Advocacy Activities

Advocacy Activities Introduction Advocacy refers to actions that articulate in favor of, advocate, contend for a cause, and implore on behalf of others. It is a continuous process whose objective is changing outlooks, actions, principles and laws. This is done by impacting people and corporations with power, procedures and frameworks at distinct levels for the improvement of people affected matters of poverty. Advocacy activities entail a current, actual action on the part of vigorous, nonprofit groups’ worldwide.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advocacy Activities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is used to achieve sustainable transformation. It is also used to eliminate structural sources of poverty so as to promote larger parts of the society through program pursuits. Advocacy actions are based on reinforcing and empowering unfortunate and marginalized associations or persons. Advocacy work trains communities via shared enc ounters, examples learnt and illustrates what actions function best. This enables the community members to carry out fantastic developmental activities in their society (Strolovitch 322). Discussion An advocacy activity that will be discussed in my situation is based on a program on the radio and television. This advocacy activity is aimed at reinforcing the comprehension of and concentration given to justifications and obligations associated with HIV/AIDS. It offers a forum for supporters and policy makers to engage into conversations and debate present issues in the community. To ensure that the community has participated in advocacy programme, they should be educated about this program, analyze their missions and objectives and then collaborate with the society. All parties entailed in this collaboration should be prepared to carry out movements and fight for change. The structure for the HIV/AIDS advocacy strategy will entail eight vital elements. This include clearly stated iss ues, well planned objectives, well assessed environment, recognized stakeholders, key messages, well chosen approaches and tools, execution plan and indicators for supervision and assessment (Ross 60). Formulation of objectives During this step, the objectives together with the expected outcomes will be defined. The advocacy objective, in this situation, is to decrease the spread of AIDS and encourage those already affected to lead a positive life. It is required that this objective states what exactly is to be changed and after how long this will be achieved. It should define whether the society needs extra resources and whether they want to develop or change a principle. The objective and its remedy should not be so wide or remote that the partners are likely to become devastated. Persons and associations are likely to join an advocacy programme if they see a high probability of success in this programme.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is beneficial to be always aware of persons and organizations that are likely to strengthen your objective. For instance, in the HIV programme, those already affected and relatives of the victims are more likely to give support. Potential hostility to the advocacy programme efforts should also be put into consideration. The objective should be stated in quantifiable terms and within an anticipated limit. A good objective of an advocacy strategy should be smart. This means that it should be precise, measurable, oriented on action, reasonable and time bound. Following formulation, the objective should be analyzed based on how it satisfies a given criterion (Strolovitch 322). Channels and Tools for Reaching the Audience The channels and tools, which will be, used for the intended audience in this HIV Programme include stakeholder evaluation, persuasion practices and media. Persuasion tools will involve urg ing, petitioning, discussions, conciliations and conflict resolutions among the people. The use of media as a tool will involve the use of press meetings, fact and background slips, media packets and radio and television shows. Stakeholder evaluation as a tool will involve the identification and categorization of the potential stakeholders. This will be done so as to know the peoples interests based on the HIV issue (Lubet 415). Results that should be expected as evidence of success In this HIV program, certain results are expected as measures of success. The percentage of total health financial plan allocated to HIV/AIDS is the first indicator. This designates the victory of advocacy in securing finances for executing the HIV programme. Another indicator is the percentage contribution of the authority, the private sector and society in the HIV programme. This designates success of advocacy in acquiring national dedication to addressing HIV issues. Contribution of the sector of heal th budget to be paid for the HIV/AIDS programme is the last indicator. This designates the significance attached to the enhancement of behavior change for health amongst the public (Selby 302). Advocacy M E Part Advocacy is interrelated with communication for societal modification as a way of building the capability of the civil community. This is achieved by supporting the community to deal with and challenge present principles and practices that result to poverty and unfairness. HIV in this case leads to poverty. It should be made certain knowledge of and dedication among policymakers, programme administrators, staff and other shareholders.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Advocacy Activities specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The countrywide HIV communication plan involves a HIV ME interaction and advocacy strategy. ME is clearly referenced in nationwide HIV principles and the countrywide strategic policy. ME suppo rters are recognized among officials of high degree. This dynamically approves ME actions. Advocacy actions are executed based on the HIV ME advocacy strategy. ME tools are available to a different audience and reinforce information sharing and utilization. It is, therefore, indispensable to set straight ME, generate an encouraging ME culture, and decrease any adverse implications of ME. A consultation and advocacy plan for ME can assist to attain these objectives. The plan should be multi dimensional, with personalized messages for varying audiences. National ME technique is not for the authority alone. It is helpful to all stakeholders in the HIV retort. ME promotes transparency and requires an open environment to function sufficiently. The plan of communication and advocacy in a nations HIV strategy should be incorporated to make sure that ME is utilized in all HIV works (Ross 106). Conclusion The module definition of advocacy is a standardized, and a universal concept since advo cacy is best perceived to strengthen national population and objectives of well being of the society. In every community, there are persons, societies and corporations that via their actions have made a positive impact on people’s lives. For instance, the HIV programme has had a positive impact on the community. The HIV advocacy programme has increased awareness and has suggested resolutions among the public including verdict makers, professionals, the media and the society affected. The advocacy programme in this situation has actively enhanced the prevention of the HIV transmission by involving people in its development. Advocacy is, therefore, crucial in enhancing public well being all over the world. It has been used to create concentration and improve health services. It, therefore, benefits the community by protecting the health fitness of the members (Lubet 415). Lubet, Steven. Modern trial advocacy: analysis and practice .South Bend: National Institute for Trial Advo cacy, 2004. Print.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ross, David. Advocacy. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print. Selby, Hugh. Advocacy: preparation and performance. Annandale: Federation Press, 2009. Print. Strolovitch, Dara .Affirmative advocacy: race, class, and gender in interest group. .Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. Print.

Joseph J. Ellis. After the revolution †History Essay (200 Level Course)

Joseph J. Ellis. After the revolution – History Essay (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers Joseph J. Ellis. After the revolution History Essay (200 Level Course) Joseph J. Ellis. After the revolution: profiles of early American culture. (1979; reprint, New York: W.W. Norton Co., 2002) Joseph E Ellis, an acclaimed historian biographer and a professor, is acknowledged as the best selling author for the books on the founding fathers of United States of America. His famous book Founding brothers: The revolutionary generation won the Pulitzer Prize for history in 2001. His other famous works include Founding brothers of the United States, American Sphinx: The character of Thomas Jefferson and His Excellency: George Washington. Joseph E Ellis’s, After the Revolution, is one more masterpiece on the revolutionary era. There was an outbound optimism prevalent in the minds of America scholars as well as civil citizens that the new world had the ideal environment for the flowering of arts and sciences; and the cultural traditions established by the Athenians were moving westward. Ellis in his creation tries to argues, why in spite of such rampant optimism the cultural explosion, as we all know of never happened? In the opening chapters he sufficiently explains, that how could such buoyant and unprecedented expectations of cultural explosion develop in Provincial America? And how the endorsements of freedom which the dominant ideology of liberal capitalistic society led to the degeneration of arts and culture? To explain the rapidly changing social condition of pre-Revolutionary America, Ellis gives the life stories of four men whose lives were centered on that social change, Charles Willson Peale, an art ist; Hugh Henry Brackenridge, a novelist; William Dunlap, a dramatist and theater manager; and Noah Webster, an educator, linguist, and all purpose polemicist. In my opinion, even though America has succeeded economically, and in subsequent years after the revolution championed the policy of manifest destiny, it has drastically failed as far as compared to the Arts and culture of contemporary Western Europe. There is no artist in the American history, who ever had the caliber of Shakespeare or Leonardo Da Vinci. During the mid eighteenth century the colonists experienced tremendous demographic as well as economic growth. Ezra Stiles explaining the reason for such rapid growth proclaimed, â€Å"Free polity, free religion and free property, and matrimony, will soon populate a fertile country.† Faith in power and prefer ability of freedom had championed the minds of the revolutionary people, and they presumed that the artistic, political, and economic life of any society was a single thing. It was widely believed that arts and sciences couldn’t flourish without free government. Eventually, the idea of freedom gave birth to the liberal capitalistic society. Artistic creativity and economic productivity were expected to grow with liberating process, and commercial and cultural ascendancy were expected to go hand in hand. No sooner after the revolution American’s premonitions of Athens, provide utterly apocalyptic, as arts proved to be poison for the new republican life. The hostility of high culture was the product of the capitalistic society. As observed by Charles Wilson Peale, there was no group of artists which remain distinguished from the political and ideological issues. There were three main reasons mainly associated with the degeneration of arts. First according to Plato, artists and poets undermined the morality of the community because they tended to incite passions into reason. It is very surprising that Rome and other renaissance city states also began to degenerate just when the arts began to flourish. Secondly, â€Å"luxury and corruption†¦seem the inseparable companions of Commerce and the Arts;† claimed the Puritans who believed that a Christian must earn the fruits of his own industry. Puritans believed that prosperity was the path to the decadence and the social collapse. Thirdly, the republican ideology which had shaped American ideology led to the suspicious attitude towards individual freedom and the fine arts. The reason was the criticism of English society and the government as corrupt was in effect criticism of the values produced by the burgeoning capitalist economy. Another important reason was the more emphasis that was placed on order and disciplined freedom, which were circumscribed by the civic obligation imposed by public virtue and more emphasis was placed on ordered, disciplined freedom. In spite of artistic independence, Ellis’s men were torn by dual allegiances. Their lives coincided with the emergence of modern social conditions-democratic politics and a capitalistic economy on the verge of industrialization. But as we all know theses men were masters of their own time. Peale’s contribution to art, and Noah Webster’s understanding of the word culture is enough to justify Ellis’s claim. Ellis’s central concern in writing the book has been historical rather than aesthetic. Elli efficiently clings to his argument and there are very few areas where he tends to digress from the main concern. His persuasive argument justifies his claims, explaining, why the American society didn’t flourish. At times, in his examples, Ellis tends to exaggerate the problems faced by the personalities to adjust to the modern institutions. Being from a socialist country, Ellis’s After the revolution helps me to understand the drawbacks of the capitalistic society and why arts and high culture never flourished. Research Papers on Joseph J. Ellis. After the revolution - History Essay (200 Level Course)Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeQuebec and CanadaPETSTEL analysis of IndiaBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm X19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is ArtInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesCanaanite Influence on the Early Israelite ReligionAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementWhere Wild and West Meet

The Price by Arthur Miller Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Price by Arthur Miller - Essay Example Miller’s "The Price" is one of the most entertaining and engaging plays adapted since 1968. Although it was one of Miller’s lesser-known works, it is worthy to have a space in center stage. The play deals with the family’s old wounds and confrontations of consequences of decisions made in the past. It also depicted how people place blame on others when their lives turn off the course. Garry Hynes’ direction of The Price did not deviate from the original script written by Miller. Her choice of well-seasoned actors for the characters is well acclaimed. Her cast includes Sam Robards, John Bedford Lloyd, Kate Burton and Alan Mandell. Sam Robards played the character of Victor Franz who grew up with envy and antagonism towards his brother Walter. He was able to portray Victor’s character very well. His actions were well calculated and with good energy such that in the part where he hit a brick wall that he built by himself. He attacked the character of Victor with resentment in a manner that the audience can really see and feel. He carried the night and became the heart of The Price. John Bedford Lloyd played the character of a successful, wealthy doctor and brother of Victor, Walter Franz. He was very mysterious in character such that the audience cannot clearly point it out if his intentions were selfless or manipulative. He made sure he does prematurel y expose the complications of Walter’s character. He was able to bring out the character in timing rightly. Kate Burton, who played Victor’s wife Esther, moved the character back and forth from being a caring wife and a condescending drinking wife who wants to leave Victor. She was constantly pushing his husband to succeed and stop embarrassing her. Alan Mandell flawlessly portrayed the lovable character of an eighty-nine-year-old appraiser of antique and furniture named Gregory Solomon.  

The 1968 Theft Act Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The 1968 Theft Act - Assignment Example This research will begin with the statement that the 1968 Theft Act was supposed to come with simplified rules and policies that were meant to eliminate the many dilemmas and confusions that criminal lawyers had faced earlier. Unfortunately, soon after its introduction into the legislation more complexities started to arise. It appeared that most of the concepts that were designed to bring out clarity in theft cases turned out to bring more confusion following the various proceedings that advanced from there henceforth. The most controversial concept being appropriation which had been introduced into the law to simplify things by replacing taking and carrying away. The term was defined in partiality by section 3 (1) of the Theft Act. Lack of further explanation on the term by the legislative is what caused more problems. Two issues arose:Â  one is what the relationship between consent and appropriation was and the second, the possibility of appropriating property that was acquired i n a transaction impeccable at civil law. This essay tries to analyze these facts using issue raised in two important cases R v Hinks and DPP v Gomez. The researcher of this essay also utilizes Shute’s views from his article Appropriation and the law of theft. The purpose of this research is to investigate the following: consent and appropriation; unimpeachable transfers and appropriation and evaluation of arguments Hinks case.... 41). There are other valid reasons where a transaction is censured at common law on a number of certain defined grounds. These can be where the transaction is a product of duress, and it may have been through deception, undue influence, fraud, or misrepresentation (Horder & Shute, 1993, p. 549). Sometimes the transaction can be vitiated to have occurred because there was enough reason to believe one party was unconscious. In the event that any of the above occurs then the transaction should remain valid until the transferor repudiates it successfully. Unimpeachable Transfers and Appropriation This issue arises where a transfer of property is unimpeachable at both equity and at common law. This matter arose in Mazo (1997) case where a house cleaner took advantage of her employer’s mental incapability to dishonestly receive and cash cheques made payable to her by her boss. The house cleaner was sentenced to Jail after being found guilty for five counts of theft and one count of attempted theft. On her appeal, the court held it that the case was consistent with that of Lawrence v Metropolitan Police commissioner (1972) where the House of Lords decision was that in the event a valid gift was made then there could be no theft. However, it was not clear as per Viscount Dilhorne’s speech in the Lawrence case whether the House of Lords could not charge the receiver of the gift with theft, which was consistent with the ruling in Gomez case. This decision was later addressed in the case of Hinks that happened two years later after the Gomez and Lawrence cases. In Hinks case, he was convicted of five counts of theft despite his argument that the sums received were gifts and loans therefore could not be appropriated

Literary research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literary research - Essay Example Women searches for ways and means to be appreciated in response to obvious inequality to the relevant worth of existence. The current research aims to expound, through the novel as the backdrop, the apparent unequal role of women compared to men during the historical frame, particularly in the 1930s. II. Status of Women’s Roles in Society in the 1930s A. Brief description of women’s roles The discourse written by Moran clearly illustrated the roles of women in society during the 1930s. This time period was depicted as the Great Depression, where â€Å"worldwide economic collapse following the stock market crash in 1929, in which unemployment remained high for an extended period and many businesses failed† (Investor Words, par. 1). Therefore, despite the spur of enlightenment of women towards the promotion of equal rights through the passage of laws depicted in the 19th Amendment in 1920s, the economic slowdown and financial crisis delayed the persistent and deter mined focus to fight for equal rights. As Moran averred, â€Å"the 1930s brought apple-sellers to city street corners and breadlines to urban charity houses. In a depressed economy, unemployment figures escalated and federal forces concentrated on bringing Americans back to work. Or, more accurately, bringing American men back to work. For society viewed working women as un-American money grubbers, stealing jobs from men who needed them to support their families† (par. 3). B. Perceived Inequality of Women’s Rights Prior to efforts to fight for equal rights, women were rarely given the opportunities to be properly educated, to vote, to work or be employed, among others. The fact was validated in the article entitled How Does the Representation of Women Change Between 1930-1960 On the Covers of Vogue? The article revealed that â€Å"the 1930s were a less vibrant decade for women, seeing the depression, which meant that all women were encouraged to return to their homes whilst men returned to jobs that were becoming scarce. All their roles and responsibilities were taken away from them; the economy could not deal with the growing number of men returning to work. Any women who married therefore gave up her right to work. This meant women had to spend more time at home doing the domestic jobs that would normally be considered the women’s ‘job’† (How Does, par. 5). The setting was typically exemplified by Curley’s wife, who is left spending most of her time hanging around with the workers; rather than having something productive and rewarding done according to her skills and abilities. C. Effects of Inequality of Women The study conducted by Amartya Sen on the Many Faces of Gender Inequality has attested to the continued existence of inequality felt by women the world over. The author categorized inequalities in gender according to seven types, to wit: (1) mortality inequality (â€Å"high mortality rates of women and a consequent preponderance of men in the total population† (Sen, par. 3); (2) natality inequality (the preference accorded to male children over female); (3) basic facility inequality (opportunities for education, cultivation of one’s talents, and participation in social functions); (4) special opportunity inequality (pursuing higher education and delving into more professional training);

Benefits of Social Network Marketing for the Business

Benefits of Social Network Marketing for the Business Chapter One Introduction For some marketing managers, the twenty-first century may appear a very strange place indeed. Much of that strangeness comes from the ‘electronification of traditional marketing practices. OConnor et al (2004) said that direct and database marketing might be fairly well understood, but what about the concepts such as social network marketing. This is one of the latest tools available to todays marketing managers. The most popular social network marketing tools are Facebook, Twitter, My Space, LinkedIn, etc., but there are some other different social network marketing methods like blogs, e-mail marketing, video promotion on YouTube and many more. In truth, the migration from traditional marketing to internet marketing is part of a process that has taken place over the past decade. But what is Social network marketing and how it is different from ordinary marketing, advantages and disadvantages of social networking, its impact on other businesses has been researched in this disse rtation. Aim To analyse how social network marketing can help in the effective marketing of a business Objectives Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. Chapter two Research Background The Cumin Restaurant The Anand family have a long and successful history of catering, originating from their home in Nairobi, Kenya. They came to the UK in 1975 and have been in the catering business ever since. Their first restaurant in the UK was The Brilliant, followed by Madhus, both in Middlesex. These were followed by Curry Craze in Wembley, Curry Special in Ilford and Curry Fever in Leicester, all of which are still very successful today. The restaurant capacity is 74 cover over two floors 20 on the ground floor and 54 on the first floor. Being in the city centre, they are also an ideal place to hold business meetings or lunches. (The Cumin Restaurant online, 2011) Chino Latino, Park Plaza Their central Nottingham hotel features Chino Latino, the multi award-winning, on-site restaurant.Chino Latino serves fresh, gourmet Pan-Asian cuisine and Latin-inspired cocktails in a relaxed, modern atmosphere. One of the top Nottingham restaurants, Chino Latino offers a fantastic choice of a la carte, set, tasting and bento box menus. The bar offers an array of exciting cocktails, bottled beers and bar platters in a distinctively Latin atmosphere. Chapter three: Literature Review Introduction A literature review is a survey and discussion of the literature in a given area of study. It is a concise overview of what has been studied, argued, and established about a topic, and it is usually organised chronologically or thematically. A literature review is written in essay format. It is not a commented bibliography, because it groups related works together and discusses trends and developments rather than focusing on one item at a time. It is not a summary; rather, it evaluates previous and current research in regard to how relevant and/or useful it is and how it relates to your own research. (University of Toronto Online, 02.12.2009) Ridley (2009) described literature review as the part of the thesis where there is extensive reference to related research and theory; it is where connections are made between the source texts and the research among these sources. It also refers to the process involved in creating the review that appears in the thesis. The changing media environment The mainstream print and broadcast media have faced major challenges in recent years, with many newspaper titles facing closure and television channels facing shortfalls in revenue. An important reason for this has been migration of significant amount of advertising budgets to online channels. Research by Forrester Jennings (2007) has indicated that audiences and attention is shifting to online channels as 52 per cent of Europeans are regularly online at home. Around 36 per cent of European internet users watch less TV, 28 per cent have reduced their newspaper and magazine reading and 17 per cent have decreased listening to the radios since going online. This shift away from conventional media has been further exacerbated by the recession from 2008 which led many advertisers to cut their budgets, resulting in print and broadcast media receiving a diminishing share of the declining total budget (Jennings, 2007). Online advertising has been the beneficiary of recent changes in the allo cation of advertising budgets, but this general shift hides a number of different formats for communicating with target audience, ranging from mass appeal banner ads placed on frequently visited websites, through to personalised e-mail campaigns in which the message can be uniquely tailored to the requirements of individual target buyers. Social media can be characterised as â€Å"online applications, platforms and media which aim to facilitate interactions, collaborations and the sharing of content† (Universal Maccann International, 2008, p.10). the importance of social network media lies in the interaction between consumers and the community, and in the facilitation of asynchronous, immediate, interactive, low-cost communication† (Miller et al, 2009, p. 306). Social network sites allow individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system; to articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and to â€Å"view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system† (Boyd and Ellison, 2007, p. 211). On larger social network sites a connection, individuals are typically not looking to meet new people but are more interested in managing relationships by maintaining contacts with old friends who are already part of the extended so cial network (Boyd and Ellison, 2007; Hart et al, 2008). To sum up, social network sites can be seen as alternative communication tools which support existing relationships and activities in a fun and colourful way that can enrich the users experience (Ofcom, 2008). Many social network websites have emerged; attracting distinctive groups on users in terms of their demographics, for example the average age of users of Bebo is lower than for Facebook. Many appeal to communities with specific shared interests. In addition to consumers-oriented social network sites, many professional and trade associations have set up networks to exchange information of particular interest to member, for example the social networking site â€Å"LinkedIn† is particularly aimed at professionals. There is now lot of evidence that social network sites have become mainstream and it has been reported that globally, these sites account for one in every 11 minutes spent online. In the UK, this figure is even higher one in every six minutes (Neilson Company, 2009). Over half (54 per cent) of internet users between 16 and 24 have set up their own page or profile on a social networking site (Ofcom, 2008). The take up of online social media has been at the expense of traditional media, and a study by Ofcom of the media habits of UK 15-24 year olds shows that since using such media for the first time, the amount of time spent reading national newspapers declined by 27 per cent; reading local newspaper by 22 per cent; reading magazines by 21 per cent; listening radio by 15 per cent and watching TV by 13 per cent (Ofcom, 2006). Online social media offers opportunities to connect these hard-to-reach audiences drifting away from traditional media. Social Network Marketing Marketers need to be where their customers and potential customers are, and increasingly this is on social networking sites. Most of their marketers have started using social networks to market their businesses and to gain financial freedom. It also markets and then offers the product or service to the relevant audience and provides significant benefits using the dialogues and personal connections and to gain a wider audience for the product, but according to Scott (2007, p.229), ‘marketing on these sites can be tricky because the online community at social networking sites hates open commercial messages. There are abundant amount of active users across sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Hi5; 2.6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (Shih 2009). Social networking has become a rapidly growing global phenomenon spreading across the world. According to Chaffey and Smith (2008) well-run communities on the social networks strengthen relationships, trust and loyalty, as well as maintaining brand awareness in the minds of the community members. Communities also allow a unique opportunity to stay close to customers, their concerns, their worries and their desires. Despite these benefits, building an active community can be time consuming and difficult though cheap. Careful moderation and seeding of topics from a subject expert may be required. An alternative approach is to link up to an established community that has greater independence. Either way social networks are the part of the dynamic dialogue and dynamic opportunities that todays marketer enjoy. Social network networking has many advantages which makes it an interesting and a useful marketing tool for any business. This tool is cheap compared to other methods of advertising, when it comes to costing to reach the target audience. Another advantage is that it is easy to record and review any marketing campaign which makes it easier to analyse the changes that need to be made in service or products. But when we look at the negative side of it, social network marketing has got some disadvantages as well. According to Shih (2009), the biggest drawback of social network marketing is that the business could be the main targets for the detractors and their criticism which would make people who are interested in the business turn off by reading the negative comments. Some of the common disadvantages of social networks are security and safety of the business, violation of copyrights, vulnerable to thefts and scams. (Sethi and Adhikari, 2010) In general, the problem with the social networks is they need frequent updating and it is time consuming as well. Branding on Social Networks Social networking sites offer brands many opportunities for engagement. When brand profiles are created, the brands can exist as â€Å"people† on the sites. Friends can interact with the brands, share information, photos, and videos, and participate in two-way communication. The brand as person enhances the ability of a brand to use conversation marketing. Building a brand persona strengthens brand personality, differentiates brands from competitors, and sets the stage for a perceived relationship. Assuming the brands persona is likable and credible, it can facilitate message internalisation (the process by which a consumer adopts a brand belief as his or her own). (Tuten, 2008) Why would a person â€Å"friend† a brand? There are lots of incentives for friending brands, as explained in the Never Ending Friending report. These include incentive-driven motives like getting invitations to upcoming events, receiving information on sales and special offers and relationship-oriented motives such as a desire to support the company because it offers high quality products, to associate with the brand and its image, and to respond to a friends recommendation about the brand. The value proposition is already in place. (Clifton, 2009) Ultimately, branding on social networking sites promotes brand awareness, brand recall, and, if done well, builds on brand loyalty and brand equity. Social networks offers opportunities for brand promotion and engagement for those brands that learn to leverage the unique attributes of network in question. (Clifton, 2009) However, social networking is not without its flaws. Advertising, even when developed and distributed in superlative online venues, still suffers from the limitations facing all forms of advertising. Clutter is a tremendous distraction for people as they are faced with advertising in and on every imaginable media. Online readers are bombarded with sometimes numerous ads on a single page. With the many display ads, profile components, and widgets visible on social network pages, clutter is an issue. There is also limited inventory for advertising space on the sites. (Tuten, 2008) Social networks offer the greatest benefits to brands when the brands play to a networks culture, developing brand personas and engaging friends in dialogue. However, the workhorse of social network advertising is still the display ad. Unfortunately, display ads are not nearly as effective on social networking sites as they are on other types of websites. Clickthrough rates are much lower. (Clifton, 2009) Marketing in Post Modernism world Postmodernism invites a unique perspective of how to manage marketing and how to understand the consumer. Postmodernism says that social experiences are an interplay of myths which produce regimes of truth and that much of what we understand or believe about the individual, self, freedom, structure and so on is arbitrary and short-lived, fleeting rather than essential and fixed. We need to change our views as the customer changes. â€Å"The main conditions of postmodernism marketing are hyper-reality, fragmentation, reversals of production and consumption, decentring of the subject, paradoxical juxtapositions (of opposites) and loss of commitment.† (Kotler, 2009, p. 27) Ø Hyper-reality: Exemplified by the virtual words of cyberspace and the pseudo worlds of theme parks, hotels and heritage centres, hyper-reality involves the creation of consumption sites and marketing phenomena that ‘more real then real. Here the distinction between reality and fantasy is momentarily blurred. (Kienscherf, 2004) Ø Fragmentation: Marketing in postmodernity is unfailingly fast, furious, frenetic, frenzied, fleeting and hyperactive. (Kotler, 2009) Ø Reversals of production and consumption: Postmodern consumers are active in the production of meaning, of marketing, of consumption. They do rather than have ‘done to them. (Kotler, 2009) Ø Decentring of the subject: Centeredness is where individuals are defined by their occupation, social class, demographics, postcode, and personalities and so on. Postmodernism suggests that this is not so, and that the harder marketers try to pin down the decentred consuming subject the less successful they will be. Ø Paradoxical juxtapositions (of opposites): We have examples of the mixing and matching of opposites and the combination of contradictory styles in the world famous Irish dance show Riverdance or Lord of Rings. (Kienscherf, 2004) Ø Loss of commitment: Growing disillusionment with the delivery of promises and the willingness to try different experiences has resulted in a loss of commitment. The postmodern consumer takes on multiple, sometimes even contradictory projects, to which he/she is marginally and momentarily committed. This is observed in all walks of life: in relationships, in professions, and consumption. Marketing managers experience this when consumer loyalties to brands change. (Kotler, 2009) Customer Perception and satisfaction Customers perceptions of the quality of a service and their overall satisfaction have some observation indicators. Customers may smile when they talk about the product or service. They may say good things about the product or service. Both actions are manifestations or indicators of an underlying construct we might call customer satisfaction. The term customer satisfaction and perception of quality are labels we use to summarise a set of observable actions related to the product or service. (Hayes, 2008) The largest contributor to customer satisfaction, however, is something an organisation cant fully control; the customers perceptions. Whether theyre based in fantasy, fiction, or some other state of unreality, perceptions have the weight of fact. In the business of pleasing customers, perceptions are fact. Perceptions are also wildly inconsistent. Two different customers can consume the exact same product and have radically different perceptions about its quality. The differences may result from expectations each customer brought to the transaction, or they may simply result from varying powers of perception. Moreover, even one customer with consistent expectations might have varying perceptions about a products quality, depending on his or her mood, or stress level, the time of day, the alignment of the planets whatever. Its tempting to conclude that customer satisfaction is whatever the customer happens to think it is at any point in time. (Hayes, 2008) Customer Psychology and behaviour Apruebo (2005) defined consumer Psychology as the study that deals with the activities directly involved in selecting, obtaining, and using products, services and ideas to satisfy needs and desires, including decision process that precede and follow these actions. It is an applied branch of psychology on consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour is the study of buying units and the exchange processes involved in acquiring, consuming, and disposing of goods, services, experiences and ideas. First and foremost, emerging definition refers to the concept â€Å"an exchange process,† as a fundamental element of consumer behaviour. A consumer is inevitably at one end of an exchange process in which resources are transferred between two parties. (Solomon, 2009) Consumer behaviour is an interesting field of study. Its nature is dynamic and an interactive process. All of us are consumers because our tendency or impulse can direct us to market our everyday purchase decisions in the marketplace or any shopping place. Summary The review also identifies the impact of social network marketing on businesses along with its advantages and the disadvantages. The literature review gives a greater understanding on the chosen topic set out in the aims and objectives, by the comparative study by different authors, and by highlighting areas of research that have not been fully explored. The information found enabled the researcher to come across different theories and ideas that need to be considered so as to proceed further into the research. The limitation that was faced while doing the literature review were that it was sometimes quite difficult to find the information on certain areas of subject as topic being very contemporary and not many books or journals being published on this topic. The upcoming section will be examining methodology, where the usage of different types of research will be discussed in order to gain appropriate and thorough information. Chapter four: Methodology Introduction to methodology The research methodology defines what the activity of research is, how to proceed, how to measure progress, and what constitutes success. It provides advancement of wealth of human knowledge, tools of the trade to carry out research, tools to look at things in life objectively; develops a critical and scientific attitude, disciplined thinking to observe objectively; skills of research particularly in the ‘age of information. According to Fisher (2007) methodology is the study of a whole academic field. It is a stepping-back from a subject and a consideration of it at a broader and deeper level. The research methodology is a science that studying how research is done scientifically. It is the way to systematically solve the research problem by logically adopting various steps. Also it defines the way in which the data are collected in a research project. Several different methods are commonly used in research project and it would vary according to the nature of the aim and objective, scope of the topic and thesis and the sources of data which are used. (Jankowicz, 2005) Triangulation Triangulation is the use of multiple methods; usually quantitative and qualitative research, in the study of the study of the same research problem. Triangulation is a complex methodology that usually requires a term of qualitative and quantitative researchers to maintain the integrity of both methodologies. The philosophical basis and assumptions for both quantitative and qualitative research must be maintained when these methodologies are combined, if the findings are to be meaningful. (Grove, 2005) Objective one: Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Marketing managers from two organisations will be interviewed in order to justify the first objective which helped him to have a thorough knowledge of the impact of social network marketing on the businesses. They are very short personal interviews which will mainly offer realistic data which is much appropriate to obtain a detailed vision into the first objective, with the hopefulness of achieving first-hand knowledge or primary data. The questions which are designed will be same to all the marketing managers. The researcher was encouraged by the words of Fisher (2007) that the idea of an interview is straightforward, the interviewer engages in informal conversation with the respondent about a particular area of interest. The interviewer may steer the conversation a little, by picking up on the cues and themes raised by the respondent, but generally the respondent leads the direction of the interview. More comprehensive information can be obtained during an interview, however the co re strength of an interview cannot always be accurate as some interviewees may feel forced into providing better responses, but actually contributing prejudiced data. Some online articles, books and case studies will also be referred to elaborate the impacts of social networking marketing on the businesses. Objective two: Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. The mix of personal and the email interview will the method which will be relevant for second objective and will justify the same. It will be made sure that the format of the questions is simple, easy to understand, concised and precise so that the respondents are able to understand each one of it. There would be around 8 questionnaires in the interview with the mixture of closed and open questionnaire. The difference between closed and open questionnaire is simple. The closed ones have lots of tick boxes for respondents to fill in, whereas open questionnaires allow a free response so that people answer using their own words. (Long, 2007) The second objective which will analyse the advantages and disadvantages of the social network marketing, mix of secondary resources like books, internet, journals, case studies etc. may be helpful to the research and to get some elaborated information because some people may feel shy sharing the information during face-to-face interview and questionnaires and therefore giving a good backup to the objective. Objective three: Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. The third objective is to analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing so in order to obtain exceptional outcomes the researcher thinks that it is reasonable to procedure explanatory research, making a precise blend of interviews, statistical data and facts, books and various other methods. The researcher thinks that the information or data relevant to objective three is very limited and hence using a blend of interview, statistics, books etc. is very simple in the growth of knowledge to gain a better understanding. Fisher (2007) thinks that observation is relatively underused method in research hence it will be sensible thing to use this method as it provides good examples and information to illustrate the objective. Observation can be used as a technique to gather quantitative data, and quantitative data may be combined into a participant observation study as it is most commonly associated with qualitative research derived from an ethnographic tradition of studying different peoples way of life (Long, 2007). The researcher would be observing his workplace (Cumin Restaurant) to justify third objective as Facebook community page was made by the researcher so as to observe the effectiveness of the social network marketing. Summary This report has examined some insight into the theoretical outline that constructs the essentials of the methodology. It demonstrates and explains the choice and use of various research methods that are appropriate to the aims and objective of the research project chosen. It is a sound justification of chosen methods, including evidence of secondary data supporting the choice of methods. Alternative methods have been demonstrated confirming malfunction is not a possibility because of external restrictions and limitations. Some objectives are justified by a single method but there are some objectives which required more than one method to justify it. Chapter five: Findings Introduction to aim and objectives This is the largest and probably the most important part this research. This chapter gives an opportunity to discuss the research findings, based on the methods used that were already been discussed in the methodology. These findings are derived from the analyses of statistical data and interviews used for research collection and the measurement of data. Important points of this chapter are linked back to principle ideas in the Literature Review with the evidence obtained in the research. Aim To analyse how social network marketing can help in the effective marketing of a business. Objectives Following are the objectives of the report: Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. Findings from Personal Interview Mr. Sandeep Anand Owner, Manager, The Cumin Restaurant, Nottingham 1. Do you or your business have a profile on any social network? Which? Sandeep: Yes I had a personal profile on Facebook previously but as I came to know that now businesses can make their community page on it as well, I made my business profile. 2. How often do you update your profile? Sandeep:My web designer generally updates my business page which is usually updated once a week. 3. Did it make any difference to your business? Sandeep: Not really at the moment, because the profile is quite new, not many people know that we are in Facebook but I hope as the time passes we will get some customer through it. In my knowledge I have got three costumers giving reference from Facebook. 4. Did anybody recommend you to have a profile on social network? Sandeep: Yes, my web designer recommended me to have one, which I thought is a good idea. 5. If no, then what made you join? 6. Have you identified any business advantage of using Facebook over traditional media? Sandeep:The biggest advantage of using Facebook is there are good choices which you can make according to your budget and if you are not interested to spend any money just make a profile page and dont publish it. But you have to put extra effort to make it more effective. 7. What are the drawbacks of social networks to the business? Sandeep:I have seen some business which has got negative comments which can be viewed by all viewers which is not good for the business. So I think privacy and security is the biggest drawback. 8. Would you recommend anyone to have a business profile on social networks? Why? Sandeep: Yes definitely, because it gives you an edge over other businesses with very little cost and is more effective than the traditional forms of advertising if used effectively. I will highly recommend to the small and medium businesses which are coming into this sector as a fresher with a minimal budget. Findings from Email Interview Ms. Srijana Gurung Restaurant Supervisor (Chino Latino)/Duty Manager, Park Plaza, Nottingham A same set of questions was sent to Ms. Srijana Gurung who is a Restaurant Supervisor and a duty manager in Park Plaza Hotel in Nottingham. Answer 1: Yes I have a personal profile and a profile for my hotels restaurant Chino Latino. My hotel gave me liberty to make a profile page for their restaurant as it is good for their hotels business and for their restaurant as well. Answer 2: I go on to the profile daily just to have a look and to make necessary updates for eg. I introduced a new staff uniform for my restaurants staff, so I have put the pictures of it. Answer 3: Fan following and liking has gained good publicity of our restaurant but we havent measured any difference but I hope it goes well in the future. Answer 4: No, nobody recommended me. Answer 5: It is one of the most upcoming trends of having a profile on the Facebook and in this post recessionary period many businesses have made their pages on Facebook and results are very positive. So I thought of having one for my restaurant. Answer 6: Yes, I am sure there are many advantages of social network marketing over traditional media. They are very cheap, cost efficient, easy to manage and operate and the bst one is they are very contemporary. Answer 7: They take time to show results. There is very less privacy. Anybody can have their profile page on these social networks and even fake profiles can be made and some of these fake profile. Answer 8: Yes absolutely, they are here for us to use and to use efficiently and as they are very cheap they are very affordable but has to be managed properly and updated regularly. But do maintain the businesss privacy level so as to protect from spam and fraud. Statistical Data (Econsultancy, 2010) * Facebookclaimsthat 50% of active users log into the site each day. This would meanat least 175 million users every 24 hours†¦ A considerable increase from the previous 120 million. * Twitternow has75 million user accounts. * LinkedInhas over50 million members worldwide.This means an increase of around 1million members each month since July/August last year. * Facebook currently has in excess of350 million active users on global basis.Six months ago, this was 250 million†¦ meaning around a 40% increase of users in less than half a year. * More than 35 million Facebook users update their status each day. * Wikipediacurrentlyhas in excess of14 million articles, meaning that its 85,000 contributors have written nearly a million new posts in six months. * Photo uploads to Facebook haveincreased by more than 100%.Currently, there are around2.5 billionuploads to the site each month this was around a billion last time I covered this. * There are more than70 translations availableon Facebook. Last time around, this was only 50. * Back in 2009, the average user had 120 friends within Facebook. This is now around 130. * Mobile is even bigger than before for Facebook, withmore than65 million users accessing the site through mobile-based devices.In six months, this is over 100% increase. (Previously Benefits of Social Network Marketing for the Business Benefits of Social Network Marketing for the Business Chapter One Introduction For some marketing managers, the twenty-first century may appear a very strange place indeed. Much of that strangeness comes from the ‘electronification of traditional marketing practices. OConnor et al (2004) said that direct and database marketing might be fairly well understood, but what about the concepts such as social network marketing. This is one of the latest tools available to todays marketing managers. The most popular social network marketing tools are Facebook, Twitter, My Space, LinkedIn, etc., but there are some other different social network marketing methods like blogs, e-mail marketing, video promotion on YouTube and many more. In truth, the migration from traditional marketing to internet marketing is part of a process that has taken place over the past decade. But what is Social network marketing and how it is different from ordinary marketing, advantages and disadvantages of social networking, its impact on other businesses has been researched in this disse rtation. Aim To analyse how social network marketing can help in the effective marketing of a business Objectives Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. Chapter two Research Background The Cumin Restaurant The Anand family have a long and successful history of catering, originating from their home in Nairobi, Kenya. They came to the UK in 1975 and have been in the catering business ever since. Their first restaurant in the UK was The Brilliant, followed by Madhus, both in Middlesex. These were followed by Curry Craze in Wembley, Curry Special in Ilford and Curry Fever in Leicester, all of which are still very successful today. The restaurant capacity is 74 cover over two floors 20 on the ground floor and 54 on the first floor. Being in the city centre, they are also an ideal place to hold business meetings or lunches. (The Cumin Restaurant online, 2011) Chino Latino, Park Plaza Their central Nottingham hotel features Chino Latino, the multi award-winning, on-site restaurant.Chino Latino serves fresh, gourmet Pan-Asian cuisine and Latin-inspired cocktails in a relaxed, modern atmosphere. One of the top Nottingham restaurants, Chino Latino offers a fantastic choice of a la carte, set, tasting and bento box menus. The bar offers an array of exciting cocktails, bottled beers and bar platters in a distinctively Latin atmosphere. Chapter three: Literature Review Introduction A literature review is a survey and discussion of the literature in a given area of study. It is a concise overview of what has been studied, argued, and established about a topic, and it is usually organised chronologically or thematically. A literature review is written in essay format. It is not a commented bibliography, because it groups related works together and discusses trends and developments rather than focusing on one item at a time. It is not a summary; rather, it evaluates previous and current research in regard to how relevant and/or useful it is and how it relates to your own research. (University of Toronto Online, 02.12.2009) Ridley (2009) described literature review as the part of the thesis where there is extensive reference to related research and theory; it is where connections are made between the source texts and the research among these sources. It also refers to the process involved in creating the review that appears in the thesis. The changing media environment The mainstream print and broadcast media have faced major challenges in recent years, with many newspaper titles facing closure and television channels facing shortfalls in revenue. An important reason for this has been migration of significant amount of advertising budgets to online channels. Research by Forrester Jennings (2007) has indicated that audiences and attention is shifting to online channels as 52 per cent of Europeans are regularly online at home. Around 36 per cent of European internet users watch less TV, 28 per cent have reduced their newspaper and magazine reading and 17 per cent have decreased listening to the radios since going online. This shift away from conventional media has been further exacerbated by the recession from 2008 which led many advertisers to cut their budgets, resulting in print and broadcast media receiving a diminishing share of the declining total budget (Jennings, 2007). Online advertising has been the beneficiary of recent changes in the allo cation of advertising budgets, but this general shift hides a number of different formats for communicating with target audience, ranging from mass appeal banner ads placed on frequently visited websites, through to personalised e-mail campaigns in which the message can be uniquely tailored to the requirements of individual target buyers. Social media can be characterised as â€Å"online applications, platforms and media which aim to facilitate interactions, collaborations and the sharing of content† (Universal Maccann International, 2008, p.10). the importance of social network media lies in the interaction between consumers and the community, and in the facilitation of asynchronous, immediate, interactive, low-cost communication† (Miller et al, 2009, p. 306). Social network sites allow individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system; to articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and to â€Å"view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system† (Boyd and Ellison, 2007, p. 211). On larger social network sites a connection, individuals are typically not looking to meet new people but are more interested in managing relationships by maintaining contacts with old friends who are already part of the extended so cial network (Boyd and Ellison, 2007; Hart et al, 2008). To sum up, social network sites can be seen as alternative communication tools which support existing relationships and activities in a fun and colourful way that can enrich the users experience (Ofcom, 2008). Many social network websites have emerged; attracting distinctive groups on users in terms of their demographics, for example the average age of users of Bebo is lower than for Facebook. Many appeal to communities with specific shared interests. In addition to consumers-oriented social network sites, many professional and trade associations have set up networks to exchange information of particular interest to member, for example the social networking site â€Å"LinkedIn† is particularly aimed at professionals. There is now lot of evidence that social network sites have become mainstream and it has been reported that globally, these sites account for one in every 11 minutes spent online. In the UK, this figure is even higher one in every six minutes (Neilson Company, 2009). Over half (54 per cent) of internet users between 16 and 24 have set up their own page or profile on a social networking site (Ofcom, 2008). The take up of online social media has been at the expense of traditional media, and a study by Ofcom of the media habits of UK 15-24 year olds shows that since using such media for the first time, the amount of time spent reading national newspapers declined by 27 per cent; reading local newspaper by 22 per cent; reading magazines by 21 per cent; listening radio by 15 per cent and watching TV by 13 per cent (Ofcom, 2006). Online social media offers opportunities to connect these hard-to-reach audiences drifting away from traditional media. Social Network Marketing Marketers need to be where their customers and potential customers are, and increasingly this is on social networking sites. Most of their marketers have started using social networks to market their businesses and to gain financial freedom. It also markets and then offers the product or service to the relevant audience and provides significant benefits using the dialogues and personal connections and to gain a wider audience for the product, but according to Scott (2007, p.229), ‘marketing on these sites can be tricky because the online community at social networking sites hates open commercial messages. There are abundant amount of active users across sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and Hi5; 2.6 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (Shih 2009). Social networking has become a rapidly growing global phenomenon spreading across the world. According to Chaffey and Smith (2008) well-run communities on the social networks strengthen relationships, trust and loyalty, as well as maintaining brand awareness in the minds of the community members. Communities also allow a unique opportunity to stay close to customers, their concerns, their worries and their desires. Despite these benefits, building an active community can be time consuming and difficult though cheap. Careful moderation and seeding of topics from a subject expert may be required. An alternative approach is to link up to an established community that has greater independence. Either way social networks are the part of the dynamic dialogue and dynamic opportunities that todays marketer enjoy. Social network networking has many advantages which makes it an interesting and a useful marketing tool for any business. This tool is cheap compared to other methods of advertising, when it comes to costing to reach the target audience. Another advantage is that it is easy to record and review any marketing campaign which makes it easier to analyse the changes that need to be made in service or products. But when we look at the negative side of it, social network marketing has got some disadvantages as well. According to Shih (2009), the biggest drawback of social network marketing is that the business could be the main targets for the detractors and their criticism which would make people who are interested in the business turn off by reading the negative comments. Some of the common disadvantages of social networks are security and safety of the business, violation of copyrights, vulnerable to thefts and scams. (Sethi and Adhikari, 2010) In general, the problem with the social networks is they need frequent updating and it is time consuming as well. Branding on Social Networks Social networking sites offer brands many opportunities for engagement. When brand profiles are created, the brands can exist as â€Å"people† on the sites. Friends can interact with the brands, share information, photos, and videos, and participate in two-way communication. The brand as person enhances the ability of a brand to use conversation marketing. Building a brand persona strengthens brand personality, differentiates brands from competitors, and sets the stage for a perceived relationship. Assuming the brands persona is likable and credible, it can facilitate message internalisation (the process by which a consumer adopts a brand belief as his or her own). (Tuten, 2008) Why would a person â€Å"friend† a brand? There are lots of incentives for friending brands, as explained in the Never Ending Friending report. These include incentive-driven motives like getting invitations to upcoming events, receiving information on sales and special offers and relationship-oriented motives such as a desire to support the company because it offers high quality products, to associate with the brand and its image, and to respond to a friends recommendation about the brand. The value proposition is already in place. (Clifton, 2009) Ultimately, branding on social networking sites promotes brand awareness, brand recall, and, if done well, builds on brand loyalty and brand equity. Social networks offers opportunities for brand promotion and engagement for those brands that learn to leverage the unique attributes of network in question. (Clifton, 2009) However, social networking is not without its flaws. Advertising, even when developed and distributed in superlative online venues, still suffers from the limitations facing all forms of advertising. Clutter is a tremendous distraction for people as they are faced with advertising in and on every imaginable media. Online readers are bombarded with sometimes numerous ads on a single page. With the many display ads, profile components, and widgets visible on social network pages, clutter is an issue. There is also limited inventory for advertising space on the sites. (Tuten, 2008) Social networks offer the greatest benefits to brands when the brands play to a networks culture, developing brand personas and engaging friends in dialogue. However, the workhorse of social network advertising is still the display ad. Unfortunately, display ads are not nearly as effective on social networking sites as they are on other types of websites. Clickthrough rates are much lower. (Clifton, 2009) Marketing in Post Modernism world Postmodernism invites a unique perspective of how to manage marketing and how to understand the consumer. Postmodernism says that social experiences are an interplay of myths which produce regimes of truth and that much of what we understand or believe about the individual, self, freedom, structure and so on is arbitrary and short-lived, fleeting rather than essential and fixed. We need to change our views as the customer changes. â€Å"The main conditions of postmodernism marketing are hyper-reality, fragmentation, reversals of production and consumption, decentring of the subject, paradoxical juxtapositions (of opposites) and loss of commitment.† (Kotler, 2009, p. 27) Ø Hyper-reality: Exemplified by the virtual words of cyberspace and the pseudo worlds of theme parks, hotels and heritage centres, hyper-reality involves the creation of consumption sites and marketing phenomena that ‘more real then real. Here the distinction between reality and fantasy is momentarily blurred. (Kienscherf, 2004) Ø Fragmentation: Marketing in postmodernity is unfailingly fast, furious, frenetic, frenzied, fleeting and hyperactive. (Kotler, 2009) Ø Reversals of production and consumption: Postmodern consumers are active in the production of meaning, of marketing, of consumption. They do rather than have ‘done to them. (Kotler, 2009) Ø Decentring of the subject: Centeredness is where individuals are defined by their occupation, social class, demographics, postcode, and personalities and so on. Postmodernism suggests that this is not so, and that the harder marketers try to pin down the decentred consuming subject the less successful they will be. Ø Paradoxical juxtapositions (of opposites): We have examples of the mixing and matching of opposites and the combination of contradictory styles in the world famous Irish dance show Riverdance or Lord of Rings. (Kienscherf, 2004) Ø Loss of commitment: Growing disillusionment with the delivery of promises and the willingness to try different experiences has resulted in a loss of commitment. The postmodern consumer takes on multiple, sometimes even contradictory projects, to which he/she is marginally and momentarily committed. This is observed in all walks of life: in relationships, in professions, and consumption. Marketing managers experience this when consumer loyalties to brands change. (Kotler, 2009) Customer Perception and satisfaction Customers perceptions of the quality of a service and their overall satisfaction have some observation indicators. Customers may smile when they talk about the product or service. They may say good things about the product or service. Both actions are manifestations or indicators of an underlying construct we might call customer satisfaction. The term customer satisfaction and perception of quality are labels we use to summarise a set of observable actions related to the product or service. (Hayes, 2008) The largest contributor to customer satisfaction, however, is something an organisation cant fully control; the customers perceptions. Whether theyre based in fantasy, fiction, or some other state of unreality, perceptions have the weight of fact. In the business of pleasing customers, perceptions are fact. Perceptions are also wildly inconsistent. Two different customers can consume the exact same product and have radically different perceptions about its quality. The differences may result from expectations each customer brought to the transaction, or they may simply result from varying powers of perception. Moreover, even one customer with consistent expectations might have varying perceptions about a products quality, depending on his or her mood, or stress level, the time of day, the alignment of the planets whatever. Its tempting to conclude that customer satisfaction is whatever the customer happens to think it is at any point in time. (Hayes, 2008) Customer Psychology and behaviour Apruebo (2005) defined consumer Psychology as the study that deals with the activities directly involved in selecting, obtaining, and using products, services and ideas to satisfy needs and desires, including decision process that precede and follow these actions. It is an applied branch of psychology on consumer behaviour. Consumer behaviour is the study of buying units and the exchange processes involved in acquiring, consuming, and disposing of goods, services, experiences and ideas. First and foremost, emerging definition refers to the concept â€Å"an exchange process,† as a fundamental element of consumer behaviour. A consumer is inevitably at one end of an exchange process in which resources are transferred between two parties. (Solomon, 2009) Consumer behaviour is an interesting field of study. Its nature is dynamic and an interactive process. All of us are consumers because our tendency or impulse can direct us to market our everyday purchase decisions in the marketplace or any shopping place. Summary The review also identifies the impact of social network marketing on businesses along with its advantages and the disadvantages. The literature review gives a greater understanding on the chosen topic set out in the aims and objectives, by the comparative study by different authors, and by highlighting areas of research that have not been fully explored. The information found enabled the researcher to come across different theories and ideas that need to be considered so as to proceed further into the research. The limitation that was faced while doing the literature review were that it was sometimes quite difficult to find the information on certain areas of subject as topic being very contemporary and not many books or journals being published on this topic. The upcoming section will be examining methodology, where the usage of different types of research will be discussed in order to gain appropriate and thorough information. Chapter four: Methodology Introduction to methodology The research methodology defines what the activity of research is, how to proceed, how to measure progress, and what constitutes success. It provides advancement of wealth of human knowledge, tools of the trade to carry out research, tools to look at things in life objectively; develops a critical and scientific attitude, disciplined thinking to observe objectively; skills of research particularly in the ‘age of information. According to Fisher (2007) methodology is the study of a whole academic field. It is a stepping-back from a subject and a consideration of it at a broader and deeper level. The research methodology is a science that studying how research is done scientifically. It is the way to systematically solve the research problem by logically adopting various steps. Also it defines the way in which the data are collected in a research project. Several different methods are commonly used in research project and it would vary according to the nature of the aim and objective, scope of the topic and thesis and the sources of data which are used. (Jankowicz, 2005) Triangulation Triangulation is the use of multiple methods; usually quantitative and qualitative research, in the study of the study of the same research problem. Triangulation is a complex methodology that usually requires a term of qualitative and quantitative researchers to maintain the integrity of both methodologies. The philosophical basis and assumptions for both quantitative and qualitative research must be maintained when these methodologies are combined, if the findings are to be meaningful. (Grove, 2005) Objective one: Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Marketing managers from two organisations will be interviewed in order to justify the first objective which helped him to have a thorough knowledge of the impact of social network marketing on the businesses. They are very short personal interviews which will mainly offer realistic data which is much appropriate to obtain a detailed vision into the first objective, with the hopefulness of achieving first-hand knowledge or primary data. The questions which are designed will be same to all the marketing managers. The researcher was encouraged by the words of Fisher (2007) that the idea of an interview is straightforward, the interviewer engages in informal conversation with the respondent about a particular area of interest. The interviewer may steer the conversation a little, by picking up on the cues and themes raised by the respondent, but generally the respondent leads the direction of the interview. More comprehensive information can be obtained during an interview, however the co re strength of an interview cannot always be accurate as some interviewees may feel forced into providing better responses, but actually contributing prejudiced data. Some online articles, books and case studies will also be referred to elaborate the impacts of social networking marketing on the businesses. Objective two: Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. The mix of personal and the email interview will the method which will be relevant for second objective and will justify the same. It will be made sure that the format of the questions is simple, easy to understand, concised and precise so that the respondents are able to understand each one of it. There would be around 8 questionnaires in the interview with the mixture of closed and open questionnaire. The difference between closed and open questionnaire is simple. The closed ones have lots of tick boxes for respondents to fill in, whereas open questionnaires allow a free response so that people answer using their own words. (Long, 2007) The second objective which will analyse the advantages and disadvantages of the social network marketing, mix of secondary resources like books, internet, journals, case studies etc. may be helpful to the research and to get some elaborated information because some people may feel shy sharing the information during face-to-face interview and questionnaires and therefore giving a good backup to the objective. Objective three: Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. The third objective is to analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing so in order to obtain exceptional outcomes the researcher thinks that it is reasonable to procedure explanatory research, making a precise blend of interviews, statistical data and facts, books and various other methods. The researcher thinks that the information or data relevant to objective three is very limited and hence using a blend of interview, statistics, books etc. is very simple in the growth of knowledge to gain a better understanding. Fisher (2007) thinks that observation is relatively underused method in research hence it will be sensible thing to use this method as it provides good examples and information to illustrate the objective. Observation can be used as a technique to gather quantitative data, and quantitative data may be combined into a participant observation study as it is most commonly associated with qualitative research derived from an ethnographic tradition of studying different peoples way of life (Long, 2007). The researcher would be observing his workplace (Cumin Restaurant) to justify third objective as Facebook community page was made by the researcher so as to observe the effectiveness of the social network marketing. Summary This report has examined some insight into the theoretical outline that constructs the essentials of the methodology. It demonstrates and explains the choice and use of various research methods that are appropriate to the aims and objective of the research project chosen. It is a sound justification of chosen methods, including evidence of secondary data supporting the choice of methods. Alternative methods have been demonstrated confirming malfunction is not a possibility because of external restrictions and limitations. Some objectives are justified by a single method but there are some objectives which required more than one method to justify it. Chapter five: Findings Introduction to aim and objectives This is the largest and probably the most important part this research. This chapter gives an opportunity to discuss the research findings, based on the methods used that were already been discussed in the methodology. These findings are derived from the analyses of statistical data and interviews used for research collection and the measurement of data. Important points of this chapter are linked back to principle ideas in the Literature Review with the evidence obtained in the research. Aim To analyse how social network marketing can help in the effective marketing of a business. Objectives Following are the objectives of the report: Analyse the impact of social network marketing on other businesses. Analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the social network marketing in a business context. Analyse the effectiveness of social network marketing. Findings from Personal Interview Mr. Sandeep Anand Owner, Manager, The Cumin Restaurant, Nottingham 1. Do you or your business have a profile on any social network? Which? Sandeep: Yes I had a personal profile on Facebook previously but as I came to know that now businesses can make their community page on it as well, I made my business profile. 2. How often do you update your profile? Sandeep:My web designer generally updates my business page which is usually updated once a week. 3. Did it make any difference to your business? Sandeep: Not really at the moment, because the profile is quite new, not many people know that we are in Facebook but I hope as the time passes we will get some customer through it. In my knowledge I have got three costumers giving reference from Facebook. 4. Did anybody recommend you to have a profile on social network? Sandeep: Yes, my web designer recommended me to have one, which I thought is a good idea. 5. If no, then what made you join? 6. Have you identified any business advantage of using Facebook over traditional media? Sandeep:The biggest advantage of using Facebook is there are good choices which you can make according to your budget and if you are not interested to spend any money just make a profile page and dont publish it. But you have to put extra effort to make it more effective. 7. What are the drawbacks of social networks to the business? Sandeep:I have seen some business which has got negative comments which can be viewed by all viewers which is not good for the business. So I think privacy and security is the biggest drawback. 8. Would you recommend anyone to have a business profile on social networks? Why? Sandeep: Yes definitely, because it gives you an edge over other businesses with very little cost and is more effective than the traditional forms of advertising if used effectively. I will highly recommend to the small and medium businesses which are coming into this sector as a fresher with a minimal budget. Findings from Email Interview Ms. Srijana Gurung Restaurant Supervisor (Chino Latino)/Duty Manager, Park Plaza, Nottingham A same set of questions was sent to Ms. Srijana Gurung who is a Restaurant Supervisor and a duty manager in Park Plaza Hotel in Nottingham. Answer 1: Yes I have a personal profile and a profile for my hotels restaurant Chino Latino. My hotel gave me liberty to make a profile page for their restaurant as it is good for their hotels business and for their restaurant as well. Answer 2: I go on to the profile daily just to have a look and to make necessary updates for eg. I introduced a new staff uniform for my restaurants staff, so I have put the pictures of it. Answer 3: Fan following and liking has gained good publicity of our restaurant but we havent measured any difference but I hope it goes well in the future. Answer 4: No, nobody recommended me. Answer 5: It is one of the most upcoming trends of having a profile on the Facebook and in this post recessionary period many businesses have made their pages on Facebook and results are very positive. So I thought of having one for my restaurant. Answer 6: Yes, I am sure there are many advantages of social network marketing over traditional media. They are very cheap, cost efficient, easy to manage and operate and the bst one is they are very contemporary. Answer 7: They take time to show results. There is very less privacy. Anybody can have their profile page on these social networks and even fake profiles can be made and some of these fake profile. Answer 8: Yes absolutely, they are here for us to use and to use efficiently and as they are very cheap they are very affordable but has to be managed properly and updated regularly. But do maintain the businesss privacy level so as to protect from spam and fraud. Statistical Data (Econsultancy, 2010) * Facebookclaimsthat 50% of active users log into the site each day. This would meanat least 175 million users every 24 hours†¦ A considerable increase from the previous 120 million. * Twitternow has75 million user accounts. * LinkedInhas over50 million members worldwide.This means an increase of around 1million members each month since July/August last year. * Facebook currently has in excess of350 million active users on global basis.Six months ago, this was 250 million†¦ meaning around a 40% increase of users in less than half a year. * More than 35 million Facebook users update their status each day. * Wikipediacurrentlyhas in excess of14 million articles, meaning that its 85,000 contributors have written nearly a million new posts in six months. * Photo uploads to Facebook haveincreased by more than 100%.Currently, there are around2.5 billionuploads to the site each month this was around a billion last time I covered this. * There are more than70 translations availableon Facebook. Last time around, this was only 50. * Back in 2009, the average user had 120 friends within Facebook. This is now around 130. * Mobile is even bigger than before for Facebook, withmore than65 million users accessing the site through mobile-based devices.In six months, this is over 100% increase. (Previously

Book Review of Plagues and Peoples by William H. McNeill Essay

William H. McNeill makes a monumental contribution to the knowledge of humanity in his book Plagues and Peoples. He looks at the history of the world from an ecological point of view. From this viewpoint the history of human civilization is greatly impacted by changing patterns of epidemic infection. Plagues and Peoples suggests that "the time scale of world history...should [be] viewed [through] the "domestication" of epidemic disease that occurred between 1300 and 1700" (page 232). "Domestication" is perceived "as a fundamental breakthrough, directly resulting from the two great transportation revolutions of that age - one by land, initiated by the Mongols, and one by sea, initiated by Europeans" (page 232). This book illustrates how man's environment and its resident diseases have controlled human migration, as well as societal successes and failures. McNeill discusses the political, demographical, and psychological effects of disease on the human race. He informs his audie nce that epidemics are still a viable threat to society, and warns of potential future consequences. Since Plagues and Peoples covers several subjects of knowledge, he helps the reader understand key concepts by fully explaining parasitism and its dependence on humans and animals. People in the field of history, which make up a majority of this books audience, would need more insight into epidemiology to grasp its key concepts. It would not be likely for a historian to be knowledgeable in a branch of medical science that deals with the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in populations. There is a lot of information presented in the text. This is why McNeill has to be careful with the organization of concepts in his book. M... ...ur current political, demographical, and psychological state will surely be altered. McNeill's argument is important because it forces everyone to rethink humanity's role in history. His thesis enables one to take a step back from trivial details and truly examine the larger picture. History classes have always viewed life and events from a political and military point of view. They should consider teaching this approach to history as well. Plagues and Peoples is a very insightful book, that explains in fine detail the causes and events that built up the disease pool. Once reading Plagues and Peoples, history will never seem quite the same. Works Cited Plagues and Peoples. By William H. McNeill. (New York: Anchor Books: A division of Random House, Inc., 1976 and Preface 1998. Pp. 7 + 365. Acknowledgements, preface, map, appendix, notes, index.)

Educational Play: Theories, Perspectives, and Proposals

Educational Play: Theory, Programs, & Perspectives Abstract The following play program educational survey and observation details the educator and administrator perspectives on performance outcomes in four Virginia Beach schools. The use of play as an effective educational method is supported by the comprehensive literature review on the topic which discusses the major theories of Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky as the foundation for concluding how to best utilize play in the formal elementary education segment. The data provides a look into the primary factors driving play program success as well as hurdles to program effectiveness. Further research is needed to substantiate the solidification of play programs as empirically-supported components of successful education initiatives. Insert Title Page1 Abstract2 Introduction: Literature Review4 Literature Review5 Method8 Participants8 Instruments8 Process9 Issues and Considerations11 Data Analysis12 Results14 Group A16 Group B18 Group C19 Group D21 Discussion: Use and Limitations22 References:25 Appendices:27 Table 1. Total Respondents Breakdown27 Table 2. Survey Race and Gender Demographic Breakdown27 Table 3. Top Suggested Improvements for Play Program Effectiveness27 Appendix 1. The Play Curriculum Teacher Questionnaire28 Introduction: Literature Review In childhood education, the theory of play is of major importance to actualizing learning despite increasing administrator and educator focus on testing scores and performance outcomes. Theorists have posed a number of perspectives that address the importance and role of play in the primary education sector. Hymes (1981) contends that play is a solid foundation for teaching children as well as an insightful tool through which educators can accurately observe and assess student learning. Erikson’s (1950) theory of psychosocial development posits that play in not only helpful, but essential to childhood development. The psychologist states that play creates a safe space in which children can work out their conflicts. The imagination, when allowed to run free, facilitates self-exploration and autonomy. An environment can be deliberately designed to initiate play without personalizing the child’s engagement and interaction, thereby supporting freedom. Piaget (1962) expands play theory from the individual education to social interaction learning and development. Play and imitation become critical elements to learning and adapting to an external environment as the child learns about their world and self within this context. This hands-on involvement allows the child to experiment with symbols and self. According to Vygotsky (1978), play is also pertinent to developing the ability to defer immediate gratification as fantasy play assists the child in adapting to their circumstances and experiences through more mature means. For the purpose of this study, Piaget and Vygotsky’s theories of play will be used o evaluate the use of play in the primary education environment for self and social teaching; this will be achieved through a comprehensive review of current literature in conjunction with a play program survey to connect the theoretical foundation of play theory with the practical application of play in the classroom. Using four primary play programs in the Virginia Beach school district, the author examines play promotion and hindranc e to outline avenues for improving the use of play in the elementary education environment. Literature Review The United States school systems have moved away from the integration of play in primary education despite the extensive theories and research supporting the importance and use of play to childhood education and development. Even recess has been reduced as administrator and educator focus has been forcibly shifted to core education activities and test score outcomes (Stokes-Guinan, 2009; Smith & McKnight, 2009) with 40% of school districts having eliminated – or nearly eliminated – recess altogether (Zygmunt-Fillwalk & Bilello, 2005). However, while less students are receiving play opportunities in their structured school curriculum, this does not negate the wealth of research evidencing the social, emotional, and physical benefits of research and play (Stokes-Guinan, 2009). The U. S. system’s prioritization of student achievement is short-sighted in its scores-focus, failing to comprehend the building blocks that allow for students to build and sustain the capacity for greater individual and social learning success, thus improving academic advantage. Play assists children in navigating the real world through fantasy by empowering decision-making, initiative, rules, consequences, and uncertainty (Annetta, et al. , 2009). Research concludes that play is both imaginative and symbolic (Galvez-Martin, 1997). Bronson (1995) states that play is crucial to human existence and that this need extends into human learning as it is maintained and utilized throughout the individual’s lifespan (Galvez-Martin, 1997). Additionally, play is both an educational experience and a learning process s children engage their internal and external environments. According to Isenberg and Jacob (1982), in play, children learn how to learn. â€Å"When children play, they learn† (Annetta, et al. , 2009, p. 1091). This translates into the idea that, while playing, children are learning new methods, techniques, and skills through incidental ways. Researches often quote Piaget, Erikson, and Vygotsky’s theories of play in which play facilitate s intellectual, psychological, linguistic, and social growth through cognitive and symbolic exploration (Rivera, 2009). Fein (1985) examples the powerful creative component of play; however, the author also upholds play’s vital contribution to the development of language, memory, and problem solving (Galvez-Martin, 1997). A majority of modern education is defined by a rule-oriented realism in which play is, at best, compartmentalized. In 1987, Bergen contended that empowering academic achievement and cognitive capacity required the introduction and encouragement of play, stating that mastery of such skills would result in more sophisticated problem-solving and ingenuity. Play is a realm that fosters more in-depth understanding of environment, interpretation, and response; this definition speaks to the individual play perspective. However, there is also a social sphere wherein groups participate in this same development but through social role-playing and collaboration (Stokes-Guinan, 2009). As toys act as symbols, they can be insightfully used to teach fundamental principles and reinforce factual comprehension (O’Brien, 1993; Galvez-Martin, 1997). In any activity where mastery is the intended goal, play is the means for reaching this destination (Rivera, 2009). A wealth of perspectives on defining play and its impact exist; however, researchers have reached consensus on the integral importance of play in early childhood development and education programs using the theoretical foundations of Piaget (1962) and Vygotsky (1978). Each of the quoted authors cites various researchers, programs, and theorists in the goal of substantiating play as a plausible method for educational outcomes. The largest points of contention concern the definition of play and the exact cognitive connections. For example, Piaget’s (1962) assimilation theory does not necessarily equate to Vgotsky’s (1978) theory of cognitive development (Fox, n. d. ). While these divergences exist, there is little debate concerning the fundamental importance of play as the majority of researchers corroborate the vital need for play as a crucial framework for childhood education. Another point of divergence is the practical application of play in the classroom. The researchers offer a wealth of methods yet fail to construct a best practices model for play program development in elementary education. Furthermore, measuring the outcomes of these programs is a difficult task as it is challenging to isolate variables and validate causation. There are an extensive number of factors engaged in the creation of play programs, including government, administrator, educator, parent, and student influence and involvement. The necessity in research is to move beyond these limitations and reliance on theory, reaching empirically-based evidence for the use of play programs in public and private education forums. This is a difficult task for the academic research community. The theoretical framework for logically grasping the importance and role of play in learning is rooted in qualitative measures of study, exampled by surveys, observations, and other perception analyses. There are ways of comparing educational outcomes using strict tactics of methods separation to delineate the most effective techniques by their correlating outcomes; but again, it is important to highlight that the primary causation remains elusive as each child’s learning style, capacity, and conditioning are uniquely derived and affecting. Therefore, research in this field is likely to continue it trajectory of working from a sound theory context by aligning educational tactics to fit this construct. Method Participants The Virginia Beach School District has a total of seven schools (public and private) who have some form of official play program currently in place. The focus of this study is in detailing the success of implemented programs that have been operating these programs for a minimum of two years. In meeting this criterion, two schools were eliminated as possibilities and another denied an offer of participation through omission of response. Therefore, the survey sample population was reduced to four school groups, two private and two public, who qualified and accepted study inclusion. Prior to receiving the survey, each of the four school groups were contacted and the purpose of the study was discussed with the administration. After receiving agreement to allow their programs to be evaluated for this project, the participating staff received a preliminary email explaining the process and intent of the study which is to gain more in-depth understanding of factors that contribute to and factors that harm play program success. Administrators and educators were encouraged to submit any questions or concerns in response to the email; however, no further clarification was needed. Initial confirmation was received from 29 faculty members; but this number decreased to 27 as the final count of total survey completion upon commencement of the survey process. The sample qualifies as random in that the researcher set the criteria of the study population and both the schools and the staff members then determined participation voluntarily. Instruments The study instruments are two-fold. The first and major source of data collection is the play program questionnaire. The questionnaire includes a number of areas pertinent to further understanding the construct of the play programs, the participant or leaders backgrounds, the makeup of the professional and student body, and the perceived outcomes of the play program implementation. Additionally, respondents were asked to communicate in open-ended question format for a number of items to gain more specific feedback regarding their program achievements and pitfalls. The second arm of analysis is the on-site visitation and observation. Each of the four schools allowed the researcher to sit in on play program class times. This observation relies on the researcher’s perception and evaluation. In preparation for the analysis, an observation format checklist and focal point document was created to guide the researcher. Particular attention was directed at classroom engagement, learning outcomes, student interactivity, faculty attitudes, play duration, and play activities. The observation period additionally acts as an open-ended question response as the researcher aimed to incorporate as much information as possible regarding the design, delivery, and success of these individual programs. During this day period, the researcher optimized any opportunity for individual discussion with faculty members. Given the age of the students, it was determined unnecessary to include them in the evaluation at this time other than observing their perceived connection, response, and learning during the play period. Each program differed greatly; therefore, the researcher, after meeting the written document guide points of consideration, recorded observations freely in an attempt to eliminate preconceived analysis or areas of importance. Process The survey invitations were sent out on the same day; seven days after this, each of the five possible candidate schools were contacted via telephone. During this call, the researcher spoke to the Principle or Program Director. Within three days, four of the five candidates confirmed their commitment to the project, understanding the survey and the observation period framework of the study. The fifth institution was contacted twice more; however, after failing to obtain confirmation, the school was eliminated from participation. The questionnaire was then sent out to a total of 29 potential respondents who were identified by the school administrators as having direct involvement in the play program although in varying degrees. Participants received the survey via email at their school accounts. The questionnaires were then either mailed or emailed to the researcher. Within a ten-day period, 27 questionnaires were received and two administrators reported they were no longer involved significantly in the programs and could not honestly add to the survey. Upon receipt of the results, using the devised coding system, the researcher recorded replies in the research database. The surveys protected anonymity; the only identifying factor was the institution. The purpose of this distinction was for comparison of institutions as well as the difference between private and public school programs. After each of the surveys was properly coded, the observation period was conducted. Unfortunately, given each school’s constraints in procedure, it was impossible to replicate the observation at each of the schools. For example, School A included a four-hour total observation of the play program activities, five brief staff interviews, and a one hour interview session with the Play Program Director. School B’s observation was solely comprised of three hours of direct program observation. Each of the observation periods allowed for total checklist completion; however, the results were undeniably weaker in those periods where the researcher was not able to conduct interviews. After completion of the four observations, the researcher then applied a similar coding structure and documented these results in the study database. Patterns and insights were recorded as well. Interview responses were compartmentalized, coded, and quoted according to the devised system and to the perceived importance of input or reply. Results were then compiled and analyzed as outlined in the data analysis. During this procedure, the researcher identified patterns of similarity and differentiation as well as exacted a number of factors that seemed to have little relevance given the diversity of the results. Issues and Considerations The selection of the survey method is due mainly to ease of use, time constraints, and cost limitations; however, the questionnaire also aligns with study intention in its qualitative efforts of delineating factors of successful play programs. The survey structure also allows for a flexibility in data analysis as the results facilitate multivariate assessment. The standardization of the survey further provides an economy of analysis as the researcher determines the questions, and responses to be asked, recorded, coded, and analyzed. The disadvantages of this method of data collection are primarily linked to the study’s limited capacity for analysis through more scientific and mathematic modes of date correlation. Another consideration is the weakened validity of these results given the reliance on close-ended questions. The greatest area of concern, however, is both the human element of the respondents and the researcher. Reporting accuracy is difficult to ascertain and may be largely dependent upon circumstances, attitudes, and beliefs that have no direct connection to the program or study direction. The primary challenges included properly coding responses and determining study significance. In asserting correlations or points of interest, the researcher is met with questions of causation. The survey results yield useful information regarding play program design, delivery, assessment, and improvement; however, the reliance on qualitative data undermines the validity and generalization of the study. Instead, the study reveals a strong comparison within this small sample population but lacks quantitative empirical support through student performance assessments and comparison to prior to and following play program introduction. Understanding the realistic perimeters of the study is necessary for comprehending the actual and applicable usage of the results. For the participating institutions, the study builds a solid foundation for present and future objectives by taking the temperature of the current program faculty and educator perceptions. This microcosm perspective may be applied to other school districts where researchers seek similar comparison. On the macrocosmic scale, the results are guideposts in play program implementation and suggest future avenues of study in this field. Anonymity did not prove to be an ethical necessity for this study. Participants were willing and open to interdepartmental discussion; 85% of respondents included their names despite the lack of request. Data security was therefore unsubstantiated in this study sample. Despite the limitations of the questionnaire, the method of study aligns with research intent. Acknowledging analysis barriers offers a lens for grasping the integrity of the results as well as in understanding the importance of the human element in any organization initiative. With this clarity of mind, the study reveals useful data for the play program community as a whole. Data Analysis Data analysis is the process of data evaluation in which data is logically and mathematically deconstructed. In this project, the data was collected from the selected sample populations which consisted of both public and private primary education sites. In total, 27 participants committed to the project. Data preparation in this process involved logging the survey results, checking for accuracy, entering the data into the computer system, and developing a document database structure for examining various data measures and outcomes. Along with the survey, the researcher conducted four on-site observation periods, which included discussions with administrators and educators concerning student progress and implication. This data source serves to create a more comprehensive context for data and program comparison. The data collection is fundamentally qualitative. The main body of data collection is the questionnaire, which predominantly contains Likert scale reporting, short answer input, short response, and short answer questions. The first portion of the questionnaire collects demographic data relaying the respondents’ personal and professional history. This data was recorded and analyzed as it correlates with the specific play programs in question and the sample segment as a whole. Teacher age, education, sex, language fluency, race, profession, experience, and subject are outlined in this section and are analyzed for correlations, dependences, and relationships. The compilation of this raw data was used in relation to the Likert scale results to identify underlying trends, similarities, or dissimilarities in the reporting. The classroom portion is additionally intended to assist the researcher in differentiating results and relationships. The Diversity Item grouping allows the respondent to give more detailed observations of the student group and the diversity of the student make-up. This information may prove useful is comparing play program design and outcomes in accordance with student body profiles. Following this section, the questionnaire moves into the specific element breakdowns in the play curriculum. These ratings and measures provided the framework in which all other gathered data was integrated, compartmentalized, and correlated. Finally, the last part of the questionnaire provides space for personal reflection and response in open-ended answer format. The researcher has to use judgment in the identification and evidencing of the significance of these similarities; coded interview process was utilized, but the researcher is paramount in this stage of evaluation given the heavy reliance on personal perception and data interpretation. This questionnaire is a hand-written response format. Therefore, checking for accuracy is necessary part of the data review process. Major concerns are: legibility, complete response, and answer quality. Scale totals and categories will then be established to quantify survey results. In analyzing the data inputs, the researcher uses both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics are employed to directly describe what the data shows whereas inferential statistics aim to intelligently reach conclusions existing outside of this base reading of the data. Univariate analysis is central as single variables will be compared across the section using: distribution and central tendency; dispersion and standard variation will not be used for this study. Simple distribution lists each variable value and the respondent number or percentage. Central tendency includes the three major types of estimates of: mean, median, and mode. Using inferential statistics, the researcher will simply compare different group segments performance outcomes and offer conclusions and recommendations based on these measurements. This discussion will incorporate the administrator and educator responses, in hopes of determining how play programs designs, outcomes, and perspectives can be maximized according to class, teacher, and institution profiles. Results The survey results were successfully collected from 27 respondents in 4 school groups (Table 1). The private school groups are divided into Group A and Group B while the public schools are denoted as Group C and Group D. Group A consists of a total of 6 participants – four educators and two administrators. Group B consists of 9 participants – 6 educators and 3 administrators. In total, the Private School Group (PRSG) is comprised of 10 educators and 5 administrators. Group C consists of 8 participants – 5 educators and 3 administrators while Group D consists of 4 respondents, all of which are educators. In total, the Public School Group (PUSG) is comprised of 12 participants – 9 educators and 3 administrators. Logically, the educator class had greater representation due to the fact that this group is simply larger and responsible for implementing the programs within the schools; however, little information is derived concerning the degree of authority and influence yielded by these different sects. It seems practical that the administration would have a larger affect on bureaucratic measures such as funding while the educator sect is of greater impact on actual student outcomes. It is necessary for future research to examine the weight of these different groups to generate more accurate analysis of the results. Approximately 78% of all survey respondents were female; the 22% (6) male group all fell into the administrative categorization, 50% of which (3) were employed within the public school sector. However, this gender representation does not reflect the entire school faculty community but speaks only of the play program participants. As such, we conclude that play program implementation in this population is female driven. The demographic profile of the groups did not reveal any significant correlations to the data in terms of race in relation to the play program outcomes; however, it is interesting to note that the PRSG was predominantly Caucasian. In Group A, 83% (5) identified as White and one member identified as Hispanic. In Group B, 78% (7) were Caucasian and two respondents were African-American. The PRSG is therefore 80% White. In the PUSG, the racial profile was more diversified. In Group C, 3 (37%) were Caucasian, 3 (37%) were African-American, and 2 (25%) were Hispanic. In Group D, 2 (50%) were Caucasian, 1 (25%) was African-American and 1 (25%) was Asian-American. In total, PUSG is racially divided as: 5 (42%) were Caucasian, 4 (33%) were African-American, 2 (17%) were Hispanic, and 1 (8%) were Asian-American. The total survey race demographic is summarized in Table 2. Analysis did not reveal any significance difference in program outcome report and demographics. Again, the most relevant information is the lack of male representation and the lack of racial differentiation within the play programs, especially within the private school sector. However, further inquiry into each school’s total demographic makeup shows that there is no need for concern regarding play program disparity as the numbers are within range in reference to race. This point is not true when investigating gender. For example, in Groups A, B, and D, the total institutional presence of male educators and administrators was higher than the presence of male participation in the play program; for Group C, the gender split was relatively similar in total. All of the play program respondents taught between the 1st and 3rd grade range. Group B reported the greatest number of years in both the school system and the particular school of study, ranking them as the first in regards to experience and play program delivery duration. Group A’s program has been active for 2 school years. Group B’s program is 5 years old. Group C has 3 years and Group D estimates 4 years, however, the respondents do not have a clearly articulated program and have instead been trying to apply the theories to their lesson plans. The results demonstrate that each school was significantly different than the others in play program approach. The study is limited in that the particular differences are not clearly defined. Therefore, each school will be examined separately prior to making conclusive remarks about the play programs. Group A The play program has been active for two years. The program has a total of 4 educator participants with students ranging between 1st and 3rd grades. The 6 respondents indicated an average program satisfaction score of 6. The educators reported significantly lower ratings regarding the organization’s prioritization of the program and a low (4) average rating of the program’s improvement since inception. The administrators, however, were more highly satisfied, reporting an average rating of 8 for overall program satisfaction and a score of 7 for program prioritization. The educators and administrators were largely in agreement with the clarity of the program’s expectations. The following factors were rated as poor to fair by the educators, suggesting the source causes of this disconnect in program perception: 1) Administrator Involvement, 2) Student Learning, 3) Student Feedback, 4) Student Outcomes, and 5) Curriculum Depth. Therefore, the educator consensus was that the program was of fair benefit to the students but the effectiveness was rated as poor amongst the team. There was some differentiation of opinion amongst the two administrator respondents with one reporting that Program Achievements were excellent and the other rating these as satisfactory; however, the more useful data came from the educators who mirrored each others’ discontent. The three primary obstacle identified by the participants were: 1) funding, 2) time for planning, and 3) administration support. The short answer component revealed that the educator team was dissatisfied by the time and resources allotted to the program, stating that they were unable to successfully integrate their ideas and knowledge due to the lack of administrator support and access to needed resources. The observation period demonstrated that the program was not strongly structured. Instead, the educators loosely integrated periods of play throughout their instruction. The largest observed block of consistent time was 15 minutes and the educator did not have a curriculum guiding the process. Students were allowed to free play under the theme of letters. Some students (2nd grade) took turns acting out letters while others colored pictures and seemed to wander throughout the room. However, after this period was finished, the students did appear better able to focus on their studies. The interviews portion further outlined a division between the administration and the staff. It was evident that clear sides had been drawn although the administration was not aware of the degree of teacher dissatisfaction. Both of the administrators were male. In speaking of the play program, the language used centered on the connecting the program to the school’s overall superiority to the public school system. The educators were more interested specifically in the outcomes of the play program and required assistance with design and delivery of the program. The loosely appointed director of the program had only 3 years experience, most of which was in play program theory; her reported comfort level was a 6. In interview, she stated, â€Å"I don’t really know how to connect play to our curriculum. It is hard to balance my daily duties and research†¦. I really could use some more help. † Group B Group B had the longest running program at 5 years. Survey participants’ responses to the likert scale ratings were consistently close, depicting cohesion in performance, vision, and perception. This group reported the highest years of experience as well as the highest levels of comfort, affect, prioritization, and satisfaction. The program specifically focused on 3rd grade students. In observation, the team was highly structured in their intention and structuring of play activities. For example, one class spent an entire hour and a half period engaged in dramatic theater as part of their study of significant Americans. The teacher had devised a game where each of the students was given a role to play and allowed time to research their role/character as well as to dress in costume. The students were then invited to a party where they acted their parts as they interacted with each other. After this period, the class guessed what each student was acting. On every category, the program was rated in the Good to Excellent range by all participants. The survey showed that 7 of the team members had been involved since the program’s launch and the other 2 had at least one year’s background of active play theory experience in their prior employment institutions. The survey concluded a unanimous report of â€Å"Excellent† across the organizational team on the categories of: 1) Integration with Core Curriculum, 2) Administrator, Teacher, and Student Involvement, 3) Student Engagement, 4) Benefit to Students, 5) Program Outcomes, 6) Usefulness, and 7) Effectiveness. Additionally, the program was rated above an 8 by all participants on the topics of: 1) improvement since program launch, 2) personal involvement with the program, 3) confidence in implementation, and 4) overall experience with the program. The only significant point of dissatisfaction relates to Parent Involvement with 78% of respondents rating this item as poor to satisfactory. This factor was similarly reported as a means of improving the program’s effectiveness. The top three enhancement strategies were (in order of importance): 1) Increased Parent Involvement/Funding, 2) Access to Experts, and 3) Professional Development Courses. The core components of the program were collaboration, innovation, and accountability. Furthermore, seven of the nine participants state that the most significant point for integrating a successful play program is â€Å"Collaboration between the administration and educator team. † This finding is significant especially in comparison to Group A results and observation where this disconnect is having impact on the program’s performance and perceptions. Group C This group was the most diverse in opinion. The average rating for overall experience with the program was a 6; however, the mean rating was a 7. Approximately 60% stated they had clear expectations of the program’s expectations and initiatives; but the remaining three participants had barely any knowledge whatsoever (1 to 3). Similarly, these respondents reported significantly low confidence scores and personal involvement. On the remaining items of the test, the rater spread was such that little data could be meaningfully connected to the scores; instead, there was a wide variety of experience and opinion expressed. When analyzing the minority survey results, a few arguable consistencies were traced. The first was a general agreement that funding was the primary hurdle to the play program; additionally, these teachers tended to remark that the administration was disconnected from the student’s needs and more concerned with test scores and other performance outcome measures. The Caucasian teachers had a different perspective on the underlying problems facing program improvement; all 3 stated that a lack of parent involvement was a major disruption to program progress. The most interesting aspect of this group’s outcome was the prevalence of general agreement on the total benefit to students that held both an average and mean rating of Excellent. The three participants who reported a lack of confidence did not fail to see the benefit provided to the students. During observation, it became clear that the program participants took relaxed approach and the students were moderately to highly engaged in the activities. The student’s appeared to be â€Å"having fun;† the issue of consideration is the degree to which learning is measurably promoted in this relaxed environment. The average overall rating of 6 was connected to ratings of poor to fair in the categories of Program Design, Play Time Allotment, and Curriculum Depth. During interview, one administrator stated, â€Å"The play program allows the opportunity for the students to interact with one another and build learning relationships. † The phrase â€Å"learning relationships† was echoed in both the observation and the survey. When asked to define this concept, one educator summarized, â€Å"The learning relationship creates a social bonding experience for the earner and the educator; the students and the staff become more comfortable sharing through learning. † Another educator exampled this concept, stating that â€Å"her kids†¦openly discuss their challenges and interest† which leads to â€Å"group problem-solving† and â€Å"strong social support in the classroom. † Group D Group D is characterized by the small size of the play program team. The fo ur members, all educators, estimated four years total program implementation and generally remarked that the had been working together to integrate the theories and suggestions into their lesson plans. The lack of administrator involvement, according to the team, did not hinder their performance outcomes. Instead, the participants were strongly aligned in their survey responses. This cohesion advantaged the team. The members worked collaboratively to select and design play activities. These were then modified to fit instructor needs. The teacher’s kept journals tracking their personal observations of the effectiveness of specific activities, even using student feedback (voting) to rate the most enjoyed activities. The teachers also employed learning outcome quizzes to determine the degree of learning retention. Over the four-year period, the teachers concluded that their learning outcomes had improved by 70%, suggesting that these improvements were due to increased experience and understanding in how to effectively use play as a consistent component of a learning environment. The three key point for play program success were noted as: 1) Group Cohesion, 2) Preparation, and 3) Educator Autonomy. The teachers also supplied previous grades and reports as evidence that student performance and involvement had improved since the program’s launch. The observation period revealed that the consistency of the group was integral to determining how to best evolve the program. The teachers also reported experimenting with teacher switch and student led activities as means for spurring interest. The team also used activity split tactics to determine the best approach. In doing so, the group would decide on an activity and possible delivery methods and engagement techniques, selecting the believed best means of teaching from this pool. Two of the educators would represent the first approach and the remaining two would follow the second; there experience and data would then be shared. This team was highly organized. The administration had little input regarding the program design or operation; instead, the school’s principal commented during interview that the teachers were of the highest caliber and that both parents and students where in complete agreement. The teacher’s largest statement of need was funding. They all stated that they could enhance the program and outcomes with revenue backing and expressed a desire to bring it to a school-wide and even district-wide level after they had conclusive evidence of an effective standard program that could work with their curriculum. Discussion: Use and Limitations The survey and observation results help guide play program participants in establishing and monitoring their programs. Each of the four groups studied showed promising educational outcomes; the majority of the discrepancy in reporting is due to individual perceptions regarding how to best oversee the program’s facilitation. The survey results did not yield any conclusive data regarding play program or theory as a whole. Instead, the study in totality exposed some of the trials of program implementations and sustainability. The most significant factors in program success are cohesion, preparation, administrative support, and planned activities. This level of integration is supported in survey consensus and observation reporting. Additionally, each of the studied institutions found their program specific results to be helpful and plan on utilizing the data to drive program changes and generate support. The study is limited in its scope and validity. Likert scaling is built on a bipolar scaling method, based on a range of positive and negative responses. In using this method, the respondents must characterize the variable in question as the questionnaire does not allow for neutral responses. Additionally, the use of a ratings model creates a more broad range of clarification. However, the inherent problems of both methods are in their reliance on the respondents’ perceptions that may be affected by bias, mood, and other external factors that are inappropriate indicators of the play programs’ actual performance. Unfortunately, this ordinal data ystem combines intensity scaled questions, ranking systems, and open-ended questions. Survey reliability is difficult to measure given the sample size and the individual involvement in the development and implementation of the play program. Survey validity is arguably strong given the internal validity achieved in measuring both the educator and administrator participants in each programs’ team. However, external validity is limited. Instead, the results can be used to illu minate play program design challenges and potentialities. The results should also be evaluated from the perspective of construct validity, criterion validity, and predictive validity if the desire is to expand the survey beyond this initial pilot play program measurement approach. This is impractical at this stage of research. Achieving a higher response rate can strengthen reliability. The advantages of the survey include versatility and simplicity. Standard survey challenges of disbursement and collection are overridden by the scale and size of the sample population as well as by the predetermined commitment. As previously stated, the size and specificity of the sample population renders the results not generalizable to the greater population; however, this does not negate the importance of the survey as a contribution to the field of education. The data analysis reveals the following within the sample population: core components of successful play programs, potential diversity impacts on play programs and outcomes, avenues for program improvement, and overall play program satisfaction. Causation remains a hurdle; however, the study does reveal useful data to help guide schools in play program implementation. None of programs surveyed integrated technology into their programs. This may be a necessary direction to pursue considering the changing climate of the educational landscape. There is a strong need for more comprehensive research on this topic to better support future generations of educators in addressing student body learning needs. References: Annetta, L. , Mangrum, J. , Holmes, S. , Collazo, K. , & Cheng, M. (2009). Bridging Realty to Virtual Reality: Investigating gender effect and student engagement on learning through video game play in an elementary school classroom. International Journal of Science Education, 31(8), 1091-1113. doi:10. 1080/09500690801968656 Bergen, D. (1987). Play as a medium for learning and development: A handbook of theory and practice. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Fox, J. (n. d. ). Back-to-basics: Play in early childhood. In Early Childhood News. Retrieved from http://www. earlychildhoodnews. com/ Galvez-Martin, M. E. (1997, November 20). How to teach social studies with toys. In The Ohio State University. Hymes, J. L. (1981). Teaching children under six. Columbus, OH: Merrill. Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and psychology. New York, NY: Norton. Piaget, J. (1962). Play, dreams, and imitation in childhood. New York, NY: Norton. Rivera, M. (2009). The Powerful Effect of Play in a Child's Education. Education Digest: Essential Readings Condensed for Quick Review, 75(2), 50-52. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Smith, K. , & McKnight, K. S. (2009). Remembering to Laugh and Explore: Improvisational Activities for Literacy Teaching in Urban Classrooms. International Journal of Education & the Arts, 10(12), Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Stokes-Guinan, K. (2009, October). Child's play: Why increasing opportunities to play and be active may improve students' academic and physical outcomes. In Gardner Center. Retrieved from gardnercenter. stanford. edu/docs/Lit-Review_PlayWorks_091027. pdf Vygotsky, L. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher educational processes (14thth ed. ). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Zygmunt-Fillwalk, E. , & Bilello, T. E. (2005). Parents' victory in reclaiming recess for their children. Childhood Education (Fall), 19-23. Appendices: Table 1. Total Respondents Breakdown |GROUP |Educator # |Administrator # |Total | |A |4 (67%) |2 (33%) |6 | |B |6 (67%) |3 (33%) |9 | |Private |10 (67%) |5 (33%) |15 | C |5 (63%) |3 (37%) |8 | |D |4 (100%) |0 |4 | |Public |9 (75%) |3 (25%) |12 | |TOTAL |19 (70%) |8 (30%) |27 | Table 2. Survey Race and Gender Demographic Breakdown |Group |White |Black |Hispanic |Asian |Male |Female | |PUSG |5 |4 |2 |1 |3 |9 | |Total |17 (63%) |6 (22%) |3 (11%) |1 (4%) |6 (22%) |21 (78%) | Table 3. Top Suggested Improvements for Play Program Effectiveness Top 5 Suggested Improvements for Play Program Effectiveness | |Reported Item: |Reported PRSG Percentage: |Reported PSUG Percentage: | |â€Å"Cohesion/Collaboration† |87% |58% | |â€Å"Administrative Support† |73% |58% | |â€Å"Preparation† |53% |75% | |â€Å"Activities Planning† |47% |66% | |â€Å"Parent Involvement† |47% |50% | Appendix 1. The Play Curriculum Teacher Questionnaire About the Questionnaire The purpose of this questionnaire is to examine the theoretical and practical importance of play in the education environment and curriculum. You have been selected to participate due to your employment in an educational organizational that currently promotes and integrates play integration. Your feedback and observations are essential to determining the present efficacy of play in a primary educational atmosphere. Thank you in advance for your honest contribution. We ask that you answer each question to the best of your ability. Any additional comments, perceptions, or information can be sent back along with the completed questionnaire; however, please refrain form attaching these resources to the actual questionnaire. We assure you that all data and input will be reviewed. Anonymity For the purpose of these results, all administrator and educator names will be protected to safeguard students, school programs, and respondents. School and Professional Background: 1. Name of School: 2. Position at School: 3. Age:years old 4. Educational Background: Last level of Education Completed: Degree Received: 5. Sex: Male or Female (circle one) 6. Languages Spoken (list primary first): 7. Race/Ethnicity: 8. How long have you been working at this particular school? ______ days/months/years Within the education system? _______days/months/years 9. If you are an educator, what subjects do you teach? 10. What grade levels do you teach? 11. If you are an administrator, what are your primary functions within the school? Classroom Profile 1. Number of students total: 2. Gender ratio (Male:Female): ____:____ 3. Age range of students: _____years old to _____years old 4. Number of special education students: Classroom Diversity Assessment: DIVERSITY ITEM Very Somewhat Neutral Little None Racial |( |( |( |( |( | |Gender |( |( |( |( |( | |Learning Abilities |( |( |( |( |( | |Learning Styles |( |( |( |( |( | |Socioeconomic Backgrounds |( |( |( |( |( | Play Curriculum Assessment 1. How long has your institution been formally integrating play into the curriculum? ______days/months/years 2. How much experience do you personally have with implementing and evaluating play program outcomes? ______days/months/years 3. Please rate your Play Theory knowledge on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 minimal, 10 great): 4. Please rate your Play comfort (1 to 10): 5. Rate your satisfaction with your organization’s play program as is (1 to 10): 6. Rate your satisfaction with your organization’s play program progress since inception (1 to 10): 7. How much time per day is devoted to the play program? 8. Time per week? 9. What are the number of staff involved in the Play Program: 10. Rate the organization’s prioritization of the program (1 to 10): 11. Rate your performance in relation to the program (1 to 10): 12. Rate your improvement since the program launched (1 to 10): 13. Rate your ability to comprehend program expectations and initiatives (1 to 10): 14. Rate your personal involvement with the program (1 to 10): 15. Rate your confidence in implementing the program within your class (1 to 10): 16. Rate your overall experience with the program (1 being poor and 10 being excellent): Please rate the following items within the context of your organization’s play program. Insert Heading if Required |Poor |Fair |Satisfactory |Good |Excellent | |1. Program Design |( |( |( |( |( | |2. Play Time Allotment |( |( |( |( |( | |3. Integration w/ Core Curriculum |( |( |( |( |( | |4. Aministrator Involvement |( |( |( |( |( | |5. Administrator Feedback |( |( |( |( |( | |Teacher Involvement |( |( |( |( |( | |Teacher Feedback |( |( |( |( |( | |Program Monitoring |( |( |( |( |( | |Student Learning |( |( |( |( |( | Student Improvement |( |( |( |( |( | |Student Engagement |( |( |( |( |( | |Student Feedback |( |( |( |( |( | |Student Outcomes |( |( |( |( |( | |Parent Involvement |( |( |( |( |( | |Parent Feedback ( |( |( |( |( | |Curriculum Engagement |( |( |( |( |( | |Curriculum Depth |( |( |( |( |( | |Participants Cohesion |( |( |( |( |( | | | | | | | | OVERALL PROGRAM ASSESSMENT: |1. Benefit to Students |( |( |( |( |( | |2. Program Implementation |( |( |( |( |( | |3. Play Time |( |( |( |( |( | |4. Program Achievements |( |( |( |( |( | |5. Program Outcomes |( |( |( |( |( | |Usefulness |( |( |( |( |( | |Effectiveness |( |( |( |( |( | Please briefly delineate the core components of your program: Please briefly identify major obstacles (i. e. administrative support, funding, etc. ): Please briefly comment on your observations regarding student participation and benefit: Please briefly explain your conclusions regarding the effectiveness of your organization’s play program: Offer 5 suggested improvements or changes that would make the play program more effective: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. List three key points for successfully integrating a play program: 1. 2. 3. Please use the below space to include any additional comments you feel necessary to provide a comprehensive and accurate understanding of play programs integration and implementation: