Recommendation Of Business Strategy For Samsung

Question: Describe about theRecommendation of Business Strategy, Samsung?. Answer: Recommendation on Business Strategy Company: Samsung Korean conglomerate Samsung is global leader in electronic and telecommunication the company is retaining its presence in all the continent of the world as a product and service provider. In mobile phone industry it has grab the market with smart phones in this sector it is the close competitor of Apple. Supply chain management system of the company is one of the factors of the competitive advantage. The recommendation has been stated in this paper on the basis of its present strategy and the market performance. Optimum strategy for global market: 1. Gain Competitive Advantage through Vendor Specification The group has demonstrated its excellence in supply chain and made clear indication of developing competitive advantage out of this. It is the time to concentrate on vender specification on the basis of local economy. 2. Opt for Tax Sanctuary as Global Location There are some area in globe those may offer advantage of tax sanctuary to the group, such as California, USA. The selection of geographic position must be done on the basis of past business relationship between the specified location and the groups country of origin. 3. New Gaming Monitor for France French computer peripheral is not that conducive enough to explore. The demand for laptop is electric in nature. The demand for the product is highly responsive to the market price. Desk top sales have dropped considerably. Since 2014 monitor sales started to recover due to the demand from gamers Samsung need focus on this development and make penetration in this market segment. 4. Reduce Investment for India As a member of emerging economy India is conspicuous for its population. Computer sales have dropped 6% in total volume in2015. National government is no longer taking initiative to distributing free laptop to the students. Drop of unit price couldnt contribute any improvement in market trend. In this market scenario company shouldnt pay much investment for Indian market. 5. Innovate Improve Tablet for Africa Africa has exhibit an optimistic picture in terms of market growth. Tablet is in focus point of this development. Unit price for tablet is getting decline but the demand has been noticed in this segment but most of the market share has been taken by Apple by the quality of their product. Samsung need to improve their product and reduce their productto gets the market. 5. development of Strategic Communication The company is developer of telecommunication equipments are there under the service category advertisement construction entertainment, financial services, hospitality information and communications technology, medical and health care services, retail and ship building is failing. Brand presence does substantiate the credibility of the company to the grater mass, the importance of the brand communication become relevant here. The advertisement and the mass communication tool need to get use according to the corporate strategy to develop a mass response for the international standard product or service 6. sustainability through Standardization Since the inception throughout the development years company propagated its reliability as a brand to the customer. According to the holistic approach a brand is much more than product (Ambler and Styles, 1997). Product standardization can help the company to gain the sustainable reliability. 7. Facilitated Customer Loyalty This company has enshrined its name as worlds first maker of LCD screen display panel, and eventually become worlds largest manufacturer of that. After attaining establishment as a global brand in world market the company has started to enjoy the associated attributes of that status. Global brands are associated with prestige (Han, 1990). This association makes the company closer to gain a comprehensive customer loyalty (Kapferer, 1997). In order to ensure this the company needs to opt for end customer generalization. 8. Loyalty through Emotional Bonding Consistency of the success can offer a strong emotional bonding between the brand and its stake holders the company should make an attempt to get leverage from this. 9. Gain Synergy through R D As well as marketing development too. Gap identification is one of the cardinal finding in marketing research. If the evaluation of the value proposition has been dome on the basis of the financial result contemporary research is saying that this result can be treated as financial hypothesis of the value proposition made by the company ((Kohli and Jaworski 1990). From this context company need to distinguished itself from its previous position of homogeneous product developer as the competitors to a solution provider of leant demand in the market. 10. Improve Exclusiveness The exclusiveness of the value proposition will be the optimum product leadership strategy in this juncture. Consumer prefers to be with the latest technology rather than a brand. The strategic RD of the company is helping it to become the initiator of certain advance technological trend the suggestion can be given in this regard that the company can quote a comparative price and lowering the initial offering. This model of pricing will help company to gain dominance over the market and keep it ahead from other competitors. Competitive market place determines the effectiveness of the four Ps of marketing in a relative value but not the absolute. Strategic decision regarding pricing demands instant reaction from competitors side and that is the epitome of commutative reaction among the firms (Sudhir 2001). According to history of the firm there is an obvious trait that can get noticed it is as a brand Samsung tend to introduce new product or improve representation, after considering this it seems price leadership will lead the company to the product leadership. Emotional bonding can lead towards customer retention and sustainability of the patronage. From the perspective of offensive marketing it can be said that sales is the only means to improve market share, but some scholars has been identified that sales is the result of promotional activity and some other variables (Rust,and Zahorik1993). Pricing belong to those and that can lead the firm such as Samsung towards a sustainable relationship with the customers and that must be the future global strategy for the organization. In the case if Samsung brand positioning can get described by Maslow Pyramid. Abraham Maslow described the structure of human aspiration by a graphical depiction of a pyramid where the self actualized status is the highest of the human attainment (Wahba and Bridwell 1976). The subjective nature of the term can get articulated as the graphical representation of apex of attainment. To justify its stand in this regard the company need to reinvent it self. Conclusion: As a global brand Samsung has traverse long way and establish itself in a prominent position. Being a global conglomerate the brand evolution is the representative if the future development. The brand itself is the market leader of the technology market and strong competitor of Apple in mobile phone market. The enriched status of the brand is waiting to get evolved in a higher level. The future strategy of the company should be equipped to address higher demand of quality customer and this can offer a conspicuous position and sustainability in the market. Reference: Ambler, T. and Styles, C., 1997. Brand development versus new product development: toward a process model of extension decisions.Journal of Product Brand Management,6(4), pp.222-234. Han, C.M. and Terpstra, V. (1988) 'Country-of-origin effects for uni-national and bi-national products', Journal of International Business Studies 19(2): 235-256. Kapferer, ].-N. (1997) Strategic Brand Management, 2nd edn, Kogan Page: Dover, NH. Kohli, Ajay K. and Bernard J. Jaworski (1990), Market Orientation: The Construct, Research Propositions, and Managerial Implications, Journal of Marketing, 54 (April), 118. Rust, R.T. and Zahorik, A.J., 1993. Customer satisfaction, customer retention, and market share.Journal of retailing,69(2), pp.193-215. Sudhir, K., 2001. Competitive pricing behavior in the auto market: A structural analysis.Marketing Science,20(1), pp.42-60. Wahba, M.A. and Bridwell, L.G., 1976. Maslow reconsidered: A review of research on the need hierarchy theory.Organizational behavior and human performance,15(2), pp.212-240.

Major Court and Tribunal Decisions

Question: Discuss about the Major Court and Tribunal Decisions. Answer: Introduction: The hearing with respect to the case of RP v The Queen [2016] HCA 53 was held in the high court on 21st December 2016 at 11 am. The court was preceded by Gageler J for the purpose of this case. This case concerned an appeal from Court of Criminal Appeal of the supreme court of New South Wales. In this case it was held by the high court that the previous court made an error with respect to its decision in this case where the court held that appellants conviction was reasonable in situation where there was no sufficient proof to oppose the assumption that a child aged 11 years had no idea that his acct accounted to a serious wrong morally. The case dealt with criminal proceedings with respect to capacity and criminal liability. The case was represented by H K Dhanji SC with J L Roy for the appellant and S C Dowling SC with N J Owens SC and B K Baker for the respondent. The Complainant and Appellant with respect to this case are half-brothers who are aged 6 years 9 months and 11 years 6 months respectively. In this case the appeal was allowed by the high court and it interpreted Doli incapax in a different way to that of the pervious court. The high court even set aside a few orders provided by the previous court. The court quashed the conviction and ruled a verdict of an acquittal. This part of the paper will discuss the similarities and differences between district/supreme and Magistrate courts in Australia. The major states in Australia comprises of supreme courts as well as district courts (Foster, 2013). The first level of jurisdiction at the state level is the magistrate courts. The supreme court of the state is the next level of jurisdiction which comprises of a general divisions or trial division along with a court of appeal. The supreme courts of the states have no limits on jurisdictions on matters arising within their respective states. However the Supreme Court in the states generally hears matters which have a value of more than $750,000 along with criminal matters which are very serious in nature. The court also deals with appeals which arise out of magistrate courts and other administrative tribunals of the state (Forsyth, 2015). The magistrate courts also known as the local courts in the state generally deal with matters which are less serious an d are preceded over by magistrates. Then functions of the local courts are different with respect to each state in Australia. For instance the local court of New South Wales deals with almost 90% of the criminal matters. In the Australian capital territory the local courts only deal with criminal cases to decided that the accused should be forwarded to the higher court or not. There are specific states of legislation for each state which covers the civil and criminal proceedings with respect to magistrate and supreme courts (Turton, 2015). There is no jury involved in the magistrate courts, a person who is legally qualified known as the magistrate presides over the hearings (Garnett, 2015). Magistrate or local courts generally exercise their powers on civil cases with respect to a value of $40,000 along with petty criminal matters such as bail applications, drink-driving and minor thefts. With respect to criminal offences which are more serious the magistrate courts can forward the case to a higher courts, this process is known as committal hearing (White et al., 2015). A few magistrate courts comprises of small claims tribunal, minor debts courts, coroners courts childrens courts and small claims tribunal. District courts in the state deal with a little more serious criminal matters such as rape, fraud and armed robbery along with civil matters more than the value of $250,000. The supreme courts of the state deal with the most serious criminal matters such as murder, manslaughter and major drug offences (Wallace et al ., 2014). Through this court visit it was analyzed that how courts proceedings with respect to criminal and civil matters are conducted in Australia. Through this court visit it was analyzed that the decisions of courts are not always correct and if a proper approach towards an appeal in taken it can be withheld by the higher courts. The researcher also learnt the basic principles of the doctrine of Doli incapax. The court visit was also beneficial for the researcher as he got more accustomed towards the general proceedings of the court and the decorum one should maintain within it. References: Forsyth, A. (2015). Major court and tribunal decisions in Australia in 2014.Journal of Industrial Relations, 0022185615575534. Foster, R. (2013). Towards Leadership: the emergence of contemporary court administration in Australia.International Journal for Court Administration,5(1). Garnett, R. (2015). Australias International and Domestic Arbitration Framework. InArbitration and Dispute Resolution in the Resources Sector(pp. 7-21). Springer International Publishing. Turton, D. J. (2015). Unconventional gas in Australia: towards a legal geography.Geographical Research,53(1), 53-67. Wallace, A., Mack, K., Roach Anleu, S. (2014). Work allocation in Australian courts: Court staff and the judiciary.Anne Wallace, Kathy Mack and Sharyn Roach Anleu,Work Allocation in Australian Courts: Court Staff and the Judiciary(2014),36(4) White, B., Tilse, C., Rosenman, L., Purser, K., Coe, S. (2015). Estate contestation in Australia: An empirical study of a year of case law.UNSWLJ,38, 880.

Monopoly Essays (899 words) - AOL, Netscape, Internet Suites

Monopoly? Joseph Economics This paper will show my opinion of Microsoft being branded a monopoly. I feel this example shows supply and demand in addition to monopolistic competition. This entire ordeal is over a free browser that Microsoft includes with windows for free and gives out on the internet for free just as Netscape and most other browser companies do. The government feels that Microsoft is creating a demand purely for their products by forcing its browser on suppliers and controlling prices. I have yet to see where Microsoft is charging extraordinary prices for any of these free programs nor do I see how Netscape, in using the governments definition, a monopoly itself, is being forced out of business by Microsofts free browser. Remember: the charge is against including Internet Explorer with Windows, not the Windows monopoly itself. It is much better to have one operating system than 20 or even 2. Software compatibility, technical support, and setup are much more simplified with one operating system. Programs today are specifically designed to be Windows compatible. Would you rather have 20 (local) phone companies, each with a different line and number running into your house or one, as is the case now? Internet Explorer brings browser competition to a market that is essentially monopolistic itself. Internet Explorer gives Netscape a competitive product where before virtually none existed. The purpose of antitrust laws is to prevent only harmful monopoly. Microsofts operating system near monopoly is harmful in very few ways. Nor is Intel's chip near monopoly harmful, nor is Netscapes browser near monopoly. Other reasons easily explain how Microsoft came about to its size and how new companies constantly spring up in the computer industry. Computer software is a very volatile industry. To succeed in this industry all you basically need is a good program and a way to offer it for sale. All they have to do is make a program and copy it on a disk. Since making an extra disk containing the program costs all of 2 cents, it is more costly for the software company to print the box and manuals, than it is to make one extra disk. But it does cost Microsoft to develop a new program. No matter how cheap a disk is, capital investment such as salaries, factories, storage, and programmers always exist. Even though development costs are sunk and additional production costs are nonexistent, other costs are incurred. Besides, supply and demand determines where a price will fall. Another thing about the computer market is its ever-changing program market. For all we know, anyone literate in programming may develop a better program than Windows. If consumers like it, we may soon find another browser monopolist. For reasons similar to this, computer industry leaders have vastly changed in just a few years. At times Apple, IBM, Intel, Netscape, ATt forced to buy them. They sell because consumers want them. Many of Microsofts major products are included with Windows. Giving products away at no monetary cost is certainly not restricting output. Netscape had an almost full monopoly (90%) and still has a semi-monopoly at 65-70% of the browser market. So what they are worried about? They use the same methods of distribution of their software by offering it for free and having Internet providers

The Rationale for TEFL Materials

The Rationale for TEFL Materials Introduction Learning materials play a significant role in teaching an English programme. English teachers often use a wide range of instruments to facilitate teaching and learning processes (Wright 2010). The advent of the World Wide Web has transformed the manner in which teachers design learning and instructional materials.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Rationale for TEFL Materials specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In essence, the internet has provided an elemental opportunity to support computer-mediated instruction (Nizonkiza 2011; Tomlinson 2008). According to Weston (2009), web-based applications provide different forms of educational technologies that enhance learning experiences. The primary benefit of these tools is that they support the development of a collaborative learning environment (Wright 2010). The purpose of this rationale is to provide a basis that support development of computer- based TEFL materials. The teacher designed the learning materials for Kuwait University students in a general English class. The objective of developing these learning tools was to enhance learners’ performance in business courses. This analysis will demonstrate how educational theories, literature, and reasoning influenced creation of the materials. The rationale will review literature and educational models that support incorporation of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) studies strategies in a conventional classroom. The Learning Context Type of Lesson: General EnglishAdvertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Level: University (Year 1) Language Skill: Listening and Reading Time: 1 hr 30 min per day Class Profile The instructor developed learning materials for a group of 30 male and female students at Kuwait University. The materials will facilitate genera l English instruction for the first-year students in a blended classroom. The general English lessons will run for eight consecutive weeks from Monday to Friday. Each week will account for six and a half hours and the students will complete two assignments per week. The aim of this course is to assist the students to improve their listening, reading and writing skills in English. This goal is essential because some of their core courses are taught in English. These skills will help them to improve their overall performance and educational objectives. The Assessment of Needs The students have enrolled in international business courses at the university. The English language is the mode of instruction for most of the core courses.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on The Rationale for TEFL Materials specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As such, the Department of Business Administration has introduced an English Imme rsion Programme to support the students who speak English as a second language. The university offers mandatory English classes for 30 to 45 minutes daily. Despite these efforts, these students lack self-efficacy and competencies in spoken and written English respectively. The primary concern is that the students do not receive any linguistic support apart from the 30-45 minutes remedial sessions. The degree programme mandates the students to read multiple books, journals and case studies. The main problem is that the students have limited scanning and skimming skills to comprehend this information. The listening materials will help enhance students’ vocabulary. They will also be in a better position to know how various words are pronounced. Strengths and Weaknesses It is important to note that the students received English instruction from grades one to five. Thus, they have basic skills in both written and spoken English. The students have also formed groups to practice new vocabulary during the immersion sessions. According to Forman (2011), learners achieve higher grades when they take control of their learning process. However, it is unfortunate that the students performed poorly in their latest English essay exam. This exercise also required them to gather information from electronic databases and libraries. A meeting with their professors identified two concerns. First, syntax errors were prevalent in the students’ written assignment.Advertising Looking for critical writing on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Second, the students were unable to synthesize the information in the module materials to answer all the questions correctly. Skimming and scanning were also identified as another weakness among these students. The Teaching Schedule The learners will complete two tasks: an essay and listening activities. Each lesson will begin with a warm-up session that will expose students to various technological tools and devices. They will then identify their most innovative technologies and provide reasons for their choices. The purpose of this task will be to underscore the role of technology in pedagogy. The participants will then complete a three-minute test. The objective of this test will be to introduce specific terminologies commonly used in web browsers and applications. The intake of these vocabularies will enable the students to understand the text more easily. The lesson will also contain a pre-listening session. The students will predict the answers to a set of questions based on t he title of a video. Materials Introduction In this section, the researcher will identify materials that will be needed for the blended learning. The materials must be suitable for year 1 students in Kuwait University. Identifying these materials will help in developing the approach that will be used in this blended class. The materials must be readily available within the university. The materials The delivery of the instruction materials will use two web-based applications: Moodle and TED-Ed. Karchmer-Klein and Shinas (2012) have argued that high cost of purchasing and installing web-based applications limits their incorporation in blended classroom. Conversely, both Moodle and TED-Ed are free applications. Thus, the cost-effectiveness of these tools influenced their selection. In addition, they support collaboration and interactions based on the social constructionist pedagogy. Hsu and Lin (2008) have indicated that effectual cooperation during the learning process improves educa tional outcomes. Animated videos and Task-Based Learning (TBL) will also form part of the materials that will be used. The Objectives of the Learning Materials Learning materials play a significant role in facilitating the teaching process (Dudeney Hockly 2007). The particular aims of the learning materials include the following: To enhance development of reading skills To help students acquire new vocabularies that may enhance their understanding of the language. To enhance time-management skills among the learners. To measure if these objectives are achieved, learners will undertake oral exams to test development of new vocabulary, time management and reading skills. The Rationale for the Learning Materials Introduction The unprecedented advances in information and communication technologies have revolutionised the way teachers and students interact (McQuirter Dortmans 2013). The increasing shift towards online learning has supported proliferation of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) into the conventional classroom (Chapelle Jamieson 2008). The primary purpose of CALL is to generate evidence-based practices in the development of web-based learning tools. On the other hand, the rising influence of English language in the contemporary society has been the force behind the Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research (Watson, Watson Reigeluth 2012). Web-based learning has emerged as one of the most feasible teaching approaches in the modern world (Hsu Lin 2008). The principal tenet supporting internet-based education lies in its capacity to support interactions between teachers and students. These applications also improve communication among the learners (Karchmer-Klein Shinas 2012). The level of communication in these contexts improves the productivity and performance of trainers and trainees respectively (Wohlwend 2010). The purpose of this rationale is to demonstrate the significance of using technological resources to improve listening, read ing and speaking skills among ELLs. This rationale will illustrate the factors that influenced the design and development of the electronic learning materials. In addition, the analysis will also identify theoretical and empirical frameworks. The Justification for the Blended Classroom Blended learning is a technique that has emerged from the development of information and communication tools. In practice, blended learning uses online and digital media to complement conventional classroom methods (Wright 2010). One of the principal challenges teachers encounter in the traditional classroom is the inability to meet the individual needs of each student (Forman 2011; Watson, Watson Reigeluth 2012). A blended classroom addresses the preceding limitation by providing a wide range of web-based tools. The multiplicity of these tools will motivate the students because they break the monotony of face-to-face instruction. In addition, the role of the trainer is to provide support and consult ation (Wohlwend 2010). That is why blended learning has gained popularity in the recent past. Secondly, classroom teaching fails to acknowledge the fact that students synthesize learning materials at different paces (Shute Towle 2003). Self-blending allows students to control the process of acquiring information and knowledge. The learners accomplish this goal by using diverse tools to customise their learning experiences and materials. For example, the use web-based application will facilitate the acquisition of soft skills in comprehension much faster than it is possible in the conventional settings (Nizonkiza 2011). On the other hand, blended learning provides asynchronous communication between teachers and their students because of the additional support offered by web-based application in the learning process. Consequently, instructors do not have to spend too much time on talking and teaching unfamiliar content (Falvo Johnson 2007). Another advantage of using the blended cla ssroom model is that it improves performance and educational outcomes. The application of information and communication technologies in the classroom increases access to a variety of learning materials (Forman 2011). Yu, Zhang and Chen (2006) have argued that gifted students do not get a chance to hone their skills considering the limits of the current curricular. Nonetheless, educational technologies enable this group of learners to avoid grade restrictions or advance their competencies. Weston (2009) has also argued that these innovative tools (such as simulations, video and audio content, animations and others) improve the retention rate. According to Hsu and Lin (2008), educational technologies reinforce the information acquired through the conventional teaching practices. This will be applied in this programme by providing learners with digital materials of what they have learnt in class. The Justification for Choosing the Materials The learning materials consist of two web app lications: Moodle and TED-Ed. Moodle is a web-based application that allows instructors and learners to design personalised instructional environments. Moodle provides collaborative learning based on the social constructionist pedagogy. The collaborative learning environments empower both the learning and teaching processes. The justification for choosing this application is that it supports blended learning. A ccording to Chapelle and Jamieson (2008), connected behaviour in a learning environment stimulates learning since learners share their knowledge and experiences. The participatory nature of Moodle will allow the participants to become both teachers and learners. The design of this material will help ensure that teachers and learners can interact even when they are not in a classroom setting (Redington 2011). Secondly, the teacher will create learning materials using the TED-Ed Lessons. This websites allows its visitors to add supplementary materials (including discussion topi cs) to any educational videos posted on YouTube. The use of TED-Ed lessons will play a fundamental role in introducing new information in curiosity-inspiring and exciting way. In essence, the TED-Ed lessons allow the teacher to use video clips and films to transmit information. The Teacher’s Role in Blended Learning The teacher’s beliefs and attitudes have a fundamental influence on vocabulary intake. Individual perceptions are very influential in determining classroom behaviours and actions (Shafie Nayan 2010). These components also determine whether the student will succeed or fail to master the foreign language (Forman 2011). The role of the teacher has evolved from a monitor to that of a facilitator and manager since the advent of the internet. The point of argument that has emerged from these conceptualisations is whether or not blended classrooms require teachers to fulfil their traditional roles (Warschauer 2007). The keyword in the Computer-Assisted Language L earning (CALL) context is â€Å"assisted.† It means that although blended learning gives students some autonomy, teachers still control the learning process (Ko 2012). Web-based learning allows students to take control of their knowledge-acquisition process by personalising their learning experiences. Karchmer-Klein and Shinas (2012) have argued that this freedom ensures that the learners synthesise materials at a preferred pace, which improves performance. Web-based tools have influenced the shift towards student-centred learning, which has transformed the role of the teacher fundamentally (Warschauer 2007). It allows for a personalised and student-centred approach of learning because the learner can dictate the pace and time of consuming a given digital material. This is very different from the traditional learning approach where learners had to follow rigid timetables which they had no control over. The teacher no longer functions as the predominant disseminator of informa tion. By contrast, instructors are now the managers or facilitators of the learning process (Shafie Nayan 2010). The use of technology in the conventional classroom gives students more autonomy. Chapelle and Jamieson (2008) have discovered that most teachers are yet to conceptualise the difference between Tacher-Talk-Time (TTT) and Student-Talk-Time (STT). Teachers are often cautious about giving their students total freedom (Redington 2011). According to Shafie and Nayan (2010), such teachers continue to dictate the pace and contexts of learning. Subsequently, students only consume whatever their teachers give to them. This study will not conform to this traditional belief because web-based applications will allow the learners to assume control over their learning by enabling them to dictate when and at what pace they want to consume a given knowledge (Cooker 2008). These tools will also facilitate efficient communication and collaboration between teachers and their students (McQu irter Dortmans 2013). For instance, the primary function of Moodle is to create a collaborative learning environment. Effectual instruction is feasible in these settings if teachers allow their students to make contributions and suggestions during the lesson (Falvo Johnson 2007). The constructive approach to learning supports the transitioning of the teacher’s role from an information provider to a facilitator. According to this theory, the construction of knowledge and meaning takes place in a student’s mind (Shafie Nayan 2010). Wright (2010) has also indicated that this process is continuous since it is always evolving. The use of the Moodle application will enable the teacher to interact easily with the students. Forman (2011) has argued that this approach creates a learning environment that encourages exchange of information, knowledge and ideas openly. The Significance of Feedback One of the most significant components of learning is giving students appropriate feedback. Hsu and Lin (2008) have indicated that students show progress when they receive feedback from their instructors. According to Forman (2011), feedback is an essential aspect of assessment because it enables students to evaluate their performance. Wright (2010) noted that students get more feedback in virtual settings compared to the traditional classroom setting. The point of argument is that web-based applications give instant comments than the teacher does. On the other hand, teachers often give generalised views that disregard the needs of individual students. Consequently, such an action does not benefit the whole class equally (McQuirter Dortmans 2013). The learning materials make it possible for the learners to receive instant results whenever they undertake web-based assignments. The grading threshold for the test is the achievement of the highest grade. The learners can attempt the exam several times until they attain this goal. The feedback for incorrect answers will give the students an opportunity to reorganise their knowledge and information. Wright (2010) found out that students who received explicit feedback improved their writing and reading skills. For example, the first task will be to ask the student to match computer terminologies with their respective meanings. Adaptive Learning in Blended Classrooms Both the teaching and learning processes are essential in blended classrooms. Computer applications do not improve performance in a vacuum. According to Weston (2009), these tools are only meant to support learning procedures. Forman (2011) has noted that the individual characteristics rather than web-based applications determine the performance of both the teacher and learners. For example, a school may have the latest educational technologies but this cannot improve performance before motivating the learners to use these tools. Thus, adaptive learning is very critical in blended classrooms (McQuirter Dortmans 2013). The role of ad aptive web-based learning is to enhance user experiences by maintaining didactical and pedagogical processes (Chang 2010). Motivation, preferences and prior knowledge constitute learner-specific characteristics that influence performance (Shute Towle 2003). Didactical activities require the teacher to use technology to meet the demands of the target group. The learning materials have incorporated this concept into the teaching and learning processes. This is achieved by providing learners with web-based materials that they can always review at their own time. This means that if a learner did not understand a concept in a classroom setting, he can review the online materials at any time in order to enhance his knowledge. It is imperative to note that Moodle and TED-Ed will not replace current practices. By contrast, the aim of using technology is to improve and simplify conventional classroom practices (Lapp, Moss Rowsell 2013). For instance, a student may score poor marks in his f irst business essay because he was unable to synthesise his notes given in a classroom setting. This means that such a student may not have proper revision materials to prepare for exams. The proposed tools will address this problem by enabling the learners to have all the materials they need at any time whether or not they prepared notes when the teacher was in class (Chang 2010). One of the crucial benefits of using technology in classrooms is that it provides unique experiences than the non-ICT approaches do. However, it is important to note that sometimes the adaptation to ICT tools may be very complex and time consuming (McQuirter Dortmans 2013). For this reason, it may be necessary to come up with measures that will address these challenges in order to benefit from the use of the proposed materials. The proposed teaching materials will address these challenges by using simple applications to meet the students’ immediate needs. The learners require improving their liste ning and reading skills to understand the business terminologies used in the classroom. The purpose of the learning materials is to match English language learning content with the student’s characteristics. This objective is elemental to support didactical and pedagogical processes (Lapp, Moss Rowsell 2012). Constructivist-Collaborative Approach shifts focus from the teacher to the student. This framework encourages students to assume an active role in the learning process instead of being passive spectators (Falvo Johnson 2007). Weston (2009) has posited that the thoughts and contributions of the students augment the learning process even if they do not make sense. The Moodle tool will require the students to navigate through multiple information sources to get the solution to a particular task. The purpose of this activity is to support the acquisition of critical thinking skills. This assignment will also help students to enhance their skimming and scanning competencies . The teacher will use an evaluation checklist to ensure that the task is sufficiently comprehensive. This means that at regular intervals, a teacher may consider giving learners a long passage to go through within a short time. The learners will be expected to skim the passage in order to grasp important concepts about it. After that, they will be asked a series of questions based on the passage. The aim of this process is to enable the learner to get relevant information relatively fast while in the World Wide Web. The Rationale for using Authentic Materials The effectiveness of teaching any language necessitates the development of authentic materials. The rationale underpinning the previous statement is that these tools bridge the gap between the real world and academia (Chang 2010). The main problem that learners may face when using blended approach of learning is that sometimes online materials may be misleading. For this reason, it was necessary for the teachers to play an act ive role in web-based learning (Dykman Davis 2008). They should define the kind of materials which are appropriate for the learners. Despite these diverse viewpoints on the issue of authenticity of the web-based materials, Tomlinson (2008) has claimed that the use of authentic English in the learning materials is essential to engage the learners affectively and cognitively. It is crucial to note that students often find it hard to comprehend some of these resources fully. Dudeney and Hockly (2007) have underscored the significance of designing effectual tasks to limit these complexities. The proposed learning materials preferred the authentic texts to English language training (ELT) practices for three reasons. First, it was necessary to tailor the learning materials to the students’ needs. These tools will pay attention to language, as well as engage the learners effectively (Hsu Lin 2008). Secondly, the use of these texts will motivate the students to assume an active rol e in the learning process. This study will involve students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. As such, Tseng (2002) suggests that it will be counterproductive to use materials meant for instructional purposes only. Thirdly, business case studies and essays often assess the students’ comprehension of global issues. The learners who are participating currently are pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international business. Thus, their ability to use English language comprehensively is a competency that they will require in the future to become global leaders. Guest (2002) has argued that language is not about vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. On the contrary, language learning becomes meaningful if the learners understand the cultures that underlie the language. The use of authentic texts will ensure that these students expand their perspectives about global cultures. The core of this objective is that culture influences individual perceptions and belief s (Tseng 2002). Lexis is a critical component of this lesson. The aim of focusing on this language system is to meet the students’ vocabulary intake needs (Nizonkiza 2011). The realisation of this objective necessitated the manipulation of the authentic texts in various forms. Guest (2002) has argued that English language learners find it quite difficult to comprehend some authentic materials. The development of simple exercises using Moodle was essential to make this process more amenable (Dudeney Hockly, 2007). The question design helps in making the whole process simple by eliminating unnecessary vocabularies that may confuse the learners. The teacher refined the authentic text through a vocabulary profile for two reasons. First, it was necessary to simplify the task without compromising the layout of questions. Second, this strategy was crucial to enable the learners to acquire new lexis using web-based terminologies (Nizonkiza, 2011). The development of the learning mat erials emphasised authentic text for two reasons. Firstly, Lewis (2000) acknowledged the essence of teaching words within a cultural context rather than in isolation. Second, Folse (2004) has prohibited the tendency of guessing from the context since it is ineffective and impossible. According to Folse, students run the risk of learning the incorrect meanings of words when they employ guesswork. Chapelle and Jamieson (2008) have supported these assertions by emphasising the need to introduce students to novel vocabulary items. Chapelle and Jamieson have indicated that teaching vocabulary with CALL â€Å" help learners to develop strategies for explicit vocabulary learning through the use of online dictionaries† (2008 p. 12). Based on the materials discussed in the section above, learners will rely on web-based learning to know the meaning of some words and the context under which they should be used. The trend of globalisation has diversified the current populations in the Ki ngdom of Saudi Arabia. Thus, these students come from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds (Yu, Zhang Chen 2006). Shute and Towle (2003) have noted cultural and language diversities influences how English Language Learners (ELLs) acquire language skills. As such, the learning materials will be sensitive to cultural and language differences among the students. Further, the teacher will employ differential and supplemental activities to enhance the acquisition of reading competencies. Besides the normal classes in the brick-and-moter setting, a teacher may consider sending the learners to a world wide web for a further investigation of a given issue. This means that the teacher will have more time to attend to other academic tasks other than spending time with students trying to explain a single concept repeatedly. The faculty will review the internet-based materials to ascertain their authenticity and applicability in the classroom. Conclusion This assignment has demonstrated that adequate use of technology can play a significant role in facilitating language learning and teaching. The novel technological advances and innovations provide essential tools that teachers can use to enhance the acquisition of language and vocabulary skills. Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) does not only improve students’ abilities but also supports professional development. This rationale has highlighted the application of CALL materials to facilitate English learning among university students. The use of Moodle and TED-Ed tools was necessary to prepare them to perform better in their second assignment. The rationale has shown that students can benefit both academically and personally if teachers use the CALL tools efficiently. Despite the many benefits of CALL, they also present a myriad of limitations. First, the limited face-to-face interactions undermined the capacity to provide timely feedback. Second, it was impossible to develop high-quality content b ecause the tools lack superior interfaces. For instance, the materials may not be as engaging as a teacher would be in a classroom setting. Moreover, these tools may not identify academic weaknesses of a learner. This can only be done by a teacher. Nonetheless, both Moodle and TED-Ed applications supported social interactions, which were crucial for them to acquire language and literacy skills. The software was also cost-effective, although it promoted sound pedagogical practices. The teacher should prepare and assist the students to overcome the challenges of using technology to make the learning process more productive. This objective is critical because many schools are now shifting towards the blended system of instruction as the most appropriate strategy. List of References Chang, AC-S 2010, ‘The effect of the timed reading activity on EFL learners: speed, comprehension and perceptions’, Reading in a Foreign Language, vol. 22, no. 2, pp. 284-303. Chapelle, CA Jami eson, J 2008, Tips for teaching with CALL: practical approaches to computer-assisted language learning, Pearson Education, New York. Cooker, L 2008, ‘Self-access material, in B Tomlinson: English language learning materials’, Continuum International Group, vol. 3, no. 7, pp. 110-132. Dudeney, G Hockly, N 2007, How to teach English with technology, Pearson Education, Essex. Dykman, C.A Davis, CK 2008, ‘Online education forum: part two- teaching online versus teaching conventionally’, Journal of Information Systems Education, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 157-164. Falvo, D Johnson, B 2007, ‘The use of learning management systems in the United States’, Tech Trends, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 40-45. Folse, K 2004, Vocabulary myths: applying second language research to classroom teaching, University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor. Forman, R 2011, ‘A comparison of success in on-campus versus distance learning for an information systems course’, Issues i n Information Systems, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 63-66. Guest, M 2002, ‘A critical ‘check-book for culture teaching and learning’, ELT Journal, vol. 56, no. 2, pp. 154-161. Hsu, CL Lin, JC 2008, ‘Acceptance of blog usage: the roles of technology acceptance, social influence and knowledge sharing motivation’, Information Management, vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 65–74. Karchmer-Klein, R Shinas, HV 2012, ‘Guiding principles for supporting new literacies in your classroom’, The Reading Teacher, vol. 65, pp. 288–293. Ko, MH 2012, ‘Glossing and second language vocabulary learning’, TESOL Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 56-59. Lapp, D, Moss, B Rowsell, J 2012, ‘Envisioning new literacies through a lens of teaching and learning’, The Reading Teacher, vol. 65, pp. 367–377. Lewis, M 2000, Teaching collocation: further developments in the lexical approach, Language Teaching Publications: Hove. McQuirter, SR Dortma ns, D 2013, ‘The power of word study apps’, Education Canada, vol. 53, no. 4, pp. 50–54. Nizonkiza, D 2011, ‘The relationship between lexical competence, collocational competence, and second language proficiency’, English Text Construction, vol. 4, no. 1, pp. 113–145. Redington, BK 2011, ‘Less than a class set’, Learning Leading with Technology, vol. 39, no. 4, pp. 22–25. Shafie, L Nayan,S 2010, ‘The roles of university English teachers in Malaysia’, Journal of Language Teaching and Research, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 262-265. Shute, V Towle, B 2003, ‘Adaptive E-Learning’, Educational Psychologist, vol. 38, pp. 105-114. Tomlinson, B 2008, Language acquisition and language learning materials, Continuum International Publishing Group, London. Tseng, Y 2002, ‘A lesson in culture’, ELT Journal, vol. 56, no. 1, pp. 11-21. Warschauer, M 2007, ‘A teacher’s place in the digital divide ’, Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, vol. 106, no. 2, pp. 147-166. Watson, WR, Watson, SL, Reigeluth, CM 2012, ‘A systematic integration of technology for new-paradigm education’, Educational Technology, vol. 52, no. 5, pp. 25-29. Weston, TA 2009, Evaluating online learning: challenges and strategies for success, Nova Science, New York. Wohlwend, K 2010, ‘A is for avatar: young children in literacy 2.0 worlds and literacy 2.1 schools’, Language Arts, vol. 88, pp. 144-152. Wright, T 2010, ‘Second language teacher education: review of recent research on practice’, Language Teaching, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 259-296. Yu, D, Zhang, W Chen, X 2006, ‘New generation of e-learning technologies’, First International Multi-Symposiums on Computer and Computational Sciences, pp. 455-459.

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer Heres the bottom line: As a freelancer, you dont have an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Youre going to need to do one of two things immediately to ensure that you arent still working when you hit retirement age: Purchase a retirement savings plan through a financial institution, or save your own money to invest as you see fit. Ideally, a freelancer should do both of these things, starting with either a Solo 401(k), an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP IRA). Next, use your own savings to make your retirement even more secure. Step One: Budget Everything comes down to budgeting, whether it’s cat food or a tropical cruise 40 years down the road. This is where you’ll find the funds to allocate to retirement, and it will help you understand just how much money you will actually need when the time comes. You need to include all monthly expenses in your budget, and keep them conservative. The income of a freelance writer can fluctuate, so be sure to pay your budgeted items before doing any other kind of spending. On top of monthly budgeting for rent/mortgage, food, utilities, car payments, insurance, and other necessities, experts suggest putting at least 10 percent of your pay into savings, starting right now. You should also be putting a similar amount into your retirement fund each month. Step Two: Open a High-Yield Savings Account Your budgeted savings shouldnt just be left in your checking account or stuffed into a wall safe. Open a high-yield savings account where you can place your savings securely and turn them into more money thanks to a high interest rate. Take a look at your current banks interest rate, and compare with other banks to find the highest return on your small investment. The point of this type of account is to stop you from spending your savings, and to eventually yield small returns on the initial amount. You should try to always have your savings in this type of account, whether the amount is small or large. Step Three: Invest When   your savings have begun to grow, its time to use some of those funds for investments. There are many ways to invest a few hundred or a few thousand dollars depending on where you live. You might choose savings bonds; perhaps you’re more inclined to microloans. Wherever you do choose to invest, make sure it is as secure as possible (in other words, no stock market purchases based on a hunch). The U.S. Series EE and Series I Savings Bonds are available in denominations as low as $50 and as high as $10,000. They offer higher interest and rate of return than other kinds of   savings, which makes them a great option to consider once youve begun to grow your nest egg. Microloan investments, such as those offered through Lending Club, allow you to choose the person or group your money will finance, and receive monthly repayments plus interest. Once youve increased your money through investment? Roll it over and keep the process going. A Certificate of Deposit from your bank is a safe way to invest $10,000 or more. Its Never Too Early to Start The most important thing to remember is that you need to start saving today – not tomorrow, next month or next season when you have the extra money lying around. Budget concisely, invest wisely and watch your money grow.

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer Heres the bottom line: As a freelancer, you dont have an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Youre going to need to do one of two things immediately to ensure that you arent still working when you hit retirement age: Purchase a retirement savings plan through a financial institution, or save your own money to invest as you see fit. Ideally, a freelancer should do both of these things, starting with either a Solo 401(k), an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP IRA). Next, use your own savings to make your retirement even more secure. Step One: Budget Everything comes down to budgeting, whether it’s cat food or a tropical cruise 40 years down the road. This is where you’ll find the funds to allocate to retirement, and it will help you understand just how much money you will actually need when the time comes. You need to include all monthly expenses in your budget, and keep them conservative. The income of a freelance writer can fluctuate, so be sure to pay your budgeted items before doing any other kind of spending. On top of monthly budgeting for rent/mortgage, food, utilities, car payments, insurance, and other necessities, experts suggest putting at least 10 percent of your pay into savings, starting right now. You should also be putting a similar amount into your retirement fund each month. Step Two: Open a High-Yield Savings Account Your budgeted savings shouldnt just be left in your checking account or stuffed into a wall safe. Open a high-yield savings account where you can place your savings securely and turn them into more money thanks to a high interest rate. Take a look at your current banks interest rate, and compare with other banks to find the highest return on your small investment. The point of this type of account is to stop you from spending your savings, and to eventually yield small returns on the initial amount. You should try to always have your savings in this type of account, whether the amount is small or large. Step Three: Invest When   your savings have begun to grow, its time to use some of those funds for investments. There are many ways to invest a few hundred or a few thousand dollars depending on where you live. You might choose savings bonds; perhaps you’re more inclined to microloans. Wherever you do choose to invest, make sure it is as secure as possible (in other words, no stock market purchases based on a hunch). The U.S. Series EE and Series I Savings Bonds are available in denominations as low as $50 and as high as $10,000. They offer higher interest and rate of return than other kinds of   savings, which makes them a great option to consider once youve begun to grow your nest egg. Microloan investments, such as those offered through Lending Club, allow you to choose the person or group your money will finance, and receive monthly repayments plus interest. Once youve increased your money through investment? Roll it over and keep the process going. A Certificate of Deposit from your bank is a safe way to invest $10,000 or more. Its Never Too Early to Start The most important thing to remember is that you need to start saving today – not tomorrow, next month or next season when you have the extra money lying around. Budget concisely, invest wisely and watch your money grow.

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer

How to Save for Retirement When Youre a Freelance Writer Heres the bottom line: As a freelancer, you dont have an employer-sponsored retirement plan. Youre going to need to do one of two things immediately to ensure that you arent still working when you hit retirement age: Purchase a retirement savings plan through a financial institution, or save your own money to invest as you see fit. Ideally, a freelancer should do both of these things, starting with either a Solo 401(k), an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), or a Simplified Employee Pension (SEP IRA). Next, use your own savings to make your retirement even more secure. Step One: Budget Everything comes down to budgeting, whether it’s cat food or a tropical cruise 40 years down the road. This is where you’ll find the funds to allocate to retirement, and it will help you understand just how much money you will actually need when the time comes. You need to include all monthly expenses in your budget, and keep them conservative. The income of a freelance writer can fluctuate, so be sure to pay your budgeted items before doing any other kind of spending. On top of monthly budgeting for rent/mortgage, food, utilities, car payments, insurance, and other necessities, experts suggest putting at least 10 percent of your pay into savings, starting right now. You should also be putting a similar amount into your retirement fund each month. Step Two: Open a High-Yield Savings Account Your budgeted savings shouldnt just be left in your checking account or stuffed into a wall safe. Open a high-yield savings account where you can place your savings securely and turn them into more money thanks to a high interest rate. Take a look at your current banks interest rate, and compare with other banks to find the highest return on your small investment. The point of this type of account is to stop you from spending your savings, and to eventually yield small returns on the initial amount. You should try to always have your savings in this type of account, whether the amount is small or large. Step Three: Invest When   your savings have begun to grow, its time to use some of those funds for investments. There are many ways to invest a few hundred or a few thousand dollars depending on where you live. You might choose savings bonds; perhaps you’re more inclined to microloans. Wherever you do choose to invest, make sure it is as secure as possible (in other words, no stock market purchases based on a hunch). The U.S. Series EE and Series I Savings Bonds are available in denominations as low as $50 and as high as $10,000. They offer higher interest and rate of return than other kinds of   savings, which makes them a great option to consider once youve begun to grow your nest egg. Microloan investments, such as those offered through Lending Club, allow you to choose the person or group your money will finance, and receive monthly repayments plus interest. Once youve increased your money through investment? Roll it over and keep the process going. A Certificate of Deposit from your bank is a safe way to invest $10,000 or more. Its Never Too Early to Start The most important thing to remember is that you need to start saving today – not tomorrow, next month or next season when you have the extra money lying around. Budget concisely, invest wisely and watch your money grow.