The Skill Portal as Information System for the IMI Coursework

The Skill Portal as Information System for the IMI - Coursework Example A PEST and interview data analyses have been done following a background study of the IMI's history, objectives and broader mission to provide training, support and service to the individuals and stakeholders of the automotive industry. Operations, value chain and stakeholder analyses are also done and relations between the IMI and the government and other training providers as well as private organizations are studied to understand the primary role of the IMI in the automotive sector. This project conducts interviews with leading professionals in the sector and focus on issues related to training and talent, lack of transparency, the need for an open and accessible information portal, ease of communication and networking, and the importance of training sessions, certifications and awards that would help develop a skills base for the automotive sector. ... This project proves the IMI's role in transformation of the automotive sector especially through upgraded techniques and methods such as the development of a Skill Portal and advanced information system and networking facilities. These issues are highlighted in the subsequent part of this discussion. ChapTer - 3 This section will focus on analysis of Stakeholder demands and provide a PEST analysis as also an operation flow diagram (to show slow op, long time etc). The initial analysis will be on the semi structured interviews and then on the operation flow charts of the basic services. This is followed by a PEST analysis and IMI stakeholder analysis. Part - I Interview Data Analysis In this section, the data analysis of semi structured interviews is presented. The interview questions are provided in the Appendix 1 given below. The response of each question is presented in the table. At the end, the comment /findings are given. The identity of each interviewee was coded to allow clear identification of the participant and ease of presentation. Identification Code Name Designation Division A1 Alan Mackrill Executive Director IMIAwards A2 Johnb Qualification Support Manager IMIAwards A3 Rob Head of Qualification development IMIAwards A4 Ian Head of customer compliance and Quality IMIAwards S1 Steve Head of Skill Development IMI - SSC S2 Michelle National Manager - IMI - SSC S3 Nesta Job National Manager- IMI - SSC P1 Lesley Head of Professional Body Professional Body P2 Sarah Career Development manager Professional Body P3 Jennih Professional Body P4 Karen G Professional Body C1 Linda Stans COO IMI Group Table: 01 Q1. Impact of changing technology on training and development A1 A2 A3 A4 S1 S2 S3 P1 P2 P3 P4 C1 Total Better

Health Care Careers Diagram and Summary Essay Example for Free

Health Care Careers Diagram and Summary Essay The role of the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in healthcare has become one of the main lifelines in the industry. The CIO is the most important person within an organization in regards to the collecting, organization, monitoring and securing of data. The CIO is a critical member of the executive leadership team. Charged with developing the organization’s strategy, he or she is responsible for leading the IT staff and ensuring overall compliance with all regulatory requirements. The CIO is also responsible for keeping up-to-date with the latest technology trends as well as threats and being able to adapt the organization’s strategy to mitigate those threats. The CIO also facilities and drives change within the organization (Glaser Williams, 2010). The CIO is responsible for establishing and maintaining many key relationships within an organization’s leadership team. They work to provide valuable input that helps shape the entire organization’s vision and path to success. The CIO reports consistently on the progress and development of all information technology (IT) projects, issues, and tasks. â€Å"They are the brain of the business-body, monitoring and regulating all the data that passes through. Without CIOs, a healthcare company would collapse under the weight of unprocessed information.† (Becoming a Healthcare CIO (Chief Information Officer), 2012) The CIO focuses on updating and optimizing existing systems while utilizing new systems effectively and efficiently. They are also responsible for updating and maintaining capabilities, strengthening policies and reworking procedures on a daily basis. The CIO is the front line of defense for protecting the organization against fraud and abuse, as well as securing all electronic patient health information (ePHI). The role of the CIO has evolved as the health care industry has faced changes with the dependency on  information technology. Figure 1. Chief Information Officer’s responsibilities within a health care organization. As shown in Figure 1, a health care CIO faces many challenges on a day-to-day basis. These challenges are in the form of maintaining existing systems, optimizing new systems, and protecting PHI. The role of the CIO will continue to evolve as the health care system changes and the dependency and regulations surrounding the role of information technology increase. References Becoming a Healthcare CIO (Chief Information Officer). (2012). Retrieved from HealthcareAdministration.com: http://www.healthcareadministration.com/becoming-a-healthcare-cio-chief-information-officer/ Glaser, J. P., Williams, R. B. (2010). The Definitive Evolution of the Role of the CIO. Journal of Healthcare Information management, 21(1), 9-11. Retrieved from http://www.himss.org/files/HIMSSorg/content/files/03_column_Leadership.pdf

Family Meals More Than Just at Home

Family Meals More Than Just at Home In todays society families are busier than ever before. Many families consist of both parents working outside the home to make ends meet, and increasingly, many children are being raised in a single-parent and blended or binuclear homes. Some statistics claim that 75% of all children will spend some time within a single-parent household. When something has to give to meet the demands of raising a family, one of the first things to go seems to be family meals. How many families continue to eat meals together on a regular daily basis? And, does not eating meals together as a family impact family relationship and to what extent? Research on this subject is overwhelming and seems to prove that the lack of family mealtime not only impacts the family, but society as well. During a recent family dinner, a young female acquaintance was amazed to find that there was no special occasion that brought the family to the dinner table, that it was a nightly affair. To the family it was just an ordinary meal of pot roast, nothing special, but to her, it was a feast. In questioning her as to her family traditions and meals, it was amazing to learn that her family never ate meals together. Their meals consisted of pre-packaged or frozen foods and they ate whenever they were hungry and wherever they happened to be. They ate in the living room while watching TV or in their bedroom, but generally they ate alone. That was the normal routine for her family. It is no wonder that families today are facing problems with obesity, eating disorders, drug abuse, students with low scholastic achievement, and battle depression. Statistics show that Children who frequently eat meals with their families tend to do better in school, consumed higher amounts of important nutrients such as calcium, fiber, iron, vitamins B6 and B12, C and E and consumed less overall fat, compared to families who never or only sometimes eat meals together (Meals Matter, 2008). Studies show that the more a family eats together the less likely the children are to drink, smoke, do drugs, have eating disorders, get depressed and have suicidal tendencies. Families who eat together regularly have children who do better in school, delay having sex, eat healthier, have better table manners, and a larger vocabulary. This confirms that it isnt just about eating food, but rather the interaction and caring between families. A ten year study at Columbia University by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) found that the older kids are, the more they need time together with their family, but they are less likely to get it. The study shows that 12-year-olds claimed they had dinner seven nights a week, but only a quarter of 17-year-olds did (Time). This same study found that the least educated parents ate meals together the most, while parents with diplomas or college degrees shared fewer meals together with their kids. Another interesting find was that more than half of Hispanic teens ate with a parent at least six times a week, in contrast to 40% of black teens and 39% of whites. Mealtime is where a family builds its culture and identity, family traditions and stories are passed down as well as humor being shared. Eating meals together encourages more communication within the family. Topics can be discussed, parents can see how their child interacts, what they are wearing, find out who their friends are and what they are interested in, as well as discuss current events and help qualm fears their child may have concerning school, friends, their future plans, and life in general. In other words, family interaction at mealtimes informs the parents as well as the kids what is happening within the family and the world that surrounds them. According to Science Daily, parents who have regular meals with their adolescent children might help lessen the chances they will start drinking or smoking later in their teen years. (ScienceDaily, 2008) The Division of Adolescent Health and Medicine at the University of Minnesota surveyed 806 Minnesota adolescents as to how often they ate meals with their family as well as their use of marijuana, cigarettes and alcohol and followed up with a second mail survey five years later. According to the follow-up survey, girls who ate regular family meals had significantly less substance abuse than girls who didnt have regular family meals. The surprising find in this survey was that boys showed no difference in substance abuse determined by the frequency or absence of family mealtime. In a study of 65 children that spanned 65 years, Harvard researchers looked at activities of children and how they contributed to healthy child development. They used things such as play, story time, family functions and other factors and the end result was that dinners were the most important attribute for better adjustment. (Marino Butkus, unknown) Researchers discovered a link between well-adjusted adolescents and the frequency of family meals, with no correlation to gender, age, or family type. A survey conducted in 1997 of 527 teens revealed that those who were best adjusted ate a meal with an adult family member at least 5 days a week, were less likely to do drugs or be depressed and were more motivated at school and had better relationships (Marino Butkus, unknown). Meanwhile, according to Child Trends Data Bank, in 2003, 42 percent of adolescents ate a meal with their family at least six days a week, while 27% ate a meal as a family four to five days a week, and 31% ate mea ls as a family less than three days a week. (Child Trends, 2007) In taking a survey of a sons friends (1 female, 5 males) the results revealed that a surprising number of them that did not eat regular family meals together (Zemke, Feb 10, 2010). One of these friends had a family dinner once a year, for Thanksgiving, while two ate together generally on Sundays. Two usually ate meals as a family each night, unless there was an outside activity that prevented it, such as the child working. There was only one student who ate meals together as a family daily. Each of these kids felt that their family mealtime was normal and those who did not eat together did not seem to mind, which a person can assume that is because it has become their normal routine and they know nothing different. This is an alarming trend considering the repercussions from families not spending quality time together, generally around the dinner table. But, there are solutions to this problem and ways to reverse this trend. Children model our behavior. If parents dont perceive something such as healthy eating and quality time with our children important, we shouldnt be surprised to find that it is not something that they will perceive as important. Family meals should be dynamic, nutritious, interesting, and a habit. There are many ways to ensure this: Keep meals simple Have everybody help with the cooking Sit down and slow down for mealtime Dont eat in the car Eat together as a family if going to a restaurant Avoid confrontations mealtimes shouldnt be the time to discipline your children Give praise and invite conversation with your children Tell family stories; build identity and culture within your family Dont answer the phone during mealtime Cook in bulk so you dont have to cook each day Ask children for meal suggestions to involve them Make time to eat together as a family Purchase ready-made sauces or marinade and add it to sautà ©ed chicken, beef or shrimp for a tasty main course. Order pizza and make a salad, then watch a movie or play games together as a family. The benefits of taking the time to gather the family for a meal will be a worthwhile investment in any family and enrich everyones lives. Another way to build a strong bond within a family if dinner isnt an option is to have breakfast together; this can give a good start to a childs day with a healthy breakfast. Research has proven that breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, helps you concentrate and perform better in school or at work. As stated earlier, todays families are busier than ever and this makes having quality time with your children even more important in todays society. There are multiple ways to maintain a healthy relationship with your children as well as your spouse. It makes no difference if dinner is with both parents or one, or even with extended family members, nor does it matter if it is dinner. The meal can be breakfast or lunch, whichever fits the families schedules the best. Having a family breakfast can be a wonderful start to a busy day. The main idea is to allot time for the family to communicate and form a strong bond. Eating together will improve childrens manners, provide intimacy as well as create a secure environment for teenagers. Eating meals together is important for a childs development and self-esteem outside of the home, gives the child confidence and teaches them how to behave with others. Eating together enables parents to see what their child is eating and if they finish their food, this may help ward off any upcoming eating disorders or other emotional problems the child may have. Families who eat together on a regular basis tend to eat healthier by eating more fruit, dark-green vegetables and drink less soft drinks. Children feel more positive about themselves and their family, they are less likely to smoke, use drugs or alcohol, or become depressed and more likely to do well in school and develop better relationships with their peers. Schools and community organizations should also be encouraged to make it easier for families to have shared mealtimes on a regular basis. Help organize events that would include the whole family being together. If meals are hard to pull together because of work, plan a family night for games, puzzles, read a story or watch a movie. Order pizza, or have a bowl of ice-cream, something that will bring the family together for even one-half hour will be beneficial. More importantly, remember that children mimic their parents, if the parents do not care enough to make time to be with their children for mealtime or any other time, then dont be surprised if the child seeks attention from someone or something else to fill that void in their life. A relaxed family meal is the perfect time to teach kids, not just about manners, but about personal and spiritual beliefs, values and lessons we want them to learn (Knight, 2002). It is a great time to give your child your undivided attention, which lets them know you care about how they feel, their concerns, passions, and who their friends are. Mealtimes can be a time to quell a childs fears about current events, make plans for family vacations, or what you plan on doing for the weekend. Lifestyles make it difficult but eating together as a family is important to begin from a young age and becomes particularly important for the physical and emotional health of teens. Even if you order pizza and eat off paper plates, the time spent together as a family will always be time well spent.

Pindar :: essays research papers fc

Classical Mythology PINDAR A PERFECT POET Pindar was born at Cynoscephalae, near Thebes, the member of a noble family. He lived from about 518 B.C. to approximately 438 B.C. Pindar is considered by many to be the greatest lyric poet of ancient Greece. He began writing at a very young age and soon his poetry was popular throughout Greece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He traveled widely but spent much of his time in Athens and in Sicily at the home of Hieron. This may account for his being enamored with the Olympic games, which he often wrote about. Hiero bred horses and offered his steeds to the athletes to enter in the chariot races. Pindar’s poems often paid tribute to the winner of various events but with out a doubt the chariot races were given his highest praise. Greek society savored these odes for their rich poetic language and imagery, moral ideas, and vivid portrayals of sacred myths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poems were not so much an account of the sporting events but what transpired afterward. The storyline or narrative myth was always connected to the winner and ensuing celebration. Each poem meant to be sung with dancing or even a procession for the victor, usually upon the athlete’s return to his home city. Being a deeply religious man with high moral standards, Pindar’s main characters normally displayed the same attributes. Pindar was also famous for being the first Greek writer to speak of the immortality of the soul and judgement by the gods after death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pindar is given credit for inventing the Pindaric ode. An ode built of three stanzas - strophe, antistrophe, and epode repeated in series. These stately intricate poems set the standard. They are often referred to as perfect in form and beautiful in language. Of all his poems 45 odes have survived. These make up one of the greatest collections of odes by a Greek author during this time. The forty-five victory odes represent and celebrate triumphs at the four great Panhellenic festivals. The Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games. Three of the Olympian Odes celebrated the victories of Pindar’s close friend and confidant Hieron. The Nemean and Isthmian Odes concentrate more on wealthy clients and tyrants of the time who perhaps sponsored the athletes. The Pythian Odes were written for the Aeginians; the last of which was dedicated to an Aeginian wrestler, Aristomenes. What makes this poem so noteworthy is the fact it ended with a not e of sadness. Pindar :: essays research papers fc Classical Mythology PINDAR A PERFECT POET Pindar was born at Cynoscephalae, near Thebes, the member of a noble family. He lived from about 518 B.C. to approximately 438 B.C. Pindar is considered by many to be the greatest lyric poet of ancient Greece. He began writing at a very young age and soon his poetry was popular throughout Greece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He traveled widely but spent much of his time in Athens and in Sicily at the home of Hieron. This may account for his being enamored with the Olympic games, which he often wrote about. Hiero bred horses and offered his steeds to the athletes to enter in the chariot races. Pindar’s poems often paid tribute to the winner of various events but with out a doubt the chariot races were given his highest praise. Greek society savored these odes for their rich poetic language and imagery, moral ideas, and vivid portrayals of sacred myths.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The poems were not so much an account of the sporting events but what transpired afterward. The storyline or narrative myth was always connected to the winner and ensuing celebration. Each poem meant to be sung with dancing or even a procession for the victor, usually upon the athlete’s return to his home city. Being a deeply religious man with high moral standards, Pindar’s main characters normally displayed the same attributes. Pindar was also famous for being the first Greek writer to speak of the immortality of the soul and judgement by the gods after death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pindar is given credit for inventing the Pindaric ode. An ode built of three stanzas - strophe, antistrophe, and epode repeated in series. These stately intricate poems set the standard. They are often referred to as perfect in form and beautiful in language. Of all his poems 45 odes have survived. These make up one of the greatest collections of odes by a Greek author during this time. The forty-five victory odes represent and celebrate triumphs at the four great Panhellenic festivals. The Olympic, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian games. Three of the Olympian Odes celebrated the victories of Pindar’s close friend and confidant Hieron. The Nemean and Isthmian Odes concentrate more on wealthy clients and tyrants of the time who perhaps sponsored the athletes. The Pythian Odes were written for the Aeginians; the last of which was dedicated to an Aeginian wrestler, Aristomenes. What makes this poem so noteworthy is the fact it ended with a not e of sadness.

Personality: Carl Jung and Myra

1. Which personality type does Myra display, according to Freudian theory? Provide evidence for your answer. What caused it?Myra must have experienced neurotic anxiety in the presence of her husband’s â€Å"authority† as she previously must have experienced unconscious feelings of destruction against her parents because of fear of punishment, so she exaggerates her cleanings and frequently portrays herself as a martyr who does so much for others and asks so little for herself, when in reality she usually over sees the cleaning and tells others what to do, and her husband or children help her.This same neurotic anxiety makes her aggressive towards her neighbor as once grass went flying into her garden from her neighbor’s while mowing; and as a result Myra threw a fit and did not talk to the neighbor for two years. Myra displays a disturbing pattern of establishing relationships and then ending them by being rude. She sometimes criticizes people to their faces, or she just stops calling them. Moreover, this neurotic anxiety makes her concerned about spending money and she refrains from expending it despite being middle class and really not poor. As a defense mechanism, Myra has developed an anal fixation, which manifests in her obsession with neatness and orderliness.2. Why does Myra feel that cleaning the house is her responsibility? How would Jungian theory explain Myra adopting this traditional role? According to Jung the mind or psyche has two levels; conscious and unconscious. Unlike Freud, Jung believes that collective unconscious refers to humans’ â€Å"innate tendency to react in a particular way whenever their experiences stimulate a biological inherited response tendency.†This explains why Myra unexpectedly reacts with love and persistence to the house cleanliness, tidiness and orderliness although she had negative or at least neutral feelings toward the job, especially when we know that her mother always took care of their house and thought that it was the woman’s responsibility to do so; and Myra has learnt how to clean â€Å"correctly† from her mother who punished her when she did not clean something thoroughly enough.Of course, her mothers belief of house cleanliness was passed to her from her mother and so on through generations until it became a collective unconscious which Jung sees as autonomous forces called archetypes which, when evolved, â€Å"can be conceptualized† into persona, shadow, anima, animus, great mother, wise old  man, hero, and self.3. How could radical behaviorism explain Myra’s cleaning behavior? Find examples of reinforcement of punishment that might have influenced Myra’s cleaning behavior.According to Freud, Myra’s ego which is â€Å"the only region of the mind in contact with reality† and it is governed by the â€Å"reality principle† has made the decision on cleanness and neatness of her house and yard, besid es arranging things in order. And because the ego is partially conscious, partly preconscious and partly unconscious, her ego can make decisions on each of these three levels. Myra exaggerates in cleaning her house, tidying her yard and garden and arranging her things in order as her ego consciously motivates her to choose excessive neatness, tidiness and arrangements because she feels comfortable and proud of her estate and things being like this and people compliment her for this.Meanwhile she may be, on her preconscious level, only dimly aware of her previous experience when her friends or neighbors first praised her for the way she cleans the house, tidies the yard and the garden and arranges her things. Besides, she may be unconsciously motivated to be excessively clean, neat and orderly â€Å"due to her childhood experiences of the toilet training† and cleaning the house with her mother so as to avoid pain resulting from her parents punishment and gain pleasure of their love and security. Also it has been settled in her superego what she should and should not do because of her experiences with reward and punishment she must have received from her parents during her childhood. Thus she can be dominated by the superego, which results in her â€Å"guilt-ridden or inferior-feeling person;†4. How could Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory explain Myra’s traditionally feminine cleaning behavior? According to Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, the way we react to expected events is usually more powerful than the event itself. Myra’s traditionally feminine cleaning behavior can be explained on the basis of her observing her mother cleaning and perhaps financially managing the house as well as having the same belief that her mother had as housework is the main responsibility of a woman.Myra’s behavior is also reinforced by the compliments she receives from her  neighbors and friends who overtly express their admirations of her clean house, tidy yard and beautiful garden. This accords with Bandura’s idea that reinforcement can be vicarious whether it is direct or indirect. According to Bandura’s triadic reciprocal model that includes behavioral, environmental, and personal factors, Myra has the capacity to regulate her life; and her behavioral cleanliness has turned into a consistent way of evaluating and regulating her social and cultural environment, seeing that her house is cleaner, tidier and more beautiful than any house in the neighborhood or any of her friends or relatives’ houses.5. Which of Horney’s needs motivate Myra? Which of Horney’s neurotic trends does Myra demonstrate? Provide evidence for you answer. In accordance with Horney’s Psychoanalytic Social Theory, Myra has been influenced by cultural impacts of her society. Modern culture is based on completion (her exaggeration in cleanliness, tidiness and orderliness compared to other s) which triggers off basic hostility (in dealing with her friends and neighbors), which, in return, results in isolation, (her break up with friends and not participating in productive volunteer work), that brings about â€Å"intensified needs for affection† (her feeling of doing everything alone without being helped by anyone and illustrating herself as martyr or victim).Childhood at any stage is considered the source of most problems as a result of traumatic events. During her childhood Myra was physically punished by her parents; the thing which generated a feeling of lack of genuine warmth and affection and developed into anxiety and hostility towards others. From her behaviors of exaggerated cleanliness, hostility, saving money, and refraining from participating in productive volunteer work, Myra demonstrates some basic neurotic needs:(1) Need to restrict her life within narrow borders: she does not participate in any productive activities such as volunteer work, and sh e prefers to spend all her time and energy working on her house and yard. (2) Need for security and power: she economizes on everything and does not spend money, which represents a source of power to her. (3) Need to exploit others: she breaks up with friends and relatives who do not return her invitations to meals. (4) Need for social recognition or prestige: she tries to be the best at cleaning and orderliness and criticizes others as not equal to her.(5) Need for personal admiration: she likes people admiring her house cleanliness, her yard and garden tidiness and beauty, and her orderliness. (6) Need for perfection and unassailability: she always cleans, tidy and rearrange her house, garden, yard and things so as not to be criticized; on the contrary she always criticizes and blames others.

Country School Research Critique

Qualitative Study Evaluation Eleanor Vernice Siyon u7a1 Capella University Quarter & Year: Summer 2012 Address (optional): City, State, Zip (optional): Phone (optional): E-mail: [email  protected] edu Instructor:Pat Ryan Qualitative Study Evaluation The one- teacher country school is largely the past practice of the American educational institution. This one teacher setting was characteristic of the recitation process used by students to â€Å"recite† to the teacher what one had learned from their lessons.The teacher characteristically would ask questions of their students during their process to glean the answers and evaluate the progress of their students. Traditionally these classrooms consisted of multi-age, multi-grade level all situated in one classroom with one teacher. This evaluation is about one such educational system in the state of Nebraska. It is an ethnographic study title â€Å" Notes on a Country School Tradition: Recitation as an Individual Strategy† The stated purpose of this study was to view the practices of some of the one-teacher schools and to determine what may be learned from them.This evaluation will proceed by evaluating the validity and effectiveness of this research in its relation to the following categories within the study. The categories are as follows: the problem statement, review of the literature, the purpose statement and central phenomenon, validity of the data collection, validity of data analysis and findings, and the quality of writing and its consistency with the qualitative criteria. 1 Evaluation of the Title The title of the study â€Å" Notes on a Country School Tradition: Recitation as an Individual Strategy† This title does not reflect the central phenomenon being studied. Feature Article  Country School  Allen CurnowThe central phenomenon is the investigation of recitation in a one-teacher school as a patterned and functional response to the conditions of smallness, and it’s interrelationship to parental and community expectations, along with the inevitable transfer of these students to larger middle and secondary schools in an environment in defense of their way of life at a time of rural social and economic decline. The title does reflect the site (country school) and the people. 2 Evaluation of the Problem Statement The author does have an educational issue to study, though not clearly stated in the problem statement.It may be assumed due to the fact that many of the children taught in this recitation method in the small schools went on to do very well in the large secondary and middle school settings. Therefore, a comparison of this small school approach and the differing large school approach is worthy of further educational study. I b elieve that the author has provided evidence that this issue is important because of the research that is stated about the benefits of smaller schools and the success of the students once they leave the one class environment.There is an indication that the author has located this issue through past research as he mentions the various literature that he has read in the past about this subject matter. I feel that this study may have been more beneficial as a mixed design approach. The ethnographic design did give an excellent insight into the values of the rural people and the day to day activities of the students and teacher. It was also very helpful to see firsthand how the recitation process worked.But there are other variables in the problem statement such as: recitation as a functional response to smallness, conservatism toward knowledge and learning, and parental and community expectations. An indication of how these variables correlate to the acceptance of this method of educat ion may have been handled more effectively with a correlational approach. The assumptions of the study seem to be more consistent with a mixed methods approach. 3 Evaluation of the Review of the Literature The author does present reviews on the effects and various studies regarding class size.I do not believe he provided literature that specifically analyzes his research problem. I also felt his literature base was scant. But he does state that very little if any existed for the one teacher one class school room. The study does follow the APA style. 4 Evaluation of the Purpose and Research Questions The purpose and research questions were not fully apparent to me. I have an idea of what he was attempting to answer but I feel his questions and purpose was lost in the narrative and I felt as if I was reading a very interesting story about a rural school.Perhaps this author attempted to answer the purpose within the narrative. If he did so, I don’t feel the question was fully ex pressed or answered. I see no evidence of subquestions whatsoever 5 Evaluation of Data Collection The data collection was quite informative. It gave daily schedules and also listed the children, their ages, grades, studies, and gave backgrounds about family histories, etc. I feel that the data collection is very understandable and clearly specified with adequate titles and understandable tables. They were an easy read.The author shows evidence of using protocol as his data is arranged in an orderly and organized fashion that matches what one is reading at the time. 6 Evaluation of Data Analysis and Findings The author did an excellent job in putting the text into themes. I am not convinced that his categories did enough to relate his central phenomenon. The author did get a lot of useful quotes from the teacher, parents, and students which showed support for this way of life. Multiple layered themes were derived in terms of why the parents and the teacher thought this was the best f orm of education. I did not find that the findings fully answered he research questions. In the end the question of recitation as a functional response to smallness was just not clear to me. In fact I saw it more as a function of tradition and a desire of the community to stick with what works for them. The findings were did not match the research problem therefore they were not accurate. The author in my opinion, started with one central question and somehow put together something else which amounted to a view of a country school and the impact on the cty and students and teacher on a daily basis. Multiple perspectives were not explored in terms of those outside of this community.All findings were represented in narrative discussions. 7 Evaluation of the Writing This account was written persuasively and convincingly. It was written from a first person point of view consistent with the qualitative research design. The writing was lively and there was use of the various literary appr oaches such as metaphor, simile, and various other literary details. The author carefully and figuratively describes the settings in a number of instances. He also carefully describes the physical appearance of at least one child to the delight of the reader.I enjoyed reading it as it read like an exciting story and gave me a delightful look into the educational, and daily life of the participants. The study is written from a personal point of view and it is written appropriately for the intended audience which is a journal entry. 8 Conclusion I really enjoyed reading this study. But in the end I felt that the author did not present his research in such a way that shed any light on his central question. If his purpose was just to show us the workings of the one-class system and why the rural community wanted it to stay he accomplished his mission.But his central purpose states that: â€Å" I investigate the residual form of the recitation in a modern one-teacher school in rural Neb raska as a patterned response to the conditions of smallness. Conservative in its orientation toward knowledge and student learning, the recitation is explored as a functional response to the context of smallness, implicit parental and community expectations, inevitable student transfer to large graded middle and secondary schools, and its symbolic defense of community at a time of rural social and economic decline. I could not find any indication that recitation was a patterned response due to conditions of smallness or as a functional response to the context of smallness. References Barker, R, & Gump, P. (964). Big school, small school: High school size and student behavior. Stanford CA: Stanford University Press. Cohen, D. K. (988). Teaching practice: Plus ca change †¦ In P. W. Jackson (Ed. ), Contributing to educational change: Perspectives on research and practice (pp. 27-84). Berkeley, CA: McCutcheon. Cuban, L. (1994). How teachers taught: Constancy and change in American classrooms.New York: Teachers College Press. Darling-Hammond, L. (1997). The right to learn: A blue-printfor creating schools that work. San Francisco: jossey-Bass. DeWalt, M. (997). One-room school: Current trend in public and private education (Research Report). Rock Hill, SC: Winthrop University. Drabenstott, M. (1999, 1st Quarter). Consolidation in U. S. agriculture: The new rural landscape and public policy. Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Economic Review. Elmore, R E (996). Getting down to scale with good educational practice. Harvard Educational Review, 6