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According to Consumer Reports, the average car will last 150,000 miles. If you are buying a newer model and keeping it properly maintained, it may last until 200,000. That still leaves a few car shopping expeditions in the average consumers lifetime. For many of us, car shopping fills us with dread. So we want to start with a car that is naturally inclined to last longer than average.

Honda and Toyota still lead the pack in producing the most reliable cars. But according to a 2010 issue of Consumer Reports, General Motors is stepping up its game to improve previous models and some new models, such as the Cadillac SRX, the Chevrolet Camaro and Equinox and the Buick LaCrosse V6 have a reliable rating from the beginning. Ford remains the most reliable of American made models, while Chrysler is the lowest ranked. And the car hailed by Consumer Reports as yielding the best predicted reliability was the Porsche Boxster.

Retired schoolteacher Irv Gordon drove his red 1966 Volvo P1800 for 2.5 million miles and holds the current Guinness World Record, as certified in the mid 1990s. Of course, such occurrences are extremely rare. But there are services available and steps you can take to increase the longevity of your car, most of which concern the taking proper care and maintenance per the vehicles manual.

A good start for any car owner is to read the manual. Consult it often, and don’t be afraid to take any questions to the dealership. Another simple step is to keep the car clean. Spending oodles of money isn’t necessary, but you should be sure to keep up with routine maintenance. Check fluids every few months (or as suggested by the car manual) to make sure they stay at the proper levels. These include radiator coolant and brake, windshield washer, power steering and transmission fluids. This is very important because these fluids lubricate different parts to reduce friction, heat, and the overall wearing down that can occur over time. Check your manual to see how often the oil and oil filter should be changed; the answer can differ depending on how many miles you drive.

So, if you want to buy a car that will outlast the average of 150,000 miles, start with a car that has a dependable reliability rating, such as a Honda, Acura, Subaru or Ford. If you are buying used, be sure and run a vehicle history report. You can save time searching for your car by using a car search engine such as Piefind.com. Piefind searches multiple classifies ads to bring you a list of relevant possibilities, saving you time and energy.

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Source by Jen Marie

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It was way back in 1769 when a steam-powered automobile was created for transport purposes. The next important year was 1806, when cars were running on fuel gas and was powered by internal combustion engines. Later electric cars came into the industry during the 20th century; however it became popular only in 21st century when consumers and government were more concerned about low-emission vehicles.

Phases in automobile industry:

• Steam automobiles (Cugnot Steam Trolley)

• Electric automobiles (The Henney Kilowatt)

• Internal combustion engines (Benz Patent Motorwagen)

• Veteran era (Renault Voiturette)

• Brass/ Edwardian era (Ford Model T, Mercer Raceabout, Bugatti Type 13)

• Vintage era (Austin 7, Bugatti Type 35, Lancia Lambda, Cadillac V-16)

• Pre-World War era (Alvis Speed 20, Ford V-8, Bugatti Type 57, Volkswagen Beetle)

• Post-War era (Morris Minor, Jaguar E-type, Ford Mustang, Datsun 240Z)

• Modern era (Toyota Corolla, Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 3 Series, Ford Taurus)

The largest automakers in U.S are General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler. U.S ranks third after Japan and China under the list of world’s top 20 motor vehicle producing countries.

The future of cars is overloaded with high end technologies which are eco-friendly and cost effective for customers. The auto manufacturers are spending a lot of money in R & D (Research and Development) to create a product that is safer, sustainable, energy efficient and less polluting. Alternatives to fuels like hydrogen cars, electric cars, compressed-air cars, etc are entering the market to give high mileage at low cost which is beneficial for owner of the car and environment too.

Latest technologies like BMW’s Turbosteamer, Regenerative braking, Installation of Vortex is used which helps in saving energy and thereby cost. To improve the quality and strength of automobiles, the auto manufacturers are replacing steel with materials like fiber glass, carbon nanotubes, duralumin and carbon fiber. Few other technologies like platoons, automated highway systems and vehicle infrastructure integration enhances road safety and traffic flow.

Automobile industry was deeply affected by the recession which recently occurred. However, it is reviving and it will soon come back to normal in the near future.

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Source by Anthony Tribunella

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What is OEE for?

The simple answer is “Improvement”. OEE is an improvement measure and is used as part of the improvement cycle. Unfortunately, much is made of the 85% ‘World Class Standard’ an arbitrary target found in the original TPM literature. Not only is this target out of date (Nissan in Sunderland are running welding lines at 92-93% OEE) it gives the wrong message. A customer has no interest in your OEE – that is an internal measure, which relates to your efficiency and costs. The customer is far more interested in a measure such as On Time In Full (OTIF) ie did I get my order? Running a manufacturing business on an arbitrary efficiency measure rather than a customer satisfaction measure is a recipe for disaster. The best use of an OEE target such as 85% is to recognise that if you are reaching that level and the customer is still not getting his orders on time, then you may have a capacity constraint.

OEE does not tell us if we have a problem, the customer does. What OEE does do is help us analyse the problem and make improvements. This is why Toyota use it as a spot measure on a particular machine where there is a capacity or quality problem. Calculating the OEE of anything other than a discrete machine or automated line is pointless; we have far better measures of the efficiency of a factory or department as a whole.

OEE developed out of the need for improvement groups to have a way of measuring and analysing equipment problems as part of their Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control cycle. OEE defines the expected performance of a machine, measures it and provides a loss structure for analysis, which leads to improvement. It can then be used as a tracking measure to see if improvement is being sustained ie if control is sufficient.

What does OEE measure?

At its simplest, OEE measures the Availability, Performance and Output Quality of a machine.

A machine is available if it is ready to produce, as opposed to being broken down or having some changes or adjustments made. The definition of availability allows for planned maintenance, when the machine is not meant to be available to production, but makes no allowance for changeovers etc. No machine with changeovers can ever be 100% available. The reason for taking such a hard line is that changeovers are a major loss to both efficiency and flexibility, so the OEE analysis focuses attention on it by making no changeover allowances.

Performance efficiency measures the output during available time compared to a standard. Here there can be debate about what the standard output should be. A good rule of thumb is to make the performance calculation based on best known performance. This may be greater or less than design speed. My argument is that if a machine has never reached its design performance it is not helpful to measure against that. On the other hand, if it has consistently out performed the design spec you can have (and I have seen) performance figures of 140%, which can hide poor availability. This is always remembering that one purpose of OEE is to help tell you if you have the capacity to meet customer demand.

Output Quality is a First Time Through measure – what percentage of the output was right first time, without any rework. FTT measures are always the best quality measures. The issue in OEE is that sometimes the quality feedback is not immediate. In FMCG businesses, a customer complaint can be received three months or more after production. In these cases it is best not to include quality in the OEE calculation and use a more customer focused measure for quality – number of complaints etc. If there is no way we can use the Quality component of OEE in a real time improvement cycle, then it is pointless to measure it.

Loss Analysis

The next level of analysis is the seven (or six or eight or sixteen) losses. Within OEE we usually talk about seven losses, although TPM loss structures have been known to define 23 losses in all.

Availability losses are primarily Breakdowns and Changeovers. Changeovers can be separated into Tool changes, Material changes and Reduced Yield at start up, but fundamentally these are the same issue. Further analysis reveals breakdowns to have two fundamental types, those due to deterioration because of inadequate maintenance and those due to inherent machine characteristics.

This gives us three basic responses to availability issues – improve changeovers through SMED, improve basic maintenance and improve machine characteristics. Depending on the Pareto analysis of losses we may need to act on one, two or all three of these.

Performance losses are usually separated into speed loss and minor stops – is the machine running slow, or is it stop-starting? The definition of minor stop is also open to debate – originally it was less than ten minutes, then five minutes, then three minutes. The pragmatic approach is to say that if you can measure the amount of time lost for a stop it is a breakdown, not a minor stop. If you can only record the quantity of stops, then they are minor stops.

There is some practical use for the speed/minor stop distinction – if a machine is running slow we can always speed it up, whereas if it is jamming we need to look at the physical mechanism and try to remove the cause of the jams (my favourite example is where we found the root cause was when metal washers were being loaded into a hopper with a metal shovel, which damaged some, which then jammed the feed – the solution was a plastic shovel!).

We can however also make a useful distinction between performance losses due to deterioration or contamination and those caused by inherent machine characteristics. As with breakdowns this gives us two improvement approaches – better maintenance or equipment re-design.

Improvement

The only reason to measure and analyse anything is to improve it. If we are not going to use the whole improvement cycle there is no point in measuring OEE. It tells us nothing we do not already know. At a gross level all OEE tells you is how much you made compared to what you wanted to make, and any schedule adherence measure would tell you that already. Averaging OEE’s over whole plants or time periods just hides issues – OEE is a specific measure for use in specific improvement projects.

The biggest misuse of OEE is to use it to compare different processes, plants or machines. OEE is not a useful executive KPI. It is not even a very useful operational measure. It is an improvement measure, for people who want to improve their equipment performance.

How to massage your OEE

1) When the machine breaks down, log it to planned maintenance

2) Do changeovers during planned maintenance or at weekends if not 24/7

3) Use an easy performance standard

4) Measure the best machine and quote that figure

5) Set arbitrary targets and achieve them through the above

Using the above strategy you should be able to report decent OEE’s and even make some money if pay is OEE performance related. What this will not do however is improve your ability to meet customer demand.

How to improve performance

1) Measure against customer demand (OTIF or similar)

2) Measure OEE on constraints or problem equipment

3) Set realistic performance standards

4) Analyse losses to identify issues for improvement

5) Use the whole improvement cycle

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Source by Malcolm M. Jones

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Integrated Project Delivery is a project delivery approach that integrates people, systems, business structures and practices into a process that collaboratively harnesses the talents and insights of all participants to optimize project results, increase value to the owner, reduce waste, and maximize efficiency through all phases of design, fabrication, and construction.”

Many believe that IPD was derived from ideas generated by Toyota Production System. I believe it is the beginning of the next generation of the design and construction process and has far reaching implications. The design and construction industry is a flawed industry and the multitude of processes are outdated and breed a negative value for property owners, contractors and designers. Liability is high and accountability is low.

In the current industry processes, innovation is discourage and many times innovators are penalized. This is true for owners, contractors and designers. Innovation is added risk. For many reasons the construction industry lags behind other industries in the adaptation of new technologies. This needs to be corrected and IPD is a good start.

The phases for IDP are set up to capitalize on collaboration and allow for continual value review. Advanced change management software like BIM (Building Information Modeling) is critical for making this efficient on the design end.

The 8 basic phases in the IPD process:

Conceptualization Criteria Design Detailed Design Implementation Document Phase Agency Review Phase Buyout Phase Construction Phase Closeout Phase

IPD is based on some very basic principles:

Mutual Respect and Trust Mutual Benefits and Rewards Collaborative Innovation and Decisions Early Goal Definition Intensified Planning Open Communication Appropriate Technology Organization and Leadership.

Unlike the often misunderstood Design-Build process which places the Contractor at the center of the building project IPD is a collaborative Master Builder process based on contributions from the entire building team including the owner, architect, general contractor, building engineers, subcontractors, fabricators and product vendors.

IPD Owner Benefits:

Early and open sharing of project knowledge streamlines project communications and allows the owner to effectively balance project options to meet their business enterprise goals. All of this increases the likelihood the project goals, including schedule, life cycle costs, quality and sustainability will be achieved.

IPD Designer Benefits:

The IPD process increases the level of effort during the design phases, resulting in reduced documentation time, and improved cost controls and budget management, all of which increase the liklihood ththat project goals including schedule, life cycle costs, quality and sustainability will be achieved.

IPD Contractor Benefits:

The constructor’s participation during the design phase provides the opportunity for stronger pre-construction planning, more timely and informed understanding of the design, and improved cost control and budget management. I believe technology and BIM are at the center of IPD. Technology is what makes this process work.

So why hasn’t this process taken hold in the Midwest?

#1. One reason for this is that the liabilities are not ironed out contractually. As a professional business owner I would not risk my fee, unless I absolutely had to, on the performance of another project team member.

#2. Another reason is timing. Companies are risk averse generally and extremely risk averse now with the economic downturn.

Even so, I still believe IPD has great potential may be a glimpse of the future of property development. My only caveat is if the industry isn’t turned upside down with the lack of financing.

There are many articles written on IPD and BIM and they provide some valuable information and hopefully will help to push the design and construction industry forward.

Has anyone used IPD successfully? If so, besides contractual, what are the greatest challenges?

Make a plan. Have a plan. You’ll be glad you did!

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Source by Paul DeVetter

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There are key performance indicators (KPIs) to use that can help spotlight the benchmarks being reviewed. A system for easily monitoring KPIs on a real-time basis helps gas and oil executives make the kinds of informed decisions that enhance productivity and cut costs.

Real-time, accurate, comprehensive, at-a-glance access to this information provides the edge that is needed to stay competitive.

Lifting costs. Lifting costs per barrel of liquid gas equivalent is one of the fundamental performances, demonstrating the extent to which a company is controlling operating costs. Annual lifting costs divided by annual production in barrel of liquid gas equivalent is the basic formula for calculating lifting costs.

Furthermore, it can reveal how efficient a company is at getting product out of the ground. Lifting cost is also considered a metric used in peer comparisons.

Every gas and oil company measure themselves to some degree. These measurements are always based on historical information. While there is certainly a value in historical analysis, it is a fundamental principle of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) to be current or forward looking metrics. Additionally, it is also critical that KPIs be closely aligned to strategic company goals and implemented in such a way as to support positive change.

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in gas production can be highly effective for exposing, quantifying and visualizing muda (the japanese lean term for waste). The essence of Japanese lean manufacturing and the central theme of the Toyota Production System (TPS) is to eliminate waste – in other words, to eliminate all activities that do not add value for the customer. Effective KPIs in quantify waste of gas production; provide an early warning system for processes operating outside the norm, and offer significant hints as to where improvement efforts should be focused.

Key Performance Indicators in gas production are also highly effective motivators. Motivation theory (i.e. work or organizational behavior) is a complex field with many diverse opinions; however, there is big agreement that a central key to effective motivation is setting challenging but attainable goals (e.g. SMART goals, which are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Specific). SMART goals are excellent ingredients for KPIs.

Effective KPIs in gas production can energize the plant floor – unleashing competitive spirit and promoting kaizen (the Japanese lean term for continuous improvement). This can be achieved by providing both a “will” and a “way”.

Key performance indicator in gas production must also provide meaningful, reliable, and accurate information. Thus, it is important to carefully document and define the methodology of measurement before implementing a given KPI. Desires and goals are often vague, whereas Key Performance Indicators are very specific. Since KPIs are indicators of progress and performance in gas production, it is vital that everyone that uses them be able to trust in their accuracy.

How Can Key Performance Indicators Help My Company? Can you imagine driving your car without a fuel gauge or at least a speedometer? Driving solely based on your rear-view mirror without side-view mirrors? This is exactly the current situation that exists on most plant floors today. Effective KPIs enable directors, managers, and operators to keep their fingers on the pulse of the plant floor or the drilling field.

Here are five steps to creating and maintaining effective Key Performance Indicators for your gas production plant:

– Study all strategic goals of your company.

– Carefully sort, select, define, and document KPIs that will drive the desired behavior.

– Create the “will” and the “way” as I described above (e.g. educate, echoe train, and listen).

– Begin using the KPIs to drive improved performance of both managers and employees.

– Do it again. Lean (Kaizen) is a continuous improvement process. That means your KPIs should evolve as needed to best match the current strategic goals of the company, even in the future plans.

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Source by Sam Miller

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Matthias Jeschke, the German off road enthusiast who made the first High Altitude World Record in 2005 aboard a Toyota Land Cruiser has once again set up a new record-breaking high altitude. This time, Jeschke and his team successfully made the high altitude world record in March 13th using two standard Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 3.8 V6 model after a grueling week of expedition and navigation in Ojos del Salado located in the South American mountain range of Chile.

On the first day of expedition in Copiapó province in Chile, Matthias Jeschke’s team was divided into several groups. These include Two camera teams that will capture the actions in the team’s adventure; purchasing team that bought the last requirements; branding team who covered the cars with stickers of the team’s sponsors; engineering team that made the special electronic installation; and the navigation team who set up several notebook PCs, GPS equipment, satellite-phones and other things needed for the expedition.

On the 3rd day, most of the team members got a headache, dizzy spell, and a sick feeling because of restless nights spent on the mountain. Matthias Jeschke checked the performance of all team members in order to get them into the suitable groups for the following days of adventure. In addition, the team also conducted a hard testing for the Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The team tested the Jeep Wrangler’s capability in driving over boulders, rocks and sand, as well as the tipping limits of the off-road vehicle. Moreover, the engineering team checked the differential locks, shocks steering stabilizers, chassis parts, Jeep grille guard and other technical features of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon.

During the 11th day of expedition, Matthias Jeschke’s team went up the Ojos del Salado, to a height of 6120 meters, and with huge effort of all team members, the Jeep Wrangler went up to a height of 6358 meters, which is the old record mark he made last 2005.

The biggest challenge was on March 12, the day before Matthias Jeschke made the new high altitude world record using the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. He said: “The team is exhausted. For days we have spent very much time in high altitude. It was windy all the time, and there was sand everywhere which flew into your ears and into any little gap. Climbing was only possible by a supreme effort to the point of exhaustion. Working in the burning sun (which tans the face although it is ice-cold was) also really challenging. Thus, you can see it was time for one day off.”

Finally, on March 13th, Matthias Jeschke and his team successfully climbed to an impressive altitude of 6646 meters aboard the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. According to Jeschke, he is sure that no other person will ever reach or even break his unbelievable altitude because the already reached the top between both secondary summits, only 247 meters below the top of the Ojos del Salado and Chile-Atacama mountains.

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Source by Lisa Ziegler

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More and more young people are choosing non-traditional education to start and advance in their careers while completing and furthering their formal education. “Typical distance learners are those who don’t have access to programs, employees who work during scheduled class hours, homebound individuals, self-motivated individuals who want to take courses for self-knowledge or advancement, or those who are unable or unwilling to attend class” (Charp, 2000, p. 10). Three key elements surround the online learner: technology, curriculum, and instructor (Bedore, Bedore, & Bedore, 1997). These elements must be keenly integrated into one smoothly and operationally functional delivery tool.

While an online method of education can be a highly effective alternative medium of education for the mature, self-disciplined student, it is an inappropriate learning environment for more dependent learners. Online asynchronous education gives students control over their learning experience, and allows for flexibility of study schedules for non traditional students; however, this places a greater responsibility on the student. In order to successfully participate in an online program, student must be well organized, self-motivated, and possess a high degree of time management skills in order to keep up with the pace of the course. For these reasons, online education or e-learning is not appropriate for younger students (i.e. elementary or secondary school age), and other students who are dependent learners and have difficulty

assuming responsibilities required by the online paradigm.

Millions of students use e-learning solutions in over 140 countries: corporations such as Kodak and Toyota and education providers like ExecuTrain, New Horizons, the Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS), Phoenix University amongst the hundreds of schools and colleges.

Studies have shown student retention to be up to 250% better with online learning than with classroom courses. Several recent ones have helped frame the debate. The Sloan Consortium published a widely distributed report titled “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” that examined the growing prevalence of online education across U.S. institutions.

In addition, a study conducted by the Boston-based consulting firm Eduventures found that, while about half of institutions and more than 60 percent of employers generally accept the high quality of online learning, students’ perceptions differ. Only about 33 percent of prospective online students said that they perceive the quality of online education to be “as good as or better than” face-to-face education. Ironically, 36 percent of prospective students surveyed cited concern about employers’ acceptance of online education as a reason for their reluctance to enroll in online courses.

But what actually drives quality? A March 2006 report released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education identifies six quality indicators: mission, curriculum and instruction, faculty support, student and academic services, planning for sustainability and growth, and evaluation and assessment.

The debate rages on while the Pros and Cons of Online Adult Education for today’s international students are constantly analyzed to determine if this type of education platform can deliver predictable and measurable results.

The Enoch Olinga College (ENOCIS) is one institution which uses this type of delivery system. ENOCIS enhances their learning experience by offering many other “value added”, cost reducing benefits to students. Online pupils can apply for scholarships available to students of excellence and other financial aid programs like the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), with attractive interest rates. They also provide convenient payment facilities, on line banking, Western Union Quick Collect, bank cards and a student who is granted a loan can start repaying it after two months if they have a corporate guarantor.

Pros of Online Education:

The key advantages of the online education experience are briefly explained below:

1. Cheaper: Online courses may be more affordable than those offered at colleges or trade schools. You may also save on transportation costs like gas, bus passes, and parking permits because you don’t need to commute to school and there are no housing or meals plans to worry about since you do not need to live on or near a college campus. Housing expenses and other costs associated with living expenses are usually the most expensive aspects of a college education, so by taking an online course you could save quite a bit of money.

The best part of online education is the absence of travel and immigration problems. Some students may prefer not to pursue traditional on campus education, as it involves traveling to attend lectures. With online education, an applicant does not need to travel. Courses simply require accessing the internet in order to begin the learning process.

2. More Convenient: By taking courses online, you’re able to decide when you study and for how long. You are also able to schedule your studying around your work or social schedule.

Since you’re not bound to a classroom, you may do your work wherever you have access to a computer and the internet. You’ll be able to set your own pace and decide exactly how fast you want to go over the material.

Take online courses when you need them, not based on some college’s annual or semester schedule. You can learn when you need it (Just-In-Time) A course is as close as a computer with an Internet connection.

3. Flexibility: with no set class times, you decide when to complete your assignments and readings. You set the pace. In some programs, you can even design your own degree plan. The online students can carry out their private or official work, along with the online education. As it provides the convenience of time flexibility, a student can login and logout as per his desire whereas, the traditional education do not provide such flexibility in learning.

Flexibility of online education allows the student control over their studies. They can allot more time in the topics, which they feel comparatively hard and vice versa. The speed of learning depends solely upon the students.

4. Technology: With the help of the scientific technology, students can do their online education at any place. The only mandatory pre-requisite is the availability of computer along with an internet amenity. Side benefits include the learning new technologies and technical skills

5. Availability: distance-learning opportunities have exploded over the past few years, with many accredited and reputable programs.

6. Accessibility: with an online course, you can work on the course just about anywhere you have computer access. Your learning options are not constrained by your geographic location. The new virtual classrooms have created a myriad of learning opportunities for global learning and education center. On line education is a new era experience adapting to the needs of the world citizen.

7. Self-Directed: you set your own pace and schedule, so you control the learning environment.

8. Time Spent in Classroom: now you can take a course on just about any subject without ever having to be in, or travel to, a classroom so you have very little wasted time. Note, however, that some distance-education programs still do have an in-class component and normally to receive a fully accredited US university degree an international student must spend one or two semesters on campus.

9. High Quality Dialog: Within an online asynchronous discussion structure, the learner is able to carefully reflect on each comment from others before responding or moving on to the next item. This structure allows students time to articulate responses with much more depth and forethought than in a traditional face-to-face discussion situation where the participant must analyze the comment of another on the spot and formulate a response or otherwise loose the chance to contribute to the discussion.

10. Student Centered: Within an online discussion, the individual student responds to the course material (lectures and course books, for example) and to comments from other students. Students usually respond to those topics within the broader conversation that most clearly speak to their individual concerns and situations resulting in several smaller conversations taking place simultaneously within the group. While students are expected to read all of their classmates’ contributions, they will become actively engaged only in those parts of the dialog most relevant to their needs. In this way, students take control of their own learning experience and tailor the class discussions to meet their own specific needs. Ideally, students make their own individual contributions to the course while at the same time take away a unique mix of information directly relevant to their needs.

11. Level Playing Field: In the online environment learners retain a considerable level of anonymity. Discriminating factors such as age, dress, physical appearance, disabilities, race and gender are largely absent. Instead, the focus of attention is clearly on the content of the discussion and the individual’s ability to respond and contribute thoughtfully and intelligently to the material at hand.

On line adult education can be more effective and better for certain types of learners (shy, introverted, reflective, language challenged, those that need more time). Distance education courses are often better for people who learn through visual cues and experiential exercises.

12. Synergy: The online format allows for a high level of dynamic interaction between the instructor and students and among the students themselves. Resources and ideas are shared, and continuous synergy will be generated through the learning process as each individual contributes to the course discussions and comments on the work of others. The synergy that exists in the student-centred virtual classroom is one of the unique and vital traits that the online learning format posses..

13. Access to Resources: It is easy to include distinguished guest experts or students from other institutions in an online class as well as allow students to access resources and information anywhere in the world. An instructor can compile a resource section online with links to scholarly articles, institutions, and other materials relevant to the course topic for students to access for research, extension, or in depth analysis of course content material in the global classroom.

14. Creative Teaching: The literature of adult education supports the use of interactive learning environments as contributing to self-direction and critical thinking. Some educators have made great strides in applying these concepts to their on ground teaching. However, many classes still exist which are based on boring lectures and rote memorization of material. The nature of the semi-autonomous and self-directed world of the virtual classroom makes innovative and creative approaches to instruction even more important. In the online environment, the facilitator and student collaborate to create a dynamic learning experience. The occasion of a shift in technology creates the hope that those who move into the new technology will also leave behind bad habits as they adopt this new paradigm of teaching. As educators redesign their course materials to fit the online format, they must reflect on their course objectives and teaching style and find that many of the qualities that make a successful online facilitator are also tremendously effective in the traditional classroom as well.

Cons of Online Education:

Briefly explained are some factors that could negatively affect your success with distance learning courses:

1. The Technology:

a. Equity and Accessibility to Technology: Before any online program can hope to succeed, it must have students who are able to access the online learning environment. Lack of access, whether it be for economical or logistics reasons, will exclude otherwise eligible students from the course. This is a significant issue in rural and lower socioeconomic neighborhoods and educating the underserved peoples of the world. Furthermore, speaking from an administrative point of view, if students cannot afford the technology the institution employs, they are lost as customers. As far as Internet accessibility is concerned, it is not universal, and in some areas of the United States and other countries, Internet access poses a significant cost to the user. Some users pay a fixed monthly rate for their Internet connection, while others are charged for the time they spend online. If the participants’ time online is limited by the amount of Internet access they can afford, then instruction and participation in the online program will not be equitable for all students in the course. This is a limitation of online programs that rely on Internet access. Equity of access to learners of all backgrounds and parts of society

b. Requires New Skills/Technologies: if you’re not computer-savvy or are afraid of change or new technologies, then online education will probably not work for you. The online students are required to learn new skills, such as researching and reviewing the internet. For the online students, they need to learn the techniques of navigation on an online library for necessary information. Technical training and support of learners and instructors

c. Computer Literacy: Both students and facilitators must possess a minimum level of computer knowledge in order to function successfully in an online environment. For example, they must be able to use a variety of search engines and be comfortable navigating on the World Wide Web, as well as be familiar with Newsgroups, FTP procedures and email. If they do not possess these technology tools, they will not succeed in an online program; a student or faculty member who cannot function on the system will drag the entire program down.

d. Limitations of Technology: User friendly and reliable technology is critical to a successful online program. However, even the most sophisticated technology is not 100% reliable. Unfortunately, it is not a question of if the equipment used in an online program will fail, but when. When everything is running smoothly, technology is intended to be low profile and is used as a tool in the learning process. However, breakdowns can occur at any point along the system, for example, the server which hosts the program could crash and cut all participants off from the class; a participant may access the class through a networked computer which could go down; individual PCs can have numerous problems which could limit students’ access; finally, the Internet connection could fail, or the institution hosting the connection could become bogged down with users and either slow down, or fail all together. In situations like these, the technology is neither seamless nor reliable and it can detract from the learning experience.

2. The Institution: Many online education facilities are relatively new with many courses and hence, lack in modern instructors for instructing the new curriculum. Estimates show that there is still a need for an increase of more 50% of qualified instructors for online education.

b. The Administration and Faculty: Some environments are disruptive to the successful implementation of an online program. Administrators and/or faculty members who are uncomfortable with change and working with technology or feel that online programs cannot offer quality education often inhibit the process of implementation. These people represent a considerable weakness in an online program because they can hinder its success.

3. The Facilitator :Lack of Essential Online Qualities: Successful on-ground instruction does not always translate to successful online instruction. If facilitators are not properly trained in online delivery and methodologies, the success of the online program will be compromised. An instructor must be able to communicate well in writing and in the language in which the course is offered. An online program will be weakened if its facilitators are not adequately prepared to function in the virtual classroom.

4. Perceptions/Reputation: while slowly changing as more and more mainstream colleges and universities embrace distance learning, there still is a stigma attached to distance education to the student’s interaction in the online education. Some of the students believe that, there are few opportunities with regards to face-to-face interactions and feedbacks.

5. No Instructor Face Time: If your learning style is one where you like personalized attention from your teachers, then online education will probably not work for you.

6. Little Support: students are expected to find their own resources for completing assignments and exams, which is empowering for some, but daunting for others.

There is little support and limited guidelines provided in online education system. Online students are required to search as per their own imaginations for completing exams and assignments.

7. Lacking Social Interaction: while you often interact with classmates via email, chat rooms, or discussion groups, there are no parties or off line get-togethers.

If you enjoy meeting new people and learn better while you’re interacting with other people, you may want to reconsider online education.

8. No Campus Atmosphere: part of the traditional college experience, of course, is the beauty of the campus, the college spirit, but you have none of that with distance-education courses.

Since you’re not on campus or in classes, you may lack opportunities to meet other students. You will not have many opportunities to interact face-to-face with your professors, so they may not have a real sense of who you are as a person.

9. Making Time: if you are a procrastinator or one of those people who always needs an extra push to complete work, you may have a hard time making time for your online classes. On line learning requires new skills and responsibilities from learners

10. Academic honesty of online students: requires a new mindset to online assessment. Most education experts agree that rote memory testing is not the best measure of learning in any environment and new measurement and evaluation tools are evolving.

11. Types and effectiveness of assessments: The importance of outcomes in online learning cannot be over emphasized. Does the program have measurable results? Are students learning what you say they should be learning? Then there are institutional outputs: course completion rates, job placement rates (if that’s the goal of the institution), graduation rates, student success on third-party tests, and student satisfaction scores.

These factors, both the pros and cons, contribute greatly to making an informed decision about the direction of your career path and how you are going to accomplish your goals: on line, in the classroom or a combination of both.

Institutions and companies that use continuing education to meet their needs also face similar decisions. Institutions that deliver online education are confronted with a series of challenges, including the search for good faculty, use of technology, and provision of adequate student services.

The Sloan Consortium report “Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States in 2005” found that 64 percent of chief academic officers and faculty believe that it takes more discipline for a student to succeed in an online course than it does in a face-to-face course.

More and more major business and industry is turning to on line continuing education as a viable and cost effective resource for training its personnel. Hilton Hotel has 380 hotels worldwide and is represented in 66 countries.

When you weigh the benefits and advantages of on line adult continuing education the cost of study and flexibility of scheduling tip the scales of programs like the Enoch Olinga College, Capella and Phoenix University’s distance learning program on line adult continuing education is becoming a world wide respected form of education.

However, as with any situation, there are both pros and cons with the concept of online education and the benefits of the virtual or global classroom. You may want to evaluate both before you decide on an online education program. By examining the advantages and disadvantages, you will be able to make a more informed decision. But, at the end of the day, online learning is independent learning. A lot of structure has been put into online programs, but it still comes down to a learner sitting in front of a computer by him or herself. The knowledge you receive or the benefits it will generate either in development of self esteem or increasing earning capacity will depend sole upon you the student.

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Source by David W Morris

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Insurance–it’s everywhere. One can insure just about anything. Are tires an investment one needs to insure? Tire insurance, also called a road hazard policy, road hazard warranty, or tire reimbursement plan, is a rapidly growing industry in the automotive world.

Tire warranty plans pay in full or in part for the replacement or repair of damaged tires and/or rims from “road hazards.” Road hazards are defined as pot holes, debris, nails, wood, and other hazards found in the road. Curbs, sidewalks, and stone walls are not road hazards. This is an important distinction to consider when deciding if tire insurance is right for you (discussed further ahead).

Tire plans last for a specific period of time and tire wear tread-depth. Some plans last 2-3 years. Others can last 5 years or 60,000 miles. Several plans come with fixed amounts of coverage: $500 per year up to 4 years. Many contracts require three years of law school to comprehend. In terms of tread depth, a tire is usually considered worn out (and thus the plan null and void) at 2/32 to 3/32 of an inch.

Another important distinction is in the type of plan.

Tire reimbursement plans are just what they say. You, the plan holder, will be reimbursed after the claims process is finalized–usually 2-8 weeks. There is an out-of-pocket expense. These plans are often sold by new car dealerships. The prices can range from $300 to $600 dollars.

Road hazard policies operate similarly to reimbursement plans. However, some tire insurance providers, in partnership with the repair facility, may have a direct-pay relationship. Thus, there would be no out-of-pocket expense, except for applicable deductibles, and items not covered in part or in full. These plans are primarily sold by tire dealers and repair shops. The prices range from $10 to $30 per tire. They also can be based on a percentage of the cost of the tire: usually 12% to 15%.

Both types of plans have a number of variables, requiring a magnifying glass to read the fine print. Also, many are pro-rated warranties, covering only a percentage of the cost of the tire based on its wear.

Claims and Coverage

Depending on the plan, claims are initiated by the repair shop. The process is fairly smooth, although there can be a significant delay from the provider for authorization. This delay may be an hour or an entire weekend. This means that you’ll have to “ok” the tire replacement, and then hope it’s authorized for the full amount, or drive on your spare.

Some plans offer national coverage either among their service facilities or from other repair centers. Claims procedures will vary. Others only provide local coverage, or coverage at the selling facility.

Limitations

Tire insurance does not mean that everything is covered. Pro-rated warranties are based on the wear and tear of the tire. You may get 75%, 50%, or only 10% coverage depending on the tread-depth. You’ll pay the remainder. While there are plans that offer full coverage, even these have limitations, or they may conflict with a repair shop’s policies.

For example, many plans allow for a maximum of $30 to mount and balance one tire, and a maximum of $15 to repair a tire. However, sport tires often have significantly higher mounting and balancing fees–upwards of $50 per tire–and tire repair prices can exceed $90. There are also discrepancies on the tire and rim prices themselves, which in the end, may have to be supplemented by the service customer.

Although there usually is not an issue with the latter given the competitive market, the service center’s price mark up may be unacceptable to the plan provider. In this case, the service center needs to lower the price or you, the service customer, need to pay the difference–or go somewhere else. This does happen!

Rim Replacement and Repair

Rim replacement is becoming less frequent. With the high cost of aluminum wheels and sport wheel packages, tire insurers have opted to have them repaired. Repair will only be done if the rim does not hold air. What this means is that even if the rim is warped–enough to cause a vibration and even premature tire wear–they won’t replace it. Rather, they will send it out to be straightened and repaired.

Rims are replaced only if the damage is so extensive that the new tire, when mounted on the rim, won’t hold air. However, even in this case, especially if it’s an expensive sport wheel, they may still attempt to repair it.

Repairing rims is a bad option. While some rim repair is acceptable, badly warped or damaged rims will in no way ever be the same.

Alignments

If a car hits a road hazard hard enough, such as a pot hole, it’s wise to have the alignment checked. Road hazard policies and tire reimbursement plans do not cover alignments. The service customer will have to pay for this procedure.

Road Hazard Protection Positives

Some plans include tire rotations, wheel balancing, and nationwide coverage.

Myths

Can I pop all 4 tires and get a new set of tires?

You can try. But this type of claim will trigger a number of red flags with the insurer. The policy holder will likely send out adjusters and/or require photographs. You will also have a difficult time explaining how a “road hazard” caused all 4 tire pop.

New tires come with a warranty.

New tires do come with a warranty by the tire manufacturer (Michelin, Yokohama, Goodyear…etc), but not a road hazard warranty. The warranty by the tire manufacturer only covers defects in workmanship. New tire warranties do not cover punctures or damages from external sources. This is why “road hazard” protection is being pushed.

New tires are rarely defective. If there is a problem, it’s usually noticed when balancing the tire. Or, there is a drivability concern such as vibration or noise. If there’s a defect it’s generally caught right away, and the tire swapped out.

It’s so cheap; it’s a no-brainer, right?

Actually, the experts don’t agree with this statement.

The Economics of Tire Warranties

An article from the Washington Post by Terence O’Hara explains the economics of extended warranties and purchase protection plans in general. It is quite fitting for road hazard warranties. He writes:

The decision to buy an extended warranty…defies the recommendations of economists, consumer advocates and product quality experts, who all warn that the plans rarely benefit consumers and are nearly always a waste of money.

‘[Extended warranties or purchase protection plans] make no rational sense,’ Harvard economist David Cutler said. ‘The implied probability [of having an issue with the product] has to be substantially greater than the risk that you can’t afford to fix it or replace it. If you’re buying a $400 item, for the overwhelming number of consumers that level of spending is not a risk you need to insure under any circumstances.’

In short, road hazard warranties are a waste of money. Don’t insure that which you can afford to replace.

Numbers Game and Slim Chances

Like all insurance, tire insurance plans are a numbers game. However, this is a game you have a 98% chance of losing. Insider statistics show that the percentage of claims paid out by providers is as low a 2%.

Curbs

Another interesting note is that a lot of tire damage is caused by curbs. Curb damage is not covered under most road hazard policies. High granite curbs with sharp edges slice through tens of thousands of tires per year.

You Won’t Notice

Many people don’t even notice tire damage. Other than to see if the tires are holding air, who “really” looks at tires? Tires are subject to a whole host of external influences which cause bubbles, slices and gouges. Despite the potential dangers of damaged tires, the damage very often does not translate into any noticeable drivability issue. The point is that if you don’t notice any tire damage you can’t benefit from the coverage.

Research Shows

Those raving about the benefits of a road hazard policy are the actual folks in the industry who stand to benefit from the sale. They’ll argue that it’s so cheap–only $10 to $20 per tire. Even so, for four tires, that’s $80 based on the “possibility,” the “chance,” of damaging a tire that meets the repair/replacement requirement protocols.

Auto Insurance

If a rim and tire has incurred significant damage, it’s quite likely that other problems have resulted as well. The first is that the vehicle may have been jarred out of alignment. Secondly, hub bearings, front end components: tie rods, spindles, ball joints, and a variety of other components may have sustained damage. In this case, auto insurance, which you are already paying for, will pay for everything–brand new.

Free Road Hazard Warranties

Many tires come with road hazard warranties FREE. In other words, in an effort to secure retailers, many tire distributors provide service centers FREE road hazard insurance. Some shops pass this on to their tire customers, others sell them. Ask if the tire “comes” with a road hazard protection policy. If not, request that one be provided at no additional charge. It’s worth a shot.

Also, some car manufacturers provide road hazard warranties FREE of charge for 12 months or 12,000 miles. If you’re buying a new car or even used, ask that the dealer provide a complimentary road hazard policy (after all the wheeling and dealing is done, of course), and just before you commit.

What’s the best road hazard policy?

Money in your bank account.

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Source by Theodore Olson

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One of the most powerful management concepts to have originated from Japan (and there are plenty of them) is Jidoka. Best described as ‘intelligent automation’, this concept was originally by Toyota to ensure that its production line became very efficient. It used empowers machines to interrupt the production line if and when an erroneous situation originated. The idea behind this concept is that defects should be stopped automatically using localization and isolation so that they do not get carried forward, thereby getting bigger. There are many advantages to using Jidoka at the work place. They include:

– Ensuring that the number of defective products is drastically reduced so as to become negligible. This brings down production costs drastically since wastage is eliminated.

– Improving the quality of products that are manufactured, ensuring that customers are always satisfied when they buy your products.

– Identifying problems early on in the manufacturing process so that they can be rectified easily and quickly without holding up production for very long.

– Reducing the instances of equipment breakdown, thereby decreasing equipment repair and replacement costs. This also ensures that there is no gap in production.

– Increasing overall productivity at the workplace.

– Increasing employee morale by giving them the authority to interrupt production whenever they detect a mistake. Feedback from employees is a very important component of this system.

– Reducing the need for full time inspectors since process capability will become high.

– Reducing the need for lots of people on the payroll since workers can be made to supervise more than one machine at the same time.

As you can see, the benefits that Jidoka offers are directly related to your company’s profitability since they help improve quality whilst reducing costs at the same time. Of course, there are certain expenses associated with making this happen. However, the benefits of having a good reputation in the market because of the ability to produce high quality products cannot be overstated.

It is very important to know how to do Jidoka in the right manner. The best way to do this is to bring a management consultant on board. This person will set up various systems and will also advise you regarding the changes that have to done in various work processes. It is also important to get co-operation from all employees in order to make this a success. Training programs will help ensure this.

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Source by Rizvana Abdul

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One of the most popular tourist activities of Dubai is the Famous “Dubai Desert Safari”. The desert safari is basically a trip into the depth of the desert on a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser. This exciting trip begins with the tour operators vehicle picking you up from your house or hotel. The vehicle seats 6 people so if you would like privacy you can negotiate a cheaper rate with the tourism company beforehand and get the whole vehicles for yourself. After being picked up you will be driven to a meeting point where the rest of the vehicles will assemble and all the vehicles will proceed into the desert as a convoy, The desert safari is quite a roller coaster ride as driver will drive thrillingly up and down red sand dunes. After a short ride the convoy will come to a stop in the middle of a desert at a camel farm you will get opportunities to take photographs and stretch your legs.

After the camel farm you will proceed to the desert camp of the tourism company where you will disembark and proceed into the Bedouin camp established to give you an insight into the desert life led by traditional Arabs. The camp is a fully functional tourist structure with all modern amenities including wash rooms, electricity and telephones.

You will spend approximately 3 hours at the desert safari camp and you will have an option of buying souvenirs from the souvenir shop, you can also buy a video and pictures of your adventurous trip, there are ladies who will put henna mehndi on your hands before you are served a traditional and continental dinner buffet. After the dinner there is a belly dancing display and the belly dancer will be happy to teach you some steps you will never forget. After the dance you are dropped back to where you were picked up from. To sum it up the Dubai desert safari is a must do if you are going to Dubai.

Tour Name: Dubai Desert Safari

Approx. Time: 4-5 Hours

Approx. Cost: AED 160- AED 240 (US$ 43- US$ 64)

Included: Pick and Drop, Food, Camel Rides, Sand Boarding, Hinna Mehndi

This product is offered by almost every tour operator in Dubai, price and quality of service varies.

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Source by Syed A Rizvi