Background of the Study. The image of teachers as mere employees limited in their freedom of choice and decision making coupled with constant struggle with financial and social problems has been a subject of many debates on education not only in Kazakhstan, but in many post- Soviet countries. This is listed as one of the consequences of “educational deterioration” that many post-Soviet countries have been experiencing since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 (Silova, 2007, p.166). Along with a significant decline in educational funding which led to a substantial decrease in teacher salaries, the professional community of teachers also suffered from a “demeaning public perception”, as they were also forced into a competitive environment by the “performance- and outcomes-based reforms” introduced by the government (Xxxxxx, 2009, p. 4). Since then, the schools and teachers were allowed less autonomy in schools and much more accountability as they were forced to act as “passive executors” of the government initiatives (Khegay, 2017, p.2). Autonomy is one of the three basic human motivation drivers along with mastery and purpose (Pink, 2011). Teachers who are deprived of the choice over what happens in their classrooms lose their will to work and be productive. Xxxxxxx (2013) states:
Background of the Study. Traditional film rental stores base their inventory decisions on formulas using historical rental data, store size, and box office sales among other factors. As titles become less popular, inventory can be reduced by selling previously viewed copies to members for a low cost. Titles that are out of stock are often compensated with coupons good for a free rental when it is available again. The film rental industry is an ever evolving industry that changes with the economy, evolution of culture and technology and to remain viable in the business, the clients must be willing to evolve. In the entertainment industry, video or movies purchase and rentage has evolved significantly since 1888 with the creating of an expert film titled “Roundhay Garden Scene” created by Xxxxx Xx Xxxxxx and this film has remained the earliest existing motion picture. The first home movie was “Betamax” by the Sony Company in 1975 which was in fact very costly. This was followed by Magnetic Video in November 1977. Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx was the first person to launch video rental store in Los Angelis in December 1977 and the development continues. As of march 2008 there were approximately 10,200 DVD vending kiosks in operation across the USA with a market value of $198million represented through almost double the number of DVD kiosks in operation as there are many stores currently in America. The growth of DVD vending as opined by Xxxxx Xxxxx, former Executive Director of Self Service and Kiosks Association, The potentials of automated DVD rental is tremendous because they are perfect for high traffic, high frequency location such as grocery stores, restaurants, Laundromats, apartment complexes, college campuses and airports Reuters in 2008 highlighted the benefits of automated DVD vending. They observed that consumers are constantly looking for convenience, so, whoever offers that stands to gain market share. Redbox, owned by Coinstar Inc. XxXxxxxx’x Corp and private investor is the leader in the growing in-store kioss space, followed by privately held TNR, which operates 2, 200 kioks. Others include Blockbusters, Netfix, IMozi, MovieMate, MovieQ, MovieBooth, ThingMagic, etc. In Nigeria today, Music and film rental, vending and distribution will finally take a better shape if upcoming film rental agencies make good their plans. SoForte Entertainment Distribution in collaboration with Sony Music UK plans to be the first to make Nigerian music available whenever there is a demand for it anyw...
Background of the Study. Due to globalization, many developing countries have initiated reforms in education systems. Within the last years, the government of Kazakhstan initiated nationwide reforms to improve school education to meet the requirements of international education standards (Yakavets, 2014). Practices of well-developed countries like Finland, Singapore, Canada, the UK and the USA are being implemented to realize reforms (Xxxxxxxx, 2014). All these changes put a lot of pressure on teachers as one of the main agents to confront those challenges. It has required them to adapt to changes, rethink traditional ways of teaching, and relearn and then implement a new assessment system along with learning the new national curriculum. While being burdened with multiple tasks that teachers have to cope with, the question arises what keeps teachers motivated to improve their own practice and grow professionally. Students’ success is a paramount goal for every school. The main contributor which leads to the achievement of this goal is a teacher who is highly motivated and committed to their profession. Several studies emphasize the importance of teacher motivation. For example, it was discussed that teachers are people who shape and influence children’s personality and future from early childhood, therefore, it is important that representatives of this profession are motivated themselves in order to be able to create a motivational environment for their learners (as cited in Gemeda, & Xxxxxxx, 2015). Meanwhile, the research done by Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxx (2011) also highlighted that good academic performance and motivation of students can be achieved through increased teacher motivation (as cited in Gemeda, & Xxxxxxx, 2015). Therefore, it is essential to explore what factors in the school environment lead to increased teacher motivation. Studies on teachers’ motivation mostly discuss the question of types of motivational factors affecting teachers, which are classified mainly into two groups (e.g., intrinsic and extrinsic motivations). However, Xxxxxxxx and Xxxxxxxxx (2000) and Obin (2002) stated that motives which encourage people to continue working as teachers can be classified into three groups: (1) intrinsic forces linked to the process of teaching which include passing on knowledge to students and professional skills; (2) extrinsic forces like salary, environment at work, safety at workplace and reputation; and (3) altruistic forces which include a desire to help children to be...
Background of the Study. There are many benefits to earning a high school diploma, including the opportunity to apply to college and qualify for better employment opportunities. They also tend to make higher salaries and are less likely to rely on public assistance, have fewer health problems, or engage in criminal activity (Xxxxxxxxx, 2013). Overall, a high school diploma offers more robust employment options and greater personal satisfaction. Unfortunately, leaving high school is easy (Christle, Jolivette, & Xxxxxx, 2007), and it occurs so frequently that approximately 2.1 million American students drop out each year (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2020). But it is Hispanic students, whether born in the US or outside, who have one of the highest dropout rates among ethnic groups (see Figure 1.1). In the early 1970s, Hispanic students comprised the highest number of dropouts (Bohon, Johnson, & Xxxxxx, 2006). Unfortunately, they continue to leave school in high numbers, second only to the American Indian population (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2020). According to the Digest of Educational Statistics (2019), Latino males are among the largest subgroup of students who drop out of school without earning a diploma.
Background of the Study. The European Union (EU) has decided to take a proactive position concerning the issue of global warming by enacting its 20-20-20 package. This aims at raising the share of the EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20%, reducing by 20% the EU greenhouse gases emissions level of 1990, and improving by 20% the EU’s energy efficiency. New renewables such as solar or wind power have been widely deployed. However one major challenge of new renewable energy consists in it being intermittent while the grid needs to be balanced at any moment. Concretely, this means that the current EU electricity system will need to be more flexible to allow the full utilisation of renewables. Thus, while wind is blowing but demand for power is low, the grid frequency may become unstable, increasing the risk of outages. Therefore, in certain countries power production has to be reduced. The choice is made by grid operators to disconnect wind turbines from the grid – as it is less constraining than stopping an inflexible base-load power plant – cutting off a source of carbon-free energy. Today, beyond interconnection development, the only solution that exists to avoid curtailing intermittent renewable generation and also happens to be available on a large-scale is Pumped Hydro Storage Plants (PSP). PSP are able to store energy when there is a surplus in the energy system and therefore constitute a vitally important part of the new low-carbon electricity system the EU wants to achieve. However, conventional PSPs can only regulate their power in generation mode, while their operation in pumping mode is typically much less flexible; new technologies are therefore under development to enable greater operational flexibility of PSPs. In that context, the variable speed technology for PSP can bring the additional flexibility in pumping mode as well. This could lead to a better integration of renewables in the electricity system, by serving a dual purpose as the surplus of intermittent renewable energy could be absorbed at any time of the day while at the same time allowing services to be balanced. Developing technically and economically feasible solutions to upgrade existing plants to variable speed within the eStorage project will allow upgrading a significant part of European PSP capacity, all at a much lower cost than developing new plants. The goal of eStorage Work Package 4 (WP4) is to draft a plan to replicate the variable speed PSP technology development of work...
Background of the Study. A considerable number of studies investigated parental views of children with special needs towards inclusive education (Xx Xxxxxx, 2015; Xxxx, Xxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 2010; Xxxxxxx, 2006; Xxxxxx & Xxxx, 2004). The review of the literature has shown that families have uncertain beliefs about inclusive education. Some parents support the view that the inclusion of children with special needs in mainstream schools provides an opportunity to socialise and achieve acceptance in society. Nevertheless, a lack of properly qualified teachers and reasonable facilities for children with diverse learning needs are considered the main barriers in mainstream schools. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD, 2015) School Resources Review highlighted the necessity "to shift towards providing education that promotes equity by recognising and meeting different educational needs" (p. 12). OECD highlighted that Kazakhstan is slow in meeting the needs of people with disabilities. According to the report, "Kazakhstan has a highly centralised top-down system that leaves little political, administrative and fiscal authority to lower levels of a clearly delineated hierarchy. This is reflected in the education system, which is characterised by an extensive system of planning and norms" (OECD, 2015, p. 29). A large number of studies emphasised the necessity to advocate for the rights of children with special needs and empower parental roles (Xxxxxx, 2015; Xxxx et al., 2006; Xxxxxxxxxxx, 2019; Xxxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxxx, 1999, as cited in Xxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, 2019; Xxxxxxx, 2002). Parents in developed countries who had experienced transitioning their child on the path to inclusive education described it as a challenging journey (Xxxxxx, 2015; Xxxxxxx, 2002). Nevertheless, they are convinced that cooperation between families and schools is the key to the successful realisation of inclusive education. Regarding Kazakhstan, the amount of literature in the area of inclusive education is increasing. Xxxxxx and Xxxxxxxx (2019) indicated the importance of parental position and experience by centering attention on their vital role in reforming education. The research by Xxxxxxxxxxx (2019) suggested that Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a significant role in the provision of educational support and empowerment of the position of parents. Khamidulina (2018) demonstrated the barriers in the way to developing inclusive education through parental lenses. However, far too lit...
Background of the Study. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines highlighted the limited research into treatment for eating disorders and concluded the need of new approaches for this group of people. The use of new technologies may have promise for helping people with eating disorders. Many people with eating disorder report experiencing distressing thoughts or a distressing voice which is often call an ‘eating disorder voice’. You may have your own name for these experiences. AVATAR therapy is one talking treatment which was developed to help people who hear distressing voices.
Background of the Study. English is one of the international languages used as a means of communication both oral and written to cooperate among people in different countries in the world, so it is very important for us to learn English. Otherwise we will be left behind. English is spread all over the world. When we use English in communication, we have to know the knowledge in this modern world. The development of knowledge is growing very fast, so we need to learn English. Furthermore, in developing countries, the mastery of a foreign language for example English has an important role. In Indonesia, for example, English as the first foreign language has been given special attention and role. It is used as a means of communication or at least in their international contact. It is not only taught at Junior High Schools, Senior High Schools and Universities but now it is also taught at the elementary schools. In addition, it is used to communicate with foreigners’ regardless of nationalities. By mastering English, the students are supposed to be able to gain valuable information and knowledge from the texts and books about science, commerce, economy, technology, etc which are written in English. In order to make English teaching successful, we have to consider some factors such as the quality of teachers, students’ motivation and interest, library, and also books that are used. Considering its important role in the international world such as in the world scientific and technological advancement, our government has included English as one of the compulsory subjects in Senior High School “(SMA)” in its curriculum. The importance of English is also remarked in Competence - Based Curriculum 2013. It is stated that English is understood as a means for communication in speaking as well as in writing. In teaching guidelines in Competence-Based Curriculum 2013 states that means of communication is understanding and expressing information, thoughts, feeling and developing knowledge, technology and culture by using language. Based on the concept and function of English as stated in Competence- Based Curriculum 2013 for SMA/MA that teaching - learning English has the purpose to develop four language skills; listening, speaking, reading, and writing, students are able to communicate cover the four language skills with a view to support the development of the four language skills , English language components: vocabulary, structure and pronunciation (in speech) or spellings(in writing) are als...
Background of the Study. Nowadays, most of the retailers face a big problem of uncertainty in demand of consumer. Reducing lead time, time between order release and order receipt, can be a solution for this problem. However, this is still a challenge topic for many industries such as electronic industry, fashion apparel industry and food industry. Another solution for the industry to deal with this problem is to purchase products in advance based on forecast and keep them in inventory. This is an ordinary inventory system that was used in the past. However, this solution still has low efficiency to absorb consumer demand uncertainty. In principle, there is no way to match demand and supply perfectly. In order to increase the efficiency of supply chain, supply contract is a well-known and widely- used solution. By sharing the risk between the retailer and the supplier, everyone’s profit can be increased. Option contract is a commonly used supply contract nowadays. It gives the retailer the right to buy, called call option, and the right to return, called put option, by paying for option reservation to the supplier. However, option contract is still incapable of dealing with supplier reliability risk, i.e., the risk of incapable to fulfill the order. Hence, the solution to reduce this risk with the use of multiple suppliers can be very useful for industries at present.
Background of the Study. This mixed-methods research study examines the effectiveness of instructional coaching on teacher willingness to implement change in the classroom under the theoretical construct of adult learning theory, or andragogy. The instructional coaching presented in this study was in the form of support for teachers engaged in professional development for supporting English learners with the language demands of Common Core. There is a long history of information on the topic of professional development for educators. Because teachers make a significant impact on student academic achievement, the literature supports the notion that professional development is a critical component of successful school systems in ensuring success of all learners (Xxxxxxx-Xxxxxxx, 1997, 2010; Xxxxxx, 2009; Fullan, 2010; Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx, 2009; Xxxxxx, 2000; Xxxxxxx xx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxx, X'Xxxxx, Dash, & Xxxxxxx, 2012). Therefore, a quality teacher in every classroom is crucial to successful schools. In securing a high-quality teaching force, there is a consensus throughout the research that educators of all experience levels require ongoing, top level professional development to adequately and continuously support students in successfully meeting challenging academic standards (Xxxxx & Xxxxxxx, 2009). This is especially critical in times of educational reform, such as the recent adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). A strong case has been made that professional development is vital for schools to meet the goal of having a high-quality educator in every classroom. Without it, a high-quality education force is unachievable. Not all professional development opportunities are equally effective. Traditionally, teacher professional development has been dominated by isolated training sessions. Only offering or requiring an hour or day-long professional development session to teachers is insufficient (Knight, 2009). There is much more involved in quality professional development than having teachers attend training (Croft, Coggshall, Dolan, & Powers, 2010; Knight, 2009; Knight & Xxxxxxx, 2009).
