons (Barbarossa). Without the airplanes and weapons, the Germans were virtually defenseless. At th is point, the German army was at an especial disadvantage. According to the article Operation Barbarossa, the soviet soldiers did not have such severe problems. The Russians used insulating blankets to cover their aircrafts so that the engines did not freeze and lighter-weight oil was used. Germans had problems with their fuel due to the lack of anti-freeze (Barbarossa). The Russian winter caused great losses for the German army and after the Battle of Moscow, the Germans had to retreat and revise their war plans regarding Russia. The Russian winter again crippled the Germans, who even after the experience, did not prepare better for the siege of the Crocuses and Stalingrad (Stalingrad). The German haste for victory and battle severely affected them in their preparations regarding Operation Barbarossa and, therefore, the Russian winter took the Germans by surprise. In addition, Hitlers decision to stay even after knowing that a repetition of Napoleons disastrous retreat from Moscow (Barbarossa) was very likely, led to loss of valuable men and resources. With the Russian winter being the most severe that year than any other, the Russians were able to maintain their position. The third reason that Germany should not have attacked Russia was that the plan lacked logistical planning. One example is the winters of 1941 and 1942. Both times the Germans were caught by the horrendous Russian winter unprepared (Barbarossa and Stalingrad). One would think that at least after experiencing the cold winter of 1941 the Germans would have prepared better for the winter of 1942 when they invaded Stalingrad. The German Army command also ignored one crucial warning. The German army could not be continuously supplied to wage long combat (Barbarossa). During the Battle of Stalingrad, the army had to stop several times so that its resources could catch up and usually resources were lagging far behind (Stalingrad). The Nazi command assumed that it would within five weeks; the army would be able to take down the Red Army (Barbarossa). According to Operation Barbarossa, the German infantry rushed ahead about 300 mi. (480Â  km) while the supplies were struggling to barely catc h up. The lack of constant supplies slowed down the blitzkrieg down significantly. The Germans had seriously overestimated the quality and condition of the Russian transportation network. The differences in the railroad configurations and the fact that the Russian people had dismantled the railroads near the border (Barbarossa). In addition to the supply problem, the German army executed certain tactics that made their defeat possible. One of these tactics was sending the bulk of the sixth army in Stalingrad (Trueman). Marshall Zhukov was able to surround the army of Paulus in the city and destroyed virtually the entire army by depriving them of supplies (Stalingrad). Planning errors such as not securing the transportation before proceeding, and sending almost the entire army into a city, caused huge problems and losses for the Germans. Faulty planning was a main problem that Hitler should have considered before attacking Russia. Hitlers decision to attack was supported by Germanys military status at the time, however; due to some serious flaws that could have been prevented before attacking the Soviet Union. Hitlers racial views toward the Russian people blinded him to the real facts that were there (Hitlers Invasion). Hitler should also have analyzed history better because no one has ever conquered Russia completely. Russias large size and horrendous weather were able to protect it even though many loyal Russian soldiers gave up their lives for mother Russia. Also by enraging Russia, Hitler caused his own downfall and the defeat of Germany. Russia destroyed almost three times as many divisions as the Allies during D-Day in Normandy (Hitlers Invasion). The invasion of Russia was a fatal mistake for Hitler and Germany.