A Framework for Developing an Initial Teacher Education and Training Programme

This framework could be used by institutions as a catalyst for discussion, development and implementation of an initial teacher education and training programme. The following areas should make up the content of the framework.

A. Programme (Values). Clearly, state the ideals of the programme that will underpin how objectives are achieved and act as a guide to behaviour. For example, “we develop reflective professional teachers” “we work openly and collaboratively” and “we treat everyone with respect”.

B. Programme (Conceptual basis). State the philosophical underpinning of the programme. For example, “This initial teacher education and training programme prepares and enables student teachers to develop their ability to adjust teaching according to the needs of students and school contextual factors (Reflective Pastoral Apprentice Partnership Model)”

C. Programme (Aim and Objectives). Outline what the programme will achieve. For example, “The overall aim of the programme is to enable student teachers to develop their ability to address factors that militate against them placing their students firmly at the centre’ of teaching”.

D. Programme (Design). Describe how the programme will function. For example,”Personal tutors will be provided for student teachers”. “Student teachers are expected to carry out–under supervision– an original piece of research”. “Student teachers should be educated and trained in the areas of early years, technical and vocational education and other subjects as according to students’ preference and availability of lecturers”.

E. Curriculum (Design). Describe what areas of teaching and knowledge will be developed. For example, “The curriculum will be divided into three areas of knowledge development: Core Pedagogic Subjects, Areas of specialisation i.e. Early Years, Technical and Vocational Education and other subjects and practicum.

F. Assessment. Outline the type(s) of assessment that will be used. For example, “Student teachers will be assessed through both coursework and terminal examinations. These can include tasks such as essays, learning journals, objective type questions and oral and practical examinations”.

G. Admission requirements. State the entry requirement for those wishing to enter the programme.

H. Partnership. Describe the nature of the relationship between the programme and the key stakeholders. For example, “The Education Council or the Board of Governors will give general oversight to the programme”. “Schools via their principals will be encouraged to share comments on how to improve the programme”.

I. Quality Assurance. Outline plans for validation and or accreditation and the advantages of doing so. For example, “The initial teacher education and training programme will seek accreditation from an international or regional body”. “This will assure that students are receiving a quality education”.

J. Personnel. List who will make up the faculty. For example, “Initially, the programme will employ external adjunct and use existing faculty”.

K. Housing. State what department or school will host the programme. For example: “Initially, the programme will be included as an arm or department of X, making use of the present facilities where possible.

L. Finance. Outline how the programme will be funded. For example: “A yearly student fee will be charged and where possible subsidized by the government and the private sector in the form of scholarships and grants”.

What You Should Know About Backpacking Backpacks?

Backpacks are often called rucksacks, knapsacks or packsacks. In its most basic form, it is a sack made of cloth which is being carried on someone’s back and secured with two durable straps over the shoulders. However, there are backpacks like the lightweight type which can only be worn with one shoulder strap. These backpacks are most of the time preferred than handbags for the purpose of carrying any kind of equipment. This is because the capacity to carry heavy weights by the hand is limited.

Large backpacks like the backpacking backpacks can carry loads of more than ten kilograms usually putting the load on the padded hip belts making the shoulder straps for stabilizing the load. The potential to carry heavy loads is enhanced given that the hip area is stronger than the shoulders. Also, there is increase in agility and balance because the load is situated near the center of mass of the wearer. Backpacking haversack compose of metal or plastic frame in order to support as well as distribute the pack’s weight. The main compartment is also subdivided and often has pockets on the outside portions of the packs.

While there are backpacks for travelling, in ancient times, haversack were also used to carry the larger game of the hunter so that transportation will become easier. Meanwhile, the backpacking backpacks are usually designed for haversacking and other activities to be done outdoors. Compared to the backpack used daily, backpacking backpacks are made to carry loads which are considerably heavier. In order to evenly distribute the weight of the pack from the back down to the legs, padded heavy belts are used.

The frequent materials to be used for these backpacking haversack are canvas and nylon. They are designed primarily for specific outdoor activities. For kayaking and canoeing trips, you can use waterproof backpacks. Designs for the backpacks fall into four classifications namely, frameless, external frame, internal frame as well as body pack. Closure for the backpacks can either be through a buckle mechanism, a zipper or a dry-bag type of closure.

An internal frame haversack is the latest innovation which has a huge fabric section surrounding an internal frame which will consist of strips from aluminum, titanium or plastic. This also has additional metal stays in order to support the frame. Basically, there are backpacks for every purpose which will be suitable to your needs and will provide you comfort and convenience.

Aging Skincare Secrets – Begin Rating Skincare Products and Retain Young-Looking, Glowing Skin

Are you frustrated with trying to find aging skincare for you’re needs? There is a lot of information and many anti aging skincare products available on this topic that you don’t know where to begin or who to listen too.

Finding your solution to skin aging first begins by rating skincare products on your own. Don’t worry though, it’s not hard.

The first thing you do is understand which ingredients your want and don’t want in your anti aging skincare products. And, in this article, I’ll share aging skincare information that makes it obvious why one ingredient is good and another bad.

The last thing you want to do is spent time, money and energy buying ineffective and unhealthy creams. After rating skincare products myself, by reading reviews in magazines and on popular skincare websites, I was appalled to learn about the substances contained in many creams and lotions.

Needless to say, my skin looked and felt worse than it ever did. Therefore, I researched the ingredients found in many aging skincare products and here’s what I found.

Harmful Ingredients You Do Not Want

The ingredients you’ll want to avoid are the synthetic chemicals like parabens, fragrances, mineral oils, alcohols, toluene and dioxanes. Here’s why, these substances can cause a wide variety of skin and health problems if used over an extended period of time. Problems like skin dryness, acne, allergies, premature aging and even cancer.

You don’t want to put these unhealthy, harmful ingredients on your skin. So, simply avoid the skincare products containing them at all costs.

Effective Ingredients You Do Want

Thankfully there are substances in found in products which are skin healthy and not dangerous. Here are some basic aging skincare secrets you’ll want revealed to help you retain your natural glowing complexion.

Look for 100% natural, proven and effective ingredients like: Cynergy TK, Nano-Lipobelle H-EQ10, Shea Butter, Phytessence Wakame and Active Manuka Honey.

In conclusion, if you’re searching for healthy, safe aging skincare products, look for the special natural ingredients mentioned above that help bring back the skin of your younger years.

Visit my website today for more information on these powerful substances. All ingredients are safe, healthy and effective and from a high quality skin care company located in New Zealand. A company committed to using only natural ingredients like those mentioned in this article.

CompareMe – Best iPhone Shopping Application

I’m writing this article in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, and I haven’t seen people be so tight with their money since the recession of the 1970s. In an economic environment like this, it certainly makes sense to shop smartly and do as much comparison pricing as possible.

These days, a lot of supermarkets make comparison shopping easier than it used to be by offering a cost breakdown (by the ounce or unit count) of most products. Not all stores offer that service, though, and sometimes you aren’t readily presented with the information you need to make good choices.

For instance, I like to buy whole coffee beans and grind them at home, and recently I’ve been enjoying brewing espresso with Italian Roast beans from Peet’s Coffee and Tea. I can buy the beans directly from the coffee shop for roughly $12.99 per pound; but then I noticed that a bag of the same beans at the grocery store is only $9.99! After doing some research, however, I discovered that the grocery store bags are 12 ounces, not a pound (16 ounces). But I still didn’t know which was less expensive per ounce. And that, my friends, is a perfect example of when you need CompareMe!

As you can see in the figure on the left, by buying my coffee beans directly from a Peet’s shop, I can save two percent.
Oh sure, I could compare the prices by hand, but CompareMe makes these kinds of comparisons so easy, I’ve found myself using the app more and more often, which is making me a better shopper. In this case, I try to buy my beans directly from Peet’s whenever I can. Two percent here and two percent there definitely adds up over the long haul!

Do you like tuna? I do! But, boy, the pricing on canned tuna can fluctuate wildly. And don’t be deceived by those larger cans. You’d think they would be cheaper by the ounce than the smaller cans, but CompareMe has shown that’s never the case unless the large cans are on sale. The same is often true about toothpaste, which surprised the heck out of me. Buying something in larger quantities is usually cheaper, but not always. So be sure to do your comparisons with CompareMe.

CompareMe offers a detailed breakdown for each comparison it does.

In the figure on the bottom right, you can see a side-by-side comparison of the A versus B pricing in their respective sizes, along with a breakdown of the price in its smallest form, which in this case is the ounce.

CompareMe has built-in values for grams, milligrams, kilograms, metric tonnes, ounces, pounds, short hundredweight, short tons, quarters, long hundredweights, long tons, and funds. Yeah, yeah.

I didn’t know what those weird measurements were, either, but a quick Google search showed me they are mostly shipping and customs terms.

Best features

CompareMe is easy to use, and it provides quick comparisons when I’m doing my shopping.

Worst features

I’d like to be able to compare more than two things at a time.

Small Business Idea – How to Start a Translation Service Business

Although the United States does not have an official language, the vast majority of the population speaks American English. However there are an estimated 337 other languages spoken by the population. Spanish is the second most common language in the U.S. with it being spoken by over 12% of the population. The Chinese languages, French, German, Tagalog (of the Philippine’s), Vietnamese, Italian, Korean and Russian round out the top ten languages spoken in the United States according to the 2000 census.

As we move towards a more culturally diverse country, coupled with the impact of globalization on our economy – the need for translation services will increase. Most, if not all major corporations offer a Spanish language translation to their customers via telephone IVR systems, marketing materials and other customer promotional items. It’s easy for them to do this because they have the budget and manpower to put into it, but this isn’t the case for the small business owner – and this is where you come in!

If you are fluent in multiple languages, consider putting that highly valuable skill to good use by starting a Translation Service business. The Internet book of the last 15 years has had a tremendous effect on marketing, for the first time in history the small business owner can reach a global audience with just a few clicks of the mouse. The unfortunate thing is that most of them are not capitalizing on this wonderful advantage due to fears of language and cultural barriers. If a Translation Service sounds like a business that you’d be interested in keep these things in mind:

1. What are the set up costs of a translation service business: For the price of marketing materials, a website, and the cost of your business license – you can start a translation service business. The main component of your business model is the ability to speak another language(s), however it is important that you are fluent and well versed in the proper spelling, grammar, tenses, etc. If you need to brush up on those things, we suggest making the investment in Pimsleur or Rosetta Stone language courses. Remember that your clients are business owners and professional so their documents must reflect that no matter what language they are written in.

2. How much money can I expect to make?: The going rate for professional translation services is 0.15 to 0.30 per word, however the larger companies tend to pad this amount with minimal requirements and other processing fees. It’s not uncommon for a 75 word document to run the neighborhood of $100 if not more. Considering the fact that the average email sent in the United States contains 50 words, paying $100 for translation is not cost effective.

Your competitive edge will be found in your price point. By keeping your minimum requirements low coupled with a wide range of services, you will make a name for your business.

3. How can I market my translation service business?: The first thing you’ll want to do is establish your online presence. This will allow you to reach a global market. Your marketing efforts however will begin on a more local level until you can build the revenue to advertise on a broader skill. Your target demographic will be businesses that while they attract a culturally diverse client base, they have no materials available in the language(s) you specialize in. Offer to, for a free or reduced rate – translate one page of their brochure, website or other important documents in exchange for their testimonial or reference.

Don’t limit yourself to brick & mortar businesses, reach out to online businesses as well.

When approached with professionalism, the possibilities of the translation service business are endless. As your client base grows, you may also consider hiring employees who are fluent in other languages as well. This will expand your reach and give you a leg up on the competition!

Experience London Masters Multimedia Global Education

Advancement in technology coupled with increasing trade inter-dependence among the economies of the world has contributed to the rapid globalization of higher education. The dawn of 21st century coincides with the advent of globalization and hence, it has metamorphosed the management education milieu. Management and business education is no longer confined within the borders of a nation. Today, the world of trade and commerce demands the input from qualified and skilled work force, irrespective of the country one belongs. And, this is how the need for strategic alliance develops around the world along with the expansion in the scope of relevant education in media and technology- to keep the fast-evolving world spinning.

Establishing a strategic alliance with international business schools like Grad School London, London Masters Multimedia is an excellent way of gaining an edge-over in the globalized business environment. It also helps in developing sustainable and competitive advantages that can result into quality and responsibility in the new across-borders educational sphere. By developing international strategic alliances, business schools strive to enhance their strategic resources which they know, would not be possible otherwise. Hence, the basic premise of forming international alliances is to create a new collaborative and innovative value of management studies which cannot be achieved independently.

Besides benefiting the business schools, forming international strategic alliances can be highly advantageous for management students. Diversity in terms of student’s nationalities, experience and background helps them in gaining international exposure and knowledge. It also improves their foreign language skills which prepares them for exciting careers in international business. Besides classroom interaction, outside social activities and student clubs bring together the students of different views which help them in widening their mental horizons regarding career options. Even after the completion of studies, it leaves them with a supportive network of colleagues that span around the globe.

Forging ties with international business and management institutions also play a vital role in strengthening relationships among governments, economies and businesses across the world. This is the reason why pursuing business management courses in global management institutions have become popular among students all over the world.

Some of the favorable for students to opt for MBA education globally include London grad school, one of the leading institutes for higher education these days. Besides MBA, it also offers various other programmes including London masters multimedia and London career digital marketing.

Strategic international alliances for business schools equip students with truly international management skills which is the utmost requirement to excel in the globalized business world today.

The Healthcare System in France

The healthcare programme in France is bolstered by an insurance policy established in 1945 and provides cover for 80% of the population. It was originally created to cover those in employment to provide “sécurité sociale” or social security but has since been expanded to cover all citizens under the principle of “couverture maladie universelle” or universal health coverage.

An overview of the healthcare infrastructure in France

The health care system in France is totally subsidized by the government by virtue of a fund and is therefore free. The fund is injected with personal income taxes from income earned by the working population and allows for the lack of income, the effects of wage changes and strives to offer all citizens the opportunity of having access to medical treatment when the need arises.

Role of the State

The state ensures that people have access to the health insurance scheme, the types of health care eligible for funding and oversees the role of entities involved. Public safety is the state’s priority and so is planning for the number of hospitals and sizes as well as the provision of specialized wards.

Hospitals available

There are two types of hospitals – the public sector hospitals and the private hospitals. The first category hospitals provide 65% of available beds. Because they are public, these hospitals are charged with the supply of continuous care for patients as well as being responsible for ongoing tutoring and training of both patients and staff. The second category or private hospitals are motivated by profit and they focus attention mainly on income earning activities such as surgery. They levy a charge for their services in order to obtain and augment their finances.

Health professionals

Doctors and physicians are employed in the public and private sector hospitals and 97% abide by the provisions of the “Tarif de convention” or tariff references which set the amount of costs involved for the kind of medical treatment rendered. Health professionals as well as clinics and hospitals that choose not to conform to the tariffs, are required to display their prices, so people can decide whether or not to avail themselves to treatment.

In France, there are 3.37 doctors per 1,000 people.

Healthcare procedure

Initially, the patient approaches the medicin traitant or general practitioner who has been registered as the physician responsible to coordinate the patient’s treatment. Should for any reason, the physician or substitute is another doctor may be consulted by the patient after consulting the cause d’assurance or staff at the register. The patient is at liberty to change his/her physician and in the process, retains the entitlement for reimbursement for the type of treatment given.

Funding the healthcare scheme

Funds for the healthcare system in France is obtained from the income of the working population with the following percentages:

  • An employee’s contribution towards his/her healthcare compensation is 21% made up of 12.5% contributed by the employer and 0.75% by the employee. The balance is obtained from a social security tax collected from the employee.
  • The contribution by the employer and employee along with the social security tax make up 60% of the health care fund remitted to government.
  • The balance of the fund is obtained from indirect taxes on alcohol and tobacco.

How to Become a Culinary School Instructor

So you want to know how to become a culinary school instructor. If you are already a seasoned baker, chef or other type of culinary professional, this could be the logical next step for you. If you are just starting out in the culinary industry, however, you should know that it will probably take a while before you’re ready to start teaching others. There’s no reason you can’t have this goal in mind as you establish your career, though. Here is what you need to do to make it happen.

Before anything else, you will have to finish a culinary degree if you haven’t already done so. You’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree in the culinary arts to teach this subject, and a master’s degree would be even better. There are programs at traditional colleges, culinary schools and online universities. Once you have your degree you will need to get three to five years of experience in the industry before you can realistically start applying for teaching jobs. Focus on building your skills in all aspects of cooking and baking so you can impart them to others when you begin teaching, and learn how to be a good communicator.

If you’ve been working in the field for a while you can begin teaching some classes in community centers and other alternative settings to get some good practice. Teaching groups such as elementary school children, seniors and individuals with disabilities can provide great classroom experience to boost your résumé. You’ll need to include any prior teaching experience along with your employment history, key skills and at least three quality references when you are applying to work as a culinary school instructor. Colleagues and supervisors are the best references, although one personal reference is also acceptable.

You may need to develop a sample lesson plan or fulfill other various requirements when you apply to work as a culinary school instructor, so learn what they expect prior to applying. If you get the job you can expect to make around $37,000 annually, but there is room for advancement with experience and merit.

Buying a Home – Pointers From a Real Estate Broker

Zero knowledge on the real estate market is a big letdown when purchasing a home. This will lead you to make the wrong decision and you may even end up spending more. This is the reason why it is important to ask the assistance of a real estate broker. Here are some pointers that I learned from my real estate broker.

Go to your local bank and frankly discuss your mortgage needs. Banks offer various loan products that are applicable in your situation. Their loan officer will examine if you meet the criteria of any of these products. If you can facilitate on having a home loan on your own in a bank, then do so. Do not go through a mortgage broker, as this will require you to pay him fees.

Do not wait for any off-season on real estate. If you are all set to buy a home then look at all the possibilities and prospects. Nevertheless, ensure that your decision must depend on your financial capacity so as not to hurt your family income and budget. Do not ever commit the mistake of buying a home without checking your capacity to shoulder the payments and sacrificing your immediate domestic needs. Do not grab the mortgage readily because you have met the requirements. You also need to re-evaluate the mortgage that was recommended by the bank. Your family needs and expenses are still top priority. You do not want to have a home but sacrifice your family’s needs, do you? It would be better to stick to a fixed rate mortgage that suits your monthly finances.

Find a competent and well-trained real estate agent. You need to sign a buyer representation contract stating that the agent can transact business on your behalf. You will know if the agent is qualified if he possess a state license. These agents undergo continuous education and training in real estate. The agent can help you to meet the difficulties and issues that may arise in your transactions. With a real estate agent guiding you on your purchase, you eliminate the hassles and the stress that come with buying a home.

When I thought of buying my home, I started it right by being referred to a proficient real agent courtesy of my sister. He gave me the above pointers and went to check with my bank for a home loan. These helped me to find the home that suits my family’s needs. I never could have been happier if I did it the wrong way. I shared the above pointers with the hope that it will help you in your search for a home.

Importance of Trial Version in Project Management Software

Trail version in project management software plays very important role. If your project management software provides free trial version to your customers then it will definitely help you to boost your business because with this your clients or customers can easily understand the product. A trial version of software is a good way to introduce the product in your target market. It enables new users to try the software free of cost for a limited period and gives an opportunity to test the functionality of it and make up their mind whether they shall require it adequately in their sphere of work at a later stage.

The companies are equally benefited as it allows for greater user penetration amongst their desired segment i.e. it allows them to spread their software to a far greater audience and generate more scope for revenue in future. It provides an idea about the features exists in the software. If you want to use project management software then it is essential for you that firstly you know what feature this software have and you require those features or not. Trial version is free of cost and this will provide an idea about the functionality of the software that whether it is good or not. With the help of this you get to try the software without paying. People get an overview of the software and can easily see if they can utilize the software for their official purpose.

Trial versions are extremely important for any consumer because there is tons of software available; many are not suited for simple usage. With a trial version of an existing software, consumers can fully test the usability of the software, compare with others and finally shortlist which software to use ultimately. This proves that trial version is very important in project management software. Management software is very useful for large as well as small-scale industries. With the help of such software you can easily manage your number of projects simultaneously.

For managing your lots of products it is essential that you should choose best project management software. And trial version is such an option which provides you an idea that this particular software suited all your needs or requirements or not. As you know trial version are free of cost that will provide benefit to the company because lots of users are come and use the software. This will increase the number of users on your website and also give you a chance to prove your reliability. There are many free project management software are available on the internet which provides many features. Trial versions can provide you an idea about the functionality, reliability and features of the software. So by using this you can easily choose your software for managing your projects according to your needs and requirements.