Correlation between 8th grade mathematic CMT scores and mathematic CAPT

Correlation between 8th grade mathematic CMT scores and mathematic CAPT scores Introduction: Standardized testing, specifically â€Å"high-stakes testing†, has become a topic of debate for many years. â€Å"High-stakes testing† is associated with states that require successful performance on a standardized test for graduation, an â€Å"exit exam†. Is this the trend in public education? As an educator in Connecticut, should I expect â€Å"high-stakes testing† in the future? The State of Connecticut Legislature created a statue (Section 10-14n) that mandates statewide standardized testing for students in 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th grade. The tests assess performance tasks and a set of specific skills, which are aligned with the Connecticut Common Core of Learning and National Standards. Students are evaluated against that set of specific skills, not each other (Connecticut Mastery Test Program Overview 14). In 4th, 6th and 8th grade, students take the Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) and the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) is administered in 10th grade. The movement for standardized testing began in 1985 with the CMT and the testing trend continued with CAPT in 1994. The State of Connecticut touts the purposes of the tests are to monitor student progress, identify students for remediation, to promote accountability and equitability between/within school districts and to improve instruction/curriculum. Until 2001, the tests were not supposed to b e used as tool for promotion or graduation. In the 2001, school districts were mandated to create a specific set of criteria for graduation, with CAPT as one component but not the sole component (Connecticut Assessment Performance Test Overview 8). If the trend continues, Connecticut will have â€Å"... ...ment of Education. 2003. Connecticut Assessment Performance Test Program Overview. Dec. 2004 ct.us/public/der/s-t/testing/capt/2004_capt_program_overview.pdf>. Connecticut State Department of Education. 2003. Connecticut Mastery Test Program Overview. Dec. 2004 /s-t/testing/ cmt/cmt_program_overview_may_2004.pdf>. Connecticut State Department of Education. 2003. Strategic School Profile. Dec. 2004 . McMillan, James H. The Relationship Between Instructional ad Classroom Assessment Practices of Elementary Teachers and Student Scores on High-Stakes Test. Jan. 2003. Virginia Commonwealth University. Dec. 2004 storage_01/0000000b/80/28/04/d0.pdf>.

Air Transat Analysis Essay

Introduction: Air Transat is a Canadian airline based in Montreal, Quebec. It was founded in 1987, and is owned by Transat A.T. Inc. According to Air Transat’s website, their mission statement is: â€Å"Air Transat is Canada’s leading holiday travel airline. Every year, it carries some 3 million passengers to nearly 60 destinations in 25 countries aboard its fleet of Airbus wide-body jets. The company employs approximately 2,000 people. Air Transat is a business unit of Transat A.T. Inc., an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. Air Transat was named World’s Best Leisure Airline at the Skytrax annual World Airline Awards, held in July 2012.† â€Å"Transat A.T. Inc. is an integrated international tour operator with more than 60 destination countries and that distributes products in over 50 countries. A holiday travel specialist, Transat operates mainly in Canada and Europe, as well as in the Caribbean, Mexico and the Mediterranean Basin. Montreal-based Transat is also active in air transportation, destination services and distribution. (TSX: TRZ.B, TRZ.A)† Air Transat presents its products and services by stating that is a leading holiday travel airline that is owned and operated by Transat A.T. Inc. The types of customers served are international passengers within the 60 destinations that they operate in. Air Transat geographically covers 60 destinations in 25 countries. One of the ways Air Transat is distinguished from its competitors within the industry is by being give the world’s Best Leisure Airline two years ago in July 2012. Nothing has been mentioned about customer needs in their mission statement as well as they type of customers they are targeting. We could assume that Air  Transat is seeking holiday-oriented customer rather than business oriented customers for example. This mission statement shows no insight on how the firm will continue to compete with its competitors. According to Air Transat’s website, their vision statement is: â€Å"At Transat, we recognize the prime importance of the environment, host communities, cultural diversity, and our relationships with our employees, customers and partners. At Air Transat too†¦ Then, Air Transat is committed to reducing its ecological footprint, and has adopted an environmental policy.† This vision statement does not focus on the future they see in their vision with host communities, diversity, employees, customers, and partners. However, it focuses on the environment. It has done that by creating an environmental policy, which is committed to doing the following according to Air Transat’s website: 1. Complying with all applicable municipal, provincial, federal, and international legal requirements, exceeding compliance wherever practical and possible. 2. Certifying our environmental systems and performance to the highest standards, such as ISO14001, IENVa, LEED, ICI ON RECYCLE and Fly-360-Green. 3. Conserving natural resources, such as energy and water, and preventing pollution in our operations, buildings, and supply chains through source reduction, re-use, recycling and control. 4. Continuously improving our environmental performance by setting and reviewing objectives and targets, and by training and involving our employees and stakeholders whose activities have a significant environmental impact. 5. Collaborating with all of our key stakeholders (employees, suppliers, communities, governments and industry groups) regarding environmental, sustainable development, and corporate social responsibility initiatives and issues. Surprisingly, I did not find a strategic objectives statement on Air Transat’s website. There were no statements regarding how they will put their mission statement into action, or how their goals will be achieved.  However, there is a page that lists and summarizes all Air Transat’s awards, rewards, and recognition. PEST analysis: The definition of PEST analysis according to businessdictionary.com is: â€Å"A type of situation analysis in which political-legal (government stability, spending, taxation), economic (inflation, interest rates, unemployment), socio-cultural (demographics, education, income distribution), and technological (knowledge generation, conversion of discoveries into products, rates of obsolescence) factors are examined to chart an organization’s long-term plans.† POLITICAL ECONOMIC SOCIO-CULTURAL TECHNOLOGICAL Fuel taxation, and landing taxation Fear of terrorist attacks after 9/11. New European union regulations have led to higher levels of competition on European routes. Increase in the price of oil Increase in transportation costs Increase in disposable income due to rise in incomes and lower interest rates (people have more money to spend on leisure trips) Change in consumer behavior resulting from the aging population in Canada may affect the number of leisure trips taken Increased popularity in travelling abroad – Carbon dioxide emission – Emirates airlines launching double decker aircrafts (A380), serving 25 destinations – Wireless internet being launched in aircrafts – Frequent flyer programs The increase in the price of oil and the rate at which it is increasing is a global issue. For Air Transat, this means an increase in cost and expenditure. Since oil is essential in this industry, there is not much that Air Transat can do. The increase in the price of oil could cause force Air Transat to increase their prices for flight tickets. In more extreme cases, Air Transat may not be able to increase the prices for certain routes, and be forced to terminate their services to these routes. Air Transat could benefit from the change in consumer behavior resulting from the aging population in Canada by targeting the elderly population through advertising and promotions. For example, they could offer retirement packages, and certain promotions for specific destinations or at specific seasons of the year. Air Transat would need to conduct extensive market research about this matter to take into consideration that most retired people are on a fixed income or might not be healthy enough to fly etc. With the increased use of technology, wireless Internet is not only important for business traveler but also for leisure travelers. Even though it is not that common for aircrafts to offer wireless Internet during their flight, it being launched. Air Transat should consider offering this service, as it might be an attractive feature for many travelers. Porter’s Five Forces: According to investopedia.com, the definition of Porter’s Five forces is: â€Å"Named after Michael E. Porter, this model identifies and analyzes 5 competitive forces that shape every industry, and helps determine an industry’s weaknesses and strengths. 1. Competition in the industry 2. Potential of new entrants into industry 3. Power of suppliers 4. Power of customers 5. Threat of substitute products† The threat of new entry into the airline industry is very weak due to a few factors including very large capital required, major airports are highly congested, slow growth rates and with many reputable airlines already, brand loyalty may not be easy to establish due to the competition. This force is likely to remain weak. Competitive Rivalry is ranked as high because there are a high number of airlines operating both domestically and internationally with very competitive prices that Air Transat will need to constantly try to match. The fixed cost is very high such as the cost of oil, which cannot be controlled to a great extent. There is also a low product differentiation meaning that even though Air Transat is a leisure airline, there are still many other airlines that offer service to the same destinations at similar prices. Most airlines offer some type of frequent flyer program, which causes passengers who are members of these programs to be loyal to their airlines. This force could become even higher due to the increased competition. Bargaining power of suppliers is Moderate. Airlines are usually in a long-term contract with airline manufacturers, which also limit drastic increases in prices during that contract but because there are only two airline manufacturers; Boeing, and Airbus. They have a lot of power to make changes that Air Transat would be bound to accept. Labor my also be an issue because positions such as pilots, aerospace engineers, managers, and marketers may require high salaries and may not be easily found in the market. However, the salaries for labor in the airline industry are standardized over similar airlines. This force is likely to stay the same. Bargaining power of buyers is weak. Individual flyers, travel agencies, and online portals can all easily switch to different airlines due to low switching costs. However, the pool of customers is very large ranging from individual customers to large organizations. This force is likely to become weaker over time. Threat of substitutes is moderate within the airline industry because there are numerous airlines that offer service to the same destinations as Air Transat with similar prices, which does not limit the chance of customers switching to different airlines. However, that kind of standardization over the industry does not make other airlines more attractive than Air Transat. Threat of substitutes outside the industry is low because many destinations cannot be reached in a timely manner without flying, specially international ones. Flying is faster and safer than road, rail, or marine. I believe this force will become weaker over time. New Opportunities: Since Air Transat is well established in Canada, they have the chance to grow internationally beyond Europe. They can also take advantage of the current growth in the aging population in Canada by targeting that market and researching different ways to attract older customers. They could create a frequent flyer program specially designed for seniors. With Air Transat’s sold reputation, they could also have contracts with European organizations to provide them services. Air Transat could take advantages of the new developments in technology by providing wireless internet on their aircrafts and also by launching a new type of aircraft for European destinations such as the double decker plane that Emirates airlines launched. Threats: The main threat is the price of oil increasing is the highest cost for airlines now. A sudden spike in the price of oil could have negative impacts on Air Transat causing it to terminate service to one of their 60 destinations. There are other threats such as safety concerns due to the fear of terrorist attack, changes in government regulations and environmental issues. The airline/aviation industry overall is a great industry to be in for existing airlines, but a very hard one to get into for new airlines. Air Transat has a lot of potential to grow in the European market, and even  farther. Citations: Air Transat Environmental Policy. In Resp.Transat. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.resp.transat.com/_pdf/en/airtransat.environmental.policy.pdf?v=2. Emirates A30 News & Events. In Emirates. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.emirates.com/english/flying/our_fleet/emirates_a380/news_and_events/news_and_events.aspx External environment theory. In Business case studies. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/external-environment/pest-analysis.html#axzz2sW4YAx8I. Pest Analysis. In Business dictionary. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/PEST-analysis.html. Porter’s 5 Forces. In Investopedia. Retrieved Febuary 8, 2014, from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/porter.asp. Porter’s Five Forces. In Mind tools. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm Porter’s Five Forces. In Sites google. Retrieved Febuary 8, 2014, from https://sites.google.com/site/admn703ai/the-team Profile. In Air Transat. Retrieved February 5, 2014, from http://www.airtransat.ca/en/About-us/Profile?ID=35&type=voyageur&tmpl=GEN.

Critical Review of Greasy Lake

When I began reading â€Å"Greasy Lake† by T. Coraghessan Boyle, I thought these boys were exhibiting typical behavior of young-adult men and their behavior led them to trouble. Boyle kept my interest by anticipation and disgust at the boys of the boy’s behavior in this story. The narrator, who is the main character of the story, often describes himself and his friends as â€Å"bad characters† and this becomes more convincing in the story. Boyle also used Greasy Lake at not only the setting for this story but also as a character. He described the lake as â€Å"fetid and murky, the mud banks glittering with broken glass and strewn with beer cans and the charred remains of bonfires. † Greasy Lake is used as a symbol for the youth culture itself in the story and is littered by alcohol, sex and violence. When the boys first came across the greasy man at the lake, their attitudes change for a moment, all three of them are scared. When they began to fight with the man, the narrator grabbed the tire iron out of fear. Once the three of them beat him up and knock him unconscious, I think this only increased their already arrogant attitudes. When they attempt to rape the greasy man’s lady companion, I think that shows how truly pathetic each of them are, acting like â€Å"deranged brothers†. In a very disturbing way, the boys were asserting a primal physical dominance over the woman. I think Boyle’s was sending a message that there are consequences for our actions. Even though kids tend to think they’re big and bad and have it all figured out, these once cocky boys quickly became horrified once they had to face the consequences of their actions. I personally enjoyed reading â€Å"Greasy Lake† very much. The language in the story Boyle used is crude and literal, but it goes with the theme of â€Å"badness† portrayed by his characters. Boyle emphasizes the corruption of the lake by using it as a not only the setting, but also as tool to compare the narrator and the youth of the time. In the beginning, the narrator is as corrupted as the lake; though born pure and â€Å"clear† he becomes tainted by the â€Å"beer† and wildness of his culture. By ending with the beaten narrator and his friend refusing drugs and driving home, Boyle left me with a sense of for the boys that they are not really â€Å"bad characters† after all. The narrator has realized the consequences of his actions, and that he can no longer act invincible.

Climate Change The Complex Issue of Global Warming

Climate Change The Complex Issue of Global Warming Introduction Global warming has emerged as one of the most important and complex global issues facing the international community. This phenomenon has led to climate change that has caused many negative impacts to the environment. The international community has come to a realization that it must pay greater attention to this problem. This paper will examine the complex issue of global warming by reviewing some important questions on the topic including the greenhouse effect, atmospheric carbon dioxide and the significant environment damages of increased carbon emissions.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Climate Change: The Complex Issue of Global Warming specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Greenhouse Effect and CO2 Global warming has been largely attributed to the greenhouse effect. By definition, the greenhouse effect is the process through which the atmosphere absorbs infrared radiation emitted from the Earthâ₠¬â„¢s surface once it is heated directly by the sun during the day. This heat energy is then used to warm the planet. Greenhouse gases (GHGs) play an important role in controlling temperatures on the Earth. These gases fulfill this role by preventing all the sun’s radiation from escaping from the earth through convection (Jacobson 316). The GHGs selectively absorb radiation in the infrared region and then release this heat energy in all directions. By trapping some of the Sun’s heat energy, the greenhouse effect ensures that the temperatures remain high even when the sun is not shinning directly on the Earths surface. The natural greenhouse effect ensures that the Earths average near-surface air temperature is 150 (Jacobson 316). Without the greenhouse effect, the average temperature would be -150 and this is too cold to support most life. In addition to the natural greenhouse effect, human activities have also increased this effect. The greenhouse effect attributed to activities by human beings is referred to as the anthropogenic greenhouse effect and it has led to undesirable increases of global temperature on the Earth. There are a number of main GHGs responsible for the greenhouse effect. Water vapor is the main contributor to the greenhouse effect on the planet due to its ability to absorb infrared radiation. The second major contributor is carbon dioxide and this gas contributes between 10 and 25% of the greenhouse effect depending on the region (Jacobson 317). Methane gas, which occurs naturally or though the fermentation of organic matter, is the third major contributor of the greenhouse effect. The Ozone layer, which is a naturally occurring gas that is mostly concentrated in the stratosphere, is the fourth major naturally occurring greenhouse gas. Nitrous oxide, primarily produced from agricultural activities, is also an important greenhouse gas. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has experienced significant increase from the 280 parts per million (ppm) levels of 1860. The IPCC reports that the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide has been steadily increasing over the past few decades (1). The concentration in ppm in 1998 was 365 while in 2007 it had risen to 379ppm. Readings from the Mauna Loa Observatory indicate that the current rate is 393ppm (IPCC 1).Advertising Looking for assessment on environmental studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While natural atmospheric changes have contributed to an increase in the carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere, scientists agree that human activities have caused the greater increase (Dimitrov 801). Fossil fuel use has been the major cause of the increase in carbon dioxide levels. Fossil fuels have been used as the primary energy source for the industrialization process carried out from the last century. Cement production is also noted as a significant contributor to the carbon dioxide in the e nvironment. Carbon dioxide concentration has also risen due to the extensive deforestation that has taken place since 1860 (Dimitrov 802). Trees act as carbon sinks and reduce the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. Extensive deforestation has meant that the only a small amount of CO2 is absorbed by trees leading to the rise in atmospheric CO2. Environmental Damages of CO2 Emissions A number of major adverse effects to the environment are predicted if the CO2 emissions are not significantly reduced. The rise in CO2 will lead to increased temperatures on the Earth and this will increase the frequency of heat waves. Heat waves are devastating since they might lead to major fires that destroy natural habitats and even populated areas. Heat waves will also increase the demand on the available water resources (Fung and Lopez 119). The global warming attributed to carbon emissions will also increase flooding as the frequency of storms increases and sea levels rise due to the melting of ice at the Polar Regions. Fung and Lopez assert that climate change caused by CO2 will affect the quality of surface water. Some areas will experience increased flushing of nutrients and the increased storm intensity might lead to additional pollution of water (Fung and Lopez 119). The biodiversity on the Earth will also be negatively impacted by climate change. Some species will not be able to adapt the changing climate leading to their extinction. Analysis In my opinion, we do not need to wait for more evidence about the future of climate change before acting. The available evidence already strongly suggests that climate change is occurring due to the increase in greenhouse gases all over the world. Human activities are responsible for the extra CO2 emissions that have led to global warming.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Climate Change: The Complex Issue of Global Warming specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The freq uency of the adverse environmental effects attributed to global warming has already increased. Failure to take action to mitigate climate change over the last few decades has led to an increase in the detrimental effects of global warming. While there is no single solution to fix the problem, reducing the greenhouse gas emissions to the environment is an effective method. The global community should start acting now in order to reduce carbon emissions and therefore mitigate the problems caused by climate change. Dimitrov, Radoslav. â€Å"Inside UN Climate Change Negotiations: The Copenhagen Conference.† Review of Policy Research 27.6 (2010): 795-821. Web. Fung, Fai and Lopez Ana. Modelling the Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources. NY: John Wiley Sons, 2011. Print. IPPC. Human and Natural Drivers of Climate Change. Jan. 2013. Web. Jacobson, Mark. Atmospheric Pollution: History, Science, and Regulation. Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

dead stars essays

dead stars essays The story is focused in the life of Alfredo Salazar, who is the son of Don Julian and the brother of Carmen, who is a lawyer and engaged to Esparanza to whom he is deeply in love with until he met Julia Salas who made him confused about his love for his fianc. Alfredo met Julia in Judge Del Valles house, a friend of his father, who is his sister-in-law. He was puzzled with her smile every time he addresses her and he was charmed with her speaking voice. The daily routine of Alfredo and his father every Sunday morning after the mass is to go to the judges house that made Alfredo and Julia closer and know each better. He forgot that for several Sundays, he had not waited for Esperanza to come out of the church and he was already beginning to lie about his neighboring stuff. This is the beginning of his attraction to Julia. Esperanza did not enter in the picture because she was not prone to unprovoked jealousies that made Alfredo entertain the feeling towards Julia. When Don Julian invited the judge to Tanda, where he has a coconut plantation, a house, and a beach, they had this goodbye conversation because Julias parents want her to spend Holy week with them. The line The end of the impossible dream! meaning they have to be apart soon, pro ves that Alfredo is really in love with her. The time when Alfredo felt a violent commotion in his heart that he did not feel for Esperanza when he saw her is already a big problem because he will be soon married. He was already lying with his feelings but he still keeps his word to Esperanza. At the end of chapter two, the conversation is cut when Esperanza went out weeping with what his fianc had said. This situation made Alfredo think of what must be done. In chapter three, the paragraph started about Alfredo going to Santa Cruz, where he would defend a case and how it would disturb him because Julias lake town is ...

Grammar Tips Using the Present Tense - Get Proofed!

Grammar Tips Using the Present Tense - Get Proofed! Grammar Tips: Using the Present Tense â€Å"Carpe diem† is a Latin phrase often translated as â€Å"seize the day.† It’s used to urge people to appreciate the present moment instead of thinking about the past or future too much. And in that spirit, we’ve written this blog post about using the present tense. Carp diem, meanwhile, means Be a fish for the day. After all, you certainly won’t be â€Å"seizing the day† if you spend all your time worrying about errors in your writing. So, do yourself a favor and seize this grammatical advice instead. Simple Present The simplest form of the present tense is, appropriately, called the â€Å"simple present† tense. This is possibly the most common grammatical tense in English, as we use it to describe: Current facts (e.g., I live in Chicago.) General truths (e.g., Many people live in Chicago.) Things that happen regularly (e.g., The bus arrives in Chicago at 8am.) Things due to happen at a fixed time in the future (e.g., The festival begins in July.) The base verb form is usually correct in the simple present tense. However, the verb form changes slightly in when writing in the singular third person. For example: First Person: I live in Chicago. Second Person: You live in Chicago. Third Person: He/she lives in Chicago. As above, when using the third-person singular, an extra â€Å"s† is added to the base verb. Present Continuous The present continuous tense is used to describe an ongoing or incomplete action. It is formed by combining â€Å"am,† â€Å"is,† or â€Å"are† with a present participle. For example: I am learning Latin. They are going to the beach. She is dancing on the ceiling. All of these examples emphasize an ongoing or incomplete process. But they’re also things that have an endpoint or where progress can be made, not steady states of affairs (e.g., I live in Chicago) or general truths (e.g., Rain is wet) that don’t change over time. Present Perfect The present perfect tense is used for actions that happened at an unspecified time in the past: We have visited New York twice. It can also be used to describe actions that began in the past and continue into the present (or that happened in the past and continue to be true in the present): She has lived here since she was young. In both cases, the present perfect tense combines â€Å"has† or â€Å"have† with a past participle.   Most past participles, including â€Å"visited† and â€Å"lived† above, are formed by adding â€Å"-ed† to the end of a base verb. However, keep an eye out for irregular verbs that don’t follow this pattern. For instance: The leaves have fallen from the trees. In this case, since â€Å"fall† is an irregular verb, we use the past participle â€Å"fallen† (not â€Å"falled†). Present Perfect Continuous Finally, we have the present perfect continuous tense, which combines elements of the present perfect and present continuous tenses. As such, it’s used to describe ongoing actions that began in the past. We indicate this by combining â€Å"has been† or â€Å"have been† with a present participle: I have been waiting for the last half hour. Here, for example, â€Å"have been waiting† describes an ongoing process of waiting, but with an emphasis on how long the speaker has been there. This makes it distinct from the present perfect â€Å"I am waiting.† Hopefully that clears up how different present tense forms are used. If you want to make sure your writing is error free, though, embrace the spirit of â€Å"carpe diem† and have your work proofread today.

Personal statement for admission Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personal statement for admission - Essay Example My father disowned me at birth due to ethnic differences so I had to be brought up by a single parent. There was a lot of ethnic chaos in my country at the time which forced me to miss the first stages of education but that did not kill my dream and passion for learning. My mother used to tell me that I will be an academic guru since I have always demonstrated insatiable thirst for education. When other children were playing with toys, I was always drawing images on the ground or doing mathematical problems. My book and my pen were my most favorite friends. This hasn’t changed much since I still posses the same education enthusiasm I had years ago when I was a small child. Sometimes the ethnic war became very intensive that I had to spend three days in hideouts without food to avoid getting killed. Learning in this environment was very challenging. It was practically impossible to move through the streets with northern and southern communities fighting and killing one another. Deafening sounds of bombs and grenades was a common phenomenon. However life took a positive twist of events when my grandfather came to my rescue and took me the whole family to France. Life in France was a better but problems still ensued. Many of my relatives did not have permanent jobs thus we always struggled to get good food and shelter. Attending prestigious learning institutions was a dream beyond our ability thus I had to attend an average performing school. My mother died in a road accident leaving me as an orphan. These traumatic experiences greatly affected my learning in school. The only hope I had was my inherent ability to handle difficult situations. These fatefu l events were a learning experience that trained me to be more tolerant, liberal and open minded. My passion for education earned me respect from my neighbors who agreed to assist me in paying for school