Ireland :: essays research papers

Why are the Irish so lucky? What is a leprechaun? Is there really gold at the end of a rainbow? And why does everyone drink green beer on St. Patrick's Day? These questions all have one thing in common, they are myths from the Emerald Isle we all call Ireland. In this paper I will try to explain these myths through Ireland's people, their Celtic tradition, and their religion. To understand the people of Ireland, you first need to understand where Ireland is and what it's like there. Ireland is an island, to the West of England. The climate in Ireland is rainy, year round. Ireland has a little bit of everything from the mountains and castles, to the coasts and pastures. People first came to Ireland about 10,000 years ago. Ireland was one of the last parts of Europe to become inhabited. The people who came to Ireland probably went across the land bridges that linked England to Scotland, and Scotland to Ireland. These first people lived mostly along the coasts of Ireland eating berries, small animals, and shell fish. Then about 6,000 years ago, these tribes of people started to become more advanced and civilized. They raised cattle and sheep and farmed the land for crops. They also moved further inland and had very extravagant burial grounds. Next around 2000 BC, the Bronze age came upon Ireland. The Irish people quickly became infamous for their weapons made of metal, especially their swords. This encouraged trade amongst other European countries, mainly England, Spain, and Portugal. By 500 BC the Celtic people had started to invade Ireland. The Celts as they were known were a very aggressive tribal group that originated as a Germanic tribe. They had defeated the Romans for a slight time period, but eventually they were run out of Europe. Their only safe haven was Ireland. For some reason, the Romans stopped their Empire at England. In Ireland, the Celtic people easily over threw the simple Irish tribes. This happened for two main reasons, 1) The Celts were much better fighters, and 2) There was about five times as many Celts as there were Irish tribes men. The Celts were not just great fighters though, Roman writers described them as being 'lively, imaginative people fond of fighting and hunting as well as poetry and storytelling. They had a complex tribal community made up of chieftains, warriors, poets, and Druids, (the priests of their mystical

Developmental Psychology and Early Childhood Education Essay

Introduction The first six years of life are critical years of human life since the rate of development in these years is more rapid than at any other stage of development. Global brain research also informs us about the significance of early years for brain development. Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) makes a positive contribution to children’s long term development and learning by facilitating an enabling and stimulating environment in these foundation stages of lifelong learning. Parents as caregivers are critical in providing a stimulating learning environment to the child and the first two and a half to three years need not be in a formal learning environment. The National Curriculum Framework acknowledges the significance of involvement of parents, family and community. The programme at the early childhood stage helps to ensure opportunities for holistic learning and growth. The ECCE programme needs to be determined by children’s developmental and contextual needs, providing for more need based inputs and an enabling environment. Given this need for an individualised approach, it was believed that a common ‘curriculum’ would not be appropriate for all. However, over the years it has been observed that the practical realities are different and most of the ECCE programmes on offer currently do not have developmentally appropriate programmes for the young child. The vacuum created by a lack of curriculum framework has resulted in its being filled with either a minimalist programme or the downward extension of the primary stage curriculum. To ensure optimal development for all children, there is a need to create a planned curriculum framework, encompassing developmentally appropriate knowledge and skills, with flexibility for contextualization. A curriculum framework is also required to ensure that important learning areas are covered, taking care of all the developmental needs of the young child. It also facilitates adoption of a common pedagogical approach to reach for a certain level of quality and address the widespread diversity in the ECCE programmes available for the young children in India. This Curriculum Framework is in line with the Government’s vision of ECCE as spelt out in the National Early Childhood Care & Education Policy and is a broad framework of basic guidelines for curricular goals, programme content, classroom practices, parent guidance 4 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012  and teacher preparation across different provisions and across all regions. The purpose of this open framework is to promote quality and excellence in early childhood education by providing guidelines for practices that would promote optimum learning and development of all young children and set out the broad arrangement of approaches and experiences rather than detailed defining of the content. A cautious approach is being adopted to not provide a detailed curriculum/syllabus which would be prescriptive and ‘delivered’ to the young children in a ‘straight jacketed manner’. The Curriculum Framework calls attention to the common principles and developmental tasks, at the same time, respecting the diversity in the child rearing practices and contextual ECCE needs. Each programme is expected to develop its own curriculum to meet the needs of its children, their families, the specific setting, the linguistic culture and the local community. However, the programmes should be based on the curriculum principles and guidelines laid down in this framework. This Framework is a dynamic document and would be continually reviewed and evolved in the light of emerging needs. Also, with the adoption of the framework, case studies of emerging best practices will follow and learnings from them would further strengthen the framework. This Framework is firmly focussed on the needs of the child and should lead to improved quality of learning and increased attainment of learning outcomes for children participating in ECCE programmes. The other components for the holistic ECCE programme such as nutrition, health and care are to be ensured by cross reference from related instruments. Objectives of Early Childhood Education The aim of Early Childhood Care and Education is to facilitate optimum development of the child’s full potential and lay the foundation for all round development and lifelong learning. This aim is to be achieved through enabling the child to: ? Develop a positive self-concept. ? Establish a sound foundation for a good physique, adequate muscular coordination and basic motor skills. 5 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 ? Imbibe good health habits and basic life skills/ self-help skills necessary for personal social adjustment. ? Enhance verbal and non- verbal communication skills which would facilitate expression of thoughts and feelings in fluent, correct, clear speech. ? Develop the five senses and cognitive skills and concepts which are foundation for higher order thinking and reasoning. ? Develop emotional maturity by guiding the child to express, understand, accept and control feelings and emotions. ? Imbibe values, social attitudes and manners important in his/her socio cultural context and to become sensitive to rights and privileges of others. ? Develop independence, aesthetic appreciation and creativity by providing child with sufficient opportunities for self-expression and active exploration, investigation and experimentation. ? Make a smooth transition from preschool to primary through development of emergent literacy and school readiness. Principles of Early Learning Learning begins from birth: From infancy children are mentally and physically active. They learn through all their senses and stimulations. Children construct knowledge: They construct their own knowledge or working models while they actively engage in their environment and through repeated interactions with people and materials. This simply means that children touch, taste, shake things etc. to find out what happens and learn about things in their environment. Children’s curiosity and desire to learn: Children are curious and eager to learn. They have an inherent need to make sense of their experiences and learn about the world around them. Children learn through play: Play is central to the child’s well-being and development Children’s spontaneous play provides opportunities for exploration, experimentation, manipulation and problem solving that are essential for constructing knowledge. Play contributes to the development of representational thought. 6 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Child development and learning are characterized by individual variation: No two children are same. Each child has an individual pattern and timing of growth and development as well as individual styles of learning. Children’s personal, family experiences and cultural backgrounds also vary. Children’s learning reflects a recurring spiral that begins in awareness, and moves to exploration, to inquiry, and finally, to application. Any new learning by children begins with awareness, which is generated from their experiences with objects, events, or people and ends with utilization, where children are able to use what they have learnt for multiple purposes and apply their learning to new situations. At this stage children start exploring the next level of information and the spiral continues. Children need to experience success more than failure to form a positive self-concept: The experiences should be planned in accordance with the maturational level of the children, such that they are challenging yet achievable, so as to promote self-confidence. When children have confidence in themselves, they do better. They are eager to try new and harder things; they gain new skills and become more confident and capable. Children develop holistically and benefit from integrated experiences and education: Learning and development of children takes place in totality. All the domains of development i. e. physical, motor, cognitive, language, socio-personal, emotional and creative and aesthetic appreciation are interrelated and take place simultaneously. Curriculum Content The curriculum must address the following interrelated domains of holistic development through an integrated and play based approach which focuses on development of life skills. ? Physical and Motor Development: Gross motor skills; coordination of fine muscles with dexterity ; eye hand coordination; sense of balance, physical co-ordination, and awareness of space and direction; nutrition, health status and practices. ? Language Development: Listening and comprehension; oral skills/speaking and communicating; vocabulary development; pre- literacy/emergent literacy skills like phonological awareness; print awareness 7 and concepts; letter- sound Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 correspondence; recognition of letters; building words and sentences and early writing. Introduction to language of school transaction. ? Cognitive Development: Development of various concepts including pre number and number concepts and operations (knowledge and skills related to comparing, classification, seriation, conservation of space and quantity, one to one correspondence; counting); spatial sense; patterns and estimations in measurement; data handling; skills related to sequential thinking, critical thinking, observing, reasoning and problem solving; and knowledge about concepts and physical, social and biological environment. ? Socio-Personal and Emotional Development: Development of self-concept; selfcontrol; life skills/ self-help skills; habit formation; initiative and curiosity; engagement and persistence; cooperation; compassion; social relationships; group interaction; pro- social behaviour; expressing feelings, accepting others feelings. ? Sensorial Development: Development of the five senses through visual, auditory and kinaesthetic experiences. ? Development of Creative and Aesthetic Appreciation: Exploring different art forms, develop dispositions, expression and appreciation for artistic, dance/ drama and musical activities Physical & Motor Development Creative and Aesthetic Appreciation Language Development Socio-Personal Development Cognitive Development Emotional Development 8 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 ECCE is†¦.. †¢ A balanced play based programme of language, cognitive, creative and psychomotor activities A child centered programme catering to individual children’s learning &emotional needs through individual, small and large group activities and one to one communication. A school readiness programme which ‘readies’ children for learning to read, write and do arithmetic later. A programme which indirectly promotes self-control and thereby inner discipline in children through interactions. †¢ ECCE is not†¦.. A syllabus bound programme for teaching 3R’s nor ‘a song and a rhyme and go home’ approach. A teacher centred programme that follows formal classroom approach as in school A program for formally ‘teaching’ reading, writing and arithmetic, which is to be done in primary. Not a programme which demands unquestioning obedience or exercise strict classroom discipline †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ (Source: Kaul, V. (2010): Early Childhood Education Programme. National Council for Educational Research and Training) The ECCE programme should ensure ‘holistic development’ of the child and reflect the inseparable nature of care and education by comprehensively addressing the need for care, nutrition, health and well-being of young children and parent counselling along with supporting the development of all domains. The holistic development approach is vital for provision of interconnected and interrelated activities covering all domains of development. Suggestive Developmentally Appropriate/Age appropriate Activities for ECCE For Children Under 3 years ? Focus on health, nutrition and early psycho social stimulation through free play and a lot of adult child interaction. Eg. s. , (infant games, traditional songs & syllables, access to variety of play materials, individualized adult attention and interaction, opportunities to explore, early introduction to stories, infant books, drawings etc. ) in safe, spacious and clean environment. 9 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 For Children between 3 to 4 years ? Planned play based programme for all round development with more of free play. Continuous opportunities, more free but some guided, for adult –child, child to child Basic Tenets of Curriculum Development ? Based on needs and capacities of young children ? Recognition of special features of children’s thinking ? Mix of formal and informal interaction ? Familiarity and challenge in everyday rhythm ? Primacy of experience rather than expertise ? Developmentally appropriate practice and flexibility ? Use of local material, arts and knowledge which reflect the diversity and culture of the children. Source: Position Paper, National Focus Group on ECCE, 2005 interaction and interaction with play materials and environment through a variety of individual, small group and large group activities. ? Opportunities to listen to stories, learn rhymes, create, indulge in imaginative play, ask questions, do simple problem solving, experiment to promote active and interactive learning and generally have a ‘feel good’ experience for a positive self-image. For Children between 4 to 6 years Moving towards an increasing ratio of adult guided vs. free play activities, and more of large group activities for 4-5 year old and focused more on specific school readiness for 5-6 year old, with increasing complexity in all of above. ? Reading Readiness: e. g. picture –sound matching, shapes, phonetics; increasing vocabulary; verbal expression, developing bond with and interest in reading through picture books, storytelling, charts etc. 10 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 ? Writing Readiness: e. g. eye hand coordination, interest in writing, left to right directionality. ? Math: developing skills in classification, seriation, pattern making, reasoning, problem solving, forming concepts: pre number and number concepts and space concepts and vocabulary, environment concepts. ? Motor development: fine motor development through activities such as beading, pegboards and puzzles and large muscle development through running, jumping, balancing activities etc. ? Creativity and aesthetic appreciation: Creative drama, cultural activities, field trips etc. The programme should be relevant to individual and societal needs. The age demarcations are indicative and the activities have to be planned according to the developmental level of the children. Principles of Programme Planning ? ? ? The activities should be age and developmentally appropriate. Activities fostering all domains of development should be appropriately planned. The attention span of young children is 15-20 minutes; therefore the duration of activities should be 20 minutes, with additional time allotted for winding up and initiation of the next activity. However, the programme should allow space and flexibility for need based variations. ? There should be a balance between structured and unstructured; active and quiet; outdoor and indoor; self-directed and adult initiated learning opportunities and individual, small group and large group activities. ? ? ? ? The experiences should progress from simple to complex. A wide range of individual and group experiences should be planned which are related to the child’s environment, are enjoyable and challenging for children. Routine fosters a sense of security in children. Therefore some routine should be followed in the daily programme. The ECCE programme should never be rigid. 11 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 ? The duration of the pre-school programmes should be 3 to 4 hours. The programme should provide for some rest period during the day and if it is of longer duration, as a full day programme, then a nap time is to be ensured. ? Learning opportunities should be interconnected, linking learning experiences across developmental domains in a meaningful context, reflecting the real life context of the children. ? The language used should be the mother tongue of the child. Efforts should be made to extend their language sensitively and introduce the school language gradually to facilitate school readiness. ? Curriculum goal and objectives should guide classroom process and assessment of the children. The curriculum should be implemented in a manner that reflects responsiveness to family/ home values, beliefs and experiences. ? The programme should provide opportunities for exploration and experiential learning, promoting active engagement with people and objects in the environment. Outcomes of Early Childhood Education Curriculum Children who ? ? ? Communicate effectively Display emergent literacy skills, mathematical skills and scientific temperament Express emotions in socially acceptable manner, are socially adaptive and cooperative ? Have physical control, strength and healthy habits Pedagogical Approaches The curriculum adopts a play and activity based approach. Children are visualised as active beings who construct their own knowledge and the process of teaching –learning is one of co-construction of knowledge, with adults as facilitators. 12 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Various approaches are practised for transacting the Early Childhood Education programme. Some commonly adopted approaches are: Montessori Method: This method is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child’s natural psychological development and is transacted through specialised sensorial material. Regio Emillia: Based on the work of Loris Mallaguzi, this is a constructivist approach which focuses on creation of a learning environment that enhances and facilitates children’s construction of their own thinking through the combination of communicative, expressive and cognitive languages as they engage actively with people, material and environment. Progressive Method: This is an eclectic approach which draws from the major child development theories. Recognizing the many paths of learning, latest researches and contemporary work lay the foundation of this framework. Thematic Approach: Integrated themes and projects form the core content of the curriculum. These themes should enable the children to make meaningful connections among the different concepts and develop holistic understanding of the world around them. The curriculum should be flexible and responsive to the needs of the children in the class. It is to be constructed to suit the diverse social, cultural, linguistic contexts in the country, and initiate integrated learning. A programme can adopt any of the above mentioned approaches to transact the curriculum. An integrated daily/ weekly/ monthly programme should be prepared with a well-rounded selection of learning experiences that strengthen all domains of development and are age and developmentally appropriate. The activities for different domains and concepts should be planned purposefully to enable a child to actively engage with and experience the concepts. These will help to consolidate the learning and lay the foundations for future. Caution should be observed to not equate the curriculum to just an exercise of organising activities, rather it should be viewed as a planned and purposeful intervention and adult child and child to child interaction to facilitate the process of knowing, understanding and construction of knowledge by the children. The aim of the curriculum should be to foster 13 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 development through integrated activities rather than mere completion of worksheets or repetitive exercises and activities. To address the needs of the large group of children in one class and multi-age setting, the strategy would be to conduct the activities in large group, small group and individual level. Essential Play and Learning Material In early childhood stage, a child learns through interacting with immediate environment hence environment should be stimulating and should have a variety of materials to arouse and sustain the child’s curiosity, interest and promote his learning. ? Adequate supply of developmentally appropriate play materials to foster all round development should be available at the ECCE centre ? The materials should be safe, clean and in good conditions. Sufficient quantity should be available to work in small groups and it should be easily accessible to the child. ? The materials should promote gross and fine motor development and help the child to discover and explore including constructing and reconstructing. It should promote sensory exploration and social interaction along with creative expressions through arts, painting, etc. Some essential play materials are Indoor Material o Blocks for constructive play o Manipulative toys 14 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 o Material for imaginative play /Dramatic play – dolls, puppets, masks, kitchen sets, mirrors, old spectacle frames, purses, old shoes, weighting scales, clock etc. o Material to develop Language skills – books and picture books, storytelling aid, puppets, story cards, sound board, conversation cards, flash cards, picture dominoes, collection of rhymes and stories, visual discrimination and auditory and visual association materials, slates, chalks, crayons, blackboard, drawing paper, etc. o Material to develop cognitive skills – sound boxes, visual discrimination cards, touch cards, feel bag, food items of varying kind to develop sensory skills, number domino cards, picture jigsaw and self-correcting puzzles for matching, sorting, arranging, classifying, problem solving, memory and sequential thinking to develop cognitive skills and materials in the environment o Musical instruments o Art material for creative expression such as paints, crayons, pencil, paint brushes, cotton, threads, clay, knife, papers, scissors, cloth, gum and fevicol, bead, etc. In addition to locally available material, teachers/caregivers can develop play and learning material for specific activities planned in the programme. Outdoor Materials o Play equipment to build balancing, jumping, climbing, swinging, swaying, cycling, etc. o Materials like large or small balls, old tyres, rings, etc. for throwing, catching, kicking, rolling, etc. 15 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 o Sand and water play arrangement with sand pit, mugs, spoons, cups, bucket, sieves, strainer, etc. Assessment Assessment is an essential and integral component of any ECCE programme to ensure that the programme remains child centric and the experiences and activities are planned according to the level of the child. It gives an insight into children’s interests, achievements and possible difficulties in their learning from which next steps in learning and teaching can be planned and thereby provides a platform to support the planning of a coherent curriculum for progression in learning. In order to ensure that the programme is responsive to the developmental needs of the child, it is essential to maintain their developmental and learning profile. The purpose of assessment is to give useful information about children’s learning and development to the adults providing the programme as also to children and their families. It also helps ensure early identification of developmental delays, special educational needs and particular abilities. Assessment contributes to evaluation, revision, and development of programmes. The areas of assessment ? ? ? The child’s interest and participation Skills and abilities Social interactions The assessment of the children should be formative, continuous and flow from the experiences planned in the curriculum. Formative continuous assessment implies documenting the development of the child, by interpreting the evidence from the day to day experiences of the child with the purpose of recognising and encouraging strengths and addresses learning/developmental gaps. Teachers need to evaluate each child’s progress on an ongoing basis, through observations of their behaviour; their artwork and other products. Home-based observations may also be 16 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 conducted. The current level of performance should be rewarded to reinforce small steps of accomplishments towards the long term goals. Portfolio should be maintained for individual child. It should contain anecdotal records, developmental checklists, samples of drawing, writing and other activities, observation notes and parent teacher meeting notes. Role of Caregiver/Teacher The caregivers/ teachers in an ECCE programme are facilitators who engage children in multiple experiences to foster their all-round development. They play the following roles: ? Observe children to identify their needs and capabilities and move with the pace of the child’s development ? Plan appropriate, ? ? ? developmentally holistic and challenging activities Focus not only on planning and conducting activities but also on continuous processes for interaction and relating learning to child’s environment. Create nurturing and positive relationships with children and among children Organise supportive learning environment by taking care of aspects such as the arrangement of the physical environment and equipment; the scheduling of activities and events and groupings ? ? ? Work in partnership with parents Facilitate learning to meet the objectives of the curriculum Help in early identification and intervention for children with special needs 17 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 To accomplish the above the teachers need to enjoy being with young children, be knowledgeable about children’s development and early childhood curriculum and should be skilled at implementing the curriculum. Role of Parent The young child spends most of the time at home and much of the early learning occurs through the child’s day to day interactions with the family. The parents have a major role to play in the child’s development, much beyond merely being around the child and providing food and other basic needs. Parents need to: ? Provide a conducive environment at home for optimal development and learning and spend quality time with the child ? ? ? ? ? Encourage exploration and experimentation at home and optimally utilise the ample opportunities for incidental and lifelong learning arising from the daily activities Play a cooperative role and establish a relationship of trust and mutual respect with the teacher/caregiver at the ECCE centre Share and plan the development of their child along with the teacher/caregiver Participate in the open days and other events for parents and community Not to force formal learning and competition at this early age and respect children’s abilities and personalities. Supportive Essentials The open framework approach to curriculum adopted herein requires certain preconditions as essentials. These are: ? An enabling and stimulating learning environment which has been carefully designed and is child friendly 18 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 ? ? ? ? ? Contextually and culturally appropriate curriculum content Developmentally appropriate learning and play material Activity; rhyme and story bank Children’s Activity Book Trainer’s Manual and Teacher’s Guidebook addressing adult-child interaction, arrangement of the physical environment and equipment, planning of the daily routine etc.to help teachers implement the curriculum effectively ? ? Supportive supervision Professional development opportunity for ECCE caregivers 19 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Annexure 1 Some Significant Themes to be covered in the Curriculum Myself, my family and community Food, health, hygiene and cleanliness Natural world and environment: plants; animals and birds; fruits and vegetables Physical environment: air, water, universe, seasons Social environment: My country; festivals and celebrations; neighbourhood; means of transport 20. Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Annexure 2 Sample Weekly Plan Theme: Animals Time 9. 00-9. 30 9. 30-10. 00 Monday Circle Time Free Conversation (Animal Names) Tuesday Assembly Guided Conversation (Homes of Animals) Sorting Cards (Animals and their young ones) Block Play Lunch Tearing and pasting on animal drawings Wednesday Circle Time Free Conversation (Food of Animals) Soft and Hard Surface Thursday Assembly Guided Conversation (Animals and their young ones) Shape: Circle Friday Circle Time Guided Conversation (Uses of Animals) Pattern Writing. 10. 00-10. 30 Seriation Activity (Small to large animal) 10. 30-11. 00 11. 00-11. 30 11. 30-12. 00 Animal Race Lunch Free hand drawing of pet animals Swings and slides Lunch Models of animal homes Walking on Zigzag line Lunch Making Clay Animals Sand Pit Lunch Mask Making 12. 00-12. 30 Animal Rhyme (Pet Animals) Music and Movement Activity (How animals move) Rhyme Dramatization (Farm Animals) Animal Story (Wild Animals) Song and Dance (Birds) 12. 30-1. 00 Winding up & Departure Winding up & Departure Winding up & Departure Winding up & Departure Winding up & Departure. Note: The time allotted for each activity is 15-20 minutes; the time slots of 30 minutes allotted in the plan include setting up, distribution of material and winding up for each activity. 21 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Annexure 3 Sample Thematic Web Numeracy: Sorting pictures of animals and their young ones Creative Art : Models of Animal Homes Language: Rhymes and stories on Animals Cognitive : Animal names Types: Pet/ Wild/ Aquatic Animal food, sound , home Animals Physical & Motor: Animal Race Tearing and Pasting on Animal Drawings. Socio-Emotional : Free Conversation Music & Movement : Song and Dramatization 22 Early Childhood Education Curriculum Framework 2012 Important Resources 1. Bhatnagar, R (2005): Little Steps. A Manual for Preschool Teachers. National Council for Educational Research and Training. New Delhi 2. Kaul, V. (2010): Early Childhood Education Programme. National Council for Educational Research and Training. New Delhi 3. Mother and Child Protection Card, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. 4. Muralidharan, R. , Asthana, S. (1991): Stimulation Activities for Young Children. National Council for Educational Research and Training. New Delhi 5. Position Paper on Early Childhood Care and Education, National Focus Group (2006). National Council for Educational Research and Training. New Delhi 6. Soni, R, Kapoor R, Vashishtha, K. K. (2008): Early Childhood Education. An Introduction. National Council for Educational Research and Training. New Delhi 7. Swaminathan, M. and Daniel, P. (2004): Play Activities for Child Development: A Guide to Preschool Teachers. National Book Trust, New Delhi. 8. WHO Child Growth Standards- Methods and Development, World Health Organisation 23.

Geography of Kuwait

Kuwait, officially called the State of Kuwait, is a country located on the northeastern portion of the Arab Peninsula. It shares borders with Saudi Arabia to the south and Iraq to the north and west. Kuwait’s eastern borders are along the Persian Gulf. Kuwait has a total area of 6,879 square miles (17,818 sq km) and a population density of 377 people per square mile or 145.6 people per square kilometer. Kuwait’s capital and largest city is Kuwait City. Fast Facts: Kuwait Official Name: State of KuwaitCapital: Kuwait CityPopulation: 2,916,467 (2018)Official Language: ArabicCurrency: Kuwaiti dinar (KD)Form of Government: Constitutional monarchy (emirate)  Climate: Dry desert; intensely hot summers; short, cool winters  Ã‚  Total Area: 6,879 square miles (17,818 square kilometers)Highest Point: 3.6 km W. of Al-Salmi Border Post at 116 feet (300 meters)Lowest Point: Persian Gulf at 0 feet (0 meters) History of Kuwait Kuwait’s modern history began in the 18th century when the Uteiba founded Kuwait City. In the 19th century, control of Kuwait was threatened by the Ottoman Turks and other groups located on the Arabian Peninsula. As a result, Kuwait’s ruler Sheikh Mubarak Al Sabah signed an agreement with the British government in 1899 that promised Kuwait would not cede any lands to any foreign power without Britain’s consent. The agreement was signed in exchange for British protection and financial aid. Throughout the early to mid-20th century, Kuwait underwent significant growth and its economy was dependent on shipbuilding and pearl diving by 1915. In the period from 1921–1950, oil was discovered in Kuwait and the government attempted to create recognized borders. In 1922, the Treaty of Uqair established Kuwait’s border with Saudi Arabia. By the mid-20th century, Kuwait began pushing for independence from Great Britain and on June 19, 1961, Kuwait became fully independent. Following its independence, Kuwait experienced a period of growth and stability, despite Iraq’s claiming of the new country. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait and in February 1991, a United Nations coalition led by the United States liberated the country. Following Kuwait’s liberation, the U.N. Security Council drew new borders between Kuwait and Iraq based on historic agreements. The two nations continue to struggle to maintain peaceful relations today, however. Geography and Climate of Kuwait The climate of Kuwait is dry desert and it has very hot summers and short, cool winters. Sandstorms are also common during June and July due to wind patterns and thunderstorms often occur in the spring. The average August high temperature for Kuwait is 112 ºF (44.5 ºC) while the average January low temperature is 45 ºF (7 ºC).

Terrorism Is A Growing Real World Situation - 2080 Words

Terrorism is a growing real world situation which is having a deepening impact on many facets of international business. A Gallup Survey of December 2015, that followed the terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, named terrorism as the top problem confronting Americans (Gallup.com, 2015). Annual terrorism statistics from United States (US) Department of State (state.gov, 2015), which are required by law, show businesses were targeted 1127 times in the year 2014, the 4th highest type of target, as depicted in Table 1. Globalization of business across national boundaries in the world economy is a reality (Hill, 2000) and the intensifying threat of terrorism on international business is an undeveloped research area worthy of additional study with heightening practical and academic implications. Research Motivation Academic and personal motivation Terrorism Overview - Unfortunately terrorism has a long evolving history dating back to piracy on the high seas. 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The Effects Of Child Abuse On Children - 1951 Words

Child Abuse is a huge social problem that affects children from all walks of life. It can have detrimental long-term negative consequences that forever change the lives of millions of people. It’s extremely important to understand the impact it has on the mental and social well-being of young adults and try to prevent the ongoing cycle of violence. As a society, we need to become more aware of how serious this problem is and try to intervene before the consequences affect future generations. Theories have been proposed to try and explain these different effects and how it contributes to negative behaviors throughout their development and many of these theories have provided valuable information to help answer some of these research†¦show more content†¦The study hypothesized that physical abuse would relate to violent delinquency, more so than the effects of other risk factors. In the first study (Lansford et.al, 2007) a community sample of 574 African American and Caucasian children were followed from the age of 5 the age of 21. Children were recruited from random from 3 different school districts in Tennessee and one in Indiana. Abuse was measured through extensive interviews with participants through the age of 21 and follow-up assessments were conducted annually. Violent delinquency was measured using self-report and also through official court records of their violent offenses. Nonviolent delinquency and aggression were measured by examining official court records, self-reported arrests, self-reported externalizing problems, and romantic relationship violence. After examining this data, an investigation of the information showed that adults who had been physically abused in the first 5 years of life had a higher risk of being arrested as juveniles for violent, nonviolent and status offenses (Lansford et.al, 2007). This data was measured using analyses of covariance and adjusted means. Lansford (2007) shows that physically abused youth were also less likely to have finished high school, more likely to have been fired from their job in the past year, and impregnate or be impregnated as a teen by someone they were not married to. Lansford (2007) also suggests that they were

Paraphrasing Apple and Nokia

Question: Write about theParaphrasingfor Apple and Nokia. Answer: Introduction The key objectives of the projected study will aim to carry out detailed analysis and discussions pertinent to several strategies and relevant policies through comparison of the situation specific to companies like Apple and Nokia to sustain their existence and pursue their dominance over the market. in this regard, Apple is considered as a reputed company that is rapidly expanding its business. Contrarily, Nokia may be recognized as a leading organization from the past decade around the year 2007 that has gradually lost its prominence owing to the entry of novel brands and organization in the cellular phone industry (Parasuraman, and Zinkhan, 2002). In order to regain its lost glory and fame in the gadget related technological industry for Nokia, numerous ways have been improvised and dealt with throughout the entire length of the study discussions. In this respect, the contributions of the strategies and policies are noteworthy to add to the value of the organization and its repute . Analysis and Discussions Regarding Strategies Followed by Apple For the sake of survival and penetration in the highly competitive market associated to consumer electronics, Apple has resorted to adopting several diverse and unique strategies. Of the strategies and policies followed by the company to be among the top names in the mobile phone and computer industry, the ones that are associated to these two industries are of particular significance. Primary emphasis is laid on the customer satisfaction through promulgation of appropriate marketing strategies, designing of the products, differentiation of products and setting of design standards. All these initiatives on the companys part pave the way for emerging as the best manufacturer of phones and personal computers (Wilkie, and Moore, 2003). Possession of a plethora of vital elements by Apple adds to the advantage for the company. The elements include a designing firm, a publishing company, a media platform, a powerhouse of software, computer manufacturer and others. Specific Strategies Followed by Apple Include: Ignorance of the Criticisms The marketing strategies as laid down by Apple refers to turning deaf ears and ignoring the criticisms that are rampant in the marketing industry, instead suggestions have been made to focus on the performance and doing the job appropriately (Leonidou, Katsikeas, and Samiee, 2002). The company has driven its agenda on accomplishing their goals of manufacturing their products as per their conception. The pivotal focus rests on the cost of production because as per the opinion of the company, the consumers are ready to pay as long as they are getting something at fulfill their purposes and demands. Thus innovation is the key to their success ad brand promotion that are carried out prior to every product launch. Designs more than Just Ordinary Attention is paid in designing the products and making them more appealing and beautiful to the customers rather than making them just ordinary. All the software components and design features attributed to the phones, personal, computers, iPads and laptops are so unique and attractive that instantly grabs the fancy of the customers and prompts them to purchase and use them across their lifestyle. A kind of pleasure is derived from buying and utilizing such products having beautiful designs (Aladwani, 2001). Undertaking measures and implementing designs that are out of the box are a constant endeavor of the company and in order to accomplish such tasks the UVP or unique value proposition method that aids in manufacturing of both unique as well as beautiful designs are put forward by the company. Consideration of the product in its entirety instead of a sole feature of the product is highlighted by the company to capture the attention of the consumers (Cova and Pace, 2006). Less Investment in Advertisement As far as the philosophy of the company is concerned, they believe that good products do not require branding, promotion or endorsements to increase their salability. Quality is the determining factor for their purchase and marketing of the goods. Rather than focusing on branding, placement of the products are given more importance in the company. Real ad economical brandings are fostered from the feedbacks by the social media content and customers. Apple chief target is to reach out to its potential audience through a natural and non-manipulated mechanism (Gummesson, 2005). The procedure to achieve this objective observes the actions from the insiders and influencers who are capable of taking the company to the target audience. Further promotion of products is carried out through utilization of free trail programs and testimonials. Simple Marketing and Simple Product As the common notion goes the more, the merrier, however this idea does not always holds true. Simplified design and limitations in turn might account for harboring the projected benefits out of a product. Rejection by the users following over burdening with technologies in a particular product often occurs because of lack of knowledge for application and increased amount of confusion due to hefty technicalities. However, Apple does not follow this trend blindly and instead make effort to allay the apprehension o the users through mitigating the hi-tech allocations and software. Simplification is also achieved through diminishing the marketing of the products. Therefore it is perceived that effective marketing is not the sole resolution for attracting the potential customers and the massage is clearly conveyed to other companies competing in similar industries (Varadarajan, 2010). Data and information provided in abundance and more than what is required may bewilder the customers and direct them in wrong ways. Customers enjoy the benefits procured from simplification measures that are adopted in course of the marketing strategy process. In keeping with this legacy, the websites for Apple are also very less captivating with limited access to information turning them simpler. Knowledge and Interaction with the Customer The stores of Apples are also simple in terms of their designs and illustrate the images of their coveted products carrying adequate information related to the product specifications and other technical details. Apple is considered as a name to reckon who value their customers and leave no stones unturned to cater to the satisfaction of their users (Binsardi, and Ekwulugo, 2003). The professionals attached to Apple are competent enough to make interaction and engage in fruitful professional communication with the potent users in a comfortable and compelling manner devoid of any confusion. The prudent and pragmatic approaches followed by the Apple staff in making the customers understand their products are don in a subtle and insightful way. They resort to explaining things like The iPods are capable of performing dual activities, one serving the basic function as a music player and the other as a storage device. The iMac meets up to the expectations pertaining to the pleasure and excitement of the customers apart from serving the purposes of a normal computer. The latest technology of iPhone launched by Apple is a seamless amalgamation of technologies to provide dual advantages specific to smart phones and Apple computers. The websites serve as a useful resource of providing synopsis and succinct information about the company and their associated products (Luo, and Bhattacharya, 2009). Endeavors for Providing Improved Services to Customers Unlike any other brand, the product version as offered by Apple is unique and distinct in its presentation. Extensive research and deeper analysis have gone onto crafting and creating these products in a manner to appeal the customers. Innovation is another pillar in their brand name where refined and updated version of the elements of the designs is utilized to prepare the devices. The company strives relentlessly to deliver optimal service for its valued customers without failing their expectations and cater to the value for money philosophy as the customers are investing their money to buy the products (Madhavaram, and Hunt, 2008). The services that are provided through the Apple stores follow a decent and humble discourse. Moreover the stores are designed in a fashion to inspire the purchase and attract the customers. Warm lights, monochromatic color schemes coupled with large windows provides enough space and aesthetics thereby enhancing the visibility of the Apple products that are kept in display in the store. Thus the company tries to provide a unique and distinctive experience to its buyers (Bloch, 2011). Building of a Community of Users and Consumers The fan followers of Apple have accentuated over the years and some of the fans are even the permanent and loyal users of this brand. The fan base is not limited to a particular place and encompasses customers spread globally. The enthusiasm and fanaticism of these customers account for novel impetus for the company (Parasuraman, and Grewal, 2000). Development of a brand personality and a respectable name falls under the aims of the company. Critical Discussions on the moves that could have been taken by Nokia to sustain their dominance in the technological industry Nokia was a prominent name in the technological industry dating back to the year 2007 accounting for about 350 million handsets. Back then, Nokia also introduced a service o music system that had the provision of downloading any sort of music. Initially Nokia tried to expand its business being an internet company, but later on shifted to being a leading mobile phone brand and since then is continuously making progress to attain its projected goal of standing as an internet company as well. As per the opinion of the Nokia owners, the only other brand that is capable of providing tough competition to the handsets brought to the market by Nokia is Apple (Verhoef et al. 2009). Other developing companies that are in competition with Apple bears the brand names of Motorola, Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips and others. Adoption of simple strategies together with the flexibility in the individual brands is the forte of Nokia. Therefore in order to continue with this sustained performance and dominance in the industry, this strategy might be helpful. However the introduction of newer brand and organizations in the market has culminated in the shrinkage and narrowing of scopes for the products. In this context, innovations and following of effective marketing strategies is considered crucial to reach to the desired level of professional excellence and satisfy the demands of the target audience. The lost glory may also thus be regained by the Nokia Company, in this manner (Hitt, Ireland, and Hoskisson, 2012). Positioning of the company is important to encounter challenges and develop effective strategies. Implementation and framing of the policies must resort to analyzing the opportunities and threats relevant to the company. For sustenance in the markets, the company might undertake mergers and acquisition. Development and manufacturing of products and services must be done in accordance with the proper grasping of innovative ad market tested ideas from the leading organizations. For future procurement of profits and revenues, the company must analyze and explore all the possible market opportunities. Company may divert their targets towards the emerging markets for phones and other gadgets. For the initial boosting of the company revenues and profits, development of software and applications may be chosen as a viable option. Cross selling of the phones manufacture by Nokia to the enterprises, business organizations and other clients may also be considered. Conclusion Post completion of the present study it may be stated that marketing strategy is the vital step that facilitates the brands to etch their names in the good book of the customers in addition to simultaneous maintenance of market name and reputation. For the sake of survival in the competition, brands like Nokia or Apple must frame effective marketing policies. Consideration of the brand image must also be made to account for providing customer satisfaction and sustaining the goodwill of the company to remain ahead of others in the competition relevant to the technology market.

Professional Learning and Development Program

Question: Discuss about theProfessional Learning and Development Program. Answer: Introduction There are numerous factors that influence an organizations performance. One of these factors is employees. For any organization to performance efficiently and competitively, it must have well qualified, experienced, motivated and consistent employees. It is quite challenging for an organization to get employees with all these characteristics unless it develops internal strategies for realizing them. One of the strategies that many organizations use to increase their employees competence and effectiveness is having professional development programs (Looper, 2016). These programs enable organizations to equip their employees with the latest knowledge and right set of skills thus making them more competitive and successful in the industry they are operating. It is also important for employees to remain competitive because the professional landscape is ever changing. For instance, the use of technology has become very crucial in all professions especially engineering. There are new technological tools being developed and launched almost every other day. Most of these tools can help organizations to increase their performance and competitiveness. So the best strategy that organizations can use to keep their employees updated with such technological developments and capitalize on their benefits is by having a professional learning and development program (Wilcox, 2005). These programs also help employees to understand current and projected trends and changes in the market so that they can help their employers respond to these fluctuating market conditions accordingly. Previously, professional learning and development was largely emphasized in schools. It means that those in teaching profession were the ones who usually enrolled for, developed or implemented professional learning and development programs. This is what led to the famous professional learning communities (Provini, 2012). These communities were aimed at improving the performance of students and schools in general by training teachers on how to improve their teaching knowledge and skills. However, this has changed over the years and now professional learning programs have become a necessity for many organizations. In fact, in some places it is mandatory for certain professionals to have a professional learning plan (Utah State Board of Education, 2016). These programs are being used to nurture employees skills, motivate and retain staff and improve overall productivity at workplaces (Sarita, 2016). Therefore the beneficiaries of these programs are both the employees and the organizatio ns involved, as discussed by The Peak Performance Center (2016). All professions and professionals have something to benefit from professional learning and development programs. This makes the programs useful in all workplaces. For instance, teachers who enroll for professional learning and development programs have significantly impacted their students learning (Timperley et al., 2007). The task here is to develop a professional learning program for my previous workplace. This company has a proven track record of success in engineering industry in Australia. Being part of their project team in engineering department for three and a half years, I learnt a lot regarding creating opportunities for employees to learn and develop their professions while working. It is for this reason that I because interested in professional learning and development programs. As an engineering educator, I have vast knowledge and experience in regards to professional learning and development programs. Therefore the program developed here is from my personal experience at my previous workplace. From my experience, it is very important to ensure that the professional learning program developed is effective and produces positive results to the organization. To achieve this, it requires proper planning and involvement of all relevant stakeholders. Therefore it must start by understanding the procedures of planning, developing and implementing a professional learning program. The first step that the company should do is to analyze the importance, applicability or relevance of the program to the company. Developing and implementing this program should be seen as an investment for the company. Since the program aims at expanding the knowledge and skills of employees, developing a program that will achieve these objectives has to start with identifying its potential benefits. Some of the expected benefits of the program include: addressing employees weaknesses, maintaining employees knowledge and experience consistency, boosting staff morale and satisfaction, and improving staff performance (Frost, 2016), among others. Understanding potential benefits of the program will also make it easier to give it the necessary attention and adequate resources when implementing it. Therefore it has to start with looking at how employees and the company in general will benefit from the program. After identifying and analyzing the potential benefits, it is also important to share them with all stakeholders in the organization, including employees. This will help in preparing stakeholders in advance so that when they are called for to participate at different stages of the program, they will be supportive. The second step is to explore the target employees. It is important to acknowledge that different employees have different weaknesses, strengths and capabilities. Having the same professional learning program for all employees may not produce good results. For example, the specific needs of the companys employees in human resource department may be different from those in project management department. In this regard, it is more sensible to have different learning development programs for the two groups of employees. The aim of exploring target employees is to understand their needs. The company has many employees in different departments and so their needs are also probably varied. At this stage, relevant department can ask their staff to list down their weaknesses, strengths and what they need so as to improve their performance and productivity. According to (Duke, 2016), the process can be made easier by preparing self-assessment forms and giving them to employees to fill. The forms should require employees to list their skills, interests, personalities and values. These forms should also be prepared based on the skills, technologies and opportunities available for the employees and whether they will help the organization achieve its needs and objectives. It is important to note that giving employees a chance to list training needs that will improve their performance is one way of telling them to analyze and determine their career progress. These employees will take time to look at how their careers have been progressing in the past few years thus being able to know whether they are on the right track. So they will use this opportunity to identify their strengths, weaknesses and areas that need improvement. Some employees may also use this opportunity to express their wish of changing the department they are working in, such as from finance department to human resource department. Identifying the specific areas that need to change indirectly means improving their productivity at workplace. So this step will play a key role in enhancing the effectiveness of the professional learning program. The third step should be to set goals. This comes after evaluating the current situation of the organization i.e. company and employee needs. For the program to achieve the desired goals, it must have goals. As discussed by (Shala, 2013), there must be an ultimate goal and sub-goals. The goals should be as specific as possible, which can be achieved by using the SMART (specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timely) strategy (Bowen and McDonough, 2013). For example, the company can use the program to aim at training 50 employees for the first half of the year and thereafter double the number for the remaining half of the year. Having such a goal will help the company to know the exact amount of resources required during the first six months and last six months of the training for that particular year. Setting goals also helps the company to identify any specific gaps in the knowledge or expertise of its employees, which may be preventing them from attaining their full potential at work. The company deals with different types and sizes of projects and clients thus these gaps will always be there. Knowing the gaps is also essential in designing a more specific program. The deadline for each goal should also be realistic so that everything is done painstakingly. The fourth step is to research the most suitable training course for implementing. There are different courses available and each is suitable for meeting varied needs. What is important is to select a course that will be effective in achieving the target goals. The company can decide to develop its own course from scratch, because it has the capability and/or resources, and use it to train employees internally. According to Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, (2014), the most important thing is to ensure that the professional learning and development program chosen contains all effective elements. If the company cannot implement the selected course internally, it can look for available places where the course is offered and enroll their employees there. Some of the factors to consider when looking for a place to train employees externally include: location, duration of course, cost, and proven track record of execution, among others. Whether the course comprises of formal classes or online classes, it is very crucial to ensure flexibility because in most cases employees will be required to continue with their jobs while attending the course. The company can use its network to create or identify the most suitable course for its employees. The fifth step, which many people or organizations ignore, is to analyze costs. This is a crucial step because if the company cant meet the cost, the program cannot be effectively developed and implemented. It is worth noting that implementing a professional learning and development program requires substantial amount of resources (Warren, 2006).Some of the costs incurred include: equipment, tools or material costs, travel expenses, technology costs, downtime, instructor fees (especially if instructors come from outside the organization), and reduced employee productivity, among others. Remember that your employees may have to split the time between performing their normal tasks at the organization and going for the program training. So their level of production is likely to reduce when they are through the program. All costs associated with the program should be analyzed so as to find the best strategy of balancing them with the benefits of the program. Considering the qualified sta ff that the company has in its finance department, this should be an easy step for the company. The sixth step is to start implementing the program. This step comes after the organization has performed cost benefit analysis of the program and decided that the program is worth implementing. Basically, implementation involves employees going through the selected training course/program. The best way to know whether the program is being implemented effectively or not is to check attainment of sub-goals. It must be remembered that failure to achieve sub-goals will inhibit attainment of the ultimate goal. The benefits and goals of the program should be the main motivators to keep those involved committed throughout the process. As noted by DuFour (2004), it is important to ensure that the environment enables employees to learn, there is collaboration among all stakeholders, and focus is put on results. Ullman (2009) also argues that there should be trust among participants, learning teams should be given adequate time and the program has to be wide-ranging. Last but not least, the programs progress must be monitored and evaluated along the way. This will help in ensuring that everything is done on schedule and also gives updates on nearness to achieving the target goals. Monitoring the progress will also help the organization to identify new challenges or opportunities and make necessary changes to improve the programs effectiveness. The company can assign the monitoring task to head of departments in conjunction with the person in charge of professional learning and development program. Both the company and employees have to be ready for challenges that come along because nothing can go as perfectly as planned. The challenges should be used as learning opportunities. All difficulties or setbacks have to be recorded followed by establishing approaches of overcoming them. The company should celebrate any milestone attained along the way and reward participants who complete the program successfully. Additionally, the program has to be reevaluated after a certain period of time, such as six months. Reevaluation is important in ensuring that the program and its implementation process are aligned with employees and organizations needs and objectives. The reevaluation should be done in conjunction with progress monitoring. This is because the monitoring report is what should form the basis of suggesting changes, if any. Reevaluation is of great importance especially if the organization is implementing the professional learning and development program for the first time. The best way to do evaluation is by checking progress and success indicators (objectives). As stated by State of Victoria (2005), the importance of professional learning program across the world cannot be overstated. A professional learning and development program is an explicit approach that an organization develops and implements so as to improve the professionalism or competence of its employees. This program gives the organization the guidelines it has to follow to boost its employees professional growth, which translates into improved performance of the organization. Hence the program aims at identifying the needs of the company and formulating a strategy to meet them. If this program is developed properly and implemented effectively, both employees and the organization benefit significantly (Killion, 2008). I have no doubt that if I had a chance to go through a professional learning and development program while still at the company, my professionalism and productivity would have improved significantly. From my experience as an engineering educator, developing an effective professional learning and development program should follow this guideline: analyzing the importance, applicability or relevance of the program so as to know its benefits; exploring target employees/learners to understand their needs; setting goals; researching for the appropriate training course; analyzing costs; implementing the program; and monitoring progress. The program also requires necessary support system for it to be implemented effectively (Killion, 2013). Therefore professional learning and development programs are worthwhile for implementation not only in educational institutions but in all organizations. References Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2014, Designing Professional Learning report, Sydney: Australian Government. Bowen, R and McDonough, M, 2013, Sample Smart Professional Development Goals, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.brighthub.com/office/home/articles/72258.aspx DuFour, R, 2004, What is a Professional Learning Community? Viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/may04/vol61/num08/What-Is-a-Professional-Learning-Community%C2%A2.aspx Duke, 2016, Professional Development Plan, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.hr.duke.edu/managers/performance/development/ Frost, S, 2016, The Importance of Training Development in the Workplace, viewed September 17, 2016, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-training-development-workplace-10321.html Killion, J, 2008, Assessing impact: Evaluating staff development, Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Killion, J, 2013, Professional learning plan: A workbook for states, districts, and schools, Oxford, OH: Learning Forward. Looper, L, 2016, How Professional Development Programs Work, viewed September 17, 2016, https://money.howstuffworks.com/business/professional-development/professional-development-programs4.htm Provini, C, 2012, Best Practices for Professional Learning Communities, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/best-practices-for-professional-learning-communities.shtml Sarita, H, 2016, Ways to Promote Professional Development in the Workplace, viewed September 17, 2016, https://smallbusiness.chron.com/ways-promote-professional-development-workplace-45524.html Shala, M, 2013, 6 Steps to Create a Professional Development Plan, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.recruiter.com/i/6-steps-to-create-a-professional-development-plan/ State of Victoria, 2005, Professional Learning in Effective Schools: The Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional Learning, Melbourne: Leadership and Teacher Development Branch. The Peak Performance Center, 2016, Benefits of Professional Development, viewed September 17, 2016, https://thepeakperformancecenter.com/business/performance-management/professional-development-program/benefits-professional-development/ Timperley, H, Wilson A, Barrar H Fung I, 2007, Teacher Professional Learning and Development, Wellington: New Zealand Ministry of Education. Ullman, E, 2009, How to Create a Professional Learning Community, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.edutopia.org/professional-learning-communities-collaboration-how-to Utah State Board of Education, 2016, Teaching and Learning Licensing, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.schools.utah.gov/cert/License-Renewals/Professional-Learning-Plan.aspx Warren, J L, 2006, Professional Community and Professional Development in the Learning-Centered School, Washington, DC, National Education Association. Wilcox, J, 2005, Developing Professional Skills, UK Centre for Materials Education, viewed September 17, 2016, https://www.materials.ac.uk/guides/developing.asp