Wednesday, November 27, 2019
The Perfect Leader essays
The Perfect Leader essays Throughout the novel Lord of the Flies by William Golding, different characters demonstrate both good and bad leadership skills. Because the group varies widely in age and personality, a successful leader would need very specific skills such as knowledge, respect, trust, organization and control. An effective leader of the boys would possess the specific qualities of Ralph and Piggy. Although Ralph is not the perfect leader he possesses many good leadership skills. When the boys arrive on the island, Ralph is the first to demonstrate these. He calls everyone together and begins making rules and setting priorities. Ralph works very hard to keep things together and gives different people different jobs. Jacks in charge of the choir. They can be-what do you want them to be? Hunters. (p.22) This shows that he is trying to keep things organized. Ralph also has very good listening skills; he calls meetings Every day. Twice a day. (p.51) He does this in order to sort things out and, like a good leader, seeks the advice and opinions of the other boys although, he does not necessarily take it. Even when the others begin to decline into savagery Ralph still tries very hard to make the others realize that the only way they will be rescued is if they work together. At the beginning Ralph is respected by the other boys because he calls all the boys together and ha s good physical features. But there was a stillness about Ralph as he sat that marked him out: there was his size, and attractive appearance; and most obscurely, yet most powerfully, there was the conch. (p. 22) Ralph also possesses some bad qualities, which makes it hard for him to succeed as a leader. Ralph may have the organizational skills but he is not aggressive enough. When he gives out jobs he does not enforce what each individual has to do. He does not have power and authority over the boys the way ...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
8 Hilarious Truck Signs Spotted On the Road
8 Hilarious Truck Signs Spotted On the Road 1. Straight and to the point!ââ¬Å"Donââ¬â¢t Like Trucks? Stop Buying Shit. Problem Solved!â⬠2. You better check yourself, before your car wreck yourself.ââ¬Å"This Vehicle Makes Wide Ass Turnsâ⬠3. Got Milk?ââ¬Å"Keep Back 500 FT. We Arenââ¬â¢t Hauling Milk!â⬠4. Bonus pointà on being as smelly as a regular school bus!ââ¬Å"Caution, Stool Busâ⬠5. Itââ¬â¢s always funny to give Kanye a bad rap.ââ¬Å"Chicagoââ¬â¢s Best Wrappers. Sorry Kanyeâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ 6. Really? I did not know thatâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬Å"Packing Tape Should Not Be Used For Painful Practical Jokes.â⬠7.à Time is still tough for truck driversââ¬Å"Driver carries less than $50 cash and is fully nakedâ⬠8. Mmmh, thanks for the heads up.ââ¬Å"If you want to get past, you had better be fast, because Iââ¬â¢ve got a truck, and I donââ¬â¢t give a **ck!â⬠All images viaà imgur.com
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2
Leadership - Essay Example Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy. There are a couple different styles of leadership that a leader can use. President Eisenhower was a transactional leader, in that his style of leadership was systematic and was based on the idea of rewards and punishments associated with making decisions. This comes with the fact that he had a military background, which provided him the experience and knowledge base for him to exercise his leadership authority. Many of his actions were the result of defense and competition with the Soviets as his term of presidency was during the period where the United States was operating under the containment policy of trying to prevent the spread of Communism into the democratic sphere. Thus these programs, such as the development of nuclear weapons as well as the start to the NASA program served their purpose as showing the United Statesââ¬â¢ raw power. As a result, a majority of the way in which he dictated policy both in the United States and as in foreign policy was always based on that of defense and military authority (ââ¬Å"Dwight D. Eisenhowerâ⬠, 2011). President John F. Kennedy was an enthusiastic, young leader that was more inexperienced than his predecessor President Eisenhower. He also was a soldier who served as an officer in the Untied States Navy.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Impact of World War I in Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Impact of World War I in Germany - Essay Example included personalities like George Orwell, Winston Churchill, Harold Nicolson, Andrew Roberts, Horace Wilson, Herr Hitler, Signor Mussolini and Lloyd George. Important institutions and administrative portfolios were also taken into account like Foreign Office, Daily Mail, Third Reich, Conservative Party, Ministry of Information, Downing Street, British Expeditionary Force, News Chronicle, War Office, Admiralty House, House of Commons and the War Cabinet. It was pointed out that rapid development of German industry threatened the global economic dominance of Great Britain. Since Britain was a large empire, she had wider commercial and economic advantage over Germany and thus a conflict was inevitable. This argument gave Communism popularity and aided its rise. Lenin also argued that the hawkish banking and financial interests pursued by the capitalist and imperialist powers also gave the war efforts its much-needed fillip. After the WWI, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased for Britain, Italy, and U.S., but decreased for France, Russia, Netherlands, and the Central Powers. This misbalance throughout Europe had far-reaching impact the world over. On the other hand, this increase in the governments' share of the GDP led them to take loans from other countries. For example, Britain borrowed heavily from not only the Government of US but also from the American railways and the Wall Street. The repayment of these loans was funded by German indemnity funds and a vicious circle of loans and repayments was created. By 1931, this circle collapsed resulting in major economic crises through out the world. Germany naturally was impacted the most. (Bessel, 188-90) All these aggravated the global economic crisis. This turbulent economic scene was further aggravated by the... It was pointed out that rapid development of German industry threatened the global economic dominance of Great Britain. Since Britain was a large empire, she had wider commercial and economic advantage over Germany and thus a conflict was inevitable. This argument gave Communism popularity and aided its rise. Lenin also argued that the hawkish banking and financial interests pursued by the capitalist and imperialist powers also gave the war efforts its much-needed fillip. After the WWI, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased for Britain, Italy, and U.S., but decreased for France, Russia, Netherlands, and the Central Powers. This misbalance throughout Europe had far-reaching impact the world over. On the other hand, this increase in the governmentsââ¬â¢ share of the GDP led them to take loans from other countries. For example, Britain borrowed heavily from not only the Government of US but also from the American railways and the Wall Street. The repayment of these loans was funded by German indemnity funds and a vicious circle of loans and repayments was created. By 1931, this circle collapsed resulting in major economic crises through out the world. Germany naturally was impacted the most. (Bessel, 188-90) All these aggravated the global economic crisis. This turbulent economic scene was further aggravated by the conscription policy, whereby nearly all physically fit man was eligible to be put in uniforms. Of those who joined the army, many lost th eir lives and an even greater number were wounded. Work force shortage was a major problem faced by most countries.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Open vs Closed Systems Essay Example for Free
Open vs Closed Systems Essay The state of Kansas defines OSS (Open Sourced Software) as software for which the source code is freely and publicly available, though the specific licensing agreements vary as to what one is allowed to do with that code. The book defines open source operating systems as those made available in source-code format rather than binary code. Closed source is exactly the opposite. Closed source is proprietary software that is only made available in binary code which is very difficult to reverse engineer. Open-source code is exactly what the programmer developed including all of the comments and notes. Open-source is most commonly confused with free software although the difference is very miniscule however strongly opposed. When all of these ideas are put together we can understand that as an end user with open sourced OSââ¬â¢ we have the ability to see all of the code and modify most of the OS if we have the necessary skills to do so. Whereas with closed source we can only see the code after it has been compiled into binary, or machine code, and only make changes that the programmers allow us to make within the OS. Open Sourced OS When we talk about open-sourced OSââ¬â¢ usually people think of UNIX or Linux. These are great examples of what open- source is. If a user wanted to download a version of Linux to install on his computer he could, and the open source would not cost him a thing. What he may end up paying for is support. Or if he is an experienced developer himself he can do what open-sourced software was originally intended to and make changes to the source himself. This is the biggest difference between open and closed source OS. With open source the individual has the freedom to make absolutely any change he deems necessary to the OS. Imagine being able to change the way Windows works. If you somehow figured out that the Windows OS would always crash when you have exactly 6 explorer windows open what would you do? Well if Windows was an open-source OS you could fix it and compile it. Then you could send the fixed version to the author so it could be updated and distributed to everyone else. That is the beauty of open-sourced OSââ¬â¢. Some can argue that because there are so many more eyes on the open-source systems that it makes them more secure. Closed Source OS Closed-source operating systems are the extreme opposite of open-source. The only form of closed source you can get is binary, which means youââ¬â¢ll have to do some very heavy hex reverse engineering in order to be able to actually understand the code. Closed source OSââ¬â¢ like Microsoft cost hundreds of dollars to buy, and if thereââ¬â¢s issues with the latest version, you are forced to wait until Microsoft developers release an update that may fix your issue and yet break another one of your applications. Users are at the mercy of Microsoft at all times. You can make recommendations and complaints about Windows not behaving in a matter that suits your needs, but you canââ¬â¢t do very much more. GNU Public Licenses GNU (GNU Not UNIX) General Public licenses are licenses used for distributing free software. The idea of ââ¬Å"copyrightâ⬠was flipped around and introduced as ââ¬Å"copyleftâ⬠by the FSF (Free Software Foundation). The purpose of ââ¬Å"copyleftingâ⬠was to do exactly the opposite of copyrighting. Instead of locking the software down and using the full extent of the law against anyone attempting to copy the copyrighted software; a GNU GPL forces the authors to allow anyone to copy and modify the code. The best example of how the GNU GPLs are used is the Linux operating system. Using GNUs UNIX compatible tools, Linus Torvalds created a UNIX like kernel and invited all developers around the world to modify his code and submit it back to him. Using the open source method Linus was able to complete the Linus OS much faster than anyone anticipated. Even though GNU had begun to be developed before Linux, the use of the internet and GNU GPLs allowed Linux to be completed before GNU was. Microsoft Licensing Due to the fact that Microsoft Windows was created to be a closed-source OS, users are forced to pay for a license before being able to download the binary file and install the software. Microsoft licensing copyrights the software and prevents anyone not appointed by Microsoft from viewing and modifying the source code. The advantage of Microsoft licenses is that when vulnerabilities or bugs are found, the end user doesnââ¬â¢t have to worry about figuring out how to fix it. Microsoft developers package the fixes and notify the end userââ¬â¢s OS when they are available for download. For an end user with no programming experience, the Microsoft Licensing scheme is a perfect scenario. Of course it costs a nice chunk of change, but for some people ignorance is bliss. The obvious disadvantage to this licensing structure is the complete opposite. The end users are completely powerless to fix known vulnerabilities and bugs. Microsoft has been able to blow past the competitors because of the availability of Volume licensing and software assurance policies. The biggest customer any software company can have is the government. When Microsoft started offering proprietary software that was easily deployable in any environment, the government and most other large companies were enticed into buying into the Microsoft Licensing closed source idea. Conclusion As a rule of thumb a person should never completely close any door even after seeing whatââ¬â¢s inside and turning the other way. In one hand open-source OSââ¬â¢ can be extremely useful because they are easily modified and tailored to ones need. Along with the fact that there seems to always be someone interested in helping with code and the development of useful software. Most of the time, these programmers are not getting paid and are mostly just looking for a challenge. And on the other hand when money isnââ¬â¢t an issue and the knowledge of code is an issue, one can easily find themselves completely absorbed in the closed source way of life. Is either one better than the other? Maybe in some scenarios, but neither can nor should be considered a failure of societies way of thinking.
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Masterful Management of the Atmosphere in Macbeth :: Free Macbeth Essays
Masterful Management of the Atmosphere in Macbeth à à à Shakespeare in his tragedy Macbeth shows himself to be a playwright who can manipulate the atmosphere at every turn in the road. The atmosphere of this play is a choreographic work of art which is synchronized with the action of the play. à Blanche Coles states in Shakespeare's Four Giants that he agrees with G. B. Harrison, that this play contains one of the finest examples of atmosphere ever created in drama: à Macbeth is overwhelmed with the significance of his filthy deed. His wife is concerned only with the details of what must be done next - with facts. She has no imagination. The passage between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth after the murder is one of the finest examples of atmosphere ever created in drama."(62) à Lily B. Campbell in her volume of criticism, Shakespeare's Tragic Heroes: Slaves of Passion, explains how the atmosphere of terror and fear is built up: à Macbeth is, however, not only a study of fear; it is a study in fear. The sounds and images in the play combine to give the atmosphere of terror and fear. The incantation of the witches, the bell that tolls while Duncan dies, the cries of Duncan, the cries of the women as Lady Macbeth dies, the owl, the knocking at the gate, the wild horses that ate each other, the story, the quaking of the earth - all of these are the habitual accompaniments of the willfully fearful in literature. (238-39) à Charles Lamb in On the Tragedies of Shakespeare comments on the atmosphere surrounding the play: à The state of sublime emotion into which we are elevated by those images of night and horror which Macbeth is made to utter, that solemn prelude with which he entertains the time till the bell shall strike which is to call him to murder Duncan, - when we no longer read it in a book, when we have given up that vantage-ground of abstraction which reading possesses over seing, and come to see a man in his bodily shape before our eyes actually preparing to commit a muder, if the acting be true and impressive as I have witnessed it in Mr. K's performance of that part, the painful anxiety about the act, the natural longing to prevent it while it yet seems unperpetrated, the too close pressing semblance of reality,give a pain and an uneasiness [.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Consider Some Key Theories and Concepts of Learning and Assessment Essay
In this assignment I will explore the concept of learning and application of some learning theories within the in the vocational further education sector. I will explore the application of theories to health and social vocational topics and how this assists in developing key attributes for learners on these programmes. I will identify assessment methods and provide a critique of the validity of these in different educational programmes. Definitions of learning vary drastically. This is primarily due to the differing conceptions of what learning actually is. Saljo (1979) identified five categories of learning. It is suggested that the five categories: ââ¬Å"â⬠¦increase in knowledge; memorising information; Acquiring facts, skills, and methods; making sense or abstracting meaning; interpreting and understanding reality in a different wayâ⬠(Saljo, 1979), conceptualise learning as process. There has been extensive debate regarding the learnerââ¬â¢s awareness of events whilst undergoing this process. Rogers (Weilbel, 2011) identified two categories of learning: Acquisition and formalised. Acquisition learning is activity or task based learning linked to a continuous, unconscious learning process that takes place throughout life, in education and personal experiences. As it is thought of as an unconscious process, Rogers approach emphasises the lack of learner awareness during learning. Formalised learning is generally facilitated by an education professional where the learner is actively conscious of learning taking place (Colley et al, 2003). Whilst many professionals agree there are differing types of learning, the more commonly referred to dimensions of learning are often categorised into five dimensions rather than the two categories identified by Rogers. The behaviourist approach argues that behaviour is a result of environmental stimulus and the experience following the behaviour of positive or negative consequence will determine responses to the same environmental stimulus in the future. Reinforcement of positive consequences by positive praise or feedback can accelerate learning by conditioning the learners in the pattern of behaviour response to environmental stimulus (Minton, 2005). Behaviourist view learning as a step by step process and this combined with sequential praise will enable learners to associate a positive experience with learning. These behaviourist concepts have a heavy influence over the whole education system and are embedded into regulatory guidelines however lend themselves well to vocational, competency based qualifications such as the BTEC given the modular nature of the programme. The modular layout enables regular opportunity for the stimuli: behaviour response relationship to be enforced through positive achievement. Although this passive learning approach is utilised within most educational establishments, where learners acquire knowledge, constructivists argue that learners take a more participatory role in their learning and there is scope that each learner will have a differing perception of a learning experience and draw upon their own interpretation of the knowledge presented to them. Unlike the behaviourist approach where the teacher is the knowledge base, the constructivist theory places the learner at the focus of a more meaningful learning experience (Driscoll, 1994). The constructivist approach lends itself to the teaching methods applied in vocational topics. It links learnersââ¬â¢ experience of the wider world including their vocational experience with the topics being taught. It creates opportunity for the application of learner knowledge in real life situations which allows them to build their own constructs (Petty, 2004). This approach links heavily with the humanistic approach to teaching and learning in that experiential or applied knowledge concepts foster a positive learning environment. Rodgers identified cognitive and experiential as the two types of learning. According to Rodgers, cognitive learning is meaningless and often consists of learners reciting information given; it does not rely on understanding or the application of the knowledge. Experiential learning however is closely related to vocational education in that it relies on learnerââ¬â¢s ability to apply knowledge to situations that they have a personal interest in. In doing this, it creates opportunity for valuable learner involvement and significant learning (Beard and Wilson, 2006) In 1984, Kolb highlighted the benefits of a learning cycle developed as a result of an experience and emphasised how this not only enables knowledge transfer but it also develops skill competencies. This is particularly important in the health and social care sector as application of knowledge and vocational competency are key to the future employability of learners. The social learning theory combines elements of cognitive and behavioural learning theories. Bandura developed an approach where these two theories integrated and formed four categories of learning: observation, retention, reproduction and motivation. This learning theory relies heavily on modelling behaviours and is utilised heavily in the health and social care sector through vocational placements and induction periods where appropriate behaviour is displayed for new employees to imitate. Vocational Health and Social Care course outcomes and preparation for employment in the sector require a particular set of learner attributes and as such, teachers in this sector need to be aware of the skills set to develop appropriate to the needs of the sector and leaner. Not all learning can rely on the conditioning of learners and the cognitive approach based on constructivism argues that learning is the acquisition of not only knowledge but also skill by mental and cognitive processes. Thus learning is an active process and as teachers we need to appreciate the restraints of the assumptions of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning to assist in creating an experience which maximises the potential for learning to take place. This would include considering the auditory and visual channels, the capacity of each channel and the stages of the learning process (Mayer, 2001) Mayer (2001) highlights the importance of transferable learning and the integration of new information with prior knowledge. This is vital in the BTEC courses as the module outcomes are usually sequential and rely on the extension and application of existing knowledge Atherton (2011) however suggested that the way in which students learn is hugely defined by their motivation. The model used identifies two types of learning: deep and surface. This model associates well with the Access to HE Diploma in that most leaners are mature and have re-engaged with education purely as a stepping stone to succeed in a given career pathway. The motivation of Access learners is usually high and as Atherton (2011) suggests, intrinsic motivation of the learners will likely trigger a deep learning strategy. Although plausible, some research suggests that learning is habitual and regardless of the motivation, past experiences and approaches to learning are more likely to inform current engagement with the learning process. Discuss the key principles and concepts of assessment According to Gravellââ¬â¢s (2011), assessment is used to ââ¬Å"â⬠¦ find out if learning has taken placeâ⬠. Assessment methods should be used at regular intervals throughout a lesson and informs practice, it should be used to advise future lesson planning of the same topic and subsequent lessons within the scheme of work. This is vital as if learners fail to meet the assessment; alterations need to be made to the lesson plan and scheme of work to address this before further topics can be taught. The two main forms of assessment are summative and formative. The methods used for each type of assessment and their respective aims vary. Formative assessment is usually carried out on a regular basis. It allows constructive feedback based on assessment of learner knowledge or work and acknowledges that learnerââ¬â¢s abilities can be challenged with motivational feedback which assists in development. Summative feedback is usually a final assessment of a learner which is rigid in structure and final. Within the Health and Social Care sector, vocational education is heavily targeted towards formative assessment and tutors are encouraged by the accreditation body to provide opportunity for leaners to develop their work using formative assessment given verbally and documented on pieces of work. The assessment, accreditation and regulatory procedures placed on educational establishments impose tight restrictions on the content of teaching, expected learning outcomes, and their perception of what learning is. There are quality and validity issues surrounding assessment in every educational establishment which has a direct effect on the achievement of learners. Linked with quality assurance, standardisation and verification procedures, the consistency of tutor assessment of learning and its reliability is placed under intense scrutiny. This ensures that all learners have the same expectations placed upon them and the work produced meets the required standards to achieve the award. The concept of effective feedback in education is one which is controversial and with the best efforts, can still be misinterpreted. It is vital for teachers to be aware and have existing knowledge of appropriate feedback models which suit both learner and the programme which is being delivered (Wiggins, 2012). Feedback can be given in many forms and an awareness of the impact of these on the learner, achievement, the teacher and the college is fundamental. Feedback given to an individual may be given formally, informally, verbally, written, and be formative or summative. Learning and Assessment in Practice According to Petty (2004), there are four stages of teaching: setting aims, planning to meet the aims, delivering the session and then evaluating it. Lesson aims are usually taken from a scheme of work which is formed using the accreditation body specification. The Scheme of Work I devised was for the Research Skills Unit of the Access to HE Diploma using OCN accreditation. The OCN specification gives teachers guidelines on which aspects of the topic are required to meet the learning outcomes and the assessment methods for them. The scheme of work in place for this unit was very informal in placement and so I prepared a new version which was approved for use by my mentor. I will discuss the scheme of work including evaluation of inclusion, differentiation, embedding of key skills and actual content. I will discuss and evaluate two lesson plans from the unit and reflect on whether they produced an inclusive learning environment where there were positive outcomes of assessment of learning. The scheme of work for the research project originally lacked any activity based learning and relied upon traditional didactic approaches of tutor led presentation style lectures. Whilst this is an Access to HE course which strives to prepare leaners for experiences they may encounter in FE, being more creative with the content may provide a more valuable learning experience for learners. James and Pollard, 2006) Throughout the scheme of work there are documented sessions on 1:1 support which are used to differentiate between students The original scheme of work demonstrated poor opportunity for inclusive learning and differentiation. During the first session, I felt that the group were struggling a little with the concept of a research project and the enormity of the task ahead of them. In an attempt to make the content more accessible and less daunting, I revised the scheme of work by planning tutor led approaches, group activities, peer feedback, nominated questions and a variety of resources with links to each subsection of the scheme of work: an example of this was the use of blurb on a book to identify the concept of a summary in research. This type of planning promotes an inclusive learning environment where each learner is involved (Ashmore et al, 2010). I had planned to separate social groups to promote inclusion by encouraging integration across peer groups. This assists in learners gaining the opportunity for peer learning and developing skills around recognising and respecting diversity which is a key attribute in all health and social care sectors. To assess learning and ensure I had planned for differentiation within the group I used nominated and open questions. This allowed me to identify learners who required scaffolding whilst stretching and challenging all learners appropriate to their ability. The first lesson included in this assignment is the first session based on the introduction and overview of the unit. In this session I introduced the Word Wall ( see appendix). This was a useful tool in introducing new academic jargon which was a requirement of the learning outcomes and therefore leaners were required to utilise throughout their project. This utilised the cognitive approach as it assisted learners to guide them to relevant words, and limit individual sensory overload. As the unit has strong links to more formal academia and will almost certainly appear in most learnersââ¬â¢ further education, it was imperative that they had a good understanding of the basic knowledge required from the start. The second lesson included in this assignment is the workshop I delivered on conducting a literature review. The original scheme of work planned for the use of a SMART board and class discussion for this lesson however this did not allow me to assess the ability of learners to conduct a literature review relating to their research topic and therefore failed to fully ddress differentiation and inclusion. My lesson plan involved tutor led starter activity where a recap of the literature review would occur and nominated questions to assess learners understanding of the variety of techniques used to narrow down their results and identify research which was of use to them. I had prepared a print out of the power point which I was unable to present due to the room restrictions: the learning resource centre is a quiet zone and so no formal presentation of the information was appropriate. To accompany this, the learners were given a step by step guide of performing a literature review with an example to follow for those who required assistance (appendix). Throughout this lesson I embedded the use of ICT and literacy skills in the form of communication, writing and reading to ensure I was supporting the development of functional skills which are extremely important. Formative assessment, verbally and documented, was used throughout both lessons to support learning and create opportunity for learners to develop their work prior to summative assessment. Methods of assessment relevant to your specialist subject area For this section I will be using examples from practice that I have been involved in: the OCN Access to HE Diploma and Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Diploma. The original scheme of work for this OCN unit was heavily based around the accreditation requirements and in doing so, was primarily focused on summative assessment. Learners were not often given the opportunity of formative assessment however this has been identified by both the learners and I as a potential learning opportunity which is being missed. Formative assessment would allow learners to reflect on and action their feedback which would enable targeted performance improvement. This would assist in the learning process for the learner and possibly also be reflected in improved achievement in summative assessment. When compiling the new scheme of work, this was considered throughout and opportunities for formative assessment and informal feedback were embedded to improve learnerââ¬â¢s ability to build on their strengths and learn from continuous feedback rather than rely purely on summative feedback. The Access course design lends itself to summative assessment however learners on this course are often placed under increasing pressure to gain Distinction mark criteria by Higher Education establishments. Given most learners on the course are returning to education after work/life experience, it is unusual that a learner would achieve a Distinction grade especially on the first few modules. Increasing formative assessment in the first term of the course would potentially enable greater differentiation of learning and opportunity for this to be a realistic possibility. The course design of the BTEC differs greatly from the Access to HE in terms of assessment. It is widely accepted that the BTEC learners have multiple opportunity to gain formative assessment and that summative assessment of learning almost merges into formative when required: a final submission of work can be referred back to the learner with feedback which will highlight areas the learner needs to address to meet the criteria. There are possible issues with the reliability and transferability of the award. BTEC in nature is modular with each unit have a set of outcomes achievable by gaining the pass criteria and for those able, the merit and distinction criteria also. Most of the work is coursework related with few incidences of presentations, this combined with multiple attempts at achieving the outcome criteria and some FE institutions teaching purely to assessment criteria rather than teaching to enable application of knowledge/skills in the sector could possibly lead to learners achieving the award without having developed the necessary knowledge and skills as relied upon in the sector. Conclusion I feel this module has provided me with an overview of delivery and learner expectations within the education sector. Not only have I been able to gain valuable experience in delivery of programmes, I have also been introduced into the complexities of the role of an FE teacher within a large organisation. My own attributes as a trainee teacher and desire to improve the learning experiences of those I deliver to have been met with some conflict within an institution environment where values, attitudes toward the learning process and increasing learner involvement are not shared. This has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my own values and consider my future employment options. The scheme of work, lessons planned and lesson delivery within the placement has extended my knowledge and skills of effective learning within the classroom environment and how implementing theory affects the learning opportunities and achievements of the learners. I hope to continue developing these links throughout the course to inform a more effective delivery of learning and a higher standard of teaching.
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