Apple company overview - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2074 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Case study Did you like this example? Slide 1: Company Overview Apple is one of the leading technological companies and it operates its business all over the world. Apple started their journey on April 1, 1976 with the motto à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Think Differentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . It was incorporated on January 03, 1977. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Apple company overview" essay for you Create order This American multinational company has its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Its Vision is- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“To make a contribution to the world by making tools for the man that advances humankindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Its Mission is- à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Apple is committed to bring the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and internet offerings.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  Slide 2: Difference between personnel management and human resource management in Apple Inc. Though human resource management and personnel management is used interchangeably but there are some basic differences between these two concept. These differences are as follow- Main differentiating point between personnel management and human resource management is that the personnel planning is the traditional form of managing people within the organization where human resource management is the modern approach regarding managing people in an organization. Personnel management is a process of keeping administrative records which will be used to evaluate the terms and conditions of the employment. On the other hand, human resource management combines the functions of traditional personnel management to corporate goals and strategies and put emphasis on people centered organizational development activities. Norms, customs and established practices are in the focal point of personnel management. But human resource management talks about values and mission. Personnel manager give importance to establishing rules, policies, procedures and contracts, and attempt to monitor and enforce such regulations, with careful representation of written contract. On the other hand human resource managers do not worry about rules and regulations. They relax the traditional norms basing on the demand of the business. Slide 3: Continued Under personnel management, managers depend on compensation, bonuses, rewards, and work simplification to motivate the employees. But in this case, human resource managers depend on work challenges, team work, and creativity to increase motivation. Here in Apple Inc., managers use Human Resource Management approach rather than Personnel Management. In Apple Inc., values arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t formalized, lines of communication arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t hierarchical, and team works get priority. Slide 4: Objectives of Apple Inc.? Apple has some predetermined objectives to be fulfilled. But according the Jonathan Ive, senior vice president of industrial design at Apple, Money isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t the main objective of Apple. Ive said that it would sound a little flippant, but its the truth. He said that their goal and what makes them excited is to make great products. If they were successful, people would like them and if they were operationally competent, they would make money automatically. From the analysis the following objectives are identified as the core objectives of Apple- To expend Apple products to those customers who have not yet own one of them. To ensure service and enjoyment for customers proving hassle free products. Becoming leader in mobile market. Slide 5: How HRM Strategies corresponding to organizational objectives? To achieve these objectives, Apple put emphasis on the following strategies- Expanding distribution channel. Increasing investment in Research and Development activities. The Human Resources practices in Apple Inc. are capable of supporting these strategies. For expanding distribution channel effective and efficient marketing employees are very much crucial and Apple has one the most efficient work force all over the world because the employees are fully motivated and satisfied here. As they get enough holidays and vacation, they are always charged up to exert extra effort. Their training program can bring a significant change in the technical ability of the employees which will accelerate the Research and Development activities. Slide 6: Personnel Management and Leadership skill to achieve strategic goal of Apple Inc. As Apple does not have any structured rules and regulation, values arenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t structured and communication line is not hierarchical, effective personnel management and leadership skill more especially leadership skill will be a key to achieve strategic goals of Apple. The following leadership skills help a manager M anage Effectively, Gain Respect of the Employees, Quick Decision Making and Motivating Employees- Vision- A manager needs to have the ability to focus on the big picture. Employees respect an ambitious manager. Confidence- A manager needs to be confident. He should know himself. He should be decisive and should have the ability to keep clam in stress. He should also have the ability to accept criticism. People Skill- A manager needs to be flexible. He should listen carefully what others saying. And he should be supportive to his subordinates. Motivation Skill- An efficient manager needs to have the ability to encourage the people. He should back his subordinates from the backline. By celebrating the success he should encourage his staffs to reinforce the performance. Responsibility- As Sir Winston Churchill said, the price of greatness is responsibility. A manager should have the ability to accept blame, solve problem and lead by example. Integrity- To prove the integrity to the employees, a manager needs to do the right thing, be honest and avoid gossip. Having all of these leadership skills and being able to use the tools of personnel management effectively, a high level of employee satisfaction and an increase in the level of motivation can be ensured in Apple Inc. which will lead to a overall positive change in Apple Inc. Slide 7: Skill Development Plan To develop a skill development plan to deliver improvement seven precious steps should be followed- Outlining the Goals- Being the CEO of Apple Inc. within 2018 should be the primary goal. Assessing Current Situation- Currently taking care of Human Resource Department as the Manager of HR. Acknowledging Strengths and Skills- Ambitious, Ability to focus on big picture, motivate subordinates, Ability to take responsibility and having high level of integrity. Identifying Weakness- Lack of flexibility, lack of ability to keep clam under stress and lack of ability to accept criticism. Creating a Action Plan- increasing flexibility, practicing to keep clam under stress and learn to accept criticism, reading biography of Steve Jobs. Assigning a Time Line- being able to flexible within 6 months, being able to keep clam and accept criticism within 14 months. Check In Progresses- consulting with psychologist, current CEO and others to check the progresses. Slide 8: Organizational Structure of Apple Inc. Slide 9: Impact of operational and culture in Apple Inc. to HRM As apple does not have a hierarchical communication line and it emphasis on team structure, the human resource management is a tough task in Apple Inc. The lack of formal human resource and organizational policies and casual work environment has made the job further complicated. As a human resource manager in Apple Inc. it is really a challenging job to manage the human resources all around the world without any formal Human Resource Management policies. Slide 10: Elements of HRM meeting organizational objectives Recruitment- Currently 14,000 employees are working in head office of Apple Inc. Each and every day Apple needs new and newer employees for its newly opened posts and vacant posts. Filling up these posts with best people is essential for them to keep operational excellences by hiring best person. And recruitment procedures of Apple are very much efficient to meet this need of the organization. Their internship program helps them a lot to serve this need. Development- Development is the process of increasing employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s (existing and newly hired) performance ability through grooming, advising and training. Apple has a highly developed and equipped with modern facilities training facilities. Retention- As the employees of Apple Inc. work in a team, it is easy to identify and retain the positive performance of team. Negative attitude of team members should be punished and positive one should be encouraged to reinforce in future performance. Appleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s Team leaders monitor and evaluate the performance of each team member and take necessary measures. Slide 11: Elements of HRM meeting organizational objectives (Contà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d) Reward- It is a common phenomenon in Apple Inc. that any significant success is rewarded. It helps Human Resource Manager to ensure employee satisfaction and to motivate them. Performance Management- performance management is the process of between supervisors and employees thorough which strategic objectives of the organization are communicated with the employees and their specific responsibilities are set and evaluated in this process. But in Apple Inc. there are no supervisors as apple does not have any hierarchical structure. In this case, team leaders take this role of supervisors which is comparatively inefficient than hierarchical structure. Communication- communication is important for employee performance as well as for the organizational performance. Without effective communication channel, organizational goals and objectives could not be communicated with the sub ordinates. Similarly, employeeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance evaluation and feedback is not possible without proper communication channel. Apple Inc. has a very effective and efficient communication channel as it has no hierarchical structure. Team leaders communicates with the team members in a friendly manner which is far effective than traditional structure. Slide 12: Capacity Management Approaches in Apple Inc. Capacity management is the procedures of managing information technology. Its main objective is to ensure that the information technology capacity meets the current and future needs of the organization in a cost effect manner. Apple Inc. uses proactive capacity management approach. Main components of proactive capacity management approach is as follow- Monitoring- Monitoring helps managers to observe how a particular Information Technology Component or an application performs at that time. It provides significant data to the manager for analyzing and decision making. Apple Inc. contentiously monitors the potential market or industry which helps them to gather information about the need of the customers and design a new product to fill that need. Collecting Analyzing Data- From monitoring stage managers get ample amount of data about a certain information technology component or an applicationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performance. In this stage managers need to collect these data and analyze them carefully. This helps increase efficiency and generate forecast from trend analysis. Apple Inc. analyzes and forecasts market demand based on the information collected from monitoring stage. They usually use two basic approaches to forecast i.e. top-down forecast, bottom-up forecast. They usually forecast their sales for 2 quarters. Tuning- Tuning is process of optimizing settings of the information technology system. It ensures the efficient utilization of the system components. Apple tries hard to reach their target sales by advertizing and promotional activities. By these procedures they ensure the optimization of the system. Capacity Planning- In the process of capacity planning several business planning information is used and these business planning is converted into information technology system needs and predicts the future needs of business and predicts what resources would be required to meet those needs. In this stage, Apple Inc. makes a layout of their company. They usually makes two types of layout i.e. production layout, process layout. They use cellular arrangement approach which is less handling and flexible. Implementation- In this stage, change managers provide newly adopted or regenerated information technology system capacity. Requirement Management- Through requirement management, change managers influence the capacity demand and they optimize the existing resources. To increase capacity Apple Inc. follows three strategies i.e. diversification, product development and new production plant. References Cameron, Esther, and Mike Green.Making Sense Of Change Management. London: Kogan Page, 2004. Print. Chanda, Ashok, and Jie Shen.HRM Strategic Integration And Organizational Performance. Los Angeles: Response Books, 2009. Print. Conway, S, and F Stewart.Managing And Shaping Innovation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009. Print. Giuliani, Rudolph W, and Ken Kurson.Leadership. New York: Hyperion, 2002. Print. Green, Mike.Change Management Masterclass. London: Kogan Page, 2007. Print. Jackson, T. H.International HRM. London: SAGE, 2002. Print. Jucius, Michael James.Personnel Management. Homewood, Ill.: R.D. Irwin, 1975. Print. McGovern, Patrick.HRM, Technical Workers And The Multinational Corporation. London: Routledge, 2002. Print. Murthy, C. S. V.Change Management. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House Pvt. Ltd., 2007. Print. Patel, Vinod, and Girish Rana.Personnel Management. Jaipur, India: Oxford Book Co., 2007. Print. Pugh, Derek Salman, and David Mayle.Change Management. Los Angeles: SAGE, 2009. Print. Safire, William, and Leonard Safir.Leadership. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1990. Print. Steen, Sandra et al.HRM. Print. Telfer, Edmund S, and George W Scotter.Potential For Game Ranching In Boreal Aspen Forests Of Western Canada. Print. Tobin, Robert.Personnel Management. [Washington, D.C.]: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, National Institute of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, 1979. Print. Tracy, Brian.Leadership. New York: American Management Association, 2014. Print. Vohra, Rakesh V, and Lakshman Krishnamurthi.Principles Of Pricing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Print.

Essay on Technological Surveillance - 1068 Words

Technological Surveillance In an age where instant communication and technology provide easy and ready access to information, the society and the individual is caught between two very controversial principles- open information and privacy. The perceptions and expectations of privacy are rapidly changing as a result of current developments in surveillance technologies. The question is are these new surveillance technologies endangering the values and morals of our democratic society, the society we have worked for many centuries to achieve? According to Websters dictionary, surveillance is defined as a close kept watch over someone or something. Surveillance is not a new concept, and has†¦show more content†¦If this power is put into the hands of one person or one governing body, citizens are vulnerable to having their rights to privacy violated. Citizens may be concerned that they are constantly being watched, even in situations where they are not committing crimes. If the power of surveillance gets in the wrong hands, there is a possibility that the information may be used in crimes. This leads to square one, surveillance to prevent crime has actually caused it. Another very controversial issue is the right to privacy of citizens in their own homes. As citizens of Canada, we have the right to privacy and reserve the right that our privacy will be not be intruded upon. However, as citizens, we also do not have the right to commit crimes within our homes. By committing crimes, we are giving up every right as a citizen. However, corrupted law enforcers also cause ethical issues to rise. Policing agencies can easily use technological devices for reasons other than to prevent crime or catch a criminal. There is no one to police the police. Therefore, officers can physically intrude on ones privacy for any reason they please. Citizens may also abuse this right through the police by creating false accusations about another citizen, which may lead to a person to be watched. Privacy has become a very important issue, especially whenShow MoreRelatedThe Impact Of Technological Surveillance On Human Surveillance1549 Words   |  7 Pagesadvancements in everything. This could be through medicine, social skills, physical ability, and even technological advances. Specifically for the application of law and a person’s right to privacy technological advances in surveillance will be analyzed. Whitebread, and Slobogin (2014) give a good working definition of what technological surveillance is and what is covers. â€Å"Technological surveillance,†¦ is meant to encompass a wide variety of techniques that enhance the ability to ease drop or spy onRead MoreTechnological Surveillance Should Not Keep Up With The Swift Changes1143 Words   |  5 PagesTechnological surveillance is used in a wide field of areas from wiretapping, hacking, bugging, electronic tracking, video surveillance and so on, but, â€Å"when used by the government, technological sur veillance creates a particularly dramatic threat to the privacy of individual citizens† (p. 354), although this is uncertain to the government if it is indeed goes against citizen’s privacy. Technology advances so quickly, that the law cannot keep up with the swift changes. The first issue involvingRead More`` Domestic Drones `` : The Problems That Ensue From The Flaws Unmanned Aircraft Safety1045 Words   |  5 Pagesunmanned aircraft safety. Domestic drone use has expanded from the past few years to an array of firefighting and police surveillance to scientific research and aerial photograph. This expanded use, however, provides several security concerns, including a possible invasion of privacy and relaxed consequences of misuse. The debatable question here is whether drone surveillance by police should always require a warrant (McGlynn). By analyzing two opposing viewpoints on this topic through an in-depthRead MoreSurveillance : Surveillance And Surveillance Essay1481 Words   |  6 Pageschanges in people’s daily lives. Since survey and surveillance data is crucial for governments to maintain social order and for corporations to keep normal production and operation, it is inevitable that in the future surveillance will be used in every co rner of the world. Indeed, surveillance products are under the pressure of invasion of privacy because they indiscriminately gather information from every human around the world. However, all this surveillance enhances our society because it is the mostRead MoreSurveillance and Privacy Issues1000 Words   |  4 Pageslight of the medias recent preoccupation with surveillance and privacy issues. Include government surveillance and social media. For example the young woman who accused Florida state quarterback jameis Winston of rape was identified by football fans on social media and had ugly anonymous things posted about her. Nearly every major international agreement on human rights protects the right of individuals to be free from unwarranted surveillance. This guarantee has trickled down into nationalRead MoreSexual Harassment At The Civil Rights Act1746 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"[B]escuse technology evolves so rapidly and constantly, tech-specific surveillance laws operate as a technology sunset, expiring not on some arbitrarily defined timetable, but whenever the circumstances demand† (Ohm, 2010). This is to say that tech-specified laws should be constructed around the evolving nature of technology so as to find some amount of consistency otherwise abuse and flaws are subject to arise. â€Å"The modern surveillance state needs information, and left without proper oversight the analysisRead MoreThe Implementation of Technologies in Relation to Social Control – Surveillance Camera and the Big900 Words   |  4 PagesThe Implementation of Technologies in Relation to Social Control â₠¬â€œ Surveillance Camera and the Big Brother Society. The New Media and the Loss of Privacy. Media technologies were embraced by people as the means of easing their lives. However, if one does not know or take measures to use this technology properly, then one risks his life being abused by technology (Doyle, 2010, p. 4). Have you noticed that you regularly receive targeted ads as they offer you goods and services you used to surf forRead MorePublic vs. Private Policing1695 Words   |  7 Pageslarge shopping complexes, cinemas, large retail stores, and large compound style housing estates or gated communities. These require constant surveillance for the safety of shoppers and residents. In fact, adequate security has become one of those value-added extras that attract customers and residents. Technological advances, such as high-tech video surveillance cameras, computers, mobile phones, and satellites have increased the need an increase of security personnel for monitoring, investigating,Read MoreFederal Data Protection Laws On The United States1431 Words   |  6 Pagesentities to access, collect, and share the private information of individuals, privacy concerns have become increasingly relevant† (p. 366). Technology has revolutionized how we conduct business and communicate to each other. Unfortunately, this technological revolution also generated more opportunities for criminals to get creative with their criminal endeavors. Private sector executives are encouraged to share information with the federal government in order to increase security awareness. The AmericanRead MoreThe Case of the Omniscient Organization1207 Words   |  5 Pagesproductivity tests. The massive amount of information collected on each employee is supposed to allow DS to objectively manage personnel and make job assignments that provide the greatest efficiency. Instead, DS has created an impersonal monitoring, surveillance, and detection system designed to lay traps for employees and shape their behavior without any managerial effort. Problem Statement Has DS become so consumed with its â€Å"radical restructuring of the work environment† that it has prioritized technology

The Golden Lily Chapter 18 Free Essays

string(16) " out on my own\." JILL DIDN’T GIVE ME any starry-eyed looks at breakfast the next morning, which was kind of a relief. Micah had surfaced again, and while they weren’t as flirty as they’d been in the past, the two were chatting animatedly away about a science project she had. Eddie and Angeline were equally engrossed in conversation, making plans for when she was free of her suspension. We will write a custom essay sample on The Golden Lily Chapter 18 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Her blues eyes were alight with happiness as they talked, and I realized that she had legitimate feelings for him. She hadn’t just been throwing herself at him for the sake of conquest. I wondered if he knew. It would’ve been easy to feel like a fifth wheel here, but instead, I was pleased and content to see my little cohort getting along so well. Stanton’s conversation had still left me conflicted, but there was nothing wrong with appreciating the peace around here. I would’ve been happier still if Trey’s behavior had also normalized, but when I reached my history class later, he was absent yet again. I had no doubt he’d claim he had family stuff, but my earlier suspicions were returning, about whether his family might be responsible for his injuries. Should I report my worries to someone? Who? I didn’t want to jump to conclusions either, which left me in a bind. Eddie and I always sat near each other in that class, and I leaned toward him before the bell rang, pitching my voice low to address another concern. â€Å"Hey, have you noticed that Jill’s been kind of acting weirdly around me?† â€Å"She’s got a lot going on,† he said, ever quick to defend her. â€Å"Yeah, I know, but you had to have noticed her last night. In the library? I mean – keeping in mind I’m terrible at figuring this stuff out – it was like she had a crush on me or something.† He laughed at that. â€Å"She was kind of laying it on thick, but I don’t think you have to worry about some romantic complication. She just looks up to you a lot, that’s all. Part of her still wants to be a brave fighter who rushes out fearlessly†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused as he savored that idea, a mix of pride and rapture on his face before he tuned back into me. â€Å"But at the same time, you’re starting to show her there all sorts of ways to be powerful.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"I think. But speaking of her being a brave fighter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I studied him curiously. â€Å"Why don’t you train her anymore? Don’t you want her to hone her skills?† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That. Well†¦ there are a few reasons for it. One is I need to focus on Angeline. Another is that I just don’t want Jill worried about that. I’ll do the protecting.† Those were exactly the reasons I’d guessed. The next one was not. â€Å"And I guess†¦ the other thing is that I don’t feel right being in contact with her like that. I mean, I know it means nothing to her†¦ but it means something to me.† Again, my social skills took a moment to kick in. â€Å"You mean, you don’t like that you have to touch her?† Eddie actually blushed. â€Å"It doesn’t bother me, that’s the problem. Better for us to spend time together in a hands-off way.† I hadn’t expected that, but I could understand it. Leaving Eddie to his own inner demons, I soon got caught up in the day and wondering what had happened to Trey. I’d hoped he’d come into class late, but he didn’t. In fact, he didn’t surface for the rest of the day, not even when I was finishing up my independent study. I’d thought he might come by again for homework. â€Å"You look troubled,† said Ms. Terwilliger, watching me pack up when the bell rang. â€Å"Worried about getting your project in on time?† â€Å"No.† I’d actually finished two of the charms, but I certainly wasn’t going to tell her that. â€Å"I’m worried about Trey. He keeps missing school. Do you know why he’s out? I mean, if you can tell me?† â€Å"The office notifies us if a student will be out for the day, but they don’t tell us the reason. If it makes you feel better, Mr. Juarez’s absence was called in this morning. He hasn’t disappeared.† I almost mentioned my fears about his home but held off. I still needed more evidence. Between worrying about Trey, Ms. Terwilliger’s work, the Warriors, Brayden, and all my other myriad complications, I knew I couldn’t waste any of my free time. Nonetheless, I went to Adrian’s after school on a mission I couldn’t refuse. On our way to Wolfe’s class earlier this week, Adrian had mentioned offhandedly that he hadn’t had the Mustang looked at by a mechanic before purchasing it. Although my own novice assessment hadn’t found anything wrong with the car, I pushed for Adrian to get the car examined – which, of course, meant I had to look up a specialist and make the appointment. It was just before my textile museum date, but I was certain I had time to make it all work. â€Å"The guy I bought it from seemed pretty trustworthy,† Adrian told me, after we’d dropped the car off with the mechanic. He’d told us he’d look at it right away and that we could hang around and wait. His shop was on the outskirts of a suburban area, so Adrian suggested we go for a walk through the neighborhoods. â€Å"And it ran just fine when I did the test drive, so I figured everything was okay.† â€Å"That doesn’t mean there aren’t problems you can’t see. It’s best to be safe,† I said, knowing I sounded preachy. â€Å"Bad enough you got a car you can’t drive.† Glancing over, I saw a small, half smile on his face. â€Å"With your help, I’ll be a pro in no time. Of course, if you don’t want to help anymore, I’ll just wing it and figure it out on my own. You read "The Golden Lily Chapter 18" in category "Essay examples"† I groaned. â€Å"You already know what I’d say about – wow.† The neighborhood we were in was pretty affluent. In fact, I’d say the houses bordered on being bona fide mansions. We stopped in front of one that looked like a cross between a hacienda and a southern plantation, large and sprawling with a pillared porch and pink stucco siding. The front yard was a mix of climates, green grass with palm trees lining the path to the house. The trees were like tropical sentries. â€Å"Gorgeous,† I said. â€Å"I love architecture. In another life, I’d have studied that – not chemicals and vampires.† As we continued on, we saw more of the same, each house trying to outdo the others. All of them had high fences and hedges blocking their backyards. â€Å"I wonder what’s back there. Pools, probably.† Adrian stopped in front of another. It was as yellow as his car and showed another mix of styles, like a southwest version of a medieval castle, complete with turrets. â€Å"Nice juxtaposition,† he remarked. I turned, knowing my eyes were wide as I stared at him. â€Å"Did you just use juxtaposition in a sentence?† â€Å"Yes, Sage,† he said patiently. â€Å"We use it all the time with art, when we’re mixing different components. That, and I know how to use a dictionary.† He turned from me and scanned the house, his eyes resting on a gardener who was out trimming some hedges. A sly smile crossed Adrian’s lips. â€Å"You want to see the back? Come on.† â€Å"What are you – † Before I could say another word, Adrian strode up the granite pathway and cut across the lawn to where the guy was working. I didn’t want anything to do with this, but the responsible part of me couldn’t let Adrian get into trouble. I hurried after him. â€Å"Are the owners home?† Adrian asked. The gardener had stopped his clipping and stared at Adrian. â€Å"No.† â€Å"When will they be back?† â€Å"After six.† I was astonished that the guy was answering these questions. If I’d been asked them, I would’ve assumed someone was staging a break-in. Then, I saw the glazed look in the gardener’s eyes and realized what was going on. â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" Adrian’s eyes never left the other man’s face. â€Å"Take us to the backyard.† â€Å"Of course.† The gardener dropped his hedge clippers and headed for a gate on the side of the house. I tried to get Adrian’s attention to stop this, but he was outpacing me. Our guide stopped at the gate, entered a security code, and led us to the back. My protests died on my lips as I gazed around. This back property was almost three times the size of the front. There were more palm trees ringing the yard, along with a terraced garden full of plants, both native and non-native. A huge oval shaped pool dominated the space, its turquoise hue startling against the gray of the granite that surrounded it. On one side of the pool, several steps led up to a smaller, square pool. It could only hold a few people, and a waterfall poured out from it, down to the larger pool. Tiki torches and tables around the pools completed the lush setup. â€Å"Thanks,† Adrian told the gardener. â€Å"Go back to your work. It’s okay if we’re here. We’ll see ourselves out.† â€Å"Of course,† the man replied. He walked back the way we’d come in. I snapped back to reality. â€Å"Adrian! You used compulsion on that guy. That†¦ I mean, it’s†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Awesome?† Adrian walked over to the steps leading up to the upper pool. â€Å"Yeah, I know.† â€Å"It’s wrong! All of this. Breaking and entering, and compulsion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shivered, despite the sweltering heat. â€Å"It’s immoral. Controlling someone else’s mind. You know it! Your people and mine both agree.† â€Å"Eh, no harm done.† He climbed to the top of the pool and stood on its edge, surveying his kingdom. The sun brought out chestnut glints in his brown hair. â€Å"Believe me, that guy was easy to control. Weak-willed. I barely had to use compulsion.† â€Å"Adrian – â€Å" â€Å"Come on, Sage. Not like we’re going to hurt anything. Check out this view.† I was almost afraid to go up there. It was so rare for any of the Moroi here to use their magic that it was easy for me to pretend it didn’t exist. Seeing Adrian use it – the most insidious kind – made my skin crawl. As I’d told Ms. Terwilliger in our charm discussion, no one should be able to control another like that. â€Å"Come on,† Adrian repeated. â€Å"You’re not worried I’m going to compel you up here, are you?† â€Å"Of course not,† I said. And I meant it. I didn’t know why, but some part of me knew Adrian would never, ever harm me. Reluctantly, I went to join him, hoping that would encourage him to leave. When I reached the top, my jaw dropped. The intimate pool hadn’t seemed that high, but it gave us a stunning view of the mountains off in the distance, rugged and majestic against the blue of the sky. The larger pool glittered below us, and the waterfall made it look like we’d entered some mystical oasis. â€Å"Cool, huh?† he asked. Adrian sat down on the small pool’s edge, rolled up his jeans, and took off his socks and shoes. â€Å"Now what are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"Making the most out of this.† He put his feet in the water. â€Å"Come on. Do something bad for a change. Not that it’s really that bad. We aren’t trashing this place or anything.† I hesitated, but the water was intoxicating, as though it too could wield compulsion. Settling down, I copied Adrian and dipped my bare feet into the water. Its coolness was startling – and wonderful – in this intense heat. â€Å"I could get used to this,† I admitted. â€Å"But what if the owners come home early?† He shrugged. â€Å"I can talk us out of it, don’t worry.† That wasn’t exactly reassuring. I turned back to the gorgeous view and lush property. I wasn’t always the most imaginative person, but I thought back to what I’d said about living another life. What would it be like to have a home like this? To stay in one place? To spend days by the pool, soaking in the sun, and not worrying about the fate of humanity? I fell into daydreams and was so caught up that I lost track of time. â€Å"We have to get back to the shop,† I exclaimed. Glancing over, I was astonished to see Adrian watching me, a look of contentment on his face. His eyes seemed to study my every feature. Seeing me notice him, he immediately looked away. His usual smirky expression replaced the dreamy one. â€Å"The mechanic will wait,† he said. â€Å"Yeah, but I’m supposed to meet Brayden soon. I’ll be – † That’s when I got a good look at Adrian. â€Å"What have you done? Look at you! You shouldn’t be out here.† â€Å"It’s not that bad.† He was lying, and we both knew it. It was late afternoon, and the sun was merciless. I’d certainly felt it, though the coolness of the water had helped distract me. That, and I was human. Sure, sunstroke and sunburns were concerns, but I loved the sun and had a high tolerance for it. Vampires did not. Sweat poured off Adrian, soaking his shirt and hair. Pink blotches covered his face. They were familiar. I’d seen them on Jill back when she’d been forced to play outdoor sports in PE. Left unchecked, they’d turn into burns. I jumped to my feet. â€Å"Come on, we have to get out of here before you get worse. What were you thinking?† His expression was astonishingly nonchalant for someone who looked like he would pass out. â€Å"It was worth it. You looked†¦ happy.† â€Å"That’s crazy,† I said. â€Å"Not the craziest thing I’ve ever done.† He smiled as he looked up at me. His eyes grew slightly unfocused, as though they were seeing more than just me. â€Å"What’s a little crazy here and there? I’m supposed to be doing experiments†¦ why not see which is brighter: your aura or the sun?† The way he looked at me and spoke unnerved me, and I remembered what Jill had said, how spirit slowly drove its users insane. Adrian hardly seemed insane, but there was certainly something haunted about him, a definite shift from his usual sharp wit. It was as though something else had seized hold of him. I remembered that poem line, about dreaming and waking. â€Å"Come on,† I repeated. I held out my hand. â€Å"You shouldn’t have used spirit. We need to get you out of here.† He took my hand and staggered to his feet. A rush of warmth and electricity went through me, just as it had the last time we touched, and our eyes held. For a moment, all I could think about were his earlier words: You looked happy†¦ I brushed such sentiments aside and quickly got him out of there, only to discover the mechanic hadn’t finished. At least in his shop, we were able to get Adrian some water and air conditioning. As we waited I texted Brayden. Running an hour late with family stuff. Sorry. Will be there as soon as I can. My phone chimed back about thirty seconds later: That only leaves an hour for the textile museum. â€Å"That’s not nearly enough time,† said Adrian deadpan. I hadn’t realized he’d been reading over my shoulder. I moved the phone away and suggested to Brayden we just meet for an early dinner. He concurred. â€Å"I’m a mess,† I muttered, checking myself out in a mirror. The heat had definitely taken its toll, and I looked sweaty and worn. â€Å"Don’t worry about it,† Adrian told me. â€Å"If he didn’t notice how awesome you were in the red dress, he probably won’t notice anything now.† He hesitated. â€Å"Not that there’s even anything to notice. You’re as cute as usual.† I was about to snap at him for teasing me, but when I looked over, his face was deadly earnest. Whatever retort I might have managed died on my lips, and I quickly got up to check our status, in order to hide how flustered I felt. The mechanic finally finished – no problems found – and Adrian and I headed downtown. I kept watching him anxiously, afraid he’d pass out. â€Å"Stop worrying, Sage. I’m fine,† he said. â€Å"Although†¦ I’d be better with some ice cream or gelato. Even you have to admit that’d be good right now.† It would, actually, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. â€Å"What is it with you and frozen desserts? Why do you always want them?† â€Å"Because we live in a desert.† I couldn’t argue with that reasoning. We reached his place, and I swapped cars. Before he went inside, I inundated him with advice about getting water and resting. Then, I spoke the words that had been burning inside of me. â€Å"Thank you for the poolside outing,† I said. â€Å"Your near-sun-stroke aside, that was pretty amazing.† He gave me a cocky smile. â€Å"Maybe you’ll get used to vampire magic after all.† â€Å"No,† I said automatically. â€Å"I’ll never get used to that.† His smile immediately disappeared. â€Å"Of course not,† he murmured. â€Å"See you around.† I finally made it to dinner. I’d chosen an Italian restaurant, filled with the scents of garlic and cheese. Brayden sat at a corner table, sipping water and earning glares from the waitress, who was probably impatient for him to order. I sat down opposite him, dropping my satchel beside me. â€Å"I am so sorry,† I told him. â€Å"I had to do this thing with my, uh, brother.† If Brayden was mad, he didn’t show it. That was his way. He did, however, give me a scrutinizing look. â€Å"Was it something athletic? You look like you ran a marathon.† It wasn’t an insult, not by any means, but it did take me aback – mostly because I was thinking of Adrian’s comment. Brayden had had almost nothing to say about my Halloween costume, but he noticed this? â€Å"We were out in Santa Sofia, getting his car looked at.† â€Å"Nice area. Keep going up the highway, and you can get to Joshua Tree National Park. Ever been there?† â€Å"No. Just read about it.† â€Å"Iconic place. The geology’s fascinating.† The waitress came by, and I gratefully ordered an iced latte. Brayden was more than happy to tell me about some of the park’s geology, and we soon fell into our comfortable rhythm of intellectual discussion. I didn’t know the park’s specific makeup, but I knew more than enough about geology in general to keep up. In fact, I was able to talk on autopilot while my mind wandered back to Adrian. I recalled again what he’d said about the red dress. I also couldn’t shake the comment about me being happy, and how that was worth his suffering. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"Hmm?† I realized I’d lost the thread of our conversation after all. â€Å"I asked which type of desert you find more striking,† Brayden explained. â€Å"The Mojave region gets all the hype, but I actually prefer the Colorado Desert.† â€Å"Ah.† I slipped back into the flow. â€Å"Um, Mojave. I like the rock formations better.† This triggered a debate of the regions while we ate, and Brayden seemed happier and happier. He really did like having someone who could keep up with him, I realized. None of my books had said anything about the way to a man’s heart being through academic debates. I didn’t mind it, though. I liked the conversation, but it didn’t exactly send thrills through me. I had to remind myself it was still early in our relationship – if I could even call it that. Surely the head over heels part would come soon. We talked for a long time after the meal was over. The waitress brought us an unsolicited dessert menu when we finished, and I surprised myself by saying, â€Å"Wow†¦ I can’t believe how much I want gelato right now. That never happens.† Maybe the sweat and heat had leached my nutrients†¦ or maybe I still had Adrian on the brain. â€Å"I’ve never heard you order dessert,† said Brayden, sliding his menu away. â€Å"It’s not too much sugar?† It was another of those weird statements of his that could be interpreted a number of different ways. Was he judging me? Did he think I shouldn’t have any sugar? I didn’t know, but it was enough for me to close the menu and set it on top of his. With no other scheduled forms of entertainment for the night, we decided to just go for a walk after dinner. The temperature was down to moderate levels, and it was still light enough out that I wasn’t as concerned about the Warriors of Light jumping out from corners. That didn’t mean I ignored Wolfe’s teachings, however. I still kept an eye on my surroundings, watching for anything suspicious. We reached a small park that only took up one city block and found a bench in the corner. We sat down on it, watching children play on the opposite side of the lawn while we continued a discussion on bird watching in the Mojave. Brayden put his arm around me as we talked, and eventually, we exhausted the topic and simply sat in comfortable silence. â€Å"Sydney†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my gaze from the children, surprised at Brayden’s uncertain tone, which was very different from the one he’d just been using to defend the superiority of the mountain bluebird over the western bluebird. There was softness in his eyes now as he looked at me. The evening light made his hazel eyes take on a little more gold than usual but completely hid the green. Too bad. Before I could say anything, he leaned forward and kissed me. It was more intense than the last one, though still a long ways from the epic, all-consuming kisses I’d seen in movies. He did rest his hand on my shoulder this time, gently bringing me a little closer. The kiss also lasted longer than previous ones, and I again tried to let myself go and lose myself in the feel of someone else’s lips. He was the one who ended it, a bit more abruptly than I would’ve expected. â€Å"I – I’m sorry,† he said, looking away. â€Å"I shouldn’t have done that.† â€Å"Why not?† I asked. It wasn’t so much that I’d been yearning for the kiss as it was that this seemed exactly like the kind of place you’d want to kiss: a romantic park at sunset. â€Å"We’re in public. It’s kind of vulgar, I suppose.† Vulgar? I wasn’t even sure if we were really all that much in public, seeing as no one was next to us and we were in the shade of some trees. Brayden sighed with dismay. â€Å"I guess I just lost control. It won’t happen again.† â€Å"It’s okay,† I said. It hadn’t seemed like that much of a loss of control, but what did I know? And I wondered if maybe a small loss of control wasn’t such a bad thing. Wasn’t that kind of the basis of passion? I didn’t know that either. The only thing I knew for sure was that this kiss had been a lot like the last one. Nice, but it didn’t blow me away. My heart sank. There was something wrong with me. Everyone was always going on about how socially inept I was. Did it extend to romance as well? Was I so cold that I’d spend my life never feeling anything? I think Brayden misread my dismay and assumed I was upset with him. He stood up and held out his hand. â€Å"Hey, let’s go walk to that tea shop one block over. They’ve got this local painter’s art on display that I think you’ll like. Besides, no calories in tea, right? Better than dessert.† â€Å"Right,† I said. Thinking of the gelato didn’t cheer me up any. The Italian place had had pomegranate, which kind of sounded like the best thing ever. As I stood up, my cell phone rang and startled both of us. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Sage? It’s me.† I had no reason to be mad at Adrian, not after what he’d done for me, but somehow I felt irritated by the interruption. I was trying to make the most of this night with Brayden, and Adrian unsettled everything. â€Å"What’s going on?† I asked. â€Å"Are you still downtown? You need to come over right now.† â€Å"You know I’m out with Brayden,† I said. This was pushy, even for Adrian. â€Å"I can’t just drop everything and entertain you.† â€Å"It’s not about me.† It was then that I noticed how hard and serious his voice was. Something tightened in my chest. â€Å"It’s about Sonya. She’s missing.† The Golden Lily: A Bloodlines Novel How to cite The Golden Lily Chapter 18, Essay examples

Working Inside the Black Box 5 Ways to Enhance Classroom Learning free essay sample

The article presents three main problems in the assessment of students: first, the assessment methods that teachers use are not effective in promoting good learning; second, grading practices tend to emphasize competition rather than personal improvement; and third, assessment feedback often has a negative impact, particularly on low-achieving students, who are led to believe that they lack â€Å"ability† and so are not able to learn (Black et al., 2004). As a solution to these problems, the notion of Assessment for Learning is introduced.   Assessment for learning is defined as â€Å"any assessment for which the first priority in its design and practice is to serve the purpose of promoting students’ learning† (Black et al., 2004). Because the previous grading system is widely used and firmly established, the King’s-Medway-Oxfordshire Formative Assessment Project (KMOFAP) was established to explore the application of assessment for learning.   Several means were devised in order to facilitate the change needed in current assessment methods. We will write a custom essay sample on Working Inside the Black Box: 5 Ways to Enhance Classroom Learning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One technique is to increase wait time for answering questions asked in class, enabling the students to think more reflectively before responding.   By feedback through grading, students are given comments to help them improve their work and focus.   Related to this is peer-assessment and self-assessment, wherein the students are to think of their work as a set of goals, and their peers can give comments and suggestions that are more easily accepted than those given by professors. And through the formative use of summative tests, students are asked to traffic light subjects taken up according to how secure they feel their knowledge of it is. These different methods aim to refocus assessment on actual learning, involving the cooperation of the students, teachers, and administrations, to review school policies and establish formative assessment methods which truly promote learning, through planning and exploration. Reference List: Black, P., Harrison, C., Lee, C., Marshall, B., William, D. (2004 September). Working inside the black box: assessment for learning in the classroom. Phi Delta Kappan, 86 (1), 8-21.