The Situated Cognition in Online Education

Introduction Numerous theories try to explain how to integrate pedagogical support in online education to enhance understanding. One of such theories is the situated cognition theory. The theory holds that knowledge and actions are inseparable (Bredo, 2000).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Situated Cognition in Online Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It claims that people acquire knowledge by participating in certain activities or by interacting with numerous real life encounters. In a quest to enhance understanding of online education, learners should include interactive programs like simulations. Such programs would give learners a chance to interact virtually with real life situations, and thus acquire knowledge. Besides, instructors ought to consider pedagogical supports like cognitive support to make sure that learners understand what they learn. Rewards might go a long way to help learner s to develop interest in a study. Nevertheless, in most cases, tangible rewards do more harm than good to learners. The rewards kill the relationship amongst learners and create unhealthy competition. However, not all rewards are bad. If well presented, some tangible rewards may help learners to develop the interest of performing well in their studies. This paper addresses the issue of situated cognition in online education and effects of tangible rewards to learners. Situated cognition Situated cognition is a theory, which holds that it is hard to separate knowing from doing. According to the theory, knowledge emanates from activities related to physical, cultural, and social contexts. Under this supposition, situativity theorists put forward a form of knowledge and learning that calls for thinking on the fly instead of storage and recovery of theoretical knowledge (Bredo, 2000). Quintessentially, it is hard to separate cognition from context. Rather, knowing exists in a place that is inseparable from people, activity, context, language, and culture. Hence, based on situated cognition, learning is perceived in terms of the ability by an individual to prevail in different circumstances rather than the knowledge that the person possesses. Situated cognition is a radical swing from the ancient pedagogical approaches where teachers gave instructions in a confined environment and expected the learners to accumulate skills and knowledge within the confined environment, which they could apply elsewhere. A good example of how situated cognition works is how students acquire knowledge about fractions in their schools (Bredo, 2000).Advertising Looking for assessment on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Students learn by using very abstract examples like pie charts. Hence, in spite of students understanding how fractions work, they might not be in a position to apply their knowledge in real life situation s. If such students are taught on how fractions work through practical examples like baking, they could be in a good position to use the knowledge in real life situations. It might be hard for individuals that learn in an enclosed environment to cope with such tasks. Besides, life might at times require one to think critically and it might be hard for people who have never been exposed to practical learning to achieve this end (Bredo, 2000). Therefore, according to situated cognition, an individual can only cope with complex situations if he or she has adequate knowledge and skills in dealing with such contexts. Integration of situated cognition into online learning According to situated cognition, the adaptation of environment and person entails mutual alteration and not inert matching (Kirshner Whitson, 1997). The theory holds that the actions of an individual and environment are constituents of a mutually constructed whole. Such an interactive relation, transaction, or dialect o pinion focuses on procedures in interactivity (Kirshner Whitson, 1997). Situated cognition maintains that it is hard to separate knowledge from relations. In simple terms, knowledge is a practiced relation of things and not just a psychological state. Therefore, without these relations, knowledge has no value. One might incorporate the idea of situated cognition into online learning. In a bid to ensure that online learners acquire the necessary knowledge, online studies ought to be interactive. For instance, studies may include simulations. Inclusion of simulation would promote interaction allowing the learners to have an experience of the real life situation, though in a simulated way. Such an initiative would help learners to understand the context and develop creativity (Kirshner Whitson, 1997). Pedagogical support In a bid to make sure that students understand and can apply what they learn from online learning, instructors should consider numerous pedagogical supports. The sup ports include social-constructivist, cognitive support, behavioural support, and emotional support. In situated cognition, instructors ought to consider the cognitive support as one of the most crucial pedagogical supports (Dabbagh, 2005). Situated cognition holds that it is hard to separate cognition from the context as aforementioned. Hence, to ensure that students undertaking online studies acquire the necessary knowledge, one ought to focus on helping them to develop cognitive abilities.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on The Situated Cognition in Online Education specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Unlike in the field studies where students get an opportunity to interact with the world and gain firsthand experience, online learning does not give students an opportunity to interact with the actual world. Instead, in most cases, they encounter virtual circumstances, which might not help them acquire adequate k nowledge (Young, 2003). Therefore, to make sure that students acquire the requisite skills and knowledge in online learning, it is imperative to consider cognitive support. For instance, the instructors might achieve this by taking the learners through simulations and giving them an opportunity to engage their minds in imaginations (Young, 2003). Through imaginations, learners would be in a position to figure out how certain things work and thus able in a position to understand real life circumstances even without having to come into direct contact with them. Rewards in learning environment Negative effects of rewards Some researchers posit that rewarding learners with tangible rewards like gold stars or similar rewards do more harm than good to the learners. I do agree with this sentiment. The objective of rewarding learners is to encourage them to continue doing well in their studies. Nevertheless, a study conducted by Kohn (2001) proved otherwise. Kohn (2001) learnt that rewards might motivate or demotivate learners. There are two types of motivations, viz. intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. In most cases, tangible rewards promote extrinsic motivation. A person does something good with an aim of getting rewards in return (Cheng Yeh, 2009). Conversely, intrinsic motivation comes from within a learner. This form of motivation is critical in moulding the long-term behaviour of learners. Tangible rewards do not help learners to understand why they need to behave in a particular manner. Whenever a learner realizes that he or she will not get a reward after he or she performs well, he or she tends to relax and perform poorly. In other words, tangible rewards do not facilitate in promoting productive behaviour within learners. Once the rewards are withdrawn, a learner might exert minimal effort or even cease from performing well.  The more the learners receive rewards, the more they require them for motivation. For instance, if a teacher rewards a child for n ot disturbing others in a classroom, the child gets motivated and changes his or her behaviour.Advertising Looking for assessment on education? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Nevertheless, if the teacher withdraws the reward, the child’s behaviour degenerates and he or she moves back to the previous status. Tangible rewards motivate learners. Nevertheless, learners do not understand the importance of encouraging them to continue doing well (Kelsey, 2011). Hence, rewards do not encourage learners to become critical thinkers. Instead, they perceive it as their right to receive rewards whenever they perform, and when teachers fail to reward them, they stop working hard as a way of showing their rebellion. In most cases, tangible rewards kill relationships in the learning environment. If a teacher keeps on rewarding a child for performing well in mathematics, he or she may promote competition in the class. In the process, students develop the mentality that their colleagues stand in their way to achieving rewards. Hence, students become rivals thus making it hard for them to cooperate and assist one another (Kohn, 2001). Not all rewards are bad Not al l rewards are bad. Rewards that trigger intrinsic motivation are good and they encourage learners to continue with good performance. Intrinsic rewards challenge students to dig deeper and explore new areas of study in their subject. Such rewards help learners to understand the importance of performing well in studies. Some tangible rewards might help to trigger intrinsic motivation within a learner (Cheng Yeh, 2009). For instance, if a teacher rewards a performing student with textbooks and other educational materials, the rewards might help the student to understand the importance of performing well, and thus encourage him or her to study hard. At times, students encounter challenging activities. The activities might demoralize them by making the students lose interest in pursuing the activities. In such a case, rewards might go a long way to encourage students to move on with the activities. Even though at times the reward might instil pressure in students, which makes it hard fo r them to pursue the activity in fear that they might not get more rewards if they fail to get the desired outcomes. Nonetheless, this aspect does not imply that all rewards have negative impacts. Offering more evaluative rewards that are not based on the performance may encourage learners to be creative. Hufton, Elliott, and Illushin (2003) posit that instructors ought to reward their students by evaluating their performance to instil self-esteem, regulate their behaviours, and trigger interest. Consequently, rewards that are used sparingly as an acknowledgment that a learner has achieved some objective assist in triggering interest within learners, thus making them to work harder. Conclusion Situated cognition theory maintains that knowledge and actions are inseparable. Hence, for learners to acquire the necessary knowledge, they should engage in practical activities. For instance, in online learning, students should go through numerous simulations to help them to get the idea of what they are learning. Besides, instructors ought to offer cognitive support as one of the pedagogical supports. Some instructors reward their students as a way of motivating them. Nevertheless, at times, the rewards end up doing more harm than good to students. A majority of these rewards act as extrinsic motivators and do not address the importance of working hard. Hence, students believe that they have the right to receive rewards whenever they perform well. When such rewards are withdrawn, students perform poorly. Despite this aspect, not all rewards are bad and some might help to trigger interest within students, thus making them to perform even better. References Bredo, E. (2000). Reconstructing educational psychology: Situated cognition and Deweyan pragmatism. Educational Psychologist, 29(1), 23-35. Cheng, Y., Yeh, H. (2009). From concepts of motivation to its application in instructional design: Reconsidering motivation from an instructional design perspective. British Jou rnal of Education Technology, 40(4), 597-605. Dabbagh, N. (2005). Pedagogical models for E-Learning: A theory-based design framework. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 1(1), 25-44. Hufton, R., Elliott, G., Illushin, L. (2003). Teachers’ beliefs about student motivation: Similarities and differences across cultures. Comparative Education, 39(3), 367-389. Kelsey, J. (2011). The negative impact of rewards and ineffective praise on student motivation. ESSAI, 8(4), 87-90. Kirshner, D., Whitson, J. (1997). Situated cognition: Social, semiotic, and psychological perspectives. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Kohn, A. (2001). Five reasons to stop saying â€Å"good job!’. Young Children. Web. Young, M. (2003). Instructional Design for Situated Learning. Educational Technology Research and Development, 41(1), 43-58. This assessment on The Situated Cognition in Online Education was written and submitted by user Marcus U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Lab report on enzyme activity. Essay Example

Lab report on enzyme activity. Essay Example Lab report on enzyme activity. Paper Lab report on enzyme activity. Paper The reactant an enzyme acts on is referred to the enzymes substrate. The enzyme will combine with or to its substrate. While the two are joined, the substrate is converted to its product by catalytic action of the enzyme. There is an active site of the enzyme molecule which is a restricted region that actually attaches to the substrate. Usually the active site is formed by only a few of the enzymes amino acids, the rest is just the framework that reinforces the active site. In an enzymatic reaction, the substrate enters the active site then is held in place by weak bonds. Now the enzyme does its work and first changes shape so it can hold onto the substrate. Next the substrate is changed to its product, the product is released and the enzymes active site is ready and waiting for another molecule of substrate. Amylase is an enzyme in human saliva and in other organisms and its substrate is starch. When the active site of amylase binds with the starch, hydrolysis takes place. When the hydrolysis (the breaking of a chemical bond with the insertion of the ions of a water molecule) of starch is complete you are left with a saccharine called maltose. Enzymes are necessary for metabolic reactions, the question pose is thisdo variances of temperature, pH, substrate and enzyme concentration affect the rate of reaction? METHOD To prepare for the experiment the following equipment was assembled: a spot plate, a test tube with amylase and starch in it, a Pasteur pipette, and iodine. The spot plate was labeled in time intervals each two minutes apart. A drop of iodine was placed in each area of the spot plate. This will demonstrate how long it takes the amylase to hydrology the starch. Using the pipette, a drop or two of the amylase/starch mixture was placed in one circle containing iodine on the spot plate. If the iodine turned blue, the hydrolysis is incomplete and the test was repeated at two minute intervals. If it remains the color of iodine the reaction is complete. The time that elapsed from the beginning of the the reaction is noted. To test the affect of temperature differences on the reaction 4 test tubes with a starch/amylase mixture were labeled at different degrees C. C, ICC, ICC, ICC. The test tubes were immersed in 4 water baths that were at the temperature babbled on the test tubes. The test tubes were left immersed for 10 minutes. The procedure noted above with iodine was followed for each test tube and the results documented. To test the effect of pH on the rate of hydrolysis 4 buffered solutions of pH 1. 0, 3. 0,7. 0 and 10. 0 were prepared . 4 test tubes were labeled with the different pH levels. The appropriate buffer solution was added to each test tube. Next . 5 ml of amylase was added to each test tube. The test tubes were plugged and inverted to mix the contents. Beginning with the test tube with lowest pH, 10 ml of starch as added to each tube. The tubes were again plugged and inverted to mix the contents. Again the procedure with the iodine was followed and the results documented. To test the effect substrate has on the rate of hydrolysis 4 test tubes were labeled with the following substrate dilutions: 50%, 25%, 10% and 5%. In the 4 test tubes, the following starch solutions were prepared: Dilution Starch Water Ion-II Ion-II ml ml ml ml 5% Mil ml . 1 ml of amylase was added to each test tube and the procedure with the iodine was followed and the results documented. To test the effect of enzyme concentration on hydrolysis, 4 test tubes were labeled with the following enzyme dilutions: 5%, 2. 5%, 1%, . 5%. In the 4 test tubes, the following enzyme solutions were prepared: Dilution Amylase Water 5% 2. Mm 0. Ml 2. 5% I. Mol I. Mol 1% . Ml 1. Ml . Mi 1. Ml Then ml of starch to each tube, the procedure with the iodine was followed and the results documented. RESULTS Upon the conclusion of the test, it was determined that variances of temperature, pH, substrate and enzyme concentration did affect the rate of he reaction. Different than what a person may think, the rate of reaction was longer with the colder temperature and the highest temperature. The rate if reaction shortened with the middle temperatures of 24 and 40 degrees C. In the test of the pH variances, again the results showed the longest rate of reaction in the highest and lowest pH levels. The rate of reaction decreased when the pH level changed from 3. 0 to 7. 0. The substrate concentration variances showed a steady increase in the rate of reaction in relation to increase of concentration. The enzyme concentration showed a steady decrease in the rate of reaction in relation to increased concentration. All raw data is stated in graphs at the end of this report. CONCLUSION It was confirmed in this experiment that changes in the environment like temperature, pH levels, substrate and enzyme concentrations did effect the rate of reaction. It really should be evident that the substrate and enzyme concentration levels would effect the rate of reaction the was they did as it was noted in the intro of the paper the role each one of these plays in the reaction process.

Digital Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Digital Security - Essay Example Digital security devices include secure personal devices such as SIM cards, smart-card based USB tokens, e-passports, secure chips in contactless payment cards, and they give an individual the freedom to shop, communicate, travel, work and bank using his or her digital identity in a manner that is enjoyable, convenient and secure. Therefore, digital security is of utmost important since a lot of information is available on the various digital platforms. Some is personal or private information and some is extremely sensitive information. Therefore, any person or firm needs to put in place security measures that ensure that the security of systems is not breached. This paper examines computer security principles, cryptology and its associated applications and secure software engineering. Computer Security Principles There are many methods and approaches that are used to secure computer systems. However, specific intrinsic expectations have to be met regardless of whether the system is large or small, or is owned by a private organization of by a government. Therefore, there exists generally accepted system security. These principles usually address computer security from an extremely high-level point, and are to be applied when developing computer security policy and programs, and in the creation of new systems, policies and practices (Guttman & Swanson, 1996). Thus, practices encompass broad areas such as accountability, integration and cost-effectiveness. Principles differ from practices in the sense that the latter guides organizations on the types of objectives, procedures and controls that constitute an effective computer security program. Principle 1: Computer Security Supports the Organization’s Mission The aim of computer security is to protect the valuable resources of an organization. These include software, hardware and information. By selecting and applying adequate safeguards, computer security supports a firm’s mission by protecting it s financial and physical resources, legal position, reputation, employees and other intangible and tangible assets (NIST, 1995). Sometimes security can be viewed as a nuisance due to the rules and procedures that are imposed on systems, users and managers. However, well-chosen security procedures and rules are there to protect significant assets as well as support the overall mission of the firm. As such, security should be viewed as a means to an end, and not an end in itself. Take an example of a private business. Usually, making profit is primary while good security is secondary. Therefore, security should be able to support this primary goal of making profit. Principle 2: Computer Security is an Integral Element of Sound Management Information and computer systems are crucial assets that support an organization’s mission. Protecting these systems is as important as the protection of other organizational resources such as employees, physical assets and money. It should be observed that the inclusion of security considerations in managing computers and information does not totally eradicate the possibility that the assets might be harmed. According to Hayden & Feringa (2004), this is why the managers of an organization have to decide the level of risk that they are ready to accept, taking into the account the costs associated with security controls. When a firm’

Immigration Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Immigration - Research Paper Example The border which separates the United States and Mexico is an important ground which has led to speeding the process of this illegal immigration (Bowden 2007). It is a process which lays many impacts on the lives of the people who live in Mexico as well as the United States. Many questions have been raised on this issue as to whether what needs to be done to cope up with this issue and whether this border has led to provide any benefits. A balanced solution to this problem should be found out and the illegal immigrants from Mexico who come to the United States for a better future should be considered and legalization for them should be an option. Not only this, they should be given due rights but regulation of this immigration should also be done so that the influx of the number of people does not overshadow the opportunities of the people who already reside in the United States. This paper further provides an in depth analysis on pros and cons of illegal immigration and supports the presence and benefits of illegal immigrants for the country (America) and the nation. Illegal immigration is an act as the name implies of breaking the law and entering another state. But a question arises that is this law above the life of a person and his right to secure his future and work for a better life and earning. The Mexican border has been considered as a right choice by many people living in the United States because for them it has actually restricted the number of people entering their country illegally but for the people living there, this border has actually served to obstruct their opportunities of earning a living and raising their families. Illegal immigration along this border has been showing inclining rates and it has even been seen that this influx has been raised after this border was actually created (Bowden 2007). The illegal immigrants work in farms and do not enjoy the privileges and rights that their American counterparts do. They work on lower pays and do not receive good working conditions. This is because their employers know that these workers will not be able to raise their voices due to fear of being deported (Lilly 2008 & Welch 2007). Illegal Immigrants are not welcomed by the governments for any other reason than the economic benefits they bring to them and the jobs they fill including the lower level and lower wage high effort jobs like cleaning, serving in the pubs and clubs and clearing off the streets. The unavailability of rights and equality measures for these illegal immigrants who are, certainly, helping the country in one way or the other is questionable (Mailonline, 2006). Groff (2010) also points towards the unethical practice of using illegal immigrants without giving them equal rights or incentives within the boundaries of the country. â€Å"It's like taking someone and making them without a nation† (Groff, 2010). These issues need to be addressed and a solution needs to be considered for this problem. It is not economically favorable for the United States to deport all these workers because it will lead to a loss of valuable employees and a considerable reduction in workforce. At the same time, it will also not be economically feasible to arrange for transport for the evacuation of the millions of immigrants (Lilly, 2008). Hence, a better solution would be to actually legalize the workers who are already working in the country. The Mexicans who come in search of job opportunities should be

Edit application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Edit application - Essay Example Just after I entered University, my problems began that affected my ability to concentrate on my studies resulting in the seven repeats. In 2010, my mother wanted to divorce my father to which father declined resulting in constant fighting between my parents affecting my ability to concentrate on my studies resulting in a low-grade, and I got low grades. The effect was I had to go back-on-track program in 2010, but within the same year my father went away leaving my mother without any money, and he did not provide any money for my upkeep either. Access to finances became a major problem since my mother was not in a position to find a job because she cannot speak English. I have to work to get money to finance our upkeep spending more of the time than I could concentrate on the studies. After completing the back-on-track program, I did not have enough finances for my schooling, and I had to apply for a student loan. In the time, I developed mental pressure and irregular rest owing to my school and job responsibilities to take care of myself and my mother that resulted in stomach pains. I was forced to frequently seek medical attention from the the family doctor in 2012 that in turn referred me to a specialist for further medical attention with the stomach pains increasing and affecting my studies. After medical attention from the specialist, I was informed that the cause of the stomach pains was too much pressure and in a bad mental state. By the end of 2012, I was admitted for emergency owing to a lot of stomach pain, and I spit blood. The sickness and family pressure affected my ability to concentrate on my studies resulting in the repeats. The stomach pains did not recede even after treatment, and I was forced to take a term of in 2013 spring taking the time to go back to China for treatment. From that point forward my health situation improved and I was in a position to start my University education again. I took Math 157, Econ 103,

MIS implementation at AC Ltd | Analysis

MIS implementation at AC Ltd | Analysis A PROJECT REPORT On Management Information System of AC Ltd. TABLE OF CONTENTS S. NO. PARTICULARS PAGE NO. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 1 INTRODUCTION – DEFINITION OF MIS 5 2 COMPANY PROFILE 6 3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY 7 4 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 7 5 TYPES OF MIS AND USES 8 7 ROLES OF MIS 8 8 DESCRIPTION NATURE OF INFORMATION SYSTEM 12 9 Description and Analysis use of Information Systems MIS STUDY AT AC LIMITED 9.1 General Information 9.2 Need For Integrated MIS 9.3 MIS Functions Provided by Current MIS 9.4 Architecture of MIS at AC Limited 9.5 Inventory Management Module Of Current MIS 12-24 11 ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS, identification of problems 24 12 RECOMMENDATION for future developments in use of IS 25 13 GANTT CHART 28 14 REFERENCES 29 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Making decisions is an integral part in the functioning of any organization. To facilitate Decision making in this ever-competitive world it is imperative that managers have the right information at the right time to bridge the gap between need and expectation. For better flow of information an adequate Management Information Systems (MIS) is the need of this age. Thus it is important to have an understanding of the MIS followed in an organization by all levels of management in order to take effective and appropriate decisions. A management information system collects and processes data (information) and provides it to managers at all levels who use it for decision making, planning, program implementation, and control. The MIS has many roles to perform like the decision support role, the performance monitoring role and the functional support role. To get a realistic view of the MIS, I’ve gone through the MIS of AC Limited. For the purpose of getting in depth understanding of particular functions of the company, I focused the needs, uses and benefits of MIS with respect to the Material Department of the company. For the preparation of this report, Inventory Management has primarily been focused. AC Limited is one of the first Pakistani companies to realize the potential and importance of information technology and to adopt automation and IT infrastructure. The preliminary computerization took place in 1986. The organization has traveled a long way from the days in 1986 when it was using simple keypunching machines. Significant improvements were made in the application systems and infrastructure. From Batch processing to on-line systems, from IBM1401 to the latest UNIX and Windows XP and 2003 based machines organization has made timely transitions determined by the available technologies. Throughout this evolution the MIS remained synchronized to the information flow in the organization and the management felt that it has played a role in the overall growth and increased performance of the organization. INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF MIS Management Information Systems (MIS) is a system consisting of people, machines, procedures, data bases and data models, as its components. The system gathers data from Internal and External sources of an organization; processes it and supplies Management Information to assist managers in the process in decision making. Thus it is safe to conclude that an information system is a system consisting of the network of all communication channels used within an organization. There are many potential benefits of MIS investments Investing in information systems can pay off for a company in many ways. It can support a core competency. Enhance distribution channel management. Builds brand equity. IT investment can boost production processes Information systems allow company flexibility in its output level. An information system comprises of all the components that collect, manipulate, and deliver data or information. It usually includes hardware, software, people, communications systems such as telephone lines, and the data itself. The activities involved include inputting data, processing of data into information, storage of data and information, and the production of outputs such as management reports. COMPANY PROFILE – THE ACC LIMITED AC (AC Limited) is Pakistans foremost manufacturer of cement and concrete. ACs operations are spread throughout the country with 14 modern cement factories, 13 Ready mix concrete plants, 19 sales offices, and several zonal offices. It has a workforce of about 9000 persons and a countrywide distribution network of over 9,000 dealers. ACs research and development facility has a unique track record of innovative research, product development and specialized consultancy services. Since its inception in 1936, the company has been a trendsetter and important benchmark for the cement industry in respect of its production, marketing and personnel management processes. Its commitment to environment-friendliness, its high ethical standards in business dealings and its on-going efforts in community welfare programs have won it acclaim as a responsible corporate citizen. AC has made significant contributions to the nation building process by way of quality products, services and sharing its expe rtise. In the 70 years of its existence, AC has been a pioneer in the manufacture of cement and concrete and a trendsetter in many areas of cement and concrete technology including improvements in raw material utilization, process improvement, energy conservation and development of high performance concretes. AC’s brand name is synonymous with cement and enjoys a high level of equity in the Indian market. It is the only cement company that figures in the list of Consumer Super Brands of India. The companys various businesses are supported by a powerful, in-house research and technology backup facility the only one of its kind in the Indian cement industry. This ensures not just consistency in product quality but also continuous improvements in products, processes, and application areas. AC has rich experience in mining, being the largest user of limestone, and it is also one of the principal users of coal. As the largest cement producer in India, it is one of the biggest customers of the Indian Railways, and the foremost user of the road transport network services for inward and outward movement of materials and products. ACC has also extended its services overseas to the Middle East, Africa, and South America, where it has provided technical and managerial consultancy to a variety of consumers, and also helps in the operation and maintenance of cement plants abroad. ACC demonstrates the practices of being a good corporate citizen undertaking a wide range of activities to improve the living conditions of the under-privileged classes living near its factories. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY The objective of this report is to study the MIS implementation at AC Ltd. and with the help of this domain, to get an insight into the needs of MIS in business setups on a big scale, various functions performed by the MIS, benefits derived out of such a system and the risks involved. I intend to aim my study at analyzing the business needs of the organization, key challenges or desired functional requirements of the MIS, the IT solution that is currently implemented and the outcome of such a system. AC Ltd. requires MIS to map internal processes and interaction with the external environment to the technology and ensure the solution delivers real benefits to the business. SCOPE OF THE STUDY The scope of this study is to understand the reasons behind the need of MIS in AC Ltd. This study leads to the MIS support to the Company as a whole with special emphasis on Inventory Management practiced in the Material Stores Department of the company. Through the interaction with the executives of AC Limited, we get an insight about the effectiveness of the MIS in place at the organization. TYPES OF MIS AND USES MIS CLASSIFICATION MIS is a concept, which is a matter of degree rather than an absolute one. In management there are perhaps few other areas other than MIS which gas created so much controversy. We would make an attempt to try to look into different types of MIS as they have evolved during the course of time. Transaction Processing System Management Information System Decision Support System Executive Support System Office Automation System Business Expert System FUNCTIONAL USES AND ROLES OF MIS THE PERFORMANCE MONITORING ROLE MIS are not just statistics and data analysis. They have to be used as an MBO (Management by Objectives) tool. They help: to establish relevant and measurable objectives to monitor results and performances (reach ratios) to send alerts, in some cases daily, to managers at each level of the organization, on all deviations between results and pre-established objectives and budgets. THE FUNCTIONAL SUPPORT ROLE Business processes and operations support function is the most basic. It involves collecting, recording, storing, and basic processing of data. Information systems support business processes and operations by: recording, storing and processing sales data, purchase data, investment data, payroll data and other accounting records recording, storing and processing inventory data, work in process data, equipment repair and maintenance data, supply chain data, and other production/operations records recording, storing and processing personnel data, salary data, employment histories, and other human resources records recording, storing and processing market data, customer profiles, customer purchase histories, marketing research data, advertising data, and other marketing records recording, storing an processing business intelligence data, competitor analysis data, industry data, corporate objectives, and other strategic management records use of all the above to implement, control, and monitor plans, strategies, tactics, new products, new business models or new business ventures. THE DECISION SUPPORT ROLE The business decision making support function goes one step further. It is an integral part of making decisions. It allows users to ask What if†¦? questions: What if we increase the price by 5%? What if we increase price by 10%? What if we decrease price by 5%? What if we increase price by 10% now, then decrease it by 5% in three months? It also allows users to deal with contingencies: If inflation increases by 5% (instead of 2% as we are assuming), then what do we do? What do we do if we are faced with a strike or a new competitive threat? ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE ACC LTD. Description and Nature of Information System INVENTORY MANAGEMENT A product that is in excessive demand is usually extremely difficult to manage. Supplying the right amount of products implies that an accurate demand forecast is essential. This holds the impact on the entire supply chain to facilitate efficient consumer response based on consumer demands it becomes imperative that such companies consider inventory management seriously. Making accurate demand and supply predictions is an ideal situation that anyone in the supply chain management arena could dream off. By providing timely accurate information pertaining to inventory location, movement and valuation, receipt of goods, sale and return of goods and profits you can make sure that your inventory is visible throughout a network. With inventory management you can set your product catalog to hide products that are not in stock, or change prices based on the amount of products available in the warehouse. The quantity available can be displayed to the shopper and this can prevent unnecessary confusion when the shopper adds items not available to a shopping cart. The store buyer can be automatically notified about low inventory levels. IT (Information Technology) is a key enabler in the transformation of purchasing into a strategic business function. The challenge is to find a way to put these technologies to use and create value and competitive advantage. The Main Objectives in Inventory Management are: Improved customer service Reduced inventory investment Increased productivity Benefits of inventory management applications Complete control of inventory. Complete information about the value of the inventory Complete visibility on Quantities on hand, Quantities committed and Quantities sold Response time to demand changes reduced Increased sales Knowledge of the exact size of merchandizing inventory Taxes and insurance premiums paid on excess merchandize inventory avoided. DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS AC is one of the first Indian companies to realize the potential and importance of information technology and adopt automation and IT. The organization started computerizing its systems as early as 1986. The organization has traveled a long way from the days in 1986 when it was using simple keypunching machines. Significant improvements have been made in the application systems and infrastructure. From Batch processing to on-line systems, from IBM1401 to the latest UNIX and Windows 2003 based machines it has made timely transitions determined by available technologies and business requirements. AC has made a quantum jump from in-house developed systems using Oracle 9i and Developer 6i to an ERP based solution. This decision was solely based on its strategic objectives and the business benefits that are expected to follow. With this move people, business processes and technologies across the country are aligned. The implementation of ERP solution for process control is shown in the figure below. Fig.1 The ERP implementation for process control at AC Ltd. IT department is still continuously working on improving the functionality and removing the errors of the system. As a result system is becoming better day-by-day, thus improving the productivity of the company. NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED MIS The benefits associated with an integrated MIS are Better processing of the large volume of data in an organization. Reducing the Redundancy of Data that occurs in case of separate packages. Availability of all the required information about any department through a common system. Making the system capable of supporting the managers in making decisions. Facilitate the communication between the various regional offices of the company and the corporate office along with the main plant. Use of online data to speed up the information flow of the organization and facilitate decision-making FUNCTIONS PROVIDED BY CURRENT MIS Plant (Manufacturing Maintenance) Production Break down and Plant performance Module MIS Reports and stoppage Module, Stock position Raw Materials Management System Integration with Weigh Bridge and Security Gate Daily stock, issue position and bill passing Transport Freight Payment Systems Weigh Bridge Integrated with Security Gate Stopped one mechanical weigh bridge 500 trucks can weigh for gross and tare in single day 5002 = 1000 Time Management Reports, Truck Movement reports Weighment is integrated with invoice cum challan freight Payment Truck position inside and outside the plant. Computerized Preventive Maintenance Software Both plant are using this module Preventive Maintenance and Break down Module Shutdown module and integrated with inventory Forecasting of spares and skills usage module Inward Outward Materials Security Control on returnable goods Work Order and analysis Work Order will be prepared by authorized person Provided to all departments. Integrated with Rate Master And budget. Labour Deployment and accounting System Daily supply of Contractor Labour deployment Against regular, adhoc and shutdown requirements Daily/monthly/yearly analysis reports Contractor labour Bill passing system Commercial Applications Marketing Accounting and analysis System Excise module and Sales Tax Module Transport Bill passing module Order Confirmations and Dispatch Instruction Free Market Requirements, Railway Receipt Commercial Invoice, Debit Note, Credit Notes. Stores Inventory Non Inventory On Line indent, Issue and Receipt Materials Delivery Schedule Controlling the inventory Controlling the increased inventory Stores Ledger, consumption Summary MIS reports, Budget V/s Actual Consumption. Integrated with financial Package Repair maintenance inventory, Department Wise Expenses. Purchase Management System Purchase Order integration with indent On line enquiry, Party wise information Pending list of purchase order MIS reports, Purchase / Indent Register Payment Advice System (Advance, regular) Financial Accounting System All types of voucher feeding Purchase and freight bill passing Other Expenses bill passing and TDS Module General Ledger, Sub Ledger and Trial balance of two Financial years Auto payment advice, Bank forwarding letters, payment System, Overhead Analysis reports. Integrated with inventory and Payroll module MIS Reports Cash Budget, Vehicle Movement Controlling on Taxi, Car etc On line General information System Information provided to Users about On line Leave status I.e. opening, availed and closing status Electricity Deduction Employee wise, Quarter wise Over time Status department wise Welfare rules and Regulations, Telephone list, accidental etc Actual Consumption against budget, Welfare information Human Resource Development Topic Courses, General Awareness Programme, TNA of Workmen, TNA of LCW, Individual record of ext/int Training, Pending Training etc. Payroll PIS Module Payslips of Staff, Worker, School, Badli Casual Worker PF, VPF, Bonus, Gratuity Module LIC, CTD, Thrift Society, Co-operative advances Module. Recovery Deduction, PIS and Income Tax Employee wise Integrated with Financial Package Over Time, C-off Module Payroll of Marketing Department (Transferred from HO) Sales Accounting Systems Sales Accounting Systems, Rent Payment System Data loading, Expenses Payment System, Freight Payment, MIS, Transferring in FAS Gate Pass System (Returnable Non-returnable goods) All goods send through Computerized Gate Pass Integrated with Gate System. Pending repair items information Architecture of MIS at AC Limited Current MIS of the company is basically a In-house developed system, also comprising of few specialized readymade software packages bought from outside developers. It comprises of 11 main modules covering all the main functions of the company. Inventory Management Module is one of the most important parts of the system. It is highly integrated with the other modules and capable of functionalities like Auto Alarming when inventory is low. It is capable of generating more than 200 different types of reports to help managers in different required ways. Its main parts include Inventory issue, purchase, bill passing, other OER passing, freight passing, stock updation etc. DFDs and Data processing diagrams: Inventory Package Context Level Diagram (CFD): Inventory Package Issue DFD: Inventory Purchase DFD: Data Processing (Full Inventory Module) Application used for Work order Preparation at The ACC Ltd. 1. ITEM CODE CREATION There are 9 types of item group in Non Catalogue Item Medicines 806 Stationary 807 Repair Order 808 Transportation Order 809 Raw materials 810 Capital Orders 811 Job Orders 812 Laboratory Items 813 Direct book orders 814 2. Indent Posting 3. Indent Sanctioning 4. Indent Type Updation[image] 5. Order Preparation 6. Order Printing[image] ASSESSMENT OF CURRENT USE OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS IDENTIFICATION OF PROBLEMS After analyzing the system properly, we came to a basic conclusion that system is working fine at an overall level and consisting of very minimal problems. These problems can’t be stated as such problems and instead can be stated as future path. Still we tried to jot down the few of them, which are as follows: Still lack of system integration after a level. Though inventory management module is integrated well with all the other modules like financial system, thus reducing the redundancy. But still there is need of paper work and manual intervention when reordering is required. System cannot be configured to reorder automatically, even for the fast moving raw material. Lack of Web Integration. AC hasn’t still employed the concept of taking orders or ordering through web and have no integration of its system to its website. Legacy Network Support. Backbone network used by AC is still the same, which they used in 1993. They haven’t upgraded the network support from then, which has started creating problems for them already. As MIS of the company is improving day-by-day including more and more functionalities, the network has already become very slow. Lack of training to managers to effectively use the decision support functionalities of system. This is another problem that we felt at the company. IT department is basically making the improvements in the system continuously with new added functionalities, but there is lack of training to managers to effectively use these functions in way that can support them to make better decisions. For example, on an average, a manager uses only 10-15 types of reports out of more than 200 types of reports available. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT Considering the given problems, their analysis and research on comparative MIS systems used in the similar kind of industries, our group is presenting following recommendations for the company. IT department of the company should now work towards integrating the system on a higher level and making the company Paper-Less Office. This should be done by integrating the system in a way that the manual intervention be minimized in the day-to-day process. The company should also start Web-Based ordering and selling, so that to be able to catch up with the growing industry. As more improvements in MIS would be done, and Web-support to be also incorporated, it is more than sure that current Network available is going to crash. To cop this, company needs to upgrade its network. For this purpose, we suggest the tie-up of company with some outside contractors like IBM or CISCO to continuously upgrade and maintain their network. With each up gradation, we suggest training to the managers of the company about effectively using the added functionalities and use of them in a better way. This can be also done by providing a handbook along with each up gradation. REFERENCES Officials Contacted from: Mr. Sam Joseph (Deputy Manager, IT Department), AC Limited. Secondary Sources Management Information Systems – A Managerial Perspective, D.P. Goyal www.tcs.com www.sap.com

ufo cults Essay -- essays research papers fc

The First Encounter Assignment #2 â€Å"Are we alone in the universe?† Scientists have been trying to answer this question for many years. As of now there has not been any rock solid evidence to prove that there is life outside this world, but there is an overwhelming amount of people that believe that there is life. People only believe that there is life outside earth, they don’t know there is. It is hard to know that extra terrestrials exist unless a person has an encounter with one. A person named Claude Vorilhon (Rael) had an encounter with an alien and was told that we were all experiments to the aliens. The alien insisted for him to spread the word of the encounter and build an embassy for the coming of Elohim (the extra terrestrials). This encounter was the start of a UFO cult called Raelians. This cult has spread all over the world, predominately in Europe, Japan, and Quebec. In this UFO cult, Raelians, one can wonder what’s its beliefs are, what is it about the theology of this UFO cult that could draw so many followers and how some can not accept this religion. This religion started by one man went a long way and caused many controversies along the way. The theology of the Raelians was given from Vorilhon’s extra terrestrial mentor that he met with for six consecutive days for about an hour. There are eight main beliefs of the Raelians cult. The first one being that Elohim was the creator of humanity. The alien race was way more advanced than us and they mastered genetics and cell biology well enough to create DNA. They used earth to further studies because of its isolated environment. First plants were created then animals, then humans. â€Å"These human creations of the Elohim were first housed comfortably, being fed and sheltered with no obligations, in the laboratory of the Elohim. However, humans soon proved to possess an aggressive nature, and thus, the Elohim forced the humans out of the laboratory, which was poetically referred to in the Bible as the "Garden of Eden.† The second belief is the scientific translation of the bible. â€Å"Genesis 6:1-2 "And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the Earth and daughters were born unto them, that the Sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were fair; and they took them as wives..." Rael states this quote from the bible that it indicates an interbreeding of the... ... through to draw people to it. Many people have faith in a religion but once they lose it, either they lost a loved one and wonder why has God done this to them or how God allowed it to happen, they may turn to another religion such as Raelians where there is no God present but simply our creators of life, the Elohim. The Raelian religion is growing by the year drawing more and more followers but there are also many others who reject this religion because of their own beliefs. We will never know how we came to be in this world either by aliens or created by a God, either way the installment of faith has to be present to follow a religion. The choice of religion is based on the person’s beliefs. Bibliography Faye Whittermore. April 2001. â€Å"Raelians†. Available on-line: New Religious Movements: http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/nrms/rael.html Mother Site of the Raelian Religion. http://www.rael.org/ (Last visited 04/02/05). Rael. 1998. The Final Message. London: The Tagman Press. Rael. 1986. Let's Welcome our Fathers from Space. Japan: AOM Corporation. Shupe, Anson D. 1981. Six Perspectives on New Religions. New York: Edwin Mellen Press. 75-80.