An In-Depth Review of Star Reading Assessment Program

Star Reading is an online assessment program developed by Renaissance Learning for students typically in grades K-12. The program uses a combination of the cloze method and traditional reading comprehension passages to assess forty-six reading skills across eleven domains. The program is used to determine a student’s overall reading level as well as identify a students individual strengths and weaknesses. The program is designed to provide teachers with individual student data, quickly and accurately. It typically takes a student 10–15 minutes to complete an assessment, and reports are available immediately upon completion. The assessment consists of approximately thirty questions. Students are tested on foundational reading skills, literature components, reading informational text, and language. Students have one minute to answer each question before the program automatically moves them to the next question. The program is adaptive, so the difficulty will increase or decrease based on how a student performs. Features of Star Reading It is easy to set up and use. Star Reading is a Renaissance Learning program. This is important because if you have Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, or any of the other Star assessments, you only have to do the set up one time. Adding students and building classes is quick and easy. You can add a class of about twenty students and have them ready to be assessed in about 15 minutes.It correlates with Accelerated Reader. Many schools across the country use Accelerated Reader. To maximize the effect of Accelerated Reader, students should be limited to books that correlate to their specific Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). Star Reading provides teachers with each student’s individual ZPD that can then be entered into the Accelerated Reader program to limit students to books that will not be too easy or too difficult for them to read.It is easy for students to use. The interface is plain and straightforward. This minimizes the chances for a student to be distracted. Student s have two choices when answering the multiple-choice-style questions. They can use their mouse and click on the correct choice, or they can use the A, B, C, D keys that correlate to the correct answer. Students are not locked into their answer until they click next or push the Enter key. Each question is on a one-minute timer. When a student has fifteen seconds remaining, a small clock will begin to flash at the top of the screen, letting them know that time is about to expire for that question.It provides teachers with a tool to easily screen and progress monitor students who need reading intervention. Star Reading comes with a screening and progress monitor tool that allows teachers to set goals and monitor a student’s progress as they move throughout the year. This easy-to-use feature allows teachers to quickly and accurately decide whether they need to change their approach with a particular student or continue doing what they are doing.It has an adaptable assessment ban k. The program has an extensive assessment bank that allows students to be assessed multiple times without seeing the same question. In addition, the program adapts to the student as they answer questions. If a student is performing well, then the questions will increasingly become more difficult. If they are struggling, the questions will become easier. The program will eventually zero in on the student’s correct level. Useful Reports Star Reading is designed to provide teachers with useful information that will drive their instructional practices. It provides teachers with several useful reports designed to assist in targeting which students need intervention and what areas they need assistance in. Here are four key reports available through the program and a brief explanation of each: Diagnostic: This report provides the most information about an individual student. It offers information such as the student’s grade equivalent, percentile rank, estimated oral reading fluency, scaled score, instructional reading level, and zone of proximal development. It also provides tips to maximize that individual’s reading growth.Growth: This report shows the growth of a group of students over a specific period of time. This period of time is customizable from a few weeks to months, to even growth over the course of several years.Screening: This report provides teachers with a graph that details whether they are above or below their benchmark as they are assessed throughout the year. This report is useful because if students are falling below the mark, then the teacher needs to change their approach ​with that student.Summary: This report provides teachers with whole group test results for a specific test date or range. This is very useful for comparing mul tiple students at one time. Relevant Terminology Scaled Score (SS)  - The scaled score is figured based on the difficulty of the questions as well of the number of questions that were correct. Star Reading uses a scale range of 0–1400. This score can be used to compare students to each other as well as themselves over time.Percentile Rank (PR) - The percentile rank allows students to be compared to other students nationally that are in the same grade. For example, a student who scores in the 77th percentile scores better than 76% of students in their grade but lower than 23% of students in their grade.Grade Equivalent (GE) - The grade equivalent represents how a student performs compared to other students nationally. For example, a fifth-grade student who scores a grade equivalent of 8.3 scores as well as a student who is in the eighth grade and third month.Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) - This is the range of readability which a student should be required to select books. Reading in this range provides students with t he optimal opportunity to maximize reading growth. Books at this level are not too easy or too difficult for the student to read.ATOS  - A readability formula that uses average sentence length, average word length, vocabulary grade level, and the number of words to calculate the overall difficulty of a book. Overall Star Reading is a very good reading assessment program, especially if you already use the Accelerated Reader program. Its best features are that it is quick and easy to use for teachers and students, and reports can be generated in seconds. The assessment does rely too much on cloze reading passages. A truly accurate reading assessment would use a more balanced and comprehensive approach. However, Star is a great quick screening tool to identify struggling readers or individual reading strengths. There are better assessments available in terms of in-depth diagnostic assessments, but Star reading will give you a quick snapshot of where a student is at any given point.  Overall, we give this program 3.5 out of 5 stars, primarily because the assessment itself isn’t broad enough and there are times where consistency and accuracy are of concern.

The Heart Of Brazil The Amazon Rainforest - 1178 Words

In the heart of Brazil you will find The Amazon Rainforest. Covering an immense 1.7 billion acres, this broad-leafed rainforest is the largest of its kind in the world (McLendon). Forests alone cover a third of all land on our planet, contributing essential natural infrastructure to both humans and wildlife (Adams). Along with providing materials like timber, fruits, and fibers, each individual tree works to clean the air, soil, and water while keeping the Earth cool and its inhabitants sheltered. Unfortunately since early European Industrialization four hundred and fifty years ago, the Amazon rainforest has been subjected to rapid deforestation. Not only does this preface a very grim prediction for those depending on the ecosystem’s sensitive balance, it will not be long before the mass effects of deforestation impact the lives of everyone on Earth. In the past forty years alone, close to twenty percent of the Amazon has been cut down. Scientists predict another twenty percen t will disappear in the next forty years as well (Wallace). Market forces of globalization have moved in on the forest to grab as much land space as they can to dig up or cut down their product. If the rate of deforestation continues as it has the fragile ecology will begin to unwind. The damage done by burning away acres of trees runs deeper than just loss in numbers. As a tree burns its carbon matter is released in the form of CO2. Instead of being transformed through photosynthesis, the excessShow MoreRelatedRain Forest Destruction Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pagesby Cooper, 1991, September 20). Through out 1990-2007, only three different rainforest have shown a moderate decrease in forest destruction (Newsweek, 2009, December 14). With this information, people around the world will know how important it is to refrain from destroying the forests. If scientists continue to explain the importance of the rain forests leaders of the world will stop most destruction to the rainforests . By stopping most destruction to rain forests the killing animals, the loss ofRead MoreHow successful can the management of fragile environments be, given the constant and increasing demand for their exploitation?1710 Words   |  7 Pagesdestroyed. This combination of specialisation and interdependence increases the overall fragility and vulnerability of this biome Fragile environments can be exploited in different ways, and for different reasons. For example the Amazon Rainforest, an equatorial tropical rainforest biome, has been significantly exploited for its agricultural potential and natural resources; cattle ranching, soya bean and palm oil plantations, mining and timber. The most significant consequence of these forms of exploitationRead MoreCattle Ranching in the Brazilian Amazon Essay2243 Words   |  9 Pagesindustry in Brazil, which has contributed to the mass deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon in the last 40 years. It exposes the regional and global consequences to deforestation and provides strategies for the Brazilian government to sustainably manage cattle ranching industries while protecting the future of the Amazon. The rainforest ecosystem is an immense reserve of natural recourses that is far more valuable than the beef produced on Brazilian cattle ranches. Not only does the rainforest createRead MoreDeforestation Of The Amazon Rainforest1779 Words   |  8 PagesSince the year 1970, 758,092 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest have been lost due to deforestation (â€Å"Changing Deforestation 1†). Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses and has been extremely prevalent in the Amazon rainforest in recent years. Many argue that the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is wrongful because of its negative impact on the environment while others argue that it is necessary to keep the BrazilianRead MoreNatural Resources and Energy in the Rainforests1550 Words   |  7 PagesNatural Resources and Energy in the Rainforests The beauty, majesty, and timelessness of a primary rainforest is indescribable. It is impossible to capture on film, to describe in words, or to explain to those who have never had the awe-inspiring experience of standing in the heart of a primary rainforest. Rainforests have evolved over millions of years to turn into the incredibly complex environments they are today. Rainforests represent a store of living and breathing renewable natural resourcesRead MoreEssay on The Meat Industry969 Words   |  4 Pagesforce behind the destruction of the tropical rainforests. Until 1994, in the Amazon the total deforested area was of 450, 000 square Km. The current rate of species extinction due to destruction of tropical rainforest amounts to one thousand per year. Various species of plants live in the tropical rainforest, which can be used for their medicinal properties. These plants need yet to be discovered. We can not afford to risk their extinction. Heart attacks are the number one cause of death in AmericaRead MoreAmazon Rainforest: Issues3286 Words   |  14 PagesThe battle for the Amazon rainforest is a daunting task. Its a long going battle between miners, loggers, and developers against the indigenous people who call it home. Its a battle like any battle in a war; it affects lives, families, the economy, politics, and the environment amongst other things. The main topic of this debate is the effects of the Amazon deforestation on the people who live in it, this will be the focus of this research paper. In this paper, I will discuss the history, causesRead MoreThe Leaflet Written by Friends of the Earth1989 Words   |  8 Pagesto read on. This leaflet was produced in 1992 for the Friends of the Earth. The writer was an Indian from Brazils Amazonian forests. It was produced to gain support from British public and to gain their help to stop deforesting in Brazil. The writer uses eye-catching big bold letters in the heading along with the word YOU to attract readers. The writer uses this word for two reasons, one being involving the readers with the leaflet and secondly so that they feelRead MoreTaking a Look at Brazil2817 Words   |  11 Pagescultures are integrated, if one component in the system changes, it is likely that the entire system must adjust. (Rosekham et al. 18-19) 2. Brazil Brazil is a diverse country located in South America. It is the largest country on the continent and home to the largest population. It has a large variety of climates and covers a vast amount of territory. Brazil has a unique culture composed of a combination of several different ethnic backgrounds. It is divided into 26 states and 1 federal districtRead MoreEssay on Deforestation2202 Words   |  9 Pagesequal to 20 football fields is lost. Rainforests cover less than 2 % of the Earths surface, yet they are home to some 50 to 70 % of all life form on our planet. It has been stated that by the year 2010 the projected loss will be about a million species (that represents about 25% of the estimated diversity of life on Earth). Previous mass extinctions have occurred over millions of years rather than a few decades. The rainforests are the most richest, oldest, most productive

Developmental Issues for Study of the Child- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theDevelopmental Issues for Study of the Child. Answer: One experiences much on the way to the end of life. There is no way one can think normally same way as he or she thought in the older times. As people develop, they experience changes which appear to be more challenging than the previous ones. A child cannot experience the same challenges as a teenager. As the child develops, different changes occur, .which differentiate the child from the previous stage. Same thing applies to the youth and the middle age. There are changes which occur n the lives of the youth. The changes are usually different from one person to another. Characters therefore differ all through, and one can therefore wonder the reason behind such happenings. It is however easy to control emotions which occur during youth and middle age time, than those of the old age. The youth and the middle age moods may be controlled by counselling, where else the ones caused by aging may only be tolerated to the latter. At the age of sixty and above, one is unable to control emotions, and may feel hurt by minor issues which can be resolved in a minute (Brown et al, 2009). Though it may seem easy for one, it is usually difficult for the victim, since it seems like a long night to the person. It seems to them as of things will never be the same again. According to Erickson, these kinds of people feel that whatever they are facing is because people are tired of them, and they are therefore a burden. However, Erickson puts the idea of despair clearly, in a way that it elaborates the changes which take place in the mind of an aging person. Their reasoning becomes poor, and only based on the locality instead of the inner side of the matter. Kate is aging and therefore unable to know when to expect assistance, and when to give chance to children to become who they want to be. Maybe Kate was social to everyone in the past, before attaining the age of sixty (Erikson, 2008). Her thinking capacity might have been affected by the age, and therefore unable to resolve the conflict between her and her family. It is therefore difficult for Kate to resolve the issue of her family, which appears to be a burden to her. In her mind, she has settled that somebody is doing wrong in her family, and could not have done that. However, maybe the victims in the family have tried to resolve the issue with her several times, but all in vain. Kate is now disparate with everything, and forgiveness does not make sense in her mind. She might be thinking of negative things, like: the family members are treating her badly because she is about to die. That is the main thought that floods the minds of many aging people, who are above the sage of sixty. Though not all people, most f them become absent minded, and may sometimes understand. However, other times it become difficult to cooperate with people and therefore build a new conflict in their mind, never to forget easily the future. References Brown, C., Lowis, M. J. (2009). Psychosocial development in the elderly: An investigation into Erikson's ninth stage. Journal of Aging Studies, 17(4), 415-426. Erikson, E. H. (2008). Reflections on the last stageand the first. The psychoanalytic study of the child, 39(1), 155-165.

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Abstract Modern business environment dictates that organizations need to employ effective strategies in their operations for assurance of success, survival, and growth. There are many changes taking place in the environment in which organizations operate. Therefore, organizations need to take adapt to those changes and equip themselves well with adequate ‘tools’ to help such organizations win and realize growth.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strategic human resource management (SHRM) is a concept that has evolved to define modern organizations within perspectives of strategic planning. This research paper constitutes the goal of defining the concept, exploring it with regard to key stakeholders, and subsequently, assessing how SHRM goals can be evaluated effectively. Such information will be important especially to organiza tions in the process of working out their SHRM policies. There are increasing levels of uncertainty coupled with intensification of competition that have combined to force organizations to put more emphasis on developing key core competencies (Yuksel, 2011). The development of these key competencies is seen to aim at increasing the competitive advantage of organizations in the dynamic environments. Prahalad and Hamel (1994) observed that those organizations that possess unique and non-substitutable resources and competencies competitor organizations do not have, exhibit high chances of realizing sustainable advantage (cited in Yuksel, 2011). An organization’s competitive core competences and capabilities can be obtained from numerous sources. Such sources include possessing effective technology, enhancing organizational learning, and encouraging strategic flexibility and innovative capacity found among the human resources (Yuksel, 2011). As a result, it can be deduced that ef fective creation, organization, and leverage of knowledge throughout the organizations are becoming increasingly the main sources of competitive advantage in fast changing, information-driven economy. Boxall and Purcell (2003) contend that almost all organizations have strategies since it is the duty of organizations’ managers and employees to design and implement strategic choices for their organization to function on in achieving goals (Ojo, 2011). Known as strategic choices, organizations are forced to create and implement sustaining strategic choices that become vital in dealing with strategic problems and challenges within the organization. In this way, a strategy may be developed and implemented by a particular company either to maintain viability of the organization or to produce sustained advantaged within the organization in dealing with the external environment (Ojo, 2011). In creating these strategies, the aspect of human resource has become important and research indicates that human resource practices play and influence the direction and shape of any particular strategy of an organization (Ojo, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Strategies represent an organization’s capacity to compete with other organizations successfully in the dynamic environment of business world. The aim of such strategy is to see an organization succeed and realize its goals while at the same time being able to survive and realize meaningful growth (Mathis and Jackson, 2010). Realizing and accepting this to be important and vital to the organization, modern-day organizations are characterized by formation of strategic plans. In simple view, strategic plans are designed on the aim of utilizing the organization’s available resources in such a way that the organization is able to outperform its main competitors in the industry (Mathis and Jacks on, 2010). Wheelen and Hunger (1995) provides a definition of strategic planning/management as â€Å"that set of managerial decisions and actions that determines the long-run performance of a corporation† (Bratton and Gold, 2001, p.39). Given that in strategic planning there is long-term consideration, the concept can be taken to constitute all activities that have ‘vision of the future’ and at same time are updated constantly on both internal and the external environment (Bratton and Gold, 2001). As a long as the operations and activities of an organization have to continue with an indefinite time, strategic management should constitute a continuous activity that an organization’s management team undertake. Moreover, as the process takes place, the management should encourage some forms of adjustments but all ingrained within the aspects of: management, environment, and the available resources (Bratton and Gold, 2001). Strategic planning depends and gets enormous input from possessing the right human resource in the organization. The right human resource to be utilized in the strategic planning process may be present or the organization may need to outsource them from outside. This entire process has resulted to what is known as strategic human resource (SHRM) in many organizations. SHRM has being described as the process that â€Å"entails providing input into organizational strategic planning and developing specific human resource initiatives to help achieve the organizational goals† (Mathis and Jackson, 2010, p.38). Michael Armstrong, writing in a book titled ‘Strategic Human Resource Management: Guide to Action’ defines SHRM in the perspectives of organization’s strategic planning (Armstrong, 2008). According to the author, SHRM entails â€Å"an approach to the development and implementation of human resource strategies that are integrated with business strategies and enable the organization to achiev e its goals† (Armstrong, 2008, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to this definition, SHRM is a long-term process that largely succeeds on evaluating organization’s strategies and human resource strategies and how well the two categories of strategies can be merged to achieve organization goals. SHRM as a concept cannot be divorced from the overall strategy that an organization envisions to undertake. In this way, SHRM is seen to be intertwined to the strategic objectives of an organization. Due to this, strategic human resource management has to emphasize the need for human resource plans and strategies to be formulated within the context of overall organizational strategies and objectives that are further, responsive to the changing nature of the organization’s external environment (Ojo, 2011). This lin e of understanding leads to Wright and McMahan (1992) define SHRM as â€Å"the pattern of planned human resource deployments and activities intended to enable the firm to achieve its goals† (Ojo, 2011). As such, the role of SHRM is seen to constitute all aspects that contribute to organizational performance in achieving organizational goals and objectives. The themes of SHRM have been categorized into three: process of integration all human resource key practices into a comprehensive and functional unit; an aspect of incorporating and utilizing broad organizational goals; and lastly, responding to the external environment in the most strategic and effective way (Ojo, 2011). In this way, SHRM can be described as a comprehensive framework of human resource that constitute process of evaluating the impacts of external and internal environments and instituting the appropriate human resource measures in terms of strategy to enable sustainable adaptation of the organization. Stakeh olders in SHRM Organization functions and carries out its activities dependent on goodwill of its stakeholders. Multiple stakeholders of an organization exist and their role in the organization defines the success, growth, and sustainability of the organization. Some of notable organizational stakeholders include the investors, organization itself, in terms of management team, employees, customers and suppliers (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). Each of these stakeholders affects and influences an organization in one way or the other. Human resource practices have been identified to affect all these stakeholders either directly or indirectly (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). As a result, strategic planning in the organization has the ability to impact the stakeholders differently. In turn, the stakeholder may undertake initiatives of evaluating the different human resource practices in accordance to their outcome.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More SHRM builds on the need to create human resource strategies that exhibit capacity to satisfy multiple stakeholders of the organization. In this way, there is always need to create SHRM practices and strategies that address the concerns of key stakeholders in the organization (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). Investors constitute the first category of organizational stakeholders. Investors constitute all groups of people who have channeled their resources into the organization with intend of realizing positive returns on those resources. Positive returns generally come in form of profits and dividends that investors enjoy. As a result, introduction of SHRM practices in an organization usually has the blessing of investors since it is viewed to change the current operations in the organization and improve financial performance of the organization. Organization’s employees constitute another category of stakeholders of an organization (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). Numerous researches ha ve been carried out on the implication of various human resource practices on employees in different organizations (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). Human resource practices that may impact employees include recruitment and selection, training and development and performance management (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). The aim of the research on these practices has been to evaluate the impact of the practices on individual outcomes. At the same time, more research has been done on the impact of practices on employee outcome such as on job satisfaction, motivation, socialization and career success (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). Therefore, introduction of strategies of human resource management in most cases impact employees to great length. The third type of organizational stakeholder is the consumer, usually known as product-market stakeholder (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). Activities of any organization always aim at achieving customer satisfaction with regard to organization’s products or servic es (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). As a result, customer satisfaction is seen as a mediating variable between human resource practices and business performance. In introducing SHRM practices an organization aims at changing the dimension of work climate that in turn lead to customer satisfaction through customer orientation, quality emphasis, teamwork, cooperation, and involvement of customers in product designs (Deckop and Deckop, 2006). How Stakeholders Evaluate Effectiveness of SHRM Practice Evaluation of SHRM practices in an organization has to consider the impact of the SHRM system on all of the organization’s multiple stakeholders (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). Creating SHRM practices aims at introducing changes in the manner activities are performed in the organization. As a result effectiveness of such practices and systems are measured on objectives such as improvement in productivity, improvement in profitability, and the ability of the organization to sustain in the futur e (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). On the part of employees, effectiveness of SHRM practices normally depends on total quality of the practices on the work within the organization, the innovativeness of the practices in contributing to realization of goals in the organization, ability of the practices to contribute to job satisfaction, enhancement, and enrichment (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). At the same time, employees have been regard as key resources of an organization in ensuring the success of any SHRM system. In this way, the effectiveness of SHRM can be evaluated on the level of commitment and engagement by employees and overall satisfaction of employees (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). On the part of customers, evaluation of SHRM system put into consideration aspects such as quality and variety of products introduced in the market, the prices at which the products are being sold and overall services that accompany the products (Schuler and Jackson, 2007). Conclusion Human resource be ing one of the core components of an organization has to be re-organized and re-aligned to the new developments taking place. Re-organization and re-alignment in the modern world cannot take place within traditional and usual frameworks of human resource management. Today there is need for strategic planning solutions that can guarantee organizations success. As a result, strategic human resource management (SHRM) is a concept that defines modern organizations that aim to realize organizational goals and objectives through strategic planning of its human resource. Introduction of SHRM systems in an organization is a path that sees ability of an organization to effectively compete in the dynamic environment and sustainability while remaining focused to the goals and objectives of stakeholders. References Armstrong, M. (2008). Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action. PA: Kogan Page Publishers. Web. Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (2001). Human resource management: theory and p ractice. NY: Routledge. Web. Deckop, J. R. and Deckop, J. R. (2006). Human resource management ethics. NY: Information Age Publishing. Web. Mathis, R. L. and Jackson, J. H. (2010). Human Resource Management. OH: Cengage Learning. Web. Ojo, O. (2011). â€Å"Impact of strategic human resource practice on corporate performance in selected Nigerian banks.† Journal of Ege Akademik Bakis, Vol. 11, No. 3, p.339.  Web. Schuler, R. S. and Jackson, S. E. (2007). Strategic human resource management. MA: Wiley-Blackwell. Web. Yuksel, M. (2011). â€Å"Core competencies of managers in an emerging market†. Journal of American Academy of Business, Vol. 17, No. 1, p.104. Web. This essay on Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) was written and submitted by user Miranda K. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. 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