Research Topics: Education Information

What do parents of children with diverse abilities want for their children?

Parents are concerned individuals who only want to make sure that their children meet the necessary education and care possible.  They will want to have constant information and involvement in their children’s activities thus it is recommended that they are encouraged and welcomed to do so (Westwood, 2003, p. 26).  To keep them outside the school’s doors would inspire panic and anxieties with the parents.  Inclusion for the Special Education students will not be successful if parents would not be allowed to be come collaborators in the school and allowed to be heard with regards to their opinions, perspectives, knowledge and skills that will be utilized and held with importance by the school staff (Deppeler, Harvey and Loreman, 2005, p. 5).  Parents are very concerned of issues that specifically concern disabled children such as the rampant label identification.  Many parents see it as a necessary way to better meet the special needs of the children while some would think it’s a hindrance to the total inclusion and regularization of the children (p. 24).  Parents want to be the front seat in observing the progress of their children when included in school environments.  They are also concerned in receiving constant student progress from the school either through reports or constant discussion meetings (p. 70).  The parent-school relationship needs to be present with the teachers working closely in acquiring information from the parents as they are a source of support and information.  At the same manner, the parents want the teachers to similarly provide them information on the progress.  Parents want to be able to make decisions about where to place their children, what school and what curriculum.  They must have the right to make sure that the child has the appropriate care and services.  They also want to be treated as co-teachers with their preferences being respected.  They want to be there in the school space as active participants (Deppeler, Harvey and Loreman , 2005, p. 104).  What teachers must recognize is that Parents have their own mindset and idea of what kind of learning their children needs.  They have their own vies on how to properly educate them in a way that the school may not know about if they do not cooperate or participate with the children.  Tess Bennett and Nancy Hertzog (2004) emphasize that the history of Special Education would not be as progressive if the parents are not along the tracks.  Parents want to be able to share some responsibility and would want to be convinced that they are also part of their children’s learning process.  Bennett and Hertzog also found out that parents want to work with other parents especially with regards to problem discussion and learning experiencing as well as sharing resources.  The parents are so enthusiastic in taking part that they offer their voluntary involvement in schools especially in the elementary and middle school level.  These are among the many other ways to be physically present and involved in school activities.  They want to be able to spend learning time with children which may be done so with reading with them, family trips and recreational activities.  They also conduct their own researches through the library and the Internet so they can be truly tuned in with regards to the learning and growth needs of the children (Bennett and Herzog, 2004).  Sometimes they see that the school efforts are not enough so they make their own efforts.       References:   Bennett, T. and Hertzog, N.B., 2004, In Whose Eyes? Parents Perspectives on the Learning needs of Their Gifted Children. Roeper Review, vol 26., no 6, p. 96+.   Deppeler, J. Harvey, D. Loreman, T. 2005. Inclusive Education: A Practical Guide to Supporting Diversity in the Classroom. N.S.W.: Allen & Unwin.   Westwood, P. 2003. Commonsense Methods for Children with Special Needs: Strategies for the Regular Classroom. New York, RoutledgeFalmer. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

What do parents of children with diverse abilities want for their children?

Parents are concerned individuals who only want to make sure that their children meet the necessary education and care possible. They wi...

Individual Education Plan on Patient with Cushing’s Syndrome

Assessment             J.A. has no disability that prevents her in any way to learn; therefore any form of teaching can be employed. Because the client’s health status is dynamic, the assessment is an ongoing activity. She has to be educated of her medical condition as client education is considered one of the most important things to do in any health care setting.             The patient showed that she has a high level of understanding and that her current health status has not affected her level of understanding in any way. The client’s behavior showed that she has a rather long attention span, has sharp memory, and has the ability to concentrate during a teaching session. J.A. is strongly motivated to learn about her medical condition.   Nursing Diagnosis             After assessing information related to J.A.’s ability and need to learn, the data gathered is interpreted and the defining characteristics clustered to form diagnoses that reflect the client’s specific learning needs.             Plasma cortisol is normally 10 to 25 μg/100 ml in early morning hours (6 to 8 am) and declines gradually to < 10 in the evening (6 pm and later). Patients with Cushing’s syndrome usually have elevated morning cortisol levels but lack the normal diurnal decline in cortisol production, so that evening plasma cortisol levels are above normal and total 24-h cortisol production is elevated (Robbins, 1998). J.A. showed high levels of cortisol in her ACTH test. Free urinary cortisol is elevated and less subject to variation in obese patients.             The administration of 1 mg of dexamethasone orally at 11 to 12 pm with measurement of plasma cortisol at 7 to 8 am the following morning is a good screening test for Cushing’s syndrome. Most normal patients will suppress their morning plasma cortisol to 5 μg or less following this procedure, whereas most patients with Cushing’s syndrome will continue to secrete undiminished quantities of cortisol.             Giving oral dexamethasone 0.5 mg q 6 hours for 2 days to normal subjects leads to inhibition of ACTH secretion. Consequently, urinary 17-OHCS will usually decrease to < 3 mg/24 hours on the second day.             Therapy is directed at correcting the hyperfunction of the pituitary gland or the adrenal cortex; the precise approach depends on the underlying physiologic abnormality.   Planning Goals and Expected Outcomes             J.A. has to lower her plasma cortisol levels. But aside from these, various problems are also to be solved like her obesity. J.A. has to lose weight.             If clinical manifestations are severe and definitive correction is immediately required, either suppression of excess cortisol production, with aminoglutethimide followed by bilateral adrenalectomy, or removal of a pituitary adenoma will be the treatment of choice.             Most importantly, J.A. has to learn about Cushing’s syndrome, what it is and other important things that she needs to know in order to be able to live normally after having Cushing’s syndrome. Learning Experiences             The availability of nursing resources will be taken into account in the client’s learning experience. Educational methods that will be used will include (1) one-on-one discussion with J.A., (2) lecture which will include the aid of pictures and other audiovisual materials, and (3) printed material such as pamphlets, booklets, and brochures.             The table below lists the description of the teaching tools for instruction to be used and its learning implication: Description Learning Implication Pamphlets, booklets and brochures <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Material must be easily readable for J.A.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> Information about Cushing’s syndrome must be accurate and current.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify"> This method is ideal for understanding the complex concepts involved in Cushing’s syndrome.</li> Photographs or drawings Photographs accurately portray the details of the real item or in the case of Cushing’s syndrome, it will accurately portray the disease and its manifestations. Audiovisual materials (slides, audiotapes, television and videotapes used with printed material or discussion) These are useful since J.A., at her age could possibly have problems with her eyesight or reading comprehension problems.               One-on-one discussion is perhaps the most common method of teaching the clients (Potter & Perry, 2004). The teaching aids mentioned in the table above could be used during the discussion. Information is usually given in an informal manner and this allows J.A. to ask questions or share her concerns.   Evaluation             J.A.’s education is not complete until the nurse will evaluate outcomes not only of the teaching-learning process but her health status as well. If there are significant improvements in client’s health, then the nurse can evaluate that J.A. have learned the material. One measure would be to check J.A.’s cortisol levels and assess if she is still obese.             Evaluation reinforces correct behavior in the client. The nurse can evaluate success by observing the client’s performance of each of the expected behavior or goals set (Potter & Perry, 2004). The success of the teaching plan depends on J.A.’s ability to meet the established outcomes and goals.           References: Potter, P. and Perry, A. (2004). Fundamentals of Nursing. Mosby. Robbins, S.L. (1998). Pathologic Basis of Disease, W.B.Saunders Company.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Individual Education Plan on Patient with Cushing’s Syndrome

Assessment J.A. has no disability that prevents her in any way to learn; therefore any form of teaching can be employed. Beca...

INCLUSION IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Students who have behavioral and psychological problems need special treatment or intervention in education. They are the young people who experience mental, emotional, and behavioral problems that are real, painful, and costly. Their problem is often called “disorders,” which are sources of stress for children and their families, schools, and communities (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association, 2004). Also referred to as mental health disorders (SAMHA, 2004), the condition is said to be caused by biology, environment, or a combination of the two. Examples of biological factors are genetics, chemical imbalances in the body, and damage to the central nervous system, such as a head injury. Many environmental factors also can affect mental health, including exposure to violence, extreme stress, and the loss of an important person (SAMHA, 2004). Basically, children and adolescence with behavioral problems demonstrate behavior that is noticeably different from that expected in school or the community and are in need of remediation. There is still a current debate on where these students should be placed. For some, special students should be placed in a special education classroom setting along with classmates that also have disabilities. On the other hand, others suggest that such students should be allowed to attend general classes but should also have appointments with special educators outside the general classroom setting. However, for proponents of inclusion, there is no need for special students to leave the classroom when taking up special education needs. Inclusion is basically the philosophy of confining a special student only within the general classroom setting. It is believed that through this process, disability students will have more opportunity to make friends, get along with other students, and develop cognitive skills and self-esteem better. Through this, disability students will not feel they are being isolated, but instead, will feel accepted for what they are. But the concept of inclusion also has many critics that question its effectiveness. Until now, there is still a great debate on whether inclusion should be applied to all schools. This literature review will evaluate the advantages of inclusion and the different disadvantages that critics pointed out against it.   INCLUSION IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS     Traditional versus Special Education     A statement by Ralph Waldo Emerson says: “The man who can make hard things easy is the educator”. Furthermore, Sims (1995) stated that “the effective instructors are those who understand the importance of involving all of their students in learning how to learn.” Effective learning occurs when instructors affirm the presence and validity of diverse learning styles and maximize the climate or conditions for learning in and out of the classroom through the deliberate use of instructional design principles that take account of learning differences and increase the possibilities of success for all learners (Sims, 1995). Those statements are true especially when it comes to students who have behaviour problems. Traditional education approaches cannot be as effective as it can be, at least generally viewed, to special students such as those who have behavioural or psychological problems. That is why certain institutions find it a necessity to prevent or resolve such behaviour problems. They can be branded as special treatments to students with problem behaviour. Furthermore, certain traditional schools and universities provide psychological non-formal education to educate students on how they should act. However, according to Ritter (1995), there has been considerable discussion regarding greater accommodation of handicapped students within a mainstream setting and the integration of regular and special education since the mid-1980s. Furthermore, Ritter (1995) stated that proponents of the Regular Education Initiative believe that the integrative model is workable for behaviorally disordered and emotionally disturbed students, as well as for those students with learning or cognitive handicaps. In addition, classroom context has been identified as a critical variable in dealing with problem behavior and stands as a potential barrier to any considered merger of regular and special education. Undeniably, the classroom setting itself may contribute to elevated ratings of problem behavior on the part of regular classroom teachers (Ritter, 1995).   Behavior Problems     The SAMHA of the United States Department of health and Human Service enumerated the types of behavioural disorders that a number of children and adolescents face.  The Group stated that all can have a serious impact on a child’s overall health. Included in the disorders are: anxiety disorders; severe depression; bipolar disorder; Attention Deficit / Hyper-Activity Disorder; learning disorder; conduct disorder; eating disorder; autism; and schizophrenia (SAMHA, 2004).   What is Inclusion?                 According to the Center for Mental Health Schools (1998) in California University, the term inclusion denotes to the practice of educating children who have disabilities in classes along with their peers who do not have disabilities. Bateman and Bateman (2002) explained that the term inclusion is not a precise term because it is often confused with similar concepts such as least restrictive environment (LRE) and mainstreaming. Rudd (2002) emphasized that inclusion is not to be called inclusions when there is no supports and services given to special students to help them cope in the general classroom setting. It does not also cut back special services and does not assume that all the children in the general classroom setting should learn in the same way (Rudd, 2002). Rudd (2002) also emphasized that inclusion or inclusive programs should not ignore the concerns of the parents. It should also provide special education services in the general classroom and not in a separate place (Rudd, 2002).   Unlike mainstreaming (which means moving students from separate schools and classes to regular education classes for part or all of the school day) and the LRE (which means students may receive special education and may also participate in general education setting), inclusion implies that students are needed to be taught outside the regular education classroom only when all available methods have been tried and failed to meet their needs (Bateman and Bateman, 2002). It is a movement that seeks to create schools and other social institutions based on meeting the needs of all learners as well as respecting and learning from each other’s differences (Salend, 1998). This means that the special students have the right to be educated in a general setting classroom given that a specific teaching method or approach works for him or her. In a sense, inclusionary schools should seek to establish communities of learners by educating all students together in age-appropriate, general education classrooms in their neighborhood schools (Salend and Garrick Duhaney, 1999).               In the past, the automatic inclusion of children with disabilities in general classroom setting is not supported by any legal documents. In 1997, the Disability Education Act Amendment was passed, clearly defining a set of regulations for LRE. In a way, this act also supports the adoption of the inclusive philosophy by schools as the act states that all children are to be considered for placement in regular classroom first. If ever the school decides not to include, they should provide a clear explanation why (Rudd, 2002).   Advantages of Inclusion   The inclusion of special students in the general classroom is viewed by many researchers as advantageous in a sense that they believe special students or students with disabilities in this setting can develop better social development, better social interaction, enhanced skill acquisition and generalization, better health, more independence, greater success in meeting the objectives of their IEPs, and more normalized functioning (Burnette, 1996).               The Florida Children’s Forum (2002) stated that four stakeholders can benefit from inclusion. They are: the children; the family; child care professionals; and the community. Through inclusion, children can develop friendships and learn how to play and interact with one another. They can also develop a more positive image of themselves and a healthy attitude about the uniqueness of other (The Florida Children’s Forum, 2002). On the other hand, the families of the children with disabilities can also benefit from inclusion because through it, they will have the opportunity to learn more about child development. They will not only have access to child care, but they will also have the opportunity to teach their children about individual differences and diversity (The Florida Children’s Forum, 2002). For child care professionals, it can also be advantageous because through inclusion, they will have the opportunity to learn about and develop partnerships with other community resources and agencies. They can also build strong relationships with parents and enhance their credibility as quality, inclusive child care providers (The Florida Children’s Forum, 2002). Finally, the community can also benefit as it will teach each member to become more accepting and supportive of all people (The Florida Children’s Forum, 2002).               According to the research of Lipsky and Gartner (1997), inclusion can help children with disabilities reduce their fear of human differences. This is accompanied by increased comfort and awareness, growth in social cognition, improvement in self-concepts, development of personal principles, and warm and caring attitude toward peers and friends.             In another study, Moore et al (1998) found that students with medium to severe disabilities can develop academic increases, and behavioral and social progress through inclusion. Accordingly, they found that it is not recommendable to segregate these students because in segregated sites, they do not receive a greater concentration of special education resources, degrading their traditional skills domain and social competence learning (Moore et al, 1998).               Almost similarly, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (1997) stated the following as advantages of inclusion to children with disabilities: demonstrate increased acceptance and appreciation of diversity; develop better communication and social skills; show better development in moral and ethical principles; create warm and caring friendship; and demonstrate increased self-esteem.               Odum et al (1999) also preaches the good news about inclusion as their study shows that inclusion of students in general classroom settings produces positive outcomes. Parents and teachers are supportive of such program and a wide range of curricula are being used to make sure they are really effective for students with disabilities.               It has also been reported that inclusion can be an advantage because it gives and ensures children with disabilities access to the general education curriculum, an important consideration in recent IDEA amendments (Council for Exceptional Children, 1998). Furthermore, inclusion can also provide opportunities for expanding social networks and forming new friendships (Scruggs, 2001).   Two strategies of inclusion practice – cooperative learning and peer tutoring – seem to be viewed advantageous as well. In co-operative learning, students with special needs are not pulled out of their classroom for supplemental instruction rather, the special education staff provides instruction in the regular classrooms, to increase learning time, reduce behaviour problems, give students an opportunity to participate fully in their classrooms, and teachers an opportunity to learn from each other. On the other hand peer tutoring enables students to be assigned to heterogeneous ability pairs and has been proven to be an effective strategy in increasing the academic achievement of students with and without disabilities (Kamps, Barbetta, Leonard and Delquadri, 1994; Stevens and Slavin, 1995a, 1995b) and in increasing social interactions (Kamps, Barbetta, Leonard and Delquadri, 1994).   Barriers   It was emphasized that general classroom teachers may be unprepared in experiencing a special student. Ritter (1995) cited that regular classroom teachers rated behavior as more problematic than did special education teachers. Their explanation was that regular teachers experience a narrower range of deviance than special education teachers and therefore their referents for normal behavior are more restrictive. Furthermore, he mentioned that teacher judgments of behavior problem were not independent of classroom environment, but rather reflected the classroom context.   As mentioned by Ritter, various sources suggest that barriers between general and special education are problematic in a sense that it affects the attention that should be given to behavioral problems of students. For instance, ast findings show that general education teachers are not prepared for the inclusion of special students. The findings in Schumm and Vaughn’s (1992) study about planning for mainstreamed special education students showed that general education teachers are willing to have mainstreamed students in their classrooms as long as the students do not exhibit emotional or behavioral problems. This shows that most general education teachers do not give much focus on behavioral problems contrary to special education setting. Schumm and Vaughn (1992) stated that they (general education teachers) are willing to make adaptations while the student is taking tests or working on assignments (i.e., interactive planning), but are less likely to spend much time planning or making adaptations to the curriculum or test (preplanning) or constructing new objectives based on student performance (post planning). Furthermore, another problem in general education is that numerous middle and high school teachers are unaware when they have a mainstreamed learner and rarely use the IEP or psychological reports in their planning (Schumm and Vaughn, 1992). Because of the lack of psychological planning, general classroom teachers need assistance in planning for mainstreamed learners, and they are likely to seek the help of the special education teacher, reading resource teacher, or fellow teachers (Schumm and Vaughn, 1992).                                           REFERENCES:   Bateman, D. and Bateman, C.F. (2002). What Does a Principal Need To Know about Inclusion? ERIC Clearinghouse on Disabilities and Gifted Education Arlington VA.   Burnette, J. (1996). Including Children with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms: From Policy to Practice. ACCESS ERIC, Rockville, MD. Center for Mental Health Schools (1998). Least Intervention Needed: Toward Appropriate Inclusion of Students with Special Needs. An Introductory Packet. California University, LA. Council for Exceptional Children (1998). IDEA 1997: Let’s make it work. Arlington, VA: Author. Florida Children’s Forum (2002). Understanding Inclusion and the American Disabilities Act. Florida’s Statewide Inclusion Advisory Council. Remington Green Circle Tallahassee, FL   Kamps, D.M., Barbetta, P.M., Leonard, B.R. and Delquadri, J. (1994) Classwide peer tutoring: an integration strategy to improve reading skills and promote peer interactions among students with autism and general education peers, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis 27, 49–61.   Lipsky, D.K. and Gartner, A. (1997). Inclusion and School Reform: Transforming America’s Classrooms. Paul H. Brooke’s Publishing, Baltimore MD.   Moore, C., Gilbreath, D. and Maiuri, F. (1998). Educating Children with Disabilities in General Education Classrooms: A Summary of the Research. University of Oregon.   National Association for the Education of Young Children (1997). The Benefits of Inclusive Education: Making it Work. Washington, DC.   Odum, S.L., Wolery, R., Liebert, J., Sandall, S., Hanson, M.J., Beckman, P., Schwartz, I. and Horn, E. (1999). Preschool Inclusion: A Review from an Ecological Systems Perspective. Unpublished Paper   Ritter, D.R. (1989). Teachers’ Perceptions of Problem Behavior in General and Special Education. Exceptional Children. Vol.55, No. 6; pp.559+.   Rudd, F. (2002). Grasping the Promise of Inclusion. Palm Springs, CS.   Salend, S. J. (1998). Effective mainstreaming: Creating inclusive classrooms (3rd. ed.). Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice Hall.   Salend, S.J. and Garrick Duhaney, L.M. (1999). The Impact of Inclusion on Students with and Without Disabilities and Their Educators. Remedial & Special Education; 3/1/1999   Schumm, J.S. and Vaughn, S. (1992). Planning for Mainstreamed Special Education Students: Perceptions of General Classroom Teachers. Exceptionality. Vol.3, No.2, p.96.   Scruggs, T.E. (2001). Promoting inclusion in secondary classrooms. Learning Disability Quarterly, 9/22/2001   Sims, S.J. (1995). The Importance of Learning Styles: Understanding the Implications for Learning, Course Design, and Education. Greenwood Press.: Westport, CT.   Stevens, R.J. and Slavin, R.E. (1995a). The cooperative elementary school: effects on students’ achievement, attitudes, and social relations, American Educational Research Journal 32, 321–51.   Stevens, R.J. and Slavin, R.E. (1995b). Effects of a cooperative learning approach in reading and writing on academically handicapped and nonhandicapped students, The Elementary School Journal 95, 241–62.   Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (2003). Children’s Mental Health Facts Children and Adolescents with Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders. National Mental Health Information Center. United States Department of Health and Human Services. CA, U.S. Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

INCLUSION IN REGULAR CLASSROOMS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Students who have behavioral and psychological problems need special treatment or intervention in education. They are the young people ...

Why do High School Students Participate in Schoolies Week?

Task:    You are to investigate the touristic needs of students participating in Schoolies Week (in other words, their reasons for participating) and whether the academic literature can account for their needs. To answer this question you are to:   Introduction- (include conclusion no more than 600 words) Include -à Refer to the literature to further inform your knowledge of Schoolies’ touristic needs.  Most information about Schoolies Week will be found in newspaper articles (The Sydney Morning Herald, The Sun Herald, Daily Telegraph etc), and internet sites on Schoolies Week. Also search the academic literature. Here is what I found ( you can add more if you can) l        -School leavers choose to cruise because it is safer than streets (both participates and their parents thought) and a cruise become a popular alternative for students seeking a novel way to celebrate the end of school that they can enjoy with their school friends it is special time to be together before spread out of high school (The Sun Herald). l        -from brochure that night life, enjoy/fun and relax. l        -Smith and Rosenthal’s research, which has a survey of Schoolies week participants in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, has pointed out that a number of school leavers expected to have sexual intercourse while their holidays, also more larger number of school leavers expected to be drunk most nights or every night of their holidays (1997). Smith and Rosenthal (1997) have found out that most young men and a significant proportion of young women achieved these expectations with respondents from New South Wales and Victoria being more likely to do so than Queensland residents l        -enjoy cooking themselves, flat with mates, possibly find love and leave with lifelong memories. Excited going to be cool to hang out with friends in an apartment for a week. l        Looking forward to relaxing and not having to get up early (Gold Coast Bulletin)                                Body (Analyzing) Now the “serious” part… Review the academic tourist motivation literature (Crompton, 1979; MacCannell,1999; and Pearce, 2005) and answer the following:    (a)      How would each of these 3 authors explain the tourist needs of            Schoolies Week tourists? (b)   Is each author able to fully explain the needs of Schoolies Week tourists?   The essay requires you (1) to investigate the tourist needs of Schoolies Week tourists, (2) to understand the academic motivational literature and (3) to apply the academic motivational writings to one tourist type – the Schoolies Week  tourist.   Here are main resources for BODY OF ESSAY   Crompton, J.L. 1979,”Motivations for pleasure vacation”, Annals of Tourism Research, vol.6, no.4, pp.408-424 Crompton(1979) – 9 NEEDS ( Individual explanation) Socio-psychological Need 1.       Escape from a perceived mundane environment 2.       Exploration and evaluation of self 3.       Relaxation 4.       Prestige 5.       Regression 6.       Enhancement of kinship relations 7.       Facilitation of social interaction Cultural Needs 8.       Novelty 9.       Education Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Why do High School Students Participate in Schoolies Week?

Task : You are to investigate the touristic needs of students participating in Schoolies Week (in other words, their reasons for par...

Title submission for approval

Title The project will focus on IT in education wherein the benefits and disadvantages of such will be given attention. Through such project a better understanding of the relationship of the two will be known, as well as a better understanding of how IT and education can give benefits to each other.     Topic outline IT has a dramatic effect on both people’s personal and professional lives. IT is also changing the nature of organizations by providing opportunities to make fundamental changes in the way they do business. Many of the opportunities are recognized and understood. Yet a tremendous number of issues and consequences are only vaguely perceived while other questions are just now being raised (Beard, 1996). The technology is changing rapidly, with computing speeds and the number of transistor equivalents available in a given area of a microprocessor chip both doubling approximately every 18 months.   Organizations are acquiring more and more technology systems to assist in everything from manufacturing to the management of information to the provision and improvement of customer service. Harnessing and coordinating this computing power is the challenge. New tools and innovative perspectives with which to examine, interpret, and comprehend these rapidly evolving environments are always needed and sought (Beard, 1996). IT creates changes not only in organizations but in institutions as well it makes jobs easier and it helps in making things be done faster.   Problem theme The project is focused on determining the benefits and disadvantages of IT in education. As mentioned in the previous part IT can give benefits to companies and institutions. It can create big changes and make life easier at the same time it can be said that IT can cause some negative things and can create problem. Through the study a better understanding of how IT works in education can be initiated. How IT is used in education can also be given attention.   Personal Theory One problem with IT in education is not all teachers or instructors can easily comprehend or make use of such. A probable solution to the problem is to give additional seminars and conferences to teachers/instructors for them to gain more understanding and knowledge of IT and its uses. The teachers/instructors can also be given hands on training on such so that they can ask questions to the persons giving them added knowledge.   Expected form of answer The expected form of answer revolves around IT and education. The answer should focus on the benefits of IT on education and also its disadvantages. It should reinforce the need for IT on education and it should strengthen the relationship within the two. Moreover the answer will provide more evidences of the changes IT can do. Through the answer the changes IT can give will be known more and be more visible.  Through the answer a better understanding of IT can be done and additional knowledge of IT can be known.   Strategic IT value The answer can create a strategic business IT outcome that will be valued by business. Through the answer a business engaging in IT will have more reasons to continue developing products and services that can be used in education. The answer will boost the need for continuing in developing the field and creating measures to make it more efficient and useful.   Research Question The main research question is what are the benefits and disadvantages of using IT in education. Through such question the use of IT towards that specific sector will be known and what problems IT can cause towards the sector will also be known.   Process to collect primary data To collect primary data the best method to use is interview of people involved in education sector. Through such method a wider perspective and direct knowledge can be accumulated. Interviewing teachers, administrators can give a more frank and direct answers. A structured questionnaire will be prepared. This questionnaire will be given to the perspective respondents for them to give their answers as honestly as they can.   Processing of Collection of Primary Data As mentioned the interview will be done in a way that participants will be asked for some of their time and then they will be given questionnaires to answer. This questionnaire not only contains the information needed, it will contain the purpose of the study and a statement indicating that all information they will divulge will be made confidential. The participants can ask anything in the questionnaire they can’t understand.   Research Method and Collection Protocol The research will use the descriptive method to determine the benefits and disadvantage of IT use in education. Descriptive research tries to explore the cause of a particular event or situation. It also wants to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study (Creswell 1994). In addition, such method tries to describe present conditions, events or systems based on the impressions or reactions of the participants of the research.   Summary The project will focus on IT in education wherein the benefits and disadvantages of such will be given attention. IT creates changes not only in organizations but in institutions as well it makes jobs easier and it helps in making things be done faster. Through the study a better understanding of how IT works in education can be initiated. How IT is used in education can also be given attention. To collect primary data the best method to use is interview of people involved in education sector. This acquires answers that can assist in making sure that the goal of the project will be realized. The answer can create a strategic business IT outcome that will be valued by business. The research method used will be descriptive method. Descriptive research tries to explore the cause of a particular event or situation. It also wants to present facts concerning the nature and status of a situation, as it exists at the time of the study   Research question and exploration Over thirty-five years have passed since academics began speculating on the impact that information technology (IT) would have on organizational structure. The debate is still on-going, and both researchers and managers continue to explore the relationship between IT and organizational structure. This relationship is becoming increasingly complicated by both the rapidly changing nature of IT and the increasing environmental turbulence faced by many organizations. As organizations need to process more information under these uncertain conditions, IT is one possible way for organizations to increase their information processing capability. However, other, more organizational tools are also at their disposal for processing more information. These include task forces, lateral relationships, self-contained work groups, and slack resources. Thus, the relationship between IT and organizational structures is not a simple one (Earl, 1998). IT is transforming the way that business is conducted. Computers prepare invoices, issue checks, keep track of the movement of stock, and store personnel and payroll records. Word processing and personal computers are changing the patterns of office work, and the spread of information technology is affecting the efficiency and competitiveness of business, the structure of the work force, and the overall growth of economic output. This transformation in the way in which information is managed in the economy constitutes a revolution that may have economic consequences as large as those brought about by the industrial revolution (Allen & Morton, 1994).    Many people believe that the primary driving force behind this information revolution is progress in microelectronic technology, particularly in the development of integrated circuits or chips. Thus, the reason that computing power that used to fill a room and cost million now stands on a desk and costs 00 or that pocket calculators that used to cost 00 now cost is that society happens to have benefited from a series of spectacularly successful inventions in the field of electronics. But fewer people understand why the introduction of information technology occurred when it did or took the path that it did, why data processing came before word processing or why computers transformed the office environment before they transformed the factory environment. Because this technology oriented view of the causes of the information revolution offers little guidance to the direction that technological developments have taken thus far, it offers little insight into the direction that they will take in the future (Allen & Morton, 1994).    These reasons and benefits of IT to other sectors make a need to understand the importance of knowing how beneficial and how disadvantageous IT is to the education sector. It can further the importance of IT in people’s lives. The main research question is what are the benefits and disadvantages of using IT in education. Through such question the use of IT towards that specific sector will be known and what problems IT can cause towards the sector will also be known. The answer should focus on the benefits of IT on education and also its disadvantages. It should reinforce the need for IT on education and it should strengthen the relationship within the two. Moreover the answer will provide more evidences of the changes IT can do. Exploration of the benefits and disadvantage of IT to education sector can assist in improving IT and education respectively and in a way cohesively.    Literature review Literacy is changing. Once it was entirely shaped by the technologies of the printing and publishing industries and their associated cultures. Now, however, in an age of burgeoning new media of communication, information and representation, there are more and different technologies available. These are increasingly deployed in working and playing with texts, in the practice of new and different literacy. Indeed, people are now able to recognize and acknowledge that, for schooling and education, print is simply one of a range of available techno-cultural resources. Accordingly, account needs to be taken of a profound media shift in literacy, schooling and society, a broad-based shift from print to digital electronics as the organizing context for literate-textual practice and for learning and teaching (Teh 1999).Although this does not mean the eclipse of print technologies and cultures, it does mean that people need to employ a rather different, more flexible and comprehensive view of literacy than teachers are used to in both their work and their lives. Print takes a new place within a re-conceptualized understanding of literacy, schooling and technological practice, one which is likely to be beneficial in moving parents, teachers, administrators, their children and students into a new millennium (Teh 1999).   It is estimated that there are over 43 million hosts connected to the Internet worldwide, and somewhere between 40 and 80 million adults in the United States alone have access to around 320 million unique pages of content on arguably one of the most important communication innovations in history. As a nation, Australia is also adopting technology-driven environments with increasing enthusiasm, as computer chips become ever more versatile and pervasive. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that in 1999, almost 23% of Australian households were connected to the Internet. Significantly, of these 1.6 million households, almost 71% were located in capital cities, and the heaviest users are the young: more than 74% of 18-24-year-olds accessed the Internet in the 12 months to August 1999 and some 52% of 25-39 year olds (Durrant & Green 2000).  For those aged between 40 and 54 years, however, the figure drops to 39% and a mere 13% for persons 55 years and over. Over the next decade, Web usage is expected to increase dramatically. The 1999 Commerce Net/Nielson Internet Demographic Survey suggests that over 90 million Americans are regular users, and this is expected to increase to over 150 million over the next couple of years. Electronic commerce is also predicted to explode. Anderson Consulting predicts that an estimated 200,000 American households are currently purchasing their food and household goods on-line, but by 2007, that number is expected to hit 20 million (Durrant & Green 2000).   Recent moves in international education policies confirm that governments the world over are becoming more and more committed to a technology-saturated future. In 1998, the United Kingdom spent 220 million (pounds sterling) on technology in education. In Singapore around billion was set aside to be spent over five years along similar lines. The US government also approved in 1998 a five-year, billion program called the Technology Challenge Literacy Fund; its primary purposes being to encourage `computer literacy’ and to connect schools to the Internet by the year 2000. In Australia, which is second only to the United States in its per-household use of personal computers, state governments are equally intent on ensuring that Australian students of the twenty-first century are given every opportunity of participating in and benefiting from this bright new world that will demand technologically-skilled workforces if countries and nations are both to keep pace with change and position themselves favorably in an increasingly global economy (Durrant & Green 2000).     In 1998, the Victorian government committed .4m for access to computers, the Internet, on-line curriculum materials, and technology training for teachers. Similarly, over four years the Western Australian government pledged 0 m to similar projects. Tasmanian students living outside metropolitan areas are soon to be supplied with access to on-line training and education, while the Northern Territory is set to install PCs in all schools and throughout their Department. In New South Wales (NSW), 4 m is being spent over four years on computer and information technology in schools, including a number of new modes of delivery for development and training of teachers, like CD-ROM, Web-based training, email support and video conferencing. It is rather unusual to hear of such large sums of money being thrown at education, particularly for such specific goals, but technology seems to have been taken on board the education band-wagon. Time will tell if the hype has substance; but in the meantime, the notions of literacy are undergoing dramatic changes as people struggle to keep up with the digital revolution (Durrant & Green 2000).   People can do many things better than computers. Foremost among them are being a human being, understanding human values and what it is like to be a human being, posing problems that humans want to answer, and interpreting the results that are produced as attempts are made to solve the problems. On the other hand, computers can do a steadily increasing number of things better than humans. Educators are faced with the problem of how to educate children for adult life in a world in which computer capabilities will continue to grow very rapidly and already exceed humans in many areas. The educational system needs to develop and use authentic assessment methods to measure its success in addressing different problems (Moursund, D 2001).     A non-authentic test of information retrieval skills would be to send a person to a conventional, hard copy library and ask that person to solve a computer chess information retrieval problem. Without a significant amount of training in the use of the various types of indexes available in a library, the person might well fail to find the needed information. Of course, even if  that person succeeded, it would have taken him/her a huge amount of time relative to what  actually expended while sitting at home using the computer (Moursund, D 2001).   Education and Computers can go very well. They can assist each other in solving problems and make a better living for people. The literature above shows how beneficial computers and technology is to education. Without it different problems may occur and things cannot be done accordingly and efficiently. To be able to work hand in hand with changing world education should be modernized and IT should be used towards it for a better future. The example above showed what will happen if there technology is not used towards education. References Allen, TJ & Morton, MS (eds.) 1994, Information technology and the corporation of the 1990s: research studies, Oxford University Press, New York.   Beard, JW (ed.) 1996, Impression management and information technology, Quorum Books, Westport, CT.   Creswell, JW 1994, Research design. Qualitative and     quantitative approaches, Sage, Thousand Oaks, California.   Durrant, C & Green, B 2000, ‘Literacy and the new technologies in school education: meeting the literacy challenge?’, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol. 23, no.1, p.89.    Earl, MJ (ed.) 1998, Information management: the organizational dimension, Oxford University Press, Oxford.   Moursund, D 2001, ‘Roles of IT in improving our educational system’, Learning & Leading with Technology, vol.28, no.6, p. 4.    Teh, GP 1999,’ Assessing student perceptions of Internet- based online learning environments’, International Journal of Instructional Media, vol.26, no.4, p.397.     Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

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Title The project will focus on IT in education wherein the benefits and disadvantages of such will be given attention. Through such pro...

Information Systems Departments Claim

Students will write a 1000 word essay which answers the following question: Information systems departments claim that end user development is a waste of time and should be avoided in all cases. Provide evidence that this statement is false. You should include both theoretical and experiential examples to prove your case. You must use your own words (no direct quotations from references). Any quotations used will not be marked or included in the word count. This task will allow students to develop their understanding of the theory (graduate quality 1), show the development of lifelong learning techniques through the ability to adequately research the topic (graduate quality 2) and allow students to display their written communication skills through the written report (graduate quality 6). In addition to the readings already given as part of the course, students must use a minimum of four refereed journal articles. Notes on how to determine whether an article is refereed will be posted on the course web page as well as being detailed in the orientation lectures can be downloaded here. Students must also comply with the following formatting guidelines: Assignment 1 Template An outline of the marking criteria for this assignment will be posted here shortly. The marking of this assignment will take into account the following: ·         depth of research ·         understanding of the theory being covered ·         cohesive nature of the essay ·         correct spelling and English grammar ·         appropriate references using the Harvard referencing system (marks will be awarded based on the guidelines for using this system on the UniSA Learning Connection website.) It is expected that this assignment will be submitted in accordance with all of the guidelines given above. Failure to comply with ALL instructions will result in the loss of marks as per the assignment feedback form. Extensions Extensions for the assignment will only be granted in extreme circumstances, and only if the course coordinator is notified prior to the required submission day. Extensions are not automatic on request and the student will be advised via UniSA email as to the status of their extension request. Failure to check your email is not an excuse for late submission. Remarking Assignments will only be remarked if the student applies, in writing, within 5 working days of the final grade being made available. The application for the remark must specifically address the areas of the marking criteria that the student wishes to dispute.     Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Information Systems Departments Claim

Students will write a 1000 word essay which answers the following question: Information systems departments claim that end user developm...

The application of new education technologies and determining online education success

The application of new education technologies and determining online education success (with relevance to Singapore Context)   INTRODUCTION Online education has generated tremendous excitement both inside and outside higher education, there is potential to provide learning to new audiences so as to transform learning delivery and the competitive landscape ( 1996). Among those institutions with better-defined reasons for embracing online education as Singapore may expand access to education in order to meet the education and training needs of state residents and companies and to educate under-served populations ( 1998).  The expansion of the Internet as a potential course delivery platform, combined with the increasing interest in lifelong learning and budget restrictions, has created a significant incentive for universities to develop online programs. As the technology is now available and relatively user-friendly, those universities which do not embrace it will be left behind in the race for globalization and technological development. If we want universities to make the utmost use of the Internet, it is essential to identify and understand the critical success factors affecting the online delivery of education. Indeed, if Singapore is to implement conventional models borrowed from classroom-based or distance education focused on passive transmission, there can expect only marginal improvements and may well simply escalate costs.   Educational institutions worldwide are under constant pressure to demonstrate willingness and capacity to incorporate the latest developments in information and communications technology within their teaching. Technological sophistication creates a clear marketing edge, appealing to students and their parents as well as to employers, and to potential financial investors or supporters. The budgetary implications, however, are daunting to all but the best endowed institutions, and the pedagogical issues are complex. The shift in terminology that has occurred in recent years from “computing” through information technology (IT) to information and communications technologies (ICT) has profound implications for education. “Computing” is no longer specialized activity undertaken in isolation from the rest of the world’s interactions, and therefore able to be either embraced or rejected according to personal preference. The merging of two previously distinct technologies, computing and communications, and their increasingly ubiquitous presence in all aspects of our lives, means that “computers” in one form or another are central to the contexts in which most citizens of developed countries exist and function. As the boundaries between the technologies continue to blur, enabling us, for instance, to access the Internet through our telephones and to make telephones calls from our computers, we are increasingly being encouraged to extend the use we make of them, undertaking basic transactions such as banking through the electronic medium rather than face to face. Rejecting these technologies is barely an option for any of us, least of all for educators and their students. DISCUSSION Technology is at once the repository of the bulk of the information that underpins society’s major enterprises and concerns, and the medium of communication through which we interact with it and with one another. It is transforming our understandings and practices in relation to information and to communication, both of which lie at the heart of learning. Moreover, technology is changing what we learn. With the burgeoning of the Internet, the control exercised in the past by departments of education and by individual teachers over pedagogical content has diminished significantly. Through this new medium, resources of widely varying quality and provenance on virtually any topic are immediately available to students. The amount of material available from unaccredited sources is a cause of considerable concern to many educators, brought up themselves in a system where processes of differentiating between “legitimate” and other information and knowledge were well understood. It can be argued that, like it or not, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift in regard to what is accepted as “knowledge” and who is regarded as “knowledgeable”. Even within some academic disciplines there has already been a shift in the importance accorded to the traditional forms of published knowledge, refereed and refined through a well accepted but often painfully attenuated process. In such cases there has been a movement towards the more rapid electronic dissemination of findings and opinions albeit in a less polished form, depending more on the judgment of the individual reader than on the processes of the “Academy” for validation and verification. The strong implication for education is that skills in effective online searching and in discrimination should occupy a far more important place in the curriculum at all levels than has previously been the case. Indeed, it is important that educators engage seriously at both a personal and a professional level with the potentials of these new technologies. Apart from the apparent pedagogical benefits of ICT, it is critically important for the ongoing credibility of formal education that it be aligned with the means through which students access information and communicate about it within broader contexts. If this is not the case, students will increasingly resist engaging seriously with our education systems, and the learning that is important to them will take place elsewhere and in other ways.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

The application of new education technologies and determining online education success

The application of new education technologies and determining online education success (with relevance to Singapore Context) INTRODUC...