Netflix Project

NETFLIX INC FORMReport) 10-K (Annual Filed 02/01/13 for the Period Ending 12/31/12 Address 100 WINCHESTER CIRCLE . LOS GATOS, CA 95032 408-540-3700 0001065280 NFLX 7841 – Video Tape Rental Broadcasting & Cable TV Services 12/31 Telephone CIK Symbol SIC Code Industry Sector Fiscal Year http://www. edgar-online. com  © Copyright 2013, EDGAR Online, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Distribution and use of this document restricted under EDGAR Online, Inc. Terms of Use. Table of Contents UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20549 FORM 10-K (Mark One)ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 OR TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 For the transition period from to Commission File Number: 000-49802 Netflix, Inc. (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) 77-0467272 (I. R. S. Employer Identification Number) 100 Winchester Circle Los Gatos, California 95032 (Address and zip code of principal executive offices) (408) 540-3700 Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Name of Exchange on which registered Common stock, $0. 001 par value Preferred Share Purchase Rights The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None (Title of Class) Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.Yes No No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the precedi ng 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes No Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T ( §229. 05 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files. Yes No Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a no n-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See definition of â€Å"large accelerated filer,† â€Å"accelerated filer† and â€Å"smaller reporting company† in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer Non-accelerated filer (do not check if smaller reporting company) Smaller reporting company Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act) Yes NoAs of June 30, 2012, the aggregate market value of voting stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant, based upon the closing sales price for the registrant’s common stock, as reported in the NASDAQ Global Select Market System, was $3,278,134,336. Shares of common stock beneficially owned by each executive officer and director of the Registrant and by each person known by the Registrant to beneficially own 10% or more of the outstanding common stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliate s. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for any other purpose.As of January 31, 2013, there were 55,993,477 shares of the registrant’s common stock, par value $0. 001, outstanding. DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE Parts of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for Registrant’s 2013 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Table of Contents NETFLIX, INC. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PART I Item 1. Item 1A. Item 1B. Item 2. Item 3. Item 4. PART II Item 5. Item 6. Item 7. Item 7A. Item 8. Item 9. Item 9A. Item 9B. PART III Item 10. Item 11. Item 12. Item 13. Item 14. PART IV Item 15.Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules 39 Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance Executive Compensation Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director In dependence Principal Accounting Fees and Services 38 38 38 38 38 Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Selected Financial Data Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk Financial Statements and Supplementary Data Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure Controls and Procedures Other Information 17 19 20 34 35 35 35 37 Business Risk Factors Unresolved Staff Comments Properties Legal Proceedings Mine Safety Disclosure s 1 5 15 16 16 16 Table of Contents PART I Forward-Looking Statements This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws.These forwardlooking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: our core strategy; the growth of Internet delivery of content; the gro wth in our streaming subscriptions and the decline in our DVD subscriptions; the market opportunity for streaming content; contribution margins; contribution profits (losses); liquidity; free cash flows; revenues; net income; legal costs; operating cash flows; impacts relating to our pricing strategy; our content library and marketing investments, including investments in original programming; significance of future contractual obligations; realization of future deferred tax assets; seasonality; method of content delivery; and international expansion. These forwardlooking statements can be identified by our use of words such as â€Å"expects†, â€Å"will†, â€Å"anticipate†, â€Å"may†, â€Å"could†, â€Å"would†, â€Å"should†, â€Å"intend†, â€Å"continue†, and derivatives thereof.These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ. A detailed di scussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included throughout this filing and particularly in Item 1A: â€Å"Risk Factors† section set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All forward-looking statements included in this document are based on information available to us on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or publicly release any revision to any such forward-looking statement, except as may otherwise be required by law. Item 1. About us Netflix, Inc. â€Å"Netflix†, â€Å"the Company†, â€Å"we†, or â€Å"us†) is the world’s leading Internet television network with more than 33 million members in over 40 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For one low monthly price, our members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nea rly any Internet-connected screen. Additionally, in the United States (â€Å"U. S. â€Å"), our subscribers can receive standard definition DVDs, and their high definition successor, Blu-ray discs (collectively referred to as â€Å"DVD†), delivered quickly to their homes. Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and internationally.We are continuously improving the customer experience – expanding our streaming content, with a focus on programming an overall mix of content that delights our customers, including exclusive and original content, enhancing our user interface and extending our streaming service to even more Internet-connected devices while staying within the parameters of our consolidated net income (loss) and operating segment contribution profit (loss) targets. Contribution profit (loss) is defined as revenues less cost of revenues and marketing expenses. We are a pioneer in the Internet delivery of TV shows and movie s, launching our streaming service in 2007. Since this launch, we have developed an ecosystem for Internet-connected devices and have licensed increasing amounts of content that enable consumers to enjoy TV shows and movies directly on their TVs, computers and mobile devices.As a result of these efforts, we have experienced growing consumer acceptance of and interest in the delivery of TV shows and movies directly over the Internet. In September 2010, we began international operations by offering our streaming service in Canada. In the past two years, we have continued our international expansion and now also offer our streaming service in Latin America, the United Kingdom (â€Å"U. K. â€Å"), Ireland, and the Nordic countries of Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Prior to July 2011, in the U. S. , our streaming and DVD-by-mail operations were combined and subscribers could receive both streaming content and DVDs under a single â€Å"hybrid† plan.In July 2011, we separa ted the combined plans, making it necessary for subscribers who wish to receive both DVDs-by-mail and streaming content to have two separate subscription plans. Business Segments Beginning with the fourth quarter of 2011, the Company has three operating segments: Domestic streaming, International streaming and Domestic DVD. The Domestic and International streaming segments derive revenues from monthly subscription services consisting solely of streaming content. The Domestic DVD segment derives revenues from monthly subscription services consisting solely of DVD-by-mail. For additional information regarding our segments, see Note 10 of Item 8, Financial Statements and Supplementary Data . Domestic Streaming 1 Business Table of ContentsThe Domestic streaming segment provides our more than 27 million members with access to a broad range of exclusive, non-exclusive and original content delivered over the Internet to a host of connected devices – including PCs and Macs, game cons oles such as PlayStations, smart TVs, Blu-ray players, home theater systems, Internet video players such as Apple TV and Roku, digital video recorders, and mobile devices. We have a leading market position in domestic streaming, having grown by more than 5 million subscriptions in 2012 – an increase of 25% from 2011. International Streaming The large numbers of pay television and broadband households outside the U. S. provide our International streaming segment with a large long-term growth opportunity through significantly expanding our base of potential subscribers. From our initial international market launch in Canada in September 2010, our international streaming service has grown to be available in more than 40 countries outside of the U. S. as of December 31, 2012.We believe that international markets will be a significant source of growth and cash flow in the long term, and as a result we are strategically investing internationally today. Our focus in international ma rkets is to provide a compelling service offering to subscribers, which allows us to gain market share in the near term. We view long-term international success as consumer adoption and contribution margins at the levels of our domestic market. Domestic DVD Our Domestic DVD business launched in 1999 with DVD-by-mail subscription plans. As technology has changed and consumer preference has shifted, we have seen subscribers move away from DVD rental and toward streaming their video content. Competition The market for entertainment video is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change.Many consumers maintain simultaneous relationships with multiple entertainment video providers and can easily shift spending from one provider to another. Our principal competitors vary by geographic region and include: †¢ Multichannel video programming distributors (â€Å"MVPDs†) with free TV Everywhere applications such as HBO GO or Showtime Anytime in the U. S. and SkyGo or BBC iPlayer in the U. K. , and other on demand content from cable providers, such as Time Warner and Comcast; direct broadcast satellite providers, such as DIRECTV and Echostar; and telecommunication providers such as AT&T and Verizon â€Å"Over-the-top† Internet movie and TV content providers, such as, Amazon. com's Prime Video, Hulu. om and Hulu Plus, LOVEFiLM, Clarovideo, Viaplay, and Google's YouTube Transactional content providers, such as Apple's iTunes, Amazon's Instant Video, GooglePlay, and Vudu DVD rental outlets and kiosk services, such as Blockbuster and Redbox Entertainment video retailers, such as Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Amazon. com †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Competitive Strengths Netflix differentiates itself from the competition and has been able to grow its business through the following demonstrated unique competitive strengths: Leading Scale Advantage Builds Compelling Content – Leveraging our substantial scale and significant content budget, Netflix has bu ilt a broad and deep content library.Our licensing teams are expert programmers informed by more than a decade of rich data on viewer preferences and viewing habits which uniquely enables them to license a compelling mix of TV and movie content to efficiently provide Netflix members with compelling content. To further differentiate our content offering from our competitors, we have increasingly licensed exclusive and original content. Outstanding Member Experience Attracts and Retains Subscribers – We provide our members with innovative and effective user interfaces that enhance their Netflix experience and help increase engagement. Netflix leverages its large global scale and billions of hours of subscriber viewing data and algorithms in order to tailor the Netflix recommendations and merchandising to each individual user.We believe that, our user experience, driven by our focus on innovation and technology, help drive subscriber viewing, engagement, retention, and overall c ustomer satisfaction. Relative to the competition, we believe we are further along the experience curve when it comes to improving our user interface and delivering great quality streaming. Brand Clarity and Focus Increases Pace of Innovation for Members – We are focused on making subscription streaming video great. Nearly all of our notable competitors in the space today have many other product lines and services that require management attention and resources. We believe that our focus on streaming video will help us innovate faster and 2 Table of Contents satisfy our consumers better than our competition.We also believe that our focus will provide a level of clarity to our brand that will help consumers more easily discover, understand and appreciate our service offering. Growth Drivers Our core strategy is to grow our streaming subscription business domestically and internationally, and is built upon the following drivers: Investment in Streaming Content – We belie ve that our investments in streaming content lead to more subscriber viewing, delight, and positive consumer word-of-mouth. This, in turn, leads to subscriber acquisition and revenue growth, which allows us to invest in more streaming content, which enables the growth cycle to continue. With more than 33 million global ubscribers and our increasingly exclusive and original programming that differentiates us from competitors, we believe we are well positioned to capitalize upon this virtuous cycle. Continuous Service Improvements – We've found that incremental improvements in our service and quality enhance our member satisfaction and retention. We continue to refine our technology, user interfaces, and delivery infrastructure to improve the customer experience. For example, using our â€Å"adaptive streaming† technology we automatically and constantly optimize the streaming bit-rate to each user's Internet speed. This minimizes loading and buffering times, delivering t he best click-and-watch experience.We have added programs in Super HD and with Dolby Digital Plus 5. 1 surround sound for a high quality, immersive entertainment experience. We believe that improvements such as these will help us build a great streaming service Overall Adoption and Growth of Internet TV – Domestically, cable and satellite pay TV subscriber numbers have stagnated, while DVR penetration has continued to climb. We see this as indicative of consumers desiring more control and freedom in their ability to watch what they want, when they want, where they want, and how they want. We are leading this wave of consumer change and growth of Internet TV by providing broad, click-and-watch video entertainment video.Future of the Consumer Electronic Ecosystem: â€Å"Internet on Every Screen† – We intend to broaden our already expansive partner relationships over time so that even more devices are capable of streaming content from Netflix. By making Netflix acc essible on a broad array of devices, we believe that we enhance the value of our service to subscribers as well as position ourselves for continued growth as Internet and mobile delivery of content becomes more popular. We are pioneering the use of tablets and smartphones as second-screen choosing devices for TV viewing, and are actively engaged with all of our device partners in evaluating how Netflix can enhance and improve the user experience in conjunction with their product innovations.International Market Expansion – The international streaming segment represents a significant long-term growth opportunity as people around the world discover the benefits of Netflix. We plan to continue our international investment strategy of upfront investment in content and marketing to build out scale required for profitability. We believe that scale advantages increase barriers to entry for our competitors. Today, 18% of all of Netflix's global streaming subscribers are outside of th e US. Operations We obtain content from various content providers through streaming content license agreements, DVD direct purchases and DVD revenue sharing agreements.We market our service through various channels, including online advertising, broad-based media, such as television and radio, as well as various strategic partnerships. In connection with marketing the service, we offer free-trial memberships to new members. Rejoining members are an important source of subscriber additions. We utilize the services of third-party cloud computing providers, more specifically, Amazon Web Services, and utilize both our own content delivery network (â€Å"Open Connect†) and third-party content delivery networks, such as Level 3 Communications, to help us efficiently stream content in high volume to our subscribers over the Internet. We also ship and receive DVDs in the U. S. from a nationwide network of shipping centers.Seasonality Our subscriber growth exhibits a seasonal pattern that reflects variations when consumers buy Internet-connected devices and when they tend to increase video watching. Our domestic subscriber growth is generally greatest in our fourth and first quarters (October through March), slowing in our second quarter (April through June) and then accelerating in our third quarter (July through September). We expect each market in our international segment to demonstrate more predictable seasonal patterns as our service offering in each market becomes more established and we have a longer history to assess such patterns. Additionally, the variable expenses associated with shipments of DVDs are highest in the first quarter due to the seasonal nature of DVD usage. 3 Table of ContentsIntellectual Property We regard our trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents, domain names, trade dress, trade secrets, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as important to our success. We use a combination of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws and confidential agreements to protect our proprietary intellectual property. Our ability to protect and enforce our intellectual property rights is subject to certain risks and from time to time we encounter disputes over rights and obligations concerning intellectual property. We cannot provide assurance that we will prevail in any intellectual property disputes.Employees As of December 31, 2012, we had 2,045 full-time employees. We also utilize part-time and temporary employees, primarily in our DVD fulfillment operations, to respond to the fluctuating demand for DVD shipments. Our use of temporary employees has decreased significantly due to decreased DVD shipments in 2012, as well as increased automation of our shipment centers. As of December 31, 2012, we had 384 parttime and temporary employees. Our employees are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, and we consider our relations with our employees to be good. Other information We were incor porated in Delaware in August 1997 and completed our initial public offering in May 2002.Our principal executive offices are located at 100 Winchester Circle, Los Gatos, California 95032, and our telephone number is (408) 540-3700. We maintain a Web site at www. netflix. com . The contents of our Web site are not incorporated in, or otherwise to be regarded as part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, â€Å"Netflix,† the â€Å"Company,† â€Å"we,† â€Å"us,† â€Å"our† and the â€Å"registrant† refer to Netflix, Inc. Our investor relations Web site is located at http://ir. netflix. com. We use our investor relations Web site as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD.Accordingly, investors should monitor this portion of the Netflix Web site, in addition to following press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls an d webcasts. We also make available, free of charge, on our investor relations Web site under â€Å"SEC Filings,† our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to these reports as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing or furnishing those reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. 4 Table of Contents Item 1A. Risk Factors If any of the following risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed.In that case, the trading price of our common stock could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment. Risks Related to Our Business If our efforts to attract and retain subscribers are not successful, our business will be adversely affected. We have experienced significant subscriber growth over the past several years. Our ability to continue to attract subscribers will depend in part on our ability to consistently provide our subscri bers with a valuable and quality experience for selecting and viewing TV shows and movies. Furthermore, the relative service levels, content offerings, pricing and related features of competitors to our service may adversely impact our ability to attract and retain subscribers.Competitors include multichannel video programming distributors (â€Å"MVPDs†) with free TV Everywhere and other on demand content, Internet movie and TV content providers, including both those that provide legal and illegal (or pirated) entertainment video content, DVD rental outlets and kiosk services and entertainment video retail stores. If consumers do not perceive our service offering to be of value, or if we introduce new or adjust existing features or change the mix of content in a manner that is not favorably received by them, we may not be able to attract and retain subscribers. In addition, many of our subscribers are rejoining our service or originate from word-of-mouth advertising from exis ting subscribers.If our efforts to satisfy our existing subscribers are not successful, we may not be able to attract subscribers, and as a result, our ability to maintain and/or grow our business will be adversely affected. Subscribers cancel their subscription to our service for many reasons, including a perception that they do not use the service sufficiently, the need to cut household expenses, availability of content is unsatisfactory, competitive services provide a better value or experience and customer service issues are not satisfactorily resolved. We must continually add new subscribers both to replace subscribers who cancel and to grow our business beyond our current subscriber base.If too many of our subscribers cancel our service, or if we are unable to attract new subscribers in numbers sufficient to grow our business, our operating results will be adversely affected. If we are unable to successfully compete with current and new competitors in both retaining our existi ng subscribers and attracting new subscribers, our business will be adversely affected. Further, if excessive numbers of subscribers cancel our service, we may be required to incur significantly higher marketing expenditures than we currently anticipate to replace these subscribers with new subscribers. If we are unable to compete effectively, our business will be adversely affected. The market for entertainment video is intensely competitive and subject to rapid change.New technologies and evolving business models for delivery of entertainment video continue to develop at a fast pace. The growth of Internet-connected devices, including TVs, computers and mobile devices has increased the consumer acceptance of Internet delivery of entertainment video. Through these new and existing distribution channels, consumers are afforded various means for consuming entertainment video. The various economic models underlying these differing means of entertainment video delivery include subscrip tion, transactional, ad-supported and piracy-based models. All of these have the potential to capture meaningful segments of the entertainment video market.Several competitors have longer operating histories, larger customer bases, greater brand recognition and significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources than we do. They may secure better terms from suppliers, adopt more aggressive pricing and devote more resources to technology, fulfillment, and marketing. New entrants may enter the market with unique service offerings or approaches to providing entertainment video and other companies also may enter into business combinations or alliances that strengthen their competitive positions. If we are unable to successfully or profitably compete with current and new competitors, programs and technologies, our business will be adversely affected, and we may not be able to increase or maintain market share, revenues or profitability.The increasingly long-term and fixed cost nature of our content acquisition licenses may limit our operating flexibility and could adversely affect our liquidity and results of operation. In connection with obtaining streaming content, we typically enter into multi-year licenses with studios and other content providers, the payment terms of which are not tied to subscriber usage or the size of our subscriber base (â€Å"fixed cost†) but which may be tied to such factors as titles licensed and/or theatrical exhibition receipt. Such contractual commitments are included in the Contractual Obligations section of Item 7 Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations .Given the multiple-year duration and largely fixed cost nature of content licenses, if subscriber acquisition and retention do not meet our expectations, our margins may be adversely impacted. Payment terms for streaming licenses, especially programming that initially airs in the applicable territory on our service (â⠂¬Å"original programming†) or that is considered output content, will typically require more up-front cash payments than other licensing agreements. To the extent subscriber and/or revenue growth do not meet our expectations, our liquidity and results of operations could be adversely affected as a result of content licensing commitments and accelerated payment requirements of certain licenses.In addition, the long-term and fixed cost nature of our streaming licenses may limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to changes in our 5 Table of Contents business and the market segments in which we operate. As we expand internationally, we must license content in advance of entering into a new geographical market. If we license content that is not favorably received by consumers in the applicable territory, acquisition and retention may be adversely impacted and given the long-term and fixed cost nature of our commitments, we may not be able to adjust our content offering q uickly and our results of operation may be adversely impacted.Changes in consumer viewing habits, including more widespread usage of TV Everywhere or other similar on demand methods of entertainment video consumption could adversely affect our business. The manner in which consumers view entertainment video is changing rapidly. Digital cable, wireless and Internet content providers are continuing to improve technologies, content offerings, user interface, and business models that allow consumers to access on demand entertainment with interactive capabilities including start, stop and rewind. The devices through which entertainment video can be consumed are also changing rapidly. Today, content from MVPDs may be viewed on laptops and content from Internet content providers may be viewed on TVs. Although we provide our own Internet-based delivery of content allowing our subscribers to stream ertain TV shows and movies to their Internet-connected televisions and other devices, if other providers of entertainment video address the changes in consumer viewing habits in a manner that is better able to meet content distributor and consumer needs and expectations, our business could be adversely affected. If we are not able to manage change and growth, our business could be adversely affected. We are currently engaged in an effort to expand our operations internationally, scale our streaming service to effectively and reliably handle anticipated growth in both subscribers and features related to our service, as well as continue to operate our DVD service within the U. S. As we expand internationally, we are managing our business to address varied content offerings, consumer customs and practices, in particular those dealing with e-commerce and Internet video, as well as differing legal and regulatory environments.As we scale our streaming service, we are developing technology and utilizing relatively new third-party Internet-based or â€Å"cloud† computing serv ices. We have also chosen to separate the technology that operates our DVD-by-mail service from that which runs our streaming operations. If we are not able to manage the growing complexity of our business, including maintaining our DVD operations, and improving, refining or revising our systems and operational practices related to our streaming operations, our business may be adversely affected. If the market segment for online subscription-based entertainment video saturates, our business will be adversely affected.The market segment for online subscription-based entertainment video has grown significantly. Much of the increasing growth can be attributed to the ability of our subscribers to stream TV shows and movies on their TVs, computers and mobile devices. As we face more competition in our market segment, our rate of growth relative to overall growth in the segment may decline. Further, a decline in our rate of growth could indicate that the market segment for online subscrip tion-based entertainment video is beginning to saturate. While we believe that this segment will continue to grow for the foreseeable future, if this market segment were to saturate, our business would be adversely affected.If our efforts to build strong brand identity and improve subscriber satisfaction and loyalty are not successful, we may not be able to attract or retain subscribers, and our operating results may be adversely affected. We must continue to build and maintain strong brand identity. We believe that strong brand identity will be important in attracting and retaining subscribers who may have a number of choices from which to obtain entertainment video. To build a strong brand we believe we must continue to offer content and service features that our subscribers value and enjoy. We also believe that these must be coupled with effective consumer communications, such as marketing, customer service and public relations. If our efforts to promote and maintain our brand ar e not successful, our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected.Such a result, coupled with the increasingly long-term and fixed cost nature of our content acquisition licenses, may adversely affect our operating results. From time to time, our subscribers express dissatisfaction with our service, including among other things, our title selection, pricing, delivery speed and service interruptions. Furthermore, third-party devices that enable instant streaming of TV shows and movies from Netflix may not meet consumer expectations. To the extent dissatisfaction with our service is widespread or not adequately addressed, our brand may be adversely impacted and our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected.In 2011, we made a series of announcements regarding our business, including the separation of our DVD-by-mail and streaming plans with a corresponding price change for some of our customers, the rebranding of our DVD-by-mail service , and the subsequent retraction of our plans to rebrand our DVD-by-mail service. Consumers reacted negatively to these announcements, adversely impacting our brand and resulting in higher than expected customer cancellations, which negatively affected our operating results. While we have seen significant improvements to our brand since the events of 2011, we nonetheless believe that it will continue to take time to repair our brand to the levels we enjoyed prior to the events of 2011. 6 Table of Contents With respect to our expansion into international markets, we will also need to establish our brand and to the extent we are not successful, our business in new markets would be adversely impacted.Changes in our subscriber acquisition sources could adversely affect our marketing expenses and subscriber levels may be adversely affected. We utilize a broad mix of marketing programs to promote our service to potential new subscribers. We obtain new subscribers through our online marketi ng efforts, including paid search listings, banner ads, text links and permission-based e-mails, as well as our affiliate program. We also engage our consumer electronics partners to generate new subscribers for our service. In addition, we have engaged in various offline marketing programs, including TV and radio advertising, direct mail and print campaigns, consumer package and mailing insertions.We also acquire a number of subscribers who rejoin our service having previously cancelled their membership. We maintain an active public relations program, including through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, to increase awareness of our service and drive subscriber acquisition. We opportunistically adjust our mix of marketing programs to acquire new subscribers at a reasonable cost with the intention of achieving overall financial goals. If we are unable to maintain or replace our sources of subscribers with similarly effective sources, or if the cost of our existing sourc es increases, our subscriber levels and marketing expenses may be adversely affected.We may not be able to continue to support the marketing of our service by current means if such activities are no longer available to us, become cost prohibitive or are adverse to our business. If companies that currently promote our service decide that we are negatively impacting their business, that they want to compete more directly with our business or enter a similar business or decide to exclusively support our competitors, we may no longer be given access to such marketing channels. In addition, if ad rates increase, we may curtail marketing expenses or otherwise experience an increase in our marketing costs. Laws and regulations impose restrictions on or otherwise prohibit the use of certain acquisition channels, including commercial e-mail and direct mail.We may limit or discontinue use or support of certain marketing sources or activities if we become concerned that subscribers or potentia l subscribers deem such practices intrusive or damaging to our brand. If the available marketing channels are curtailed, our ability to attract new subscribers may be adversely affected. If we become subject to liability for content that we distribute through our service, our results of operations would be adversely affected. As a distributor of content, we face potential liability for negligence, copyright, or trademark infringement or other claims based on the nature and content of materials that we distribute. We also may face potential liability for content used in member reviews. If we become liable, then our business may suffer.Litigation to defend these claims could be costly and the expenses and damages arising from any liability could harm our results of operations. We cannot assure that we are indemnified to cover claims of these types or liability that may be imposed on us, and we may not have insurance coverage for these types of claims. If studios and other content prov iders refuse to license streaming content to us upon acceptable terms, our business could be adversely affected. Our ability to provide our subscribers with content they can watch instantly depends on studios and other content providers licensing us content specifically for Internet delivery. The license periods and the terms and conditions of such licenses vary.If the studios and other content providers change their terms and conditions or are no longer willing or able to license us content, our ability to stream content to our subscribers will be adversely affected. Unlike DVD, streaming content is not subject to the First Sale Doctrine. As such, we are completely dependent on the various content providers to license us content in order to access and stream content. Many of the licenses provide for the studios or other content providers to withdraw content from our service relatively quickly. Because of these provisions as well as other actions we may take, content available throu gh our service can be withdrawn on short notice. In addition, the studios and other content providers have great flexibility in licensing streaming content.They may elect to license content exclusively to a particular provider or otherwise limit the types of services that can deliver streaming content. For example, HBO licenses content from studios like Warner Bros. and the license provides HBO with the exclusive right to such content against other subscription services, including Netflix. As such, Netflix cannot license certain Warner Bros. content for delivery to its subscribers while Warner Bros. may nonetheless license the same content on a transactional basis. Conversely, content providers may license the same content to multiple subscription-based services and may do so on different terms and conditions.As such, Netflix and its competitors may offer consumers many of the same content titles but license these at different rates. As competition increases, we may see the cost for programming increase. As we seek to differentiate our service, we are increasingly focused on securing certain exclusive rights when obtaining content. We are also focused on programming an overall mix of content that delights our members in a cost efficient manner. Within this context, we are selective about the titles we add and renew our service. If we do not maintain a compelling mix of content, our subscriber acquisition and retention may be adversely affected. 7 Table of ContentsIf we are unable to secure and maintain rights to streaming content or if we cannot otherwise obtain such content upon terms that are acceptable to us, including on an exclusive basis in some cases, our ability to stream TV shows and movies to our subscribers will be adversely impacted, and our subscriber acquisition and retention could also be adversely impacted. We rely upon a number of partners to offer instant streaming of content from Netflix to various devices. We currently offer subscribers the ability to receive streaming content through their PCs, Macs and other Internet-connected devices, including Blu-ray players and TVs, digital video players, game consoles and mobile devices.We intend to continue to broaden our capability to instantly stream TV shows and movies to other platforms and partners over time. If we are not successful in maintaining existing and creating new relationships, or if we encounter technological, content licensing or other impediments to our streaming content, our ability to grow our business could be adversely impacted. Our agreements with our consumer electronics partners are typically between one and three years in duration and our business could be adversely affected if, upon expiration, a number of our partners do not continue to provide access to our service or are unwilling to do so on terms acceptable to us, which terms may include the degree of accessibility and prominence of our service.Furthermore, devices are manufactured and sold by entities other than Netflix and while these entities should be responsible for the devices' performance, the connection between these devices and Netflix may nonetheless result in consumer dissatisfaction toward Netflix and such dissatisfaction could result in claims against us or otherwise adversely impact our business. In addition, technology changes to our streaming functionality may require that partners update their devices. If partners do not update or otherwise modify their devices, our service and our subscribers' use and enjoyment could be negatively impacted. If subscriptions to our Domestic DVD segment decline faster than anticipated, our business could be adversely affected The number of subscriptions to our DVD-by-mail offering is declining, and we anticipate that this decline will continue.We believe, however, that the domestic DVD business will continue to generate significant contribution profit for our business. In addition, we believe that DVD will be a valuable co nsumer proposition and studio profit center for the next several years, even as DVD sales decline. The contribution profit generated by our domestic DVD business will help provide capital resources to fund losses arising from our growth internationally. To the extent that the rate of decline in our DVD-by-mail business is greater than we anticipate, our business could be adversely affected. Because we are primarily focused on building a global streaming service, the resources allocated to maintaining DVD operations and the level of management focus on our DVD business are limited.We do not anticipate increasing resources to our DVD operations and the technology used in its operations will not be meaningfully improved. To the extent that we experience service interruptions or other degradations in our DVD-bymail service, subscribers' satisfaction could be negatively impacted and we could experience an increase in DVD-by-mail subscriber cancellations, which could adversely impact our business. If U. S. Copyright law were altered to amend or eliminate the First Sale Doctrine, our business could be adversely affected. Under U. S. Copyright Law, once a DVD is sold into the market, those obtaining the DVD are permitted to re-sell it, rent it or otherwise dispose of it. This is commonly referred to as the First Sale Doctrine.While the vast majority of our DVD content acquisitions are direct from content providers, the First Sale Doctrine provides us with an option to acquire content from other third parties should the content providers refuse to deal with us on acceptable terms. If Congress or the courts were to change or substantially limit this First Sale Doctrine, our ability to obtain DVD content and then rent it could be adversely affected. Increased availability of new releases to other distribution channels prior to, or on parity with, the release on DVD, and/or the delayed availability of such DVDs through our service, could adversely affect our business. Ove r the past several years, we have seen content providers adjust and experiment with the various distribution channels and content release timing.Further, our licensing agreements with several studios require that we do not rent new release DVDs until some period of time after such DVDs are first made available for retail sale. These shifting distribution channels, their associated timing and/or the delayed availability of such DVDs through our service may negatively impact subscribers' perception of value in our service, which could adversely affect our business. Moreover, if we are unable to negotiate favorable terms to acquire DVDs, our contribution profits may be adversely affected. Any significant disruption in our computer systems or those of third-parties that we utilize in our operations could result in a loss or degradation of service and could adversely impact our business.Our reputation and ability to attract, retain and serve our subscribers is dependent upon the reliable performance of our computer systems and those of third-parties that we utilize in our operations. Interruptions in these systems, or with the Internet in general, could make our service unavailable or degraded or otherwise hinder our ability to deliver streaming content or fulfill 8 Table of Contents DVD selections. From time to time, we experience service interruptions and have voluntarily provided affected subscribers with a credit during periods of extended outage. Service interruptions, errors in our software or the unavailability of computer systems used in our operations could diminish the overall attractiveness of our subscription service to existing and potential subscribers.Our servers and those of third parties we use in our operations are vulnerable to computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins and similar disruptions and periodically experience directed attacks intended to lead to interruptions and delays in our service and operations as well as loss, misuse or theft of data. Any attempt by hackers to disrupt our service or otherwise access our systems, if successful, could harm our business, be expensive to remedy and damage our reputation. We have implemented certain systems and processes to thwart hackers and to date hackers have not had a material impact on our service or systems however this is no assurance that hackers may not be successful in the future. Our insurance does not cover expenses related to such disruptions or unauthorized access.Efforts to prevent hackers from disrupting our service or otherwise accessing our systems are expensive to implement and may limit the functionality of or otherwise negatively impact our service offering and systems. Any significant disruption to our service or access to our systems could result in a loss of subscribers and adversely affect our business and results of operation. We utilize our own communications and computer hardware systems located either in our facilities or in that of a third -party Web hosting provider. In addition, we utilize third-party Internet-based or â€Å"cloud† computing services in connection with our business operations. We also utilize our own and third-party content delivery networks to help us stream TV shows and movies in high volume to Netflix subscribers over the Internet.Problems faced by us or our third-party Web hosting, â€Å"cloud† computing, or content delivery network providers, including technological or business-related disruptions, could adversely impact the experience of our subscribers. In addition, fires, floods, earthquakes, power losses, telecommunications failures, break-ins and similar events could damage these systems and hardware or cause them to fail completely. As we do not maintain entirely redundant systems, a disrupting event could result in prolonged downtime of our operations and could adversely affect our business. We rely upon Amazon Web Services to operate certain aspects of our service and any disruption of or interference with our use of the Amazon Web Services operation would impact our operations and our business would be adversely impacted.Amazon Web Services (â€Å"AWS†) provides a distributed computing infrastructure platform for business operations, or what is commonly referred to as a â€Å"cloud† computing service. We have architected our software and computer systems so as to utilize data processing, storage capabilities and other services provided by AWS. Currently, we run the vast majority of our computing on AWS. Given this, along with the fact that we cannot easily switch our AWS operations to another cloud provider, any disruption of or interference with our use of AWS would impact our operations and our business would be adversely impacted. While the retail side of Amazon competes with us, we do not believe that Amazon will use the AWS operation in such a manner as to gain competitive advantage against our service.If we experience difficultie s with the operation and implementation of Open Connect, our single-purpose Netflix content delivery network (â€Å"CDN†), our business and results of operation could be adversely impacted In addition to general-purpose commercial CDNs, we have enabled Internet service providers (â€Å"ISPs†) to obtain our streaming content from Open Connect, a single-purpose Netflix content delivery network that we have established. Given our size and growth, we believe it makes economic sense to have our own specialized CDN. We will continue to work with our commercial CDN partners for the next few years, but eventually we expect the vast majority of our streaming bits will be served by Open Connect. Open Connect will provide the Netflix bits at no cost to the locations the ISP desires, or ISPs can choose to get the Netflix bits at common Internet exchanges.To the extent ISPs do not interconnect with Open Connect or if we experience difficulties in operating the Open Connect CDN serv ice, our ability to efficiently and effectively deliver our streaming content to our subscribers could be adversely impacted and our business and results of operation could be adversely affected. Failure to implement Open Connect could require us to engage third-party solutions to deliver our content to ISPs, which could increase our costs and negatively affect our operating results. If we are unable to effectively utilize our recommendation and merchandising technology or develop user interfaces that maintain or increase subscriber engagement with our service, our business may suffer. Our proprietary recommendation and merchandising technology enables us to predict and recommend titles and effectively merchandise our library to our subscribers.We also develop, test and implement various user interfaces across multiple devices, in an effort to maintain and increase subscriber engagement with our service. 9 Table of Contents We are continually refining our recommendation and merchand ising technology as well as our various user interfaces in an effort to improve the predictive accuracy of our TV show and movie recommendations and the usefulness of and engagement with our service by our subscribers. We may experience difficulties in implementing refinements or other, third party recommendation or merchandising technology or interfaces may become more popular with or useful to our subscribers.In addition, we cannot assure that we will be able to continue to make and implement meaningful refinements to our recommendation technology. If our recommendation and merchandising technology does not enable us to predict and recommend titles that our subscribers will enjoy or if we are unable to implement meaningful improvements thereto or otherwise improve our user interfaces, our service may be less useful to our subscribers. Such failures could lead to the following: †¢ †¢ our subscriber satisfaction may decrease, subscribers may perceive our service to be of l ower value and our ability to attract and retain subscribers may be adversely affected; and our ability to effectively merchandise and utilize our library will be adversely affected.We rely heavily on our proprietary technology to stream TV shows and movies and to manage other aspects of our operations, and the failure of this technology to operate effectively could adversely affect our business. We continually enhance or modify the technology used for our operations. We cannot be sure that any enhancements or other modifications we make to our operations will achieve the intended results or otherwise be of value to our subscribers. Future enhancements and modifications to our technology could consume considerable resources. If we are unable to maintain and enhance our technology to manage the streaming of TV shows and movies to our subscribers in a timely and efficient manner and/or the processing of DVDs among our shipping centers, our ability to retain existing subscribers and to add new subscribers may be impaired.In addition, if our technology or that of thirdparties we utilize in our operations fails or otherwise operates improperly, our ability to retain existing subscribers and to add new subscribers may be impaired. Also, any harm to our subscribers' personal computers or other devices caused by software used in our operations could have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Changes in U. S. Postal rates or operations could adversely impact our operating results and subscriber satisfaction. We rely exclusively on the U. S. Postal Service to deliver DVDs from our shipping centers and to return DVDs to us from our subscribers.Increases in postage delivery rates could adversely affect our Domestic DVD segment's contribution profit. The U. S. Postal Service increased the rate for first class postage on January 23, 2013 to 46 cents. It is expected that the U. S. Postal Service will raise rates again in subsequent years, which would result in increased shipping costs. If the U. S. Postal Service were to change any policies relative to the requirements of firstclass mail, including changes in size, weight or machinability qualifications of our DVD envelopes, such changes could result in increased shipping costs or higher breakage for our DVDs, and our contribution margin could be adversely affected.For example, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia recently instructed the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) to remedy discrimination by the Postal Service in the processing of DVDs by mail, or to explain adequately why such discrimination is reasonable. While we do not anticipate any material impact to our operations arising from this case, if the PRC institutes a remedy that results in an increase in postage rates or changes the manner in which our DVD shipments are processed, our contribution margin could be adversely affected. If the U. S. Postal Service were to imple ment other changes to improve its financial position, such as closing mail processing facilities or service reductions, such changes could lead to a decrease in customer satisfaction and our results of operations could be adversely affected.If government regulations relating to the Internet or other areas of our business change, we may need to alter the manner in which we conduct our business, or incur greater operating expenses. The adoption or modification of laws or regulations relating to the Internet or other areas of our business could limit or otherwise adversely affect the manner in which we currently conduct our business. In addition, the growth and development of the market for online commerce may lead to more stringent consumer protection laws, which may impose additional burdens on us. If we are required to comply with new regulations or legislation or new interpretations of existing regulations or legislation, this compliance could cause us to incur additional expenses or alter our business model.The adoption of any laws or regulations that adversely affect the growth, popularity or use of the Internet, including laws limiting Internet neutrality, could decrease the demand for our subscription service and increase our cost of doing business. For example, in late 2010, the Federal Communications Commission adopted so-called net neutrality rules intended, in part, to prevent network operators from discriminating against legal traffic that transverse their networks. The rules are currently subject to legal challenge. To the extent that these rules are interpreted to enable network operators to engage in discriminatory practices or are overturned by legal challenge, our business could be adversely impacted.As we expand internationally, government regulation concerning the Internet, and in particular, network neutrality, may be nascent or nonexistent. Within 10 Table of Contents such a regulatory environment, coupled with potentially significant politi cal and economic power of local network operators, we could experience discriminatory or anti-competitive practices that could impede our growth, cause us to incur additional expense or otherwise negatively affect our business. Changes in how network operators handle and charge for access to data that travel across their networks could adversely impact our business. We rely upon the ability of consumers to access our service through the Internet.To the extent that network operators implement usage based pricing, including meaningful bandwidth caps, or otherwise try to monetize access to their networks by data providers, we could incur greater operating expenses and our subscriber acquisition and retention could be negatively impacted. For example, in late 2010, Comcast informed Level 3 Communications that it would require Level 3 to pay for the ability to access Comcast's network. Given that much of the traffic being requested by Comcast customers is Netflix streaming content stored with Level 3, many commentators have looked to this situation as an example of Comcast either discriminating against Netflix traffic or trying to increase Netflix's operating costs.Furthermore, to the extent network operators were to create tiers of Internet access service and either charge us for or prohibit us from being available through these tiers, our business could be negatively impacted. Most network operators that provide consumers with access to the Internet also provide these consumers with multichannel video programming. As such, companies like Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevision have an incentive to use their network infrastructure in a manner adverse to our continued growth and success. For example, Comcast exempted certain of its own Internet video traffic (e. g. , Streampix videos to the Xbox 360) from a bandwidth cap that applies to all unaffiliated Internet video traffic (e. g. , Netflix videos to the Xbox 360).While we believe that consumer demand, regulat ory oversight and competition will help check these incentives, to the extent that network operators are able to provide preferential treatment to their data as opposed to ours or otherwise implement discriminatory network management practices, our business could be negatively impacted. In international markets, especially in Latin America, these same incentives apply however, the consumer demand, regulatory oversight and competition may not be as strong as in our domestic market. Privacy concerns could limit our ability to leverage our subscriber data and our disclosure of subscriber data could adversely impact our business and reputation. In the ordinary course of business and in particular in connection with merchandising our service to our subscribers, we collect and utilize data supplied by our subscribers. We currently face certain legal obligations regarding the manner in which we treat such information.Other businesses have been criticized by privacy groups and governmental bodies for attempts to link personal identities and other information to data collected on the Internet regarding users' browsing and other habits. Increased regulation of data utilization practices, including self-regulation or findings under existing laws, that limit our ability to use collected data, could have an adverse effect on our business. In addition, if we were to disclose data about our subscribers in a manner that was objectionable to them, our business reputation could be adversely affected, and we could face potential legal claims that could impact our operating results.As our business evolves and as we expand internationally, we may become subject to additional and/or more stringent legal obligations concerning our treatment of customer information. Failure to comply with these obligations could subject us to liability, and to the extent that we need to alter our business model or practices to adapt to these obligations, we could incur additional expenses. Our reputa tion and relationships with subscribers would be harmed if our subscriber data, particularly billing data, were to be accessed by unauthorized persons. We maintain personal data regarding our subscribers, including names and, in many cases, mailing addresses. With respect to billing data, such as

Cell Phones Use Cause Accidents

â€Å"Cell phones†, a heavy gadget when it comes to use because it can do things just as computers can but this gadget is also heavy when it comes to pocket and worth of consequences. Discussing about using cell phones is important for the audiences to avoid the consequences of cell phone misuse and avoid the accident that cell phones might cause.com/cell-phone-problem-solution/">Cell phones are a useful gadget and thus it is considered as a primary need of those who are in the business industry and even ordinary people who tends to be away from their family, but these said gadgets also causes accident especially on the road. Body According to the NHTSA, the national highway accidents reported were caused by using cell phones while driving. In addition, the report says that numbers of car crashes were caused by cell phone dialing, listening, as well as talking which leads the drivers to be distracted on the road.Statistics also says that there are almost 80 percent of car cras hes which occur within the span of a short 3 seconds just because of driving distraction caused by cell phone use. People should know that distraction on car driving is worth a big consequence and we, as responsible beings, should know that cell phone use should not be allowed while driving because it will take our attention from the road (Benton). ConclusionCell phone use as well as receiving important calls or responding to important texts messages are considered as the number one distraction factor while driving a car which leads to car accidents. With this very important issue supported by evidences, cell phone use must therefore be restricted while driving a car. If a certain person receives a call while driving, he/she should stop the car on the roadside before he/she should receive the call to avoid the risk of accident. Works Cited Benton, Joe. â€Å"Cell Phone No. 1 Driver Distraction. † 2006.

Education in Schools Essay

The Inspectorate wishes to thank the following for the use of photographs: Clonakilty Community College, Clonakilty, Co Cork Saint Mark’s Community School, Tallaght, Dublin 24 Saint Mac Dara’s Community College, Templeogue, Dublin 6W Scoil Barra Naofa, Monkstown, Cork Scoil Nano Nagle and Talbot Senior National School, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 Whitechurch National School, Whitechurch Road, Dublin 16  © 2008 Department of Education and Science ISBN-0-0000-0000-X. Designed by Slick Fish Design, Dublin Printed by Brunswick Press, Dublin Published by Evaluation Support and Research Unit Inspectorate Department of Education and Science Marlborough Street Dublin 1 To be purchased directly from Government Publications Sales Office Sun Alliance House Molesworth Street Dublin 2 or by post from Government Publications Postal Trade Section Unit 20 Lakeside Retail Park Claremorris Co Mayo â‚ ¬20 Contents Foreword Executive summary xi xiii Part 1 Introduction Chapter 1 ICT in primary and post-primary education in Ireland 1. 1 1. 2 1. 3. Introduction Background ICT policy and investment in education 1. 3. 1 1. 3. 2 1. 3. 3 1. 4 1. 4. 1 1. 4. 2 1. 4. 3 1. 4. 4 1. 5 Policy for ICT in education ICT in the curriculum Investment in ICT in education Computers in schools Other ICT equipment in schools Expenditure on ICT and technical support Other areas covered in the census 1 2 3 6 6 9 11 12 12 14 15 16 16 17 18 18 20 21 21 22 23 24 25 27 28 30 30 30 30 30 ICT infrastructure census in schools (2005) Summary Evaluation methods Chapter 2 2. 1 2. 2 2. 3 2. 4 Introduction Approaches to evaluating ICT in schools Overview and aims of the evaluation National survey of primary and post-primary principals and teachers 2. 4. 1 2. 4. 2 2. 4. 3 2. 4. 4 Survey sampling methods Survey research methods Response rate Comparison of respondents and population 2. 5 2. 6 Case-study school evaluations 2. 6. 1 2. 6. 2 Primary schools Post-primary schools Observations during classroom inspections (primary) and subject inspections (post-primary) 27 2. 7 2. 8 On-line evaluation Evaluation outputs and terms 2. 8. 1 2. 8. 2 2. 8. 3. Outputs Junior and senior classes Quantitative terms used in this report iii ICT in Schools Part 2 Chapter 3 3. 1 3. 2 3. 3 3. 4 3. 5 ICT infrastructure and planning in schools ICT infrastructure in primary and post-primary schools 31 32 33 37 38 41 41 42 45 45 49 53 56 57 59 59 61 64 64 66 69 70 70 72 73 75 79 80 81 90 98 99 99 101 102 102 105. Introduction The ICT advisory service ICT and funding ICT maintenance, technical support, and obsolescence Access to computers 3. 5. 1 3. 5. 2 Access by teachers Access by students Organisation of ICT facilities in case-study primary schools Organisation of ICT facilities in case-study post-primary schools 3. 6. The use of computers in schools 3. 6. 1 3. 6. 2 3. 7 3. 8 3. 9. ICT peripherals Software Use of e-mail 3. 10. 1 3. 10. 2 3. 11. 1 3. 11. 2 The learning platform The school web site Main findings Recommendations ICT planning in primary and post-primary schools 3. 10 The on-line environment 3. 11 Summary of findings and recommendations Chapter 4 4. 1 4. 2 Introduction The planning process 4. 2. 1 4. 2. 2 4. 2. 3 4. 2. 4 The ICT steering committee The ICT co-ordinator The ICT plan The acceptable-use policy Teachers’ professional development Using ICT in classroom and lesson planning and preparation Planning for using ICT in teaching and learning Principals’ priorities for ICT development Teachers’ priorities for ICT development Main findings Recommendations. 4. 3 Implementation of ICT planning 4. 3. 1 4. 3. 2 4. 3. 3 4. 4 Forward planning 4. 4. 1 4. 4. 2 4. 5 Findings and recommendations 4. 5. 1 4. 5. 2 iv Part 3 Chapter 5 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 ICT and teaching and learning in schools ICT and teaching and learning in primary schools 107 108 108 111 111 112 113 114 116 120 126 127 127 127 128 129 130 131 133 134 134 134 135 135 137 139 140 141 141 145 148 149 151 152 153 155 163 167 Introduction Teachers’ ICT qualifications and skills Classroom practice and ICT 5. 3. 1 5. 3. 2 5. 3. 3 5. 3. 4 5. 3. 5 5. 3. 6 5. 3. 7 Planning Frequency of ICT use Organisation of ICT use Focus of ICT use Use of resources and applications in the classroom Quality of provision Provision for students with special educational needs by mainstream class teachers Access to ICT Planning for the use of ICT Frequency of ICT use Focus of ICT use Use of resources and applications Quality of provision 5. 4 ICT in special education 5. 4. 1 5. 4. 2 5. 4. 3 5. 4. 4 5. 4. 5 5. 4. 6 5. 5 5. 6. Assessment Developing ICT in the classroom 5. 6. 1 5. 6. 2 Factors that constrain the development of ICT in the curriculum Factors that facilitate the development of ICT in the curriculum Main findings Recommendations ICT and teaching and learning in post-primary schools 5. 7 Findings and recommendations 5. 7. 1 5. 7. 2 Chapter 6 6. 1 6. 2 Introduction ICT qualifications and skills 6. 2. 1 6. 2. 2 Teachers’ ICT qualifications and skill levels Students’ ICT skill levels Timetabling of dedicated ICT lessons Curriculum and content of dedicated ICT lessons School principals’ support for the use of ICT in the classroom ICT in practice in the classroom Quality of provision 6. 3 Dedicated ICT lessons 6. 3. 1 6. 3. 2 6. 4 Classroom practice and ICT 6. 4. 1 6. 4. 2 6. 4. 3 6. 5 ICT and special educational needs v ICT in Schools 6. 6 6. 7 Assessment Developing ICT in the classroom 6. 7. 1 6. 7. 2 Factors that constrain the development of ICT in the classroom Factors that facilitate the development of ICT in the classroom Main findings Recommendations. 168 168 168 170 172 172 174 6. 8 Findings and recommendations 6. 8. 1 6. 8. 2 Part 4 Chapter 7 7. 1 7. 2 Summary of findings and recommendations Main findings and recommendations 177 178 179 179 181 182 184 184 186 188 188 189 191 194 197 Introduction Main findings 7. 2. 1 7. 2. 2 7. 2. 3 Infrastructure ICT Planning ICT in teaching and learning ICT infrastructure Professional development needs of teachers ICT infrastructure in schools Planning for ICT in schools ICT in teaching and learning 7. 3 Main recommendations for policy-makers and policy advisors 7. 3. 1 7. 3. 2 7. 4 Main recommendations for schools 7. 4. 1 7. 4. 2 7. 4. 3 References Appendix vi Abbreviations. AP AUP BOM CAD CEB CESI CPD DES ECDL EGFSN ERNIST ESI EU FETAC ICD ICT ISC LC LCA LCVP LSRT MLE NCC NCCA NCTE NPADC OECD PCSP PISA SCR SDP SDPI SDPS SDT SESE SESS SIP TIF VEC VLE WSE assistant principal acceptable use policy board of management computer-aided design Commercial Examining Board Computer Studies Society of Ireland continuing professional development Department of Education and Science European Computer Driving Licence Expert Group on Future Skills Needs European Research Network for ICT in Schools of Tomorrow Education Services Interactive (Project). European Union Further Education and Training Awards Council in-career development information and communications technology Information Society Commission Leaving Certificate (Established) Leaving Certificate—Applied Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme learning-support resource teacher managed learning environment National Competitiveness Council National Council for Curriculum and Assessment National Centre for Technology in Education National Policy Advisory and Development Committee Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Primary Curriculum Support Programme Programme for International Student Assessment student-computer ratio school development planning School Development Planning Initiative (Post-primary). School Development Planning Support (Primary) special-duties teacher Social, Environmental and Scientific Education Special Education Support Service Schools Integration Project Telecommunications and Internet Federation Vocational Education Committee virtual learning environment whole-school evaluation vii ICT in Schools Tables Table 1. 1 Table 1. 2 Table 1. 3 Table 2. 1 Table 2. 2 Table 2. 3 Table 2. 4 Table 3. 1 Table 4. 1 Table 4. 2 Table 4. 3. Table 4. 4 Table 4. 5 Table 4. 6 Table 5. 1 Table 5. 2 Table 5. 3 Table 5. 4 Table 5. 5 Table 5. 6 Table 5. 7 Table 5. 8 Table 5. 9 Funding of ICT in education policy initiatives Student-computer ratio (SCR) in each school sector in given years Proportion of schools having at least one fixed and one mobile data projector Comparison of survey sample. and population, primary schools Comparison of survey sample and population, post-primary schools Number and level of lessons observed, post-primary schools Quantitative terms used in the report Awareness and use of NCTE and ICT advisory services among teachers Teachers’ attendance at NCTE and ICT advisory service training courses Professional development preferences of post-primary teachers, by subject Teachers’ use of internet resources in planning and preparation for teaching Primary principals’ views on the strategic development of ICT Post-primary principals’ views on the strategic development of ICT Teachers’ priority areas for the development of ICT Proportion of primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced†. Proportion of primary teachers who rated their ability in each of three ICT tasks that facilitate teaching and learning as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† Inspectors’ observations on the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in classrooms Teachers’ use of software and the internet to facilitate learning Most frequently used applications in the teaching of individual curricular areas Applications used by members of special-education support teams to promote the development of skills. Most frequently used applications to promote the development of individual learning priority areas Comparison of inspectors’ ratings of the quality of ICT provision in supporting children with special educational needs in mainstream and special-education support settings Table 5. 10 Table 6. 1 Table 6. 2 Table 6. 3 Sample of inspectors’ comments on the quality of ICT use in special-education support settings Proportion of post-primary teachers who rated their proficiency in ICT skills as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† Proportions of post-primary teachers who rated their ability in each of three ICT tasks that facilitate teaching and learning as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† 144 Timetabled dedicated ICT lessons in post-primary schools 149 142 133 132 131 130 113 117 117 111 109 12 13 14 24 25 29 30 36 83 88 93 100 100 102 Inspectors’ comments on the quality of use of ICT observed in teaching and learning 123 viii Table 6. 4 Table 6. 5 Table 6. 6 Table 6. 7 Table 6. 8 Table 6. 9. Commonly taught topics in dedicated ICT lessons Principals’ descriptions of how ICT is used in some subjects Principals’ views on the impact of ICT on teaching and learning Location of lessons observed during subject inspections ICT resources available in the classrooms of lessons observed Use of the internet and software in teaching and learning 151 153 154 155 155 161 Diagrams Fig. 2. 1 Fig. 2. 2 Fig. 2. 3 Fig. 3. 1 Fig. 3. 2 Fig. 3. 3 Fig. 3. 4 Fig. 3. 5 Fig. 3. 6 Fig. 3. 7 Fig. 3. 8 Fig. 3. 9 Fig. 3. 10 Fig. 4. 1 Fig. 4. 2 Fig. 4. 3 Fig. 4. 4 Fig. 4. 5 Fig. 4. 6 Fig. 4. 7 Fig. 4. 8 Fig. 4. 9 Fig. 4. 10 Fig. 4. 11 Fig. 4. 12 Fig. 4. 13 Fig. 5. 1 Fig. 5. 2 Fig. 5. 3 Survey response rates Mainstream lesson observations in primary schools Subjects reviewed at post-primary level Teachers’ ratings of NCTE and ICT advisory services Access to computers by primary teachers Access to computers by post-primary teachers Access to computers by fifth-class students Access to computers by fifth-year students Frequency of use of ICT peripherals by primary teachers Frequency of use of ICT peripherals by post-primary teachers Provision and use of e-mail address by subject taught, post-primary schools. The primary school web site: teachers’ responses The post-primary school web site: teachers’ responses Contents of ICT plans, primary schools Contents of ICT plans, post-primary schools Staff ICT training in primary schools within the previous three years Staff ICT training in post-primary schools within the previous three years Principals’ and teachers’ views on ICT training requirements, primary schools Principals’ and teachers’ views on ICT training requirements, post-primary schools Use of computers for lesson preparation Resources provided by mainstream primary teachers using ICT Use of the internet in planning and preparation for teaching, by subject Scoilnet visits by teachers. The most popular sections of Scoilnet among teachers Teachers’ ratings of Scoilnet Teachers’ views on what Scoilnet should contain Use and related proficiency of applications in teaching Extent to which mainstream teachers plan for the use of ICT Organisation of teaching and learning during use of ICT 23 28 29 34 41 42 43 44 54 54 58 62 62 77 77 81 82 86 87 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 110 112 113 ix ICT in Schools Fig. 5. 4 Fig. 5. 5 Fig. 5. 6 Fig. 5. 7 Fig. 5. 8 Fig. 5. 9 Fig. 5. 10 Fig. 5. 11 Fig. 5. 12 Fig. 5. 13 Fig. 5. 14 Fig. 6. 1 Fig. 6. 2 Fig. 6. 3 Fig. 6. 4 Fig. 6. 5 Fig. 6. 6 Fig. 6. 7 Fig. 6. 8 Fig. 6. 9 Fig. 7. 1. Frequency of ICT use to promote learning in curricular areas Frequency of ICT use among mainstream and special class teachers to facilitate development of skills Frequency of use of individual internet resources by internet users Inspectors’ rating of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning Students’ proficiency in individual tasks Level of ICT support for students with special educational needs in mainstream classrooms Level of access by students with special educational needs in special-education support settings. Extent to which special-education support team members plan for the use of ICT Inspectors’ observations of the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in special-education support settings Frequency of ICT use in special-education support settings to facilitate development of skills Inspectors’ ratings of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning observed in special-education support settings Proficiency and use of applications in teaching Students’ use of computers Students’ ICT skill levels Use of ICT in the planning and preparation of observed lessons Main uses of ICT in teaching and learning in the subjects inspected, as reported by teachers. Frequency of use of computers in teaching Settings in which ICT is used in classrooms Use of the internet and applications, by subject area Inspectors’ rating of the quality of use of ICT in teaching and learning observed International student-computer ratios from PISA 2003 114 115 119 122 125 126 127 128 128 129 132 143 146 147 156 157 158 159 162 164 179 x Foreword. Information and communication technology has brought profound changes to almost all aspects of our lives in recent years. It has transformed activities as basic as how we work, communicate with each other, treat illnesses, travel, shop and enjoy our leisure time. The pace of change shows no sign of slowing: indeed, the development of ICT and its applications to areas such as the integration of media, are continuing at even faster rates than heretofore. In a relatively short period of time, ICT skills have become as fundamental to living a full life as being able to read, write and compute. Ireland has been a leading player in the development of the ICT industry. We have been a leading exporter of ICT hardware and software, and many of the key businesses in the industry have important bases here. Like other countries, we have also recognised that if our young people are to live full lives in a world transformed by ICT, they need to have opportunities to acquire and develop ICT skills from an early age. Since the late 1990s, we have made considerable investments in ICT infrastructure in schools, and in training for teachers and other professionals. Until now, little national research evidence has been published on the impact that the new technologies have had on schools and especially on teaching and learning. This report examines the extent to which ICT has been used in schools at both primary and post-primary levels and, more importantly, assesses the impact that ICT has had on teaching and learning, including the ways in which ICT is used to support the learning of students with special educational needs. The evaluation shows that while much progress has been achieved in the roll-out of ICT in schools, considerable challenges remain. The report presents findings and recommendations that will be of interest to teachers, principals, school support services, curriculum developers and policy-makers. I hope that it will inform debate and policy decisions on how we can ensure that young people have the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary to benefit from the opportunities presented by this powerful technology in the years ahead. Eamon Stack Chief Inspector xi ICT in Schools xii Executive summary xiii ICT in Schools Executive summary. An evaluation of the infrastructure, planning and use of information and communications technology in teaching and learning was conducted by the Inspectorate in primary and post-primary schools during the school year 2005/06. The objectives of the evaluation were: †¢ to examine the extent to which ICT was used in primary and post-primary schools †¢ to evaluate the impact of ICT on teaching and learning †¢ to assess the ICT skills of students at selected points in the education system and to obtain their views on their experience of ICT in their schooling †¢ to obtain the views of principals and teachers on their ICT skills and their opinions of the impact and future role of ICT in education †¢ to make recommendations for policy development regarding ICT in schools. xiv Executive summary. The evaluation methods comprised: †¢ a national survey of primary (234) and post-primary (110) principals †¢ a national survey of primary (1,162) and post-primary (800) teachers †¢ case-study school evaluations by inspectors (32 primary schools, 20 post-primary schools) †¢ observations during classroom inspections (77 primary schools) †¢ observations during subject inspections (111 post-primary schools) †¢ a follow-up on-line survey of teachers in case-study post-primary schools. Summary of main findings The findings and recommendations are summarised here and are elaborated in chapter 7. Infrastructure †¢ The student-computer ratio (SCR) in Irish schools is 9. 1:1 at primary level and 7:1 at post-primary level. Information available from the OECD suggests that countries that have taken the lead in the provision of ICT in schools are aiming for or achieving a SCR of 5:1. †¢ In the main, schools make effective use of the grants provided by the DES for developing their ICT systems. However, schools generally spend considerably more on ICT than the sums made available through these grants schemes. †¢ The lack of technical support and maintenance is a significant impediment to the development of ICT in schools. †¢ At primary level, computer rooms are generally a feature of the larger schools. However, access by students to computers was found to be superior where the computers were located in the classrooms. At the post-primary level there is a greater permeation of computers in specialist rooms than in general classrooms. †¢ Schools were found to use a limited range of ICT peripherals, mainly printers, scanners, and digital cameras. Digital projectors were found in post-primary schools. At primary level, interactive whiteboards were present in a small number of schools. †¢ Schools that made dedicated computer facilities available to teachers reported that it led to the use of more high-quality and creative teaching resources in classrooms. xv ICT in Schools Planning †¢ Responsibility for ICT in a school can lie with an ICT steering committee, the principal, the deputy principal, an ICT co-ordinator, or a combination of these personnel. Greater efficiency is achieved where a named person has responsibility for ICT within a school and where their role is clearly defined. †¢ The majority (71%) of primary schools surveyed, but fewer than half (46%) of post-primary schools, were found to have a written ICT plan. These plans tend to concentrate more on infrastructural issues than on how ICT can be used to enhance teaching and learning. †¢ Most schools (83% of primary schools, 87% of post-primary schools) were found to have an acceptable-use policy (AUP). This is a product of the requirements of the Schools Broadband Access Programme and the safety-awareness initiatives of the NCTE. It is also an indication of the seriousness that schools attach to the risks associated with the use of the internet. †¢ The majority of teachers make some use of ICT in lesson planning and preparation. Newly qualified teachers are more likely to use ICT for this purpose than their more experienced colleagues. However, fewer teachers were found to plan for the use of ICT in teaching and learning. At the post-primary level, planning for the use of ICT in teaching varies between subjects. The programmes for Transition Year, LCVP and LCA specifically encourage planning for the use of ICT in teaching and learning. Teachers of these programmes regularly reported that their involvement also encouraged them to use ICT in their teaching with other class groups. †¢ School principals and teachers identified the provision and maintenance of hardware in schools and the provision of professional development opportunities in ICT as being strategically important for the development of ICT in their school. Generic programmes of professional development, because of their wider appeal, were found to have a greater take-up among teachers than topic-specific programmes. Teaching and learning †¢ Only 30% of primary teachers and 25% of post-primary teachers rated their ability as either â€Å"intermediate† or â€Å"advanced† with regard to using teaching and learning methods that are facilitated by ICT. Recently qualified teachers had a higher perception of their ICT skills than more experienced teachers. †¢ At the primary level, the inspectors reported evidence of the use of ICT to facilitate teaching and learning in 59% of the classrooms visited. However, the inspectors observed ICT actually being used in only 22% of the lessons observed. Nearly a quarter of all inspections showed a competent or optimal level of performance in relation to the use of ICT in the classroom. xvi Executive summary †¢ Where ICT is used in primary classrooms it predominates in core curricular areas, such as English and Mathematics, and in Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE). †¢ The evaluation found that many fifth-class students in primary schools do not have the competence to complete basic tasks on the computer. While most students reported being able to perform many of the most basic computer tasks, such as turning a computer on and off and opening or saving a file, more than 30% reported that they were not able to print a document or to go on the internet by themselves. Almost half (47%) reported not being able to create a document by themselves. The majority did not know how to create a presentation (72%), use a spreadsheet (86%), or send an attachment with an e-mail message (88%). Competence in the use of ICT is limited for the most part to basic ICT skills, centred on the use of word-processing. †¢ Only 18% of the post-primary lessons observed by the inspectors involved an ICT-related activity. Students’ interaction with the technology was observed in only about a quarter of these instances. The most common ICT-related activity observed was the use of a data projector to make a presentation to a class group. Inspectors judged that effective integration of ICT in teaching and learning was occurring in approximately half of the lessons in which the use of ICT was observed (i. e. in approximately 11% of all lessons observed). †¢ Dedicated ICT lessons at the post-primary level are more prevalent among first-year classes, and are provided less frequently as students progress towards the Junior Certificate. The majority of schools concentrate on providing students with such lessons in their Transition Year, in the LCVP, and in the LCA. †¢ High levels of integration of ICT were found at the post-primary level in the science and applied science subjects and in subjects in the social studies I group. 1 Subjects were also identified that rarely made use of ICT, the most notable being Irish. †¢ The evaluation found that fifth-year students in post-primary schools had the confidence to perform many basic computer operations by themselves, for example saving, printing, deleting, opening and editing a document. However, it also found that they generally needed some assistance to perform more complicated tasks, such as moving files, copying files to external storage devices, and writing and sending e-mail. A relatively low proportion of these students reported being able to create a multimedia presentation. Students required most help with attaching a file to an e-mail message, constructing a web page, or dealing with computer viruses. While the post-primary inspectors generally commented positively on the students’ ICT work that they observed, they were also concerned that the tasks undertaken by the students were largely word-processing and presentation tasks. 1 Social Studies I group includes History; Geography; Art, Craft, and Design; and Music. Social Studies II group includes Religious Education; Physical Education; Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE); and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE). xvii ICT in Schools †¢ ICT is widely used to facilitate the provision by schools of special education. Generally, ICT is used more frequently by members of the special-education team rather than by mainstream class teachers. The emphasis in students’ engagement with ICT in special-education settings is mainly on the support of literacy. Support for ICT †¢ The level of awareness among teachers of the ICT advisory service is generally low, with fewer than half the respondents at both the primary and the post-primary level reporting an awareness of it. Awareness is higher, however, among ICT co-ordinators than among other teachers. †¢ The use of the ICT advisory service is also low. At the primary level only 22% of all respondents reported having used the service, while at the post-primary level the corresponding figure was 15%. Summary of key recommendations for policy-makers and policy advisors †¢ The level of ICT infrastructure in schools needs to be improved. Specifically, Ireland should be working towards equipping not just all schools but all classrooms with an appropriate level of ICT infrastructure. Consideration should be given to equipping all classrooms with a computer for use by the teacher, broadband internet access with adequate bandwidth, and a fixed data projector and screen for use by the teacher in presentations. Furthermore, to ensure appropriate access to ICT by students, Ireland should strive to reduce its student-computer ratio (SCR) from the present 9. 1:1 in primary schools and 7:1 in post-primary schools. International evidence suggests that countries that have taken a lead in this area are aiming for or achieving a ratio of 5:1 or less in all schools. †¢ Improvements in ICT infrastructure will need to be supported by the introduction of a national ICT technical support and maintenance system for schools. Schools also need to be provided with the capacity to regularly upgrade their own ICT infrastructure. †¢ The pedagogical dimension of the ICT advisors’ role in an education centre could be more appropriately provided by the relevant school support services, in liaison with the ICT school coordinators. The technical dimension of the ICT advisors’ role could be provided in a number of ways, including for example, by having a commercially supplied ICT maintenance and support for schools. With an effective IT maintenance system in place, the pedagogical role of ICT coordinators within schools could be enhanced and supported with appropriate training. xviii Executive summary †¢ Support services should give priority to the integration of ICT in teaching and learning. There is an opportunity for such services to work more closely with schools, and with school ICT coordinators in particular, to determine staff training needs and assist in organising appropriate professional development courses for teachers. Support service personnel should aim to be proactive in providing examples of how ICT can be used to facilitate teaching and learning in any programmes provided. Furthermore, course organisers should take greater account of the wide range of ICT abilities and experiences commonly found in groups of teachers and should provide differentiated ICT learning experiences for course participants. †¢ Additional guidance should be provided to schools and teachers of students with special educational needs so that the needs of learners may be matched more appropriately with the technology available. †¢ There needs to be an increased emphasis on the application of ICT in teaching and learning in teacher education at pre-service, induction and continuing professional development stages. It is recommended that teacher education departments in third-level colleges should provide student teachers with the skills necessary to effectively use ICT in teaching and foster in them a culture of using ICT in their work. Consideration should also be given to extending and expanding significantly the current range of professional development courses available for teachers. A major focus of such an initiative should be on how ICT may be integrated fully in the teaching and learning of specific subjects and curricular areas. The ICT Framework for Schools, which the NCCA will issue in the near future, will be a further assistance to schools in this regard. Key recommendations for schools †¢ Schools and teachers should regularly review the use of ICT in their work. In particular, they should strive to ensure greater integration of ICT within teaching and learning activities in classrooms and other settings. †¢ Teachers should exploit the potential of ICT to develop as wide a range of students’ skills as possible, including the higher-order skills of problem-solving, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation. †¢ Principals should encourage and facilitate suitable ICT training for teachers. Schools should liase with relevant support services and should endeavour to establish mechanisms to facilitate the sharing of good practice among members of the staff. †¢ Schools should endeavour to provide all their students with an  appropriate and equitable level of experience of ICT at all class levels: at the primary level and at both junior and senior cycle at the post-primary level. xix ICT in Schools †¢ Schools should plan for the maintenance and upgrading of their ICT systems. †¢ Computer rooms, where they exist, should be used to maximum effect. Staff members and students should be provided with adequate access to the internet. Post-primary schools in particular should aim to increase the permeation of ICT in general classrooms. †¢ A designated staff member should be responsible for ICT development. An ICT plan should be developed, using a consultative process, and an appropriate-use policy (AUP) should also be established. †¢ Teachers should endeavour to integrate ICT more in their planning and preparation for teaching. †¢ Schools need to ensure that ICT is used to support students with special educational needs in the most effective and appropriate way. Schools need to ensure that they match students’ needs to the most appropriate technology available, and that ICT is used to support not only the acquisition of literacy but the widest range of students’ needs. †¢ Schools should exploit the benefits to be had from ICT in their assessment procedures and also in their administrative practices. xx Chapter 1 ICT in primary and post-primary education in Ireland Part 1 Introduction 1 ICT in Schools †¢ Part 1 Introduction 1. 1 Introduction Information and communications technology (ICT) is an accepted element in all our lives and has a central role to play in education. Since the appearance of the first Government policy on ICT in education in 1997, a substantial investment has been made in ICT facilities and training in Irish schools. In Ireland, as in other countries, the debate about ICT in education concentrates on the potential impact of ICT on teaching and learning and on the measures that need to be adopted to ensure that the potential of ICT to enrich students’ learning experience is realised. This Inspectorate report presents the findings of a major evaluation of the impact of ICT on teaching and

Two key models in services marketing are the service gaps model and Essay

Two key models in services marketing are the service gaps model and the service profit chain. Discuss the ethos and elements of - Essay Example t, majority of research scholars including Parasuraman et al (1985 and 1988) have devoted their time in order to develop a replicable but reliable instrument with witch service quality gap can be measured. Fortunately, Parasuraman et al (1991, 1994) were successful in developing â€Å"SERVQUAL† scale which is one of the most commonly used scales for measuring the gap in the service quality. In the proposed SERVQUAL scale by Parasuraman et al (1985 and 1988), twenty two items have been incorporated in order to measure service gap in five service settings such as maintenance and repair of electrical appliances, telephone services (long distance), brokerage services, credit card services and retail banking services. However, modern marketers apply the SERVQUAL model to measure service quality gap in almost every service sector. Although the concept of service quality gap is widely accepted but there are research scholars such as Jabnoun and Khalifa (2005) and Landrum et al (2007) who have raised question over the validity service quality gap in service sectors which are categorized by involvement of high degree of psychometric properties. Managerial Implication In modern world, marketing managers of a service firm repeatedly use marketing jargons like customer driven service offering, continuous performance improvement and others, but interesting fact is that only few of them understand the practical implication of service quality gap Landrum et al (2007). Challenge for the marketing managers is to identify the gap in the service delivery and then allocate both financial & non-financial resources to reduce the gap. Any gap in the service delivery should be identified in terms of customer’s perspective by the managers. It is critical for marketing managers of a service...Challenge for the marketing managers is to identify the gap in the service delivery and then allocate both financial & non-financial resources to reduce the gap. Any gap in the servic e delivery should be identified in terms of customer’s perspective by the managers. It is critical for marketing managers of a service firm to identify the most cost effective way to close the service quality gaps.Service Quality. Discussion on service quality gap will be incomplete without shedding light on concepts like service quality. Wisniewski (2001) has pointed out that service quality is a relative term in context to industrial and organizational dimensions, for example, service quality indicators for a hospital cannot be equivalent with service quality indicators for a bank; hence one universally accepted definition of service quality is not possible. In such context, it can be said that although it is difficult to define service quality but the problem can be solved by identifying the gap in the service quality. According to Parasuraman et al (1985), service quality is the ability of the service firm to provide service according to expectation of customers; service quality gap is the difference between expected service quality by customers and perceived service. If perceived service quality is lower than the expected service quality, then customers get dissatisfied.