Chichén Itzá in Mexico

Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ in Mexico Introduction The sacred Mayan city of Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is located in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, about 50 miles inland from the Caribbean Coastline and about 100 miles south of Cancun, Mexico. Even though there are other ancient ruins in Mexico, Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is the second most visited site in this country, predominantly due to the structures like the Great Ballcourt, El Castillo and El Caracol. These phenomenal structures demonstrate the tremendous intelligence of the Mayans as well as how their lifestyle was affected greatly by astronomical events. The Mayans built seven ballcourts in Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ for playing the Mesoamerican ball game. The most notable is the Great Ballcourt which is the largest in the Mayan world, with the dimensions of about 503 feet in length, 97.5 feet in width and each side wall was almost 30 feet in height. The way that they designed this ballcourt was so acoustically sound, that a person standing at one end can hear a whisper from a person standing at th e other end about 443 feet away. The game itself was played with two teams and each player had the opportunity to hit the ball with their hips, wrists and/or elbows in order to put the ball through a vertical stone ring on either side of the court to score points. The team with the most points at the end of the game would be announced the winner. While the Mayans enjoyed playing the ball game, there were some dire consequences. At the end of each game, it is believed that the captain of the winning team would offer himself to be decapitated to the captain of the losing team. It seems a little strange that the winner would be the one to be sacrificed, but the Mayans considered this to be a great honor. Summary The most well known structure at Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is the temple of Kukulkan, which is also called El Castillo. The pyramid is made out of limestone blocks and towers 75 feet above the ground with a base of about 181 feet on each of its four sides. There are nine platforms on each side of the pyramid and four stairways which lead to the Upper Temple. It is thought that the Upper Temple was used to conduct the most important ceremonies by the Mayan rulers. The construction of El Castillo demonstrates the Mayans knowledge and use of astronomy. It is believed that the Mayans used various shadows and designs formed by the sun shining on the Pyramid to signal the beginning and ending of the harvest season. During the spring and fall equinox around 3pm, the sun would cast an amazing shadow on the North stairway. When the suns rays would hit the Northwest corner of the pyramid it would cause seven triangles to form a shadow of a serpents body that slowly moved downward until it joined up w ith a large serpents head carved of stone at the bottom of the stairway. The Mayans also designed El Castillo as a physical calendar. Each stairway consists of 91 steps at a 45 degree angle on each of the four sides of the temple, which equals 364 and when you count the top platform, it is believed to represent 365 days in a year. In addition to the serpents head at the base of the north stairway, there are serpent heads at the bottom of each of the other three stairways as well. It is truly amazing how much the Mayans knew and how accurately they built El Castillo to monitor their astronomical events. Another beautiful structure at Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ with a lot of significance is El Caracol, sometimes referred to as the Observatory. El Caracol is a dome that was erected on top of a large platform so that the Mayans could observe the motions of Venus as well as the equinoxes and solstices through its many windows. This information directed the Mayan way of life. Conclusion The Mayans strategically placed the windows in the dome so that they could follow the motions of Venus. The Mayan leaders would use the changing positions of Venus to make their decisions on whether or not to engage in battle since it is believed that Venus was a war god. Venus positions would repeat exactly every 8 years, and this would have been very beneficial to the Mayans since they used natural cycles to keep track of time. When Venus is at its most northern extreme position, it lines up with the Grand Stairway in front of El Caracol. Furthermore, the northeast and the southwest corners of the platform line up with the summer and winter solstice. This intentional set-up further aided the Mayans in keeping track of time over the extended periods of the cycle of Venus. Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is one of the New 7 Wonders of the World that would be an enjoyable experience. Even though there are other ancient ruins in Mexico, Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is the second most visited site in this cou ntry, predominantly due to the structures like the Great Ballcourt, El Castillo and El Caracol. A visit to Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ will give you a better understanding of the Mayan rituals through their ball games. Furthermore you will be amazed at how the structures of El Castillo and El Caracol aided the Mayans in keeping track of time by using astronomical events. Chichà ©n Itzà ¡ is undoubtedly one of the most astonishing places to visit in Mexico.

IBM Selling Plan :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

IBM Selling Plan Executive Summary We have selected IBM as a prospective buyer for Nidec’s spindle motors. For the past several months, Nidec has been the sole supplier of cooling fans for the production of IBM’s servers. Using this strong relationship as a base, we will present three main reasons for IBM to use Nidec as a supplier for spindle motors as well. First, Nidec is able to charge a lower price than competitors. This feature is possible because Nidec’s 70% spindle motor market share allows the company to achieve economies of scale. Second, Nidec is committed to pursuing a double-win philosophy with its customers. IBM can count on Nidec to provide the best solution to its many design and production problems. Nidec will work with IBM and IBM’s suppliers to facilitate the design and production of new products. Finally, Nidec places primary focus on the quality of its products from design to delivery. With one of the lowest DPPM’s in the industry, Nidec has demonstrated its ability and dedication to maintaining a high level of consistency and reliability. We are scheduled to give a presentation to a commodity manager and commodity engineer from IBM’s hard disk drive department on February 22, 2000. This presentation will be persuasive in nature. It has one primary objective: closing the sale! By â€Å"closing the sale,† we mean securing a two-year agreement with IBM to purchase spindle motors exclusively from Nidec. If this objective cannot be met, we are confident that we will at least be able to secure a visit to Nidec’s site in San Jose. A plant visit would surely convince IBM that Nidec offers the best solution. Customer Background Customer Profile IBM is the world’s leading information technology company. From its beginning in 1890, the company has had a history of providing innovative solutions to complex problems. One of the more recent of IBM’s innovations is its server technology. IBM is widely known for producing high quality and powerful servers for a variety of businesses, including retail, manufacturing, finance, distribution, health, legal, transportation, insurance and education (www.ibm.com/servers/). IBM produces dozens of different types of servers comprising five separate categories: AS/400, Netfinity, NUMA-Q, RS/6000, and S/390. These servers are sold in more than 120 countries and can run on over 49 different languages (www.ibm.com/servers). They are adaptable to multiple platforms, and are compatible with thousands of software programs. During the past several years, IBM has spent billions of dollars incorporating the most advanced technological capabilities into its servers.

Importance on Computer in Education Essay

This chapter provides the information that is relevant to the study. It includes foreign and local literature taken from the internet, some studies that were analyzed by the researchers. This chapter also includes some information taken from books, online newspaper and online articles. A. Foreign Literature History The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 allocated money to bring new technology into schools, including computers. In 1975, Apple Computer first donated computers to schools, and by 1981 educational â€Å"drill and practice† programs were developed. By 1996, many schools were rewired for Internet access. Importance of Computer in Primary Schools The use of computer education in both public and private schools provides students with the technology skills required for college. Students in elementary schools begin learning the basics of computer use in kindergarten Computer in primary schools can expose students to additional resource, such as online encyclopedia, dictionaries, government-sponsored educational sites, learning games and online tutoring. In the future, computers will play an even bigger part in the everyday school agenda. Experts predict that the time is coming soon when the teacher will be mainly a facilitator of learning while children sit at computers and complete the majority of their class work, homework and special projects. Uses of Computer in Primary Education Computers are becoming common place in school as aids to learning. Children can work individually or in pairs at a computer. Some schools place computers in the classroom, others locate the computers in computer labs. They are used in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies instruction. Some programs teach keyboarding. When children use computers to learn mathematics, the computer serves as a tutor, a tool and a tutee. Computers in the classrooms can be used as direct educational tools for online learning or can reinforce previously taught skills. For students struggling with specific skills, there are many games that can be played online to serve as learning interventions. The teacher still guides the process, but it is more student-driven than before. Research * Students in primary school can use computers as sources for reports. Because of online encyclopedias and magazines, children have access to media that may otherwise be unavailable to them. * Elementary school students learn how to use a computer for research, as well as what websites should be trusted for accurate information. Lists of educational sites are often printed out for student use at home, and aid further exploration of interesting subject matter. Educational Games * Children can use computers for learning that is fun. Thousands of websites offer interactive games in all subject areas. These are excellent for reviewing and reinforcing skills the teacher has introduced to primary students. Academic Intervention * Teachers can help students struggling with specific skills by downloading activities and tailoring them to each student’s learning style and level. Computers cannot replace a teacher or tutor, but they can augment their ability to meet the needs of the students. Assessment * Teachers can use computers to provide testing materials for their class. They can access the textbook publishers’ online resources or connect with a community of teachers around the country who share ideas and materials. Class Records * Teachers can maintain student grades, parent contact information and other relevant information through word-processing programs or membership to online record-keeping software at little or no cost. Benefits of Computer in Primary Schools Computers are used in almost every classroom in the country. Some teachers only use email and grade book features, but computers can offer many benefits to teachers and students in primary grades (kindergarten through grade 6). Computers in the classroom are not just there for fun or something for kids to do when their work is finished. Now the computer can supplement the curriculum. The computer becomes a part of the class work. It’s not a substitute for the teacher but a strong assistant. Many children are able to understand concepts when they are presented on a website that relates to their life in some way. Computer-assisted instruction offers teachers and students another avenue to learn the required academic material. Educational computer programs are available online, at computer stores or through textbook companies. Stick with programs that are user-friendly and hold your students’ attention. Make sure the programs are at the correct grade level. Decide if you want the computer program to supplement your lesson, practice basic skills, or assist in teaching a new concept and make sure it does just that. For Students: * Computer-assisted instruction provides differentiated lessons for varied levels of learning, including students with disabilities and gifted students. Students are able to work at their own pace while receiving instant feedback which enables them to self correct before moving on to the next skill. If a student answers incorrectly, the computer programs will provide instructions to assist the student in correcting their work. The programs are interactive and students can work individually or in groups. This allows them to compete with their individual scores or the scores of the students within their group. Students also gain valuable computer skills which will continue to benefit them throughout life. * Students can use digital painting programs to manipulate photos or create icons for classroom charts. Word processing programs can generate crossword puzzles or word searches, and primary school students can create graphs using mathematical data. Using the Internet, primary school students can access photographs of great art, listen to important recordings, research topics for reports and communicate via email * Elementary school students learn how to use a computer for research, as well as what websites should be trusted for accurate information. Lists of educational sites are often printed out for student use at home, and aid further exploration of interesting subject matter. For Teachers: * Teachers are better able to track their students’ strengths and weaknesses through computer-assisted learning. Computer programs can enhance the lessons and allow teachers to pick different levels of a program or different programs altogether for students who may be behind or students who are advanced. When students are learning and actively involved with learning, teachers will have less behavior problems in the classroom which in turn sets up a cycle for more learning to take place. Computer-assisted learning benefits teachers by allowing them to work with small groups of children on a particular skill while the other students in the class are working on their computer program. The nature of the program allows the students to work independently; minimizing distraction to the teacher while she works with the other students. * Primary school teachers can expand lesson plans by incorporating digital resources using computers. Disadvantages Students can become bored and restless if computer programs are overused. Computer programs can evaluate students’ progress on many levels although it is the teacher’s responsibility to make sure students develop critical thinking skills which are essential to solve problems encountered throughout life. Too much time spent learning through computer programs can also reduce time students spend interacting with each other and their teacher. This can result in less time for learning appropriate social skills. Computer-assisted learning can be a great asset to the classroom and curriculum as long as they are not overused. Too much of any mode of teaching can lead to boredom and frustration in the students. Use good judgment and find computer programs that enhance the learning process. B. Local Literature Technology’s Impact on Education Computers and the Internet technology have revolutionized the field of education. The importance of technology in schools cannot be ignored. In fact, with the onset of computers in education, it has become easier for the teachers to render knowledge and for the students to grasp it. Computer technology is used to add a fun-element to education. And it goes without saying that the Internet has endowed education with interactivity. The process of learning in the classroom has significantly become richer as students have access to new and different types of information, can manipulate it on the computer through graphic displays or controlled experiments in ways never before possible, and can communicate their results and conclusions in a variety of media to their teacher, students in the next classroom, or students around the world. The success of technology in the classroom generate impressive results for students, including improved achievement; higher test scores; improved student attitude, enthusiasm, and engagement; richer classroom content; and improved student retention and job placement rates. This is brought about by software that can be used to render information to the students in an interactive manner. The visual effects provided by the animation and presentation software result in inviting greater interest from the students. Tablet Used for Educating Young. MANILA, Philippines — La Salle Green Hills and electronics and digital media leader Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation (SEPCO), take learning to a higher level as they tied up for the school’s eTextbook/Personal Learning Device (PEARL) project, a pioneering program designed to make use of the â€Å"digital word† as the new vernacular in the classroom. Now in its pilot phase, the project utilizes the latest tablet PC technology from Samsung as â€Å"a Personal Learning Device distinctly driven by digitized curriculum materials. †

Geography of Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation in the West Indies located in the Caribbean Sea. It is south of Cuba and for comparison, it is just under the size of Connecticut. Jamaica is 145 miles (234 km) long and 50 miles (80 km) wide at its widest point. Today, the country is a popular tourist destination and it has a native population of 2.8 million people. Fast Facts: Jamaica Capital: KingstonPopulation: 2,812,090 (2018)Official Language: English  Currency: Jamaican dollar (JMD)Form of Government: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy; a commonwealth realmClimate: Tropical; hot, humid; temperate interiorTotal Area: 4,244 square miles (10,991 square kilometers)Highest Point: Blue Mountain Peak at 7,401 feet (2,256 meters)  Lowest Point: Caribbean Sea at 0 feet (0 meters) History of Jamaica The first inhabitants of Jamaica were the Arawaks from South America. In 1494, Christopher Columbus was the first European to reach and explore the island. Beginning in 1510, Spain began to inhabit the area and by that time, the Arawaks began to die off due to disease and war that came with the European settlers.In 1655, the British arrived in Jamaica and took the island from Spain. Shortly thereafter in 1670, Britain took full formal control of Jamaica. Throughout most of its history, Jamaica was known for its sugar production. In the late 1930s, Jamaica began to gain its independence from Britain and it had its first local elections in 1944. In 1962, Jamaica gained full independence but still remains a member of the British Commonwealth. Following its independence, Jamaicas economy began to grow but in the 1980s, it was hit by a severe recession. Shortly thereafter, however, its economy began to grow and tourism became a popular industry. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, drug trafficking and the related violence became a problem in Jamaica. Today, Jamaicas economy is still based largely on tourism and the related service sector and it has recently held various free democratic elections. For example, in 2006 Jamaica elected its first female Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller.​ Government of Jamaica Jamaicas government is considered a constitutional parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm. It has an executive branch with Queen Elizabeth II as chief of state and a local position of head of state. Jamaica also has a legislative branch with a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives. Jamaicas judicial branch is made up of a Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, Privy Council in the U.K., and the Caribbean Court of Justice. Jamaica is divided  in 14 parishes for local administration. Economy and Land Use in Jamaica Since tourism is a large part of Jamaicas economy, services and the related industries represent a significant portion of the countrys overall economy. Tourism revenues alone account for 20% of Jamaicas gross domestic product. Other industries in Jamaica include bauxite/alumina, agricultural processing, light manufacturing, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, and telecommunications. Agriculture is also a big part of Jamaicas economy and its biggest products are sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables, poultry, goats, milk, crustaceans, and mollusks. Unemployment is high in Jamaica and as a result, the country has high crime rates and violence related to drug trafficking. Geography of Jamaica Jamaica has a varied topography with rugged mountains, some of which are volcanic, and narrow valleys and a coastal plain. It is located 90 miles (145 km) south of Cuba and 100 miles (161 km) west of Haiti. The climate of Jamaica is tropical and hot and humid on its coast and temperate inland. Kingston, Jamaicas capital has an average July high temperature of 90 degrees (32 °C) and a January average low of 66 degrees (19 °C). Sources Central Intelligence Agency.  CIA - The World Factbook - Jamaica.Infoplease.  Jamaica: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com.United States Department of State.  Jamaica.