Management Practices and Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management Practices and Operations - Essay Example A second problem is the arrival pattern of trucks to pick up products that materially contribute to gridlock within the facility. The company has identified various factors that can affect the customer satisfaction because of waiting time and provide a framework for showing managers which of these factors are under their control. The main solution for the problem lies in the queuing or waiting line models. 1.2.1 Queuing theory or waiting line theory is primarily concerned with processes characterized by random arrivals (i.e., arrivals at random time intervals); the servicing of the customer is also a random process. If we assume there are costs associated with waiting in line, and if there are costs of adding more channels (i.e., adding more service facilities), we want to minimize the sum of the costs of waiting and the costs of providing service facilities.( Queuing models – waiting lines). The diagram focuses on the causes rather than the effect, because there may be a number of causes for a particular problem. This technique helps us to identify the root cause of the problem in a structured and uncomplicated manner. It also helps us to work on each cause prior to finding the root cause. (Applying the fishbone diagram and Pareto principle to Domino, 2004). â€Å"Breakdown maintenance is reduced to the minimum by resorting to planned/ scheduled maintenance. And computerized software is used to redesign the plant layout to minimize handling cost. ABC analysis is carried out to reduce the inventory carrying cost. When carrying out an ABC analysis, inventory items are valued (item cost multiplied by quantity issued/consumed in period) with the results then ranked. The results are then grouped typically into three bands. These bands are called ABC codes.† (ABC analysis, 2009). The stocks are not meeting the requirements, or in other words, stocks which are in frequent demand are not stored in sufficient quantities. Production

Oppressive to women and sexist Essay Example for Free

Oppressive to women and sexist Essay In studying the two tables, the one I did myself and the one my friend did, it became apparent that while there were some differences, many of the descriptors were similarly placed within the table. There were some differences, notably that we both thought the American belief of Muslims is that their religious is oppressive to women and sexist, but my friend also thought that Christians and Muslims had a male-dominated political environment. The other interesting similarity was that we both believed Americans view Muslim-Americans as fanatics and violent, a stereotype that is perpetuated on television and in the media. We both listed some descriptors in the Both category, notably the fact that we perceived both groups as devout, both as sexist in some respects, and both as family-oriented in nature. From the Christian table, I think that women who go to work and secular content in education are true descriptors about this group in general, while the idea of them having immodest dress and all being law abiding are obviously false. For the Muslim-Americans, I believe the idea of them having modest dress and being governed by the Qu’ran is true, but I do not think all of these people are violent and undereducated. Both my friend and myself seemed to have similar views on how America views each group but many of them were not true and not necessarily how I truly believe, but how American society wants us to believe. I believe that in our society the media plays a large role in how we view each group. Watching a religious channel and seeing the way some right-wing conservative Christians act sheds a light on how most Americans think Christians act, while on the other hand the media portrays Muslim and Arab peoples as fanatically religious and as being terrorists. These images have stuck in the minds of Americans, particularly since 9/11.

Steven Spielberg, film analysis

Steven Spielberg, film analysis Steven Spielberg is a film director who has had a long career of about four decades. He has given the film industry some of the best films of many themes and genres. However, his filming style conveys his absolute regard towards action and adventure. His career gives us films that consist of action and adventure in different plots and a variety of stories. His concept of adventure films were archetypes of the blockbuster filmmaking in modern Hollywood. His essence of adventure has made him one of the most influential directors in the film industry. In the years of his career, he has won many awards and made his way towards fame and success. His most famous films that became record breaking are Jaws, E.T and Jurassic Park. Each of these was made under his original filmmaking style which portrayed action and adventure. They are known to be the best films in the history of cinema and were the highest grossing films of that time. The themes of these films revolved around science fiction but were directed using the best techniques to display pure action (Jackson 234). However, Steven Spielberg has achieved much of his success not only through his filming style and techniques, but his themes. Many recurring themes have been observed in his films. The theme in most of his films talks about ordinary people who discover extraordinary beings or circumstances. At many times during his interviews, Spielberg has admitted his imagination and interest that goes beyond the ordinary means of life. He says that his belief in the extra terrestrial surroundings is shown in the themes of the films he make. His films have been influenced by his fathers interests that he adopted while he was a child. His father was a science fiction fan and thus Spielberg was inspired by the concepts. He said he felt like an alien throughout his childhood and that is how the interest of talking and filming about aliens came to his career. This genuine interest was portrayed through his unique style of directing his films with action and adventure surrounding the plot. As he focused on the lives of the ordinary people, majority of his films displayed the family theme. His family themes were enlightened with the sense of faith and wonder. This is shown in his works such as E.T and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. These themes have been displayed using the specific technique of using low height camera tracking shots that eventually became Spielbergs trademark. He has used this technique in films that include children, for which it looks apparent, and also for films such as The Terminal, Saving Private Ryan and Munich. This kind of a shot is utilized very evidently in his films especially in Jaws where the low angle is used to show someone swimming (Gordon 93). More towards the family theme, parent child relationships are most persistently shown in Spielbergs films. His family theme focuses on ordinary family people, tension in relationships between parent and child, the entering of children in old age, and ignorance of parents etc. In his film Hook, the father is depicted as a workaholic parent with no time for his children, and throughout the film he strives to regain the respect and love of his children. The absence of the childs father in E.T is another example of this theme. In fact, it is evident that this theme is most closest to Spielbergs life since he belonged to a broken family where his parents were divorced. Throughout his childhood, he was deeply affected by the divorce and felt the absence of his father greatly. However, through the theme he has earned his place as the most influential director of all time (Edge 102). Spielberg has used these themes to apply his techniques of using the camera. These ordinary people and sentimental topics have been iced with adventurous scenes and plots. Action has also been his style for long until he turned 40 and decided not to do action movies anymore. His major career breakthrough was because of his action movies and touchy themes. He has continues to inspire and impress his fans. Sharks, dinosaurs and aliens have been some of the best pictured films including science fiction, action, adventure and a family theme. His films depict his imagination and life as a child with his father and later the absence of his father. Some of the technical details added to his films are the camera shots he chooses. Many of them have become his trademark and notable in his most famous films. He uses the camera to display his best shots. His over the shoulder shots, track in shots and sideways tracking shots are used more often. He has a specific style of shooting action and adventure. Graphics and sound effects are used side by side to complement his themes. His films also include violence as part of the action involved. He creates unthinkable climax scenes for the films using visual effects for example groundbreaking in A.I Artificial Intelligence (Morris 67). In E.T, the story revolves around a child who befriends an alien. The child in the film does not have a father and he is a lonely child. His innocence turned into maturity is shown in the film. The alien he befriends has been left out from a UFO that landed on the ground. The camera shots and visual effects have been used to show the UFO landing on the ground. Furthermore, the adventurous story of the boy and the alien comes to the point where the boy has to save the alien from people trying to catch him for other purposes. The story shows how the child protects and sends back the alien to his planet. The film is about scientific fiction yet it became one of the highest grossing films. When it is about Spielbergs concept of action and adventure, Jaws is the best film one could think of. It was shot using many perspectives but Spielberg managed to successfully create a masterpiece. The film was inspired by the bestselling novel of the same name. The story revolves around a roaring shark and scenes underwater. The exceptions in the film are that related to the family theme. Brody in the film is a family committed man. The main focus of the film remains to be the shark and the adventurous journey of the beachgoers to whom the man-eating shark attacks. Jurassic park is also a science fiction film which features dinosaurs. Spielberg has presented the theme with extraordinary filming techniques and shots. The storyline and the adventure of the journey, the surrounding and the imagination are outstanding. Spielberg has been able to successfully use graphics and visual effects to show the thriller on screen. It is the best example of Spielbergs style of direction and action. Spielberg has given his best through his films. He has proved to be one of the best directors in the history of cinema. His imagination, interests and thoughts have been accumulated together in various films. They have won the hearts of many and received praise worldwide. He has also been the winner of many awards for his films. His movies showed new style of action and adventure where there are twists and turns, relationships, extra terrestrial life, and many other effects that appeal to the viewer. Spielberg has reached new heights in his career because of his talent and ability to depict the fictitious stories into touchy sentimental stories maintaining the level of action and adventure. Work Cited Gordon Andrew. Empire of Dreams: The Science Fiction and Fantasy Films of Steven Spielberg. USA: Rowman Littlefield, 2008 Jackson Kathi. Steven Spielberg: A Biography. USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007 16 Edge Laura. Steven Spielberg: Director of Blockbuster Films. USA: Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2008 Morris Nigel. The Cinema of Steven Spielberg: Empire of Light. India: Wallflower Press, 2007

The Life and Works of Ezra Jack Keats Essay example -- Literary Analys

After a four week survey of a multitude of children’s book authors and illustrators, and learning to analyze their works and the methods used to make them effective literary pieces for children, it is certainly appropriate to apply these new skills to evaluate a single author’s works. Specifically, this paper focuses on the life and works of Ezra Jack Keats, a writer and illustrator of books for children who single handedly expanded the point of view of the genre to include the experiences of multicultural children with his Caldecott Award winning book â€Å"Snowy Day.† The creation of Peter as a character is ground breaking in and of itself, but after reading the text the reader is driven to wonder why â€Å"Peter† was created. Was he a vehicle for political commentary as some might suggest or was he simply another â€Å"childhood† that had; until that time, been ignored? If so, what inspired him to move in this direction? Born in March of 1916 as Jacob (Jack) Ezra Katz, he was the third child to Benjamin and Augusta Katz. His parents were both Polish immigrants of Jewish descent and they raised him in East New York, the predominantly Jewish section of Brooklyn. As immigrants they were plagued with financial difficulties and this was further aggravated when they struggled through the Depression. Despite all of these hardships, Keats had already begun to showcase his artistic abilities. At the age of eight he was hired to paint the sign of a local store. Naturally, his father was quite proud of him when he earned twenty-five cents for his work and hoped that this might endeavor might lead to a steady career as a sign pa ¬inter. Unfortunately for him, Keats was smitten with Fine Arts and won his first award in Junior High School: a medal for ... ...undeniable. Works Cited Gerard J.Keats, Ezra Jack. Goggles! New York: Puffin Books, 1969. Keats, Ezra Jack, and Cherr, Pat. My Dog is Lost! New York: Crowell, 1960. Keats, Ezra Jack. Peter’s Chair. New York: Viking, 1967. Keats, Ezra Jack. Skates! New York: Watts, 1973 Keats, Ezra Jack. The Snowy Day. New York: Viking, 1962. Senick, Gerard J., and Hedblad, Alan. Children’s Literature Review: Excerpts from Reviews, and Commentary on Books for Children and Young People (Volumes 14, 34, 35). Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1995.. Ezra Jack Keats: A Virtual Exhibit. The University of Southern Mississippi De Grummond Children's Literature Collection. Web. 19 July 2010. . Http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/. Ezra Jack Keats Foundation. Web. 19 July 2010. .

Diets :: essays research papers

Fish Sandwich. Small French Fries. 3 pcs. of Fudge. 12oz. Hi-C Punch. Daily (multi vitamin, B-complex, 1000m C, and Tyrosine). Big Mac (no sauce). Small Fri. Ravioli. 3 Strawberries. 12oz. Hi-C. 12oz. Orange juice. 6oz. Apple Juice. Dailies. 1 Banana. I Muffin. Chicken-Helper (2srv). Caesar Salad (Lg). Peeled Carrots. Cake (2pc). 44oz. Water. 12oz. Orange Juice. Dailies. 1 Banana. 4oz. Broiled Haddock.1 bowl Fish-Chowder. 10 Saltines. Peeled Carrots. 12oz. Orange Juice. 4oz. Apple Juice. 4oz. Coffee. 12oz. Water. 8oz. Cocoa. Dailies. 4oz. Red Rose Wine. 1 Banana. 1 Muffin. Sweet-N-Sour Chicken. Pork Fried Brown Rice. 1 Egg Roll. 12oz Orange juice. 24oz Water. Dailies. 1 bowl Raisin Bran. 1sl. Pepperoni Pizza. I bowl Fish-Chowder. 8oz. Yogurt. 6oz. Lite-Cheddar Cheese. 2doz. Ritz Crackers. 4oz. Orange Juice.12oz. De-Caff Pepsi. 24oz. Water. Dailies. 8oz. Yogurt. 2 bowl Chicken-Helper. 24oz. Water. 6oz. De-caf Pepsi. Popcorn. 3 Cookies. 8 oz. Ginger–Ale. Dailies. 8oz De-caff Coffee. 8oz Orange Juice. 12oz. Water. 8oz. Apple Juice. 1/2doz. Strawberries 2oz. Lite-Cheddar Cheese & Wheat-Thins. 3sl. Pepperoni Pizza. Dailies. Use fat-free dressing. Avoid salt and fries, and get more fluids. Exercise/Activity low. Sick day. Exercise/Activity Low. (prescription for Amoxil). Cr/Country Skiing. (Insomnia). E/A Moderate. Lightly Active. E/A Low. More exercise. E/A Low. More exercise. E/A Moderate. 1.5 hrs. Ice Skating. Lightly Active. More exercise. E/A Low. More exercise. 29.5/190. 29.5/190. 29.5/187. 29.13/186. 29.13/186. 29.5/187. 29.5/187. 29.5/187. 15. 18.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   20. 15. 16. 20. 20 20 9hrs. 8hrs. 8hrs. 8hrs. 8hrs. 10hrs. 9hrs. 8hrs. 8oz. Orange Juice. 8oz. Yogurt. 4oz.Coffie. 12oz. Ginger Ale. 3sl. Pizza. 12 Strawberries. Dailies. 3 Waffles w/ Lite Syrup. 3oz Skim Milk. 2.68oz. Blueberry Oatmeal. 12oz. Orange Juice. 8oz. Sprite. 8 Fish Sticks. Tater Tots. 1 banana. Dailies. 3 eggs 1/4lb. Ham. Baked Beans. 2sl. Toast. 2 Hash browns. Double Cheeseburger.12oz. Diet-Decaf Pepsi. Potato Chips. Dailies. Steak & Egg on Bagel. 1 Hash brown. 8oz. Orange Juice. 24oz Coffee. 2 Meatballs. Ziti Pasta. Tomato Sauce. Salad W/Oil. 1 Donut. @pc. Chicken. Cole Slaw. Mashed Potatoes w/ Gravy. Cheeseburger. Potato Chips. 8oz. Coffee. 8oz Orange Juice. 24oz. Water. Dailies. 12oz. Orange Juice. 3oz. Haddock. Mashed Potatoes. Peeled Carrots. 8oz. Decaf Orange Soda. 2 Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Dailies. 12oz. De-caf Orange Soda. 1 Frozen Pizza. Fish Sandwich. Small French Fries. 12oz. Hi-C Punch. 10oz. Broiled Haddock. 1 Baked Potato. Caesar Salad w/ Parmesan. 16oz. Water. 4 White Cherry Cordials. Dailies. 4oz. Coffee. Caesar Salad. 1 Cheese Bread-Stick. Egg and Cheese Sandwich. 1 Bwl. Product 19 Cereal. 16oz. Water. Dailies. Lightly Active. More exercise. More Water. E/A Low. More exercise. Insomnia. E/A Low. More exercise. More Water. Lightly Active. More exercise. More Water. Lightly Active. More exercise. Lightly Active. More exercise. More Water. E/A Low. More exercise. Lightly Active. More exercise. 29.13/186. 29.13/186. Out of Town. Out of Town. Out of Town. 29.5/187. 29/185. 29.5/187. 20 30 20 15 20 14 20 17 8hrs. 8hrs. 2hrs. 5hrs. 7hrs. 10hrs. 10hrs. 8hrs. 6oz. Tuna.

Eating Disorders Essay -- essays research papers fc

An eating disorder is an illness that involves an unhealthy feeling about the food we eat. â€Å"Eating disorders affect 5-10 millions Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide† (www.eatingdisorderinfo.org 1). They also affect many people from women, men, children, from all ages and different races. People who have eating disorders usually see themselves as being fat when they really aren’t. This usually deals with women or teenage girls mostly. They watch television, movies, read articles in magazines, and see pictures of the celebrities whom they want to be like because they have the â€Å"ideal body† that everyone wants and craves for. The media makes us all think we need those types of bodies to be happy with ourselves, be more successful in life, and be perfect. Starving yourself or eating less amounts of food doesn’t help you get the â€Å"ideal body† that you desire to have. This shows that you lack self-esteem and only want to see what other people see in life. This may impinge on people who are alone and want to get attention and by doing this they want to be thin. There are many different kinds of eating disorders that people are affected with. For example, there is Anorexia Nervosa, which deals with not eating regularly or eats little amounts of food or not eating at all. There is also Bulimia Nervosa, which is when a person eats a large amount of food and then binges or purges after to get rid of the food they just put into the body. Lastly there is the Binge eating disorder. This disorder is when a person keeps a secret from everyone of their excessive eating. â€Å"Women make up more than 90 percent of people with these eating disorders† (www.4woman.gov 1).â€Å"However, young women are most vulnerable, particularly between the ages 15-25 years† (www.edauk.com 1). Women are more likely to be anorexic, because they always see other women with thin bodies and feel pressured to want to be like them. They may be alone or divorced and may need attention so they look for ways to get that attention from people. â€Å"The women suffer with feelings of self-hate, worthlessness, low self-esteem, and they usually feel that in order to be happy, they must be thin† (www.mirror-mirror.org 1). Women in the business industry feel they don’t get enough attention from people so in order to heighten their career, they put themselves out there to have the perfect body to get people’s att... ... illness. If you do not seek help you can damage your body, cause major health problems, and even death. But if you do seek help, you can increasingly build up your self-esteem that helps cope with the illness. Bibliography #1 - Thompson, Colleen. Eating Disorders. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #2 - Thompson, Colleen. Children. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #3 - Thompson, Colleen. Women. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #4 - Thompson, Colleen. Binge Eating Disorder. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #5 - Thompson, Colleen. Anorexia Nervosa. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #6 - Thompson, Colleen. Bulimia Nervosa. Internet Explorer December 9, 2002 #7 - Hendrick, Victoria Eating Disorders. Internet Explorer July 2002 #8 - Spearing, Melissa. Eating Disorders. Internet Explorer. August 6, 2002 #9 – Anonymous. EDA. What is an Eating Disorder? Internet Explorer. March 31, 2004 #10 – Anonymous. Eating Disorders Statistics. Internet Explorer. http://www.eatingdisorderinfo.org #11 - Harmon, Dan. Anorexia Nervosa Starving for Attention. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers 1999 #12 - Nardo, Dan. Eating Disorders. San Diego, California: Lucent Books, Inc. 1991

Assessment Of Learning Essay

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