Resource Creation and Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Resource Creation and Evaluation - Essay Example Increased use of internet provides an opportunity for interactive learning environment. In this vein, innovations such as Blackboard, Angel and WebCT have been found to support interactive learning environment (Samaras et al., 2006). Such innovations are used when chatting between students and their instructors, to receive assignments, view grades and remain connected to the learning institution. In addition, they have allowed teachers an opportunity to teach in an interactive learning environment. The development of such new technologies and increased research has transformed the way people think. Further, emergence of interactive teaching platforms has led educators to transform the ways in which they teach their students. This study will focuses on the use of online Blackboard to teach Physics to second year high school students. Needs Assessment With recent technological advances, the educational systems continue to adjust in order to meet the present societal needs. The fact tha t knowledge users are required to incorporate technology to befit present societal demands has brought additional responsibilities to producers of such knowledge. A decade ago, a glance at the Australian curricula revealed an inward looking system of education that was limited to classroom environment where a teacher and a group of students held discussions (Wieman & Perkins, 2005).. However, this mode of learning has proved ineffective particularly for science subjects that involve concepts. This notion has affirmed the traditional system of education inadequate and the existing educational materials hardly enough to meet the present education demands. To fill the existing gap, curriculum developers have come up with various online platforms that allow students to use the search engine to access diverse learning materials interact with instructors’ online, book and sit their examinations, make enquiries through chatting with fellow students and instructors among many others. Interactive learning via online Blackboard Evidently, use of online blackboard has greatly enhanced teaching Physics in high school. This is because it creates an opportunity of having visual illustrations that are critical for mastering the subject. Such online illustrations not only enables students to understand, but also allows them visual identification of diagrams hence ability to preserve them than they could have done in verbal descriptions. Further, such demonstrations highlight physics concepts leaving students to give physical explanations. Interestingly, this mode of learning commands attentiveness from the audience. In teaching Physics, the online Blackboard can be used in numerous ways. For instance, it has been used in Physics laboratory curricula since it provides real-time access to data required for the experiment. Unlike the traditional methods, a student can watch a real event as it is performed experimentally. Further, the Blackboard has also proved helpful dur ing interactive lectures. The online Blackboard enables teachers to plan and teach Physics as well as instructing students using integrated technology. On

Bond ratings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Bond ratings - Essay Example Representatives of the rating agencies have consistently stated that no precise formula is used to set a firm's rating; all the factors listed, plus others, are taken into account, but not in a mathematically precise manner. Statistical studies have borne out this contention, for researchers who have tried to predict bond ratings on the basis of quantitative data had had only limited success, indicating that the agencies use subjective judgment when establishing a firm's rating. When the bond ratings get adjusted downwards, because most bonds are purchased by institutional investors rather than individuals, and many institutions are restricted to investment-grade securities, many potential purchasers will not be allowed to buy them. As a result of their higher risk and more restricted market, when the bond ratings get adjusted downwards, the bonds have higher required rates of return as risk premium (Weston, Besley, and Brigham 707-708). 3. Whenever the gong rate of interest is equal to the coupon rate, a bond will sell at its par. Interest rates do change over time, but the coupon rate remains fixed after the bond has been issued. Whenever the going rate of interest is greater than the coupon rate, a bond's price will fall below its par value. ... 4. The yield to maturity is the average rate of return earned on a bond if it is held to maturity (Weston, Besley, and Brigham 291). To calculate the yield to maturity, the following equation could be solved (Weston, Besley, and Brigham 291). = C (PVIFAk, n) + M (PVIFk,n) Where V = Bond value C = coupon payments k = yield to maturity M = par value of the bond n = number of years before the bond matures K could be solved by using a financial calculator or by substituting values for PVIFA and PVIF until a pair that works is found so that the present value of the interest payments combined with the present value of the repayment of the face value at maturity equals the current price of the bond (Weston, Besley, and Brigham 291). Alternatively, an estimate of the yield to maturity could be calculated with the following equation (Weston, Besley, and Brigham 291). 5. The nominal yield to maturity is the contracted, or quoted, interest rate which is used to compute the interest paid per period. The effective yield to maturity is the annual rate of interest actually being earned, as opposed to the quoted rate, considering the compounding of interest. The investor should use the effective yields to maturity when deciding between corporate bonds and other securities of similar risk. This is because throughout the world economy, different compounding periods are used for different types of investments. For example, bank accounts generally compute interest on a daily basis; most bonds pay interest semiannually; and stocks generally pay dividends quarterly. If the investor is to properly compare securities with different compounding