10 Ways to Use Smartphones to Teach English

Smartphones are here to stay. For English teachers, that means we need to either ban iPhones, Androids, Blackberries, and whatever next flavor arrives, or we have to learn how to incorporate the use of smartphones into our routine. Students who sit in class and use their iPhone or Android are missing out; however, its also true that students are going to use their smartphones if they havent been taken away. Here are ten tips on how to constructively allow the use of smartphones in class. Some of the exercises are just variations on traditional classroom activities. However, encouraging students to use smartphones to complete these activities will help them learn to use their devices to actively improve their English skills. Finally, its important to insist that smartphone or tablet use in the classroom is approved only as a tool during a specific activity. In this way, they may not be tempted to use their smartphones for other reasons during class.   Vocabulary Exercises Using Google Image Search A picture is worth a thousand words. Have students use their smartphone to look up specific nouns on Google images or another search engine. Youve all seen how a visual dictionary can greatly improve vocabulary retention. With smartphones, we have visual dictionaries on steroids. Translation Activities Encourage students to read using three phases. Only allow smartphone use in the third phase. Students are pleased because they can look up words. However, theyre developing good reading skills by not immediately translating every word they do not understand. Read for gist: no stopping!Read for context: How can the words surrounding unknown words help with understanding?Read for precision: explore new vocabulary using a smartphone or dictionary. Use Apps for Communication Activities We all communicate with our smartphones in different ways depending on different apps. In other words, texting with a messaging app is bound to be different than writing an email on your computer. Take advantage of this and promote activities that are specific to a given context. One example might be to have students text each other to complete a given task.   Practice Pronunciation You can use smartphones to record audio as you model pronunciation for your students. For example, gather suggestions, then ask students to open a recording app. Read five different ways to make a suggestion aloud. Pause between each suggestion. Have students go home and practice mimicking your pronunciation in the pause between each suggestion. There are many, many variations on this theme.   Another great use for pronunciation is to have students change the language to English and try to dictate an email. Theyll have to work really hard at word level pronunciation in order to get the desired results. Thesaurus Activities Have students search on the phrase words like... and a host of online offerings will appear. Encourage students to use their smart phones during writing class in this manner while focusing on developing a wider range of vocabulary. For example, take a simple sentence such as The people spoke about politics. Ask students to come up with a number of versions using their smartphones to find substitutes for the verb speak. Play Games This is something we normally shouldnt encourage in class; however, you might encourage students to write down phrases they experience while playing games to bring into class to discuss in more detail. There are also a number of word games such as Scrabble or word search puzzles that are actually instructive as well as fun. You can make room for this in your class as a reward for completing a task, just make sure to tie it to some sort of report back to the class. Track Vocabulary There are a wide variety of MindMapping apps available, as well as a myriad of flash card apps. You can even create your own flash cards and have students download your set of cards to practice in class.   Practice Writing Have students write emails to each other in order to complete a specific task. Change up the tasks to practice different types of register. For example, one student might write a product inquiry with another student replying to the inquiry with a follow-up email. This is nothing new. However, just using their smartphones can help motivate the students to complete the task. Create Narration This is a variation on writing emails. Have students choose photos they have taken and write a short story describing the photos they have chosen. By making the activity personal in this manner, students engage more deeply with the task. Keep a Journal One more writing exercise for the smartphone. Have students keep a journal and share it with the class. Students can take photos, write descriptions in English, as well as describe their day.

Essay on Violence in Schools - 1490 Words

Violence in schools is a problem that Americans have had to face at an ever increasing rate. Instead of fistfights, the issues are fatal, like school shootings. Violence is nationally defined as a physical force used to injure, damage or destroy (Guralnik, D., 1997, P.1490). In the past decade, students are using more than physical force. They are using deadly weapons to injure or kill their peers and authority figures, and to destroy school property. Safety is considered to be the freedom from danger and injury damage (Guralnik, D., 1997, P.1181); in other words, freedom from violence. Schools must ensure students and parents that above adequate measures -especially the three most successful- will be provided to make sure schools†¦show more content†¦Heavily armed with shotguns and other homemade explosive devices, they terrorized the school and everyone in it by killing students and teachers and ultimately, themselves (Gottesman, R., 1999, P. 358). The nation watch ed as the school and the lives of many Columbine families was destroyed. This was considered to be the worst school shooting in U.S. history. Instead of dwelling on the situation, students and administrators took a proactive approach to find new methods of prevention so this or any related violence would never be allowed on school grounds again. Safety has been the school’s first priority since the shootings occurred. In a debate with Al Gore, President Bush said, â€Å"You cant carry a gun into a school, and there ought to be a consequence when you do carry a gun into a school. But Columbine spoke to a larger issue, and its really a matter of culture. Its a culture that somewhere along the line, weve begun to disrespect life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sandell, A., 2000). Safety remains a top concern on administrators’ agendas nationwide. Many measures have been implemented to combat violence effectively in our nation’s schools. There is no perfect plan or program that can eradicate violence altogether. Prevention measures vary according to community standards, needs, cultures andShow MoreRelatedSchool Violence And Schools Violence2781 Words   |  12 PagesSchool violence has become a topic that many people are engaged in a debate about. It is difficult to make a definitive definition of school violence, because there are so very many components to it. For one thing, we can be sure that school violence and bullying is something that only takes place amongst peers; this type of violence typically does not involve adults, and happens as a result of interactions from school or within the peer group. This part of the definition seems obvious. However,Read MoreSchool Violence2444 Words   |  10 PagesSchool Violence Victoria Griffin Fayetteville State University The Importance to Be Aware Of School Violence in Education Today By Victoria Griffin December 1, 2014 Abstract: The importance of knowing about school violence, the cause of school violence, forms of school violence and they ways teacher can prevent school violence was observed. A recent act of school violence is announced and the content of why it is important for teachers to be aware of school violence. School violenceRead MoreSchool Violence2187 Words   |  9 PagesSchool Violence Violence in schools has spread widely throughout the nation. School violence is a big problem we are facing now. This has caused many problems among students, families’ faculty of schools and residents of the community. School violence includes gang activity, locker thefts, bullying and intimidation, gun use, assault, and drugs. In my paper I will discuss the reasons why violence in schools exists, describeRead MoreSchool Violence Essay1154 Words   |  5 PagesPreventing school violence has been an issue in our society for so long it has almost become commonplace. According to an article on www.infoplease.com, since the year 2000, there have been a recorded 64 shooting related incidents that involved publicly occupied areas. That is an occurrence of almost five per year. Of those 64, 94% of these incidents were school related shootings. The violence goes from elementary schools all the way up to college universities. The statistics are not pretty by anyRead MoreThe Vio lence Of Public Schools871 Words   |  4 PagesIn recent times, several mass shootings have occurred in several places. Sadly, public schools in America have been venues for these mass shootings. How do we reduce these shootings? How do we ensure that the lives of our kids are safe? These are the questions parents all over America are asking. A lot of suggestions have been made to the government concerning the issue of mass shootings. Some say government have to ban the purchase of guns, others say there should be background checks, while othersRead MorePreventing School Violence608 Words   |  2 Pagesor experienced some form of school violence is growing at an alarming rate. School violence has been increasing rapidly but there are ways to prevent it. School violence is defined as anything that jeopardizes a schools educational mission. This includes bullying, fights, assault, harassment, and even shootings. Over the years, there has been an increase in cases. But, there are w ays to slow the increase of school violence. School violence is posing harm to schools across the United States. PreventionRead MoreShould School Violence Be Banned?901 Words   |  4 PagesPrabhdip Kang Mr. Shurrie Did you guys hear? About that shooting at the school? Most of you guys, thought about something different. This just goes to show you how many different shootings have happened recently. I’m not sure where to begin, but according to The Star Newspaper, there were more than 1,100 incidents of school violence in just 4 years, that’s a lot. If you were to google â€Å"school shooting† right now, you would find numerous incidents that happened just this week that happened in CanadaRead More Violence in Our Schools Essay1257 Words   |  6 Pages Violence in our Schools Children today are growing up in an increasingly violent atmosphere, both in society in general and in their schools. While there is no easy answer as to how to end this violence once and for all, we can look at some of the causes and take steps to contain that which we can. The main contributing factor in all recent school shootings has been the shooters’ feelings that they were bullied by and alienated from the rest of the children and were made to feel that they wereRead MoreThe Fight Against School Violence Essay1901 Words   |  8 Pagesthat at least ten percent of the schools in the entire United States of America are faced with problems associated with violence and in these schools there is at least one serious case of crime other than thefts and physical attacks†(School Violence...). The article, School Violence-a Survey, on the School Violence, Weapons, Crime, and Bullying website clearly states a rising problem within the US. It seems as if the news has a co nstant flow of new school violence cases, and there is no indicationRead MoreThe Effects Of School Violence On Today s Youth2247 Words   |  9 PagesAbstract This research investigates definitions of school violence in general and as a subset of youth violence in particular and investigates and the core environmental factors and the individual student risk factors found to contribute to school violence. The research also includes investigation into the effects of school violence on today’s youth in general and the negative outcomes of school violence including poor physical health, poor mental health, poor academic achievement, and a decreased

Jim bob Essay Example For Students

Jim bob Essay I had just divorced my third wife, Cherie. She was a plain woman with almost no outstanding characteristics about her at all. I married her because she was quite different from my first two wives and because I didnt want to grow old alone. Also, I couldnt cook. Cherie could cook, however, all of her dishes were very plain. This should not have surprised me. I stood along the riverbank behind my house and reflected on my marriages. It was early November, 1985. The Canada geese always flew overhead this time of year, and this evening was no different. They flew low to the ground at 5:36 p.m. coming in to a landing in their misshapen V. I watched them settle in for the evening. There was irony in the fact that each of my wives had been fascinated by the geese, and I was by no means oblivious to this. I knew they would be gone by tomorrow afternoon. My river was one of their favorite motels; a guaranteed stop on the long trip south. I turned my back to the riverbank (much like I had turned my back on Cherie) and walked back up the hill to my house. The following afternoon, as I looked out the kitchen window, I was surprised to see one of the geese remained. It was flying in a circle, alone, above the river. I was curious, but the day was a dreary one, and I opted against exploring. Instead, I sat at the table and watched the bird through the window. Something about its solitude struck me and made me sad. I poured myself a whiskey and tried not to think about Cherie. A few hours later I sat in front of the television. Growing Pains was on channel five, and I tried to pay attention. That family made me sick. No one on the television ever got divorced back then. I clicked off the set and went upstairs for a nap. When I awoke, something made me go down to the kitchen. It was dark outside, and I couldnt see the goose. I looked around for the Maglight in my messy pantry, and when I found it, I slipped my feet into the boots by the door. I remember that making my way down to the riverbank was treacherous because the grass was slick with rain. As I approached, I heard a sound coming from a bush near the bank. I shone my flashlight in the direction of the noise. It was the goose. I was certain I had frightened her, but she didnt even appear to notice me. She looked past me dully, and then hung her head and continued mourning. When I got closer, I could see that she was standing over the body of another goose. I remembered reading somewhere that geese mat e for life. Leave us alone, she said. She said it with such force and certainty that I had no choice to turn on my heels and return to the house. I got out of my boots, threw the flashlight on the couch, and went up to the attic. My grandfather had given me an old set of encyclopedias a few years before, and I was fairly certain they were stuffed away somewhere. I needed to find out more about the goose. Almost half an hour later, I found what I had been looking for. I took the dusty book downstairs to the den and settled in. What I learned was disturbing. Geese do indeed mate for life. Typically, when one dies, the other remains with the body. The saddened goose will not eat, often flying in a circle above its lovers body until overcome with exhaustion. The goose will die in a matter of days, usually only a few yards from its mate. I was not oblivious to the distinct difference between the gooses loyalty to its mate and my lack of it. I could not help myself, I had to see the goose again. .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .postImageUrl , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:hover , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:visited , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:active { border:0!important; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:active , .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5 .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u3ac1664c6426277f1f7ca39e3fa193c5:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Road Not Taken and the Journey of Life Road No EssayI went back to the riverbank. It must have been 2:30 a.m. It didnt matter, I couldnt have slept if I tried. When the goose saw me, she unleashed her grief on me. I felt the pain of her voice and the sorrow was felt deep down. Why are you bothering me? Cant you see that I am mourning? she screeched at me. I just want to understand. How can you love someone so much? Youll die here, move on!You are all the same! she replied. You marry and then divorce. Your love is only surface love! You dont know the meaning of the word! We are one and I am already dead. Her words struck me and I walked back to the house slowly. I have not had a decent nights rest since. I toss on the mattress and bang at the pillow. I had three chances at happiness, and kicked dust at them all. Maybe the geese are right after all. My wives had loved the geese, and I had barely given a thought to them. Maybe they saw something I didnt. Now I must learn how to cook, but for some reason my dishes are always plain. Bibliography:

Strategic Plan, Part Ii Swott Analysis Essay Example

Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis Essay Strategic Plan, Part II: SWOTT Analysis BUS/475 SWOTT Analysis Today’s business world is one of many challenges; challenges with our Federal Government encroaching upon the business world with regulatory changes and restrictions, challenges with an ever-changing economic climate that seems to swing in either direction and challenges with both political parties that engage in meaningless finger-pointing, rather than looking for solutions. Having a Strategic Plan in place is important to ensure that any business has a successful start to their business life. Companies need to develop strategic plans that include performing a SWOTT analysis to establish how the business will survive in these tough economic times. A SWOTT analysis is defined as a situation analysis of an organization’s internal Strength and Weaknesses, external Opportunities, Threats and Trends faced by the company, are closely examined to chart a strategy for survival of the company, (Business Dictionary, 2011). By focusing on leadership, the legal and regulatory climate, global economic climate, technological advances, innovation, processes and systems trends, a company can determine what changes need to be made to survive. Below is a SWOTT analysis for an all online loan origination system called The Loan Doctor, LLC. Strengths The Loan Doctor’s fully integrated online format is similar to the questionnaire system that Turbo Tax uses in their software system; each â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† response sets up a new set of questions or responses for the next series of questions or responses; in the end, the system gets the right response it requires to make a decision to approve or deny the loan application. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Loan Doctor, LLC recognizes the past inefficiencies, breakdowns in communication, confusion over the fees being charged and the interest rate being charged on the loan program and eliminates the confusing loan process that most people do not understand and most mortgage professionals have trouble explaining. The Loan Doctor, LLC also recognizes the general public’s frustration in dealing with personnel that are not as educated about the mortgage loan guidelines and process as they should be, rustration with rates changing at the last minute or fees that come up at the last minute. The Loan Doctor eliminates the need for undertrained personnel that can sometimes cause confusion of the information on the loan application, or failed follow-through by personnel; The Loan Doctor eliminates the human error factor altogether. This online structure allows for management to oversee each function or phase of the process. This structure also allows for minimal accounting and supervision. The Loan Doctor’s ongoing and increasing database will position the business to operate in high volume by being able to accumulate data and service their ongoing database for future refinance or streamlined needs. Weaknesses Older people of our population prefer to work face-to-face with a â€Å"live body† in person, rather than working on an online system where they cannot ask questions during the process. Because of the lack of a one-on-one interaction, many customers may feel like a â€Å"number† rather than a person; in today’s â€Å"entitled† society, many people like to feel important, with an online format, these same people may view this online format as â€Å"cold† and impersonal. Our location, or lack of a physical location, would be seen as a weakness. Other mortgage companies could try to capitalize on this format, claiming the exact cold and impersonal touches linked with this kind of all online origination system. Opportunities Legal, regulatory, compliance and RESPA requirements will have to be met with an internal â€Å"check balances† system that oversees these areas to ensure all files are met with RESPA, MDIA or HVCC requirements, and that files meet HMDA requirements for post-closing auditing. The online system would be considered innovative by most as it would eliminate the need for a Loan Officer or a Loan processor, skipping by both of these job elements going directly to Underwriting for loan approval; competition from other mortgage companies would attempt to discredit an all online origination system. There is an opportunity to reach customers in all areas of the country, once all compliance and licensing requirements are met, to originate and sell loans in other states using this same online internet system. Threats As stated above, other â€Å"mortgage shops† would attempt to discredit an all online origination system by pointing out the lack of a â€Å"live body† person to point questions to. To counter this, The Loan Doctor will employ knowledgeable mortgage professionals to handle questions in an online chat forum that walks the client through any questions they might have; these mortgage professionals would be paid per diem, per helped client. They would be fully trained on the software The Loan Doctor uses. These threats would be from the older portion of our population that likes face-to-face interaction vs. an online system where they cannot ask questions during the process. Competitors will have the ability to differentiate themselves in their processes vs. ur online process that won’t have sales-people to close the deal. To counter this, The Loan Doctor will need to offer the lowest fees and rates to be competitive to help offset any uneasy clients due to lack of human-to-human contact. Other threats include changes in laws or regulatory environments that could affect business in certain regions. To counter this, The Loan Doctor would need to have a strong compliance manager in place to oversee and regulate any changes, in any region, so the sake of closing the transaction for the client and for The Loan Doctor. Trends As our population continues to grow into the internet age, more and more people are becoming computer and internet savvy; the younger population would gravitate to an all online mortgage company as most simply do not have time to take out of their day to visit a loan officer in person (if the loan officer is available), or most do not like the feeling of being â€Å"sold† into a loan or lender. Internet mortgage leads continue to increase as many people would rather be anonymous and try and get as much information as they can before â€Å"showing their cards† to the lender. The Lending Tree is still one of the most popular online lead origination systems on the internet; The Lending Tree, in its â€Å"hay-day† proposed the lowest rate from the best four lenders that would offer their lowest fees and rates to get your business. The model at Lending Tree touted that â€Å"with Lending Tree; when banks compete, you win† and they sold the consumer on the premise that they would receive four offers within fifteen minutes (The Lending Tree 2012); the problem with Lending Tree is that they sold your information to other lead rigination systems and before the consumer knew what was going on, they were being contacted by 12-15 competitors. In closing, a full-time online loan origination system eliminating human error, tacky or opinionated sales people, unreliable or untrustworthy mortgage employees and files that seems to â€Å"sit on peoples desks† are virtually eliminated in an all online, error-free environment that will only rely an form ally trained Underwriters and IT personnel to track and push the file through approval, through Underwriting, through to Clear to Close, to loan docs and finally through the funding process to close the loan. The current economy has left the general public wary of trusting just about any bank or lender out there right now; with Wall Street bailouts, automobile manufacturer bailouts and politicians that seem to engage in finger-pointing rather than finding solutions, the general public is left to themselves to try and figure out what the best option is for them. Most would like to remain anonymous until they feel they have uncovered the best deal, before they are willing to expose themselves of â€Å"show their cards† to a company or system the no longer trust; an full-time online origination system, allows them to do just that; remain anonymous, while gaining information, before they are willing to commit or buy. References The Lending Tree (2012). When banks compete, you win, retrieved from http://www. lendingtree. com/ WebFinance, Inc. (2012). SWOT Analysis, retrieved from Businessdictionary. com: http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/SWOT-analysis. html#ixzz26fyPzeXb Strategic Plan, Part Ii Swott Analysis Essay Example Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis Essay Strategic Plan, Part II: SWOTT Analysis BUS/475 SWOTT Analysis Today’s business world is one of many challenges; challenges with our Federal Government encroaching upon the business world with regulatory changes and restrictions, challenges with an ever-changing economic climate that seems to swing in either direction and challenges with both political parties that engage in meaningless finger-pointing, rather than looking for solutions. Having a Strategic Plan in place is important to ensure that any business has a successful start to their business life. Companies need to develop strategic plans that include performing a SWOTT analysis to establish how the business will survive in these tough economic times. A SWOTT analysis is defined as a situation analysis of an organization’s internal Strength and Weaknesses, external Opportunities, Threats and Trends faced by the company, are closely examined to chart a strategy for survival of the company, (Business Dictionary, 2011). By focusing on leadership, the legal and regulatory climate, global economic climate, technological advances, innovation, processes and systems trends, a company can determine what changes need to be made to survive. Below is a SWOTT analysis for an all online loan origination system called The Loan Doctor, LLC. Strengths The Loan Doctor’s fully integrated online format is similar to the questionnaire system that Turbo Tax uses in their software system; each â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† response sets up a new set of questions or responses for the next series of questions or responses; in the end, the system gets the right response it requires to make a decision to approve or deny the loan application. We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Plan, Part Ii: Swott Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Loan Doctor, LLC recognizes the past inefficiencies, breakdowns in communication, confusion over the fees being charged and the interest rate being charged on the loan program and eliminates the confusing loan process that most people do not understand and most mortgage professionals have trouble explaining. The Loan Doctor, LLC also recognizes the general public’s frustration in dealing with personnel that are not as educated about the mortgage loan guidelines and process as they should be, rustration with rates changing at the last minute or fees that come up at the last minute. The Loan Doctor eliminates the need for undertrained personnel that can sometimes cause confusion of the information on the loan application, or failed follow-through by personnel; The Loan Doctor eliminates the human error factor altogether. This online structure allows for management to oversee each function or phase of the process. This structure also allows for minimal accounting and supervision. The Loan Doctor’s ongoing and increasing database will position the business to operate in high volume by being able to accumulate data and service their ongoing database for future refinance or streamlined needs. Weaknesses Older people of our population prefer to work face-to-face with a â€Å"live body† in person, rather than working on an online system where they cannot ask questions during the process. Because of the lack of a one-on-one interaction, many customers may feel like a â€Å"number† rather than a person; in today’s â€Å"entitled† society, many people like to feel important, with an online format, these same people may view this online format as â€Å"cold† and impersonal. Our location, or lack of a physical location, would be seen as a weakness. Other mortgage companies could try to capitalize on this format, claiming the exact cold and impersonal touches linked with this kind of all online origination system. Opportunities Legal, regulatory, compliance and RESPA requirements will have to be met with an internal â€Å"check balances† system that oversees these areas to ensure all files are met with RESPA, MDIA or HVCC requirements, and that files meet HMDA requirements for post-closing auditing. The online system would be considered innovative by most as it would eliminate the need for a Loan Officer or a Loan processor, skipping by both of these job elements going directly to Underwriting for loan approval; competition from other mortgage companies would attempt to discredit an all online origination system. There is an opportunity to reach customers in all areas of the country, once all compliance and licensing requirements are met, to originate and sell loans in other states using this same online internet system. Threats As stated above, other â€Å"mortgage shops† would attempt to discredit an all online origination system by pointing out the lack of a â€Å"live body† person to point questions to. To counter this, The Loan Doctor will employ knowledgeable mortgage professionals to handle questions in an online chat forum that walks the client through any questions they might have; these mortgage professionals would be paid per diem, per helped client. They would be fully trained on the software The Loan Doctor uses. These threats would be from the older portion of our population that likes face-to-face interaction vs. an online system where they cannot ask questions during the process. Competitors will have the ability to differentiate themselves in their processes vs. ur online process that won’t have sales-people to close the deal. To counter this, The Loan Doctor will need to offer the lowest fees and rates to be competitive to help offset any uneasy clients due to lack of human-to-human contact. Other threats include changes in laws or regulatory environments that could affect business in certain regions. To counter this, The Loan Doctor would need to have a strong compliance manager in place to oversee and regulate any changes, in any region, so the sake of closing the transaction for the client and for The Loan Doctor. Trends As our population continues to grow into the internet age, more and more people are becoming computer and internet savvy; the younger population would gravitate to an all online mortgage company as most simply do not have time to take out of their day to visit a loan officer in person (if the loan officer is available), or most do not like the feeling of being â€Å"sold† into a loan or lender. Internet mortgage leads continue to increase as many people would rather be anonymous and try and get as much information as they can before â€Å"showing their cards† to the lender. The Lending Tree is still one of the most popular online lead origination systems on the internet; The Lending Tree, in its â€Å"hay-day† proposed the lowest rate from the best four lenders that would offer their lowest fees and rates to get your business. The model at Lending Tree touted that â€Å"with Lending Tree; when banks compete, you win† and they sold the consumer on the premise that they would receive four offers within fifteen minutes (The Lending Tree 2012); the problem with Lending Tree is that they sold your information to other lead rigination systems and before the consumer knew what was going on, they were being contacted by 12-15 competitors. In closing, a full-time online loan origination system eliminating human error, tacky or opinionated sales people, unreliable or untrustworthy mortgage employees and files that seems to â€Å"sit on peoples desks† are virtually eliminated in an all online, error-free environment that will only rely an form ally trained Underwriters and IT personnel to track and push the file through approval, through Underwriting, through to Clear to Close, to loan docs and finally through the funding process to close the loan. The current economy has left the general public wary of trusting just about any bank or lender out there right now; with Wall Street bailouts, automobile manufacturer bailouts and politicians that seem to engage in finger-pointing rather than finding solutions, the general public is left to themselves to try and figure out what the best option is for them. Most would like to remain anonymous until they feel they have uncovered the best deal, before they are willing to expose themselves of â€Å"show their cards† to a company or system the no longer trust; an full-time online origination system, allows them to do just that; remain anonymous, while gaining information, before they are willing to commit or buy. References The Lending Tree (2012). When banks compete, you win, retrieved from http://www. lendingtree. com/ WebFinance, Inc. (2012). SWOT Analysis, retrieved from Businessdictionary. com: http://www. businessdictionary. com/definition/SWOT-analysis. html#ixzz26fyPzeXb

Breaking Down the Constitution essays

Breaking Down the Constitution essays Article Five, clause two of the United States Constitution states, "under the Authority of the United States, [the Constitution] shall be the supreme law of the land." As a result of the fact that the current activist government is pursuing inconsistent policies, many believe the Constitution has become irrelevant because no guiding principles seem to exist. Thomas Jefferson once said, "The Constitution belongs to the living and not to the dead." Accordingly, it is often referred to as a "living" document because of its regular alteration and reexamination; therefore, the Constitution has not become irrelevant in defining the goals of American government. This will be shown by examining how the Constitution ensures and upholds American ideas of rights, defines governmental structures, allows for an increase in governmental growth, and permits the Supreme Court to shape and define public policy through Constitutional Through years of research on court cases, political scientists are in agreement that most people favor rights in theory, but their support diminishes when the time to put the rights into practice arrives. For example, a strong percentage of Americans concur with the idea of free speech throughout the United States, but when a court case such as Texas vs. Johnson (1989) arises, most backing shifts away from complete freedom of speech. In the case, a Texan named Gregory Johnson set fire to an American flag during the 1984 Republican National Convention in Dallas in order to protest nuclear arms buildup; the decision was awarded to Johnson in the midst of stern Lockean philosophy concerning the natural rights of man also serves amajor role in an American's idea of rights. Many citizens feels that it is the task of the state to preserve such birthrights as life, liberty, and property. The juristic theory of rights deals ...

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Essay - 2

Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) - Essay Example This paper studies the ITIL framework and comes to the conclusion that this body of knowledge is extremely useful for all organizations in the above mentioned areas. Introduction: The role of information technology (IT) in today’s world is of extreme importance for the smooth running of businesses and other organizations. It can be said the there is practically no field that is not touched by IT, whether it is in manufacturing, services, defense, and even governance. The main reasons for this heavy dependence on this technology are the complexity of operations and also due to the adaptability of IT systems in fitting into every conceivable area of activity. In such a scenario, it was seen as a necessity to standardize IT management concepts and also to formulate a set of best practices that can serve as a comprehensive guideline to IT based organizations. In the UK, this concept was materialized by the formation of the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) during the 1980s. Many governments and organizations around the world have now accepted the guidelines as industry standard over the years. The purpose of this study is to establish wh ether ITIL provides the best practice guidelines for IT service management. The three points that will be used to establish the above is given here. The first is that the ITIL does provide comprehensive guidelines and framework for efficient information technology management. The second point is that the program can be incorporated into an IT management system either in its entirety or in part. The third point is that the program can be customized to suit the requirements of each individual organization. Comprehensive guidelines and ITIL: In order to understand whether the Library does provide comprehensive guidelines it is necessary to have a detailed overview of

Clinical immunology lab report (ELISA) Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Clinical immunology (ELISA) - Lab Report Example iagnose for certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and prostate cancer among many others as well as to measure certain hormones such as the human chorionic gonadotrophins. These tests capitalize on the fact that that many viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic illnesses generate established antibody reactions. Therefore, the recognition of antibodies specific to infectious agents in patients’ samples aids in the identification of infections such as influenza, HIV and hepatitis (Estridge & Reynolds 2011). In some instances such as syphilis, it is impossible to separate actual disease-causing organisms. Therefore, immunological tests find immense relevance in the diagnosis of these infections. Contemporary immunoassays have advanced from the need to identify and measure multifaceted biological molecules in situations where physical and analytical chemical techniques are not feasible (Bonwick & Smith 2004). In the early stages of immunoassays, the workers were restricted to using simple techniques that quantified the precipitation that occurred as a less important event after the binding of a number of antibodies to several antigens. This technique was difficult and had numerous limitations that restricted its use. Advances on improving the method led to the development of enhanced ways of identifying antigen-antibody reactions. The first method was radioimmunoassay by Berson and Yalow, which enabled the identity of the putative molecules by measuring radioactivity (Gan & Patel 2013). However, the problems associated with the disposal of radioactive waste led to the need for safer alternatives. In addition, radioimmunoassay required sophisticated equipment to obtain measur ements. ELISA became the most suitable alternative for detecting and quantifying antigens and antibodies ELISA is among the most common immunological tests in modern use. It entails the addition of an antigen or antibody to a firm surface, which in most instances is usually a polystyrene