Starbucks Is The Leading Retailer And Roaster Marketing Essay

Starbucks Is The Leading Retailer And Roaster Marketing Essay My assignment strives to outline the marketing strategic approaches to be undertaken for the next year by the Starbucks is the leading retailer and roaster for brand specialty coffee in the world. It has over7,500 stores located worldwide. As Starbucks continues to expand, it will encounter all sorts of new product markets, with new and demanding customers for unique and appealing products. Entering this new market, Starbucks will face many challenges to compete and to retain brand recognition of its primary products, yet increases awareness of its new product line. Situational analysis Company As Mathew Carmean and his fellows (Sewer, Andy,January 26, 2004 p.70) tell us: Starbucks is the leading retailer for roaster and brand specialty coffee in the world. It has over 7,500 stores, which are located in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia and the MiddleEast. Besides high quality coffee drinks, Starbucks sells bottled coffee drinks, such as Frappuccino andStarbucks DoubleShot. [ibis]Starbucks revenue is growing by 20% a year and is opening approximately three stores every day.Starbucks is capable of managing its successful operations by having steady market growth. It achievedthis by financing through their cash flow instead of franchising, selling stock or increasing their financialleverage). Its strategy to success is blanket an area completely. This approach is to cuts down ondelivery and management costs, shortens customer lines at individual stores, and increases foot traffic forall the stores in an area, that gives Starbucks a competitive advantage. Customer At first only professionals and educators went to Starbucks, but now it attracts a much wider demographic of customersincluding people of different ethnic backgrounds and ages. Today, Starbucks has the striking number of 25million visitors in its stores each week. This success is due to the combination of high quality drinksand friendly environment with good music, comfortable chairs, and good services. This creates theStarbucks experience which customers can relate to that lead to brand loyalty. In addition, Starbucksneeds to deal with customers cultural preferences in all its worldwide locations to maintain customers loyalty. Competitors To ensure further market growth and be competitive, Starbucks is developing new products for non-coffee drinkers. Starbucks provides its current customers and attracts new customers not only with quality products but also with varieties flavors that customers desire. Starbucks two largest competitors are Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme, both are national chains. These companies use aggressive price-cutting, up to 20%, for their drinks. Other competitors are small local coffeehouses, and other coffee brands like Tullys and Petes Coffee. Their direct competitors for the new product line are Orange Julius, Jamba Juice, fast food chains such as McDonalds and Burger King, and other small coffee alternative providers. Complementors Starbucks has teamed up with Bank One to offer the Starbucks Card Duetto Visa. This is a stored-value card and traditional credit card. Starbucks has also introduced a T-Mobile Hotspot service which allows the Starbucks customer to have access to wireless internet for a fee.  Offering more services like the Visa card, wireless internet and customized CD will add more value to the Starbucks experience and help draw more customers to Starbucks which will lead to higher revenues. Managerial Problem Starbucks strategic goal is to increase market share of the non-coffee drinker; they have begun byintroducing an extension of a product line targeted to this segment. To ensure market growth, Starbuckshas repositioned one of its current products, the Frappuccino line, this product has been extended toinclude 3 new flavors; Double Chocolate Chip Crà ¨me, Vanilla Bean Crà ¨me, and Strawberries Crà ¨me,introduced throughout the summer months. Faced with the challenge of entering a new competitivemarket Starbucks must compete to retain brand recognition of its primary products, yet increaseawareness of its new product line by expanding the retail stores in the international markets. SWOT analysis  will help emphasize exactly what Starbucks is doing right or wrong. It will provide us an insight on what the company is good at, and in what areas Starbucks could use assistance. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) are described below: Starbucks SWOT Analysis Strengths It is a global coffee brand built upon a reputation for fine products and services. It has almost 17,000 stores in 49 countries.   The organization has strong ethical values, commitment to the environment, and community activists. Weaknesses The organization has a strong presence in the United States of America with more than three quarters of its cafes located in the domestic market. In order to reduce business risk, expansion is needed. Starbucks has a reputation for new product development and creativity. However, they remain vulnerable to the possibility that their innovation may falter over time, and product acceptance will come to a halt eventually slowing growth. Opportunities The company has the opportunity to expand its global operations. New markets for coffee such as India and the Pacific Rim nations are beginning to emerge. Co-branding with other manufacturers of food and drink, and brand franchising to manufacturers of other goods and services both have potential. Threats Starbucks success has led to the market entry of many competitors and copycat brands that could pose potential threats. How they combat these threats will determine their future. Starbucks is exposed to rises in the cost of coffee and dairy products. Starbucks is a large company with a competitive advantage that is shrinking because of its huge success. This is because Starbucks model has been copied successfully by its competitors and this poses a serious threat to the company. If Starbucks cannot retain its differentiator strategy, it is doomed to fall out of popularity, as it would end up being a store that is selling nothing more than a cup of coffee.   With majority of its stores concentrated in United States, Starbucks is also limiting its growth and exposing itself to risk. Any negative changes in the domestic market could severely hurt Starbucks viability as a firm. If Starbucks can retain its strengths and build on opportunities, while suppressing weaknesses and extinguishing threats, it will be able to grow throughout the world market. The SWOT analysis also gives a starting point for a discussion on what Starbucks can do to reduce its weaknesses. Due to its large size, Starbucks sets trends for the industry that can be backed up by the volume of their delivery. Exactly how long Starbucks can dominate the market depends on Starbucks itself. Starbucks has a large number of stores for coffee outlets, all of which are owned outright by the corporation and no franchisees. Minimal revenue requirements have been placed on each store, and those that fall short are closed. The company closed down over 600 stores that fell short of its revenue requirements (Fiscal 2008 Annual Report). The large number of stores is a huge asset or a liability, depending on how one assesses the situation. If there is a strong economy and people have disposable income, then there is a benefit on having so many stores to generate revenues. On the other hand, during economic downturns, the vast number of stores will become a huge financial liabi lity. By consistently enforcing revenue requirements for each store, Starbucks will able to maintain or increase its same store sales, and while at the same reducing one of the weaknesses of being so large. The company has managed to maintain the competitive advantage because it has offered conveniences and an atmosphere customers can enjoy. As long as Starbucks fulfills its customers wants and needs, Starbucks will continue to be a leading force in the market. Starbucks should continue to create more value at its stores. Starbucks has created a perception that it is focused not just on profits, but also on societal agendas. The companys stores have become a medium for people and communities to come together and promote a better place to live in an environmentally conscious society. Starbucks found a niche market where it identified what makes its customers happy, and has delivered it to them. Continuing to accomplish this will allow Starbucks to maintain its competitive advantage for years to come. Marketing Vision and Mission statement of Starbucks Mission Statement of Starbucks To inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. Vision of Starbucks   Establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow. Marketing Objectives of Starbucks To create a Starbucks experience that makes people come for the coffee, stay for the ambience and environment, and return for the connection. To build an image separate from smaller coffee chains. To clearly communicate the values and commitments of the Starbucks business to their customers, instead of only growth plans publicized in the media. Marketing strategies Implemented by Starbucks Growth Strategy This well-known marketing tool was first published in the Harvard Business Review (1957) in an article called Strategies for Diversification. It is used by marketers who have objectives for growth. Ansoffs matrix offers strategic choices to achieve the objectives. There are four main categories for selection. Ansoffs Product/Market Matrix Market Penetration With this approach, Starbucks will try to sell more of the same product to the same customers at a competitive price. Here itwilladvertise, introduce a loyalty scheme, launch special promotions, to encourage more people within the existing market to choose its products, or to use more of it. By working toward this goal, Starbucks wants to open new stores in both new andexisting markets, expand their product development process, and cater to customersneeds to eventually improve their financial position and dominate market share. Market Development With this approach, Starbucks will target new markets or new areas of the market. It will try to sell more of the sameproducts to different people. However,we will target different geographical markets at home, use different sales channels, such as online or direct sales if weare currently selling through the trade, target different groups of people, perhaps different age groups, genders or demographic profiles from our normal customers. Product Development With this approach, we will sell more things to the same people with new products. Here we will extend our products by producing different variants, or packaging existing products in new ways. Starbucks can apply the following product development strategy Fresh and rich brewed Italian espresso Offers pastries and other appetizing confections Sells coffee-related accessories (mugs, coffee makers, cups, espresso, etc.) Expanded sales into supermarkets of whole bean coffee Introduction the widely popular drink, Frappuccino, to the public Strives for satisfied customers and a welcoming environment Works to have highest standards of excellence in way of business Offers newspapers and other reading material, popular music, and Internetaccess Ansoffs matrix is one of the most well know frameworks for deciding upon strategies for growth. CompetitiveStrategy Porter five forces Generic strategies were used initially in the early 1980s, and seem to be even more popular today. They outline the three main strategic options open to organization that wish to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. Each of the three options are considered within the context of two aspects of the competitive environment: Sources of competitive advantage   are the products differentiated in any way, or are they the lowest cost producer in an industry?  Competitive scope of the market   does the company target a wide market, or does it focus on a very narrow, niche market? Michael Porters Analysis of Starbucks Michael Porter, a Harvard Professor introduces his ideology of the Five Forces model that shapes the competition in the industry.    Each force is interrelated and therefore leads into the other to show the elements directly involved in the further success or ultimate success of the firm.   Ã‚   Starbucks Coffee Company, throughout its existence since 1971, with its great management team, innovative style of thinking and strong will to succeed in compliance with its mission and vision statements has and continues to overcome its barriers by recognizing such strategic planning as those included in Porters five forces model. The model includes such components as Barriers to Entry, Supplier and Buyer Power, Threat of Substitutions, and most importantly the Industry Competitors. Starbucks throughout its existence has addressed each and every one of Porters forces with a positive edge that has greatly contributed to the success of the company. Starbucks took manyrisks and spent capital that it really did not have.    To build a corporation based on intuition and a trip to Italy has undoubtedly paid off in the long run which is evident throughout the year that Starbucks has been in operation.    Howard Schultz, CEO and founder of the company, has stuck to his conviction not to sacrifice long-term integrity and values for short-term profit.    He knew if he played his cards right and stuck to his guns it would only be a matter of time that Starbucks would become the world largest coffee industry in the world.    He wanted the company to become and international outlet for coffee consumers which not only included men and woman but also addresses the needs and wants of those of all ages and nationalities, children, students and any other category of people that have and interest in Starbucks diverse product line. With constant dedication to the companys vision and mission statement and believing in the value of market share and name recognition and how critical they are to the success. (http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Michael-Porters-Analysis-Starbucks/33231) Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning Segmentation One dimension of segmentation will be demographics (age and household status). Starbucks have to selected married couples age 23 50 with children to be our primary target market. According to the research, it is found that these households spend more than other households on non-alcoholic beverages away from home. The Company will evaluate each segment based upon potential business success. Opportunities will depend upon factors such as: the potential growth of the segment the state of competitive rivalry within the segment how much profit the segment will deliver how big the segment is how the segment fits with the current direction of the company and its vision. Starbucks does not have any special segments or we can say that it is not focusing on a specifically group rather than company is focusing on the people who want to relax themselves by a taking a cup of coffee and company is providing them the environment that the customers want. Targeting As the Starbucks is extremely careful ineach step of coffee making, it is trying to maintain a long-standing relationship with its customers and similarly they do not have any real competition threats.Starbucks is will target office workers, with middle to high incomes, who have a desire topurchase premium products.While evaluating the consumer market the conclusion is that the ideal consumers economic profile will beUpper Middle Class, Privileged Class, While the age demographics will be Students and Youngsters, Professionals, Families, and Mature Consumers. Gender and Ethnic or Religious Background is researched to have minimal or no effecton the choices concerning coffee. Positioning Positioning is undoubtedly one of the simplest and most useful tools to marketers. After segmenting a market and then targeting a consumer, you would proceed to position a product within that market. Remember this important point. Positioning is all about perception. As perception differs from person to person, so do the results of the positioning map e.g what you perceive as quality, value for money, etc., and is different to my perception. However, there will be similarities. This is the main strength of this tool. Marketers decide upon a competitive position which enables them to distinguish their own products from the offerings of their competition (hence the term  positioning strategy). Store Ambience Goal: To make customers want to linger Social Appeal-Offer a sense of community, a place where peoplecan come together. Physical layout Seating areas to encourage lounging Appear upscale yet inviting Aromas Smoking is banned in all stores Employees are asked to refrain from wearing perfumes orcolognes, and prepared foods are kept covered socustomers would only smell coffee aromas. Sounds Play soothing CDs that are also for sale Often offer live music Customer Service The company sees a direct link between customer satisfaction andcustomer loyalty. The company believes that employee satisfaction leads to customersatisfaction (Moon). MARKETING MIX Product Starbucks should try to position themselves as a premium product in the coffee industry in Asia bycreating a high standard, introducing innovative products and providing excellent service.They should open new retail stores in the downtown area and also try to maintain the quality control of the coffee beans throughout Asia.  Consumers can enjoy theexperience; they encounter at Starbucks, and now for those who seek a high quality non-coffee drink canenjoy the same experience. By introducing these new summer drinks, Starbucks will enjoy an entirelynew segment to market its products in Asia. When looking at the sales revenues for the summer drinks it isimportant to consider that some of the existing customers will inevitably cross over and begin consumingthe new drinks. In the end, the expansion of the product line is a wise decision because of the ease ofadoption to Starbucks reputation for quality as well as the low cost of implementation. Price Price and quality determines the value of the product. Therefore, Starbucks have to base their price strategy on the competition of quality.It alwaystries to deliver the high value promised to the consumers. They have to buy the quality beans,give effective and efficient training to staffs, and moreover, make an atmosphere to enjoycoffee. These all justify theirpricing and show how price supported their positioning. Place Distribution channels links the organizations product or service to its consumers; andin a producer-consumer (direct supply) channel, as in the case of Starbucks, maintaining apersonnel relationship with the customers is significant (BrassingtonPettitt, 2000). However, from a distribution point of view Starbucks has an advantage by sticking on to itswinning store location formula for its new stores (refer case study). Starbucks always selectedhighly visible locations and opened stores as clusters. As demandwill grow, as these store clustersmake them able to manage the increased traffic and to keep their competitive position.In thesame way, they can take care about the services provided in the stores. Starbucks invested heavily in training their staffs and did innovativetactics to manage their human capital. Thus they differentiated themselves in the market byconstantly providing higher quality services Promotion One advantage that may set Starbucks apart is the having a solid online marketing program. It should hire qualified online marketing managers to oversee its websites functions and appeal so that consumers to patronize the site will see all the humanitarian work Starbucks is doing and use it as a competitive edge to retain customers and curb product substitution. A search engine optimization campaign should be launched to ensure that anyone searching for terms related to the services Starbucks offers finds the Starbucks website and spends a significant amount of time there. Blogs and forums discussing the humanitarian work of the company may be added to increase consumer awareness of the companys activities. Artworks can be designed to boasteach citys personality, and it is used on traveler mugs and T-shirts, recruitlocal ambassadors from new partners and from customers to promote their brand.The Company is not using advertising but they can use those funds for acquiring key locations and establish a national dominance before others about specialty coffee bars. Relationship Marketing Starbucks Relationship Marketing activities can be done in two common ways like internally and externally. For example, internally, relationships are enhanced by introducing a cooperative and goal oriented organizational structure with effective control systems, retaining competent management, employing effective operational processes and international expansion strategies. Employees are   referred to as partners with both part and full time staff treated equally by offering both stock options and full medical coverage. Externally, Starbucks core strategy should be centered on building lasting customer relationships through trust and commitment with its stakeholders (Refer case study). After analyzing the information about what media the target audience prefers, we should come up with the following: newspapers, internet, outdoor, magazines and radio. Two certain types of magazines are mostly used. Those are womens interest and news and entertainment weeklies. Some of the specific vehicles for magazines will be Better Homes and Garden, People and National Geographic. As for newspapers, it should be locally distributed carriers that run the Parade supplement. The internet usage varied across a wide variety of content. Therefore, a key word association will be the most local choice to select their certain interests as well as the name Starbucks itself. Radio is also another that will have to change as far as format is concerned. This will vary depending on the market the radio is in. They do share common listening times. These times are from 10am to 3pm, Monday through Friday, and 3pm to 7pm on the weekends. Outdoor being another selection of media to reach our target audience it is a way of being in the community as they transit from one place to another. The location of this will be selected based upon spot market rating for the most showings in the specific areas. FUTURE PROMOTION AND EXPANSION PLANS: Starbuckswill be launching more branches all over Asia after developing an evenfirmer hold on the local western markets. The expansion will be planned for the nextyear that is 2011. The next targets should be India, Srilanka, Pakistan, and in cities of China.For that purpose again the launch will not be very extravagant, but the alreadyestablished repute in the metropolitan of western and the attachment of TV programsand stars will do the required marketing. Ads will be published in the leadingnewspapers and some bill board advertising should also be done. But overall it will below key marketing activity.Allocated budgetshould be kept in mind while launching the product in the Asia. Conclusion As stated earlier, Starbucks historically positioned itself as an upscale brand. Due to the economic downturn and increased competition from large quick-service restaurant chains and specialty retailers, the company sees its profits being eroded. The company introduced new products that would appeal to price-skittish customers and implemented techniques that would standardize its stores and reduce costs. The new strategy carries with it its own risks. Since Starbucks enjoyed such a rapid growth in its business, the company can expands its stores anywhere in the globe where there is a more profitability. It means that Starbucks stores are as readily available as McDonalds and as such the Starbucks experience the company asserts it provides, might be seen as no different than the experience of McDonalds. As in the case of appealing to mass market with bottomless coffee, Starbuckss core customer might move to other stores where they perceive the experience is still being provided. If Starbucks continues to increase its storeswhile measuring and implementing of its various cost cutting initiatives, Starbucks is likely to see increased profitability. The company is also introducing 100 new stores in US, and 200 new stores in International markets, which might positively affect the company provided they are successful. Aggressive adoption of no-frills products to bring in new customers could also affect Starbuckss profitability. Until now, any increase in commodity prices are more or less offset by companys high prices, but a no-frills products would put downward pressure on companys profitability, and possibly even damage Starbucks image as an upscale brand. Biblograhy 1) Mathew Carmean, Julie Anstett, Julia Toochette, Joel Ennis, Joey Eaton, Trang P. Huynh ,: 2003 The Starbucks: The Non-Coffee Treat 2) KatieTewell, Bethany Odom, Kelly Snider, December 12, 2006, Starbucks Marketing Plan 3)www.Marketingteacher.com 4)http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Michael-Porters-Analysis-Starbucks/33231

Life In A Reinassiance City Essay -- essays research papers

Life in A Renaissance City “…the most varied forms of human development are found united in the history of Florence, which in this sense deserves the name of the first modern State in the world, “ (Burckhardt)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Florence was the birthplace of the renaissance and the perfect example of a renaissance city. The city was founded during the Roman Empire but didn’t become important until the time of the renaissance. They had guilds, the patronage system, spectacular architecture, and was the home to some of the most important and influential renaissance figures and artists. (Beers)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All of the occupations were controlled by a guild. Guilds were a group of people that belong to the same professions and set a standard set of guidelines. Everyone belonged to a guild, not just the rich. A poor person would serve as an apprentice to a guild member. The more important guilds were the silk and cloth traders as well as bankers and judges. Lesser guilds were the butchers, blacksmiths and masons. (Bynog) “In the early history of Florence, there were battles between the guilds, which involved ransacking the city. This demonstrates how important the guilds were. They were more than just corporations or labor unions,'; (Bynog). The 12 guilds that controlled trade were the key to Florence’s commercial success. This was because the wealthy members of the guilds usually held go...

Essay on Love vs. Society in Pride and Prejudice -- Pride Prejudice Es

Love vs. Society in Pride and Prejudice    Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice explores the English social standards during the early 1800's. It shows the emphasis on marriage, or, namely, whom you marry. This story consists of three marriages. The first is socially based, the second is based on mutual admiration between two people, and the third represents one man's love and fight for a woman. This novel shows how marriage and love can arrest or improve social status and how love overcomes adversity. The first marriage is that of the youngest Bennet, Miss Lydia. She is imprudent and spontaneous. On a trip to the home of her aunt and uncle, she elopes with Mr. Wickham, a militia man. Mr. Wickham has no intention of marrying her. This is a tragic social step. It is thought that the real motive for this elopement is not of love. To this Mrs. Gardiner then says, "It is really too great a violation of decency, honor, and interest, for him to be guilty of it" (Austen 375). Only a few chapters later, Mr. Wickham is persuaded financially to marry Miss Bennet. Neither has any way of supporting the intemperate lives they live. These two extravagant young people do not, however, end happily. Mr. Bennet refuses to see his daughter after her marriage. Despite the financial help occasionally given by Jane Bingley and Elizabeth Darcy, they are rarely invited to see their family, as they often overstay their welcome. In the final chapter it is said, ". . . His affections for her soon sunk into i ndifference; hers lasted a little longer"(Austen 520). This marriage based entirely on an attraction between a good-looking, charming man and an impetuous, stupid girl of sixteen resulted in a poor social appearance and exclusion from many close f... ... society will be improved, but when love is found for society, society will fail the lovers. Works Cited Auerbach, Nina. "Waiting Together: Pride and Prejudice." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 336-348. Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. Harding, D. W. "Regulated Hatred: An Aspect in the Work of Jane Austen." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 291-295. Johnson, Claudia L. "Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 367-376. Mudrick, Marvin."Irony as Discovery in Pride and Prejudice." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 295-303.

political ideology in the media Essay -- essays research papers

Throughout many generations and years gone bye the media and presentation of issues by news sources have influenced society’s opinions on moral and governmental issues. Dating back to the writing of the constitution the general public was influenced by what was said in the media presentation. The framers of the American Constitution banned newspaper reporters from hearing any information regarding the constitutional meetings due to the fact that our founding fathers did not want to be influenced by the way the news was reported. In today’s technological society this influential concept may be even more prevalent with the advancement of the internet and the easy accessible news. In order to be informed you no longer have to pay a bill to subscribe to your local newspaper, but you can simply click on a story on a website and read the same text that appears in local papers. Two sources which are both easily accessible and well respected are the New York Times and the Wash ington Times. Both newspapers report on both national and local news pertaining to all areas that deemed being covered. Upon evaluating the ideology, bias, reporting style, and ease of learning new information, I found these two well respected and well known newspapers to be vastly different.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Upon attempting to navigate around the two websites I found that locating stories and specific writings on the NY Times website was tougher than on the Washington Times website. The NY Times ...

Essay --

The Constitution permits much private religious activity in and about the public schools. Unfortunately, this aspect of constitutional law is not as well-known asui1 it should be. Some say that the Supreme Court has declared the public schools "religion-free zones" or that the law is so murky that school officials cannot know what is legally permissible. The former claim is simply wrong. And as to the latter, while there are some difficult issues, much has been settled. It is also unfortunately true that public school may not be as fully aware of this body of law as they could be. Many of the organizations are actively involved in litigation about religion in the schools. On some of the issues discussed in this essay some of the organizations have urged the courts to reach positions different than they did. Though there are signatories on both sides which have and will press for different constitutional treatments of some of the topics discussed, they all agree that the following is an accurate statement of what the law currently is. â€Å"Students have the right to pray individually or in groups or to discuss their religious views with their peers so long as they are not disruptive. Because the Establishment Clause does not apply to purely private speech, students enjoy the right to read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, pray before tests, and discuss religion with other willing student listeners. In the classroom students have the right to pray quietly except when required to be actively engaged in school activities (e.g., students may not decide to pray just as a teacher calls on them). In informal settings, such as the cafeteria or in the halls, students may pray either audibly or silently, subj... ... the U.S. Constitution First Amendment religious liberty clauses protect private religious expression but prohibit government action to advance, coerce, or endorse religion in the public schools. The religious liberty clauses apply both to the actions of the school district and the employees of the school district. Me personally I’m atheist. Religion doesn’t bother me unless someone is forcing it to me. Being here at Wunsche High School we have a Christian Club, and last year I heard someone was trying to start a LGBT club, and the Christian club said that god didn’t like gays or others of that sexual preference. Everything now and days offends someone based on something they believe in, they are, or how they were raised. Religion is going to be a problem for as long as it is around. Until that day there isn’t much we can do about the problems that will come from it.

Consider Some Key Theories and Concepts of Learning and Assessment Essay

In this assignment I will explore the concept of learning and application of some learning theories within the in the vocational further education sector. I will explore the application of theories to health and social vocational topics and how this assists in developing key attributes for learners on these programmes. I will identify assessment methods and provide a critique of the validity of these in different educational programmes. Definitions of learning vary drastically. This is primarily due to the differing conceptions of what learning actually is. Saljo (1979) identified five categories of learning. It is suggested that the five categories: â€Å"†¦increase in knowledge; memorising information; Acquiring facts, skills, and methods; making sense or abstracting meaning; interpreting and understanding reality in a different way† (Saljo, 1979), conceptualise learning as process. There has been extensive debate regarding the learner’s awareness of events whilst undergoing this process. Rogers (Weilbel, 2011) identified two categories of learning: Acquisition and formalised. Acquisition learning is activity or task based learning linked to a continuous, unconscious learning process that takes place throughout life, in education and personal experiences. As it is thought of as an unconscious process, Rogers approach emphasises the lack of learner awareness during learning. Formalised learning is generally facilitated by an education professional where the learner is actively conscious of learning taking place (Colley et al, 2003). Whilst many professionals agree there are differing types of learning, the more commonly referred to dimensions of learning are often categorised into five dimensions rather than the two categories identified by Rogers. The behaviourist approach argues that behaviour is a result of environmental stimulus and the experience following the behaviour of positive or negative consequence will determine responses to the same environmental stimulus in the future. Reinforcement of positive consequences by positive praise or feedback can accelerate learning by conditioning the learners in the pattern of behaviour response to environmental stimulus (Minton, 2005). Behaviourist view learning as a step by step process and this combined with sequential praise will enable learners to associate a positive experience with learning. These behaviourist concepts have a heavy influence over the whole education system and are embedded into regulatory guidelines however lend themselves well to vocational, competency based qualifications such as the BTEC given the modular nature of the programme. The modular layout enables regular opportunity for the stimuli: behaviour response relationship to be enforced through positive achievement. Although this passive learning approach is utilised within most educational establishments, where learners acquire knowledge, constructivists argue that learners take a more participatory role in their learning and there is scope that each learner will have a differing perception of a learning experience and draw upon their own interpretation of the knowledge presented to them. Unlike the behaviourist approach where the teacher is the knowledge base, the constructivist theory places the learner at the focus of a more meaningful learning experience (Driscoll, 1994). The constructivist approach lends itself to the teaching methods applied in vocational topics. It links learners’ experience of the wider world including their vocational experience with the topics being taught. It creates opportunity for the application of learner knowledge in real life situations which allows them to build their own constructs (Petty, 2004). This approach links heavily with the humanistic approach to teaching and learning in that experiential or applied knowledge concepts foster a positive learning environment. Rodgers identified cognitive and experiential as the two types of learning. According to Rodgers, cognitive learning is meaningless and often consists of learners reciting information given; it does not rely on understanding or the application of the knowledge. Experiential learning however is closely related to vocational education in that it relies on learner’s ability to apply knowledge to situations that they have a personal interest in. In doing this, it creates opportunity for valuable learner involvement and significant learning (Beard and Wilson, 2006) In 1984, Kolb highlighted the benefits of a learning cycle developed as a result of an experience and emphasised how this not only enables knowledge transfer but it also develops skill competencies. This is particularly important in the health and social care sector as application of knowledge and vocational competency are key to the future employability of learners. The social learning theory combines elements of cognitive and behavioural learning theories. Bandura developed an approach where these two theories integrated and formed four categories of learning: observation, retention, reproduction and motivation. This learning theory relies heavily on modelling behaviours and is utilised heavily in the health and social care sector through vocational placements and induction periods where appropriate behaviour is displayed for new employees to imitate. Vocational Health and Social Care course outcomes and preparation for employment in the sector require a particular set of learner attributes and as such, teachers in this sector need to be aware of the skills set to develop appropriate to the needs of the sector and leaner. Not all learning can rely on the conditioning of learners and the cognitive approach based on constructivism argues that learning is the acquisition of not only knowledge but also skill by mental and cognitive processes. Thus learning is an active process and as teachers we need to appreciate the restraints of the assumptions of the cognitive theory of multimedia learning to assist in creating an experience which maximises the potential for learning to take place. This would include considering the auditory and visual channels, the capacity of each channel and the stages of the learning process (Mayer, 2001) Mayer (2001) highlights the importance of transferable learning and the integration of new information with prior knowledge. This is vital in the BTEC courses as the module outcomes are usually sequential and rely on the extension and application of existing knowledge Atherton (2011) however suggested that the way in which students learn is hugely defined by their motivation. The model used identifies two types of learning: deep and surface. This model associates well with the Access to HE Diploma in that most leaners are mature and have re-engaged with education purely as a stepping stone to succeed in a given career pathway. The motivation of Access learners is usually high and as Atherton (2011) suggests, intrinsic motivation of the learners will likely trigger a deep learning strategy. Although plausible, some research suggests that learning is habitual and regardless of the motivation, past experiences and approaches to learning are more likely to inform current engagement with the learning process. Discuss the key principles and concepts of assessment According to Gravell’s (2011), assessment is used to â€Å"†¦ find out if learning has taken place†. Assessment methods should be used at regular intervals throughout a lesson and informs practice, it should be used to advise future lesson planning of the same topic and subsequent lessons within the scheme of work. This is vital as if learners fail to meet the assessment; alterations need to be made to the lesson plan and scheme of work to address this before further topics can be taught. The two main forms of assessment are summative and formative. The methods used for each type of assessment and their respective aims vary. Formative assessment is usually carried out on a regular basis. It allows constructive feedback based on assessment of learner knowledge or work and acknowledges that learner’s abilities can be challenged with motivational feedback which assists in development. Summative feedback is usually a final assessment of a learner which is rigid in structure and final. Within the Health and Social Care sector, vocational education is heavily targeted towards formative assessment and tutors are encouraged by the accreditation body to provide opportunity for leaners to develop their work using formative assessment given verbally and documented on pieces of work. The assessment, accreditation and regulatory procedures placed on educational establishments impose tight restrictions on the content of teaching, expected learning outcomes, and their perception of what learning is. There are quality and validity issues surrounding assessment in every educational establishment which has a direct effect on the achievement of learners. Linked with quality assurance, standardisation and verification procedures, the consistency of tutor assessment of learning and its reliability is placed under intense scrutiny. This ensures that all learners have the same expectations placed upon them and the work produced meets the required standards to achieve the award. The concept of effective feedback in education is one which is controversial and with the best efforts, can still be misinterpreted. It is vital for teachers to be aware and have existing knowledge of appropriate feedback models which suit both learner and the programme which is being delivered (Wiggins, 2012). Feedback can be given in many forms and an awareness of the impact of these on the learner, achievement, the teacher and the college is fundamental. Feedback given to an individual may be given formally, informally, verbally, written, and be formative or summative. Learning and Assessment in Practice According to Petty (2004), there are four stages of teaching: setting aims, planning to meet the aims, delivering the session and then evaluating it. Lesson aims are usually taken from a scheme of work which is formed using the accreditation body specification. The Scheme of Work I devised was for the Research Skills Unit of the Access to HE Diploma using OCN accreditation. The OCN specification gives teachers guidelines on which aspects of the topic are required to meet the learning outcomes and the assessment methods for them. The scheme of work in place for this unit was very informal in placement and so I prepared a new version which was approved for use by my mentor. I will discuss the scheme of work including evaluation of inclusion, differentiation, embedding of key skills and actual content. I will discuss and evaluate two lesson plans from the unit and reflect on whether they produced an inclusive learning environment where there were positive outcomes of assessment of learning. The scheme of work for the research project originally lacked any activity based learning and relied upon traditional didactic approaches of tutor led presentation style lectures. Whilst this is an Access to HE course which strives to prepare leaners for experiences they may encounter in FE, being more creative with the content may provide a more valuable learning experience for learners. James and Pollard, 2006) Throughout the scheme of work there are documented sessions on 1:1 support which are used to differentiate between students The original scheme of work demonstrated poor opportunity for inclusive learning and differentiation. During the first session, I felt that the group were struggling a little with the concept of a research project and the enormity of the task ahead of them. In an attempt to make the content more accessible and less daunting, I revised the scheme of work by planning tutor led approaches, group activities, peer feedback, nominated questions and a variety of resources with links to each subsection of the scheme of work: an example of this was the use of blurb on a book to identify the concept of a summary in research. This type of planning promotes an inclusive learning environment where each learner is involved (Ashmore et al, 2010). I had planned to separate social groups to promote inclusion by encouraging integration across peer groups. This assists in learners gaining the opportunity for peer learning and developing skills around recognising and respecting diversity which is a key attribute in all health and social care sectors. To assess learning and ensure I had planned for differentiation within the group I used nominated and open questions. This allowed me to identify learners who required scaffolding whilst stretching and challenging all learners appropriate to their ability. The first lesson included in this assignment is the first session based on the introduction and overview of the unit. In this session I introduced the Word Wall ( see appendix). This was a useful tool in introducing new academic jargon which was a requirement of the learning outcomes and therefore leaners were required to utilise throughout their project. This utilised the cognitive approach as it assisted learners to guide them to relevant words, and limit individual sensory overload. As the unit has strong links to more formal academia and will almost certainly appear in most learners’ further education, it was imperative that they had a good understanding of the basic knowledge required from the start. The second lesson included in this assignment is the workshop I delivered on conducting a literature review. The original scheme of work planned for the use of a SMART board and class discussion for this lesson however this did not allow me to assess the ability of learners to conduct a literature review relating to their research topic and therefore failed to fully ddress differentiation and inclusion. My lesson plan involved tutor led starter activity where a recap of the literature review would occur and nominated questions to assess learners understanding of the variety of techniques used to narrow down their results and identify research which was of use to them. I had prepared a print out of the power point which I was unable to present due to the room restrictions: the learning resource centre is a quiet zone and so no formal presentation of the information was appropriate. To accompany this, the learners were given a step by step guide of performing a literature review with an example to follow for those who required assistance (appendix). Throughout this lesson I embedded the use of ICT and literacy skills in the form of communication, writing and reading to ensure I was supporting the development of functional skills which are extremely important. Formative assessment, verbally and documented, was used throughout both lessons to support learning and create opportunity for learners to develop their work prior to summative assessment. Methods of assessment relevant to your specialist subject area For this section I will be using examples from practice that I have been involved in: the OCN Access to HE Diploma and Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Diploma. The original scheme of work for this OCN unit was heavily based around the accreditation requirements and in doing so, was primarily focused on summative assessment. Learners were not often given the opportunity of formative assessment however this has been identified by both the learners and I as a potential learning opportunity which is being missed. Formative assessment would allow learners to reflect on and action their feedback which would enable targeted performance improvement. This would assist in the learning process for the learner and possibly also be reflected in improved achievement in summative assessment. When compiling the new scheme of work, this was considered throughout and opportunities for formative assessment and informal feedback were embedded to improve learner’s ability to build on their strengths and learn from continuous feedback rather than rely purely on summative feedback. The Access course design lends itself to summative assessment however learners on this course are often placed under increasing pressure to gain Distinction mark criteria by Higher Education establishments. Given most learners on the course are returning to education after work/life experience, it is unusual that a learner would achieve a Distinction grade especially on the first few modules. Increasing formative assessment in the first term of the course would potentially enable greater differentiation of learning and opportunity for this to be a realistic possibility. The course design of the BTEC differs greatly from the Access to HE in terms of assessment. It is widely accepted that the BTEC learners have multiple opportunity to gain formative assessment and that summative assessment of learning almost merges into formative when required: a final submission of work can be referred back to the learner with feedback which will highlight areas the learner needs to address to meet the criteria. There are possible issues with the reliability and transferability of the award. BTEC in nature is modular with each unit have a set of outcomes achievable by gaining the pass criteria and for those able, the merit and distinction criteria also. Most of the work is coursework related with few incidences of presentations, this combined with multiple attempts at achieving the outcome criteria and some FE institutions teaching purely to assessment criteria rather than teaching to enable application of knowledge/skills in the sector could possibly lead to learners achieving the award without having developed the necessary knowledge and skills as relied upon in the sector. Conclusion I feel this module has provided me with an overview of delivery and learner expectations within the education sector. Not only have I been able to gain valuable experience in delivery of programmes, I have also been introduced into the complexities of the role of an FE teacher within a large organisation. My own attributes as a trainee teacher and desire to improve the learning experiences of those I deliver to have been met with some conflict within an institution environment where values, attitudes toward the learning process and increasing learner involvement are not shared. This has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my own values and consider my future employment options. The scheme of work, lessons planned and lesson delivery within the placement has extended my knowledge and skills of effective learning within the classroom environment and how implementing theory affects the learning opportunities and achievements of the learners. I hope to continue developing these links throughout the course to inform a more effective delivery of learning and a higher standard of teaching.

Philippines the Center of the Marine Fish Biodiversity

Environmental Science The Philippines is the center of the marine fish biodiversity and the home of the most diverse marine ecosystem in the world in the study of two biologists Kent Carpenter and Victor Springer. The title of there is â€Å"The Center of the marine shore fish diversity: The Philippine Island,† we have are the center of the marine in the world and the former Environment Secretary Elisea Gozun said in her presentation of the status of the country’s coastal and marine resources at the Philippine Plaza Hotel in Pasay city.We must protect our marine ecosystem so that we can prove to the other country that we can also have a healthy marine that other countries can’t have. Second larges reef Most of the endemic species ar found in the Verde Island passage between Mindoro Island and the main island of Luzon We must improve our reef so that we can still have the second largest reef or the most largest reef on the world we must stop the dynamite fish on t he other side of the Philippines so the we can have a healthy and large reef so that our marine species have a shelter to make them live long and to multiply and we will have a large marine.Most Threatened Save the coral reef stop destroying the corals and stop the muro-ami style of fish and also the dynamite fish it destroys the corals and the are disturbed and the others die because of the toxic that affect the fish and the other marine species.Do not cut the mangroves beside of the river or lake because fishes also live in there it is alright that we make some fish pond but not to much that we need to cut mangroves just to have a fish pond 70% of mangrove have lost because of converting them into fish pond. Compared to the other counties with similar coastal resources, the people in the Philippines doesn’t know how to use our coastal resources.