Category: Essays

ssignment 2: Discussion—ABC Analysis

Review the Decision Case 1 (Harris Systems) located on page 942-943 in you textbook. Answer the four case questions in the Requirements section of the case. In addition, address the following in one to two paragraphs:

Compare and contrast ABC costing and traditional costing methods, giving examples.
In the assigned case, which system provides a more accurate picture of the cost incurred to produce the jobs?
Provide examples of manufacturers in your geographic area and explain which system would be best for them.

Respond to each directive or question in 1–2 paragraphs. Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work

Unit Assignment: LearnScape 4 | How Are We Doing?

Unit outcomes addressed in this Assignment:

· Describe the marketing research process and market segmentation strategies.

· Describe the concept of relationship marketing and the distinction between satisfaction and loyalty.

· Describe the range of product and service variations.

In this LearnScape, you will apply the concepts learned throughout the training.

It is time for a marketing audit! The Health Care System wants to see how responsive they are to market needs and preferences, and if their marketing strategies are showing a good return on investment. You have been brought in as an objective party to perform this audit. During this LearnScape, you will choose the right people to be in the interviews and choose the best questions to ask from the following categories:

· Market and market segments

· The organization

· Competitors

· Products and services

· Price

· Promotion

· Channels of distribution

Once the information is gathered, you will identify the top 3 strengths and the top three weaknesses of the organization. Then, you will make prioritized recommendations to turn the weaknesses into strengths.

Instructions

You will submit an e-mail to Quinn Smith, Chairman of the Board, outlining the top three strengths and the top three weaknesses of the marketing campaign, along with suggestions on how to improve on the weaknesses.

It is time to write your e-mail to Quinn Smith, Chairman of the Board, outlining the top three strengths and the top three weaknesses of the Bright Road marketing survey results. Be sure to include suggestions on how to turn the weaknesses into strengths. Be sure to back up your recommendation with the analysis of the information gained along the way.

Requirements

Hillestad, & Berkowitz (2013). Health Care Market Strategy (4th ed.), Chapter 8: “Step 5: Integration of the Marketing Plan with the Business Plan and the Strategic Plan”

Legal and illegal immigration into the United States is discussed in your textbook. Advocates of liberal immigration argue that both legal and illegal immigrants are needed to perform difficult and low paying jobs that most citizens won’t take. Advocates also sympathize with immigrants because many of them are fleeing poverty and tyranny in their homelands. Immigrants pay taxes, help to support the US social security system, and contribute to American society.

Opponents of immigration include individuals that want to ban or significantly reduce all immigration, and those that simply want more stringent efforts to end illegal immigration. Opponents argue that current immigration policies and border patrol methods are too lenient and allow terrorists to infiltrate into the US.

wo short articles identified below have very different views on the impacts of illegal immigration on state economies. Use these references along with resources from your own research to help answer the questions that follow.

How do the views presented in the articles differ? How does illegal immigration both hurt and help state economies? Do you feel that the author’s of these two articles are ignoring each others side, or is it possible that the Illinois economy is simply better equipped to absorb illegal immigration? Before answering this final question make sure to consider the affiliations of the authors.

Paper is 1-2 pages artlices are attached, APA format!

Using approved guidelines for conducting simple Internet research, choose one immigrant or refugee group and prepare an audio-narrated PowerPoint presentation about the group.

You may not choose the following groups that have already been covered extensively within the modules:

Irish  Germans  Jews  Chinese

Your presentation must include slides that include the following information:

Images/visuals for each slide in the form of: o Photos (Required) o Maps (Required) o Charts o Graphs

An introduction to your group and an overview of their place of origin Push and pull factors that affected your chosen groupSkills and assets of the group  Liabilities of the group Early settlement patterns of the group

Occupations in which this group was concentrated  Challenges the group faced Settlement patterns and experiences of this group in American society today

Use your critical thinking skills to answer the following question: Based on your research, would you say that your chosen group has attained the “American Dream?” In other words, has America been a “Promised Land” for your group? Why or why not?

Important

 

Slides must not be covered with paragraphs of writing. Include only short phrases (bullets) and images/visuals. You should explain the content of each slide with your voice rather than with writing.  Do not read from your notes when recording your presentation. Your words should flow smoothly as though you are speaking to someone rather than reading mechanically from your notes. Try to be animated when you speak rather than speaking in a monotone. Try to engage your listener and keep him or her interested in what you have to say.

See the grading rubric on the last page to see how this presentation will be graded.

You will need to record and embed a narrative for each of your slides; i.e., say what you would say if you were presenting in front of a live audience. As such, you will need to attach a microphone/headset with microphone to your computer to record the audio. Prices will vary, but an inexpensive headset with microphone will work fine.

Instructions for how to record and add audio narrations to your presentation can be found by using the PowerPoint help feature. These links may also help you as you create your audio PowerPoint with appropriate timing

Read a recent article, from the last 3 to 5 years, in a peer reviewed nursing journal that includes articles using a systematic review.

Write a 1,500-word paper analyzing key elements of the article, and discuss the article’s potential impact on clinical practice.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

Please attach the article together with the answer to the homework.

Due date: 9/2/15 @ 1300 California time

Review the Decision Case 1 (Harris Systems) located on page 942-943 in you textbook. Answer the four case questions in the Requirements section of the case. In addition, address the following in one to two paragraphs:

Compare and contrast ABC costing and traditional costing methods, giving examples.
In the assigned case, which system provides a more accurate picture of the cost incurred to produce the jobs?
Provide examples of manufacturers in your geographic area and explain which system would be best for them.

Respond to each directive or question in 1–2 paragraphs. Apply current APA standards for writing style to your work

The Final Project is your opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned throughout the course in a summative and comprehensive assignment. Begin preparing for this assignment by reading the Week Six Instructor Guidance and by imagining the following scenario:

In just two months, members of your community will vote on an $18 million educational technology bond intended to update the technology infrastructure of both the school district and local community center. The passing of the bond would provide upgraded technology to improve learning for Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade students enrolled in the school district as well as adult learners enrolled in the community’s blended adult learning programs. The leadership teams of both the school district and community have decided to join forces in an effort to encourage voter participation. The leaders believe that by raising awareness and interest in technology as a teaching and learning tool, voters will have a better understanding of and appreciation for the issues pertaining to the bond, which will increase the likelihood of it passing at the polls.

Since this is a joint effort between the school district and community center, you will assume the role of either an educator in the district, or a representative of the community center and plan a portion of a local event involving community members. Your goal for the Final Project is to get residents of your community into the doors of your school and/or community center to raise awareness of and interest in technology integration in the learning environment. As such, this event will need to provide opportunities for attendees to be exposed to and interact with various types of technology. In essence, your event will showcase current examples of technology use in your respective learning environment as well as feature the impact that the bond money would have (i.e., how teaching and learning would improve) if passed.

Once a written plan is drafted, you will propose your event plan to either the school board or community center administrative team through a professional presentation detailing your plan along with a written synopsis of the event plans provided to your audience. Select from one of the two roles shared in the content expectations below and include each component in your Community Event Plan.

Create your assignment using the content and written communication instructions below. Use the Grading Rubric

to review your assignment before submission to ensure you have met the distinguished performance for each of the components described below. For additional assistance, review the Week Six Instructor Guidance page and, if needed, contact the instructor for further clarifications using the “Ask Your Instructor” discussion forum.

Content Instructions

Based on the role you have selected to take (either a district educator or a representative of the community center), you will create two components for this assignment: a professional presentation that will be recorded and a two-to- three page handout of the specific ideas for your community event that will be submitted to Waypoint for evaluation. Your community event will consist of several different stations for attendees to visit and gather information from and/or interact with. Your presentation will describe what will be included at each station. Remember that the goal of the event is to inform and excite local residents about how technology is currently being implemented in either the schools or community center and how technology use and thus, instruction and learning would improve if the bond is passed.

PART ONE: Presentation Content Expectations

Create a professional presentation to be shared using any of the digital presentation tools listed in Week One. You will talk through your presentation, creating a video and/or audio recording with the link provided in part two of the assignment. More specific instructions can be located in the Week Six Instructor Guidance. In your presentation, describe what will be included at the following stations at the Community Event;

Station 1: Universal Design for Learning (UDL): Three to four slides. Information shared on the slide(s) and viewed by the audience should be succinct and void of excessive detail. Specific details and descriptions should be included in part two; the written synopsis.

Audience (0.5 point): Discuss how you will get the audiences’ attention to visit this station. What might the station look like or include to draw people to it?

Information (1 points): Describe the most essential information attendees should know about UDL and how it specifically pertains to the population of Pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade students in the school district or the adult learners at the community center.

Demonstrate (1 point): Discuss how would you demonstrate UDL in action. For example, would you include a video of it being modeled, a sample instructional plan, or an example of a resource or source of technology that supports UDL?

Differentiation (2 points): Discuss the impact UDL has on teaching and learning for the specific population of PK through 12th grade students at the school district or adult learners at the community center. In your discussion, include how incorporating UDL principles enhances learning by providing differentiated learning opportunities.

Interaction (1 point): Describe how attendees could interact in this station. How might this increase their interest and appreciation for educational use of technology?

Station 2: Technology and UDL for All Learners: Two to three slides. Utilize information gleaned from your state’s Department of Education website, your local school district’s website, and/or the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) website to support your ideas for this station. Information shared on the slide(s) and viewed by the audience should be succinct and void of excessive detail. Specific details and descriptions should be included in part two; the written synopsis.

Mission, Belief, and Goals (3 points): Craft an original mission and belief statement for your school district or community center as it pertains to technology integration and career and technical education (CTE). Construct two to three specific goals for the educational programs or courses offered to the respective population served that align with the mission and beliefs.

Course and/or Program Offerings (1 point): Construct a list of eight to ten courses or programs including CTE courses offered in either the school district or the community center to serve as examples to attendees of this station. The school district’s courses should include courses or programs that impact all three levels of learners and school environments including elementary, middle/junior high school, and high school students.

Station 3: 21st-Century Skills Acquisition and Employability: Two to three slides. Information shared on the slides and viewed by the audience should be succinct and void of excessive detail. Specific details and descriptions should be included in part two; the written synopsis.

Technology and 21st-Century Skills (5 points): Showcase one specific course from the courses offered list that integrates technology. Describe at least one 21st-century skill from each of the four 21st-century outcomes represented in the Partnership for 21st-Century Skills framework that students should gain as a result of participating in the course. Describe how Information, Media, and Technology Skills (ICT) Literacy outcomes ICT Literacy outcomes are addressed, specifically for applying technology effectively, and how such applications will support future employability.

Tools (1 point): Include an additional example of a tech/digital tool used in one or more courses.

Interaction (1 point): Describe how attendees might interact with the information and tool(s) presented at this station. How might this increase their interest and appreciation for educational use of technology?

New Technology (1 point): Discuss how school or community programs, courses, and students would benefit from upgraded technology from approved bond.

Slide Design and Format (2 points): Total of 8 to 10 slides including the title and references slides. Use relevant graphics to enhance the presentation without distracting from the main focus. Slides should have a consistent theme, format, and font that augment the readability of the presentation. Rather than using the speaker’s notes on each slide, details that would be shared with the audience will be provided in the second part of the assignment; the written synopsis. Save the presentation as a pdf., pwpt., or pwptx. file that shows speaker’s notes for viewing in Waypoint and Turnitin.

Title & References Slides (1 point): The Title slide should include your name, course name and number (EDU620), instructor’s name, the date, a title for your event and the role you have selected to take for the project (district educator or community center representative).

PART TWO: Written Synopsis

Follow the same outline for all three stations of your event featured in the Part One: Presentation. Here, you will provide the details for each part that would help inform the audience during your presentation. The details are what cannot be included on the slides. This three to five page document will include the link to your presentation and be submitted to Waypoint for evaluation. Your instructor will use your recorded presentation and the written synopsis to evaluate your work.

Link to presentation (0.5 points)
Follows presentation guidelines (2 points)

Written Communication Instructions

Syntax and Mechanics (0.5 point): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar.

Source Requirement (0.5 point): Utilize a minimum of five resources in addition to the Edyburn (2013) text. All sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

APA Formatting (1 point): Use APA formatting consistently throughout the assignment. Refer to the Ashford University Writing Center for assistance with APA style and formatting or your copy of the APA Style Manual.

Leaders today must be able to create a compelling vision for the organization. They also must be able to create an aligned strategy and then execute it. Visions have two parts, the envisioned future and the core values that support that vision of the future. The ability to create a compelling vision is the primary distinction between leadership and management. Leaders need to create a vision that will frame the decisions and behavior of the organization and keep it focused on the future while also delivering on the short-term goals.

To learn more about organizational vision statements, do an Internet search and review various vision statements.

In this assignment, you will consider yourself as a leader of an organization and write a vision statement and supporting values statement.

Select an organization of choice. This could be an organization that you are familiar with, or a fictitious organization. Then, respond to the following:

Provide the name and description of the organization. In the description, be sure to include the purpose of the organization, the products or services it provides, and the description of its customer base.
Describe the core values of the organization. Why are these specific values important to the organization?
Describe the benefits and purpose for an organizational vision statement.
Develop a vision statement for this organization. When developing a vision statement, be mindful of the module readings and lecture materials.
In the vision statement, be sure to communicate the future goals and aspirations of the organization.
Once you have developed the vision statement, describe how you would communicate the statement to the organizational stakeholders, that is, the owners, employees, vendors, and customers.
How would you incorporate the communication of the vision into the new employee on-boarding and ongoing training?

Write your response in approximately 3–5 pages in Microsoft Word. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

Assignment 3 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Chose and described the organization. The description included the purpose of the organization, the products or services the organization provides, and the description of its customer base.
16
Developed a vision statement for the organization. Ensured to accurately communicate the goals and aspirations of the organization in the vision statement.
24
Ensured that the incorporation and communication strategy for the vision statement is clear, detailed, well thought out and realistic.
28
Evaluated and explained which values are most important to the organization.
24
Wrote in a clear, concise, and organized manner; demonstrated ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; displayed accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Anthropologists are interested in framing broad hypotheses about human behavior. In order to do this, it is imperative to use examples from multiple cultures to ensure that their conclusions are not grounded in a single case.

In this assignment, you will be taking on the role of an ethnologist, using multiple ethnographic accounts to study human behavior and culture.

Do the following:

Identify two to three societies to compare, such as an African society (for example, Ethiopian, Liberian, etc.), Indian, Chinese, Korean, or one of the many Native American groups (for example, the Cherokee, the Inuit, etc.).
Choose one aspect of human culture discussed in the course:
Domestic life and kinship
Subsistence and economy
Religion
Culture change

Using the module readings, Argosy University online library resources, and the Internet, write a research paper to include the following:

Describe the background information of each of the societies you have chosen. You need not analyze this background information, only provide details regarding these societies.
Analyze the aspect of human culture you selected for each of the societies.
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the societies in relation to the topic you chose—for example, standard of living, education, or employment opportunities.
Summarize and address human behavior in relation to your topic and based on your examples.
Address the realities of life for the cultures you have examined.
Examine some of the social problems and public policy issues that become apparent.

Your paper should have a title page as well as an introduction section. This introduction section should include the societies you selected as well as the human culture aspect you will be discussing and why it is relevant to anthropology. As an anthropologist, use relevant anthropological terms in your analysis.

Support your statements with examples and scholarly references.

Write a 4–6-page paper in Word format. Apply APA standards to citation of sources. Use the following file naming convention: LastnameFirstInitial_M5_A1.doc.

.

Grading Rubric
Assignment 1 Grading Criteria
Maximum Points
Write an introduction of the topic you chose and describe why it is relevant to anthropology.
12
Write background information on the 2–3 societies.
32
Compare and contrast the similarities and differences between the societies in relation to the topic you chose.
100
Summarize and discuss human behavior in relation to your topic and based on your example

The topic of your project needs to be a contemporary societal problem, such as healthcare reform, immigration reform, privacy rights, euthanasia, First Amendment Rights, stem cell research, capital punishment, corporate prisons, legalizing drugs, ageism, animal rights, cloning, prayer in schools, racial profiling, recycling/conservation, sexism, outsourcing jobs, workplace bullying, etc. The topic must focus on a single aspect, as in “How far do corporations intrude into the private lives of their employers?” or “The social costs of financing the distribution of custom-designed drugs.” You may suggest another topic to use, but the instructor must approve the topic during the Week Two Discussion.

The Final Research Project will present research relating the responsibilities of a critical thinker to contemporary society. In this assignment, you will do the following:

Research one aspect of a contemporary social problem.
Define the problem.
Propose a possible solution for the problem.
Create an argument that supports your thesis position. You should take on the perspective of a critically thinking researcher. The argument must present a thesis statement and evidence to support the thesis statement.
Evaluate the ethical outcomes that result from the position you take on the issue and explain how those outcomes would influence society and culture.
Interpret statistical data from at least two peer-reviewed scholarly sources.
Evaluate evidence using the following standards: validity, reliability, and bias related to the chosen topic and accurately identify strengths and weaknesses.

Research and Define the Problem

You must take on the perspective of your major field of study and explain in your paper what that perspective is and how it informs your view of the topic. The topics listed above are far too broad to write about in 10–12 pages (3,300–3,900 words). Instead, you must choose a narrowly defined thesis and approach it from the perspective of your field.

Example: If you are an economics major, and you are interested in immigration reform, you should approach a very specific aspect of immigration reform through the lens of economic theory and practice. A specific thesis question would not be, “How does illegal immigration influence the U.S. economy?” One could write thousands of pages on such a topic. Instead, a better question would be, “How do illegal immigrant hotel workers in Chicago impact the economy of Northern Illinois?” You would then want to do the research and determine the positive and negative impacts they have, ultimately trying to conclude how illegal immigration in this area should be approached ethically.

How to Hone Your Thesis: It is important that you start your research early in this course. Try to find the most important contemporary questions and theories in your field of study and then align the most important questions with a very specific aspect of the general topics above. For example, if you are a psychology major, you might want to start thinking within the realm of healthcare reform or aspects of mental health and criminality in the prison system.

Your Argument

You must present a complete argument, including a major claim with at least five points of evidence, information, or data that will prove the claim.

The thesis statement must be
A clear, simple declarative sentence as the first or last sentence in the opening paragraph of the essay.
Of such a nature that it can be substantiated, corroborated, verified, and proved through appeal to primary or secondary academic research source materials.
The introductory paragraph must
Present the thesis statement, an explanation for the importance of the topic, and its relation to the student’s field of study.
Beliefs, opinions, and personal opinions must not be introduced at any point in the essay.
All beliefs and opinions should be supported with academic evidence. Sweeping generalizations with no supporting academic evidence do not reflect adequate critical thinking skills.
Do not include rhetorical questions in your essays. All the questions that are pertinent to your project need to be answered in your essay and your answers again need to be supported with evidence from peer-reviewed journal articles and academically published books.

Attributes of Good Critical Thinking in Papers

Your paper should include academic sources that explain multiple sides of the issue.
The evidence that you use should come from high-level researchers engaged in your field of study.
Your interpretations of the evidence should be objective and state the conclusions and theses presented in the evidence clearly and fairly.
Your paper should place the various forms of evidence in relation to one another and demonstrate why one form or perspective is stronger than the other positions that one could take on the issue.
Your paper should point out the limitations of current evidence and attempt to indicate areas for future research.

Ethical Outcomes of the Position You Take

After you have defined the problem and created an argument about how one ought to respond to the issue, you need to explain the ethical outcomes of the position you have taken. This should again be in relation to the field of study in which you are working. There might be different ethical outcomes that result from your analysis. For example, going back to the example issue above, from an economic standpoint, illegal immigrants might contribute positively to the economy of Northern Illinois in a specific number of ways. Thus, an economist who believes that positive impact to the economy is the greatest good would say that one should promote the use of illegal immigrants. However, because these workers are often paid less than others and eliminate jobs that could be done by residents of Chicago, there could be other negative ethical outcomes that would outweigh the positive impacts to the economy. It is your goal to draw out the ethical implications of your thesis and explain the underlying rationale that is the foundation for your claim that one action is better than another.

Critical thinkers are those who can outline the positive and negative ethical impacts of their positions. In addition, they are able to provide a rationale for why they believe a specific position is the right position, even when it leads to negative outcomes.
Critical thinkers are also able to be honest and objective about the limitations and gray areas that pertain to their theses.

Final Research Project Requirements

The Final Research Project may be presented as a formal research paper (essay format), a PowerPoint presentation, a video, or a podcast equivalent to a minimum of 10 – 12 pages in APA format (approximately 3,300 – 3,900 typewritten words, excluding title page and reference pages). Written essays must adhere to all APA formatting standards and requirements, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

PowerPoint presentations must include the full text (at least 3,300 words) in the speaker notes portion of the slides, with appropriate citations, and full reference pages. PowerPoint presentations must adhere to the basic principles of PowerPoint presentation design and must include citations and references according to APA standards and requirements.

Videos and podcasts must include a full transcript, in APA format, including appropriate in-text citations and a references page.

Quotations:

There must be no more than 15% quoted content in the body of your essay. All quoted material must bear quotation marks and a full quotation citation.

Source Documents:

There must be 10 or more source documents used, cited, and referenced.
Multimedia sources (such as videos) may be used, but no more than two such sources may be used. If multimedia sources are used, then they must be authored and distributed by credible sources, such as universities, law schools, medical schools, or professors, or found in the Ashford University Library.
Where print documents are used for source materials, those must be peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles, and academically published books. Popular media sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television and radio shows, etc.) may not be used. Materials from advocacy groups (e.g., Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, etc.) may not be used.
Two of the peer-reviewed scholarly sources used must include statistical evidence, which must be accurately interpreted.
Sites such as ProCon.org and Wikipedia should not be used.
Religious texts are neither peer-reviewed nor scholarly and so may not be used in any way.

Summary Conclusion:

You must have a summary conclusion as the last paragraph(s) of the project, presenting the major point of the essay and the evidence supporting that point.

Word Count:

The content body of the project must be 3,300 words or more. The word count does not include anything in the title page, running header, or reference list. It is expected that you meet all logistical requirements of this paper.

Reference List:

The list of references must include only those source documents that are cited within the body of the project.
The project must fully comply with APA formatting standards and requirements as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center: title page, running header with page numbers, font face and size, line spacing, citations, and reference page(s