Computer Applications In Education
A computer helps to manipulate data according to a list of instructions, called a program. It can save a lot of data and produce the same, instantly. It is also called a universal information-processing machine. It is a common operating system used in corporate businesses, educational organizations and many research programs. The computer technology has been used proficiently in various educational fields. There are many professional courses that program their curriculum on computers. It enables the students and teachers to methodically study or conduct classes.
Most schools highlight the importance of computer education. They provide computer education to children, at a very young age. It helps them to learn and develop interest in the basics of computers. The main purpose is to make them comfortable using the system, as the future holds a bright promise for the technology. Many students become proficient and plan to pursue careers in the world of computers.
Computers are used in running school and college administrations, during the admission procedures, storing of official and student records. They are also used in syllabus planning and decision-making, controlling, assisting instructions and simulation. Computers are helpful in directing aptitude tests and achievement tests, at the time of entrance exams. There is computer software designed to process performances related to teachers and employees promotion avenues. They also process records of salaries, examinations, schemes of examination, printing of papers and question papers, evaluation of answer sheets, mark sheets and certificates.
Computers are used in colleges, by the professors, to conduct special classes and enable their students to adopt a methodical way of study. Students take more interest in the documented programs, designed on different topics. Internet has provided a favorable means of pursuing courses from renowned universities, across the world. These facilities become available at a click of the mouse.
History of Educational Technology
There is no written evidence which can tell us exactly who has coined the phrase educational technology. Different educationists, scientists and philosophers at different time intervals have put forwarded different definitions of Educational Technology. Educational technology is a multifaceted and integrated process involving people, procedure, ideas, devices, and organization, where technology from different fields of science is borrowed as per the need and requirement of education for implementing, evaluating, and managing solutions to those problems involved in all aspects of human learning.
Educational technology, broadly speaking, has passed through five stages.
The first stage of educational technology is coupled with the use of aids like charts, maps, symbols, models, specimens and concrete materials. The term educational technology was used as synonyms to audio-visual aids.
The second stage of educational technology is associated with the ‘electronic revolution’ with the introduction and establishment of sophisticated hardware and software. Use of various audio-visual aids like projector, magic lanterns, tape-recorder, radio and television brought a revolutionary change in the educational scenario. Accordingly, educational technology concept was taken in terms of these sophisticated instruments and equipments for effective presentation of instructional materials.
The third stage of educational technology is linked with the development of mass media which in turn led to ‘communication revolution’ for instructional purposes. Computer-assisted Instruction (CAI) used for education since 1950s also became popular during this era.
The fourth stage of educational technology is discernible by the individualized process of instruction. The invention of programmed learning and programmed instruction provided a new dimension to educational technology. A system of self-learning based on self-instructional materials and teaching machines emerged.
The latest concept of educational technology is influenced by the concept of system engineering or system approach which focuses on language laboratories, teaching machines, programmed instruction, multimedia technologies and the use of the computer in instruction. According to it, educational technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out and evaluating the total process of teaching and learning in terms of specific objectives based on research.
Educational technology during the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age
Educational technology, despite the uncertainty of the origin of the term, can be traced back to the time of the three-age system periodization of human prehistory; namely the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age.
Duringthe Stone Age, ignition of fire by rubbing stones, manufacture of various handmade weapon and utensils from stones and clothing practice were some of the simple technological developments of utmost importance. A fraction of Stone Age people developed ocean-worthy outrigger canoe ship technology to migrate from one place to another across the Ocean, by which they developed their first informal education of knowledge of the ocean currents, weather conditions, sailing practice, astronavigation, and star maps. During the later Stone Age period (Neolithic period),for agricultural practice, polished stone tools were made from a variety of hard rocks largely by digging underground tunnels, which can be considered as the first steps in mining technology. The polished axes were so effective that even after appearance of bronze and iron; people used it for clearing forest and the establishment of crop farming.
Although Stone Age cultures left no written records, but archaeological evidences proved their shift from nomadic life to agricultural settlement. Ancient tools conserved in different museums, cave paintings like Altamira Cave in Spain, and other prehistoric art, such as the Venus of Willendorf, Mother Goddess from Laussel, France etc. are some of the evidences in favour of their cultures.
Neolithic Revolution of Stone Age resulted into the appearance of Bronze Age with development of agriculture, animal domestication, and the adoption of permanent settlements. For these practices Bronze Age people further developed metal smelting, with copper and later bronze, an alloy of tin and copper, being the materials of their choice.
The Iron Age people replaced bronze and developed the knowledge of iron smelting technology to lower the cost of living since iron utensils were stronger and cheaper than bronze equivalents. In many Eurasian cultures, the Iron Age was the last period before the development of written scripts.
Educational technology during the period of Ancient civilizations
According to Paul Saettler, 2004, Educational technology can be traced back to the time when tribal priests systematized bodies of knowledge and ancient cultures invented pictographs or sign writing to record and transmit information. In every stage of human civilization, one can find an instructional technique or set of procedures intended to implement a particular culture which were also supported by number of investigations and evidences. The more advanced the culture, the more complex became the technology of instruction designed to reflect particular ways of individual and social behaviour intended to run an educated society. Over centuries, each significant shift in educational values, goals or objectives led to diverse technologies of instruction.
The greatest advances in technology and engineering came with the rise of the ancient civilizations. These advances stimulated and educated other societies in the world to adopt new ways of living and governance.
The Indus Valley Civilization was an early Bronze Age civilization which was located in the northwestern region of the Indian Subcontinent. The civilization was primarily flourished around the Indus River basin of the Indus and the Punjab region, extending upto the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley and the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, (most of the part is under today’s Pakistan and the western states of modern-day India as well as some part of the civilization extending upto southeastern Afghanistan, and the easternmost part of Balochistan, Iran).
There is a long term controversy to be sure about the language that the Harappan people spoke. It is assumed that their writing was at least seems to be or a pictographic script. The script appears to have had about 400 basic signs, with lots of variations. People write their script with the direction generally from right to left. Most of the writing was found on seals and sealings which were probably used in trade and official & administrative work.
Harappan people had the knowledge of the measuring tools of length, mass, and time. They were the first in the world to develop a system of uniform weights and measures.
In a study carried out by P. N. Rao et al. in 2009, published in Science, computer scientists found that the Indus script’s pattern is closer to that of spoken words, which supported the proposed hypothesis that it codes for an as-yet-unknown language.
According to the Chinese Civilization, some of the major techno-offerings from China include paper, early seismological detectors, toilet paper, matches, iron plough, the multi-tube seed drill, the suspension bridge, the wheelbarrow, the parachute, natural gas as fuel, the magnetic compass, the raised-relief map, the blast furnace, the propeller, the crossbow, the South Pointing Chariot, and gun powder. With the invent of paper they have given their first step towards developments of educational technology by further culturing different handmade products of paper as means of visual aids.
Ancient Egyptian language was at one point one of the longest surviving and used languages in the world. Their script was made up of pictures of the real things like birds, animals, different tools, etc. These pictures are popularly called hieroglyph. Their language was made up of above 500 hieroglyphs which are known as hieroglyphics. On the stone monuments or tombs which were discovered and rescued latter on provides the evidence of existence of many forms of artistic hieroglyphics in ancient Egypt.
Educational technology during Medieval and Modern Period
Paper and the pulp papermaking process which was developed in China during the early 2nd century AD, was carried to the Middle East and was spread to Mediterranean by the Muslim conquests. Evidences support that a paper mill was also established in Sicily in the 12th century. The discovery of spinning wheel increased the productivity of thread making process to a great extent and when Lynn White added the spinning wheel with increasing supply of rags, this led to the production of cheap paper, which was a prime factor in the development of printing technology.
The invention of the printing press was taken place in approximately 1450 AD, by Johannes Gutenburg, a German inventor. The invention of printing press was a prime developmental factor in the history of educational technology to convey the instruction as per the need of the complex and advanced-technology cultured society.
In the pre-industrial phases, while industry was simply the handwork at artisan level, the instructional processes were relied heavily upon simple things like the slate, the horn book, the blackboard, and chalk. It was limited to a single text book with a few illustrations. Educational technology was considered synonymous to simple aids like charts and pictures.
The year 1873 may be considered a landmark in the early history of technology of education or audio-visual education. An exhibition was held in Vienna at international level in which an American school won the admiration of the educators for the exhibition of maps, charts, textbooks and other equipments.
Maria Montessori (1870-1952), internationally renowned child educator and the originator of Montessori Method exerted a dynamic impact on educational technology through her development of graded materials designed to provide for the proper sequencing of subject matter for each individual learner. Modern educational technology suggests many extension of Montessori’s idea of prepared child centered environment.
In1833, Charles Babbage’s design of a general purpose computing device laid the foundation of the modern computer and in 1943, the first computing machine as per hi design was constructed by International Business Machines Corporation in USA. The Computer Assisted instruction (CAI) in which the computer functions essentially as a tutor as well as the Talking Type writer was developed by O.K. Moore in 1966. Since 1974, computers are interestingly used in education in schools, colleges and universities.
In the beginning of the 19th century, there were noteworthy changes in the field of education. British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), right from its start of school broadcasts in 1920 had maintained rapid pace in making sound contribution to formal education. In the USA, by 1952, 20 states had the provision for educational broadcasting. Parallel to this time about 98% of the schools in United Kingdom were equipped with radios and there were regular daily programmes.
Sidney L. Pressey, a psychologist of Ohio state university developed a self-teaching machine called ‘Drum Tutor’ in 1920. Professor Skinner, however, in his famous article ‘Science of Learning and art of Teaching’ published in 1945 pleaded for the application of the knowledge derived from behavioral psychology to classroom procedures and suggested automated teaching devices as means of doing so.
Although the first practical use of Regular television broadcasts was in Germany in 1929 and in 1936 the Olympic Games in Berlin were broadcasted through television stations in Berlin, Open circuit television began to be used primarily for broadcasting programmes for entertainment in 1950. Since 1960, television is used for educational purposes.
In 1950, Brynmor, in England, used educational technological steps for the first time. It is to be cared that in 1960, as a result of industrial revolution in America and Russia, other countries also started progressing in the filed of educational technology. In this way, the beginning of educational technology took place in 1960 from America and Russia and now it has reached England, Europe and India.
During the time of around 1950s, new technocracy was turning it attraction to educations when there was a steep shortage of teachers in America and therefore an urgent need of educational technology was felt. Dr. Alvin C. Eurich and a little later his associate, Dr. Alexander J. Stoddard introduced mass production technology in America.
Team teaching had its origin in America in the mid of 1950′s and was first started in the year 1955 at Harvard University as a part of internship plan.
In the year 1956, Benjamin Bloom from USA introduced the taxonomy of educational objectives through his publication, “The Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, The Classification of Educational Goals, Handbook I: Cognitive Domain”.
In 1961, Micro teaching technique was first adopted by Dwight W. Allen and his co-workers at Stanford University in USA.
Electronics is the main technology being developed in the beginning of 21st century. Broadband Internet access became popular and occupied almost all the important offices and educational places and even in common places in developed countries with the advantage of connecting home computers with music libraries and mobile phones.
Today’s classroom is more likely to be a technology lab, a room with rows of students using internet connected or Wi-Fi enabled laptops, palmtops, notepad, or perhaps students are attending a video conferencing or virtual classroom or may have been listening to a podcast or taking in a video lecture. Rapid technological changes in the field of educational have created new ways to teach and to learn. Technological changes also motivated the teachers to access a variety of information on a global scale via the Internet, to enhance their lessons as well as to make them competent professional in their area of concern. At the same time, students can utilize vast resources of the Internet to enrich their learning experience to cope up with changing trend of the society. Now a days students as well teachers are attending seminars, conferences, workshops at national and international level by using the multimedia techno-resources like PowerPoint and even they pursue a variety of important courses of their choice in distance mode via online learning ways. Online learning facility has opened infinite number of doors of opportunities for today’s learner to make their life happier than ever before.
Top 10 Paying Careers
It is no secret that surgeons earn a hefty $189,590 annual salary on an average in the United States today. But the most unexpected news is the salaries of physicians assistants whose yearly average annual salary is an astonishing $63,490. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that their minimum qualification is a college degree and in addition a mandatory accreditation course. It is interesting to know which jobs are the top 10 paying ones in America. There are many surveys producing different results. Although there are some minor differences, most of them agree at least 7 out of 10 times.
The Best Paying Jobs in The United States
Interestingly, surgeons scored 7 points over CEOs, whose average annual salary was $134,960. The skill and the complex nature of the work contributes to their high salaries. That they carry a student loan of upto $100,000 is another factor that contributes.
The top professions on the list is followed by anesthesiologists with $181,420, Obstetricians and gynecologists earning $179,640, Internists, general $158,350 and the list goes on. In 9th place are dentists, whose reported annual average earning is $133,350. With the exception of the CEO who stands at the 8th position in the list, the top professions are all dominated by medical and healthcare professionals.
Personal financial advisors may find a place in the list of top ten earners, were it not for the huge variation in their earnings. An extremely brilliant personal financial advisor may earn up to $145,000 but the lower end is a paltry $28,330. The high salary fluctuation is because of its high growth potential coupled with high economic growth and the educational index required by the job.
Medical scientists earn an average of $100,000, which may be a measly sum, considering their educational backgrounds (PhD & doctoral degrees). But they precede podiatrists ($94,500), lawyers ($91,920), optometrists ($88,100) and computer and information systems managers whose salaries are around $83,890.
Surprisingly, so many other jobs and careers pay significantly higher salaries than positions in federal and state governments. For example, take the salaries of judges, which are positions of high significance in the society, which are at a level of $79,540. This can be understood by looking at the enterprising nature of corporations that hire these professionals.
Lets now take a look at the next top 10 paying careers in brief:
1. Pilots, co pilots and flight engineers
$99,400pa
2. Marketing managers
$78,410pa
3. Computer software and applications engineer
$76,310pa
4. Biomedical engineer
$70,520;
They are trained in biology as well as engineering and work to develop solutions to health problems.
5. Environmental engineer
$67,620
They work to fight damages to environment
6. Computer systems analyst
$67,520
Systems analysts ensure that organizations make the best of their technological resources
7. Database administrator
$61,950
Database administrators create and manage large quantities of financial, inventory and customer data.
8. Physical therapist
$61,560
9. Network systems and data communication analyst
$61,250
10. Chemist
$60,880
Sample Performance Appraisal
A performance appraisal carried out for professional and administrative personnel and a confidential employee performance appraisal contains the names and job titles of employees and the department for which they work. It also states the names of the appraisers and their job titles. Performance appraisal sheets are normally divided into three main topics that are, evaluation or job performance area, ratings, and comments. The evaluation area comprises of various factors. These factors include job knowledge, professional competence, and managerial ability. Apart from these, productivity, quality of work, problem solving ability, communication, and initiative are also areas that need evaluation. Factors such as attitude and cooperation, personal leadership, adaptability, and self-improvement also cannot be ignored while evaluation.
Based on the appraisals, professional and administrative personnel can be rated as outstanding, excellent, acceptable, marginal, or deficient. The comments section contains improvements, suggestions, goals to be achieved, potential of employees, etc. Performance appraisals show the overall effectiveness of employees in their job performance, that is, it is a summary of all comments. Plans for professional growth is a section that supervisors and employees should develop cooperatively. This section includes additional responsibilities, management opportunities, special courses, committee assignments, etc. While evaluation, it is advisable to give examples of strengths and weaknesses of the employees as and when possible.
Confidential employee performance appraisals also contain other job requirements such as focusing on specific needs of business or needs for individual improvement, public contact, ability to stay within cost guidelines, etc. They also give a performance summary, which shows the employee’s outstanding and strongest points, employee’s shortcomings and weaknesses, and specific accomplishments and changes since last performance review. They also help in deciding goals for improvement, that is how the employee can be more effective and what additional training can be helpful.
Performance appraisals also have an employee feedback section. This section contains the employee’s most important accomplishments on the job, weakest job performance areas, areas in need of improvement, and other work concerns they would like to discuss. It also provides the date scheduled for the next review and the areas targeted for improvement.
Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics
This morning, I read about a company using on-line auctions to defraud customers. Last week, I consulted on an ethics complaint where a business coach betrayed a client’s confidentiality. And, recently a Physician was convicted of insider trading based on information from a patient, a violation of both business ethics and her professional ethics.
Business ethics are the key to profits. If clients and customers don’t trust you, and your business ethics, they will not do business with you. Would you buy from a company you didn’t trust? Of course not!
Business ethics have become a hot-button topic. There are often ethical conflicts between making money, and doing what is right. There can be dilemmas about doing what is best for your employer, what’s best for your own career, and what’s best for the customer. Business ethics is about negotiating these mine-fields. Here are my Top 10 Principles for Positive Business Ethics:
1. Business Ethics are built on Personal Ethics. There is no real separation between doing what is right in business, and playing fair, telling the truth and being ethical in your personal life.
2. Business Ethics are based on Fairness. Would a dis-interested observer agree that both sides are being treated fairly? Are both sides negotiating in good faith? Does each transaction take place on a “level playing field”? If so, the basic principles of ethics are being met.
3. Business Ethics require Integrity. Integrity refers to whole-ness, reliability and consistency. Ethical businesses treat people with respect, honesty and integrity. They back up their promises, and they keep their commitments.
4. Business Ethics require Truth-telling. The days when a business could sell a defective product and hide behind the “buyer beware” defense are long gone. You can sell products or services that have limitations, defects or are out-dated, but not as first-class, new merchandise. Truth in advertising is not only the law, business ethics require it.
5. Business Ethics require Dependability. If your company is new, unstable, about to be sold, or going out of business, ethics requires that you let clients and customers know this. Ethical businesses can be relied upon to be available to solve problems, answer questions and provide support.
6. Business Ethics require a Business Plan. A company’s ethics are built on its image of itself and its vision of the future and its role in the community. Business ethics do not happen in a vacuum. The clearer the company’s plan for growth, stability, profits and service, the stronger its commitment to ethical business practices.
7. Business Ethics apply Internally and Externally. Ethical businesses treat both customers and employees with respect and fairness. Ethics is about respect in the conference room, negotiating in good faith, keeping promises and meeting obligations to staff, employers, vendors and customers. The scope is universal.
8. Business Ethics require a Profit. Ethical businesses are well-run, well-managed, have effective internal controls, and clear expectations of growth. Ethics is about how we live in the present to prepare for the future, and a business without profits (or a plan to create them) is not meeting its ethical obligations to prepare for the future well-being of the company, its employees and customers.
9. Business Ethics are values-based. The law, and professional organizations, must produce written standards that are inflexible and universal. While they may talk about “ethics”, these documents are usually prescriptive and refer to minimal standards. Ethics are about values, ideals and aspirations. Ethical businesses may not always live up to their ideals, but they are clear about their intent.
10. Business Ethics come from the Boss. Leadership sets the tone, in every area of a business. Ethics are either central to the way a company functions, or they are not. The executives and managers either lead the way, or they communicate that cutting corners, deception and dis-respect are acceptable. Line staff will always rise, or sink, to the level of performance they see modeled above them. Business ethics starts at the top.
Ethics is about the quality of our lives, the quality of our service, and ultimately, about the bottom line. An unhappy customer complains to an average of 16 people. Treating employees, customers, vendors and the public in an ethical, fair and open way is not only the right thing, in the long run, it’s the only way to stay in business.
Computer Troubleshooting Theory For the A+ Certification
Computer troubleshooting theory this will be tested on the A+ certification. When trying to solve a computer related problem resist the urge to jump in and start doing what you think will correct it the fastest. Rather take the time to apply the troubleshooting theory.
1. Before you do anything always backup the users data or make sure there are a recent set of backups already on the computer that can used and then put on removable storage. This will be crucial if the users data gets accidentally corrupted or destroyed. Having a recent backup will protect your professional reputation if something goes wrong. Windows XP Professional, 2000, and NT use NTBACKUP which can be found through a shortcut on the system tools folder. If you are troubleshooting Windows XP Home Edition you may install Windows Backup by using the distribution CD. There are also third party backup programs that may provide more features and capabilities.
2. Assess the problem methodically. Divide larger problems into smaller problems then troubleshoot the smaller problems individually. This makes large problems easier to handle.
3. Always look for the most obvious problems. For example always check connectors to make sure they are properly installed. Make sure the computer, monitor, keyboard, printer, and etc. have power.
4. Research the most likely causes of the problem and establish priorities. Start with easiest problems first and work your way up.
5. Once finished always write down your actions, findings, and outcomes, even if they are simple problems. This will greatly help when troubleshooting future problems.
Overcoming Communication Barriers in Organizations
Although all communication is subject to misunderstandings, business communication is particularly difficult. The material is often complex and controversial. Moreover, both the sender and the receiver may face distractions that divert their attention. Further, the opportunities for feedback are often limited, making it difficult to correct misunderstandings. The following communication barriers in organizations and ways to overcome them will be the main topic of this article.
1. Information Overload. Too much information is as bad as too little because it reduces the audiences ability to concentrate effectively on the most important messages. People facing information overload sometimes try to cope by ignoring some of the messages, by delaying responses to messages they deem unimportant, by answering only parts of some messages, by responding inaccurately to certain messages, by taking less time with each message, or by reacting only superficially to all messages.
To overcome information overload, realize that some information is not necessary, and make necessary information easily available. Give information meaning rather than just passing it on, and set priorities for dealing with the information flow. Some information isn’t necessary.
2. Message Complexity. When formulating business messages, you communicate both as an individual and as representative of an organization. Thus you must adjust your own ideas and style so that they are acceptable to your employer. In fact, you may be asked occasionally to write or say something that you disagree with personally. Suppose you work as a recruiter for your firm. You’ve interviewed a job candidate you believe would make an excellent employee, but others in the firm have rejected this applicant. Now you have to write a letter turning down the candidate: You must communicate your firms message, regardless of your personal feelings, a task some communicators find difficult.
To overcome the barriers of complex messages, keep them clear and easy to understand. Use strong organization, guide readers by telling them what to expect, use concrete and specific language, and stick to the point. Be sure to ask for feedback so that you can clarify and improve your message.
3. Message Competition. Communicators are often faced with messages that compete for attention. If you’re talking on the phone while scanning a report, both messages are apt to get short shrift. Even your own messages may have to compete with a variety of interruptions: The phone rings every five minutes, people intrude, meetings are called, and crises arise. In short, your messages rarely have the benefit on the receivers undivided attention.
To overcome competition barriers, avoid making demands on a receiver who doesn’t have the time to pay careful attention to your message. Make written messages visually appealing and easy to understand, and try to deliver them when your receiver has time to read them. Oral messages are most effective when you can speak directly to your receiver (rather than to intermediaries or answering machines). Also, be sure to set aside enough time for important messages that you receive. Business messages rarely have the benefit of the audiences full and undivided attention.
4. Differing Status. Employees of low status may be overly cautious when sending messages to managers and may talk only about subjects they think the manager is interested in. Similarly, higher-status people may distort messages by refusing to discuss anything that would tend to undermine their authority in the organization. Moreover, belonging to a particular department or being responsible for a particular task can narrow your point of view so that it differs from the attitudes, values, and expectations of people who belong to other departments or who are responsible for other tasks.
To overcome status barriers, keep managers and colleagues well informed. Encourage lower-status employees to keep you informed by being fair-minded and respectful of their opinions. When you have information that you’re afraid you boss might not like, be brave and convey it anyway. Status barriers can be overcome by a willingness to give and receive bad news.
5. Lack of Trust, Building trust is a difficult problem. Other organization members don’t know whether you’ll respond in a supportive or responsible way, so trusting can be risky. Without trust, however, free and open communication is effectively blocked, threatening the organization’s stability. Just being clear in your communication is not enough.
To overcome trust barriers, be visible and accessible. Don’t insulate yourself behind assistants or secretaries. Share key information with colleagues and employees, communicate honestly, and include employees in decision making. For communication to be successful, organizations must create an atmosphere of fairness and trust.
6. Inadequate Communication Structures. Organizational communication is effected by formal restrictions on who may communicate with whom and who is authorized to make decisions. Designing too few formal channels blocks effective communication. Strongly centralized organizations, especially those with a high degree of formalization, reduce communication capacity, and they decrease the tendency to communicate horizontally thus limiting the ability to coordinate activities and decisions. Tall organizations tend to provide too many vertical communication links, so messages become distorted as they move through the organization’s levels.
To overcome structural barriers, offer opportunities for communicating upward, downward, and horizontally (using such techniques as employee surveys, open-door policies, newsletters, memo, and task groups). Try to reduce hierarchical levels, increase coordination between departments, and encourage two-way communication.
7. Incorrect Choice of Medium. If you choose an inappropriate communication medium, your message can be distorted so that the intended meaning is blocked. You can select the most appropriate medium by matching your choice with the nature of the message and of the group or the individual who will receive it. Face-to-face communication is the richest medium because it is personal, it provides immediate feedback, it transmits information from both verbal and nonverbal cues, and it conveys the emotion behind the message. Telephones and other interactive electronic media aren’t as rich; although they allow immediate feedback, they don’t provide visual nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, eye contact and body movements. Written media can be personalized through addressed memos, letters, and reports, but they lack the immediate feedback and the visual and vocal nonverbal cues that contribute to the meaning of the message. The leanest media are generally impersonal written messages such as bulletins, fliers, and standard reports. Not only do they lack the ability to transmit nonverbal cues and to give feedback, they also eliminate any personal focus.
To overcome media barriers, choose the richest media for no routine, complex message. Use rich media to extend and to humanize your presence throughout the organization, to communicate caring and personal interest to employees, and to gain employee commitment to organizational goals. Use leaner media to communicate simple, routine messages. You can send information such as statistics, facts, figures and conclusions through a note, memo or written report
8. Closed communication climate. Communication climate is influenced by management style, and a directive, authoritarian style blocks the free and open exchange of information that characterizes good communication.
To overcome climate barriers, spend more time listening than issuing orders.
9. Unethical Communication. An organization cannot create illegal or unethical messages and still be credible or successful in the long run. Relationships within and outside the organization depend or trust and fairness.
To overcome ethics barriers, make sure your messages include all the information that ought to be there. Make sure that information is adequate and relevant to the situation. And make sure your message is completely truthful, not deceptive in any way.
10. Inefficient Communication. Producing worthless messages wastes time and resources, and it contributes to the information overload already mentioned.
Reduce the number of messages by thinking twice before sending one. Then speed up the process, first, by preparing messages correctly the first time around and, second, by standardizing format and material when appropriate. Be clear about the writing assignments you accept as well as the ones you assign.
11. Physical distractions. Communication barriers are often physical: bad connections, poor acoustics, illegible copy. Although noise or this sort seems trivial, it can completely block an otherwise effective message. Your receiver might also be distracted by an uncomfortable chair, poor lighting, or some other irritating condition. In some cases, the barrier may be related to the receiver’s health. Hearing or visual impairment or even a headache can interfere with reception of a message. These annoyances don’t generally block communication entirely, but they may reduce the receiver’s concentration.
To overcome physical distractions, try to prepare well written documents which are clear, concise, and comprehensive. When preparing oral presentations try to find a setting which permits audience to see and hear the speaker clearly.
17 Inch Laptop Exterior Insulation Federal College Loan Consolidation
Teamwork
Teamwork is crucial
Don’t think it minuscule
It means everything
To accomplish anything
It’s called cooperation.
TEAM is an acronym
The meaning enlightening
Together
Everybody
Accomplishes
More
Therefore
We should learn
To work together
Not be hard as leather
Nor soft as a feather
Not be critical and cold
Neither shun being bold
Don’t beat me down
To the dirty ground
But don’t flatter me
And thereby deny me
From being all I could be
I certainly do need thee.
We undoubtedly can’t be
All that we were meant to be
Without a collaborative effort
A hearty commitment to exert
Ourselves together fully
Or drive each other crazy
Produce peaceably collectively
Or perish pathetically individually
Teamwork is the key consistently
The most important ingredient
The sustaining saving solvent
Stay together against deterrence
Improve the national defence
Unite and pledge allegiance
Take rest. Don’t be so intense.
Live together in communities dense
Discover technological brilliance
Engineer and build a Mercedes Benz
Legislate new laws and adherence
Place people over proud pretense.
Get some collective societal sense
Whence you can make a few pence
Thence we can rejoice and dance
Fearlessly take a chance and advance
Kindly forgive, forget, and be resilient
Overcome being emotionally buoyant
Elegantly articulate being verbally fluent
Prefer, get along, and be considerate
Us, over me, as we show sensitivity
Less of me, more of we triumphantly
Teamwork makes us indefeatable
Our energy can be indefatigable
Resources multiply indefinable
Profound intelligence undebatable
Care and compassion supernatural
Mightily power increases exponential
A team is invaluable and monumental
Together for us nothing is impossible.
America’s Top 3 Flight Training Schools
So, you want to become a pilot but you don’t have a clue how to get started. Well, the first piece of advice is to attend a flight training school. There are many different flight training schools in America so finding a school is not difficult. But, if you want to attend one of the best then you will want to know about America’s top three flight training schools. The following three flight training schools are considered by many to be the nation’s top three. So, you could attend any one of them and get a great education and really learn how to fly.
Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
This flight training school is also a university and is great for individuals who want to be pilots but also want a four year degree. Graduates of this university are prepared to be pilots in every sense of the word. This university also prepares students for all types of jobs in the aviation field.
ATP
Airline Transport Professionals, also known as ATP, provide pilot training at schools across the nation. If you want to work in the airline field then ATP is the best flight training school for you because you will be trained in top of the line aircraft in an environment that is comparable to that of the airlines. Flights are cross country, in various weather conditions, as well as in high traffic areas to really teach the pilot in training how to be the best possible pilot in all situations.
Delta Connection Academy
The Delta Connection Academy is another of America’s outstanding flight training schools. This school trains more FAA part 141 pilots than any other school in the nation. Additionally, since the Academy is owned by Delta it gives graduates an advantage of receiving a job with the company. Of course, graduates of this flight training school may work with any airline and the academy has successfully placed graduates with 26 different airlines worldwide. Pilots from more than 86 different countries have been trained by the Delta Connection Academy. The Delta Connection Academy was previously known as Comair Aviation Academy.
If you are considering one of these flight schools then keep in mind there are a few things you will need. First of all, you will want to buy a Telex headset or a Peltor headset to protect your hearing and ensure great communication. Other things you need to buy will be addressed by the training school. So, check out the above recommendations and start your flight training today!
Job Interviews – How to Answer When Asked Your Strengths and Weaknesses – Part 2
7) Why are you interested in this position?
When you are an accountant and you are applying at an accounting firm, it is pretty obvious why you are interested; you are interested in using your acquired education, skills, and knowledge in your career field.
However, maybe the position is a cashier for a store and you just want a job; you do not have a brilliant answer to offer. Not to worry. Do not discount very basic answers such as “I need to earn money to support myself and/or my family,” or “I want more out of life, and I need to work if I am going to have a better lifestyle for my family.” Employers like employees who need to work; such employees are more apt to be dependable, responsible and productive.
Why do you want to work for us?
Here you should be specific in your answer. There may be thousands of accounting firms with positions to offer, but it is now a question of “why us”?
Research the firm as best you can. Phone book ads often contain great information, such as how long a firm has been in business, what it specializes in, who are the key members of the firm, and whom they hope to serve.
Depending upon what you learn at the library, and from other local sources, possible answers might be:
“You have an expanding firm, and I believe there will be opportunities for me to prove myself and grow with you,” or
“Your firm is one of the oldest and most respected in our community, and I want to learn from, and be associated with one of the best,” or
“I believe you will reward people according to their value to the firm, and I am willing to prove my value to you,” or finally
“Your specialty happens to be my area of career interest.”
9) Why should we hire you?
Here you must be straightforward and confident about your ability and what you have to offer. Say, “I believe I am qualified and can do the job.”
Amplify this answer by stressing your strong points, such as your appropriate education, specialized training, proven experience, skills and abilities.
Do not say you can do any job. You do not know that for a fact, and, more important, the person interviewing you-no matter how good you look on paper or act in person-does not really know if you can do it either until you start having to perform on the job.
This is why you should qualify your answers with “I believe . . . ,” or “Based on my performance in similar positions in the past, I have no reason to think I will not be able to do the job for you.”
10) What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Good strengths include some very basic character traits, such as determination, honesty, responsibility, dependability, inquisitiveness, willingness to learn, openness to new ideas, stability, and humor. Pick traits that you are confident and comfortable with.
In approaching the question of your weaknesses, rule one is to have some. The worst answer you could give is “I do not have any weaknesses.” We all have weaknesses, and if we are unwilling to talk about them, it is a big red flag that there are some definite personality problems.
Never let your lack of confidence, or overdeveloped ego, prevent you from showing your weaknesses. Handle the challenge by taking your weaknesses (whatever they may be) and turning them into strengths. If you are a workaholic, say “Sometimes I do not know when to stop working on a project. I can get so involved I may work 16 hours straight. This may upset other employees who quit at the normal time.”
11) What are your career goals?
Your objectives or goals are very important. You do not want to be a wandering generality; you want to be a meaningful specific.
People want to know if you have thought about your future, and have a plan to get where you want to go. You should have both short and long range goals. A good short range goal might be to secure a position in your career field, develop more experience in an area of interest, or position yourself with a firm or organization that is growing.
Long range goals require you to picture yourself, and where you would like to be, 10 or 20 years from now.
12) Why did you leave your last position?
This question can be asked because they are testing your reaction, or if your resume gives the impression you have been “job-hopping”.
If there was a problem with leaving your last position (you were fired, encountered a personality conflict, or got mad and quit), be careful not to speak ill of the position you held, the organization you held it with, or members of the organization. Put downs score no points and reflect poorly on you, regardless of the challenges you may have had.
Good reasons to leave jobs are: 1) an opportunity for advancement, 2) an opportunity to make more money, 3) an opportunity to secure more or better benefits, 4) to gain more job satisfaction, 5) a better career opportunity, 6) a more challenging position, or 7) an opportunity to work with better people.
While all of these are legitimate reasons, none of them is the best answer to the question. It is best to simply say, “I am looking for a better opportunity.” The better opportunity could be any of the above seven answers without actually saying so.
Copyright 2006 Ed Bagley