The recession of the past three years has resulted in losses to the educational industry. As credit tightens, it is much more difficult to secure loans and enrollment at liberal arts institutions have dropped as people in a recession tend to focus on faster, more practical training. Predictably, many students with responsibilities of raising a family would drop out in order to work full time. In addition, the image of Hypothetical College is not attractive enough to have applicants pick it as their first choice school gleaned from the briefing of the previous administration. Even some of the most prestigious universities have fallen prey to financial difficulties and one study had shown that during the 1990s, Harvard had a $42 million deficit, MIT offered 1,400 employees severance packages, and Yale made fifty arts and sciences professors redundant. While downsizing has been the primary modus operandi for private corporations experiencing financial difficulties, these examples have shown that it had made its way into the educational system as well. This has become detrimental to the performance of many institutions as morale drops among the remaining faculty and staff and stability is compromised as tenured professors, fully released from the old-fashioned ties of loyalty that existed between university and faculty members, look for better positions elsewhere. According to Applebaum and Patton, "The bottom line is that downsizing has altered the psychological contract, the emotional bond between employer and employee, and between the individual and the organization' (p. 128).

In addition, it is possible that downsizing may have a negative effect on student attraction and retention, especially if those under the proverbial Sword of Damocles teach the undergraduate requirements that students need to graduate. For example in the California State University system, it is taking longer for students to graduate (an average of five years) because there are not enough professors on staff for the number of students needing to take the core liberal arts subjects. This does push much more financial obligation onto the students and does not save the university that much money since many students factor in time until graduation when it comes to choosing a university. For this reason, teacher cut backs are often the last action taken when the university finds itself in financial difficulty. According to Applebaum & Patton, university administrators facing a financial crisis go through several stages, the first of which is denial and then begin the necessary practice of making budget cuts.

The previous president had denied reality for so long that the debt was beginning to cripple the university. Once he had finally accepted that a crisis was at hand, he tried to increase revenues by holding fund raisers, raising tuition costs, and cutting costs from the budget on anything not directly related to education, such as maintenance of the Student Union Building, which is falling apart and in desperate need of construction. Other saving methods involved merging departments (e.g. philosophy and Western Civilization, or Math and Physics). One suggestion for implementing downsizing would be to offer faculty early retirement incentives, which may not preclude them from teaching elsewhere, but may help maintain morale if the cuts are necessary. In addition, layoffs may generate lawsuits and union disputes, which would threaten the cohesiveness of the campus community. Unlike most private organizations, universities are not as keen on downsizing as the first step to budget control. Nevertheless, because Hypothetical College is on its last legs unless costs are dramatically reduced with a corresponding increase in income, we have been currently been reviewing four different strategies: outsourcing, organizational restructuring, programmatic reduction, and utilizing the services of adjunct professors more often.

Outsourcing

Long the subject of national debate (as well as an independent film), outsourcing is replacing inside employees with people that run their own private enterprise or are otherwise unaffiliated with any other organization. For instance, many corporations have outsourced their customer service departments to nations such as India and China in order to save money as costs of employment (as well as the cost of living in those countries) are so much lower than in the United States. In the case of higher education, Hypothetical College would establish an agreement with an external firm in order to provide a service. For example, rather than paying cafeteria workers to make lunch for hungry college students and providing them with benefits and paid vacation, they contracted with several fast food places such as Subway, Chick-Fil-A, and Panda Express, who then are responsible for paying the on-site staff.

According to Phipps & Merisotis, the problems inherent in outsourcing in the business sector does not necessarily apply to higher education because these functions are not likely to be undertaken by foreign workers. "The real issue in higher education is if and how institutions are adequately contending with their own cost structures" (p. 1). From the situation with Hypothetical College, it is clear that the prior administration did not have a firm handle on the cost structures and keeping expenditures within budgetary constraints. "A major concern of outsourcing is that outside vendors may not understand the culture and mission of a higher education institution, which directly influence students, faculty, and staff's experience on the campus. This may translate into a diminution of service quality and customer satisfaction" (Phipps & Merisotis 2005, p. 4). Nevertheless, outsourcing functions that were not teaching related were positive or neutral for the campus community. As of 2002, approximately half of all colleges outsourced the function of the campus bookstore and food preparation. Curiously, more than 80% of institutions were in favor of outsourcing-stating that universities should focus on the core competencies of research, teaching and service and that all other functions should be outsourced to outside vendors. Since Hypothetical College was rather old fashioned in the sense that it was carrying out most of the functions itself (including bookstore and food preparation), that following the path that 80% of all colleges desire (freedom from meeting goals other than the triad) will save Hypothetical an inordinate amount of money, which is why this may be a desired path for the College to take.

Curiously, several interviews with executives had shown that outsourcing in fields such as Human Resources and Finance/Accounting would be undesirable because it would be akin to having someone else brush your teeth for you. Outsourcing information services, however, were considered positively by college executives because they believed that IT workers would provide additional expertise. In contrast, outsourcing Human Resources and Accounting was perceived as creating yet another layer of bureaucratic red tape within the college climate. Other areas where outsourcing may be desirable would be in such departments as copy centers, student health centers, print shops, parking, grounds keeping, mail service, transit buses. Phipps & Merisotis mention that while these measures would be quite actionable for universities located in urban areas, rural schools would lose out because they would not be able to find a firm able or willing to provide services from more than 30 miles away (p. 8).

The main ethical consideration when it comes to outsourcing is determining who benefits. For instance, some presidents may make the decision to outsource practically every function they have in order to fulfill short term financial objectives, but utterly fail in bettering the university as a whole and improving the welfare of the students, faculty and staff members that are currently on board. Fortunately, these do not represent the majority, as most campus leaders prefer to create a strategy that would benefit everyone. While outsourcing some functions have proven beneficial to the university and students (e.g. lower cost books at Barnes & Noble), each outsourcing decision needs to be weighed carefully against cost and impact on culture. "Oversight was seen as a critical component of an outsource. Many were quick to note that the institution cannot assume that the provider is solely responsible or can be left unmanaged. Indeed, loss of control was cited as a concern by most respondents in several areas, including flexibility, employees, costs, quality, priorities, loyalty, and responsiveness" (Phipps & Merisotis, p. 9).

Implementing outsourcing can be quite difficult for many administrators because of intense faculty resistance. While a failing university must use corporate-style turn-around practices in order to survive, the administration must keep in mind that higher education is a business with learning as a product and that it would be very difficult to distribute this product if the key representatives are not supportive of cost-cutting initiatives. Thus, presentation and marketing these ideas to educators as in the best interest of the university and the students would be successful-especially if the administration can show how these cuts would lead to long-term success for their departments.

In sum, Phipps & Merisotis concluded that while corporations would employ outsourcing in order to maximize the bottom line, it is the rare university that considers the profit motive above all else, as most academics are idealists that are keen on doing the right thing, even if it lands them in the proverbial black hole financially. It is possible that several functions at Hypothetical College can be outsourced without impacting departments and the College's commitment to excellence in education and research, but since the paperwork looked rather dismal, it is possible that the college may consider organizational restructuring.

Organizational Restructuring

In the realm of higher education, organization restructuring means that departments get disbanded or merged with others, in addition to changing leadership both within academic departments and the administration. Currently, Hypothetical College is undergoing organizational restructuring because the previous administration did not solve the problem of the financial crisis in time. This would include merging some of the smaller departments into a larger department and merging majors.

Programmatic Reduction

Programmatic reduction can be especially useful when there are very few students studying a particular major. For example, the number of people seeking to major in purely intellectual pursuits such as philosophy and the humanities are declining as a growing percentage of students feel that college should prepare them for the working world. Thus, more resources of the school should be put toward business, information systems, and communications majors while the funding for the humanities is cut. From a purely financial perspective, this strategy makes perfect sense. Nevertheless, it does present an ethical dilemma: by switching to a purely vocational curriculum it would shortchange people seeking to attend college in order to become intellectually well rounded.

Increasing Use of Adjunct Faculty

When most businesses outsource a product, they typically retain all essential functions in house while outsourcing additional functions to other businesses. For instance, Toyota creates and sells cars, yet it hires an advertising company to create the commercials we see on television. It is less expensive for Toyota because they do not have to manage the advertising and can spend all the time creating and selling cars. Higher education often outsources the function of teaching to adjunct professors, which does contravene conventional corporate wisdom according to Schibik & Harrington.

Tenured professors known for their insights and research give character to a university. For example, Stanford University is known as a school that produces some of the best minds in business and law because these students have mentorship from some of the most brilliant professors in the field. While having prominent fixtures can attract students searching for the best possible instruction, increasing the use of adjunct faculty may be a way for colleges to fill the demand for certain courses without incurring the costs that are necessary to fund full-time faculty. Nevertheless, some educators and administrators are leery of overly relying upon adjunct faculty because they usually have less experience and/or lower qualifications. In addition, it is also possible that they may have been victims of a profession that is already 'full' and lacking available positions.

From the point of view of the faculty, remaining on permanent adjunct status is undesirable because they do not have benefits such as paid vacation, retirement benefits, or job security as sometimes their contracts are up for renewal on a semester-by-semester basis. According to Phipps & Merisotis: "From a purely financial perspective, it's a no-brainer to outsource teaching, because it saves so much money. But the true costs to higher education-even if hard to quantify-are very high. To rely on contract labor in the classroom creates a cadre of interchangeable instructors with no sustained responsibility for their students, scholars with no attachment to the intellectual life of the institution through which they are passing" (p. 3). One of the biggest mistakes university departments make in dealing with adjuncts is treating them as though they are dispensable with the underlying assumption that there would be plenty of other talent out there. While that may be true, college professors have options and as the university network is a rather small one, word does get around when a particular college does not treat its faculty well.

While the use of adjunct professors saves the school a significant sum in overhead, they have faculty that are not fully vested in the well-being of the institution as they are free to move on if the work becomes too boring. In addition, adjuncts are typically newly minted PhDs that lack teaching experience and would not be able to offer the same caliber of education as a full time faculty member. In addition, they would not have the incentive to do so. Since the university system is one that is very competitive, each school tries to attract the best possible faculty and that includes offering at least some semblance of security.

Nevertheless, the adjunct faculty approach has been very successful at community colleges as professors are able to gain teaching experience-especially in the arts and the sciences. However, it is not a path they want to consider unless they are interested in becoming teachers full time as research scholars typically seek to get into a tenure track position as soon as humanly possible. In major universities, many adjunct professors are very talented and can offer world-class instruction to students.

Conclusion

While we were discussing the many ways it is possible for the university to remain solvent, it is clear that the chosen method must be something that would also fail to sacrifice the interests of higher education for short-term financial goals. In speaking with administrators and professors from other colleges, it is clear that outsourcing key functions will be a necessity, especially in areas that do not traditionally require a significant degree of university oversight, such as the campus bookstore. Nevertheless, it is possible that we may employ adjuncts during times of over-enrollment when many students have to take a certain series of classes and add more part-time teachers as older professors take advantage of early retirement incentives.

It is a win for the students who get to graduate on time and good for the university-able to now fully provide for the classroom needs of the students without incurring the prohibitive cost of hiring more tenure track faculty members. The best way to ensure that the university remains solvent is to invest in proven strategies "avoiding optimistic income forecasts, especially income from governments, and avoiding heavy forward commitments that depend on anticipated growth" (Applebaum & Patton 2002, p. 131). In addition, there needs to be a clear line of communication between adjunct professors and the department in order for the partnership to be successful. This clear line means: "Part-time teaching staff should also have a complete understanding of how, when, and by whom they are to be evaluated."

Use of adjunct professors could have a beneficial impact on the college community, especially when utilizing the knowledge of guest lecturers from other universities. In many of the larger colleges, it is not uncommon for people to be taught by graduate students when, in fact they were paying for instruction from full professors. Yet there are several ethical considerations for maintaining adjunct professors-including keeping clear lines of communication, treating them like valuable members of the campus community, and negotiating fair contracts.

Hypothetical College must ensure that it does not engage in the common abuses to which these faculty members are vulnerable because of their unaffiliated status. Just because one is acting to ensure the financial integrity of the university and to make sure that the bottom line is in the black does not mean that it is acceptable to begin treating people as commodities. The human element definitely adds a great deal of complexity to decisions that would be extremely simple if it were to do with the manufacturing of certain widgets. Hypothetical College is not keen on outsourcing, but this administration realizes that it should have been done a long time ago to avoid the primary crisis in the first place. Perhaps with this move, it would be possible to achieve financial remission.

REFERENCES

Applebaum, S.H. & Patton, E. (2002). Downsizing the University: Bonne Chance! The International Journal of Educational Management, 16(3), pp. 126-136

Gupta, A., Herath, K. & Mikouiza, N.C. (2005). Outsourcing in Higher Education: An Empirical Examination. The International Journal of Educational Management, 19(4/5), pp. 396-412

Phipps, R. & Merisotis, J. (2005). Is Outsourcing Part of the Solution to the Higher Education Cost Dilemma? A Preliminary Examination. Retrieved September 16, 2010, from Institute for Higher Education Policy website.

Schibik, T.J. & Harrington, C.F. (2004). The Outsourcing of Classroom Instruction in Higher Education. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management, 26(3), pp. 393-400

Outline of Analytical Response

The film selected for this analysis is Nightcrawler, a 2014 psychological thriller directed by Dan Gilroy, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal. The plot of this film focuses on a sociopathic drifter, Lou Bloom (played by Gyllenhaal), who arrive in Los Angeles looking for work, and discovers that no one is willing to hire him. However, when Bloom happens to walk by a gruesome car accident on evening, and observes a photojournalist snapping pictures of the accident without trying to help the injured victims, he senses a business opportunity. Bloom then goes into business himself as a freelance crime photographer, and drives around Los Angeles at night listening to a police scanner. When he receives news of a violent crime or a horrific car accident, he rushes to the scene and takes pictures of the carnage, which he can then sell to local newspapers at a high price.

Ultimately, Nightcrawler comes across as a dark social commentary on the voyeuristic nature of American society. Bloom is able to enrich himself rather quickly with the gruesome pictures that he is able to present to the public eye, and it is clear that the reason that these pictures are able to sell for such a high price is that Americans like to witness each other in pain and agony, without any empathy or a desire to help people in trouble. From a cinematographic perspective, Nightcrawler is shot using a large number of extreme close ups and medium close ups. The overall effect of the film is that the viewer initially gets a sense of being able to "bond" with Bloom and the other characters of the film; yet, on closer inspection, it is obvious that Bloom is completely devoid of empathy and compassion, and so is incapable of bonding with anyone.

Analytical Response

In this "job interview" scene, Bloom has decided to hire an assistant to help with his burgeoning freelance photography business. Accordingly, Bloom has posted "Help Wanted" advertisements in local newspapers and Craigslist venues in an effort to find someone who is willing to drive him around Los Angeles at night, looking for crime scenes and car accidents to photograph. One of the individuals who responds to Bloom's "help wanted" advertisements is "Rick," a young homeless man who meets with Bloom in a local diner. In this scene, Bloom meets with Rick in the diner to interview him for this very strange position, and the majority of this 3:47 minute scene is comprised of extreme close up and medium close up shots that are intended to display the facial expressions and emotional reactions of both Bloom and Rick as they discuss the particulars of the job with one another.

As the scene opens, the viewer observes Bloom sitting in a cheap motel room, ironing a shirt in preparation for the interview. One of the most striking aspects of this scene is that one is privy to the degradation of Bloom's own life, and one is led to wonder how he could possibly think that he is in a position to hire anyone. The scene then cuts to Bloom sitting in a Los Angeles diner, and the majority of the scene thereafter is comprised of extreme close up shots, of both Bloom and Rick. Overall, Rick comes across as desperate for work and as extremely sympathetic. Bloom does not disclose the full details of the job to Rick, but simply states that his major responsibility will be to "drive" for the "successful business" that Bloom claims to have established. When Rick asks how much he will be paid for this job, Bloom coldly informs him that it is an "internship," and that he will be paid nothing. Rick states that he is in no position to work for free, and Bloom relents and offers him a sum of $30 per day, a pittance for which Rick is exceptionally grateful.

Overall, the "job interview" scene in Nightcrawler serves the wider plot of the story by illustrating the predatory nature of American society. While the viewer is initially inclined to interpret Bloom's mercenary behavior as reprehensible, it quickly becomes clear that he is simply operating within the current norms of American society. Overall, Gilroy's extensive use of extreme close up and medium close up shots make it clear that the characters are alternately desperate and soulless.

Sample Movie Review - "Death From Space"

The following short film, Death From Space, is a horror-science fiction movie. This short film incorporates elements of both the horror and science fiction genres.

However, this film highlights editing conventions from the horror film genre. The film was designed to showcase the shock cut editing technique. This technique is composed of three basic types of shots: the shock shot, the reaction shot, and the revelation shot. The shock shot is a situation that included elements that begin to induce fear in the characters who encounter the situation. The reaction shot reveals the rising fear felt by the character or characters confronting whatever is shown in the shock shot. Finally, there is the revelation shot, which shows the full extent and significance of the shocking scene or situation.

Death From Space uses shock cuts, and employs all three of the shots mentioned above. The use of shock shot followed by reaction shot is used repeatedly. Some kind of alien space craft is shown from a variety of viewpoints. These are the shock shots. Then numerous characters are shown reacting to what they see in the sky. The final reaction shock is of a woman stepping back from the alien craft. The revelation shot is of a demonic alien creature that shows itself from withing the spaceship. Ultimately film concludes with the Earth being destroyed.

The clips used in Death From Space were taken from stock footage and public domain films found on the Internet Archive. Three different sources were used: footage of hydrogen bomb tests, several clips from a film called Teenagers From Outer Space, and a clip from another film called White Zombie.

Where is the spark in this week's reading? At what level does Ihde engage the mind or the heart to feel intrigued by the topic of technology and modern use. The spark is found where people understand the implication of technology and how its use changes behavior. In many ways, technology presents quite a double edged sword for today's individual where people are glued to his or her device, and constantly seeking interaction with information provided by technology. Call it telecommunications or over exposure to media but the issue remains when Ihde wrote this essay, this exploration of what technology means to sociocultural dynamics and relationships, times were so much more different then. Remember the fresh air? Maybe not.

Technology and its multimedia creates conflict in perceiving the world. What sparks response here is the work ambiguity. How much has changed because of the role of technology and the level of acceptance one feels toward it; also points to how useful the gadget has become for a life of convenience. Yet, one can argue this also presents gaps of disparity and lack of access to opportunity. Ihde points to how technology means possibility for humans. Much like previous technology or ages of enlightenment, this is just another stage of human development. However, looking into the past, one sees how the human potential may have been blighted when the technology was put in the wrong hands or used for terror. One cannot ignore that aspirin was invented by Nazis. This is one example not in the text. Still one sees the argument form where one wants creativity, innovation, advanced development as a segment of culture but also one should understand the power presented by technology. There is responsibility in diffusing the technology as an important tool within human possibility. If humans become more focused on technology, how soon does the technology take over the human nature?

Another spark within the reading finds one thinking about control and access. Now today, this is the Knowledge Age and we live in a time of global culture, endless possibility for development, and diversity. Okay but at what cost to humanity? And if so, who gets control of the technology and who decides what innovation is important? From a Western standpoint when one thinks about how technology is impacting the world, one also sees levels of control that mirrors ideology. One cannot ignore the power of media in situations like Arab Spring where voices were heard. The level of control shifted and expanded to include voices that were otherwise left out from before.

The issue of control also bothers one who has come to know opportunity because of telecommunication. Look at how just the Internet changes what we do and how we do it. There is online school now. There are jobs that are only online but also businesses that rely upon relationships with individuals on the other side of the world. Possibility is the spark. The issue of control remains difficult to embrace because this leaves people out. This gap is troubling especially if technology is meant to break down barriers. Or, is this same technology from Medieval times meant to separate us, protect us, and maintain a fortress to keep the enemy out?

Work Cited

Ihde, Don. Technology and the lifeworld: From garden to earth. No. 560. Indiana University Press, 1990.

1. Tell me about yourself.

I have a BS degree in Judaic Studies and a minor in Nutritional Science and have been drawn to the nursing profession due to my experience of caring for family members and my role as a volunteer at the VA hospital in the rehabilitation center. I hold a high regard for the profession of nursing and believe that the nursing professional should hold high principles in their work and be beyond reproach ethically. I believe that the nurse is a primary aspect of the patient's recovery and that the nurse has a great impact on the outlook of the patient whether that be positive or negative towards their recovery from illness. I love researching and read a large volume of material regularly both for entertainment and in the field of health care and the nursing practice. I believe that any professional is responsible to keep abreast of the research and best practice findings in their professional field.

2. What is a nurse's role and what qualities do you think a nurse should possess?

The nurse serves as an advocate for the patient and a mediator between the various health care providers that provide treatment for the patient's condition. I have volunteered for more than a year at the VA hospital in the rehabilitation center. Duties include escorting patients to their doctors appointments, going through patients charts and making sure that they are not missing any paperwork and that they have nurse's signatures on them, answering telephone calls, distributing mail, and data entry. Last year I was also the volunteer coordinator for the pre-nursing club. I organized the volunteer opportunities for the club with organizations such as The Cystic Fibrosis foundation, The American Cancer Society, Angel Charity for Children and many others. I also have 3 years of care giving experience to family members. My grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and my family and I decided that we didn't want him in a home, so he came to live with me and took care of him - giving him his medications, taking his blood pressure, bathing and clothing him. My husband was also shot in the leg in Afghanistan a few years ago (half of his hamstring had to be removed and he had to have a titanium rod put in his leg which acted as his femur) and I took care of him through changing his dressings daily (which made it faster for him to be able to leave the hospital since I was able to do this for him) and rehabilitation, as he had to learn how to walk again.

3. What is academic integrity and what does it mean to you?

Academic integrity is at its very root is a deep and integral commitment to maintain honesty and ethics as well as a level of excellence in all academic pursuits and activities. A key aspect of academic integrity is characterized by mutual trust and respect of one another and others in the academic community and the chosen profession and in this case that of nursing. Violation of academic integrity include such as plagiarism, misuse of the personal property of others or the university, cheating or fabrication to mention only a few. Academic integrity serves to foreshadow the integrity of the individual as they enter their field of practice and if one allows principles of ethics and integrity to be lax in college that is likely to follow them into their field of practice and negatively affect not only their performance but also the outcomes of those with whom they interact. Many fail to realize that when they cheat in school that the real loser is themselves and those to whom they provide services after graduating and entering the workforce.

4. How have you prepared for this rigorous program?

I have worked toward scheduling study time appropriately and have immersed myself into the health care institution environment to acculturate myself with the nursing role and the health care institution paradigm. I have spent a great deal of time studying, talking with those who are employed in the nursing profession, as well as counseling with those who know me the best so that I could receive feedback that would not only be earnest but that would be accurate concerning my disposition and my fitness to enter into the nursing profession. I have examined myself closely in terms of my beliefs and my commitment to this field of study and have spent time observing others in the profession while they were working to develop my own conceptualization of the practice of nursing and the role that the professional nurse plays in the outcomes of patients. As well, I have tied up the loose ends in my personal life so that my time of study will not be disrupted.

5. Qualities you possess that will help you succeed, weaknesses you need to work on.

I do have a fear of public speaking, which I am overcoming through having become an officer in the pre-nursing club of more than 300 members. I was required to give a speech in order to be elected and I have to make announcements at each meeting. My strengths include my commitment to my studies and my ability to learn quickly and recall just as quickly. I do have weaknesses and these include my organizational skills which tend to have me somewhat disorganized on occasion. In addition, I tend to push myself too hard and find myself not getting enough rest and ultimately being very tired and ill at times. I need to learn to schedule myself better and to know when to stop and get the sleep that I need. My strength and fortitude comprise a double-edged sword because I am able to go double shifts whether it be studying, volunteering, or working in the capacity of a caregiver but at the same time this blessing can turn into a curse if I forget to take care of myself while I am taking care of others.

6. If you caught a fellow student cheating on a test, what would you do?

That is a difficult question however; I believe I would first approach the fellow student and speak with them about their cheating. Then depending upon the reason they give, although no reason is sound enough to support cheating in school, I would likely encourage them to talk to the professor, and provide moral support for seeking a new direction in their methods of achievement. In the case where a student finds the material so difficult that they feel compelled to cheat, or in cases where the student's personal life and related obligations affect their ability to prepare for tests properly, it does seem advisable that the student take a break from school and address these other issues before re-entering into the university so that their time in college is spent optimally and so that they are prepared to take on the responsibilities that go along with the nursing practice. In the event that the fellow student refused to address these issues in their life, I would feel compelled to say something to the professor because cheating on nursing tests might seem trivial but in the end, it could mean someone's life was lost or that someone's health was irreversibly harmed by this fellow student.

7. Why do you want to go to this school? What do you know about this nursing school?

The University of Arizona are in the top 6% nationally for nursing schools with a 95% success rates for graduates completing the licensing examination. A very close friend of mine attended the nursing program at the University of Arizona and spoke very highly of not only the nursing program but also the nursing program instructors and staff and the entire staff at the University of Arizona. It is my understanding that the University of Arizona maintains high levels of excellence in its nursing program as well as other programs and that university staff are very positive and helpful as they possess a genuine interest in high levels of student achievement and success following graduation from the degree programs. In comparison, I had another close friend attend another university and specifically seeking a degree in nursing. The program at the other university was very lax in ethical standards and a great deal of plagiarism was allowed as well as fabricated research studies. My friend who attended the other university because disillusioned and ultimately changed her program of study and this after she left that other university due to negative attitudes of staff and questionable university ethical issues.

8. How have you demonstrated leadership? Give some examples?

I have exampled leadership in my role as officer in the pre-nursing club as well as in my role as a volunteer. I am a Sunday school teacher and a youth leader in my hometown church and I also volunteer my time at the senior's center assisting the elderly with grocery shopping, paying their bills and household chores they are unable to perform themselves. I have participated in several local community health care education initiatives and have assisted with the EMTs in my hometown distributing emergency information bottles that individuals place in the refrigerator that has all of their health risk and medication information that can be easily checked with the ambulance is called to their residence. I have also volunteered my time at the local high school library working as a mentor to students with disabilities who are experiencing difficulty with the accommodations at the school and in seeking to identify ways that the school can better accommodate the needs of these students so as to effect compliance with the provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act 2000 in relation to inclusion of students with disabilities in regular classrooms.

9. Any questions you have for the faculty?

(i) What supports are available to assist students in achieving and maintaining excellent grades?

(ii) What scholarships are available for students at the University of Arizona nursing school?

(iii) What financial assistance is available at the University of Arizona nursing school?

(iv) What institutions do students at the University of Arizona have the chance to serve out their internship with?

(v) Does the University of Arizona give credits to students for experiential on-the-job learning?

(vi) Is there any way to finish the nursing program sooner than the traditional program is set out to last?

(vii) Can I take any of my classes online?

(viii) Are tutors available through the University of Arizona should I have particular difficulty with a class?

(ix) If I am particularly adept in a class can I work for the school and be paid for tutoring other students?

(x) Does the University of Arizona assist students with career placement upon their earning their degree?

Authentic assessment involves giving students tasks through which they can show how much they have learned. These tasks directly relate to the objectives they have completed. For example, in a history unit on primary and secondary sources, rather than answering multiple choice questions about sources we have already looked at in class, a student would be asked to look at new document, determining whether or not it was a primary source and conducting analysis of how the document could be useful for historians. Authentic assessment gives students more practice problem solving and requires them to be able to actually do things, not just to answer questions about how they would complete these tasks. While conventional tests have one correct answer per question, authentic assessment asks students to look at shades of gray, requiring them to discuss, analyze, reflect on, and write about things in a deeper way than a simple pencil and paper test can usually do.

Authentic assessments are graded with the help of a rubric, which allows students to get points for the strengths that they display, while also allowing the teacher room to determine what the priorities of the assessment should be. Finally, authentic assessments are gathered together in a portfolio, which allows parent, teacher, and student alike to see what progress has been made over the course of a semester or year by comparing the evidence of thought and skills that the student is showing in each piece of work that he or she does.

One example of authentic assessment would be to have students participate in a simulated Constitutional Convention after learning about the various attendees and their concerns. Each student would be assigned to research and to then represent one of the signers of the constitution, and he or she would need to find out what that particular person's concerns were and to express them to the group. This assessment would be graded based on students' participation, evidence of their research, which they would turn in separately, and a reflective assignment they would write afterwards about the simulation experience (discussing any frustrations that came up, how they worked to compromise, and how this relates to the founding fathers' struggles.) This assessment would give students a chance to research, an important skill in later schooling, to synthesize the information they learn, and to engage in problem-solving and discussion on contentious topics with a group. All of these are important academic and life skills, and at the same time the students would also be having a chance to demonstrate their learning about what took place at the Constitutional Convention. This assessment gives students a chance to share their knowledge, but also a valuable experience. Furthermore, the reflective writing component at the end, according to Paris and Ayres (1994) is a positive classroom practice more teachers should use. According to their research, students who reflect on their own learning are more motivated to improve and more likely to become life-long learners who see school and learning in a positive light.

Authentic assessment is different from traditional assessment in that it asks students to do things that they will have to do in the real world to demonstrate learning. Students need not just to regurgitate their knowledge, but to use it to complete tasks that have been designed for them. While on a test, a student might need to identify which of several sentences has a grammatical error, having the same student edit a piece of writing without multiple choice gives a much better idea of what they have actually learned. This takes place for two reasons: first of all, the student does not have the chance of getting something right by guessing or using process of elimination, as is possible in a traditional multiple choice exam. Furthermore, the student is performing a task that they will likely have to do in the real world. The task asks them not just to recognize mistakes, but to apply their knowledge of grammar to fix these mistakes. Thus, it involves more complex cognition than a multiple choice test, and does a better job testing how students can actually employ their skills. This is the major difference between the two types of assessments: authentic assessment asks students to apply skills and demonstrate their ability to do what the standard being tested calls for. Traditional assessment, most of the time, is just asking them to find the correct answers to questions about what they are expected to be able to do.

Along with making for students who are more reflective and can monitor their own learning, authentic assessment has other advantages as well. According to Juniewicz, the use of portfolios for assessment allows students, teachers, and parents to track progress and to zero in on things that really need to be improved for individual students. For example, one student may need to improve adjective use in his or her writing, and this can be noted and worked on over the course of several written assessments that are simultaneously testing learned standards. The student gets practice at something he or she needs to improve while still being tested on other things. According to Andrade and Boulay (2003), students who use rubrics and assess, reread, and edit their writing (which can be part of an authentic assessment graded by the teacher) produce better written product. Ultimately, authentic assessment gives students a chance to hone their skills and to show what they know in a way that mirrors what they actually need to do in real life with what they have learned. It makes students more motivated and challenges them better. It is truly the best way to assess.

References

Andrade, H.G. & Boulay, B.A. Role of rubric-referenced self-assessment in learning to write. The Journal of Educational Research 97(1) 21-34.

Juniewicz, K. (2003) Student portfolios with a purpose. The Clearing House 77(2) 73-77.

Paris, S.G. & Ayres, L.R. (1994) Becoming reflective students and teachers with portfolios and authentic assessment. Washington DC: American Psychological Association.