Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay Example for Free

Jewish Purim Holy Day Essay The Jewish faith has been around for more than a thousand years. Judaism like many other faiths such as Christian, Muslim, Hindus, and Buddhist has holidays that are part of a tradition that is followed. When an individual makes a choice to believe in one religion and follow it as its way of faith it is important to understand all elements that come along with that religion. This paper will review the holy day known as Purim and the review will explain the history of this day and the practices associated with this holy day. The last section will discuss cultural differences that may affect how this day is observed by different branches of Judaism. Purim The holy day Purim is celebrated in March this is the twelfth month in the Jewish calendar. The holy day starts at sundown of the first secular date for example 2014 the celebration will start at sundown on March 15th and end at nightfall of the 16th. The story The book of Esther explains that like many tails we read about we have a villain and a hero. Haman the adviser to the kind tells the king that there are people who do not follow the laws that the king has created. Haman creates a plan to exterminate all of the Jews. Esther the king’s queen, the king does not know she is Jewish. Esther uncle asked her to goes to the king and ask him to save her people. Esther fasted for three days for fear that she will be killed for visiting the king uninvited. Esther goes to the king and asks him to save her people. The Jewish people are saved. This leads to the celebration of the Purim. This holy day is noted as one of the joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar (Molloy, 2010). Religious practices Purim is not outlined in the Torah but has been celebrated by Jews sense the second century CE. Purim has been nicknamed the Jewish Mardi gras (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). For the holy day all Jews are required to fulfill the four Purim mitzvoth. The two readings of the Megillah the Scroll of Esther and Mikrah Megillah. There is to be a celebration with a feast during the feast alcohol is consumed, adults drink till they are unable to say distinguish between the phrase â€Å"Cursed be Haman† and â€Å"blessed be Mordecai† (Religion Facts, 2004 para.14). Next Jews are to give gifts of food to their friends. Last an act of charity to the poor. Purim states that two acts of charity must be given in the amount equal to the balance of one’s inexpensive meal. The act must be given directly to the poor and must be given without merit (Religion Facts, 2004). Branches of Judaism The Jewish religion is not unlike many other types of religion where many of the followers have created new branches. The Jewish religion has 4 different branches that appear to be the main views that are followed. Orthodox Judaism Orthodox Judaism is the most traditional branch that is practiced by Jewish followers. There is a large range of differences in the orthodox views. The idea to modernize but to also adhere to the Jewish laws makes this a very difficult branch the idea to embrace new views but do not forget Jewish cultures. Reform Judaism The belief that individuals have a choice over what they believe to be meaningful within the views of Judaism. This giving each person the idea that they have the choice to follow the path that is best suited for them. Reformed Judaism teaches that ethical laws are binding while ritual laws can be changed to fit into modern day society. Conservative Judaism Currently the middle ground of orthodox and Reform Judaism, the idea that Judaism can keep tradition and also adapt to modern circumstances. There is an importance within Conservative Judaism to study traditional Jewish text to assist in the guide for ethics and practice. Reconstructionist Judaism Reconstructionist Judaism teaches that it is not simply a religion but also an evolving civilization; Within Reconstructionist Judaism the Jewish laws do not have to be followed, but it does state that the community will be strengthened if they are. Cultural difference in the observation of Purim Purim is a holy day that celebrates the defeat of those that wanted to exterminate Jews. Not only do religions celebrate that they have overcome many obstacles so do countries, nations, towns, and tribes. Many references to the holiday Purim states that this holy day has been around for over thousands of years and will continue to be celebrated for many more thousands of years (Institute for Curriculum Services, 2012). As society changes this may change how followers of the Jewish faith may change how they celebrate holy days. This Jewish holy day may not only referee to Esther the queen that saved all the Jews from extermination but also to the time in history were Hitler again tried to exterminate the Jewish race. Judaism has been around for century but so have people and races that have felt threated by them and felt the need to exterminate them. This day of celebrate is a day that the Jewish people can rejoice in the fact that they have overcome many obstacles in life and they will survive. Conclusion Holy days or holidays however it is said can mean many things depending on the faith that is may be referring to. To celebrate Santa clause or to celebrate overcoming an obstacle can bring people together. Religion is just that the bringing together of a group of people that want to rejoice in the feeling of something more than just themselves. Judaism is a faith that has had challenges but has overcome many challenges to become stronger with time that is why the tradition of Purim is important to follow. References Institute for Curriculum Services. (2012). Branches of Judaism. Retrieved from http://www.icsresources.org/curricula Molloy, M. (2010). Experiencing the world’s religions Traditions, challenge, and change (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ReligionFacts. (2004-2013). Purim. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/holidays/purim.htm

Introduction to E-learning: Types, Benefits and Strategies

Introduction to E-learning: Types, Benefits and Strategies Chapter 2. Background and Related Work Introduction During the last decade the amount of literature published in the field of eLearning has grown noticeably, as has the diversity in attitudes and viewpoints of people who work on this subject. The general background presented here with regard to eLearning includes the definition, details of different types and the concept of quality. Information quality within information systems (IS), web mining and information extracting techniques are the main areas on which supporting literature is primarily focused. However, an in-depth explanation of each branch of these research fields is outside the scope of this literature review. The literature presented here is particularly focused on the subtopics of these large research areas which are directly applicable to this research. The structure of this chapter is divided into three main parts: a general view of eLearning including definitions of eLearning, an overview of eLearning types and the concept of quality in eLearning; information quality (IQ) within ISs; and information extraction methods. Each section includes a number of subsections which address the factors that are relevant to this research. ELearning In this part of the literature review, we focus on eLearning by providing a discussion about the definitions of eLearning, eLearning types and the concept of quality in eLearning. Moreover, in this section we lay the foundation for the general concept of quality in eLearning upon which the research will be based. This section also presents a discussion about the relationships between technology, users and content in an eLearning context. ELearning Definition The term eLearning is used in the literature and in business to describe many fields, such as online learning, web-based training, distance learning, distributed learning, virtual learning, or technology-based training. During recent decades, eLearning has been defined in several instances in different ways. In any publication in the field of eLearning, it is important to ensure that the authors understanding exactly matches that of the majority of the readers, therefore, the specific definition used should be stated first. Moreover, to reach a clearer understanding of what eLearning is, in this part of the thesis we present numerous definitions of eLearning as mentioned in the literature. In general, most of the definitions of the term eLearning are used to express the exploitation of technologies which can be used to deliver learning (or learning materials) in an electronic format, most likely via the World Wide Web (WWW). Psaromiligkos and Retalis consider eLearning to be the systems which utilise the WWW as a delivery medium for static learning resources, such as instructional files, or as an interface onto interactive The previous definitions look at eLearning in general; in more detail, eLearning can be in the form of courses or in the form of modules and smaller learning materials it also could take various forms. Romiszowski takes these details into account and summarises the definitions encountered in the literature in a way that emphasises that eLearning can be a solitary, individual activity, or a collaborative group activity. It also suggests that both synchronous and asynchronous interactive forms can be engaged. Naidu also takes into consideration the differences in the forms of interaction when trying to formulate a general definition of eLearning: educational processes that utilize information and communications technology to mediate asynchronous as well as synchronous learning and teaching activities. The position adopted in this research is that eLearning entails the technology used to distribute the learning materials, the quality of these materials, and the interaction with learners. The definition of eLearning used in this research addresses these dimensions in terms of: the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve the quality of learning by facilitating access to resources and services as well as remote exchange and collaborations ELearning Types As mention earlier, eLearning takes many different forms and includes numerous types of systems. In the extant literature eLearning types are defined following two main axes: the user context (individuals, groups or a community of users) and users engagement and interactivity. Romiszowski takes these details into account and summarises the definitions encountered in the following table, which emphasises that eLearning can be a solitary, individual activity, or a collaborative group activity. It also suggests that both synchronous and asynchronous interactive forms can be engaged. Looking more deeply at the division of the forms of interactivity used in eLearning systems, there are two main types of eLearning: asynchronous and synchronous, depending on learning and teaching activities. Synchronous eLearning environments require tutors and learners, or the online classmates, to be online at the same time, where live interactions take place between them. In this context, Doherty describes an Asynchronous Learning Network (ALN) as a variety of eLearning systems which distribute learning materials and concepts in one direction at a time. Moreover, Spencer and Hiltz express ALN as a place where learners can interact with learning materials, tutors and other learners, through the WWW at different times and from different places. The focus of this research will be on a case where students log-in to and use the system independently of other students and staff members, as well as using asynchronous methods regarding learning content, quality management and delivery which fit firmly into the general definition of the asynchronous eLearning environment. Quality Concept in ELearning The definition of eLearning adopted in this thesis represents three fundamental dimensions: technology, access and quality. The focus in this research will be on quality, which is considered a crucial issue for education in general, and for eLearning in particular. This section of the literature review will discuss concepts of quality in eLearning generally, and highlight the importance of content as the most critical factor for the overall quality. Currently, there are two recognised challenges in eLearning: the demand for overall interoperability and the request for (high) quality. However, quality cannot be expressed and set by a simple definition, since in itself quality is a very abstract notion. In fact, it is much easier to notice the absence of quality than its presence. Despite efforts to reach a comprehensive, universal definition of quality in eLearning, there is still a fundamental ambiguity surrounding the issue. One position is to consider quality as an evaluation of excellence, a stance which is primarily adopted by universities and education institutions. For example, in universities quality teaching and learning are promoted as the top priority, giving less attention to criteria or measurements regarding teaching input into courses, the learning outcomes, and the interactivity with the system. Another trend is to consider the improvement in quality, where quality is improved by moving beyond the set conceptions applied, and generally moving in the direction of a flexible process of negotiation, which needs a very high level of quality capability from those involved. Furthermore, quality can be viewed and considered from different aspects. Here, the SunTrust Equitable report illustrates what they perceive to be the value chain in eLearning in the form of a pyramid. The content is the most critical factor of eLearning. Indeed, to be able to use the internet as a tool to improve learning, the content should not distract learners, but increase their interest for learning. Learning tools and enablers are also important in the learning procedure. In reality, providers of learning platforms and knowledge management systems are key in the successful delivery of content. These companies provide the necessary infrastructure to deliver learning content. Moreover, learning service providers (LSP) are the distribution channels for content providers. One of the challenges facing these knowledge hubs and LSPs is to ensure that the learners are receiving fresh content. Companies focused on educational e-tailing then complete the value pyramid of eLearning. Looking at the pyramid it can be clearly observed that content is the most critical component of learning through the internet. In a similar manner, Henry stated that eLearning is composed of three main aspects: content, technology and services, he also emphasised that content is the most significant factor. Although this thesis will focus on the quality of content delivered by eLearning as the most important criteria and the most influential in the overall level of learning quality, the specified context and the perspectives of users also need to be taken into account when defining quality in eLearning. It is also essential to classify suitable criteria to address this quality. ELearning Technology, Users and Content Although most eLearning explanations focus on the technology and not on the learning, it is important to keep the people eLearning is designed for in mind. Moreover, individual learning styles and required learning materials should be addressed first. Then a suitable electronic delivery method can be adopted. On their website (agelesslearner.com), Karl and Marcia Conner commented, in this regard, that Maybe the e should actually follow the word learning'. Henry describes the content in a way that includes all delivered materials, including the materials which are usually offered in classroom-based learning and that are tailored for eLearning, in addition to any other knowledge the developer might offer. In fact, eLearning systems are considered to be user-adaptive systems, where systems are designed to react with user performance and choices. Webber, Pesty and Balacheff express user modelling as a central issue in the development of user-adaptive systems, whose behaviour is usually based on the users preferences, goals, interests and knowledge. Moreover, they declare that a system can be considered user-adaptive when changes in its functionality, structure or interface can be monitored, in order to consider the different needs of users and, ultimately, their changing needs. In the area of eLearning Heift and Nicholson believe that eLearning systems as adaptive systems are designed to meet the diverse requirements of students who have different levels of knowledge and backgrounds [19]. There is a significant base of literature and research in the area of adaptive systems, which usually base their behaviour on user models. In more detail, Kobsa explained that the user model often depends on one user or a group of users sharing the same profile and it characterises users preferences, goals, interests and knowledge. Webber, Pesty and Balacheff notice that with regard to this point there are two main problems relating to user modelling: to identify the relevant information to be modelled and to decide which method is more suitable to apply in order to determine the relevant information about the user. In fact, personalisation plays an important role in all areas of the e-era, especially in eLearning, as stated by Esposito, Licchelli and Semeraro, where the main issue is student modelling. This is the analysis of student behaviour and the prediction of future activities and learning performance . Furthermore, Ong and Ramachandran perceive that the literature on adaptive systems shows that by modelling the learner, the human tutor and the knowledge domain of instructional content, powerful pedagogical outcomes can be obtained. Although eLearning systems are considered types of adaptive systems, the difference between the concept of the user and the concept of the student creates a fundamental problem in the eLearning area. In this context, Esposito, Licchelli and Semeraro believe that in a general web system the user is free to surf and the system attempts to predict future user steps using the user model in order to improve the interaction between the user and the system, while in the eLearning system the modelling has to improve the educational route, adapting it to the model of the student. As a result it is essential to control and to assess student browsing. The systems should not give the students absolute freedom to decide their way through the content and learning materials, rather, the system should provide a specific educational path and offer a continuous evaluation activity of student performance, towards a defined pedagogical goal. Although delivering web-based educational materials can be very useful as the same content is distributed to a number of students and can be accessed regardless of time and place, this delivery would not be beneficial from a pedagogical point of view if the students, their level of knowledge and their learning style was not known. In fact, Sanatally and Senteni observe that the widely held principle of using the web simply as a form of distributed medium for learning materials does not add significant value to the learning process. This argument leads to the conviction of the importance of developing adaptive eLearning systems. Even if adaptive systems are focused on the interaction with users and changing the course and the content dynamically with their needs, and not on controlling the set sequence of a course, eLearning can exploit adaptive technologies to build learning environments that form user-specific sequencing. Tang and McCalla use the example of the Paper Recommender Sys tem as a good example of this exploitation: the system was designed to give recommendations to students about what conference or journal papers to read, based on their level of understanding and knowledge. We can see more clearly, as suggested by Conati and VanLehn, that the aim of adaptive systems is to build precise, interactively changing models of individual student learning, in order to use them as representations of how learners are progressing within the content of the course. Moreover, Papanikolaou et al. describe adaptivity as being system-controlled and in most cases assists in: planning the content, planning the delivery and presentation of the learning materials, supporting student navigation throughout the field of knowledge and problem solving. From this, it can be deduced that learner models generally characterise learner knowledge levels on the concepts of domain knowledge, pedagogical goals and learning preferences towards diverse styles of learning materials. In this context, they suggest that the domain model should be used in parallel with the learner model to provide a structure for the representation of learner knowledge of the defined domain. Using this procedure , tailored learning materials can be distributed to specific learners to be consistent with their requirements. This corresponds with the vision of Mittal et al., who realised that by creating several broad groups into which it is possible to segment target learners, it can be ensured that the content of learning materials for an absolute beginner student is not the same for that of a student getting ready for an exam. Nowadays, most student modelling systems follow the same method, in which the systems starting point is to create a reference template for a student, thus, the expertise or intelligence encoded into the system can adapt the course organisation and content to the individual student. The use of this method to decide the style and level of content that a student should be offered, according to how students interact with the system, will lead to a more personalised learning experience. In the case of this research, the student and domain model did not entail the complexity of those built in adaptive systems; however, several of the underlying principles of available student and domain modelling techniques proved to be useful. The key issue in most adaptive systems that feature student and domain modelling is a sequence of complex data repositories that give highly precise values about student performance and completion against learning materials. The focus in this research will be on measuring the quality of the content of learning materials distributed via eLearning systems, and establishing how the student will interact with the materials, how they will be able to extract the relevant information from the content and how the context of the online materials will help students to recognise the underlying structure of the content and easily access the parts in which they are interested. This research will gather empirical evidence using online questionnaires, which can be used to directly ask students about their preferences and perspectives. Summary This part of the literature review provided a general overview of eLearning, including definitions of eLearning, a note of eLearning types and consideration of the concept of quality in eLearning. It also identified the definition adopted for eLearning in this study and considered the type upon which this research will focus. Moreover, in this section we laid the foundation for the general concept of quality in eLearning upon which the research will be based. Finally, it presented a brief discussion about the relationships between technology, users and content in an eLearning context. The next part of this chapter will discuss the concept of IQ within ISs; this will be used later on to set standards for IQ in the context of eLearning systems. Information Quality in Information Systems In this part of the literature review we will start with a brief discussion of the terms data quality and information quality, and will shed some light on the concept of IQ within ISs and how it could be defined. We will also provide a comprehensive review of the major historical developments of IQ frameworks. Data Quality(DQ) vs. Information Quality During recent years, much work has been done to build quality frameworks for IQ dimensions. In the past, research focused on DQ, but due to the recent development of internet technologies, ISs today are providing users with information, not only data. Therefore, research attention has shifted to focus on IQ frameworks. While, some researchers explicitly distinguish between the terms data and information and explain information as data which has been processed in some way, sometimes, it may be difficult to discriminate between them in practice . Still, in some studies the term information is interchangeable with data. Likewise, the term data quality is often used synonymously with information quality. Consequently, in this study, the concept of information will be used in a broad sense, which covers the concept of data. Before reviewing the researches that were conducted to formulate (data/information) quality frameworks within ISs, first we will discuss the meaning of IQ and how it could be defined. How Information Quality Could be Defined Although it is important to set standards for IQ, it is a difficult and complex issue, particularly in the area of ISs, because there is no formal definition of IQ, as quality is dependent on the criteria applied to it. Furthermore, it is dependent on the targets, the environment and from which viewpoint we look at the IQ, that is, from the provider or the consumer perspective. Moreover, IQ is both a task-dependent and a subjective concept. Juran summarises these aspects of quality in his quality definition as fitness for use. Similarly, Wang described DQ (which could apply to IQ) as data that is fit-for-use. This description has been adopted by researchers because it brings to light the fact that IQ cannot be defined and evaluated without knowing its context. Defining IQ in a contextual approach seems to be logical because quality criteria, which could be used to assess IQ, can differ according to the context. In fact, IQ is expressed in the literature to be a multi-dimensional concept with varying attributed characteristics depending on the context of the information. However, taking into account the complexity of the IQ concept and that its measurement is expected to be multi-dimensional in nature, the prime issue in defining the quality of any IS is identifying the criteria by which the quality is determined. The criteria result from the multi-dimensional and interdependent nature of quality in ISs, and are dependent on the objectives and the context of the system. Thus, it is common to define IQ on the internet by identifying the main dimensions of the quality, for that purpose IQ fr ameworks are widely used to identify the important quality dimensions in a specific context, these dimensions can be used as benchmark to improve the effectiveness of information systems, as described by Porter. Information Quality Frameworks Today, for any IS to be judged successfully it has first to satisfy additional predefined quality criteria. An eLearning system is a special type of IS so it is important to examine the literature relating to the traditional IS success models and the proposed quality frameworks, in order to test the possibility of extending these success models to identify eLearning content quality criteria in an eLearning context. Much of the work done in IS success has its origins in the well-known DeLone and McLean (DM) IS Success Model.This model provided a comprehensive taxonomy on IS success based on the analysis of more than 180 studies on IS success and it identified over 100 IS success measures during the analysis. It established that system quality, IQ, use, user satisfaction, individual and organisational impact were the most distinct elements of the IS success equation. In a later work, the authors confirmed the original taxonomy and their conclusion, namely that IS success was a multidimensional and interdependent construct. Their model makes two important contributions to the understanding of IS success. First, it provides a scheme for categorising the multitude of IS success measures that have been used in the literature. Second, it suggests a model of temporal and causal interdependencies between the categories. The updated model, which was proposed in 2003, consists of six dimensions: Information quality, which concerns the system content issue. Web content should be personalised, complete, relevant, easy to understand and secure. System quality, which measures the desired characteristics of a web based system such as usability, availability, reliability and adaptability. Service quality Usage, which measures visits to a website, navigation within the site and information retrieval. User satisfaction, which measures users opinions of the system and should cover the entire user experience cycle. Net benefits, which capture the balance of positive and negative impacts of the system on the users. Although this success measure is very important, it cannot be analysed and understood without system quality and IQ measurements. In their model, DeLone and McLean defined three main dimensions for the quality: IQ, systems quality and service quality. Each one has to be measured separately, because singularly or jointly, they will affect subsequent system usage and user satisfaction. In 1996, Wang and Strong proposed their DQ framework, which will be discussed in more detail in the following section. In their framework they categorised characteristics/attributes in to four main types/factors: intrinsic, accessibility, contextual and representational. This method of categorising IQ factors and attributes proved to be a valuable methodology for defining IQ. Lately, several quality management projects in business and government have successfully used this framework. After Wang Strong DQ framework, diverse research efforts were spent in order to identify IQ dimensions in deference contexts. Although these frameworks varied in their approach and application, they shared some of the same characteristics concerning their classifications of the dimensions of quality. In 1996, Gertz focused on finding possible solutions for the problems regarding modeling and managing data quality and integrity of integrated data. H proposed a taxonomy of data quality characteristics that includes important attributes such as timeliness and completeness of local information sources. While Redmans work aimed to set up practical guidelines to analyze and improve information quality within business processes, h proposed a number of quality attributes grouped into six categories: Privacy, Content, Quality of Values, Presentation, Improvement and Commitment. In the same year, Zeist Hendricks identified 32 IQ sub-characteristics grouped in 6 main IQ characteristics which covered functionality, reliability, efficiency, usability, maintainability and portability. Unlike general purpose IQ framework, in 1997 Jarke proposed a special purpose framework where he used the same hierarchical design established by Wang Strong. He defined IQ criteria depending on the context and requirements for specific application; Data Warehouse Quality (DWQ). In his framework, Jarke linked each operational quality goals for data warehouses to the criteria which describe this goal. The main defined criteria are accessibility, interpretability, usefulness, believability, and validation. In 1998, Chen gave a list of IQ criteria with no special taxonomy. He, however, proposed a goal-oriented framework focusing mainly on time-oriented criteria such as response time and network delay. One year later, Alexander Tate proposed their framework for IQ IN Web environment. This framework consisted of 6 main criteria; authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, orientation and navigation. In the same year, Katerattanakul Siau adapted Wang Strong DQ framework to propose their four categories IQ framework of individual websites. Furthermore, Shanks Corbitt recommended a semiotic-based quality framework for information on the Web. This framework includes four semiotic levels. Syntactic level to insure that information is consistent whiles the Semantic level focuses on the information completion and accuracy. Pragmatic level is the third level which covers the usability and the usefulness of the information. The forth level is the social level ensures information understandabil ity. Within their framework there are 11 quality dimension distributed within the identified levels. Dedeke in 2000 developed a conceptual IS quality framework that includes 5 categories; ergonomic, accessible, transactional, contextual and representational quality. Each category consists of number of quality dimensions such as; availability, relevancy and conciseness. Whilst Zhu Gauch described 6 quality metrics for information retrieval on the web; these are availability, authority, currency, information-to-noise ratio and cohesiveness. Leung adapted Zeist Hendrickss quality framework in 2001 and applied it to Intranet applications. He defined 6 main IQ characteristics; functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, maintainability and portability. Each quality characteristic in the proposed framework includes numbers of sub-characteristics. Several research in IS quality were undertaken in 2002, Eppler Muenzenmayer suggested two main manifestations for their proposed framework; content quality and media quality. The content quality is focused on the quality of the presented information and it consists of two categories; relevant information and sound information. Whereas media quality is focused on the quality of the medium used to deliver the information and it includes optimized process category and reliable infrastructure category. Each category in the framework contains number of quality dimensions. Khan categorised IQ depending on the context of the system. The framework divided IQ into two main quality types; product and service quality. Moreover, it divided these two types into 4 quality classifications and each classification into number of quality dimensions. The quality classifications are sound information, useful information, dependable information and usable information. In addition, Klein conducted a research in the same year to identify five IQ dimensions chosen Wang Strongs DQ framework to measure IQ in Web context; accuracy, completeness, relevance, timeliness and amount of data. Mecella also proposed an initial framework for quality management in Cooperative Information System (CIS). This framework includes a model for quality data exported by cooperating organizations and the design of an infrastructure service and improving quality. More recent, in 2005 Liu Huang mentioned 6 key dimensions for IQ; source (focused on information availability), content (focused on information completeness), format and presentation (focused on information consistency), currency (focused on information currency and timeliness), accuracy (focused on information accuracy and reliability) and speed (focused on how easily information is downloadable). Besiki et all introduced in 2007 a general framework for IQ assessment. This framework consists of a comprehensive taxonomy of IQ dimensions, and provides a straightforward and powerful predictive method to study IQ problems and reason through them in a systematic and meaningful way. Lately, Kimberly et all presented in 2009 a model for how to think about IQ depending on the application context; they identified number of common IQ metrics. Kargar Azimzadeh also presented an original experimental framework for ranking IQ on the Web log. The results of their research revealed 7 IQ dimensions for IQ in Web log. For each quality dimension, quality variables associated coefficients were calculated and used so that the proposed framework is able to automatically assess IQ of Web logs. In the same year Thi Helfert conducted a research aimed to propose a quality framework based on IS architecture. In their research they identified quality factors for different construct levels of IS architecture. Moreover, they also presented impacts amongst different quality factors which help to analyze the cause of IS defects. In this part we gave a brief review of the researches conducted to formulate (data/information) quality frameworks within ISs. However in the next section we will focus on Wang and Strongs DQ framework as we will use it as a base for this research to measure IQ in eLearning systems along the dimensions of the framework. Wang and Strongs Data Quality Framework Wang Strongs DQ framework, one of the most comprehensive, popular, remarkable and cited DQ frameworks, was established by Richard Wang and Diana Strong in 1996. Their framework was designed empirically by asking users to give their viewpoints about the relevance of the IQ dimensions to capture the most important aspects of DQ to the data consumer. In their framework, Wang and Strong classified quality dimensions into four groups: Intrinsic DQ: refers to the quality dimensions originating from the data on its own. This aspect of quality is independent of the users perspective and context. Contextual DQ: focuses on the aspect of IQ within the context of the task at hand. In this group, the quality dimensions are subjective preferences of the user. Contrary to the first group, DQ dimensions cannot be assessed without considering the users viewpoint about their use of provided information. Representational DQ: is related to the representation of information within the systems. Accessibility DQ: refers

Strategy of Marketing and its impact

Strategy of Marketing and its impact Strategy is a long term actions/plans which are made by some organization to achieve their peculiar targets/goals. (link 1) According to Michael Porter the strategy is all about the mixture of different activities which are differentiated from competitors to pronounce unique mix of value. To him its all about differentiating yourself from customers as well as competitors. (link 2) Without a strategy the organization is like a ship without a rudder, going around in circles Joel Ross Michael Kami (lec-1) Marketing strategy: A marketing strategy is a process or model to allow a company or organization to focus limited resources on the best opportunities to increase sales and thereby achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. (link-3) The set of objectives which an organization allocates to its marketing function in order to support the overall corporate strategy, together with the broad methods to achieve these objectives Chartered institutes of marketing (lec-2) The above two examples show that , marketing strategy is actually the strategy that support overall corporate and which a company has to use efficiently to market its products on best opportunities while converging the limited resources to achieve its goal. Marketing planning: Marketing planning is a logical sequence and a series of activities leading to the setting of marketing objectives and the formulation of plans for achieving them (link-4) Now we can interrelate all the above terms with the help of diagram below. Business Goals Market Strategy Marketing Mix Marketing Plan The above diagram shows that an organization has to set business goals which are actually the target of company or mission statement. The next level comes of marketing strategy which is esteemed rule that company has acquired to market their products. After establishing the market strategy company moves forward towards marketing mix in which it define the whole marketing mix i-e Product, Pricing, Place and Distribution. Afterwards the process of writing of marketing plans comes in which company has to describe the whole market activities which are used to acquire business goals. (link-3) 1.2 Impacts of strategy on marketing planning: Under this heading the strategies of organization will be discussed and the impacts of that strategies on the marketing of organization will be noticed. What effect that strategies will throw on organizations long run and short run will also be discussed. Here we are talking about Fresher marketing plans. As described earlier it is a Pakistani local company that is making 100% pure juices and this is one of the marketing strategy of Fresher that make it distinguishes from others. The company has many competitors in the same line of 100% fresh juices i-e Nestle, Shezan, Minute Maid etc. But the Fresher is successful yet to maintain the no. 1 position in the brands of 100% pure juices. And also Fresher is successful to maintain its positioning against Nestle and other strong brands like Minute Maid. The benefit what Fresher will get due to this strategy is that competitors are not attaching it from all the sides. Only fresh juice companies are interested to attach its strategies. It has no concern with any other product line of competitors. Another strategy of Fresher is that they are using PET BOTTLES instead of juice boxes which made their product easy to use for the customers and the look of their brand product is totally different from others. They are also using SHRINK WRAPS for the packaging of their products. The one more thing that makes their product discriminate is tags hanged with the bottle of juice on which a little description of brand and ingredients are written. These tags make the look of the product more elegant and it again helps to make a strong positioning of the brand. The promotion strategy that Fresher following is WORD OF MOUTH. They are using any other strong promotion strategy which again differentiate the brand from others in market. But as they are not focusing the advertisement strategy now when they that much stabled in market, they can spoil their positioning as well. Fresher has strong distribution strategy which has been helping the brand to be strong so far i-e they used ROLL OUT strategy of distribution. They started the distribution of their product from their own city and then they spread it in other cities with the passage of time when they had grown enough in the market. The strategy has a benefit that other strong competitors like Nestle, Minute Maid etc didnt notice such small brand and didnt take action for that. In the meanwhile Fresher entered in the market and had got a strong market positioning. Fresher had got another benefit of this strategy that is they maintained their resources with it. They started distributing their product in their city only and when they have earned enough money they spread it over other cities of Pakistan as well. 1.3 Component parts of a marketing plan: Parts/Categories with which a marketing plan is made up of are called components of marketing plan. Here the heading will elaborate all of its parts one by one. Executive Summary: It is the first component of the marketing plan which explains the summary of the whole marketing plan for the quick review by the management of the company. Mostly three issues are mentioned in this part. The Challenge Challenge consists of a little elaboration of product for which marketing plan is made and the summary of goals such as sales figures and strategic goals.. Company Analysis Company analysis mostly consists of the answers to following questions What are goals of the company? To what thing it focuses more? What are the strengths of that company? From what culture it belongs? What are weaknesses of the company? And in what market shares it exists? etc. Competitor Analysis In competitors analysis a short report about competitors weaknesses, strengths, market position and market shares is presented. (link-5) Current marketing situation: Its a marketing audit which shows the current market situation of the company by comparing it with the past situation of its own and with the market situation of competitors. It presents data about the market, product, competition and distribution. SWOT analysis: SWOT analysis is basically the analysis in which strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the product (to be marketed) are given to have a complete look on companys analysis. The firms internal environment presents strength and weaknesses while external provides opportunities and threats. Objective and issues: This heading defines the objectives of company in different areas such as market share, sales, profit etc. Also this category will deal with all the issues and problems that effect these objectives. Marketing strategy: In this category a marketing strategy or approach is recommended to achieve the particular objective. It is the main and important part of marketing strategy structure. The strategies will elaborate the marketing mix (product, price, distribution, promotion) as well. Action programs: In this step a report is given about details of marketing strategy. The report answers such questions like how will all plan start? Who will do it? What will be the cost of all plan? Etc. Budgets: The expected budget for the specific strategy is provided in the report along with the profit and loss statement that forecasts the expected financial outcomes from the plan. Controls: Indicates how the progress of the plan will be monitored. (lec-5) 1.4 Risks and advantages in the devised marketing plan: Risks: Fresher is having a big threat in the market due to its lack of advertisement strategy now when it has gain that much credibility. Other competitors in the market has built strong image through their advertisement promotion strategy. Now it is the time when Fresher might think of making a strong and highly attractive advertisement to throw behind all the competitors. Fresher is not having a properly educated team of employees and it dont have proper departments such as HR department, RD department, Marketing department etc. So the employees working in the competitors firm are more competent and they can make proper decision at proper time. Fresher has to work on it as well. It may form a proper team so that they can compete in the leading market. As Fresher employees are not that educated in their particular field, they have disagreement in the selection of strategies. This is the major risk for the Fresher in the market as it can lead to fall of the company. Advantages: Fresher has specialized workers only in the field of making juices. Their worker knows the formula and they are best trained workers in juice making as they have to make only one product line at one time and they concentrate fully on it while competitors of Fresher have more than one product line so their workers have less command on juice making. The earlier promotion strategy of Fresher (word of mouth strategy) is quite impressive as no competitor can concentrate on upcoming new brand in this way. It gave Fresher to expand rapidly in market. The different packaging of Fresher bottle made them different and they expand undoubtedly in the fresh juice market. The biggest advantage to Fresher was the introduction of 100% fresh juice first in the market which make them differentiate from the competitors and thus they expand rapidly.

Karl Marxs Communist Manifesto and Its Impact on Society Essay

Karl Marx's The Communist Manifesto and Its Impact on Society According to the humanities based themes, autonomy and responsibility are defined as â€Å"the individual person has the ability to make choices; with those choices comes a responsibility for the consequences of those choices.† [i] This can be related to the Communist Manifesto, which was written by Karl Marx in the 1800’s. Even deeper though, it correlates the class struggles that were apparent in Europe in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Marx knew there was a division of classes; the bourgeoisie was the wealthy upper class and they proletariats were the lower working classes of Europe. This is where the theme of autonomy and responsibility steps in and plays a role in the changes that were made in society. The proletariats recognized that they were treated unfairly, which led them to the decision of stepping up and taking a stand. Through the Communist Manifesto, they took responsibility and attained the equality they felt they deserved. The problem with society during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was the equality of all persons was few and far between. The bourgeoisie was in control of all the power and the proletariats were basically under their control. It was as if the bourgeoisie â€Å"originated out of the old medieval peasant class, in opposition to the medieval titled aristocracy.† [ii] They had taken over everything; the oppressed class lived by their rules and ways of life. Their way of life was not a happy one; family was based upon money instead of love. â€Å"Capital developed in the same proportion as the class of laborers developed.† ii Life then seemed simple for those living the life of the bourgeoisie, b... ...http://www.as.udayton.edu/hbase/themes.htm > (10 Mar 2002). [ii] Marx, Karl. â€Å"Manifesto of the Communist Party. I. Bourgeois and Proletarians.† 4 May 2002. (10 Mar 2002). [iii] Elizondo, Sonny. â€Å"Classic Note on Communist Manifesto.† 17 July 2000. (10 Mar 2002). [iv] Elizondo, Sonny. â€Å"Classic Note on Communist Manifesto.† 17 July 2000. (10 Mar 2002). Other links: http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~socappeal/150years/ http://www.classicnote.com/ClassicNotes/sources/communist.html http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~brians/hum_303/manifesto.html

The Works of John Grisham Essay -- essays research papers

John Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 8, 1955. His parents were a construction worker and a homemaker. As a child, John Grisham dreamed of one day becoming a professional baseball player. In 1967, his family moved to the town of Southaven, Mississippi. Ten years later he received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. In 1981, he received a law degree from Ole Miss. That same year, he married Renee Jones. He also started a law practice in Southaven, where he practiced both criminal and civil law. Two years later, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives where he served until 1990. During his seven year span, he one day overheard the testimony of a 12 year old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the father had murdered his daughter's rapists. Grisham spent five years of getting up a 5 a.m. to finish this novel, entitled A Time to Kill. Initially, the story w as rejected by many publishers, but was bought by Wynwood Press and given a modest printing in 1988. Before A Time to Kill was published, Grisham had already begun work on The Firm, which was bought by Paramount Pictures for $600,000. The Firm spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was the best-selling novel of 1991. Grisham has continued to write one novel per year since A Time to Kill. Grisham now resides in Oxford, Mississippi and Charlottesville, Virginia. John Grisham writes a very distinctive style of mystery. Grisham started out as a lawyer, so he generally writes mysteries that pertain very much to law and government. This type of mystery is commonly known as the legal thriller. He gives you just enough information to keep you guessing, but not enough to give away the ending. Although, Grisham has written one novel that has absolutely nothing to do with law, lawyers, or courtrooms. To date, John Grisham has written twelve novels. They are A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Partner, The Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, and A Painted House. There have also been several media adaptations to Grisham's novels. They include: - The Firm. Dir. Sydney Pollack. Paramount Pictures, 1993. Based... ... September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with two weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist- high to my father, almost over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop." Thus begins a story inspired by life in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will cha nge the lives of the Chandlers forever. A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience. - Oxford, Mississippi: The Oxford American (2000) - New York: Doubleday, 2001 The Works of John Grisham Essay -- essays research papers John Grisham was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas on February 8, 1955. His parents were a construction worker and a homemaker. As a child, John Grisham dreamed of one day becoming a professional baseball player. In 1967, his family moved to the town of Southaven, Mississippi. Ten years later he received an undergraduate degree in accounting from Mississippi State University. In 1981, he received a law degree from Ole Miss. That same year, he married Renee Jones. He also started a law practice in Southaven, where he practiced both criminal and civil law. Two years later, Grisham was elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives where he served until 1990. During his seven year span, he one day overheard the testimony of a 12 year old rape victim and was inspired to start a novel exploring what would have happened if the father had murdered his daughter's rapists. Grisham spent five years of getting up a 5 a.m. to finish this novel, entitled A Time to Kill. Initially, the story w as rejected by many publishers, but was bought by Wynwood Press and given a modest printing in 1988. Before A Time to Kill was published, Grisham had already begun work on The Firm, which was bought by Paramount Pictures for $600,000. The Firm spent 47 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and was the best-selling novel of 1991. Grisham has continued to write one novel per year since A Time to Kill. Grisham now resides in Oxford, Mississippi and Charlottesville, Virginia. John Grisham writes a very distinctive style of mystery. Grisham started out as a lawyer, so he generally writes mysteries that pertain very much to law and government. This type of mystery is commonly known as the legal thriller. He gives you just enough information to keep you guessing, but not enough to give away the ending. Although, Grisham has written one novel that has absolutely nothing to do with law, lawyers, or courtrooms. To date, John Grisham has written twelve novels. They are A Time to Kill, The Firm, The Pelican Brief, The Client, The Chamber, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury, The Partner, The Street Lawyer, The Testament, The Brethren, and A Painted House. There have also been several media adaptations to Grisham's novels. They include: - The Firm. Dir. Sydney Pollack. Paramount Pictures, 1993. Based... ... September 1952. The Cardinals were five games behind the Dodgers with two weeks to go, and the season looked hopeless. The cotton, however, was waist- high to my father, almost over my head, and he and my grandfather could be heard before supper whispering words that were seldom heard. It could be a "good crop." Thus begins a story inspired by life in rural Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his parents and grandparents in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm eighty acres that they rent, not own, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. For six weeks they pick cotton, battling the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and, sometimes, each other. As the weeks pass Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for, and finds himself keeping secrets that not only threaten the crop but will cha nge the lives of the Chandlers forever. A Painted House is a moving story of one boy's journey from innocence to experience. - Oxford, Mississippi: The Oxford American (2000) - New York: Doubleday, 2001

i wanna do everything with you :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna do everything with you. Like taking a trip for just us two. Ya know something along the lines of a two week cruise, and the alarm go off we’re pushin snooze. Spending time together doing what ever you choose, doesn’t really matter as long as I’m with you.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna do things like strollin in the park a little after dark. You’ve lit my fire with just one spark.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna lay beside you and watch as the stars come out to play and I wanna look at you and not know what to say. Come over, don’t leave stay and on the next day I can kiss ya chest on which my head lay,,, I’ll rub ya back if that’s okay, I mean,,,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna do everything with you. Like stealin kisses underneath a moon so bright and cuddle close together in little or no light,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Let’s go to the beach and stand on the shore. I’m just getting started I wanna do more.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Laugh and crack jokes as waves tinkle our feet. Let’s taste exotic fruits with their flavors so sweet. And we can eat with our favorite tunes on repeat. Let me give you my heart it’s yours to keep.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna go places with you that I’ve never been. I wanna feel that chill down my spine that your touch can send. I just wanna get up and go and not know where or when. And when we’re all done we can do it all again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna resist temptation, and I wanna feel that tingling sensation. We can invent new things let’s use our imaginations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna do everything with you. Like playin games that would dirty up our clothes and find out what’s really at the end of a rainbow.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Givin red roses, white and yellow ones too. We can eat my favorite green fruit under a sky so blue. Pink, purple and orange sunsets seem better with you.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna get lost in your dark drown eyes. I wanna be there for every breath and every sigh.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna sleep close together on those cold and stormy nights and when it snows I wanna have a snowball fight.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna catch a movie when it rains and every time it’s never the same.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I wanna do everything with you. Lt me kiss ya cheek and wear ya clothes.

Love and Morning: From the Perspective of John Donne and Sylvia Plath Essay

John Donne’s The Good-Morrow and Sylvia Plath’s Morning Song at first glance, seem to talk about two different things. However, if one were to analyze the depth of these two poems, it will eventually reveal its shared views about love and its distinct relation to morning. Both poems reveal an overwhelming feeling of love that is influenced by another individual. For Donne, it was his love interest while for Plath, it was one of her children. The two poems equally used colorful imagery of love in its early stages, although taken into different contexts. Donne’s first few lines in The Good-Morrow had described his romantic feelings toward his lover by throwing questions of his worthiness in love. In lines 2 to 4, he compares his past life to that of an infant being weaned from the bottle or breast, in order to satisfy his childish whims. This could also denote a lustful past in which he had looked for instant gratification as that of a child, only to find that the right love could only be understood with a mature outlook in life (3). With regard to Plath’s Morning Song, lines 13 to 15 paint a different picture of a child in the context of love as she sees the act of breastfeeding as a sign of her contentment in being a mother. Lines 1 t o3 expresses her joy in the birth of her child as she simply describes the invincible link of a mother to her child. In particular, line 3 indicates the wonderment of life through love when Plath states â€Å"Took its place among the elements† (48) when she describes the birth of her child. Line 4 conveys her happiness at the arrival of her child, associating the infant to a statue in a museum, and she, a mere astonished observer. This is in contrast with Donne’s view in his poem when he wrote in line 19 â€Å"Whatever dies was not mixed equally† (3). What Donne referred to in this line is an old belief that described the cause of death as an imbalance in the body. This line signifies Donne’s hope that the love that he and his lover shared would make them equally whole. Both lines described the powerful connection that they have with their loved ones, yet it was illustrated in opposing contexts as life and death. Another noteworthy similarity of the two poems lies in their views of being united with their loved one. Lines 7 to 9 of Plath’s poem basically illustrate the oneness that she feels toward her baby when she speaks of not seeing her own reflection in the presence of her child. In Donne’s poem, line 15 corresponds to a combined notion of oneself with his loved one, as he states â€Å"My face in thine eye, thine in mine appears† (3). In the context of morning, both poems take on a seemingly parallel course to describe the joy one feels in expressing love. Lines 8 to 14 of Donne’s poem vibrantly illustrates the connection he feels toward his loved one when he likens the meeting to a greeting of souls as they both start afresh, just as the dawn of a new day signals another day to live. Donne also describes this fortunate meeting as an acknowledgment of his loved one’s significance in his world as he points out that his existence merely coincides with the presence of his lover (3). As for Plath, the perspective of morning is wholly dedicated to her joy in being a mother as she creatively narrates her experiences in nursing her child. Lines 10 to 15 principally describe how she looks forward to waking up every morning as she awakens to the sound of her child’s cry due to hunger (48). Line 18 of Plath’s poem fully conceives the notion as to why she looks forward to anew day. Her morning song is the cry of her baby in the morning, describing it as â€Å"The clear vowels rise like balloons† (48). Based on the analysis of Donne’s poem, one could deduce that the references made to a child in describing infantile love is seen as a transitory phase from an unconstructive feeling to pure admiration and content. Donne shows the maturation of love as though it was a living and breathing creature. In Plath’s vision, love was embodied concretely in the bond between parent and child, specifically between a mother and her child. Plath depicts a sort of love that is basic and nurturing; one that does not expect reciprocity or uncertainty, but a depth of feeling that could only be felt through the birth of life. Both of these poems have described two types of love that we may experience in our lifetime and their poetic revelations indicate that life is riddled with moments that are full of love. Works Cited: Donne, John. â€Å"The Good-Morrow. † Poems of John Donne. Ed. E. K. Chambers. London: Lawrence & Bullen, 1896. 3. Plath, Sylvia. â€Å"Morning Song. † The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Booth, Alison, J. Paul Hunter, and Kelly J. Mays. 9th ed. New York: W. W. Norton, 1961. 48.