Tanks in World War I - 544 Words

The Great War, also known as The First World War, was a war that affected most of Europe and great part of America, Africa and Asia. Though it didn’t achieve much and caused the death of many, it did give a ground for warfare technology to be created. Poison gas, aircraft, machine guns, and submarines were some of the new inventions tested during this period of war. Tanks were also created in this war, and were a very necessary invention especially for Europeans. British, Austrians, Russians, Germans, and French had previously created fighting vehicles that could transport artillery and people through normal terrain, but not through trenches, which made a great part of the Western Front. Any new technology for transportation was received, and the British were the ones that came out with the idea of tanks. In 1914, the British Lieutenant-Colonel Ernest Swinton, proposed the idea of a new fighting vehicle When he presented his idea to the government, and the Royal Navy supported his idea. It came from the development of farming vehicles that could cross difficult land easily by using caterpillar tracks. By June 9th, 1915, an agreement with the characteristics of this new vehicle were defined, it should have: â€Å"a top speed of 4 mph on flat land, the ability to turn sharply at top speed, the ability to climb a 5-feet parapet, the ability to cross an 8-feet gap and a working radius of 20 miles.† With all these conditions, an armored combat vehicle that moved on chain tracks wasShow MoreRelatedEssay on Weapons of World War 21395 Words   |  6 Pagesof World War II The result of World War II was affected by many different factors. One major factor which affected the war was the weapons and artillery used during the war. Since the beginnings of time, weapons have always been around. From swords and knives to nuclear weapons and missiles, weapons have evolved greatly throughout the years. The weapons and artillery used in World War II basically were evolved types of weaponry that were used during World War I (Military History 1). World War IIRead MoreWeapons of the First World War698 Words   |  3 Pages Research Overview of WW1 Weapons During World War I many new kinds of weapons and technology were invented and improved. Some of these weapons included tanks, chemical and biochemical weapons, grenades, and machine guns. Chemical Warfare was used for the first time on a large scale in World War I. There are two main types of chemical warfare, one affects the surface of the body they come in contact with and the other affects the nervous system. Almost all chemical warfare weapons needed to beRead MoreWeapons of World War 2 Essay1416 Words   |  6 Pagesand Artillery of World War II The result of World War II was affected by many different factors. One major factor which affected the war was the weapons and artillery used during the war. Since the beginnings of time, weapons have always been around. From swords and knives to nuclear weapons and missiles, weapons have evolved greatly throughout the years. The weapons and artillery used in World War II basically were evolved types of weaponry that were used during World War I (Military HistoryRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Tanks881 Words   |  4 PagesTanks, tanks have always interested me. Ever since I was little Ive always had a thing for militaria be it planes or tanks. World War II was the start of true tank combat and new designs of tanks and every other type of military vehicle and weapon.Most people when they think of World War II and tanks, lots of them look at the Sherman in the Tiger who would always be matched up against each other on the Eastern Front. No, I wont be talking about t hose tanks though, albeit they are the most comparableRead MoreThe Tanks Of World War II1266 Words   |  6 Pages4344 3 December 2014 The Tanks of World War II World War II was the first war to heavily employ tanks. The tanks ranged in variety for each of the individual nations. It has been said that the German Panzer tank was top dog on the battle field during the war but especially at the beginning of the war. This statement although true is not because the common belief that they were built better than other nation’s tanks but because German strategy and the preparedness of the tanks themselves and the crewsRead MoreWeapons of World War I Essay1623 Words   |  7 PagesNapoleonic Wars to World War I. This can be credited mainly to the new weapons. There were many different weapons in World War I, whether they were completely new or just variations and improvements of previous weapons. Some of the new weapons included machine guns, mustard gas, Zeppelins, and planes, while some of the improved weapons included the bolt-action rifle, the Howitzer, and pistols. The innovative new weapons that were introduced in World War I have for ever changed the way wars were foughtRead MoreA Brief Note On The World War II1317 Words   |  6 PagesMachinery, and Submarines of WWII World War II was one of the biggest epidemics in the history of humanity. From Hitler to Franklin D. Roosevelt there were problems world wide.(submarine) These problems eventually led up to the outbreak of war, this war wasn’t any ordinary war either. It was brutal to say the least, with over twenty million deaths worldwide it nearly killed off one percent of the world population (Sheehan) You would think that most people died in war but that is not the case. OverRead MoreWorld War Ii Weapon Advances Essay example1399 Words   |  6 PagesThe Advances of Weaponry During World War II In every war fought throughout the history of mankind, the dependence on weapons was highly sought after. From swords to guns, weaponry has progressed throughout the ages with each war fought. No other war has seen more advances in weaponry than World War II. Many of those advances made this war focused on artillery, land vehicles, naval ships and aircraft. These advances, although beneficial, have also led to more bloodshed on the battlefield becauseRead MoreEssay on A New Frontier for Engineering: The Mark I Tank1183 Words   |  5 PagesWells’ vivid details when writing, in 1915 British engineers were able to draw a plausible, working design for a contraption that would later be called the Mark I Tank. The introduction of the tank would startal the world and open up a new frontier for engineering. (I need help with a thesis!) On August of 1916, the first British Mark I tanks were commissioned into use at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, part of the Somme Offensive. None of them saw any action until September 15th of the same year thoughRead MoreImpact Of The Great War On The World War I1140 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Æ' The Great War The War to end all Wars† 1914 - 1918 The First World War was one of the most remarkable wars in history. Out of one shot from a Serbian rebel came one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, and one of the most revolutionary. (importance of world war one, 2015) The purpose of this assignment was to find out the role of Australia in the war and its impact upon the nation. In this assignment, key events and actions that lead to the outbreak of war and Australia’s involvement

Montags Influences in Farenheit 451 Essay - 1280 Words

In the novel, FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag lives in an inverted society, where firemen make fires instead of put them out, and pedestrians are used as bowling pins for cars that are excessively speeding. The people on this society are hypnotized by giant wall size televisions and seashell radios that are attached to everyone’s ears. People in Montag’s society do not think for themselves or even generate their own opinions; everything is given to them by the television stations they watch. In this society, if someone is in possession of a book, their books are burned by the firemen, but not only their books, but their entire home. Montag begins realizing that the things in this society are not right. Montag is influenced and†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The psychiatrist wants to know why I go out and hike around in the forests and watch the birds and collect butterflies† (Bradbury, 23). This quotation shows that Clarisse is considered differen t in this society, and she must see a psychiatrist because she admires nature. Clarisse influences Montag by admiring nature, because Montag is now starting to realize the beauty of nature, and beginning to develop his own opinion. Clarisse strongly influenced Montag after her death. â€Å"We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, that is a last drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindness there is at last one which makes the heart run over† (Bradbury, 71) This quotation shows that Montag is starting to have feelings unlike the rest of society. Clarisse has come to influence Montag through her questions, her admiration of nature and her death. Clarisse influenced Montag enough to get him to begin having feelings. Although Clarisse influenced Montag to begin feeling emotions, the fire on Elm Street was a big influence for Montag. Secondly, the fire at 11 Elm Street greatly influenced Montag. The fire showed Montag how important books are. The fire also makes Montag curious about why books would be so important that the lady would die for them. The fire on Elm Street influenced Montag by the lady dying for her books, Montag stealing the books and his fellow firemen not feeling any remorse. When the ladyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of George Orwell s 1984 And Ray Bradburry s Farenheit 4511243 Words   |  5 PagesIn George Orwell’s 1984 and Ray Bradburry’s Farenheit 451, both Winston Smith and Guy Montag struggle to attain happ iness under a manipulative society. Two main factors that hinder the character’s actions are manipulation and dysfunctional relationships. In both texts the protagonists are overwhelmed and ultimately is controlled by the government. However Guy Montag overcomes the conflict by fleeing away from the cruel society while Winston smith in 1984 is forcibly manipulated in control by theRead MoreThe Similarities Between Societies1321 Words   |  6 Pagesthe book Fahrenheit 451 Bradbury has created a society in which a higher power has gone as far as to increase entertainment through technology than through books. The people in this society do not read books, enjoy nature, spend time by themselves, think independently, or have meaningful conversations. Instead, they drive very fast, watch excessive amounts of television on wall-size sets, and listen to the radio on â€Å"Seashell Radio† sets attached to their ears. Fahrenheit 451 doesn’t provide a single

Overcoming Prejudices and Self Acceptance-the Color Purple Free Essays

Overcoming Prejudices for Self Acceptance Throughout Alice Walker’s novel, The Color Purple, the main character, Celie, reveals all of the hardships she has endured during her life. Celie confides in her younger sister, Nettie, and God to express the way she feels in certain situations. As the story progresses, Celie eventually finds her voice and breaks away from all the men who oppressed her during her life. We will write a custom essay sample on Overcoming Prejudices and Self Acceptance-the Color Purple or any similar topic only for you Order Now For the duration of the novel, prejudice becomes a reoccurring theme. Not only does Celie struggle with the external prejudices of sexism and racism, but she also struggles with the internal prejudices toward herself. By using Celie’s struggles as an example, Walker teaches the reader that one must overcome prejudices in order to accept themselves. Sexism becomes one of the main external struggles throughout the novel. With the use of the name â€Å"Mr. __† for Celie’s husband, Albert, Walker shows the reader Celie’s growing resentment towards him. The use of this name â€Å"suggests fearful effacement of an identity too dangerous to reveal† (Heglar). She begins to show bitterness when she says, â€Å"I scurry bout, doing this, doing that. Mr. __ sit by the door gazing here and there† (Walker 43). Celie takes the traditional roll of caring for the house while Mr. _ sits by and tends to his own needs and not the needs of the family. Celie’s dislike towards him grows throughout the novel as he becomes more selfish. Sexism occurs again with the use of gender roles in Harpo and Sofia’s relationship. Sofia represents a strong woman who does not le t men dominate her. She and Harpo struggle with these roles throughout the novel. Sophia takes on a more masculine roll and Celie describes their arguments as â€Å"fighting like two mens† (Walker 38). Harpo believes that he should beat Sofia because she does not act like Celie in the sense that she does not give in to his every command. Finally, the use of gender violence is passed down through the generations. Gerri Bates stated that â€Å"The act of gender violence is almost handed down from father to son† (97). When the conflicts between Sofia and Harpo begin, Mr. __ encourages Harpo to beat Sofia so that she will give in to his ways. He uses Celie as an example because she never fights back and remains very obedient. With the use of sexism throughout the novel, Walker shows the reader all of the struggles Celie faced during this time period and how she overcame them. Racism also becomes a major external struggle during this novel. During this time period, whites embodied the image of higher class citizens. Many of the women in this novel aspire to look like white women in order to become more sophisticated. The white women of this time period wore an array of bright and vibrant colors that stood out from the rest. Celie describes the barrier between the races when she says, â€Å"Us dress Squeak like she a white woman, only her clothes patch† (Walker 95). This quotation depicts the difference between the races at the time, and how even though they tried to bring Squeak up in society, they couldn’t quite reach that level because of their race. The role of racism occurs again when the mayor’s wife treats Sofia’s children like animals. While walking around town one day, the mayor’s wife approaches Sofia and her children and begins petting them like animals and saying â€Å"and such strong white teef† (Walker 87); she looks down on the family because of their race and treats them like animals. This again builds the wall between the races and shows that the white race believed that they were superior to the black race. The theme of racism contributes to the plot again with the roles of blacks and whites within society. When Sofia begins to work for the mayor and his wife, she is discriminated against solely for her race. This act is seen when she says, â€Å"Have you even seen a white person and a colored sitting side by side in a car, when one of ’em isn’t showing the other how to drive or clean it? † (Walker 99). This quotation demonstrates the separation between the races during this time period. The mayor’s family â€Å"continually expect her to behave according to their cultural representations of the black mother† (Selzer). Whites and blacks could not create friendships and could not talk unless it was for business purposes. The roles of races play a major role in understanding the attitudes during this time period. With the understanding of the roles that the blacks and whites played in society, one can infer that Celie had to overcome more struggles than what she had originally dealt with in order to blossom and become herself. In ultimately finding herself at the end of the novel, Celie had to overcome the internal prejudices against herself. With the use of Shug Avery in the novel, Walker displays the hardships Celie must face with her new found sexuality. Because this relationship uses different and new feelings it â€Å"evokes so profound an erotic awakening that Celie believes she was â€Å"still a virgin† prior to it† (Hankinson). When Celie begins to have feelings for Shug, they start out innocent and then become more serious. She describes a night that they spent together when she says, â€Å"Me and Shug sound asleep. Her back to me, my arms round her waist† (Walker 116). Celie begins to allow her feelings with Shug to become reality and shows that she does not have the shy personality that everyone thinks she does. Celie breaks out of her inner prejudices again when she confides in her sister, Nettie. Celie begins to yell at the dinner table one night when she could no longer take the verbal abuse from Mr. __ and stated â€Å"You took my sister Nettie away from me, I say. And she was the only person love me in the world† (Walker 202). Celie believed that she could only confide in Nettie and God during difficult times, but she began to realize that all of her friendships would help her out in the end to become a strong, independent woman. Lastly, the growth of Celie throughout the novel is shown through all of the women that help her along the journey in becoming herself. Although Celie tries to discover herself, â€Å"Shug Avery and Sophia Butler provide the major alternative influences that allow Celie to grow and develop† (Heglar). All of the female relationships throughout the novel help Celie to realize that women do not need men to control their lives. She also realizes that women can become self-sufficient and brave without the help from other people. With help from all the women in the novel, Celie discovers herself and comes to realize that the support of a man is not necessary in the journey to happiness. By using Celie’s difficulties as a model, Alice Walker teaches the reader that self acceptance comes over time and that one must overcome prejudices in order to find themselves. During the course of the novel, Celie struggles with both internal and external prejudices. In the end she conquers them all and becomes the person that she truly wants to be. She realizes this when she says â€Å"I am so happy. I got love, I got work, I got money, friends and time† (Walker 218). Walker teaches the reader that no matter what other people think, what truly matters is the beauty within and being able to handle one’s self in the worst of situations. Works Cited Bates, Gerri. Alice Walker A Critical Companion. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press: 2005. Print. Hankinson, Stacie Lynn. â€Å"From Monotheism to Pantheism: Liberation from Patriarchy in Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. † Midwest Quarterly. 38. 3. Gale, 2003. Literary Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Heglar, Charles J. â€Å"Named and Nameless: Alice Walker’s Pattern of Surnames in The Color Purple. ANQ 13. 1 (Winter 2000): 38-41. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 167. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. inchell, Donna Haisty. Alice Walker. New York: Twayne Publishers, 1992. Print. Selzer, Linda. â€Å"Race and Domesticity in The Color Purple. † African American Review 29. 1 (Spring 1995): 67-82. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 167. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. Walker, Alice. The Color Purple. Harcourt, Inc. 2003. Print. How to cite Overcoming Prejudices and Self Acceptance-the Color Purple, Essay examples

Learning Program free essay sample

Introduction This essay looks into a learning program which was personally delivered. It aims to critically evaluate the effectiveness of the program by drawing upon relevant theories and models revolving around adult and organisational learning. Theories are used to substantiate the step by step processes undertaken in the program as well as to critique the areas which could have been performed better or were carried out successfully by the program coordinators. This essay is told from the perspective of a facilitator’s role in which I was primarily involved in. At the end of this essay, we hope to understand how a successful HRD learning program should be run and what factors significantly influence its success. Learning Program The selected program used throughout this essay as a case study is the ‘Combat Medical NSmen Ops Refresher Training’. The program involved me as one of the key facilitators which was conducted during my national service time. The objective was to ensure the competence of the National Service (NS) men in carrying out their medical responsibilities and performing up to expectations when the time arises for them to do so in future. This was carried out by first refreshing the NSmen’s theoretical knowledge of specific medical subject matter, i. e. various emergency surgical procedures, that was taught during their NS days. Typically conducted annually, the refresher training would see the NSmen undergoing classroom learning followed by a practical hands-on session of role playing, after which they would be tested under a controlled, simulated setting as a form of learning assessment. The refresher training was a one-day program carried out in the compounds of the Singapore Armed Forces Medical Training Institute (SMTI). The facilitators comprised of regular senior medical officers and fulltime national servicemen (NSFs), of whom I was one of them. The seniors acted as supervisors while the NSFs were more primarily involved in running the program on the ground. Teaching and demonstrations were conducted by NSFs while assessment was done by the senior officers. The age group of the NSmen participants ranged from 30 to 40 years old, thus the target audience was specific to older adult learners who were most likely married or some even fathers. The program was catered to a batch group of 20 NSmen with 2 facilitators assigned. The four stages of HRD HRD is an ongoing learning process involving training and development activities which seek to groom individuals’ skills for the purpose of enhancing organisational productivity (Swanson Holton 2001). Adult learning falls within the HRD learning process. Knowles (1998) mentioned that adults tend to follow andragogical assumptions of learning such that firstly, the learning should have practical value for applying in real-life situations and problems. Next is for the learning to utilise the knowledge inherent in the adult and lastly it should actively engage him/her. All these are reflected in the medical refresher program and will be explained through a series of four step by step stages namely the needs investigation, design, implementation and evaluation stages. HRD Needs Investigation (HRDNI) HRDNI refers to the process of identifying how much is known by the participants prior to the program against what is expected of them to know based on the learning objectives set out (Tovey Lawlor 2008; Rothwell Kazanas 1989). It represents an organized way to determine if a HRD solution is needed in the first place. It helps identify the content and learning objectives, the population, resources required, as well as context and organisational politics. Behind every successful HRD learning program is a good HRDNI carried out in the beginning. The refresher program showed that HRDNI was conducted successfully as clear learning objectives, competencies and learning outcomes were established (Delahaye 2011). The needs were determined through the two levels of HRDNI: surveillance and investigation (Delahaye 2011). Program coordinators had long been monitoring how competent NSmen were in carrying out their medical duties upon completion of their NS time. Through the observation of several past reservists’ in-camp trainings where these NSmen were required to demonstrate their medical proficiency in a simulated battlefield environment, their quality and competencies were analysed. Data was gathered through the means of organisational records and observations (Delahaye 2011). It was found that most NSmen were unable to remember much of what they had learnt during their NS days and thus, lacked in several key competencies. One of which was the ability to remember the medical apparatus to be used in assisting the surgeon in the surgical procedures. Thus, as a result of HRDNI, the ‘Combat Medical NSmen Ops Refresher Training’ learning program came about as form of HRD intervention. Its aim was to keep NSmen constantly up to date with their medical roles so that when a real emergency breaks out in Singapore, they would be ready for it. Although the need for refresher training was correctly identified by program coordinators, the HRDNI could have been more specific to seek the opinions of the participants as well. Conducting such a program meant that more time, be it for work or family, had to be sacrificed by the working adults so that they could attend. Moreover, not all might feel the need for the refresher as they might be confident of their own knowledge. Thus one investigatory method to gather their opinions would be through holding an online survey questionnaire weeks before the commencement of the program. The questionnaire could ask them for their current level of knowledge and ask if the refresher would be effectively catering to their needs, also for their level of interest in participation. Curriculum Design This is the second stage once HRDNI has been completed. Curriculum represents the systematic process of putting the learner through action (Smith Lovat 2003). This stage involves matching the learning structure to the characteristics of the adult learners (Delahaye 2011). To do this, constructive alignment needs to take place. This means that the expected actions the learner has to emulate based on the learning objectives must be coherent with the teaching and assessment style (Biggs Tang 2007). The refresher program was successful in achieving constructive alignment as the objective to instil confidence in the NSmen to showcase their medical proficiency in carrying out the surgical procedures was well reflected by the practical role-playing sessions demonstrated and taught by the facilitators. The design structure of the refresher program followed closely to Delahaye’s (2011) Hierarchy of Learning Outcomes (HLO) model. The model emphasizes the progression from explicit to tacit knowledge and this was seen in the program as facilitators made use of instrumental to communicative learning. The program outlined movements from basic to intermediate to complex, just as how HLO mentions in its five categories of programmed knowledge, task, relationship, critical thinking and meta-abilities. The refresher program started off with programmed knowledge which was in the form of classroom-based learning to provide the factual and theoretical knowledge to the NSmen. It then moved into task where they were required to be analytical in a role-playing scenario. That involved a linear, diagnostic and complex analysis which in short, refers to using simple information-processing, interpretation, problem solving and decision making skills. The role-playing session incorporated discussions and effective team play as well, which in turn worked on a relationship level of interpersonal communication between participants. The program ended off with action learning where participants were encouraged to use mental agility under the meta-abilities category to be able to think clearly under pressure, when performing their learning assessment in a controlled environmental setting. The HLO progression was mapped in accordance to the learning characteristics of the NSmen participants. Facilitators took into consideration that because the participants were older learners, the learning environment created was a similar aged batch of between 30 and 40 years old so that they would feel more comfortable and safe (Delahaye Ehrich 2008). Older learners tend to be involved in complex learning, occasionally switching from being dependent to independent learners and thus passively seeking and actively seeking knowledge, respectively. Hence, the design of the refresher program ensured a combination of various learning strategies to meet to these adult learners’ characteristics. These strategies will be covered under the implementation stage later. It was indeed a good initiative by the facilitators to find out the basic characteristics of their adult learners and thus used HLO as a step by step process to teach them. However, there is room for improvement. All adult learners have different learning styles and so a good HR designer would pay close attention to finding out what styles their participants fall under. This can be done by issuing out a learning style questionnaire which will seek to determine if a participant is a reflector, theorist, pragmatist or activist (Honey Mumford 1992). Each learning style will differently influence the way an individual learns, and so will impact the design of a learning program. However, an individual may also have at times a combination of both styles. Thus, a good designer should strive to integrate all four styles in any learning program. Implementation This third stage of the HRD process covers the skills required of a HR developer who is also known as the facilitator. In other words, this section analyses how effective or skilled the facilitators are in conducting the learning program, based on the participants’ level of engagement. It also covers the various learning strategies used. As one of the facilitators of the refresher program, I exhibited strong micro-skills of questioning and responding, and a high level of enthusiasm, channelling the energy positively to the participants. Delahaye (2011) pointed out that such skills are important in the delivery of a learning program, but are often overlooked by HR developers. Feldman (2007) agrees that with greater enthusiasm demonstrated, the higher are the chances of learner accomplishment. As for the learning strategy, a structured style was used in the beginning stage of the refresher program. This took the form of lecture-style learning. Delahaye (2011) regards lecture as structured due to the teacher-student controlled form where the teacher assumes full responsibility over the learning of the student and controls what and how the student will learn. Facilitators conducting the lecture used PowerPoint presentation to recap the relevant theoretical knowledge of the emergency surgical procedures. The slides included detailed photographs showing how each procedure was to be carried out step by step. This was complemented with a set of the hardcopy handout slides so that the NSmen could write notes throughout. On top of that, the whiteboard was used simultaneously by the facilitator to jot down the key points of the presentation. This ensured an appropriate usage of visual aids to appeal to the adult learners (Delahaye 2011). The lecture-style teaching made use of instrumental learning, one of the three transformational adult learning domains (Mezirow 2009). Instrumental allows learning to be controlled and can manoeuvre the environment. Under it is the knowledge generation process of combination which sees a transfer of explicit to even more complex explicit knowledge (Nonaka von Krogh 2009). The PowerPoint presentation, for instance, got the NSmen to combine the explicit knowledge they were looking at and listening to with their own explicit knowledge, thus leading into a process of re-sorting and re-understanding of their inherent knowledge. Another point to make was that sufficient breaks were given throughout the lecture presentation so as to space out the learning and carry out part learning so that participants could digest the information better, especially since older learners dislike having big chunks of information (Grattan 1955; Miller 1956). These were some of the principles of learning highlighted during the structured strategy. Subsequently, in the refresher program, the learning strategy shifted from structured to semi-structured. After the theoretical bit was covered, facilitators proceeded onto the practical, hands-on session. The knowledge just learnt or recapped was to be applied on mannequins which acted as causalities. Here, the actual whole tray of medical apparatus needed for the surgical procedures is introduced to the NSmen participants, after seeing pictures of them in the PowerPoint slides and the hardcopy handouts. Participants were divided into 4 groups of 5 in which each group had a mannequin and a set of tools to work with. Each facilitator was assigned to 2 groups to firstly demonstrate the correct techniques and steps to perform the emergency surgical procedures, using the apparatus provided. Participants observed carefully to learn the steps that they would later be tested, in what was actually known as modelling, one of the 3 basic types of learning. Modelling refers to copying an action after observing how it is done (Bandura 1977; Gardner et al. 1981). Facilitators of the refresher program aimed to see an exchange of tacit to tacit knowledge between the participants and themselves in a socialisation process. This was achieved through the modelling learning behaviour. The semi-structured strategy using the mannequins was a form of role-playing as within each group, participants took turns to role play as surgeons and assistants to the surgeons. This role-playing also helped to strengthen the HLO in areas of forging better interpersonal relationships and the use of group processes, just to name a few (Delahaye 2011). On a separate point, role-playing illustrates that the NSmen participants also underwent communicative learning, which is known to be a learner’s effort to relate to another to understand each other’s viewpoints (Mezirow 2000). Evaluation This last stage of the HRD process signifies the importance for proper assessment methods. The evaluation technique that was used for the ‘Combat Medical NSmen Ops Refresher Training’ program was the assessment of learning. This assessment, as stressed by Delahaye (2011), paves the way for measuring the effectiveness of the learning program, allowing the examiners to gauge how useful the program had been for the participants as well as to see if the learning objectives set out from the start had been met in the end. In addition, assessment offers feedback for both the adult learner and HR developer. Through it, they can identify their strengths and weaknesses so that they can make necessary amendments to make their learning processes more effective in future. Out of the six types of assessment of learning methods available, the refresher program used performance tests, which proved to be the most suitable form of evaluation due to the complex nature of the program (Delahaye 2011). Following on after the role-playing session of using the mannequins and medical tools, the NSmen participants were made to undergo a performance test in the outdoors open field which simulated an actual situation of what it would likely be in an actual war zone battlefield environment where the NSmen would encounter multiple casualties suffering from different kinds of wounds and war injuries. They would be required to think on their feet using mental agility, under a stressful environment, of which of the following emergency surgical procedures learnt would be best used for treatments. As said by Delahaye (2011), performance tests need to be conducted by highly skilled trainers whose evaluation makes use of their tacit knowledge. Thus, the assessment of the program was a success as it brought in the senior medical officers, who have years of experience in the field, to evaluate the performances of the NSmen. This also served to be a non-biased evaluation as the seniors were not involved in running the on ground training. In evaluation, a pre-designed evaluation criteria form was used by the senior officers so as to quantify the observed results (Thorndike 2007). The results were then showed to the NSmen participants during the program debrief. The outcome of the performance test showed a match to the adult learners’ HLO, identified in the curriculum design stage, in the categories of programmed knowledge; and task and relationship. It also successfully tested the learners’ action learning process of critical thinking and meta-abilities. Conclusion This essay has looked at the ‘Combat Medical NSmen Ops Refresher Training’ as a learning program which served as an HRD intervention based on the needs investigation conducted. It found that a refresher program would be beneficial to the NSmen in helping them to familiarise with the medical proficiency knowledge they are required to demonstrate in their annual reservist in-camp trainings. This essay thus went on to elaborate the four stages involved in influencing this successful HRD learning program using theories primarily from adult learning. Following on from a thorough HRDNI, the design of the program saw that a necessary constructive alignment was made between the teaching style and the characteristics of the adult learners. The HLO model was used in this stage. As for the implementation, the facilitators of the program demonstrated strong micro-skills as well as using structured and semi-structured learning strategies through a PowerPoint presentation and role-playing session which reflected on instrumental and communicative learning for the adult learners, respectively. The final stage was the evaluation of the program in which a performance test was carried out as a specific assessment of learning method. Word Count: 2566 Reference List Bandura, A 1977, Social learning theory, Prentice Hall, New Jersey. Biggs, JB Tang, C 2007, Teaching for quality learning at university: what the student does, 3rd edn, Open University Press, Maidenhead. Delahaye, B Ehrich, L 2008, ‘Complex learning preferences and strategies of older adults’, Educational Gerontology, vol. 34, pp. 649–662, viewed 30 August 2012, Emerald Database. Delahaye, B 2011, Human resource development: managing learning and knowledge capital, 3rd edn, Tilde University Press, Prahran Australia. Feldman, KA 2007, ‘Identifying exemplary teachers and teaching: evidence from students’ ratings’, Perry, RP Smart, JC (eds. ), The scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education: an evidence-based perspective, Springer, AA Dordrecht, Netherlands. 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