Attendance System

Understudy Attendance System Based On Fingerprint Recognition and One-to-Many Matching A proposal submitted in fractional ful? llment of the prerequisites for the level of Bachelor of Computer Application in Computer Science by Sachin (Roll no. 107cs016) and Arun Sharma (Roll no. 107cs015) Under the direction of : Prof. R. C. Tripathi Department of Computer Science and Engineering National Institute of Technology Rourkela-769 008, Orissa, India 2 . Committed to Our Parents and Indian Scienti? c Community . 3 National Institute of Technology Rourkela Certi? cateThis is to ensure that the task entitled, ‘Student Attendance System Based On Fingerprint Recognition and One-to-Many Matching’ presented by Rishabh Mishra and Prashant Trivedi is a legitimate work done by them under my watch and direction for the fractional ful? llment of the prerequisites for the honor of Bachelor of Technology Degree in Computer Science and Engineering at National Institute of Technology, Rourke la. As far as I could possibly know, the issue typified in the venture has not been submitted to some other University/Institute for the honor of any Degree or Diploma.Date †9/5/2011 Rourkela (Prof. B. Majhi) Dept. of Computer Science and Engineering 4 Abstract Our task targets planning an understudy participation framework which could e? ectively oversee participation of understudies at foundations like NIT Rourkela. Participation is set apart after understudy identi? cation. For understudy identi? cation, a ? ngerprint acknowledgment based identi? cation framework is utilized. Fingerprints are viewed as the best and quickest strategy for biometric identi? cation. They are secure to utilize, one of a kind for each individual and doesn't change in one’s lifetime. Unique mark acknowledgment is an experienced ? ld today, yet at the same time recognizing individual from a lot of selected ? ngerprints is a period taking procedure. It was our obligation to improve the ? ngerp rint identi? cation framework for usage on enormous databases e. g. of a foundation or a nation and so forth. In this task, numerous new calculations have been utilized e. g. sexual orientation estimation, key based one to many coordinating, evacuating limit details. Utilizing these new calculations, we have built up an identi? cation framework which is quicker in usage than some other accessible today in the market. Despite the fact that we are utilizing this ? ngerprint identi? cation framework for understudy identi? ation reason in our task, the coordinating outcomes are acceptable to the point that it could perform very well on huge databases like that of a nation like India (MNIC Project). This framework was executed in Matlab10, Intel Core2Duo processor and correlation of our one to numerous identi? cation was finished with existing identi? cation method I. e. coordinated identi? cation on same stage. Our coordinating procedure runs in O(n+N) time when contrasted with the curr ent O(Nn2 ). The ? ngerprint identi? cation framework was tried on FVC2004 and Veri? nger databases. 5 Acknowledgments We offer our significant thanks and obligation to Prof. B.Majhi, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, NIT, Rourkela for presenting the current point and for their moving scholarly direction, useful analysis and important proposal all through the undertaking work. We are additionally appreciative to Prof. Pankaj Kumar Sa , Ms. Hunny Mehrotra and other sta? s in Department of Computer Science and Engineering for inspiring us in improving the calculations. At last we might want to thank our folks for their help and allowing us remain for additional days to finish this task. Date †9/5/2011 Rourkela Rishabh Mishra Prashant Trivedi Contents 1 Introduction 1. 1. 2 1. 3 1. 4 1. 1. 6 1. 7 Problem Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inspiration and Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Utilizing Biometrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What is ? ngerprint? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Why use ? ngerprints? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Utilizing ? ngerprint acknowledgment framework for participation the executives . . . Association of the proposition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 30 33 35 36 2 Attendance Management Framework 2. 2. 2. 3 2. 4 2. 5 Hardware †Software Level Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Participation Management Approach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On-Line Attendance Report Generation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System and Database Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Utilizing remote system rather than LAN and bringing convenientce . . . 2. 5. 1 2. 6 Using Portable Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Examination with other understudy participation frameworks . . . . . . . . . . 3 Fingerprint Identi? cation System 3. 1 3. 2 How Fingerprint Recognition functions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unique mark Identi? cation System Flowchart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Fingerprint Enhancement 4. 1 4. 2 4. 3 Segmentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Standardization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Direction estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 CONTENTS 4. 4. 5 4. 6 4. 7 Ridge Frequency Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabor ? lter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Binarisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diminishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 50 51 53 54 55 56 57 59 60 5 Feature Extraction 5. 1 5. 2 Finding the Reference Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Details Extraction and Post-Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. 2. 1 5. 2. 2 5. 2. 3 5. 3 Minutiae Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Post-Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evacuating Boundary Minutiae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extraction of the key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. 3. 1 What is vital? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Complex Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Partitioning of Database 6. 1 6. 2 6. 3 Gender Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classi? cation of Fingerprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Apportioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Matching 7. 1 7. 2 7. 3 Alignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Existing Matching Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . One to Many coordinating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7. 3. 1 7. 4 7. 5 Method of One to Many Matching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Performing key match and full coordinating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Time Complexity of this coordinating strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Experimental Analysis 8. 1 8. 2 Implementation Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unique mark Enhancement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 2. 1 8. 2. 2 Segmentation and Normalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Direction Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 2. 3 8. 2. 4 8. . 5 8. 3 CONTENTS Ridge Frequency Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gabor Filters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Binarisation and Thinning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 Feature Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 3. 1 Minutiae Extraction and Post Processing . . . . . . . . . . . . Part iculars Extraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In the wake of Removing Spurious and Boundary Minutiae . . . . . . . 8. 3. 2 Reference Point Detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 4 Gender Estimation and Classi? ation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 4. 1 8. 4. 2 Gender Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classi? cation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 5 8. 6 Enrolling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coordinating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8. 6. 1 8. 6. 2 Fingerprint Veri? cation Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Identi? cation Results and Comparison with Other Matching procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 70 73 74 75 79 8. 7 Performance Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Conclusion 9. 1 Outcomes of this Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Future Work and Expectations 10. 1 Approach for Future Work A Matlab capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rundown of Figures 1. 1 2. 1 2. 2. 3 2. 4 2. 5 2. 6 2. 7 2. 8 3. 1 4. 1 4. 2 Example of an edge finishing and a bifurcation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Equipment present in homerooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Homeroom Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . System Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ER Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level 0 DFD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level 1 DFD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Level 2 DFD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Convenient Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Unique finger impression Identi? cation System Flowchart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Direction Estimation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (a)Original Image, (b)Enhanced Image, (c)Binarised Image, (d)Thinned Image . . . . . . . . . . .

Micronutrients Plays Significant Role In Plant Growth Biology Essay

Micronutrients Plays Significant Role In Plant Growth Biology Essay Stew Capsicum annuum L. a significant vegetable yield, broadly developed in Pakistan. Chillies are local to South and Central America. In Pakistan, Kunri is the home of red chillies. It contributes about 85% of red chillies created in Pakistan and is known as one of the biggest creation habitats for red chillies in Asia (SBI, 2010). It is a lasting little bush has a place with the family Solanaceae. It is a significant rural yield, on account of its financial significance, yet additionally because of healthful and restorative estimation of its natural products. Chillies are a brilliant wellspring of nutrients An and C and it additionally contains Ca, P and Fe (Horticulture, 1994). Stew is commonly adjusted to tropical atmosphere and significant bean stew developing nations are India, China, Indonesia, Korea, Pakistan, Turkey and Sri Lanka. Chillies are utilized in plates of mixed greens, chutneys, sauces, pickles and structure a key element of diet in each home. It is likewise utiliz ed in the arrangement of common shading operators, beautifying agents and agony medicine (Savitha, 2008). It is understood that harvest yield is seriously influenced by the lacks of micronutrients (Bose Tripathi, 1996). Plant sustenance has an incredible significance in upgrading quality and yield in chillies. In the event that a plant is Zn inadequate it very well may be constrained by direct utilization of Zn on plant leaves since Zn Salts are effortlessly consumed by the leaves. Zinc greatly affects vegetation forms, similar to take-up of nitrogen and protein quality, photosynthesis, chlorophyll combination (Potarzycki Grzebisz, 2009). Inadequacy indications right off the bat show up on more youthful leaves than the more seasoned leaves. A run of the mill side effect of Zn insufficiency is the hindered development of leaves. Zn is chemicals activator and is fundamental for the utilization of sugars and starches change (Kirkby Romheld, 2004). Plant necessity of micronutrients like Zn can be satisfied through soil application however in Pakistan soil pH is too high that constrains the micronutrients take-up to plant, so foliar use of micronutrients is favored over soil application. Foliar utilization of micronutrients may offer 6 to multiple times preferable outcomes in Pakistan over soil application (Liew, 1988). Foliar use of manures is being utilized in vegetable and natural product crops. Foliar manures are notable for sure fire conveyance of supplements to the plant tissues and organs (Baloch, Chachar Tareen, 2008). As Foliar nourishment of micronutrients is a basic technique and it doesn't require a lot of foundation so it helps in expanding profitability, better manure use productivity and diminishes ecological risks. The examination work will be finished with the accompanying targets. To check the impact of foliar utilization of Zn on vegetative and conceptive development of chillies. To normalize the best portion of Zn for foliar application to build profitability of chillies. Audit OF LITERATURE Organically, Chili (Capsicum annuum L.) has a place with the family Solanaceae. Stew is a significant yield not according to financial perspective yet in addition because of its wholesome just as restorative worth. Development and improvement is influenced by the insufficiency or absence of micronutrients. Because vital of micronutrients according to plant development and advancement a great deal of specialists have chipped away at foliar utilization of micronutrients on foods grown from the ground. A concise investigation of detailed work is given beneath. The bean stew should be local to America where they have been developed for a huge number of years. Mexico and Northern Central America is believed to be the focal point of birthplace of Capsicum annuum L. what's more, were first acquainted with Indo-Pakistan sub-landmass in the seventeenth century by Portuguese and Spanish pioneers through exchange courses from South America (Malik, 1994). Baloch, et al., (2008) directed an investigation to check the impact of foliar utilization of full scale and micronutrients on creation of green chillies. They applied Higrow which is made out of Nitrophen (4 %), Nitrogen compound (12%), Iron (2%), Magnesium (2%), Manganese (2%), Boron (2%), Copper (4%), Molybdenum (2%), Potash (8%), P2O5 (12%) and Calcium (8%). They found that the foliar utilization of Higrow at 7 ml/L of water gave better development and yield contrasted with different medications. Datir, Apparao and Laware (2012) contemplated the impact of foliar utilization of naturally chelated micronutrients on development and yield in stew (Capsicum annum L.). The outcomes demonstrated that un-chelated micronutrient upgraded the development and yield and plant characters to 10-15 %, while amino corrosive shower added to 15-20% expansion. Though amino corrosive chelated micronutrients increment the development and yield contributing characters to 40-100% in stew. Dongre, Mahorkar, Joshi and Deo (2000) examined the impact of foliar use of micronutrients (Zn, Fe and B) on yield and amount of bean stew (Capsicum annuum L.) in mix of 0.1%, 0.25% and 0.50% separately. They found that the treatment (ZnS04 0.50%) demonstrated most extreme yield while treatment (FeS04 0.25%) created greatest number of seeds/natural product. Singh and Singh (2012) explored the reaction of foliar utilization of micronutrients on development and yield of bean stew (Capsicum annuum L.). The outcomes showed that plant characters like number of organic product per plant, plant stature, natural product length, organic product yield, weight per foods grown from the ground of organic product per plant were higher by the foliar utilization of medicines 0.2 % iron and 0.3 % zinc when contrasted with different medications and control. El-Bassiony, Fawzy, El-Samad and Riad (2010) researched the impact of potassium prepares on development, yield and organic product nature of sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.). They found that to show signs of improvement vegetative and regenerative development, all out organic product yield and compound organization of sweet pepper could be acquired by foliar utilization of potassium humate (4 gm/L) or potassium oxide (4 ml/L) as a stimulative portion. Kaya and Higgs (2002) examined the reaction of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) cultivars to foliar utilization of Zn when developed in sand culture at low zinc. They found that the plants developed in low (0.15 Þâ ¼mol l㠢ë†â€™1) root zone zinc treatment had higher convergence of P and Fe moreover plants getting foliar utilizations of zinc at 3.5 mmol l㠢ë†â€™1 had higher P in both the leaves and organic product. Zn, Fe, P and K focus expanded with increment of zinc fixation in the supplement arrangement and furthermore as a foliar splash. At 7.70 Þâ ¼mol l㠢ë†â€™1 zinc in the supplement arrangement Mg was lower in the foundations of plants when contrasted with all other zinc medicines. They presumed that the negative impact of zinc inadequacy can without much of a stretch be constrained by the foliar utilization of Zn when it is applied at ideal range. Nasri, Khalatbari and Hossein (2011) led an examination of foliar utilization of Zn on subjective and quantitative highlights in bean (Phaseolous vulgaris) under various degrees of N and K composts. They found that the foliar use of Zn on bean had expanded all the qualities like sugar rate, starch yield, chlorophyll of leaves, radiation use effectiveness, protein rate and protein yield and so forth and furthermore diminished N compost rate without decrease in plant attributes. Abbasi, Baloch, Zia-ul-hassan, Wagan, Shah and Rajpar (2010) examined the development and yield of okra under foliar use of some new multi supplement manure items. The outcomes indicated that the plant characters like number of branches per plant, plant stature, number of organic products per plant, natural product length just as harvest yield of okra saw as most extreme by use of every one of the three foliar composts with the suggested soil applied compound manures. Kiran, Vyakaranahal, Raikar, Ravikumar and Deshpande (2010) examined seed yield and nature of brinjal as affected by crop sustenance. The outcomes showed that the use of NPK 100:100:50 kg/ha + Azospirillum + Phosphate solubilizing microscopic organisms (PSB) each @ 125 g for every ha (root plunging) + ZnSO4 (0.2%) splash gave most extreme plant stature (89.47 cm), number of leaves (87), number of natural products (20), organic product yield (27.06 t/ha), number of seeds per natural product (1852), number of branches (32), 1000 seed weight (7.90 g), level of germination (97), field development (91), seed yield (633 kg/ha) contrasted with different medications and control. Kanujia, Ahmed, Chattoo, Nayeema, Naryan (2006) considered the impact of micronutrients on development and yield of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.). The outcomes showed that plant tallness was most extreme during both the seasons when foliar use of Zn was applied @ 100 ppm while greatest foliar utilization of blend of all supplements @ 100 ppm gave greatest plant spread, number of non-wrapper leaves, head weight, head yield and head distance across. Anees, Tahir, Shahzad and Mahmood (2011) directed an investigation to check the impact of foliar use of micronutrients (Fe, B and Zn) on the nature of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dusehri plants. They found that contrasted with control all the micronutrients gave better outcomes in term of natural product quality. Though trees showered with 0.4% FeSO4 + 0.8% H3BO3 + 0.8% ZnSO4 delivered the most extreme mash weight (169.2 g), ascorbic corrosive (150.3 mg/100 ml), complete dissolvable solids (27.9 Brixâ °), non-decreasing sugars (8.83%), and less stone weight (28.13 g) alongside low corrosiveness (0.178%) contrasted with rest of medicines and control. Ghazvineh and Yousefi (2012) considered the impact of micronutrient application on yield and yield parts of maize. The outcomes demonstrated that the foliar use of Zn, Fe and Mn with K compost expanded the quality and amount of maize and decreased the high utilization of manures. They likewise found that the best time of foliar application in maize is at stem prolongation stage and cob stretching stage to get the better return and proficient utilization of micronutrients.

More Nonfiction On LGBTQ History And Culture

More Nonfiction On LGBTQ History And Culture LGBT History Month isnt until October but Pride, celebrated each June in commemoration of 1969s Stonewall Riots, is an equally good time to read up on the history of LGBTQ life in the United States. Scholars  have recently turned their attention to recovering the stories of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer people that were hidden in plain sight disguised by euphemism, buried in family stories, or simply waiting for someone to bother looking. The four books on this list will, I hope, provide an entry point to this rich body of literature. If youre looking for even more books  on LGBTQ history and culture, check out our past post on Book Riot or the Lambda Literarys list of non-fiction books nominated for the Lammys. Theres also an incredible  #OrlandoSyllabus growing  on Twitter (and in a public  Google doc). That document, managed by Jamie Berrout, Venus Selenite, Oliver Bendorf, and Lydia Willoughby, centers the history and experiences of QTPOC.  All the books here are on the #OrlandoSyllabus but that document includes many, many more suggestions (as this goes to press, its 79 pages and still growing). Performing Queer Latinidad: Dance, Sexuality, Politics  by  Ramon H. Rivera-Servera, a scholar of performance studies at Northwestern University, explores the ways that performance, especially dance, created  a public culture of gay, lesbian, and queer Latinx identity. Rivera-Servera explains that dance and performance is explicitly  political even while it is celebratory and joyous. He studies the ways that sexual and gender identity intersect with class and ethnic identities inside dance clubs. More than perhaps any other book,  Performing Queer Latinidad  speaks directly to the reasons that the attack on Pulses Latin Night has extra levels of meaning.  This is  also a fairly accessible book that folks new to performance studies, LGBTQ history, or Latinx studies will find approachable. Plus, it  won (or was nominated for) a ton of awards from folks working in dance studies, anthropology, and LGBTQ studies. Perhaps most notably, it won  the 2013 Lambda Award in LGBTQ studies. What Color Is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity  by Jarrett Neal This collection of thirteen essays covers topics like classism and racism within the gay community, how black gay men are presented in pornography, and the authors own search for his identity. More personal and lyrical than an academic history text,  What Color is Your Hoodie is a good introduction to important questions about sexuality, race, and personal identity in the early 21st century. The Straight State: Sexuality and Citizenship in Twentieth-Century America  by Princeton University professor  Margot Canaday, chronicles the ways that the United States government both created and responded to the development of a homosexual-heterosexual binary in the early 20th century. This book is a great place to learn about how homosexuality became a state of being rather than a set of sexual acts. It also explains the ways that Americas bureaucracy failed  LGBTQ people. Pick this book up if youre interested in the intersection of immigration and sexuality, the military, or family policy.  Canaday explicitly ties the past to the present, states clearly the injustice of contemporary policies, and advocates for action. Stand by Me: The Forgotten History of Gay Liberation  by Jim Downs, an historian at Connecticut College, provides an excellent overview of gay rights in the 1970s. Downs story begins just after the Stonewall Riot and ends before the worst of the AIDS epidemic hits.  He argues that the 1970s were about creating community and building movement infrastructure, not just dancing, sex, and street protests. Downs work pushes back against a history of GLBTQ life that centers HIV/AIDS. By focusing on the development of religious organizations , newspapers, theaters, and bookstores that both built and served a growing LGBTQ community, Downs adds nuance to the narrative of gay rights in the decades from Stonewall to marriage equality. Please share your favorite books  on LGBTQ history in the comments or to the #OrlandoSyllabus!

Why I Have Not Failed - 920 Words

I have not failed. I ve just found ten thousand ways that won t work, Thomas A. Edison must have known what he was talking about, right? These words have been inspiration for many people over many years, including myself, at least since I began my first writing course. I have come to wonder if I have become a decent writer or just a less awful one. Going through past essays, both final drafts and rough drafts, I have come to realize how awful I actually was and how much I have improve. Despite this improvements, I still have distinct mechanical errors I need to keep working on. Nevertheless, my ability to research, and my sense of responsibility have improved as well since this is one of the few classes that demands me to progressively work on assignments during the semester, reminding me as well the fact that college does not come cheap whether in terms of money, time, or effort. 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Essay about The Crook Crew Personal Reflection - 943 Words

Instructor may use an anonymous excerpt from my paper for future classes. [HC] The Crook Crew Maya Angelou once said, â€Å"†¦ let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.† This is a great example of a powerful, independent, beautiful woman that any young girl would be lucky to have just a quarter of the integrity that she had. The idea of faith being the sole foundation that I walk upon each day has been embedded in my way of life since before birth. I was born on July, 10th 1994 to the parents of Kenny and Anita Crook who are still together and my family of origin and procreation. I have two sisters who are younger than I, Mckenzie who is 17, and Sydney who is 13. We all permanently reside in the same house, but I am†¦show more content†¦My parents were without doubt authoritative parents, and they had some authoritarian mixed in. Our textbook outlines that authoritative is the ideal parenting style and that authoritarian as an overly controlled environment, and to some extent I would agree however as I will furth er explain I am thankful for the majority of restrictions and boundaries that were placed in my life. My unwritten family rule that has played a major role would be, â€Å"once something is seen or heard there is no erasing it,† and that is very generic which is why some explanations are necessary. While growing up I always felt that it was important to keep everything going into by body on a filter and my parents had no trouble making sure that was the case. I felt a constant delay in the trends of my environment, for example, I would not hear a new pop song for the first time until all of my friends already knew it by heart, or I wouldn’t see that brand new PG-13 movie until after my parents had seen it first. I followed this pattern for most of my development and as I grew in maturity my parents began redefining the boundaries to scale. Of course there were times in which the boundaries set forth were broken and the majority of the time it had to do with my cell pho ne. I was not given a cell phone until it was Christmas of my 8th grade year, and even then IShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of Jean Pierre Grumbach2751 Words   |  12 Pagesof Melville’s motivation for this new style was his intense dissatisfaction with the imperious demands of the Director’s Guild as he personally defined the French New Wave as â€Å"an artisanal system, shot on location, without stars, without a standard crew, with a very fast film stock and with no distributor, without authorization or servitude to anyone† (Neupert 71). Fortunately, Melville’s films were so loved by both the critics and the film-going public that the Guild was able to chalk up Melville’sRead MoreFactors That Affect the Academic Performance of the Student Using Computer11401 Words   |  46 Pagesteacher, school environment, and personal profile of the students (Diaz, 2003; Gianzero, 1999; Hijaz and Naqvi, 2006). As put forward by Hijaz and Naqvi, there are many ways to weigh up different factors, which can affect performance of students. It is most likely, that there is no universally accepted method to measure the performance of students. Literature Review Performance of a student depends upon many factors. Nevertheless, three factors, family, teacher, and personal profile of students are mostRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesWork Best Under Angry Leaders† 320 Self-Assessment Library What Is My Team Efficacy? 322 Point/Counterpoint We Can Learn Much About Work Teams from Studying Sports Teams 326 Questions for Review 327 Experiential Exercise Fixed versus Variable Flight Crews 327 Ethical Dilemma Unethical Teams 327 Case Incident 1 Why Don’t Teams Work Like They’re Supposed to? 328 Case Incident 2 Multicultural Multinational Teams at IBM 329 11 Communication 335 Functions of Communication 336 The CommunicationRead MoreContemporary Issues in Management Accounting211377 Words   |  846 PagesNo doubt such abilities reflect Michael’s early grounding in both the practice of accounting and its economic theorization, the former at Ford and the latter initially at the London School of Economics and thereafter as a lifetime endeavour. But personal though his achievements may be, they are also reflective of a wider tradition of significant involvement in the practical sphere by senior British accounting academics. For we must remember that it was Professor Edward Stamp who was one of the first

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string(39) " Rooms as Project Communication Tools\." Free riding can be avoided when group members and leaders ensure that all of them have their own tasks to accomplish toward the attainment of the group’s goal or completing a particular project. This argument is further explored in this essay in addition to previous empirical studies about the theory of social loafers. Free riding theory Free riding theory explains why there are individuals who may choose not to exert little or any effort since they are able to benefit form other members of the group where they belong after all. We will write a custom essay sample on Be given order description or any similar topic only for you Order Now This theory suggests that an individual’s decision in participating in a group work compares the net expected benefits of exerting effort for the group and the net expected benefits of free riding (Albanese Van Fleet, 1985). Free riders are individuals or students, in particular, who contribute little or nothing in attaining group goals or working on group projects (Delucchi, 2006). They exist because students differ in their own reasons and motivation when doing things, especially when others are involved. While others are trying their best to come up with outstanding projects output, others are simply satisfied with certain extent of accomplishment or results. This is the reason why some group members complain that others are not fulfilling their given responsibilities. Often free riders are seen as exploitative because they usually benefit from the effort of others even if they have not participated or only had little contribution to the attainment of group projects or goals. Advantages and disadvantages of group work The benefits of team or group work are undeniable for studies have proven its effectiveness in student’s learning. According to Eastman and Swift (2002), group work teaches students on how to collaboratively work to become more productive, more efficient, more competitive, and more creative. It also exposes them to different learning experiences and opportunities to improve their skills in organizing, communication, negotiation, problem solving, dealing with higher cognitive and technical aspects, setting goals, leadership, overcoming conflicts and difficulties, delegating work, and dealing effectively with others (Thorley Gregory, 1994; Buckenmyer, 2000; Colbeck, Campbell, Bjorklund, 2000). In addition, group work promotes collaborative or cooperative learning though appropriate and innovative learning methods with the use of information technology (Ravenscroft, 1997; Buckenmyer, 2000). Jones and Brickner (1996) stress the bebefits of group work in learning when students are encouraged to become actively involved and aim for development, better in class standing, higher test results, and improved attitudes towards instructor and other students. It does not hinder the students from becoming independent and autonomous learners for group work actually strengthens their capacity to perform better in school and practical situations. On the other hand, Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, and Wright (2000) found that group members often have difficulty in addressing the free riders for some students have to use words against other members when the teacher finds no proof in determining fair grades. Eastman and Swift (2002) also assert that one of the problems with group projects are the presence of free-riders, also called social loafers, hitchhikers or workhorses (Albanese Van Fleet, 1985; Cottell Millis, 1993). Another issue that has to be addressed when it comes to group problem includes the failure of group members to contribute ideas, exchange thoughts, share information and skills or work together effectively in order to accomplish complex tasks (Tullar, Kaiser, Balthazard, 1998). The lack of coordination can lead to poor results when members are given specific responsibilities without working and consulting each other before a project is almost finished and to be submitted. Moreover, students’ grades could possibly suffer if assigned projects are not given enough time allocation for the students to work together and discuss the topics and management activities in the class to make their work more cohesive. Organizing face-to-face group meetings is difficult and teachers’ assistance is also crucial during the completion period of any group project so they need to allot more class hours for group projects to ensure quality and equal division of labor. Problems in group work, in which all members are assessed as a whole, can be avoided when they provide proof of participation. The free rider issue causes problems in group work for they usually depend on other member’s effort. Students can avoid resentment that free riders are getting the same grade even if they are not as responsible as others in a group by changing class policy or rules, like imposing peer evaluation, requiring checklists, and monitoring (Payne, Monk-Turner, Smith, Sumter, 2006). Conclusion Albanese and Van Fleet (1985) found that individuals tend to become free riders when they perceive satisfactory benefits even without contributing their fair share to the group. Free riders are the potential or rationally thinking members that may prefer not to exert great effort in helping others to achieve certain goals but still obtain benefits. When the cost of his effort exceeds the expected outcome of the group’s effort, the free rider is less likely to exert any more effort. In order to avoid such problems including other issues related to group work, changing of class policy can be an effective mitigating measure. References Albanese, R Van Fleet, D. D. (1985). â€Å"Rational Behavior in Groups: The Free-Riding Tendency. † In Diamond, M. O’Toole, A. (2004). â€Å"Leaders, Followers, and Free Riders: The Community Lawyer’s Dilemma When Representing Non-Democratic Client Organizations. † Fordham Urban Law Journal, 31(2), 481+. Buckenmyer, J. A. (2000). â€Å"Using teams for class activities: Making course/classroom teams work. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. You read "Be given order description" in category "Papers" † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Colbeck, C. L. , Campbell, S. E. , Bjorklund, S. A. (2000). â€Å"Grouping in the dark: What college students learn from group projects. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Cottell, P. G. Millis, B. (1993). â€Å"Cooperative learning structures in the instruction of accounting. † Issues in Accounting Education, 8 (Spring), 40-59. In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Delucchi, M. (2006). â€Å"The Efficacy of Collaborative Learning Groups in an Undergraduate Statistics Course. † College Teaching, 54(2), 244+. Diamond, M. O’Toole, A. (2004). â€Å"Leaders, Followers, and Free Riders: The Community Lawyer’s Dilemma When Representing Non-Democratic Client Organizations. † Fordham Urban Law Journal, 31(2), 481+. Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Gremler, D. D. , Hoffman, K. D. , Keaveney, S. M. , Wright, L. K. (2000). â€Å"Experiential learning exercises in services marketing courses. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Jones, J. D. Brickner, D. (1996). â€Å"Implementation of cooperative learning in a large-enrollment basic mechanics class. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Payne, B. K. , Monk-Turner, E. , Smith, D. , Sumter, M. (2006). â€Å"Improving Group Work: Voices of Students. † Education, 126(3), 441+. Ravenscroft, S. P. (1997). â€Å"In support of cooperative learning. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Thorley, L. Gregory, R. (Eds. ) (1994). Using Group-based Learning in Higher Education. In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Tullar, W. L. , Kaiser, P. R. , Balthazard, P. A. (1998). â€Å"Group work and electronic meeting systems: From boardroom to classroom. † In Eastman, J. K. Swift, C. O. (2002). â€Å"Enhancing Collaborative Learning: Discussion Boards and Chat Rooms as Project Communication Tools. † Business Communication Quarterly, 65(3), 29+. Sources: Introduction For those who use group projects, the teaching strategy is particularly appealing because of its versatility. Group projects can be organized as short-term or long-term projects. Short-term group projects might have students work together for a class period or part of a class period in an effort to learn more about a particular topic. Long-term projects could be spread out over several class periods, or the entire semester. Regardless of how long the projects are designed to last, research shows a number of benefits of group work. Among others, those benefits that have been identified in the literature include the following: (1) students learn teamwork skills, (2) students improve their critical thinking skills, and (3) students gain more insight about a particular topic. As far as teamwork skills go, surveys of employers show that employers want college graduates to have developed teamwork skills (Blowers 2000). Advocates of group projects suggest that the pedagogical strategy affords students a firsthand experience to gain teamwork skills (Colbeck et al. 2000: Davis and Miller 1996: Young and Henquinet 2000). In this regard, it is believed that group projects â€Å"can effectively serve as a bridge between the academic community and the business world† (Lordan 1996: 43). Ideally, working with their peers, students will learn decision making skills and how to communicate with one another (Dudley, Davis, and McGrady 2001). In addition, the symbolic interactionist in many of us would likely not be surprised by research that shows that group work helps students develop social skills (Andrusyk and Andrusyk 2003). By working with others, students are able to assign meaning to the actions of their peers as well as their own actions. They also receive feedback–formal, informal, or both–from their peers. The feedback combined with their own interpretations of group work should foster growth in terms of students’ social abilities. Under the right circum stances, the well designed and implemented group work should also help students develop their critical thinking skills (Colbeck et al. 2000; Dudley et al. 2001). While we are not aware of any studies that have examined how group projects foster the development of critical thinking skills, general findings about group work from past research tacitly suggest that the strategy could be successful in this regard. For instance, some research suggests that group projects help students to address ethical and societal considerations that arise when students work together (Roberts-Kirchoff and Caspers 2001). If the student group is diverse, students will learn about one another’s backgrounds, values, and beliefs. Indeed, others have also suggested that group projects can help students learn about multicultural issues they would otherwise not learn about (Doyle, Beatty, and Shaw 1997). Researchers also suggest that students may learn more about whatever topic is being considered if they work in groups. For example, Adams and Slater (2002) suggest that group work supplementing lectures helps make courses more interesting to students, and subsequently helps students learn more. Most instructors have stood in front of a class only to wonder if their only purpose on that day was to serve as a sedative for the majority of the class. Group work advocates argue that most any topic can be made interesting by actively involving students in the topic through some form of collaborative learning, of which group work is just one strategy. While a number of strengths for this form of teaching strategy have been noted in the literature, potential drawbacks have limited its use. In this study, we consider how students believe group projects should be changed in order improve their pedagogical success. METHODS Surveys were distributed to 145 students who had just recently completed a group project. The group project was a semester long group research project that students completed. A survey composed of both open-ended and close-ended questions was distributed to the students at the end of the semester. The results of the open-ended questions have been addressed elsewhere. In one of the close-ended questions, students were asked what they would change about future group projects. The results to this answer were content analyzed using standard rules of content analysis. FINDINGS The students had a number of recommendations for future group work. These recommendations were divided into student centered and faculty centered themes. Student centered themes were those recommendations in which respondents seemed to be offering advice to future students participating in similar projects. These included (1) communication as a value to improve group work, (2) leadership and teamwork, and (3) goal development. Faculty centered themes were those recommendations in which respondents were citing things faculty members could do to improve group work. The following four faculty centered themes were uncovered in the analysis: (1) oversight, (2) grades, (3) situational themes, and (4) anomic themes. Student Centered Themes Communication as a Strategy to Improve Group Work. Several students, recognizing the importance of interpersonal communication, recommended that fellow group project participants hone their communication skills. Students offered tips such as â€Å"Listen to everyone’s idea–No matter what it is;† â€Å"Make sure everyone understands the information and the process;† and â€Å"Communication is key. When a group fails to communicate, the group as a whole suffers. † Another student recommended, â€Å"just bonding more† while another cited â€Å"people keeping in touch† as a step to improve group work. Leadership and Teamwork. Students also provided advise suggesting the importance of leadership and teamwork in future group projects. In terms of leadership, students made comments such as the following: * Assigned leaders are needed. * Assign more specific roles. * Need to have defined task assignments for members. Some students provided a bit of detail describing the importance of leadership in group projects. For example, one student made the following comments: It was easier to get the project done by dividing up the work. We worked well together for the most part. One individual has considerable leadership talents and he kept our group on track. Others just deferred to his ideas and we did what he told us to do. He assigned our tasks and made sure they were completed. Another student who made the following comments also described this leadership process: [You need to] learn the habits of others and learning who has the qualities of taking charge of a group. I thought it was interesting to watch who would become the leader and which group would members would follow the leader. With regard to teamwork, students also suggested that, while groups may need a leader, members of the group must be willing to work together. Students made comments such as â€Å"Everyone has to do their part;† â€Å"Everyone working together and doing their part;† â€Å"Teamwork;† and â€Å"Spread around responsibility. † The need to work together appeared to be an especially salient recommendation in this sample. One student emphasized this need in the following manner: â€Å"Everyone has to work together!! † Indirectly indicative of the need to work together, students recognized the need to share all aspects of the project. As an illustration, according to one student, future students doing group projects must remember to â€Å"bring calculators to the restaurant or bar to figure out a fair tip for the bartender divided five ways. † Goal Development. Some comments made by students also implied the importance of goal development for future group projects. For example, one student advised, â€Å"We all had the same motivation and ambition. † Other students made comments such as â€Å"clarity of goals† and â€Å"commitment to goal† as suggestions for future group. In considering their goals, some students seemed to define their grade as the goal. Said one student, â€Å"If everyone was equally dedicated to getting good grades, or if groups were assigned based no dedication. † Another student recommended that students â€Å"take their job seriously, not just for their grades, but for others’ grades. † Faculty Centered Themes Oversight. In terms of faculty centered themes, some students suggested more faculty input in future group projects as a strategy to improve group work. Some students recommended more guidance in the beginning of the project. One student, for example, said, â€Å"The instructor should assign the topic instead of letting the group pick a topic. † Another student said, â€Å"The teacher could have taught more in the beginning. † A third student called for â€Å"more direction from the instructor,† implying that direction would help in the beginning of the project. Other students recommended assistance in motivating group members. For instance, one student said, â€Å"Specific deadlines may help group members turn in their material in a timely manner. † Grades. Several students offered recommendations for how professors overseeing group projects should grade the projects. One student, for instance, recommended that professors use grades to â€Å"to force the students to participate. † Another student expanded on this recommendation: [You should have] mandatory meetings, groups should be graded on how often they come to the group when they meet. It would make a person show up more to group meetings because a percentage of his or her grade would depend on it. Other students also resented the fact that â€Å"free riders† were getting the same grade they got and recommended changing this policy. One student said that â€Å"having some of the project reflect individuals so that everyone is not getting the same grade† would help group work. Another student said, â€Å"I didn’t like relying on someone else and having it effect my grade point average. † A third student who made the following comments seemed even more concerned about â€Å"common grades† [You need] more accountability for individual work. When my grade depends on the intelligence and responsibility of other people, I get nervous, especially when some don’t bother to come to class. Interestingly. when students talked about grades, they were not concerned with what they were learning or doing: rather, they were concerned with almost solely with their grade and whether it was fair. Situational Themes. Situational themes refer to comments that reflected specific dynamics of the group project that instructors could possibly influence. Three situational themes that arose included the number of meetings, time, and location. In terms of the number of meetings, one student recommended that â€Å"Members should meet as frequently as possible. † To be sure, faculty members could require a certain number of group meetings. With regard to time, a student said that â€Å"longer class periods† would improve group work. Another student suggested that â€Å"time †¦ and less stress from other courses† would improve group work. While faculty cannot control the amount of stress students feel from their other courses, they can control the amount of class time devoted to a group project. In terms of location, students also made recommendations regarding where the group project work should be done. For example, one student said the following: â€Å"I have trouble doing group work where there are many groups working on different projects in the same room. I like that we were able to meet at different locations outside of school. † Another student also said she had problems meeting in class and recommended â€Å"more discipline from other groups that are in the same vicinity. † Anomic Themes. Some students made comments which we characterized as â€Å"anomic themes† because the students were unable to suggest anything positive about group work, or improving group work. In effect, they seem to exhibit a sense of normlessness or an enormous aversion to group work. For example, when asked what could be done to improve group work, some students made the following comments: * Getting rid of it * Nothing can be done to improve group work. It is inevitable. * There’s always going to be problems. Other students provided a little more detail describing their aversion to group work. One student, for instance, said that it is important to remember for future projects â€Å"that there are some people who will never be reliable and some that always have to be the bomb. † Perhaps the most pessimistic comment made was the following: I didn’t like anything. We shouldn’t have to do group projects or any kind of individual research projects. I don’t think research projects will help us in our jobs in the future. It isn’t needed and is a waste of time. It is important to note that the vast majority of students had favorable impressions of the project. DISCUSSION Based on what our students learned, a number of suggestions can be made for future group projects. These recommendations include: (1) overcoming faculty resistance to group work, (2) overcoming student resistance to group work, (3) ensuring students realize the purpose of the project, (4) providing appropriate oversight for students, (5) scheduling the group work appropriately, and (6) helping groups set and attain goals of the project. These suggestions are addressed below. First, enough research has been done to show that group projects, in various forms, can be an important part of students† undergraduate curriculum. Faculty must come to appreciate and realize the importance of these group projects. Of course, group projects are not a panacea and some faculty hold these projects in complete disregard (Ashraf 2004). However, students have much to gain from group projects. Not only will they learn about the topic, but just as important, students will learn important skills, and they will learn about themselves. Certainly, group projects are not appropriate for all courses or all instructors. Still, group projects should be integrated into all majors’ coursework in one form or another to ensure that majors are learning how to work together, how to learn from one another, and how to communicate with one another. Second, faculty who implement group projects in their courses will need to overcome student resistance to group efforts. This aversion likely stems from the fact that students are accustomed to traditional pedagogical strategies in which instructors lecture to students, who are tested on the lectures. Over one hundred years ago, in The Theory of the Leisure Class, Thorstein Veblin (1899) commented, The aversion to change is in large part an aversion to the bother of making the readjustment which any given change will necessitate †¦. A consequence of this increased reluctance, due to the solidarity of human institutions, is that any innovation calls for a greater expenditure of nervous energy in making the necessary readjustment than would otherwise be the case. Indeed, based on our experiences, we have seen many students expend â€Å"nervous energy in making the necessary readjustment† that makes the accustomed to group work. Imagine for a moment if group work were the traditional and customary teaching style for students. Then, what would happen if we pulled the group out from under them and asked them to do an individual project? Many students would likely have the same aversion that they now have to group work. They’d have to learn new strategies of doing things, and this is something many of us resist. In the end, it seems what is best is to find a blend of teaching strategies in which students are encouraged to work both individually and in groups. Third, and on a related point, faculty should stress to students what they have to gain from group projects. Typically one would expect that the goals of the group project are not just completing the project, but gaining the experience of working together. This aspect of group work should be included on the syllabus so that students realize that the faculty member empathizes with students’ concerns. At a minimum, students should be told how group work improves their communication skills, enhances their critical thinking skills, allows for reciprocal learning, and teaches them to work together. From a symbolic interactionist perspective, communicating openly with students about the purpose of group projects will help to give meaning to the students’ experiences. Assigning meaning to their experiences before the projects begin will also help better understand one another’s actions. They will learn that conflict is possible and that they can overcome this conflict by working together. Moreover, their interactions with members of their groups will help to develop them as novice social scientists (See Berg 2004). Fourth, faculty members should provide appropriate oversight over the groups as needed. It’s not just our students who noted the need for oversight Research by Livingstone and Lynch (2000) finds that the degree of faculty guidance will play a role in determining whether the students find value in team-based learning. Oversight is especially important in the beginning stages of the group project when group members are still in the process of the defining their own roles and tasks as well as their peers’ roles and tasks. Part of this direction should be instilling within students the importance of learning teamwork skills (Page and Donelan 2003). Direction may be needed to make sure that students are attending group sessions and working towards the ideals of the group. While group members may do things themselves to encourage participation by fellow group members, ultimately, the instructor has the greatest leverage over students. Describing the direction that faculty members should provide, Lordan (1996: 45) writes, â€Å"Like supervisors in the professional world, the teacher should strike a balance between letting students work out their own problems and stepping in to keep them on track. † As well, instructors need to provide oversight inasmuch as they are helping students find suitable places on campus to do their group work. (They may also want to remind students how to do division long hand so they are able to divide up the tip for the waiter or waitress at the bar or restaurant where they meet with their calculators). Fifth, instructors should make sure students are clear on how they will be graded on group projects. Here, as noted earlier, there is great disagreement among those using group projects as to the best way to assess group projects. Some instructors prefer to give all group members the same grade for the group project. Others see this process as inherently unfair (cites) and call for individual grades. Whatever grading method is used, it is important that students understand the grading process and its rationale. Finally, instructors should play a role in helping groups to define, and refine, their goals. Our experience has been that students tend to define their goals in three stages. First, they begin with aspirations of getting a good grade. The next stage replaces the goal of a good grade with the goal of completing the project successfully. This stage is ultimately replaced with the goal of a good grade. Instructors can foster better goal attainment by encouraging students to focus more on learning and less on getting a good grade. If groups can define the group’s goals, and the members’ goals, in a way that they focus more on tasks (e. g. , developing a good research question, gathering literature, developing a methodology, doing the research, analyzing the research, and writing a final paper) and learning rather than getting a good grade, then the likelihood of a successful group project increases. Tying individual goals in with group goals is a central aim of collaborative learning (Johnson and Johnson 1994). Students in this study at least indirectly recognized the importance of meshing their own goals with those of the group. Our intent in this paper is not to be prescriptive but to simply generate thought and discussion about a common type of active learning strategy. We recognize that professors vary in their teaching strategy preferences. We do not expect all professors to want to use group projects in their courses, nor do we expect all courses to be amenable to group projects. Still, it is hoped that all undergraduates will participate in at least some group projects during their undergraduate years. While there are flaws with group projects, the benefits of getting students to work with one another are meaningful enough to rely at least somewhat on group projects in some courses. REFERENCES Adams, Jell and Tim Slater. 2002. â€Å"Learning through Sharing. † Journal of College Science Teaching 31: 384-386. Andrusyk, D. and S. Andrusyk. 2003. Improving Student Social Skills through the Use of Coop erative Learning Strategies. M. A. Research Project, Saint Xavier University, Abstract accessed from ERIC, July 5, 2004. Ashraf, Mohammad. 2004. â€Å"A Critical Look at the Use of Group Projects as a Pedagogical Tool. † Journal of Education for Business 79(4), 213-216. Blowers, Paul. 2003. â€Å"Using Student Skill Assessments to get Balanced Groups for Group Projects. † College Teaching 51(3): 106-110. Colbeck, Carol L.. Susan E. Campbell, and Stefani Bjorklund. 2000. â€Å"Grouping in the Dark. † Journal of Higher Education 71: 60-78. Davis. Barbara and Thomas Miller. 1996. â€Å"Job Preparation liar the 21st Century. † Journal of Education for Business 71 (5): 258-270. Doyle, Eva. Chris Beatty, and Mary Shaw. 1999. â€Å"Using Cooperative Learning Groups to Develop Healthy Cultural Awareness. † Journal of Social Health 69(2): 73-80. Dudley, Lola, Henry David, and David McGrady. 2001. â€Å"Using an Investment Project to Develop Professional Competencies in Introduction to Financial Accounting. † Journal of Education for Business 76(3): 125-131. Johnson, D. W. and R. T. Johnson. 1994. Learning Together and Alone. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Livingstone, David and Kenneth Lynch. 2000. â€Å"Group Project Work and Student Centered Active Learning. † Studies in Higher Education 25(3): 325-345. Lordan, Edward. 1996. â€Å"‘Using Group Projects to Sharpen Students’ PR Skills. † Public Relations Quarterly 41 (2): 43-47. Page, Diana and Joseph G. Donelan. 2003. â€Å"Team Building Tools for Students. † Journal of Education for Business 78(3): 125-128. Roberts-Kirchoff. Elizabeth and Mary Lou Caspers, 2001. â€Å"Dialogues as Teaching Tools. † Biochemistry and Molecular-Biology Education 29(6): 225-228. Young, Carol B. and Janet A. Henquinet. 2000. â€Å"A Conceptual Framework for Designing Group Projects. † Journal of Education for Business 76(1): 56-60. Brian K. Payne Elizabeth Monk-Turner Donald Smith Melvina Sumter Deportment of Sociology and Criminal Justice Old Dominion University. Norfolk. Virginia Payne, Brian K. , Monk-Turner, Elizabeth, Smith, Donald, Sumter, Melvina (2006). â€Å"Improving Group Work: Voices of Students. † Education, 126(3), 441+. COPYRIGHT 2006 Project Innovation (Alabama); COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group Group projects are integral to the business curriculum and can be useful in developing students’ skills and abilities as managers. However, faculty encounter several problems with group projects, including assessing students’ efforts, aiding good communication and coordination among members, and making sure the project is a truly collaborative effort. Technology may aid in addressing these problems; electronic discussion boards and chat rooms, for example, can help faculty and students enhance collaboration and increase the accountability of group members. Keywords: Discussion boards, chat rooms, collaborative learning, student projects INCREASED GLOBAL COMPETITION and other changes in the business environment over the last several years have led organizations to restructure themselves. One aspect of that restructuring is a shifting of responsibility and decision making downward and a movement toward self-directed work teams (Cohen, 1993). To prepare students to thrive in this environment, we obviously need to teach them effective teamwork and communication skills. This article describes two tools that can help accomplish this task, the electronic discussion board and the chat room. These can foster interdependence in group projects and deeper, active learning. First, we discuss the need for and benefits of collaborative projects, the problems of group work, and the role of technology in such projects. We then provide recommendations for incorporating these electronic tools in business communication classes. Need for Collaborative Projects in Business Courses As many researchers have noted, the structural shift towards teams occurring in many organizations should be reflected in the classroom (Bobbitt, Inks, Kemp, Mayo, 2000). Using groups in class thus prepares students to work collaboratively in the business environment while promoting collaborative learning in the classroom itself. The first benefit of group work in the classroom is that it teaches students how to work collaboratively in the business environment. Business organizations repeatedly indicate that the increased use of teams in the real world has increased students’ need for exposure and experience with teams (Buckenmyer, 2000). Companies that use teams creatively spend many hours and dollars training individuals to work in teams and training managers to manage teams. Through working in groups, students can enhance their abilities in setting goals, delegating work, and dealing with conflict (Colbeck, Campbell, Bjorklund, 2000). They can also improve their communication, leadership, problem solving, and technical skills. All of these skills are highly rated by recruiters and employers and will help graduates meet the demands and rigors of the workplace (McNally, 1994). The second benefit of group work is that these projects promote collaborative learning. University educators have embraced cooperative learning methods as ways to engage students and to foster cooperation (Ravenscroft, 1997). Researchers have found that the values of Generation X are highly individualistic, visually-oriented, and aligned with information technology, not with the sharing of information (Buckenmyer, 2000). Thus, group course projects, with proper guidance, can help these students learn to deal effectively with others. Group work learning can be an excellent way of encouraging the development of higher cognitive skills in students (Thorley Gregory, 1994) and can be effective even for relatively quiet group members. When groups work well, students consistently fare better in class, on tests, and in attitudes towards the instructor and each other (Jones Brickner, 1996). The quality of learning is improved by peer support, with students gaining experience in communication, negotiation, organization, and task management. Cooperative methods have been recognized as effective ways to motivate students to become actively involved in learning. The collaborative group project creates a forum that allows students to take an active approach towards their own education. The security of working within a group provides an excellent entree into the progression to independent and autonomous learning (Maguire Edmondson, 2001). Problems with Group Projects The many benefits of collaborative projects, however, are often offset by problems. First, a common problem is the failure of the group to work together effectively. Students may exert an individual effort but are unable to coordinate their efforts effectively with their group members to achieve any kind of synergistic benefits (Tullar, Kaiser, Balthazard, 1998). Group members need to be contributing their ideas, questioning and learning from each other, and building on the efforts of the other members. For collaborative learning to occur, students must coordinate the diverse skills and abilities of their group members to address a complex task (Tullar et al. , 1998). A second problem is that often group members simply divide a project so that each individual writes a portion. Then, just before the project is due, the students bring in their disks and combine files without coordinating their efforts or talents effectively. Third, group work often leads to unequal contributions of members, resulting in â€Å"hitchhikers† and â€Å"workhorses† (Cottell Millis, 1993). These â€Å"hitchhikers,† also called â€Å"free riders† and â€Å"social loafers,† can cause problems in the workflow of the group, as they do not do their fair share. Members of the group have difficulty addressing the free-rider problem and documenting the problem and their efforts to solve it (Gremler, Hoffman, Keaveney, Wright, 2000). The issue becomes one student’s word against another’s as the teacher tries to determine fair individual grades. Finally, group projects are often assigned without the allocation of class time for groups to develop cooperative skills or to become cohesive (Michaelsen, 1992). There is limited time in class to discuss both the needed topics and the mechanics of group management. In many cases, groups meet on evenings and weekends when faculty members are not available for assistance. Additionally, many group members are geographically and temporally dispersed, which makes organizing face-to-face group meetings difficult. The Role of Technology in Enhancing Collaborative Learning Active and cooperative learning approaches will be counterproductive unless they are thoughtfully implemented and well supported. Communication tools like discussion boards and chat rooms can be effective in inter-team collaboration as well as in faculty-student communication. These tools can help ease the problems discussed in the previous section. By solving these problems with technology, faculty can address three learning goals: empowering students, improving their communication skills, and developing their ability to work collaboratively. Finally, these technological communication tools offer teaching opportunities by allowing faculty to be more accessible to students and to track students’ efforts better. Addressing Group Project Problems Internet-based tools can be a tremendous help in coordinating team efforts, particularly when the team is geographically (whether by a few miles or a few thousand miles) or temporally dispersed (Kaiser, Tullar, McKowen, 2000). With technology, groups can meet either synchronously, using chat rooms, or asynchronously, using threaded discussion boards, in which group members contribute to the group discussion at times convenient to their schedules over a defined time period. These tools enable everyone in the group to talk at the same time or at their convenience by typing their comments into the forum that instantly distributes their comments. Additionally, strong personalities have greater difficulty dominating the group as everyone has equal access to the â€Å"floor. † Students may feel more comfortable presenting ideas this way than in a face-to-face meeting, and the quality and professionalism of their ideas may be higher, knowing that their participation is being monitored. The discussion forum also gives all students ample time for reflection so students’ responses are often more thoughtful than those in face-to-face situations. Studies have illustrated this level of increased and more evenly distributed participation from students in computer-supported groups (Tullar et al. , 1998). Addressing Learning Goals Projects provide opportunities for experiential learning, that is, students apply what they have learned to real-world situations and thus develop decision-making skills. But in doing so, projects often produce anxiety as students struggle to determine what answer the instructor wants. However, with these projects, whether it be a case, a report of a business issue, or a business plan, faculty are typically not searching for one right answer, but rather are concerned with the process that students use in solving problems. Teaching students to ask the right questions is thought to be more important than giving students the right answers. In the real world, there is neither one right answer nor is there a â€Å"sage on a stage† that can direct students to the right answer. Students need to learn how to find and to support the answers for themselves. The use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can aid student learning in the struggle through the project process. Thus, three learning goals can be addressed through the use of electronic discussion boards and chat rooms with experiential group projects: (1) empowering students to become active participants in their learning, (2) increasing students’ communication skills in describing and solving problems, and (3) enhancing students’ abilities to collaborate and work with others in developing their own resources in solving problems. To achieve these goals, education must involve interactivity among instructors, students, and the materials, and electronic discussion boards and chat rooms can enrich that interactivity. Providing Additional Teaching Opportunities Another advantage of these tools is the opportunity for faculty to participate in the discussions and e-mails. Faculty can use these tools to demonstrate concern for students and to provide additional accessibility and feedback. In fact, the transactional distance encourages faculty to maintain a facilitative role rather than an authoritative role (Moore, 1993). Finally, these tools make it easier for faculty and students to keep track of what everyone has said as there is a written record (Kaiser et al. , 2000). Students have the opportunity to reorganize and reshape their understanding of course content. The Web-based tools allow thoughts to be captured for future examination, elaboration, and extension. The end result is usually more robust and thoughtful discussions. In fact, threaded discussions can extend the time that both instructors and students invest in the course (Bruce Hwang, 2001). Recommendations for Using These Tools Many universities are starting to use various computer course tools or platforms to promote online learning. These platforms, such as BlackBoard or WebCT, can be used to design either Web-based or Web-assisted courses. For several years, we have used discussion groups and chat rooms in Web-based classes but have also found that communication can be enhanced in traditional classes through use of these tools. Since more business organizations are using electronic tools, such as Lotus Notes, to facilitate group meetings, using them in the classroom helps students further prepare for their careers. However, the wise faculty member will be advised that these tools should be used judiciously. Therefore, based on our experience, the following suggestions are made to faculty who are considering the use of Web-based tools. Discussion Boards Instructors and students can compose and post messages electronically on electronic discussion boards. Both public and private discussion forums can be implemented. With many computing platforms, such as WebCT, faculty can set up public forums to start threaded discussions for the class to which the students can respond electronically. Students can use these public forums to post questions to which the entire class can respond, such as for help in finding information for the project. A project normally seems easier when the instructor is discussing it in class and few questions arise. However, students’ questions occasionally occur after class or on weekends. The discussion board allows the opportunity for students to post problems asynchronously and to receive input from the class. The burden is no longer on the instructor to solve every problem as it occurs but is on the students to work with each other as well as with the instructor in solving problems. This is a tremendous lesson for students to learn to deal with problem solving in the real world. When an employer gives an employee a project or task to do, he/she expects the employee to do it on his/her own and not ask for assistance from the employer every step of the way. Students have to learn to be problem solvers on their own, and the use of electronic discussion boards helps develop that skill. The professor’s role is to help get the conversation started. For example, the instructor can post a question on the public project discussion board asking at which sites people are having success finding information for the project. The students can then respond. Those students who respond in a useful manner will be rewarded, such as with a participation grade. Those students or groups who do not respond can be asked on the discussion board for their input. When students see the progress other students are making, they may be spurred to work harder. Additionally, the faculty need to check the discussion board frequently to see if any misinformation is being spread, to ensure â€Å"netiquette† is being practiced, and to restart the conversation as needed. Finally, faculty can take questions that the students ask individually and request that the students post them on the discussion board. In that way the instructor only has to respond once, and similar inquiries can then be referred to that response. This will eve ntually build a culture in the class where the instructor is not seen as the sole source for information, and the students learn to work with each other in solving problems. Additionally, instructors can create private forums to be used to divide students into groups for class exercises or for the use of asynchronous coordination of group projects in which group members cannot all meet at the same time. The instructor can visit these public and private forums to track group progress, to encourage students to help each other to solve problems, and to provide assistance as needed after the students have tried first on their own. In the private group forums, the students are encouraged to use the board to organize group meetings, to post their research findings, and to post drafts of their work for their group members to see and make comments. The professor can encourage individual group members to post their contributions to the paper to the private forum for the other members to see and post suggestions. This would increase group collaboration in a manner that can be documented. After the group has collaborated on a draft of the project, the instructor can offer suggestions. Finally, instructors should consider requiring the groups to post progress reports on their efforts periodically during the term. These progress reports describe what the group has accomplished, what the group’s plans are, if there are any problems, and if there are, how they are being addressed. The instructor should provide guidelines as to what the groups should have accomplished by the progress report dates so the students can determine if they are on track. While these reports could be submitted on paper, doing it through the discussion board makes it easier for group m How to cite Be given order description, Papers

Marijuana Essays (785 words) - Cannabis, Legality Of Cannabis

Marijuana The Legalization of Marijuana Marijuana is a relatively harmless drug that governments around the world have made illegal. If legalized, marijuana can be beneficial to society in a number of ways: whether it be for medical, economic, or public safety reasons. Marijuana has been proven to treat several life debilitating, and even life threatening diseases. Although it is not a cure, marijuana can ease the pain and suffering of a dying person. Another benefit of legalization is the financial gains that governments will accomplish through the taxation of marijuana. This is a realistic claim if marijuana sales are compared to that of cigarettes; governments make billions each year from cigarette taxes (Caputo and Ostrom 484). Every year law enforcement spends countless man-hours trying to apprehend marijuana dealers and growers. This time would be better utilized in dealing with more serious crimes. This essay will display some main reasons why marijuana is a substance with beneficial uses and applications. First, marijuana can be used as a treatment for the effects of diseases such as AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, and other terminal diseases. A study carried out in California clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of marijuana as a treatment for cancer: Over 74 percent of the cancer patients treated in the program have reported that marijuana is more effective in relieving their nausea and vomiting than any other drug they have tried.(Zeese 1990). Chemotherapy for cancer patients often produces nausea and vomiting. Marijuana has been proven to relieve these symptoms and there have been no known side effects recorded (Ad Hoc Group of Experts part 4). The people who would benefit the most from the legalization of marijuana are the terminally ill. These people are not criminals at heart, because they only require marijuana as a way to bring relief from their ailments. Moreover, a government should feel obligated to provide terminally ill patients with marijuana to relieve pain. Governments such as Canada and the United States are supposed help its people, and by legalizing marijuana, many terminally ill citizens will feel less pain and suffering. If marijuana were to become legalized, governments could make a large amount of revenue through taxes. In the United States, billions of dollars each year in revenue are produced through tobacco taxes (Caputo and Ostrom 484). If marijuana became a manufactured product, the government could set taxes on the sale of that product. Once legalized and regulated by the government, the money raised through taxes could be used to improve the country. Moreover, several other things can be produced commercially using the marijuana plant. There is a possible revenue obtainable from hemp, which can be manufactured into clothing material, vegetable oil, paper product, and livestock feed (Caputo and Ostrom 485). If legalized, marijuana has the potential to generate a lot of revenue for a government, and this gained revenue can only help the country. Crime is a problem just about anywhere in Canada and the United States. However, crime enforcement energy is often spent dealing with cases that are not necessary. The police spend useless time trying to arrest marijuana growing and smokers. If marijuana is legalized, drug-fighting resources could be better used against the drug trade of cocaine, heroin, and other dangerous substances. Furthermore, if the government regulated the sale of marijuana, a majority of drug dealers would go out of business. This would decrease the amount of black market drug money, and increase the revenue for the government. Also, legalization of marijuana could also take some pressure off of the court system. The court system would have less cases to deal with, and more important cases could be processed faster. The legalization of marijuana would make Canada and the United States a safer place to live, because law enforcement would be directed fully at the true criminals in society. Marijuana is a substance with many useful applications in Canada and the United States. It has been proven to be a great treatment for the pain and discomfort of terminally ill patients. Legalization would make marijuana easily accessible to these people. Also, if the government would legalize and regulate the sale of marijuana, large tax revenues could be available to the government. This increased revenue could help the country become