Curriculum Design Definition, Purpose and Types

Curriculum design is a term used to describe the purposeful, deliberate, and systematic organization of curriculum (instructional blocks) within a class or course. In other words, it is a way for teachers to plan instruction. When teachers design curriculum, they identify what will be done, who will do it, and what schedule to follow. Purpose of Curriculum Design Teachers design each curriculum with a specific educational purpose in mind. The ultimate goal is to improve student learning, but there are other reasons to employ curriculum design as well. For example, designing a curriculum for middle school students with both elementary and high school curricula in mind helps to make sure that learning goals are aligned and complement each other from one stage to the next. If a middle school curriculum is designed without taking prior knowledge from elementary school or future learning in high school into account it can create real problems for the students.   Types of Curriculum Design There are three basic types of curriculum design: Subject-centered designLearner-centered designProblem-centered design Subject-Centered Curriculum Design Subject-centered curriculum design revolves around a particular subject matter or discipline. For example, a subject-centered curriculum may focus on math or biology. This type of curriculum design tends to focus on the subject rather than the individual. It is the most common type of curriculum used in K-12 public schools in states and local districts in the United States. Subject-centered curriculum design describes what needs to be studied and how it should be studied. Core curriculum is an example of a subject-centered design that can be standardized across schools, states, and the country as a whole. In standardized core curricula, teachers are provided a pre-determined list of things that they need to teach their students, along with specific examples of how these things should be taught. You can also find subject-centered designs in large college classes in which teachers focus on a particular subject or discipline.   The primary drawback of subject-centered curriculum design is that it is not student-centered. In particular, this form of curriculum design is constructed without taking into account the specific learning styles of the students. This can cause problems with student engagement and motivation and may even cause students to fall behind in class. Learner-Centered Curriculum Design In contrast, learner-centered curriculum design takes each individuals needs, interests, and goals into consideration. In other words, it acknowledges that students are not uniform and adjust to those student needs. Learner-centered curriculum design is meant to empower learners and allow them to shape their education through choices. Instructional plans in a learner-centered curriculum are differentiated, giving students the opportunity to choose assignments, learning experiences or activities. This can motivate students and help them stay engaged in the material that they are learning.   The drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it is labor-intensive. Developing differentiated instruction puts pressure on the teacher to create instruction and/or find materials that are conducive to each students learning needs. Teachers may not have the time or may lack the experience or skills to create such a plan. Learner-centered curriculum design also requires that teachers balance student wants and interests with student needs and required outcomes, which is not an easy balance to obtain. Problem-Centered Curriculum Design Like learner-centered curriculum design, problem-centered curriculum design is also a form of student-centered design. Problem-centered curricula focus on teaching students how to look at a problem and come up with a solution to the problem. Students are thus exposed to real-life issues, which helps them develop skills that are transferable to the real world.   Problem-centered curriculum design increases the relevance of the curriculum and allows students to be creative and innovate as they are learning. The drawback to this form of curriculum design is that it does not always take learning styles into consideration.   Curriculum Design Tips The following curriculum design tips can help educators manage each stage of the curriculum design process. Identify the needs of stakeholders (i.e., students) early on in the curriculum design process. This can be done through needs analysis, which involves the collection and analysis of data related to the learner. This data might include what learners already know and what they need to know to be proficient in a particular area or skill. It may also include information about learner perceptions, strengths, and weaknesses.  Create a clear list of learning goals and outcomes. This will help you to focus on the intended purpose of the curriculum and allow you to plan instruction that can achieve the desired results. Learning goals are the things teachers want students to achieve in the course. Learning outcomes are the measurable knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students should have achieved in the course.  Identify constraints that will impact your curriculum design. For example, time is a common constraint that must be considered. There are only so many hours, days, weeks or mon ths in the term. If there isnt enough time to deliver all of the instruction that has been planned, it will impact learning outcomes.  Consider creating a curriculum map (also known as a curriculum matrix) so that you can properly evaluate the sequence and coherence of instruction. Curriculum mapping provides visual diagrams or indexes of a curriculum. Analyzing a visual representation of the curriculum is a good way to quickly and easily identify potential gaps, redundancies or alignment issues in the sequencing of instruction. Curriculum maps can be created on paper or with software programs or online services designed specifically for this purpose.  Identify the instructional methods that will be used throughout the course and consider how they will work with student learning styles. If the instructional methods are not conducive to the curriculum, the instructional design or the curriculum design will need to be altered accordingly.  Establish evaluation methods that will be used at the end and during the school year to assess learners, instructors, and the curriculum. Evaluation will help you determine if the curriculum design is working or if it is failing. Examples of things that should be evaluated include the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum and achievement rates related to learning outcomes. The most effective evaluation is ongoing and summative.  Remember that curriculum design is not a one-step process; continuous improvement is a necessity. The design of the curriculum should be assessed periodically and refined based on assessment data. This may involve making alterations to the design partway through the course to ensure that learning outcomes or a certain level of proficiency will be achieved at the end of the course.

Baderman Island Organization Staffing Strategies Paper

The Baderman Island is a self-contained, all-inclusive resort destination that Island features an array of restaurants, three different hotels, a convention center, the historic Neustadt Lighthouse, and an almost unlimited list of activities to entertain and relax you. In this paper we will evaluate their recruitment and staffing strategies, discuss how the strategy is legally compliant. History In 1923, the Baderman purchased twenty-six hundred acres of farmland around the Kelsey river valley. The Baderman farmhouse is built on 1600 acres of land nearly surrounded by a long bend in the Kelsey River. In 1932, Baderman family relocated a lighthouse from Germany to the shore of the Kelsey River. In 1952 the original Baderman farmhouse was†¦show more content†¦Interviews When you arrive for your interview, an HR representative will greet you, discuss your application, explain the schedule for your visit, and answer any questions. Different departments have different practices, but you can expect to have two to four individual meetings with department representatives. You will have the chance to share your detailed qualifications and learn more about Boardman Management Group and our work. In some cases, you may be asked in advance to prepare and deliver a brief presentation. Sometimes we need to ask a candidate back for additional interviews before making a final decision. Background Checks If we are considering you for a job offer, we will conduct a background check that covers your employment history, references, educational qualifications, etc. When you applied, we asked you to sign a form authorizing this check. If no adverse information is reported during the check, which typically takes three to five days, we will proceed to make an offer. Offer If you are selected for the position and the background check is satisfactory, an HR representative will convey a formal offer. The offer package will include starting salary and a summary of benefits and estimated Boardman Management Group contributions to their costs. Normally we would expect your decision within a

Critical Lens Free Essays

According to J. F. Clarke, â€Å"The bravest of individuals is the one who obeys his or her conscience. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Lens or any similar topic only for you Order Now † In other words, people are only truly brave when they follow their own sense of goodness instead of following others. This idea is clearly evident in the novels A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks and Of Mice and men by John Steinbeck. The quote is exemplified in both novels by the literary element of theme. In A Walk to Remember, Landon Carter befriends unpopular Jamie Sullivan. In Of Mice and Men, George kills his friend Lennie to spare him from a horrific and painful murder. In A Walk to Remember, Jamie Sullivan is an unpopular, religious girl who gets teased constantly for her beliefs. Popular Landon Carter befriends her, and asks her on a date to the homecoming dance at school. His friends tease him for this, but he knows that Jamie is a genuinely good person, and although his friends think differently, he is doing the right thing. The two develop a relationship. Eventually, Jamie confesses that she has an incurable form of leukemia, and is dying. Landon watches her get more ill, but he stays with her as often as he can, and tries to help in any way he can. After Jamie dies, he looks back and realizes that by following his conscience, his life has changed. The theme love conquers all relates to both the quote and the novel. Landon and Jamie’s love for each other changes both of their lives. Throughout Jamie’s illness, Landon learns a lot about himself and life, and his bravery allows him to do that. In Of Mice and Men, George faces a difficult decision. George’s best friend, Lennie, accidentally kills Curley’s wife, and he leaves the ranch. When Curley, the boss of the ranch’s son, discovers the death of his wife, he puts together a mob and sets out to find Lennie and shoot him in his guts. George knows that this will be very painful and agonizing, and he is not sure what to do. He ultimately decides to kill Lennie himself by shooting him in the back of the head. George meets Lennie by the pool of the Salinas River, and tells him his favorite story, the story of the farm. As soon as Lennie is calm, George shoots him. He knows that killing him this way will be instant and without pain. George feels that he is doing the right thing y sparing his friend of pain. The theme of loyalty and sacrifice relates to the quote and novel. George’s loyalty to his friend forces him to sacrifice him. This takes a lot of courage, but by doing this he is sparing his friend of extreme suffering. People are only truly brave when they follow their own sense of goodness. Landon’s bravery allows him to have a great relatio nship and gain knowledge about life. George’s bravery spares his friend of a painful death. Both novels show that the best form of bravery is when a person follows their conscience. How to cite Critical Lens, Papers Critical Lens Free Essays Many times in life, people seek vengeance on one another because they think it’s the right thing, when it’s wrong. However revenge is too tempting there for one cannot retain it. In many situations the person seeking revenge not only hurts themselves but everyone amongst them. We will write a custom essay sample on Critical Lens or any similar topic only for you Order Now Mahatma Gandhi confirms this when he says â€Å"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind†. This means, from revenge you only end up impairing everyone from the resentful wrongs you perform. Some may agree or disagree with this quote. Euripides shows this quote being true in his play Medea. In the play Medea, the main character Medea is extreme on seeking revenge on her ex-husband, Jason. Jason has left her and their two sons Creon and Creusa for the daughter of the Cornith King. Medea is livid with this action from Jason. Since Jason and the Cornith King(Ceron) are frightened by Medea they decide that her and the children are to be banished from the kingdom. This just makes Medea even more furious towards Jason. The nurse characterizes Medea as being in pain and anguish that she is suffering through the terrible time of Jason leaving her. She also says how Medea is so angry with Jason and his betrayal she is treacherous. This is shown to be true when she plans to kill Ceron and Creusa to punish Jason for betraying her. Heartlessly she kills them to seek revenge on him. She thought hurting Jason meant more to her than her children did even though she loved them. Her plan was to seek retribution upon Jason as she did. Her seeking revenge hurt everyone even though she was proud that she had accomplished making Jason hurt, she had and domestic conflict killing her own children whom she loved very much. As Mahatma Gandhi said â€Å"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind†, he showed in any situation of seeking vengeance on someone it will end up hurting everyone. In the play Medea, Euripides illustrates this to be true showing how Medea kills her children and hurts Jason and others who loved them and even her internally. Medea ended up hurting Jason and the people she was sourrounded by, by her fanatical actions. How to cite Critical Lens, Essay examples

Loan Request Evaluation Essay Example For Students

Loan Request Evaluation Essay This report introduces a procedure that can be used to analyze the quantifiableaspects of commercial credit requests. The procedure incorporates a systematicinterpretation of basic financial data and focuses on issues that typicallyarise when determining creditworthiness. Cash flow information is equallyimportant when evaluating a firms prospects. Reported earnings and EPS can bemanipulated by management debts, are repaid out of cash flow not earnings. Thebasic objective of credit analysis is to assess the risk involved in creditextension to banks customers. Risk refers to the volatility in earnings. Lenders are concerned with net income or the cash flow that hinders a borrowerability to service a loan. Credit analysis assigns some probability to default. Some risks can be measured with historical and projected financial data. The keyissues include the following: 1. For what are the loan proceeds going to beused? 2. How much does the customer need to borrow? 3. What is the primarysource of repayment, and when will the loan be repaid? 4. What collateral isavailable? Fundamental credit issues: Virtually every business has a creditrelationship with a financial institution. But regardless of the type of loan,all credit request mandate a systematic analysis of the borrowers ability torepay. When evaluating a loan a bank can make two types of errors: 1. Extendingcredit to a consumer who ultimately would repay the debt. 2. Denying a loanrequest to a customer who ultimately would repay the debt. In both cases thebank loses a customer and its profit decreases. For this reason, the purpose ofcredit analysis is to identify the meaningful and probable circumstances underwhich the bank might lose. So a credit analyst should analyze the followingit ems: *Character: The foremost issue in assessing credit risk is determining aborrowers commitment and ability to repay debts in accordance with the termsof a loan agreement. An individuals honesty, integrity, and work ethictypically evidence commitment. Whenever there is deception or a lack ofcredibility, a bank should not do business with the borrower. It is oftendifficult to identify dishonest borrowers. The best indicators are theborrowers financial history and personal references. When a borrower hasmissed past debt service payments or has been involved in default or bankruptcya lender should carefully document why to see if the causes were reasonable. Similarly, borrowers with good credit history will have established personaland banking relationship that indicate whether they fully disclose meaningfulinformation and deal with subordinates and suppliers honestly. Lenders look atnegative signals of a borrower condition beyond balance sheet and incomestatement. For example: ? A borrowers name consistently appears on thelist of bank customers who have overdrawn their account. ? A borrowermakes a significant change in the structure of business. ? A borrowerappears to be consistently short of cash. ? A borrowers personalhabits have changed for the worse. A firms goals are incompatible with thoseof stockholders, employees, and customers. *Use of loan proceeds: The range ofbusiness loan needs is unlimited. The first issue facing the credit analyst iswhat the loan proceeds are going to be used for. Loan proceeds should be usedfor legitimate business operations purposes, including seasonal and permanentworking capital needs, the purchase o f depreciable asset, physical plantexpansion, acquisition of other firms. Speculative asset purchases and debtsubstitutions should be avoided. The true need and use determines the loanmaturity, the anticipated source and timing of repayment and the appropriatecollateral. A careful review of a firm financial data typically reveals why acompany deeds financing. *Loan amount: Borrowers request a loan before theyclearly understand how much external financing is actually needed and how muchis available internally. The amount of credit required depends on the use ofproceeds and the availability of internal sources of funds. The lender job is todetermine the correct amount such that a borrower has enough cash to operateeffectively but not too much to spend wastefully. Once a loan is approved theamount of credit actually extended depends on the borrower future performance. If the borrower cash flow is insufficient to meet operating expenses and thedebt service on the loan it will be called upon to lend more and possibly tolengthen the loan maturity. If cash flows are substantial, the initial loanoutstanding might decline rapidly and even be repaid early. The required loanamount is thus a function of the initial cash deficiency and the pattern offuture cash flows. *The primary source and timing of repayment: The primarysource of repayment of loans is the cash flows. The four basic sources of cashflow are the liquidation of assets, cash flow from normal operations, new debtissues, and new equity issues. Credit analysis evaluates the risk that aborrower future cash flow will not be sufficient to meet expenditures foroperations and interest and principal payments on the loan. Specific sources ofcash are typically associated with certain types of loans. Short-term, seasonalworking capital loans are normally repaid from the liquidation of receivables orreduc tion in inventory. Term loans are normally repaid out of cash flows fromoperations. A comparison of projected cash flows with interest and principalpayments on prospective loans indicates how much debt can be serviced and theappropriate maturity. *Collateral: Banks can lower the risk of loss on a loan byrequiring back up support beyond normal cash flow. Collateral is the security abank has in assets owned and pledged by the borrower against a debt in the eventof default. Banks look to collateral as a secondary source of repayment whenprimary cash flows are insufficient to meet debt service requirements. Having anasset that the bank seize and liquidate when a borrower defaults reduce loss,but it does not justify lending proceeds when the credit decision is originallymade. From a lender perspective, collateral must exhibit three features: -First,its value should always exceed the outstanding principle on a loan. -Second, alender should be able to easily take possession of collateral a nd have a readymarket for sale. Highly illiquid assets are worth far less because they are notportable and often are of real value only to the original borrower. -Third, alender must be able to clearly mark collateral as its own. When physicalcollateral is not readily available, banks often ask for personal guarantees. Onthe other hand, liquidating collateral is a second-best source of repayment forthree reasons: 1- there are significant transaction costs associated withforeclosure. 2- bankruptcy laws allow borrowers to retain possession of thecollateral long after they have defaulted. 3- when the bank takes possession ofthe collateral, it deprives the borrower of the opportunity to salvage thecompany. At last, a loan should not be approved on the basis of collateralalone. Unless the loan is secured by collateral held by the bank, such as bankCDs, there is risk involved in collection. A PROCEDURE FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSISThe purpose of credit analysis is to identify and define the lend ers risk inmaking a loan. There is four stages process for evaluating the financial aspectsof commercial loans: 1. Overview of management and operations. 2. Financialratio analysis. 3. Cash flow analysis. 4. Financial projections. During allphases the analysts should examine facts that are relevant to the creditdecision and recognize information that is important but unavailable. 1. Euclid Essay? Credit cards and other revolving credit: Credit cards are utilized topurchase goods and services on credit in contrast to debit cards, which are usedto withdraw cash from ATM (Automated Teller Machine). Revolving credit: anarrangement by which the borrower and repay as needed during a specific timeperiod, subject to maximum borrowing level. Credit cards and overlines tied tochecking accounts are the two most popular forms of revolving creditarrangements. Banks offer a variety of credit cards. While some banks issuecards with there own logo and supported by their own marketing effort, mostoperate as franchises of Master Card or Visa. All cards display the Master Cardand Visa logos along with the issuing bank name. The primary advantage ofmembership is that an individual bank card is accepted nationally andinternationally at most retail stores without the bank negotiating a separateagreement with every retailer. Some alternatives to the credit cards exist:-Debit cards: they are widely available but not attractive to customers. As thename suggests when an individual uses this card his or her balance at a bank isimmediately debited funds are transferred from the card user account to theaccount of the retailer. But there is a disadvantage in using it, the loss offloat, which explains why debit cards are not popular. -Smart cards: is anextension of the debit card and contains a computer memory chip that stores andmanipulates information. These cards can handle all purchasing that consumerprefers. -Prepaid cards: are a hybrid debit card in which consumers repay forservices to be rendered and receive a card again which purchases are charged. The advantage of this card is that the processing costs are low and there islittle risk. Credit cards are attractive because they provide higherrisk-adjusted returns than do other types of loans. Card issuers earn incomefrom three sources: -charging card holders annual fees, charging interest onoutstanding loan balances, and discounting the charges that merchants accept onpurchases. Consequently as banks have increased their competitive focus theyhave begun to lower loan rates and annual fees such that many customers canavoid fees entirely and pay interest at rates slightly above NY quoted prime. Credit card lending involves issuing plastic cards to qualifying customers. Thecards have pre-authorized credit limits that restrict the maximum of debtoutstanding at any time. Many cards can be used in electronic banking devices,such as automatic teller machines, to make deposits or withdrawals from existingtransaction accounts at a bank. Credit cards are becoming extremely attractive. Many banks view credit cards as a vehicle to generate a nationwide customerbase. They offer extraordinary incentives to induce consumers to accept cards inthe hope that they can cross-sell mortgages, insurance products, and eventuallysecurities. Credit cards are profitable because many customers are priceinsensitive. However, credit card losses are among the highest of all loantypes. The returns to credit card lending depend on the specific roles that abank plays. A bank is called a card bank if it administers its own credit cardplan or serves as the primary regional agent of major credit card operations. Anon-card bank operates under the auspices of a regional card bank and does notissue its own card. Non-card banks do not generate significant revenues fromcredit cards. The credit card transaction process: Once a customer uses a card,the retail outlet submits the sales receipt to its local merchant bank forcredit. A retailer may physically deposit the slip electronically transfer th einformation via a card-reading terminal at the time of sale. The merchant bankdiscounts the sales receipt by 2 to 5 percent as its fee. Thus a retailer willreceive only 97$ credit for each 100$ sales receipt if the discount is 3percent. If the merchant bank did not issue the card, it sends the receipt tothe card-issuing bank then bills the customer for the purchase. Most cardrevenues come from issuing the card that a customer uses. The bank earnsinterest at rates ranging from 6 to 22 percent and normally charges eachindividual an annual fee for use of the card. Interest rates are sticky. Thus,when money market rates decline and lower a banks cost of funds, the netreturn on credit card revenues. The remaining 20 percent is merchant discount. ? Overdraft protection and open credit lines: Revolving credit also takesthe form of overdraft protection against checking accounts. The customer mustpay interest on the loan from the date of the drafts receipt and can repaythe loan either by making direct deposits or by periodic payments. These loansare functional equivalent of loan commitments to commercial customers. Themaximum credit available typically exceeds that for overdraft lines, and theinterest rate floats with the banks base rate. ? Home equity loans andcredit cards: Home equity loans meet the tax deductibility requirements becausethey are secured by equity in an individuals home. Many of these loans arestructured as open credit lines where a consumer can borrow up to 75 percent ofthe market value of the property less the principle outstanding on the firstmortgage. Individuals borrow simply by writing checks, pay interest only on theamount borrowed and can repay the principal at a rate of the outstandingbalance. In most cases, the loans carry adjustable rates tied to the banks baserate. These credit arrangements combine the risk of a second mortgage with thetemptation of credit card, a dangerous combination. Home equity loans place asecond lien on a borrowers home. If the individual defaults, the creditor canforeclose so that the borrower loses his or her home. ? Non-installmentloans: A limited number of consumer loans require a single principal andinterest payment. The individual borrowing needs are temporary. Credit isextended in anticipation of repayment from a well-defined future cash inflow. The quality of the loan depends on the certainty of the timing and the amountanticipated net cash inflow from the sale. Consumer loans: Consumer loans areextended for a variety of reasons for example, the purchase of an automobile,mobile homes, home improvements, furniture and appliances, and home equityloans. Before approving any loan, a lending officer request informationregarding the borrowers employment status, periodic income, the value ofassets owned, outstanding debt, personal references and specific terms thatgenerates the loan request. The lending officer collects information regardingthe borrowers five Cs then he interprets the information in light of thebank lending guidelines and accepts or rejects the loan. In addition, banksemploy judgmental procedures and quantitative credit scoring procedures whenevaluating consumers loans. Recent risk and return characteristics ofconsumer loans: Historically, banks viewed themselves as being either wholesaleor retail institutions, fo cusing on commercial and individual customersrespectively. Recent developments, however, have blurred the distinction, astraditional wholesale banks have aggressively entered the consumer market. Theattraction is twofold. First, competition for commercial customers narrowedcommercial loan yields so that return fell relative to potential risks. Soconsumer loans provide some of the highest met yields for banks. Second,developing loan and deposit relationships with individuals presumably representsa strategic response to deregulation.