Lactic Acid And Fatigue Health And Social Care Essay

Lactic Acid And Fatigue Health And Social Care Essay A large portion of the population, including athletes and coaches in this current era still believes that the limitations of exercise performance is due to lactic acid build up causing fatigue. It is a stubborn myth that stood through the test of time. This is a relatively  old school of thought  that has its roots in the work of Fletcher K [1]. Lactic acid was regarded as an end metabolite of glycolysis and elevates as an exercise intensify where oxygen availability decreases[2]. It was Brooks GA that started the Lactate revolution. He presented the lactate shuttle hypothesis in his work in 1986[3]. It was due to this hypothesis that scientists, even in present day, question the mechanisms of lactate or lactic acid in the body and its involvement in fatigue. This report will delve into studies within the recent decade, touching on conflicting ideas pertaining to lactic acid and its involvement in fatigue. I will further break down lactic acid into its biochemical components, lactate and hydrogen ion, and discuss studies which have contradicting beliefs on these components implication with fatigue. Finally, I will highlight on recent articles that has even challenged the underlying mechanism behind fatigue. Lactic Acid as a whole? Lactic acid was considered a metabolic waste. It is a by-product of glycolysis in the conversion of glucose to pyruvate. It was blamed for the burning sensation felt during and after performing a high intensity exercise which would then finally cause fatigue. However, the idea of lactic acid causing muscle fatigue has been challenged since the 1980s. For example, human deficient in the enzyme myophosphorylase showed faster muscle fatigue eventhough they are incapable of breaking down glycogen and accumulate lactic acid[4]. Studies on single muscle fibres showed constant rate of fatigue eventhough its pH was intentionally lowered[5]. It is seen today that many studies have challenged one anothers idea. It is important to consider all options before finally cementing a theory. Firstly, it would be unfair to blame lactic acid as a whole when it literally does not exist in this neutral construct[6, 7]. It expresses as hydrogen ions (H+) and lactate ions in the body [7, 8]. Several studies have and should continue separating these 2 entities and experimented on them separately to find its link with fatigue as either one, both or none of them could be the cause of fatigue. So is lactate the real culprit? It was long written in literature that lactate is known as a metabolic waste product. However, lactate is far from being a useless product. There has been growing number of evidence of the beneficial properties of lactate and this has tested the universality of the hypothesis linking muscular fatigue with lactate production. Lactate, being produced when glucose breaks down to pyruvate [9], allows continuation of glycolysis by generating the NAD+ needed in glycolysis[10] thus preserving exercise performance and delaying fatigue. With the presence of oxygen, lactate can be converted to pyruvate which could be converted to glucose. This process is called Cori cycle[11]. It can then be utilized or stored as glycogen, according to the bodys need at that point of time[11]. This makes lactate a good source of energy. Lactate could be cleared by oxidation in the muscle fibre it was produced. Oxidation of that particular lactate could also happen in other muscle fibres as the lactate is being transported. Those lactate not oxidized will diffuse into the blood veins and transported to the liver[12].Lactate is favoured by the brain and used extensively as a source of fuel[13]. Lactate was known to contribute to fatigue. Many studies nowadays shows otherwise, in fact, it has been studied that lactate may delay the onset of acidosis mainly via H+ reduction. In this review[14] and study by Robergs R.A[15] (supported by S.E Allen[16]), H+ were found to be carried out from cells by transporters and also be consumed by lactate. However, this statement has been challenged by Lindinger M.I., stating that Roberg ignored that lactate is an anion. Its increase would therefore reduce Na anions and thus increase H+ to maintain electroneutrality[7]. Although Lindinger might be correct, there are more studies supporting the opposite notion. A solid ground breaking revolution should occur when lactate is being administered to athletes via energy drinks, however many are still in the dark in recognizing lactates true potential. A study showed that lactate is utilized more efficiently with a greater extent compared to glucose or fructose and also enhances high intensity performance[17]. To further add value to lactate, it is found that performance decrement has no correlation with lactate production[18]. It is clear from the whole list of resources in literature that lactate is not a bad metabolic waste product and is actually beneficial in more ways than one, especially in delaying the onset of fatigue. Therefore, accusing lactic acid to be the culprit of fatigue would indirectly blame lactate, which is not acceptable when it is a beneficial component in exercise performance. So it must be Acidosis! It is clear among literature that acidosis has been under the limelight for causing fatigue. The lowering of pH in the muscle has been accused of causing the burning sensation and the decreasing muscle efficiency that comes with fatigue[19]. In 2003 a review by L. B. Gladden [20] states that RH Fitts [21]has evidence of a whole list of experiments suggesting that acidosis can have negative detrimental effects on muscle function by 1-reducing the transition of the cross-bridge from the low- to the high-force state, 2-inhibiting maximal shortening velocity, 3-inhibiting myofibrillar ATPase, 4-inhibiting glycolytic rate, 5-reducing crossbridge activation by competitively inhibiting Ca2+  binding to troponin C, and 6-reducing Ca2+  re-uptake by inhibiting the sarcoplasmic ATPase (leading to subsequent reduction of Ca2+  release). This may sound contradicting as there are resources saying that acidosis do not cause fatigue. However, it is important to know that the experiments explained by RH Fitts[21], are done in vitro and when the experiments are redone at temperature closer to those experienced physiologically, the said negative effect of acidosis diminishes[20]. In the recent years, experiments have been showing that acidosis has been far from being the cause of fatigue. Neilsen explained that muscle contraction causes acidosis, loss of intracellular K+ and extracellular K+ build up[22]. High extracellular K+  leads to loss of contraction force therefore fatigue[23]. It was found that acidification nullify the effects of the extracellular K+ that are linked with fatigue[22]. This is further supported by other studies[24-26] on the fact that acidosis has protective capabilities against muscle fatigue. Gathering all the resources, it would be safe and logical to say that since acidosis delays fatigue, alkalosis (the opposite of acidosis) should have an opposite effect thus cause fatigue faster. However, this was proven wrong in many studies [27-30]. Taking time to look at the whole picture of the studies, studies regarding alkalosis were done as a whole body model experiment (in vivo). Looking back, the experiments done on acidosis were not done as a whole-body experiment. Instead, it was done on single muscle fibre in in vitro situations. Studies from the past showed that acidosis can contribute to fatigue in intact human body or animal [31-33]. To integrate the studies from isolated muscle model with accordance to whole-body exercise, Cairns hypothesised that acidosis may improve performance in isolated muscle, high blood plasma acidosis may cause a reduction in central nervous systems drive to the muscle thus causing fatigue[6]. Another limitation that may affect experiments is that fast twitch muscles are more susceptible to acidosis[6] therefore experiments on a single muscle fibre as seen in a lot of studies regarding acidosis, might not give an accurate holistic overview of the reaction of a whole muscular body. Also H+ might interact with other unknown cellular changes in the body therefore slightly discrediting isolated muscle fibre experiments with comparison to whole body experiments. Overall, acidosis has been thought to be the main contributor to fatigue. However, recent studies in the last decade have been trying to contest the statement. In my opinion, it is rather early to disregard acidosis as the cause of fatigue, as in vitro studies are only suggestive. Future studies should take into account acidosis as a whole body experiment (in vivo) where hormonal and other physiological interactions are possible. If there are claims of acidosis not causing fatigue, then what does cause fatigue? So in substitution of the uprising hypothesis that elevated H+ is not the main cause of fatigue, there have been many competitors to claim its place. Supported by a study, Westerblad have been claiming that inorganic phosphate has the main role in fatigue[34]. Inorganic phosphate increases as muscle is being contracted and creatine phosphate is being broken down. However, a book by Fitts[21] challenged Westerblads idea, highlighting several limitations concerning the inorganic phosphate hypothesis. He stated that the studies did not assess the holistic combination of the resultant effect of an elevated inorganic phosphate with low pH and low calcium ion release. Also the effects of acidosis on peak power were not evaluated. Even Westerblad agreed that the study was done on a single muscle fibre and the result might be different when done with a whole model. He pointed out that studying on a single muscle fibre provides the most direct physiological responds when questioning the cellular mechanisms of fatigue. Also, claiming that the The differences that inevitably must exist appear to be mainly of a quantitative nature[34]. I believe that it is still early to refute the idea of acidosis not causing to fatigue. In the case of studies on inorganic phosphate, its role in fatigue is still in an early stage and should not be dismissed as of yet. Several questions have yet to be answered. However, creatine phosphate is after all only involved in the first 10 seconds of an intense exercise therefore queries of its role extending within these 10 seconds are questionable. Other than phosphates, there have been a large number of studies[22, 23] claiming potassium ions to be the main cause of fatigue. In this particular study by Cairns[35], he states We hypothesize that during high-intensity exercise a rundown of the transsarcolemmal K+  gradient is the dominant cellular process around which interactions with other ions and metabolites occur, thereby contributing to fatigue. The raised extracellular K+ causes a sarcolemmal depolarization, therefore disrupting the excitability of the muscle thus resulting in fatigue[35]. This is however contradictory to a previous study being done on rats[36]. In the study, it suggests that extracellular K+ is overhyped in previous studies on isolated muscles and that it is of less importance for fatigue. Overall, it is still hard to cement a theory as long as insufficient studies are done on whole intact animal models. This is however, being a case of isolated muscle studies versus in vivo studies. In my opinion applying Occams razor, acidosis should stay as the cause of fatigue unless proven otherwise with solid in vivo studies. Conclusion So to go back to the age old question, does lactic acid cause fatigue? It is important to remember that lactic acid disassociates to lactate and H+ ions, each with its own characteristics and interactions with the body therefore it needs to be addressed separately. Taking lactic acid as a whole and blaming it would be unjust and inaccurate. As of recent time, it will take time and effort to disprove acidosis as the cause of fatigue as many studies were done in vitro and results only suggest possible mechanism in the human body. I do however believe that there is no one main mechanism causing fatigue, it is however a collective effort of different mechanisms, few of which are possibly phosphate and extracellular K+, that contribute to fatigue. As of now, lactate is a good byproduct and acidosis still remains the main cause of fatigue.

Free Essays: The Weak Gods of Iliad, Odyssey and Epic of Gilgamesh :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Weak Gods of The Iliad, Odyssey and Gilgamesh    The Oxford English Dictionary defines god as Ã’1. A being conceived as the perfect, omnipotent, omniscient ruler and originator of the universe, the principal object of faith and worship in monotheist religions. 2. A being of supernatural powers, believed in and worshipped by a people.Ó The first definition reflects Modern AmericaÕs connotation of the word god. The latter recalls the Ancient Greco-Sumerian ideal of a being greater than man. While both definitions are equally valid in literature, many perceive the word only in the first view. However, the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Epic of Gilgamesh portray gods with limits and weaknesses. The contemporary Christian god is able to demand things of his followers, readily expecting wholehearted and unquestioning obedience. This was not the case with his ancient counterparts.    Rather than exacting demands upon their followers, occasionally the ancient gods were limited to requests. Often they were refused. In the Odyssey, the goddesses Circe and Calypso both expected lifelong commitments from the mighty Odysseus. Both promised great things to the hero, including godhood. Odysseus was able to refuse both goddesses. Human obstinacy beat out the whims of goddesses. If the Protestant god were to make sexual demands upon his followers, more than likely, he would not be refused. One could argue, though, that Odysseus did give in to the goddesses by bedding them. Always though, his focus eventually shifted to returning home and reuniting with his mortal wife. Homer portrayed a man who refused immortal beauty for true love: Ã’She is mortal after all, and you are immortal and ageless. But even so, what I want and all my days I pine for is to go back to my house and see my day of homecoming. And if some god batters me far out on the wide blue water, I will endure it, keeping a stubborn spirit within me, for I have already suffered much (93-94).Ó Thus, the mortal Odysseus was able to deny the temptations of the goddesses multiple times. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, another goddessÕ whims are put down. Ishtar, goddess of war and love becomes attracted to the mighty but mortal Gilgamesh. But rather than jumping right into the sack with

A Comparison between Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s Crucible

Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible describe the hysteria generated by the highly restrictive and stifling Puritanical society. I. The Scarlet Letter portrays the situation of a woman and man who have committed adultery and shows the consequences that they have to endure. 1. Hester Prynne wears a symbolical scarlet letter which is the mark of social opprobrium; because she confronts society openly, her spirit is freed from prejudice and she is able to perceive the truth about the society she lives in. 2. Arthur Dimmesdale is blinded by the corruption of the society and cannot see himself and his deed in a true light. Because he is not able to admit his sin and live in honesty he is destroyed by his own inner tumult and by the power of the social condemnation. II. The Crucible also describes a society in which witchcraft is used as a screen to cover the thirst of a Puritanical society for cruelty and revenge. 1. Abigail Williams and the other girls fling accusations at innocent people in the society, delighted by the power they acquire in this way. This shows the way in which the outward show of justice and goodness are used to cover sin and evil. There is a profound reversal of values in the Puritanical world. 3. John Proctor refuses to lie and live in falsehood and is among the few characters who try to uproot prejudice and reveal the truth to the society. After he and other two innocent people are executed, the society seems to realize its blindness and the injustice that hid beyond the witches’ trials. Both Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter and Arthur Miller’s Crucible are studies of religious superstition which caused a mass delirium in the seventeenth century Puritanical America. The witchcraft trials that took place at that time are an instance of the contagious effect that superstition had on society. Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible portray, at the same time, the society that made possible a number of crimes to be committed in the name of religion and good and several individuals that struggle with prejudice and mass superstition. The Puritanical society of the seventeenth century America attempted to stifle human passion and to numb imagination. The society’s severe condemnation of sin and of any sign of liberal thought placed a great constraint on the individual. In this suffocating environment, passion became a crime and superstition and prejudice rose rapidly. However, there was only a pretense at holiness and purity in the Puritanical society. In order to dissimulate their own passions, people began looking for sin in the other members of community. Inebriated by what they saw as their holy mission, which required them to purge the community of evil, the people of Salem began sacrificing other members of the society to satisfy their desire for punishment and revenge. Arthur Dimmesdale in the Scarlet Letter and John Proctor in the Crucible are similar in many ways. As it shall be shown however, Dimmesdale is tormented by his sin while Proctor, although he condemns himself for his mistake, sees the rampant spread of prejudice in Salem and understands that the sins of those that pretend holiness are much greater. Both of the stories therefore deal with mass delirium and show man to be prone on corrupting even religion and the principles of good and justice. Interestingly, both of the works are centered on the idea of adultery. Arthur Dimmesdale, a priest, commits adultery with Hester Prynne and has to live with this spot on his conscience while preaching holiness to others. John Proctor, an ordinary man living in Salem, has an adulterous relationship with Abigail Williams, the reverend Parris’s niece. In both cases, the adultery sets the scene for the social delirium that feeds on the suspicion of sin and evil inside the community. In the Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne gives birth to a little girl while her husband is missing from the village. While Hester’s sin is easily discovered by the eager society, Dimmesdale’s adultery remains hidden. This is symbolized by the letter â€Å"A†, the scarlet letter, that Hester has to wear over her chest for the rest of her life. Accusations of witchcraft soon arise as well, and the adulterous woman is fiercely banished from society. She ends up living on the outskirts of the town, where she raises Pearl on her own. The little girl is almost taken from her by the people of the town, but she manages to keep her with the help of Dimmesdale. Hester has openly admitted her sin and while she stubbornly displays her shame in front of the other people but Dimmesdale has to keep his true nature hidden. This is not only the result of circumstances however. Hester’s mind and her spirit allow her to be free. She believes in life and the possibility of good and happiness beyond sin. For Dimmesdale however, his sin is also the end and it foreshadows his death. His spirit cannot feel free anymore: as a Christian he knows that it is impossible to erase his past and leave his sin behind. All through the book, Dimmesdale struggles with an unmovable reality. He knows he is guilty and also knows that his sin cannot be redeemed through earthly penance, yet he still searches for a ray of light to illuminate him and guide him towards salvation. The permanent pretense and act he has to put in front of the community is what eventually crushes his spirit. He knows that he cannot transform himself so as to escape knowledge of his sin. Ultimately, Dimmesdale cannot think of acquiring a new identity and leaving the town, as Hester urges him to. Symbolically, he refuses to give up his name and thus escape the opprobrium of the community: â€Å"Give up this name of Arthur Dimmesdale, and make thyself another, and a high one, such as thou canst wear without fear or shame† (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 242). Because of the weight of social conventions and demands, a name is attached to the individual but does not necessarily speak of a person’s character. Dimmesdale’s dilemma is that, as a believer and an essentially good man, he is torn apart by the knowledge that he is a sinner and he can no longer perform truly good deeds. This is also why he is incapable of leaving the place as Hester had urged him: Dimmesdale is tied to the community because of his sin. He cannot escape thus the space that torments him and keeps him imprisoned. By contrast, Hester, who wears the scarlet letter as the symbol of sin and social rejection, has a passport to freedom. Because she is marginalized by the Puritanical society of Boston, she is able to enjoy a spiritual freedom that the other women cannot even imagine: â€Å"The scarlet letter was her passport into regions where other women dared not tread† (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 300). On the other hand, Dimmesdale cannot free his mind and think beyond the conventional social standards and laws: â€Å"The minister †¦ had never gone through an experience calculated to lead him beyond the scope of generally received laws†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne, 1980, p. 300). The Scarlet Letter studies therefore the inner corruption and falsehood of the Puritanical society in America. The two main characters, who are united through their sin, reveal two different attitudes when confronted with the force of mass superstition and prejudice. Hester, who wears the burning scarlet letter on her chest, is able to free her mind. She is sees that the society is corrupt and that her sin is not a tremendous one. On the other, Arthur Dimmesdale has to wear the mark of his sin secretly. The symbolic scarlet letter is burning in his soul and the shame eventually destroys him. The letter that the two lovers wear is a symbol of the action of social force in an agitated time. It represents the thirst of the Puritanical society for exposing and cruelly condemning sin. Arthur Miller’s Crucible portrays the same Puritanical society in America in an even more revealing way. The title is very significant: on the one hand, the crucible is an allusion to the witches’ melting pot, the cauldron they use in order to prepare the spells; on the other hand, the crucible is a symbol for the Puritanical hysteria that was itself a melting pot where innocent people were sacrificed to satisfy social prejudice, prudishness and revenge. Miller depicts the development of the witchcraft hysteria with great artistry. Significantly, the social delirium is caused by Abigail Williams, a selfish and passionate young woman who cannot accept the fact that John Proctor rejects her. As the protagonists in the Scarlet Letter, Abigail Williams and Proctor have committed adultery. However, Proctor is very different from Dimmesdale. While he regrets his deed, he maintains his sobriety and reason in the midst of the Puritanical hysteria. He is a believer and he also loves his wife, and therefore discontinues the relationship with Abigail. When the young girl is caught in the forest with a gathering of women and people begin to suspect witchcraft, she saves herself and blames Tituba for having â€Å"compacted with the devil†. The hysteria begins as the girls who were caught dancing in the woods declare having been lured by witches. This generates a complicated web of accusations and subsequent trials. People are condemned with no visible proof when the girls state they have been lured by dark spirits. Under the outward show of purity, the society judges and condemns the innocent with no other proof than the persuasive acting skills of young girls who faint, scream and fall ill in the presence of those who are supposedly evil. In the end, all the people who had managed to maintain their rational thinking and their sanity during these proceedings are condemned. John Proctor and his wife are also waiting to be hanged, along with other honest people who perceive the intricate web of lying and deception and refuse to bend to it. Their spirits reject the demands of the society to betray the other people in order to satisfy their thirst for revenge: â€Å"You must understand sir, that a person is either with this court or must be counted against it, there be no road between. This is a sharp time now, a precise time – we live no longer in the dusky afternoon when evil mixed itself with good and befuddled the world. Now, by God’s grace, the shining sun is up†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Miller, 2003, p. 93 ) As the judge describes it, the Puritanical society attempted to destroy evil completely and maintain only the good. Interestingly, when John Proctor is faced with a similar dilemma to that of Dimmesdale, he reacts in the same way. The court tempts John Proctor to sign a declaration of guilt and to continue his life with his pregnant wife. The temptation is even greater as the two have just forgiven each other and rediscovered their love and their desire to live. Ultimately however, Proctor cannot sign his name to a lie: â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang! † (Miller, 2003, p. 167). Like Dimmesdale, he cannot adopt a false position in society in order to save himself and therefore chooses death over falsehood. Both the Scarlet Letter and the Crucible reveal the inner workings of the stifling Puritanical world. Attempting to destroy evil completely, the Puritanical world actually destroys justice and honesty.

Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 5 Words: 1590 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Many companies, both producers and/or users of commodities can be negatively impacted by sudden price changes in their production inputs or outputs. Producers of commodities such as in the mining, oil or farming industries would sure benefit from increasing prices of their respective outputs, but face a risk of very serious losses and even bankruptcy should the opposite happens. On the other hand, within those industries and most others, some commodities are also used as production inputs and therefore would negatively impact companies may prices rise. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity Finance Essay" essay for you Create order In all cases, the overall price volatility in commodities is often negatively perceived and, to the extent of a companys level of exposure to commodities in its production process, can be seen as a very serious business risk. (). In order to reduce some of the risk and often with the objective of protecting their profit margins, companies will resort to hedging. The risk management strategy of hedging can be described as a way limit or offset the probability of a loss from the volatility in the price of a commodity, securities and/or currency (Hull, 2012). For the purpose of this thesis, a hedge will be defined as taking a short position in the futures market in order to cover one contract of a long position held in the spot market by the hedger. Other derivatives such as forward contracts or options are also used for hedging purposes, but futures are seen as the most dominant in commodity markets mainly because of their liquidity and transparency advantages (Geman, 2005). The exact amount of the futures contract to be purchased against that one spot position is called the hedge ratio (HR) and the HR chosen to minimize the variance (volatility) of the hedgers portfolio will be referred to as the minimum varia nce hedge ratio (MVHR). Countless research papers have been written about MVHR, its relevance and the different ways of estimating it (see, for example Johnson 1960; Ederington, 1979; Myers 199). With constant advancements in the field of Econometrics, researchers began investigating more and more complex methods to derive the MVRH, for example by incorporating time variation into the estimation of the variance-covariance matrix (see, for example .. ****************). However, no clear consensus has been reached yet on the best ways to construct a MVHR, and many of the empirical studies considering assumptions and estimated variables, concluded to somewhat contradictory results. Furthermore, many of the newer, more complicated models require cumbersome econometric models and, therefore, might not be most suitable for actual use by companies in the commercial world. This thesis aims at capturing the recent advancement made on the MVHR while considering and testing models that could be considered as (to be continued (About 1 more page)talk a bit about the commodities +++ the rest of this thesis willÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦ÃƒÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦ ) Framework The Spot and Futures Markets The spot market can be defined as a market where a commodity is bought or sold for immediate (or with a minimum lag) physical delivery. Not that long ago, those markets where actual physical places where buyers and sellers would meet to exchange, for example, their crops. Its important to note that all commodities are traded on spot markets. In the 18th century, some U.S. farmers started selling their own crops at the time of planting to help finance them and across the ocean, in London, metal began trading in the same fashion, leading the way to the first derivative market: the forward market (Geman, 2005). We can consider this market as an informal one where over-the-counter contracts for future delivery of commodities are exchanged by participants. The standardization of such informal markets by ways of controlling quantities, qualities, dates of deliveries and locations, led to the establishment of the Futures exchanges (Bailey, 2005; Hull, 2012). Some of the better known exchanges are, for example, the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) founded in 1848 (agricultural and financial futures), the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) founded in 1874 (livestock and financial), the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) (precious metal and energy) and the London Metal Exchange (LME) (base metal). On these exchanges, standardized contracts are bought and sold by a variety of participants with different objectives. First we have the hedgers, whose opposite positions to their own spot exposure have for goal to reduce risk and protect their profit margins. Second we have the speculators who, taking advantage of the quasi costless characteristic of futures contracts, will use them to speculate on commodity prices. Third comes the arbitrageurs whose presence is essential to make sure the relationship between spot and future prices as well as prices on different exchanges remains true. In principal, the value of a futures contract should approximat e the spot market price plus the cost of carrying the commodity, such as interest, storage and insurance costs. If such difference came to exist, arbitrageur would take position in the markets making a risk free profit and bringing prices back in line in the process. And finally, futures, often due to their unique correlation to financial markets, are now increasingly used by portfolio managers in order to hedge their general portfolio risk (Bailey, 2005; Geman, 2005). Hedging with Futures Contracts As previously discussed, hedging is primarily done with intent of reducing risk. Four basic categories of futures exists where the underlying can be a physical commodity (such as it is the case in this thesis), a foreign currency, an asset earning interest or and index (Hull, 2012). Also, different hedging strategies exists as some hedgers want to protect only part of their exposure sometimes due to a certain risk profile or some industry standards, and others, highly risk averse participant, will choose to eliminate the price risk as much as possible, often preferring to protect their profit margins deriving from their main business activities. Throughout this thesis such an assumption will be made as the HR will be built with the intent of hedging as much as possible the exposure of a risk-averse hedger. This can be referred to as a pure risk-avoidance hedging strategy (Bailey, 2005). In practice, hedgers will use futures contracts in two ways. Companies knowing they will have to buy a certain asset in the future can choose to lock in the price of that asset and buy a long position in a related futures contract (referred to as a long hedge). Alternatively, some companies such as commodity producers will know the approximate quantity of an asset they will have to sell in the future and will want to lock in today the price of that asset (this is referred to as a short hedge). The later way will be used in this thesis to construct the hedged portfolio used in order to assess the hedge effectiveness. As only the variance reduction is considered, using either ways would give the same results. Basis Risk Although hedging aims at reducing risk, doing it right is often not as simple as just buying or selling the opposite quantity of the exposure. This is mainly due to the introduction of basis risk in the equation. Understanding it is essential to understand the reasons being the HR. Basis is defined as: Best example of Basis risk is the German Company and its oil positionÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦ A Look at the Selected Commodities Optimal Hedge Ratio OHR A Review Static versus dynamic hedging OHR for Commodities OHR The Methods To perform an empirical study of the minimum variance hedging strategy, the HR needs to be estimated with the help of some statistical models. (see (19) page 8) No Hegde NaÃÆ'ƒÂ ¯ve Hedge Constant OLS Rolling window OLS EWMA OLS Simplified GARCH (1,1) Data Analysis As the aim of this thesis is to provide evidence of the best hedge ratio methodology using recent data, only the quantitative approach will be used, providing empirical results onÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦. Statisitcal MethodologyÃÆ' ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¦ Introduce the reason for the 3 periods (financial crisis.. volatility effect, etc) Statistical Tests Test for Normality Test for Stationary Time Series Test for Autocorrelation Test for Heteroskedasticity Statistical Tests Results Delimitations and Assumptions The main assumption in this thesis, as it also is in most literature relating to OHRs, is that the hedger has perfect knowledge of the amount of commodities needed or produced at a future date. In reality, this is obviously rarely the case, therefore producers or users of commodities will use estimates to construct their hedging strategy (). Delimitations: This thesis do not differentiate between long and short hedgers, exclude foreign exchange risk and possible correlation, Only cover Futures (not Options and FWDs), Focus only on Commodities, No forcast tool intended Only OLS (normal + rolling window) is used, leaving aside GARCH etc Assumptions: Risk aversion, In this thesis, as it the case for most of the literature written on OHRs, only the variance is used as the measure of risk (see for example: balbalbal), therefore making the generally accepted assumption which gives equal weight to both positive and negative returns. Since Markowitz (1952), the variance became the most widely used measure of risk but this traditional approach has been criticized by some (Cotter 2005, etc) who suggested that OHR estimations could be improved if tail specific metrics such VaR, Semi-Variance and LPM were also evaluated. (is this needed because of risk aversion ) Other assumptions: The hedge period is set and sure at the time od hedging No FX is considered Empirical Findings Optimal Hedge Ratio The Results Discussion () Conclusion There is no question to the importance for companies of having a sound and tested risk management strategy. As one of the most traded derivative instruments for commodities, futures certainly play an important role in the hedging process. Appendix

E-learning in Saudi Arabia - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 28 Words: 8299 Downloads: 10 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? Chapter one Introduction Nowadays, higher education is experiencing big challenges driven by many emerging trends, among which is the introduction of the means of online learning. Accordingly, many universities all over the world are taking different moves to cope with the new requirements; some universities were established as purely online learning providers, other conventional universities launched new online programs, and some introduced online learning programmes to enhance some of their already existing programs. E-Learning redefines the teaching/learning processes and the overall learning environment. It changed the old university system to a new set of practices by introducing significant changes in the roles of its main key players; learners, faculty members, and the institution as an entity (Mendenhall, 2001). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "E-learning in Saudi Arabia" essay for you Create order The change which e-learning brings to higher education, accompanied by its vast spreading as an accepted learning delivery mode, has been always questioned by its components who tie this type of learning to poor quality. Therefore, studying the different aspects of evaluating the quality of e-learning has been rising as an issue that is worth researching and enhancing (Kistan, 2005; Wirth, 2005). A big range of perspectives on what factors to address when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Nevertheless; most of those studies either addressed a few factors pertaining to a single aspect or dimension (Ally, 2004) or addressed multiple aspects but without looking at the e-learning institution comprehensively (Cohen and Ellis, 2004). In view of the lack of a holistic framework of factors to evaluate the quality of e-learning programs, the aim of this study is to hopefully contribute to the body of knowledge in this area, by developing a framework for the evaluation of quality in e-learning programs. Research objective: The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of e-learning programs through investigating the related critical factors that have been identified by researchers and practitioners of this field. It also intends to examine the relevancy and importance of such frameworks within e-learning practise in Saudi Arabia. The study aims also at understanding how the key learners and faculty members differ in perceiving the importance of such factors on impacting on the quality of an e-learning program? Research Question: The research intends to answer in broad perspective the following questions as well: What are the factors which affect the quality of e-learning? In this question the researchers are trying to address the quality factors which affect the success of E-learning in Saudi Arabia based on 12 factors that have been addressed from the literature. How can we increase e-learning practice in Saudi Arabia? The second question to know is whats the best way to increase the number of E-learning practise in Saudi Arabia and what do learners think based on their experience. Dissertation structure: This dissertation includes six chapters in addition to its introduction. Below is a brief description of each: Chapter two; outlining the background information of the research to put the reader into the perspective of this study. The chapter includes a discussion of the emerging trends in higher education that have pushed for the introduction of e-learning and discusses broadly the quality issue in this type of learning. Chapter three; covers the literature review of e-learning, i.e. critical factors for evaluating the quality of e-learning programs. The chapter starts with identifying the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education, discusses in detail the definition of the Quality concept in higher education generally, and in specific e-learning. Chapter four; Cover the research methodology such as the process of data collection and analysis which will be used. Chapter Five; we will be describing and analysing the data and present the data gathered. Results of the analysis are then discussed. Chapter six; this chapter summarizes the study, lay out the conclusion and ends up with recommendations for future research. Bibliography Research Methodology: In this study the researcher will to collect his data by the quantitative method where a questionnaire will be designed based on the factors which have been discovered from the literature review and then will be sent to random group in Saudi Arabia. The Data later on will be analysed to show the result and the findings. Saudi Arabia Background: Saudi Arabia which is the birth place of Islam and home to Islams two holiest places, Mecca, and Medina, is located in the Middle East bordering the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea. The kings official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi State was founded in 1932. It is a large Middle Eastern nation that ranks as one of the worlds leading producers of petroleum, and exports more oil than any other nation. The government is of a monarchy type and the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government, and administratively it is divided into 13 provinces, with the constitution governed according to Islamic Law. The countrys legal system is based on Sharia law and several secular codes have been introduced. Commercial disputes are handled by special committee. Saudi Arabia has an oil based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the worlds proven petroleum reserves. It not only ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, but also plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. It is believed that about 40% of GDP comes from the private sector and roughly 5.5 million foreign employees play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The researcher carried out this research in Saudi for the following reasons which are described in detail. The access: as the researcher is a Saudi national and has good access to the people in Saudi Arabia where he can collect more information and find a better response rate than carrying out research in any other place. The Language: The researcher is multi lingual as he can speak Arabic and English fluently, therefore he will not face any problem in collecting the data The Information: The researcher understands the situation in Saudi Arabia which enables good research as he will not spend too much time understanding the situation and its cultural factors. The Organisation of the Education System in KSA The education system in Saudi Arabia has five divisions. They are: kindergarten for children from three to six years old, elementary (6-11), intermediate (12-14), secondary level (15-18), and university level (typically 19-24, depending on the subjects studied, and the form of higher education). The secondary stage is the final phase of general education in the Kingdom. It is a three-year period, following on from the intermediate stage. Students are admitted to this stage if they have obtained the intermediate stage certificate. Normally students follow secondary stage education between the ages of 16 and 18 years. This stage is considered the most important period in the general education ladder because students who successfully complete this stage are eligible to join any higher education institution. The administration of the education system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is highly centralised. All educational policies are subject to government control and supervision by the Supreme Council of Education. Textbooks and teaching tools are uniform throughout the Kingdom. The four principal authorities responsible for education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are: the Ministry of Education; the General Presidency for Girls Education; the Ministry of Higher Education; and the General Organisation of Technical Education and Vocational Training. Conclusion In this chapter we gave a sample overview about the research and the reasons for carrying out this research such as the lack of understanding in the practice of the E-learning program in Saudi Arabia. The research is trying to develop a good understanding of this and the information of other studies carried out in similar fields of the success factors of the quality of E-learning in Saudi Arabia. Also in this chapter we have described the dissertation structure and the research questions which are going to measure the main factors for the success of learning Quality. Finally the Saudi Background has been analysed to give the reader the information to understand where the study has been carried out and why. Chapter Two Introduction: The main objective of this chapter is to put forward the point of view of this study by laying out its background information. The chapter starts with presenting the emerging trends in higher education that have lead to the introduction of e-learning. It then continues by explaining the quality issue that is associated with this type of learning. The chapter also includes an overview of the background information about e-learning in Saudi Arabia. Education An overview: According to a recent publication by UNESCO, the education sector in general comprised of all of its components including higher education is experiencing new trends that exert on it new pressures and challenges (Hernes, 2003). Those trends are either classified under demography, such as the continuing growth and increase of population, particularly young populations, migration between countries, and increase of life expectancy, or are due to globalization where nations in general and learners in particular flow across borders without limits, allowing learners to have easy access to the best universities in the developed countries. Finally, perhaps the most important trend is knowledge growth accompanied by advanced information and communication technologies which have changed forever the way information is obtained, stored, used and displayed. Despite the divide between one country and another, or within the same country, more knowledge development opportunities have been created. Information technologies offer the possibility of modularization and customization of education through the use and re-use of learning objects focusing on learners, the possibility of engaging learners more than ever and therefore changing the role of the faculty from a teacher to a facilitator. In response to the challenges described above, the growth of the e-learning programme with its different modes in higher education is apparent and best reflected by the increasing number of e-colleges and e-universities, or the increasing number of higher education institutions that introduced e-learning programs and definitely by the growth of enrolment rate among learners. A study of e-learning in the United States in 2005, suggested that e-learning is penetrating the higher education institutions both in size and breadth and that e-learning is part of the mainstream of higher education. Figures of the study showed that sixty-five percent of schools offering graduate face-to-face courses also offer graduate courses online. Sixty-three percent of schools offering undergraduate face-to-face courses also offer undergraduate courses online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Masters degree programs, 44% also offer Masters programs online. Among all schools offering face-to-face Business degree programs, 43% also offer online Business programs. The same study showed an increase of around 20% of learners enrolment rate compared to the previous year (Allen and Seaman 2005). For different reasons, those statistics do not seem to be applicable to other countries. The USA is certainly the worlds largest provider of e-learning; however the market for e-learning and lifelong learning is also growing in Europe. Moreover, the Arab world, which represents 5 per cent of the worlds overall population, has entered the 21st century with a striking statistic, which shows that it has only 0.5 per cent of the worlds Internet users. This obviously impacts on the number of its e-learning initiatives and enrolled learners in such type of learning systems (UNDP, 2002). Using Computers in Learning: These days, computers have become an important educational tool kit. Many educational organizations and training centres rely on them to deliver information and learning knowledge. However, using computers in education has a long history and is deep-rooted in the field. The idea of using computers in training first appeared during World War 2, when the US military trained farmers to use weapons and other equipment via this systematic approach (Horton, 2000). The first real use of the computer in educational organizations was seen in the 1960s, when the University of Illinois together with the Data Corporation developed the PLATO system. PLATO is a system which enabled the learning and understanding of complex subjects. Apples Macintosh and Microsoft Windows operating system have since provided a standard platform on which programmers can develop training programs (Horton, 2000) Definition of E-learning: E-Learning refers to the employment of information and communication technologies to support the development and delivery of learning in academic and professional development institutions. E-Learning is used widely with other terms such as online learning, technology-mediated learning, web-based learning, computer-based learning, etc. Several definitions of e-learning have been developed reflecting the diversity in its application, used tools, and associated technologies. Whatever definition was used, the meaning of e-learning always contains two fundamental terms; Learning and Technology. In one way or another, all definitions of e-learning indicate the learning that takes place with the support of multimedia objects, the internet and technological applications as a delivery mode. One of the highly used definitions of e-learning is: Education via the Internet, network or standalone computer; it refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn, where communication and content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or videotape, TV and CD-ROM etc as appropriate (LTSN Generic Centre, 2004). A recent definition that uses the terminology of higher education institutions was laid out by Ally (2004) who defines e-learning as: The use of the Internet to access learning material; to interact with the content, instructor, and other learners; and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to acquire knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to grow from the learning experience. According to Horton (2000) E-learning is a general phrase that has several definitions. However, the comprehensive definition that covers all aspects of e-learning is what Ruth and Richard offer: E-learning is defined as instruction delivered on a computer by way of CD-ROM, Internet, or intranet with the following features: Includes content relevant to the learning objective. Uses instructional methods such as examples and practice to help learning. Uses media elements such as words and pictures to deliver the content and methods. Builds new knowledge and skills linked to individual learning goals or to improve organizational performance Feature of E-learning: Eaton (2001) outlines that e-learning is characterized with the following features: Computer-mediated classrooms: faculty members and learners communicate through the computer, making face to face interaction less frequent. Separation in time between communications: communication between faculty members and learners can also be in asynchronous modes. Availability of services online: learners are not only provided with online learning experience but also with online services such as advising, registration, and library services. Distinction between e-Learning and Conventional Education: To understand the quality of e-learning requires a full understanding of how this type of learning differs from the conventional style of education and the changes it brings to higher education institutions. This section presents in a broad perspective the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education which shape higher education nowadays. Such distinctions will be taken into consideration when materializing a definition for quality in e-learning, and deciding what to be taken into consideration for evaluating the quality of this type of learning. The following areas were highly repeated in the literature as key distinctions between e-learning and traditional education: Educational Changes: McLaughlin and Oliver (2000) believe however that new technologies have a positive impact on the learning environment where more choices for forms of learning are provided to the faculty and learners. This includes the delivery and presentation of content in more flexible way and a variety of modes, the provision of interactivity, engagement, communication, feedback, and communication and collaboration tools. Weller (2000) sees that those types of new choices will facilitate the quick use of courses for easier customization and individualization resulting in more satisfied learners. Change in Faculty Roles: With the growing amount of knowledge and information every day, and the availability of a huge amount of content over the internet, faculty members will not continue to be seen as the source of knowledge, instead, according to Cashion and Palmieri (2002), faculty members are expected to direct learners where to find the most relevant knowledge and provide them with tools that teach them how to learn. Different Types of Learners: Oblinger and Oblinger (2005) have referred to young learners of today as the Net Generation who grew up being familiar with technological products and facilities. Internet access, computer and electronic games have been a daily activity of learners lives. Learners today have different expectations with respect to their learning styles; they prefer to experience things instead of reading or hearing about them, they expect immediate response to questions or actions, they appreciate interactivity and dialogue (Pashuk, 2005). Learners of today consider themselves as customers who demand to be served high quality services. They have consumers attitudes towards their academic program and any of its services (Wager, 2005). E-Learning institutions should be arranged to different types of learners, not only in their preferences and expectations but also in their level of variety. Change in Administrators Role: Administrators of an academic institution are usually referred to as staffs who are not participating in direct teaching or research work, their role is usually to assure that the institutions systems are running properly. Administrators are responsible to create, maintain and improve an environment that helps learners and faculty achieve their academic goals. Administrators of an e-learning institution can be involved in selecting, orienting, and preparing qualified faculty for courses, administer and manage the technological facilities at the institution, provide different types of faculty and learners support from the technical helpdesk; library services, financial aid, etc. Administrators can also be involved in the planning, quality assurance, and performance management of an activity to help the institution serve its learners better (Williams, 2003). Reliance on Infrastructure: Although e-Learning is basically about learning rather than about technology, the technological infrastructure of e-learning programs is still the critical and primary component of the education systems. E-Learning is characterized by its high independence on the validity, and reliability of its infrastructure, which has the role of facilitating and providing accessibility of the learning/teaching process and its support services between faculty members and learners (Pashuk, 2005). Institutional Demands: E-Learning institutions must set up their systems, policies and procedures to deal with issues like data security from both internal and external threats as well as copyrights from the learners, faculty and the institutional perspectives. Developing a high quality online course will not only require the intellectual contribution of faculty members, it rather involves other key team members from the same institution or from partnered institutions. Copyright issues are usually linked to revenue sharing models, especially when the course developers are contracted or granted any incentives (Mendenhall, 2001). Advantages of using E-learning Methods: As we know, traditional education requires effort, time and money that can lead to some difficulties in achieving the goals of learning. On the other hand, e-learning contributes to the spread of knowledge among people around the globe by easy, fast, and comfortable means, that helps people to attain their personal learning objectives. As a result, several educational organisations have proceeded along the e-learning approach to facilitate and improve the process of learning. In this section, several advantages of using an e-learning approach will be discussed. The author has divided the advantages into two main categories, advantages for learners, and advantages for instructors. Advantages for learners: According to Mayer (2003) he has concluded the common advantages that learners can gain from e-learning. The following list illustrates the main advantages for learners: Learners can get the best instruction available The wide popularity of the e-learning programme makes learning more flexible and gives freedom to learners to choose the best course available which fits their needs. Training occurs just in time. Web-based training is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week which allows learners to study when they need it without any conditions or constraints. They do not need to wait for training sessions or a specified time to attend. Learners set the pace and the schedule. Learners can study at their own time; learners can take as many lessons as they need depending on their time and their plans. For example, some of them may wish to study full-time while others prefer to study a few hours a week. Learners get better access to the instructor. Communication with the instructor(s) through web based e-learning systems can be more effective than the traditional classroom approach. Training adapts to the learners style Many different learning styles can be incorporated within an e-learning environment, and the learner is able to adapt to a style or series of styles which they prefer and in the way they feel is most efficient. Learners get immediate feedback There is no need to wait while for the results of the exams, or games. The results can be obtained immediately. Learners are treated more equally A degree of anonymity is ensured, therefore personal characteristics are not considered. Saves money and time for learners Hidden costs are eliminated in that here are no travelling expenses, parking fees, etc. It is also efficient for time in that almost all the time is spent on learning and no time is wasted on travelling. Produces positive side effects Learners are constantly improving their other skills, such as general computer skills, various internet technologies and how they apply them in their jobs. Advantages for Instructors According to Mayer (2003) the most common advantages for instructors can gain from e-learning are: Instructor can teach from anywhere Instructors are able to teach the course from any location in the world. All they need is connection to the internet. Instructors travel less Almost all the time is spent on planning, producing and publishing courses with no time wasted on travelling to attend. Course content can be dynamic Instructors have the opportunity to deal with course matter at any time and in any place such as home, office etc. Instructors save time Time consumed in preparing the course document such as handouts, having course paper printed etc., are eliminated. Conclusion In this chapter we have covered a wide range on academic study in order to understand this subject, starting with the definition of E-learning and what do we mean by E-learning, followed by another important part which is what is the difference between E-learning and Conventional education. Also the researcher has included a brief explanation concerning the history of E-Learning and the feature of E-stand and its practise. Moreover, we can see that based on the literature there are many advantage of E-learning for the learner. For example, he can study from anywhere and at any time which is the flexibility of E-learning and also there is an advantage for the instructor as he can also teach from any place and with a flexible time schedule. Chapter three Introduction: In order to understand what constitutes quality of e-learning and the critical factors that should be addressed when evaluating this type of learning, an understanding of the distinctions between e-learning and traditional education needs to be attained. Therefore the first section of this chapter is dedicated to exploring what changes have been brought to higher education by e-learning. This chapter includes a literature review for to explore what has been recognized by the researchers and practitioners of this field as key factors that affect the quality of e-learning programs and institutions, and therefore should be used to evaluate this type of learning. A list of highly rated and most repeated factors was then generated and categorized to form the basis for a comprehensive framework intended for evaluating quality of e-learning programs which will be used later in the empirical research. Quality in E-learning: A range of perspectives on what defines quality in e-learning, and what should be considered when evaluating the quality of e-learning has been developed. Some studies have addressed few factors pertaining to a single aspect or dimension, and some have developed frameworks for evaluating the quality of e-learning addressing many aspects. During those studies many different approaches were adopted ranging from surveying learners, faculty members, designers and policy makers for their views, building models for effective e-learning, and constructing camps that contextualize and debate the e-learning environment (Brennan, 2001). Despite the important contribution of each of those studies, a complete framework for evaluating the quality of e-learning couldnt be found. Developed frameworks either addressed the quality of the e-learning program with an emphasis on the classroom environment only, or overlooked some important aspects, such as the impact of the institution on the quality of e-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002). E-Learning has been addressed by governing or accrediting bodies which developed quality standards, principles or frameworks. Such standards however, were developed to help institutions plan for their e-learning programs (Cashion and Palmieri, 2002) or as a self assessment tool, therefore they usually address in general perspective quality standards, academic standards, standards of competence, service standards and organizational standards (Harvey, 1999). According to Vlasceanu et al (2004), the definition of quality in a higher education institution differs with the changes in: The interests and needs of various types of stakeholders The institutions own inputs, processes, outputs, purpose, mission and set of objectives The characteristics and attributes of the academic world The historical evolvement and development of higher education Revisiting the changes that e-learning brought to higher education especially to the role of its fundamental stakeholders, learners, educators and administrators, it perhaps becomes logical when we look for a definition of quality as a concept, to consider these stakeholders first. For this reason, a growing literature in the field of e-learning tends to define quality of e-learning programs as the degree to which principal stakeholders needs and expectations are consistently satisfied, referring to the learners and educators (Kistan, 2005). Success factors: Critical success factors (CSFs) are key areas of performance that are essential for the organisation to accomplish its mission (Rockart, 1979). Managers implicitly know and consider these key areas when they set goals and as they direct operational activities and tasks that are important to achieving goals. However, when these key areas of performance are made explicit, they provide a common point of reference for the entire organisation. Thus, any activity or initiative that the organisation undertakes must ensure consistently high performance in these key areas, otherwise the organisation may not be able to achieve its goals and consequently may fail to accomplish its mission. The term critical success factor has been adapted for many different uses. Familiarity with the term is often presented in the context of a project or an initiative. In this context, CSFs describe the underlying or guiding principles of an effort that must be regarded to ensure that it is successful. Clarity of course goals: Not surprisingly, there has been consensus in the literature that in order to assure the quality of the teaching/learning process, designing a course should start with explicit outcomes that identify the expectations from learners and the faculty from the very beginning. Learning outcomes which usually drive the effectiveness assessment process of courses should be also challenging and linked directly to the institutions overall goals and objectives. (Mayer et al 2000) faculty members have to adjust course content by selecting appropriate learning styles to achieve course goals and learners needs. Learner Interaction: Interaction is one of the most widely mentioned factors in the literature in relation to its impact on the quality of e-learning programs. (Moore, 2002) Interaction in the e-learning environment compensates for the loss of direct and face to face contact between learners and their faculty member or colleagues. Moore (1989) has identified three types of interaction: Interaction between faculty and learners, which is considered to be the most vital component that creates an effective learning environment upon which the other two types depend and are facilitated through; Interaction between learners among themselves; Interaction between the learner and content material. Relevancy of multimedia components to course goals Research on the quality of e-learning programs outlined that effective multimedia components are those which are highly in conformance with, and explicitly linked to course learning goals and objectives Graham et. al (2000) have also identified four main technical components pertaining to the multimedia which affect learners and hence the quality of e-learning programs, these are: Consistency of pages layout and design; which is necessary for allowing learners to recognize the graphic language of the interface, use and re-use their knowledge in different applications and retrieve information easily. Clear organization and accessibility of information; which allows learners to accomplish their tasks effectively when understanding the relationship between the media elements, without getting distracted by irrelevant features. Attractiveness of design and graphics; learners who are studying through the multimedia elements or using the learning interface can be encouraged to spend Navigation consistency and ease of use; if not consistent, navigation can place a heavy mental load on learners and therefore hinders their learning process. Faculty proficiency Clay (1999) considered the need to educate faculty members on how their involvement in e-learning programs fits with the overall strategy and mission of the institution. He also added that discussing issues and concerns of faculty members regarding this type of learning is also very important to increase their level of awareness. The success of e-learning courses depends on the type of development offered to faculty members. The following three areas of development have been considered by Caplan (2004) as the most crucial requirements due to their impact on the success of e-learning programs: Educational Proficiency; where faculty members are introduced to and experience the class room environment, requirements of course design and delivery. Administrative skills; methods of management of the classroom, identification of the support needed and offered by the institution are among the topics that are addressed in this area. Technical skills; learning of the basic and more advanced technical skills as needed, learning more about the technology, its benefits and barriers. Reliability of technology Reliability of technology refers to the capability of the technology to perform a required function and maintain a certain level of performance under stated conditions for a stated period of time. Reliability of technology has been highlighted as one of the most important factors that essentially impact on the quality of the learning experience and the success of online courses. Faculty members and learners can be easily distracted from the continuation of a teaching/learning task which usually causes a high level of frustration due to unreliability or stability of technology. (Hartman et al, 2000) Initially, many concerns regarding the future and substantiality of online learning were raised resulting from the doubts about technology reliability and its impact not only on the quality of e-learning but also on the survival of the entire concept. Technical shut downs faced by learners and faculty members during their virtual sessions, discussions and even assignments were among those issues, and therefore reliability and stability of technology was top rated in many studies as a critical factor that affects the success of the e-learning experience. Accessibility of technology In this respect, accessibility refers to the ability of learners of varying technical means and technical limitations related to computer power, bandwidth, or hardware limitations, to have equal opportunity of access courses material like other colleagues. Schrum and Hong (2002) argued that there is a substantial relationship between the number of learners dropping their online courses and the difficulties they face trying to access the technological tools and equipments. Accessible technologies represent therefore a distinct advantage to learners to study according to their convenient time and pace, otherwise learners will spend their times trying to solve technical problems instead of engaging in the learning experience. Therefore, an understanding of the technological and financial limitations of learners, their preparedness, and ability to participate equally in the learning experience is necessary for the success of e-learning. It is also important for the selection of appropria te technological infrastructure that enables learners to focus on their learning (Davis, 2004). For this reason, many e-learning institutions today offer their learning content using online and offline tools (CDs and DVDs) to accommodate for those who have no access to high-speed connectivity. Suitability of support services to learners needs There is no doubt about the importance of learners support services which usually complement the learning/teaching process and enhance their learners experience. Many authors have highlighted the importance of learners support and its impact on the quality of e-learning programs. (Hughes, 2004) Although many higher education institutions claim to know the needs and wants of their learners, they actually do not. Cashion Palmieri (2002) explained that many institutions go wrong by assuming that learners needs are only educational and therefore learners support is exclusive to educational support. For instance, and despite the assumption that many of todays learners are aware of the technological tools and facilities, the level of learners awareness of education technologies is still not up to the desired level. Many of todays learners might be exposed to e-learning courses for the first time in the higher education level, therefore the preparation of learners to cope with the requirements of study, understand the new role they have to assume, and also understand the technology they will deal with during their study, is necessary for learners before they engage in their learning experience. According to Hughes (2004), learner support tools should exceed educational needs, and should be extended to include: Information and administrative support; Technological support Study skills assistance such as time management, balancing personal demands and study pursuits, information about usage of web content and plagiarism, etc Educational counselling Program advising and digital library Responsiveness of learner support Responsiveness to learners enquiries, suggestions, or complaints has also been highlighted as an important factor that affects learners satisfaction and therefore impacts on the quality of learning. According to Smith (2004) responsiveness of learning support tools and staff to learners enquiries can increase their tolerance and satisfaction, and hence increase the quality of their learning. Most often a high percentage of e-learners are usually busy senior professionals or full time employees who would value and appreciate the timely response to their enquiries and the availability of support when needed. Smith (2004) outlines that availability of responsive learners support can be demonstrated in three forms: The ability of learners to get in touch and to make contact with the person to whom they wish to speak. The reassurance of learner support staff that if a message is left or an e-mail is sent, this will at least be acknowledged. The prompt action response, where if the action cannot be taken immediately, the information of action support will be received soon by the learner. Leadership commitment to effective learning According to Barker et. al (1999) effective learning requires a whole institution approach that pays enough attention to the teaching/learning processes, facilitates the work of faculty members, and provides necessary support to the faculty whenever needed, starting from its leadership. According to the author e-learning institutions cannot be successful without leadership commitment to set, maintain, and share a clear direction for the institution, with focus on its teaching/learning processes. Setting up the institution priorities in favour of the teaching/learning quality and providing support to develop competencies and infrastructure are some exemplary forms of leadership commitment for effective learning. Top management should therefore be involved in continuous monitoring, evaluation, and improvement of the institutions academic performance, as part of that e-learning institutions should continuously monitor learning effectiveness, learners satisfaction, faculty satisfaction, efficiency, and cost effectiveness (Bourne and Moore, 2003). Commitment to effective learning and teaching culture Quality commitment is an obvious factor for developing a quality culture in an organization and for assuring and maintaining continual improvement. This factor has been highlighted generally in many quality management and excellence standards or models, such as the ISO 9000 and the EFQM Excellence model. Similarly, quality commitment at all levels of the e-learning institution, including top management, faculty and staff, has been highlighted heavily in the literature as a pre condition to the success of e-learning institutions (Mayer et al, 2001) Appropriateness of processes to the e-learning environment The changes that accompany the introduction of e-learning in a higher education institution should be associated with a new definition of processes which impact organizational structures, and roles and responsibilities of educators and staff. According to Bates and Poole (2003), planning for e-learning programs by defining relevant and appropriate processes to the e-learning environment and changed roles and responsibilities of staff and faculty, is considered to be a critical factor that impacts the quality of e-learning programs. The processes of e-learning are not quite similar to those of conventional learning; many additions have occurred regarding the day to day work of institutions with the introduction of this type of learning. Instructional designing, dealing with intellectual properties, planning for, and maintaining the technological infrastructure, program management, administrative support for faculty or learners, dealing with faculty workload and incentives, governance and decision making processes or pricing are only some examples of the processes that need redefinition or customization in the e-learning environment. Among the changes that e-learning has introduced is the overall change of the needs and role of learners. In this context, Austin (2001) argues that the starting point for defining and shaping processes in an e-learning environment is the understanding of customers needs (learners, families, employers and society) that represent the input for the learning/teaching Financial feasibility and sustainability It is obvious that many elements in the e-learning type of education are costly and require more financial investments and support from higher education institutions. Preparing learners to this type of learning through introductory and orientation programs, the necessity to offer different types of learning styles that accommodate the different learning needs and talents of learners, along with offering more flexible learning methods and timings, the development of faculty competencies, compensation for faculty workload and copyrighted work, developing reliable, accessible, and maintained IT equipments, infrastructure and multimedia components, and the need for timely and responsive learners support are only few examples of what investment this type of learning would require. Therefore, the financial management in e-learning institutions has been highlighted as an important factor that should be used to judge the quality of e-learning programs. (Bourne and Moore, 2004) Financial sustainability which relates the cost of the program to its financial benefits (Bartolic-Zlomislic Bates, 1999) is considered to be one of the factors that affect the quality of e-learning programs for the following main reasons: The ability to support and sustain the program while it is running even if the number of enrolled learners did not match the expectation in order to protect the interests of learners. The ability to re-invest in the program to enhance it and advance it. The ability to offer affordable e-learning programs. Conclusion: In this chapter we have looked into the previous study and analysed the data to build on a good understanding about the factors which affect the quality of E-learning in Saudi Arabia. The twelve factors will be examined to see what the effects are on the quality of E-learning. Based on these factors we will take into consideration the culture difference as some of these factors may not necessarily affect the quality in Saudi Arabia. The twelve factors are related with the main player in E-learning which is the learner, the course, the provider and the technology. All twelve factors should be examined in order to measure their effect. Chapter Four Introduction: This chapter presents a description of the research methodology used throughout the study supported by a justification for the selection. During a brief description about the data and description of the questionnaire which has been used. The second part will be about a description of the data analysis method which will be used to analyse the data in this study. Data collection: Usually data can be collected through two sources: primary sources and secondary sources. Primary data sources include surveys, observations, and interviews. Secondary data sources include Newspapers, Books, Journals, Internet, etc. After turning the practical idea into a research question and reviewing the necessary literature, the method of research must be considered. The methodology which will be selected should be the one that will be the most effective one to collect the data needed to answer the research question, or to test the hypothesis. Data collection methods are mainly divided under two major methodological methods, quantitative and qualitative methodology. Each method contains several type of data collection technique. Quantitative research is an objective approach which includes collecting and analyzing numerical data and applying statistical tests (Collis and Hussey, 2003). The emphasis of quantitative research is on collecting and analyzing numerical data. It concentrates on measuring the scale, range, frequency, etc, of phenomena. This type of research, although harder to design initially, is usually highly detailed and structured, and results can be easily collated and presented statistically. Qualitative research is a subjective approach which includes examining and reflecting on perceptions in order to gain an understanding of social and human activities (Collis and Hussey, 2003). The research strategy in the research project will be a Quantitative approaches as the researcher doesnt have enough time to carry further investigations and to do face to face interviews with the selected sample so the mail survey will be the best choice to go for. Questionnaire: To collect data for the research project a research questionnaire will be designed and then distributed. The questionnaire included different sections seeking information about many aspects of quality in E-learning factors. Multiple-choice and scale-type questions will be used to collect response in an objective manner. In addition, open questions were used to collect subjective information. The Licker scale of 1 to 5 will be used to rate the critical success factors. A questionnaires prime advantage is its efficiency in terms of speed and cost in generating large amounts of data that can be subjected to statistical analysis. Also questionnaires have inherent advantages as compared to other methods as they allow respondents to answer questions at times that are convenient, to see the context of a series of questions, to take time in answering, and to look up information. According to Robson (2002), the advantages of a questionnaire are as follows: It can be one of the least resource intensive. It is simple to use basic awareness training being sufficient to get things started. It can readily involve many people within the organization. The questions asked can be customized to suit the organization. It enables the organization to receive feedback which can be segmented by function and by level. It can be used in parallel with the workshop approach to provide a more balanced view of deployment team. It can give a good visual reference if results are graphed. In fact, the questionnaire has several weaknesses, particularly their typical low response rate. Low response rates are problematic in that they reduce confidence about the extent to which survey findings generalize the population from which the survey is drawn. Response errors are another problem. A third problem area arises from the conceptual inadequacy and administrative errors that can be caused by the researcher (Saunders, 2000). Data analyses: To have a good interpretation of the data, it is important that data is organized in such a way that it may be analyzed efficiently. There are a number of computer programs that can be used to analyze survey research. Such programs allow users to quickly sort information and look at the data from different angles. Computer software programs with database spreadsheets are widely available. Microsoft Access and Microsoft Excel are just a few of the available programs that can be used. More advanced statistical programs such as SPSS (statistical package for social science) is also suitable for data storage, but they require greater technical skill to use the more sophisticated statistical analyses. For quantitative data analysis the researcher will use (Microsoft Excel), as the researcher has the previous skill to use this program. Conclusion: In this chapter we have described the data collection and analysis method which will be used in this study to get the best information, taking in to consideration the time which is limited for a research of this kind. The researcher is going to use the Quantitative method to collect his data by distributing a questionnaire to the targeted group; the questionnaire is going to include a multiple question based on the factors which have been discovered from the literature. Furthermore, after collecting the data the researcher is going to analyse the data using Microsoft Excel software to show the data in a good way so it can be useful and easy to understand. References: Ally, M. (2004) Foundations of Educational Theory for Online Learning. In: Anderson, T. D. and Elloumi, F. (Eds.) (2004) Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca: Athabasca University. pp(3-31). Allen, I. E. and Seaman, J. (2005) Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States. USA: The Sloan Consortium. Barker, K., Wendel, T. and Richmond, M. (1999) Linking the Literature: School Effectiveness and Virtual Schools. [Online]. The Society for the Advancement of Excellence in Education. Vancouver. Available from: https://www.futured.com/pdf/Virtual.pdf. [Accessed 20 Jan 2008] Bartolic-Zlomislic, S. and Bates, T. (1999) Assessing the Costs and Benefits of Telelearning: A Case Study from the University of British Columbia. [Online]. Available from: https://research.cstudies.ubc.ca/nce/EDST565.pdf [Accessed 25 Jan 2008] Bates, A. and Poole, G. (2003) Effective Teaching with Technology in Higher Education: Foundations for Success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Bourne, J., and Moore, J. (2003.), Elements of Quality Online Education. Needham, MA: Sloan Center for OnLine Education. Caplan, D. (2004) The Development of Online Courses. In: Anderson, T. D. and Elloumi, F. (Eds.) Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca: Athabasca University. pp. 175-194. Cashion, J. and Palmieri, P. (2003) The Secret is the Teacher: The Learners View of Online Learning. [Online] Australia: NCVER, Available from: https://www.ncver.edu.au/research/proj/nr0F03a.pdf. [Accessed 25 Jan 2008] Clay, M. (1999) Development of Training and Support Programs for Distance Education Instructors. [Online] Available from: https://www.westga.edu/~distance/clay23.html. [Accessed 22 Jan 2008] Collis, J., Hussey, R. (2003). Business Research: a practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students (2nd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Cohen, M. and Ellis, T. (2004) Validating a criteria set for an online learning environment. In: 34th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference: 20th 23rd October 2004, Georgia Tech Savannah Campus, Savannah, GA. Davis, A. (2004) Developing an infrastructure for online learning. In: Anderson, Elloumi, T. D. and F. (Eds.), Theory and Practice of Online Learning. Athabasca: Athabasca University. pp. 97-114. Eaton, J.S. (2001) Distance Learning: Academic and Political Challenges for Higher Education Accreditation. (CHEA Monograph Series 2001, Number 1) Washington DC: Council for Higher Education Accreditation. 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Conflict Between Great Britain And The British Colonies

Thompson 1 Teona Thompson Ms. Puckerine World and U.S History June 1, 2015 Conflict between Great Britain and the British Colonies On a quest to expand their empire, Great Britain tried to colonize any land they could find. The British settlements established on the east coast of North America include Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey,Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island, and were founded between 1607 and 1732. These colonies would later be recognized as the the thirteen original colonies of the United States. Their relationship was based on the exchange of goods and new resource for being protected by the crown. Leading up to the American Revolution, the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies became hostile as the colonist became rebellious due to the heavy taxes, the unjust acts forced upon them, violence, and their lack of representation in British monarchy. To pay off British Empire’s debt after the Seven Years War, it used the colonies as a source for revenue. It started with the Sugar Act of 1 764, which imposed taxes on sugar and other goods. The Stamp Act, proposed by George Grenville, was later passed in 1765. This act required the use of stamped paper for legal documents, diplomas, almanacs, broadsides, Thompson 2 newspapers and playing cards. â€Å"The right of the Parliament of Great Britain to impose taxes of every kind on the colonies has always beenShow MoreRelatedThe American Revolutionary War And Defeat Great Britain852 Words   |  4 Pagesfrom Great Britain. It was the British who controlled and basically owned the Thirteen Colonies of North America in which we now know as the United States. Making the lives of American citizens miserable and unable to bare the bondage from the rules, regulations, and tariffs brought on by the British could no longer be tolerated. 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