Monday 7 January 2019

Level 5 Business Documents


You are going to be in board meetings wherever you work. You will need to understand the relevance of business documents as well as take an active  part in the chain of composing those business documents for business meetings.

Title                                         Business Documents
Guidelines:
Candidates should compile a range of business documents including a business letter, memorandum, notice of meeting, agenda, minutes, CV  and letter of application.
Evidence of drafting and redrafting should be attached to finished pieces.
At least one item should be handwritten.


Writing a Formal Business Letter
Uploaded by GCFLEarnFree.org



How to Write a Business Memo (memorandum )





How to Write Meeting Minutes







Useful CV and letter of application Video Tutorials
The CV videos are of Mairead Fleming, the Director of Brightwater Recruitment on TV3's Ireland AM.

How to Write a CV





Advice for running Effective Meetings

Effective Meetings in Plain English




Conflicts in Meetings
Occasionally, badly organised meetings can seem like some of the people involved really belong in a mental asylum as noone is often, noone is listening to each other. Meetings can often have heated exchanges.

When in a meeting you need to consider:
How do you think this meeting was handled?
What repercussions do you think will happen as a result of this meeting?
Was the conflict resolved?
Where do you think the problem was?



Every Meeting Ever




Personal Writing
As well as a great plot, good creative writing involves planning, drafting and redrafting and editing
Think about the story to your favourite movie or book. 
Do you think there was much planning involved or did the writers and scriptwriters just type away?
Do you think the actors would have had much say in the script? 
Did the director interpret the script or film it word for word? 
Do you think a writer consults anyone when crafting their ideas? 
Why do you think book editors exist? 


How to Write a Great Short Story - The 8-Point Story Arc



Drafting the Idea

The process of writing involves a lot of planning, drafts, editing and rewrites. You can see in this videoclip gow J.K. Rowling created the world of Harry Potter through drafts, rewrites, and drawings of the characters before the public got the book that reached millions.


Brainstorm and Mindmapping The Idea


Here is a video of mind mapping you might find useful for coming up with ideas for your story. Mind maps are a useful reminder and reference point to the writer. They are useful because you don't have to retain all that information in your brain when you decide to write your story. Include your mindmap with your assignment along with various drafts.

Youtube Video How To Mindmap

What is the story going to be about and what outcomes do you want? 
Where will it be located?
Who are the characters?
When did it happen (presentm past or future)
How will you write the dialogue?
Why are you writing it?
Also consider:
The beginning, middle and  end
What conflict and resolution will there be?
What style will you write in?



Editing
The last time you may have looked at grammar could have been in secondary school. As we grow older, it is easier to pick up bad writing habits, particuarly if we don't write that often. 
Look for:
1-Spelling mistakes
2-Correct use of grammar like commas and inverted commas "..."
3-Structured paragraphs


What are the employment prospects of someone with bad writing skills? 
Your writing is communicated to fellow employees, management or customers in your workplace, If there are alot of spelling mistakes or longwinded sentences that have no clarity, what does that say about you representing a company? 
What does it say about the company?

 
As well as a great plot, good creative writing involves planning, drafting and redrafting and editing
Think about the story to your favourite movie or book. 
Do you think there was much planning involved or did the writers and scriptwriters just type away?
Do you think the actors would have had much say in the script? 
Did the director interpret the script or film it word for word? 
Do you think a writer consults anyone when crafting their ideas? 
Why do you think book editors exist? 



How to write a film review



This is a good link on how to write a movie review
https://essaybasics.com/blog/how-to-write-a-movie-review-guide/


How To Make Great Movie Review Essay






Saturday 1 September 2018

Communications Technology Essay Assignment 1

Assignment 1                                  Communications Technology     Level 5 5NO690





Guidelines:

·         Write an essay displaying an awareness of current and relevant issues, such as discussion of the uses, advantages/disadvantages and impact of CT.  Discuss how CT affects us both in our personal and professional lives. What legislation is there which involves Health and safety and Communication?
.
Assessment Criteria:
·         
·         Extensive summary of aspects of communications technology, with clear understanding of impact on both private and public life. (4)
     Knowledge of current issues and developments in Communications and Information technology (4)
       Understanding of relevant Health & Safety & Communications legislation  (2)


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Did You Know 2017



 


 


                                 



A Day In The Life of Social Media




How is social media changing how we communicate?

What are the potential advantages of social media for the individual and for business?
What are the disadvantages of social media for the individual and for business
 

     Here are some videos which look at how dependent we have got with social media and technological advances

                          Look Up

                           Published on Apr 25, 2014 by Gary Turk



                        I Forgot My Phone  
                       Published on Aug 22, 2013 by charstarleneTV

                                     Have a look at this opinion piece by clicking the link. Are we paying
                                     more attention to our phones than the people in front of us? Do you 
                                     agree or disagree?
                http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/phones-rudeness-in-company-1639244-Aug2014/

Youtube Video Technology by http://www.markfiore.com/


Uploaded by on 16 Jul 2009
Youtube Video Technology and the Family 



What do you think this video is trying to say?

This Is Our World by Steve Cutts





Here is a video on social media stats for Ireland.
Co-founder of the internet Robert Kahn is one of the guests in this video clip which look at the impact of ICT (Information and Communications Technology) on society today. Although it is 18 mins long, it is a great video for discussing some key points about communication technology's effect on our personal and business lives. Issues such as security, the increase in social media, the adoption of the internet in developing countries, cyber-terrorism and security, the impact of dial-up to broadband, electronic mobile devices, the growing Apps market, mobile creditcard transaction machines like Square, as well as how climate change is affected.
Youtube Video ICTs for a better future (18 mins)
Uploaded by on 1 Nov 2010

You may also find this other 20 minute documentary useful about some of the more likely technological changes of the future and what effect that can have on society. The documentary looks at the past, present and future of connectivity, as well as key personnel from Flickr, Wired UK and Soundcloud discussing the emerging trends and opportunities as the new networked society develops.

Irish Social Media Stats - BoomMedia



Social media is a more recent development in the evolvement of communications technology. Everyone from business to your friends, is empowered through the use of blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites to reach wider audiences. Here is a short video below explaining the phenomenon and potential of social media.

Irish social Media Stats 2017




Here is a video that I made for this blog highlighting how advances in communications technology are allowing social media, I.T. and cloud computing industries to create jobs for Ireland.

 Why Ireland For Technology companies

 

 



How are videogames changing people's lives?
How important is technology for Ireland's future?


2010: Year of the iPad

Uploaded by  on Mar 2, 2011


Ipad Helps the Autistic Speak


 


How is mobile technology such as the iPad shaping our lives?
What are the benefits of mobile tablets like the iPad?

3D Printers

3D printers print ten houses in 24 hours
                                                             Published on Apr 16, 2014 by China View



Can We Auto-Correct Humanity?





                               Technology and the News
We are seeing shifts away from how we consume traditional news. Less people are watching news on traditional television sets. Many televisions are now smart screens or are hooked up to the internet. Many people are interacting with news stories such as www.thejournal.ie where people are shaping opinion in the comments sections.

Often people are further exploring stories by conducting their own research on Google or Youtube or by following blogs. Modern day wars are often using social media to transmit messages which may not otherwise be seen eg. the Israel Palestine conflict, Iraq etc

Websites such as Wikileaks have explored areas where traditional news had feared to go. People are questioning traditional news sources more as they get access to instant information.

Is there a disadvantage to this?

Is there an advantage to this?

Can you think of any examples of how news is being changed or even shaped by technology?

What do you think is the future of mainstream news?







Technology and the Future
Here is a Ted talk video below by Patties Maes demonstrating the newest version of 6th sense technology. If you have seen the film Minority Report with Tom Cruise you may be surprised at how fast technology has developed towards making the technology used in the film a reality. The technology you see below allows users to interact with their environment in a more profound way.

Pattie Maes: Unveiling game-changing wearable tech

Uploaded by  on Mar 10, 2009



Microsoft's Concept of How 2019 Will Look Like - Official Video

Uploaded by  on Oct 27, 2011

Here is an interesting video interviewing a variety of people about their thoughts regarding the future of technology.

What is the future of communications?

Uploaded by  on Apr 28, 2011


Holographic TV coming in 2012

Uploaded by  on Jul 2, 2011


Here is a promotional video for Google Glasses. No longer are laptops required however how do you feel this will infringe on people's privacy?
Google Glasses Project
Published on May 7, 2012 by Huzaifah Bhutto


The advance of robotics is moving at a rapid pace. While also making our lives easier advances in technology are also threatening traditional jobs. What was once seen as simply belonging in a sci-fi movie is fast becoming a reality.
Google's 5 Bets on the Future: Robots and Sensors  

Published on Jan 14, 2014 by Bloomberg News  
How is technology predicted to evolve to help shape our future?
Is technology having too much of an influence over our lives?

Thursday 8 February 2018

Book Review: Atlas of the Irish Revolution




Authors: John Crowley, Donal Γ“ Drisceoil and Mike Murphy John Borgonovo
Affiliation: University College Cork
Publication Year: Hardback September 2017
Pages: 984
Size: 299 x 237mm

ISBN: 9781782051176
Price 59 euros

This landmark publication covers the Irish revolution 1913-23 in one thousand pages with contributions from over one hundred historians. Featuring over three hundred original maps it details how topology and location played such an important part in this complex conflict. This book places the Irish revolution in its international context with telling use of several hundred illustrations, and reproductions of rarely seen key documents. It analyses the political and social changes which shaped modern Ireland and details the unspectacular aspects of ordinary Irish life. It will have wide appeal to a specialist and popular readership. 


'Oh Grace just hold me in your arms and let this moment linger
They’ll take me out at dawn and I will die…’
The ballad or narrative song has played an influential role in both the shaping of popular memory and the humanising of key historical events. ‘Grace’ was jointly composed in 1985 by the brothers Frank and SeΓ‘n O’Meara and popularised subsequently the singer Jim McCann. It tells the story of the marriage of the marriage of Joseph  Mary Plunkett and Grace Gifford in Kilmainham Gaol shortly before Plunkett’s execution. The tenderness and poignancy of that moment is captured in lyrics that have resonated with the public ever since. Joseph’s love for Grace is manifest in a letter (above) written in Moore Street on the ‘sixth day of the Irish Republic’ where he leaves all his possession to her. Their short and intense courtship would be brought to a dramatic end by the events of Easter Week. The centenary commemoration of the Rising showed a willingness by the public to engage with and understand the 1916 participants on their own terms.

So how many active volunteers were there in Dublin during this period? Oscar Traynor who took over the brigade on the deaths of McKee and Clancy, put the number at 1,250. The approximate strength of the various Battalions in early 1921 was 1st Battalion: 250; 2nd Battalion: 250; 3rd Battalion: 250; 4th Battalion: 300; 5th, or Engineers’, Battalion: 100. This was the active membership ‘or the strength that was given by the Battalions as being on parade each month’. The 5th Battalion looked after other specialist activities, such as engineering, logistics and first aid. The most common form of transport for arms was the lowly handcart, notwithstanding  folklore about pregnant women, prams and hearses. By the time of the Truce, every ASU included trained medical orderlies. Volunteers’ membership of the St. John’s Ambulance and the Dublin Fire Brigade provided useful logistical and intelligence resources, as did the large number of Volunteers working in Dublin Port and the railways. It was through this network that the Volunteers were able to ambush trains on which troops were travelling to and from the city.          


Wednesday 31 January 2018

The O'Rahilly Easter Rising Stories

Directed and edited by Marcus Howard, independent film maker. Proinsias O'Rathaille is the grandson of The O'Rahilly who was shot in Moore Street and the son of Bridie Clyne, who was in Cumann Na mBan. He is attached to the Save Moore Street Campaign, Concerned Relatives of the Signatories to the 1916 Proclamation and the 1916 Relatives Centenary Initiative Group.

Easter Rising Stories is an independent series of films by Marcus Howard, an independent film maker. The videos are not for profit but rather for educational means. The aim of the series is to try to capture the recollections of relatives of the Easter Rising of 1916 as well as to document events and stories relating to the Easter Rising. If you are interested in getting in touch please contact:
easterrisingstories@gmail.com

Tuesday 30 January 2018

Book Review We Bled Together: Michael Collins, The Squad and the Dublin Brigade

Irish History Book Review

We Bled Together: Michael Collins, The Squad and the Dublin Brigade
Hardback
€24.99
This thrilling account of the daring espionage and killings carried out by both sides on Dublin’s streets during the War of independence is vividly brought to life by Dominic Price using eyewitness testimonies and war diaries. Price reveals their meticulous research into guerrilla tactics employed by the Cubans in their War of Independence, the 2nd Boer War and General von Lettow-Vorbeck against the British in east Africa. He shows Collins and the Dublin Brigade’s desperate methods; improvised explosive devices, chemical weapons.  Their sacrifice and determination to bring to birth Irish freedom is well recorded in this intimate and poignant book.   

Extract:
‘The Squad never questioned Collins’ reasons for having someone killed. Mick Collins, as far as members of the squad were concerned, ‘was the kind of man it was easy to trust’ … The risks and danger experienced by his operatives affected Collins greatly and he could visualise their suffering. Eamon Broy, who spent a lot of time with the Director of Ira intelligence, related how Collins described events:
        
Collins had such a remarkable power of description that, listening to him, one could form a        
vivid mental picture of the occurrences he described. For instance, in his account of the tortures of  
Hales and Harte in West Cork, the impression he created was a vivid as if one actually saw the 
pliers being used to tear the flesh from the victim. These tortures were inflicted by the British
Army long before the Black and Tans came to the country. As a result of his treatment Harte went insane.’


Sunday 12 November 2017

Level 5 Listening and Speaking - Oral Presentation Skills


 It will be recorded on videotape in front of the class. A suggestion would be to do your presentation on your report in your previous assignment where you have already done a lot of the work and where the topic is fresh in your mind and you have your primary and secondary data researched already. You don’t have to though, you can pick another topic if you wish however it must revolve around an industry you are interested in starting a career in. Make sure you know when you are up as it may be difficult to reschedule you without advance notice. If you can’t make the date, swap with someone who will.

This assignment demonstrates your listening and speaking skills. A lot more information can be found on http://www.irish21stcenturystudents.blogspot.com/ if you look up the Digital Presentations subject covered on this blog

Listening and Speaking - Oral Presentation Skills (To include non-verbal and visual
communication)
o Learners should make a presentation of 5 – 10 minutes in duration.
o The presentation should be on a topic related to a career path you are interested in .
o It should include appropriate visual supports.
o It should include a question and answer session at the end of the presentation.
o It should assess the learner’s ability to communicate to a group of people
effectively.
o The presentation should be recorded on visual recorder.
Assessment Criteria
Evidence of thorough preparation and rehearsal                                                                      3
Clear structure with beginning, middle, end and linking                                                          3
Interest sustained, very good rapport with the audience, presentation
tailored to environment, and suitable visual supports used                                                        3
Good voice control, with variety of tone, clarity of diction and pace, body
language, gesture, stance all excellent                                                                                            3
Ability to interpret and respond appropriately to questions asked                                       3




You will be asked at least 10 questions


How important are the following when delivering a presentation?


Clarity of voice, pitch, tone, volume

Pace, speed, articulation

Body language used in a formal and informal context

Formal v informal language

Confidence

The environment




Visual communication

Posture

Clothing
Facial expression
Body language

Why do we present?



To educate

To advertise

To inform

To aid meaning

To express ideas

To persuade

Useful Powerpoint Presentation video tutorials



HOW TO Give a Great Presentation - 7 Presentation Skills and Tips to Leave an Impression




The video below provided by Microsoft Europe shows the potential and advantages of Powerpoint 2010
Youtube Video:Powerpoint 2010: The Possibilities - Duarte HD
Uploaded by  on 8 Dec 2009 for http://www.microsoft.eu/

Here is another demo for how to create a Powerpoint 2010 presentation

Youtube Video:Creating a Presentation - PowerPoint 2010
Uploaded by  on 2 Sep 2010

Curious about inserting a movie into a presentation?The tutorial below shows you how to do it in Powerpoint 2007.
Youtube Video: PowerPoint 2007: Inserting a Movie into a Presentation



How to animate text in a Powerpoint presentation which will let your text move, spin or fly from space to space
Youtube Video:How to Animate Text in a PowerPoint Presentation For Dummies
Uploaded by  on 26 Feb 2009

Here is a video tutorial about how to make a powerpoint animation 
Youtube Video:
How to make a powerpoint animation : tutorial
Uploaded by  on 28 Oct 2009

Good Powerpoint Examples Video Tutorials
Curious about how to create a really good powerpoint? Have a look at the video below to help guide you. It concerns how to create create presentations rather than bad ones.
Youtube Video: How to create an Awesome PowerPoint presentation
Uploaded by  on 3 Nov 2009

Youtube Video: Good Powerpoint Examples
Uploaded by  on 27 Apr 2010

Presentation Advice Videos 
 The video below provided by Speakfirst focuses on how to improve your presentations comparing mistakes with improvements
Youtube Video:Presentation skills - How to improve your presentations

Apple's CEO Steve Jobbs is considered to be one of the greatest public speakers in the world today. Here is a video provided by BNET Video

Youtube Video:
Present Like Steve Jobs Online videos for busy business professionals BNET Video
Uploaded by  on 17 Apr 2008

Youtube Video: Death By Powerpoint


Uploaded by  on Jun 7, 2010

 Answering questions after your presentation can appear daunting as you do not know what it is you will be asked. There is only so much that can be prepared.

Youtube Video: Ep 10. How To Answer Questions On Your Presentation - Presentation Skills - Public Speaking
Uploaded by  on Jun 21, 2010


Non Verbal Communication
-Communication without words
-80%
“Actions Speak Louder Than Words.”

It's not always what you say but how you say it which can help deliver the effectiveness of your message
Youtube Video
Body Language at Work by Peter Clayton



Uploaded by  on 18 Dec 2008

ΕΎFacial expression

Universal facial expressions signify anger, fear, sadness, joy and disgust. Thus, if you smile frequently you will be perceived as more likable, friendly, warm and approachable. Smiling is often contagious and a person will react favorably
. We have 250,000 facial expressions.

 Your eye-contact can give clear indicators regarding whether you are telling the truth or not.Have a look at these 2 short video clips to see what I mean:
Youtube Video 

Anthony Weiner Scandal: Body Language Similarities to Bill Clinton, Tiger Woods, Elliot Spitzer


Uploaded by  on 9 Jun 2011

Body Language Breakdown: Obama on '60 Minutes', Trump, and the Royal Wedding


Uploaded by  on 13 May 2011

Posture
-Your posture–including the pose, stance and bearing of the way you sit, slouch,
stand, lean, bend, hold and move your body in space affects the way people
perceive you.
 -Mirroring the other person in your posture style, where your left side complements their right side can increase the likelihood of a favourable perception of the communicator.
-Displaying a forward lean or a decrease in a backwards lean also signify
positive sentiment during communication.
Youtube Video

Body Language - Open Posture Vs. Closed Posture 


 Uploaded by  on 19 Oct 2009

Gesture
A gesture is a non-vocal bodily movement intended to express meaning. They 
may be articulated with the hands, arms or body, and also include movements of
the head, face and eyes, such as winking, nodding, or rolling one's eyes.
If you fail to gesture while speaking, you may be perceived as  boring, stiff an
unanimated.

Youtube Video 

Body Language: The Meanings of Hand Gestures 


Uploaded by  on 28 Oct 2009

Physical Touch
Touches that can be defined as communication include handshake, holding
hands, kissing (cheek, lips, hand), back slapping, give five, a pat on the shoulder,
and brushing an arm. The meaning conveyed from touch is highly dependent
upon the context of the situation, the relationship between communicators, and
the manner of touch.
Youtube Video 

10 Types of Handshakes 


 Uploaded by  on 1 May 2009










1. When you meet someone for the first time, how do you greet him or her?

2. Do you use the same greeting for men as for women?

3. How do you greet a friend of the same sex as yourself?

4. How do you greet a friend of the opposite sex?

5. How do you greet members of your family: children adults old people?

6. Describe three gestures you use frequently and say what they mean.