Technology in Education

Software Support Tools According to Rogers (2008), â€Å"the landscape of the classroom is being transformed, with technology becoming a driving force† (p. 92). In today’s classroom there are numerous software support tools available to enhance learning and cater to the needs of all learners. Roblyer and Doering (2010) presented six categories of software support tools. They listed these as: material generators, data collection and analysis, graphics, planning and organizing, research and reference, and tools for the content areas. Material generators are software tools that are used for making instructional materials such as posters, brochures, quizzes, tests, rubrics, puzzles, worksheets, games, awards, and IEPs for special education students. Many teachers regard these tools as essential to the day-to-day operation of the classroom. Wellert (2008) stated that the use of games allow teachers to directly cater to the learning style needs of the visual and tactile learners, and that games can expedite the learning process when constructed with the different learning styles in mind. Data collection and analysis software tools allow teachers to collect information about their students and closely monitor their performance and progress throughout the year. According to Roblyer and Doering (2010), the electronic grade book is preferred by many teachers because of its special feature to analyse data from tests and print reports based on the information given. Student information systems (SIS) help teachers keep account of students’ data such as attendance and test scores. Roblyer and Doering also referred to computerized testing systems which offer benefits such as immediate feedback of results. Additionally, it allows students to take tests on screens or scanned sheets. According to the authors, these simplify test scheduling because everyone does not take the test at the same time. Graphic tools consist of draw/paint programs, image editing tools, charting/graphing tools, and clip art animation, sound, video, and font collections (Roblyer & Doering, 2010). These allow teachers and students to create, illustrate, modify, and combine drawings, illustrations, clip art, pictures, charts and graphs. They also give students the opportunity to create their own designs and show them on paper or screen. Additionally, teachers and students can insert these into documents and reports to give a more professional look. Catchings and MacGregor (as cited in Roblyer & Doering, 2010) believed that these programs aid in the development of students’ visual-verbal literacy and creativity. Planning and organizing software tools entails outlining and concept mapping, software, lesson planners, and scheduling and time management tools. Outlining tools assist students in outlining their story ideas and help them to get their stories started, while the other tools help teachers organize their time and prepare for instruction. Research and reference tools such as electronic encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries help facilitate research. Electronic atlases and maps are useful in the classroom because students get to see and learn information being taught, and are especially helpful because they are interactive. Wellert (2008) stated that students need to have active participation and involvement in lessons that include technology. Furthermore, student engagement is vital to ensure motivation during the learning process. Finally, the last category of software support tools put forward by Roblyer and Doering (2010) is content area tools. These support teaching and learning in the different content areas. Multimedia Multimedia refers to multiple media or a combination of media. Media can be still graphics, and photographs, sound, motion video, animation, and or text items along with products used to communicate information in multiple ways. Multimedia impacts the classroom in various ways. For example it increases motivation as it offers a variety of options for the user and encourages the learner to be proactive. For students who might not be strong in written expression but have visual aptitude, multimedia offers flexible learning modes. It also fosters the development of creative and critical thinking skills as it opens up creative avenues for students to apply higher thinking skills.. For those who struggle with organizing and presenting information, multimedia offers improved writing process as students are equipped to create characters and linking dialogue to it rather than simply creating a lengthy story. Creativity is encouraged by this process. The use of multimedia also decreases the time it takes to present lengthy presentations as information is presented in chunks as oppose to monotonous reports. According to Mayer and Moreno, 1998; Moreno and Mayer, 2002 (as sited in Roblyer and Doering, 2010) learners exhibited greater comprehension and retention of learned materials when pictures were accompanied by spoken words rather than by written words. They observed that the â€Å"split attention† effect was consistent with a model of working memory that had separate visual and auditory channels. As oppose to chalk and talk which rarely engage students, the use of multimedia encourages interaction and positive immediate feedback. Students are prompted when answers are incorrect giving them the option to correct their answers. Multimedia also provides easy navigation with clearly defined procedures. It is learner controlled for those who are less experienced as well as those who are advanced in technology. Color is also used to bring certain elements to the learner’s attention. Utility provides assortment of functionalities and features necessary to accomplish their instructional tasks, while usability deals with the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the user. Aesthetics on the other hand, represents elements of design which enhance or heightens the learner’s experience as oppose to just satisfying the pedagogical or instructional objectives. In addition (Lavie & Tractinsky, 2004; Wilson, 2005), research on emotion suggests that aesthetically pleasing objects positively influence our emotions which in turn help students to actively process material. Commercial multimedia products include instructional software such as tutorials, drills, simulations, instruction and problem solving tools. It also includes interactive storybooks and eBooks for toddler’s right up to adults. There are digital libraries, Google books, listening to books online, Grimm Fairy Tales as well as Clifford Interactive Storybooks. In addition to these, these products include reference materials such as Encarta (Encyclopedia), Almanacs, Atlases, newspapers and newsletters, collection of development resources like Clip art, Audio clips, Video clips and Animations, all of which can be used for learning. When producing power points and graphics, fancy fonts and animation can all be incorporated. Multimedia tools also provide editing systems which allows the polishing of the end product. The question about how to effectively integrate support tools, multimedia, and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, this question can be answered by simply choosing the right tools to meet specific needs of the audience being taught. It is no longer debatable whether or not these tools are relevant, but which tools are relevant for what and who is being taught. Hypermedia According to (Roblyer and Doering, 2010), Hypermedia is also known as â€Å"linked media†. It is a system in which information stored in various media is connected, often through the internet. Most multimedia products are also hypermedia products. There exist a synonymous connection of their uses and alternative purpose. The ability to get information using multimedia tools, from one media element to another, makes them hypermedia. There are six kinds of hypermedia formats, such as: commercial hypermedia software, presentation software, video production and editing systems, hypermedia design and development software, virtual reality environments and Web 2. 0. Hypermedia has been impacting the educational system in many ways. Students are able to attend classes in the comfort of their home. Teachers are able to peruse through a wide variety of activities to effectively and efficiently deliver lessons. Hypermedia is geared at providing multiple channels by which students are able to learn and process information. It has been stated by researchers that students who learn through verbal and visual means are better able to solve problems in comparison to those who learn only through verbal means. In using hypermedia in the classroom, it saves time. Students and teachers are able to search through multiple types of information in a short length of time, with little or no cost. It can be stressful and frustrating for those who are not fully equipped with the skills of navigating. Users can also use hypermedia to add, modify or share information. The software is designed to be easy to use and understand. The programs available can incorporate video and audio of CD’s and DVD’s on the web. This creates a merger of both concepts which can realize learning at its maximum relative advantage. In considering Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, we can integrate support tools multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning. This can be done in various ways. Software programs that supports tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, instructional games and problem solving can all be incorporated using an interactive approach. Students as well as teachers are motivated to learn and present information. According to Edyburn (as cited in Roblyer & Doering, 2010), the accessibility capabilities of special needs students are often challenging. Special programs are provided along with software for these students, but in order to use the programs, one must be especially skilled. Roblyer and Doering (2010), further stated that in order for hypermedia to be used effectively, some hardware are needed in order for the software to function, such as: computer with keyboard, mouse and monitor, digital cameras, scanners, video digitizers, camcorders and other video output, microphones and audio speakers. Financial resources are necessary for this system to take place. Adobe Flash Reader has become the standard for creating interactive web based animation and other software tools. Flexible learning modes exist but teachers must carefully select programs that promote higher order thinking, which are few in the case of reading and language. The response based methods are critical and students are able to use their creativity to access information. Students can also make the distinction between various texts and think critically about which is appropriate and applicable. Teachers are able to assess students based on the outcome of assigned projects while challenging them to learn independently at times. Students use the Web 2. 0, and presentation software such as Microsoft Power point Presentation to deliver work the way they understand. Hypermedia helps students to generate new ideas, raise the bar for creativity and independence and thus provide a, variety of sources which students can use to understand and interpret information, thus reaching their highest potential relative advantage. Factors Influencing the Effective Integration of Technology Gorder (2008) stated that integrating technology is not about having technology available in the classroom, but more about how teachers use technology as a tool for learning. To effectively and successfully integrate support tools, multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, certain factors need to be considered. Franklin (2008) outlined four factors that influence the integration of technology: availability and access to technology, teacher preparation and training, good leadership, and time. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (as cited in Franklin, 2008), the availability of classroom technology correlates to teacher use of computers. This means that when more computers are available in the classroom, teachers tend to incorporate more activities involving technology. While the average elementary classroom in the United States has two computers (NCES, as cited in Franklin, 2008), classrooms in Belize are yet to experience that luxury. Access to computers in Belizean elementary schools is very limited, often through a computer lab. Oftentimes many of these computers are outdated, or not working. The lack of hardware and software tools do very little to promote the use and integration of technology in education. Teacher preparation and training is also an important factor in the effective integration of technology. Franklin (2008) indicated that teachers who feel better prepared to use technology are more likely to have their students use technology than teachers who feel unprepared. With the advent of numerous new technological advances, more experienced teachers are feeling unprepared to face the technological world. The NCES (as cited in Franklin, 2008) reported that only one third of elementary teachers in the United States felt they were well prepared to use technology in the classroom. Gorder (2008) referred to this as a change from educating students for the industrial age, to one of educating students for the technological age. This change will require teachers to become students again, seeking assistance from fellow teachers as well as from their own students. In light of this change, Ash (2007) felt that for teachers to implement technology effectively in the classroom there needs to be some form of professional development. Ash reported that in order to meet the professional development needs of teachers, some school districts have encouraged teachers to form on-line learning communities with their colleagues where they can seek technology advice, share resources and tips. Additionally, Ash suggested having a technology specialist on staff to assist teachers with new technology as well as to provide training for teachers in the form of after school training and workshops. Pitler (2006) said that most importantly teachers need to be provided with ongoing technology professional development. Ash (2007) believed strong leadership is required to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning and considered the principal as the key factor to ensuring the successful integration of technology into the school curriculum. Hope and Stakenas (as cited by Gosmire & Grady, 2007) suggested three primary roles for the principal as technology leader: role model, instructional leader, and visionary. They stated that principals themselves need to have a good working knowledge of technology tools and be able to use these for their own administrative and managerial duties. When principals have a good working knowledge of technology they are more committed to its importance in teaching and learning and tend to impart this to their teachers (Franklin, 2008). Furthermore, principals are the instructional leaders of the school and are primarily responsible for overseeing technology integration. As a result, principals need to have a good knowledge of technology hardware and software to be able to acquire those that best fit the needs of their school. Hope and Stakenas emphasized that the most important thing is for principals to have a vision for technology in their school. They need to have a clear understanding of how technology will be used by teachers and students to better facilitate teaching and learning. Franklin concluded that principals who provide strong leadership â€Å"help create a climate in which experimentation with technology is looked on with favour and given encouragement† (p. 55). Finally, the fourth factor that influences the integration of technology is time. Franklin (2008) believed that for technology integration to be effective it is necessary to provide the time for teachers to learn, practice, and plan how they will integrate technology into the curriculum. She stated that this might, at times, require teachers to be released from their regular classroom duties in order to facilitate this experience. Apart from the time teachers need to learn and plan for technology, students also need time to use technology. Franklin indicated that time needs to be placed in the daily schedule when students will be using technology. Schacter and Fagnano (1999) also suggested several practices to aid in the successful implementation of technology in the classroom. These include: (a) getting students involved in discussions and debates where they will be required to work with a team to evaluate their work, as well as the work of others, (b) allowing students to analyse situations and think independently through self reflection and thought, (c) getting students to design programs that encourage critical thinking, judgement, and personal involvement, (d) using project-based learning activities, (e) engaging students in contextualized and meaningful projects, and (f) teaching students how to use computers to design projects. The authors emphasized that the effective use of technology increases students’ learning, understanding, achievement and motivation as well as develops their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Conclusion Hence, it is clear that in order to integrate technology into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, it is not just about having the technology and being knowledgeable about its use and benefits, but also about having a vision and plan of how technology will be integrated into the school curriculum and providing the necessary training for teachers. Pitler (2006) stated that all the new technologies in the world will not impact student achievement if the school does not have a clear vision of how and why they will use the technology. It is important to understand that the acquisition of technology alone will not improve the quality of instruction. Day (2010) emphasizes that â€Å"the fundamental determinants of instructional quality have always been the course content, the teachers, the learning activities in which the students are engaged and the students themselves† (p. 49). Technology in Education Software Support Tools According to Rogers (2008), â€Å"the landscape of the classroom is being transformed, with technology becoming a driving force† (p. 92). In today’s classroom there are numerous software support tools available to enhance learning and cater to the needs of all learners. Roblyer and Doering (2010) presented six categories of software support tools. They listed these as: material generators, data collection and analysis, graphics, planning and organizing, research and reference, and tools for the content areas. Material generators are software tools that are used for making instructional materials such as posters, brochures, quizzes, tests, rubrics, puzzles, worksheets, games, awards, and IEPs for special education students. Many teachers regard these tools as essential to the day-to-day operation of the classroom. Wellert (2008) stated that the use of games allow teachers to directly cater to the learning style needs of the visual and tactile learners, and that games can expedite the learning process when constructed with the different learning styles in mind. Data collection and analysis software tools allow teachers to collect information about their students and closely monitor their performance and progress throughout the year. According to Roblyer and Doering (2010), the electronic grade book is preferred by many teachers because of its special feature to analyse data from tests and print reports based on the information given. Student information systems (SIS) help teachers keep account of students’ data such as attendance and test scores. Roblyer and Doering also referred to computerized testing systems which offer benefits such as immediate feedback of results. Additionally, it allows students to take tests on screens or scanned sheets. According to the authors, these simplify test scheduling because everyone does not take the test at the same time. Graphic tools consist of draw/paint programs, image editing tools, charting/graphing tools, and clip art animation, sound, video, and font collections (Roblyer & Doering, 2010). These allow teachers and students to create, illustrate, modify, and combine drawings, illustrations, clip art, pictures, charts and graphs. They also give students the opportunity to create their own designs and show them on paper or screen. Additionally, teachers and students can insert these into documents and reports to give a more professional look. Catchings and MacGregor (as cited in Roblyer & Doering, 2010) believed that these programs aid in the development of students’ visual-verbal literacy and creativity. Planning and organizing software tools entails outlining and concept mapping, software, lesson planners, and scheduling and time management tools. Outlining tools assist students in outlining their story ideas and help them to get their stories started, while the other tools help teachers organize their time and prepare for instruction. Research and reference tools such as electronic encyclopedias, atlases, and dictionaries help facilitate research. Electronic atlases and maps are useful in the classroom because students get to see and learn information being taught, and are especially helpful because they are interactive. Wellert (2008) stated that students need to have active participation and involvement in lessons that include technology. Furthermore, student engagement is vital to ensure motivation during the learning process. Finally, the last category of software support tools put forward by Roblyer and Doering (2010) is content area tools. These support teaching and learning in the different content areas. Multimedia Multimedia refers to multiple media or a combination of media. Media can be still graphics, and photographs, sound, motion video, animation, and or text items along with products used to communicate information in multiple ways. Multimedia impacts the classroom in various ways. For example it increases motivation as it offers a variety of options for the user and encourages the learner to be proactive. For students who might not be strong in written expression but have visual aptitude, multimedia offers flexible learning modes. It also fosters the development of creative and critical thinking skills as it opens up creative avenues for students to apply higher thinking skills.. For those who struggle with organizing and presenting information, multimedia offers improved writing process as students are equipped to create characters and linking dialogue to it rather than simply creating a lengthy story. Creativity is encouraged by this process. The use of multimedia also decreases the time it takes to present lengthy presentations as information is presented in chunks as oppose to monotonous reports. According to Mayer and Moreno, 1998; Moreno and Mayer, 2002 (as sited in Roblyer and Doering, 2010) learners exhibited greater comprehension and retention of learned materials when pictures were accompanied by spoken words rather than by written words. They observed that the â€Å"split attention† effect was consistent with a model of working memory that had separate visual and auditory channels. As oppose to chalk and talk which rarely engage students, the use of multimedia encourages interaction and positive immediate feedback. Students are prompted when answers are incorrect giving them the option to correct their answers. Multimedia also provides easy navigation with clearly defined procedures. It is learner controlled for those who are less experienced as well as those who are advanced in technology. Color is also used to bring certain elements to the learner’s attention. Utility provides assortment of functionalities and features necessary to accomplish their instructional tasks, while usability deals with the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the user. Aesthetics on the other hand, represents elements of design which enhance or heightens the learner’s experience as oppose to just satisfying the pedagogical or instructional objectives. In addition (Lavie & Tractinsky, 2004; Wilson, 2005), research on emotion suggests that aesthetically pleasing objects positively influence our emotions which in turn help students to actively process material. Commercial multimedia products include instructional software such as tutorials, drills, simulations, instruction and problem solving tools. It also includes interactive storybooks and eBooks for toddler’s right up to adults. There are digital libraries, Google books, listening to books online, Grimm Fairy Tales as well as Clifford Interactive Storybooks. In addition to these, these products include reference materials such as Encarta (Encyclopedia), Almanacs, Atlases, newspapers and newsletters, collection of development resources like Clip art, Audio clips, Video clips and Animations, all of which can be used for learning. When producing power points and graphics, fancy fonts and animation can all be incorporated. Multimedia tools also provide editing systems which allows the polishing of the end product. The question about how to effectively integrate support tools, multimedia, and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, this question can be answered by simply choosing the right tools to meet specific needs of the audience being taught. It is no longer debatable whether or not these tools are relevant, but which tools are relevant for what and who is being taught. Hypermedia According to (Roblyer and Doering, 2010), Hypermedia is also known as â€Å"linked media†. It is a system in which information stored in various media is connected, often through the internet. Most multimedia products are also hypermedia products. There exist a synonymous connection of their uses and alternative purpose. The ability to get information using multimedia tools, from one media element to another, makes them hypermedia. There are six kinds of hypermedia formats, such as: commercial hypermedia software, presentation software, video production and editing systems, hypermedia design and development software, virtual reality environments and Web 2. 0. Hypermedia has been impacting the educational system in many ways. Students are able to attend classes in the comfort of their home. Teachers are able to peruse through a wide variety of activities to effectively and efficiently deliver lessons. Hypermedia is geared at providing multiple channels by which students are able to learn and process information. It has been stated by researchers that students who learn through verbal and visual means are better able to solve problems in comparison to those who learn only through verbal means. In using hypermedia in the classroom, it saves time. Students and teachers are able to search through multiple types of information in a short length of time, with little or no cost. It can be stressful and frustrating for those who are not fully equipped with the skills of navigating. Users can also use hypermedia to add, modify or share information. The software is designed to be easy to use and understand. The programs available can incorporate video and audio of CD’s and DVD’s on the web. This creates a merger of both concepts which can realize learning at its maximum relative advantage. In considering Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, we can integrate support tools multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning. This can be done in various ways. Software programs that supports tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, instructional games and problem solving can all be incorporated using an interactive approach. Students as well as teachers are motivated to learn and present information. According to Edyburn (as cited in Roblyer & Doering, 2010), the accessibility capabilities of special needs students are often challenging. Special programs are provided along with software for these students, but in order to use the programs, one must be especially skilled. Roblyer and Doering (2010), further stated that in order for hypermedia to be used effectively, some hardware are needed in order for the software to function, such as: computer with keyboard, mouse and monitor, digital cameras, scanners, video digitizers, camcorders and other video output, microphones and audio speakers. Financial resources are necessary for this system to take place. Adobe Flash Reader has become the standard for creating interactive web based animation and other software tools. Flexible learning modes exist but teachers must carefully select programs that promote higher order thinking, which are few in the case of reading and language. The response based methods are critical and students are able to use their creativity to access information. Students can also make the distinction between various texts and think critically about which is appropriate and applicable. Teachers are able to assess students based on the outcome of assigned projects while challenging them to learn independently at times. Students use the Web 2. 0, and presentation software such as Microsoft Power point Presentation to deliver work the way they understand. Hypermedia helps students to generate new ideas, raise the bar for creativity and independence and thus provide a, variety of sources which students can use to understand and interpret information, thus reaching their highest potential relative advantage. Factors Influencing the Effective Integration of Technology Gorder (2008) stated that integrating technology is not about having technology available in the classroom, but more about how teachers use technology as a tool for learning. To effectively and successfully integrate support tools, multimedia and hypermedia into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, certain factors need to be considered. Franklin (2008) outlined four factors that influence the integration of technology: availability and access to technology, teacher preparation and training, good leadership, and time. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (as cited in Franklin, 2008), the availability of classroom technology correlates to teacher use of computers. This means that when more computers are available in the classroom, teachers tend to incorporate more activities involving technology. While the average elementary classroom in the United States has two computers (NCES, as cited in Franklin, 2008), classrooms in Belize are yet to experience that luxury. Access to computers in Belizean elementary schools is very limited, often through a computer lab. Oftentimes many of these computers are outdated, or not working. The lack of hardware and software tools do very little to promote the use and integration of technology in education. Teacher preparation and training is also an important factor in the effective integration of technology. Franklin (2008) indicated that teachers who feel better prepared to use technology are more likely to have their students use technology than teachers who feel unprepared. With the advent of numerous new technological advances, more experienced teachers are feeling unprepared to face the technological world. The NCES (as cited in Franklin, 2008) reported that only one third of elementary teachers in the United States felt they were well prepared to use technology in the classroom. Gorder (2008) referred to this as a change from educating students for the industrial age, to one of educating students for the technological age. This change will require teachers to become students again, seeking assistance from fellow teachers as well as from their own students. In light of this change, Ash (2007) felt that for teachers to implement technology effectively in the classroom there needs to be some form of professional development. Ash reported that in order to meet the professional development needs of teachers, some school districts have encouraged teachers to form on-line learning communities with their colleagues where they can seek technology advice, share resources and tips. Additionally, Ash suggested having a technology specialist on staff to assist teachers with new technology as well as to provide training for teachers in the form of after school training and workshops. Pitler (2006) said that most importantly teachers need to be provided with ongoing technology professional development. Ash (2007) believed strong leadership is required to effectively integrate technology into teaching and learning and considered the principal as the key factor to ensuring the successful integration of technology into the school curriculum. Hope and Stakenas (as cited by Gosmire & Grady, 2007) suggested three primary roles for the principal as technology leader: role model, instructional leader, and visionary. They stated that principals themselves need to have a good working knowledge of technology tools and be able to use these for their own administrative and managerial duties. When principals have a good working knowledge of technology they are more committed to its importance in teaching and learning and tend to impart this to their teachers (Franklin, 2008). Furthermore, principals are the instructional leaders of the school and are primarily responsible for overseeing technology integration. As a result, principals need to have a good knowledge of technology hardware and software to be able to acquire those that best fit the needs of their school. Hope and Stakenas emphasized that the most important thing is for principals to have a vision for technology in their school. They need to have a clear understanding of how technology will be used by teachers and students to better facilitate teaching and learning. Franklin concluded that principals who provide strong leadership â€Å"help create a climate in which experimentation with technology is looked on with favour and given encouragement† (p. 55). Finally, the fourth factor that influences the integration of technology is time. Franklin (2008) believed that for technology integration to be effective it is necessary to provide the time for teachers to learn, practice, and plan how they will integrate technology into the curriculum. She stated that this might, at times, require teachers to be released from their regular classroom duties in order to facilitate this experience. Apart from the time teachers need to learn and plan for technology, students also need time to use technology. Franklin indicated that time needs to be placed in the daily schedule when students will be using technology. Schacter and Fagnano (1999) also suggested several practices to aid in the successful implementation of technology in the classroom. These include: (a) getting students involved in discussions and debates where they will be required to work with a team to evaluate their work, as well as the work of others, (b) allowing students to analyse situations and think independently through self reflection and thought, (c) getting students to design programs that encourage critical thinking, judgement, and personal involvement, (d) using project-based learning activities, (e) engaging students in contextualized and meaningful projects, and (f) teaching students how to use computers to design projects. The authors emphasized that the effective use of technology increases students’ learning, understanding, achievement and motivation as well as develops their critical thinking and problem solving skills. Conclusion Hence, it is clear that in order to integrate technology into teaching and learning for the highest potential relative advantage, it is not just about having the technology and being knowledgeable about its use and benefits, but also about having a vision and plan of how technology will be integrated into the school curriculum and providing the necessary training for teachers. Pitler (2006) stated that all the new technologies in the world will not impact student achievement if the school does not have a clear vision of how and why they will use the technology. It is important to understand that the acquisition of technology alone will not improve the quality of instruction. Day (2010) emphasizes that â€Å"the fundamental determinants of instructional quality have always been the course content, the teachers, the learning activities in which the students are engaged and the students themselves† (p. 49).

ICT Specification for a spreadsheet for the Hairdressing business

The specification points are very useful because they are like a shopping list and help us to make sure we follow a list of requirements that are important in order for us to ensure that the system that we will create will be able to do certain things in the list below. To have a list of specification points so that when it comes to planning and creating the spreadsheet it will be much easier for us. The list below is extra support and a helpful list to guiding me when I create the spreadsheet for the Hairdressing business. 1. Allows creating a booking system for example an easy way to organise all the clients in a useful way for example in alphabetical order. The booking system is able to store and organise the clients details in alphabetical order this can be done by left clicking ascending order. 1. The system should be allowed to create queries such as multiple criteria or simple search criteria search. To help find for only certain clients that I need to find for example if I there is a discount on women’s haircuts so then I will need to identify only females in the system. Queries can be made on the system for example multiple or simple searches. This will help to identify the people that are only needed to find. 1. I will have a validation rule to minimise errors in the database. E.g. presence check or a formula checks in the system. Validation rules have been entered to reduce the amount of errors occurring in the database system In order to keep the records correct and up to date. 1. The system must be able to have a print button and save the work quickly and easily I will have a print or save button. The system I have created will have a print button on it. 1. I should be able to edit for example to delete old clients and store details and keep record of the data and keep record up to data and recent. Records on the table are able to be stored deleted and kept up to date on the recent data. 1. Include a menu page for the system to make it easy to navigate from page to page and this should help get us easily from page top page. My system has a menu page in order to help to ease the use of navigation 1. Include a primary key to give clients in the system a unique number so it will be easy to find him or her with reference to that specific unique number that is supplied to them in the system. The primary key has been put on the booking ID field because this is recognised to be the key field. 1. To have a back up strategy in case the system is hacked into or is lost or damaged so the back up program is a USB or a CD containing the program/system on it and their details. The information has been stored on my USB and that there is anti-virus is stored to prevent any data or memory loss. 1. To have tables and then link the tables together by relationships and this should make it easier for the user to navigate from page to page quickly. Relationships have been attached to both the tables the Customer details table and the Appointment booking table. 1. I will create a form that will make it another way of presenting the information to the user or the receptionist. Forms will be created to help make the reading of the details and the information easier for the person using it. The testing that we had previously carried out helped to improve my system and the evaluation has helped to make sure that all the criteria of the specification points have been met. The specification points have helped me to carry out the task as a whole more efficiently and to make sure it has appeared on my database the way I have wanted it to turn out. Testing made sure that all the specification points were all able to be fulfilled and achieved but at the same time realistic in order for me to carry them out efficiently. The new database system can now carry out some new and amazing functions it can now make the spreadsheet function well. For the database I have made macros/ navigation buttons to help make moving from one table to another much more simpler and easier. The Database will help me to store my information and store the data precisely in ascending order. There have not been many problems that have occurred from the database that I have created because the database that’s been created has hardly and errors and is functioning well it seems to be making good progress. The database has been made with the purpose to help to make sure that the new Hair Salon will be able to function properly. The two tables that I have created will help me to quickly find out which appointments have been appointed for which person and which person and the customer details have been sorted to keep them safe and in a more reliable way. This also makes it easier to view the information for each customer.

Boundryless Org Essay

1. Identify some of the problems likely to occur in a boundaryless organization like Newskool Grooves. What are the Advantages of boundaryless organizations? Some issues that have occurred at the Kiev offices, managers there said that their computer programmers find working with little structure is uncomfortable. They are used to the idea of a strong leadership structure and well-defined work processes. Trying to reach co-workers in other offices who practice boundaryless organization has become an issue for some managers. They said that when they call the office they say to wait until their meeting day which is an issue because they have an immediate issue and cannot always wait until they decide to get together. Developers working on hardware in different locations had a communication breakdown which required many hours of discussion to resolve which could have been avoided if they were all on the same track. The developers seldom met face to face and all made progress but all of them moved in different directions with the product development. An advantage of boundaryless organizations: Boundaryless organizations communicate mainly through email, phone and other virtual methods rather than more traditional face-to-face communication. The freedom to telecommute with international employees removes geographical barriers to productivity and allows for schedule flexibility. By organizing expert employees in groups and giving them decision-making authority, these companies can change quickly to meet needs and function efficiently in an ill-defined hierarchy. Employees no longer work in isolation but work as part of a team on broad, company-wide projects, quality management, just-in-time methods, lean production, and supply-chain management,† reports US Legal. To be successful, you should feel comfortable in a chaotic free-form workplace and have an ease of working with people to orchestrate the incredible amount of networking required. When employees manage and coordinate their own projects, it fosters a sense of pride in the ability to change and meet the demands of the situation fostering a strong work ethic. 2. Consider some of the cultural issues that will affect a company operating in such different parts of the world and whose employees may not be representative of the national cultures of each country. Are the conflicts you observe a function of the different types of work people have to perform? In this boundaryless company, headquarter in Berlin, Germany, structure outsourcing company in Kiev, Ukraine, marketing in Los Angeles, so many different employees with different cultures are all collaborate working together to achieve organizational goals. Employees are also very diverse in values, personality, and work preferences which are deep-level diversity. Some cultural issues that are sensitive will rise in the workplace and create unpleasant things among employees. Employees might not be working together well as they will have fighting in the decision making. A good research in understanding various biological characteristics like gender, race, ethnicity, age, or disability, will better the surface-level diversity. Almost all employees are creative and like to accept challenges. Therefore, in this similar personality and work preferences, they should be emphasized in working with others as a team. Training for team building with different cultures people will be quite important. Looking at the conflicts in Newskool, like the difficulties in decision-making and employees fighting to do what they perceive is better compare to the others. It takes time for the company to come with one decision as all of the employees can participate in decision making. People that are so diverse will suggest different solutions, reflecting their different cultures. Maybe it will be good to have a proper discussion in decision making, and only few managers can have the power in making decision in the discussion. It is not a function of different types of work people have to perform. As people from different areas or departments can contribute their opinions and ideas in the same work that require one decision. Another conflict will be inefficiency. Yes, different people must perform different tasks in their organization, but Newskool is boundaryless. When Gerd, the founder and the CEO does not satisfy, he asks his employees to redo the work tasks. It will cause a waste in resources as Gerd perceive something differently from his diverse employees. Sometimes, it is good to have hierarchy as people can know who to refer, which department to function and so on. This conflict is a function of different types of work people have to perform. The employees that are sometimes so dominant and think their works are correct, refuse to listen to Gerd and do things according to their own way. 3. Based on what you know about motivation and personality, what types of people are likely to be satisfied in each area of the company? Use concepts from job characteristics theory and the emerging social relationship perspective on work to describe what might need to change to increase employee satisfaction in all areas. Types of people are likely to be satisfied are competent, anxious, empowered and open people. This based on self efficacy theory; this theory refers to an individual’s belief that he or she is capable of performing task. People who posses self efficiency believe that they are capable in behaving in a way that produce that outcome they want. In Newskool Groovers, their employees are participates in decision making and innovation, creative and competent people. Because technology plays a major role as a communication medium in the boundaryless organization, much work is done from a distance via e-mail, phone, and fax. Less work is done in traditional face-to-face settings. Virtual collaboration makes it easier to use the expertise of a broader range of individuals. With telecommuting, international employees are more easily made a part of all business processes. Employees often like the freedom that boundaryless work offers them, particularly with virtual teams and more flexible work plans, arrangements, and schedules. Due to that, employee in company satisfied with the area of the company. Characteristic employees in company are likely competent and strong team skills. Concept job characteristics theory a model that proposes that any job can be described in terms of five core dimension: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and feedback. Based on this theory, to ensure employee satisfaction in all area in Newskool Groovers are by creating and maintaining a common task and group climate to focus groups and teams on the tasks at hand and on overall strategies, focus is on how to move ideas, information, talent, and decisions where they are most necessary, increase individual skill to do a task, hence he or she is encouraged to do it, regardless of title or position, jobs are rewarded on the basis of doing the jobs, not for accomplishing the necessary work. Thus, personal accountability for the work is discouraged at the expense of accountability for the job. Boundary-less Organizations An organization has external boundaries that separate it from its suppliers and customers, and internal boundaries that provide demarcation to departments. This rigidity is removed in boundary less organizations, where the goal is to develop greater flexibility and responsiveness to change and to facilitate the free exchange of information and ideas. It is made up of self-managing and cross-functional teams that are organized around core business processes. The teams include employees from different functional areas as well as customers and suppliers. Advantages Boundary less organization is able to achieve greater integration and coordination. They are able to adapt to environmental changes. Disadvantages However, it can be difficult to overcome political and authority boundaries. It can be time consuming to manage the democratic process to coordinate the efforts of many stakeholders. Companies are moving toward network structures, a group of organizations which coordinate activities via contracts, not a hierarchy. Companies are using outsourcing, transferring activities to outside organizations such as suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. Network structures are becoming complex. Nike keeps R&D in-house but outsources other functions to companies around the world. Advantages of Network Structures 1.Production costs reduced through partners with lower costs 2.High bureaucratic costs avoided with a flat structure 3.Organic organizational behavior 4.Partners replaced for unmet performance expectations 5.Access to low-cost foreign sources of inputs and expertise Disadvantages of Network Structures 1.Coordination problems emerge, followed by lack of cost reduction and improved quality 2.Difficulty in replacing partners and keeping proprietary information from competitors 3.Difficulty in obtaining ongoing learning to build core competences The Boundaryless Organization The boundaryless organization connects people by computers, faxes, video teleconferencing, and computer-aided design systems. Functional experts join an organization to meet a contract and then go to another project, but unlike members of a matrix structure, they are not part of the organization. Outsourcing offers increased flexibility and reduced costs. Designing an organizational structure is an increasingly complex management activity.

Digital forensic Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Digital forensic - Coursework Example So, digital forensic has become very essential and in fact a part of the overall security perspective of any computer based industry, in spite of various challenges associated with the digital forensic investigation process. The increased use of Skype is resulting in increased number of cyber crimes as the users take advantage of the anonymity associated with its use. But with the aid of apt digital forensic tools, valuable evidences can be retrieved and it can reveal the defendant’s activities. This report will discuss about the various available tools that will aid the digital forensic investigation process, document the steps involved in the investigation process along with the challenges that has to be faced during the course of the investigation process. The artifacts collected from a Skype conversation can be analysed with the help of several investigation tools like ‘Skype chat carver’, ‘Belkasoft Evidence Center’, ‘Chat Examiner’, ‘Epilog’, ‘Forensic Assistant’, ‘Internet Evidence Finder’, ‘Skype Extractor’, ‘SkypeAlyzer’, ‘SkypeLogview’, and others (Mikhaylov 2013). It is very important to know where and how to recover the evidences like calls, messages, contacts, file transfers, and voicemails from a user’s accounts in order to utilize the above mentioned tools in the forensic analysis process. The steps stated below will help in the evidence recovery process. There are four users who use Skype application in this example. The file named ‘shared’ is a XML file which contains the main configuration information like time of usage, IP address, and other useful information. Exploring the ‘shared’ file one can retrieve the Unix style time stamp information (Shaw 2014). Here comes the first challenge. This Unix style time stamp information is displayed in a coded format as a string of numbers, which has to be converted to

A critical discussion of Porters view that the economic structure of Essay

A critical discussion of Porters view that the economic structure of the restaurant industry determines the pattern of competition in that industry - Essay Example The global restaurant industry is highly saturated and in a mature stage of development along the industry life cycle, a factor that is driven by the economics of the industry. The economic structure is influenced by the tangibles along the value chain for food services organisations, including the volume of suppliers along the supply chain and the pricing structure of procurement, which impacts all restaurant organisations. The industry is also impacted by the demographics of the consuming public in terms of income as well as the availability of financial capital or ability to raise capital in the regions where the food services organisations operate. Hence, there are a variety of factors that will determine the methods and strategies by which competitors attempt to compete to attain some form of competitive advantage that are all linked with the economics of the industry. The restaurant industry In China, as one example, there is a high concentration of Western fast food companies that have saturated the industry. Growth in consumer demand for Western food brands has given food service companies ample opportunities for expansion out of the North American and European markets. However, it not only consumer demand that has provided these opportunities, it is the investment by a more liberal Chinese government that has stabilised the regional economy that provides advantages for market entry and expansion. The government has injected considerable financial capital into urban development, there is more interest by venture capitalists for this same pursuit, and government policies have provided much more incentives for foreign direct investment in the country (Areddy 2009). Inflation has been largely stabilised by government intervention and policy development, thereby offering consumers much more disposable income that is crucial for sustaining profitability. In 2012, the government invested 57.92 billion USD to motivate more effective corporate borrowing and to control interest rates (Safe Trading 2013). From a social perspective, as Chinese culture begins adopting more ideologies and principles associated with a capitalistic economy, lifestyle preferences are changing that are favourable for new entrants in the fast food industry. In contemporary China, 50 percent of consumers prefer eating in restaurants over that of household consumption (Ganster 2006), which provides a potential market of approximately one half billion consumers. In 2008, consumers in Shanghai spent approximately seven percent of their total disposable income on restaurant dining which represented a whopping 20 percent increase in spending from that of 2007 (Rentz and Xu 2010). Therefore, the economic structure of the industry, coupled with higher guarantees of consumer expenditures on food services, establishes an industry environment that can satisfy profit expectations for a variety of major competitors and new market entrants into the country. The entire fast food industry in China, from a market value perspective, increased 16 percent between 2010 and 2011 and is estimated to be worth 74.8 billion USD in revenues to all competitors (Ho 2011). Therefore, major fast food companies, such as KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, have found considerable profit success by entering the Chinese fast food market. Prior to recent years, however, in order for the aforementioned companies (and their large variety of other competitors) to achieve market success, they were forced to import food products from the West which significantly raised operating

What is really real and what can we know about it Essay

What is really real and what can we know about it - Essay Example They use the biblical teachings from the holy books to explain the reality behind Christian beliefs and practices in the society. However, many scholars have developed diverse disciplines in order to argue, clarify and understand the reality behind Christian beliefs and practices. From the biblical point of view, there is truly underlying reality that cannot readily be perceived when trying to understand the reality behind Christian beliefs, tenets, rituals and traditions. Individual responses towards the ultimate reality have been articulated and institutionalized in the religious arrangements. Theologians have made a considerable attempt of trying to make logical arguments in order to defend Christian beliefs, tenets and ritual practices. However, the way people from different places and at different times come to the conclusion in some unseen reality is ultimately unimaginable. Some people simply accept what they have been told to them or what is written in the Holy Scriptures. Others make their own conclusions on the ultimate reality of Christian beliefs and traditional practices. Christian virtuous action or behaviors in the Christian system are based upon the Holy books especially the Old and New Testaments. Christians emphasizes on the virtue ethics, and these virtues are where their moral teachings of Christian beliefs and practices are based upon Fisher (9). Christians emphasize on the moral behaviors, and they mostly emphasize on love and peace in the society. This is through being honest, humble, caring, generosity, kind and other good moral behaviors. Several traditional philosophers from the West were concerned on the virtue ethics and these aspects mostly can be well understood from the work of Aristotle and Plato, the Greek philosophers who attempted to explain the reality of moral behaviors during the medieval periods. The virtue theory simply argues on developing morally desirable

Conflict Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Conflict Management - Essay Example First, explain the problem to the other party, however the language and mode of communication need to be convincing. The second step involves application of social skills to calm down the situation. This requires creativity in attracting the audience of the other partner. In such situation, if a sad mood exists, then allow time for calmness before proceeding (Konijn, 2008). The final step involves building a positive relationship. After explaining the challenge at hand, one needs to create a cordial and joyous relationship. This step is a bit difficult; however, creative skills in problem solving and conflict management need to apply to maximum to ensure that, the meeting ends in fine moods. In conclusion, the plan for interpersonal challenge management involves diverse skills of problem solving and apt communications skills. In addition, the fundamental aspect in this situation is the creation of a fine

Report of Collaboration Manager (interview) Essay

Report of Collaboration Manager (interview) - Essay Example Costco world headquarters are located in Washington and Korea home-office is located in Costco Yangpyung location. Costco in Korea also targets lower end customers by selling products at low prices, often at very high volume. Costco is experiencing rapid growth in its Asian business. Ever since Costco entered into Asian market, international outlets has experienced a sales growth of 7% in 2011 and Costco’s best performing store is in Korea. Costco does not provide multiple brands varieties where the item is essentially the same except when it has a house brand to sell, often under the Kirkland trademark label. Their distribution system focuses on a high volume of sales from single vendors, allowing further reductions in price and lower marketing costs. Through the collaborative manager interview report, more research and investigation was held on how Costco Korea implemented its business strategy in Korean market and successfully created the collaborative work environment in t heir distribution channel. In addition, the report focused on their collaborative strategy of how the company communicated with Costco buyers in order to meet local customer demands and requirements. In order to gain visibility into performance at Costco Korea, it was necessary to interview Korean branch of collaborative manager, Sung-Gu Ryu to gain his personal experience and perspectives on overall category of growth trends. Role of the CM in Helping the Organization Achieve Its Strategic Objectives Collaborative manager entails the working together of managers in an organization to achieve the goals and the objectives of the organization. Sung-Gu Ryu outlined the strategic objectives of Costco Corporation which gave directions to his role as the CM. To begin with, Costco Corporation operates on a best value and best price principle. This means that Sung-Gu Ryu has a role of developing and implementing quality assessment tools that aim at investigating the satisfaction of the cust omers with the quality of products being produced by Costco Corporation. Moreover, Sung-Gu Ryu has the role of ensuring that customers are satisfied with the price of commodities being offered compared to its competitors, in bid to offer the best price for its commodities. Acting ethically, is another strategic objective of Costco Corporation and Sung-Gu Ryu as the CM has a great role in ensuring that this strategic objective is achieved. Firstly, he ensures that the managers working in collaboration with him are managers of integrity and have a high moral standard. This ensures that their operations are morally and ethically upright as pertains to how they treat their customers, employees, suppliers and competitors. Moreover, it is the strategic objective of Costco Corporation to never lose sight of the reason why they are in operation. Sung-Gu Ryu being the CM has the duty of en-culturing the staff to this organization culture and ensuring that every employee knows the vision and mission of Costco Corporation. So as never to lose sight of this vision, it is embedded on products developed by the Corporation and Sung-Gu Ryu also comes up with slogans aiding in achievement of Costco Corporation’s strategic objectives. CMs background, Obstacles Faced, Process Used to Develop External Relationships and Achieve Significant Milestones Sung-Gu Ryu, is the manager who is bestowed with

Catcher in the Rye Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Catcher in the Rye - Essay Example They keep themselves hidden in order to attain their wants or in order to be benefitted in every situation. One of the reasons why Holden calls Pency Prep phony is the advertisement in various magazines as stated in the passage above and their steak for dinner every Saturday that when parents come on Sunday they will ask their children what they had for dinner and they would answer steak, when in fact their steak is a hard slab piece of meat that nobody wants to eat (Saliner19). One of Holden’s struggles in life is the death of his younger brother Allie. His brother Allie, who He loved dearly died due to leukemia. Holden described him as the nicest person he knew, who never gets mad regardless of the fact that he had red hair which is known to be related to bad temper. He also described him as the most intelligent in their family, fifty times more intelligent than he was. Holden cannot cope with the lost of his younger brother due to leukemia that is why his life seems like a mess. He had been to four schools before and faces expulsion due to having failing marks in four out of his five subjects without worrying about them. Game, my ass. Some game. If you get on the side where all the hot-shots are, then its a game, all right--Ill admit that. But if you get on the other side, where there arent any hot-shots, then whats a game about it? Nothing. No game (Salinger 5). The above passage expressed by Mr. Spencer to Holden during their talk before Holden left Pency. Life is a game where you have to follow the rules; you have to follow the norms and the laws. In order for you to succeed you have to go mainstream, face the things and problems that life brings you because it will make you a better person in the process. You have to fight your way, exert your best effort and struggle hard to win. If you stop fighting and just stand in one corner, doing nothing, life will eat you

The Health Benefits of Transcendental Meditation Essay

The Health Benefits of Transcendental Meditation - Essay Example Because of its association with yoga and other Eastern philosophic belief systems and, later, with the New Age movements of alternative religious practices, meditation has often been dismissed in the West as something less than real. â€Å"Until recently the very word meditation tended to evoke raised eyebrows and thoughts about mysticism and hocus-pocus in many people. In part, that was because people did not understand that meditation is really about paying attention† (Kabat-Zin, 1990: 21). In particular, it is about paying attention to the moment as it is passing. This moves beyond the concept of living in the moment to being intimately aware of the moment even as it passes and becomes nothing more than memory. This transcendental explanation is easier defined than accomplished. The tendency of the mind is to take the opportunity of the ‘autopilot’ initiative to reflect upon the past or to make plans for the future. For those caught in desperate situations, thi s can lead to a destructive cycle of thinking that leaves little room for improvement while allowing them to miss out on the joys or triumphs of the present. One way in which people can help themselves break this cycle is through the process of meditation, which, it turns out, brings about some significant benefits including the benefit of clearer thinking, more enjoyed moments and an inner peace. It also offers numerous measurable physical benefits including reduced blood pressure, reduced stress, more restful sleep and lowered cholesterol. While there are many different forms of meditation, several of which require lengthy study, practice and training to accomplish, transcendental meditation was designed to be accessible to the layperson with a minimum of training for nearly instant benefit. Transcendental meditation can have numerous physical benefits as the result of the deep breathing and relaxation exercises that paradoxically bring

Internet Broadcasting In China Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Internet Broadcasting In China - Research Paper Example The internet broadcasting is also a great influence on the interest of monopoly thus being a factor in the political economy of China. The Chinese people have extensively relied on the use of the internet to pass information and share ideas on current issues (Lei, 2011). Chinese people have used the internet broadcasting channel to share ideas on the political and economic state of their country. Being a global power, the internet broadcasting in China also influences the state of world politics and economy. Internet broadcasting mainly occurs through social media and this makes it a great tool of communication and information flow in China. The Chinese political setup is directly related to the way the country conducts is local and global economic affairs. The government is the supreme organ entitled to control the flow of information relating to economic matters particularly those touching on the international community. Local business people are expected to operate online business in line with the country’s laws and policies that regulate access and sharing information through the mass media. Accessibility of information on the internet has enabled the Chinese citizens to keep track for their country’s state of economy and politics. Such information influences the people’s perception of the government particularly in the manner in which it handles the economy (Sima, 2011). Politics and the economy are closely tied in China and a change in one influences the other.

True Educations Begins at Home Essay Example for Free

True Educations Begins at Home Essay People learn everything they know from some sort of influence. Religious groups are influenced by preachers to believe what they want. Students are influenced by teachers on what to learn. North Koreans are influenced by Kim Jong Il to do exactly as he wants. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee’s only book, Scout, a main female character has to be taught the hard way. She sees a man prosecuted and killed because of his skin color for something he clearly could not have done. She learns that prejudice is abused every day, even past times of slavery. Scout’s main motivation for not being prejudice is her father, Atticus, who defends the black man, Tom Robinson, in a clearly biased trial. Although influenced to think that she should hate black people, her true education comes from home. When one first learns to speak, who are their words learned from? They, typically, learn from their parents. If someone acts poorly, they are usually punished at home. Outer influences can affect someone’s decision to do something wrong, and, if brought up well, this person will not make these poor decisions. Scout is enticed to hate black people, but Atticus teaches her why humans are all equal. Jem, Scout’s older brother, learns as he matures that one should accept people for who they are. After Tom gets accused of being guilty, Jem even cries. In essence, Jem and Scout are both taught from home how to act throughout life. When Scout begins talking to Miss Maudie and Dill, she hears wild stories of the man who is locked inside his house for fifteen years, and once he is in his thirties, he attacks his father with a pair of scissors. This man is Arthur â€Å"Boo† Radley. Atticus catches his children and Dill trying to lure him out of the house and teaches them that not everything they hear is true (although, this rumor is true. The children quit provoking Boo for a while, but near the end of the book, they meet him on person after he saves their lives from a drunken man. They learn that Atticus was right in saying that not everything that one hears is true. I have learned nearly all I know from my mother and father. They have taught me basic skills, as well as proper etiquette. I have had many mentors in my life, and I believe that my parents are the best ones I have and will have. They have taught me all I need to know in my life from home.

A Ticket Booking System For Theatre

A Ticket Booking System For Theatre The purpose of the online ticket booking system is to provide another way for purchasing cinema tickets in advance. It is an automatic system. This paper presents a formal use of the Object Oriented analysis and Design, we will illustrate our system by providing Use Case Diagrams with Specifications, Activity Diagrams, Class Diagrams, Sequence Diagrams, State Machines and Communication Diagrams on the functionalities of the system, also we will provide some process description and data dictionary. The goals of our system are: Record performance details Record customer details Record tickets sold Print tickets Print address labels for telephone booking Task 1: Functional Modelling Identification of Actors Use Cases Analyzing the existing system we figured out that, there are two main scopes to be covered in the system. The scopes are Performance Planning and Ticket Booking. We used the below table to identify the Actors and the Use Cases for the system. User Role Use Case Theatre Manager Performance planning Define the type of the performance and name it. Performance scheduling Define date and time of the performance. Artist booking Book an artist for the performance. Ticket pricing Determine a price for the ticket. Clerk Check schedule Check the performance schedule for a particular show on a date. Check seat availability Checks for available seats Capture customer information Record customer details Check ticket price Check for ticket price for particular show. Sell ticket Record tickets sold. Print ticket Print ticket for the customer. Print address label Print address label for telephone booking. Use Case Diagram Following diagram shows the overall view of the Ticket Booking System for Theatre. Figure 1: Use Case Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Use Case Specification Table 1: Use Case of Performance Planning Number: UC01 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Performance Planning Status: Actors: Theatre Manager Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Goal: Defining the performance type and naming it. Use Case Relationships: Extend:UC02, UC03 Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User enters the name of the performance. 2 User enters the type of the performance. 3 System checks for all required data entry. 4 System connects to the database. 5 System writes data into the database. 6 System shows a confirmation message after successful database writes. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 3.1 Enter required information. A 4.1 Check network connectivity A 4.2 Check database connectivity A 4.3 Check database user role A 5.1 Theatre manager gets notification of unsuccessful operation. Table 2: Use Case of Performance Scheduling Number: UC02 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Performance Scheduling Status: Actors: Theatre Manager Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Performance planning (UC01) should be inserted into the system. Goal: Define date and time of the performance. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects the desired performance from the system. 2 User enters the date of the performance. 3 User enters the time of the performance. 4 System checks for all required data entry. 5 System connects to the database. 6 System writes data into the database. 7 System shows a confirmation message after successful database writes. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 3.1 Enter required information. A 5.1 Check network connectivity A 5.2 Check database connectivity A 5.3 Check database user role A 6.1 Theatre manager gets notification of unsuccessful operation. Table 3: Use Case of Artist Booking Number: UC03 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Artist Booking Status: Actors: Theatre Manager Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Performance planning (UC01) should be inserted into the system. Goal: Book an artist for the performance. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects the desired performance from the system. 2 User enters the name of the desired artist. 3 System checks for all required data entry. 4 System connects to the database. 5 System writes data into the database. 6 System shows a confirmation message after successful database writes. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 3.1 Enter required information. A 4.1 Check network connectivity A 4.2 Check database connectivity A 4.3 Check database user role A 5.1 Theatre manager gets notification of unsuccessful operation. Table 5: Use Case of Schedule Checking Number: UC04 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Schedule Checking Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Performance scheduling (UC02) should be inserted into the system. Goal: Check the performance schedule for a particular show on a date. Use Case Relationships: Extend: UC01 Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects a desired performance and a date. 2 System shows a confirmation message for the availability of the performance. 3 System allows the user to perform the next event (UC06). Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 1.1 System notifies the user that the performance is unavailable on the desired date. Table 6: Use Case of Check Seat Availability Number: UC05 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Check Seat Availability Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Schedule checking (UC05) should be performed by the user. Goal: Checks for available seats. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects a desired performance and a date. 2 System shows a confirmation message for the availability of the seat. 3 System allows the user to perform the next event (UC07). Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 1.1 System notifies the user that the seat is unavailable for the desired performance. Table 7: Use Case of Capturing Customer Information Number: UC06 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Capture Customer Information Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Seat checking (UC06) should be performed by the user. Goal: Record customer details. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User enters the name, address and telephone number of the customer. 2 System checks for all required data entry. 3 System connects to the database. 4 System writes data into the database. 5 System shows a confirmation message after successful database writes. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 2.1 Enter required information. A 3.1 Check network connectivity A 3.2 Check database connectivity A 3.3 Check database user role A 4.1 User gets notification of unsuccessful operation. Table 8: Use Case of Checking Ticket Price Number: UC07 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Check Ticket Price Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Ticket pricing information (UC04) should be entered into the system. Goal: Check for ticket price for particular show Use Case Relationships: Extend: UC01 Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects a desired performance form the system. 2 System shows the defined pricing for the ticket. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 2.1 Price not found is notified to the user. Table 9: Use Case of Selling Ticket Number: UC08 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Selling Ticket Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Check ticket price (UC08) should be performed by the user. Goal: Record tickets sold. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects the desired performance from the system. 2 User enters ticket selling date and the ticket price for the desired performance. 3 System checks for all required data entry. 4 System connects to the database. 5 System writes data into the database. 6 System shows a confirmation message after successful database writes. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 3.1 Enter required information. A 4.1 Check network connectivity A 4.2 Check database connectivity A 4.3 Check database user role A 5.1 Theatre manager gets notification of unsuccessful operation. Table 10: Use Case of Printing Ticket Number: UC09 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Printing Ticket Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Check ticket price (UC08) should be performed by the user. Goal: Print ticket for the customer Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User triggers the print command for the sold ticket. Alternatives: Index Actor Event A 1.1 Printer not found notification will be given to the user. Table 11: Use Case of Checking Ticket Booking Type Number: UC10 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Check Ticket Booking Type Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Print ticket (UC10) should be performed by the user. Goal: Determine the ticket booking type. Use Case Relationships: Extend: Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User selects the booking type to identify whether the ticket was booked over phone. Alternatives: Index Actor Event Table 12: Use Case of Printing Address Label Number: UC11 Req. Doc Ref: Name: Print Address Label Status: Actors: Clerk Pre-requisites: User should be logged in the system. Ticket booking type (UC11) should be performed by the user. Goal: Print address label for telephone booking Use Case Relationships: Extend: UC11 Include: Association: Generalization: Description: Index Actor Event 1 User triggers the print command to print the address label. Alternatives: Index Actor Event Activity Diagram Based on the system observation, a high level activity diagram is drawn modelling the process of ticket booking for theatre. The activity diagram will bring everybody on a common ground for understanding the system functionalities. Figure 2: Activity Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Task 2: Structural Modelling Class Diagram (attributes operations) The following diagram depicts the relationships between the classes for Ticket Booking System along with the attributes and the operations. Figure 3: Class Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Task 3: Behavioural Modelling Sequence Diagram The following diagram is a sequence diagram for buying ticket. There are few things I want to state, that this is just one of the sequences of buying ticket. There could be more alternative sequence for buying ticket. For example, we can choice a performance before buying ticket. But the overall structures of all buying ticket sequence are similar, so, others sequence will not be shown. Figure 4: Sequence Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) State Machine Diagram Below diagram is used to give an abstract description of the behaviour of the ticket booking system. This behaviour is analyzed and represented in series of events that could occur in one or more possible states. Hereby each diagram usually represents objects of a single class and tracks the different states of its objects through the system. Figure 5: State Machine Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Communication Diagram Communication diagram is similar to sequence diagrams, but it provides an overview of the relationships between objects, rather than focusing on the order of messages between objects, as the software executes. Figure 6: Communication Diagram (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Task 4: Data Protection Law Introduction In Bangladesh Cyber Acts are in a process to be implemented. The Government of Bangladesh has formed National Council for Science and Technology (NCST). The Executive Committee for NCST has also been formed to implement policies formulated by the Council. Currently NCST is working with the general boundaries to protect the ICT industry and specific laws are yet to be decided. For our application we can follow the acts and regulations from UK. Laws, Regulations and Best Practices The Data Protection Act gives individuals the right to know what information is held about them. It provides a framework to ensure that personal information is handled properly. The Act works in two ways. Firstly, it states that anyone who processes personal information must comply with eight principles, which make sure that personal information is: Fairly and lawfully processed Processed for limited purposes Adequate, relevant and not excessive Accurate and up to date Not kept for longer than is necessary Processed in line with your rights Secure Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection The second area covered by the Act provides individuals with important rights, including the right to find out what personal information is held on computer and most paper records. Data protection laws should be adequate enough to maintain the below options at a minimum- How to access information This allows one to find out what information is held about him/her on a computer and within some manual records, such as medical records, files held by public bodies and financial information held by credit reference agencies. Correcting information This allows one to apply to a court to order a data controller to correct, block, remove or destroy personal details if they are inaccurate or contain expressions of opinion based on inaccurate information. Preventing processing of information This means one can ask a data controller not to process information about him/her that causes substantial unwarranted damage or distress. The data controller is not always bound to act on the request. Preventing unsolicited marketing This means a data controller is required not to process information about one for direct marketing purposes if he/she asks them not to. Preventing automated decision making This means one can object to decisions made only by automatic means. For example, where there is no human involvement. Claiming compensation This allows one to claim compensation through the courts from a data controller for damage, and in some cases distress, caused by any breach of the act. Exempt information This allows one to ask the information commissioner to investigate and assess whether the data controller has breached the act. There should be a committee (in our case NCTS could be the choice) that will have legal powers to ensure that organizations comply with the requirements of the data protection laws. It is notable here that these powers are focused on ensuring that organizations meet the obligations of the act. To promote best practices the regulation- The committee should carry out consensual audits with data controllers to assess their processing of personal information. The committee should see auditing as a constructive process with real benefits for data controllers. The committee should adopt, wherever possible, a participative approach including working closely with the data controller to agree the timing and scope of the audit. Comply with Data Protection Law A short checklist can help us to comply with the data protection laws in our system. Maintaining all the items in the checklist does guarantee compliance but it should mean that we are heading in the right direction. We should store only the related information about the customer and the personnelà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s involved with the system. And we need to make sure that we know what we are going to do with the information. The person should know, what are the information we are holding. He/she should understand what it will be used for. Information should be held securely whether ità ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s on the paper or on computer. The system should prevent any unwanted access of its resources. The information should be deleted as soon as there is no need for it. Access control list should be created with a strict need to know to prevent data access from all kind of users of the system. We should train the stuff in their duties and responsibilities under the act that we are putting them in to practice. Recommendations Being a strategic regulator means that, in so far as we have a choice, we have to be selective with our interventions. We will therefore apply our limited resources in ways that deliver the maximum return in terms of a sustained reduction in data protection risk. That is the risk of harm through improper use of personal information. There are priorities we have to set. We need to focus most attention on situations where there is a real likelihood of serious harm. We also need to focus on situations where our intervention is most likely to make a long term as well as a short term difference. When we intervene we must do so in a way that gives us the best possible return and remember that we will often be at our most effective when working closely with others. We are entitled to have legitimate expectations of those who are in a position to influence data protection risk. Our effectiveness depends on them seeking and welcoming our reasonable interventions. Furthermore we have an important international role. Data protection risk in the Bangladesh is increasingly influenced by events worldwide. Our risk-based approach is in line with good regulatory practice. It does not mean that we seek to remove all data protection risk. We do what we can to moderate the most serious risks and protect those who are most vulnerable to improper use of their information. But we will not try to take away freedom of choice and will remember that individuals themselves ought to be best placed to make decisions about their own interests. Part of our job is to equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to enable them to make their own well-informed decisions about the use and disclosure of their personal information. Being a strategic regulator also means extending our approach beyond simply improving (through guidance, persuasion and regulatory action) the behaviour of organisations that handle personal information. We also have a legitimate role in informing and influencing the market or political environment in which they operate. Thus we will seek to have long term influence over government and the legislature at Westminster and in the devolved administrations as well as over representative bodies and other stakeholders, to ensure privacy friendly outcomes. We will also seek to influence the legal framework that governs our own work to ensure that data protection requirements are simple, meaningful and proportionate and that we have the flexibility and tools to regulate effectively. Building public confidence in data protection is the key in our approach. We protect people, not just information. This means we need to engage with the public and explain what we do in a way that they can easily understand and relate to. This commitment is at the heart of how we approach our job as data protection regulator and will inform all our data protection tasks including complaints handling and the provision of advice. Task 5: Ticket Printing Produce Tickets To protect the tickets from being forged or copied we can use a barcode on each ticket. Weà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ll print a unique 10-digit number as a barcode on the tickets, which will be checked at the entrance with the software and a simple barcode scanner. As each barcode can only be used once to enter, copied or forged tickets are rejected and the revenues are protected. By default, the tickets will be labeled with random numbers with 10 digits, which will serve as copy protection. Figure 7: Sample barcode to print on tickets Seat Allocation Tickets will be printed with seat numbers, with serial numbers. Section names can be in different colours to facilitate orientation. For sections with an aisle a seat description can be added to the seat number (e.g. left, right), which helps the visitor to find the seat. Figure 8: Sample barcode to print on ticket with seat no. Hardware for printing tickets There are numerous tickets available in the market but I found D-Link printers suitable for our system. Below are the details of the hardware- Description: With the DSA-3100 and the DSA-3100P Ticket Printer, businesses and organizations can provide free or fee-based broadband Internet access to their customers or members. No complex billing system is required, guaranteeing a quick and convenient Internet experience for operators and their hot spot users. The DSA-3100P is hassle-free hot spot ticket printer that communicates with the DSA-3100 Public/Private Gateway to generate and print log-in usernames and passwords for the hot spot customers. Patented for easy loading, the DSA-3100P is connected to the DSA-3100 gateway via its RS-232 serial communication. With the DSA-3100P, the DSA-3100 gateway can manage and store up to 2,000 user accounts in its internal database and support up to 50 logged-in users at any time. Features: Printing Method: Thermal Dot Line Printing Print Speed: 80 mm/Second Connectivity: RS-232 Serial Compatibility: D-Link DSA-3100 Public/Private Gateway Specification: Manufacturer D-Link Manufacturer Part # DSA-3100P Device Type Thermal Line Label Printer Media Handling Media Type Receipt Paper Max Media Size 2.2 Max Printing Width 1.9 Roll Maximum Outer Diameter 3.3 Total Capacity 1 Roll Connectivity Interfaces 1 x RS-232 Serial Included Cables 1 x Serial Cable Power Requirements Power Supply External, 3.5 V DC Dimensions(H X W X D) Unit 4.6 x 3.8 x 6.3 Weight Unit 0.9 lbs Price: $375 Figure 9: D-Link DSA-3100P Ticket Printer Task 6: Database Design Database Design Figure 10: Database Design (Performance Planning Ticket Booking) Data Dictionary Table: Artist Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table ArtistID Integer Yes ArtistName Varchar 100 Table: Performance Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table PerformanceID Integer Yes PerformanceName Varchar 100 TicketPriceID Integer TicketPrice ArtistID Integer Artist Table: TicketPrice Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table TicketPriceID Integer Yes PerformanceID Integer Performance TicketPrice Numeric (18,2) Table: PerformanceSchedule Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table ScheduleID Integer Yes PerformanceID Integer Performance PerformanceDate Date Table: Customer Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table CustomerID Integer Yes Name Varchar 100 Address Varchar 250 Telephone Varchar 20 Table: Sales Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table SalesID Integer Yes PerformanceID Integer Performance ScheduleID Integer PerformanceSchedule TicketPriceID Integer TicketPrice CustomerID Integer Customer BookingType Boolean Table: SeatAllocation Attribute Data Type Length Primary Key Ref. Table SeatID Integer Yes SalesID Integer Sales SeatNoFrom Integer SeatNoTo Integer Task 7: Object-Orient Approaches vs. Standard Approaches Standard Approaches Standard approach includes many variations based on techniques used to develop information system with structured and modular programming. Standard analysis and design techniques are a software engineering methodology for describing systems as a hierarchy of functions. Below are the characteristics of Standard Approaches. Approach for structured analysis consists of the following objects: Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) Shows processes and flow of data in and out of these processes. Does not show control structures (loops) Contains 5 graphic symbols (shown later) Uses layers to decompose complex systems Can be used to show logical and physical Is a quantum leap forward to other techniques at the time, I.e. monolithic descriptions with globs of text. Context Diagram

Job Satisfaction Analysis

Job Satisfaction Analysis Internal Factors Regarding the student surveyed, from Figure, almost half of the respondents dissatisfied their current job on training period, conversely only around 20 percent who are satisfied and neutral their current job respectively. There are fewer percentage of strongly satisfied and strongly dissatisfied their job. Although there are almost half of the respondents dissatisfied their current job, it still have 22 percent respondents satisfied their job. According to the student surveyed, from Figure , most of the respondents select good relationship with colleagues as their main reason of job satisfaction. Base on this question the respondents can select more than one choice as a result the total number is 77. However, flexibility working hour and satisfied staff benefits are not the main reason affect job satisfaction by 17 and 16 results respectively, it is shown that there is a huge disparity compare with the result of good relationship with colleagues. It can be analyze that employees are more concern their relationship with colleagues to effect the job satisfaction, thus influence the turnover rate.  Ã‚   External factor As can be seem from the students surveyed, the result shown that most of the respondents are chosen rapid growth of hotel industry and government policy are two main external factors influence turnover rate are chosen by 26 and 18 results respectively. Base on this question the respondents can select more than one choice so that the total number in this question is 62. Besides, non-local employees and inflation are only chosen by 8 and 10 results respectively. It seem that the survey can reflect the respondents view the impact of high turnover rate owing to rapid growth of hotel industry and government policy. Rapid growth of hotel industry Rapid growth of hotel industry may increase turnover way due to the same manpower pool. The number of hotel rooms in Hong Kong needs to be almost doubled in the next 10 years, according to the head of a government economic task force (Siu and Nip). The reason of sharply increase the number of hotel rooms probably relevant impact of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge and the high-speed cross-border railway. In response to satisfy a large demand of tourists, hotels need to absorb enormous quality employees so that can maintain the standard of quality. However, due to the labor supply is not able to meet the demand in the market; the existing employees may try to seek to better jobs due to availability choice (Lei). Even there isfresh graduates study in hotel management in every year but not all graduates will work in the hotel industry (The Greatest Challenge). Heavy workload, shift work, overtime working those reasons may affect the graduate’s select hotel industry as their careen. Owing to the limitation of labor, the existing staff can be selective in their choice of employment since rapid growth of hotel industry. For instance, the less favorable job like stewards, food and beverage servers and room attendants are especially high turnover way, owing to heavy workload and lack of attractiveness (Lei). To attract those indispensable front office staff, many hotels are willing to provide high salary and better position to effectively attract employees (Lei). Therefore, more employees will terminate their employment to choose the job with valuable benefits. Government policies Statutory Minimum Wage policy Statutory Minimum Wage may force employer to disband their employee or expropriate the original fringe benefits such as staff’s meal, uniform and break period to compensate the additional cost related to this policy (Hong Kong workers.). Employee compensation is one of the largest costs in hotel (Su, Heo and Leung). Even though the Minimum Wage Ordinance was HKD 30 per hour since 2013, the average hourly wage in hotel employees was about HKD62 (Su, Heo and Leung). Although the policy can balance the excessively low wages and prevent the loss of low-paid jobs (Labor Department), it also affects high turnover way due to job dissatisfaction. In order to recoup the additional cost, some hotel may decrease employee benefits or hired more part-time employee to recover the cost thus destroy relationship. For instance, some hotel kept employing their staff on a basic salary and did not offer them a perpetual job (Su, Heo and Leung). Other example, some hotel had changed to pay their room attendants based on the number of the rooms they had been cleaned instead of pay the working hour after the implementation of Statutory Minimum Wage Policy (Su, Heo and Leung). If the room attendants take longer time to make up certain rooms that supervisor assigned to them, they need to work overtime without compensation. It may definitely affect employee job satisfaction as a result increase turnover rate. It is a common knowledge that develop a good relationship between employer and employee can probably reduce turnover way. However, Statutory Minimum Wage policy was give stress to employers to maintain their limited cost so that upward pressure to employees and dissatisfied on job satisfaction. Employers tend to reduce the number of employees and shortening the staff working hours to prevent compensation (Su, Heo and Leung). Also, recruit more part-time employees to replace the full-time employees due to effective and easily to maintain offset cost increase. Therefore, the authors had mentioned that hotel tend to reduce the cost of fringe cost as their cost minimization strategy (Su, Heo and Leung). In view of employees confront the work environment that without unpaid break and change the staff’s menu to reduce their staff benefit, they virtually heighten the negative attitude in work environment and job satisfaction as a result cause employees to move to other industries. References Lei, Lam, The Challenges of the Labor Shortage in Macau’s Hotel Industry. University of Nevada. Las Vegas, December 2011: 21-27. Web. 31 March. 2014 http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2153context=these>sdissertations> Lo, Wei. â€Å"Hong Kong hotels accused of not paying minimum wage in job ‘trial periods’.† South China Morning Post 15 August, 2012. Web. 1 April, 2014 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1014884/hong-kong-hotels-accused-not-paying-minimum-wage-job-trial-periods> â€Å"The Greatest Challenge for HR in Hotel Industry: Manpower Shortage† Career Times20April. 2001: 20. Web. 1 March 2014. http://www.ctgoodjobs.hk/english/article/show_article.asp?title=the-greatest-challenge-for-hr-in-hotel-industry-manpower-shortagecategory_id=1107article_id=10432listby=datelistby_id=page=13> Su, Mia, Cindy Heo and Daniel Leung. â€Å"Hotel Employees Perception of the Statutory Minimum Wage Policy in Hong Kong.† Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research. 2013: 2-6. Web. 31 March 2014 http://www.tandfonline.com.eproxy2.lib.hku.hk/doi/abs/10.1080/10941665.2013.852115#.Uzu98_mSzT8 > Siu, Phila, and Amy Nip. â€Å"Hong Kong needs to double hotel rooms in 10 years† South China Morning Post. 05 July. 2013. Web. 31 March 2014 http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1275375/double-hotel-rooms-needed-10-years-accommodate-enormous-rise-visitors > Labour Department. â€Å"Statutory minimum wage.† 2013. Web. 01 April 2014 http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/smw/Concise_Guide_to_SMW_2013.pdf > â€Å"Hong Kong workers to enjoy minimum wage for first time.† BBC 01 May 2011. Web. 01 April. 2014 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13248027>