Using ICT-enabled feedback to improve student learning in secondary Literature review

Using ICT-enabled feedback to improve student learning in secondary schools in New Zealand - Literature review Example What is Feedback? Feedback is often described as a systematic dialogue between teachers and students. A proper feedback can help both to assess their strategies.To be more precise,for students it is a method to ascertain the effectiveness of their learning strategies. On the other hand, for teachers, it is a method to assess the problems faced by students. As a result, the teachers are able to adapt more student friendly teaching methods A carefully designed classroom lesson attracts more attention from students (Black and William, 1998, pp. 139-148). In many literatures the description coined by Ramprasad (1983, p. 4) â€Å"Feedback is information about the gap between the actual level and the reference level of a system parameter which is used to alter the gap in some way† is used to define feedback. However, many scholars are of the opinion that such definitions of feedback, makes it a complete responsibility of the teachers. On the other hand, an effective feedback require s both the teachers as well as the students to give their serious effort. (Black and William, 1998, pp. 139-148) In 2006 Boston Consultancy Group (BCG), conducted a survey in the primary school of Bellfield in Victoria, Australia. The survey clearly indicated that Feedback in school level balances positive aspects of teaching with room for future improvement. The survey also showed that feedback encourages teachers to build up their confidence. The survey further showed that constructive and properly tailored feedback help teachers to formulate new methodologies to improve learning in their class... The teachers must gain the student’s confidence. A feedback, which is very critical by nature, can make students feel incompetent. In feedback, teachers need to highlight the achievements of the students in a realistic yet positive manner. By providing students non-judgmental feedback, the teachers can become their mentor. The greatest fear that students have is the fear of being wrong, and it is the responsibility of teachers to encourage them to come out of their inhibition. (Gager and Berliner, 1991 p. 143, 349) Feedback can be categorized into two category, namely â€Å"Formative† and â€Å"Summative† assessment. Formative assessment involves regular feedback throughout the academic year. On the other hand, summative feedback is the assessment done at the end of the academic term. Formative assessment In case of formative assessment, the approach is a combination of formal and informal processes applied by students and teachers for improving the learning expe rience. Formative assessment done by teachers mainly focus on the following points (Heritage and Stigler, 2010, p. 56) The direction in which the student is heading, i.e. the strategy the student is following. The current state of the student The direction the student must take next to make further improvements The priority in formative assessment is to set the learning goals along with the success criteria for each lesson. The feedback help teachers to shape up their curriculum in such a way that the students are able to close the gap between his or her current learning ability and the goal they have set for themselves. The teachers must be aware of certain factors, when they formulate their formative assessment strategies. There are certain factors, which must be

Polysar Limited Essay Example for Free

Polysar Limited Essay Executive Summary This report seeks to explain the key differences between the NASA (North American South American) and EROW (Europe and rest of world) sales performance over the past nine months. There are several reasons causing the sales performance figures currently stemming from NASA to be incomparable with the EROW numbers, including the current practice of transferring large quantities of regular butyl rubber from the Sarnia to the Antwerp production facilities. As Polysar operates globally, it is also important to consider certain international aspects and specific risks. These include, foreign currency exchange fluctuations, potentially creating gains or losses, as well as international taxes and tariffs. The decisions made regarding allocation of profits between the two geographic centers will directly impact the taxes paid in either location. ADD ON WITH SPECIFICS Introduction A high-level overview of Polysar Limited provides an all-encompassing image of the nature of this case, necessary to later effectively focus in on specific financial details and problems. Polysar is Canada’s largest chemical company, with the North American production facility located in Sarnia Ontario. The company splits into 3 main groups including petrochemicals, diversified products, and rubber, of which the latter is the largest representing 46% of sales. This rubber division is the core of the report, as its success is vital to Polysar. The rubber division is split into two geographic centers, in Sarnia Ontario and Antwerp Belgium respectively. (See Appendix 1 for graphical representation). Both geographic centers produce both regular butyl and halobutyl rubbers. In 1985, Sarnia opened a second production facility that has not yet reached capacity. By comparison, Antwerp has only one facility operating at full capacity and still unable to meet demand for regular butyl rubber. To cope with this, the Sarnia transfers large quantities of its production to Antwerp at cost. The inability of the Sarnia facility to earn a profit from these transferred units represents one of the main causes of concern regarding sales performance figures. In order to correctly and efficiently asses the current situation, we will be reviewing a number of criteria, and from there introduce and analyze several alternatives presented by these assessments. Further Recommendations Transfer Pricing As you are aware, the NASA segment is currently charging EROW for the butyl rubber being transferred in order to meet the European demand. This charge is currently calculated on the basis of NASA’s cost. This is only one of three possible approaches that are used to set to transfer prices internally within Polysar Limited. The three options that may be considered are: 1. Set transfer prices at cost 2. Set transfer prices at a negotiated mutually agreed upon level 3. Set transfer prices at the market value  Currently, as the first option is implemented, this is causing the two major problems. The first is in regards to the product mix produced within the Sarnia production facilities. As no profit is recorded for the units that are transferred, the product mix may be decided on a sub-optimal basis. Our team recommends further investigation to determine the necessary information as to if the costs to produce the halobutyl and butyl rubbers within both NASA and EROW. This could lead to decisions of specialization in the Sarnia plants or Antwerp plant for one type of rubber produced if cost savings for that product line is higher than transportation costs of shipping to the other facility. Additionally, another problem being experienced through the current transfer pricing approach is that the NASA does not show any profit on the Polysar internal transfer of rubber. Consequently, the EROW segment may record this profit without the same having the additional fixed costs pertaining to the costly initial investment of the second Sarnia plant amounting $550 million and the associated depreciation. This leads to an unfair representation of profitability for the two cost centers. In terms of which to use for Polysar Limited’s Rubber Segment, setting prices at cost hereby benefits the EROW center, whereas using market price would benefit the NASA segment. This is because then NASA is recording revenue for the units transferred, whereas EROW will not, (provided that the prices in both markets are similar – international arbitrage). With Polysar’s company wide profitability in mind, as well as spirit of fairness in representation for both segments using a de-centralized approach, our recommendation is the use of negotiated transfer pricing. This occurs when the NASA and EROW segments collaborate to agree on a selling/purchasing price for the internationally transferred butyl supply. Implementing this will cause both segments to have better information of the costs and benefits associated with the transfer. To narrow down on what this transfer price should specifically be, a range of acceptable transfer prices will provide an estimate.  As this is an international transfer, there are even more considerations that become relevant. For example, the corporate tax rate applied in North American versus Europe should be considered. Furthermore, management should look specifically into duties, tariffs, foreign exchange rates and risks, as well as governmental relationships. By this token, charging Antwerp a lower transfer price will result in fewer Custom Duty payments as the rubber crosses borders. Flexible Versus Static Budgetary Systems Currently Polysar employs a static budget system for their budgeted level of rubber sales. However, if more butyl or halobutyl rubber is produced and then sold these will cause a variance as composed to budgeted figures. For  example, variable costs will go up, however this may simply be in direct correlation to the increased rubber produced. It is important to be able to analyze if variances are based on volume or cost differences. By tracing the cost variances more closely after implementing this flexible budget system, a better evaluation of management’s performance may be achieved. This can be directly used when considering compensation for managers. INSERT NUMBERS. Employee Compensation Plan Polysar uses the participative budgetary system, which is directly linked to employee compensation. Although this bottom-up approach to budgeting allows for accurate estimates due to managers with specific rubber cost knowledge being involved, it can cause a conflict of interest that may be costly. It is essential, and highly recommended that the NASA rubber division establish a budgetary committee to review the estimates made to ensure the lower level management has not added in budgetary slack intentionally in an effort to achieve their compensation figures based on meeting these targets. However, even the top management currently possesses a huge conflict of interest influencing them in the direction of allowing for budgetary slack as their compensation is up to 50% for both meeting divisional profits, as well as exceeding corporate profit targets. These targets can clearly be met, if costs have been artificially manipulated to be higher than expected. As it is improbable to find members of the budgetary committee who will be completed impartial and not subject to a bonus on the premise of meeting profit targets, responsible accounting should be implemented. This system holds each manager responsible for the estimate of the individual cost and revenue basis for which he or she was in charge of deciding. This means, he or she is essentially responsible to explain the differences between the actual and budgeted results. In order to negate the previously mentioned conflict of interest, it is recommended to include the amount of variance in a manager’s estimate in the calculate of compensation, hereby eliminated large bonuses if the original estimate was not within a certain range of the actual value (extra-ordinary occurrences excluded). Hedging of Risk The nature of the Polysar’s business contains a certain degree of  specialized risk. First and foremost, operating internationally in various currency zones contributes to foreign exchange risk. This can be hedged through capital markets, resulting in lowering risk for the corporation. Also, as there is a great degree of risk for the variable costs of production in relation to the oil, it is imperative to hedge this risk as well. It is very possible to hedge market commodity price risks through capital markets or advance purchase of these oil inputs. This can provide more stability for Polysar Limited as a whole, particularly the key rubber division. Capacity Analysis Appendices Appendix 1 Polysar Rubber

Characters of Catherine and Heathcliff in Emily Brontes Wuthering Hei

The Characters of Catherine and Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights      Ã‚  Ã‚   Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights can be considered a Gothic romance or an essay on the human relationship. The reader may regard the novel as a serious study of human problems such as love and hate, or revenge and jealousy. One may even consider the novel Bronte's personal interpretation of the universe. However, when all is said and done, Heathcliff and Catherine are the story. Their powerful presence permeates throughout the novel, as well as their complex personalities. Their climatic feelings towards each other and often selfish behavior often exaggerates or possibly encapsulates certain universal psychological truths humans are too afraid to express. Heathcliff and Catherine's stark backgrounds evolve respectively into dark personalities and mistaken life paths, but in the end their actions determine the course of their own relationships and lives. Their misfortunes, recklessness, willpower, and destructive passion are unable to penetrate the eternal love they share .    Heathcliff's many-faceted existence is marked by wickedness, love, and strength. His dark actions are produced by the distortion of his natural personality. Although Heathcliff was once subjected to vicious racism due to his dark skin color and experienced wearisome orphan years in Liverpool, this distortion had already begun when Mr. Earnshaw brought him into Wuthering Heights, a "dirty, ragged, black-haired child"(45; ch.7). Already he was inured to hardship and uncomplainingly accepted suffering. Heathcliff displays his strength and steadfastness when he had the measles, and when Hindley treated him cruelly if he got what he wanted. From the very beginning he showed great co... ...of the novel? Or is revenge the central and recurring idea? Is Bronte proposing that as humans we have the right to meddle with the cosmic, dark and questioning universe just as Catherine and Heathcliff manipulated with their own lovers and family? Perhaps it is simply a book about characters, each to his own, meandering through puddles, with cloudy morals and mistaken ideals. With a darkness within and beauty without, stumbling back and forth a two-mile stretch of land searching for something they've had all along. Maybe it's a book about reality.    Works Cited Damrosch, David, et al., ed.   The Longman Anthology of British Literature: Vol. B.   Compact ed.   New York: Longman - Addison Wesley Longman, 2000. Bronte, Emily.   Wuthering Heights. Norton Critical ed.   3rd ed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ed. William M. Sale, Jr., and Richard J. Dunn.   New York:   W. W. Norton, 1990.

Doctor

In order to keep the sand dunes at Scrofula/Wanda economically sustainable there are several strategies that had to be done so they wouldn't be destroyed in the near future. Since there were an increasing number of people going to Scrofula to use the sand dunes, the council, state and commonwealth had the act quick to save the sand dunes. The strategies that were used for sand dune management in the Scrofula area include dune reverberation, polymers covering, walkways, and fencing.Dune Reverberation has been used in the Scrofula/Wanda area for the management of sand dunes because it removes weeds and harmful materials which may affect the condition of the sand dunes. By controlling noxious and environmental weeds, irrigating the planting areas, planting recommended dune species and installing wind protection fences, removing bitumen and other debris from the dunes and access roads, replacing the fences, the dunes can be reverberated so that they may main in a stable condition for fut ure generations.The second strategy is to install a network of paths and barriers to prevent people from shifting the sand dunes. Surfers often check the conditions of the beach by looking over them at the dunes. They run up to the top of them so they can get a view of where there are good waves or not. In summer, an astonishing number of surfers will flock to the beach. The result of those people all running up the dune would cause displacement of the sand and weakening of the dunes.To solve the need for people to travel around the beach, the council has installed walkways to provide a path around the area which doesn't involve people walking or treading on the sand dunes. The dunes have been fenced off in case any people wonder off and don't walk on the pathways. On top of that, board and chain stairs have been put put in to protect the sloped areas of the beach which may be vulnerable to deformation. Finally, polymers has been laid over areas of bare sand to stop sand blowingâ₠¬ ¦

Alternative Means of Transportation

Guilherme Cesa Academic Writing Sara Rayfield 04/18/2012 Instead of Horns, Voice Today, most of the big cities centralize interests in improving and encouraging the private means of transportation instead of public. Driving a car can be very comfortable and pleasant, but it causes serious problems. Because of this, we all must change our mind about the ways we move daily and find different ways for locomotion. Mobility is a very exciting thing; the feeling of freedom that it gives can be very rewarding.An example of that is the way society found to punish people: we put them in a prison and do not allow them to move for days, months or years. It is evident and natural that everybody needs to move around daily, whether it is to go to work or go to the supermarket. The most popular way of personal transportation in modern society is the car. A car represents much more than just a way of transportation. The idea of having a car these days transcends the basic idea of mobility; an automo bile represents status and wealth while using alternative ways for transport such as bus, train, or bicycle are depreciated by society as being worse.Looking at how society chooses to move within its territory can reveal a lot of things about what type of society it is. Giving priority to cars means not prioritizing the greater good; it is a selfish way of thinking. More cars being driven means more roads and parking lots, fewer public spaces and green areas, more traffic jams, and pollution. On the places that were supposed to have sidewalks, we now see a wide avenue, the park turned into a parking lot. Gradually, the cities are becoming a place adjusted for the cars instead of the dwellers.As many of the problems that vehicles may cause, the most discussed nowadays is the global warming. The air pollution made by cars and fossil fuel dependents increase the moisture level of the air, which causes the greenhouse effects. The pollution forms a layer around the atmosphere that makes the heat be reradiated from the surface to the atmosphere, causing the global warming. However, hope still exists for Planet Earth by the limitation of usage and dependency on fossil fuels.Besides the main problem that cars cause for the environment, cars nowadays are much cleaner than before, the problem is that we have a lot more cars being driven on the streets and polluting the earth. In addition, cars demand a large amount of raw material to be made and they produce a lot of waste. While driving the automobile, it is not only polluting gas that is being produced, it also affects the ground and water when the tires wear out and fluids, such as battery oil and gasoline, spill from the car.Alternative forms of transportation such as walking and bicycling for short distances, and train, subway, trolley, light rail, bus, and car pooling for longer distances may be a good solution to solve a lot of problems. It will not only help in the amount of pollution in the atmosphere but also would bring benefits in other aspects of our lives; we would save money, it would reduce other types of pollution such as water, land and noise, it would give us a better quality of life, we would spend less time in stressful traffic and the cities would become a more pleasant place to live in.Of course it is very difficult to convince people not to use their cars since we have an inexistent public transportation program; no buses, no trains, no bike lanes, and bad sidewalks. Once the authorities start improving the methods of transportation as well as promoting them, people will begin to see the advantages of changing one to another. Studies from the company EMBARQ have shown that cities can reduce up to 30% of the vehicular traffic over the next 3 to 5 years if improving the public transportation.A good example that this improvement can cause big effects in cities is the Los Angeles Metro promotion; their urban transportation system authorities are making an innovating campaign fo r the city. In order to reduce the traffic, clean the air and make their lives less stressful, Los Angeles’ transit authorities start trying to convince people about the benefits of using public transportation. The way they found to do so was improving as much as possible the service quality offered for metro and buses lines, making them cleaner and more comfortable.Then they worked to improve the image of it and get people out of their cars. They made buses appear more attractive with colorful paints and redesigned the metro stations with paint arts and music. At least, they started working on a marketing campaign to convince people to use their services and encouraging Angelinos to leave the car need. Another facet of public mobility that could replace the use of cars is cycling and walking. Better sidewalks and bike lines as well as providing free bikes rentals as many cities in Europe do would attract more people to use these means of transportation.Walking and cycling ca n be a very pleasant way to move from one place to another in short distances and the gains that it causes are numerous. It gives people a slower-pace routine, and using legs to ride a bike or walk is a very good exercise that improves a lot the body and mental health, it is free and can help to save a lot of money in gasoline and transport fares. It is also a pro-environment way of transportation that does not pollute, it helps to make a more attractive and green city where people can interact with others and with the city environment around them.As a conclusion, changing one way of transportation to another is an action that takes long to happen and it takes a lot of effort both from authorities and citizens. However, if it be done, it will bring positive results for the whole society. The cities would become a better place to live, with streets populated by people and not by cars. Work Cited Network, EMBARQ. â€Å"LA Metro: Promoting Mass Transport† Vimeo. 04 January 2010. Web. 19 April 2012. Pawley, Martin. â€Å"The War Against Car† Open Democracy. Globalization Transport. 8 May 2012. Web. 19 April 2012.

3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low

3 key employee retention strategies to keep turnover low As an HR professional, you are keenly aware of the importance of employee retention- both for achieving target department milestones, as well as for the long-term success of your company. Beyond the sunk costs and organizational chaos that take place when there’s a constantly revolving door of employees entering and exiting a business, companies often cite employee retention as a key metric for effective daily operation and overall success.In fact, it goes further than that: companies that build reputations for consistently impressive employee retention rates bolster their brand identities- and you better believe that word travels fast, so you can count on active and passive future candidates discovering that people enjoy working at your organization for the long haul.Your company’s bottom line- and opportunities for achieving industry growth, attracting talent-rich candidates, and realizing long-term success- is dependent on effective employee retention, so you better have a strategy. If your HR team needs to take its retention plan to the next level, consider utilizing the following strategies for keeping turnover low in your organization.Know your industryThe truth is, not all industries are created equal- and neither is how employees are typically treated. What employees expect in one field may be completely different than another, and you better believe that all of the employees in your organization- including everyone from new hires to seasoned veterans- will have some level of expectation regarding how they should be treated by their employer and will respond accordingly based on their perception (regardless of whether or not it’s completely aligned with reality).This mindset isn’t relegated to just your most talented star employees or any specific department- it’s at the core of human psychology. How you’re treated or, more accurately, how you perceive that you’re treated, impacts your resultant behavior. This holds true at home, in the world, and on the job.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});So, make sure you’re keenly aware of what the standards are for your industry, and make sure your company is on target in all key areas- including salaries, benefits packages, and additional perks. Even things like your office layout and organization are going to impact employee perception. So, if you want to keep turnover low and employee satisfaction high, make sure you’re meeting their expectations regularly, which includes both current and future industry standards (so be sure to stay on top of industry shifts and trends).Lead the wayNow that you know how important it is to meet industry expectations for employees in your company, create a plan to exceed them. That’s right- in today’s ultra-competitive job market, where hungry and lean new startups are emerging every day and are eager to source new talent for their teams- todayâ⠂¬â„¢s talented job candidates have options, and the laws of attraction apply in the professional world as much as anywhere else. Progressive companies know that investing time, energy, and resources towards developing truly innovative, first-in-class employee incentives will not only attract new talent, it will help keep your existing teams from thinking about whether or not the grass is greener somewhere else. Doing so will also have the added benefit of helping to bolster your company’s brand identity- and trust us, word will spread. Pique candidate interest, and then keep hold of their attention and loyalty as employees, by offering them industry-leading incentives to keep them satisfied and doing their best work over the long haul. Don’t just keep up with other companies- innovate.Listen to your employeesThis one might seem obvious, but you may be surprised to learn that the communications pipeline between employees and leadership in many organizations tends to wo rk slowly- and oftentimes seems as if it barely works at all. Big mistake- and one that your company should actively seek to avoid. Make sure the employees on your team have the tools to voice their opinions regarding the direction of the company and their place in it- think everything from offsite gatherings to regular feedback meetings and annual employee satisfaction appraisals- and make sure that it’s not just smoke but is treated like the valuable data that it is.If employees are telling you that something is working, then keep doing it; if something is broken, then fix it. Don’t forget, active and attentive listening is a key component of any healthy relationship, including the one between employer and employee, and great companies treat their employees as more than cogs in their machines.If you’re looking to reduce employee turnover in your company, consider using the strategies presented here to keep your teams happy and eager to come to work- and do the ir absolute best- every single day of the week. If you put in the work up-front, you’ll create a warm, thriving atmosphere that’s sure to retain talented workers who will bring the results your company wants.

Desert Storm Intelligence Operation

Desert Storm Intelligence Operation Introduction The Operation Desert Storm occurred in Saudi Arabia between January 1991 and April 1991. This operation has been cited as the reason why the United States defeated the Iraqis in the conflict that was between these warring states. The headquarter offices of the operations were based on the United States’ soil.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Desert Storm Intelligence Operation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The operations in US used electronic data that was collected from the battlefield in the form of photographs together with intercepted communication from the Iraqi revolutionaries and their allies. The data was used to predict the enemies’ moves to intercept their operations before any real damage could occur to the United States’ army and citizens back home in the form of planned terrorist attacks. The actions of this off-base headquarters force were felt by the commanders and s oldiers that were on the ground. Their appreciation as well as optimistic perception of this newly proposed and previously untried strategy ushered the use of revolutionized technology in communications, command, and control, not to mention intelligence operations. This paper discusses in comprehensive details the exact application of various technologies in the respective areas of communication, intelligence operations, command, and control. The paper merges this relationship with the overall effect of the respective operations on the Operation Desert Storm. It will then speculate on the effect of the use of otherwise unfriendly technology in terms of the results of the war as well as the strategies that were applied. Besides, it will indicate the downsides of the new technology that was applied in the Desert Storm Operations in the effort to suggest possible solutions to these side effects. Brief Overview of the Operation Desert Storm Soldiers,†¦this morning at 0300, we launc hed Operation DESERT STORM, an offensive campaign that will enforce the United Nations’ resolutions that Iraq must cease its rape and pillage of its weaker neighbor and withdraw its forces from Kuwait†¦Our cause is just! Now you must be the thunder and lightning of Desert Storm (US Navy 1). These moving words form part of the speech that ushered in what has come to be known by the public as the Operation Desert Storm. They were pronounced by General H. Schwarzkopf who was the USA Commander-in-Chief of the US Central Command on 16 January 1991 (US Navy 1).Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More than half a million of the United States’ nationals, both men and women, were deployed to assist the weaker nation of Kuwait from Iraq’s pillaging. This action was an unprecedented response in terms of magnitude and patriotism especially following the newly ended Tehran skirmishes that had seen to the death of a large number of American soldiers in a botched attempt by the US’ army to free its hostages held in Tehran by Iraqi students and revolutionists. It seemed like a critical point for the United States to reclaim its lost pride to prove to the world that it could indeed interfere with other ‘undemocratic’ nations’ affairs to restore peace and order with the least number of casualties on its side. It is indeed true that there are usually more than just socio-political motivations in every war. This claim turns out to be true for the Desert Storm situation. However, this paper does not address the matter of the causes of war. However, this information may be important in determining the reason why particular strategies were preferred to the more traditional ways of war. However, with such a large army deployed by the United States and an aggregate of an even larger army since other nations such as Britain and Fr ance were also part of the Desert Storm operations, which had been in response to compliance with the United Nations’ resolution over Iraq’s fate in Kuwait, it was crucial that those involved apply a working and comprehensive system to manage the activities and deployment of various units in the fray. Technology Emerging technologies within the final stages of the 20th century, which is in other words the early 1990s, were a poignant driving force behind the Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Of particular interest to this study and context are the command, control, communications, and intelligence (C3I) systems. All forms of this new technology were being used at all levels and hierarchies of the various army battalions. Through these new inventions, the armed soldiers were much attentive of all friendly cooperation cases of the enemy troops, particularly the Iraqi soldiers and their allies while giving their response in the actual time. They could then plan e ffectively and be ahead of their rival forces.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Desert Storm Intelligence Operation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Based on this emerging transformation in computer expertise, strategies, and measures, the United States’ core authority integrated its operations by using the available applications to carry out C3I tasks. These functions included new and more secure telephone unit to pass voice, data, and pictures, and to pass information over a channel or network. They also included in their applications the diverse military and commercial space-based satellite resources, which made the communication infrastructure flat, with the possibility of using the voice over network. These systems together the applications involved replaced the slow and boring systems that were used by then, thus making communication within the military base and with other stations around the world simpl er and very fast. They also included them in their systems. Their operations were modernized by the use of laser and fiber optic signaling systems and a large number of real-time intelligence systems. These systems could think fast and help in making decisions. They could make calculations and/or control bases, with others even sending warnings if they detected them. They were capable of providing correlated and automated information in the image and database form to all military stratifications (House 17). Through the use of these systems, the United State Central base maintained its closed systems as it was known. Therefore, the rival Iraq could not tap in the information. Such rivals received spontaneous attacks, which were a big advantage to the US militaries who were assured of data security and integrity as they could make secret passes into the Iraq bases by the use of their marine. Moreover, they could communicate with the units using fiber optic channels and/or use the sate llite to control the space (Larsen 6).In general, use of emerging technologies by that era gave the US Control Base a greater advantage over the Iraq forces.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As it soon became apparent to the United States Government acting in conjunction with all the other participants that it would require a revolutionized system to deal with its numbers as well as their operations, including communication interception of its enemies’ correspondence. This strategy led to the adoption and engagement of the C3I system (Boatman 645). On the 17th January 1991, the Operation Desert Storm kicked off with the deployment of 100 TLAMs, abbreviation for Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles that were deployed from bases that were on the ground such as the Persian Gulf, the red sea, and the city of Baghdad. This launching attack effectively cleared more than half of the defense targets by exposing them to land invasion. Moreover, when cease fire was declared from 17th January to April the same year, the various flights that launched these missiles roamed the air by effectively quelling resistance and putting down the enemies’ opposition to culminate the ove rall use of 288 such missiles. These, as noted above, were deployed from various bases including two nuclear powered submarines and tankers. The United States navy employed a very discreet yet highly effective ambushing agenda where it used the navy jamming aircrafts known as the EA 6Bs to locate and immediately decapitate the enemy’s radars before the mission unit could launch its attack. These aircrafts became so critical both to the United States and to its collaborators whose their availability would be the basis of determining whether a mission was to proceed or not (Abrams 3). As it will become evident with the unfolding of the overall campaign that became the Desert Storm, the naval forces and the Marine Corps played an indispensable role especially in the dispersal of the Iraqis’ defense that was pointed towards the sea and towards the south (Marine Corps Specialty). Most of the Iraqi soldiers that were positioned in the Kuwait city were determined to protect t heir strongholds from both air and water attacks and hence the seaward and southwards oriented defense. However, by the simultaneous and overwhelming missile attacks as well as the ongoing maritime dominance throughout the war, the US and other collaborators were able to largely disperse the enemy as well as any resistance being launched at that level in a very initial yet critical to the strategy stage of the campaign. This approach is one of the reasons for the United States’ supremacy in the end. The integration of distributed automated C3 systems made it possible for them to embrace artificial intelligence and be more tactical in their operations. Replacing the manual military operations with more advanced and automated technologies happened in the microprocessor era (Freedman and Karsh 67). During this time, Desert Shield and Desert Storm were the first to sustain large–scale joint or coalition military operation. They were also the first to apply the inspiring bu t unique application of PC devices to manage and coordinate the military functions. However, the technology was thoroughly used in automated C31. Some examples and their roles in the operations are discussed below. Command and Control (C2) There was a great change in coordination and exploitation of approximately one-half million males and females with arms, control of road and rail network, and logistic back up around the globe in a restricted amount of time in a tremendously proficient way. This situation was made possible by the implementation of the new systems C31). Innovation and the use of distributed automated systems kept all echelons in synchronization while allowing total flexibility to commanders who could command several units in different sides of the world by passing orders. Operation tactics were tailored significantly, imaginatively, and strikingly to attain presentation heights, which were not projected or automated by the system. During these circumstances, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) was empowered as no other body had ever been prior to this operation to deal with the resultant and new matters that arose from the conflict. It was also adequately supplied with resources and infrastructure to satisfy any demands from the ground (Davis 48). Thus, it was adept to fulfill the objective for which it was formed, namely the peculiar mission to oust Iraq out of Kuwait. The C31 system ran a number of correlated directives that involved the extensive collection, analysis, and subsequent dissemination of data on and from both the coalitions and enemy forces (Schwarzkopf and Petre 376). Computerization The history of computers and the revolution of processors were among the important historically convenient factors that favored the success and feasibility of the Operation Desert Storm (Freedman and Karsh 67). Computers differ in mass, form, and purpose, from the chip central processing units-entrenched martial units to private data support, desktop , cabinet size small workstations, and Van full notebook workstations. All these examples were brought to the desert by the US Marine Corp. They performed a wide range of automated tasks and support functions. These computers were connected using Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN), which made it easy to share files and information. They also brought along data integrity, security, and access to information by a special token or password. Information access was also made easier by the use of computers. Besides, real time recovery was made possible in case the information was lost. They also helped with easy navigation and reading of grids. Intelligence and Information Gathering The use of aptitude models to support a martial process was an additional extraordinary use of the contemporary expertise. The integration of assorted complicated â€Å"photo-optical, infrared, and electromagnetic sensors continuously observed Iraqs forces from a variety of platforms, which transmitted their observations in pictures, data, and textual formats to military commanders in the desert and contiguous regions† (Desert Shield Para. 12). The information gathered was distributed extensively by means of an assorted class of telecommunications platform to every martial element, together with those at subordinate power rankings, which were then used to arrange assaults or to modify the tactics. The information gathered included detailed graphical information about the enemys forces. Sustaining security road and rail network was only accessible on a restricted root to countrywide control units and chosen rudiments of local, integrated, and particular authority command center personnel. The war in the air began at the H–hour still on the seventeenth of January when the designated aircrews and pilots from both the Navy and the Marine Corps launched their crafts into the air in what would soon become the US and affiliate parties’ dominated skies of I raqi and Kuwait within 43 days (Boyd 51). The aircrafts took off from various runways, with some on the two large amphibian ships, other multiple smaller amphibious ships, and others temporarily setting up bases ashore. The pilots located targets and annihilated enemy troops with little or no casualties on the offensive side since the EA 6Bs would set out before the main flights to survey the area of intended attack to jam the enemies’ radars in preparation for the imminent attacks. Sea sortie pilots covered the maritime regions as their companions in the corps covered the land areas. It is also noteworthy that the air attack was organized into four phases with the first phase’s objective being the annihilation of Iraq’s strategic capabilities. The intended time frame for this strategy had been set at ten days. However, it was completely discharged in seven days. Phase two was to focus on Kuwait’s Theatre of Operations while phase three was aimed at aidin g the efforts that had so far been concentrated in phases one and two. Moreover, it was also intended to focus on the Kuwait based field army. Finally, phase four was intended to cover the ground operations of the US army as well as the collaborative forces. In other words, the intention of phase four was to offer reinforcement (United States Congress 3). So far, within the 0300 hours according to the Persian Gulf time, the Tomahawk Land Attack missiles were already being hurled. In addition, the various aircrafts from six aircraft carriers were flying in the air, creating quite the display in terms of the launch of offensive combat. Subsequently, since Iraq’s critical radar areas had already been leveled by navy EA 6B prowlers, army aircraft poured in and began to bomb the Iraq strongholds for missile, nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare weapon stations. The Iraqis’ critical radar sites had since been annihilated by the anti radiation missiles, also known as HAR M (Bruger 75). During the war, due to the highly advanced airplanes that were being used by both the United states and the allies of the United Nations, in most instances, when the Iraqi pilots spotted an American FA 18 multipurpose aircraft, they usually reacted by turning and fleeing (Medical Mobilization Planning and Execution 23). They Iraqis either went underground to regroup or they went to Iran, which acted as a haven. The FA 18 is a new warfare machine that is capable of multitasking. Whereas it may be a mission to attack the Iraq airfield when it spots another enemy’s aircraft, it can change the mission to deal with the new threats before proceeding to carry out the originally intended task. Thus, the war with the Iraqis was staged on air by the United States among others of the coalition (Burke 54). The war also took place at the water level, with a large number of battleships taking the front of the severed coasts that had completely handicapped Iraq’s econo mic standing. Its economy was suffering greatly when the battleship USS Wisconsin arrived at the Persian Gulf to support other battleships that had already arrived there five months prior when the Operation Desert Shield had been underway. This operation of January 1991 had given way to the Operation Desert Storm. The battleships were responsible for the launch of Tomahawk land Attack Missiles since these missiles were launched off the ships. Additionally, the ships had up to 16 guns for defense from any form of enemy approach or attack during missile launch. Amphibious ships that could convert from another level into battleships and submarines while retaining the option of being used as aircraft carriers were also applied to this war. The damage that was caused by both the United States and its allies in the process of reclaiming Kuwait from Iraq is unprecedented. Perhaps it gave the entire world an idea of what its foes would be up against in the event of a third world war. The in itial stages of the attack were punctuated by bomb explosions whereas the citizens in Kuwait and Iraq reported not seeing any aircrafts. This observation was because the bombs were being dropped by the TLAM missiles as well as F I 17 stealth bombers that were neither seen nor heard as they approached. This situation was based on their build up technology that allows for great accuracy and precision in terms of aiming from long distances off and aerial bases (Crowder 38). The United States together with its allies that were engaging in this war with Iraq noted that their targets aimed at Iraqi revolutionaries as well as other combatant enemies as opposed to civilians and residents of either Kuwait or Iraq. However, regardless of the targeted forces, it is nearly impossible to launch an attack and have no casualties. Therefore, in reporting, quite a healthy portion of civilians are included in the number of casualties of war. Some limitations came with the operation’s quantity of the descriptions formed by both the countrywide and macrobiotic methods. However, the descriptions were more or less devastating. The broadcasting of the described data to the operation military of each unit needed extremely incorporated telecommunication gadgets relative to the ones that worked well with other modes of information transfer. Nevertheless, upon applying the use of military and commercial communication satellites, they managed to pass the needed information to the designated level much faster (Burke 86). However, as the Desert Shield informs, â€Å"The capabilities initiated in this operation were only a beginning to improvements for subsequent and future national security operations, thus greatly increasing the efficiency of imagery information exchange among all components and echelons† (Para. 13). In the midst of the chances acknowledged by the use of current information expertise were widespread set of connections/varying direction-finding gadgets to rea ct to the predicted pressure to the sustaining communication networks. Analogous coercion to Iraqs information network symbolizes a momentous stride towards information processing models and plans, which kept on advancing all over the decade. Besides, even if there were many different systems used to capture images in different units or the task was executed by an agent within the US government, more effort had to be implemented to make sure that all other stations could receive meaningful information from the image sent and that they could make a meaningful and accurate decision. In addition, some tasks were commandeered by the â€Å"Sponsored Intelligence Communication Architecture (INCA) some months prior to the onset of the operations brought about by the National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) standards† (Boatman 645). These standards ensured that media images could be seen in different devices and that they could be transferred and be available for the different use rs across the word. The standards worked well for them during that era, although they required a more advanced and integrated telecommunication system and infrastructures, which limited their productivity by that day’s standards and needs. The transmission of images and media-related files made the operation successful. The most and remarkable technology to recognize during this era was the strategic utilization of countrywide potential, otherwise referred to as the TENCAP agenda (Gordon and Trainor 4). The technology came up with highly integrated systems that were capable of sharing media file systems especially multiple images across various stations in the battlefield. Surveillance and Investigation Part of the military machine that denotes the Operation Desert Storm was the protection support plan and dual observation and follow-up radar strategies. These technologies formed a critical element of the Operation Desert Storm since they came in handy when it was necessary t o maintain supervision over the enemies. Therefore, they made up for the gap of monitoring. Through this technology, they could locate the enemies approaching their military bases and take the necessary actions (Glenn 45). Communication Systems The use of telecommunication in military bases and/or in their operations was boosted by the use of satellite and voice over network. Information could be sent via data packets. The needed training and command could be given from any source (Glenn 45). They used the public telephone services to do their communications. Therefore, the data and information passed could not be hacked or tapped by public. Large and enormous facilities were deployed to develop the martial and business management and communication devices, which were given a back up by the administration of the United States. They also incorporated the transmission of the multimedia files exchange. As a result, the US army and the alliance soldiers could give immediate and updated information during their operations. The speed of delivery was improved, with the loading of images and the system requirements for portable devices being enhanced, thus increasing the availability of information and quick decision-making procedures. Packet Switched Networking Finally, packet switching made up for a most critical technological advancement during this era of the operation. They installed defense networks in the battlefield, which made it easy for data or information to be sent as packets. The existence of the microprocessor and the flat network infrastructure enhance this progress, thus allowing data to be sent faster and with a less cost. The more advanced multimedia files such as video clips could be sent using this medium. The technology supported teleconference. The deployment of this technology resulted in the development of standards of communications across the network. It has grown to today. In fact, it is the most used across the world. Consequently, it beco mes apparent that although the technological revolution in this day and age facilitated the victory of the United States over the Iraq enemies inclusive of its allies, the technological shortcomings of the day also largely underestimated the successes of the technological genius. Perhaps it is possible upon looking back through the annals of history to suggest modern solutions that were both undiscovered and unrevealed at the time by the respective army commanders. Therefore, a postulation of probable solutions ought to be approached from the perspective of a 1990 commander dealing with intelligence in a 1990 capacitated computer machine. This finding further complicates the recommendation making process. It can perhaps form a possible field of study for future analysts. LAN-WAN Internetworking The integration of the Local Area Network and the WAN was used in this operation. It merged the databases in the US Central Unit and the battlefields. The information access and the responses to the pressing and urgent matters were made easier (Burke 44). Information about the enemies and the type of weapons they used could be captured and stored on the central database and then be accessed by the commanding officers in the different units across the world. This technology made reporting easier, convenient, and orderly kept besides improving efficiency in information delivery. Conclusion The US and other collaborators in the enforcement of the UN resolution requiring Iraq to vacate Kuwait carried out an unprecedented application of strategy and warfare systems that could not have otherwise prevailed were it not for the heavy computerization of the systems. The technology that was applied in this minor clash did not have limitations on its scope that one would expect in a situation that was not outright war, but more of a minor fray. The effects of the use of this high level of technology were the capturing of the world nations’ awe in this situation, as they all experienced the advanced warfare machines deployed by the US, Britain, France, and other nations. However, it was also apparent that these war systems may have operated better if there were better communication channels between the ground and the off-base headquarters at the United States CENTCOM. Communication is a critical requirement for one to win any war. Moreover, confidentiality of the same cannot be overemphasized especially considering that interceptability of the Iraq communication channels probably led to their defeat, which was further compounded when their critical and other radar sites were bombed down before the launch of a major attack on their strongholds. Keeping them in the dark disoriented the sync that is critical to the process of devising a winning strategy by any team in any war. The same situation could be replicated for any formidable opponent. Regardless of the capacity of their armory, upon the disorientation of communication, it becomes impossible to coo rdinate efforts necessary to win the battle. Abrams, Creighton. Field Artillery Desert Facts. Field Artillery Journal 10.2(1991): 2-3. Print. Boatman, John. UK Revises Artillery Tactics. International Defense Review 25.7(1992): 645-646. Print. Boyd, Morris. 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