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Is remote work better than office work for employee productivity? Question Brief English for Academic Purposes, Research and Study Skills – EAP Essay Title: Is remote work better than office work for employee productivity? Introduction Remote work and office work are two common ways employees perform their jobs. Remote work refers to completing work tasks outside a traditional workplace, usually from home or another location using digital communication tools. Office work, in contrast, involves employees working in a shared physical workplace where they interact face-to-face with colleagues and managers. The rise of high-speed internet, cloud computing, and collaboration platforms has made remote work increasingly popular, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to adopt flexible working arrangements. Employee productivity, a key concept in this debate, refers to the efficiency and effectiveness with which workers complete tasks and achieve organizational goals. Supporters of remote work argue that it reduces commuting time, increases flexibility, and allows employees to work in more comfortable environments. However, critics suggest that office settings encourage collaboration, supervision, and team cohesion, which can also enhance performance. This essay argues that remote work generally leads to higher employee productivity than office work because it offers greater flexibility, fewer workplace distractions, and improved work–life balance, while still allowing effective communication through modern technology.

Main Body (900 words in total)

Paragraph 1 (Change this heading/sub-heading according to your chosen essay topic) (300 words)

[Please feel free to give a name to this subpoint under the main body or you can also feel free to create further subpoints under this subpoint] For examples: Advantages of working from home

Topic 1 – Start your paragraph with a clear topic/point. Provide example/evidence that supports your point. Explanation of why the point is important and how it helps with your overall argument.

Paragraph 2 (Change this heading/sub-heading according to your chosen essay topic) (300 words)

[Please feel free to give a name to this subpoint under the main body or you can also feel free to create further subpoints under this subpoint]

Topic 2 – Start your paragraph with a clear topic/point. Provide example/evidence that supports your point. Explanation of why the point is important and how it helps with your overall argument.

Paragraph 3 (Change this heading/sub-heading according to your chosen essay topic) (300 words)

[Please feel free to give a name to this subpoint under the main body or you can also feel free to create further subpoints under this subpoint]

Topic 3 – Further ideas Start your paragraph with a clear topic/point. Provide example/evidence that supports your point. Explanation of why the point is important and how it helps with your overall argument.

Conclusion (150 words)

Summary of main discussion points and recommendations for the future.

References All essays need a reference list.

This includes a list of all the sources (At least 10 sources) that were cited in the essay. It shows the reader where your sources of inspiration, argumentation and detail came from. Show the amount of research you have undertaken!

Remember that the reference list does not contribute to the total word count, so remember to deduct these words when you calculate the final word count

Do not forget to use in-text citations all the way throughout the Essay

Unit Brief Unit 2/4002: Engineering Maths Assignment 1: Mathematical Methods and Statistical Techniques Assignment Number 1 of 3 INTRODUCTION Task 1) a) The power (P) dissipated in a resistor (R) which is subjected to a voltage (V) across its terminals is given by the well-known formula;

P = V^2/R

Since you are new to the company your line manager is unsure of your capabilities, and has asked you to use the dimensions of P and V to determine the dimensions of R.

Voltage (V) = 25v

Resistance (R) = 20Ω

Current (I) = ?

Ohms Law is V=IR (Unicourse Ltd, 2025) we can transpose the above for I:

I=V/R

Therefore:

I=25/20

I = 1.25 A (Amperes, often shortened to Amps, A)

b) A guitar string, made by your Musical Instruments division, has mass (m), Length (l) and tension (F). It is proposed by one of your junior colleagues that a formula for the period of vibration (t) of the string might be;

t=2π √  m3l/F

Use dimensional analysis to show your colleague that this formula is incorrect.

As we know from above the dimensions of each variable, we can assume that when the equations are worked, they should be of equal formula both sides to be true.

From the common quantities table encountered in engineering we can assume the following: –

T = time (T)

M = mass (M)

L = Length (L)

F = Force (mass x acceleration) [MLT]

Dimensional analysis Expression under the square root

[m3l/F]=(M^3 L)/(M LT-^2 )=M^(3-1) L^(1-1 ) T^2 =M^2 T^2

Square root the equation

(_^([√ (m^3 l)/F] = √(M^2 ) T^2 =M T))

As we can see the equations don`t equal the same outcome and with their calculation theory and the formula is incorrect to prove a period of vibration.

c) An analogue-to-digital converter (ADC), manufactured by you signals division, takes 15 voltage samples of ramp waveform, measured in mV, as follows … 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 … 45.

Your Test colleague has asked you to assist by using a formula to calculate the sum of these 15 voltage samples.

There are a few ways this can be done; the first way is to complete the formula for all the numbers as follows with Sigma notation: –

(_^([√ (m^3 l)/F] = √(M^2 ) T^2 =M T))

We can see that each new term is constructed by adding 3 the previous number and is known as the common ratio

No. of samples n = 15

1st Voltage sample a1 = 3mV

Last Voltage sample a15 = 45mV

Sn = n/2 (a1+an)

S 15/2 = (3+45)

S 15/2 (48)

7.5 x 48 = 360 mV

d) A digital chip, made by your microelectronics division, counts continuously in the sequence: 512, 1024, 2048, 4096, …

You have been asked to use a formula to calculate the 11th count of the chip

an = a r (n-1)

a11 = 512 * 2(11-1)

a = 512 x 2^10

a11 = 524,288

e) A series electrical circuit which you are testing features a capacitor (C) charging via a resistor (R) and a DC supply (Vs). The voltage across the capacitor (Vc) may be described by the equation …

vc = vs(1-e-t/_/rc)

Where t represents time

Assuming Vc is 1V after a time of 4 seconds, determine the approx value of the capacitor.

formula working:

vc/vs=1-e^(-t/rc)

e^(-t/RC)=1 - Vc/Vs

C = (-t)/(R1n(1-Vc/Vs))

Voltage (V) = 25v

Resistance (R) = 20Ω

Vc/Vs = (1 – e^(-4(20 x 10^(-6) C)))

1/25 = 1 – e^(-4(20 x 10^6 C))

e^(-4(20 x 10^6 C)) = 1 – 1/25

e^(-4(20 x 10^6 C)) = 24/25

C = -4 / (20 x 10^6 ln(24/25))

ln(24/25) = -0.0416666667

C = -4 / (20 x 10^6 (-0.0416666667))

C = -4 / (20 x 10^6 x -0.0416666667)

C = 4 / (0.0833333334 x 10^6)

C = 4 / 83333.334 = 4.8 x 10^(-5)

C = 4.8 x 10^(-5)

C = 4.8 μF

MGT906 Strategic Business simulation Business strategy Report

Assessment Briefing Document

Unit Code MGT906 Total Weight (Report) 15% of total marks Unit Name Strategic Business simulation Total Marks /100 Assessment Number 2 Due Week 6 Assessment Name Business strategy Report Due Date

(Please note relevant time-zone)

Sunday,28thJune2026, 11:59pm(AEDT) Assessment Type Group Project Word Count/Length

(+/-10%)

Report:1800 to 2000 words File type: Word Rubric Available in Moodle

 

Assessment Task:

In a group you are required Section A: using the AI prompt for your company develop 2(45 marks) (Suggested word count: c50-800 words)

In this section of your group is required to use a generative AI platform to produce two short form strategy scenarios for your company in the BSG game.

You will be required to produce the prompt and show this in your report together with the output of the prompt copied directly from the selected AI site.

 

Step1 Identify a appropriate generative AI site

 

Step2 Use the prompt provided below that will provide 2 strategic plan options for your register BSG company. Please note this has to be for your group’s company data and no other.

 

Step3 Using the excel file template prepare competitive data of your choice using the data relevant to your company in the BSG game which will assist the AI platform in producing the strategic options this should include competitor analysis and key details of your company.

 

Step4 Copy the output into the same document including the data set in excel spread sheet (template to be provided).

Note your lecturer will be providing a worked example of how to complete this section in the lecture in week 5 it is critical that you attend

AI prompt provided is “As a co-manager of manufacturer and wholesaler of athletic footwear company in a global marketplace you have completed the first year of management decisions and the performance results as attached in the data provided. Using the attached data prepare two (2) strategic options for your company based on the company and industry data provided.

 

 

 

The strategic options should be written in no more than two pages and include 3 specific initiatives to be undertaken under each option.

The company operates across 4 regions Asia Pacific, North America, Europe Africa and Latin America. The company has manufacturing plants in Asia Pacific and North America. Including this company there are12 competitors in the international global market place.

Do not provide a recommendation”

A data template will be provided in excel will be provided for you to

Section B: prepare a Business style report which analyses your two options based on the AI generated output (55marks). Note this section is not to be generated using AI resources. Your management team is required to choose one of the strategic options as produced by your AI output.

The following should be addressed in your report.

Provide a rationale as to why your management team have chosen the specific strategic option Identify your closest competitors in the game What are the elements of the strategy that are key to your company’s success Explain to the board of directors how the strategy you have chosen as a management group can achieve a competitive advantage for your company.

Each member of the group should address and compile one response. This must be in your own words.

(Suggested word count:800 to1000 words)

2.A. Group Report Submission: You will submit a group report in Week 6 Sunday, 28thJune 2026, 11:59 pm (AEDT) in Moodle. Each report should not exceed 2000 words (+/-10%).Please submit your Report(.doc) one file per group.

You are required to combine the following and upload

Part A The output from the AI site Part B response AI declaration form provided in Moodle–to include all group members 3. Formatting & Submission Requirements: This section should include:

Formatting standards e.g. font style and size, line spacing. File format specifications–Word File naming conventions–e.g. Melbourne Group 1

 

 

 

Professional business report format–e.g., title page, table of contents, executive summary, page numbers etc. Group report submission instructions. Group formation instructions etc. Structure The report must contain the following(in this order):

Report coversheet(which details all contributing members’ names and student IDs) Introduction Body Conclusion Appendix to include the AI declaration document Reminder these screenshots inside your report or at the end of your report as Appendix.

4.Important Information (do not edit this section) Academic Integrity

 

 

Academic Integrity Policy Assessment Policy

Academic Misconduct Procedure

Academic Integrity:

Students must adhere to UBSS’ academic integrity policies in completing all assessments. The work submitted must be original.

Please acknowledge all sources of material in an accepted

Academic referencing style. You need to paraphrase/rewrite and comment on others’ information in your own words.

Please do not share any part(s)of your work with any other students for a single assessment or outside your group for a group assessment. Referencing Referencing:

In-text referencing is required for all sources used and a complete References list (presented at the end of your report) must be provided. Suggested referencing style: Harvard. Appropriate referencing and proper and insightful use of references are essential. Reports that provide inadequate, improper or no references will be graded accordingly within the rubric.

Use of AI Acceptable use of AI:

The use of generative AI tools (e.g. Chat GPT, Grammarly, Quillbot etc.)is permitted in this unit for the following activities:

Brain storming and refining your ideas. Paraphrasing.

NUR3201 Assessment Item 1 Task Sheet Course Code & Name NUR3201 Quality, Safety & Risk Assessment Item and Name Assessment 1: The role of human factors in improving patient safety and quality of care. Assessment Item Type Essay Due Date & Time Tues 30th June 2026 23:59hrs (AEST)  Length Word length: 1500 words +/-10% (word length excludes your intext references, reference list and appendices)  Marks and Weighting Marks out of 100; Weighting: 50% Assessed Course Learning Outcomes CLO1, Identify, analyse and apply concepts of integrated risk management as they relate to inter-professional healthcare.

CLO3, Articulate and apply clinical governance as it relates to quality and safety standards and the importance of leading risk mitigation in healthcare.

CLO4, Describe and apply risk management legislation, regulations, policies, and or guidelines when making decisions.

CLO5, Apply the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, the Aged Care Quality Standards and ethical frameworks to evidence based healthcare deliver.

CLO6, Apply clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills as they relate to teamwork, interprofessional collaboration for safe patient care.

CLO7, Synthesise and apply principles of quality, safety and risk management into simulated healthcare practice settings.

 

Rationale Registered nurses are required to identify and report risk. When the registered nurse understands the significance of human factors in contributing to poor patient outcomes, they are better able to identify and report potential and actual risk plus risk mitigate in the provision of clinical care.  In this essay you will explore the impact of physical, cognitive and organisational factors in the provision of safe and quality care.

 

Task Instructions This assessment requires you to draw upon hospital acquired infections. You are asked to critically analyse the significance of human factors in the healthcare environment, considering clinical governance, relevant risk management and legislative guidelines and the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

In your response analyse physical, cognitive and organisational human factors. You must define each human factor and analyse each one’s relevance to patient safety and quality of care outcomes.

Provide an introduction introducing the outline of main points to be discussed and the concept of human factors in healthcare. In your introduction make a statement about the prevalence of hospital acquired infections. (approx. 100 words) Applying your learning about the physical human factors: Critically analyse the relevant physical human factors,discussingtheir importance in patient safety, healthcare quality, and clinical practice and how such factors may contribute to, or mitigate,hospital acquired infections. In your response, make specific reference to any relevantIntegrated Risk Management (IRM) principles and the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards.Your discussion must be supported by peer reviewed literature. (approx. 425- 450 words)

Applyingyour learning about the cognitive human factors: Criticallyanalyse the significance of cognitive human factors within healthcare practice, particularly in the context of hospital acquired infections. Analyse how cognitive factors such as decision-making, competence, and knowledge affect healthcare professionals’ performance in relation to the Registered Nurse Standards for Practice. Discuss how failures within these factors may contribute to hospital acquired infections and patient morbidity. This section must be supported by peer reviewed literature. (approx. 425-450 words)

Lastly, apply your learning about organisational human factors: Critically analyse how organisational culture, communication systems, leadership practices, and teamwork influence the prevention or contribution to hospital acquired infections. This section must be supported by peer reviewed literature. (425-450 words)

Provide a conclusion to summarise and synthesise the key aspects of your essay. (100 words) Reference List – APA 7th edition referencing style to be used throughout. A minimum of 10 peer reviewed scholarly sources is expected. The majority no older than 7 years old. Acceptable AI Use For this Assessment Item, acceptable AI use is set at:

 

Level 1: AI Assisted Structure Checking:

 

Description: Students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to organise and check the structure and flow of their Assessment item. This includes grammar checks, coherence, and flow of arguments but excludes using AI to generate new text and/or new content.

 

 

Additional Instructions:

Include a statement indicating the AI tool(s) used (if any) for structure checking at the beginning of the Assessment Item and include the prompts you have used. Save copies of your drafts and content before/after AI was used, to produce upon request.

 

Do not copy and paste generative AI responses as your own work.

Academic Integrity Students should be familiar with, and abide by, policy on Academic Integrity and the definition of Academic Misconduct. Penalties apply to students found to have breached these policies and procedures. Please ensure you have completed the mandatory Academic Integrity training and have familiarised yourself with Academic Integrity at UniSQ.

 

You are required to complete the Academic Integrity module, before you submit your first assessment. Please access the module here.

Relevant Information and Resources USQ academic writing: https://www.usq.edu.au/library/study-support/assignments Referencing:  https://www.usq.edu.au/library/referencing Artificial Intelligence Guide: https://usq-qld.libguides.com/artificial-intelligence-students     Plagiarism – How to avoid plagiarism: https://www.unisq.edu.au/library/referencing/plagiarism NUR3201 Study Desk content – Assessment overview recording on Study Desk (under the assessment tab). NUR3201 student consultation is available each week (as advertised on the NUR3201 Study Desk) as well as support sessions which will be advertised within  the assessment tab.  Assessment Marking Criteria Refer to the Marking Rubric for this Assessment item below Submission Information This assessment must be submitted in electronic format as a Microsoft Word document (no PDF’s) via Turnitin.The Turnitin process may take up to 24 hours to produce a report. Therefore, allow adequate time to do this and address any issues of plagiarism* detected by Turnitin before final submission.

*Any percentage that relates to plagiarism detected by Turnitin is a concern and requires you to address this. The following link provides information on Turnitin: https://www.unisq.edu.au/current-students/ict/systems/turnitin

Scholarly conventions to be followed:

Set page margins to 2.5 cm on all sides. Double-space all text. Paragraphs should be double spaced with clear delineation. Font eitherCalibri, Times New Roman, Tahoma, Arial 12pt are acceptable. Include a page number on every page. A word count should be placed at the end of the essay, giving approx. words. File Name Conventions: Save your document with the following naming conventions: surname_initial_studentnumber_coursecode_A1_final.doc/docx Return of Assessment Items and Feedback for Learning Release of your grade will be planned to occur approximately 3 weeks post the published submission date. If you are granted an extension, you can expect the same time frame (approximately 3 weeks from your submission).

Moderation: All staff assessing your work meet to discuss and compare their judgements and to ensure all markers are marking similarly before marks/grades are finalised.

Extensions and Penalties for Late Submission Information on extensions and late penalties can be found here.

 

NUR3201 | Assessment ONE Marking Rubric | Trimester 2 2026 | Report

MARKING Criteria 10-8.5 8-7.5 7-6.5 6-5 4.5-0 Introduction   Provides asuccinct / well edited compelling,clear introduction that defines the scope and direction of the essay. Outlines clearly and succinctly the prevalence of HAI’s. Provides a mostly succinct and edited clear introduction that defines the scope of the essay. Outlines clearly the prevalence of HAI’s. Provides a somewhat succinct and edited introduction that defines the scope of the essay. Outlines the prevalence of HAI’s. Provides alimited introduction that provides a broad scope of the essay. Outlines the prevalence of HAI’s. Poor, irrelevant, or absent

introduction. Does not or/ poorly provides the direction / scope of the essay. Does not outline the prevalence of HAI’s.

20-17 16.5-15 14.5-13 12.5-10 9.5-0 Analysis of Physical

Human Factors in

Healthcare relevant to hospital acquired infections.

 

Excellent critical analysis and application of the physical human factors, high quality examples are provided to explain critical & focused points of discussion.

Critical discussion is articulate, relevant, specific, clear & concise.

Detailed and well-integrated link provided of physical human factors to Integrated Risk Management and NSQHS Standards. Supported by quality peer-reviewed literature (at least 10).

 

Very good critical analysis and application of the physical human factors, quality examples are provided to explain points of discussion. Critical discussion is mostly articulate, relevant, specific, clear & concise.

Mostly detailed and well-integrated link provided of physical human factors to Integrated Risk Management and NSQHS Standards. Supported by largely quality peer-reviewed literature (at least 10).

 

Mostly good critical analysis and application of the physical human factors, some good examples are provided to explain points of discussion. Critical discussion is mostly articulate, relevant, specific&clear.

Somewhat detailed and well-integrated link provided of physical human factors to Integrated Risk Management and NSQHS Standards. Supported by largely quality peer-reviewed literature (at least 8-9).

 

Mostly narrative discussion andapplication of the physical human factors, broad examples are provided to explain points of discussion. Discussion is satisfactory, mostly clear& relevant.

Satisfactory / broad linkprovided of physical human factors to Integrated Risk Management and NSQHS Standards. Supported by largely quality peer-reviewed literature (at least 7).

Group Assignment Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines Assessment Details Details Trimester T1 2026 Unit Code HM5002 Unit Title Finance for Managers Assessment Type Individual Assignment Weight 40% Submission Guidelines All work must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page. The assignment must be in MS Word format unless otherwise specified. Academic Integrity Information Holmes Institute is committed to ensuring and upholding academic integrity. All assessments must comply with academic integrity guidelines. Please learn about academic integrity and consult your teachers with any questions. Violating academic integrity is serious and punishable by penalties that range from deduction of marks, failure of the assessment task or unit involved, suspension of course enrolment, or cancellation of course enrolment. Penalties This assessment must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date and time, as late penalties apply (refer Student Handbook). Assessment submitted without a completed Assessment Cover Page will receive a 20% penalty. This assessment must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. Submissions which breach this requirement will receive a 20% penalty. A 20% penalty will be imposed for all single student (solo) group assessment submissions. Assessments submitted via a VPN will receive a 50% penalty. Assessment submitted via an overseas IP address is a direct breach of Holmes’ Student Academic Conduct and Integrity Policy. Reference sources must be cited using Holmes Institute Adapted Harvard Referencing method. Incorrect referencing will receive a 20% penalty. Group Assignment Guidelines and Specifications Part A — Statistical Analysis on Return, Risk and Correlation (20 Marks) You are employed as a financial analyst with the responsibility of conducting a comprehensive statistical analysis of investment performance across a selection of companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Your role involves evaluating key financial metrics, including returns, risk measures, and correlations, to generate meaningful insights that support investment decision-making.

The dataset containing the ASX-listed companies assigned to your group has been provided below. Using this dataset, you are required to apply appropriate statistical techniques to assess the performance and risk characteristics of each company.

Allocation of Companies Listed Companies (from ASX) Industry WDS: Woodside Energy Group Limited Energy STO: Santos Limited Energy NEU: Neuren Pharmaceuticals Limited Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences TLX: Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Requirements: I. Write an overview of your allocated companies, ensuring the following details are included:

a. Its principal business activities (main products or services) b. Total market capitalization (as of December 2024) c. Major company events in 2022–2024 which may have impacted its stock prices. (2 marks)

II. Statistical Analysis on Return, Risk and Correlation

Using the historical price data provided in a separate Excel spreadsheet, perform the following:

a) Calculate the monthly returns and complete the table below. If there are no return values, indicate them as N.A. (4 marks)

Month Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Jan-2022         Feb-2022         Mar-2022 etc…..         b) Calculate the arithmetic mean and standard deviation of monthly return and comment on the risk and return behaviour of stocks. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Arithmetic Mean (%)         Standard Deviation (%)         c) Calculate the geometric mean of monthly return for each stock, and explain what these values indicate about companies’ returns. (3 marks)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Geometric Mean (%)         d) Estimate the annual return for each company using the calculated average monthly return. (1 mark)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Annual Return (%)         e) Calculate the holding period return for each stock. (1 mark)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Holding Period Return (%)         f) Based on monthly returns, estimate and comment on these stocks’ correlations. (4 marks)

Please insert correlation matrix from your Excel output. The correlation matrix is obtained using CORREL(array1, array2) in Excel spreadsheet.

Note: Ensure that you attach the Excel file containing the price data and necessary calculations to your assignment submission. Assignments submitted without an attached Excel file will incur a 10% penalty.

Part B — Financial Ratio Analysis (13 Marks) In addition to conducting the statistical analysis on return, risk and correlation for the allocated companies using the historical prices in Part A, you are also required to perform a detailed financial ratio analysis. This analysis should complement the findings from Part A by offering deeper insights into each company’s financial performance, and overall market positioning.

Requirements:

Obtain and review the Balance Sheet and Income Statement for each of your assigned companies for three financial years (FY2022, FY2023 and FY2024). Attach these financial statements in the appendix of your report. Based on this information:

a) Evaluate each company’s liquidity position by calculating and analysing key liquidity ratios, such as the Current Ratio, Quick Ratio etc. for each of the three financial years. (3 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         b) Comment on whether the company appears to have sufficient short-term resources to meet its obligations. (3 marks)

c) Identify and explain two key leverage ratios that would be important to creditors and/or potential investors (e.g. Debt-to-Equity Ratio, Interest Coverage Ratio, etc). Calculate and interpret these ratios for each company for each of the three financial years. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         d) Identify and explain two key financial ratios that would be important to shareholders and/or potential investors (e.g. Return on Equity, Earnings Per Share, etc). Calculate and interpret these ratios for each company for each of the three financial years. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         Part C — Preparation of an Investment Proposal (7 Marks) Finally, you are required to develop a well-structured investment strategy proposal. In this proposal, you must select and recommend two out of the four allocated companies, ensuring that one company is chosen from each industry represented in your dataset.

Your recommendations should be clearly justified and grounded in the findings from your earlier analyses, including both the statistical evaluation (returns, risk, and correlation) and the financial ratio assessment. You are expected to integrate these insights to explain why the selected companies offer stronger investment potential, considering factors such as performance consistency, risk profile, growth prospects, and competitive positioning within their respective industries.

Assignment Structure The assignment should include the following components:

The assignment cover page (group members’ names, student numbers, and all other required details) Abstract (one paragraph) Table of contents A brief introduction or overview of what the assignment is about Body of the assignment with appropriate section headings Conclusion List of References (follow the Holmes Adapted Harvard Referencing guidelines) Marking Criteria Marking Criteria Weighting Part A: Risk, Return and Correlation Analysis   Overview of companies 2 II. a) Calculation of monthly return 4 Calculation of arithmetic mean and standard deviation of monthly return 4 Calculation of geometric mean of monthly return and explain what these values indicate about the companies’ returns 3 Estimation of annual return 1 Estimation of holding period return 1 Correlation analysis 4 Part B: Financial Ratio Analysis   a) & b) Liquidity analysis 6 c) Leverage ratio analysis 4 d) Profitability and market value ratio analysis 4 Part C: Investment Proposal 7 Total 40 Student Assessment Citation and Referencing Rules Holmes has implemented a revised Harvard approach to referencing. The following rules apply:

Reference sources in assignments are limited to sources that provide full-text access to the source’s content for lecturers and markers. The reference list must be located on a separate page at the end of the report and titled: “References”. The reference list must include the details of all the in-text citations, arranged A-Z alphabetically by author surname with each reference numbered and each reference MUST include a hyperlink to the full text of the cited reference source. For example: Hawking, P., McCarthy, B. & Stein, A. 2004. Second Wave ERP Education, Journal of Information Systems Education, Fall, http://jise.org/Volume15/n3/JISEv15n3p327.pdf All assignments must include in-text citations. These must include the surname of the author/s or name of the authoring body, year of publication, page number of the content, and paragraph where the content can be found. For example: “The company decided to implement an enterprise-wide data warehouse business intelligence strategy (Hawking et al., 2004, p3(4)).” Non-Adherence to Referencing Rules For students who submit assignments that do not comply with all aspects of the rules, a 20% penalty will be applied. Late penalties will apply each day after the student/s have been notified of the due date. Students who comply with rules BUT their citations are ‘fake’ will be reported for academic misconduct. Academic Integrity Holmes Institute is committed to ensuring and upholding academic integrity, as it is integral to maintaining academic quality and the reputation of Holmes’ graduates.

Table 1: Six Categories of Academic Integrity Breaches Category Description Plagiarism Reproducing the work of someone else without attribution. When a student submits their own work on multiple occasions this is known as self-plagiarism. Collusion Working with one or more other individuals to complete an assignment, in a way that is not authorized. Copying Reproducing and submitting the work of another student, with or without their knowledge. If a student fails to take reasonable precautions to prevent their own original work from being copied, this may also be considered an offence. Impersonation Falsely presenting oneself, or engaging someone else to present as oneself, in an in-person examination. Contract cheating Contracting a third party to complete an assessment task, generally in exchange for money or other manner of payment. Data fabrication and falsification Manipulating or inventing data with the intent of supporting false conclusions, including manipulating images.

HH2002 Food and Beverage Management Individual Assignment , 2026  |  Individual Assignment Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines Field Details Trimester T1 2026 Unit Code HH2002 Unit Title Food and Beverage Management Assessment Type Individual Assignment Weight 40% Word limit (if applicable) 8 slides with dialogue entered on the bottom of the slide Submission Guidelines • This assignment must be submitted on Blackboard by the published due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page. • This assignment must be in Microsoft PowerPoint format unless otherwise specified. Academic Integrity Information Holmes Institute is committed to ensuring and upholding academic integrity. All assessments must comply with academic integrity guidelines. Please learn about academic integrity and consult your teachers with any questions. Violating academic integrity is serious and punishable by penalties that range from deduction of marks, failure of the assessment task or unit involved, suspension of course enrolment, or cancellation of course enrolment. Penalties • This assessment must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date and time, as late penalties apply (refer Student Handbook). • Assessment submitted without a completed Assessment Cover Page will receive a twenty percent (20%) penalty. • This assessment must be submitted in Microsoft PowerPoint. Submissions which breach this requirement will receive a twenty percent (20%) penalty. • Assessments submitted to Blackboard via a Virtual Private Network will receive a fifty percent (50%) penalty. • Assessment submitted to Blackboard via an overseas IP address is a direct breach of the Holmes’ Student Academic Conduct and Integrity Policy and will be reported for academic misconduct with associated penalties imposed. • Reference sources must be cited in the text of the report and listed appropriately at the end in a reference list using Holmes Institute Adapted Harvard Referencing method. The use of an incorrect reference method, and/or missing/incorrect citations will receive a twenty percent (20%) penalty. • For all other penalties, please refer to the Assessment Instructions listed on Blackboard. Individual Assignment Guidelines and Specifications Assessment Task Brief: Operational Diagnostic Presentation

Field Details Unit Code HH2002 Unit Title Introduction to Hospitality Management Purpose This is an opportunity to address the commercial aspects of the hospitality industry. Task type Oral Presentation & Slide Deck Duration of performance 10 minutes presentation Weighting 40% Slide limit Minimum of 6 and maximum of 8 Responsibility Individual presentation Task Overview You, as an individual, are an external consultant hired by Urban Eats Café & Bistro (UECB). It is a mid-sized inner-city business struggling with declining revenue and profits, inconsistent customer satisfaction, high food and beverage wastage, and a confusing and out of date food and beverage menu. Additionally high staff turnover has been a result of minor accidents in food preparation when staff were using old equipment without safety guards. These accidents have caused the premises to be investigated by Occupational Health and Safety staff and have caused bad feelings among the staff.

Your task is to deliver a professional 10-minute presentation analysing their operational issues (using Weeks 1–6 concepts) and making clear solutions to the owners.

Presentation & Structure (Max 8 Slides) To stay within the 10-minute limit, structure your presentation into four core parts:

Part 1: Business Overview (1 Slide)

Define UECB’s operational model (daytime café vs. evening bistro) and target markets. Theory link: Industry structures and business types (Week 1). Part 2: Operational Analysis (3–4 Slides)

Analyze the problems occurring at Urban Eats by grouping them into three clear pillars:

Customer Service & Experience: Identify customer service failures and complaint-handling issues. Evaluate how these impact customer satisfaction (Week 2). Menu, Pricing, & Beverages: Evaluate the menu structure and pricing strategies. Identify problems hurting profitability, and assess food and beverage consistency and upselling (Weeks 3 & 5). Compliance & Cost Control: Identify food safety/HACCP risks. Analyze financial drains, specifically focusing on food waste and labour inefficiencies (Weeks 4 & 6). Part 3: Actionable Recommendations (1–2 Slides)

Provide realistic, cost-effective solutions for the key issues you identified. Theory link: Every solution must be justified using concepts from Weeks 1–6 and standard industry practice. Part 4: Learning Reflection (1 Slide)

Group Assignment Assessment Details and Submission Guidelines Assessment Details Details Trimester T1 2026 Unit Code HM5002 Unit Title Finance for Managers Assessment Type Individual Assignment Weight 40% Submission Guidelines All work must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date along with a completed Assignment Cover Page. The assignment must be in MS Word format unless otherwise specified. Academic Integrity Information Holmes Institute is committed to ensuring and upholding academic integrity. All assessments must comply with academic integrity guidelines. Please learn about academic integrity and consult your teachers with any questions. Violating academic integrity is serious and punishable by penalties that range from deduction of marks, failure of the assessment task or unit involved, suspension of course enrolment, or cancellation of course enrolment. Penalties This assessment must be submitted on Blackboard by the due date and time, as late penalties apply (refer Student Handbook). Assessment submitted without a completed Assessment Cover Page will receive a 20% penalty. This assessment must be submitted in Microsoft Word format. Submissions which breach this requirement will receive a 20% penalty. A 20% penalty will be imposed for all single student (solo) group assessment submissions. Assessments submitted via a VPN will receive a 50% penalty. Assessment submitted via an overseas IP address is a direct breach of Holmes’ Student Academic Conduct and Integrity Policy. Reference sources must be cited using Holmes Institute Adapted Harvard Referencing method. Incorrect referencing will receive a 20% penalty. Group Assignment Guidelines and Specifications Part A — Statistical Analysis on Return, Risk and Correlation (20 Marks) You are employed as a financial analyst with the responsibility of conducting a comprehensive statistical analysis of investment performance across a selection of companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Your role involves evaluating key financial metrics, including returns, risk measures, and correlations, to generate meaningful insights that support investment decision-making.

The dataset containing the ASX-listed companies assigned to your group has been provided below. Using this dataset, you are required to apply appropriate statistical techniques to assess the performance and risk characteristics of each company.

Allocation of Companies Listed Companies (from ASX) Industry WDS: Woodside Energy Group Limited Energy STO: Santos Limited Energy NEU: Neuren Pharmaceuticals Limited Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences TLX: Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences Requirements: I. Write an overview of your allocated companies, ensuring the following details are included:

a. Its principal business activities (main products or services) b. Total market capitalization (as of December 2024) c. Major company events in 2022–2024 which may have impacted its stock prices. (2 marks)

II. Statistical Analysis on Return, Risk and Correlation

Using the historical price data provided in a separate Excel spreadsheet, perform the following:

a) Calculate the monthly returns and complete the table below. If there are no return values, indicate them as N.A. (4 marks)

Month Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Jan-2022         Feb-2022         Mar-2022 etc…..         b) Calculate the arithmetic mean and standard deviation of monthly return and comment on the risk and return behaviour of stocks. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Arithmetic Mean (%)         Standard Deviation (%)         c) Calculate the geometric mean of monthly return for each stock, and explain what these values indicate about companies’ returns. (3 marks)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Geometric Mean (%)         d) Estimate the annual return for each company using the calculated average monthly return. (1 mark)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Annual Return (%)         e) Calculate the holding period return for each stock. (1 mark)

Company 1 (Name) Company 2 (Name) Company 3 (Name) Company 4 (Name) Holding Period Return (%)         f) Based on monthly returns, estimate and comment on these stocks’ correlations. (4 marks)

Please insert correlation matrix from your Excel output. The correlation matrix is obtained using CORREL(array1, array2) in Excel spreadsheet.

Note: Ensure that you attach the Excel file containing the price data and necessary calculations to your assignment submission. Assignments submitted without an attached Excel file will incur a 10% penalty.

Part B — Financial Ratio Analysis (13 Marks) In addition to conducting the statistical analysis on return, risk and correlation for the allocated companies using the historical prices in Part A, you are also required to perform a detailed financial ratio analysis. This analysis should complement the findings from Part A by offering deeper insights into each company’s financial performance, and overall market positioning.

Requirements:

Obtain and review the Balance Sheet and Income Statement for each of your assigned companies for three financial years (FY2022, FY2023 and FY2024). Attach these financial statements in the appendix of your report. Based on this information:

a) Evaluate each company’s liquidity position by calculating and analysing key liquidity ratios, such as the Current Ratio, Quick Ratio etc. for each of the three financial years. (3 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         b) Comment on whether the company appears to have sufficient short-term resources to meet its obligations. (3 marks)

c) Identify and explain two key leverage ratios that would be important to creditors and/or potential investors (e.g. Debt-to-Equity Ratio, Interest Coverage Ratio, etc). Calculate and interpret these ratios for each company for each of the three financial years. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         d) Identify and explain two key financial ratios that would be important to shareholders and/or potential investors (e.g. Return on Equity, Earnings Per Share, etc). Calculate and interpret these ratios for each company for each of the three financial years. (4 marks)

Company 1 (Name)     Company 2 (Name)     Company 3 (Name)     Company 4 (Name)       2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 Ratio 1                         Ratio 2                         Etc..                         Part C — Preparation of an Investment Proposal (7 Marks) Finally, you are required to develop a well-structured investment strategy proposal. In this proposal, you must select and recommend two out of the four allocated companies, ensuring that one company is chosen from each industry represented in your dataset.

Your recommendations should be clearly justified and grounded in the findings from your earlier analyses, including both the statistical evaluation (returns, risk, and correlation) and the financial ratio assessment. You are expected to integrate these insights to explain why the selected companies offer stronger investment potential, considering factors such as performance consistency, risk profile, growth prospects, and competitive positioning within their respective industries.

Assignment Structure The assignment should include the following components:

The assignment cover page (group members’ names, student numbers, and all other required details) Abstract (one paragraph) Table of contents A brief introduction or overview of what the assignment is about Body of the assignment with appropriate section headings Conclusion List of References (follow the Holmes Adapted Harvard Referencing guidelines) Marking Criteria Marking Criteria Weighting Part A: Risk, Return and Correlation Analysis   Overview of companies 2 II. a) Calculation of monthly return 4 Calculation of arithmetic mean and standard deviation of monthly return 4 Calculation of geometric mean of monthly return and explain what these values indicate about the companies’ returns 3 Estimation of annual return 1 Estimation of holding period return 1 Correlation analysis 4 Part B: Financial Ratio Analysis   a) & b) Liquidity analysis 6 c) Leverage ratio analysis 4 d) Profitability and market value ratio analysis 4 Part C: Investment Proposal 7 Total 40 Student Assessment Citation and Referencing Rules Holmes has implemented a revised Harvard approach to referencing. The following rules apply:

Reference sources in assignments are limited to sources that provide full-text access to the source’s content for lecturers and markers. The reference list must be located on a separate page at the end of the report and titled: “References”. The reference list must include the details of all the in-text citations, arranged A-Z alphabetically by author surname with each reference numbered and each reference MUST include a hyperlink to the full text of the cited reference source. For example: Hawking, P., McCarthy, B. & Stein, A. 2004. Second Wave ERP Education, Journal of Information Systems Education, Fall, http://jise.org/Volume15/n3/JISEv15n3p327.pdf All assignments must include in-text citations. These must include the surname of the author/s or name of the authoring body, year of publication, page number of the content, and paragraph where the content can be found. For example: “The company decided to implement an enterprise-wide data warehouse business intelligence strategy (Hawking et al., 2004, p3(4)).” Non-Adherence to Referencing Rules For students who submit assignments that do not comply with all aspects of the rules, a 20% penalty will be applied. Late penalties will apply each day after the student/s have been notified of the due date. Students who comply with rules BUT their citations are ‘fake’ will be reported for academic misconduct. Academic Integrity Holmes Institute is committed to ensuring and upholding academic integrity, as it is integral to maintaining academic quality and the reputation of Holmes’ graduates.

Table 1: Six Categories of Academic Integrity Breaches Category Description Plagiarism Reproducing the work of someone else without attribution. When a student submits their own work on multiple occasions this is known as self-plagiarism. Collusion Working with one or more other individuals to complete an assignment, in a way that is not authorized. Copying Reproducing and submitting the work of another student, with or without their knowledge. If a student fails to take reasonable precautions to prevent their own original work from being copied, this may also be considered an offence. Impersonation Falsely presenting oneself, or engaging someone else to present as oneself, in an in-person examination. Contract cheating Contracting a third party to complete an assessment task, generally in exchange for money or other manner of payment. Data fabrication and falsification Manipulating or inventing data with the intent of supporting false conclusions, including manipulating images.

IMA7001 Strategic Case Study Report: Global Marketing in Crisis Scenario: Brief Background on the E-Commerce Sector The IMA7001 International Marketing Management Assessment Brief 2026 requires students to prepare a strategic report analysing the global marketing challenges faced by an international organisation. This page explains the assessment requirements, learning outcomes, marking criteria, report structure and provides academic guidance to help you understand the brief.

The e‑commerce sector is widely recognised as one of the most transformative and rapidly expanding segments of the global economy, characterised by accelerating digitalisation, shifting consumer behaviour, and intensifying competition across both established and emerging markets (Kotler and Keller, 2022). The proliferation of smartphones, high‑speed internet, and digital payment infrastructure has fundamentally redefined how consumers discover, evaluate, and purchase products. This has compelled organisations to invest heavily in personalisation technologies, logistics innovation, and seamless omnichannel experiences to remain competitive on a global scale (Chaffey and Ellis‑Chadwick, 2019).

Major multinational platforms such as Amazon, Alibaba, Shopify, and eBay operate in highly saturated and price‑sensitive environments, where customer acquisition costs, platform dominance, and last‑mile delivery efficiency are critical determinants of sustained competitive advantage (Grant, 2021). External forces are also significantly reshaping the sector’s strategic landscape. Geopolitical tensions, particularly between the United States and China, have increased regulatory scrutiny concerning cross‑border data flows, foreign platform ownership, digital taxation, and supply chain resilience (Witt, 2019). Simultaneously, evolving data privacy regulations, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), have compelled e‑commerce firms to reassess their customer data strategies, targeted advertising models, and consent management frameworks across diverse jurisdictions (Culnan and Bies, 2020). The post‑pandemic acceleration of digital commerce has further intensified consumer expectations for hyper‑personalised and frictionless shopping experiences, making artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and real‑time inventory management central pillars of global e‑commerce strategy (Sheth, 2021). Sustainability and ethical considerations have also grown in strategic importance within the sector. Concerns related to the environmental impact of digitalisation, including high energy consumption, electronic waste, and the sustainability challenges associated with technology-driven business models, have increased pressure on e‑commerce organisations to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into their strategic and operational frameworks (Rosario and Dias, 2023). Consumer trust, once primarily driven by price and convenience, is increasingly influenced by brand transparency, ethical sourcing, and demonstrable corporate responsibility. Collectively, these dynamics render the e‑commerce sector a strategically complex and highly dynamic environment, where global marketing decisions must balance growth ambitions, technological capability, regulatory compliance, cultural localisation, and evolving stakeholder expectations.

IMA7001 Assignment Task(s)

You are required to select a multinational corporation within E-commerce sector that has faced significant global marketing challenges in the past five years (2020-2025) and develop a comprehensive strategic global marketing plan addressing all four learning outcomes. The report should demonstrate advanced critical appraisal of relevant concepts and theories regarding their application in the global strategic marketing planning process.

Executive Summary: (At the beginning of the report) Provide a concise executive summary that offers a brief overview of the chosen organisation and the key global marketing challenges it is facing, followed by a clear synthesis of the main aspects of global marketing plan.

Global Marketing Challenge Analysis Critically evaluate the main global marketing challenges your chosen organisation is facing. Analyse the issues and their impact on international strategic decisions.  Evaluate current climate, political, economic and cultural pressures the organisation is facing across globe and is making marketing across different countries more complex and challenging

Design and Evaluate New Global Marketing Plan Develop a strategic global marketing plan addressing the identified challenges. The plan should explain how the organisation creates customer value, adapts to market conditions, strengthens brand positioning, and enhances its marketing mix, digital communications, and international market entry strategies, while critically evaluating a range of theoretical models used, including their strengths, limitations, and contribution to sustainable competitive advantage.

Reflection Reflect on your semester/block journey. Critically discuss how this module has enhanced your understanding and appreciation of the processes and outcomes involved in the implementation of the global marketing planning process of your chosen organisation.

EDLE 7000 (Principles of Instructional Leadership)

KEY ASSESSMENT: THE LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION

(Submit to CourseDen)

The student will apply learning from across all modules of EDLE 7000 to respond to a scenario of a troubled school where he or she has recently been named as Leader (the new Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal or Principal). The charge from the superintendent and board is to “turn the school around.” The key assessment allows the student to reflect on and synthesize learning from the entire semester to navigate a difficult but not unusual situation in a troubled K-12 school. The scenario is one that any school leader may encounter.

Learning Goals 1. Understand “self as leader,” to include articulating one’s core values and leadership style. 2. Integrate leadership theory, core values, leadership style/s, and communication skills to achieve desired outcomes. 3. Deepen your personal leadership growth and development by meeting with your Sponsor to discuss your written document, the Key Assessment: The Leadership Foundation.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Read the Oak Grove School scenario. 2. Write Part 1, The Reflective Analysis. 3. Write Part 2, The Challenging Conversations. 4. Write Part 3, Summary of Sponsor’s Feedback 5. Submit the Key Assessment: The Leadership Foundation to CourseDen. You have two options for this assignment.  You can choose to complete the narrative template that has been prepared for you or design a presentation using the shared template and video introducing yourself as a new leader to the faculty of the school.

SCENARIO – THE OAK GROVE SCHOOL

The superintendent has hired you to be an impactful leader at this school (as the new Instructional Coach, Assistant Principal or Principal) effective July 1. The Oak Grove School is in a low-income, diverse community that includes a small but vocal activist group that is working hard to improve their citizens’ living conditions and opportunities, despite the usual social problems that accompany poverty. These activists are sincere, although some community members – to include many educators at Oak Grove – perceive them as strident and difficult. The student body is characterized by high absenteeism, lower than expected achievement, and excessive discipline problems. Parents don’t want to send their children to Oak Grove but have few options to do otherwise. You are replacing a laissez-faire leader who mostly kept the operations side of the school running smoothly (e.g., buses ran on time, facilities were well-maintained, basic supplies were stocked, paperwork was submitted to the system office on time, teacher evaluations were completed in a perfunctory manner). The principal claimed to have an open-door policy, but few teachers sought help because the message when they tried was, “The principal is busy right now, but can see you later.” The assistant principal handled all discipline problems, which consumed far too much time. When not addressing behavior issues directly, the assistant principal walked the halls and campus grounds, trying to provide a sense of safety for teachers, staff, and students. In truth, the former principal focused on managerial functions, neglecting responsible leadership to create a culture to support learning. As a result, teachers gravitated toward “like” groups: ● The Stars. These teachers try to maintain a positive outlook. Their students achieve academically despite the non-existent instructional leadership. ● The Mediocre Middle. These teachers attempt to see sparks of hope, but are overwhelmed with the non-supportive environment. They go through the motions daily to help students learn, but produce unsatisfactory results. ● The Downhearted. This group makes up a significant proportion of the faculty. They mostly have given up on their students, describing them as “ignorant, lazy, and too poor to learn.” These teachers put little effort into instruction, their students likewise put little effort into learning, and achievement is abysmal. During the interview process, you shared your core beliefs and attitudes about school leadership. Indeed, the hiring committee openly declared that Oak Grove needs a strong leader to “turn this school around.” The Superintendent’s Charge You are aware that your new job (as instructional coach, assistant principal, or principal) will be challenging because of Oak Grove’s negative history, division among the faculty, and dissatisfaction among parents and the community. However, you are encouraged by Superintendent Foster’s words when you accepted the job. She bluntly declared, “We hired you, because we believe you are the ‘best fit’ leader to turn this school around. Most everyone thinks that your values mesh well with the community. Our parents and best teachers appreciate your commitment to learning and teaching. You know who you are as a person and leader. Throughout the interview process, we heard about your core values and liked how those values stabilize and influence your decision-making. You handled tough questions smoothly, which makes us think that you’ll have a calming presence with our more ‘passionate’ stakeholders. We’re convinced that you will stand firm when push-back comes your way, which it will from some quarters. But this school and its community are filled with good people who want to see you succeed. You can count on their support. So, here’s your mandate: Turn this school around.” Early Conversations with the Three Teacher Groups The three teacher groups talked with you during your first week on the job. The Stars met you for coffee. The Mediocre Middle caught you in the hallway. The Downhearted arranged for a representative to schedule a face-to-face appointment with you in your office. ·       The Stars:   These teachers met you for coffee to warn you about potential divisions among the faculty. They also wanted to encourage you to stand strong. One teacher said it for the group, “We’ve tried to work with the other teachers, but they’ve never been much interested in changing things for the better. So we stick together and do what’s best for our students. We enjoy working together and are very glad you’re here. We’ll stand with you.” ·       The Mediocre Middle:   Several teachers from this group caught you in the hallway to give you a heads-up. “Oak Grove is a hard place to be. We really want to make a difference for our students, but we just haven’t gotten support. It’s so discouraging. Most of us feel isolated and alone.” ·       The Downhearted:  One teacher made an appointment to deliver the following message to you personally, face-to-face. “We teachers care about your success as our new principal and don’t want you to be caught off-guard. You need to know what’s really going on here. These students don’t have what it takes to learn at the level that the system is pushing for. They’re missing chunks of critical background skills. They ditch school all the time. We can’t teach because they constantly disrupt instruction. Some of us heard you talk about your values and ideas during your interview, but new people are always idealistic. We just don’t want you to come in here all inspired and then be devastated when things don’t work out.”

Points to consider…

As you write, keep in mind: ·       Throughout the key assessment as noted in the instructions and rubric, cite leadership theories and mindframes that resonate with you (e.g., Hersey- Blanchard Situational Leadership, Blake and Mouton’s Managerial Grid, Transactional Leadership, Transformational Leadership). ·       Refer to the one or two leadership style/s that best fit you (i.e., Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles). ·       Refer to other readings on leadership from this semester (e.g., Chaleff’s work on Followership, Schein’s work on culture, Lassiter, Fisher, Frey & Smith’s text on How Leadership Works) as it makes sense to do so.  ·       Follow the APA Style Guide (American Psychological Association) to cite sources that support your analysis. ·       Refer to both the instructions below and rubric as you write your key assessment.

INSTRUCTIONS: Key Assessment – The Leadership Foundation  USING SLIDES AND VIDEO RECORDING

The slides presentation is a summary of your first faculty meeting with your new staff.  You will use the suggested layout listed below (you may adjust the design but not the content expected for each slide) to describe yourself as leader, core values, and leadership style and how your personality, core values, and leadership style will guide your work with three groups of teachers in your school. Be sure to review the rubric and include the appropriate number of citations to reference connections to course work that support your statements and approach. After you develop the slides, you will record a brief summary taking the viewer through the slides presentation. This recording should be between 7 and 10 minutes. Use this opportunity to introduce yourself as the new leader (instructional coach, assistant principal, or principal depending on your current role) to help connect with teachers, share your vision as a leader, and build collaboration and relationships with your new team.  Suggested layout of slides: 1.     Intro slide 2.     Discuss your strengths as noted through the different self-analyses that you have conducted.  Remember to cite the tool that you are discussing. 3.     Discuss how these connect to you as a leader and to at least two leadership theories (see Module 1 reading material) 4.     Share your core values and what you deeply believe in 5.     Share your personal goal for leadership 6.     Discuss your leadership styles per Daniel Goleman’s work and the work from our text.  7.     Share how you will leverage your leadership style  (Goleman) and mindframes to improve the school 8.     Address the needs of the school based on three types of teachers: a.     Stars b.     Mediocre Middle c.     The Downhearted Include words that you will say to them using what you have learned about effective communication, feedback and coaching, your core values and leadership theories. 9.      Incorporate your Mentor/Sponsor’s feedback into the slides.    Share your slides presentation with your mentor and discuss how your values, mindframes and leadership styles (and theories) would work at a school like Oak Grove.  An example of how to incorporate it into the slides presentation is “A close mentor once told me…” ) 10. References – Cite references following the APA Style Guide (American Psychological Association).

INSTRUCTIONS: Key Assessment – The Leadership Foundation for the NARRATIVE Reflection

PART 1. THE REFLECTIVE ANALYSIS Each of these three sections should be approximately 400 words. Organize Part 1 using the italicized subheaders below. 1a. “Self as Leader.” (Approximately 400 words). Write one paragraph that discusses your results from two leadership assessments  completed in EDLE 7000. They are:  ·       Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI). Name your 4-letter type (e.g., ENTP, The Visionary), the two-letter functional pair (i.e., NT), and associated strengths and blind spots. ·       Leadership Goals Based on Leadership Practices –  Include strengths and areas for growth.  ·       In the second paragraph, discuss what you’ve learned about yourself from the MBTI and Goleman’s style analysis within the context of at least two leadership theories that resonate with you. The leadership theories must be ones learned in EDLE 7000, Modules 1.1 through 1.4, with in-text citations that refer to readings from the course only. Your discussion should NAME the theories (and possibly the theorists themselves) and explain briefly why they resonate with you, based on what you know about yourself per the MBTI and Leadership Goals.  1b. Core Values (Approximately 400 words). The Core Values section should begin by listing your 5-6 core values identified in the Core Values Exercise completed this term. Follow the core values with your Personal Leadership Statement completed in the Core Values assignment. Format both as follows, using italics and underlining where noted: ·       Core Values: determination, gratitude, insightfulness, optimism, sustainability, responsibility ·       Personal Leadership Statement: To be an insightful and responsible leader who shows determination and gratitude, and inspires optimism in teachers and students to sustain high academic achievement. [Student exemplar provided with permission from Adam Gagliotti] ·       Follow these with a discussion of at least two leadership theories that most closely resonate with your core values, making explicit the connections between them. You may use the same two theories noted in section 1a – “Self as Leader,” provided that the discussion expands what you wrote in 1a. In-text citations are required. Only use leadership theories learned in EDLE 7000 and cite only readings from this semester’s course. ·       Explain briefly how your understanding of these connections will help you navigate your new position as  a leader of the Oak Grove School. 1c. Leadership Style. (Approximately 400 words). In what ways will your leadership style support this challenging situation (i.e., “turn the school around”)? ·       Using Daniel Goleman’s six leadership styles, discuss your leadership style, its strengths and weaknesses. His six styles are Coercive (or Commanding), Pace-Setting, Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic, and Coaching. ·       Explain how you will leverage your leadership strengths – per Goleman – to tackle turning around the Oak Grove School. PART 2. THE CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS Part 2 is based on the Oak Grove School scenario. Develop three sections, one each for the three groups of teachers. Organize Part 2 by using three sub-headers: (1) The Stars, (2) The Mediocre Middle, and (3) the Downhearted. Begin each section with a Conversation Table, followed by a 300-word paragraph (approximately). The table addresses the explicit use of communication techniques. The paragraph discusses how you will apply your knowledge of leadership theories (at least two), relevant core values from the Core Values assignment, and what you have learned about yourself through other course materials as applicable to the conversation with the group of teachers. Apply only those leadership theories studied in this course and reference those readings appropriately.  Consider how you will approach each group of teachers. Anticipate their concerns and give thought to how you might respond when they share their thoughts, hopes and fears, and likely their frustrations, as well. You should expect that each meeting will be challenging in its own way; however, these initial meetings will be the first of your efforts to build relationships with each group. Your short-term goal is to get them to engage with you willingly and – to some extent – with each other. The Conversation Tables allow you to apply effective communication skills/techniques with each group of teachers as appropriate. An example of a table is shown below. Use this exact template in your key assessment, i.e., four columns with the four headers in all caps: (1) Teacher Comments, Leader’s Comments, Linguistic Skills Employed, and Leader’s Thinking.  Note: ·       Enter examples of comments the teachers may say and examples of how you might respond.  ·       Include three rows of remarks. Each row might address a different thought or issue.  ·       Enter specific cognitive coaching techniques into the Linguistic Skills Employed column. Examples may include presuppositions; the language of inquiry by asking mediational questions and avoiding “why” questions; probing and clarifying vague nouns, pronouns, or universal quantifiers; avoiding modal operators such as “should, must, necessary, can’t, have to, ought,” etc., as they imply there is a certain way to do things.  ·       In the Leader’s Thinking column, enter what guided your choice of remarks, questions, and linguistic tools. Include your thoughts about the teachers’ comments, but thoughts you won’t voice out loud yet. ·       Conversation Table: The Stars STARS’ COMMENTS LEADER’S COMMENTS LINGUISTIC SKILLS EMPLOYED LEADER’S THINKING 1.Good morning. We appreciate the time you’re giving us today. 2. I’ve been looking forward to meeting with all of you. Tell me, what have you thinking about? It’s always exciting when new leadership comes into a school. The leader begins with an open-ended question to evoke the teachers’ intentions. The leader is not sure whether the Stars want to talk about their progress, their problems at the school, or something else. 3.I know you’ve invested a lot of time and effort to support the students here at Oak Grove. The leader applies a positive presupposition by acknowledging their efforts to date. The leader wants to empower the Stars – in an encouraging way – to reflect on their excellent work. Encouraging reflection is a powerful learning tool for professionals. 4.Yes, we’ve worked hard with our kids. Other teachers?  Well… we can’t really say what they have done. 5.Why don’t you describe several examples of things you have done that have been successful? The leader applies language specificity to help the teachers go beyond “we’ve worked hard with our kids.”  The leader also uses the power of plurals in the response. The leader wants the Stars to be specific in their description of examples of successful work they’ve done with their students.   The use of plurals (i.e., exampleS, thingS) implies that more than one alternative exists and that the teachers can consider and evaluate them. Also, plurals are more invitational because the Stars are not expected to come up with the one “right” answer.   The leader also noted the Stars’ use of the vague pronoun “they” and will circle back to it later. PART 3. THE SPONSOR’S FEEDBACK.  (Approximately 400 words) Schedule a face-to-face meeting with your Sponsor/Supervisor/Mentor. Before the meeting, provide him or her the scenario and copies of your drafts for Part 1: The Reflective Analysis and Part 2: The Challenging Conversations. During your face-to-face meeting, ask for their feedback on what you have written.  Questions to discuss with your Sponsor might include: ·       What are your thoughts on a leader who holds the core values that I do? ·       There are many different leadership theories and styles. To what extent do you think my leadership style is a “good fit” for  Oak Grove School? Or any other type of school? After your meeting, summarize the conversation. Attend to the following points: ·       Describe the key ideas that emerge from the meeting. ·       Include the Sponsor’s recommendations for your ongoing leadership development.

Unit 3 Informative Essay Assignment

In your essay assignment for this unit, due in Module 10, you will be creating an informative essay, meant to inform or explain a topic. Use these instructions  to help you complete your first draft of this essay.

Purpose, Topic, and Audience

What are you curious about? We report and explain information when we want to understand an issue and share this understanding with others. Your purpose in this essay is to learn about a topic and explain it to others. The ability to accurately summarize information is important in most academic papers and in many professional settings. This type of writing appears in many academic and professional genres, such as public service announcements, brochures, magazine articles, internet sites, business reports, white papers, proposals, and briefs. In this assignment, though, you will write an academic essay following MLA format for an audience of peers: college students who would like to learn more about your topic. Please remember, however, that you should not use one of the topics to avoid as discussed in our Topic Ideas and Topics to Avoid for Your Unit 3 Informative Essay resource.

Evidence/Content

You may build on the experience you wrote about in Unit 2 or start on a new topic (See Topic Ideas for Your Unit 3 Informative Essay in the Unit 3 introductory module if you need help!). Once you decide on a topic, be sure to include what you already know about the subject. Then, use a variety of reliable sources to help you learn—web sites, interviews, magazine articles, or newspaper articles. All sources must be accessed through the GALILEO databases or community, educational, or government websites; include three to five sources total, one of which must be a peer-reviewed journal article. The best databases to use in GALILEO are Academic Search Premiere and ProQuest. You may not use any books unless you get prior approval, and you must not use AI to find sources, as AI often misrepresents what sources say.

Organization

Your organization should be logical and help the reader follow your ideas. Consider the guidelines of quantity, quality, relevance, and manner as you select and organize your material, but also remember to move beyond just reporting to explaining your information (show reasons for, connections within, or implications of the information you present).

Clarity, Readability, and Format

Write with your audience (engaged, intelligent adults) in mind, striving for academic English and effective style. Write in the third person only. Please do not use the first or second person in this essay. Your essay should follow MLA format and be submitted as a Microsoft Word file or PDF. Cite all ideas and facts with in-text citations, all words from sources with quotation marks and in-text citations, and a Works Cited page in MLA format for every source that informed your essay.

Requirements

Your essay should meet the following markers for success:

• Effective overview of the topic and its main ideas, with clearly articulated and specific thesis;
• Well introduced, contextualized, accurately represented, and explained textual evidence in each body paragraph;
• Strong organization, including topic sentences, logical relation of points within paragraphs, and transition sentences;
• Use of clear and straightforward language with little error;
• Evidence of critical thinking and synthesis, not just summary;
• Informed use of three to five credible sources, one of which must be a peer-reviewed journal article;
• Full attribution of all summarized, paraphrased, or quoted source materials through use of signal phrases, in-text citations, and works cited page;
• Completed development of a 3-5 page final draft in full MLA document format.

Grading Criteria

• Your ability to communicate a thesis: in this case a clear articulation of the topic to be explained, ideally with the points you will address to explain it;
• On the development and support of the main ideas in your paragraphs, including the use of properly introduced, contextualized, and analyzed information from your sources;
• On the organization of your work, and how effectively you have structured the synthesis of your information;
• On the clarity of your writing, and whether any errors of grammar or spelling, or places where the writing is awkward, remain after revision;
• On your use of full and correct MLA document formatting and complete and proper MLA citation for all quoted, summarized, or paraphrased source materials;
• On whether you have successfully addressed any aspects of the work that were confusing or needed further development in your rough draft.

Submissions

Your final draft must:

• Be in MLA document format, complete with running header, block header, and appropriate font, indentation, and line spacing.
• Be submitted as a Word .DOC or .DOCX file, or as a .PDF.

TOPIC

Topic Ideas for Your Personal Narrative Essay

For this essay, you will brainstorm ideas for your work and share these ideas with your classmates and professor to get feedback. The good news is that you are the expert in your own life and on what has been meaningful to you, so we hope you’ll have any number of great ideas! However, if you’re struggling to come up with a topic, here are some sample ideas. Use these to come up with something new!

• The day I challenged myself to do something I thought I couldn’t do
• An unexpected encounter or event that changed my perspective on life
• The experience of moving to a new place and adjusting to a new environment
• A difficult decision I had to make that shaped who I am today
• A mistake I made and had to face
• A moment when I had to confront my fears and overcome them
• An event that involved a special pet
• A vacation mishap or something unique that happened on a journey
• Meeting or losing a friend
• A realization I had about myself or someone close to me that had a profound impact on my life
• An experience of culture shock that challenged my assumptions and expanded my worldview
• A time when I had to stand up for myself or for someone else in the face of adversity

Topics to Avoid

Because this course includes dual-enrolled students who may be under the age of 18, it is important that all writing topics remain appropriate for a mixed-age, academic setting. Avoid subjects that are explicitly sexual, graphically violent, or otherwise unsuitable for minors. In addition, steer clear of overly personal topics that could make you or others uncomfortable, such as detailed accounts of trauma or sensitive private matters.

When in doubt, choose topics that allow for thoughtful analysis and academic discussion while respecting the boundaries of our shared learning environment. If you are unsure whether a topic is appropriate, please check with your instructor before beginning your assignment.