Peer Assessment Essay Example for Free

Peer Assessment Essay This paper discusses the implementation of peer assessment strategy that I carried out in a primary school in Dar es Salaam during my practicum. It consists of a background, rationale, the implementation process and conclusion. The challenges encountered and their possible solutions on how to overcome them.. Background Black and William (1998) define assessment as all those activities undertaken by teachers, and students in assessing themselves, which provide information to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities in which they are engaged. There are two major types of assessment, formative assessment and summative assessment. And thus, Peer assessment is one of the forms of formative assessment. Besides, Higher Education Academy- UK, (2006) is an alternative form of assessment in which learners are given the opportunity to measure and evaluate each other’s compliments of the specified learning outcomes. It is used to involve students more closely in their learning and its evaluation and enable them to really understand what is required of them. (Phil et al 2006) This is a form of formative assessment which teachers can use in class assignments, tests, presentations, project based work and practical tasks. These tasks can be performed by learners either in pairs, by multiple assessors’ or in groups. It is where learners consider and specify the level, value or quality of a product or performance of other equal status learners (Topping, 2008). This therefore means that learners are able to learn better because they assess their peers work and give appropriate feedback which helps them to improve their own work. It also leads to a number of benefits in terms of the learning process for instance encouraging thinking, increasing learning and increasing students’ confidence Gardner (2006), students find it easier to make sense of criteria for their work if they examine other student’s work alongside their own. It is uniquely valuable because the interchange is in language that students themselves would naturally use, because they learn by taking roles of teachers and examiners of others (Saddler, 1998) Rationale Eckstein and Noah (1992) argue that teachers teach to the test therefore leaving out some non-examinable but important skills set out in the curriculum. This is evident because most schools in the developing world concentrate on exams which is summative assessment and because of the backwash of this type of assessment, it impedes rather than promote social justice by locking many young people out of the education system, (Cunningham 1998). This summative assessment limits potential in enhancing teaching and learning which makes learners not to get prompt feedback to help them improve on their performance (Brooks, 2002). PA saves the teachers’ time because it takes a shorter time to mark and grade assignments using it than when a teacher marks all the books. This gives the teacher ample time to prepare for other lessons. By using PA, the teacher is able to give feedback to the pupils in a littler time than when the teacher uses traditional method of marking. PA was introduced with an intention to encourage students to take responsibility for their learning. It makes them feel valued because their suggestions are put into account. According to Irons (2008) PA encourages dialogue between the teacher and learners themselves as they negotiate the best assessment criteria when making a rubric to evaluate their work. This makes students really understand what is required of them. Phil Race et al, asserts that students learn deeply when they have a sense of ownership of the agenda and if PA is done using the students design, there tends to be a sense of ownership of the criteria used than when they apply the tutors’ criteria. Furthermore, PA allows students to learn from each other’s successes. In some instances students notice that the work they are assessing is better than their own efforts, therefore they can benefit from the work of the most able in the group. Similarly, it helps students to learn from each other’s weaknesses too. When they discover mistakes in their peers work, it is usually good for them as the awareness of ‘what not to do’ increases and therefore refrain from making the same mistake. (Phil et al 2006) Development My practicum was in a primary school in Dar es Salaam city. I was allocated standard seven to teach English. Standard 7A is rather a large class with a roll of fifty three pupils. Boys were twenty eight while girls were twenty five. All were present. This was a double English lesson of forty minutes each. The Topic was Comprehension, Sub-topic; The library; Lenders and Borrowers. My main objectives were; by the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to read, understand, formulate questions, discuss and be able to evaluate their peers work using a rubric. I made a detailed lesson plan showing the teachers and learners activities. My teaching and learning resources were standard seven text books, dictionaries, flash cards with new words written on them, pictures of a library. The lesson started at 8.00am to 9.20am. Implementation I introduced the lesson with a vocabulary song as a brainstorming activity that was led by one of the pupils. I explained what I expected of them throughout the lesson, then used the self-selecting method to form groups of six and told them to choose a leader. We went through the guidelines that they would follow in their discussion groups. The passage had six paragraphs so I gave each group a paragraph. The learners read the passage as they listened to one another, noted down difficult or new words, and then generated three questions from their assigned paragraph. I assisted to organise the groups and how they would present. One member quickly read their paragraph as the rest of the class listened, other members gave new words that they came across and the three questions they had formulated. As they presented their findings I was writing on the blackboard the new words they had encountered, and the questions they had constructed. Together we discussed meanings of these words as pupils tried using them in sentences and checking them out in the dictionary. I noted that discussions were being led in Kiswahili though it was an English lesson. Cummins in McKay (2008) and Ellis stated that the first language (L1) is important because sometimes learners first think in it to make meaning in English. However, the discussion was very lively and everybody tried to participate. It also concurred with Goetz (2002) that different views from learners influence the direction of a lesson creating new learning experiences for both the teacher and the learner. As a class, we discussed the questions on the blackboard then I asked them to write the work in their exercise books, collect and put them on the teachers table. Together we discussed and made a marking criterion on the blackboard. I asked the class prefect to distribute the books to the learners making sure that one did not mark his or her own book. They carefully used the rubric to mark their peers work, then returned them to the owners to check and in case of any complains i moderated and explained to their satisfaction. Finally I gave each a foolscap and asked them to write down what they felt about the new method of assessment. This exercise was mainly to analyze the learners’ reflections and to evaluate myself as a teacher. Challenges My first challenge was the English teacher assigned to me was not co-operative. He was not willing to hand over a candidate class to me. I made him understand that my input would be beneficial to his professional development and the students’ grades. During group work, some learners took it for story telling time. I had a rough time controlling the noise and putting them back to focus. The chosen group leaders helped me have order in the groups and ensured participation of all members. Code switching was common as I related with the learners and as they interacted in their discussion groups. It was a challenge because they did not have the confidence to express themselves. Very few picked courage and participated in English. The rest when picked upon would request to speak in Kiswahili. I encouraged them to have confidence and to continue speaking in English because practice makes perfect. The learning environment was not very conducive. The floor was dusty and had pot holes. This was likely to cause health problems and injury. Due to the large class, desks were not enough. Learners shared four or five per desk which was quite uncomfortable. I advised the administration to discuss the matter with stakeholders so that the class would be repaired and desks added. This class did not have any teaching learning materials on the walls. They only had text books which were inadequate in a ratio of 1:5. Sharing was a problem because not all could access them. I advised the teacher that teaching and learning aids helped students to construct knowledge for themselves and develop effective learning strategies, thus laying a solid foundation for life-long learning. I also urged him to improvise teaching aids by using locally available materials for example, carton boxes to write on vocabularies and sentence structures and hang on the walls. I realized that peer assessment can be time consuming if practiced in a large class. Grouping learners, discussions, presentations and awarding marks consumed a lot of time which affected the next lesson. Since the school had extra classrooms, I encouraged him to create an extra stream and transfer some learners from 7A and 7B to the new stream if learners were to benefit from this kind of assessment. This is because a class of fifty three was too large putting into consideration the slow learners and learners with special needs who needed special attention. Conclusion Peer assessment had good impact on the teaching learning process where the learners and I jointly got involved in the assessment process hence owning the entire peer assessment procedures integrated in the lesson. This resulted into meaningful learning where feedback was instant. However, there were some challenges which we jointly addressed with the learners. For PA to be successful, meaningful procedures have to be put in place. References Black, P. William. (1998).Assessment and classroom learning: Assessment in education,principles, policy and practice in Irons, A. (2008). Enhancing learning through formative assessment and feedback. London: Routledge. Cunning,G.K. (1998).Assessment in the classroom: constructing and interpreting tests. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Irons, A. (2008).Enhancing learning through formative assessment and feedback. London: Routledge. Race, P., Brown, S. Smith. (2006). 500 Tips on assessment (2nd edition). London:

Supply Chain Management: Boeing And Airbus

Supply Chain Management: Boeing And Airbus I would like to mention a subject relating to aviation industry, especially in leasing aircraft sector. The most important task in this sector is how to order, purchase and lease back aircraft to airlines. But to implement this task, we should know in detail how the aircraft assembly process under the control of aircraft manufacture is. In Vietnam, the aviation market has a great development with the air traffic increasing year by year. In order to meet the high demand, Vietnamese airliners have to add more aircraft to their fleet. They not only purchase aircraft by itself, but also need to lease from aircraft lessors. So that, aircraft lessors have to support airlines to develop their fleet. Beside, leasing aircraft sector is the new one in Vietnam aviation industry. With this purpose, this final paper will provide an overview of the supply chain management practices by Airbus and Boeing in their new products as Airbus A350 XWB (Extra Wide Body) and Boeing B787 Dreamliners and how the both aircraft manufactures apply lean process management. Understanding this process, aircraft lessors will make a suitable decision to purchase aircrafts. On this occasion, I would like to thanks my partners in Boeing Commercial Airplane and Airbus SAS for providing necessary internal documents for reference. I also thanks my colleague in aircraft technical section in my company, Vietnam Aircraft Leasing Company, and technical staff from Vietnam Airlines Corporation for supporting during the data collection. 2. Research Goals and Approach: 2.1 Goals: In this final paper, I would like to provide the some overview for understanding the emerging of supply chain management strategies in the commercial aviation industry. It also shows the longer-term implications of the supply chain management in the aviation industry in the future. 2.2 Approach: To implement a comparative analysis of supply chain management applied by Boeing and Airbus and their lean process management. To focus on two new large development programs in commercial aviation (Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350 XWB). To concentrate on the common set of suppliers supporting both programs to develop a sharp compare and contrast perspective, looking at Boeing Airbus from the vantage point of these common suppliers. 3. Literature review: The extensive literature showing that lean supply chain management practices represent a critical source of sustained competitive advantage and containing some factors as following: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supplier network architecture linked to companys vision strategy. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Early supplier integration into design and development. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Visibility and transparency through open communications. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Long-term, trust-based, mutually-beneficial relationships. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continuous supplier development process improvement. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ New supplier network architectures represent a defining feature of emerging new business models for managing complexity, uncertainty and competition in a globalized market environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Access to investment capital, new markets and new sources of innovation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Greater outsourcing, strategic alliances partnerships, delegation of greater responsibilities to suppliers to minimize risk and transaction costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Internet-enabled information technologies and systems radically redefining supplier integration via improved information visibility and information-sharing efficiency gains. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Machine-to-machine data communication system integration globally. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unprecedented visibility, transparency and accuracy. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Greater flexibility in interconnecting different systems, facilitating both bilateral and multilateral collaboration. 4. Research Design: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To develop baseline data about the individual supplier companies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To gauge whether and the extent to which they are employing lean practices. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To assess the extent to which the two large customer companies are practicing lean principles in their engagement with the suppliers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To document the extent to which the two large customer companies have proactively required the suppliers to adopt lean practices. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To develop more deeply into specific topical areas (e.g., role in design development, information/communication links, contract design). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ To probe how exactly the two customer companies manage their relationships with these specific suppliers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Open source information to ensure external validity generalizability. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ About the two companies their supply chain management practices. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ About the two specific programs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ About the common suppliers. 5. Boeing 787 Program: 5.1 Overview: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Launch Year in 2002 in order to responding to the overwhelming preference of airlines around the world, Boeing Commercial Airplanes new airplane is the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a super-efficient airplane. An international team of top aerospace companies is developing the airplane, led by Boeing at its Everett, Washington facility near Seattle. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Represents Boeings response to expected demand for an aircraft that would cost less to own, operate and maintain. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Targeted at the middle of the market segment the rapid, direct, point-to-point connections aviation market segment, with capacity of 250 passengers. Unparalleled Performance At the first stage of the program, Boeing tent to launch 03 type of aircraft: 787-3, 787-8, 787-9 but up to now, there are 02 main versions. The 787-8 Dreamliner will carry 210 250 passengers on routes of 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers), while the 787-9 Dreamliner will carry 250 290 passengers on routes of 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers). In addition to bringing big-jet ranges to mid-size airplanes, the 787 will provide airlines with unmatched fuel efficiency, resulting in exceptional environmental performance. The airplane will use 20 percent less fuel for comparable missions than todays similarly sized airplane. It will also travel at speeds similar to todays fastest wide bodies, Mach 0.85. Airlines will enjoy more cargo revenue capacity. Passengers will also see improvements with the new airplane, from an interior environment with higher humidity to increased comfort and convenience. Advanced Technology The key to this exceptional performance is a suite of new technologies being developed by Boeing and its international technology development team. 50 percent of the primary structure including the fuselage and wing on the 787 will be made of composite materials. An open architecture will be at the heart of the 787s systems, which will be more simplified than todays airplanes and offer increased functionality. For example, the team is looking at incorporating health-monitoring systems that will allow the airplane to self-monitor and report maintenance requirements to ground-based computer systems. General Electric and Rolls-Royce are the two engine manufacture to develop engines for the new airplane. It is expected that advances in engine technology will contribute as much as 8 percent of the increased efficiency of the new airplane, representing a nearly two-generation jump in technology for the middle of the market. Another improvement in efficiency will come in the way the airplane is designed and built. New technologies and processes are in development to help Boeing and its supplier partners achieve unprecedented levels of performance at every phase of the program. For example, by manufacturing a one-piece fuselage section, we are eliminating 1,500 aluminum sheets and 40,000 50,000 fasteners. Continuing Progress The Boeing board of directors granted authority to offer the airplane for sale in late 2003. Program launch occurred in April 2004 with a record order from All-Nippon Airways. Since that time, 56 customers from six continents of the world have placed orders for 847 airplanes valued at $147 billion, making this the most successful launch of a new commercial airplane in Boeings history. The 787 program opened its final assembly plant in Everett in May 2007. First flight of the 787 Dreamliner occurred in Dec. 2009. The program has signed on more than 40 of the worlds most capable top-tier supplier partners and together finalized the airplanes configuration in September 2005. Boeing has been working with its top tier suppliers since the early detailed design phase of the program and all are connected virtually at 135 sites around the world. Eleven partners from around the world completed facility construction for a total of three million additional square feet to create their major structures and bring the next new airplane to market. 5.2. Specification Model B787-8 B787-9 Engine GEnext or Rolls Royce Trent 1000 GEnext or Rolls Royce Trent 1000 Range 7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles (14,200 to 15,200 kilometers) 8,000 to 8,500 nautical miles (14,800 to 15,750 kilometers) Seat 210 to 250 passengers 250 to 290 passengers Configuration Twin aisle Twin aisle Cross Section 226 inches (574 centimeters) 226 inches (574 centimeters) Wing Span 197 feet (60 meters) 197 feet (60 meters) Length 186 feet (57 meters) 206 feet (63 meters) Height 56 feet (17 meters) 56 feet (17 meters) Cruise Speed Mach 0.85 Mach 0.85 Total Cargo Volume 4,400 cubic feet 5,400 cubic feet Max Takeoff Weight 502,500 lbs (227,930 kilograms) 545,000 lbs (247,208 kg) Program milestones: Authority to offer: late 2003 Program launch: April 2004 Assembly start: 2006 First roll-out ceremony: July 2007 First flight: December 2009 First delivery: Mid Q1/2011 (estimated) 5.3. Program Fact Sheet: The 787 Program covers many areas of interest, from the market, customers, and airplane technology to manufacturing enhancements and an extensive partner team, among others. Here are some interesting facts and figures on a number of these topic areas: Market size: 3,310 units over 20 years (Boeing Market Forecast 2009-2028) Firm orders by customer (up to October 2010 at www.boeing.com) Model Series Orders Deliveries Total B787-8 629 629 B787-9 218 218 B787 Total 847 847 B787 vs. B777 on composites and aluminum (by weight): B787 B777 50 % composites 12 % composites 20 % aluminum 50 % aluminum Material breakout on B787: Composites: 50% Aluminum: 20% Titanium: 15% Steel: 10% Other: 5% Better designe: More fuel efficient: 20 % more fuel efficient than similarly sized airplanes Produces fewer emissions: 20 % fewer than similarly sized airplanes Better cash seat mile costs than peer airplanes: 10 % Better maintenance costs: 30% Generators: Four at 250 kVA (two per engine) Two at 225 kVA (on auxiliary power unit) Hydraulic power: Distributed at: 5,000 pounds per square inch on the 787 3,000 pounds per square inch standard Advantage of the new electric architecture: Extracts as much as 35 percent less power from the engines than traditional pneumatic systems on todays airplanes. US and non-US content on the 787: Roughly 70 percent US Roughly 30 percent non-US. The number of new city pairs the 787 will connect: At least 450 Other special features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Represents large step towards all-electric-airplane, one in which all systems are run by electricity. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Driven by the belief that power electronics, key to the all-electric airplane, are on a steep curve of performance cost improvement, while pneumatic systems growth has tapped out around 1995. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ The traditional bleed air and hydraulic power are replaced with electrically powered compressors and pumps. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cabin pressurized by electric motors, not by bleed air used by almost every pressurized aircraft. An open architecture centralized computer hosts the avionics and utility functions, rather than dozens of individual buses. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Anti-icing of the wing to be done with electric heat instead of bleed air. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Composites: resist long-term wear and tear, because cracks do not propagate from holes as in aluminum; inspections are made easier; maintenance intervals stretched to 1000 hrs (compared with 500 hrs for 767 or 700 hrs for A330 the two most prominent aircraft 787 aims to replace). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Much more savvy focus on flexible financing arrangements, plus closer attention to passenger comfort, fuel burn and life cycle costs. 6. Airbus A350 XWB Program: 6.1. Overview: Aimed at compete with B787 from Boeing, Airbus has decided to build A350 XWB based on the technologies developed for A380. The Airbus A350 XWB is a long-range, mid-size, wide-body family of airliners currently under development by European aircraft manufacturer Airbus. The A350 will be the first Airbus with both fuselage and wing structures made primarily of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer. The A350 is designed to compete with the Boeing 777 and the Boeing 787. Airbus claims that it will be more fuel-efficient, with up to 8% lower operating cost than the Boeing 787. It is scheduled to enter into airline service during the second half of 2013. The launch customer for the Airbus A350 is Qatar Airways. Development costs are projected to be US$15 billion. Airbus utilises next-generation manufacturing and assembly techniques to make the A350 XWB a more efficient and reliable aircraft. The A350 XWB is equipped with an advanced cockpit and onboard systems optimised for robustness and simplicity, while its advanced wing design makes this aircraft faster and quieter. The A350 XWBs onboard systems are designed for maximum reliability, operability and simplicity. The advanced wing design of the A350 XWB will make it a faster, quieter and more efficient aircraft. Airbus utilises new techniques to optimise the A350 XWBs weight, maintenance and operating costs. The A350 XWBs cockpit features the latest in display technology and integrated modular avionics. 6.2. Specification: Aircraft Dimensions Overall length 198 ft.7.5 in. 219 ft. 5.5 in. 242 ft. 4.7 in. Height 55 ft. 11.3 in. 55 ft. 11.3 in. 55 ft. 11.3 in. Fuselage diameter 19 ft. 58 in. (horiz) 19 ft. 58 in. (horiz) 19 ft. 6 in. (horiz) Wingspan (geometric) 212 ft. 5 in. 212 ft. 5 in. 212 ft. 5 in. Wing area (reference) 4,740 ft2 4,767 ft2 4,767 ft2 Wing sweep (25% chord) 31.9 degrees 31.9 degrees 31.9 degrees Wheelbase 81 ft. 7 in. 94 ft. 1 in. 108 ft. 7 in. Wheel track 34 ft. 9 in. 34 ft. 9 in. 35 ft. 2 in. Basic Operation Data Engines 2 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB 2 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB 2 Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Engine thrust range 75,000 lb. slst. 84,000 lb. slst. 93,000 lb. slst. Typical passenger seating 270 (3-class) 314 (3-class) 350 (3-class) Range (w/max. passengers) 8,300 nm. 8,100 nm. 8,000 nm. Max. operating Mach number (Mmo) 0.89 Mo. 0.89 Mo. 0.89 Mo. Design Weights Maximum ramp weight 548.7 lbs. x 1000 592.8 lbs. x 1000 659.0 lbs. x 1000 Maximum takeoff weight 546.7 lbs. x 1000 590.8 lbs. x 1000 657.0 lbs. x 1000 Maximum landing weight 407.9 lbs. x 1000 451.9 lbs. x 1000 503.8 lbs. x 1000 Maximum zero fuel weight 382.5 lbs. x 1000 423.3 lbs. x 1000 470.6 lbs. x 1000 Maximum fuel capacity 34,082 US gal. 36,460 US gal. 41,215 US gal. Some Design Technical Features: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Cockpit design follows same cockpit layout, characteristics and operating procedures as in the A320 and A330/A340 platforms, providing a number of advantages (e.g., in terms of crew training, crew transition, cross-crew qualification). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Also incorporates new features that benefit from innovation in technologies for displays, flight management navigation systems. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ First commercial airplane to adopt EHAs (electrohydrostatic actuators) flight control technologies, a step forward to the all-electric airplane. EHAs are electrically powered but use hydraulic pumps and reservoirs that transform electrical power into hydraulic power. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Advantages: large savings in terms of weight and space (e.g., reduction in the size of pipelines, actuators and other components, power generation equipment, tubing, amount of fluid required), as well as ease of installation. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ First commercial aircraft capable of flying with total hydraulic failure, using electricity to operate the flight control surfaces. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Extensive use of composite materials 25% (by weight), compared with 10% in A320 and 30% in A340-500/600. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Use of carbon composites and advanced metallic hybrid materials, along with laser beam welding to eliminate fasteners, reduce weight and provide enhanced fatigue tolerance. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Glare: highly resistant to fatigue, used in construction of panels for upper fuselage. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Aluminum and fiberglass layers of Glare do not allow propagation of cracks. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Glare lighter than conventional materials represents a weight saving of about 500kg. 6.3. Fact Sheet: Firm orders by customer: (up to October 2010 at www.airbus.com) Model Series Orders Deliveries Total A350-800 158 158 A350-900 340 340 A350-1000 75 75 A350 Total 573 573 A350 vs. B787 on material breakout (by weight) A350 B787 Composites: 53% Composites: 50% Aluminum: 19% Aluminum: 20% Titanium: 14% Titanium: 15% Steel: 6% Steel: 10% Other: 8% Other: 5% Airbus internal goal to freeze the design and expects: 10% lower airframe maintenance cost 14% lower empty seat weight than competing aircraft More fuel efficient: Up to 25 % more fuel efficient than similarly sized airplanes Produces fewer emissions: Up to 25% fewer than similarly sized airplanes Better cash seat mile costs than peer airplanes: 15% 7. Supply Chain Management Practices by Airbus and Boeing: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supplier selection on both programs following a typical competitive bid process during initial plateau phase; selection on best-value basis. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boeing retains unified list of pre-qualified suppliers/vendors (qualified parts list QPL; qualified vendor list QVL). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus does not yet maintain such a unified list, but moving in same direction. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Both have major suppliers participate early in design and development process. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Both committed to long-term, mutually-beneficial, reliable and stable relationships with key suppliers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Supplier partnerships typically limited to suppliers that continuously show excellence in performance, demonstrate credible long-term business interest, and back it up with their own development and investment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Life-of-program fixed-cost contracts, but with some differences. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Electronic links with suppliers via supplier portals (request for quote/proposal; order placement; technical data interchange, such as technical specifications, key characteristics, engineering drawings; exchanging documents; facilitating virtual collaboration with global partnering suppliers in a 3D design software environment). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) initiatives: Both Boeing and Airbus have expanded the application of RFID tags for both the B787 and A350 programs; they have worked together to reach for consensus regarding standards for using global RFID technology on commercial airplanes). 8. Major suppliers responsibility is greater: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Important strategic shifts in supply chain management, driven by pressing need to reduce cost and spread development costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Both have asked major suppliers in B787 and A350 to absorb non-recurring costs, thus greatly shifting costs and risks to suppliers, but using somewhat different approaches. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Suppliers delegated much more responsibility for design, development and manufacturing through closer collaboration, partnerships and integration across supplier networks. Boeing 787: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boeing has gone the extra distance with the 787 program retains only about 33%-35% of the total 787 work share à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Deliberate effort to reduce parts count to enable snap three-day assembly of the 787 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Suppliers moving up the value chain assuming more of a system integrator role, providing more integrated components and managing their own sub-tier suppliers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ This is the first time Boeing has outsourced the entire wing design and manufacturing to external suppliers (risk-sharing partners Fuji Heavy Industries, Ltd.: center wing box; Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd.: main wing fixed trailing edge; Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.: wing box) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ This is the first time Boeing applied lean manufacturing process in B787 program to improve absence management while merging its short and long-term disability program administration with leave-of-absence offering. Airbus A350: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus, as a multinational consortium prior to July 2001, had already adopted a strategic partnership model with well-defined work-share arrangements. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus has increased its outsourcing in the A350 program, but has still kept in-house core technologies, such as composite technology and wing design. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus also applied lean process technique by getting advice from Porsche (a German car manufacture) in order to reduce production time and avoid delay as happened in A380 program. 9. Worldwide Outsourcing: Both Airbus and Boeing have increased their global outsourcing in Japan, China, India, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Russia (estimated in the future). Why the two aircraft manufacture select these region because of the strong economic growth as well as fast-growing air travel particularly in Asia/Pacific region. Large Asian and Middle Eastern carriers as Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Vietnam Airlines now are the major customers. The variety of offset arrangements have opened up new market opportunities, tied to increased sourcing (e.g., from China). Boeing strategy: long unparalleled dominance in Japanese market strong presence in China. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In Japan: 80% of orders from Japanese airlines from Boeing during last decade; Japanese suppliers (heavies) account for 35% of 787 work-shares. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In China: activities range from subcontracting, joint ventures, technical training and assistance for cooperative programs; visible support from Chinese suppliers (valued at $1.6 billion), supplying essential composite parts and structures for 787 programs. Airbus strategy: relative newcomer to Japan China. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In Japan: facing difficulties in winning orders from Japanese airlines, but has contracted work with Japanese suppliers. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In China: sale activities in China jumped to 219 aircraft in 2005 from 56, overtaking Boeing by delivering 6 more aircraft; committed to doubling procurement from Chinese suppliers to $120 million/year by 2010; announced Tianjin will be site for Airbus first final assembly plant outside Europe. 10. The Emerging Unique Model: Boeing Model: The Boeing 787 experience represents a unique model for the future in supply chain management. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ In essence, the Boeing model is about optimizing the total business, not just the supply chain in the traditional sense. Supply chain architecture as an integral part of the entire program extended enterprise architecture. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Main emphasis is on optimizing portfolio of core competencies in entire value stream for mutual benefit. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lifecycle value creation perspective, not short-term waste elimination or cost minimization for Boeing itself. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boeing has adopted a bold new innovative system integrator role. This represents a revolutionary departure from the past. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boeing has asked all suppliers to carry all of the non-recurring costs; in return, gives back to risk-sharing partnering suppliers the intellectual property rights on the components or systems they provide. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Contracts are so designed that if the aircraft does well in the marketplace, the risk-sharing partners derive direct benefits and major partnering suppliers can make design trades within each work package and across company units to find optimal system solutions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Lower-tier suppliers are not provided IP ownership but are given long-term relationships, where they can benefit from scale economies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Boeing only provides high-level interface definition; the first-tier (major partnering suppliers) is responsible for the detailed interface definitions designs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Suppliers work together and Boeing acts as referee in case of conflicts. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Web-enabled information technologies systems a critical enabler. Airbus model: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus is reported to have established risk-sharing partnerships with more than 30 of its major suppliers covering $3.1 billion or 25% of total program non-recurring costs. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ These suppliers include Alenia, Eurocopter, Fokker, Gamesa, Labinal, Saab). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ However, this needs closer scrutiny, to see what it actually means. Airbus also continues to exercise control over all system and detail engineering interface definitions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Airbus suppliers work in parallel (bilaterally with Airbus), with limited lateral communications among them. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Unlike Boeing, Airbus has no strong partners for major risk-sharing activities or as contributors to development spending. However, Airbus is currently pursuing new partnering arrangements under its Airbus Power competitiveness Industrial Plan. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Plan proposes radical cost-cutting rationalization measures (cutting 10,000 jobs, closing down or selling specific sites, rearranging workshare allocation). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Investment partners being sought for the Extended Enterprise sites (Nordenham, Germany; Meaulte, France; Filton, UK). à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ As part of the plan, supplier relationships would also change (Airbus wants partners to commit to long-term cost reductions). Airbus also reducing its supplier base from 3,000 down to 5,000. 11. Conclusion: Aerospace supply chain management will continue to evolve from a transactional or relational business model to one involving risk-sharing and cost-sharing prime-supplier partnerships, alliances closely-knit collaborative relationships. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Where primes (system-integrators) will likely to move closer to a total system integrator lifecycle value provider role. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Major suppliers to assume greater system-integrator role, with greater responsibility for design, development, manufacturing, and after-market lifecycle support. Suppliers, in general, moving from short-term service providers to long-term partners. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Global outsourcing considered as aerospace supply chains and is likely to be a lot more quite internationalized in the future. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Adoption of information technologies enabling network-wide connectivity right down to lower tiers an imperative in the future for coordinating complex set of interdependencies. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Continued consolidation likely in aerospace supplier base to build greater specialization broader system integration skills, and stronger financial backbone to make the necessary investments to enhance core capabilities.

Teenage Suicide Essay -- Teenage Suicide Essays

Teenage suicide has become a critical, national problem the extent of which is mind boggling. From 1980 to 1992 the rate of suicides involving persons from the ages of 10-14 years old has increased by 120 percent, and has increased 28.3 percent when involving persons from the ages of 15-19 years old (Suicide 451). More recently in a poll of 3,210 high-school honor students, a stunning one-quarter have seriously considered suicide (Eaton 15). Suicides have been proven to be one of the leading causes of death among teens, falling second only to accidents (Roberts 45). This data, however, may be inaccurate, being that deaths labeled accidental may have actually been teen suicides. Also, many families may not want to report suicides or suicide attempts for the fear of embarrassment. Nevertheless, there is extensive proof that suicide attempts and/or successes are on the rise among teenagers, and numerous groups have devoted themselves to establishing a cause to this epidemic. The one si milarity that all of these different groups seem to agree on is that there is not one single theory that explains the growing phenomenon of teenage suicide. However, a number of factors seem to be common among â€Å"at-risk teens,† factors that, if given the right set of circumstances, could put them in jeopardy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of and seemingly the most common of these factors is depression. According to the National Association for Mental Health, nearly 20 percent of those who receive care for depression in hospitals and clinics are under the age of eighteen (Leder 31). Everyone has different reasons for being depressed and the extent of that depression will also vary from person to person. Some common causes of depression that have been found to lead to suicide attempts are not feeling loved and/or understood, the feeling of rejection, trouble with friends and family, or the feeling of being â€Å"no good.† A loss, (as in the death of a loved one, divorce, or the breakup up with a boyfriend/girlfriend) Has also been found to link depression and suicide (Leder 34).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychologists and doctors have also realized that having numerous psychological problems, known as â€Å"conduct disorders,† causes teens to have impulsive behavior. This impulsive behavior can cause them to act violent... ... a sense of identity is often pretty shacked and fragile during adolescence, feelings of not being worth much in one’s parents eyes won’t help a young person’s self-esteem. In extreme cases the adolescent may look upon himself, as being despicable and worthless, and learn to hate himself, when he is unable able to reach their goals (Hafen 95). The Youth Suicide National Center feels that â€Å"few of them [adolescents] have found ways of dealing with the lack of self esteem and when these feelings overwhelm them, they believe there is something very wrong with them.† (qtd. in Hafen 23).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After reading numerous books and articles, the plain, but simple truth is that no one knows exactly why teenagers kill themselves. Psychiatrists have, however, reached the conclusion that in a society where adolescents have been exposed to many adult pressures and stresses, they may not be able to cope. Some of the most common causes of stress revolve around family situations, social problems, depression, developmental factors, and other factors associated with adolescents. It is this unbearable stress that leads them to the act of suicide.

Misunderstandings in Culturally Diverse Workplaces Essay -- social iss

This essay will explain issues that occur in culturally diverse workplaces and describe how personal conceptions may contribute to misunderstandings when working with others in culturally diverse workplaces. This essay will also discuss the impact of cultural differences when conflict occurs and it will give suggestions on how to resolve and manage this conflict. An explanation of who to discuss the conflict with in a work environment will also be discussed in this essay. The issues that arise in a culturally diverse workplace need to be known and identified by counsellors to ensure they are aware of any obstacle forming. Cross-cultural conflict can arise from a range of issues. These issues include language barriers, customs, roles and status, differences in non-verbal behaviour, personal space, appearance, gender, religion and responses to authority (Open Colleges, 2012, p.47-49). While working as a professional in a multi-cultural country it is important for counsellors to understand the influence these issues can have on relationships in the workplace with both clients and colleagues. Fontes states, when the client and counsellor come from different cultures, obtaining correct basic demographic information can be challenging due to atypical family configurations, facts that have been lost or changed in the process of immigration and lying (2008, p.282). These issues may be overcome with honesty and confidence once the counsellor and client have strong rapport. It is important for counsellors to understand their own cultural concepts and how they may contribute to conflict when working with others. As a young female, I understand that in many cultures I would be recognised as incompetent and unhelpful. However, by using le... ...of how to resolve it successfully. A reflection on my own cultural concepts has enabled me to understand how personal values and beliefs may contribute to misunderstandings when working with others and how the impact of cultural differences can affect conflict. It has also explained where to get assistance if needed if conflict arose. This information will be used in my work when counselling clients from a different cultural background. Works Cited Open Colleges (2012) Student Workbook: Work within a structured counselling framework. Open Colleges Sydney, Australia Geldard, D., and Geldard, K. (2012) Basic Personal Counselling: A training manual for counsellors (7th Ed.) Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia Fontes, Lisa Aronson, May 23, 2008, Interviewing Clients across Cultures: A Practitioner's Guide Guilford Press, New York, ISBN: 9781606230534

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues - Should Same-Sex Marriage Allowed ? :: Argumentative Persuasive Essays

Should Gay Couples Be Allowed to Marry?      Ã‚   Only in the states of Vermont and California are gay couples allowed to marry.   Same-sex marriage is very important with gay couples and activists in today's society.   On January 1, 2002, a bill became effective to give members of registered same-sex and opposite-sex couples the right to adopt a partner's child.   A reason why the Vermont same-sex union battle received so much nation press is because legislators were responding to a court order, while some ended up losing their jobs to same-sex unions.   Religious, government, and social groups have debated this issue and it is taking a long time for it to be resolved.   Same-sex marriage has some very distinct facts and values important to one's religion, morals, or even what his or her family thinks of the gay lifestyle.   Many Mormons oppose gay marriage because they believe offends everything religion stands for. Also, making love to another man betrays everything that is masculine and that people fear that gay people might recruit straight people to the gay lifestyle.   Many people are in favor of equal rights for homosexuals.   "They say that yes, gays should have the same rights in housing, jobs, public accommodations, and should have equal access to government benefits, equal protection of the law, etc" (Bidstrup).   Focusing more on this issue can help accelerate the outcome of recognizing same-sex marriage.   Same-sex marriages should be legalized and recognized because our government guarantees equal rights for all citizens. The government says that every citizen of the United States shall receive equal rights.   But, why did they pass the Defense of Marriage Act?   The Defense of Marriage Act prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages; in my opinion this act is immoral and unjust because it restricts the rights of gay and lesbian citizens. The authors of Gays, Lesbians, and Family Values, Elizabeth A. Say and mark R. Kowalewski, are distinguished writers on the subject of gays and lesbians.   They both are very conservative and believe in religious rights when it comes to sexual preference.   "On September 10, 1996, the U.S. Senate passed the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages and allows individual states to refrain from recognizing them.

Future of Smart Phones

In recent years, the concept of a smart phone is changing dramatically. Just review what we have already got. iPhone, a creative mobile phone, has established a platform full of potential, which allows programmers to design innovative applications and sell them online. We cannot deny that iPhone is the leader of the smart phone market, however, there’s another powerful purser, smart phones based on Google Android system, which is an open-sources operating system. Features of present smart phones are evident to see, touchscreen, GPS navigator, gravity sensor, massive delicate applications and so forth.These things have come up in such a short time and changed the market entirely. 2. Changes and Improvements of future smart phones As it’s said before, smart phones are full of potential. With the increasing growth of customers’ appetite, these little digital machines are evolving rapidly to benefit people. More functions will be integrated into smartphones. 2. 1 Gam ing experience It’s believed that the gaming experience will be greatly improved in next few years. Gamers will be able to experience what we are experiencing on PCs where a FPS game is involved with high-resolution graphical display and multiplayer co-operation.These should ascribe to faster processor and faster carrier service. Moreover, the installation of games will be much easier. Only several steps are needed to be done to have a latest game downloaded and ready to run. Payment and whatever can be accomplished online. Also, with the need for intense empathy of gaming experience, the screen of smart phones will be much bigger but not as big as an iPad because it’s a burden to carry. Some designed for game may have gaming controller on themselves, just like PSP. 2. 2 Security Perhaps most challenging concern for the future is security.Nowadays, increasing people use their credit cards via smart phones. It’s devastating to see that online thieves working day and night. At present we cannot make the conclusion that smart phone we are using is pretty secure, not by the iPhone being hacked to acquaint administration right. Manufactures and security corporations should work together to ensure that customers’ password won’t be stolen by villains. When a smart phone is infected with virus, powerful anti-virus software should alert the user and wipe out the threat immediately. 2. 3 CommunicationThe famous SNS website Facebook has already achieved 500 million registered accounts, which means there’re more and more people that enjoy online communication. This gives smart phones a perfect opportunity to be the very useful tool to keep in touch with others. Although we cannot access internet everywhere at present, the future smart phone will become the most common communication device with widespread Wi-Fi network. Moreover, contact with friends will be fun under the help of some features such as multi-touching and mini camera . Sharing at any time can be the top entertainment in our daily life. 3. ConclusionHave you ever dreamed of having an ultra-functional hand like device that can do almost everything for you? It’s not transformers, but it can come into being with the rapid development of technology. Smart phones, with faster processor and high developed operating system, won’t just be your travelling companion, but your key to the colorful digital world.Bibliography (References) John Brandon (2010, February). The Future of Smartphones: 2010-2015 and Beyond. Retrieved October 28, 2010, from Digital Trend, Features Web site: http://www. digitaltrends. com/features/the-future-of-smartphones-2010-2015-and-beyond/

Personal Philosophy Essay

Educational philosophy is sometimes referred to as the immediate objectives of education. Immediate objectives on the other hand are purposes which a subject at a given time must aim to achieve through the courses of study or the curriculum. Its aims constitute a very important aspect of the total education. They are more specific and they can be accomplished in a shorter period of time, maybe a day or a week. These, too, are considered goals of specialization. This study aims to develop an educational philosophy and relate its important to one’s classroom teaching. Role of the teacher. The life of the teacher everywhere is full of responsibility. The teacher should recognize that the welfare and interest of the child is the principal objective of his profession. The school is for the children and the teacher’s first thought should be for them. At least during the time the pupils are in the school the teacher stands for the parents. The teacher should guard the health, moral, and well-being of the pupils with intelligent care. He should also be alert to discover physical defects of his pupils, and prompt to inform and interest the parents so that relief may be offered. Curriculum. Through the years, schools have taken on many new subjects without dropping old subjects. Schools must relinquish subjects that can be learned readily outside the school system and should be child-friendly and child-centered school. It should provide a variety of programs to meet the special interests and talents of the students. The Child. The child is the center of the matter. The teacher must know the nature of the child to be motivated, directed, guided, and evaluated. To understand the child, the teacher must know him as a biological organism with needs, abilities, and goals. He must know the social and psychological environment of the child and the cultural forces of which the child is a part. The behavior of the child at any given moment is the result of biological environment factors operating simultaneously. The child behaves as he does because he is a human being with needs and motives, and because he is surrounded by environmental and cultural forces which determine his behavior, these needs and motives shall be met. Methods of Education. The literature on the subject of teaching generally makes no distinction between method of teaching and technique of teaching. Writing on educational theory and practice has presented different classroom procedures as methods of teaching/education or techniques of teaching. These two terms have different meanings and values, but both are integrated in any teaching and learning situation. The method of education covers the psychological processes involved in learning, and the technique of teaching covers the use of devices and the application of principles in teaching in order to effect the proper development of the individual student. In addition, method relates to the learning performance rather than to the teaching performances, and method of education involves steps to guide the mental processes (Demiashkevich 43-48). Aims of Education. The philosophical aims of education require all public and private schools in this country to pursue, in the development of every child, regardless of color, creed, or social status. All educational institutions shall aim to inculcate love of country, teach the duties of citizenship, and develop moral character, personal discipline, and scientific, technological, and vocational efficiency. The study of the Constitution shall be part of the curricula in all schools (Peterson, pp. 64-69). The State shall provide citizenship and vocational training to adult citizens and out-of-school youth, and create and maintain scholarship for poor and deserving students. Moreover, philosophy of education is one of the major ground bases of education as field of profession; hence, focused study of such condition is essential. The case study involves the subjects of philosophical perspective of education linked with the condition of determining the future trends of the system. Utilizing five aspects of contributing factors, such as standards of teaching, bilingual education, cultural diversities, special education and the public policies, we shall determine the possible implications of such factors in professional philosophy of education. As a conclusion, as for the philosophy of education, and the continuity of learning and the aspects of continuous teaching without regards to any exceptions as incurred by the society, divine law, and human rights. Every minority with no considerations to race, gender, and possibly realistic health conditions should be deprived with education. The philosophy of education involves the general principle of conducting education as a means of providing universal treatment for the development implicated in a universal perspective. Furthermore, the philosophy of education, on the perspective of professionalism, involves that the educator must also be under the said umbrella of development and continuous learning despite of the governed tasks of teaching. Reference: Demiashkevich, Michael (2003). An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. Pp. 43- 48American Book. New York. Peterson, Michael L. (2000). Philosophy of Education: Issues and Options. Pp. 64-69, InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL.