Americans Need More Vacation Time :: Argumentative Essays

â€Å"I truly need a vacation!† Is there a progressively normal expression in the working environment in America today? I’m sure we all had articulated that express in any event once over the most recent a year. Americans are so get-away denied, at that point can any anyone explain why right around 33% of the American working grown-ups are surrendering some earned excursion this year, and when they do take some time off they despite everything accomplish some work by checking in with office correspondences, as indicated by a Harris Interactive get-away related survey? The accompanying table underneath shows that the U.S. positions tenth in term of normal number of excursion days around the globe every year, with the normal of only 13 days out of each year contrasted with the United Kingdom’s 28, and Italy’s 42 days out of every year. Indeed, even the normal laborer in Japan †where the term karoshi, which implies â€Å"death by overwork†, was begat gets five weeks of yearly paid excursion. Normal Number of Vacation Days Around the World Per Year Italyâ â â â â 42 days Franceâ â â â â 37 days Germanyâ â â â â 35 days Brazilâ â â â â 34 days Joined Kingdomâ â â â â 28 days Canadaâ â â â â 26 days Koreaâ â â â â 25 days Japanâ â â â â 25 days U.S.     13 days Source: World Tourism Organization (WTO). We like to imagine that we’ve got the world’s best quality of living with the per capita GDP of $37,800, third most noteworthy on the planet , but then, we are the main industrialized country that will not command get-away for laborers in the private part. What's more, in the event that you think we are capitalizing on those not very many days that we get, you couldn’t be all the more off-base. As indicated by an examination directed in May 2004 by Harris Interactive, the normal American arranged not to utilize three of their get-away days this year, up from two days a year ago. The examination likewise found that about 40 percent American said they had dropped or deferred travels because of work. So what’s the issue with us?

Organisational Behaviour Citizenship Behaviour and Voluntary

Question: Portray about the Organizational Behavior for Citizenship Behavior and Voluntary. Answer: Articulation of the proposal It tends to be seen that the CEOs of New Zealand have been confronting a difficult financial air. Likewise, this article additionally features the changing of business sectors and advancements of New Zealand. Presentation This examination is useful to comprehend the idea of authoritative conduct. In this specific circumstance, this examination has attempted to feature and survey The basic difficulties confronting New Zealands CEOs: suggestions for the executives aptitudes article. This investigation has attempted to recognize the dependable postulation articulation. In addition, this examination is additionally helpful to distinguish the qualities and shortcoming of the article, which depends on the announcement of the perceived proposal. In this reason, it tends to be expressed that the specialists have gathered essential information for audit the article (Benjamin 2012). Along these lines, the data was amassed from various CEOs and the number was 265. Then again, it very well may be seen that three segments have been viewed as, for example, private part, private division and the not revenue driven portion. Quality According to the announcement of Blomme and Bornebroek-Te Lintelo (2012), it tends to be seen that the quality of the article is that it can perceive the challenges of the amphibolic advertise, which influences the economy of the New Zealand. Moreover, the GDP of that economy can't reach to the ideal level (Kazemipour and Mohd Amin 2012). In this association, this article has attempted to talk about the strategy with which the economy will be improved and thrived. Also, the large push is required to achieve the plausible pace, which is appeared to be useful to push ahead. Then again, Braccini and Federici (2013) included that after the Global Financial Crisis, a large portion of the economies have attempted to create and attempted to come back to the past position. From the article, it is come to realize that the referenced nation is likewise battling with the littler economy. In addition, other quality of this article is that it is skilled to make arrangement dependent on the three referenced sections. As per Emami et al. (2012), other quality of the article is that it can distinguish the size of the economy of New Zealand, which is a lot of lower contrast with the other created economy. In this regard, it tends to be referenced that an association can create if the focused on shopper area is bigger (Fuchs and Edwards 2012). Shortcoming Then again, the shortcoming of this article can be recognized as this article can gather data from the 265 associations just from three significant sections. In this reason, it very well may be referenced that at any rate 765 associations can work in these fragments from which the data can be gathered. What's more, Gold et al. (2013) opined that New Zealand requires to distinguish an unequivocal statistical surveying. In this way, the general market requires to isolate dependent on the administrations just as on the items. This methodology would mirror the aftereffect of this investigation to be exceptionally industry driven. In any case, Gray (2013) contended that the shortcoming of the article is that this article isn't able to take care of the issues so as to distinguish the bigger markets (Wong, Wong and Ngo 2012). With the assistance of the globalization, innovation can mirror the positive power, which can build up the associations inside the nation. Besides, the association cou ld perceive the market edge with the ascent in the market size of the associations. In this specific situation, Kazemipour and Mohd Amin (2012) refered to that the volume of fare could viably address the bigger market. Perspective From the purpose of the individual view, this article has attempted to intend to the absence of the financial strategies, which are required to apply so as to get out from the deteriorating condition. This is good for the associations to work their program suitably. Monetary strategies are useful to appraise the few factors, for example, directed clients, the executives variables, and business methods (Teh and Sun 2012). It tends to be expressed that the gathered data isn't adequate to build a fitting monetary approaches. The thinking limit can prompt build up an economy utilizing the monetary arrangements. In this way, Mahembe and Engelbrecht (2014) referenced this is important to recognize the market position of an economy. Another individual view can be related to the assistance of the market division, which depends on the products and ventures (Mahembe and Engelbrecht 2014). These products and enterprises are useful to perceive and address the chances of every one of the association. This would thusly decrease the complete research cost. Along these lines, it tends to be referenced that these open doors could successfully impact the economy to improve its position. Likewise, Okurame (2012) opined that ascent in the amount of fares could viably upgrade the GDP development of a nation, which will thusly improve the countrys economy. In this viewpoint, it very well may be referenced that this article didn't feature this point and in this manner, this article didn't examine the how the countrys shortcoming would change over into the quality (Teh and Sun 2012). Then again, it tends to be referenced that this article could center and examine the job of the administration, which would reflect to accomplish the market position. The administrative intercession could help the associations not to decrease. In this association, Wong, Wong and Ngo (2012) included that the administration of the nation can intend to the financial and money related arrangement, which is useful to get by in the serious and globalized advertise. In this reason, the administration portion additionally mirrors the legislative strategies. Would the proposal explanation of the article be concurred or don't concur? It is important to concur that the associations of New Zealand can challenge the mechanical upset. In this association, the CEOs of the associations can bargain these issues and in this manner, the scholars plan to the thousand of CEOs. 265 of them reacted, among them 135 administrators were from the private divisions, 68 officials were from the non for gainfulness fragment and 62 were from the open portion (Benjamin 2012). The ventures from which the officials were having a place, for example, the financial segment and the money related parts, dairy and farming areas, retail, social help segments, wellbeing and media segments. Then again, it very well may be expressed that the theory making approach is obvious. The explanation is that the study was isolated into two classes, for example, quantitative methodology and the subjective methodology (Blomme and Bornebroek-Te Lintelo 2012). Moreover, advertise vulnerability hierarchical assumes a significant job in the vast majority of the organizations. The chiefs tasks need social and political abilities to keep up a decent connection with its partners. Key purposes of the announcements This article has featured three distinct ways for the officials to work proficiently in the market. As per Braccini and Federici (2013), these three methodologies are, for example, figure out how to the vulnerability, figure out how to the partners and deal with the assets. Then again, the human asset masters can likewise build up the fragments. They can likewise decrease the holes among the inward limits and the outer limits (Fuchs and Edwards 2012). Because of the lower pace of cooperation of the HR masters, the endless loop of creation is likewise very lower. According to the creators, it tends to be seen that the elements of the private parts are not the same as the exhibition of the open division and not for gainfulness portion. In this reason, Gray (2013) referenced that private portion planned to move towards the benefit situated division. Then again, the subjective methodology incorporates the quick changes of the buyer valuation. This would thusly help to the activity of the private fragment. This is likewise advantageous to make an association gainful and win higher gainfulness. In the expressions of Kazemipour and Mohd Amin (2012), the capacity of the open portion and the not revenue driven section have followed identical exercises and the significant explanation is for the market hazard is the financial climatic change. According to the announcement of CEOs of not revenue driven association, legislature of that nation has not helped according to their necessities. Because of the lower income and poor cost structure, the laborers of the associations are not ready to work (Mahembe and Engelbrecht 2014). Moreover, this article features those legislative intercessions in New Zealand is useful to cause a positive monetary condition for the associations so as to get by in the opposition in the globalized advertise. End This article has meant to distinguish the basic difficulties, which are useful to the CEOs of New Zealand. This nation requires the enormous push to come out from the deteriorating condition as the vast majority of the matter of the residential associations have been confronting. The exploration was created dependent on the essential data. This data is thought to be pertinent. Then again, this investigation centered to distinguish the inadequacies just as the shortcoming of the article. Likewise, New Zealand would have more noteworthy utility, which isn't referenced in this article. Despite what might be expected, this article has likewise attempted to discover the qualities, which is significant for the associations of New Zealand. References Benjamin, A., 2012. Human asset improvement atmosphere as an indicator of citizenship conduct and willful turnover expectations in the banking sector.International Business Research,5(1), p.110. Blomme, R.J. what's more, Bornebroek-Te Lintelo, K., 2012. Existentialism and hierarchical conduct: How existentialism can add to intricacy hypothesis and sense-making.Journal of Orga

A few scholarship opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog

A few scholarship opportunities COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SIPA Admissions Blog Over the next several weeks, Ill occasionally post upcoming scholarship deadlines for  anyone  interested in studying public policy and international affairs. Our financial aid officers dug through SIPAs external funding database, and found a few notable scholarships with upcoming deadlines; which Im sharing with you today. But since the curated list is composed of more than 250 award opportunities, dont forget to regularly check the database  for yourself so youre  well aware of whats to come. The Innovation in Business Entrepreneurship Scholarship Application Deadline:  September 15, 2015 The Innovation in Business Entrepreneurship Scholarship offers $1,000 to the grand prize winner and $500 to the runner up to any undergraduate or graduate student currently studying a field related to business or entrepreneurship. NPELRA Anthony C. Russo Scholarship Award Application Deadline:  September 30, 2015 The Foundation provides scholarships to deserving graduate students interested in a career in public sector labor and employee relations studying labor or a closely related field. Students currently working for state, local, or special district governments will receive preference. Bush Foundation Fellowship Application Deadline:  October 14, 2015 In selecting Bush Fellows, the Bush Foundation seeks people who possess a vision for strengthening the common good within the Bush Foundation region and who are willing to devote their time, energy and skills to make that vision a reality. Jérôme Lohez 9/11 Scholarship Foundation Application Deadline:  October 15, 2015 Established after the 9/11 tragedy and dedicated specifically to promoting educational and cultural exchange among the U.S., France and China. By providing scholarship awards to multinational graduate students, enabling them to study in one another’s homelands, the Foundation aims to shape the next generation of global citizen, along with a new class of international policy makers.

Effects of IDA on HbA1C Levels - 766 Words

The first study to investigate the effects of IDA on HbA1C levels was by Horton[15], who demonstrated the mean HbA1C concentration for four patients with IDA as 4.9% compared with a mean HbA1C concentration of 5.3% among 14 healthy people. Increasing evidence suggests a potential role of iron (Fe) in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fe is a strong pro oxidant leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation resulting in elevated oxidative stress. In animal models, Fe excess might result in pancreatic oxidative stress and decrease insulin secretary capacity. Ferritin is a marker of Fe status in healthy individuals and an acute phase reactant as well; elevated levels of ferritin have been shown in diabetic patients[16]. This HbA1c enhancing effect of iron deficiency and fall in HbA1c levels after iron supplementation has been previously documented in several studies [17, 18]. Our results demonstrate that there is a relation between iron therapy and HbA1C in patients with type 2 DM. Our results are in accordance with the findings of Brooks et al. and Davis et al.’s study [19, 20]. They revealed a relationship between iron deficiency anemia and HbA1C levels and attempted to ex ¬plain the alteration in HbA1C levels in iron deficiency anemia on the basis of both modifications to the structure of hemoglobin and levels of HbA1C in old and new red blood cells. Koga et al.[21] in association study of erythrocyte indices with glycated hemoglobin in pre-menopausal women

Descriptive Essay - Original Writing - 810 Words

Everyone I met melted in the palm of my hand. They all loved me. Now, I strike fear into the hearts of all men. It all started when I was nine, on a hot, humid afternoon. All because of innocent, little Elizabeth. Elizabeth was my neighbor, she was such a sweet girl. I would have even considered us friends. We used to run around in our backyards. The more we played together, the more I noticed how obedient she was to the things I asked of her. That’s when I started to have some fun. I started with small things like picking some beautiful flowers from the house next door. I slowly started to get bored. What fun is someone who mindlessly does what she’s told? So I started to up my antics. First just a little, like taking one of†¦show more content†¦She clumsily stumbled up and down the hill countless times, carrying bucket after bucket. The sweat trickling down her forehead gave me sweet satisfaction. After the final bucket of water was poured into my pool, I calmly told Elizabeth that I had one last request. She stared at me miserably hoping it wasn t going to be as hard as my previous demand. I told her my plan. She was going to sneak into my parents study and steal a single cigarette and lighter. A hesitant look passed across her face but she didn’t question me and tentatively started moving towards the house. At first she was cautious, as if someone was going to catch her, but soon she picked up speed as the adrenaline hit her, as she realized how much trouble this could get her in. She poked her head into the door, carefully looking every which way to see if my parents were close by. Once she confirmed that no one was around, she continued on to the study. Unsure where the study was, she opened the first door she came to and luck was on her side. She proceeded into the study as quietly as possible, while I watched from the window; Luckily, the curtains were open so I could see her enter the study. I partially hid behind a bush next to the studies window to insure I would not be caught. Making sure to close the door softly behind her, I watched as she frantically searched the room for my required bounty. She looked through my mothers purse first. She frantically searchedShow MoreRelatedDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1110 Words   |  5 PagesI don’t know how I got to where I am, but I’m here now, and I have to win if I want to live. I am in a game, and in order to live, I have to escape. That’s the thing, though: I don’t know how to escape. I was running for my life around this old house that looked like it came straight out of a horror movie. I doubled over and held my head in pain as I saw the static, which meant it was coming. I was being chased by what looked like a person but in no way acted like one. Just as it was about to appearRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1102 Words   |  5 PagesIt is on days like this when we stop to think about our life. Small drops of rain begin to dapple the cobblestone pavement as people whip out their umbrellas for cover. I continue sauntering down the busy street, relishing the feeling of a light shower. Moving with the mass of pedestrians, I stop at a crosswalk where I wait for the stoplight to turn green. A flower shop employee across the street scurries to bring in the numerous bouquets and close the doors as rain starts rolling down the displayRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing914 Words   |  4 PagesDreamy I thought. Standing on the corner is a young guy with a smile. I see him here almost every day, so I linger for a while. He tells me his name, and I tell him mine. I m Ester, what s your name? I enquired. My names David .,He replied. We end up talking for a while and I asked him if he had ever left this city. He tells me of all these stories of the places where he s been, the distant lakes and mountains, and in valleys oh so green. I can see it in his eyes, he really has beenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing974 Words   |  4 Pages I was used to moving round, having a mother who liked to travel more than making roots was something I had gotten used to. Still, I had never gotten used to the loneliness of an empty house when she was out exploring, or the feeling of leaving behind someone who could have meant something to me. Our most recent move was Oregon. It was pretty, and I didn’t mind it, but it was much different than Florida. Not only was it opposite sides of the country, it felt as if it were opposite worlds. InRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1012 Words   |  5 Pageshave plenty of time in the next month to think about my feeling in regards to Kendrick. I needed to finish up the article and get it off to my editor. I should be able to get it done by tonight and send an email in the morning. I was thinking of writing my next article about the sea life around the Scottish coast. Since our salmon dinner last evening I thought I would do a piece about the commercial salmon farming that began in Scotland in 1969. In 2002 over 145,000 metric tons of farmed AtlanticRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1561 Words   |  7 PagesThere’s something I need to say and what follows may not be something that you’d expect, it won’t be heartening or uplifting. If you remember today, I told you about going somewhere I wanted to go to†¦ I’m not sure if you believed and accepted what I now confess as untrue; it is partly. I needed to pull away emo tionally†¦ from you. You must have had fathomed that some degree of formality had seeped between us. Born of habit, formulaic greetings had become a routine. You presume that I’m a close friendRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1387 Words   |  6 PagesI was wearing a beautiful blue dress with sapphire gems all around the chest area as I entered the ball with Ciel and Sebastian. I took a good look around here, the hallway was lined with gold. There was a servant ready to escort us to the ball room. Hello, come this way. He said, walking forward. Wow, this place is so fancy! I exclaimed, looking around. It s fake gold. Ciel bluntly replied, bringing my hopes down. I sighed. Ciel sounded like he wasn t in a very good mood. Ciel, lightenRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1287 Words   |  6 Pages In the morning, Caireann woke me up. She stood above my bed, shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes, looking at her. Then I looked across the room to her empty bed. Andy s empty bed sat in the corner. I swallowed, climbing out of bed. Sleep well? Caireann asked me, starting out the door. Yeah, I said, going over to our small dresser. I had the bottom two drawers. Andy had the middle two, and Caireann had the top. I pulled open the drawers, pulling on a colorful tank top and a grayRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1345 Words   |  6 PagesLater that night, I was behind the wheel of my G-Wagon with Melissa in the passenger seat. She didn’t feel like driving since she was on the road all day and I understood so I didn’t mind when she asked me to. I had been tight-lipped. She kept eyeballing me as if she detected that something was bothering me but I just kept singing to my India Arie as if I was carefree. â€Å"So are you going to tell me what’s going on or no† Melissa said disrupting my own personal concert. I stopped singing and tookRead MoreDescriptive Essay - Original Writing1085 Words   |  5 PagesI WAS SITTING IN a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a Dumpster. It was just after dark. A blustery March wind whipped the steam coming out of the manholes, and people hurried along the sidewalks with their collars turned up. I was stuck in traffic two blocks from the party where I was heading. Mom stood fifteen feet away. She had tied rags around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill and was picking through the trash

African Americans in the Revolutionary War Free Essays

Before the Revolutionary War even began, slaves started to realize that the promises to secure their freedom from England and reduce the amount of slaves were seemingly unlikely. The African Americans were segregated and determined as free or enslaved. The Atlantic Slave Trade was setup to be a successful business in the 18th century , it sent slaves to southern states that specialized in agriculture. We will write a custom essay sample on African Americans in the Revolutionary War or any similar topic only for you Order Now Slavery in the North was also legal and accepted as well. However, some colonies did allow free African Americans. Even though they had their freedom, rights of these African Americans were still confined. Black Codes consisted of stipulations such as, prohibiting their right to vote, forbidding them to sit on juries, and not allowing them the ability to testify against a white person in court. These codes made it hard to really feel like they had freedom and were in no way shape or form equal to a free white American. At the beginning of the American Revolution, African Americans were demanded to choose whether to rebel, or to stay committed to the crown. Many African American slaves fought with Britain in the war because they were promised their freedom once again. A significant amount of African American slaves died during the Revolution, some of them got away but not very many. In the United States at this time, about 95% of the African Americans living here were enslaved. They were used by the white Americans during the war because of this. In 1777 George Washington approved the right for African American slaves to enlist, but only a small percentage actually did. A lot of the Northerners thought that the south using slaves on the front line was cruel and that the south needed their slaves in order to continue growing their economy. This made the South seem incompetent without their slaves. The African Americans fought for the United States and England. This was not right to use them and the British even used their heads to make them join and fight against the United States. The African Americans could win their freedom and go against their masters. Crispus Attucks was a black man who was considered the first death of the American Revolution. He yelled out â€Å"Don’t be afraid! †, and led a group of protesters against the British soldiers. I believe that the Boston Massacre was one of the final straws for the need of independence. An African American named Paul Cuffe, helped the American colonies by supplying them with goods and sneaking them past British ships. Another African American who was a minute man during the Boston Massacre was Lemuel Haynes. Salem Poor was one of the African American soldiers who fought at Bunker Hill. It is said that he shot Lieutenant Colonel James Abercrombie, a British officer. Prince Whipple was born in Africa and sold into American slavery at a young age. His master was William Whipple who he fought alongside in the war, but even though he did this he remained a slave throughout the revolution. He was was one of the 20 African American slaves who signed the New Hamshire Legislature which was asking for the elimination of slavery within this state. African-Americans were a very helpful and prominent part in fighting at Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill. James Armistead successfully petitioned his master to allow him to serve with the Marquis de LaFayette and he became a double agent in General LaFayette’s service. He pretended to be a Loyalist slave spying on the Americans and invaded the Bristish General, Charles Cornwallis’s headquarters. All of the knowledge he gave to LaFayette helped the Americans win at the battle of Yorktown. LaFayette was so impressed with his doing that he actually petitioned the Virginia legislature to give him his freedom. When Lafayette saw Armistead in a crowd he called him by name and hugged him in public. James Armistead’s accomplishments in the revolution were so prominent and uplifting. My favorite African American idol during the revolution to learn about is Phillis Wheatley. Not only because she is an intelligent and fortifying women but also for her poetry and strength to find a passion during these times. She was the first African American woman to have her work published as an American poet. . She was born in Gambia, Africa as a slave child and took her name from the Phillis, the slave ship that brought her to Boston and from her master, John Wheatley. Wheatley was a huge supporter of America freedom as well as African American slaves freedom. She published a collection of poems including one that was a memorial for the Boston Massacre. Phillis also wrote a poem for George Washington that she mailed to Cambridge, Massachusetts, the headquarters for the commander in chief. Washington happily replied with an invitation to come and visit him. She accepted immediately and met with him in Cambridge. George Washington also passed her story and excitement on to someone he knew in the publishing industry, and her poem was printed several times for the patriot cause. Phillis Wheatley was one of the most renowned poets of the eighteenth century. She was the first African-American to publish a book of imaginative writing and the first to start the African-American literary tradition. She combined religion and neo-classicism in her poems and most of her poems propose an escape from slavery. She rejoices death and the rewards and liberty of life after death. Mary Wheatley, the daughter of the family, taught her Latin, religion, English and literature. Apparently brilliant and with an ability for learning, Phillis became fluent in English. She was able to read passages from the bible and also showed interest towards astronomy, geography, history, Latin and Greek classics and British literature. Soon enough she was considered as a full-fledged poet in the art. Wheatley was influenced by the religious beliefs of her master and hence accepted Christianity as her religion. Her story is so outstanding to me and the most powerful and prominent of them all. Even though she wasn’t actually fighting in the revolutionary war she was making a difference in history, fighting for what she believed in and following her heart and passion. To me this is just as worthy as enlisting in the war. In many ways, George Washington himself embodied the Revolution’s mixed message for African Americans. Like many of the Founding Fathers, Washington owned slaves throughout his life and was influenced by contemporary racist views about African inferiority. Initially opposed to black enlistment in the Continental Army, Washington reluctantly agreed to allow certain free blacks to fight after Lord Dunmore’s proclamation threatened to bring black patriots over to the British cause. In time the valor of his patriotic black soldiers and his friendship with antislavery advocates such as the Marquis de LaFayette convinced Washington that slavery was economically unsound as well as morally wrong. Yet he maintained an ambiguous stance toward the institution, anxious to avoid fracturing the delicate sectional balance crafted at the Constitutional Convention. Washington’s relationship with African Americans, like that of the new nation itself, was contradictory. He believed in â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness† but signed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793, he viewed slavery as a moral evil but did not free his own slaves until after his death. This is baffling to me. Over five thousand African Americans had a role in the fight for the Independence of United States. I believe that the African Americans played just as big of a role in the Revolution as every other white American soldier. Works Cited http://fas-history. rutgers. edu/clemens/AfricanAmericansRevolution. html http://www2. coloradocollege. edu/Dept/HY/HY243Ruiz/Research/revolution. html http://www. digitalhistory. uh. edu/learning_history/revolution/revolution_slavery. cfm How to cite African Americans in the Revolutionary War, Essay examples

Public Examination Should Not Be Abolished free essay sample

While several states are implementing some form of standards-based reform, there is very little empirical evidence to prove that standards, assessment, and high-stakes accountability programs are effective in improving public schools. In many states, such as California, attempts to implement standards-based reform are inconsistently or carelessly aligned with quality research. The following are some of the shortcomings of standards-based reform. 1. Recent reports on the standards-based reform movement in New York suggest that in many schools the careless implementation of standards and assessment may have negative consequences for students. Vague and unclear standards in several subject areas in several states complicate matters and do not serve as concrete standards defining what students should know and be able to do. 3. Top-down standards imposed by the federal or state government are also problematic. They impose content specifications without taking into account the different needs, opportunities to learn, and skills that may be appropriate for specific districts or regions. We will write a custom essay sample on Public Examination Should Not Be Abolished or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Table 1: Advantages of SBA compared with external examinations Point Characteristics of SBA Characteristics of Exams Scope Extends the range and diversity of assessment collection opportunities, task types and assessors Much narrower range of assessment opportunities: less diverse assessment; one exam per year Authenticity Assessment done by students own teacher; less possibility of cheating as teacher knows student capabilities; assessments more likely to be realistic Removes assessment entirely from teaching and learning; stressful conditions may lead to students not demonstrating real capacities Validity Improves validity through assessing factors that cannot be included in public exam settings Limits validity by limiting scope of assessment, e. g. difficult to assess interaction skills in exam environment Reliability Improves reliability by having more than one assessment by a teacher who is familiar with the student; allows for multiple opportunities for assessor reflection/standardisation Even with double marking, examiners judgments can be affected by various factors (task difficulty, topic, interest level, tiredness, etc); little opportunity for assessor reflection / review Fairness Fairness is achieved by following commonly-agreed processes, outcomes and standards; teacher assumptions about students and their oral language levels is made explicit through collaborative sharing and discussion with other teachers Fairness can only be achieved by treating everyone the same, i. e. setting the same task at the same time for all students. Feedback Students can receive constructive feedback immediately after the assessment has finished, hence improving learning The only feedback is usually a grade at the end of the course; no opportunities for interaction with assessor; no chance to ask how to improve Positive washback (beneficial influence on teaching and learning) Ongoing assessment encourages students to work consistently; provides important data for evaluation of teaching and assessment practices in general Examination is purely summative, and does not serve any teaching-related purpose; effects on teaching and learning may even be negative; may encourage teaching to the test and a focus on exam technique, rather than outcomes. Teacher and student empowerment Teachers and students become part of the assessment process; collaboration and sharing of expertise take place within and across schools Teachers play little to no role in assessment of their students and have no opportunity to share their expertise or knowledge of their students; students treated as numbers Professional development Builds teacher assessment skills, which can be transferred to other areas of the curriculum Teachers have no opportunity to build their assessment skills; get little or no feedback on how to improve as teachers