Miracles of Life Reaction Paper

Remarkably beautiful, the â€Å"Miracles of Life† records human conception and much more. Living and functioning reproductive systems are shown in the video, and there is so much to explore and absorb. I followed the short journey of millions of sperm as they develop and strive mightily to reach the egg. And I noticed that there isn't a guy in the room who can watch footage without squirming! Likewise, magnification of up to half a million times the actual size allowed me to see the egg from its development in an ovary, through the delicate fallopian tube for fertilization, and on to the uterus for growth and eventual birth. I have never thought about what an absolute miracle my life is. I can’t imagine how I came to be. Out of thousands of eggs and millions of sperm, one egg and one sperm united to produce me. Had the union of sperm and egg come a day or even a month earlier or later, I might have been very different, maybe the opposite sex or with blonde hair or longer legs. The exact person that I am, born to my parents, on the date and time I was born, with the DNA structure I have has about a 1:400,000,000,000 (one in 400 billion) chance of existing. If I don’t call that miraculous, then I don’t know what that is! The film has shown me something profoundly beautiful and yet has left its fundamental mystery intact. The â€Å"Miracles of Life† is exceptional and it is a documentary that can also be considered as art.

Assessment Of Learning Essay

Assessment of learning refers to strategies designed to confirm what students know, demonstrate whether or not they have met curriculum outcomes or the goals of their individualized programs, or to certify proficiency and make decisions about students’ future programs or placements. It is designed to provide evidence of achievement to parents, other educators, the students themselves, and sometimes to outside groups (e. g. , employers, other educational institutions). Assessment of learning is the assessment that becomes public and results in statements or symbols about how well students are learning. It often  contributes to pivotal decisions that will affect students’ futures. It is important, then, that the underlying logic and measurement of assessment of learning be credible and defensible. TEACHERS’ ROLES IN ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Because the consequences of assessment of learning are often far-reaching and affect students seriously, teachers have the responsibility of reporting student learning accurately and fairly, based on evidence obtained from a variety of contexts and applications. Effective assessment of learning requires that teachers provide †¢ a rationale for undertaking a particular assessment of learning at a particular  point in time †¢ clear descriptions of the intended learning †¢ processes that make it possible for students to demonstrate their competence and skill †¢ a range of alternative mechanisms for assessing the same outcomes †¢ public and defensible reference points for making judgements Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 55. The purpose of assessment that typically comes at the end of a course or unit of instruction is to determine the extent to which the instructional goals have been achieved and for grading or certification of student achievement. (Linn and Gronlund, Measurement and Assessment in Teaching ) Reflection: Think about an example of assessment of learning in your own teaching and try to develop it further as you read this chapter. 56 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 †¢ transparent approaches to interpretation †¢ descriptions of the assessment process †¢ strategies for recourse in the event of disagreement about the decisions. With the help of their teachers, students can look forward to assessment of learning tasks as occasions to show their competence, as well as the depth and breadth of their learning. PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING The purpose of assessment of learning is to measure, certify, and report the level  of students’ learning, so that reasonable decisions can be made about students. There are many potential users of the information:†¢ teachers (who can use the information to communicate with parents about their children’s proficiency and progress) †¢ parents and students (who can use the results for making educational and vocational decisions) †¢ potential employers and post-secondary institutions (who can use the information to make decisions about hiring or acceptance) †¢ principals, district or divisional administrators, and teachers (who can use the information to review and revise programming). Assessment of learning requires the collection and interpretation of information about students’ accomplishments in important curricular areas, in ways that represent the nature and complexity of the intended learning. Because genuine learning for understanding is much more than just recognition or recall of facts or algorithms, assessment of learning tasks need to enable students to show the complexity of their understanding. Students need to be able to apply key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes in ways that are authentic and consistent with current thinking in the knowledge domain. What am I  assessing? Why am I assessing? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 57 Assessment of Learning In assessment of learning, the methods chosen need to address the intended curriculum outcomes and the continuum of learning that is required to reach the outcomes. The methods must allow all students to show their understanding and produce sufficient information to support credible and defensible statements about the nature and quality of their learning, so that others can use the results in appropriate ways. Assessment of learning methods include not only tests and examinations, but  also a rich variety of products and demonstrations of learning—portfolios, exhibitions, performances, presentations, simulations, multimedia projects, and a variety of other written, oral, and visual methods (see Fig. 2. 2, Assessment Tool Kit, page 17). What assessment method should I use? Graduation Portfolios Graduation portfolios are a requirement for graduation from British Columbia and Yukon Senior Years schools. These portfolios comprise collections (electronic or printed) of evidence of students’ accomplishments at school, home, and in the community, including demonstrations of  their competence in skills that are not measured in examinations. Worth four credits toward graduation, the portfolios begin in Grade 10 and are completed by the end of Grade 12. The following are some goals of graduation portfolios: †¢ Students will adopt an active and reflective role in planning, managing, and assessing their learning. †¢ Students will demonstrate learning that complements intellectual development and course-based learning. †¢ Students will plan for successful transitions beyond Grade 12. Graduation portfolios are prepared at the school level and are based on specific Ministry criteria and standards. Students use the criteria and standards as guides for planning, collecting, and presenting their evidence, and for self-assessing. Teachers use the criteria and standards to assess student evidence and assign marks. There are three major components of a graduation portfolio: 1. Portfolio Core (30 percent of the mark). Students must complete requirements in the following six portfolio organizers: arts and design (respond to an art, performance, or design work); community involvement and responsibility (participate co-operatively and respectfully in a  service activity); education and career planning (complete a graduation transition plan); Employability skills (complete 30 hours of work or volunteer experience); information technology (use information technology skills); personal health (complete 80 hours of moderate to intense physical activity). 2. Portfolio Choice (50 percent of the mark). Students expand on the above areas, choosing additional evidence of their achievements. 3. Portfolio Presentation (20 percent of the mark). Students celebrate their learning and reflect at the end of the portfolio process. ( Portfolio Assessment and Focus Areas: A Program Guide) 58 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 Assessment of learning needs to be very carefully constructed so that the information upon which decisions are made is of the highest quality. Assessment of learning is designed to be summative, and to produce defensible and accurate descriptions of student competence in relation to defined outcomes and, occasionally, in relation to other students’ assessment results. Certification of students’ proficiency should be based on a rigorous, reliable, valid, and equitable process of assessment and evaluation. Reliability  Reliability in assessment of learning depends on how accurate, consistent, fair, and free from bias and distortion the assessment is. Teachers might ask themselves: †¢ Do I have enough information about the learning of this particular student to make a definitive statement? †¢ Was the information collected in a way that gives all students an equal chance to show their learning? †¢ Would another teacher arrive at the same conclusion? †¢ Would I make the same decision if I considered this information at another time or in another way? Reference Points Typically, the reference points for assessment of learning are the learning  outcomes as identified in the curriculum that make up the course of study. Assessment tasks include measures of these learning outcomes, and a student’s performance is interpreted and reported in relation to these learning outcomes. In some situations where selection decisions need to be made for limited positions (e. g. , university entrance, scholarships, employment opportunities), assessment of learning results are used to rank students. In such norm-referenced situations, what is being measured needs to be clear, and the way it is being measured needs to be transparent to anyone who might use the assessment  results. Validity Because assessment of learning results in statements about students’ proficiency in wide areas of study, assessment of learning tasks must reflect the key knowledge, concepts, skills, and dispositions set out in the curriculum, and the statements and inferences that emerge must be upheld by the evidence collected. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 59 Assessment of Learning Record-Keeping Whichever approaches teachers choose for assessment of learning, it is their records that provide details about the quality of the measurement. Detailed records of the various components of the assessment of learning are essential, with a description of what each component measures, with what accuracy and against what criteria and reference points, and should include supporting evidence related to the outcomes as justification. When teachers keep records that are detailed and descriptive, they are in an excellent position to provide meaningful reports to parents and others. Merely a symbolic representation of a student’s accomplishments (e. g. , a letter grade or percentage) is inadequate. Reports to parents and others should identify the  intended learning that the report covers, the assessment methods used to gather the supporting information, and the criteria used to make the judgement. Feedback to Students Because assessment of learning comes most often at the end of a unit or learning cycle, feedback to students has a less obvious effect on student learning than assessment for learning and assessment as learning. Nevertheless, students do Ho w can I use the information from this assessment? Guidelines for Grading 1. Use curriculum learning outcomes or some clustering of these (e. g. , strands) as the basis for grading. 2.  Make sure that the meaning of grades comes from clear descriptions of curriculum outcomes and standards. If students achieve the outcome, they get the grade. (NO bell curves! ) 3. Base grades only on individual achievement of the targeted learning outcomes. Report effort, participation, and attitude, for example, separately, unless they are a stated curriculum outcome. Any penalties (e. g. , for late work, absences), if used, should not distort achievement or motivation. 4. Sample student performance using a variety of methods. Do not include all assessments in grades. Provide ongoing feedback on formative  performance using words, rubrics, or checklists, not grades. 5. Keep records in pencil so they can be updated easily to take into consideration more recent achievement. Provide second-chance assessment opportunities (or more). Students should receive the highest, most consistent mark, not an average mark for multiple opportunities. 6. Crunch numbers carefully, if at all. Consider using the median, mode, or statistical measures other than the mean. Weight components within the final grade to ensure that the intended importance is given to each learning outcome. 7. Make sure that each assessment meets quality standards (e.g. , there should be clear targets, clear purpose, appropriate target-method match, appropriate sampling, and absence of bias and distortion) and is properly recorded and maintained (e. g. , in portfolios, at conferences, on tracking sheets). 8. Discuss and involve students in grading at the beginning and throughout the teaching and learning process. (Adapted from O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Resource: Marzano, Transforming Classroom Grading 60 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5 rely on their marks and on teachers’ comments as indicators of their level of  success, and to make decisions about their future learning endeavours. Differentiating Learning In assessment of learning, differentiation occurs in the assessment itself. It would make little sense to ask a near-sighted person to demonstrate driving proficiency without glasses. When the driver uses glasses, it is possible for the examiner to get an accurate picture of the driver’s ability, and to certify him or her as proficient. In much the same way, differentiation in assessment of learning requires that the necessary accommodations be in place that allow students to make the particular learning visible. Multiple forms of assessment offer multiple pathways for making student learning transparent to the teacher. A particular curriculum outcome requirement, such as an understanding of the social studies notion of conflict, for example, might be demonstrated through visual, oral, dramatic, or written representations. As long as writing were not an explicit component of the outcome, students who have difficulties with written language, for example, would then have the same opportunity to demonstrate their learning as other students. Although assessment of learning does not always lead teachers to differentiate  instruction or resources, it has a profound effect on the placement and promotion of students and, consequently, on the nature and differentiation of the future instruction and programming that students receive. Therefore, assessment results need to be accurate and detailed enough to allow for wise recommendations. Reporting There are many possible approaches to reporting student proficiency. Reporting assessment of learning needs to be appropriate for the audiences for whom it is intended, and should provide all of the information necessary for them to make reasoned decisions. Regardless of the form of the reporting,  however, it should be honest, fair, and provide sufficient detail and contextual information so that it can be clearly understood. Traditional reporting, which relies only on a student’s average score, provides little information about that student’s skill development or knowledge. One alternate mechanism, which recognizes many forms of success and provides a profile of a student’s level of performance on an emergent-proficient continuum, is the parent- student-teacher conference. This forum provides parents with a great deal of information, and reinforces students’ responsibility for their learning. The Communication System Continuum: From Symbols to Conversations (O’Connor, How to Grade for Learning ) Grades Report cards (grades and brief comments) Infrequent informal communications Parent-teacher interviews Report cards with expanded comments Frequent informal communication Student-involved conferencing Student-led conferencing Reflection: What forms do your reports of student proficiency take? How do these differ according to audience? Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 61 Assessment of Learning An Example of Assessment of Learning. Elijah was interested in assessing student mastery of both the modern and the traditional skills required for survival in the Nunavut environment where he teaches. The overarching theme of survival is taught in the early grades and culminates at the senior level in a course delivered in Inuktitut. Students learn how to take care of themselves and others, and how to adapt what they know to the situation at hand. Survival requires not only skills and knowledge, but also a concept the Inuit people call qumiutit, or the ability in an emergency situation to pull out of stored memory information that will enable a person to cope, not panic. Traditionally, this was learned in a holistic manner, grounded in Inuit traditional guiding principles that were nurtured and developed from birth, and taught and reinforced in daily living. Throughout the term, Elijah took his students to an outdoor area to practise on-the-land survival activities, using both traditional and modern methods. He always took with him a knowledgeable Elder who could give the students the information they needed to store away in case of emergency. The students watched demonstrations of a skill a number of times. Each student then practised on his or her own, as Elijah and the Elder observed and assisted. Elijah knew that students need to have a high level of expertise in the survival skills appropriate for the northern natural environment. Elijah assessed each student on each survival skill (e. g. , making fire the traditional way, tying the knots required for the qamutik cross-pieces on a sled). What am I assessing? I am assessing each student’s performance of traditional and modern survival skills. Why am I assessing? I want to know which survival skills each s tudent has mastered and their readiness to s urvive in the natural environment. 62 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. Chapter 5 Elijah knew that the best way to determine if students have mastered the skills is to have them perform them. When students believed they were ready, Elijah created an opportunity for them to demonstrate the mastered skill to a group of Elders, who then (individually, then in consensus) determined if the performance was satisfactory. A student’s competence in a survival skill is often demonstrated by an end product. For example, competence in knot tying is demonstrated by a knot that serves its purpose, and competence in fire building is demonstrated by a fire that is robust. As the Elders judged each student’s performance of the skills, Elijah recorded the results. He shared the information with each student and his or her parents in a final report, as shown here. Ho w can I use the informatio n from this assessment? Now that I know which skills each of the students has mastered, I can report this information to the s tudents and their parents. I can use this information to identify a learning path for each s tudent. How can I ensure quality in this assessment process? Ensuring quality with this approach involves clear criteria: either the student performs the skill s uccessfully or does not. I need to provide adequate opportunities for the s tudent to demonstrate the skills under various conditions and at various times. What assessment method should I use? I need an approach in which students can demonstrate the traditional survival skills that they learned. The method I choose should also allow me to identify which skills they did not master. Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind †¢ 63 Assessment of Learning Shelters: †¢ emergency shelters †¢ igloo building4 †¢ qamaq5 †¢ tents Transportation needs: †¢ making the knots required for the qamutik cross pieces on a sled †¢ building a kayak/umiak. †¢ fixing a snowmobile (spark plugs, repairing track, drive belt) †¢ keeping a boat seaworthy Navigational issues: †¢ reading the land †¢ reading the sky †¢ understanding seasonal variations †¢ reading inuksuit †¢ using GPS †¢ map reading Preparation for land travel: †¢ packing a qamutiq (sled) †¢ load, balance †¢ necessities: snow knife, rope, food, water, heat source †¢ letting others know where you are going †¢ necessary tools, supplies, snowmobile parts, fuel †¢ using communication devices Food sources: †¢ plants and their nutritional properties †¢ hunting, skinning, and cutting up seal, caribou, etc. †¢ kinds of food to take on the land,  and their nutritional properties ____________________ 4. Expertise in igloo building includes understanding of types of snow, the shape and fit of blocks, and the use of a snow- knife. 5. A qamaq is a rounded house, built of scrap wood or bones, and covered with skins, cardboard, or canvas. Report on Survival Skills Student: _______________________________________________ Date: _______________________ Traditional Survival Skills Modern Survival Skills Adaptability to the Seasons Attitude Success Next Steps 1) Skills Building a fire / means of keeping warm: †¢ fuel sources †¢ getting a spark †¢ propane heaters, stoves †¢ clothing. 2) Relationship to the Seasons Assessing conditions / recognizing danger signs: †¢ seasonal changes †¢ land changes †¢ water changes †¢ wind changes †¢ weather changes Climatic changes: †¢ weather changes and how this affects the land and water †¢ knowledge of animals and their characteristics and behaviours 3) Attitudinal Influences (Having the right attitude to learn) †¢ respect for the environment (cleaning up a campsite upon leaving, dealing with the remains of an animal, not over-hunting/fishing) †¢ respect for Elders and their knowledge †¢ ability to learn from Elders 64 †¢ Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind Chapter 5. Elijah’s report identified which of the students had mastered the specified skills required to survive in the Nunavut environment. It outlined other areas (such as adaptability to the seasons and attitudinal influences) about which peers, parents, and family members would need to provide input before a comprehensive assessment could be made. The assessment also identified those students not yet ready to survive in the natural environment. But the Elders did not stop working with the students who did not reach mastery. Elders see learning as an individual path in which skills, knowledge, and attitudes are acquired along the way. If a particular skill was beyond the capability of a student, the Elders identified other areas where that person could contribute to the common good of the community, and was accepted for the gifts he or she brought to the group. In this way, the Elders helped Elijah differentiate the learning path for each of his students. SUMMARY OF PLANNING ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING Assessment for Learning Assessment as Learning Assessment of Learning Why Assess? To enable teachers to determine next steps in advancing student learning to guide and provide opportunities for each student to monitor and critically reflect on his or her learning, and  identify next steps Assess What? each student’s progress and learning needs in relation to the curricular outcomes each student’s thinking about his or her learning, what strategies he or she uses to support or challenge that learning, and the mechanisms he or she uses to adjust and advance his or her learning. What Methods? a range of methods in different modes that make students’ skills and understanding visible a range of methods in different modes that elicit students’ learning and metacognitive processes Ensuring Quality †¢ accuracy and consistency of observations and interpretations of student learning  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ accurate, detailed notes for descriptive feedback to each student †¢ accuracy and consistency of student’s self-reflection, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. †¢ engagement of the student in considering and challenging his or her thinking †¢ students record their own learning Using the Information †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback to further his or her learning †¢ differentiate instruction by continually checking where each student is in relation to the curricular outcomes †¢ provide parents or guardians with descriptive feedback about student  learning and ideas for support. †¢ provide each student with accurate descriptive feedback that will help him or her develop independent learning habits †¢ have each student focus on the task and his or her learning (not on getting the right answer) †¢ provide each student with ideas for adjusting, rethinking, and articulating his or her learning †¢ provide the conditions for the teacher and student to discuss alternatives †¢ students report about their learning Rethinking Classroom Assessment with Purpose in Mind. †¢ 65 Assessment of Learning to certify or inform parents or others of student’s proficiency in  relation to curriculum learning outcomes the extent to which students can apply the key concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to the curricular outcomes a range of methods in different modes that assess both product and process †¢ accuracy, consistency, and fairness of judgements based on high-quality information †¢ clear, detailed learning expectations †¢ fair and accurate summative reporting †¢ indicate each student’s level of learning †¢ provide the foundation for discussions on placement or promotion †¢ report fair, accurate, and detailed information that can be used to decide the next steps in a student’s learning.   

E-Library – Requirements Specification

E-Library – Requirements Specification Author:Jiri Walek Status:Draft Contents 1. Introduction2 1. 1. Overview of the E-Library System2 1. 2. Keywords2 1. 3. Abbreviations and Terms2 2. Administration Requirements3 1. 4. Types of User Accounts and Permissions3 1. 5. Administration Interfaces3 3. User Requirements4 1. 6. Online User Registration4 1. 7. User Login/out4 1. 8. Catalog Search4 1. 9. Catalog Quick Search4 1. 10. Catalog Browsing5 1. 11. Advanced Catalog Browsing5 1. 12. Create Select List5 1. 13. Check Out eBooks6 1. 14. Explicit eBook â€Å"Return†6 ? 1. Introduction This document is an example of a Software Requirements Specification document which can be imported into Polarion, then exported and re-imported in a collaborative process utilizing the Word Round-trip feature. It is intended for demonstration only. The document describes a fictitious online eBook lending library with optional eBook online sales component. The focus is on simplicity rather than depth and completeness, that you may more easily understand the Document features. 1. 1. Overview of the E-Library System This system provides an online portal analogous to a public library where registered patrons can borrow books. The main difference is of course that the books in the library catalog are all in electronic formats which incorporate Digital Rights Management (DRM) enabling the system to â€Å"lend† an allowed number of copies to registered users. In addition, when a book has the proper rights, the E-Library can sell patrons a license for a personal copy of the electronic book which they can retain permanently. 1. 2. Keywords This document contains keywords which correspond to Severity values in the Polarion system when to document is imported for management by Polarion. DOCUMENT KEYWORDPOLARION SEVERITY VALUEMEANING â€Å"MUST_HAVE†must_haveNo release without SHOULD_HAVE†should_haveMay slip to next release if time runs short â€Å"MAY_HAVE†may_haveMay be included in release if dependent things are implemented, otherwise will not be included â€Å"OPTIONAL†optionalMay be included in release if time/resources allow, otherwise will be postponed to another release 1 . 3. Abbreviations and Terms TERMDEFINITION Carti. e. â€Å"shopping cart† – a collection of one or more eBooks that a patron has marked for purchase during the current session CatalogThe database of eBooks available for loan and possibly for sale as well Check OutThe act of â€Å"borrowing† an eBook from the library. Term is not used in reference to the process of paying for a purchased eBook (see Purchase) Check InThe act or â€Å"returning† a previously â€Å"borrowed† (checked out) eBook. DRMDigital Rights Management eBookAn electronic book or other publication lent or sold by the E-Library system ISBNInternational Standard Book Number LCLibrary of Congress Loansee Lend LendThe process of flagging an eBook so the appropriate DRM understands that one of the allowable number of â€Å"copies† has been allocated to a patron for the lending period. PatronA user of the E-Library portal PurchaseThe process by which library patrons purchase a DRM license for a personal copy of an eBook. Also the action of a user navigating into the process for purchasing the eBooks listed in their Cart. StoreAn area of the portal that lists a subset of the library’s eBooks, that being eBooks for which users may purchase a license for a personal copy of the eBook. 2. Administration Requirements This section outlines the main requirements that relate to administration and management of the E-Library system. 1. 4. Types of User Accounts and Permissions The system must provide for the following types of user accounts: ACCOUNT TYPE NAMEPERMISSIONS AdministratorUser can access any component or area of the system including accounts of other users LibrarianUser can access the catalog management features of the system PatronUser can access the general library features, including browsing, searching, check out, check in, reserve, and purchase StudentSame as a Patron, except may not access Purchase features The system must provide user management to manage the user role assignments. Each user can have multiple user roles assigned. It must be possible to 1. 5. Administration Interfaces The system must provide user interfaces for the following roles/functions: †¢System Administration – including database management, server management, backups, etc. User type: Administrator †¢Catalog Management – all non-technical functionality related to managing eBooks in the library catalog. User types: Administrator, Librarian 3. User Requirements This section outlines the main requirements that relate to the end users who borrow and purchase eBooks from the E-Library. . 6. Online User Registration Users must be able to create Patron or Student accounts by registering online. A suitable registration page or pages should be provided. New users must go thru a verification process (TBD) to confirm their email address before their account is activated in the system. 1. 7. User Login/out Once verified, users must be able to log in to the portal. Users must be able to change their password (but not their user name/ID) There must be a way for users to retrieve a lost password Users must be able to log out. There must be a session timeout mechanism that will automatically log the user out after a period of time (period TBD). On logout, the contents of user’s Select List and Cart are cleared. The contents of the Reserved List is preserved. 1. 8. Catalog Search Users must be able to search for eBooks The system should provide interfaces for both â€Å"simple† and â€Å"advanced† searches †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"simple† should be a search on any one of fields Author, Title, or ISBN. †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"advanced† should provide an easy way to construct complex searches on multiple fields with different logic (e. g. AND, OR, NOT) 1. 9. Catalog Quick Search The system should provide several â€Å"quick search† options: †¢Newest eBooks – returns a listing of the 10- 50 (configurable) most recently added eBooks †¢Top 20 Titles – returns a listing of the 20 most frequently borrowed eBooks oThe actual number should be configurable by an administrator oThe UI should provide a pick list of values: 10, 20, 25, 50, 100 †¢Latest Returns – returns a list of 10-50 (configurable) most recently checked-in eBooks oEither explicitly checked in by a patron, or lending period expired freeing the eBook for loan oeBooks listed in this set must not have any reservations†¦ must be available for immediate loan 1. 0. Catalog Browsing Users must be able to browse the eBooks in the catalog Users must be able to select how they want to browse: †¢Browse by Author oMust be able to select an alphabetical subset†¦ e. g. author names beginning with A, or M for example †¢Browse by Title oMust be able to se lect an alphabetical subset†¦ e. g. author names beginning with A, or M for example †¢Browse by genre (e. g. fiction, non-fiction, science fiction, etc. 1. 11. Advanced Catalog Browsing Users should be able to browse by Publisher Users should be able to browse by Book Award Users should be able to browse according to a combination of data, such as by Author + Genre, Title + Year of Publication, Author + Book Award, etc. 1. 12. Create Select List The Select List is similar to a shopping cart except that the checkout processes a loan of the eBooks in the list rather than a purchase. Each user must be able to save a list of eBooks they want to borrow – their â€Å"Select List† †¢The Select List is only for the current session and is cleared when the session terminates †¢Each eBook added to the Select List remains in the list for 20 minutes. During this time, the number of copies available for loan is reduced by 1 and the number available is shown to ot her users. oIf the time expires and the eBook is removed from the Select List, then the number of copies available for loan is increased by 1 and the number available is shown to other users. The number of eBooks user may add to their Select List is limited to the checkout limit defined in the system configuration minus the number of eBooks patron has currently checked out. oIf user currently has the maximum number checked out, then all Add to Select List links should be disabled for that user. †¢If all copies allowable under the eBook’s DRM are currently on loan to other users, then the eBook cannot be added to any user’s Select List (the UI widget is disabled) and the UI must inform the user that no copy is currently available for loan. 1. 13. Check Out eBooks User should be able to navigate to Check Out any time via a readily visible link or button The checkout page must display the eBooks in the user’s Select List The user must be able to remove eBooks from the Select List at this point Via an appropriate UI widget, user should be able to execute check out which processes on all the eBooks left on the Select List. When checkout is complete, user must be presented with a page of the checked out titles, each title having a DOWNLOAD widget. Clicking the widget downloads a copy of the eBook with appropriate DRM applied. Each checked out eBook should remain listed on the user’s Downloads page until the loan period expires. 1. 14. Explicit eBook â€Å"Return† Users must be able to â€Å"return† any eBook on their Downloads page that has not yet been downloaded via an appropriate â€Å"RETURN THIS EBOOK† widget. Executing the return must remove the eBook from the user’s downloads page, decreases the count of eBooks the user currently has checked out (if that value is greater than zero), and increases by 1 the number of copies of the eBook available for loan.

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Counselling Theory and Practice 2 - Essay Example In practice, communication between the counsellor and the client enables the former to identify the issues presented by the later. This profession exposes the counsellor to client’s personal information. The details of some of this information may be emotional, but the counsellor should not let the emotions of the client carry him away. Perhaps this is the most challenging bit of this counselling profession. Maintaining one’s composure amid the tides of the client’s emotion is what distinguishes the professional counsellor and non-professional one. The principles of counselling practice border on a number of psychological theories because the profession attempts to solve the cognitive problems (Tudor, Keith, Valentine, & Worrall, 2004). In this essay, I will evaluate the recorded transcript with respect the client centred theory. The client centred perspective emphasise that the counsellor should maintain his or her composure while extracting information from the client (Tudor, Keith, Valentine, & Worrall, 2004). The essence of counselling is to establish and solve the problems of the client. The proponents of this view insist that counsellor should hide his expertise so that he or she can extract information from the client. People often share information depending on the relationship that exists between the parties involved. Concept of trust tends to affect the amount of information that one would share (Corey, 2012). In counselling practice, counsellors often strive to build a good relationship with the client so that the later may feel free to share personal information including secrets that haunt them. Obviously, individual’s past at times tends to affect the amount of information that one can share. Too many people that seek the services of the counsellors have spent their lives in environments that are

Zara brand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Zara brand - Assignment Example Zara is praised widely as the leader in clothing industry. Inditex group-Zara is the most successful clothing company the profits of which rose substantially. In its Inditex’s all subsidiaries, Zara is the key contributor and the backbone of Inditex strength in profitability.The major motivation to the Zara for going global was Cost Reduction. The diminishing transportation costs and low tariffs and duties in many countries facilitated the firms to geographically disperse their operations and take the advantage of inexpensive labor providing countries. Another reason for this internationalized model wasthat it was becoming more difficult for Zara to curb the costs in Europe because most of the firms were labor intensive and labor cost was very high in Europe then. Although these facilitations were also exploited by its competitors, Zara outperformed all. Its distinctive operating strategies regarding Logistics and Value Chain brought impressive results compared to its competit ors.Zara’s Value Chain Strategies to cope with global market:Zara spends substantially on Research and Development which results in the latest fashion items. Special focus on Research and Development is Zara’s most important value creating activity. Zara has a team of more than 500 fashion designers, who visit the world and sense the new trends going on. These designers are provided with handheld computers for reporting and being in touch with the Management. On the other hand, the competitors reduce.... In September 2010, Zara reported $835 million profit- a 68% substantial increase in first half’s net profits- that pushed the aggressive growth rate. The firm considered this success as the outcome of satisfactory customer reception in Asian markets (BBC 2010). Logistic and Value-Chain Analysis: A firm involves in many activities from getting raw material from the suppliers to distributing the final goods to consumers. Logistics is actually a careful organization of these activities which leads them to success and efficiency. If performed efficiently, these activities develop competitive advantage of the firm in terms of cost reduction and/or differentiation and create value for its shareholders. The sequence of all these value-creating activities, which aim at earning a firm an edge in the market, is called Value-Chain. The value-Chain provides competitive advantage to a firm by either reducing the firm’s cost of production, or creating differentiation for its products . The basic value generating activities are almost similar to a wide range of firms. Porter identified few basic value activities referred as Porter’s Value-Chain model. Porter’s value chain is depicted below in the model. Inbound Logistics activities are those which help get raw material from the suppliers and warehouse it. Operations activities transform the raw material into finished goods and services. Outbound Logistics deal with warehousing and distributing the final products. Then, Sales are generated by identifying the customer needs and providing them value by Marketing and Sales. And after-sale Services are provided to customers to engage them in future business

What Customer Service Means to ME Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

What Customer Service Means to ME - Term Paper Example I immediately logged into my checking account to see what it was referring to, and to my shocking surprise, there was a check scheduled to be sent to PSE&G for $19,589.00 for Novembers billing statement. So I immediately tried to edit the error to the correct amount of $195.89, but the online bill pay would not allow me to correct the error. So I then contacted the customer service at Bank of America to assist me in correcting this error or cancel it. After speaking to several customer service reps, I still got the same answer from each one, â€Å"sorry you had plenty of time all week to correct it, and it is now in the system and will be processed†. So then I called the customer service dep’t at PSE&G to explain what’s happening and see if they can help stop this train wreck. Well, guess what, I practically got the same responses from their customer service reps, but with even a bigger attitude. They told me â€Å"well when we get the check, we’ll going to process it because it’s our money†. Now this is after they’ve confirmed that the bill was only for $195.89. So after being on the phone with both companies for about 3 hours total on a Friday night, I immediately stopped all of my current transactions for the rest of the month with the online bill pay system. ... But he did tell me â€Å"don’t worry about it, I can see it’s an simple error, and it’ll be rejected because you didn’t have enough funds to cover it - it’ll just bounce back to them for insufficient funds. You should keep an eye on the account to inform us when it was submitted for payment†. Well I did just that, I kept my eye on my account every day the following week to see when it get submitted for payment. The check was schedule to be sent out that following Monday December 3rd, and the check was submitted by PSE&G that same day. So I called the branch manager concerning the check, and he informed me that he already bounced the check back to PSE&G for insufficient funds. He also told me to look for it again for the 2nd submission for payment, so he can do the same. That Wednesday, PSE&G submitted it again for the payment, and the branch manager did what he promised to me would do - send it back for insufficient funds. So now I’m r elaxing the train wreck has been avoided, but was it? Come Friday, I get a call from the central office of Bank of America, that they have started proceedings to collect on an outstanding balance of insufficient funds for a check that was deposited and processed a 3rd time by PSE&G, and they demand payment or else. Now I’m in shock, amazed and very pissed off with what was just said to me by some numskull who doesn’t have any common sense to review what’s been going on. So I gave him a few choice words and told what I think of him and the bank because it’s obvious that one hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing, and that there weren’t any note, warnings or flags posted to my account for these Moran’s to stop

Communicating Change Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communicating Change - Research Paper Example A technique that is often used in the corporate environment to improve communication in the workplace is having weekly meetings between the managers and the staff. Any changes that the firm implements can be discussed during a meeting. Another technique that can be used to improve communication in the workplace is the implementation of a feedback system. A feedback system allows the workers the ability to provide input anonymously. Sometimes the workers prefer to speak anonymously to avoid retaliation from the managers. The feedback system can help a company determine whether the workers accept the changes. Question #3 Maintaining a good corporate image can enhance the brand value of a company. Companies with strong corporate images are preferred by customers (Vonhamme, Lindgreen, Reast, Popering, 2012). As the CEO of Tyco I would develop a strong social responsibility program in order to show the general public that the company has changed and that the mistakes committed by its past CEO were an outlier. I would perform quarterly audits to ensure the firm is free of fraud. Companies must maintain good communication with the outside world because the outside world includes important stakeholder groups such as customers and investors. An issue that could occur that hurts the communications with the outside world is miscommunication. Three tools that can be used to communicate with the outside world are the corporate website, annual report, and news bulletins. Vonhamme, J., Lindgreen, A., Reast, J., Popering, N. (2012). To Do Well by Doing Good: Improving Corporate Image Through Cause Related Marketing. Journal of Business Ethics, 109(3). p.259-274. Retrieved March 3, 2013 from EBSCOhost database. Warrick, D. (2011). The Urgent Need for Skilled Transformational Leaders: Integrating Transformational Leadership and Organizational Development. Journal of Leadership,

The Vietnam war Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Vietnam war - Research Paper Example Communist rebels from the north started invading the south. These rebels were trained and armed by the northern Vietnamese government, and they came to be known as the Vietcong. It is the attack on South Vietnam that drew America to Vietnam. The American government through it’s president had promised to support all the nations that faced threats from communism. It is the sole purpose of this paper to identify the superpowers that got assisted by the Vietnam War and how the Vietnam War influenced Cold War. In the period of the Cold War, the American government fought communism in multiple places worldwide. At that time, Southern Vietnam was an area under great threat by the communist Vietcong. The American’s believed that by allowing Communists to take over the Southern part of Vietnam, other countries within that region would follow suite and become communist countries (Domino Theory) (Salem State University, 2009). Faced with this threat, President Kennedy, J.F sent mi litary advisers to assist the army of South Vietnam. It is Kennedy’s successor who started sending military ground troops to Vietnam. But as it later unfolded, the unrest and continued activism against the Vietnam War by the American Citizens saw the government withdraw American troops from Vietnam in the year 1973. Consequently, the Russians won the battle and acquired control of the South. Vietnam was later unified and become a single communist nation. The Vietnam War had an influence over the Cold War. The cold war started in the year 1962 and ended in the late 1970’s. Earlier, in the year 1949, the US had defined all the governments that were communists as being â€Å"the enemy.† After the defeat of the French in 1954, the US replaced them in Vietnam. The war became a struggle between the US, against a nation-state that was emerging (Suffolk State University, 2011). It is the Cold War that saw the US commit itself to assisting all the countries that were und er threat of communism. The Vietnam War was basically a war in which a weaker south Vietnam fought against the north Vietnam. The north Vietnamese were being assisted by China and Russia. The American’s saw this war (Vietnam War) as being a war between communists and Nationalists. The north Vietnamese were communists and the south nationalists. Therefore, the involvement of the U.S in Vietnam War was a direct outcome of the Cold War. At the end of World War Two, the Korean Peninsula was divided between the US forces that were in the south and the Soviet forces that were in the north. Each of these super powers had the intention of unifying Korea under their auspices. The Chinese joined in the war and the war between China and the United States lasted for three years. This war resulted in the growing and intensification of tensions in the Cold War. This growing tension in the Cold War forced the U.S to change its policy towards Vietnam. Russia was keen on facilitating the spre ad of communism in Asia. Together with China, Russia supplied arms to northern Vietnam. The arms were delivered to a group of rebels who later attacked South Vietnam. The United States moved in to support the South fight against the communist north. This scenario overtly shows that the Vietnam War was a war of superpowers. The super powers were fighting a cold war that was due to their different ideologies. Each of the super powers had the intention of introducing her ideologies to other countries. For example, Vietnam was divided into two and each super power

433Mod4SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

433Mod4SLP - Essay Example A common example of HCI which I experienced is GPS navigation system. This has proved to be beneficial for me as I often plan trips where locating my destination becomes important. The navigation system is a prominent example of human computer interaction approach (Wasson, 2006). My personal experience with this application has been good as it was completely a user friendly technology. I just had to enter my location and my destination and the system was so designed that it gave me the entire route map to reach the destination. The usability factor is a matter of concern as proper interaction would be only possible if users find it easy to operate on such application. Similarly I found the navigation system based on HCI approach possess high usability. When the application was installed in my mobile I was keen towards learning its facilities (Kirlik, 2006). It was designed in such comprehensive manner that before going to the main page the application introduced the user with a live example on how to operate such application. This proved to be helpful for me as I could identify the required steps which I need to take to locate my destination. On the contrary I feel that certain HCI applications are difficult to understand. Like for instance my brother installed a computer gaming software in my laptop and I was not able to operate that properly (Jaimes and Sebe, 2007). It comprised of some complicated instructions which a user cannot understand if he or she does not have some technical knowledge. This in turn I feel reduces the usability of a HCI application. I have noticed that in some organizations there are user friendly applications implemented in the system but there are certain programs which require some theoretical knowledge. However usability is an important factor when it comes to HCI and its applications. HCI is all about effective communication between machine and human and I think that this can be only possible if technological

Trends in Racism Reporting Essay Example for Free

Trends in Racism Reporting Essay Racism in reporting seemed to have peaked during the 1950s.   Perhaps the reason for the peak was that the whites and the blacks in America had shared a master-slave relationship in the past.   The Civil Rights Movement had called for changing the status quo.   The demand for equal rights for the blacks was met with resistance, however.   This is the reason why an article published in The Birmingham Post-Herald in 1955 quotes a white sheriff thus: †¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"We haven’t mixed so far down here and we don’t intend to (â€Å"10 Jurors Picked as Till Trial Opens†). †Ã‚   The sheriff was, of course, describing the relations of the white race with the black race (â€Å"10 Jurors Picked as Till Trial Opens†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The above mentioned news article is actually a report on a trial.   All of the jury members selected for the trial were white men.   Eight of the men were farmers and one of them was a laborer.   There were â€Å"eight Negro reporters† present at the trial, but all of them were â€Å"segregated at a separate table (â€Å"10 Jurors Picked as Till Trial Opens†).†Ã‚   Considering that the theory of racism is based on the assumption that a race can be superior to another race for any number of reasons, the news report of the 1950s describes blatant racism.   So, even though the blacks had worked as laborers for the whites in the past, for the reason that the blacks had served the whites as slaves, they could not be members of the jury even if one of the jury members was a white laborer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Contrary to the stance of the whites with respect to the blacks described in the above mentioned article, a news article published by The San Francisco News in 1942 describes the value of the Japanese Americans to the economy of the United States.   The author of the article, â€Å"Jap Ban to Force Farm Adjustments,† states that the internment of the Japanese Americans would adversely affect the agricultural produce of California.   The article refers to the Japanese Americans as â€Å"[f]ast and efficient workers (â€Å"Jap Ban to Force Farm Adjustments†).†Ã‚   Even though the work of the Japanese Americans on Californian farms had required â€Å"the most arduous form of ‘stoop labor,’† the article mentions that the white farmers would be able to handle it, but not as well as the Japanese American workers (â€Å"Jap Ban to Force Farm Adjustments†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stoop labor is defined as â€Å"[b]ack-bending manual work (â€Å"Stoop Labor†).†Ã‚   If the news article published in 1942 had clearly stated that the white farmers will not be able to replace the Japanese Americans on the plantations because the latter were engaged in stoop labor which the white farmers simply would not engage in; it would have been obvious that the reporting is racist.   However, this is not the case.   Rather, the Japanese Americans are lauded for their efficiency in the news report, as some of them were capable of tending to forty to fifty gardens at a time (â€Å"Jap Ban to Force Farm Adjustments†).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Even though the Japanese Americans had been interned during World War II, the whites did not seem to look down upon them or consider them inferior.   On the other hand, the blacks were obviously considered inferior because they had served the whites as slaves.   These differences of perceptions are made clear by the news reports. Works Cited â€Å"10 Jurors Picked as Till Trial Opens: 3 Veniremen Dismissed Because of Link with Fund to Defend Accused Men.† The Birmingham Post Herald. 19 Sep 1955. â€Å"Jap Ban to Force Farm Adjustments.† The San Francisco News. 4 Mar 1942. â€Å"Stoop Labor.† Answers. 2007. 10 Dec 2007. http://www.answers.com/topic/stoop-labor.

What Is Animal Abuse?

What Is Animal Abuse? What is animal abuse. Animal abuse is a behavior that harming animals for other purposes and reasons other than self-protection and survival. This kind of cases is increasing year by year throughout the world every year. There are several factors that contribute to this cruel act. One of the factors that led to animal abuse is neglect. Nowadays, many people want to keep a pet just because the animals are cute. People see those cute animals such as puppy, kitten and rabbit through mass media. The mass media include advertisements and some TV shows. After they saw those cute and adorable animals they want to keep it as pet, so they go to the pet shop to buy. They never think twice before they bring those animals back to their home. They never think that they dont have time to take care their pets. This will causes harms to their pets. In this 21st century most of the peoples and families are busy with their work, and they dont have time feed and play with their pets. When their pet is sick, they dont even notice and do not have time to bring their pet to the veterinarians. As a result, this will lead to animal cruelty. Besides that, some of the TV shows and game shows also will lead to animal abuses. Some of the game shows will use animal as their selling point to attract viewers in order to boost up their viewership rating for the particular shows. Some of game shows even torture and hurt the animals in order to get good ratings for the show. For example, an American game show known as Fear Factor often uses animal to in their shows as a challenge to their game shows participants. In one of the episodes, the participants are required to use their mouth to move the snakes from one box to another box. This action will cause harm to the snakes and this is a very foolish and very unethical action done by human being. Another factor that will lead to animal abuse or animal cruelty is the science research. In this century, science is very important for human being. Science is important to human beings in term of medications, technologies and others. In order to make humans life easier a lots of researches and experiments need to be carry out. Some of these experiments will involve animals. For example, in order to produce or invent new medicines animal will be the first one who test the drugs for the side effects. Besides, for education purpose in school or university, students are required to dissect animals such as rats and frogs in biology class in order to understand more about the system and facts about those animals. Animal abuse happens in this case indirectly. In additions, stress and anger will is also one of the factors that will contribute to animal abuse. This phenomenon happens when someone got too stress from his work or studies and they have no way to release it, they will release it on their pets. Those people will torture their pets by not feeding their pet or even uses brutal strength such ass kick and hit their pets. Anger will also cause animal cruelty happens. When some weak people such as students got bullied and humiliate at school and they have no strength or power to protect and defend them self, they will get their revenge on animals by torturing them. They do this because they think those small animals like puppies and kittens are small and defenseless against them. Another factor that will lead to animal abuse is the psychological factor. Some people out there have psychology and mental problem. They want the power to control people and dominate people, but they are not capable enough. So, they try to dominate the animals and control the animals by giving order and punishment as they want. Another type of psychology problem some people like to see animal being torture or they personally like to torture animal themselves for personal satisfaction. This is a kind of disease or mental disorder. People with this kind of mental disorder are mostly having trauma during their childhood time. These people are most likely being abuse by their parents or being bullied in school time. These people need medication to control their condition or else they will get worse. Another psychology problem that led to animal cruelty is the people who bully the animal to seek for public attention. These people are those who are commonly neglect by the society. They fe el that they do not existence in the society and they feel that they are ignored. So they want to do something to let the public know about their existence. Some of these people will abuse and torture the animals to prove their existence in the society. Some of the parents will buy pets to accompany their children. Parents nowadays are busy with their works and do not have time to play with their children. So they buy a pet for them to accompany them to play with them and make them happy. But they never thought that their children do not how to take care the animals. Sometimes is not they want to abuse the animals, but the will they treat the animals like feeding them too much will indirectly causes harm to the animals. Another factor that will contribute to animal abuse is culture. Some of the culture will contribute to animal abuse. Those cultures are like a traditional festival for them and they must carry it out. For example Spains bulls fight festival. This festival is a very cruel and unethical festival. This festival is actually a festival that kills a bull to entertain audiences. Besides that, some of the people will even kill those animals just for the skin of the animal. For example, human being kills those snakes, crocodiles and bulls just for their skin to make wallets and handbags. Besides that, some human will also kill the animal for gaining personal profit. Shark fin is a very good example of animal cruelty. In order to get the shark fin, they will just cut off the fin of the shark and throw them back into the sea. The shark without the fin will hardly swim and eventually the sharks will die in the sea. Another example of this point is eating puppy or dogs. In China, they will slaughter the dogs and puppy in their shop and cook it for the customers. Eating dog is an unethical behavior to do. In addition, animal training may also lead to animal abuse. To train an animal to obey to a command is not an easy task or more precise is a very hard task. All animals are different. Some of the people may eventually hurt the animal without noticing when they are training the animals. Some of the training needs punishment to let the animals know or remember the move the people teach them. For example, in a circus, animal such as tiger, lion, and elephant need training before they can perform in front of the audience, during the training the people may hurt them without noticing because animals cant express themselves well. http://www.pet-abuse.com/pages/animal_cruelty/why.php http://voices.yahoo.com/animal-abuse-leading-causes-stop-it-6289042.html?cat=48 http://www.nhes.org/sections/view/330 http://tcr.sagepub.com/content/2/2/177.abstract http://www.sunbearsquad.org/risks.shtml

Probleemanalyse van essentieel belang

Probleemanalyse van essentieel belang Probleemanalyse Inleiding Bij het opstarten van een project is een probleemanalyse van essentieel belang. Na het bestuderen van het probleem en de vragen van de opdrachtgever, wordt een helder en duidelijk managementprobleem geformuleerd. Naast de opdracht formuleer je wat je gaat onderzoeken, op welke manier je dat gaat doen en waarom. De onderdelen die in de probleemanalyse aan bod komen zijn het managementprobleem, het onderzoeksprobleem, componenten, de onderzoeksdoelstelling gevolgd door de onderliggende onderzoeksvragen en op het einde het theoretisch kader, waar alle begrippen en theorieà «n in vermeld worden. De probleemanalyse wordt aangeboden aan de opdrachtgever, die de analyse goed- of afkeurt. Bij goedkeuring aanvaardt de opdrachtgever dat het projectteam de opdracht gaat uitvoeren. Managementprobleem De NHTV international hogeschool Breda is een allround kennisinstituut op het gebied van recreatie en toerisme. De NHTV leidt niet alleen (inter)nationale studenten op, maar organiseert ook congressen en neemt deel aan workshops en seminars over de hele wereld. De missie van de hogeschool luidt als volgt: NHTV wil een bijdrage leveren aan de maatschappij door in nauwe samenwerking met de internationale werkvelden (jonge) mensen op te leiden tot verantwoordelijke professionals voor een globaliserende werk- en kennisomgeving. De instelling wil medewerkers en studenten inspireren en uitdagen hun talenten optimaal te ontwikkelen, hun kennis en kunde te integreren en deze als professional of als wetenschapper op excellente en duurzame wijze toe te passen in de samenleving. (NHTV, 2010) Daarnaast is de hogeschool nauw betrokken bij het internationale toerisme en recreatieve bedrijfsleven, vooral als het gaat over innovatieve en duurzame ontwikkelingen. De hogeschool is een door de World Tourism Organization gecertificeerde opleiding die serieus meedenkt over etnische vraagstukken in het internationale toerisme. Daarnaast is de NHTV nauw betrokken bij de Initiatiefgroep Duurzaam Uitgaan Toerisme (IDUT). De opleiding Management Toerisme denkt erover om, in navolging van IDUT, een nieuw platform op te richten, namelijk het Internationaal Innovatieplatform Toeristisch Vervoer. De NHTV, de wereld, de toerist en de recreant hebben namelijk à ©Ãƒ ©n ding gemeen: ze zijn altijd in beweging. Het probleem is echter dat er een heldere visie op toeristisch en recreatief vervoer ontbreekt. Niet eerder is nagedacht over of onderzoek gedaan naar aspecten als ethiek, duurzaamheid, snelheid, prijs enzovoorts. Met het oog op de ontwikkelingen naar een beleveniseconomie en zelfs een transformationele economie, wil het Internationaal Innovatieplatform Toeristisch Vervoer een visie laten ontwikkelen op toeristisch-recreatief vervoer die de basis vormt voor een betekenisvol belevingsconcept. Er wordt als het ware een creatieve en overtuigende vertaalslag gemaakt van de droom (visie) naar de daad (concept). Het concept dient vervolgens globaal getoetst te worden op ethische en duurzaamheidaspecten. Tot op heden is er ook geen onderzoek gedaan naar nieuwe volggroepen die aansluiten bij de producten en het concept. Het is de bedoeling dat à ©Ãƒ ©n of meer volggroepen zich aantoonbaar aangesproken gaan voelen door de beleving die deze producten oplevert. De karakteristiek van deze volgroepen dient op basis van de waardegeorià «nteerde lifestyle-segmentatiemodellen gegeven te worden. Daarnaast dient het belevingsconcept aantoonbaar geschikt te zijn voor de ontwikkeling van een aantal verschillende en onderscheidende belevingsproducten. Daarbij dient à ©Ãƒ ©n belevingsproduct op hoofdlijnen uitgewerkt te worden. Uiteindelijk zal aangegeven worden hoe de betrokkenheid en/of binding tussen volggroep en belevingsproduct door interactieve communicatie kan worden bevorderd. Daarbij gaat het om het regisseren van de communicatie. (Handleiding CPO2, 2010) Onderzoeksprobleem Zoals in het managementprobleem beschreven staat, ontbreekt een heldere visie op toeristisch en recreatief vervoer. De NHTV geeft de student Management Toerisme om die reden de opdracht om op basis van een persoonlijke visie op toeristisch recreatief vervoer een sterk belevingsconcept voor een specifieke vorm van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer te ontwikkelen, waaraan verschillende onderscheidende belevingsproducten gekoppeld kunnen worden en waardoor met naam te benoemen volggroepen zich aangesproken en verbonden voelen. Met de introductie van het belevingsconcept voor vakantievervoer dient de eerste publicatie van het Internationaal Innovatieplatform Toeristisch Vervoer gevoed te worden. De compacte vraag die ik mijzelf bij dit project heb gesteld luidt als volgt: Hoe kan ik vanuit een persoonlijke visie komen tot een belevingsconcept? Om antwoord te geven op de bovenstaande onderzoeksvraag dient er informatie te worden verzameld over de diverse aspecten die bij dit project van belang zullen zijn. Zo zal de aanbodkant van het toeristisch-recreatief vervoer in kaart moeten worden gebracht en dient er onderzoek gedaan te worden naar de trends en ontwikkelingen van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer. Daarbij zal er gekeken worden naar de situatie op micro- en meso-niveau. Aan de hand van de micro-analyse dient er in kaart te worden gebracht wat de kernwaarden en motieven zijn, welke in verbinding staan met het toeristisch-recreatief vervoer. Een duidelijk beeld van de bovenstaande aspecten maakt het mogelijk een persoonlijk visie te formuleren waarna je kunt komen tot een belevingsconcept. Componenten Om antwoord te geven op de onderzoeksvragen zijn een aantal deelstudies noodzakelijk om te voorzien in de gedefinieerde informatie- en adviesbehoefte. In de opstartfase diende iedere student een keuze te maken tussen vervoer via land, water of lucht. De keuze is uiteindelijk gevallen op de vervoerssector transport over water. De reden hiervoor is dat het transport over water, in tegenstelling tot andere toeristisch-recreatieve vervoersmogelijkheden een stijgende lijn kent in het aantal passagiers. Daarnaast ontdoet het transport via water zich van zijn stoffige imago en hebben cruisemaatschappijen hun focus gelegd op de bouw van innovatieve schepen en het aanspreken van nieuwe doelgroepen. Het ABCDEF-model loopt als de rode draad door het conceptontwikkelingsproces heen. Deze methodiek is een uitbereiding van het conceptontwikkelingsproces en bevat de onderdelen: aandacht en analyse, broeden en beleven, creà «ren van een concept, design van belevenissen, experience platform en follow up. De ABCDEF-methodiek is kwalitatief van aard en gaat om het blootleggen van het hart of de ziel en deze in conceptvorm te vangen. Allereerst zal worden ingegaan op een nadere uitwerking van de aanbodkant. Er dient onderzocht te worden welke mogelijkheden reisorganisaties bieden, welke trends en ontwikkelingen er van toepassing zijn en waar de vervoerssector zich in onderscheid. Informatie hierover is te vinden op internet, in de databases van Tourpress en de Reisrevue. Daarnaast worden websites van touroperators en transportbedrijven geraadpleegt. Vervolgens zal worden ingegaan op vraag- en (deels) aanbodkant van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer over het water. Deze onderdelen bevat deelvragen die het doel hebben de situatie op macro-, meso- en micro-niveau te beschrijven. De macro-omgeving zal beschreven worden aan de hand van het DSTEPJ-model en de meso-omgeving zal beschreven worden aan de hand van het ABCD-model. De micro-analyse maakt onderdeel uit van de vraagkant, waarbij gekeken wordt naar de kernwaarden en motivaties van reizigers. Bij de micro-analyse zal gebruik worden gemaakt van het Mentality-model van Motivaction, die onderscheid maakt in verschillende sociale milieus. Daarnaast zal bij het onderzoeken van consumententrends publicaties en databases van Tourpress, Reisrevue, NBTC, TNS NIPO en de ANVR geraadpleegd worden. Theorieà «n en begrippen betreffende visie, duurzaamheid en ethiek, concept- en productontwikkeling etc. zijn te vinden in de literatuur van Nijs en Peters Imagineering, Rijkenberg Concepting en Boers en Beunders De andere kant van de vrije tijd. Onderzoeksdoelstelling Inzicht verkrijgen in de aanbodkant, trends en ontwikkelingen en kernwaarden en motivaties van het toeristisch-recreatief vervoer teneinde een visie te ontwikkelen op toeristisch-recreatief vervoer die de basis vormt voor een betekenisvol belevingsconcept. Inzicht verkrijgen in de aanbodkant, trends en ontwikkelingen en kernwaarden en motivaties van het toeristisch-recreatief vervoer teneinde een sterk belevingsconcept voor een specifieke vorm van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer te ontwikkelen, waaraan verschillende onderscheidende belevingsproducten gekoppeld kunnen worden en waardoor met naam te benoemen volggroepen zich aangesproken en verbonden voelen. Onderzoeksvragen Hoe ziet het aanbodkant eruit van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer over het water? Hoe ziet de situatie eruit op macro-niveau? Hoe ziet de situatie eruit op meso-niveau? Hoe ziet de situatie eruit op micro-niveau? Theoretisch kader Het ABCDEF-model loopt als de rode draad door het conceptontwikkelingsproces heen. Deze methodiek is een uitbereiding van het conceptontwikkelingsproces en bevat de volgende onderdelen Analyse en Aandacht. Analyse van vraag als aanbodkant. Inleven in de ziel, de aard, het unieke DNA van het aanbod aan toeristisch recreatief vervoer. Broeden en Beleven. Ontwikkelen van een subjectieve en onderscheidende visie op toeristisch recreatief vervoer en de daarin gekozen sector. Creà «ren van een Concept. Het vertalen van een visie in een concept. Design van belevenissen. Ontwerpen van belevingsproducten, diensten of belevenissen. Experience platform. Emotionele betrokkenheid, loyaliteit creà «ren. Follow up. Het werken met belevingsconcepten en -producten leidt tot innovaties binnen het bedrijf. (Projecthandleiding CPO2, 2010) Bij het maken van een situatieanalyse kan een onderscheid gemaakt worden in een externe (ook wel omgevingsanalyse genoemd) en een interne situatieanalyse. De externe analyse bestaat uit variabelen die van invloed zijn op de activiteiten van de organisatie, maar waarop door de organisatie zelf geen (of weinig) invloed kan worden uitgeoefend. In de literatuur wordt hierbij een verder onderscheid gemaakt in macro-omgeving en meso-omgeving. De macro-omgevingsanalyse, ook wel eens trendanalyse genoemd, wordt gebruikt om de huidige en toekomstige trends en/of gebeurtenissen te lokaliseren, die potentià «le mogelijkheden of bedreigingen vormen voor de organisatie. Bij de eerste onderzoeksvraag zal gebruik worden gemaakt van het DSTEPJ-model, waaronder de demografische factoren, sociaal culturele omgevingsvariabelen, technologische omgevingsvariabelen, economische omgevingsvariabelen, politieke omgevingsvariabelen en juridische variabelen vallen. Demografische factoren: kenmerken die te maken hebben met de Nederlandse bevolking. Economische factoren: kenmerken die te maken hebben met de economie van Nederland. Sociaal-culturele factoren: kenmerken van cultuur en leefgewoonten van Nederland. Technologische factoren: kenmerken van de ontwikkeling op technologisch gebied. Ecologische factoren: kenmerken die te maken hebben met de fysieke omgeving en milieu. Politiek: kenmerken van overheidsbeslissingen. Juridische factoren: kenmerken van overheidsbeslissingen (Intemarketing.nl, 2010) Factoren uit de meso-omgeving hebben te maken met factoren binnen de branche, die van invloed zijn op het functioneren van de organisatie. Hierbij gaat het vooral om marktvormen, marktstructuur en marktorganisatie vanuit de vraagzijde en vanuit de aanbodzijde. En ook de concurrentie- en concurrentieanalyse is hier van belang. De vraag naar vakanties in het algemeen, de binnenlandse vakantie in het bijzonder en specifiek naar kamperen, zijn ontwikkelingen binnen de branche van verblijfsrecreatie, die voor een camping van belang zijn. De meso-analyse zal worden beschreven aan de hand van het ABCD-model, waaronder de afnemers-, bedrijfstak-, concurrentie- en distributieanalyse behoren. Bij de micro-analyse wordt de kernwaarden, motivaties en trends van de consument onderzocht. Dit zal gedaan worden aan het hand van hand van de verschillende Mentality-milieus van Motivaction, waarbij onderscheid wordt gemaakt in socio-demografische gegevens en de normen en waarden van de verschillende milieus. De gemaksgeorià «nteerden: de impulsieve en passieve consument die in de eerste plaats streeft naar een onbezorgd, plezierig en comfortabel leven. De opwaarts mobielen: de carrià ¨regerichte individualisten met een uitgesproken fascinatie voor sociale status, nieuwe technologie, risico en spanning. De nieuwe conservatieven: de liberaalconservatieve maatschappelijke bovenlaag die alle ruimte wil geven aan technologische ontwikkeling, maar zich verzet tegen sociale en culturele vernieuwingen. De kosmopolieten: de open en kritische wereldburgers die postmoderne waarden als ontplooien en beleven integreren met moderne waarden als maatschappelijk succes, materialisme en genieten. De postmaterialisten: de maatschappelijke idealisten die zichzelf willen ontplooien, stelling nemen tegen sociaal onrecht en opkomen voor het milieu. De postmoderne hedonisten: de pioniers van de beleveniscultuur, waarin experiment en het breken met morele en sociale conventies doelen op zichzelf zijn geworden. De traditionele burgerij: de moralistische, plichtsgetrouwe en op de status-quo gerichte burgerij die vasthoudt aan tradities en materià «le bezittingen. De moderne burgerij: de conformistische, statusgevoelige burgerij die het evenwicht zoekt tussen traditie en moderne waarden als consumeren en genieten. (Motivaction.nl, 2010) Werkwijze Aanbodkant van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer Inleiding In dit hoofdstuk zullen we het gaan hebben over de verschillende mogelijkheden binnen toeristisch-recreatief vervoer in het algemeen à ©n gespecialiseerd op de sector vervoer over water. Er zijn drie doelen van het gebruik van transport die toegelicht zullen worden, namelijk: als doorvoer, als bestemming en als toeristische attractie. Mogelijkheden binnen toeristisch-recreatief vervoer Transport als doorvoer Het belangrijkste doel van het gebruik van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer is het transporteren van mensen naar een andere bestemming dan de plaats van herkomst (bijna 90%). Nadeel voor de touroperator is dat hij weinig tot geen controle uit kan voeren op de geboden service. Door middel van yieldmanagement zal er een poging worden gedaan een optimale mix van prijs en bezetting te behalen. Toch kan het vervoer gezien worden als een belevenis, mits er hoog wordt gescoord op de volgende criteria: het type transport, de persoonlijkheid van de toerist, de frequentie van het reizen en de reissamenstelling van de toerist. Deze criteria dienen te worden vergeleken met nadelen van vervoer als lange wachtrijen en vertragingen. Transport als bestemming Eenmaal op de bestemming aangekomen maken toeristen veelvuldig gebruik van vervoers-middelen als huurautos, taxis, busdiensten en veerboten. Vaak spelen vervoerders op de bestemming hierop in door producten aan te bieden voor specifiek gericht zijn op het toerisme. Hierbij kunt u denken aan excursies en kaarten voor het openbare vervoer in het gebied. Vervoer op de vakantiebestemming is goed voor 10% van het totale toeristische gebruik van vervoer. Transport als toeristische attractie In een aantal gevallen is het vervoersmiddel de attractie tussen bestemmingen in à ©Ãƒ ©n of meerdere landen. De grootste markt hiervoor is de cruise-industrie. Daarnaast zijn er voorbeelden van treinreizen als de Oriental Express, dagtrips met een ferry door Engeland en kanaalcruises door Amsterdam. Vormen van reizen De meest voor de hand liggende manier voor het analyseren van toeristisch-recreatief vervoer is door te kijken naar de verschillende vormen van reizen: land, water, spoor en lucht. De keuze van de toerist voor een bepaalde vorm van reizen hangt samen met invloeden als: afstand en tijd, status en comfort, veiligheid en nuttigheid, prijs/ service en dienstverlening, geografische ligging en de hoogte van de concurrentie tussen de verschillende diensten. Componenten Er kunnen vier basiselementen worden onderscheiden, namelijk: de weg, de wachtruimte, het vervoersmiddel en de drijfkracht. De weg kan omschreven worden als het middel waarin het vervoersmiddel kunstmatig (weg, rails) of natuurlijk (lucht, water) opereert. Wachtruimtes geven de reiziger toegang tot het vervoersmiddel of fungeren als schakel tussen verschillende wijzen van vervoer. Niet alle vervoersmiddelen hebben een geavanceerde terminal nodig. Zo stoppen stadsbussen bijvoorbeeld op plaatsen langs weg. Het vervoers-middel is het voertuig dat het vervoer vergemakkelijkt. De aard van het vervoersmiddel wordt beà ¯nvloed door verschillende factoren als: vraag- en technologische ontwikkelingen en drijfkracht, het belangrijkste element in de ontwikkeling van transport. Vervoersmiddelen kennen een steeds grotere capaciteit, zijn sneller en worden vooral milieuvriendelijker. De vervoersindustrie is een concurrentiegevoelige en complexe industrie. Verschillende vormen van vervoer, verschillende bedrijven en verschillende landen beconcurreren elkaar met hun product. Consumenten kiezen aan de hand van de volgende factoren voor een bepaald vervoersmiddel of bedrijf: veiligheid, kosten, snelheid, afstand, gemak, vertrek- en aankomsttijd, betrouwbaarheid, beschikbaarheid, flexibiliteit, service, comfort, prikkels en status en prestige. (Tourism principles and practice, 2010) Toeristisch-recreatief vervoersaanbod van de sector water Toeristisch-recreatief vervoer over het water kunnen we verdelen in vervoer per veerboot en cruiseschip. Rondreizen per cruiseschip zijn vervolgens onder te verdelen in zeecruises en riviercruises. Er zijn twee verschillen tussen aan te duiden tussen zee- en riviercruises: het soort water dat bevaren wordt heeft gevolgen voor het soort schip en bij een zeecruise wordt er s nachts gevaren, in tegenstelling tot bij de riviercruise, waar varen zelf juist de grootste attractie is en daardoor overdag gevaren wordt. De cruise is voortgekomen uit de overcapaciteit aan schepen, die ontstond toen er in de jaren vijftig geen of nauwelijks meer interesse bestond voor de lijndienstscheepvaart. Sinds de jaren tachtig en het begin van de negentiger jaren is de cruisebusiness in een stroomversnelling terecht gekomen. Jaarlijks boeken zon tien miljoen mensen wereldwijd een cruise. De schepen hebben zich ontwikkelt tot gestroomlijnde drijvende resorts die duizenden passagiers kunnen vervoeren. Ze var en voornamelijk in het Caribisch gebied, de Bahamas, naar Alaska en zelfs Antarctica. Daarnaast zijn er trans-Atlantische cruises naar New York en bescheiden cruises in de Middellandse Zee. In tegenstelling tot zeecruises vinden riviercruises voornamelijk plaats in Europa. Voor de Nederlandse markt zijn bestemmingen binnen Europa dan ook veruit het belangrijkste. Er worden cruises aangeboden op de rivieren: de Rijn, de Maas, de Donau, de Elbe, de Rhà ´ne, de Seine en de Don. Luxueuze riviercruises buiten Europa komen voornamelijk voor op de Nijl en de Mississippi. Ruim honderd jaar geleden werd de akte van Mannheim getekend, door landen die aan de Rijn liggen. In deze akte werd het varen op de Rijn aan regels onderworpen, hetgeen een grote invloed heeft voor de huidige scheepsvaart op de Rijn. Eà ©n van de onderdelen was, dat de schepen op de Rijn en haar zijrivieren bepaalde afmetingen niet mochten overschrijden, zodat à ©Ãƒ ©n van de belangrijkste kenmerken van een riviercruiseschip is in tegenstelling tot het zeecruiseschip dat het maximaal vier verdiepingen mag hebben, waardoor het schip onder de bruggen door kan varen. Door de bovengenoemde voorschriften komen in West-Europa de riviercruiseschepen niet boven de capaciteit van tweehonderd passagiers uit. De tarieven worden voornamelijk bepaald door de luxe van het schip. Prijzen liggen tussen de circa â‚ ¬ 100,- en â‚ ¬ 350,- per persoon per dag. (De wereld in toeristische bestemmingen, 2004) Wat betreft het vervoer van voertuigen en goederen op korte overtochten, bieden veerboten goedkope, betrouwbare en veilige diensten. Vervoer per ferry is de enige mogelijkheid in het geval van een afgelegen en klein eiland waar geen luchthaven aanwezig is. Denk bijvoorbeeld aan Griekenland, waar slechts 15 luchthavens tot 95 bewoonde eilanden dienen. In dit geval verbinden grote veerboten het vasteland, de havens en de eilanden met elkaar. Bovendien verzorgen kleinere regionale veerboten het vervoer tussen de eilanden, met name in het hoogseizoen. In veel gevallen kan de luchtvaart een uitstekend alternatief zijn voor het vervoer tussen de grotere eilanden en het vasteland. Het belangrijkste voordeel van de ferry in vergelijking met het vliegtuig is de prijs, gecombineerd met het feit dat passagiers op de bestemming gebruik kunnen maken van hun eigen voertuig. De populariteit van autovakanties en self-drive pakketten, evenals de invoering van het roll-on-roll-off principe die het voor de haven mogelijk maakt een groter volume van de voertuigen te verwerken tonen de stijging van de vraag naar veerdiensten aan. De geleidelijke liberalisering van het luchtvervoer in Europa, de daling van de kosten van vliegtickets en de ontwikkeling van alternatieve vervoersmogelijkheden hebben ervoor gezorgd dat veerdiensten vors investeren om hun schepen te verbeteren, de snelheid te verhogen en recreatieve voorzieningen te ontwikkelen. Routes met langere overtochten bieden de reiziger tegenwoordig een ruime keuze aan recreatieve voorzieningen en een consument-gerichte service. Moderne schepen als de catamaran en draagvleugelboten zijn in de afgelopen decennia op bepaalde routes ingevoerd. Moderne schepen hebben meer vermogen dan de traditionele veerdiensten en arriveren dus sneller op hun bestemming. Ze varen tot drie keer sneller dan een normale veerboot, terwijl ze een grote wendbaarheid en een snelle turn-around hebben in de haven. Daarnaast nemen ze veel minder ruimte in beslag dan traditionele veerdiensten waardoor ze een minimum aan dokfaciliteiten nodig hebben. Moderne schepen trekken dan ook voornamelijk up-market toeristen aan die de wens hebben hun bestemming zo spoedig mogelijk te bereiken. Nadelen van deze schepen: ze zijn veel duurder dan traditionele veerboten, kwetsbaarder in slechte weersomstandigheden en kunnen luidruchtig zijn. Naast de veerboot, het cruiseschip, de catamaran en de draagvleugelboot kennen we nog een aantal categorieà «n, zoals de binnenvaart, kleine pleziervaartuigen, het zeilschip en de rondvaartboot. Kenmerken van deze vervoersmogelijkheden zijn dat ze vaak op de bestemming zelf gebruikt worden of bevaren worden door de eigenaar van het vaartuig. Daardoor worden ze niet allemaal beschouwd als toeristisch-recreatief vervoer. (Tourism principles and practice, 2010) Recente cijfers cruisetoerisme: Terwijl een groot deel van de Nederlandse reisbranche de negatieve gevolgen van de economische crisis ondervindt, is de cruisesector bezig met een spectaculaire opmars. De cruisemarkt toont aan zich onder lastige omstandigheden aanzienlijk in de toeristische sector te blijven ontwikkelen. Nederland heeft daarentegen een flinke achterstand in te halen op echte cruisenaties, zoals de Groot-Brittannià «, Italià «, Duitsland, Frankrijk en Spanje. In 2008 werden er 4,5 miljoen cruisepassagiers geteld uit Europa, waarvan er 1,5 miljoen uit Groot-Brittannià « kwamen en 0,9 miljoen uit Duitsland. Desondanks is Nederland bezig met een opmars en de meest recente cijfers voor Nederland liegen er niet om. In 2008 nam het aantal Nederlandse cruisepassagiers al met ruim 44 procent toe tot ruim 48.600 en in het eerste kwartaal van 2009 kon de opgaande lijn voortgezet en versterkt worden, aldus Norbert van der Glas, voorzitter van de Dutch Cruise Council (DCC). Aan het einde van het jaar verwacht hij tenminste 60.000 cruisepassagiers te verwelkomen, wat een stijging betekend van 25% ten opzichte van het jaar daarvoor. Tot 1 april 2009 boekten ruim 38.000 Nederlanders een cruisvakantie, 47 procent meer dan in dezelfde periode in 2007. Als de prognose voor heel 2009 uitkomt is het a antal cruisereizigers in twee jaar bijna verdubbeld. De cruisemarkt is in rap tempo bezig zich te ontdoen van haar stoffige imago en spreekt een steeds jonger publiek aan. De beeldvorming is zich bij een breed publiek ingrijpend aan het wijzigen. Dat komt niet alleen door de voortdurende vlootvernieuwing, maar ook door de verjonging en modernisering van activiteiten aan boord. Natuurlijk hebben we nog steeds veel senioren onder onze passagiers, maar ook steeds meer families vinden cruisen geweldig, zo zegt Norbert van der Glas. Tenslotte krijgt de cruisemarkt een opwaartse impuls door het groeiend aantal vertrekken vanuit Nederlandse havens, verwacht Van der Glas. Mensen zien dat of horen daarover en krijgen dan ook zelf zin om op reis te gaan. Voor cruiseschepen die in Amsterdam hun thuishaven krijgen zal het effect door de verwachte komst van een tweede cruiseterminal nabij de Coentunnel op langere termijn positief worden beà ¯nvloed. De huidige Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) zal dan vooral voor dagbezoek van cruises worden gebruikt. Naar verwachting zal die ontwikkeling in de loop van 2013/2014 haar beslag krijgen. De spectaculaire opmars van de cruisesector werden gepresenteerd tijdens de lancering van de Dutch Cruise Council in 2009. Daarin hebben twintig rederijen of hun vertegenwoordigers in Nederland zich verenigd om samen het cruiseproduct in de breedste zin van het woord te promoten bij reisbranche en consument. De situatie op macro-niveau Inleiding In dit hoofdstuk zal onderzoek gedaan worden naar trends en ontwikkelingen op macro-niveau. Het doel van trendonderzoek is om voorspellingen te doen op de langere termijn. Het verschil met modes en rages is dat deze grillig en tijdelijk zijn, in tegenstelling tot trends waarbij het om langdurige, fundamentele, autonome maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen gaat. Er zal in dit hoofdstuk, tenzij anders vermeld, gebruik worden gemaakt van de andere kant van de vrije tijd (2007) en het artikel Trendwatching Trends voor 2010 (2009). Demografische ontwikkelingen De belangrijkste demografische trends in de westerse wereld zijn vergrijzing, ontgroening en gezinsverdunning. Vergrijzing betekent de opkomst van actieve en koopkrachtige senioren. Daarnaast ontstaat een groep ouderen die met een zeer beperkt inkomen dito mogelijkheden hebben. De ontgroening leidt tot een afname van de jongerenmarkt qua omvang, maar deze wordt deel gecompenseerd door toegenomen bestedingsmogelijkheden. De gezinsverdunning leidt tot een toename van het aantal uren huishoudelijke arbeid en daarmee op macro-niveau tot een afname van de hoeveelheid vrije tijd. De tijdsbesparende functie van nieuwe huishoudelijke apparatuur wordt daardoor op macro-niveau ook grotendeels tenietgedaan. Bevolking per component Net als de bevolkingsgroei laat de huishoudensgroei een langzaam afnemend verloop zien (Van Duin en Loozen, 2009). Ondanks het feit dat de huishoudensgroei de komende jaren met 0,5 tot 1 procent per jaar zal groeien, zal deze in 2040 geleidelijk tot nul zijn afgenomen. De relatieve groei van het aantal huishoudens zal in de aankomende jaren tweemaal hoger liggen dan die van het aantal inwoners. Dit wordt veroorzaakt door het groeiende aantal alleen-staanden, waardoor de gemiddelde grootte van huishoudens voortdurende afneemt. Een andere belangrijke oorzaak is de vergrijzing. Ouderen zijn na het verlies van hun levenspartner vaker alleenstaand dan personen van middelbare leeftijd. De laatste groep kiest er sinds de jaren zeventig steeds meer voor om ongehuwd samen te wonen. Omdat ongehuwde stellen hogere scheidingsrisicos met zich meedragen, zal deze informalisering gepaard gaan met een toenemende instabiliteit. De verwachting is dat de huishoudensver-dunning rond 2040 vrijwel uitgewe rkt is. Vergrijzing/ ontgroening Uit cijfers van het Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek die de nieuwe regionale prognose beschrijft van de periode 2009-2040 blijkt dat de vergrijzing in Nederland in de afgelopen jaren is toegenomen. In de periode tussen het einde van de Tweede Wereldoorlog en het begin van de jaren zeventig lag het aantal geboorten in Nederland beduidend hoger dan in de jaren ervoor en erna. Dit had tot gevolg dat Nederland hedendaags een grote bevolkingsgroep van 39-63-jarigen heeft. Het aantal ouderen zal door de instroom van de 39-63-jarigen vanaf 2011 snel stijgen. Het aandeel van 65-plussers zal stijgen van 15 procent in 2009 naar 26 procent rond 2040. Door de stijgende levensverwachting blijven ouderen bovendien steeds langer in leven. Van de mensen die dit jaar 65 werden zal naar verwachting in 2025 ruim 70 procent 80 jaar worden. Van de mensen die in 1990 65 jaar werden, haalde slechts zon 60 procent de 80 jaar. Het verschil in vergrijzing tussen stad en platteland komt duidelijk tot uiting indien gekeken wordt naar de verstedelijkingsgraad. Niet-stedelijke gemeenten hebben over het algemeen een oudere bevolking dan stedelijke gemeenten. Volgens de prognose neemt dat verschil de komende decennia nog iets toe. In de regios Amsterdam, Den Haag, Rotterdam en Utrecht blijft het aandeel ouderen tot 2040 lager dan een kwart. In deze regios zijn de grote steden economische groeipolen en deze oefenen, gecombineerd met een groot aanbod aan (onderwijs) faciliteiten, een sterke aantrekkingskracht op jongeren uit. Bevolkingsgroei en -krimp Na de sterke bevolkingsgroei in de jaren vijftig, zestig en zeventig, veroorzaakt door de aanhoudende geboortegolf en de grote stromen immigranten die Nederland ontving, is hier in de 21ste eeuw langzaam een kentering in gekomen. In snel tempo daalde de bevolkingsgroei in de eerste helft van dit decennium en bereikte in 2006 een dieptepunt toen de bevolking met slechts 24 duizend personen groeide en er voor het eerst sinds lange tijd sprake was van een vertrekoverschot. In 2007 trok de immigratie weer sterk aan, met een recordaantal van 143 duizend in 2008. In de bevolkingsprognose van het CBS wordt verwacht dat de bevolkings-groei van Nederland nog zon 30 jaar zal aanhouden. Wel zal het tempo veel lager liggen dan in het verleden. Is krimp op nationaal niveau dus nog niet aan de orde, voor bepaalde regios en steden ligt de situatie anders. Diverse grote steden hebben, als gevolg van suburbanisatie, in de tweede helft van de vorige eeuw hun inwonertal zien afnemen. Deze trend is over igens gekeerd door nieuwe inzichten in het beleid en daarmee samenhangend meer woningbouw aan de randen van de grote steden. Meer informatie over deze ontwikkeling is te vinden onder het verstedelijking, verderop in dit hoofdstuk. Huishoudensgroei en -krimp/ Afnemende omvang van huishoudens In beleidskringen heeft de discussie over groei en krimp meestal betrekking op het aantal personen. Voor de woningbouw is het echter veel belangrijker hoe de ontwikkel

Native Americans - Aztecs and Indians :: essays research papers

Two of the biggest and greatest civilization in the Americas were the Aztecs and Incas. These two civilization were both said to be conquered by the Spanish, but it wasn’t just the Spanish who conquered them. These two civilizations both fell from a combination of a weak government, lack of technology, new disease introduced by the invaders, and not being prepared for the invaders. For many centuries the Aztec civilization revolved around a ideological, social, and political system in which expansion was the cornerstone. Expansion was the cornerstone of their whole civilization, because their religion requested that a large number of human sacrifices where to be made to the gods. To get the sacrifices the Aztec went to war with other tribes in Mexico to get these human sacrifices (Conrad & Demmest 47-49) . With each conquest more sacrifices and more land was added to the Aztec kingdom. The Aztec were a strong civilization who were familiar with organized large scale war, had specialized war chiefs, and a well organized system of territorial levy in which large armies could be amassed in a short time (Age of Reconnaissance 124-125). They may have been well organized for war, but they were not prepared for internal changes in there civilization. When expansion was no longer an option there system crumbled. Without expansion they could no longer give human sacrifices in the same amount in which they use too. Upon the arrival of the Spanish the Aztec government was falling apart, and "Moctezuma II programs of internal military consolidation and administrative and social stabilization had failed" (Conrad & Demmest). When the Aztec’s first met the Spanish they were amazed by them. The Spanish used the Aztec’s own legends to take advantage of them and gain the upper hand. Other disadvantages that the Aztecs had was the need to take prisoner to sacrifice, they were not untied with other tribes (Spanish were able to unite with other tribes to help fight the Aztecs), had primitive weapons, and couldn’t stay on the battle field for long, because they ran out of supplies quickly (Age of Reconnaissance 167). The Spaniards didn’t destroy the Aztec civilization all by their self another factor which helped the Spanish were the disease that they brought over to the Americas from Europe and Africa. The introduction of diseases like syphilis, measles, smallpox, malaria, mumps and yellow fever are just some sickness that plagued the Budhu 2 Aztecs. Also the introduction of different species of animals and plants caused a ecological imbalance (Plagues and Peoples 176-199). All these are some reasons to why the Aztec civilization was destroyed. With the arrival of the Spanish in Mexico rumors started to reach

prejudice in to kill a mockingbird :: essays research papers

Prejudice is arguably the most prominent theme of the novel. It is directed towards groups and individuals in the Maycomb community. Prejudice is linked with ideas of fear superstition and injustice. Racial prejudice consumed the mob (pg 166), which wished to prevent Tom even gaining a court hearing, the most basic form of justice. This is probably the fiercest form of prejudice in the novel. The abolition of slavery after the civil war gave blacks the same legal position as many whites in America. This initially made Blacks ´ lives harder because now the Whites saw them as competitors for jobs during the 30s depression. Fear and paranoid led to the Whites believing that the Blacks desired all the whites had, including their women. Aunt Alexandra ´s attitude to Calpurnia The Missionary tea ladies ´ comments about the Blacks Segregation of White and Black in Maycomb Dolphus Raymond - White man living with Black woman Class & Family Group is recognised by Jem on page 249 â€Å"There are four kinds of folks in the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  -  · Finches & neighbours: White middle-class  · Cunninghams: Badly hit farming community  · Ewells: Lowest class of whites ‘White Trash ´  · Blacks: Seen as bottom of social strata Due to the abolition of slavery there was no longer a clear-cut line between the Ewells and the Blacks; skin colour did not make them any better. When Tom said in the trial that he felt sorry for Mayella (a crime worse than rape in the jury ´s eyes) - the lowest class showing superiority for a class above themselves. The white community was frightened for their own position in society; the only reason Tom was found guilty was to maintain the traditional hierarchies. Alexandra is obsessed with heredity and educating Scout and Jem of their superior family background - she will not allow Scout to bring home a Cunningham to play, nor will she allow her to visit Calpurnia at her home. Everyone in Maycomb has a particular â€Å"streak† (pg 143), mean streak, drinking streak etc. There is a lot of pigeon holing families (pg 145). Gender - At the time the novel is set, women were still regarded as unequal to men. Scout learns this from:  · Miss Maudie in terms of religion (pg 50)  · Atticus in terms of the law - no women on juries  · Alexandra in expected terms of dress and behaviour However, there was an idealised view of women held at the time - the Southern Gentleman was excepted to be chivalrous to Southern Belles and that these women were to be protected and almost worshiped.