8 Lesson Plans to Promote Lifelong Learning - Focus

8 Lesson Plans to Promote Lifelong Learning - Focus A little while ago, the European Parliament recommended a list of 8 key competencies which they believe all educational institutions should provide their students with, to promote lifelong learning. These key competencies consist of knowledge, skills, and attitudes which are central to the development of well-rounded children, young people and eventually adults. It’s hoped that taking a cross-curricular approach, known as phenomenon-based learning, will support the development of a cohesive and engaged society, made up of active and knowledgeable citizens. It’s a big aim, but across the world, education specialists are getting on board with this approach to lifelong learning. Promoting Lifelong Learning in  8 Lesson Ideas Finland isn’t the first country to recognize the value of ‘lifelong learning’ but  Finland is the first country to base their teaching curriculum around the eight key competencies. Instead of focusing on classic academic subjects, like History or English, Finnish schools will now structure lessons around broader, cross-cutting and interdisciplinary “topics”. Speaking on why Finland decided to make this shift towards lifelong learning, Pasi Sahlberg, Visiting Professor at the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, said: “educators in Finland think, quite correctly, that schools should teach what young people need in their lives…What Finnish youth need more than before are more integrated knowledge and skills about real world issues” As Professor Sahlberg explains, the key competencies don’t focus on knowledge acquisition and test score results, but on developing skills for longer term learning, with an emphasis on social and emotional development. So there’s a run down of the theories behind the key lifelong learning competencies. For teachers looking to put these theories into practice, here are the eight key competences with an accompanying lesson idea for each.  This way, you’re able to take this teaching directly to your classroom, using mind mapping: 1.  Communication in the mother tongue Communication skills are hugely important in enabling children and young people to both express themselves and develop positive relationships. They’re also important for employability.    A  UK study found that 98% of business leaders think communication and teamwork skills are necessary for people entering the workplace.  However, only 32% believe that schools are doing enough to equip pupils with these lifelong learning skills. This competence covers written and reading comprehension too. It’s been found that mind mapping offers a more natural way for the brain to absorb and comprehend information, in comparison to linear text. To  develop the language skills of students, try using this reading comprehension template map with students. This mind map will help to break down the different aspects of a book you’re studying. You could create a similar mind map collaboratively in class, to develop your students’ spoken communication skills too. To use any template mind maps within this article, simply sign into MindMeister (or sign up free) and maximize the map via the ‘map actions’ icon. Once maximized, click again on the ‘map actions’ icon and choose to clone the map. From there, you can edit or embellish the topics to make the map suitable for your classrooms age and stage. 2.  Communication in foreign languages As explained previously in the MindMeister series, How to Learn A Second Language with Mind Maps Part 1 and Part 2, mind mapping is the ideal way to develop proficiency in a foreign language. By presenting information in a visual way, mind mapping has been found to improve memory retention. As a result, mind mapping makes the lifelong learning skill of acquiring a second language easier, faster and more fun. For your next language lesson, set your students the task of creating a mind map on learning conversational vocab at their level. Ask them to create a topic for each key category such as food, clothing, directions, shopping etc. and try including visual cues that students can then associate with the new words. Acquiring foreign languages will hopefully be something your students will go on to do throughout their lifetime. By providing them with the skills to learn foreign vocab now, youll subsequently provide them with a lifelong learning skill, which they can go on to utilize in both the workplace and for holidays abroad. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit German Food Vocabulary on MindMeister. Introduce mind mapping in your classroom! Get started with MindMeister Its free! Get started with MindMeister 3. Mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology Science and maths can be unfairly branded by students as boring subjects. However, it’s really important that students leave school with at least a basic level of arithmetic to navigate everyday situations. Similarly, students must develop the lifelong learning skill to analyze studies and methodologies. With the breadth of inaccurate news available online, its essential that students are able to critically assess whether information is neutral and well-grounded. If you’re trying to make science and maths seem more fun, try asking students to create their next lab report and methodology study via a mind map. You could provide them with the template below or ask them to create their own from scratch. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit Lab Report on MindMeister. 4. Digital competence The development of technology and access to the internet has brought huge opportunities to our children and young people but has also brought threats. As a result, this competency is not only about developing the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills of students. Its also about providing them with the skills and knowledge to be responsible and critical internet users. By utilizing mind mapping as a digital learning tool, you will develop your students’ understanding and abilities in ICT. This will enable students to not only create mind maps  but to learn to collaborate with class mates on their maps and create engaging presentations. In order to develop your students’ understanding of how to use the internet critically and responsibly, try using ChildNet’s free online safety teaching resources. Ask students to create a collaborative mind map on the projector focusing on one of the topics mentioned. For example, they could present on how we should think carefully about what we share publicly over social media channels. Subsequently, this lifelong learning competence should help to keep your students safe  while navigating the online world. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit Staying Safe on Social Media on MindMeister. 5. Learning to learn As Jesse Berg, visual learning specialist, recently explained in his article on differentiated learning, mind mapping provides a universal thinking strategy which enables students to organize ideas and can be applied to just about any topic. By laying out text, concepts, themes and connections in a visual and colorful way, mind mappers utilize their visual, spatial and kinesthetic senses. Jesse Berg found this makes learning easier to understand and information easier retain. By teaching your students how to mind map you can support this lifelong learning competence. Mind mapping provides your students with a fun, easy and memorable method which will help to instill a love of learning in your students. One lesson idea for developing this competence is  to ask students to create a mind map on study skills in class. Ask students to insert a YouTube video on study skills at the center of their mind map. This can be done via the video insert feature on the MindMeister sidebar. Students can then press play on the video in the center and create topic branches based on the content of the video as it plays,  ultimately creating a useful study resource. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit The 9 Best Scientific Study Tips on MindMeister. 6.  Social and civil competencies These competencies refer to an understanding of key structures and values such as democracy, justice, equality, citizenship and civil rights. The competencies aim to develop the personal, interpersonal and intercultural abilities of students, providing them with the lifelong learning skills to be active and ethical citizens. For this type of highly personal learning, which could bring up family stories and vary depending on socio-economic situations and beliefs, it’s important that you first create a safe learning environment. The aim is to create a classroom environment where students will listen to one another and know only to disclose personal information and worries when appropriate. In this case, directly to the teacher rather than in front of the whole class. It’s also important to ensure your teaching begins at your students’ level, in terms of prior knowledge. To begin a class focusing on this competence, create a mind map on the projector based on the topic you’re looking to cover. Then, invite students to add details on what they know about the topic so far. You could make each topic on the map a question you’re looking to establish their current understanding on, then ask pupils to contribute what they already know or believe. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit Human Rights on MindMeister. 7.  Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship A sense of initiative and entrepreneurship will assist your students in becoming creative, proactive and well-organised young people. This competence should also provide the lifelong learning skills to succeed in the workplace. Try setting your students an entrepreneurial task where they work in small teams to come up with a product. The product should cost less than $5 per item to produce, but students should feel they could either make a profit or support a social cause. Ask them to create a mind map and share it with their whole team, so everyone can contribute to the map. The map should include their research, justifying why the product would have a Unique Selling Point. It could also include details of how they plan to produce and market the product. The groups can then take it in turns to present or ‘pitch’ their idea to the rest of the class. Your students could use MindMeister to  vote on which product they believe to be the best idea. Your browser is not able to display frames. Please visit The Big Idea on MindMeister. 8. Cultural awareness and expression Creativity and cultural awareness go hand in hand. In order for students to appreciate the value and enjoyment of music, performing arts, literature and visual arts, why not encourage your students to learn about these exciting topics in a creative way. Organize a school trip to a local cultural event, such as an age-appropriate film festival or a Shakespeare theater performance. Ask students to write down their thoughts and reflections for homework. When back in class, ask your students to create a mind map, detailing their opinions on the performance. These could include cast members, character relationships, key themes and perhaps notes on the accompanying music, in order to form the basis of a newspaper review. Ask them to then export the mind map, to convert it into a word document and finalize their review with a headline, subheading and a 1 to 5-star rating. To export a map, simply open the map and click on the bottom right-hand cloud icon. You can then choose the format you would like to export the map in, for example as a Word document, shown below. The below Word document was exported directly from this mind map review  of  Othello, directed by Iqbal Khan. So those are our suggestions on how to bring the eight key competencies for promoting lifelong learning, known as phenomenon-based learning, straight to your classroom. As always, if you have any ideas, questions or comments, please do share them with us in the comments below! Try online mind mapping in your classroom MindMeister for Education From $1 per student! MindMeister for Education If you enjoyed this article you might also like 5 Ways to Apply Project Management Ideas in Your School

Problems With New PSAT Part 2 Score Discrepancies

[Part 2: Score Discrepancies  is the second  of a three part report on the new PSAT.   See Overview,  Part 1: Percentile Inflation,  and Part 3: Lowered Benchmark.  The entire report can also be  downloaded or distributed as a PDF.] Part 2 : Score Discrepancies An historically narrow gap between sophomore and junior performance  does not seem credible and leads to questions about how scoring, scaling, and weighting were performed and reported. Sophomore Versus Junior Score Discrepancies Call Scoring Methodologies into Question Percentile inflation caused by redefinition and re-norming creates unfortunate misinterpretations, but the sources of the change can be readily identified; previous percentile tables can be restated  based on the new definition; the difference between Nationally Representative percentiles and User percentiles can be compared to gauge the difference added there. However,  without further information from College Board it is impossible to know the accuracy of  the 11th and 10th grade percentiles. Our  analysis shows that there are significant problems in the way the numbers are being presented that mask the very thing  the new test was meant to reveal — college readiness and academic progress.   If score results between grades are suspect, it leads to questions about the pilot studies that were  performed and how they inform the scoring for the PSAT and SAT. Expected Versus Observed Score Differences Between Grades Historically, juniors have outperformed sophomores on the PSAT/NMSQT by approximately 5 points per section [see table below]. Translated into SAT scores, the differences between 10th and 11th graders  in 2014 were 48 points, 47 points, and 51 points in Critical Reading, Writing, and Math, respectively. On the new PSAT, however, the reported difference is only 12 points on  Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) and 19 points in Math.  The average difference in 2014 is more than 3 times that seen in 2015. The 2014 grade differences were in line with those seen over the last decade, so they were  not anomalous. The old and new PSAT are different tests, but student growth tends to show up similarly even on different college admission exams. Are Low Score Discrepancies  Due to Differing Testing Populations? Not all sophomores and juniors take the PSAT. Some take the PSAT as mandatory testing; some take the PSAT in order to qualify for National Merit; some take the ACT Aspire instead of the PSAT. If College Boards calculation of a nationally representative sample is correct, though, this years grade differences should be immune from differences in test-taker demographics. Previous PSATs lacked a nationally representative sample, so sophomore to junior comparisons may be distorted by test-taker patterns. A way of removing potential distortion is to look at the results only for repeat testers students who took the test in both school years. College Board has done research on the typical score change  on the old PSAT by analyzing only students who  took the test  as sophomores and repeated the test  as juniors [see table below].  The average increase, expressed in SAT points, was 33 points in Critical Reading, 33 points in  Writing, and 40 points in Math. The figures are still twice what is being shown on PSAT reports as the 10th grade to 11th grade  score differential. Do Content Differences Between Old and New PSATs Provide an Explanation? A remaining  problem is that  the old PSAT is not the new PSAT.   Although the new and old tests cover roughly the same score range and do not have radically different means or standard deviations, we cannot be certain that year-over-year growth is identical. A third set of data is College Board’s own estimates of growth. Below are the College and Career Readiness Benchmarks. College Board assumes that students improve at roughly 30 points from sophomore year PSAT to junior year PSAT and another 20 points from junior year PSAT to SAT. The PSAT figures — which  themselves seem conservative  Ã¢â‚¬â€ are still twice that shown in the 2015 student data. Percentile Data for Sophomores and Juniors May  Prove the Existence of Errors in Presentation, Computation, or Norming The low observed  score differences between 10th and 11th graders do not fit into a historical pattern, match studies of repeat testers, or align with assumed College Board benchmark progress. As improbable as the small point discrepancy is, though,  it  seems impossible to go one step further and state  that sophomores outperform juniors. But this is exactly what the published  percentile tables show [below]. As you move up the scale, the difference between 10th and 11th graders disappears and then turns in favor of the younger students. Read literally, the score tables say that more sophomores than juniors achieved top scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. There have always been talented sophomores who score highly on the PSAT, but as a group, these students should not do better on the PSAT in 10th grade than they do in the 11th. These figures are for the Nationally Representative  groups, so cannot be explained away by saying that the test-taking populations are different. There is  no logical  statistical or content explanation as to how sophomores could actually perform better than juniors. In fact, we should be seeing scores 30-50 points higher per section for juniors.  The most likely explanation  is that the surveying and weighting methods used for the PSAT did not properly measure the class year compositions. If we assume this to be the case, though, can we be assured that the studies did any better in measuring the intra-class composition? Will the SAT be immune from the same problems? Can Anything Explain the Low Sophomore/Junior  Score Differences and the Score Inversion? A suspect in the mix is the PSAT 10. Although the content of the PSAT 10 is identical to that of the PSAT/NMSQT, it is positioned as a way for schools to measure how students perform near the end of the sophomore year rather than toward the outset of the year. The PSAT 10 will first be offered between February 22 and March 4, 2016. It is a safe assumption that spring sophomores, adjusted for differences in the testing pool, will score higher than fall sophomores. If College Board statistically accounted for PSAT 10 takers in their figures, the scores for sophomores would be inflated. It seems academically inappropriate to lump PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 scores into the same bucket. The tests are taken at different phases of a students high school progress. In fact, one  reason a PSAT 10 exists is because spring performance differs from fall performance. The only clue that College Board may have made such a combination is reproduced from its  Understanding Scores 2015. Highlighting has been added. Its likely that this reference is simply the result of a production error. The document never makes this reference  again in its 32 pages. In short, all figures likely measure October  performance for sophomores and juniors. This final attempt to explain the  anomalous supremacy of sophomores comes up short. Even had a PSAT 10  explanation proved successful, it would have raised more questions than it answered. Tables surrounding the PSAT are all marked as â€Å"Preliminary.† College Board has made  clear that final scaling for the redesigned SAT (and the PSAT is on the same scale) will not be completed until May 2016. Final concordance tables between old and new tests will replace any preliminary work. If the explanation of  the statistical anomalies is that the paint is not yet dry, it begs the question as to what 3 million students and their educators are to do with the scores they have been presented. The new PSAT reports are the most detailed that have ever existed. They have total scores, section scores, test scores, cross-test scores, sub-scores, Nationally Representative percentiles, User percentiles, SAT score projections, sophomore and junior year benchmarks, and more. Which parts of the reports are reliable and which parts remain under construction? Should educators simply push these reports aside and wait until next year? Should students make test-taking and college c hoice decisions based on these scores? [Continue to  Part 3: Lowered Benchmark]

Analyzing Problems in Sylvias Bar in Birmingham Free Essay Example, 1500 words

The customer s state that the restaurant is highly-priced and they would not mind paying high for the classy night outs with better quality services. The staffs revealed the fact that they are dissatisfied with the uniform that they are supposed to wear as it is quite formal and makes them feel like working at church. Among all the issues that have been listed above, it can be deciphered that the issues of cost and menu are observed to be the crucial problems which need due attention, otherwise, it may badly affect the profitability of the company. It is because of the fact that the company targets high-class customers the prices of the drinks as well as food items have been high. However, given the declining profits and sales of the company, it is significant for it to identify if other class of people or income group can be targeted as well. If the company is targeting the middle-income group people then in such circumstances, it becomes vital for Sylvia to reduce the price of the food items. It is because of the high price the company s owner, the staffs, as well as the potential customers of the company, are facing tremendous problems. We will write a custom essay sample on Analyzing Problems in Sylvias Bar in Birmingham or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page

Alcohol Abuse Is The Most Common Addictive Behavior

Alcohol abuse is the most common addictive behavior that is brewing amongst teens and adults. It is widely concerning and threatening to one’s family and social life. Many have tried to guest and speculate that alcohol abuse is due to many factors that include genetics, social, mental and emotional, and even how people around you raised you. Many also have speculated that people that we associates with that are alcoholics can be a factor also. It can be family and friends, schoolmates, and colleagues. Some also say that it can be due to emotional and psychological disorders such as depression, bipolar, or anxiety are factors of someone to drive to drinking to forget problems and to feel that disconnect from the disorders. Whatever the†¦show more content†¦Some facilities have different types of programs that require having to have different phases. For the most part of any treatment program that works includes Alcoholics Anonymous and the12 step program. â€Å"In th e late 1940’s Alcoholics Anonymous had taken root as the nation’s most popular remedy for excess drinking.† (Glaser, 2013) Alcoholic Anonymous and the 12 step programs have proven that it is effective since 1940’s and it is not costly. AA has meetings during the day and evening and everywhere. AA are individuals that gather around to talk about anything without having to fear that someone is going to report them to the police, courts, etc. AA also deals with other issues besides having alcohol abuse problems. AA has people that you can relate to who is going through the same abuse. Another treatment program that is effective to some is the outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation. Outpatient program is a treatment program that the patient is treated during the day and goes home at night. The outpatient program consists of counseling, group and individual sessions, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive Behavioral therapy is a therapy that helps patien t how to deal with and elude situations that can result in abuse such as alcohol and drugs. Counseling not only helps the patient deal with traumatizing events while in treatment, but the families and spouses as well. Outpatient program can provide therapy and

ACC 291 Week 5 Discussion Questions and Responses Essay

ACC 291 Week 5 Discussion Questions and Responses www.paperscholar.com DIRECT LINK TO THIS STUDY GUIDE: http://www.paperscholar.com/acc-291-week-5-discussion-questions-and-responses/ Instantly Download! Get Better Grades in Less Time! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee DESCRIPTION FOR THIS STUDY GUIDE: Week 5: DQ 1: Why are companies required to prepare a statement of cash flows? What are the three sections of the statement of cash flows and what does each section tell you about the operations of a company? DQ 2: Class, the statement of cash flows is the only required financial statement that is not prepared from an adjusted trial balance. What are the sources of information for preparing a statement of cash flows? Explain how†¦show more content†¦ACC 291 Week 5 Discussion Questions and Responses www.paperscholar.com DIRECT LINK TO THIS STUDY GUIDE: http://www.paperscholar.com/acc-291-week-5-discussion-questions-and-responses/ Instantly Download! Get Better Grades in Less Time! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee DESCRIPTION FOR THIS STUDY GUIDE: Week 5: DQ 1: Why are companies required to prepare a statement of cash flows? What are the three sections of the statement of cash flows and what does each section tell you about the operations of a company? DQ 2: Class, the statement of cash flows is the only required financial statement that is not prepared from an adjusted trial balance. What are the sources of information for preparing a statement of cash flows? Explain how the accrual basis of accounting affects the statement of cash flows. DQ3: Horizontal and vertical analyses are analytical tools frequently used to analyze financial statements. What type of information or insights can be obtained by using these two techniques? Explain how the output of horizontal analysis and vertical analysis can be compared to industry averages and/or competitive companies. DQ4: Now that we are nearing the end of this class, tell me what did you find the most and least interesting in this class (this could be subject matter or particular assignments, how the class was facilitated or anything else related to theShow MoreRelatedSupporting the Development of English Literacy in English Language Learners22851 Words   |  92 PagesINTRODUCTION Immigration has brought about significant changes in the U.S. student population. In particular, the number and percentage of immigrants in schools have increased dramatically since 1970. From 1970 to 1995, the number of immigrant children, ages 5 to 20, living in the United States more than doubled, from 3.5 to 8.6 million. As the number grew, immigrant children represented a larger percentage of students in U.S. schools, increasing from 6% in 1970 to 16% in 1995 and 19% in 1997 (Ruiz de VelascoRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesidentiï ¬ ed in the case. There are also over 33 classic cases on the Companion Website. These are a selection of cases from recent editions of the book which remain relevant for teaching. The case studies are intended to serve as a basis for class discussion and not as an illustration of either good or bad management practice. They are not intended to be a comprehensive collection of teaching material. They have bee n chosen (or speciï ¬ cally written) to provide readers with a core of cases which, togetherRead MoreInternational Financial Accounting155754 Words   |  624 Pagestest your knowledge of what you ve studied in quick quizzes We examine your understanding in our exam question bank We reference all the important topics in our full index T E X T BPP s i-Learn and i-Pass products also support this paper. 2457 FOR EXAMS IN DECEMBER 2009 AND JUNE 2010 www.ebooks2000.blogspot.com First edition 2007 Third edition June 2009 ISBN 9780 7517 6364 5 (Previous ISBN 9870 7517 4723 2) British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record forRead MoreIncome Taxation Solutions Manual 1 300300 Words   |  1202 Pagescorporation with a value equal to $1,140,000 plus the value of the other assets substituted for the property transferred out. While certain steps could be taken to perhaps alleviate this problem, they are rather complex and beyond the scope of this question (see section 55). However, by tracing the process of moving out the land and building, the student will see the roadblocks that appear. A much simpler approach is to transfer the business assets (inventory, equipment and goodwill) to a separate entity

The Crime Of Organized Crime - 1649 Words

When I hear the term organized crime, I associate it with â€Å"The Mafia†, â€Å"Scarface†, and â€Å"Cartels†. Organized crime can be defined in a variety of ways. It is an ongoing criminal enterprise that is wisely working to generate profit engaging in illegal activities depending on demand, where its presence is preserve through force, intimidations, and corruption. According to the FBI, organized crime is basically a group of transnational, national, or local alliances of highly centralized enterprises run by crooks who make illicit profit or money through illegal and often violent activities (Abadinsky, 1981, p. 2). The Task Force on Organized crime states that, â€Å"the core of organized crime activity is the supplying of illegal goods and services-gambling, loan- sharking, narcotics and other forms of vice- to countless numbers of citizen customers† (Abadinsky, 1981, p. 267). However, the business of organized frequently consists of activities that are neither services nor goods, instead they are undoubtedly scrounging. The connection among illicit business and organized crime can take one of three following forms: first we have the parasitic form, where associates of a criminal organization extract money from illegal businesspersons by intimidating them with violence (Abadinsky, 1981, p. 267). The second from is reciprocal: members of a criminal organization require genuine or illegal entrepreneurs to pay a secure or percentage sum, then in return they deliver services like limitingShow MoreRelatedOrganized Crime1084 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Organized crime can be a number of different types of things. 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Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection Free Essays

string(93) " software that truncates and exclude the totality of content \(Lievens Harris 2003\)\." ABSTRACT In the face of a new era of downsizing, garnering of qualified workforce remains a key organizational goal. A commonly held view among the human resource managers is that the human resources are the most important assets of an organization and that they offer the only non-imitative competitive edge. As the point of entry, the process of recruitment and selection of employees plays a crucial role in enhancing the success and survival of the organization in the extremely competitive and turbulent business environment. We will write a custom essay sample on Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection or any similar topic only for you Order Now This paper explores on how the latest advances in technology have impacted on the process of recruitment and selection of employees. Different aspects of the use of new technology will be examined including internet based recruitment, telephone and video conferencing, computer based testing and IVR or Automated telephone interviewing. This will include an overview of the potential advantages as well as challenges arising with the use of each wave of technology. INTRODUCTION In the face of a new era of downsizing, garnering of qualified workforce remains a key organizational goal (Bauer 2004). As the point of entry, the process of recruitment and selection of employees plays a crucial role in enhancing the success and survival of the organization in the extremely competitive and turbulent business environment. Traditionally, the recruitment and selection process relied on fairly low-tech methods such as employee referrals and newspaper ads, in locating and attracting qualified candidates (Lievens, et.al 2002). Successful job seeking included frequenting the local job center (Lievens, et.al 2002). This has however changed over the past few decades as a result of advances in technology. The recruitment process, just like all other business functions, has become increasingly tied to technology (Lievens, et.al 2002). The common practice of mailing applications and waiting to be called for an interview via a phone call has been trumped by technological advances which have eased communication. Technological advances such as internet-based recruitment and candidate assessment, computer-based testing, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), telephone and video-based interviews among other information technologies are now increasingly being used in recruiting and selecting qualified candidates (Chapman Webster 2003). In this paper, we examine how the latest advances in technology have impacted on the process of recruitment and selection of employees. The following sections will explore on these technological advances, in particular, how they are impacting on recruitment and selection process. This will include an overview of the potential advantages as well as challenges arising with the use of each wave of technology. We begin by exploring on internet based recruitment, which involves recruitment via the web. a. INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT The most popular ways through which advances in technology have significantly impacted on recruitment and selection is through the internet. Organizations are increasingly making use of the internet technology, particularly the World Wide Web, as a platform for testing and recruiting potential candidates (Baron Austin, 2000). Social networking websites, software and online job boards has helped in linking applicants to hiring professionals with focus on knowledge, skills and abilities (Baron Austin, 2000). Social networking sites such as LinkedIn, CareerBuilder, monster.com and universe.jobs hold millions of jobs and resumes in their databases (Neil 2003). These professional networking sites play a significant role in the process of recruitment and selection. LinkedIn, for example, is used as a business-oriented social networking site whereby applicants are linked with the employers. LinkedIn is widely used globally as a professional network service and has currently 90 million users (Neil 2003). It is currently valued at over $2.51 billion USD and operates in more than 200 countries (Neil 2003). Advances in technology have indeed shaped the process of recruitment and selection. Online ads are now the lead recruitment methods employed by employers. Recruitment and selection via the web has enabled the employers to build a ‘talent pool’ of qualified candidates and lessen their reliance on conventional print media (Thompson et al., 2008). This has led to significant cost savings as employers lessen their reliance on recruitment agencies (Thompson et al., 2008). In this regard, Harris Dewar (2000) noted a significant reduction on the cost per-hire from $ 3,295 (for the conventional recruitment methods) to $377 (for internet based recruitment). There are many benefits arising with the use of internet based recruitment method as well challenges that it present to the organizations. It should be noted that internet based recruitment is not without its shortcomings, but the cons must be weighed against the pros in order to determine if this recruitment method is supported. BENEFITS OF INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT The internet provides efficiency in the administration and scoring of test as the content can be easily modified and answers captured in electronic form (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). It also enables routine checking of errors, automatic scoring of tests and provides instant feedback to the applicants (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). This administrative ease enables recruiters to save on costs and time giving them a competitive hedge in the tight labour market. It also provides for increased flexibility for both the employer and applicants in the administration of tests and performance of work in varied geographical locations (Van Hoye Lievens 2007). Moreover, the widespread of information in a globalized market widens access to a diverse geographical labour pool (Lievens Harris 2003). Additionally, there is a greater transparency in the selection process as candidates are selected based on their skills, experience and competence (Lievens Harris 2003). CHALLENGES TO INTERNET BASED RECRUITMENT While it is apparent that online recruitment help cut on recruitment costs, increase efficiency and transparency in the selection process; there are some potentially major drawbacks. Due to the high number of applicants, screening and checking the authenticity and mapping of skills may be a time consuming exercise (Lievens Harris 2003). The large number of indistinguishable resumes from the various applicants coupled with inadequate software and procedures may lead to poor results in the selection of the ideal candidate (Lievens Harris 2003). This problem can largely be attributed to the existing methods for parsing resumes which is dependent on software that truncates and exclude the totality of content (Lievens Harris 2003). You read "Impact Of The Latest Advances In Technology On Recruitment And Selection" in category "Essay examples" Also, failure by the industry software to produce optimum candidate and position convergence may result in correspondingly low retention rates of the new employees hence costing client companies thousands of dollars (Lievens Harris 2003). Despite having automated assistance, managing the workload remains a daunting task for HR managers. While software has reduced on the number of resumes from the applicants, that would otherwise be manually reviewed, it has not been successful in narrowing candidate resume pools to the ideal qualified applicants (Harris Dewar 2000).It should be noted that most of the software employed in the process of recruitment and selection generally uses rudimentary lexical and semantic algorithms (Harris Dewar 2000). These algorithms tend to generate a large candidate pool with most candidates insufficiently suitable for effective use (Harris Dewar 2000). This is because the industry software lacks the ideal filtering capabilities necessary for the proper parsing of resume. Crucial data that could help in identifying the ideal candidate and position convergence is therefore lost. Without sufficient data, there is not enough variance that could be used in distinguishing among candidate and position suitability (Harris Dewar 2000). This next section will explore on interactive voice response (IVR) which is also known as automated telephone interviewing. The method is also gaining popularity and is increasingly being used by firms in recruiting and selecting new hires. b. AUTOMATED TELEPHONE INTERVIEWING/INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) The use of interactive voice response (IVR) which also referred to as automated telephone interviewing is one of the newest ways to recruiting and selecting new hires (Thompson et.al 2008). IVR technology allows for human interaction with the computer via a telephone keypad or through the use of voice recognition (Thompson et.al 2008). This wave of technology is increasingly gaining popularity in the recruitment and selection of employees due to its many advantages. ADVANTAGES OF THE IVR IVR is an easily accessible technology. Take for example the United States where 95% of the households own phones (Thompson et.al 2008). With IVR, applicants can initiate the interview at any time. The applicants or potential employees can initiate an interview by simply making a phone call to a toll-free phone number and be automatically interviewed without any intervention from the operator (Thompson et.al 2008). IVR or rather automated telephone interviewing can help in eliminating interview biases (Thompson al 2008). It is highly cost effective in screening the candidate pool. DISADVANTAGES OF USING IVR While IVR is increasingly being used by many businesses to cut on the costs and give a better experience, it is not without its shortcomings. One of the greatest challenges to using IVR systems in recruitment and selection of employees is that the users find it hard to follow telephone menus and lengthy instructions (Thompson et.al 2008). Also, IVR screening is considered lower in terms of treatment and openness as well as in reconsideration opportunities than the conventional face to face interviewing (Thompson al 2008).. c. TELECONFERENCING AND VIDEO CONFERENCING There is also the use of telephone and video conferencing. Teleconferencing involves setting up of a conference telephone call between the selection committee and potential candidates (Gilliland 1993). Job interviews by teleconferencing are common where the applicant and the selection committee are located in geographically sparse regions. Video conferencing, on the other hand, involves the combination of both the audio and video transmissions, hence allowing for communication to take place by a way of an audio visual link (AVL) (Gilliland 1993). With video conferencing, both the applicant and selection committee members are able to share their views and at the same time see each other on the screen. BENEFITS OF VIDEO CONFERENCING Despite reducing the in-person meetings, video teleconferencing as well offer the advantages of face to face communication (Gilliland 1993). There is also significant cost reduction for both the applicant and the employer as there is no need of travelling and associated costs of lodging and meals (Gilliland 1993). There is also the added environmental benefit as a reduction in traveling implies a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (Gilliland 1993). Further, upon placement this technology allows for the continued collaboration with the team members from remote locations (Gilliland 1993). CHALLENGES OF VIDEO CONFERENCING Similar to other technological innovations, video conferencing is not without its shortcomings. There might be a difference in time zones when conferencing in remote geographical locations (Gilliland 1993). Also, some of the human ways to communicating may not translate well with video conferencing (Gilliland 1993). For example, eye contact may not be easily delivered through a webcam, unlike in the conventional face-to-face interviewing where one can easily make eye contact and judge whether the interviewee is paying due attention. Last but not least, we explore on how computer based testing has impacted on recruitment and selection process. d. COMPUTER BASED TESTING The use of computer based interviews has increased in the recent years with a wide range of organizations utilizing computer-based online tests for selection purposes (Aptitude/psychometric tests) (Chapman Webster, 2003). There are several reasons for increased reliance on psychometric tests in the recruitment and selection of employees. Key among these is the increased regulation and legislation, and loss of confidence in academic qualifications (Chapman Webster, 2003). INCREASED REGULATION AND LEGISLATION Reliance on test use in the selection process has been used as a defensive strategy to regulation and legislation (Chapman Webster, 2003). Tests are seen as objective indicators of how the skills of potential candidates align with the job description (Chapman Webster, 2003). These competency tests promote fairness and equal access to opportunities available. LOSS OF CONFIDENCE IN ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS There is a growing body of evidence for a loss of confidence with the formal academic qualifications. This is largely attributed to bad governance and corrupt institutions that may award degrees or certificates to incompetent individuals. As such, competency based tests are increasingly being used in screening the candidate pool and in identifying candidates with skills that align with the â€Å"competency profile† for the job in question (Chapman Webster, 2003). Computer based testing facilitates the selection process by quickly pinpointing the candidates ability more accurately (Chapman Webster, 2003). Take for example the BULATS online test, a robust business English language test, which is widely used in helping organizations make timely decisions in the recruitment process (Chapman Webster, 2003). This online test provides a fast and more accurate method of pinpointing the candidates’ ability and suitability to work by using adaptive testing techniques (Chapman Webster, 2003). CONCLUSION Clearly, we have identified a number of benefits to using technology for purposes of recruiting and selecting job applicants. A quick recap of some of the benefits include increased efficiency in the administration and scoring of tests, increased flexibility, greater transparency, reduction in biases, widened access to a diverse geographical pool of potential candidates, and cost reduction among others. There are however challenges arising with the use of technological advances in recruitment and selection process. For example, the exercise may be time consuming as a large number of applicants need to be screened. Other shortcomings include poor results due to inadequate software and procedures, and difficulties in filtering of potential candidates, among others. Nonetheless, the latest advances in technology have significantly impacted on recruitment and selection process. As pointed out by Kay (2000), the power of the Web and e-technology has changed the way recruitment and selections of employees occur. Technological advancements and the ubiquity of the internet (especially with social networking) have become powerful additions to the process of recruitment and selection. However, these should not be considered as the only solutions to finding the ideal candidate. While changes are still underway, it is clear that advances in technology have dramatically impacted on the recruitment and selection process. REFERENCES Bauer, et.al, 2004. â€Å"Applicant reactions to different selection technology: face-to-face, interactive voice response and computer-assisted telephone screening interviews†, International Journal of selection and assessment, Portland State University: Blackwell publishing ltd. Baron, H., J. Austin, 2000. Measuring ability via the Internet: Opportunities and issues. Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New Orleans, LA. Chapman, D.S., J. 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