Managing Homeland Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Homeland Security - Essay Example I will be working with the city planners and commission to evaluate the existing zoning laws and building codes. We will work with the local and state law enforcement agencies to analyze any potential for man made threats. As risks are encountered, I will work with the appropriate agency or department to resolve any budgetary concerns that are needed to take corrective action. As we work to reduce the risk and minimize the impact, we will also be preparing for a disaster should one strike. We will work with FEMA to draw up an appropriate response plan, and coordinate getting key people the necessary training that they may require. We will also develop a communications system and contact list so that we will be prepared to communicate with the appropriate local, state, or federal agencies and people as needed. We will be appointing numerous emergency planners in the major institutions and organizations in the community that we can coordinate our activity with in the event of an emergency. This will include the public utilities, hospitals, highway department, and public transportation. We will also work with local, state, and federal officials to assure that the city has the necessary resources needed during a disaster. This includes hospital supplies, fuel, and critical survival materials. In the event of an emergency or disaster, our department will coordinate the appropriate level of response. We will be responsible for contacting and monitoring the wide variety of agencies that may be needed. This will vary depending on the type of disaster, but may include fire and rescue, medical personnel, geologists, or the weather bureau. We will have a public information officer that will act as an information liaison between these agencies and the public in an effort to keep the people well informed. The disaster may be able to be handled locally, or may involve FEMA or specialized hazardous materials personnel. We will work with the public utilities to resolve issues with the gas and electric supply. We will also work with public transportation and the highway patrol in the event that an evacuation is needed. As the damage is assessed after the emergency, this department will begin to work to restore the city and its infrastructure. We will work with state and federal agencies in regards to funding and the availability of material resources. Some things may be able to be restored immediately, such as utilities, but other projects may be longer term, and managed by state or federal agencies. Temporary housing may be needed, as well as day-to-day supplies to maintain our daily life. While this department does not directly perform these functions, we assure the correct agency is responding appropriately. 2.) One of my first acts as the Emergency Management Coordinator would be to form an Emergency Planning Committee by selecting some key members from the police department, fire department, and the hospitals, as well as other agencies and organizations. I would then work with the committee to draw up an emergency response plan that outlined the roles of the various agencies in the event of an emergency. One of our first duties would be to create a contact list and a communications plan. I would

Fuel Poverty in Scotland Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Fuel Poverty in Scotland - Essay Example According to â€Å"High Level Summary†, fuel poverty refers to a situation where persons spend over 10% of their personal income on household fuel to maintain a heating regime that is satisfactory. On the other hand, Moore defines fuel poverty as a situation where a person’s energy costs are more than average and when he/she spends such an amount, he/she is left with an income that is less than the official poverty line. That notwithstanding, the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 in the UK defines fuel poverty as when, â€Å"a person is to be regarded as living in fuel poverty if he is a member of a household living on a lower income in a home that cannot be kept warm at reasonable cost†. However, it is imperative to note that the term fuel poverty was initially a common phrase in the United Kingdom but currently the concept has found its way globally wherever there is poverty.A survey on Scottish house conditions 2012 revealed that over 27.1 % of house holds in Scotland spent over 10% of their personal incomes on energy, resulting in a situation of fuel poverty. Some of the indicators that have been found to cause fuel poverty in Scotland include:The prices of fuel in Scotland keep on fluctuating from time to time resulting in people falling in and out of poverty. For example, high consumer prices for fuel such as electricity resulting from aggravated higher tariffs increase the cost of fuel causing high levels of fuel poverty

The Disadvantages Of Outsourcing ICT

The Disadvantages Of Outsourcing ICT This is a report about Tescos company ICT outsourcing, knowledge management and knowledge management systems. In the following paragraphs two questions are going to be answered and analyzed according to the information existing in Tescos case. Outsourcing ICT is quite commonly used by organizations as an approach to strategic management. Access the advantages and disadvantages that outsourcing can bring in developing effective uses of information systems in an organization such as Tesco. The great competition and the global economic crisis that organizations have to face nowadays, made Information Communications Technology outsourcing a really attractive management tool in order to cut expenses in non-core activities, specific in overheads of Information Technology departments. By deciding to outsource, there would be a lot of benefits but also a number of risks associated with it. It is important for a decision maker to be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of ICT outsourcing, before making the decision to outsource. Outsourcing ICT has to do with the whole existing information in the business field. It is about networks, web design, programming, online shops etc. Network services is the most common ICT services activity outsourced and outsourcers who do not comply with contract will badly influence the organizations process in a very risky way. The Technology of information and communication is growing fast and the vendor business has to be updated and synchronized with the era of 2010. So it would be far easier for them to sell their products and serving their customers in every possible way. Big organizations that have to deal with so many products from soap to bread it would be more difficult to take the risk and create their own Information and communication department from scratch and keep it upgraded while their whole process is running. The result of this difficulty in Tescos case is to outsource ICT specific functions to Trilogy Company. The advantages of outsourcing ICT in an organization such as Tesco. ICT is vital to Tesco. Every aspect of their operation is controlled or monitored by ICT stock, distribution, payroll, communication methods, and so on. ICT is essential to the running of a modern store. It is used for planning, monitoring, auditing and communicating between store operations. For example, when an item has its barcode read at the checkout, the system not only logs the price onto the till, but also logs the financial transaction between Tesco and the customer and the fact that the stock has been reduced by one item. This shows the integration of departments by using ICT. All stores are connected to the mainframe at Head Office via the Tesco Network. Another advantage of Outsourcing ICT from a business perspective is that organizations are realizing that owning and operating their own IT infrastructure no longer makes sense. The cost of that is much bigger and the results are never guaranteed. This coupled with the common resource lack make outsourcing a viable alternative. It is very important for organizations to adopt the right approach of outsourcing ICT in order to have benefits. The outsourced ICT selected company they are going to cooperate with, must follow certain organizations demands. First they have to manage well specific ICT functions in stages, to work with responsibility over review performance, to make adjustments and to support technically with experienced system engineers. The gained confidence and in-house acceptance by the organization as well a very good relationship and cooperation will give the best benefits in the organizations performance. With the right approach and the suitable outsourcing of ICT the organizations will manage to stay high at the competitive edge in the market. Serving the customers in the best way and surprising with new ways of purchasing their products (for ex. via online-shops), their loyalty will be kept and the margins will be increased. A big company like Tesco has many sub-stores, some in the same country and some abroad. The communication between them and the line the company sets everywhere should be well established. ICT helps in this area and it is the primary reason that chain branches use ICT. In summary outsourcing ICT for a company such as Tesco is important for increasing the ability to reach the goals of the company, reduce human risks, saving time, helping the company to stay competitive and minimize the operating costs. The Disadvantages of Outsourcing ICT in an organization such as Tesco. As it was already mentioned above, the outsourcing ICT has also disadvantages that raise the risk the company has to take. For example, at times, it is more cost-effective to conduct a particular business process, rather than outsourcing it, not that much in IT but maybe the companys upgrade wants are small and opposed to the ICT Companys big fees. When you begin to outsource your business processes, you might find it difficult to manage the offshore provider when compared to managing processes within your organization. In case, your outsource ICT service provider becomes bankrupt or goes out of business, your organization will have to transfer immediately the business processes in-house or find another outsourcing provider The employees in your organization might not like the idea of outsourcing your processes and they might express lack of interest or lack of quality at work. Also outsourcing can create potential redundancies for your organization because a lot of employees may lose their jobs. Your outsourcing provider might not be the right who is providing services for your organization. Also the quality of the service isnt always guaranteed, especially in low-price agreements. Since your provider might be catering the needs of several companies, there might be not be complete devotion to you and your company something that shouldnt happen if you own the ICT department. In outsourcing, you may lose control over the process that is outsourced and dont be able to fix something in time because you are not in charge of this field. Outsourcing, though cost-effective, might have hidden costs, such as the legal costs incurred while signing a contract between companies and you might also have to spend a lot of time and effort in getting the contract signed. There can be several disadvantages in outsourcing, such as, renewing contracts, misunderstanding of the contract, lack of communication, poor quality and delayed services amongst others. The disadvantages of outsourcing give to organizations an opportunity to think about what they are stepping into. However if you find a reliable outsourcing partner you probably wont face any of these disadvantages of outsourcing. Question 2 What do you understand by Knowledge management and knowledge management systems? Analyze how useful such a system could be to Tesco and why it is often difficult to persuade employees to use such systems. Knowledge Management refers to the process of collecting the gathered experience of a company or organization, whether it is in databases or documents, or even in the minds of executives of the company or organization and then share it and use it at those parts of the business that will provide the maximum contributory benefit. KM has been growing rapidly in the last years as a business model. More and more businesses and organizations have developed stores of knowledge related to customer service, product development, human resource management, etc. This fact also created new jobs related to knowledge management and made a necessity for the existence of knowledge management in a modern business and the need for trained managers to be responsible for the process. Nowadays fields like media, information, computer science, public policy and public health have started contributing to Knowledge Management research. Also non-profit organizations and huge companies have resources specific to internal Knowledge Management efforts, usually as a part of their business strategy, human resource management and information technology departments. There are many consulting companies that advice and provide strategy regarding KM to the organizations. For the better use of Knowledge Management the companies needed to use Knowledge Management Systems   mostly IT based systems that manage the knowledge in companies , gather it, storage it and sharing it as information. Such systems as Software tools, databases, networks, Internet access, worldwide communication etc. A KM system is needed to enable employees to have quick access to the organizations databases, sources of information, and solutions, this is mainly helping to encourage innovation and improve efficiency. When employees have the knowledge or information and are able to use it at the right time, relationships with customers, suppliers and dealers improve. These workers are able to make better decisions by using the information that their company gives them access to. How useful such a system could be to Tesco and why it is often difficult to persuade employees to use such systems. A Company like Tesco today has to gather the wisdom and knowledge as fast as they can. Share the results across the rest of their branches and at the same time continue to develop and share new knowledge. Tescos leaders know how serious is to let the knowledge flow within the organization. Tesco is consist of 220,000 human beings, which means that is necessary to make an environment that would help their staff feel motivated and valued with return the better service to their customers. Loyalty is basically driven by personal relationships and the employees are the face of the company when a customer enters a Tesco branch. From the results of the projects that have been taking place they realized that there were customers who were not experiencing warm and friendly service from Tesco and that internal levels of staff morale were suffering in reaction to increasingly ambitious cost and efficiency targets in stores. Trilogy (WhatIf, InterAction and Bridge consulting companies) was hired by Tesco to help transform the quality of its customer service and raise it to the market-leading standard. To reach the needs of Tescos millions of customers Trilogy developed the Living Service Programme. The main idea of this concept was to change for the best. It was also clear that its aim was the change of process and not the change of the people but by, with and for Tesco people. In many ways the Living Service Programme is Tescos recognition, through committed investment of time and money. Among the projects significant intangible benefits is the widely noted enhancement in the quality of dialogue and communication within stores. Staffs report that the them and us culture is practically a thing of the past, with deep effects on the work climate and employee attitudes to the company. The programme was designed to improve commitment bottom-up as well top-down in the organization and this needed to be clear to avoid the misunderstandings. It was undertaken by 660 stores in 26 weeks, in this period the staff trained to provide excellent service and cooperation with the other employees and also using the knowledge/information when needed. The usefulness of LSProgramme was obvious to the head managers of Tesco and the Trilogy Company but from the employees there was skepticism. People often feel vulnerable to the importation of techniques that may appear to criticize their behavior, values, and styles of interaction. Also Initiatives with really innovative attributes may be treated with suspicion if they come from the organizations leadership because their apparent oddity can be interpreted as a failure to understand the day to day reality of the business. One of the key enemies of change is the perception that change is being imposed by one group upon another. Tesco managed to redirect the evolution of its culture in a way that keyed into its employees beliefs and motivations while focusing faithfully on the needs of its customers. This was a project in which the personal became the practical: a case of cultural change carried out at the human scale, person by person, and action by action.

My Blattiphobia :: Example Personal Narratives

Blattiphobia A great wave of fear filters through the body at the thought of creatures that slither and crawl. Of all the bugs, snakes, and spiders in this vast universe the appearance, feel, and behavior of the tree roach can induce a panic as intense as a heart attack. The appearance of a roach is fearful in itself. One of the frightening things about a roach is its shape. It is scary to think how aerodynamic its body is. The roach can flatten its body like a pancake, making it appear to move through walls. The "V" shaped antennae appear to be picking up human emotions, especially fear. The size of a roach can send my heart into my throat. I have seen roaches on my countertop two and one half inches long. Johnny Carson had an African variety on his show that was three inches long. It's frightening to think roaches are so big that Raid had to create a motel for them. Seeing a roach crawling in filthy places reminds us of the germs it carries. My skin shudders when I see a roach in the toilet. Roaches love to crawl in the grime under the kitchen sink. I once saw a roach bouncing in the dirt of one of my potted plants as if it were a puppy who had just received a bath. Fear can turn into convulsions as actual contact with a roach is made. Every nerve fires at the same time when a roach crawls on the skin. I became physically ill with fear when a roach ran up my bare leg. Once one jumped from a box into my lap and all my extremities thrashed about while trying to remove the bug from my skin. The ultimate contact was when the roach ran across my face; I wanted to die! Getting a roach caught in my hair was frightening--no, traumatic. A romantic evening on the porch turned into a scene out of "Psycho" when a roach dropped on my hair. Dinner was ruined when a roach dropped down the back of my dress at an outdoor restaurant. Momentary skin contact with a roach is bad; stepping on one spells phobia. The crunch of a big roach as it is stepped on sends waves up my spine.

Tv Series N Fashion

Television is a cultural reference point for most of us, a type of shorthand that makes it easy to carry on a conversation. Columnist Ellen Goodman wrote that to those born since the baby boom of the late ‘40s, â€Å"All history begins with television. † We compare ourselves to those on TV; we change how we dress and cut our hair and talk based on the latest television trend. Viewers pick up catch phrases and turn them into side-splitting party parodies that in turn become part of our culture.For decades, almost ever since the inception of the television, the two have seemed to influence each other. In the '60s, Jacqueline Kennedy was seen as a fashion icon after bringing style to the White House. News reports focused almost as much on her wardrobe as on her husband's dealings as president of the country. Diane Keaton brought thrift store couture to a whole new level with her now-famous â€Å"Annie Hall† look of menswear with a twist of femininity and Madonna chan ged the way the world viewed undergarments worn as clothing with her videos on MTV in the '80s.Today's small-screen fashion icons range from the geek chic of the â€Å"Ugly Betty† characters to the vampire- and dark-influenced â€Å"True Blood† to the retro teachers and students on the ever-popular â€Å"Glee† to the chic girls on â€Å"Gossip Girl. † â€Å"TV and fashion are inseparable,† said MeeAe Oh-Ranck, a fashion designer and professor at Philadelphia University and Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster city. â€Å"Some of the shows have had such a huge impact on sharing fashion with the world. â€Å"Shows like â€Å"Sex and the City,† â€Å"Ugly Betty† and â€Å"Glee† are at the top of Oh-Ranck's fashion-influencing list. They illustrate how fashion and television help each other by making looks popular that may have been questioned in the past, she said. â€Å"Geek chic has become an acceptable form of f ashion because of shows like ‘Ugly Betty,' † said Oh-Ranck said. â€Å"It shows that being a geek is acceptable,† Oh-Ranck said. â€Å"It shows that there is fashion everywhere, and it's up to each person to create her own style. The breakdown for the geek chic look is heavy glasses, braces, slim pants and mismatching colors and prints. (pic: famous tv sitcom – Ugly Betty) Another popular look stolen from the small screen is the â€Å"Gossip Girl† glam of a layered casual look with funky accessories and cocktail dresses. Park City Center store Charlotte Russe carries the Eric Daman for Charlotte Russe collection, which is actually designed by â€Å"Gossip Girl† stylist Eric Daman. The line features party dresses, shoes and accessories, according to a CW Network press release. The line was launched Oct. 4 and everything in it is priced under $50. According to David Hacker, vice president of trend and color for Kohl's, â€Å"popular television shows like ‘Gossip Girl' typically feature the most up-to-date looks and accessories which help viewers translate fashion forward, runway ensembles into hip, everyday looks. † For teens and 20-somethings, the jury is out on whether some of the TV characters' fashions are acceptable or not. Recently, â€Å"Glee† and â€Å"Gossip Girl† stylists came under fire for the not-so-modest dresses and attire worn by many of the characters on the shows.Some of MTV's shows have escaped the critical radar, even though the fashions are very similar and show just as much skin. â€Å"Feminine details, lace and embellishment rule the screen this holiday season,† Hacker said. â€Å"Take cues from Addison on ‘Private Practice' or Rachel on ‘Glee' and layer your lace and ruffle-trimmed top under a LC Lauren Conrad motorcycle jacket or cardigan to create a lingerie-inspired look. † However, the main fashion characters on â€Å"Glee† — Ra chel and teacher Emma — are found on the conservative side of the spectrum with their classic, almost retro look.Rachel sports a prep-school inspired look during school scenes with girlie skirts, ruffles and fun, quirky accessories. Emma, the doe-eyed, red-head teacher, wears layers, pencil skirts, cropped cardigans and Mary Jane-inspired chunky heels. It's during the musical acts that the tight, and sometimes revealing, clothes are worn by the characters and critics have questioned the appropriateness given the show airs at 8 p. m. , when the younger generations can still be exposed to the not-so-conservative clothes. Left is Rachel from the famous TV sitcom Glee, Right is Emma from Glee) Although many teens and 20-somethings look to TV and movies for fashion inspiration, Oh-Ranck encourages them to develop their own fashion sense and says it's OK to use these characters as influence and inspiration, but that they should try to find a fashion voice of their own. â€Å"It's great to borrow some of the pieces of these looks,† Oh-Ranck said. â€Å"But adapt it into your own personal style and have fun with fashion. † Top 10 most influential Style and Fashion TV showsPop culture in general has greatly influenced the styles and  fashion  of today. Popular TV shows in particular have helped mould the way fads and  trends  have evolved to what they are today. Below are some of the most influential shows that have set the tone for what’s in and what’s out in the fashion world. The Fashion Show This show offers viewers a chance to look into what will soon be hitting the runways from the hottest new designers. It incorporates the most popular up-and-coming designers and some friendly competition. Trends are born on every episode. Project RunwayOne of the pioneers in reality fashion is Project Runway with its iconic Tim Gunn and the ever-popular Heidi Klum. This show takes designers for a whorl wind adventure through the trials and tribulations of making it in the fashion industry. The audience gets to see first-hand where  style  comes from. What Not To Wear This series is a raw, in your face tour through what not to wear. Participant’s closets are stripped down to bare hangers and empty shelves and are forced to start with the basics with fashion experts coaching them the entire way. Informative and entertaining, this show gives you your ashion medicine for the day. Gossip Girl This hot and steamy series takes a look at the life and styles of affluent young people in New  York City. Aside from the drama and betrayal, this show exhibits the lattest styles directly from Fifth Ave. Keeping Up With The Kardashians The Kardashian clan has made a spectacle of themselves in many ways but fashion is a subject where they have excelled. The women of this show are decked out in the hottest trends from noon to night and spare no expense at parading around with their immaculate taste for fashion on perm anent display.The Real Housewives Series Through the many series, the styles were as outlandish as the cat fights. Straight from the styles of the rich and wanna-be famous, the woman of all the seasons of The Real Housewives franchise showed viewers how to dress in style yet act like a bull in a china shop. America’s Next Top Model Although this series’ main focus is the journey of aspiring models, the fashion trends shown come in a close second. As they worked with the hottest designers on the market, these young woman flaunt fashions unlike anything you see window-shopping. Sex and The CityPerhaps the most iconic fashion show of its time, Sex and The City paved the way for all trendy shows to come. With its varying styles amongst the women, this show presented New York trends in a way that felt as if we could all reach them one day. Fashion Star With a new spin on the traditional reality fashion show; this series gives designers the opportunity to showcase their line s for actual buyers from some of the biggest retails in the market. Fashion star gives viewers the ability to view what will be hot and what stores they can find their favourite styles at.

Enabling Learning and Assessment Essay

Description, use and evaluation of two different assessment activities. Assessment is the process of checking what the learner has learnt against what has been taught. Assessments are used as a diagnostic tool to establish entry level behaviour / academic ability, to help diagnose any addition learning disabilities and to determine the learners preferred learning styles. Assessments acts to motivate learners, and create additional learning opportunities. It is also Used to provide constructive feedback. Assessments are used to grade learners course work and is used as a quality assurance mechanism both internal (standardisation meeting) and external (External Verification by Awarding Body). Assessments ensure that standards are maintained, certificates achievements, helps facilitate progression and predicts future performance / selection. Wilson (2008:114) states that ‘You may use assessment to identify specific needs of learners and assessments should be an integral component of your teaching and lesson plan.’ Norm referencing or normative – this is one a learner is assessed against each other –the learners’ abilities is measured/ compared against the learners. This method is very common in educational establishments. Criterion referencing –learner has achieved a particular standard – the learner can either to the tasks, answer the question or use occupationally competent. This method is used in NVQ/ QCF . This tends to be a pass or fail approach. This style of assessment measures what the learner can do and will be given the appropriate support and guidance to achieve. Ipsative assessment –this method of assessment relies on the individual learner self assessing –whether their knowledge performance or ability meets the standards set. This will be used at the end of the programme. The learner will summarise his learning at the end of programme Formative assessment – this is also known as continuous assessment. It will allow the learner to determine their progress and improve where necessary. This can act as a motivational tool to the learner. Kolb learning styles advocates formative assessment as this will aid personal development and progression after the course of study. Summative assessment – this tends to take the form of tests for exams at the end of study. This tends to be a more formal way of assessing. The learner is tested on their skills and knowledge that once the learning has been completed. This form of assessment tends to put enormous pressure on  the learner and success is dependent on the final outcome of the test. Many learners find this quite anxious leading to learner apprehension. Observing a learner in their place of work would enable me to determine their level of occupational competence. As a health and social care assessor/ tutor, this form of assessment works best, any areas of discrepancy would be addressed when providing the learner with feedback. Observation assessment gives the learner the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. Wilson. (2008:114) states that ‘this is considered one of the best forms of assessment because there can be no doubts in the mind of the assessor that the learner knows how to do something.’ The learners tend to generally enjoy assignments due to the variety of each assignment. A marking guide for each assessment can be easily established for other tutors to mark and support learners. One has to be aware that Projects are learner driven and Assignments are tutor led. As a tutor, marking written questions requires a very detailed marking assessment (Reliability) plan to ensure transparency and fairness. Deciding what proportion of their work deserves what marks and areas relating to punctuation a, gramm ar and spelling needs to be address and shared with learners at the start of each written essay. In addition to the above, Oral questions allows me to directly assess the learners understanding of the subject matter (Authenticity). I have used this method when conducting Observations and when providing feed back to learners after they have completed their multiple Choice/ short answers. Some learners find it difficult to understand what is required from them when posed as a written question. By verbally repeating the question or re-phrasing the questions will give the learner the opportunity to add to their original answer (Differentiation). One has to be aware not to used leading or closed questions. As a tutor I need to be aware not to lead the learner and authenticity of the learner work can be questioned. With the learner permission, digital Dictaphones are often used which can be used to check authenticity (learners’ words and voice can be heard and validated). Learners tend to benefit from formative assessment activities throughout the duration of their course as it would provide opportunities to build on their strengths and provide additional opportunities to learn from their mistakes. A good assessment model should consist of the following clearly defined stages: Decide the intended learning Outcomes: Devise the assessment  task(s): Devise the learning activities. Reliability is an important element of all assessment models as it should ensure that assessors/ tutors acting independently using the same criteria and marking scheme would come to exactly the same judgement about a given piece of work. Explicit learning outcomes tend lead to achieving reliability as all assessors / tutors and learners follow the same learning outcomes. Reliability should: Ensure that same work should be awarded the same score .Secondly, Examiners / assessors award the same score to the same script if they score it again on a subsequent occasion. Finally, ensure that student get the same score in the test when it is administered at different times. Reliability can be increased by introducing a marking scheme for assessors especially for those assessments which have traditionally low reliabilities i.e. essays. It will not ensure that the essay will be marked in exactly the same way but will ensure the basis of the marking will be the same i.e. looking for the same things in each essay leading to increased reliability. Validity – Does the assessed task actually assess what you want to it to? There are different types of Validity .Content validity: Ensuring that the aims of the curriculum are in keeping with what the learner needs to know. One has to make sure that the learning objectives are remains closely linked to the learners desired learning outcomes otherwise the quality of the whole course could be brought into question. Secondly, Construct validity: ensuring that the assessment is closely linked to the desired learning outcomes of the course. Finally, Predictive validity: Ensuring that the performance of a student on assessments is closely related to their future performance on the predictive measure. Francis & Gould (2009:87) stated ‘The way in which the required information is delivered can also make a significant difference to the way in which it is received’ Reflect on feedback in assessment to inform learners’ progress and achievement Feedback is a process involving the tutor and learner. It is an opportunity for both parties to give constructive advice on their strengths and addressing weaknesses, as well as offering guidance and support, in order for future development to occur. Having a good rapport with your learner, helps in the feedback process. Francis & Gould (2009:87) stated ‘The most obvious of these is to have a good knowledge of the learners-their  previous knowledge and experience, their current levels of understanding, their aptitude for the subject’. The ‘Feedback Sandwich’ is a popular method of giving feedback whereby the tutor opens with a positive statement (reassures and relaxes learner) followed by a developmental statement (contribution from learner is sort during this stage) including area of concern, ending with a motivational closing statement (learner to identify their own are as of development). Francis & Gould (2009:105) stated ‘Good feedback acknowledges what the learner is doing correctly and identifies clearly and concisely what can be done to further improve performance’. This can be used as part of the learner assessment process. This can be either an informal or formal format. I tend to give weekly informal feedback after an assignment has been submitted followed by a formal 12 week Progress review. One must be aware of ‘telling ‘or ‘asking’ approaches during feedback. ‘Telling ‘has the advantage in providing a quick / direct response and giving confidence to inexperienced learners in the short term. In the long term the learners confidence may be eroded leading to over dependency on the tutor. ‘Asking ‘approaches invites the learners to self evaluate their progress and arrive at their own conclusions leading to a more independent learner (used at 12 week reviews ) . Insecure and timid learners may find this approach to feedback intimidating especially if they have difficulty evaluating and analysing their work. I have used the Telling approach to a new learner who required a quick and direct first feedback review in order to focus them on the task at hand. Francis & Gould (2009:107) stated ‘†¦A general rule we should try an ‘wean ‘learners away from reliance on the teacher and help them become more independent in their learning and performance of the skill’ Feedback could be either verbal or written. Feedback requires good communication skills and a diplomatic nature and approach. It will also test your listening, objectivity and explaining skills. Good feedback should: Delivered promptly after an assessment, Be a two way process between learner and tutor, Motivational in nature, where by the learners self esteem and confidence is not adversely affected, Specific and to the point- as a tutor, one has to be aware not to digress and remain objective , Choice and solutions can be explored during feedback, focus on things that can be changed i.e. behaviour and finally Positive and Constructive whereby the learner feels that the required changes can be  achieved. Francis & Gould (2009:105) stated ‘Feedback, whatever the purpose, should be constructive.’ During a recent observation assessment with one of my learners, I provided verbal feedback on what I had observed, in which my positive but constructive feedback was generally well received. I focussed on the positive elements of the observation, highlighting the assessment criteria that I thought were met, followed by area that I thought could be improved on. The learner commented that she had not realised that she had covered so many assessment criteria’s and had had conducted herself in such a positive and professional manner. As A result of receiving such positive feedback which highlighted areas of her strengths and weaknesses, she has improved the quality and frequency of her written assignments. How feedback from others informs owns professional practice. I have recently received feedback from my line manager (Internal verifier), conducting a learner 12 week review on their progress to date. On the whole, my line manager thought I had conducted a good learner review, providing constructive but encouraging feedback on assignments submitted, workshops participation and attendance. My overall preparation (copies of comments on previous feedback/ assignments) for the review was deemed satisfactory and I had covered all the areas of the Diploma (ERR, Technical certificate, Functional skills), highlighted areas of achievement and what remains outstanding. My line manager stated that I should record more of the Information , Advice and Guidance (IAG) that I verbally gave to my learners (i.e. referencing the need for the learner to read specific company policies and procedures, visit certain websites and recommended reading materials ISBN). In addition to the above, my line manager requested that the learner wrote a comment in the learner section of the review as well as having the learners’ manager comment on the review also. I have now incorporated these recommendations into my most recent reviews ensuring that learners ‘own their feedback’. Seeking the comments and signatures of the learners’ manager is a little more problematic often having to arrange a separate visit solely for this purpose. In summary, effective assessment should ensure Consistent outcomes , Accessible to learners whereby learners can access assessments and follow systems of equality and inclusion, Detailed assessments covering all areas of the curriculum, Earned by learner and they have achieved award and Transparent , clear and meaningful to all parties.  (CADET). The assessment process informs me of the progress of the learner, whether my teaching is effective to all learners and finally whether my assessments are effective in relation to validity, authenticity and reliability. Following the above CADET model, I feel that my current assessment and feedback methodology meet the required standard. References: Boud, D (1995) Enhancing Learning Through self assessments, London. Kogan Page. Honey, P and A. Mumford (1982/1992) The Manual of learning styles, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications. Wilson, L (2008), Practical Teaching: A Guide to PTLLS & CTLLS. London. Cengage Learning. EMEA. Francis. M & Gould. J (2009) Achieving your PTLLS Award: a practical guide to successful Teaching in the lifelong sector. London. Sage Publication Hillier, Y. (2005) Reflective teaching in further and adult education .London. Continuum. Wilson. L (2008) Practical Teaching: A Guide to PTLLS and CTLLS. London. Cengage. EMEA.